Managing Uncertainty: Thinking and Planning Strategically.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo, Albert L.

1993-01-01

Argues that rapid change and tight resources demand reality-based planning, rather than planning models that ignore internal and external customers or emphasize process over product. Describes the Strategic Guidance Model (SGM) which provides colleges with strategic visioning, organizational assessment, environmental scanning, quality improvement,…

A novel microgrid demand-side management system for manufacturing facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harper, Terance J.

Thirty-one percent of annual energy consumption in the United States occurs within the industrial sector, where manufacturing processes account for the largest amount of energy consumption and carbon emissions. For this reason, energy efficiency in manufacturing facilities is increasingly important for reducing operating costs and improving profits. Using microgrids to generate local sustainable power should reduce energy consumption from the main utility grid along with energy costs and carbon emissions. Also, microgrids have the potential to serve as reliable energy generators in international locations where the utility grid is often unstable. For this research, a manufacturing process that had approximately 20 kW of peak demand was matched with a solar photovoltaic array that had a peak output of approximately 3 KW. An innovative Demand-Side Management (DSM) strategy was developed to manage the process loads as part of this smart microgrid system. The DSM algorithm managed the intermittent nature of the microgrid and the instantaneous demand of the manufacturing process. The control algorithm required three input signals; one from the microgrid indicating the availability of renewable energy, another from the manufacturing process indicating energy use as a percent of peak production, and historical data for renewable sources and facility demand. Based on these inputs the algorithm had three modes of operation: normal (business as usual), curtailment (shutting off non-critical loads), and energy storage. The results show that a real-time management of a manufacturing process with a microgrid will reduce electrical consumption and peak demand. The renewable energy system for this research was rated to provide up to 13% of the total manufacturing capacity. With actively managing the process loads with the DSM program alone, electrical consumption from the utility grid was reduced by 17% on average. An additional 24% reduction was accomplished when the microgrid and DSM program was enabled together, resulting in a total reduction of 37%. On average, peak demand was reduced by 6%, but due to the intermittency of the renewable source and the billing structure for peak demand, only a 1% reduction was obtained. During a billing period, it only takes one day when solar irradiance is poor to affect the demand reduction capabilities. To achieve further demand reduction, energy storage should be introduced and integrated.

Verbal short-term memory shows a specific association with receptive but not productive vocabulary measures in Down syndrome.

PubMed

Majerus, S; Barisnikov, K

2018-01-01

Verbal short-term memory (STM) capacity has been considered to support vocabulary learning in typical children and adults, but evidence for this link is inconsistent for studies in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study was explore the role of processing demands on the association between verbal STM and vocabulary measures in DS, by comparing receptive vocabulary measures with high STM processing demands to productive vocabulary measures with low STM processing demands. Forty-seven adults with Down syndrome were administered receptive vocabulary and productive vocabulary tasks, as well as measures of verbal STM abilities and intellectual efficiency. Bayesian regression analyses showed that verbal STM abilities were strongly and specifically associated with receptive vocabulary measures but not productive lexical abilities after controlling for intellectual efficiency, and this is despite the fact that vocabulary abilities as measured by receptive and productive vocabulary tasks were closely associated. In Down syndrome, verbal STM abilities may be predictive of specific task demands associated with receptive vocabulary tasks rather than of vocabulary development per se. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developing Passenger Demand Models for International Aviation from/to Egypt: A Case Study of Cairo Airport and Egyptair

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbas, Khaled A.; Fattah, Nabil Abdel; Reda, Hala R.

2003-01-01

This research is concerned with developing passenger demand models for international aviation from/to Egypt. In this context, aviation sector in Egypt is represented by the biggest and main airport namely Cairo airport as well as by the main Egyptian international air carrier namely Egyptair. The developed models utilize two variables to represent aviation demand, namely total number of international flights originating from and attracted to Cairo airport as well as total number of passengers using Egyptair international flights originating from and attracted to Cairo airport. Such demand variables were related, using different functional forms, to several explanatory variables including population, GDP and number of foreign tourists. Finally, two models were selected based on their logical acceptability, best fit and statistical significance. To demonstrate usefulness of developed models, these were used to forecast future demand patterns.

Community-driven demand creation for the use of routine viral load testing: a model to scale up routine viral load testing.

PubMed

Killingo, Bactrin M; Taro, Trisa B; Mosime, Wame N

2017-11-01

HIV treatment outcomes are dependent on the use of viral load measurement. Despite global and national guidelines recommending the use of routine viral load testing, these policies alone have not translated into widespread implementation or sufficiently increased access for people living with HIV (PLHIV). Civil society and communities of PLHIV recognize the need to close this gap and to enable the scale up of routine viral load testing. The International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) developed an approach to community-led demand creation for the use of routine viral load testing. Using this Community Demand Creation Model, implementers follow a step-wise process to capacitate and empower communities to address their most pressing needs. This includes utlizing a specific toolkit that includes conducting a baseline assessment, developing a treatment education toolkit, organizing mobilization workshops for knowledge building, provision of small grants to support advocacy work and conducting benchmark evaluations. The Community Demand Creation Model to increase demand for routine viral load testing services by PLHIV has been delivered in diverse contexts including in the sub-Saharan African, Asian, Latin American and the Caribbean regions. Between December 2015 and December 2016, ITPC trained more than 240 PLHIV activists, and disbursed US$90,000 to network partners in support of their national advocacy work. The latter efforts informed a regional, community-driven campaign calling for domestic investment in the expeditious implementation of national viral load testing guidelines. HIV treatment education and community mobilization are critical components of demand creation for access to optimal HIV treatment, especially for the use of routine viral load testing. ITPC's Community Demand Creation Model offers a novel approach to achieving this goal. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of the International AIDS Society published by John Wiley & sons Ltd on behalf of the International AIDS Society.

International Perspectives on the Profile of Highly Talented International Business Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Heugten, Petra; Heijne-Penninga, Marjolein; Robbe, Patricia; Jaarsma, Debbie; Wolfensberger, Marca

2017-01-01

There is a global demand for talented managers and leaders. To meet this demand, higher education institutions are developing talent programs. However, international perception of talent is diffuse. In this study, our profile of highly talented international business professionals was internationally validated by 172 participants, representing…

Evaluating Recreation Programmes with Disabled Participants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crilley, Gary; Hogg, Josie

International sources suggest that Australian human service agencies must implement meaningful processes to meet increasing demands for accountability in service delivery. The development of adequate services for the disabled in Australia is influenced by the principles of normalization--the use of culturally valued means in order to enable,…

Brain Matters: Neuroscience and Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blevins, Dean G.

2012-01-01

This article introduces a relationship between neuroscience and creativity for the sake of religious education. Citing creativity as a process that involves both originality and value, the writing articulates Howard Gardner's interplay between the talent of the person, the internal demands of a discipline, and the quality judgment of the field.…

26 CFR 301.9000-2 - Considerations in responding to a request or demand for IRS records or information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... demand for IRS records or information. 301.9000-2 Section 301.9000-2 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE... or demand for IRS records or information. (a) Situations in which disclosure shall not be authorized... requests or demands if testimony or disclosure of IRS records or information would— (1) Violate a Federal...

What Is the "International" in the International Baccalaureate?: Three Structuring Tensions of the Early Years (1962-1973)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarc, Paul

2009-01-01

The International Baccalaureate (IB) emerged in the 1960s after a significant demand arose for an internationally recognized secondary school-leaving diploma among a subset of the international school community. In tension with the practical demands of producing and sustaining a mobile diploma were underlying liberal-humanist visions of a…

Default Mode Network Engagement Beyond Self-Referential Internal Mentation.

PubMed

Vatansever, Deniz; Manktelow, Anne; Sahakian, Barbara J; Menon, David K; Stamatakis, Emmanuel A

2018-05-01

The default mode network (DMN) is typically associated with off-task internal mentation, or with goal-oriented tasks that require self-referential processing such as autobiographical planning. However, recent reports suggest a broader involvement of the DMN in higher cognition. In line with this view, we report global connectivity changes that are centered on the main DMN hubs of precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex during a functional magnetic resonance imaging-based visuospatial version of the Tower of London planning task. Importantly, functional connectivity of these regions with the left caudate shows a significant relationship with faster reaction time to correct responses only during the high-demand planning condition, thus offering further evidence for the DMN's engagement during visuospatial planning. The results of this study not only provide robust evidence against the widely held notion of DMN disengagement during goal-oriented, attention-demanding, externally directed tasks but also support its involvement in a broader cognitive context with a memory-related role that extends beyond self-referential, internally directed mentation.

Parenting Practices and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: Moderating Effects of Socially Demanding Kin Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Ronald D.; Lopez, Elizabeth I.; Budescu, Mia; McGill, Rebecca Kang

2012-01-01

Association of socially demanding kin relations, mother's emotional support, behavioral control/monitoring, family organization and psychological control with adolescent's internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed in 200 economically disadvantaged, African American mothers and adolescents. Demanding kin relations and mother's…

Exascale computing and big data

DOE PAGES

Reed, Daniel A.; Dongarra, Jack

2015-06-25

Scientific discovery and engineering innovation requires unifying traditionally separated high-performance computing and big data analytics. The tools and cultures of high-performance computing and big data analytics have diverged, to the detriment of both; unification is essential to address a spectrum of major research domains. The challenges of scale tax our ability to transmit data, compute complicated functions on that data, or store a substantial part of it; new approaches are required to meet these challenges. Finally, the international nature of science demands further development of advanced computer architectures and global standards for processing data, even as international competition complicates themore » openness of the scientific process.« less

Exascale computing and big data

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

Reed, Daniel A.; Dongarra, Jack

Scientific discovery and engineering innovation requires unifying traditionally separated high-performance computing and big data analytics. The tools and cultures of high-performance computing and big data analytics have diverged, to the detriment of both; unification is essential to address a spectrum of major research domains. The challenges of scale tax our ability to transmit data, compute complicated functions on that data, or store a substantial part of it; new approaches are required to meet these challenges. Finally, the international nature of science demands further development of advanced computer architectures and global standards for processing data, even as international competition complicates themore » openness of the scientific process.« less

Applying Knowledge Management to an Organization's Transformation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, Shannon; Gill, Tracy; Fritsche, Ralph

2008-01-01

Although workers in the information age have more information at their fingertips than ever before, the ability to effectively capture and reuse actual knowledge is still a surmounting challenge for many organizations. As high tech organizations transform from providing complex products and services in an established domain to providing them in new domains, knowledge remains an increasingly valuable commodity. This paper explores the supply and demand elements of the "knowledge market" within the International Space Station and Spacecraft Processing Directorate (ISSSPD) of NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC). It examines how knowledge supply and knowledge demand determine the success of an organization's knowledge management (KM) activities, and how the elements of a KM infrastructure (tools, culture, and training), can be used to create and sustain knowledge supply and demand

A comprehensive review on utilization of wastewater from coffee processing.

PubMed

Rattan, Supriya; Parande, A K; Nagaraju, V D; Ghiwari, Girish K

2015-05-01

The coffee processing industry is one of the major agro-based industries contributing significantly in international and national growth. Coffee fruits are processed by two methods, wet and dry process. In wet processing, coffee fruits generate enormous quantities of high strength wastewater requiring systematic treatment prior to disposal. Different method approach is used to treat the wastewater. Many researchers have attempted to assess the efficiency of batch aeration as posttreatment of coffee processing wastewater from an upflow anaerobic hybrid reactor (UAHR)-continuous and intermittent aeration system. However, wet coffee processing requires a high degree of processing know-how and produces large amounts of effluents which have the potential to damage the environment. Characteristics of wastewater from coffee processing has a biological oxygen demand (BOD) of up to 20,000 mg/l and a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of up to 50,000 mg/l as well as the acidity of pH below 4. In this review paper, various methods are discussed to treat coffee processing wastewaters; the constitution of wastewater is presented and the technical solutions for wastewater treatment are discussed.

Medical education in Sweden.

PubMed

Lindgren, Stefan; Brännström, Thomas; Hanse, Eric; Ledin, Torbjörn; Nilsson, Gunnar; Sandler, Stellan; Tidefelt, Ulf; Donnér, Jakob

2011-01-01

Undergraduate medical education in Sweden has moved from nationally regulated, subject-based courses to programmes integrated either around organ systems or physiological and patho-physiological processes, or organised around basic medical science in conjunction with clinical specialities, with individual profiles at the seven medical schools. The national regulations are restricted to overall academic and professional outcomes. The 5½ year long university undergraduate curriculum is followed by a mandatory 18 months internship, delivered by the County Councils. While quality control and accreditation for the university curriculum is provided by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education, no such formal control exists for the internship; undergraduate medical education is therefore in conflict with EU directives from 2005. The Government is expected to move towards 6 years long university undergraduate programmes, leading to licence, which will facilitate international mobility of both Swedish and foreign medical students and doctors. Ongoing academic development of undergraduate education is strengthened by the Bologna process. It includes outcome (competence)-based curricula, university Masters level complying with international standards, progression of competence throughout the curriculum, student directed learning, active participation and roles in practical clinical education and a national assessment model to assure professional competence. In the near future, the dimensioning of Swedish undergraduate education is likely to be decided more by international demands and aspects of quality than by national demands for doctors.

Methodology of a Modern Foreign Language Lesson for Postgraduate Students of Technical Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toporkova, Olga; Novozhenina, Elena; Tchechet, Tamara; Likhacheva, Tatiana

2014-01-01

The integration of Russia into the international common space of research and education accompanied by modernization of the national system of education puts forward new demands to postgraduate education. The processes of integration and modernization increase the importance of learning a foreign language for a future scientist. The article deals…

Determination of the acute toxicities of physicochemical pretreatment and advanced oxidation processes applied to dairy effluents on activated sludge.

PubMed

Sivrioğlu, Özge; Yonar, Taner

2015-04-01

In this study, the acute toxicities of raw, physicochemical pre-treated, ozonated, and Fenton reagent applied samples of dairy wastewater toward activated sludge microorganisms, evaluated using the International Organization for Standardization's respiration inhibition test (ISO 8192), are presented. Five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5) was measured to determine the biodegradability of physicochemical treatment, ozonation, Fenton oxidation or no treatment (raw samples) of dairy wastewater. Chemical pretreatment positively affected biodegradability, and the inhibition exhibited by activated sludge was removed to a considerable degree. Ozonation and the Fenton process exhibited good chemical oxygen demand removal (61%) and removal of toxins. Low sludge production was observed for the Fenton process applied to dairy effluents. We did not determine the inhibitory effect of the Fenton-process on the activated sludge mixture. The pollutant-removal efficiencies of the applied processes and their associated operating costs were determined. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

JPRS Report. Soviet Union: World Economy & International Relations, No. 6, June 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-23

Komsomol Congress, "is connected with the development of the mechanics of competitiveness in the economy, science and cultural life, a broadening of self... competitive selection and election. The process of democratization demands that the direct participation of the working people in the process of... Competition , intensified in the soil of S&T progress, is hitting the laggards even more ruthlessly." This conclusion is borne out convincingly by the

Global trends in milk quality: implications for the Irish dairy industry

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The quality of Irish agricultural product will become increasingly important with the ongoing liberalisation of international trade. This paper presents a review of the global and Irish dairy industries; considers the impact of milk quality on farm profitability, food processing and human health, examines global trends in quality; and explores several models that are successfully being used to tackle milk quality concerns. There is a growing global demand for dairy products, fuelled in part by growing consumer wealth in developing countries. Global dairy trade represents only 6.2% of global production and demand currently outstrips supply. Although the Irish dairy industry is small by global standards, approximately 85% of annual production is exported annually. It is also the world's largest producer of powdered infant formula. Milk quality has an impact on human health, milk processing and on-farm profitability. Somatic cell count (SCC) is a key measure of milk quality, with a SCC not exceeding 400,000 cells/ml (the EU milk quality standard) generally accepted as the international export standard. There have been ongoing improvements in milk quality among both established and emerging international suppliers. A number of countries have developed successful industry-led models to tackle milk quality concerns. Based on international experiences, it is likely that problems with effective translation of knowledge to practice, rather than incomplete knowledge per se, are the more important constraints to national progress towards improved milk quality. PMID:22081986

A Framework for Understanding and Generating Integrated Solutions for Residential Peak Energy Demand

PubMed Central

Buys, Laurie; Vine, Desley; Ledwich, Gerard; Bell, John; Mengersen, Kerrie; Morris, Peter; Lewis, Jim

2015-01-01

Supplying peak energy demand in a cost effective, reliable manner is a critical focus for utilities internationally. Successfully addressing peak energy concerns requires understanding of all the factors that affect electricity demand especially at peak times. This paper is based on past attempts of proposing models designed to aid our understanding of the influences on residential peak energy demand in a systematic and comprehensive way. Our model has been developed through a group model building process as a systems framework of the problem situation to model the complexity within and between systems and indicate how changes in one element might flow on to others. It is comprised of themes (social, technical and change management options) networked together in a way that captures their influence and association with each other and also their influence, association and impact on appliance usage and residential peak energy demand. The real value of the model is in creating awareness, understanding and insight into the complexity of residential peak energy demand and in working with this complexity to identify and integrate the social, technical and change management option themes and their impact on appliance usage and residential energy demand at peak times. PMID:25807384

A framework for understanding and generating integrated solutions for residential peak energy demand.

PubMed

Buys, Laurie; Vine, Desley; Ledwich, Gerard; Bell, John; Mengersen, Kerrie; Morris, Peter; Lewis, Jim

2015-01-01

Supplying peak energy demand in a cost effective, reliable manner is a critical focus for utilities internationally. Successfully addressing peak energy concerns requires understanding of all the factors that affect electricity demand especially at peak times. This paper is based on past attempts of proposing models designed to aid our understanding of the influences on residential peak energy demand in a systematic and comprehensive way. Our model has been developed through a group model building process as a systems framework of the problem situation to model the complexity within and between systems and indicate how changes in one element might flow on to others. It is comprised of themes (social, technical and change management options) networked together in a way that captures their influence and association with each other and also their influence, association and impact on appliance usage and residential peak energy demand. The real value of the model is in creating awareness, understanding and insight into the complexity of residential peak energy demand and in working with this complexity to identify and integrate the social, technical and change management option themes and their impact on appliance usage and residential energy demand at peak times.

Global impacts of energy demand on the freshwater resources of nations.

PubMed

Holland, Robert Alan; Scott, Kate A; Flörke, Martina; Brown, Gareth; Ewers, Robert M; Farmer, Elizabeth; Kapos, Valerie; Muggeridge, Ann; Scharlemann, Jörn P W; Taylor, Gail; Barrett, John; Eigenbrod, Felix

2015-12-01

The growing geographic disconnect between consumption of goods, the extraction and processing of resources, and the environmental impacts associated with production activities makes it crucial to factor global trade into sustainability assessments. Using an empirically validated environmentally extended global trade model, we examine the relationship between two key resources underpinning economies and human well--being-energy and freshwater. A comparison of three energy sectors (petroleum, gas, and electricity) reveals that freshwater consumption associated with gas and electricity production is largely confined within the territorial boundaries where demand originates. This finding contrasts with petroleum, which exhibits a varying ratio of territorial to international freshwater consumption, depending on the origin of demand. For example, although the United States and China have similar demand associated with the petroleum sector, international freshwater consumption is three times higher for the former than the latter. Based on mapping patterns of freshwater consumption associated with energy sectors at subnational scales, our analysis also reveals concordance between pressure on freshwater resources associated with energy production and freshwater scarcity in a number of river basins globally. These energy-driven pressures on freshwater resources in areas distant from the origin of energy demand complicate the design of policy to ensure security of fresh water and energy supply. Although much of the debate around energy is focused on greenhouse gas emissions, our findings highlight the need to consider the full range of consequences of energy production when designing policy.

Global impacts of energy demand on the freshwater resources of nations

PubMed Central

Holland, Robert Alan; Scott, Kate A.; Flörke, Martina; Brown, Gareth; Ewers, Robert M.; Farmer, Elizabeth; Kapos, Valerie; Muggeridge, Ann; Taylor, Gail; Barrett, John; Eigenbrod, Felix

2015-01-01

The growing geographic disconnect between consumption of goods, the extraction and processing of resources, and the environmental impacts associated with production activities makes it crucial to factor global trade into sustainability assessments. Using an empirically validated environmentally extended global trade model, we examine the relationship between two key resources underpinning economies and human well-being—energy and freshwater. A comparison of three energy sectors (petroleum, gas, and electricity) reveals that freshwater consumption associated with gas and electricity production is largely confined within the territorial boundaries where demand originates. This finding contrasts with petroleum, which exhibits a varying ratio of territorial to international freshwater consumption, depending on the origin of demand. For example, although the United States and China have similar demand associated with the petroleum sector, international freshwater consumption is three times higher for the former than the latter. Based on mapping patterns of freshwater consumption associated with energy sectors at subnational scales, our analysis also reveals concordance between pressure on freshwater resources associated with energy production and freshwater scarcity in a number of river basins globally. These energy-driven pressures on freshwater resources in areas distant from the origin of energy demand complicate the design of policy to ensure security of fresh water and energy supply. Although much of the debate around energy is focused on greenhouse gas emissions, our findings highlight the need to consider the full range of consequences of energy production when designing policy. PMID:26627262

International petroleum statistics report

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

NONE

1996-12-01

This report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, and stocks. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1995; stocks from 1973 through 1995, and trade from 1985 through 1995.

Two eras of globalization and hardwood sawtimber demand

Treesearch

William G. Luppold; Matthew S. Bumgardner

2006-01-01

In the early 1970s, the adoption of floating exchange rates resulted in more fluid transfers between international currencies and spurred increased international demand for hardwood lumber produced in the United States.

International Seminar--History and Social Science Textbook (Santiago de Chile, 2008)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Online Submission, 2009

2009-01-01

The School Textbook Division from the Chilean Ministry of Education has carried out experience-sharing instances and reflection processes oriented to improve the quality of textbooks, adapting them to new learning strategies, to the demands of the school system as well as to the state-of-the-art in research in education worldwide. Since the…

Skills Matter: Further Results from the Survey of Adult Skills. OECD Skills Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kankaraš, Miloš; Montt, Guillermo; Paccagnella, Marco; Quintini, Glenda; Thorn, William

2016-01-01

In the wake of the technological revolution that began in the last decades of the 20th century, labour market demand for information-processing and other high-level cognitive and interpersonal skills is growing substantially. The "Survey of Adult Skills," a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult…

School management and contingency theory: an emerging perspective.

PubMed

Hanson, E M

1979-01-01

In an article written for educational administrators, Hanson explains the assumptions, framework, and application of contingency theory. The author sees contingency theory as a way for organizations to adapt to uncertainty by developing a strategic plan with alternative scenarios. He urges school administrators to join businessmen and public managers in using a technique described as "the most powerful current sweeping over the organizational field." The theory assumes that: (1) a maze of goals govern the development of events; (2) different management approaches may be appropriate within the same organization; and (3) different leadership styles suit different situations. Contingency planning helps the organization to respond to uncertainty in the external environment by identifying possible events that may occur and by preparing alternative stratgies to deal with them. Hanson describes the purpose of this process as providing "a more effective match between an organization and its environment." He explains that contingency theory analyzes the internal adjustments of the organization (e.g., decision making process, structure, technology, instructional techniques) as it seeks to meet the shifting demands of its external or internal environments. According to the author, the intent of contingency theory is to establish an optimal "match" between environmental demands (and support) and the response capabilities of the organization including its structure, planning process, and leadership style.

Component Design Report: International Transportation Energy Demand Determinants Model

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

This Component Design Report discusses working design elements for a new model to replace the International Transportation Model (ITran) in the World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS ) that is maintained by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The key objective of the new International Transportation Energy Demand Determinants (ITEDD) model is to enable more rigorous, quantitative research related to energy consumption in the international transportation sectors.

Rapid Production of Internally Structured Colloids by Flash Nanoprecipitation of Block Copolymer Blends.

PubMed

Grundy, Lorena S; Lee, Victoria E; Li, Nannan; Sosa, Chris; Mulhearn, William D; Liu, Rui; Register, Richard A; Nikoubashman, Arash; Prud'homme, Robert K; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z; Priestley, Rodney D

2018-05-08

Colloids with internally structured geometries have shown great promise in applications ranging from biosensors to optics to drug delivery, where the internal particle structure is paramount to performance. The growing demand for such nanomaterials necessitates the development of a scalable processing platform for their production. Flash nanoprecipitation (FNP), a rapid and inherently scalable colloid precipitation technology, is used to prepare internally structured colloids from blends of block copolymers and homopolymers. As revealed by a combination of experiments and simulations, colloids prepared from different molecular weight diblock copolymers adopt either an ordered lamellar morphology consisting of concentric shells or a disordered lamellar morphology when chain dynamics are sufficiently slow to prevent defect annealing during solvent exchange. Blends of homopolymer and block copolymer in the feed stream generate more complex internally structured colloids, such as those with hierarchically structured Janus and patchy morphologies, due to additional phase separation and kinetic trapping effects. The ability of the FNP process to generate such a wide range of morphologies using a simple and scalable setup provides a pathway to manufacturing internally structured colloids on an industrial scale.

International petroleum statistics report

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

NONE

1997-11-01

This document is a monthly publication which provides current data on international oil production,demand,imports and stocks. This report has four sections which contain time series data on world oil production and oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Also included is oil supply/demand balance information for the world, and data on oil imports and trade by OECD countries.

The 'CommTech' Methodology: A Demand-Driven Approach to Efficient, Productive and Measurable Technology Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horsham, Gray A. P.

1998-01-01

Market research sources were used to initially gather primary technological problems and needs data from non-aerospace companies in targeted industry sectors. The company-supplied information served as input data to activate or start-up an internal, phased match-making process. This process was based on technical-level relationship exploration followed by business-level agreement negotiations, and culminated with project management and execution. Space Act Agreements represented near-term outputs. Company product or process commercialization derived from Lewis support and measurable economic effects represented far-term outputs.

Non-linear Relationship between BOLD Activation and Amplitude of Beta Oscillations in the Supplementary Motor Area during Rhythmic Finger Tapping and Internal Timing.

PubMed

Gompf, Florian; Pflug, Anja; Laufs, Helmut; Kell, Christian A

2017-01-01

Functional imaging studies using BOLD contrasts have consistently reported activation of the supplementary motor area (SMA) both during motor and internal timing tasks. Opposing findings, however, have been shown for the modulation of beta oscillations in the SMA. While movement suppresses beta oscillations in the SMA, motor and non-motor tasks that rely on internal timing increase the amplitude of beta oscillations in the SMA. These independent observations suggest that the relationship between beta oscillations and BOLD activation is more complex than previously thought. Here we set out to investigate this rapport by examining beta oscillations in the SMA during movement with varying degrees of internal timing demands. In a simultaneous EEG-fMRI experiment, 20 healthy right-handed subjects performed an auditory-paced finger-tapping task. Internal timing was operationalized by including conditions with taps on every fourth auditory beat, which necessitates generation of a slow internal rhythm, while tapping to every auditory beat reflected simple auditory-motor synchronization. In the SMA, BOLD activity increased and power in both the low and the high beta band decreased expectedly during each condition compared to baseline. Internal timing was associated with a reduced desynchronization of low beta oscillations compared to conditions without internal timing demands. In parallel with this relative beta power increase, internal timing activated the SMA more strongly in terms of BOLD. This documents a task-dependent non-linear relationship between BOLD and beta-oscillations in the SMA. We discuss different roles of beta synchronization and desynchronization in active processing within the same cortical region.

Perceptions of an international interprofessional education experience: Findings from students based in Europe and North America.

PubMed

Macauley, Kelly; Skov, Hanne; Lehtonen, Krista; Shulman, Brian

2016-09-01

The globalisation of healthcare is changing the demands placed on health professionals. It requires different skills and thought processes across national borders. Thinking in an innovative manner may provide healthcare workers with some of the necessary tools to facilitate international change by increasing students' mental flexibility and ability to apply solutions in multiple contexts. We created the International Innovation Program for health profession education students to learn about and implement the innovation process. The programme provides students the opportunity to learn in interprofessional, international teams and apply didactic knowledge to community problems using the innovation process. The purpose of this article is to describe student perceptions across 4 years of programme implementation. Through analysis of closed-ended survey data, we found that students who participated in the programme reported improvements in collaboration and teamwork, project management, interprofessional teamwork, professional growth and development, thinking in an innovative manner, research and development skills, information seeking, and willingness to work on international projects. Analysis of the open-ended questions revealed five themes: language, teamwork and collaboration, cultural awareness, innovation process, and personal growth and self-improvement. The long-term, follow-up data indicate that these attributes can be transferred into a clinical context which have implications for improved collaboration and patient care.

Examining internal and external job resources in child welfare: Protecting against caseworker burnout.

PubMed

He, Amy S; Phillips, Jon D; Lizano, Erica L; Rienks, Shauna; Leake, Robin

2018-07-01

Given intense job demands, it is not surprising that job burnout is a consistent threat to the well-being and retention of the child welfare workforce. Guided by central postulates of the Job Demands and Resources (JD-R) model which suggests that job burnout develops because of experiences of high work demands coupled with low resources in the workplace, we applied a conceptual model of job burnout (client and work related) that accounts for both internal and external resources available to child welfare workers. Findings among child welfare caseworkers from three states (N = 1917) indicate that job demands (stress and time pressure) were positively related to client- and work-related burnout. Additionally, both internal and external resources moderated the relationships between job demands and client- and work-related burnout. Study findings have workforce management implications in the child welfare sector, including the role resources might play in mitigating the negative impact of job demands on burnout in the child welfare workforce. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Review of Player Monitoring Approaches in Basketball: Current Trends and Future Directions.

PubMed

Fox, Jordan L; Scanlan, Aaron T; Stanton, Robert

2017-07-01

Fox, JL, Scanlan, AT, and Stanton, R. A review of player monitoring approaches in basketball: current trends and future directions. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 2021-2029, 2017-Effective monitoring of players in team sports such as basketball requires an understanding of the external demands and internal responses, as they relate to training phases and competition. Monitoring of external demands and internal responses allows coaching staff to determine the dose-response associated with the imposed training load (TL), and subsequently, if players are adequately prepared for competition. This review discusses measures reported in the literature for monitoring the external demands and internal responses of basketball players during training and competition. The external demands of training and competition were primarily monitored using time-motion analysis, with limited use of microtechnology being reported. Internal responses during training were typically measured using hematological markers, heart rate, various TL models, and perceptual responses such as rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Heart rate was the most commonly reported indicator of internal responses during competition with limited reporting of hematological markers or RPE. These findings show a large discrepancy between the reporting of external and internal measures and training and competition demands. Microsensors, however, may be a practical and convenient method of player monitoring in basketball to overcome the limitations associated with current approaches while allowing for external demands and internal responses to be recorded simultaneously. The triaxial accelerometers of microsensors seem well suited for basketball and warrant validation to definitively determine their place in the monitoring of basketball players. Coaching staff should make use of this technology by tracking individual player responses across the annual plan and using real-time monitoring to minimize factors such as fatigue and injury risk.

Liberalisation of air cargo transport

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-05-02

Over a period of many years, international air cargo demand has continued to increase more rapidly than international air passenger demand. Air cargo arrangements need to be as efficient and expeditious as possible, to meet user requirements for air ...

International petroleum statistics report

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

NONE

1996-03-01

This report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, exports, and stocks. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1994; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1994; and OECD trade from 1984 through 1994.

Referral interventions from primary to specialist care: a systematic review of international evidence

PubMed Central

Blank, Lindsay; Baxter, Susan; Woods, Helen Buckley; Goyder, Elizabeth; Lee, Andrew; Payne, Nick; Rimmer, Melanie

2014-01-01

Background Demand management defines any method used to monitor, direct, or regulate patient referrals. Strategies have been developed to manage the referral of patients to secondary care, with interventions that target primary care, specialist services, or infrastructure. Aim To review the international evidence on interventions to manage referral from primary to specialist care. Design and setting Systematic review. Method Iterative, systematic searches of published and unpublished sources public health, health management, management, and grey literature databases from health care and other industries were undertaken to identify recent, relevant studies. A narrative synthesis of the data was completed to structure the evidence into groups of similar interventions. Results The searches generated 8327 unique results, of which 140 studies were included. Interventions were grouped into four intervention categories: GP education (n = 50); process change (n = 49); system change (n = 38); and patient-focused (n = 3). It is clear that there is no ‘magic bullet’ to managing demand for secondary care services: although some groups of interventions may have greater potential for development, given the existing evidence that they can be effective in specific contexts. Conclusions To tackle demand management of primary care services, the focus cannot be on primary care alone; a whole-systems approach is needed because the introduction of interventions in primary care is often just the starting point of the referral process. In addition, more research is needed to develop and evaluate interventions that acknowledge the role of the patient in the referral decision. PMID:25452541

Trading health services across borders: GATS, markets, and caveats.

PubMed

Mutchnick, lan S; Stern, David T; Moyer, Cheryl A

2005-01-01

The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is the result of an ongoing process of opening national markets to foreign health services within an international framework of trade agreements that prohibit discriminatory treatment of foreign suppliers. Developing markets are growing, as is demand for health care services, and most of this demand is being met by the private market. The globalization of health services requires the resources of the academic and corporate sectors of the developed world for equitable and sustainable growth. Health services trade should be seen as a tool for achieving these goals, rather than as an end in itself.

Re-Evaluating the Speaking and Listening Demands of University Classes for Novice International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Beth; Rice, Jennifer; Rice, Korey; DeCoster, Brendan; Drummond-Sardell, Rachel; Soelberg, Nate

2015-01-01

Instructors from an Intensive English Program (IEP) conducted classroom observations in university courses commonly attended by international students to answer two questions: 1) What listening and speaking demands do international students face in courses at our university? 2) How can instructors in our IEP better prepare our students for these…

Does the International Substitution Effect Help Explain the Slope of the Aggregate Demand Curve?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, T. Windsor; Elwood, S. Kirk

1998-01-01

Observes that the textbook explanation of the relationship between the international substitution effect and the downward slope of the aggregate demand curve is generally presented uncritically. Argues that the international substitution effect is sufficiently flawed and that it should be eliminated in teaching as a justification for the slope of…

Academic Staff Involvement and Openness to Diversity in International Educational Organisations: Is There a Moderating Effect of Shared Language?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selmer, Jan; Lauring, Jakob; Jonasson, Charlotte

2013-01-01

Joint work among academic staff is important for solving the ever-increasing number of complex tasks that are becoming part of everyday activities in higher education. At the same time, diversification and internationalisation may challenge collaboration processes and communication demands. Speaking a shared language consistently could be a way of…

Mongolia's potential in international cooperation in the Asian energy space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batmunkh, Sereeter; Stennikov, Valery; Bat-Erdene, Bayar; Erdenebaatar, Altay

2018-01-01

The paper is concerned with the issues of interstate electric power interconnections to be created in the countries of Northeast Asia. The conditions are formulated, the problems are stated, and solutions for Mongolia's entry into the Asian energy space are proposed. The electricity consumption rates are growing, however, the Northeast Asia countries differ considerably in available energy resources to cope with this growth. Therefore, the need to build international electric power interconnections that take into account climatic features, seasonal peak load differences and other factors in order to rationally match power demand and supply is getting increasingly more obvious. Mongolia can take an active part in this process, as the country is rich in energy resources and interested in their development to meet their domestic needs and exchange with neighboring countries. The establishment of interstate power interconnections in the Northeast Asia countries represents a topical task whose solution will make it possible to meet the demand of this region for electricity on mutually beneficial terms. Mongolia has a good spatial position, energy resources and is interested in ensuring domestic energy balance. Therefore, the country can be an active participant in such an integration process.

Harnessing the wandering mind: the role of perceptual load.

PubMed

Forster, Sophie; Lavie, Nilli

2009-06-01

Perceptual load is a key determinant of distraction by task-irrelevant stimuli (e.g., Lavie, N. (2005). Distracted and confused?: Selective attention under load. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9, 75-82). Here we establish the role of perceptual load in determining an internal form of distraction by task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs or "mind-wandering"). Four experiments demonstrated reduced frequency of TUTs with high compared to low perceptual load in a visual-search task. Alternative accounts in terms of increased demands on responses, verbal working memory or motivation were ruled out and clear effects of load were found for unintentional TUTs. Individual differences in load effects on internal (TUTs) and external (response-competition) distractors were correlated. These results suggest that exhausting attentional capacity in task-relevant processing under high perceptual load can reduce processing of task-irrelevant information from external and internal sources alike.

Development of an estimation model for the evaluation of the energy requirement of dilute acid pretreatments of biomass.

PubMed

Mafe, Oluwakemi A T; Davies, Scott M; Hancock, John; Du, Chenyu

2015-01-01

This study aims to develop a mathematical model to evaluate the energy required by pretreatment processes used in the production of second generation ethanol. A dilute acid pretreatment process reported by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was selected as an example for the model's development. The energy demand of the pretreatment process was evaluated by considering the change of internal energy of the substances, the reaction energy, the heat lost and the work done to/by the system based on a number of simplifying assumptions. Sensitivity analyses were performed on the solid loading rate, temperature, acid concentration and water evaporation rate. The results from the sensitivity analyses established that the solids loading rate had the most significant impact on the energy demand. The model was then verified with data from the NREL benchmark process. Application of this model on other dilute acid pretreatment processes reported in the literature illustrated that although similar sugar yields were reported by several studies, the energy required by the different pretreatments varied significantly.

Characterising Wildlife Trade Market Supply-Demand Dynamics

PubMed Central

Rowcliffe, M.; Cowlishaw, G.; Alexander, J. S.; Ntiamoa-Baidu, Y.; Brenya, A.; Milner-Gulland, E. J.

2016-01-01

The trade in wildlife products can represent an important source of income for poor people, but also threaten wildlife locally, regionally and internationally. Bushmeat provides livelihoods for hunters, traders and sellers, protein to rural and urban consumers, and has depleted the populations of many tropical forest species. Management interventions can be targeted towards the consumers or suppliers of wildlife products. There has been a general assumption in the bushmeat literature that the urban trade is driven by consumer demand with hunters simply fulfilling this demand. Using the urban bushmeat trade in the city of Kumasi, Ghana, as a case study, we use a range of datasets to explore the processes driving the urban bushmeat trade. We characterise the nature of supply and demand by explicitly considering three market attributes: resource condition, hunter behaviour, and consumer behaviour. Our results suggest that bushmeat resources around Kumasi are becoming increasingly depleted and are unable to meet demand, that hunters move in and out of the trade independently of price signals generated by the market, and that, for the Kumasi bushmeat system, consumption levels are driven not by consumer choice but by shortfalls in supply and consequent price responses. Together, these results indicate that supply-side processes dominate the urban bushmeat trade in Kumasi. This suggests that future management interventions should focus on changing hunter behaviour, although complementary interventions targeting consumer demand are also likely to be necessary in the long term. Our approach represents a structured and repeatable method to assessing market dynamics in information-poor systems. The findings serve as a caution against assuming that wildlife markets are demand driven, and highlight the value of characterising market dynamics to inform appropriate management. PMID:27632169

Characterising Wildlife Trade Market Supply-Demand Dynamics.

PubMed

McNamara, J; Rowcliffe, M; Cowlishaw, G; Alexander, J S; Ntiamoa-Baidu, Y; Brenya, A; Milner-Gulland, E J

2016-01-01

The trade in wildlife products can represent an important source of income for poor people, but also threaten wildlife locally, regionally and internationally. Bushmeat provides livelihoods for hunters, traders and sellers, protein to rural and urban consumers, and has depleted the populations of many tropical forest species. Management interventions can be targeted towards the consumers or suppliers of wildlife products. There has been a general assumption in the bushmeat literature that the urban trade is driven by consumer demand with hunters simply fulfilling this demand. Using the urban bushmeat trade in the city of Kumasi, Ghana, as a case study, we use a range of datasets to explore the processes driving the urban bushmeat trade. We characterise the nature of supply and demand by explicitly considering three market attributes: resource condition, hunter behaviour, and consumer behaviour. Our results suggest that bushmeat resources around Kumasi are becoming increasingly depleted and are unable to meet demand, that hunters move in and out of the trade independently of price signals generated by the market, and that, for the Kumasi bushmeat system, consumption levels are driven not by consumer choice but by shortfalls in supply and consequent price responses. Together, these results indicate that supply-side processes dominate the urban bushmeat trade in Kumasi. This suggests that future management interventions should focus on changing hunter behaviour, although complementary interventions targeting consumer demand are also likely to be necessary in the long term. Our approach represents a structured and repeatable method to assessing market dynamics in information-poor systems. The findings serve as a caution against assuming that wildlife markets are demand driven, and highlight the value of characterising market dynamics to inform appropriate management.

Underreporting on the MMPI-2-RF in a high-demand police officer selection context: an illustration.

PubMed

Detrick, Paul; Chibnall, John T

2014-09-01

Positive response distortion is common in the high-demand context of employment selection. This study examined positive response distortion, in the form of underreporting, on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Police officer job applicants completed the MMPI-2-RF under high-demand and low-demand conditions, once during the preemployment psychological evaluation and once without contingencies after completing the police academy. Demand-related score elevations were evident on the Uncommon Virtues (L-r) and Adjustment Validity (K-r) scales. Underreporting was evident on the Higher-Order scales Emotional/Internalizing Dysfunction and Behavioral/Externalizing Dysfunction; 5 of 9 Restructured Clinical scales; 6 of 9 Internalizing scales; 3 of 4 Externalizing scales; and 3 of 5 Personality Psychopathology 5 scales. Regression analyses indicated that L-r predicted demand-related underreporting on behavioral/externalizing scales, and K-r predicted underreporting on emotional/internalizing scales. Select scales of the MMPI-2-RF are differentially associated with different types of underreporting among police officer applicants. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

How rich is Australia's minerals endowment and is it adequate to sustain a major role in meeting international demand?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, I. B.

2012-04-01

Dr Ian Lambert, Geoscience Australia and Secretary General 34th International Geological Congress Australia has comparative advantages in production of mineral commodities compared to most other countries. These stem from its rich and diverse mineral endowment; availability of regional scale (pre-competitive) geoscience information to lower the risks of exploration; advances in exploration, mining and processing technologies; skilled work force; generally benign physical conditions; and low population density. Building on these strengths, Australia is a major producer and exporter of a wide range of mineral and energy commodities to global markets. Given that demand for most major commodities is likely to continue, and that there will be growing markets for some other commodities, Australia needs to have a strategic view of what is likely to be available for mining. Further, Australia (and the world) needs to be attuned to issues that need to be faced in meeting international demand for commodities in the long term. This presentation outlines how Australia's national minerals inventory is compiled. It discusses trends for Australia's identified mineral resources for major commodities, and how these compare with other major mining nations. It then considers some significant issues in relation to sustaining a strong mining sector - in the medium to long term this requires a strategic approach to achieve goals such as more effective/lower risk exploration particularly in greenfields regions; well-Informed decisions on mining proposals; ongoing significant improvements in efficiencies of energy, water and land use.

A review of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) international standards for tissue banks.

PubMed

Morales Pedraza, Jorge; Lobo Gajiwala, Astrid; Martinez Pardo, María Esther

2012-03-01

The IAEA International Standards for Tissue Banks published in 2003 were based on the Standards then currently in use in the USA and the European Union, among others, and reflect the best practices associated with the operation of a tissue bank. They cover legal, ethical and regulatory controls as well as requirements and procedures from donor selection and tissue retrieval to processing and distribution of finished tissue for clinical use. The application of these standards allows tissue banks to operate with the current good tissue practice, thereby providing grafts of high quality that satisfy the national and international demand for safe and biologically useful grafts. The objective of this article is to review the IAEA Standards and recommend new topics that could improve the current version.

Non-linear Relationship between BOLD Activation and Amplitude of Beta Oscillations in the Supplementary Motor Area during Rhythmic Finger Tapping and Internal Timing

PubMed Central

Gompf, Florian; Pflug, Anja; Laufs, Helmut; Kell, Christian A.

2017-01-01

Functional imaging studies using BOLD contrasts have consistently reported activation of the supplementary motor area (SMA) both during motor and internal timing tasks. Opposing findings, however, have been shown for the modulation of beta oscillations in the SMA. While movement suppresses beta oscillations in the SMA, motor and non-motor tasks that rely on internal timing increase the amplitude of beta oscillations in the SMA. These independent observations suggest that the relationship between beta oscillations and BOLD activation is more complex than previously thought. Here we set out to investigate this rapport by examining beta oscillations in the SMA during movement with varying degrees of internal timing demands. In a simultaneous EEG-fMRI experiment, 20 healthy right-handed subjects performed an auditory-paced finger-tapping task. Internal timing was operationalized by including conditions with taps on every fourth auditory beat, which necessitates generation of a slow internal rhythm, while tapping to every auditory beat reflected simple auditory-motor synchronization. In the SMA, BOLD activity increased and power in both the low and the high beta band decreased expectedly during each condition compared to baseline. Internal timing was associated with a reduced desynchronization of low beta oscillations compared to conditions without internal timing demands. In parallel with this relative beta power increase, internal timing activated the SMA more strongly in terms of BOLD. This documents a task-dependent non-linear relationship between BOLD and beta-oscillations in the SMA. We discuss different roles of beta synchronization and desynchronization in active processing within the same cortical region. PMID:29249950

An Analysis of Multinational Corporations' Perception of Their Requirements for International M.B.A. Degree Holders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colquitt, J.; And Others

This study was undertaken to assess: (1) the U.S. corporate demand for Americans holding an MBA degree with a concentration in International Management, (2) the U.S. corporate demand for foreign nationals holding a similar American MBA degree, and (3) the corporate perception of the value of foreign languages in such an international curriculum. A…

Analysis of the Demand for Airport Bus Services at Washington National and Dulles International Airports

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-05-01

This report presents the findings and recommendations from a study of the demand for airport bus services at Washington National and Dulles International Airports. The purpose of the study was to provide FAA's Metropolitan Washington Airports with a ...

Health-related relief in the former Yugoslavia: needs, demands, and supplies.

PubMed

Rubin, M; Heuvelmans, J H; Tomic-Cica, A; Birnbaum, M L

2000-01-01

Many organizations rally to areas to provide assistance to a population during a disaster. Little is known about the ability of the materials and services provided to meet the actual needs and demands of the affected population. This study sought to identify the perceptions of representatives of the international organizations providing this aid, the international workers involved with the delivery of this aid, the workers who were employed locally by the international organizations, the recipients, and the local authorities. This study sought to identify the perceptions of these personnel relative to the adequacies of the supplies in meeting the needs and demands of the population during and following the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Structured interviews were conducted with representatives of international organizations and workers providing aid and with locally employed workers, recipients of the assistance, and the authorities of the areas involved. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to assist in the analysis of the data. Eighty-eight interviews were conducted. A total of 246 organizations were identified as providing assistance within the area, and 54% were involved with health-related activities including: 1) the provision of medications; 2) public health measures; and 3) medical equipment or parts for the same. Internationals believed that a higher proportion of the needs were being met by the assistance (73.4 +/- 16.4%) than did the nationals (52.1 +/- 23.3%; p < 0.001). All groups believed that approximately 50% of the demands of the affected population were being addressed. However, 87% of the international interviewees believed that the affected population was requesting more than it actually needed. While 27% of the international participants believed that > or = 25% of what was provided was unusable, 80% of the recipients felt that > or = 25% of the provisions were not usable. Whereas two-thirds of the international participants believed that > or = 25% of the demands for assistance by the affected community could not be justified, only 20% of the recipients and authorities believed > or = 25% of the demands were unjustified. Many organizations are involved in the provision of medical assistance during a disaster. However, international organizations and workers believe their efforts are more effective than do the recipients.

Understanding the kinetics of ligand binding to globins with molecular dynamics simulations: the necessity of multiple state models.

PubMed

Estarellas Martin, Carolina; Seira Castan, Constantí; Luque Garriga, F Javier; Bidon-Chanal Badia, Axel

2015-10-01

Residue conformational changes and internal cavity migration processes play a key role in regulating the kinetics of ligand migration and binding events in globins. Molecular dynamics simulations have demonstrated their value in the study of these processes in different haemoglobins, but derivation of kinetic data demands the use of more complex techniques like enhanced sampling molecular dynamics methods. This review discusses the different methodologies that are currently applied to study the ligand migration process in globins and highlight those specially developed to derive kinetic data. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topological design and additive manufacturing of porous metals for bone scaffolds and orthopaedic implants: A review.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaojian; Xu, Shanqing; Zhou, Shiwei; Xu, Wei; Leary, Martin; Choong, Peter; Qian, M; Brandt, Milan; Xie, Yi Min

2016-03-01

One of the critical issues in orthopaedic regenerative medicine is the design of bone scaffolds and implants that replicate the biomechanical properties of the host bones. Porous metals have found themselves to be suitable candidates for repairing or replacing the damaged bones since their stiffness and porosity can be adjusted on demands. Another advantage of porous metals lies in their open space for the in-growth of bone tissue, hence accelerating the osseointegration process. The fabrication of porous metals has been extensively explored over decades, however only limited controls over the internal architecture can be achieved by the conventional processes. Recent advances in additive manufacturing have provided unprecedented opportunities for producing complex structures to meet the increasing demands for implants with customized mechanical performance. At the same time, topology optimization techniques have been developed to enable the internal architecture of porous metals to be designed to achieve specified mechanical properties at will. Thus implants designed via the topology optimization approach and produced by additive manufacturing are of great interest. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of topological design and manufacturing processes of various types of porous metals, in particular for titanium alloys, biodegradable metals and shape memory alloys. This review also identifies the limitations of current techniques and addresses the directions for future investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The precautionary principle and other non-tariff barriers to free and fair international food trade.

PubMed

Lupien, John R

2002-07-01

International food trade and world population are growing rapidly. National legislation has been enacted and implemented in many countries to assure good quality and safe foods to meet increased demand. No country is fully self-sufficient in domestic food production to meet population demands, and all require some food imports. Current international food trade agreements call for free and fair food trade between all countries, developed and developing. National food legislation and food production, processing and marketing systems have evolved in most countries to ensure better quality and safer foods. At the international level the work of the FAO/ WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and the World Trade Organization Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and related Uruguay Round agreements have been agreed to by over 140 countries with the aim to promoting the free and fair trade of good quality and safe foods between all countries. The SPS and TBT agreements rely on science-based Codex standards, guidelines, and recommendations as benchmarks for judging international food trade disputes. A number of non-tariff barriers to trade, often related to agricultural subsidies and other food trade payments in developed countries, continue to give rise to complaints to WTO. They also continue to prevent free and fair trade, particularly for developing countries in international food trade. A number of these non-tariff barriers to trade are briefly examined, along with other domestic and international food trade problems, and recommendations for improvements are made.

Prospects for energy recovery during hydrothermal and biological processing of waste biomass.

PubMed

Gerber Van Doren, Léda; Posmanik, Roy; Bicalho, Felipe A; Tester, Jefferson W; Sills, Deborah L

2017-02-01

Thermochemical and biological processes represent promising technologies for converting wet biomasses, such as animal manure, organic waste, or algae, to energy. To convert biomass to energy and bio-chemicals in an economical manner, internal energy recovery should be maximized to reduce the use of external heat and power. In this study, two conversion pathways that couple hydrothermal liquefaction with anaerobic digestion or catalytic hydrothermal gasification were compared. Each of these platforms is followed by two alternative processes for gas utilization: 1) combined heat and power; and 2) combustion in a boiler. Pinch analysis was applied to integrate thermal streams among unit processes and improve the overall system efficiency. A techno-economic analysis was conducted to compare the feasibility of the four modeled scenarios under different market conditions. Our results show that a systems approach designed to recover internal heat and power can reduce external energy demands and increase the overall process sustainability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Chaoborus pump: Migrating phantom midge larvae sustain hypolimnetic oxygen deficiency and nutrient internal loading in lakes.

PubMed

Tang, Kam W; Flury, Sabine; Grossart, Hans-Peter; McGinnis, Daniel F

2017-10-01

Hypolimnetic oxygen demand in lakes is often assumed to be driven mainly by sediment microbial processes, while the role of Chaoborus larvae, which are prevalent in eutrophic lakes with hypoxic to anoxic bottoms, has been overlooked. We experimentally measured the respiration rates of C. flavicans at different temperatures yielding a Q 10 of 1.44-1.71 and a respiratory quotient of 0.84-0.98. Applying the experimental data in a system analytical approach, we showed that migrating Chaoborus larvae can significantly add to the water column and sediment oxygen demand, and contribute to the observed linear relationship between water column respiration and depth. The estimated phosphorus excretion by Chaoborus in sediment is comparable in magnitude to the required phosphorus loading for eutrophication. Migrating Chaoborus larvae thereby essentially trap nutrients between the water column and the sediment, and this continuous internal loading of nutrients would delay lake remediation even when external inputs are stopped. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International petroleum statistics report, February 1999

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

NONE

1999-02-01

The International petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annual datamore » for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970--1997; OECD stocks from 1973--1997; and OECD trade from 1987--1997.« less

International petroleum statistics report, May 1995

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

NONE

1995-05-30

The International Petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, exports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annualmore » data for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1994; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1994; and OECD trade from 1983 through 1993.« less

International petroleum statistics report, August 1994

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

Not Available

1994-08-26

The International Petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, exports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annualmore » data for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1993; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1993; and OECD trade from 1983 through 1993.« less

International petroleum statistics report, February 1996

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

NONE

1996-02-28

The International Petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, exports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annualmore » data for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1994; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1994; and OECD trade from 1984 through 1994.« less

Joint Egypt/United States report on Egypt/United States cooperative energy assessment. Volume 1 of 5 Vols. Executive summary, main report and appendices

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

Not Available

1979-04-01

The International Energy Assessment Program between Egypt and the U.S. was formulated from mid-March to mid-July, 1978. The assessment identified energy demand and supply options for Egypt that are consistent with its indigenous energy resources; assessed Egypt's ability to effectively use those options; and identified measures by which Egypt's energy-planning activities could be improved. The assessment addressed all known and potential energy supply options (oil, gas, coal, oil shale, hydroelectric, nuclear power, geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass). Using the Reference Energy System, two future energy supply/demand balances are constructed (for 1985 and the year 2000) and these are compared withmore » a historical (1975) supply/demand balance. The feasibility of each of the options is established in terms of the availability of the required resources and of the processing, conversion, transport, and utilization technology.« less

International petroleum statistics report

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

NONE

The International Petroleum Statistics Report is a monthly publication that provides current international oil data. This report is published for the use of Members of Congress, Federal agencies, State agencies, industry, and the general public. Publication of this report is in keeping with responsibilities given the Energy Information Administration in Public Law 95-91. The International Petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This sectionmore » contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annual data for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1995; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1995; and OECD trade from 1985 through 1995.« less

Comparison of Activity Profiles and Physiological Demands Between International Rugby Sevens Matches and Training.

PubMed

Higham, Dean G; Pyne, David B; Anson, Judith M; Hopkins, Will G; Eddy, Anthony

2016-05-01

The specificity of contemporary training practices of international rugby sevens players is unknown. We quantified the positional group-specific activity profiles and physiological demands of on-field training activities and compared these with match demands. Twenty-two international matches and 63 rugby-specific training drills were monitored in 25 backs and 17 forwards from a national squad of male rugby sevens players over a 21-month period. Drills were classified into 3 categories: low-intensity skill refining (n = 23 drills, 560 observations), moderate- to high-intensity skill refining (n = 28 drills, 600 observations), and game simulation (n = 12 drills, 365 observations). Movement patterns (via Global Positioning System devices) and physiological load (via heart rate monitors) were recorded for all activities, and the differences between training and matches were quantified using magnitude-based inferential statistics. Distance covered in total and at ≥3.5 m·s, maximal velocity, and frequency of accelerations and decelerations were lower for forwards during competition compared with those for backs by a small but practically important magnitude. No clear positional group differences were observed for physiological load during matches. Training demands exceeded match demands only for frequency of decelerations of forwards during moderate- to high-intensity skill-refining drills and only by a small amount. Accelerations and distance covered at ≥6 m·s were closer to match values for forwards than for backs during all training activities, but training drills consistently fell below the demands of international competition. Coaches could therefore improve physical and physiological specificity by increasing the movement demands and intensity of training drills.

International Demand for American Higher Education: An Extension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mixon, J. Wilson, Jr.; Wan, Weidong

1990-01-01

A study of the relationship of population and income in Asian countries and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members to their demand for American higher education found that both population and income significantly affect demand, but not proportionally. Findings suggest countries meet most change in citizens' demand with…

Assessing the Supply and Demand for Scientists and Technologists in Europe. IES Report 377.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, R.; Jagger, N.; Connor, H.; Perryman, S.

Available evidence on the supply of and demand for professional scientists and technologists (S&Ts) in the European Union (EU) was reviewed. The main data sources were as follows: approximately 450 reference documents; national and international governments, training and employer bodies, and key international organizations; more than 100…

Enhanced monitoring of the temporal and spatial relationships between water demand and water availability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, C. A.; Aggett, G. R.; Hattendorf, M. J.

2007-12-01

Better information on evapotranspiration (ET) is essential to better understanding of consumptive use of water by crops. RTi is using NASA Earth-sun System research results and METRIC (Mapping ET at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration) to increase the repeatability and accuracy of consumptive use estimates. METRIC, an image-processing model for calculating ET as a residual of the surface energy balance, utilizes the thermal band on various satellite remote sensors. Calculating actual ET from satellites can avoid many of the assumptions driving other methods of calculating ET over a large area. Because it is physically based and does not rely on explicit knowledge of crop type in the field, a large potential source of error should be eliminated. This paper assesses sources of error in current operational estimates of ET for an area of the South Platte irrigated lands of Colorado, and benchmarks potential improvements in the accuracy of ET estimates gained using METRIC, as well as the processing efficiency of consumptive use demand for large irrigated lands. Examples highlighting how better water planning decisions and water management can be achieved via enhanced monitoring of the temporal and spatial relationships between water demand and water availability are provided.

International petroleum statistics report, February 1997

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

NONE

1997-02-01

The International Petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annual datamore » for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1995; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1995; and OECD trade from 1985 through 1995. 4 figs., 47 tabs.« less

International petroleum statistics report, November 1998

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

NONE

1998-11-01

The International Petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annual datamore » for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1997; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1997; and OECD trade from 1987 through 1997. 4 figs., 46 tabs.« less

Physical game demands in elite rugby union: a global positioning system analysis and possible implications for rehabilitation.

PubMed

Coughlan, Garrett F; Green, Brian S; Pook, Paul T; Toolan, Eoin; O'Connor, Sean P

2011-08-01

Descriptive. To evaluate the physical demands of an international Rugby Union-level game using a global positioning system (GPS). Elite Rugby Union teams currently employ the latest technology to monitor and evaluate physical demands of training and games on their players. GPS data from 2 players, a back and a forward, were collected during an international Rugby Union game. Locomotion speed, total body load, and body load sustained in tackles and scrums were analyzed. Players completed an average distance of 6715 m and spent the major portion of the game standing or walking, interspersed with medium- and high-intensity running activities. The back performed a higher number of high-intensity sprints and reached a greater maximal speed. Body load data revealed that high levels of gravitational force are sustained in tackling and scrum tasks. The current study provides a detailed GPS analysis of the physical demands of international Rugby Union players. These data, when combined with game video footage, may assist sports medicine professionals in understanding the demands of the game and mechanism of injury, as well as improving injury rehabilitation.

International petroleum statistics report, June 1998

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

NONE

1998-06-01

The International Petroleum Statistics Report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section 2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annual datamore » for the most recent year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section 4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1997; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1997; and OECD trade from 1987 through 1997. 4 figs., 48 tabs.« less

Analysis of power sector efficiency improvements for an integrated utility planning process in Costa Rica

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

Waddle, D.B.; MacDonald, J.M.

1990-01-01

In an effort to analyze and document the potential for power sector efficiency improvements from generation to end-use, the Agency for International Development and the Government of Costa Rica are jointly conducting an integrated power sector efficiency analysis. Potential for energy and cost savings in power plants, transmission and distribution, and demand-side management programs are being evaluated. The product of this study will be an integrated investment plan for the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, incorporating both supply and demand side investment options. This paper presents the methodology employed in the study, as well as preliminary estimates of the results ofmore » the study. 14 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Education in the World System: The Demand for Language and International Proficiencies in Economic Development and National Security.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoegl, Juergen K.

1986-01-01

Discusses the role of second-language proficiency from international, national, and state perspectives, including consideration of the need for such proficiency in science, technology, and research for economic development. Trends indicate that a more internationalized curricula in higher education and a greater demand for second-language…

Economics of health in South Africa: past, present and future.

PubMed

Benatar, S R

1989-01-01

Some of the background to the present structure of medicine in South Africa, an outline of some economic aspects of our current (inadequate) health care service and tentative suggestions regarding the directions in which our health services should be moving to facilitate the legitimization (political) and accumulation (economic) processes required to meet the needs and demands of all the people of an internationally recognized, just and free South Africa are presented.

USSR Report, International Affairs Peoples of Asia and Africa, Number 5, September-October 1985

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-03-17

times, it resorted to the workers* demands of the most modern type, such as " management participation" and the right to creative labour. The article...34 related to the texts of the religious canon. This system is based on the principles of integrity, hierarchy, functionality, which determine the...this process, the traditionalism in literature represents an attempt to return to the newly overestimated principles of the traditional literature

Glucose and the wandering mind: not paying attention or simply out of fuel?

PubMed

Birnie, L H W; Smallwood, J; Reay, J; Riby, L M

2015-08-01

The impact of raising glycaemia by ingestion of a glucose drink has revealed cognitive facilitation, particularly for memory and attention. This study aimed to extend current knowledge by examining, for the first time, whether glucose load also moderates task-related (TRT) and task-unrelated thoughts (TUT) during activities that vary in their requirement for sustained attention. A 2 (25 g glucose vs. placebo) × 2 (fast vs. slow version of the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART)) repeated measures, counterbalanced design was used with 16 healthy adults. Self-report questionnaires probed participants' levels of TRT and TUT during SART performance. Prior to testing, the Short Imaginal Processes Inventory (SIPI) was also administered to help pinpoint the nature of thought processes during the task before and after treatment. Analysis of variance revealed no significant effect of treatment; however, we report a pattern of results that is consistent with glucose facilitation effects on task accuracy for more demanding attention tasks (d = 0.56). Additionally, glucose improved the monitoring and task reflection as measured by TRT (d = 0.33) in the more demanding task but no effect on TUT. Probing the nature of thought processes further, we also report two novel correlations (in the placebo) between fears of failure (indexed by the SIPI) and the number of TUT episodes and perceived poor attention control (indexed by the SIPI) and number of TUT and speculate that glucose may act to buffer against TUT episodes under externally demanding situations. These data extend previous research examining the glucose facilitation effect to the processing of internal thought processes.

Application of Different Statistical Techniques in Integrated Logistics Support of the International Space Station Alpha

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sepehry-Fard, F.; Coulthard, Maurice H.

1995-01-01

The process to predict the values of the maintenance time dependent variable parameters such as mean time between failures (MTBF) over time must be one that will not in turn introduce uncontrolled deviation in the results of the ILS analysis such as life cycle cost spares calculation, etc. A minor deviation in the values of the maintenance time dependent variable parameters such as MTBF over time will have a significant impact on the logistics resources demands, International Space Station availability, and maintenance support costs. It is the objective of this report to identify the magnitude of the expected enhancement in the accuracy of the results for the International Space Station reliability and maintainability data packages by providing examples. These examples partially portray the necessary information hy evaluating the impact of the said enhancements on the life cycle cost and the availability of the International Space Station.

Distributions of positive correlations in sectoral value added growth in the global economic network*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maluck, Julian; Donner, Reik V.

2017-02-01

International trade has grown considerably during the process of globalization. Complex supply chains for the production of goods have resulted in an increasingly connected International Trade Network (ITN). Traditionally, direct trade relations between industries have been regarded as mediators of supply and demand spillovers. With increasing network connectivity the question arises if higher-order relations become more important in explaining a national sector's susceptibility to supply and demand changes of its trading partner. In this study we address this question by investigating empirically to what extent the topological properties of the ITN provide information about positive correlations in the production of two industry sectors. We observe that although direct trade relations between industries serve as important indicators for correlations in the industries' value added growth, opportunities of substitution for required production inputs as well as second-order trade relations cannot be neglected. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the relation between trade and economic productivity and can serve as a basis for the improvement of crisis spreading models that evaluate contagion threats in the case of a node's failure in the ITN.

An up-link power control for demand assignment International Business Satellite Communications Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nohara, Mitsuo; Takeuchi, Yoshio; Takahata, Fumio

Up-link power control (UPC) is one of the essential technologies to provide efficient satellite communication systems operated at frequency bands above 10 GHz. A simple and cost-effective UPC scheme applicable to a demand assignment international business satellite communications system has been developed. This paper presents the UPC scheme, including the hardware implementation and its performance.

Space shuttle main engine: Interactive design challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccarty, J. P.; Wood, B. K.

1985-01-01

The operating requirements established by NASA for the SSME were considerably more demanding than those for earlier rocket engines used in the military launch vehicles or Apollo program. The SSME, in order to achieve the high performance, low weight, long life, reusable objectives, embodied technical demands far in excess of its predecessor rocket engines. The requirements dictated the use of high combustion pressure and the staged combustion cycle which maximizes performance through total use of all propellants in the main combustion process. This approach presented a myriad of technical challenges for maximization of performance within attainable state of the art capabilities for operating pressures, operating temperatures and rotating machinery efficiencies. Controlling uniformity of the high pressure turbomachinery turbine temperature environment was a key challenge for thrust level and life capability demanding innovative engineering. New approaches in the design of the components were necessary to accommodate the multiple use, minimum maintenance objectives. Included were the use of line replaceable units to facilitate field maintenance automatic checkout and internal inspection capabilities.

Volunteers in Circles of Support and Accountability Job Demands, Job Resources, and Outcome.

PubMed

Höing, Mechtild; Bogaerts, Stefan; Vogelvang, Bas

2017-09-01

In Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), volunteers support a medium- to high-risk sex offender in his process toward desistance by developing a long-term empathic relationship. More knowledge is needed about the impact of this work on volunteers themselves. In a sample of 40 Dutch CoSA volunteers-at the time constituting 37% of the national population of 108 then active CoSA volunteers-we measured outcome in terms of volunteer satisfaction, determination to continue, compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary stress, vicarious growth, civic capacities, and professional skills. We explored theoretically derived predictors of positive and negative outcome, and conceptualized them within the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R). Volunteers reported mainly positive effects, especially high levels of volunteer satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, and determination to continue. Results indicated that job demands and most of the internal job resources were of minor importance. External job resources, especially social support and connectedness, were associated with positive outcome. Connectedness mediated the effect of social support on compassion satisfaction.

A gateway system in rostral PFC? Evidence from biasing attention to perceptual information and internal representations.

PubMed

Henseler, Ilona; Krüger, Sebastian; Dechent, Peter; Gruber, Oliver

2011-06-01

Some situations require us to be highly sensitive to information in the environment, whereas in other situations, our attention is mainly focused on internally represented information. It has been hypothesized that a control system located in the rostral prefrontal cortex (PFC) acts as gateway between these two forms of attention. Here, we examined the neural underpinnings of this 'gateway system' using fMRI and functional connectivity analysis. We designed different tasks, in which the demands for attending to external or internal information were manipulated, and tested 1) whether there is a functional specialization within the rostral PFC along a medial-lateral dimension, and 2) whether these subregions can influence attentional weighting processes by specifically interacting with other parts of the brain. Our results show that lateral aspects of the rostral PFC are preferentially activated when attention is directed to internal representations, whereas anterior medial aspects are activated when attention is directed to sensory events. Furthermore, the rostrolateral subregion was preferentially connected to regions in the prefrontal and parietal cortex during internal attending, whereas the rostromedial subregion was connected to the basal ganglia, thalamus, and sensory association cortices during external attending. Finally, both subregions interacted with another important prefrontal region involved in cognitive control, the inferior frontal junction, in a task-specific manner, depending on the current attentional demands. These findings suggest that the rostrolateral and rostromedial part of the anterior PFC have dissociable roles in attentional control, and that they might, as part of larger networks, be involved in dynamically adjusting the contribution of internal and external information to current cognition. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding international postgraduate studies. Drivers from the supply and the demand side.

PubMed

Delgado-Serrano, M M; Gomez-Bruque, J L; Ambrosio-Albala, M J; Llamas-Moreno, B

2010-01-01

Changes in the global political and socioeconomic scenario are fostering the internationalization of master and doctoral programme as one of the current priorities for Universities. Changes in European higher education such as those stimulated by the Bologna process and the introduction of double, multiple or joint Master degree programmes together with the Erasmus Mundus programme are enhancing the competition of European universities in the global education market place. Universities compete to attract the best students, both national and international, to their postgraduate programmes. However, the design and launch of international masters or doctorates imply working with a different logic to the one used in national programmes. Complexity, diversity and differentiation are drivers of international education and as happens in complex systems the properties and features of the final products are different from the existing in the individual components. The aim of this paper is to understand international studies as complex systems and to analyze and identify factors affecting to the different components involved in the implementation of these programmes. The new approaches and the interrelations in aspects such as academic, administrative or economic management, quality assurance and marketing issues are examined and drivers, challenges and good practices where possible are identified. The analysis has been carried out considering the point of view of both Universities (supply-led approach) and students and employers (demand-led approach). From the analysis have emerged important questions that show the interrelation pattern and that can be useful when designing and implementing international postgraduate studies. Universities and students tend to agree about many issues however, some divergences have also been identified which make the results of the research more valuable.

Externally induced frontoparietal synchronization modulates network dynamics and enhances working memory performance.

PubMed

Violante, Ines R; Li, Lucia M; Carmichael, David W; Lorenz, Romy; Leech, Robert; Hampshire, Adam; Rothwell, John C; Sharp, David J

2017-03-14

Cognitive functions such as working memory (WM) are emergent properties of large-scale network interactions. Synchronisation of oscillatory activity might contribute to WM by enabling the coordination of long-range processes. However, causal evidence for the way oscillatory activity shapes network dynamics and behavior in humans is limited. Here we applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to exogenously modulate oscillatory activity in a right frontoparietal network that supports WM. Externally induced synchronization improved performance when cognitive demands were high. Simultaneously collected fMRI data reveals tACS effects dependent on the relative phase of the stimulation and the internal cognitive processing state. Specifically, synchronous tACS during the verbal WM task increased parietal activity, which correlated with behavioral performance. Furthermore, functional connectivity results indicate that the relative phase of frontoparietal stimulation influences information flow within the WM network. Overall, our findings demonstrate a link between behavioral performance in a demanding WM task and large-scale brain synchronization.

Heat pipe cooling of power processing magnetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, I. G.; Chester, M.

1979-01-01

The constant demand for increased power and reduced mass has raised the internal temperature of conventionally cooled power magnetics toward the upper limit of acceptability. The conflicting demands of electrical isolation, mechanical integrity, and thermal conductivity preclude significant further advancements using conventional approaches. However, the size and mass of multikilowatt power processing systems may be further reduced by the incorporation of heat pipe cooling directly into the power magnetics. Additionally, by maintaining lower more constant temperatures, the life and reliability of the magnetic devices will be improved. A heat pipe cooled transformer and input filter have been developed for the 2.4 kW beam supply of a 30-cm ion thruster system. This development yielded a mass reduction of 40% (1.76 kg) and lower mean winding temperature (20 C lower). While these improvements are significant, preliminary designs predict even greater benefits to be realized at higher power. This paper presents the design details along with the results of thermal vacuum operation and the component performance in a 3 kW breadboard power processor.

Externally induced frontoparietal synchronization modulates network dynamics and enhances working memory performance

PubMed Central

Violante, Ines R; Li, Lucia M; Carmichael, David W; Lorenz, Romy; Leech, Robert; Hampshire, Adam; Rothwell, John C; Sharp, David J

2017-01-01

Cognitive functions such as working memory (WM) are emergent properties of large-scale network interactions. Synchronisation of oscillatory activity might contribute to WM by enabling the coordination of long-range processes. However, causal evidence for the way oscillatory activity shapes network dynamics and behavior in humans is limited. Here we applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to exogenously modulate oscillatory activity in a right frontoparietal network that supports WM. Externally induced synchronization improved performance when cognitive demands were high. Simultaneously collected fMRI data reveals tACS effects dependent on the relative phase of the stimulation and the internal cognitive processing state. Specifically, synchronous tACS during the verbal WM task increased parietal activity, which correlated with behavioral performance. Furthermore, functional connectivity results indicate that the relative phase of frontoparietal stimulation influences information flow within the WM network. Overall, our findings demonstrate a link between behavioral performance in a demanding WM task and large-scale brain synchronization. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22001.001 PMID:28288700

The causes of international labor migrations--a demand-determined approach.

PubMed

Straubhaar, T

1986-01-01

The author first studies the reasons why people migrate using a neoclassical approach concerning income differentials. He tests this approach empirically and demonstrates its limits. A demand-determination approach based on human capital theory is then outlined to overcome these limits and to take into account restrictive immigration controls. Migration from Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Turkey to the European Community destination countries is examined. It is concluded that "the demand for immigrants in the destination country is the decisive condition for the phenomenon of international labor migration, and the supply of migration-willing workers is only a necessary condition." excerpt

Teaming up: feasibility of an online treatment environment for adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Boogerd, Emiel A; Noordam, Cees; Kremer, Jan Am; Prins, Judith B; Verhaak, Chris M

2014-08-01

To evaluate the feasibility of an online interactive treatment environment for adolescents with type 1 diabetes, called Sugarsquare, to supplement usual care. Sugarsquare provides easily accessible contact with the diabetes team, peer support, and treatment overview. Of 120 eligible patients, 62 adolescents aged 11-21 (M = 15.23, SD = 2.00) were assigned to a usual-care group (n = 31) or a usual-care + intervention group (n = 31). Feasibility was assessed in terms of acceptability, demand, practicability, integration, and efficacy in a 9-month study-period. Assessment of acceptability and demand revealed that 20 adolescents in the intervention group (65%) logged in at least once; 16 adolescents (52%) logged in repeatedly. Usage resulted in 5795 page-views, 3580 chat-messages, 427 forum-messages, and in 40 private interactions between 11 adolescents (35%) and professionals. Assessment of practicability revealed that all 13 professionals (100%) accessed the intervention. Slow processing speed and security procedures formed obstacles for usage. Assessment of integration showed that international standards for diabetes care (International Diabetes Federation/International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes/American Diabetes Association) were met. Assessment of efficacy revealed improvement in the intervention group in evaluation of care (Patients' Evaluation of Quality of Diabetes), F(1,30) = 5.35, p < 0.05, and quality of life, communication (PedsQL), F(1,30) = 11.65, p <0.05. The latter was correlated with posted chat-messages (r = 0.42, p < 0.05). No between-group differences were found. This study shows that Sugarsquare is feasible in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. It meets a demand in adolescents and can support professionals when organizing on-going care according to international standards. Results are promising and next steps are a full-scale randomized controlled trial and subsequent implementation in daily care. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Anchorage Arrival Scheduling Under Off-Nominal Weather Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grabbe, Shon; Chan, William N.; Mukherjee, Avijit

2012-01-01

Weather can cause flight diversions, passenger delays, additional fuel consumption and schedule disruptions at any high volume airport. The impacts are particularly acute at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska due to its importance as a major international portal. To minimize the impacts due to weather, a multi-stage scheduling process is employed that is iteratively executed, as updated aircraft demand and/or airport capacity data become available. The strategic scheduling algorithm assigns speed adjustments for flights that originate outside of Anchorage Center to achieve the proper demand and capacity balance. Similarly, an internal departure-scheduling algorithm assigns ground holds for pre-departure flights that originate from within Anchorage Center. Tactical flight controls in the form of airborne holding are employed to reactively account for system uncertainties. Real-world scenarios that were derived from the January 16, 2012 Anchorage visibility observations and the January 12, 2012 Anchorage arrival schedule were used to test the initial implementation of the scheduling algorithm in fast-time simulation experiments. Although over 90% of the flights in the scenarios arrived at Anchorage without requiring any delay, pre-departure scheduling was the dominant form of control for Anchorage arrivals. Additionally, tactical scheduling was used extensively in conjunction with the pre-departure scheduling to reactively compensate for uncertainties in the arrival demand. For long-haul flights, the strategic scheduling algorithm performed best when the scheduling horizon was greater than 1,000 nmi. With these long scheduling horizons, it was possible to absorb between ten and 12 minutes of delay through speed control alone. Unfortunately, the use of tactical scheduling, which resulted in airborne holding, was found to increase as the strategic scheduling horizon increased because of the additional uncertainty in the arrival times of the aircraft. Findings from these initial experiments indicate that it is possible to schedule arrivals into Anchorage with minimal delays under low-visibility conditions with less disruption to high-cost, international flights.

Intertrial auditory neural stability supports beat synchronization in preschoolers

PubMed Central

Carr, Kali Woodruff; Tierney, Adam; White-Schwoch, Travis; Kraus, Nina

2016-01-01

The ability to synchronize motor movements along with an auditory beat places stringent demands on the temporal processing and sensorimotor integration capabilities of the nervous system. Links between millisecond-level precision of auditory processing and the consistency of sensorimotor beat synchronization implicate fine auditory neural timing as a mechanism for forming stable internal representations of, and behavioral reactions to, sound. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate a systematic relationship between consistency of beat synchronization and trial-by-trial stability of subcortical speech processing in preschoolers (ages 3 and 4 years old). We conclude that beat synchronization might provide a useful window into millisecond-level neural precision for encoding sound in early childhood, when speech processing is especially important for language acquisition and development. PMID:26760457

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

Sopori, B.

The 11th Workshop will provide a forum for an informal exchange of technical and scientific information between international researchers in the photovoltaic and non-photovoltaic fields. Discussions will include the various aspects of impurities and defects in silicon--their properties, the dynamics during device processing, and their application for developing low-cost processes for manufacturing high-efficiency silicon solar cells. Sessions and panel discussions will review impurities and defects in crystalline-silicon PV, advanced cell structures, new processes and process characterization techniques, and future manufacturing demands. The workshop will emphasize some of the promising new technologies in Si solar cell fabrication that can lower PVmore » energy costs and meet the throughput demands of the future. The three-day workshop will consist of presentations by invited speakers, followed by discussion sessions. Topics to be discussed are: Si Mechanical properties and Wafer Handling, Advanced Topics in PV Fundamentals, Gettering and Passivation, Impurities and Defects, Advanced Emitters, Crystalline Silicon Growth, and Solar Cell Processing. The workshop will also include presentations by NREL subcontractors who will review the highlights of their research during the current subcontract period. In addition, there will be two poster sessions presenting the latest research and development results. Some presentations will address recent technologies in the microelectronics field that may have a direct bearing on PV.« less

International law, public health, and the meanings of pharmaceuticalization

PubMed Central

Cloatre, Emilie; Pickersgill, Martyn

2014-01-01

Recent social science scholarship has employed the term “pharmaceuticalization” in analyses of the production, circulation and use of drugs. In this paper, we seek to open up further discussion of the scope, limits and potential of this as an analytical device through consideration of the role of law and legal processes in directing pharmaceutical flows. To do so, we synthesize a range of empirical and conceptual work concerned with the relationships between access to medicines and intellectual property law. This paper suggests that alongside documenting the expansion or reduction in demand for particular drugs, analysts of pharmaceuticalization attend to the ways in which socio-legal developments change (or not) the identities of drugs, and the means through which they circulate and come to be used by states and citizens. Such scholarship has the potential to more precisely locate the biopolitical processes that shape international agendas and targets, form markets, and produce health. PMID:25431535

A Review of the Internal and External Physiological Demands Associated With Batting in Cricket.

PubMed

Scanlan, Aaron T; Berkelmans, Daniel M; Vickery, William M; Kean, Crystal O

2016-11-01

Cricket is a popular international team sport with various game formats ranging from long-duration multiday tests to short-duration Twenty20 game play. The role of batsmen is critical to all game formats, with differing physiological demands imposed during each format. Investigation of the physiological demands imposed during cricket batting has historically been neglected, with much of the research focusing on bowling responses and batting technique. A greater understanding of the physiological demands of the batting role in cricket is required to assist strength and conditioning professionals and coaches with the design of training plans, recovery protocols, and player-management strategies. This brief review provides an updated synthesis of the literature examining the internal (eg, metabolic demands and heart rate) and external (eg, activity work rates) physiological responses to batting in the various game formats, as well as simulated play and small-sided-games training. Although few studies have been done in this area, the summary of data provides important insight regarding physiological responses to batting and highlights that more research on this topic is required. Future research is recommended to combine internal and external measures during actual game play, as well as comparing different game formats and playing levels. In addition, understanding the relationship between batting technique and physiological responses is warranted to gain a more holistic understanding of batting in cricket, as well as to develop appropriate coaching and training strategies.

How music training enhances working memory: a cerebrocerebellar blending mechanism that can lead equally to scientific discovery and therapeutic efficacy in neurological disorders.

PubMed

Vandervert, Larry

2015-01-01

Following in the vein of studies that concluded that music training resulted in plastic changes in Einstein's cerebral cortex, controlled research has shown that music training (1) enhances central executive attentional processes in working memory, and (2) has also been shown to be of significant therapeutic value in neurological disorders. Within this framework of music training-induced enhancement of central executive attentional processes, the purpose of this article is to argue that: (1) The foundational basis of the central executive begins in infancy as attentional control during the establishment of working memory, (2) In accordance with Akshoomoff, Courchesne and Townsend's and Leggio and Molinari's cerebellar sequence detection and prediction models, the rigors of volitional control demands of music training can enhance voluntary manipulation of information in thought and movement, (3) The music training-enhanced blending of cerebellar internal models in working memory as can be experienced as intuition in scientific discovery (as Einstein often indicated) or, equally, as moments of therapeutic advancement toward goals in the development of voluntary control in neurological disorders, and (4) The blending of internal models as in (3) thus provides a mechanism by which music training enhances central executive processes in working memory that can lead to scientific discovery and improved therapeutic outcomes in neurological disorders. Within the framework of Leggio and Molinari's cerebellar sequence detection model, it is determined that intuitive steps forward that occur in both scientific discovery and during therapy in those with neurological disorders operate according to the same mechanism of adaptive error-driven blending of cerebellar internal models. It is concluded that the entire framework of the central executive structure of working memory is a product of the cerebrocerebellar system which can, through the learning of internal models, incorporate the multi-dimensional rigor and volitional-control demands of music training and, thereby, enhance voluntary control. It is further concluded that this cerebrocerebellar view of the music training-induced enhancement of central executive control in working memory provides a needed mechanism to explain both the highest level of scientific discovery and the efficacy of music training in the remediation of neurological impairments.

Two-and-a-half-year-olds succeed at a traditional false-belief task with reduced processing demands.

PubMed

Setoh, Peipei; Scott, Rose M; Baillargeon, Renée

2016-11-22

When tested with traditional false-belief tasks, which require answering a standard question about the likely behavior of an agent with a false belief, children perform below chance until age 4 y or later. When tested without such questions, however, children give evidence of false-belief understanding much earlier. Are traditional tasks difficult because they tap a more advanced form of false-belief understanding (fundamental-change view) or because they impose greater processing demands (processing-demands view)? Evidence that young children succeed at traditional false-belief tasks when processing demands are reduced would support the latter view. In prior research, reductions in inhibitory-control demands led to improvements in young children's performance, but often only to chance (instead of below-chance) levels. Here we examined whether further reductions in processing demands might lead to success. We speculated that: (i) young children could respond randomly in a traditional low-inhibition task because their limited information-processing resources are overwhelmed by the total concurrent processing demands in the task; and (ii) these demands include those from the response-generation process activated by the standard question. This analysis suggested that 2.5-y-old toddlers might succeed at a traditional low-inhibition task if response-generation demands were also reduced via practice trials. As predicted, toddlers performed above chance following two response-generation practice trials; toddlers failed when these trials either were rendered less effective or were used in a high-inhibition task. These results support the processing-demands view: Even toddlers succeed at a traditional false-belief task when overall processing demands are reduced.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the work role functioning questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese.

PubMed

Gallasch, Cristiane Helena; Alexandre, Neusa Maria Costa; Amick, Benjamin

2007-12-01

The study objectives were to translate and adapt the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire (WRFQ) into the Brazilian Portuguese language and evaluate its reliability in patients experiencing musculoskeletal disorders. The cross-cultural adaptation was performed according to the internationally recommended methodology, using the following guidelines: translation, back-translation, revision by a committee, and pretest. At first, the questionnaire was independently translated by two bilingual translators, who had Portuguese as their mother language. Subsequently, two other translators whose mother language was English did the back-translation. A committee composed of five specialists revised and compared the translations obtained, developing the final version for pretest application. The pretest was carried out with 30 patients experiencing musculoskeletal disorders. Psychometric properties were evaluated by administering the questionnaire to 105 subjects with musculoskeletal disorders and receiving physical therapy treatment. The reliability was estimated through stability and homogeneity assessment. The construct validity was tested comparing subjects experiencing musculoskeletal disorders to healthy workers. The results indicated good content validity and internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.95). Cronbach alpha for each scale was >0.85, except for the social demand scale. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient for the test-retest reliability was satisfactory for mental demands (ICC = 0.68) and excellent for the others (0.82-0.91). In relation to the construct validity, the mean score obtained for each scale was lower for physical, work scheduling, and output demands in the subjects with musculoskeletal disorders. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the groups in comparison to work scheduling, physical, and output demands. The data showed that the cross-cultural adaptation process was successful and the adapted instrument demonstrated psychometric properties making it reliable to use in Brazilian culture.

The ball in play demands of international rugby union.

PubMed

Pollard, Benjamin T; Turner, Anthony N; Eager, Robin; Cunningham, Daniel J; Cook, Christian J; Hogben, Patrick; Kilduff, Liam P

2018-03-03

Rugby union is a high intensity intermittent sport, typically analysed via set time periods or rolling average methods. This study reports the demands of international rugby union via global positioning system (GPS) metrics expressed as mean ball in play (BiP), maximum BiP (max BiP), and whole match outputs. Single cohort cross sectional study involving 22 international players, categorised as forwards and backs. A total of 88 GPS files from eight international test matches were collected during 2016. An Opta sportscode timeline was integrated into the GPS software to split the data into BiP periods. Metres per min (mmin -1 ), high metabolic load per min (HML), accelerations per min (Acc), high speed running per min (HSR), and collisions per min (Coll) were expressed relative to BiP periods and over the whole match (>60min). Whole match metrics were significantly lower than all BiP metrics (p<0.001). Mean and max BiP HML, (p<0.01) and HSR (p<0.05) were significantly higher for backs versus forwards, whereas Coll were significantly higher for forwards (p<0.001). In plays lasting 61s or greater, max BiP mmin -1 were higher for backs. Max BiP mmin -1 , HML, HSR and Coll were all time dependant (p<0.05) showing that both movement metrics and collision demands differ as length of play continues. This study uses a novel method of accurately assessing the BiP demands of rugby union. It also reports typical and maximal demands of international rugby union that can be used by practitioners and scientists to target training of worst-case scenario's equivalent to international intensity. Backs covered greater distances at higher speeds and demonstrated higher HML, in general play as well as 'worst case scenarios'; conversely forwards perform a higher number of collisions. Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The implementation of a quality assurance procedure for the Veterinary Services of France.

PubMed

Gerster, F; Guerson, N; Moreau, V; Mulnet, O; Provot, S; Salabert, C

2003-08-01

Due to the increasing complexity of food production systems and the concerns that these systems raise, there has been increasing demand from the general public for more State control of these processes. In France, it is the official Veterinary Services who are responsible for food safety and who must respond to these demands. The Veterinary Service is formulating a quality assurance procedure in accordance with standard EN 45004-ISO 17020, which determines the requirements that inspection bodies must follow to be recognised, at national, European and international level, as competent and reliable. As part of this procedure, the Veterinary Service will review requirements in terms of organisation, functions, qualifications and resources. The progress of inspection service orders, from their conception by the Central Administration, to their implementation by decentralised services, must be carefully managed. It is essential that service orders be implemented effectively and systematically by using recognised methods and issuing adequate inspection reports. The training and qualifications of inspectors are very important: their skills must remain up-to-date so that there is always a network of qualified staff, that is, staff who have an understanding of production processes and who have recognised competences in terms of initial training, continuous professional development and adequate experience. The quality systems implemented will only meet expectations if they are continuously monitored by means of regular evaluations. For this reason, both internal and external audits are performed. These new practices contribute to establishing a basis for the improvement of internal evaluation. In order to facilitate the implementation of a quality assurance procedure for inspection services, several tools, that are linked with the information system of the government department responsible for food, are, or will be, at the disposal of the decentralised Veterinary Services, i.e. a national database, mail and service order processing software, and inspection procedures.

What can we learn from international comparisons of health systems and health system reform?

PubMed Central

McPake, B.; Mills, A.

2000-01-01

Most commonly, lessons derived from comparisons of international health sector reform can only be generalized in a limited way to similar countries. However, there is little guidance as to what constitutes "similarity" in this respect. We propose that a framework for assessing similarity could be derived from the performance of individual policies in different contexts, and from the cause and effect processes related to the policies. We demonstrate this process by considering research evidence in the "public-private mix", and propose variables for an initial framework that we believe determine private involvement in the public health sector. The most influential model of public leadership places the private role in a contracting framework. Research in countries that have adopted this model suggests an additional list of variables to add to the framework. The variables can be grouped under the headings "demand factors", "supply factors", and "strength of the public sector". These illustrate the nature of a framework that could emerge, and which would help countries aiming to learn from international experience. PMID:10916918

Modelling inter-supply chain competition with resource limitation and demand disruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhaobo; Teng, Chunxian; Zhang, Ding; Sun, Jiayi

2016-05-01

This paper proposes a comprehensive model for studying supply chain versus supply chain competition with resource limitation and demand disruption. We assume that there are supply chains with heterogeneous supply network structures that compete at multiple demand markets. Each supply chain is comprised of internal and external firms. The internal firms are coordinated in production and distribution and share some common but limited resources within the supply chain, whereas the external firms are independent and do not share the internal resources. The supply chain managers strive to develop optimal strategies in terms of production level and resource allocation in maximising their profit while facing competition at the end market. The Cournot-Nash equilibrium of this inter-supply chain competition is formulated as a variational inequality problem. We further study the case when there is demand disruption in the plan-execution phase. In such a case, the managers need to revise their planned strategy in order to maximise their profit with the new demand under disruption and minimise the cost of change. We present a bi-criteria decision-making model for supply chain managers and develop the optimal conditions in equilibrium, which again can be formulated by another variational inequality problem. Numerical examples are presented for illustrative purpose.

Modulating the processing of emotional stimuli by cognitive demand

PubMed Central

Sternkopf, Melanie A.; Schneider, Frank; Habel, Ute; Turetsky, Bruce I.; Zilles, Karl; Eickhoff, Simon B.

2012-01-01

Emotional processing is influenced by cognitive processes and vice versa, indicating a profound interaction of these domains. The investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying this interaction is not only highly relevant for understanding the organization of human brain function. Rather, it may also help in understanding dysregulated emotions in affective disorders and in elucidating the neurobiology of cognitive behavioural therapy (e.g. in borderline personality disorder), which aims at modulating dysfunctional emotion processes by cognitive techniques, such as restructuring. In the majority of earlier studies investigating the interaction of emotions and cognition, the main focus has been on the investigation of the effects of emotional stimuli or, more general, emotional processing, e.g. instituted by emotional material that needed to be processed, on cognitive performance and neural activation patterns. Here we pursued the opposite approach and investigated the modulation of implicit processing of emotional stimuli by cognitive demands using an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging––study on a motor short-term memory paradigm with emotional interferences. Subjects were visually presented a finger-sequence consisting either of four (easy condition) or six (difficult condition) items, which they had to memorize. After a short pause positive, negative or neutral International affective picture system pictures or a green dot (as control condition) were presented. Subjects were instructed to reproduce the memorized sequence manually as soon as the picture disappeared. Analysis showed that with increasing cognitive demand (long relative to short sequences), neural responses to emotional pictures were significantly reduced in amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex. In contrast, the more difficult task evoked stronger activation in a widespread frontoparietal network. As stimuli were task-relevant go-cues and hence had to be processed perceptually, we would interpret this as a specific attenuation of affective responses by concurrent cognitive processing––potentially reflecting a relocation of resources mediated by the frontoparietal network. PMID:21258093

26 CFR 301.6155-1 - Payment on notice and demand.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION Time and Place for Paying Tax Place and Due Date for Payment of Tax § 301.6155-1 Payment on notice and demand. Upon receipt of notice and demand from the district director (including the Director of International Operations) or the director of the...

Factors influencing selection of internal medicine residency--a prospective study.

PubMed

Pereg, David; Gronich, Naomi; Lishner, Michael

2006-08-01

Recently, the popularity of internal medicine residency has been decreasing. We studied the effect of an improved working environment and a decrease in residents' workload on the selection of internal medicine residency. An organizational diagnosis team joined our department and identified several causes for residents' heavy workload. These findings were subsequently discussed in a workshop and led to a modification of the daily routine and a parallel decrease in workload and rise in residents' satisfaction. Following these changes, the demand for residency in our department rose. We conclude that an improvement in the working environment and workload during residency increases the residents' satisfaction and the demand for residency in internal medicine.

Research and Design of the Three-tier Distributed Network Management System Based on COM / COM + and DNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Likai; Bi, Yushen

Considered on the distributed network management system's demand of high distributives, extensibility and reusability, a framework model of Three-tier distributed network management system based on COM/COM+ and DNA is proposed, which adopts software component technology and N-tier application software framework design idea. We also give the concrete design plan of each layer of this model. Finally, we discuss the internal running process of each layer in the distributed network management system's framework model.

Two-and-a-half-year-olds succeed at a traditional false-belief task with reduced processing demands

PubMed Central

Scott, Rose M.; Baillargeon, Renée

2016-01-01

When tested with traditional false-belief tasks, which require answering a standard question about the likely behavior of an agent with a false belief, children perform below chance until age 4 y or later. When tested without such questions, however, children give evidence of false-belief understanding much earlier. Are traditional tasks difficult because they tap a more advanced form of false-belief understanding (fundamental-change view) or because they impose greater processing demands (processing-demands view)? Evidence that young children succeed at traditional false-belief tasks when processing demands are reduced would support the latter view. In prior research, reductions in inhibitory-control demands led to improvements in young children’s performance, but often only to chance (instead of below-chance) levels. Here we examined whether further reductions in processing demands might lead to success. We speculated that: (i) young children could respond randomly in a traditional low-inhibition task because their limited information-processing resources are overwhelmed by the total concurrent processing demands in the task; and (ii) these demands include those from the response-generation process activated by the standard question. This analysis suggested that 2.5-y-old toddlers might succeed at a traditional low-inhibition task if response-generation demands were also reduced via practice trials. As predicted, toddlers performed above chance following two response-generation practice trials; toddlers failed when these trials either were rendered less effective or were used in a high-inhibition task. These results support the processing-demands view: Even toddlers succeed at a traditional false-belief task when overall processing demands are reduced. PMID:27821728

International Oil Supplies and Demands

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

Not Available

1992-04-01

The eleventh Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) working group met four times over the 1989--1990 period to compare alternative perspectives on international oil supplies and demands through 2010 and to discuss how alternative supply and demand trends influence the world's dependence upon Middle Eastern oil. Proprietors of eleven economic models of the world oil market used their respective models to simulate a dozen scenarios using standardized assumptions. From its inception, the study was not designed to focus on the short-run impacts of disruptions on oil markets. Nor did the working group attempt to provide a forecast or just a single viewmore » of the likely future path for oil prices. The model results guided the group's thinking about many important longer-run market relationships and helped to identify differences of opinion about future oil supplies, demands, and dependence.« less

International Oil Supplies and Demands

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

Not Available

1991-09-01

The eleventh Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) working group met four times over the 1989--90 period to compare alternative perspectives on international oil supplies and demands through 2010 and to discuss how alternative supply and demand trends influence the world's dependence upon Middle Eastern oil. Proprietors of eleven economic models of the world oil market used their respective models to simulate a dozen scenarios using standardized assumptions. From its inception, the study was not designed to focus on the short-run impacts of disruptions on oil markets. Nor did the working group attempt to provide a forecast or just a single viewmore » of the likely future path for oil prices. The model results guided the group's thinking about many important longer-run market relationships and helped to identify differences of opinion about future oil supplies, demands, and dependence.« less

Population perspectives on the causes of international migration.

PubMed

Stahl, C

1987-06-01

The paper considers the causes of international voluntary labor migration from the economic perspective of supply of and demand for labor force. Changing global economic forces figure in the relevant decisions of individuals, industries, and countries. The author 1st examines global economic forces responsible for creating an unlimited supply of migrant labor within the 3rd world ready to work abroad. Reasons why a marked proportion of international labor migration is sourced in a limited number of countries are then discussed, followed by consideration of selectivity factors for laborers coming from certain subpopulations within given countries. Economic forces supporting demand for labor in countries of immigration are then discussed, with attention to the limits of growth in demand. The author concludes that immigration policies of comparatively wealthy countries determine the magnitude of international labor migration. These policies, however, are developed on the basis of perceived labor needs of the country, and are subject to become more restrictive as foreign workers increasingly impose upon the cultural space of the indigenous population. Restricting further immigration to workers only, not their dependents, is not encouraged as viable policy. Further discussion is included on increasing international economic inequalities resulting from international labor migration, and the role of source countries in ensuring the provision of suitable working conditions for immigrant workers.

Sustaining a Global Geoscience Workforce-The Case for International Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leahy, P. P.; Keane, C. M.

2013-05-01

Maintaining an adequate global supply of qualified geoscientists is a major challenge facing the profession. With global population expected to exceed 9 billion by midcentury, the demand for geoscience expertise is expected to dramatically increase if we are to provide to society the resource base, environmental quality, and resiliency to natural hazards that is required to meet future global demands. The American Geoscience Institute (AGI) has for the past 50 years tracked the supply of geoscientists and their various areas of specialty for the US. However, this is only part of the necessary workforce analysis, the demand side must also be determined. For the past several years, AGI has worked to acquire estimates for workforce demand in the United States. The analysis suggests that by 2021 there will be between 145,000 to 202,000 unfilled jobs in the US. This demand can be partially filled with an increase in graduates (which is occurring at an insufficient pace in the US to meet full demand), increased migration of geoscientists internationally to the US (a challenge since demands are increasing globally), and more career placement of bachelor degree recipients. To understand the global workforce dynamic, it is critical that accurate estimates of global geoscience supply, demand and retirement be available. Although, AGI has focused on the US situation, it has developed international collaborations to acquire workforce data. Among the organizations that have contributed are UNESCO, the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), the Young Earth-Scientists Network, and the Geological Society of Africa. Among the areas of international collaboration, the IUGS Task Group on Global Geoscience Workforce enables the IUGS to take a leadership role in raising the quality of understanding of workforce across the world. During the course of the taskforce's efforts, several key understandings have emerged. First, the general supply of geoscientists is quantifiable with the caveat that the definition of what constitutes a geoscientist does vary from country to country and region to region. Second, the flow of geoscience talent is both complex and dynamic as there are distinct sources and sinks for talent, but as economic conditions and resource demands vary, the migratory paths appear to change rapidly. Finally, the issue of a nationality of a geoscientist is a much more complex concept than it might appear. With the educational centers not always mapping to where demand is, coupled with a truly global geoscience economic enterprise, tracking geoscientists is problematic. As global demand for geoscience continues, measuring the supply and demand globally will become even more critical for geoscientists, their employers, their schools, and their societies to understand to support a healthy profession. However, in the data collection efforts, specific gaps of data are persistent, especially in Latin America where efforts have never been able to be carried beyond initial consultations, and concerns about reported numbers from less open countries expressed by ex-pats regarding what has been reported by those institutions. A truly global and open collaboration is key for the health of the profession in the 21st Century.

International petroleum statistics report, November 1996

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

NONE

1996-11-01

This report presents data on international oil production, demand, imports, and stocks. The report has four sections. Section 1 contains time series data on world oil production, and on oil demand and stocks in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This section contains annual data beginning in 1985, and monthly data for the most recent two years. Section2 presents an oil supply/demand balance for the world. This balance is presented in quarterly intervals for the most recent two years. Section 3 presents data on oil imports by OECD countries. This section contains annual data for the most recentmore » year, quarterly data for the most recent two quarters, and monthly data for the most recent twelve months. Section4 presents annual time series data on world oil production and oil stocks, demand, and trade in OECD countries. World oil production and OECD demand data are for the years 1970 through 1995; OECD stocks from 1973 through 1995; and OECD trade from 1985 through 1995. 4 figs., 45 tabs.« less

Qualities Required of Education Today To Meet Foreseeable Demands in the Twenty-first Century. International Symposium and Round Table Proceedings (Beijing, China, November 27-December 2, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

This report contains proceedings of a United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) international symposium and round table. The main objective of the meeting was to debate long-term goals of education and its role in preparing young people to face the demands of the 21st century. Papers presented include: (1) "Young…

Hidden action or hidden strategy: China's control of its national oil companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humphrey, Charles

China's rapid economic growth has been accompanied by parallel growth in energy demand, particularly in demand for oil. Due to political and economic constraints on domestic reform, the CPC has focused on the international dimension through the creation of vertically integrated national oil companies. The foreign investments of these companies have become increasingly controversial due to the high levels of political and financial support afforded them by the CPC. I measure control by employing a model of institutional constraints on state-owned enterprises in conjunction with a managerial variant of Principal Agent theory well suited to political analyses. I conclude that the combination of institutional overlap, the process which led to the formation of the CNOCs as they currently exist and the current overseas activities of the CNOCs all demonstrate that the CPC is in control of the CNOCs.

The stages of the international drug control system.

PubMed

Carstairs, Catherine

2005-01-01

This paper argues that the history of the international drug control system of the League of Nations/United Nations can be divided into three cumulative stages. The first stage, the supply stage, dates back to early part of the 20th century, and aimed to reduce the supply of drugs through careful monitoring and trade regulations. This has remained the dominant control strategy. In the middle of the century, demand control, in the form of treatment and criminalization of the individual user, began to appear. This was the least successful stage. Finally, in the 1980s, the dangers of the drug traffic assumed an important place on the international agenda and measures to reduce drug-related organized crime were enacted. To date, this has been a process of proliferation of regulatory strategies. Recently, new challenges to the international drug control system have emerged, including well-funded non-governmental organizations critical of the war on drugs, and the adoption of harm reduction measures in national policies around the world.

The Feeding Demands Questionnaire: Assessment of Parental Demand Cognitions Concerning Parent–Child Feeding Relations

PubMed Central

FAITH, MYLES S.; STOREY, MEGAN; KRAL, TANJA V. E.; PIETROBELLI, ANGELO

2010-01-01

Background There are few validated instruments measuring parental beliefs about parent–child feeding relations and child compliance during meals. Objective To test the validity of the Feeding Demands Questionnaire, a parent-report instrument designed to measure parents’ beliefs about how their child should eat. Methods Participants were 85 mothers of 3- to 7-year-old same-sex twin pairs or sibling pairs, and their children. Mothers completed the eight-item Feeding Demands Questionnaire and the Child Feeding Questionnaire, plus measures of depression and fear of fat. Statistical analyses Psychometric evaluations of the Feeding Demands Questionnaire included principal components analysis, Cronbach’s α for internal consistency, tests for convergent and discriminant validities, and Flesh-Kincaid for readability. Results The Feeding Demands Questionnaire had three underlying factors: anger/frustration, food amount demandingness, and food type demandingness, for which subscales were computed. The Feeding Demands Questionnaire showed acceptable internal consistency (α ranging from .70 to .86) and was written at the 4.8th grade level. Mothers reporting greater anger/frustration during feeding were more likely to pressure their children to eat, while those reporting greater demands about the type of foods their children eat were more likely to monitor child fat intake. Mothers reporting greater demands about the amount of food their children eat were more likely to restrict eating, pressure children to eat, and monitor their fat intake. Conclusions The Feeding Demands Questionnaire appears valid for assessing maternal beliefs that children should comply with rules for eating and frustration during feeding. Different demand beliefs can underlie different feeding practices. PMID:18375218

77 FR 19076 - High Density Traffic Airports; Notice of Determination Regarding Low Demand Periods at Ronald...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-30

... 10 p.m. to 10:59 p.m. no longer is a low demand period at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport... Airport, LaGuardia Airport, O'Hare International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA...-1024] High Density Traffic Airports; Notice of Determination Regarding Low Demand Periods at Ronald...

76 FR 58393 - High Density Traffic Airports; Notice of Determination Regarding Low Demand Periods at Ronald...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

... 6 a.m. to 6:59 a.m. no longer is a low demand period at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport... Airport, LaGuardia Airport, O'Hare International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA...-1024] High Density Traffic Airports; Notice of Determination Regarding Low Demand Periods at Ronald...

A demand assignment control in international business satellite communications network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nohara, Mitsuo; Takeuchi, Yoshio; Takahata, Fumio; Hirata, Yasuo

An experimental system is being developed for use in an international business satellite (IBS) communications network based on demand-assignment (DA) and TDMA techniques. This paper discusses its system design, in particular from the viewpoints of a network configuration, a DA control, and a satellite channel-assignment algorithm. A satellite channel configuration is also presented along with a tradeoff study on transmission rate, HPA output power, satellite resource efficiency, service quality, and so on.

The Effects of Increasing Information Processing Demands on Rating Outcomes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-10-01

Resources Research THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING INFORMATION PROCESSING DEMANDS ON RATING OUTCOMES Roseanne J. Foti € and Neil M.A. Hauenstein October...j** ~-- .. ~ 87 7 0O2 p. THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING INFORMATION PROCESSING DEMANDS ON RATING OUTCOMES Roseanne J. Foti and -Neil M.A. Hauenstein...5- % Performance Ratings 2 Effects of Increasing Information Processing Demands on Rating Outcomes Abstract This research investigated the cognitive

Motor demands impact speed of information processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Kenworthy, Lauren; Yerys, Benjamin E.; Weinblatt, Rachel; Abrams, Danielle N.; Wallace, Gregory L.

2015-01-01

Objective The apparent contradiction between preserved or even enhanced perceptual processing speed on inspection time tasks in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and impaired performance on complex processing speed tasks that require motor output (e.g. Wechsler Processing Speed Index) has not yet been systematically investigated. This study investigates whether adding motor output demands to an inspection time task impairs ASD performance compared to that of typically developing control (TDC) children. Method The performance of children with ASD (n=28; mean FSIQ=115) and TDC (n=25; mean FSIQ=122) children was compared on processing speed tasks with increasing motor demand. Correlations were run between ASD task performance and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Communication scores. Results Performance by the ASD and TDC groups on a simple perceptual processing speed task with minimal motor demand was equivalent, though it diverged (ASD worse than TDC) on two tasks with the same stimuli, but increased motor output demands. ASD performance on the moderate but not the high speeded motor output demand task was negatively correlated with ADOS communication symptoms. Conclusions These data address the apparent contradiction between preserved inspection time in the context of slowed “processing speed” in ASD. They show that processing speed is preserved when motor demands are minimized, but that increased motor output demands interfere with the ability to act on perceptual processing of simple stimuli. Reducing motor demands (e.g. through the use of computers) may increase the capacity of people with ASD to demonstrate good perceptual processing in a variety of educational, vocational and social settings. PMID:23937483

International Oil Supplies and Demands. Volume 1

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

Not Available

1991-09-01

The eleventh Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) working group met four times over the 1989--90 period to compare alternative perspectives on international oil supplies and demands through 2010 and to discuss how alternative supply and demand trends influence the world`s dependence upon Middle Eastern oil. Proprietors of eleven economic models of the world oil market used their respective models to simulate a dozen scenarios using standardized assumptions. From its inception, the study was not designed to focus on the short-run impacts of disruptions on oil markets. Nor did the working group attempt to provide a forecast or just a single viewmore » of the likely future path for oil prices. The model results guided the group`s thinking about many important longer-run market relationships and helped to identify differences of opinion about future oil supplies, demands, and dependence.« less

International Oil Supplies and Demands. Volume 2

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

Not Available

1992-04-01

The eleventh Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) working group met four times over the 1989--1990 period to compare alternative perspectives on international oil supplies and demands through 2010 and to discuss how alternative supply and demand trends influence the world`s dependence upon Middle Eastern oil. Proprietors of eleven economic models of the world oil market used their respective models to simulate a dozen scenarios using standardized assumptions. From its inception, the study was not designed to focus on the short-run impacts of disruptions on oil markets. Nor did the working group attempt to provide a forecast or just a single viewmore » of the likely future path for oil prices. The model results guided the group`s thinking about many important longer-run market relationships and helped to identify differences of opinion about future oil supplies, demands, and dependence.« less

Coping and adaptation process during puerperium

PubMed Central

Muñoz de Rodríguez, Lucy; Ruiz de Cárdenas, Carmen Helena

2012-01-01

Introduction: The puerperium is a stage that produces changes and adaptations in women, couples and family. Effective coping, during this stage, depends on the relationship between the demands of stressful or difficult situations and the recourses that the puerperal individual has. Roy (2004), in her Middle Range Theory about the Coping and Adaptation Processing, defines Coping as the ''behavioral and cognitive efforts that a person makes to meet the environment demands''. For the puerperal individual, the correct coping is necessary to maintain her physical and mental well being, especially against situations that can be stressful like breastfeeding and return to work. According to Lazarus and Folkman (1986), a resource for coping is to have someone who receives emotional support, informative and / or tangible. Objective: To review the issue of women coping and adaptation during the puerperium stage and the strategies that enhance this adaptation. Methods: search and selection of database articles: Cochrane, Medline, Ovid, ProQuest, Scielo, and Blackwell Synergy. Other sources: unpublished documents by Roy, published books on Roy´s Model, Websites from of international health organizations. Results: the need to recognize the puerperium as a stage that requires comprehensive care is evident, where nurses must be protagonist with the care offered to women and their families, considering the specific demands of this situation and recourses that promote effective coping and the family, education and health services. PMID:24893059

The International Provision and Supply of Publications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Line, Maurice B.; And Others

As part of a Universal Availability of Publications (UAP) program, this report describes the current situation in international interlending and possible future models. From a review of literature and statistics previously collected, and a 1979 study of 15 international supply centers, it is concluded that international loan demand is increasing…

Birds of a Feather: Senior International Baccalaureate International Schools Leadership in Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner-McTaggart, Alexander

2018-01-01

This article presents original research into International Baccalaureate international schools' directors in Western Europe, based on multiphase contact with six director participants over two years and employing an aspect of critical-phenomenology. Successful leadership in this context responds to market demands with a commodification of Anglo…

Program Transition Challenges in International Baccalaureate Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallinger, Philip; Lee, Moosung; Walker, Allan

2011-01-01

International Baccalaureate (IB) schools have experienced dramatic growth worldwide over the past decade in response to burgeoning demand for high-quality education with an international orientation. One increasingly common trend has found international schools adopting two or more of the three programs offered by the IB: the Diploma, Middle Years…

Work Demands, Work-Family Conflict, and Child Adjustment in African American Families: The Mediating Role of Family Routines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLoyd, Vonnie C.; Toyokawa, Teru; Kaplan, Rachel

2008-01-01

Using data from a sample of 455 African American children (ages 10 to 12 years) and their parents, this study tests a hypothesized model linking (a) maternal work demands to family routines through work-family conflict and depressive symptoms and (b) maternal work demands to children's externalizing and internalizing problems through family…

Biological nutrient removal by internal circulation upflow sludge blanket reactor after landfill leachate pretreatment.

PubMed

Abood, Alkhafaji R; Bao, Jianguo; Abudi, Zaidun N

2013-10-01

The removal of biological nutrient from mature landfill leachate with a high nitrogen load by an internal circulation upflow sludge blanket (ICUSB) reactor was studied. The reactor is a set of anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A2/O) bioreactors, developed on the basis of an expended granular sludge blanket (EGSB), granular sequencing batch reactor (GSBR) and intermittent cycle extended aeration system (ICEAS). Leachate was subjected to stripping by agitation process and poly ferric sulfate coagulation as a pretreatment process, in order to reduce both ammonia toxicity to microorganisms and the organic contents. The reactor was operated under three different operating systems, consisting of recycling sludge with air (A2/O), recycling sludge without air (low oxygen) and a combination of both (A2/O and low oxygen). The lowest effluent nutrient levels were realised by the combined system of A2/O and low oxygen, which resulted in effluent of chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH3-N and biological oxygen demand (BOD5) concentrations of 98.20, 13.50 and 22.50 mg/L. The optimal operating conditions for the efficient removal of biological nutrient using the ICUSB reactor were examined to evaluate the influence of the parameters on its performance. The results showed that average removal efficiencies of COD and NH3-N of 96.49% and 99.39%, respectively were achieved under the condition of a hydraulic retention time of 12 hr, including 4 hr of pumping air into the reactor, with dissolved oxygen at an rate of 4 mg/L and an upflow velocity 2 m/hr. These combined processes were successfully employed and effectively decreased pollutant loading.

Radiotherapy demand and activity in England 2006-2020.

PubMed

Round, C E; Williams, M V; Mee, T; Kirkby, N F; Cooper, T; Hoskin, P; Jena, R

2013-09-01

This paper compares the predictions of radiotherapy demand for England from the Malthus model with those from the earlier National Radiotherapy Advisory Group (NRAG) model, from the international literature and also with observed radiotherapy usage in England as a whole as recorded in the English radiotherapy dataset (RTDS). We reviewed the evidence base for radiotherapy for each type and stage of cancer using national and international guidelines, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and key clinical trials. Twenty-two decision trees were constructed and radiotherapy demand was calculated using English cancer incidence data for 2007, 2008 and 2009, accurate to the Primary Care Trust (PCT) level (population 91,500-1,282,384). The stage at presentation was obtained from English cancer registry data. In predictive mode, the model can take account of changes in cancer incidence as the population grows and ages. The Malthus model indicates reduced indications for radiotherapy, principally for lung cancer and rarer tumours. Our estimate of the proportion of patients who should receive radiotherapy at some stage of their illness is 40.6%. This is lower than previous estimates of about 50%. Nevertheless, the overall estimate of demand in terms of attendances is similar for the NRAG and Malthus models. The latter models that 48,827 attendances should have been delivered per million population in 2011. National data from RTDS show 32,071 attendances per million in 2011. A 50% increase in activity would be required to match estimated demand. This underprovision extends across all cancers and represents reduced access and the use of dose fractionation at odds with international norms of evidence-based practice. By 2016, demand is predicted to grow to about 55,206 attendances per million and by 2020 to 60,057. Services have increased their activity by 14% between 2006 and 2011, but estimated demand has increased by 11%. Access remains low and English radiotherapy dose fractionation still does not comply with international evidence-based practice. Copyright © 2013 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of mental demands during dispensing on perceived medication safety and employee well being: A study of workload in pediatric hospital pharmacies

PubMed Central

Holden, Richard J.; Patel, Neal R.; Scanlon, Matthew C.; Shalaby, Theresa M.; Arnold, Judi M.; Karsh, Ben-Tzion

2009-01-01

Background Pharmacy workload is a modifiable work system factor believed to affect both medication safety outcomes and employee outcomes such as job satisfaction. Objectives This study sought to measure the effect of workload on safety and employee outcomes in two pediatric hospitals and to do so using a novel approach to pharmacy workload measurement. Methods Rather than measuring prescription volume or other similar indicators, this study measured the type and intensity of mental demands experienced during the medication dispensing tasks. The effects of external (interruptions, divided attention, rushing) and internal (concentration, effort) task demands on perceived medication error likelihood, adverse drug event likelihood, job dissatisfaction, and burnout were statistically estimated using multiple linear and logistic regression. Results Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians reported high levels of external and internal mental demands during dispensing. The study supported the hypothesis that external demands (interruptions, divided attention, rushing) negatively impacted medication safety and employee well being outcomes. However, as hypothesized, increasing levels of internal demands (concentration and effort) were not associated with greater perceived likelihood of error, adverse drug events, or burnout, and even had a positive effect on job satisfaction. Conclusion Replicating a prior study in nursing, this study shows that new conceptualizations and measures of workload can generate important new findings about both detrimental and beneficial effects of workload on patient safety and employee well being. This study discusses what those findings imply for policy, management, and design concerning automation, cognition, and staffing. PMID:21111387

Effects of mental demands during dispensing on perceived medication safety and employee well-being: a study of workload in pediatric hospital pharmacies.

PubMed

Holden, Richard J; Patel, Neal R; Scanlon, Matthew C; Shalaby, Theresa M; Arnold, Judi M; Karsh, Ben-Tzion

2010-12-01

Pharmacy workload is a modifiable work system factor believed to affect both medication safety outcomes and employee outcomes, such as job satisfaction. This study sought to measure the effect of workload on safety and employee outcomes in 2 pediatric hospitals and to do so using a novel approach to pharmacy workload measurement. Rather than measuring prescription volume or other similar indicators, this study measured the type and intensity of mental demands experienced during the medication dispensing tasks. The effects of external (interruptions, divided attention, and rushing) and internal (concentration and effort) task demands on perceived medication error likelihood, adverse drug event likelihood, job dissatisfaction, and burnout were statistically estimated using multiple linear and logistic regression. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians reported high levels of external and internal mental demands during dispensing. The study supported the hypothesis that external demands (interruptions, divided attention, and rushing) negatively impacted medication safety and employee well-being outcomes. However, as hypothesized, increasing levels of internal demands (concentration and effort) were not associated with greater perceived likelihood of error, adverse drug events, or burnout and even had a positive effect on job satisfaction. Replicating a prior study in nursing, this study shows that new conceptualizations and measures of workload can generate important new findings about both detrimental and beneficial effects of workload on patient safety and employee well-being. This study discusses what those findings imply for policy, management, and design concerning automation, cognition, and staffing. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On Demand Internal Short Circuit Device Enables Verification of Safer, Higher Performing Battery Designs

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

Darcy, Eric; Keyser, Matthew

The Internal Short Circuit (ISC) device enables critical battery safety verification. With the aluminum interstitial heat sink between the cells, normal trigger cells cannot be driven into thermal runaway without excessive temperature bias of adjacent cells. With an implantable, on-demand ISC device, thermal runaway tests show that the conductive heat sinks protected adjacent cells from propagation. High heat dissipation and structural support of Al heat sinks show high promise for safer, higher performing batteries.

Compressed air energy storage system

DOEpatents

Ahrens, Frederick W.; Kartsounes, George T.

1981-01-01

An internal combustion reciprocating engine is operable as a compressor during slack demand periods utilizing excess power from a power grid to charge air into an air storage reservoir and as an expander during peak demand periods to feed power into the power grid utilizing air obtained from the air storage reservoir together with combustible fuel. Preferably the internal combustion reciprocating engine is operated at high pressure and a low pressure turbine and compressor are also employed for air compression and power generation.

Reciprocal interactions between circadian clocks and aging.

PubMed

Banks, Gareth; Nolan, Patrick M; Peirson, Stuart N

2016-08-01

Virtually, all biological processes in the body are modulated by an internal circadian clock which optimizes physiological and behavioral performance according to the changing demands of the external 24-h world. This circadian clock undergoes a number of age-related changes, at both the physiological and molecular levels. While these changes have been considered to be part of the normal aging process, there is increasing evidence that disruptions to the circadian system can substantially impact upon aging and these impacts will have clear health implications. Here we review the current data of how both the physiological and core molecular clocks change with age and how feedback from external cues may modulate the aging of the circadian system.

Are prices enough? The economics of material demand reduction

PubMed Central

Aidt, Toke; Jia, Lili

2017-01-01

Recent policy proposals to achieve carbon targets have emphasized material demand reduction strategies aimed at achieving material efficiency. We provide a bridge between the way economists and engineers think about efficiency. We use the tools of economics to think about policies directed at material efficiency and to evaluate the role and rationale for such policies. The analysis highlights when prices (or taxes) can be used to induce changes in material use and when taxes may not work. We argue that the role of taxes is limited by concerns about their distributional consequences, by international trade and the lack of international agreement on carbon prices, and by investment failures. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Material demand reduction’. PMID:28461434

Are prices enough? The economics of material demand reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aidt, Toke; Jia, Lili; Low, Hamish

2017-05-01

Recent policy proposals to achieve carbon targets have emphasized material demand reduction strategies aimed at achieving material efficiency. We provide a bridge between the way economists and engineers think about efficiency. We use the tools of economics to think about policies directed at material efficiency and to evaluate the role and rationale for such policies. The analysis highlights when prices (or taxes) can be used to induce changes in material use and when taxes may not work. We argue that the role of taxes is limited by concerns about their distributional consequences, by international trade and the lack of international agreement on carbon prices, and by investment failures. This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'.

An international network of magnetic observatories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Chulliat, A.

2013-01-01

Since its formation in the late 1980s, the International Real-Time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET), a voluntary consortium of geophysical institutes from around the world, has promoted the operation of magnetic observatories according to modern standards [eg. Rasson, 2007]. INTERMAGNET institutes have cooperatively developed infrastructure for data exchange and management ads well as methods for data processing and checking. INTERMAGNET institute have also helped to expand global geomagnetic monitoring capacity, most notably by assisting magnetic observatory institutes in economically developing countries by working directly with local geophysicists. Today the INTERMAGNET consortium encompasses 57 institutes from 40 countries supporting 120 observatories (see Figures 1a and 1b). INTERMAGNET data record a wide variety of time series signals related to a host of different physical processes in the Earth's interiors and in the Earth's surrounding space environment [e.g., Love, 2008]. Observatory data have always had a diverse user community, and to meet evolving demand, INTERMAGNET has recently coordinated the introduction of several new data services.

Proceedings of the International Congress (12th), Corrosion Control for Low-Cost Reliability, Held in Houston, Texas on September 19 -24, 1993. Volume 1. Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-24

3]) Gas-cooled reactors were first developed in Europe and have been built since 1956. HTGR , equipped with the core of ceramic coated particle fuels ...demands must also be covered by nuclear energy in not so long future. Programs on developing the process heating HTGR have been promoted mainly in Germany...Material programs for HTGR have been promoted in several countries since late 1960’s which include the tasks of developing and qualifying materials, eg

On-Demand Cell Internal Short Circuit Device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darcy, Eric; Keyser, Matthew

2014-01-01

A device implantable in Li-ion cells that can generate a hard internal short circuit on-demand by exposing the cell to 60?C has been demonstrated to be valuable for expanding our understanding of cell responses. The device provides a negligible impact to cell performance and enables the instigation of the 4 general categories of cell internal shorts to determine relative severity and cell design susceptibility. Tests with a 18650 cell design indicates that the anode active material short to the aluminum cathode current collector tends to be more catastrophic than the 3 other types of internal shorts. Advanced safety features (such as shutdown separators) to prevent or mitigate the severity of cell internal shorts can be verified with this device. The hard short success rate achieved to date in 18650 cells is about 80%, which is sufficient for using these cells in battery assemblies for field-failure-relevant, cell-cell thermal runaway propagation verification tests

International Graduate Student Mobility in the US: What More Can We Be Doing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Darbi L.

2012-01-01

This article examines the current growth statistics of international graduate student populations in the United States in order to present trends in international student mobility. Although many scholars suggest the United States is facing a decrease in future international student demand, recent studies seem to challenge this theory. This article…

The Study on the Optimization of Container Multimodal Transport Business Process in Shandong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fengmei; Gong, Xiaoyi; Ni, Yingying; Zhan, Jun; Che, Huiping

2018-06-01

Shandong is a coastal city with good location advantages. As a hub port for international trade goods and a port of transhipment, shandong's demand for multimodal transport is more urgent. By selecting the suitable non-water port and the multimodal transport carrier to improve the efficiency of multimodal transport, the purpose of saving the time of logistics is achieved, thus reducing the logistics cost.It branch out through Shandongt, and it can reach the central region of China, can reach the Western remote area ,too. This paper puts forward the optimization scheme of the business process of container multimodal transport. The optimization of freight forwarding business process is analyzed. The multimodal transport model in Shandong was designed. Finally, the optimal approach of multimodal transport in Shandong is put forward.

Ghana refinery expansion and modernization project. Export trade information

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

Not Available

1990-11-01

The U.S. Trade and Development Program (TDP) is considering the provision of funds to the Ghanaian Ministry of Fuel and Power (MFP) to conduct a study of the scope and feasibility of expanding and modernizing its Tema Refinery to meet future demands for gasoline and to minimize heavy fuel oil production. All of the needed licensed process technology and process know-how could be provided by U.S. sources and this, coupled with U.S. equipment and catalyst supply, meets the TDP criteria for funding the feasibility study. Europe aggressively offers alternate licensable technology for some of the processes. U.S. manufacturers of specialtymore » equipment are marginally competitive in the international market, where competition is fierce. The Definitional Mission recommends that full feasibility study be undertaken.« less

Scanning of the internal structure part with laser ultrasonic in aviation industry.

PubMed

Swornowski, Pawel J

2011-01-01

The detection of internal defects is a major production and safety issue for the newest generations of aircraft. New materials and manufacturing processes in the aircraft industry demand efficient quality assurance in manufacturing and inspection in maintenance. Advanced metallic material processes (titanium) are used or developed for the production of heavily loaded flying components (in fan blade construction). The inspection of these parts mainly made out of titanium (or CFRP) requires the determination of the percentage of bonded grain sizes around 10-30 µm. This is primarily due to the advantages of a high signal-to-noise ratio and good detection sensitivity. In this article, a diagnosing method of the blade interior by means of the laser ultrasonic is presented. Identification of small fatigue cracks presents a challenging problem during nondestructive testing of fatigue-damaged structures. Laser ultrasonic is a technique that uses two laser beams; one with a short pulse for the generation of ultrasound and another with a long pulse or continuous coupled to an optical interferometer for detection. The results of research of the internal blade structure are presented. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Selected Aspects Of The Risk In The Supply Chain In Context Of The Supplier Quality Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koblen, Ivan; Lestyánszka Škůrková, Katarína

2015-06-01

The introductory part of the paper underlines the importance of "Risk-based thinking" in the Quality Management System (QMS) and risk in the supply chain, as a principle part of the QMS. After introducing the key terms, the authors focused on the principle part of the article - explanation of the external and internal supply chain risks and the main factors concerning the supply risks, demand risks and environmental risks (as cardinal types of external supply chain risks) as well as the manufacturing and process risks, network/planning and control risks (as most important types of internal supply chain risks). The authors inform on the selected supply chain risk management tools, especially on those which are linked to the appropriate utilization of quality management tools.

Liberian macroeconomy and simulation of sectoral energy demand: 1981-2000

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

Hill, L.J.

1984-06-01

The primary purpose of this report is to document the results of a research effort on end-use, sector energy demand in Liberia, West Africa over the 1981-2000 time horizon. The research was undertaken as one component of a much broader integrated energy assessment of Liberia. Other components of the assessment, however, focused on current energy supply and consumption together with future energy supply options for Liberia. This particular report is devoted exclusively to a discussion of Liberian energy demand. The methodology utilized to simulate Liberian sectoral energy demand over the period 1981-2000 involved the recursive interaction of a macroeconomic modelmore » and individual, econometrically-estimated sectoral demand equations. That is, given the projections for gross output in the Liberian economy from the macroeconomic model, sectoral energy demand was simulated. The individual energy demand equations were estimated on the basis of economic variables that are theorized to influence energy consumption in the respective sectors (e.g., price, output). The primary conclusion drawn from the analysis is that, besides being sensitive to changes in international economic activity, the demand for energy in Liberia over the 1981 to 2000 horizon is highly sensitive to internal production of its two primary exports: iron ore and rubber. More specifically, as characterized in the four scenarios, future growth in Liberian energy demand is contingent on the output of three companies: the Liberian American Swedish Mining Company, the Bong Mining Company, and the Firestone Rubber Company. Therefore, expansion of Liberia's energy supply capacity in the future should proceed cautiously. 16 references, 6 figures, 15 tables.« less

77 FR 64725 - International Product and Price Changes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-23

... Receipt Service. [cir] Pickup On Demand[supreg] Service. International Money Transfer Services: [cir] International Postal Money Orders and Money Order Inquiry Fee. [cir] Sure Money[supreg] (DineroSeguro[supreg... service to approximately 190 countries with a money-back, date-certain delivery guarantee to select...

Efforts to improve patient safety in large, capitated medical groups: description and conceptual model.

PubMed

Miller, Robert H; Bovbjerg, Randall R

2002-06-01

Medical care should be safer. Inpatient problems and solutions have received the most attention; this outpatient qualitative case study addresses a gap in knowledge. We describe safety improvements among large physician groups, model the key influences on their behavior, and identify beneficial public and private policies. All groups were trying to reduce medical injury, which was part of the sample design. The most commonly targeted problems are those that are similar across groups: shortcomings in diagnosis, abnormal tests follow-up, scope of practice and referral patterns, and continuity of care. Medical group innovators vary greatly, however, in implementation of improvements, that is, in the extent to which they implement process changes that identify events/problems, analyze and track incidents, decide how to change clinical and administrative practices, and monitor impacts of the changes. Our conceptual model identifies key determinants: (1) demand for safety comes from external factors: legal, market, and professional; (2) organizational responses depend on internal factors: group size, scope, and integration; leadership and governance; professional culture; information-system assets; and financial and intellectual capital. Further, safety is an aspect of quality (the same tools, decision making, interventions, and monitoring apply), and safety management benefits from prior efficiency management (similar skills and culture of innovation). Observed variation in even simple safeguards shows that existing safety incentives are too weak. Our model suggests that the biggest improvement would come from boosting the demand for quality and safety from both private and public larger group purchasers. Current policy relies too much on litigation and discipline, which have sometimes helped, but not solved, problems because they are inefficient, tend to drive needed information underground, and complicate needed cultural change. Patients' safety demand is also weak for want of information and market power. Big purchasers' demands, however, quickly influence the internal environment of medical groups, helping managers advance quality safety toward the top of groups' congested decision-making "queues."

A Quality Assurance Initiative for Commercial-Scale Production in High-Throughput Cryopreservation of Blue Catfish Sperm

PubMed Central

Hu, E; Liao, T. W.; Tiersch, T. R.

2013-01-01

Cryopreservation of fish sperm has been studied for decades at a laboratory (research) scale. However, high-throughput cryopreservation of fish sperm has recently been developed to enable industrial-scale production. This study treated blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) sperm high-throughput cryopreservation as a manufacturing production line and initiated quality assurance plan development. The main objectives were to identify: 1) the main production quality characteristics; 2) the process features for quality assurance; 3) the internal quality characteristics and their specification designs; 4) the quality control and process capability evaluation methods, and 5) the directions for further improvements and applications. The essential product quality characteristics were identified as fertility-related characteristics. Specification design which established the tolerance levels according to demand and process constraints was performed based on these quality characteristics. Meanwhile, to ensure integrity throughout the process, internal quality characteristics (characteristics at each quality control point within process) that could affect fertility-related quality characteristics were defined with specifications. Due to the process feature of 100% inspection (quality inspection of every fish), a specific calculation method, use of cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts, was applied to monitor each quality characteristic. An index of overall process evaluation, process capacity, was analyzed based on in-control process and the designed specifications, which further integrates the quality assurance plan. With the established quality assurance plan, the process could operate stably and quality of products would be reliable. PMID:23872356

The Best-of-2-Worlds philosophy: developing local dismantling and global infrastructure network for sustainable e-waste treatment in emerging economies.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Huisman, Jaco; Meskers, Christina E M; Schluep, Mathias; Stevels, Ab; Hagelüken, Christian

2012-11-01

E-waste is a complex waste category containing both hazardous and valuable substances. It demands for a cost-efficient treatment system which simultaneously liberates and refines target fractions in an environmentally sound way. In most developing countries there is a lack of systems covering all steps from disposal until final processing due to limited infrastructure and access to technologies and investment. This paper introduces the 'Best-of-2-Worlds' philosophy (Bo2W), which provides a network and pragmatic solution for e-waste treatment in emerging economies. It seeks technical and logistic integration of 'best' pre-processing in developing countries to manually dismantle e-waste and 'best' end-processing to treat hazardous and complex fractions in international state-of-the-art end-processing facilities. A series of dismantling trials was conducted on waste desktop computers, IT equipment, large and small household appliances, in order to compare the environmental and economic performances of the Bo2W philosophy with other conventional recycling scenarios. The assessment showed that the performance of the Bo2W scenario is more eco-efficient than mechanical separation scenarios and other local treatment solutions. For equipment containing substantial hazardous substances, it demands the assistance from domestic legislation for mandatory removal and safe handling of such fractions together with proper financing to cover the costs. Experience from Bo2W pilot projects in China and India highlighted key societal factors influencing successful implementation. These include market size, informal competitors, availability of national e-waste legislation, formal take-back systems, financing and trust between industrial players. The Bo2W philosophy can serve as a pragmatic and environmentally responsible transition before establishment of end-processing facilities in developing countries is made feasible. The executive models of Bo2W should be flexibly differentiated for various countries by adjusting to local conditions related to operational scale, level of centralized operations, dismantling depth, combination with mechanical processing and optimized logistics to international end-processors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crop plants versus energy plants--on the international food crisis.

PubMed

Schmitz, P M; Kavallari, A

2009-06-15

The recent price explosion of important agricultural commodities has lead to an international food crisis. The price rise is attributed to fundamental factors, such as the rising demand for dairy and meat products in China and the development of the bioenergy branch as well as on short-term factors such as the behaviour of speculators. Mobilising the worldwide supply can held to overcome the demand driven shortage of food this can be achieved through a proper design of the agricultural policy both in developed and developing countries.

Analyzing Double Delays at Newark Liberty International Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Antony D.; Lee, Paul

2016-01-01

When weather or congestion impacts the National Airspace System, multiple different Traffic Management Initiatives can be implemented, sometimes with unintended consequences. One particular inefficiency that is commonly identified is in the interaction between Ground Delay Programs (GDPs) and time based metering of internal departures, or TMA scheduling. Internal departures under TMA scheduling can take large GDP delays, followed by large TMA scheduling delays, because they cannot be easily fitted into the overhead stream. In this paper we examine the causes of these double delays through an analysis of arrival operations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) from June to August 2010. Depending on how the double delay is defined between 0.3 percent and 0.8 percent of arrivals at EWR experienced double delays in this period. However, this represents between 21 percent and 62 percent of all internal departures in GDP and TMA scheduling. A deep dive into the data reveals that two causes of high internal departure scheduling delays are upstream flights making up time between their estimated departure clearance times (EDCTs) and entry into time based metering, which undermines the sequencing and spacing underlying the flight EDCTs, and high demand on TMA, when TMA airborne metering delays are high. Data mining methods (currently) including logistic regression, support vector machines and K-nearest neighbors are used to predict the occurrence of double delays and high internal departure scheduling delays with accuracies up to 0.68. So far, key indicators of double delay and high internal departure scheduling delay are TMA virtual runway queue size, and the degree to which estimated runway demand based on TMA estimated times of arrival has changed relative to the estimated runway demand based on EDCTs. However, more analysis is needed to confirm this.

Towards Sustainable Water Quality In Estuarine Impoundments: The Current State.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, J.; Worrall, F.

Several estuarine impoundment schemes have been built or are proposed in the UK and worldwide. The impounding of estuaries is currently a popular approach to urban regeneration in the UK. By creation of an aesthetically pleasing amenity impound- ment, including the drowning of "unsightly" tidal mud flats, it is hoped that prestige development will be encouraged in the estuarine area. Impounding fundamentally alters the dynamics of estuaries, with consequences in terms of sedimentation patterns and rates, and water quality. The SIMBA Project at- tempts to understand the controls on water quality in impoundments, with a view to- wards long term and sustainable high water quality through good barrage design and management practice. Detailed water quality surveys have been carried out on a total of 79 dates on the Tees, Tawe, Wansbeck and Blyth estuaries. Water quality parameters which have been determined are pH, Eh, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), conductivity, transparency, suspended solids, alkalinity, temperature, nutri- ents (nitrate+nitrite, ammonium and orthophosphate), and a large range of dissolved metals. Statistical analyses are used to demonstrate the major controls on water qual- ity in impoundments. A distinction is made between total tidal exclusion (freshwater) systems, in which water quality is primarily influenced by external/catchment factors, and partial tidal exclusion systems, in which water quality is processed internally. This internal processing is due to density stratification creating compartments of saline wa- ter in contact with oxygen demanding sediments and isolated from the atmosphere, which leads to conditions of low DO and changes in redox conditions which may lead to release of metals and phosphate from the sediment.

A mission-oriented orbit design method of remote sensing satellite for region monitoring mission based on evolutionary algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Xin; Zhang, Jing; Yao, Huang

2015-12-01

Remote sensing satellites play an increasingly prominent role in environmental monitoring and disaster rescue. Taking advantage of almost the same sunshine condition to same place and global coverage, most of these satellites are operated on the sun-synchronous orbit. However, it brings some problems inevitably, the most significant one is that the temporal resolution of sun-synchronous orbit satellite can't satisfy the demand of specific region monitoring mission. To overcome the disadvantages, two methods are exploited: the first one is to build satellite constellation which contains multiple sunsynchronous satellites, just like the CHARTER mechanism has done; the second is to design non-predetermined orbit based on the concrete mission demand. An effective method for remote sensing satellite orbit design based on multiobjective evolution algorithm is presented in this paper. Orbit design problem is converted into a multi-objective optimization problem, and a fast and elitist multi-objective genetic algorithm is utilized to solve this problem. Firstly, the demand of the mission is transformed into multiple objective functions, and the six orbit elements of the satellite are taken as genes in design space, then a simulate evolution process is performed. An optimal resolution can be obtained after specified generation via evolution operation (selection, crossover, and mutation). To examine validity of the proposed method, a case study is introduced: Orbit design of an optical satellite for regional disaster monitoring, the mission demand include both minimizing the average revisit time internal of two objectives. The simulation result shows that the solution for this mission obtained by our method meet the demand the users' demand. We can draw a conclusion that the method presented in this paper is efficient for remote sensing orbit design.

[Management of allocation of positions for specialist medical training].

PubMed

Alonso, M I

2003-01-01

Currently there is a large imbalance between supply and demand for medical specialists in the Spanish Health System. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the possible effects of current policies of allocating vacancies for interns and residents as well as to describe several measures and alternative policies. Using the methodology of System Dynamics, we designed a simulation model of the allocation process. Based on the validated model, possible changes in the system through time in response to diverse allocation policies were simulated. Specifically, changes in the accumulated number of graduates who over the years have remained without specialty, the number of unemployed specialists, and the imbalance between supply and demand in the period under consideration were observed. The results obtained from the simulation indicate that allocation policies such as the current one tends to reduce the accumulated number of graduates without specialty, due to the philosophy characterizing this policy, but that it considerably increases the number of unemployed specialists and aggravates the supply-demand imbalance. In the simulation, this tendency remained over time even though more restrictive measures in numerus clausus and retirement age were adopted. Equally, a policy based on social needs and aware of delays in training would substantially contribute to eliminating unemployment among specialists and supply-demand imbalance over time. If such a policy were combined with the above-mentioned measures the results would be even better, more rapidly eliminating graduates without specialty, unemployed specialists, and supply-demand imbalances. If the Health Administration continues with the current system of allocation of places, the present imbalance in supply and demand will become even worse. Therefore, new and far-sighted measures and policies are required, as well as greater coordination between undergraduate and postgraduate training.

International Cross-Cultural Online Learning and Teaching: Effective Tools and Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Titarenko, Larissa; Little, Craig B.

2017-01-01

"Study abroad" college programs can transform domestic students into a kind of "global citizens" with international experience and cross-cultural competences demanded in the emerging global market. Can a full-time international online undergraduate class serve as a virtual alternative to study abroad experience? Two questions…

External and Internal Factors Influencing Happiness in Elite Collegiate Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denny, Katherine G.; Steiner, Hans

2009-01-01

When under conditions of high demand and allostatic load, are happiness and satisfaction in four domains (family, friends, academics, recreation) influenced more by external or internal factors? Do student-athletes who lead exceedingly complicated lives report happiness as a function of athletic achievement or internal disposition? Stanford…

Academic Practice as Explanatory Framework: Reconceptualising International Student Academic Engagement and University Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kettle, Margaret

2011-01-01

This paper joins growing interest in the concept of practice, and uses it to reconceptualise international student engagement with the demands of study at an Australian university. Practice foregrounds institutional structures and student agency and brings together psychologically- and socially-oriented perspectives on international student…

A Case Study in Project-Based Learning: An International Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Rachel Korfhage

2010-01-01

As our world becomes more integrated, international business students should develop skills that match corporations' needs. Moreover, students need hands-on, problem-solving, team-based, critical-thinking skills that companies demand. Students need international business experience but many of them lack the funds or support to study or intern…

The Great Asian International School Gold Rush: An Economic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machin, Denry

2017-01-01

The number of international schools is growing, especially in Asia. This presents competitive challenges; most obviously for student recruitment and retention. However, demand for places at these schools is also growing. As a result, while international schooling may feel competitive, aggregate economic data show that growing numbers do not…

Global pulses scenario: status and outlook.

PubMed

Joshi, P K; Rao, P Parthasarathy

2017-03-01

Although pulse production grew significantly by 1.3% between 1980 and 2013, its per capita availability remained stagnant at around 6.5 kg/capita/year. In 1961, its availability was 9.3 kg/capita/year. One consequence of slower growth in its production is rising pulse prices, which are twice that of cereals. The declining availability of pulses also triggered a boom in its trade, with 19% of the global pulse production traded in 2011 compared with 7% in 1980. In absolute terms, there has been a more than fourfold increase in pulse trade, compared with an only 1.5-fold increase for cereals. To meet the export demand, pulse production diversified, with developed countries emerging as the main exporters while developing countries were the main importers. The exceptions were Southeastern Asia (Myanmar) and Eastern Africa, which also emerged as important exporters. Projections using an International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade indicate that the demand for pulses will continue to grow in the short-to-medium term in developing counties owing to growing population, rising per capita incomes among the lower-income groups, and increasing demand for snack/processed foods due to growing urbanization. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

A real time dynamic data acquisition and processing system for velocity, density, and total temperature fluctuation measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clukey, Steven J.

1991-01-01

The real time Dynamic Data Acquisition and Processing System (DDAPS) is described which provides the capability for the simultaneous measurement of velocity, density, and total temperature fluctuations. The system of hardware and software is described in context of the wind tunnel environment. The DDAPS replaces both a recording mechanism and a separate data processing system. DDAPS receives input from hot wire anemometers. Amplifiers and filters condition the signals with computer controlled modules. The analog signals are simultaneously digitized and digitally recorded on disk. Automatic acquisition collects necessary calibration and environment data. Hot wire sensitivities are generated and applied to the hot wire data to compute fluctuations. The presentation of the raw and processed data is accomplished on demand. The interface to DDAPS is described along with the internal mechanisms of DDAPS. A summary of operations relevant to the use of the DDAPS is also provided.

Economically dispatching cogeneration facilities

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

Hernandez, E.

Economic dispatching has been used by utilities to meet the energy demands of their customers for decades. The objective was to first load those units which cost the least to run and slowly increase the loading of more expensive units as the incremental energy price increased. Although this concept worked well for utility based systems where incremental costs rose with peak demand, the independent power producers(IPPs) and the power purchase agreements (PPAs) have drastically changed this notion. Most PPAs structured for the IPP environment have negotiated rates which remain the same during peak periods and base their electrical generation onmore » specific process steam requirements. They also must maintain the required production balance of process steam and electrical load in order to qualify as a Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) facility. Consequently, economically dispatching Cogeneration facilities becomes an exercise in adhering to contractual guidelines while operating the equipment in the most efficient manner possible for the given condition. How then is it possible to dispatch a Cogeneration facility that maintains the electrical load demand of JFK Airport while satisfying all of its heating and cooling needs? Contractually, Kennedy International Airport Cogen (KIAC) has specific obligations concerning electrical and thermal energy exported to JFK Airport. The facility`s impressive array of heating and cooling apparatuses together with the newly installed cogen fulfilled the airport`s needs by utilizing an endless combination of new and previously installed equipment. Moreover, in order to economically operate the plant a well structured operating curriculum was necessary.« less

Responses of Lower-Body Power and Match Running Demands Following Long-Haul Travel in International Rugby Sevens Players.

PubMed

Mitchell, John A; Pumpa, Kate L; Pyne, David B

2017-03-01

Mitchell, JA, Pumpa, KL, and Pyne, DB. Responses of lowerbody power and match running demands after long-haul travel in international rugby sevens players. J Strength Cond Res 31(3): 686-695, 2017-This study determined the effect of long-haul (>5 hours) travel on lower-body power and match running demands in international rugby sevens players. Lower-body power was assessed in 22 male international rugby sevens players (age 21.7 ± 2.7 years, mass 89.0 ± 6.7 kg, stature 180.5 ± 6.2 cm; mean ± SD) monitored over 17 rugby sevens tournaments. A countermovement jump was used to monitor lower-body power (peak and mean power) over repeated three week travel and competition periods (pretravel, posttravel, and posttournament). Small decreases were evident in peak power after both short and long-haul travel (-4.0%, ±3.2%; mean, ±90% confidence limits) with further reductions in peak and mean power posttournament (-4.5%, ±2.3% and -3.8%, ±1.5%) culminating in a moderate decrease in peak power overall (-7.4%, ±4.0%). A subset of 12 players (completing a minimum of 8 tournaments) had the effects of match running demands assessed with lower-body power. In this subset, long-haul travel elicited a large decrease in lower-body peak (-9.4%, ±3.5%) and mean power (-5.6%, ±2.9%) over the monitoring period, with a small decrease (-4.3%, ±3.0% and -2.2%, ±1.7%) posttravel and moderate decrease (-5.4%, ±2.5% and -3.5%, ±1.9%) posttournament, respectively. Match running demands were monitored through global positioning system. In long-haul tournaments, the 12 players covered ∼13%, ±13% greater total distance (meter) and ∼11%, ±10% higher average game meters >5 m·s when compared with short-haul (<5 hours) travel. Effective pretravel and posttravel player management strategies are indicated to reduce neuromuscular fatigue and running load demands in rugby sevens tournaments after long-haul travel.

["Activity based costing" in radiology].

PubMed

Klose, K J; Böttcher, J

2002-05-01

The introduction of diagnosis related groups for reimbursement of hospital services in Germany (g-drg) demands for a reconsideration of utilization of radiological products and costs related to them. Traditional cost accounting as approach to internal, department related budgets are compared with the accounting method of activity based costing (ABC). The steps, which are necessary to implement ABC in radiology are developed. The introduction of a process-oriented cost analysis is feasible for radiology departments. ABC plays a central role in the set-up of decentralized controlling functions within this institutions. The implementation seems to be a strategic challenge for department managers to get more appropriate data for adequate enterprise decisions. The necessary steps of process analysis can be used for other purposes (Certification, digital migration) as well.

Performance evaluation of a hybrid system for efficient palm oil mill effluent treatment via an air-cathode, tubular upflow microbial fuel cell coupled with a granular activated carbon adsorption.

PubMed

Tee, Pei-Fang; Abdullah, Mohammad Omar; Tan, Ivy Ai Wei; Mohamed Amin, Mohamed Afizal; Nolasco-Hipolito, Cirilo; Bujang, Kopli

2016-09-01

An air-cathode MFC-adsorption hybrid system, made from earthen pot was designed and tested for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy recovery. Such design had demonstrated superior characteristics of low internal resistance (29.3Ω) and favor to low-cost, efficient wastewater treatment and power generation (55mW/m(3)) with average current of 2.13±0.4mA. The performance between MFC-adsorption hybrid system was compared to the standalone adsorption system and results had demonstrated great pollutants removals of the integrated system especially for chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD3), total organic carbon (TOC), total volatile solids (TVS), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) and total nitrogen (TN) because such system combines the advantages of each individual unit. Besides the typical biological and electrochemical processes that happened in an MFC system, an additional physicochemical process from the activated carbon took place simultaneously in the MFC-adsorption hybrid system which would further improved on the wastewater quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling the effect of environmental factors on resource allocation in mixed plants systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gayler, Sebastian; Priesack, Eckart

2010-05-01

In most cases, growth of plants is determined by competition against neighbours for the local resources light, water and nutrients and by defending against herbivores and pathogens. Consequently, it is important for a plant to grow fast without neglecting defence. However, plant internal substrates and energy required to support maintenance, growth and defence are limited and the total demand for these processes cannot be met in most cases. Therefore, allocation of carbohydrates to growth related primary metabolism or to defence related secondary metabolism can be seen as a trade-off between the demand of plants for being competitive against neighbours and for being more resistant against pathogens. A modelling approach is presented which can be used to simulate competition for light, water and nutrients between plant individuals in mixed canopies. The balance of resource allocation between growth processes and synthesis of secondary compounds is modelled by a concept originating from different plant defence hypothesis. The model is used to analyse the impact of environmental factors such as soil water and nitrogen availability, planting density and atmospheric concentration of CO2 on growth of plant individuals within mixed canopies and variations in concentration of carbon-based secondary metabolites in plant tissues.

The Commtech Methodology: A Demand-Driven Approach to Efficient, Productive, and Measurable Technology Transfer and Commercialization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horsham, Gary A. P.

1999-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive review and assessment of a demonstration technology transfer and commercialization prouram called "CommTech". The pro-ram was conceived and initiated in early to mid-fiscal year 1995, and extended roughly three years into the future. Market research sources were used to initially gather primary technological problems and needs data from non-aerospace companies in three targeted industry sectors: environmental, surface transportation, and bioengineering. Company-supplied information served as input data to activate or start-up an internal, phased matchmaking process. This process was based on technical-level relationship exploration followed by business-level agreement negotiations. and culminated with project management and execution. Space Act Agreements represented near-term outputs. Company product or process commercialization derived from NASA Glenn support and measurable economic effects represented far-term outputs.

Quantifying the cellular uptake of semiconductor quantum dot nanoparticles by analytical electron microscopy.

PubMed

Hondow, Nicole; Brown, M Rowan; Starborg, Tobias; Monteith, Alexander G; Brydson, Rik; Summers, Huw D; Rees, Paul; Brown, Andy

2016-02-01

Semiconductor quantum dot nanoparticles are in demand as optical biomarkers yet the cellular uptake process is not fully understood; quantification of numbers and the fate of internalized particles are still to be achieved. We have focussed on the characterization of cellular uptake of quantum dots using a combination of analytical electron microscopies because of the spatial resolution available to examine uptake at the nanoparticle level, using both imaging to locate particles and spectroscopy to confirm identity. In this study, commercially available quantum dots, CdSe/ZnS core/shell particles coated in peptides to target cellular uptake by endocytosis, have been investigated in terms of the agglomeration state in typical cell culture media, the traverse of particle agglomerates across U-2 OS cell membranes during endocytosis, the merging of endosomal vesicles during incubation of cells and in the correlation of imaging flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy to measure the final nanoparticle dose internalized by the U-2 OS cells. We show that a combination of analytical transmission electron microscopy and serial block face scanning electron microscopy can provide a comprehensive description of the internalization of an initial exposure dose of nanoparticles by an endocytically active cell population and how the internalized, membrane bound nanoparticle load is processed by the cells. We present a stochastic model of an endosome merging process and show that this provides a data-driven modelling framework for the prediction of cellular uptake of engineered nanoparticles in general. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

Study on the Supply of and Demand for Teachers in Primary and Secondary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France).

This international survey is the "consolidated report," bringing out problems raised and the means adopted to overcome persistent disequilibrium between the supply and demand for teachers, based on eleven "country studies" describing the situation in selected member countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy,…

22 CFR 202.8 - Refund by suppliers and/or agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Section 202.8 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OVERSEAS SHIPMENTS OF SUPPLIES BY... demand the entire amount, or any lesser amount specified, of such freight charges determined by AID to be... charges have been paid or reimbursed under this Regulation will promptly refund to AID upon demand the...

System effects of primary energy reduction connected with operation of the CHP plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziębik, Andrzej; Gładysz, Paweł

2017-06-01

The paper is devoted to explication of one of the advantages of heat and electricity cogeneration, rarely considered in technical literature. Usually attention is paid to the fact that heat losses of the heat distribution network are less severe in the case of cogeneration of heat in comparison with its separate production. But this conclusion is also true in other cases when the internal consumption of heat is significant. In this paper it has been proved in the case of two examples concerning trigeneration technology with an absorption chiller cooperating with a combined heat and power (CHP) plant and CHP plant integrated with amine post-combustion CO2 processing unit. In both considered cases it might be said that thanks to cogeneration we have to do with less severe consequences of significant demand of heat for internal purposes.

EEG alpha activity during imagining creative moves in soccer decision-making situations.

PubMed

Fink, Andreas; Rominger, Christian; Benedek, Mathias; Perchtold, Corinna M; Papousek, Ilona; Weiss, Elisabeth M; Seidel, Anna; Memmert, Daniel

2018-06-01

This study investigated task-related changes of EEG alpha power while participants were imagining creative moves in soccer decision-making situations. After presenting brief video clips of a soccer scene, participants had to imagine themselves as the acting player and to think either of a creative/original or an obvious/conventional move (control condition) that might lead to a goal. Performance of the soccer task generally elicited comparatively strong alpha power decreases at parietal and occipital sites, indicating high visuospatial processing demands. This power decrease was less pronounced in the creative vs. control condition, reflecting a more internally oriented state of information processing characterized by more imaginative mental simulation rather than stimulus-driven bottom-up processing. In addition, more creative task performance in the soccer task was associated with stronger alpha desynchronization at left cortical sites, most prominently over motor related areas. This finding suggests that individuals who generated more creative moves were more intensively engaged in processes related to movement imagery. Unlike the domain-specific creativity measure, individual's trait creative potential, as assessed by a psychometric creativity test, was globally positively associated with alpha power at all cortical sites. In investigating creative processes implicated in complex creative behavior involving more ecologically valid demands, this study showed that thinking creatively in soccer decision-making situations recruits specific brain networks supporting processes related to visuospatial attention and movement imagery, while the relative increase in alpha power in more creative conditions and in individuals with higher creative potential might reflect a pattern relevant across different creativity domains. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Match Demands of Senior and Junior Players During International Rugby League.

PubMed

Dempsey, Gary M; Gibson, Neil V; Sykes, Dave; Pryjmachuk, Bradley C; Turner, Anthony P

2018-06-01

Dempsey, GM, Gibson, NV, Sykes, D, Pryjmachuk, BC, and Turner, AP. Match demands of senior and junior players during International Rugby League. J Strength Cond Res 32(6): 1678-1684, 2018-This study aims to quantify and compare the positional game demands of international junior and senior rugby league competition for the first time. Global positioning system (GPS) and video analysis were used to track 118 elite male rugby league players (57 seniors aged 28.7 ± 4.4 years; 61 juniors aged 17.2 ± 0.5 years) over 10 international matches (6 senior; 4 junior) characterized as either forwards (n = 67) or backs (n = 51). There were significant increases in the offensive carries (0.18 cf. 0.09 n·min; r = 0.56) and defensive tackles (0.36 cf. 0.23 n·min; r = 0.3) between senior and junior players, and forwards and backs (0.16 cf. 0.09; r = 0.34 and 0.41 cf. 0.14; r = 0.52), respectively. Running demands were significantly greater in backs than forwards (independent of playing level) for total distance (6,962 ± 1,263 m cf. 4,879 ± 1,824 m; r = 0.55), individualized high-speed distances (310 ± 158 m cf. 250 ± 171 m; r = 0.2), high-intensity accelerations (28.7 ± 12.1 m·s cf. 21.9 ± 11.7 m·s; r = 0.27), and decelerations (57.2 ± 18.3 m·s cf. 43.0 ± 17.8 m·s; r = 0.38). Positional differences were eliminated when reported relative to minutes played. From a practical perspective, although running demands relative to time on the pitch may prepare junior players for senior competition, it is not representative of the increased body mass and contact frequency within the senior game. Coaches should therefore reflect these differences within their physical preparation programs to prepare junior athletes accordingly for progression to the senior level.

Addiction to melodrama.

PubMed

Stephens, Robert P

2011-01-01

Addiction films have been shaped by the internal demands of a commercial medium. Specifically, melodrama, as a genre, has defined the limits of the visual representation of addiction. Similarly, the process of intermedialization has tended to induce a metamorphosis that shapes disparate narratives with diverse goals into a generic filmic form and substantially alters the meanings of the texts. Ultimately, visual representations shape public perceptions of addiction in meaningful ways, privileging a moralistic understanding of drug addiction that makes a complex issue visually uncomplicated by reinforcing "common sense" ideas of moral failure and redemption. Copyright © 2011 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.

The global diet: trade and novel infections.

PubMed

Hodges, Jill R; Kimball, Ann Marie

2005-04-22

Practices designed to meet the demands of global trade can amplify food safety problems. Ever-increasing pressure to churn out more product and better sides of beef has generated processes that compromise existing safety measures. Among the concerns are intensified food production, use of antimicrobials and hormones as growth promoters, and poor sanitary infrastructure in some food producing countries. Accompanying the innovations designed to serve the diversifying global palate are emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, or "trade-related infections." The joint efforts of international public health and industry are required to effectively address these growing health challenges.

76 FR 34124 - Notice of Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Approvals and Disapprovals

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... International Airport. Brief Description Of Projects Approved for Collection and Use at a $4.50 PFC Level...- demand air operations that enplane less than 2,500 passengers per year at Portland International Airport... less than 1 percent of the total annual enplanements at Los Angeles International Airport. Brief...

Postgraduate International Students from Asia: Factors Influencing Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arambewela, Rodney; Hall, John; Zuhair, Segu

2005-01-01

The growth in the international education market within the next two decades will be dominated by Asia, accounting for almost 70% of the global demand for international higher education (Bohm et al., 2002). The market attractiveness with significant pecuniary and non-pecuniary gains from full-fee paying students will result in a more competitive…

A Design to Improve Internal Validity of Assessments of Teaching Demonstrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartsch, Robert A.; Engelhardt Bittner, Wendy M.; Moreno, Jesse E., Jr.

2008-01-01

Internal validity is important in assessing teaching demonstrations both for one's knowledge and for quality assessment demanded by outside sources. We describe a method to improve the internal validity of assessments of teaching demonstrations: a 1-group pretest-posttest design with alternative forms. This design is often more practical and…

75 FR 80761 - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Reciprocating Internal Combustion...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-23

... National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines... March 3, 2010, final national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for reciprocating internal... engines to allow emergency engines to operate for up to 15 hours per year as part of an emergency demand...

Portuguese Policies Fostering International Student Mobility: A Colonial Legacy or A New Strategy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

França, Thais; Alves, Elisa; Padilla, Beatriz

2018-01-01

This paper explores policies on international student mobility to Portugal from within the Lusophone space, analyzing the cases of Angola, Cape Verde and Brazil. We argue that Portuguese strategies to attract international students respond to different demands and interests embedded in its geopolitical memberships. One the one hand, they respond…

Internal Evaluation in American Public School Districts: The Importance of Externally Driven Accountability Mandates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Jean A.; Rohmer-Hirt, Johnna A.

2011-01-01

From the 1980s to the present, educational accountability in the United States has grown dramatically. Such accountability in U.S. school districts, although driven primarily by external demands, has internal manifestations as well. The chapter traces the historical development of internal evaluation in American school districts, then highlights…

Mixture Distributions for Modeling Lead Time Demand in Coordinated Supply Chains

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-30

International Journal of Production Economics , 101...backorder price discount. International Journal of Production Economics , 111, 118–128. McClain, J. O., & Thomas, L. J. (1985). Operations management...2008). Using the inventory-theoretic framework to determine cost-minimizing supply strategies in a stochastic setting. International Journal of Production Economics ,

International Students' Perceptions of Their Needs When Going Abroad: Services on Demand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez-Encinas, Adriana; Rodriguez-Pomeda, Jesus

2018-01-01

In this article, we analyze international students' perceptions of their needs when going abroad. The trend toward internationalization and the increase in mobility drives the agenda for globalization in many higher education institutions, and in some cases without any clear strategy for identifying the possible needs of international students.…

Exploring the Challenges Experienced by International Students during Work-Integrated Learning in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Denise

2017-01-01

This study explores the challenges experienced by international students during Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in Australia. Student participation in WIL not only enhances individual student employability but also the attractiveness of Australia as a study destination. WIL, in particular work placements, is in high demand by international students…

The Ignorant Donor: A Radical Reimagination of International Aid, Development, and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brehm, William C.; Silova, Iveta

2010-01-01

The logic behind international aid to development has typically centered on economics. Notwithstanding the variation in focus--from macroeconomic monetary and trade policies, to economic wealth programs aimed at creating jobs, to supply- and demand-side reforms--the central discourse on international aid has been dominated by a political…

Aspects of internal fixation of fractures in porotic bone. Principles, technologies and procedures using locked plate screws.

PubMed

Perren, S M; Linke, B; Schwieger, K; Wahl, D; Schneider, E

2005-01-01

Fractures of the bones of elderly people occur more often and have a more important effect because of a generally diminished ability to coordinate stance and walking. These fractures occur at a lower level of load because of lack of strength of the porotic bone. Prompt recovery of skeletal support function is essential to avoid respiratory and circulatory complications in the elderly. To prevent elderly people from the risks of being bedridden, demanding internal fixation of fractures is required. The weak porotic bone and the high level of uncontrolled loading after internal fixation pose complex problems. A combination of several technical elements of design, application and aftercare in internal fixation are proposed. Internal fixators with locked screws improve the biology and the mechanics of internal fixation. When such fixators are used as elevated splints they may stimulate early callus formation because of their flexibility, the limit of flexibility being set by the demands of resistance and function of the limb. Our own studies of triangulation of locked screws have demonstrated their beneficial effects and unexpected limitations.

Energy environment study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strangways, R.

1981-01-01

The international demand for and supply of oil between the years 1980 and 2000 is assessed and future world oil prices and their implications for the price of jet fuel are estimated. Three critical questions are investigated: (1) how long will the world supply of oil continue to keep pace with its demand under likely trends in its use and discovery; (2) at what price will demand and supply clear the world oil market; (3) what does the analysis imply about the price of jet fuel. Projection of oil price is based upon supply and demand, which is consistent with microeconomic analysis.

National water management in the Republic of South Africa — Towards a consultative partnership with diverse users in a semi-arid country

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conley, Alan H.; Midgley, Desmond C.

1988-07-01

A resourceful holistic water management strategy has been developed for ensuring equitable provision of adequate quantities of water of satisfactory quality at acceptable risk and affordable cost to a wide international range of competing user groups subject to adverse physical and hydrological factors and under rapidly changing social conditions. Scarce resource allocation strategies, based on scientific studies and supported by modern data processing facilities, focus primarily on supply, demand and quality. Supply management implies creation of the best combination of affordable elements of infrastructure for bulk water supplies from available runoff, groundwater, re-use, imports and unconventional sources, sized to meet determinable requirements with appropriate degrees of assurance, coupled with continuous optimization of system operation. Demand management seeks optimum allocation of available supplies to towns, power generation, industry, mining, agriculture, forestry, recreation and ecology, according to priority criteria determined from scientific, economic and socioeconomic studies. Quality management strategies relate to the control of salination, eutrophication and pollution from both diffuse and point sources. As the combined demands of complex First and Third World societies and economies on the available resources rise, increasing attention has to be paid to finding practical compromises to facilitate handling of conflict between legitimate users having widely divergent interests, aspirations and levels of sophistication. For optimum joint utilization, the central regulating authority is striving to forge a consultative partnership within which to promote, among the widest possible spectrum of users, enlightened understanding of the opportunities and limitations in handling complex international, social, political, legal, economic and financial issues associated with water development. These cannot readily be resolved by the methods of traditional hydrological sciences alone.

Decision on risk-averse dual-channel supply chain under demand disruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Bo; Jin, Zijie; Liu, Yanping; Yang, Jianbo

2018-02-01

We studied dual-channel supply chains using centralized and decentralized decision-making models. We also conducted a comparative analysis of the decisions before and after demand disruption. The study shows that the amount of change in decision-making is a linear function of the amount of demand disruption, and it is independent of the risk-averse coefficient. The optimal sales volume decision of the disturbing supply chain is related to market share and demand disruption in the decentralized decision-making model. The optimal decision is only influenced by demand disruption in the centralized decision-making model. The stability of the sales volume of the two models is related to market share and demand disruption. The optimal system production of the two models shows robustness, but their stable internals are different.

[Potential for the survey of quality indicators based on a national emergency department registry : A systematic literature search].

PubMed

Hörster, A C; Kulla, M; Brammen, D; Lefering, R

2018-06-01

Emergency department processes are often key for successful treatment. Therefore, collection of quality indicators is demanded. A basis for the collection is systematic, electronic documentation. The development of paper-based documentation into an electronic and interoperable national emergency registry is-besides the establishment of quality management for emergency departments-a target of the AKTIN project. The objective of this research is identification of internationally applied quality indicators. For the investigation of the current status of quality management in emergency departments based on quality indicators, a systematic literature search of the database PubMed, the Cochrane Library and the internet was performed. Of the 170 internationally applied quality indicators, 25 with at least two references are identified. A total of 10 quality indicators are ascertainable by the data set. An enlargement of the data set will enable the collection of seven further quality indicators. The implementation of data of care behind the emergency processes will provide eight additional quality indicators. This work was able to show that the potential of a national emergency registry for the establishment of quality indicators corresponds with the international systems taken into consideration and could provide a comparable collection of quality indicators.

Opportunities for Automated Demand Response in California’s Dairy Processing Industry

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

Homan, Gregory K.; Aghajanzadeh, Arian; McKane, Aimee

During periods of peak electrical demand on the energy grid or when there is a shortage of supply, the stability of the grid may be compromised or the cost of supplying electricity may rise dramatically, respectively. Demand response programs are designed to mitigate the severity of these problems and improve reliability by reducing the demand on the grid during such critical times. In 2010, the Demand Response Research Center convened a group of industry experts to suggest potential industries that would be good demand response program candidates for further review. The dairy industry was suggested due to the perception thatmore » the industry had suitable flexibility and automatic controls in place. The purpose of this report is to provide an initial description of the industry with regard to demand response potential, specifically automated demand response. This report qualitatively describes the potential for participation in demand response and automated demand response by dairy processing facilities in California, as well as barriers to widespread participation. The report first describes the magnitude, timing, location, purpose, and manner of energy use. Typical process equipment and controls are discussed, as well as common impediments to participation in demand response and automated demand response programs. Two case studies of demand response at dairy facilities in California and across the country are reviewed. Finally, recommendations are made for future research that can enhance the understanding of demand response potential in this industry.« less

Wastewater reuse in a cascade based system of a petrochemical industry for the replacement of losses in cooling towers.

PubMed

Hansen, Everton; Rodrigues, Marco Antônio Siqueira; Aquim, Patrice Monteiro de

2016-10-01

This article discusses the mapping of opportunities for the water reuse in a cascade based system in a petrochemical industry in southern Brazil. This industrial sector has a large demand for water for its operation. In the studied industry, for example, approximately 24 million cubic meters of water were collected directly from the source in 2014. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the reuse of water in cascade in a petrochemical industry, focusing on the reuse of aqueous streams to replenish losses in the cooling towers. This is an industrial scale case study with real data collected during the years 2014 and 2015. Water reuse was performed using heuristic approach based on the exploitation of knowledge acquired during the search process. The methodology of work consisted of the construction of a process map identifying the stages of production and water consumption, as well as the characterization of the aqueous streams involved in the process. For the application of the industrial water reuse as cooling water, mass balances were carried out considering the maximum concentration levels of turbidity, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, calcium hardness, chlorides, sulfates, silica, chemical oxygen demand and suspended solids as parameters turbidity, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, calcium hardness, chlorides, sulfates, silica, chemical oxygen demand and suspended solids as parameters. The adopted guideline was the fulfillment of the water quality criteria for each application in the industrial process. The study showed the feasibility for the reuse of internal streams as makeup water in cooling towers, and the implementation of the reuse presented in this paper totaled savings of 385,440 m(3)/year of water, which means a sufficient volume to supply 6350 inhabitants for a period of one year, considering the average water consumption per capita in Brazil; in addition to 201,480 m(3)/year of wastewater that would no longer be generated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional Constructivism: In Search of Formal Descriptors.

PubMed

Trofimova, Irina

2017-10-01

The Functional Constructivism (FC) paradigm is an alternative to behaviorism and considers behavior as being generated every time anew, based on an individual's capacities, environmental resources and demands. Walter Freeman's work provided us with evidence supporting the FC principles. In this paper we make parallels between gradual construction processes leading to the formation of individual behavior and habits, and evolutionary processes leading to the establishment of biological systems. Referencing evolutionary theory, several formal descriptors of such processes are proposed. These FC descriptors refer to the most universal aspects for constructing consistent structures: expansion of degrees of freedom, integration processes based on internal and external compatibility between systems and maintenance processes, all given in four different classes of systems: (a) Zone of Proximate Development (poorly defined) systems; (b) peer systems with emerging reproduction of multiple siblings; (c) systems with internalized integration of behavioral elements ('cruise controls'); and (d) systems capable of handling low-probability, not yet present events. The recursive dynamics within this set of descriptors acting on (traditional) downward, upward and horizontal directions of evolution, is conceptualized as diagonal evolution, or di-evolution. Two examples applying these FC descriptors to taxonomy are given: classification of the functionality of neuro-transmitters and temperament traits; classification of mental disorders. The paper is an early step towards finding a formal language describing universal tendencies in highly diverse, complex and multi-level transient systems known in ecology and biology as 'contingency cycles.'

Neck/shoulder discomfort due to visually demanding experimental near work is influenced by previous neck pain, task duration, astigmatism, internal eye discomfort and accommodation

PubMed Central

Forsman, Mikael; Richter, Hans O.

2017-01-01

Visually demanding near work can cause eye discomfort, and eye and neck/shoulder discomfort during, e.g., computer work are associated. To investigate direct effects of experimental near work on eye and neck/shoulder discomfort, 33 individuals with chronic neck pain and 33 healthy control subjects performed a visual task four times using four different trial lenses (referred to as four different viewing conditions), and they rated eye and neck/shoulder discomfort at baseline and after each task. Since symptoms of eye discomfort may differ depending on the underlying cause, two categories were used; internal eye discomfort, such as ache and strain, that may be caused by accommodative or vergence stress; and external eye discomfort, such as burning and smarting, that may be caused by dry-eye disorders. The cumulative performance time (reflected in the temporal order of the tasks), astigmatism, accommodation response and concurrent symptoms of internal eye discomfort all aggravated neck/shoulder discomfort, but there was no significant effect of external eye discomfort. There was also an interaction effect between the temporal order and internal eye discomfort: participants with a greater mean increase in internal eye discomfort also developed more neck/shoulder discomfort with time. Since moderate musculoskeletal symptoms are a risk factor for more severe symptoms, it is important to ensure a good visual environment in occupations involving visually demanding near work. PMID:28832612

Neck/shoulder discomfort due to visually demanding experimental near work is influenced by previous neck pain, task duration, astigmatism, internal eye discomfort and accommodation.

PubMed

Zetterberg, Camilla; Forsman, Mikael; Richter, Hans O

2017-01-01

Visually demanding near work can cause eye discomfort, and eye and neck/shoulder discomfort during, e.g., computer work are associated. To investigate direct effects of experimental near work on eye and neck/shoulder discomfort, 33 individuals with chronic neck pain and 33 healthy control subjects performed a visual task four times using four different trial lenses (referred to as four different viewing conditions), and they rated eye and neck/shoulder discomfort at baseline and after each task. Since symptoms of eye discomfort may differ depending on the underlying cause, two categories were used; internal eye discomfort, such as ache and strain, that may be caused by accommodative or vergence stress; and external eye discomfort, such as burning and smarting, that may be caused by dry-eye disorders. The cumulative performance time (reflected in the temporal order of the tasks), astigmatism, accommodation response and concurrent symptoms of internal eye discomfort all aggravated neck/shoulder discomfort, but there was no significant effect of external eye discomfort. There was also an interaction effect between the temporal order and internal eye discomfort: participants with a greater mean increase in internal eye discomfort also developed more neck/shoulder discomfort with time. Since moderate musculoskeletal symptoms are a risk factor for more severe symptoms, it is important to ensure a good visual environment in occupations involving visually demanding near work.

Transnational Higher Education in Uzbekistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sia, E. K.

2014-01-01

This paper provides an overview of transnational higher education (THE) in Uzbekistan. It includes a brief account of THE current and future market trends. The data, gathered from a literature search, show that the demand for THE (off-campus) is growing even faster than the demand for international (on-campus) programmes. This paper then provides…

Poetry for Children: Reverie and the Demand for the Teacher's Responsibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bramberger, Andrea

2012-01-01

There are indications of a positive trend in education. International comparative investigations on academic achievement and longitudinal studies on life courses prove the need for and the importance of children's high intellectual knowledge. At the same time, new research initiatives and projects comply with the demand that aesthetic/cultural…

Stress Management: A Handbook for Air Force Managers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

or physiological/psychological needs which become internal demands. 3-4 Stage 2. Imbalance is the person’s perception of both the demand and his...worker a sense of having more control over his worklife . It isn’t always possible to accomodate everyone’s shift desires and still meet production

3D Printing in Zero-G ISS Technology Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Mallory M.; Werkheiser, Mary J.; Cooper, Kenneth G.; Snyder, Michael P.; Edmunson, Jennifer E.

2014-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a long term strategy to fabricate components and equipment on-demand for manned missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. To support this strategy, NASA and Made in Space, Inc. are developing the 3D Printing In Zero-G payload as a Technology Demonstration for the International Space Station. The 3D Printing In Zero-G experiment will be the first machine to perform 3D printing in space. The greater the distance from Earth and the longer the mission duration, the more difficult resupply becomes; this requires a change from the current spares, maintenance, repair, and hardware design model that has been used on the International Space Station up until now. Given the extension of the ISS Program, which will inevitably result in replacement parts being required, the ISS is an ideal platform to begin changing the current model for resupply and repair to one that is more suitable for all exploration missions. 3D Printing, more formally known as Additive Manufacturing, is the method of building parts/ objects/tools layer-by-layer. The 3D Print experiment will use extrusion-based additive manufacturing, which involves building an object out of plastic deposited by a wire-feed via an extruder head. Parts can be printed from data files loaded on the device at launch, as well as additional files uplinked to the device while on-orbit. The plastic extrusion additive manufacturing process is a low-energy, low-mass solution to many common needs on board the ISS. The 3D Print payload will serve as the ideal first step to proving that process in space. It is unreasonable to expect NASA to launch large blocks of material from which parts or tools can be traditionally machined, and even more unreasonable to fly up specialized manufacturing hardware to perform the entire range of function traditionally machining requires. The technology to produce parts on demand, in space, offers unique design options that are not possible through traditional manufacturing methods while offering cost-effective, high-precision, low-unit on-demand manufacturing. Thus, Additive Manufacturing capabilities are the foundation of an advanced manufacturing in space roadmap.

Growth–Defense Tradeoffs in Plants: A Balancing Act to Optimize Fitness

PubMed Central

Huot, Bethany; Yao, Jian; Montgomery, Beronda L.; He, Sheng Yang

2014-01-01

Growth–defense tradeoffs are thought to occur in plants due to resource restrictions, which demand prioritization towards either growth or defense, depending on external and internal factors. These tradeoffs have profound implications in agriculture and natural ecosystems, as both processes are vital for plant survival, reproduction, and, ultimately, plant fitness. While many of the molecular mechanisms underlying growth and defense tradeoffs remain to be elucidated, hormone crosstalk has emerged as a major player in regulating tradeoffs needed to achieve a balance. In this review, we cover recent advances in understanding growth–defense tradeoffs in plants as well as what is known regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms. Specifically, we address evidence supporting the growth–defense tradeoff concept, as well as known interactions between defense signaling and growth signaling. Understanding the molecular basis of these tradeoffs in plants should provide a foundation for the development of breeding strategies that optimize the growth–defense balance to maximize crop yield to meet rising global food and biofuel demands. PMID:24777989

Nitrogen dynamics in managed boreal forests: Recent advances and future research directions.

PubMed

Sponseller, Ryan A; Gundale, Michael J; Futter, Martyn; Ring, Eva; Nordin, Annika; Näsholm, Torgny; Laudon, Hjalmar

2016-02-01

Nitrogen (N) availability plays multiple roles in the boreal landscape, as a limiting nutrient to forest growth, determinant of terrestrial biodiversity, and agent of eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems. We review existing research on forest N dynamics in northern landscapes and address the effects of management and environmental change on internal cycling and export. Current research foci include resolving the nutritional importance of different N forms to trees and establishing how tree-mycorrhizal relationships influence N limitation. In addition, understanding how forest responses to external N inputs are mediated by above- and belowground ecosystem compartments remains an important challenge. Finally, forestry generates a mosaic of successional patches in managed forest landscapes, with differing levels of N input, biological demand, and hydrological loss. The balance among these processes influences the temporal patterns of stream water chemistry and the long-term viability of forest growth. Ultimately, managing forests to keep pace with increasing demands for biomass production, while minimizing environmental degradation, will require multi-scale and interdisciplinary perspectives on landscape N dynamics.

Energy potential and alternative usages of biogas and sludge from UASB reactors: case study of the Laboreaux wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Rosa, A P; Conesa, J A; Fullana, A; Melo, G C B; Borges, J M; Chernicharo, C A L

2016-01-01

This work assessed the energy potential and alternative usages of biogas and sludge generated in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors at the Laboreaux sewage treatment plant (STP), Brazil. Two scenarios were considered: (i) priority use of biogas for the thermal drying of dehydrated sludge and the use of the excess biogas for electricity generation in an ICE (internal combustion engine); and (ii) priority use of biogas for electricity generation and the use of the heat of the engine exhaust gases for the thermal drying of the sludge. Scenario 1 showed that the electricity generated is able to supply 22.2% of the STP power demand, but the thermal drying process enables a greater reduction or even elimination of the final volume of sludge to be disposed. In Scenario 2, the electricity generated is able to supply 57.6% of the STP power demand; however, the heat in the exhaust gases is not enough to dry the total amount of dehydrated sludge.

Purpose-driven public sector reform: the need for within-government capacity build for the management of slope stability in communities in the Caribbean.

PubMed

Anderson, Malcolm; Holcombe, Liz

2006-01-01

This article stresses the importance of within-government capacity build as the optimal approach to minimizing landslide risk to the most vulnerable communities in the developing world. Landslide risk is an integrated issue that demands strong managerial leadership and multidisciplinary inclusion to develop structures that deliver sustainable improvements in the reduction of risk. The tension between projects demanding international technical and financial intervention and those capable of "within-country" solutions are examined. More particularly, the challenges of developing a management methodology capable of energizing inter-ministry collaboration to achieve community-level action is examined in the context of a recently established program of slope stability management in St. Lucia. The program, Management of Slope Stability in Communities (MoSSaiC), is shown to have successfully fostered not only extensive technical collaboration within government but also to have energized local communities in the shared mission of capacity build through their direct involvement in the management process.

EEG alpha power and creative ideation☆

PubMed Central

Fink, Andreas; Benedek, Mathias

2014-01-01

Neuroscientific studies revealed first insights into neural mechanisms underlying creativity, but existing findings are highly variegated and often inconsistent. Despite the disappointing picture on the neuroscience of creativity drawn in recent reviews, there appears to be robust evidence that EEG alpha power is particularly sensitive to various creativity-related demands involved in creative ideation. Alpha power varies as a function of creativity-related task demands and the originality of ideas, is positively related to an individuals’ creativity level, and has been observed to increase as a result of creativity interventions. Alpha increases during creative ideation could reflect more internally oriented attention that is characterized by the absence of external bottom-up stimulation and, thus, a form of top-down activity. Moreover, they could indicate the involvement of specific memory processes such as the efficient (re-)combination of unrelated semantic information. We conclude that increased alpha power during creative ideation is among the most consistent findings in neuroscientific research on creativity and discuss possible future directions to better understand the manifold brain mechanisms involved in creativity. PMID:23246442

Purpose-Driven Public Sector Reform: The Need for Within-Government Capacity Build for the Management of Slope Stability in Communities in the Caribbean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Malcolm; Holcombe, Liz

2006-01-01

This article stresses the importance of within-government capacity build as the optimal approach to minimizing landslide risk to the most vulnerable communities in the developing world. Landslide risk is an integrated issue that demands strong managerial leadership and multidisciplinary inclusion to develop structures that deliver sustainable improvements in the reduction of risk. The tension between projects demanding international technical and financial intervention and those capable of “within-country” solutions are examined. More particularly, the challenges of developing a management methodology capable of energizing inter-ministry collaboration to achieve community-level action is examined in the context of a recently established program of slope stability management in St. Lucia. The program, Management of Slope Stability in Communities (MoSSaiC), is shown to have successfully fostered not only extensive technical collaboration within government but also to have energized local communities in the shared mission of capacity build through their direct involvement in the management process.

Towards a Better Understanding of CMMI and Agile Integration - Multiple Case Study of Four Companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikkarainen, Minna

The amount of software is increasing in the different domains in Europe. This provides the industries in smaller countries good opportunities to work in the international markets. Success in the global markets however demands the rapid production of high quality, error free software. Both CMMI and agile methods seem to provide a ready solution for quality and lead time improvements. There is not, however, much empirical evidence available either about 1) how the integration of these two aspects can be done in practice or 2) what it actually demands from assessors and software process improvement groups. The goal of this paper is to increase the understanding of CMMI and agile integration, in particular, focusing on the research question: how to use ‘lightweight’ style of CMMI assessments in agile contexts. This is done via four case studies in which assessments were conducted using the goals of CMMI integrated project management and collaboration and coordination with relevant stakeholder process areas and practices from XP and Scrum. The study shows that the use of agile practices may support the fulfilment of the goals of CMMI process areas but there are still many challenges for the agile teams to be solved within the continuous improvement programs. It also identifies practical advices to the assessors and improvement groups to take into consideration when conducting assessment in the context of agile software development.

TECHcitement: Advances in Technological Education, 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Madeline

2007-01-01

This publication presents the following nine articles: (1) ATE [Advanced Technological Education] Readies Technicians for International Competition; (2) Technicians in Demand Worldwide; (3) Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Endorses International Protocols for Technicians; (4) Entrepreneurial Educator Creates InnovaBio to Meet…

Education that Sells

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Gerald

2006-01-01

This article discusses the export of post-secondary education, together with the educational models and methodologies, by Canada to meet considerable international demands. In addition, their post-secondary institutions actively market their services overseas to attract international students to Canadian campuses. In the developed and developing…

Internal quality control in serological tests for syphilis.

PubMed Central

Wasley, G D

1985-01-01

The importance of syphilis serological tests demands that laboratory reports are reliable. Internal quality control applied to the organisation of a syphilis serology service improves laboratory bench performance and reporting. Described here are internal quality control procedures of a department that serves a genitourinary medicine clinic and conducts 70 000 tests a year to investigate for syphilis. PMID:3884487

An Empirical Study on the Distinctive Teaching Mode and Practice of International Business Innovation Class in GDUFS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dongman, Cai; Wenzhong, Zhu

2016-01-01

Accommodating to the development of globalization, China witnesses a mounting demand for international business talents who are proficient in both foreign languages and business knowledge and adept at international cooperation and competition in business context. In order to meet this need, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, taking advantage…

The Emergence of a Regional Hub: Comparing International Student Choices and Experiences in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jon, Jae-Eun; Lee, Jenny J.; Byun, Kiyong

2014-01-01

As the demand for international education increases, middle-income non-English speaking countries, such as South Korea, play an increasing role in hosting the world's students. This mixed-methods study compares the different motivations and experiences of international students within and outside the East Asian region. Based on findings, this…

Predicting the impacts of new technology aircraft on international air transportation demand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ausrotas, R. A.

1981-01-01

International air transportation to and from the United States was analyzed. Long term and short term effects and causes of travel are described. The applicability of econometric methods to forecast passenger travel is discussed. A nomograph is developed which shows the interaction of economic growth, airline yields, and quality of service in producing international traffic.

Geoscience in Developing Countries of South Asia and International Cooperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, K.

2007-12-01

Earth Science community in developing countries of South Asia is actively engaged in interdisciplinary investigations of the Earth and its envelopes through geological, geophysical and geochemical processes, for these processes are interconnected. Interdisciplinary interaction will continue to grow since problems pertaining to the solid earth, with its core-mantle-crust, and fluid envelops can be solved only with contributions from different Science disciplines. The expanding population and revolution in data handling-and-computing have now become a necessity to tackle the geoscientific problems with modern techniques and methodologies to meet these new challenges. As a future strategy, geo-data generation and handling need to be speedier and easier and hence demands a well- knit coordiantion and understanding amongst Governments, Industries and Academic organizations. Such coordination will prove valuable for better understanding of the Earth's processes, especially mitigating natural hazards with more accurate and speedy prdictions, besides sustaining Earth's resources. South Asian geoscience must, therefore, seek new directions by way of strategies, policies, and actions to move forward in this century. Environmental and resource problems affecting the world population have become international issues, since global environmental changes demand international cooperation and planning. The Earth is continually modified by the interplay of internal and external processes. Hence we need to apply modern geophysical techniques and interpret the results with the help of available geological, geochronological and gechemical informations It is through such integrated approach that we could greatly refine our understanding of the deep structure and evolution of the Indian shield. However, the inputs into multi-disciplinary studies necessary to know the crustal structure and tectonics in the adjoining regions (Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka etc.) still remain subcritical. With this realization, it is suggested that there is a need for joint collaboration to undertake integrated geoscientific studies in the contiguous regions/ countries to understand the evolutionary and dynamical aspects, especially of Himalayan orogenic belt, monsoon variability and geodynamics of the Indian shield & adjoining regions. The focus of our future cooperation in geosciences education and research in developing countries of South Asia must have substantial inputs in the area of sound environmental management, climate change, natural hazards, risk evaluation, water resources, and interfacing of geological and agricultural sciences, etc. At the same time our long term activities around geological resources, particularly energy and mineral resources, need to be pursued in a synergetic mode. It is necessary to have a viable mechanism to identify areas of mutual collaboration in geosciences ( including manpower development, use of analytical instrumental facilities, IT & communication technologies ) to explore the possibility of inter-institutional linkages in Earth System Science in developing countries of South Asia. The issues related to effective international cooperation in geosciences in South Asian countries and the role of individuals, academic institutions, funding agencies, and scientific societies in consolidating and improving research and education have been discussed .

Network evolution model for supply chain with manufactures as the core.

PubMed

Fang, Haiyang; Jiang, Dali; Yang, Tinghong; Fang, Ling; Yang, Jian; Li, Wu; Zhao, Jing

2018-01-01

Building evolution model of supply chain networks could be helpful to understand its development law. However, specific characteristics and attributes of real supply chains are often neglected in existing evolution models. This work proposes a new evolution model of supply chain with manufactures as the core, based on external market demand and internal competition-cooperation. The evolution model assumes the external market environment is relatively stable, considers several factors, including specific topology of supply chain, external market demand, ecological growth and flow conservation. The simulation results suggest that the networks evolved by our model have similar structures as real supply chains. Meanwhile, the influences of external market demand and internal competition-cooperation to network evolution are analyzed. Additionally, 38 benchmark data sets are applied to validate the rationality of our evolution model, in which, nine manufacturing supply chains match the features of the networks constructed by our model.

Network evolution model for supply chain with manufactures as the core

PubMed Central

Jiang, Dali; Fang, Ling; Yang, Jian; Li, Wu; Zhao, Jing

2018-01-01

Building evolution model of supply chain networks could be helpful to understand its development law. However, specific characteristics and attributes of real supply chains are often neglected in existing evolution models. This work proposes a new evolution model of supply chain with manufactures as the core, based on external market demand and internal competition-cooperation. The evolution model assumes the external market environment is relatively stable, considers several factors, including specific topology of supply chain, external market demand, ecological growth and flow conservation. The simulation results suggest that the networks evolved by our model have similar structures as real supply chains. Meanwhile, the influences of external market demand and internal competition-cooperation to network evolution are analyzed. Additionally, 38 benchmark data sets are applied to validate the rationality of our evolution model, in which, nine manufacturing supply chains match the features of the networks constructed by our model. PMID:29370201

Potential application of LIBS to NNSA next generation safeguards initiative (NGSI)

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

Barefield Ii, James E; Clegg, Samuel M; Veirs, Douglas K

2009-01-01

In a climate in which states and nations have been and perhaps currently are involved in the prol iferation of nuclear materials and technologies, advanced methodologies and improvements in current measurement techniques are needed to combat new threats and increased levels of sophistication. The Department of Energy through the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has undertaken a broad review of International Safeguards. The conclusion from that review was that a comprehensive initiative to revitalize international safeguards technology and the human resource base was urgently needed to keep pace with demands and increasingly sophisticated emerging safeguards challenges. To address these challenges,more » NNSA launched the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) to develop policies, concepts, technologies, expertise, and infrastructure necessary to sustain the international safeguards system as its mission evolves for the next 25 years. NGSI is designed to revitalize and strengthen the U.S. safeguards technical base, recognizing that without a robust program the United States of America will not be in a position to exercise leadership or provide the necessary support to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). International safeguards as administrated by the IAEA are the primary vehicle for verifying compliance with the peaceful use and nonproliferation of nuclear materials and technologies. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy or LIBS has the potential to support the goals of NGSI as follows: by providing (1) automated analysis in complex nuclear processing or reprocessing facilities in real-time or near real-time without sample preparation or removal, (2) isotopic and important elemental ratio (Cm/Pu, Cm/U, ... etc) analysis, and (3) centralized remote control, process monitoring, and analysis of nuclear materials in nuclear facilities at multiple locations within the facility. Potential application of LIBS to international safeguards as outlined in the NGSI will be discussed.« less

Fortran for the nineties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Himer, J. T.

1992-01-01

Fortran has largely enjoyed prominence for the past few decades as the computer programming language of choice for numerically intensive scientific, engineering, and process control applications. Fortran's well understood static language syntax has allowed resulting parsers and compiler optimizing technologies to often generate among the most efficient and fastest run-time executables, particularly on high-end scalar and vector supercomputers. Computing architectures and paradigms have changed considerably since the last ANSI/ISO Fortran release in 1978, and while FORTRAN 77 has more than survived, it's aged features provide only partial functionality for today's demanding computing environments. The simple block procedural languages have been necessarily evolving, or giving way, to specialized supercomputing, network resource, and object-oriented paradigms. To address these new computing demands, ANSI has worked for the last 12-years with three international public reviews to deliver Fortran 90. Fortran 90 has superseded and replaced ISO FORTRAN 77 internationally as the sole Fortran standard; while in the US, Fortran 90 is expected to be adopted as the ANSI standard this summer, coexisting with ANSI FORTRAN 77 until at least 1996. The development path and current state of Fortran will be briefly described highlighting the many new Fortran 90 syntactic and semantic additions which support (among others): free form source; array syntax; new control structures; modules and interfaces; pointers; derived data types; dynamic memory; enhanced I/O; operator overloading; data abstraction; user optional arguments; new intrinsics for array, bit manipulation, and system inquiry; and enhanced portability through better generic control of underlying system arithmetic models. Examples from dynamical astronomy, signal and image processing will attempt to illustrate Fortran 90's applicability to today's general scalar, vector, and parallel scientific and engineering requirements and object oriented programming paradigms. Time permitting, current work proceeding on the future development of Fortran 2000 and collateral standards will be introduced.

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

Taylor, C.S.

Kenaf`s story is now being told in the fields of South Texas and Southern Louisiana as new fiber processing operation are responding to the public`s demand for more environmentally sound sources of fiber and farmer`s desperate pleas for additional production options. Despite the title, this paper focuses primarily on the {open_quotes}demand{close_quotes} pull from the market place that brings the new crop production/processing system together. Kenaf, an annual hibiscus crop, has been cultivated for several centuries in Asia and Africa, mostly as a substitute for jute fiber in the world`s cordage industry. The crop was first seriously considered in the Americasmore » when jute supplies from Asia were cut off by the War in the Pacific. In the 1960s the US Department of Agriculture selected kenaf as the most promising annual crop source of fiber for the pulp and paper industry. Industry took a look but it wasn`t their priority and the initial USDA effort ceased in the late 1970s. However, almost at the same time some newspaper publishers, who had been following the USDA work, intervened to keep things going. Kenaf International was formed in 1981 as system-oriented company determined to finally put things together on a commercial basis. The company focused on both ends (market and production), hoping to fill in the middle as it went forward. The primary objective at first was to introduce kenaf as an annually renewable fiber source for newsprint manufacturers. That eventually proved to be a very big bite for a small organization to chew, and Kenaf International (and its associates) soon {open_quotes}discovered{close_quotes} other aspects of kenaf`s potential as it pursued its goals. This is where we join The Kenaf Story {open_quotes}in progress.{close_quotes}« less

Diurnal dynamics of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in shoots and rhizomes of a perennial in a constructed wetland indicate down-regulation of below ground oxygen consumption

PubMed Central

Faußer, Anna C.; Dušek, Jiří; Čížková, Hana; Kazda, Marian

2016-01-01

Wetland plants actively provide oxygen for aerobic processes in submerged tissues and the rhizosphere. The novel concomitant assessment of diurnal dynamics of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations under field conditions tests the whole-system interactions in plant-internal gas exchange and regulation. Oxygen concentrations ([O2]) were monitored in-situ in central culm and rhizome pith cavities of common reed (Phragmites australis) using optical oxygen sensors. The corresponding carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO2]) were assessed via gas samples from the culms. Highly dynamic diurnal courses of [O2] were recorded, which started at 6.5–13 % in the morning, increased rapidly up to 22 % during midday and declined exponentially during the night. Internal [CO2] were high in the morning (1.55–17.5 %) and decreased (0.04–0.94 %) during the rapid increase of [O2] in the culms. The observed negative correlations between [O2] and [CO2] particularly describe the below ground relationship between plant-mediated oxygen supply and oxygen use by respiration and biogeochemical processes in the rhizosphere. Furthermore, the nocturnal declining slopes of [O2] in culms and rhizomes indicated a down-regulation of the demand for oxygen in the complete below ground plant-associated system. These findings emphasize the need for measurements of plant-internal gas exchange processes under field conditions because it considers the complex interactions in the oxic-anoxic interface. PMID:27207278

Political processes inside the women's movement.

PubMed

1994-01-01

This newsletter article summarized discussions on political processes held at the International Women's Health Conference for Cairo 1994. Although the political activists who participated in these discussions differed in terms of tactics and strategies, they were united by their support for reproductive rights and committed to solidarity against practices that dehumanize women. A key debate concerns working inside or outside of the official International Conference on Population and Development process. As long as women are able to maintain their own agenda, avoid co-optation, remain accountable to their constituencies, and not use their power to discredit those on the outside, there is potential for working inside of official bodies. Needed is a balanced scenario, where insiders are empowered by backing from the broader women's movement and outsiders benefit from having their voices heard inside the corridors of power. Women who work within population institutions must be especially vigilant that women's demands are not subsumed under population policies. Also resisted must be the practice of powerful international bodies to appoint, in a top-down manner, so-called experts on women's issues. Community and women's groups must hold female lobbyists and politicians accountable and monitor their actions. A crucial concept for the women's movement is transparency. This encompasses honesty, making commitments is public, clear rules in terms of decision making, and a strong commitment to shared values. Transparency implies acknowledging the power differentials that exist among women and struggling to transcend them through solidarity around a shared vision.

Why New Hybrid Organizations are Formed: Historical Perspectives on Epistemic and Academic Drift.

PubMed

Kaiserfeld, Thomas

2013-06-01

By comparing three types of hybrid organizations-18th-century scientific academies, 19th-century institutions of higher vocational education, and 20th-century industrial research institutes-it is the purpose here to answer the question of why new hybrid organizations are continuously formed. Traditionally, and often implicitly, it is often assumed that emerging groups of potential knowledge users have their own organizational preferences and demands influencing the setup of new hybrid organizations. By applying the concepts epistemic and academic drift, it will be argued here, however, that internal organizational dynamics are just as important as changing historical conjunctures in the uses of science when understanding why new hybrid organizations are formed. Only seldom have older hybrid organizations sought to make themselves relevant to new categories of knowledge users as the original ones have been marginalized. Instead, they have tended to accede to ideals supported by traditional academic organizations with higher status in terms of knowledge management, primarily universities. Through this process, demand has been generated for the founding of new hybrid organizations rather than the transformation of existing ones. Although this study focuses on Swedish cases, it is argued that since Sweden strove consistently to implement existing international policy trends during the periods in question, the observations may be generalized to apply to other national and transnational contexts.

A Cloud-Based Infrastructure for Near-Real-Time Processing and Dissemination of NPP Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, J. D.; Valente, E. G.; Chettri, S. S.

2011-12-01

We are building a scalable cloud-based infrastructure for generating and disseminating near-real-time data products from a variety of geospatial and meteorological data sources, including the new National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP). Our approach relies on linking Direct Broadcast and other data streams to a suite of scientific algorithms coordinated by NASA's International Polar-Orbiter Processing Package (IPOPP). The resulting data products are directly accessible to a wide variety of end-user applications, via industry-standard protocols such as OGC Web Services, Unidata Local Data Manager, or OPeNDAP, using open source software components. The processing chain employs on-demand computing resources from Amazon.com's Elastic Compute Cloud and NASA's Nebula cloud services. Our current prototype targets short-term weather forecasting, in collaboration with NASA's Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) program and the National Weather Service. Direct Broadcast is especially crucial for NPP, whose current ground segment is unlikely to deliver data quickly enough for short-term weather forecasters and other near-real-time users. Direct Broadcast also allows full local control over data handling, from the receiving antenna to end-user applications: this provides opportunities to streamline processes for data ingest, processing, and dissemination, and thus to make interpreted data products (Environmental Data Records) available to practitioners within minutes of data capture at the sensor. Cloud computing lets us grow and shrink computing resources to meet large and rapid fluctuations in data availability (twice daily for polar orbiters) - and similarly large fluctuations in demand from our target (near-real-time) users. This offers a compelling business case for cloud computing: the processing or dissemination systems can grow arbitrarily large to sustain near-real time data access despite surges in data volumes or user demand, but that computing capacity (and hourly costs) can be dropped almost instantly once the surge passes. Cloud computing also allows low-risk experimentation with a variety of machine architectures (processor types; bandwidth, memory, and storage capacities, etc.) and of system configurations (including massively parallel computing patterns). Finally, our service-based approach (in which user applications invoke software processes on a Web-accessible server) facilitates access into datasets of arbitrary size and resolution, and allows users to request and receive tailored products on demand. To maximize the usefulness and impact of our technology, we have emphasized open, industry-standard software interfaces. We are also using and developing open source software to facilitate the widespread adoption of similar, derived, or interoperable systems for processing and serving near-real-time data from NPP and other sources.

Industrial applications of the microgravity environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Opportunities for commercialization of the microgravity environment will depend upon the success of basic research projects performed in space. Significant demands for manufacturing opportunities are unlikely in the near term. The microgravity environment is to be considered primarily as a tool for research and secondarily as a manufacturing site. This research tool is unique, valuable, and presently available to U.S. investigators only through resources provided by NASA. The United States has an obligation to facilitate corporate research, maintain a flexible international policy, foster use of and assure access to a wide variety of facilities, and develop a posture of national and international leadership in and stewardship of research and materials processing in the microgravity environment. The National Research Council's Committee on Industrial Applications of the Microgravity Environment recommends six actions that strengthen this posture, including the formation of an authoritative organization to oversee the implementation of a program of microgravity research and its industrial applications.

Transportability of tertiary qualifications and CPD: a continuing challenge for the global health workforce.

PubMed

Saltman, Deborah C; Kidd, Michael R; Jackson, Debra; Cleary, Michelle

2012-07-09

In workforces that are traditionally mobile and have long lead times for new supply, such as health, effective global indicators of tertiary education are increasingly essential. Difficulties with transportability of qualifications and cross-accreditation are now recognised as key barriers to meeting the rapidly shifting international demands for health care providers. The plethora of mixed education and service arrangements poses challenges for employers and regulators, let alone patients; in determining equivalence of training and competency between individuals, institutions and geographical locations. This paper outlines the shortfall of the current indicators in assisting the process of global certification and competency recognition in the health care workforce. Using Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data we highlight how International standardisation in the tertiary education sector is problematic for the global health workforce. Through a series of case studies, we then describe a model which enables institutions to compare themselves internally and with others internationally using bespoke or prioritised parameters rather than standards. The mobility of the global health workforce means that transportability of qualifications is an increasing area of concern. Valid qualifications based on workplace learning and assessment requires at least some variables to be benchmarked in order to judge performance.

Responding to increased needs and demands for water

Treesearch

Hans M. Gregersen; William K. Easter; J. Edward de Steiguer

2000-01-01

The nature of the increased needs and demands for water relate to water quantity and quality, bringing in the dimensions of timing and location of water flows. Some key past international activities related to water and watershed policy are reviewed. The common threads that are shaping likely future responses relate to technical vs. institutional means of addressing...

"Strategic Repositioning of Institutional Frameworks": Balancing Competing Demands within the Modular UK Higher Education Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turnbull, Wayne; Burton, Diana; Mullins, Pat

2008-01-01

The UK higher education sector is grounded in an academic culture protective of its autonomy in the exercise of academic judgement within a flexible and internally validated tradition. However, the socio-political demands placed upon this sector articulate an outcomes-based, transparent and consistent model of higher education provision, as…

An International Perspective of Wildland Fire 2000

Treesearch

R. L. Bjornsen

1987-01-01

A steadily shrinking forest land base and the social demands of an expanding population will require utmost skill from land managers, if forest products are to meet the demands of 6 billion people in the year 2000. Developed nations have recognized fire's role, both as a tool and a destructive force. By contrast, developing nations have not instituted adequate...

78 FR 57677 - Notice of Submission Deadline for Schedule Information for O'Hare International Airport, San...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-19

... significant at the typical demand levels, especially when available runways or adverse weather conditions... retime flights to less congested periods. Slots for new flights will be limited to off-peak times to... extent possible. Currently, the peak demand period at SFO is approximately 0900 to 1400 Pacific Time. In...

Enabling Grid Computing resources within the KM3NeT computing model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filippidis, Christos

2016-04-01

KM3NeT is a future European deep-sea research infrastructure hosting a new generation neutrino detectors that - located at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea - will open a new window on the universe and answer fundamental questions both in particle physics and astrophysics. International collaborative scientific experiments, like KM3NeT, are generating datasets which are increasing exponentially in both complexity and volume, making their analysis, archival, and sharing one of the grand challenges of the 21st century. These experiments, in their majority, adopt computing models consisting of different Tiers with several computing centres and providing a specific set of services for the different steps of data processing such as detector calibration, simulation and data filtering, reconstruction and analysis. The computing requirements are extremely demanding and, usually, span from serial to multi-parallel or GPU-optimized jobs. The collaborative nature of these experiments demands very frequent WAN data transfers and data sharing among individuals and groups. In order to support the aforementioned demanding computing requirements we enabled Grid Computing resources, operated by EGI, within the KM3NeT computing model. In this study we describe our first advances in this field and the method for the KM3NeT users to utilize the EGI computing resources in a simulation-driven use-case.

Immigrants' adaptation to different cultural settings: A contextual perspective on acculturation: Introduction for the special section on immigration.

PubMed

Titzmann, Peter F; Fuligni, Andrew J

2015-12-01

In modern multicultural societies more and more individuals deal with 2 or more cultures due to the unprecedented increase in international migration. This special section brings together research about immigrants' adaptation to various life domains, about the demands of dealing with different cultural scripts and about how immigrants can successfully bridge different cultural demands. This introduction to the special section provides a broader theoretical framework that links the different studies of the special section and demonstrates areas for further research. It also clearly illustrates the growing necessity for research in increasingly diverse societies. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

The Hico Image Processing System: A Web-Accessible Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Toolbox

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, A. T., III; Goodman, J.; Justice, B.

2014-12-01

As the quantity of Earth-observation data increases, the use-case for hosting analytical tools in geospatial data centers becomes increasingly attractive. To address this need, HySpeed Computing and Exelis VIS have developed the HICO Image Processing System, a prototype cloud computing system that provides online, on-demand, scalable remote sensing image processing capabilities. The system provides a mechanism for delivering sophisticated image processing analytics and data visualization tools into the hands of a global user community, who will only need a browser and internet connection to perform analysis. Functionality of the HICO Image Processing System is demonstrated using imagery from the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO), an imaging spectrometer located on the International Space Station (ISS) that is optimized for acquisition of aquatic targets. Example applications include a collection of coastal remote sensing algorithms that are directed at deriving critical information on water and habitat characteristics of our vulnerable coastal environment. The project leverages the ENVI Services Engine as the framework for all image processing tasks, and can readily accommodate the rapid integration of new algorithms, datasets and processing tools.

Validation studies and proficiency testing.

PubMed

Ankilam, Elke; Heinze, Petra; Kay, Simon; Van den Eede, Guy; Popping, Bert

2002-01-01

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) entered the European food market in 1996. Current legislation demands the labeling of food products if they contain <1% GMO, as assessed for each ingredient of the product. To create confidence in the testing methods and to complement enforcement requirements, there is an urgent need for internationally validated methods, which could serve as reference methods. To date, several methods have been submitted to validation trials at an international level; approaches now exist that can be used in different circumstances and for different food matrixes. Moreover, the requirement for the formal validation of methods is clearly accepted; several national and international bodies are active in organizing studies. Further validation studies, especially on the quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods, need to be performed to cover the rising demand for new extraction methods and other background matrixes, as well as for novel GMO constructs.

Applying the International Medical Graduate Program Model to Alleviate the Supply Shortage of Accounting Doctoral Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HassabElnaby, Hassan R.; Dobrzykowski, David D.; Tran, Oanh Thikie

2012-01-01

Accounting has been faced with a severe shortage in the supply of qualified doctoral faculty. Drawing upon the international mobility of foreign scholars and the spirit of the international medical graduate program, this article suggests a model to fill the demand in accounting doctoral faculty. The underlying assumption of the suggested model is…

Remarques critiques a propos de l'enquete international sur la litteratie (Critical Remarks Regarding the International Adult Literacy Survey).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manesse, Daniele

2000-01-01

States that French authorities refused to make International Adult Literacy Survey results public, citing methodological flaws, the need for better procedural precautions, and a more adequate notion of literacy. Presents a synthesis of the counter investigations demanded by French authorities that justify their doubts on the IALS definitions and…

[Long-term implications of labor migration in Togo].

PubMed

De Haan, L

1986-01-01

Labor migration in Togo since 1900 is analyzed. The author examines factors affecting the demand for labor in areas of in-migration, the development of systems of production related to population growth in areas of out-migration, and state intervention. Consideration is given to both international and internal migration. The expansion of internal migration since independence is noted. (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Ensuring safe international trade: how are the roles and responsibilities evolving and what will the situation be in ten years' time?

PubMed

Brückner, G K

2011-04-01

The roles of the international standard-setting bodies that are mandated to facilitate safe trade, such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the International Plant Protection Convention and the World Trade Organization, are well documented, as are the roles of the international organisations responsible for global health issues: the OIE, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. However, developments in international trade, such as accelerating globalisation and the frequent emergence and re-emergence of diseases affecting both humans and animals, have brought new challenges and the need to reconsider the future roles of such organisations. New participants and new demands have also emerged to challenge these mandates, leading to potential areas of conflict. The need for countries to establish themselves as new trade partners, or to strengthen their positions while still maintaining safe trade, poses a challenge to standard-setting organisations, which must meet these demands while still remaining sensitive to the needs of developing countries. In this paper, the author describes and discusses some of these challenges and suggests how international organisations could evolve to confront such issues.

Accreditation and training on internal dosimetry in a laboratory network in Brazil: an increasing demand.

PubMed

Dantas, B M; Dantas, A L A; Acar, M E D; Cardoso, J C S; Julião, L M Q C; Lima, M F; Taddei, M H T; Arine, D R; Alonso, T; Ramos, M A P; Fajgelj, A

2011-03-01

In recent years, Brazilian Nuclear Programme has been reviewed and updated by government authorities in face of the demand for energy supply and its associated environmental constraints. The immediate impact of new national programmes and projects in nuclear field is the increase in the number of exposed personnel and the consequent need for reliable dosimetry services in the country. Several Technical Documents related to internal dosimetry have been released by the International Atomic Energy Agency and International Commission on Radiological Protection. However, standard bioassay procedures and methodologies for bioassay data interpretation are still under discussion and, in some cases, both in routine and emergency internal monitoring, procedures can vary from one laboratory to another and responses may differ markedly among Dosimetry Laboratories. Thus, it may be difficult to interpret and use bioassay data generated from different laboratories of a network. The main goal of this work is to implement a National Network of Laboratories aimed to provide reliable internal monitoring services in Brazil. The establishment of harmonised in vivo and in vitro radioanalytical techniques, dose assessment methods and the implementation of the ISO/IEC 17025 requirements will result in the recognition of technical competence of the network.

Development Policies and Performance--World Issues and World Conferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gitta, Cosmas, Ed.

2000-01-01

In the business of development, breakthroughs require international communication to help spread potential benefits widely. Obstacles demand international commitment to marshal vision, resources, and effort sufficient to the challenge. This issue of "Cooperation South" contains a two part focus, conveying innovations in development…

Toward a Set of Internationally Applicable Indicators for Measuring University Internationalization Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Yuan

2015-01-01

This article emphasizes the urgent demand for measurements of university internationalization and proposes a new approach to develop a set of internationally applicable indicators for measuring university internationalization performance. The article looks into existing instruments developed for assessing university internationalization,…

Peak Running Intensity of International Rugby: Implications for Training Prescription.

PubMed

Delaney, Jace A; Thornton, Heidi R; Pryor, John F; Stewart, Andrew M; Dascombe, Ben J; Duthie, Grant M

2017-09-01

To quantify the duration and position-specific peak running intensities of international rugby union for the prescription and monitoring of specific training methodologies. Global positioning systems (GPS) were used to assess the activity profile of 67 elite-level rugby union players from 2 nations across 33 international matches. A moving-average approach was used to identify the peak relative distance (m/min), average acceleration/deceleration (AveAcc; m/s 2 ), and average metabolic power (P met ) for a range of durations (1-10 min). Differences between positions and durations were described using a magnitude-based network. Peak running intensity increased as the length of the moving average decreased. There were likely small to moderate increases in relative distance and AveAcc for outside backs, halfbacks, and loose forwards compared with the tight 5 group across all moving-average durations (effect size [ES] = 0.27-1.00). P met demands were at least likely greater for outside backs and halfbacks than for the tight 5 (ES = 0.86-0.99). Halfbacks demonstrated the greatest relative distance and P met outputs but were similar to outside backs and loose forwards in AveAcc demands. The current study has presented a framework to describe the peak running intensities achieved during international rugby competition by position, which are considerably higher than previously reported whole-period averages. These data provide further knowledge of the peak activity profiles of international rugby competition, and this information can be used to assist coaches and practitioners in adequately preparing athletes for the most demanding periods of play.

Improving the quality of health care: using international collaboration to inform guideline programmes by founding the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N)*

PubMed Central

Ollenschlager, G; Marshall, C; Qureshi, S; Rosenbrand, K; Burgers, J; Makela, M; Slutsky, J; t for

2004-01-01



 Clinical practice guidelines are regarded as powerful tools to achieve effective health care. Although many countries have built up experience in the development, appraisal, and implementation of guidelines, until recently there has been no established forum for collaboration at an international level. As a result, in different countries seeking similar goals and using similar strategies, efforts have been unnecessarily duplicated and opportunities for harmonisation lost because of the lack of a supporting organisational framework. This triggered a proposal in 2001 for an international guidelines network built on existing partnerships. A baseline survey confirmed a strong demand for such an entity. A multinational group of guideline experts initiated the development of a non-profit organisation aimed at promotion of systematic guideline development and implementation. The Guidelines International Network (G-I-N) was founded in November 2002. One year later the Network released the International Guideline Library, a searchable database which now contains more than 2000 guideline resources including published guidelines, guidelines under development, "guidelines for guidelines", training materials, and patient information tools. By June 2004, 52 organisations from 27 countries had joined the network including institutions from Oceania, North America, and Europe, and WHO. This paper describes the process that led to the foundation of the G-I-N, its characteristics, prime activities, and ideas on future projects and collaboration. PMID:15576708

Electric terminal performance and characterization of solid oxide fuel cells and systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindahl, Peter Allan

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) are electrochemical devices which can effect efficient, clean, and quiet conversion of chemical to electrical energy. In contrast to conventional electricity generation systems which feature multiple discrete energy conversion processes, SOFCs are direct energy conversion devices. That is, they feature a fully integrated chemical to electrical energy conversion process where the electric load demanded of the cell intrinsically drives the electrochemical reactions and associated processes internal to the cell. As a result, the cell's electric terminals provide a path for interaction between load side electric demand and the conversion side processes. The implication of this is twofold. First, the magnitude and dynamic characteristics of the electric load demanded of the cell can directly impact the long-term efficacy of the cell's chemical to electrical energy conversion. Second, the electric terminal response to dynamic loads can be exploited for monitoring the cell's conversion side processes and used in diagnostic analysis and degradation-mitigating control schemes. This dissertation presents a multi-tier investigation into this electric terminal based performance characterization of SOFCs through the development of novel test systems, analysis techniques and control schemes. First, a reference-based simulation system is introduced. This system scales up the electric terminal performance of a prototype SOFC system, e.g. a single fuel cell, to that of a full power-level stack. This allows realistic stack/load interaction studies while maintaining explicit ability for post-test analysis of the prototype system. Next, a time-domain least squares fitting method for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is developed for reduced-time monitoring of the electrochemical and physicochemical mechanics of the fuel cell through its electric terminals. The utility of the reference-based simulator and the EIS technique are demonstrated through their combined use in the performance testing of a hybrid-source power management (HSPM) system designed to allow in-situ EIS monitoring of a stack under dynamic loading conditions. The results from the latter study suggest that an HSPM controller allows an opportunity for in-situ electric terminal monitoring and control-based mitigation of SOFC degradation. As such, an exploration of control-based SOFC degradation mitigation is presented and ideas for further work are suggested.

Perceived demands during modern military operations.

PubMed

Boermans, Sylvie M; Kamphuis, Wim; Kamhuis, Wim; Delahaij, Roos; Korteling, J E Hans; Euwema, Martin C

2013-07-01

Using a cross-sectional design, this study explored operational demands during the International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan (2009-2010) across distinct military units. A total of 1,413 Dutch soldiers, nested within four types of units (i.e., combat, combat support, service support, and command support units) filled out a 23-item self-survey in which they were asked to evaluate the extent to which they experienced operational characteristics as demanding. Exploratory factor analysis identified six underlying dimensions of demands. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that distinct units are characterized by their own unique constellation of perceived demands, even after controlling for previous deployment experience. Most notable findings were found when comparing combat units to other types of units. These insights can be used to better prepare different types of military units for deployment, and support them in the specific demands they face during deployment. Reprint & Copyright © 2013 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Interactive Light Stimulus Generation with High Performance Real-Time Image Processing and Simple Scripting.

PubMed

Szécsi, László; Kacsó, Ágota; Zeck, Günther; Hantz, Péter

2017-01-01

Light stimulation with precise and complex spatial and temporal modulation is demanded by a series of research fields like visual neuroscience, optogenetics, ophthalmology, and visual psychophysics. We developed a user-friendly and flexible stimulus generating framework (GEARS GPU-based Eye And Retina Stimulation Software), which offers access to GPU computing power, and allows interactive modification of stimulus parameters during experiments. Furthermore, it has built-in support for driving external equipment, as well as for synchronization tasks, via USB ports. The use of GEARS does not require elaborate programming skills. The necessary scripting is visually aided by an intuitive interface, while the details of the underlying software and hardware components remain hidden. Internally, the software is a C++/Python hybrid using OpenGL graphics. Computations are performed on the GPU, and are defined in the GLSL shading language. However, all GPU settings, including the GPU shader programs, are automatically generated by GEARS. This is configured through a method encountered in game programming, which allows high flexibility: stimuli are straightforwardly composed using a broad library of basic components. Stimulus rendering is implemented solely in C++, therefore intermediary libraries for interfacing could be omitted. This enables the program to perform computationally demanding tasks like en-masse random number generation or real-time image processing by local and global operations.

Spectroscopic detection and analysis of atomic emissions during industrial pulsed laser-drilling of structural aerospace alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bright, Robin Michael

The ability to adequately cool internal gas-turbine engine components in next-generation commercial and military aircraft is of extreme importance to the aerospace industry as the demand for high-efficiency engines continues to push operating temperatures higher. Pulsed laser-drilling is rapidly becoming the preferred method of creating cooling holes in high temperature components due a variety of manufacturing advantages of laser-drilling over conventional hole-drilling techniques. As cooling requirements become more demanding, the impact of drilling conditions on material removal behavior and subsequent effects on hole quality becomes critical. In this work, the development of emission spectroscopy as a method to probe the laser-drilling process is presented and subsequently applied to the study of material behavior of various structural aerospace materials during drilling. Specifically, emitted photons associated with energy level transitions within excited neutral atoms in material ejected during drilling were detected and analyzed. Systematic spectroscopic studies indicated that electron energy level populations and calculated electron temperatures within ejected material are dependent on both laser pulse energy and duration. Local thermal conditions detected by the developed method were related to the characteristics of ejected material during drilling and to final hole quality. Finally, methods of utilizing the observed relationships for spectroscopic process monitoring and control were demonstrated.

Cost containment through pharmaceutical procurement: a Caribbean case study.

PubMed

Huff-Rousselle, M; Burnett, F

1996-01-01

This article discusses the potential for health sector cost containment in developing countries through improved pharmaceutical procurement. By describing the specific example of the Eastern Caribbean Drug Service (ECDS), which provides a pooled procurement service to nine ministries of health in the small island nations of the Caribbean, it examines the elements of the procurement operation that allowed ECDS to reduce unit costs for pharmaceuticals by over 50 per cent during its first procurement cycle. The analysis of ECDS considers: (1) political will, institutional alliances, and the creation of a public sector monopsony; (2) pooling demand; (3) restricted international tendering and the pharmaceutical industry; (4) estimating demand and supplier guarantees; (5) reducing variety and increasing volume through standardizing pack sizes, dosage forms and strengths; (6) generic bidding and therapeutic alternative bidding; (7) mode of transport from foreign suppliers; (8) financing mechanisms, including choice of currency, foreign exchange, and terms of payment; (9) market conditions and crafting and enforcing supplier contracts; and, (10) the adjudication process, including consideration of suppliers' past performance, precision requirements in the manufacturing process, number of products awarded to suppliers, and issues of judgment. The authors consider the relevance of this agency's experience to other developing countries by providing a blueprint that can be adopted or modified to suit other situations.

Information Management Workflow and Tools Enabling Multiscale Modeling Within ICME Paradigm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, Steven M.; Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Austin, Nic; Terentjev, Igor; Cebon, Dave; Marsden, Will

2016-01-01

With the increased emphasis on reducing the cost and time to market of new materials, the need for analytical tools that enable the virtual design and optimization of materials throughout their processing - internal structure - property - performance envelope, along with the capturing and storing of the associated material and model information across its lifecycle, has become critical. This need is also fueled by the demands for higher efficiency in material testing; consistency, quality and traceability of data; product design; engineering analysis; as well as control of access to proprietary or sensitive information. Fortunately, material information management systems and physics-based multiscale modeling methods have kept pace with the growing user demands. Herein, recent efforts to establish workflow for and demonstrate a unique set of web application tools for linking NASA GRC's Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) Granta MI database schema and NASA GRC's Integrated multiscale Micromechanics Analysis Code (ImMAC) software toolset are presented. The goal is to enable seamless coupling between both test data and simulation data, which is captured and tracked automatically within Granta MI®, with full model pedigree information. These tools, and this type of linkage, are foundational to realizing the full potential of ICME, in which materials processing, microstructure, properties, and performance are coupled to enable application-driven design and optimization of materials and structures.

Scientific writing: strategies and tools for students and advisors.

PubMed

Singh, Vikash; Mayer, Philipp

2014-01-01

Scientific writing is a demanding task and many students need more time than expected to finish their research articles. To speed up the process, we highlight some tools, strategies as well as writing guides. We recommend starting early in the research process with writing and to prepare research articles, not after but in parallel to the lab or field work. We suggest considering scientific writing as a team enterprise, which needs proper organization and regular feedback. In addition, it is helpful to select potential target journals early and to consider not only scope and reputation, but also decision times and rejection rates. Before submission, instructions to authors and writing guides should be considered, and drafts should be extensively revised. Later in the process editor's and reviewer's comments should be followed. Our tips and tools help students and advisors to structure the writing and publishing process, thereby stimulating them to develop their own strategies to success. Copyright © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Implementation of thermographers' certification in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

dos Santos, Laerte; Alves, Luiz M.; da Costa Bortoni, Edson

2011-05-01

In recent years Brazil has experienced extraordinary growth despite the recent economic global crisis. The demand for infrared thermography products and services has accompanied this growth. Like other non-destructive testing and inspection, the results obtained by thermography are highly dependent on the skills of thermographer. Therefore, it is very important to establish a serious and recognized process of certification to assess thermographers' qualifications and help services suppliers to establish credibility with their customers and increase the confidence of these costumers on the quality of these services. The Brazilian Society of Non-Destructive Testing and Inspection, ABENDI, a non-profitable, private technical-scientific entity, recognized nationally and internationally, has observed the necessity of starting a process for certification of thermographers in Brazil. With support of a work group composed by experts from oil and energy industries, transportation, universities and manufactures, the activities started in 2005. This paper describes the economic background required for installation of the certification process, its initial steps, the main characteristics of the Brazilian certification and the expectation for initiating the certification process.

The international migration of nurses in long-term care.

PubMed

Redfoot, Donald L; Houser, Ari N

2008-01-01

This article describes five major factors that are affecting patterns of international migration among nurses who work in long-term care settings: DEMOGRAPHIC DRIVERS: The aging of the populations in developed countries and the low to negative growth in the working-age population will increase the demand for international workers to provide long-term care services. GENDER AND RACE: A dual labor market of long-term care workers, increasingly made up of women of color, is becoming internationalized by the employment of migrating nurses from developing countries. CREDENTIALING: The process of credentialing skilled workers creates barriers to entry for migrating nurses and leads to "decredentialing" where registered nurses work as licensed practical nurses or aides. COLONIAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY: The colonial histories of many European countries and the United States have increased migration from former colonies in developing countries to former colonial powers. WORKER RECRUITMENT: Efforts to limit the recruitment of health care workers from some developing countries have had little effect on migration, in part because much of the recruitment comes through informal channels of family and friends.

From single-substance evaluation to ecological process concept: the dilemma of processing gold with cyanide.

PubMed

Korte, F; Coulston, F

1995-10-01

In the past decades, limit concentration values for environmentally dangerous synthetic and natural chemical substances have been established in industrialized countries. Depending on the range of application, state of aggregation, propagation velocity, specific action on living organisms, long- or short-time effect, etc., different terms are used to specify these limit concentrations (acceptable daily intakes, TLV, LD50, emission values, water quality standards, etc.). Several parameters (e.g., range of application, ethic and social valuation, environmental factors, scientific knowledge) have led to nationally and internationally varying values depending on the region and time. The accuracy of this system of evaluation cannot necessarily be improved by listing further analytical data, but rather by furnishing sufficiently secured scientific data for a serious discussion, with the public concepts influenced more and more by the mass media. The best-established scientific knowledge has been acquired by the chemical industry. National and international groups demand that ecological-chemical problems in other fields of industry be dealt with as well; this research should, without doubt, be intensified. The example of the mining industry, which must employ chemical methods to isolate small concentrations (ppm), demonstrates the environmental conflict caused by the increasing world population, requiring the adaptation of the process by industry to the modern environmental concept. This is illustrated by the evolution of the gold recovery process.

Processing Demands Impact 3-Year-Olds' Performance in a Spontaneous-Response Task: New Evidence for the Processing-Load Account of Early False-Belief Understanding.

PubMed

Scott, Rose M; Roby, Erin

2015-01-01

Prior to age four, children succeed in non-elicited-response false-belief tasks but fail elicited-response false-belief tasks. To explain this discrepancy, the processing-load account argues that the capacity to represent beliefs emerges in infancy, as indicated by early success on non-elicited-response tasks, but that children's ability to demonstrate this capacity depends on the processing demands of the task and children's processing skills. When processing demands exceed young children's processing abilities, such as in standard elicited-response tasks, children fail despite their capacity to represent beliefs. Support for this account comes from recent evidence that reducing processing demands improves young children's performance: when demands are sufficiently reduced, 2.5-year-olds succeed in elicited-response tasks. Here we sought complementary evidence for the processing-load account by examining whether increasing processing demands impeded children's performance in a non-elicited-response task. 3-year-olds were tested in a preferential-looking task in which they heard a change-of-location false-belief story accompanied by a picture book; across children, we manipulated the amount of linguistic ambiguity in the story. The final page of the book showed two images: one that was consistent with the main character's false belief and one that was consistent with reality. When the story was relatively unambiguous, children looked reliably longer at the false-belief-consistent image, successfully demonstrating their false-belief understanding. When the story was ambiguous, however, this undermined children's performance: looking times to the belief-consistent image were correlated with verbal ability, and only children with verbal skills in the upper quartile of the sample demonstrated a significant preference for the belief-consistent image. These results support the processing-load account by demonstrating that regardless of whether a task involves an elicited response, children's performance depends on the processing demands of the task and their processing skills. These findings also have implications for alternative, deflationary accounts of early false-belief understanding.

Processing Demands Impact 3-Year-Olds’ Performance in a Spontaneous-Response Task: New Evidence for the Processing-Load Account of Early False-Belief Understanding

PubMed Central

Scott, Rose M.; Roby, Erin

2015-01-01

Prior to age four, children succeed in non-elicited-response false-belief tasks but fail elicited-response false-belief tasks. To explain this discrepancy, the processing-load account argues that the capacity to represent beliefs emerges in infancy, as indicated by early success on non-elicited-response tasks, but that children’s ability to demonstrate this capacity depends on the processing demands of the task and children’s processing skills. When processing demands exceed young children’s processing abilities, such as in standard elicited-response tasks, children fail despite their capacity to represent beliefs. Support for this account comes from recent evidence that reducing processing demands improves young children’s performance: when demands are sufficiently reduced, 2.5-year-olds succeed in elicited-response tasks. Here we sought complementary evidence for the processing-load account by examining whether increasing processing demands impeded children’s performance in a non-elicited-response task. 3-year-olds were tested in a preferential-looking task in which they heard a change-of-location false-belief story accompanied by a picture book; across children, we manipulated the amount of linguistic ambiguity in the story. The final page of the book showed two images: one that was consistent with the main character’s false belief and one that was consistent with reality. When the story was relatively unambiguous, children looked reliably longer at the false-belief-consistent image, successfully demonstrating their false-belief understanding. When the story was ambiguous, however, this undermined children’s performance: looking times to the belief-consistent image were correlated with verbal ability, and only children with verbal skills in the upper quartile of the sample demonstrated a significant preference for the belief-consistent image. These results support the processing-load account by demonstrating that regardless of whether a task involves an elicited response, children’s performance depends on the processing demands of the task and their processing skills. These findings also have implications for alternative, deflationary accounts of early false-belief understanding. PMID:26562840

Extension Resources for International Trade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seal, Susan D.

2016-01-01

With the opening of additional trade partnerships, the reduction of global transportation and communication costs, and the increase in demand for U.S. agricultural products and services, international trade is an area of great importance to more and more Extension clients and stakeholders. This article provides information about the primary…

Tendencies of International Career of Romanian Researchers: Brain Drain?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popescu, Dan; Patrasca, Mihaela; Chivu, Iulia

2006-01-01

Recent economic and technological developments have led to a growing international demand for highly skilled human resources. The increased competition for human capital has determined numerous OECD countries to take special measures for attracting and retaining human capital in such fields as: information technology, biotechnology,…

Microsatellite Imputation for parental verification from SNP across multiple Bos taurus and indicus breeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microsatellite markers (MS) have traditionally been used for parental verification and are still the international standard in spite of their higher cost, error rate, and turnaround time compared with Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP)-based assays. Despite domestic and international demands fro...

Development of S-ARIMA Model for Forecasting Demand in a Beverage Supply Chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mircetic, Dejan; Nikolicic, Svetlana; Maslaric, Marinko; Ralevic, Nebojsa; Debelic, Borna

2016-11-01

Demand forecasting is one of the key activities in planning the freight flows in supply chains, and accordingly it is essential for planning and scheduling of logistic activities within observed supply chain. Accurate demand forecasting models directly influence the decrease of logistics costs, since they provide an assessment of customer demand. Customer demand is a key component for planning all logistic processes in supply chain, and therefore determining levels of customer demand is of great interest for supply chain managers. In this paper we deal with exactly this kind of problem, and we develop the seasonal Autoregressive IntegratedMoving Average (SARIMA) model for forecasting demand patterns of a major product of an observed beverage company. The model is easy to understand, flexible to use and appropriate for assisting the expert in decision making process about consumer demand in particular periods.

Improving productivity and profitability of a bioanalytical business through sales and operation planning.

PubMed

Islam, Rafiqul

2013-07-01

Today's bioanalytical CROs face increasing global competition, highly variable demand, high fixed costs, pricing pressure, and increasing demand for quality and speed. Most bioanalytical laboratories have responded to these challenges by implementing automation and by implementing process improvement methodologies (e.g., Six Sigma). These solutions have not resulted in a significant improvement in productivity and profitability since none of them are able to predict the upturn or downturn in demand. High volatility of demand causes long lead times and high costs during peak demand and poor productivity during trough demand. Most bioanalytical laboratories lack the tools to align supply efficiently to meet changing demand. In this paper, sales and operation planning (S&OP) has been investigated as a tool to balance supply and demand. The S&OP process, when executed effectively, can be the single greatest determinant of profitability for a bioanalytical business.

A Cross-National Analysis of the Student- and School-Level Factors Affecting the Demand for Private Tutoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Kyoung-Oh; Park, Hyun-Jeong; Sang, Kyong-Ah

2013-01-01

Private tutoring has become a worldwide phenomenon, yet there is little empirical evidence for the main factors leading the demand for private tutoring across nations. Using data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study of 2003, this study classified the countries into four different groups according to the proportion of student…

22 CFR 206.3 - Procedure in the event of a demand for production or disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... production or disclosure. 206.3 Section 206.3 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TESTIMONY BY EMPLOYEES AND THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS IN PROCEEDINGS WHERE A.I.D. IS NOT A PARTY § 206.3 Procedure in the event of a demand for production or disclosure. (a) Whenever an employee or former employee...

A Texas Company Sees Online Learning as Growth Industry in Latin America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Monica

2008-01-01

This article describes the growth of demand in online learning in Latin America and the expansion efforts made by Texas-based Whitney International to fill such niche. Whitney is a newcomer to a growing group of for-profit players that spot unmet demand for higher education in Latin America. Founded in 2005, it began its distance-learning courses…

Employment, Employability and Higher Education in India: The Missing Links

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khare, Mona

2014-01-01

The demand for labour in India is likely to remain high and robust in the coming years, both nationally and internationally. But this would demand skilled and qualified labour. The employability of Indian youth has emerged as a major concern in recent years. Ironically, it is not just the uneducated and untrained that lack skills but it is also…

Catholic Religion Teachers in Chile: An Approach to Identity Building with Regard to Existing Mission-Profession Tension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vargas-Herrera, Francisco; Moya-Marchant, Loreto

2018-01-01

Religion classes are found throughout the entire school system in Chile. These are mostly conducted by Catholic teachers who form their own professional identity from internal demands (imposed by the Catholic Church) and external demands (imposed by the school culture, social media, students and their families). This paper presents a reference…

Generativity does not necessarily satisfy all your needs: Associations among cultural demand for generativity, generative concern, generative action, and need satisfaction in the elderly in four cultures.

PubMed

Hofer, Jan; Busch, Holger; Au, Alma; Poláčková Šolcová, Iva; Tavel, Peter; Wong, Teresa Tsien

2016-03-01

The present study examines the association between various facets of generativity, that is, cultural demand for generativity, generative concern, and generative action, with the satisfaction of the needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy in samples of elderly from Cameroon, China (Hong Kong), the Czech Republic, and Germany. Participants provided information on self-transcendence values (internalized cultural demand), generative concern and action, and need satisfaction. Results suggest, first, that internalized cultural demand affects generative action indirectly through generative concern, second, that generative concern has a positive direct effect on need satisfaction, but that, third, there is also an indirect effect of generative concern on need satisfaction through generative action, which, fourth, is positive for the needs for relatedness and competence but negative for the need for autonomy. These findings were culture-invariant in our study, suggesting generalizability to other cultures. They are discussed with respect to the role of values in generativity and a possible trade-off of generative action for the satisfaction of needs at least in the elderly. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Aging and the Vulnerability of Speech to Dual Task Demands

PubMed Central

Kemper, Susan; Schmalzried, RaLynn; Hoffman, Lesa; Herman, Ruth

2010-01-01

Tracking a digital pursuit rotor task was used to measure dual task costs of language production by young and older adults. Tracking performance by both groups was affected by dual task demands: time on target declined and tracking error increased as dual task demands increased from the baseline condition to a moderately demanding dual task condition to a more demanding dual task condition. When dual task demands were moderate, older adults’ speech rate declined but their fluency, grammatical complexity, and content were unaffected. When the dual task was more demanding, older adults’ speech, like young adults’ speech, became highly fragmented, ungrammatical, and incoherent. Vocabulary, working memory, processing speed, and inhibition affected vulnerability to dual task costs: vocabulary provided some protection for sentence length and grammaticality, working memory conferred some protection for grammatical complexity, and processing speed provided some protection for speech rate, propositional density, coherence, and lexical diversity. Further, vocabulary and working memory capacity provided more protection for older adults than for young adults although the protective effect of processing speed was somewhat reduced for older adults as compared to the young adults. PMID:21186917

Context processing in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: How complex could it be?

PubMed

Ben-Yosef, Dekel; Anaki, David; Golan, Ofer

2017-03-01

The ability of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to process context has long been debated: According to the Weak Central Coherence theory, ASD is characterized by poor global processing, and consequently-poor context processing. In contrast, the Social Cognition theory argues individuals with ASD will present difficulties only in social context processing. The complexity theory of autism suggests context processing in ASD will depend on task complexity. The current study examined this controversy through two priming tasks, one presenting human stimuli (facial expressions) and the other presenting non-human stimuli (animal faces). Both tasks presented visual targets, preceded by congruent, incongruent, or neutral auditory primes. Local and global processing were examined by presenting the visual targets in three spatial frequency conditions: High frequency, low frequency, and broadband. Tasks were administered to 16 adolescents with high functioning ASD and 16 matched typically developing adolescents. Reaction time and accuracy were measured for each task in each condition. Results indicated that individuals with ASD processed context for both human and non-human stimuli, except in one condition, in which human stimuli had to be processed globally (i.e., target presented in low frequency). The task demands presented in this condition, and the performance deficit shown in the ASD group as a result, could be understood in terms of cognitive overload. These findings provide support for the complexity theory of autism and extend it. Our results also demonstrate how associative priming could support intact context processing of human and non-human stimuli in individuals with ASD. Autism Res 2017, 10: 520-530. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Integrating Climate Information and Decision Processes for Regional Climate Resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buizer, James; Goddard, Lisa; Guido, Zackry

2015-04-01

An integrated multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the University of Arizona and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University have joined forces with communities and institutions in the Caribbean, South Asia and West Africa to develop relevant, usable climate information and connect it to real decisions and development challenges. The overall objective of the "Integrating Climate Information and Decision Processes for Regional Climate Resilience" program is to build community resilience to negative impacts of climate variability and change. We produce and provide science-based climate tools and information to vulnerable peoples and the public, private, and civil society organizations that serve them. We face significant institutional challenges because of the geographical and cultural distance between the locale of climate tool-makers and the locale of climate tool-users and because of the complicated, often-inefficient networks that link them. To use an accepted metaphor, there is great institutional difficulty in coordinating the supply of and the demand for useful climate products that can be put to the task of building local resilience and reducing climate vulnerability. Our program is designed to reduce the information constraint and to initiate a linkage that is more demand driven, and which provides a set of priorities for further climate tool generation. A demand-driven approach to the co-production of appropriate and relevant climate tools seeks to meet the direct needs of vulnerable peoples as these needs have been canvassed empirically and as the benefits of application have been adequately evaluated. We first investigate how climate variability and climate change affect the livelihoods of vulnerable peoples. In so doing we assess the complex institutional web within which these peoples live -- the public agencies that serve them, their forms of access to necessary information, the structural constraints under which they make their decisions, and the non-public institutions of support that are available to them. We then interpret this complex reality in terms of the demand for science-based climate products and analyze the channels through which such climate support must pass, thus linking demand assessment with the scientific capacity to create appropriate decision support tools. In summary, the approach we employ is: 1) Demand-driven, beginning with a knowledge of the impacts of climate variability and change upon targeted populations, 2) Focused on vulnerability and resilience, which requires an understanding of broader networks of institutional actors who contribute to the adaptive capacity of vulnerable peoples, 3) Needs-based in that the climate needs matrix set priorities for the assessment of relevant climate products, 4) Dynamic in that the producers of climate products are involved at the point of demand assessment and can respond directly to stated needs, 5) Reflective in that the impacts of climate product interventions are subject to monitoring and evaluation throughout the process. Methods, approaches and preliminary results of our work in the Caribbean will be presented.

Explicit attention interferes with selective emotion processing in human extrastriate cortex.

PubMed

Schupp, Harald T; Stockburger, Jessica; Bublatzky, Florian; Junghöfer, Markus; Weike, Almut I; Hamm, Alfons O

2007-02-22

Brain imaging and event-related potential studies provide strong evidence that emotional stimuli guide selective attention in visual processing. A reflection of the emotional attention capture is the increased Early Posterior Negativity (EPN) for pleasant and unpleasant compared to neutral images (approximately 150-300 ms poststimulus). The present study explored whether this early emotion discrimination reflects an automatic phenomenon or is subject to interference by competing processing demands. Thus, emotional processing was assessed while participants performed a concurrent feature-based attention task varying in processing demands. Participants successfully performed the primary visual attention task as revealed by behavioral performance and selected event-related potential components (Selection Negativity and P3b). Replicating previous results, emotional modulation of the EPN was observed in a task condition with low processing demands. In contrast, pleasant and unpleasant pictures failed to elicit increased EPN amplitudes compared to neutral images in more difficult explicit attention task conditions. Further analyses determined that even the processing of pleasant and unpleasant pictures high in emotional arousal is subject to interference in experimental conditions with high task demand. Taken together, performing demanding feature-based counting tasks interfered with differential emotion processing indexed by the EPN. The present findings demonstrate that taxing processing resources by a competing primary visual attention task markedly attenuated the early discrimination of emotional from neutral picture contents. Thus, these results provide further empirical support for an interference account of the emotion-attention interaction under conditions of competition. Previous studies revealed the interference of selective emotion processing when attentional resources were directed to locations of explicitly task-relevant stimuli. The present data suggest that interference of emotion processing by competing task demands is a more general phenomenon extending to the domain of feature-based attention. Furthermore, the results are inconsistent with the notion of effortlessness, i.e., early emotion discrimination despite concurrent task demands. These findings implicate to assess the presumed automatic nature of emotion processing at the level of specific aspects rather than considering automaticity as an all-or-none phenomenon.

Explicit attention interferes with selective emotion processing in human extrastriate cortex

PubMed Central

Schupp, Harald T; Stockburger, Jessica; Bublatzky, Florian; Junghöfer, Markus; Weike, Almut I; Hamm, Alfons O

2007-01-01

Background Brain imaging and event-related potential studies provide strong evidence that emotional stimuli guide selective attention in visual processing. A reflection of the emotional attention capture is the increased Early Posterior Negativity (EPN) for pleasant and unpleasant compared to neutral images (~150–300 ms poststimulus). The present study explored whether this early emotion discrimination reflects an automatic phenomenon or is subject to interference by competing processing demands. Thus, emotional processing was assessed while participants performed a concurrent feature-based attention task varying in processing demands. Results Participants successfully performed the primary visual attention task as revealed by behavioral performance and selected event-related potential components (Selection Negativity and P3b). Replicating previous results, emotional modulation of the EPN was observed in a task condition with low processing demands. In contrast, pleasant and unpleasant pictures failed to elicit increased EPN amplitudes compared to neutral images in more difficult explicit attention task conditions. Further analyses determined that even the processing of pleasant and unpleasant pictures high in emotional arousal is subject to interference in experimental conditions with high task demand. Taken together, performing demanding feature-based counting tasks interfered with differential emotion processing indexed by the EPN. Conclusion The present findings demonstrate that taxing processing resources by a competing primary visual attention task markedly attenuated the early discrimination of emotional from neutral picture contents. Thus, these results provide further empirical support for an interference account of the emotion-attention interaction under conditions of competition. Previous studies revealed the interference of selective emotion processing when attentional resources were directed to locations of explicitly task-relevant stimuli. The present data suggest that interference of emotion processing by competing task demands is a more general phenomenon extending to the domain of feature-based attention. Furthermore, the results are inconsistent with the notion of effortlessness, i.e., early emotion discrimination despite concurrent task demands. These findings implicate to assess the presumed automatic nature of emotion processing at the level of specific aspects rather than considering automaticity as an all-or-none phenomenon. PMID:17316444

Transfer-appropriate processing in recognition memory: perceptual and conceptual effects on recognition memory depend on task demands.

PubMed

Parks, Colleen M

2013-07-01

Research examining the importance of surface-level information to familiarity in recognition memory tasks is mixed: Sometimes it affects recognition and sometimes it does not. One potential explanation of the inconsistent findings comes from the ideas of dual process theory of recognition and the transfer-appropriate processing framework, which suggest that the extent to which perceptual fluency matters on a recognition test depends in large part on the task demands. A test that recruits perceptual processing for discrimination should show greater perceptual effects and smaller conceptual effects than standard recognition, similar to the pattern of effects found in perceptual implicit memory tasks. This idea was tested in the current experiment by crossing a levels of processing manipulation with a modality manipulation on a series of recognition tests that ranged from conceptual (standard recognition) to very perceptually demanding (a speeded recognition test with degraded stimuli). Results showed that the levels of processing effect decreased and the effect of modality increased when tests were made perceptually demanding. These results support the idea that surface-level features influence performance on recognition tests when they are made salient by the task demands. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Handling or being the concept: An fMRI study on metonymy representations in coverbal gestures.

PubMed

Joue, Gina; Boven, Linda; Willmes, Klaus; Evola, Vito; Demenescu, Liliana R; Hassemer, Julius; Mittelberg, Irene; Mathiak, Klaus; Schneider, Frank; Habel, Ute

2018-01-31

In "Two heads are better than one," "head" stands for people and focuses the message on the intelligence of people. This is an example of figurative language through metonymy, where substituting a whole entity by one of its parts focuses attention on a specific aspect of the entity. Whereas metaphors, another figurative language device, are substitutions based on similarity, metonymy involves substitutions based on associations. Both are figures of speech but are also expressed in coverbal gestures during multimodal communication. The closest neuropsychological studies of metonymy in gestures have been nonlinguistic tool-use, illustrated by the classic apraxic problem of body-part-as-object (BPO, equivalent to an internal metonymy representation of the tool) vs. pantomimed action (external metonymy representation of the absent object/tool). Combining these research domains with concepts in cognitive linguistic research on gestures, we conducted an fMRI study to investigate metonymy resolution in coverbal gestures. Given the greater difficulty in developmental and apraxia studies, perhaps explained by the more complex semantic inferencing involved for external metonymy than for internal metonymy representations, we hypothesized that external metonymy resolution requires greater processing demands and that the neural resources supporting metonymy resolution would modulate regions involved in semantic processing. We found that there are indeed greater activations for external than for internal metonymy resolution in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ). This area is posterior to the lateral temporal regions recruited by metaphor processing. Effective connectivity analysis confirmed our hypothesis that metonymy resolution modulates areas implicated in semantic processing. We interpret our results in an interdisciplinary view of what metonymy in action can reveal about abstract cognition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation for Transnationalism: Changes in China's Top Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, June A.; Liu, Xiangyan

2014-01-01

This article argues that new international programs within public secondary schools in China represent a vigorous and legitimatized approach to meeting the demands of newly affluent Chinese families for pre-collegiate education that equals the best international standards and constitutes preparation for higher education at the leading universities…

Using Marriage and Family as an Aid in Acculturation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knyshevytska, Liliya; Hill, Jonnie

2007-01-01

This study describes the usefulness of a simulation, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, in helping newly arrived international students adjust to the academic demands of university life. It outlines various phases of the simulation. The narrative regarding its implementation in the classroom demonstrates how well many international students adapt to the value…

76 FR 18620 - Operating Limitations at John F. Kennedy International Airport

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-04

.... Kennedy International Airport (JFK) that published on January 18, 2008, and was amended on February 14... rulemaking. Background Until recently, most operations at JFK took place during relatively pronounced arrival... limited the number of arrivals and departures at JFK during the peak afternoon demand period through the...

A Marketing Analysis to Determine the Consumer Demand for Ambulatory Surgery at Darnall Army Community Hospital, Fort Hood, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

8 Marketing Research ...... ................................9 The Marketing Audit...9 A Marketing Research Model .... ..........................10 An Ambulatory Marketing Model. .... ......................12 Stage 1. Internal...14 Stage 4. Modifications of Internal Projecttons. .. ......14 Marketing Research on Ambulatory Surgical Centers .. ........15 Research

Quality Assurance at a Distance: International Accreditation in Taiwan Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Angela Yung-Chi

2011-01-01

In response to the global competitiveness in higher education, the government, in recent years, has encouraged Taiwan colleges and universities to seek international accreditation, which raises several questions, such as jurisdiction over national accreditation, a single set of standards for local and global quality assurance, demand for the…

Languages for Adult Learners. Language Teaching and Linguistics: Abstracts, Vol. 9, No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trim, J. L. M.

Increasing attention is being paid to the teaching of languages to adults. Communications improvements, tourism, immigration and international commerce are all contributing factors. Emerging third-world states often require a European language for internal and outside communication. Close contact among European nations demands knowledge of a…

Lessons Learned through a Global Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewald, Mark

1994-01-01

The Kamehameha Summer Institute for International Studies brings together high school students from different cultures to participate in tasks calling for international understanding and cooperation. Activities focus on preparation of action plans to meet the demands for economic and cultural survival faced by Pacific Rim countries in the 21st…

Crossing Cultures and Borders in International Online Distance Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadykova, Gulnara; Dautermann, Jennie

2009-01-01

The growing demand for higher education worldwide, along with global expansion of telecommunication technologies, give online distance education a potential world-wide reach for institutions in many countries. Given the persistent international digital divide and the potential for the host institutions and languages to be those of wealthy,…

Malaysia as a Regional Education Hub: A Demand-Side Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Ming Yu; Mahmood, Amir; Yeap, Peik Foong

2013-01-01

Malaysia is becoming an increasingly active player in international education and ranks as the 11th largest exporter of education in the world. Malaysia's recognisable advantages in the international education market include its strategic location between the East and the West, cultural diversity, and a relatively stable socio-economic…

Responsive Meta-Evaluation: A Participatory Approach to Enhancing Evaluation Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturges, Keith M.; Howley, Caitlin

2017-01-01

In an era of ever-deepening budget cuts and a concomitant demand for substantiated programs, many organizations have elected to conduct internal program evaluations. Internal evaluations offer advantages (e.g., enhanced evaluator program knowledge and ease of data collection) but may confront important challenges, including credibility threats,…

Internal structure visualization of flow and flame by process tomography and PLIF data fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Liu, Shi; Sun, S.; Pan, X.; Schlaberg, I. H. I.

2018-02-01

To address the increasing demands on pollution control and energy saving, the study of low-emission and high-efficiency burners has been emphasized worldwide. Swirl-induced environmental burners (EV-burners), have notable features aligned with these requirements. In this study, an EV burner is investigated by both an ECT system and an OH-PLIF system. The aim is to detect the structure of a flame and obtain more information about the combustion process in an EV burner. 3D ECT sensitivity maps are generated for the measurement and OH-PLIF images are acquired in the same combustion zone as for the ECT measurements. The experimental images of a flame by ECT are in good agreement with the OH radical distribution pictures captured by OH-PLIF, which provide a mutual verification of the visualization method.

The Role of Community-Driven Data Curation for Enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curry, Edward; Freitas, Andre; O'Riáin, Sean

With increased utilization of data within their operational and strategic processes, enterprises need to ensure data quality and accuracy. Data curation is a process that can ensure the quality of data and its fitness for use. Traditional approaches to curation are struggling with increased data volumes, and near real-time demands for curated data. In response, curation teams have turned to community crowd-sourcing and semi-automatedmetadata tools for assistance. This chapter provides an overview of data curation, discusses the business motivations for curating data and investigates the role of community-based data curation, focusing on internal communities and pre-competitive data collaborations. The chapter is supported by case studies from Wikipedia, The New York Times, Thomson Reuters, Protein Data Bank and ChemSpider upon which best practices for both social and technical aspects of community-driven data curation are described.

Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Hearing-Related Demand and Evaluative Threat.

PubMed

Mackersie, Carol L; Kearney, Lucia

2017-10-12

This paper consists of 2 parts. The purpose of Part 1 was to review the potential influence of internal (person-related) factors on listening effort. The purpose of Part 2 was to present, in support of Part 1, preliminary data illustrating the interactive effects of an external factor (task demand) and an internal factor (evaluative threat) on autonomic nervous system measures. For Part 1, we provided a brief narrative review of motivation and stress as modulators of listening effort. For Part 2, we described preliminary data from a study using a repeated-measures (2 × 2) design involving manipulations of task demand (high, low) and evaluative threat (high, low). The low-demand task consisted of repetition of sentences from a narrative. The high-demand task consisted of answering questions about the narrative, requiring both comprehension and recall. During the high evaluative threat condition, participants were filmed and told that their video recordings would be evaluated by a panel of experts. During the low evaluative threat condition, no filming occurred; participants were instructed to "do your best." Skin conductance (sympathetic nervous system activity) and heart rate variability (HRV, parasympathetic activity) were measured during the listening tasks. The HRV measure was the root mean square of successive differences of adjacent interbeat intervals. Twelve adults with hearing loss participated. Skin conductance increased and HRV decreased relative to baseline (no task) for all listening conditions. Skin conductance increased significantly with an increase in evaluative threat, but only for the more demanding task. There was no significant change in HRV in response to increasing evaluative threat or task demand. Listening effort may be influenced by factors other than task difficulty, as reviewed in Part 1. This idea is supported by the preliminary data indicating that the sympathetic nervous system response to task demand is modulated by social evaluative threat. More work is needed to determine the relative contributions of motivation and emotional stress on physiological responses during listening tasks.

Impact of process improvements on measures of emergency department efficiency.

PubMed

Leung, Alexander K; Whatley, Shawn D; Gao, Dechang; Duic, Marko

2017-03-01

To study the operational impact of process improvements on emergency department (ED) patient flow. The changes did not require any increase in resources or expenditures. This was a 36-month pre- and post-intervention study to evaluate the effect of implementing process improvements at a community ED from January 2010 to December 2012. The intervention comprised streamlining triage by having patients accepted into internal waiting areas immediately after triage. Within the ED, parallel processes unfolded, and there was no restriction on when registration occurred or which health care provider a patient saw first. Flexible nursing ratios allowed nursing staff to redeploy and move to areas of highest demand. Last, demand-based physician scheduling was implemented. The main outcome was length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes included time to physician initial assessment (PIA), left-without-being-seen (LWBS) rates, and left-against-medical-advice (LAMA) rates. Segmented regression of interrupted time series analysis was performed to quantify the impact of the intervention, and whether it was sustained. Patients totalling 251,899 attended the ED during the study period. Daily patient volumes increased 17.3% during the post-intervention period. Post-intervention, mean LOS decreased by 0.64 hours (p<0.005). LOS for non-admitted Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale 2 (-0.58 hours, p<0.005), 3 (-0.75 hours, p<0.005), and 4 (-0.32 hours, p<0.005) patients also decreased. There were reductions in PIA (43.81 minutes, p<0.005), LWBS (35.2%, p<0.005), and LAMA (61.9%, p<0.005). A combination of process improvements in the ED was associated with clinically significant reductions in LOS, PIA, LWBS, and LAMA for non-resuscitative patients.

Climate change hampers endangered species through intensified moisture-related plant stresses (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartholomeus, R.; Witte, J.; van Bodegom, P.; Dam, J. V.; Aerts, R.

2010-12-01

With recent climate change, extremes in meteorological conditions are forecast and observed to increase globally, and to affect vegetation composition. More prolonged dry periods will alternate with more intensive rainfall events, both within and between years, which will change soil moisture dynamics. In temperate climates, soil moisture, in concert with nutrient availability and soil acidity, is the most important environmental filter in determining local plant species composition, as it determines the availability of both oxygen and water to plant roots. These resources are indispensable for meeting the physiological demands of plants. The consequences of climate change for our natural environment are among the most pressing issues of our time. The international research community is beginning to realise that climate extremes may be more powerful drivers of vegetation change and species extinctions than slow-and-steady climatic changes, but the causal mechanisms of such changes are presently unknown. The roles of amplitudes in water availability as drivers of vegetation change have been particularly elusive owing to the lack of integration of the key variables involved. Here we show that the combined effect of increased rainfall variability, temperature and atmospheric CO2-concentration will lead to an increased variability in both wet and dry extremes in stresses faced by plants (oxygen and water stress, respectively). We simulated these plant stresses with a novel, process-based approach, incorporating in detail the interacting processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere interface. In order to quantify oxygen and water stress with causal measures, we focused on interacting meteorological, soil physical, microbial, and plant physiological processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. As both the supply and demand of oxygen and water depend strongly on the prevailing meteorological conditions, both oxygen and water stress were calculated dynamically in time to capture climate change effects. We demonstrate that increased rainfall variability in interaction with predicted changes in temperature and CO2, affects soil moisture conditions and plant oxygen and water demands such, that both oxygen stress and water stress will intensify due to climate change. Moreover, these stresses will increasingly coincide, causing variable stress conditions. These variable stress conditions were found to decrease future habitat suitability, especially for plant species that are presently endangered. The future existence of such species is thus at risk by climate change, which has direct implications for policies to maintain endangered species, as applied by international nature management organisations (e.g. IUCN). Our integrated mechanistic analysis of two stresses combined, which has never been done so far, reveals large impacts of climate change on species extinctions and thereby on biodiversity.

International benchmarking and best practice management: in search of health care and hospital excellence.

PubMed

von Eiff, Wilfried

2015-01-01

Hospitals worldwide are facing the same opportunities and threats: the demographics of an aging population; steady increases in chronic diseases and severe illnesses; and a steadily increasing demand for medical services with more intensive treatment for multi-morbid patients. Additionally, patients are becoming more demanding. They expect high quality medicine within a dignity-driven and painless healing environment. The severe financial pressures that these developments entail oblige care providers to more and more cost-containment and to apply process reengineering, as well as continuous performance improvement measures, so as to achieve future financial sustainability. At the same time, regulators are calling for improved patient outcomes. Benchmarking and best practice management are successfully proven performance improvement tools for enabling hospitals to achieve a higher level of clinical output quality, enhanced patient satisfaction, and care delivery capability, while simultaneously containing and reducing costs. This chapter aims to clarify what benchmarking is and what it is not. Furthermore, it is stated that benchmarking is a powerful managerial tool for improving decision-making processes that can contribute to the above-mentioned improvement measures in health care delivery. The benchmarking approach described in this chapter is oriented toward the philosophy of an input-output model and is explained based on practical international examples from different industries in various countries. Benchmarking is not a project with a defined start and end point, but a continuous initiative of comparing key performance indicators, process structures, and best practices from best-in-class companies inside and outside industry. Benchmarking is an ongoing process of measuring and searching for best-in-class performance: Measure yourself with yourself over time against key performance indicators. Measure yourself against others. Identify best practices. Equal or exceed this best practice in your institution. Focus on simple and effective ways to implement solutions. Comparing only figures, such as average length of stay, costs of procedures, infection rates, or out-of-stock rates, can lead easily to wrong conclusions and decision making with often-disastrous consequences. Just looking at figures and ratios is not the basis for detecting potential excellence. It is necessary to look beyond the numbers to understand how processes work and contribute to best-in-class results. Best practices from even quite different industries can enable hospitals to leapfrog results in patient orientation, clinical excellence, and cost-effectiveness. Despite common benchmarking approaches, it is pointed out that a comparison without "looking behind the figures" (what it means to be familiar with the process structure, process dynamic and drivers, process institutions/rules and process-related incentive components) will be extremely limited referring to reliability and quality of findings. In order to demonstrate transferability of benchmarking results between different industries practical examples from health care, automotive, and hotel service have been selected. Additionally, it is depicted that international comparisons between hospitals providing medical services in different health care systems do have a great potential for achieving leapfrog results in medical quality, organization of service provision, effective work structures, purchasing and logistics processes, or management, etc.

The association of subjective workload dimensions on quality of care and pharmacist quality of work life.

PubMed

Chui, Michelle A; Look, Kevin A; Mott, David A

2014-01-01

Workload has been described both objectively (e.g., number of prescriptions dispensed per pharmacist) as well as subjectively (e.g., pharmacist's perception of busyness). These approaches might be missing important characteristics of pharmacist workload that have not been previously identified and measured. To measure the association of community pharmacists' workload perceptions at three levels (organization, job, and task) with job satisfaction, burnout, and perceived performance of two tasks in the medication dispensing process. A secondary data analysis was performed using cross-sectional survey data collected from Wisconsin (US) community pharmacists. Organization-related workload was measured as staffing adequacy; job-related workload was measured as general and specific job demands; task-related workload was measured as internal and external mental demands. Pharmacists' perceived task performance was assessed for patient profile review and patient consultation. The survey was administered to a random sample of 500 pharmacists who were asked to opt in if they were a community pharmacist. Descriptive statistics and correlations of study variables were determined. Two structural equation models were estimated to examine relationships between the study variables and perceived task performance. From the 224 eligible community pharmacists that agreed to participate, 165 (73.7%) usable surveys were completed and returned. Job satisfaction and job-related monitoring demands had direct positive associations with both dispensing tasks. External task demands were negatively related to perceived patient consultation performance. Indirect effects on both tasks were primarily mediated through job satisfaction, which was positively related to staffing adequacy and cognitive job demands and negatively related to volume job demands. External task demands had an additional indirect effect on perceived patient consultation performance, as it was associated with lower levels of job satisfaction and higher levels of burnout. Allowing community pharmacists to concentrate on tasks and limiting interruptions while performing these tasks are important factors in improving quality of patient care and pharmacist work life. The results have implications for strategies to improve patient safety and pharmacist performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Three Essays on National Oil Company Efficiency, Energy Demand and Transportation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eller, Stacy L.

This dissertation is composed of three separate essays in the field of energy economics. In the first paper, both data envelopment analysis and stochastic production frontier estimation are employed to provide empirical evidence on the revenue efficiency of national oil companies (NOCs) and private international oil companies (IOCs). Using a panel of 80 oil producing firms, the analysis suggests that NOCs are generally less efficient at generating revenue from a given resource base than IOCs, with some exceptions. Due to differing firm objectives, however, structural and institutional features may help explain much of the inefficiency. The second paper analyzes the relationship between economic development and the demand for energy. Energy consumption is modeled using panel data from 1990 to 2004 for 50 countries spanning all levels of development. We find the relationship between energy consumption and economic development corresponds to the structure of aggregate output and the nature of derived demand for electricity and direct-use fuels in each sector. Notably, the evidence of non-constant income elasticity of demand is much greater for electricity demand than for direct-use fuel consumption. In addition, we show that during periods of rapid economic development, one in which the short-term growth rate exceeds the long-run average, an increase in aggregate output is met by less energy-efficient capital. This is a result of capital being fixed in the short-term. As additional, more efficient capital stock is added to the production process, the short-term increase in energy intensity will diminish. In the third essay, we develop a system of equations to estimate a model of motor vehicle fuel consumption, vehicle miles traveled and implied fuel efficiency for the 67 counties of the State of Florida from 2001 to 2008. This procedure allows us to decompose the factors of fuel demand into elasticities of vehicle driving demand and fuel efficiency. Particular attention is paid to the influence of the price of fuel, the sale of goods and services, vehicle ownership and population density on each component of our model.

The Association of Subjective Workload Dimensions on Quality of Care and Pharmacist Quality of Work Life

PubMed Central

Chui, Michelle A.; Look, Kevin A.; Mott, David A.

2013-01-01

Background Workload has been described both objectively (e.g., number of prescriptions dispensed per pharmacist) as well as subjectively (e.g., pharmacist’s perception of busyness). These approaches might be missing important characteristics of pharmacist workload that have not been previously identified and measured. Objectives To measure the association of community pharmacists’ workload perceptions at three levels (organization, job, and task) with job satisfaction, burnout, and perceived performance of two tasks in the medication dispensing process. Methods A secondary data analysis was performed using cross-sectional survey data collected from Wisconsin (US) community pharmacists. Organization–related workload was measured as staffing adequacy; job-related workload was measured as general and specific job demands; task-related workload was measured as internal and external mental demands. Pharmacists’ perceived task performance was assessed for patient profile review and patient consultation. The survey was administered to a random sample of 500 pharmacists who were asked to opt in if they were a community pharmacist. Descriptive statistics and correlations of study variables were determined. Two structural equation models were estimated to examine relationships between the study variables and perceived task performance. Results From the 224 eligible community pharmacists that agreed to participate, 165 (73.7%) usable surveys were completed and returned. Job satisfaction and job-related monitoring demands had direct positive associations with both dispensing tasks. External task demands were negatively related to perceived patient consultation performance. Indirect effects on both tasks were primarily mediated through job satisfaction, which was positively related to staffing adequacy and cognitive job demands and negatively related to volume job demands. External task demands had an additional indirect effect on perceived patient consultation performance, as it was associated with lower levels of job satisfaction and higher levels of burnout. Implications/Conclusions Allowing community pharmacists to concentrate on tasks and limiting interruptions while performing these tasks are important factors in improving quality of patient care and pharmacist work life. The results have implications for strategies to improve patient safety and pharmacist performance. PMID:23791360

The sex-specific internal and external demands imposed on players during Ultimate Frisbee game-play.

PubMed

Madueno, Maria C; Kean, Crystal O; Scanlan, Aaron T

2017-11-01

Despite the growing popularity of Ultimate Frisbee (UF) across sexes, the game demands imposed on players have been predominately examined in males. This study aimed to compare the internal and external demands of UF game-play in males and females. Male (N.=10) and female (N.=10) recreational UF players competed in separate sex-specific, indoor UF games. Internal responses (blood lactate concentration [BLa-], rating of perceived exertion [RPE], and heart rate [HR]) and external responses (direction-specific and total relative PlayerLoad™ [PL], and estimated equivalent distance [EED]) were measured. Data were analyzed using mixed ANOVAs with Cohen's effect sizes (d). During male game-play, significantly (P<0.01) higher BLa- (d=1.30, large), HR (d=0.40, small), PL (d=0.80-1.24, moderate-large), and EED (d=0.93, moderate) were apparent during the first half compared to the second half in males. During female game-play, a significantly (P<0.001) larger RPE (d=0.93, moderate) was evident during the second compared to the first half. In addition, females exhibited significantly (P<0.05) lower BLa- (d=1.43, large) in the first half and higher medio-lateral PL (d=1.10, moderate) in the second half compared to males. While similar global responses were observed between sexes across UF game-play, males experienced greater declines in physiological intensity and multi-directional activity than females. These data indicate overlap in game demands and training recommendations across sexes, with activity maintenance a focus, particularly in males.

The influence of time on task on mind wandering and visual working memory.

PubMed

Krimsky, Marissa; Forster, Daniel E; Llabre, Maria M; Jha, Amishi P

2017-12-01

Working memory relies on executive resources for successful task performance, with higher demands necessitating greater resource engagement. In addition to mnemonic demands, prior studies suggest that internal sources of distraction, such as mind wandering (i.e., having off-task thoughts) and greater time on task, may tax executive resources. Herein, the consequences of mnemonic demand, mind wandering, and time on task were investigated during a visual working memory task. Participants (N=143) completed a delayed-recognition visual working memory task, with mnemonic load for visual objects manipulated across trials (1 item=low load; 2 items=high load) and subjective mind wandering assessed intermittently throughout the experiment using a self-report Likert-type scale (1=on-task, 6=off-task). Task performance (correct/incorrect response) and self-reported mind wandering data were evaluated by hierarchical linear modeling to track trial-by-trial fluctuations. Performance declined with greater time on task, and the rate of decline was steeper for high vs low load trials. Self-reported mind wandering increased over time, and significantly varied asa function of both load and time on task. Participants reported greater mind wandering at the beginning of the experiment for low vs. high load trials; however, with greater time on task, more mind wandering was reported during high vs. low load trials. These results suggest that the availability of executive resources in support of working memory maintenance processes fluctuates in a demand-sensitive manner with time on task, and may be commandeered by mind wandering. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PubMed

Emanuel, Federica; Molino, Monica; Ghislieri, Chiara; Ghini, Riccardo; Tortone, Alberto; Cortese, Claudio Giovanni

2016-09-26

Work-related stress evaluation is a legal requirement for companies that, in some cases, might be seen as an opportunity to examine wellbeing at work and the dimensions related to it, through the involvement of employees. To that end, this study considers the job demands-resources model as a theoretical framework. The study has a twofold objective: a) to describe the process of subjective evaluation carried out in the Italian plant of a pharmaceutical company; and b) to show and discuss results of the analyses performed on variables, examining in detail the relationship between two outcomes (job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion) and some job demands (workload and job effort), job resources (safety climate, clarity of roles, clarity and applicability of procedures, supervisor relational justice and colleague support), and personal resources (internal locus of control and job-related self-efficacy). The research was conducted through focus groups and a self-report questionnaire that involved all plant employees. Final respondents were 143 (85.1% of employees). The regression model, with job satisfaction as a dependent variable, showed a positive relationship with some organizational resources: clarity of roles, clarity and applicability of procedures, supervisor relational justice and colleague support. The regression model, with emotional exhaustion as a dependent variable, showed a positive relationship with two job demands, workload and job effort, and a negative relationship with job-related self-efficacy. The study confirmed how important it is to consider wellbeing at work, in its cognitive and emotional dimensions, and its relationship with job demands and resources, within subjective evaluation of work-related stress. Starting from the study results, the research identified a plan of interventions designed for specific areas of improvement.

37 CFR 1.480 - Demand for international preliminary examination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... been submitted (PCT Rule 54bis.1(b)). [52 FR 20048, May 28, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 47810, Nov. 28... (§ 1.482(a)(1)) and the handling fee (§ 1.482(b)) shall be due within the applicable time limit set forth in PCT Rule 57.3. (b) The Demand shall be made on a standardized form (PCT Rule 53). Copies of the...

37 CFR 1.480 - Demand for international preliminary examination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... been submitted (PCT Rule 54bis.1(b)). [52 FR 20048, May 28, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 47810, Nov. 28... (§ 1.482(a)(1)) and the handling fee (§ 1.482(b)) shall be due within the applicable time limit set forth in PCT Rule 57.3. (b) The Demand shall be made on a standardized form (PCT Rule 53). Copies of the...

37 CFR 1.480 - Demand for international preliminary examination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... been submitted (PCT Rule 54bis.1(b)). [52 FR 20048, May 28, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 47810, Nov. 28... (§ 1.482(a)(1)) and the handling fee (§ 1.482(b)) shall be due within the applicable time limit set forth in PCT Rule 57.3. (b) The Demand shall be made on a standardized form (PCT Rule 53). Copies of the...

37 CFR 1.480 - Demand for international preliminary examination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... been submitted (PCT Rule 54bis.1(b)). [52 FR 20048, May 28, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 47810, Nov. 28... (§ 1.482(a)(1)) and the handling fee (§ 1.482(b)) shall be due within the applicable time limit set forth in PCT Rule 57.3. (b) The Demand shall be made on a standardized form (PCT Rule 53). Copies of the...

37 CFR 1.480 - Demand for international preliminary examination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... been submitted (PCT Rule 54bis.1(b)). [52 FR 20048, May 28, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 47810, Nov. 28... (§ 1.482(a)(1)) and the handling fee (§ 1.482(b)) shall be due within the applicable time limit set forth in PCT Rule 57.3. (b) The Demand shall be made on a standardized form (PCT Rule 53). Copies of the...

Clinical research in a hospital--from the lone rider to teamwork.

PubMed

Hannisdal, E

1996-01-01

Clinical research of high international standard is very demanding and requires clinical data of high quality, software, hardware and competence in research design and statistical treatment of data. Most busy clinicians have little time allocated for clinical research and this increases the need for a potent infrastructure. This paper describes how the Norwegian Radium Hospital, a specialized cancer hospital, has reorganized the clinical research process. This includes a new department, the Clinical Research Office, which serves the formal framework, a central Diagnosis Registry, clinical databases and multicentre studies. The department assists about 120 users, mainly clinicians. Installation of a network software package with over 10 programs has strongly provided an internal standardization, reduced the costs and saved clinicians a great deal of time. The hospital is building up about 40 diagnosis-specific clinical databases with up to 200 variables registered. These databases are shared by the treatment group and seem to be important tools for quality assurance. We conclude that the clinical research process benefits from a firm infrastructure facilitating teamwork through extensive use of modern information technology. We are now ready for the next phase, which is to work for a better external technical framework for cooperation with other institutions throughout the world.

Six decades of industrial water treatment (1915-1975)

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

Maguire, J.J.

1976-01-01

An extensive account of water treatment beginning with the internal treatment of boiler water used for steam generation in the teens to the later treatment of cooling water and industrial process water. In the teens external softening of boiler makeup water was recommended by various processes. In the twenties water problems intensified and research on boiler water scaling began and continued through the thirties. The mechanism of scale formation was studied, and a new Navy boiler compound was adopted. Langelier's Saturation Index work in 1936 served as a basis for early control of scaling by cooling water. In the fortiesmore » other controls and removers were recommended, and antifoam patents issued. In 1950 Berk proved nitrate an effective inhibitor, and in 1951 influence of boiler design and operation on steam contamination was presented. Internal chemical treatment programs continued to be refined in the sixties with synthetic dispersing agents, and Chelant treatments continued to dominate the seventies, with inspection times extended 2-3 years by their use. Besides treatment of industrial waters, evaluation of results also demanded attention and water quality standards were of concern. Research continues to develop more effective synthetic and naturally-occurring organic agents.« less

International energy outlook 1996

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

NONE

1996-05-01

This International Energy Outlook presents historical data from 1970 to 1993 and EIA`s projections of energy consumption and carbon emissions through 2015 for 6 country groups. Prospects for individual fuels are discussed. Summary tables of the IEO96 world energy consumption, oil production, and carbon emissions projections are provided in Appendix A. The reference case projections of total foreign energy consumption and of natural gas, coal, and renewable energy were prepared using EIA`s World Energy Projection System (WEPS) model. Reference case projections of foreign oil production and consumption were prepared using the International Energy Module of the National Energy Modeling Systemmore » (NEMS). Nuclear consumption projections were derived from the International Nuclear Model, PC Version (PC-INM). Alternatively, nuclear capacity projections were developed using two methods: the lower reference case projections were based on analysts` knowledge of the nuclear programs in different countries; the upper reference case was generated by the World Integrated Nuclear Evaluation System (WINES)--a demand-driven model. In addition, the NEMS Coal Export Submodule (CES) was used to derive flows in international coal trade. As noted above, foreign projections of electricity demand are now projected as part of the WEPS. 64 figs., 62 tabs.« less

International patients on operation vacation: medical refuge and health system crisis Comment on "International patients on operation vacation - perspectives of patients travelling to Hungary for orthopaedic treatments".

PubMed

Lunt, Neil

2015-03-07

An understanding of patient mobility, international patients and medical tourism includes supply and demand side considerations. As well as micro-level reports of motivation and satisfaction we must acknowledge broader system-level dynamics. Exploring these may unearth more complex geographies of patient travel. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

International Competencies for the Defense Acquisition Workforce

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

subsets of “multi- or cross-cultural knowledge, foreign policy, protocol and etiquette , and ambiguity of ex- pectations.” With those definitions serving...poll went on to add that 68 percent wanted to increase their knowledge on cross-cultural sensi- tivities, 50 percent on international protocol and... etiquette , and 54 percent on developing international negotiation skills. On the demand side, noted journalist Roxana Tiron of The- Hill.com reported

Collaborating internationally on physician leadership education: first steps.

PubMed

Matlow, Anne; Chan, Ming-Ka; Bohnen, Jordan David; Blumenthal, Daniel Mark; Sánchez-Mendiola, Melchor; de Camps Meschino, Diane; Samson, Lindy Michelle; Busari, Jamiu

2016-07-04

Purpose Physicians are often ill-equipped for the leadership activities their work demands. In part, this is due to a gap in traditional medical education. An emergent international network is developing a globally relevant leadership curriculum for postgraduate medical education. The purpose of this article is to share key learnings from this process to date. Design/methodology/approach The Toronto International Summit on Leadership Education for Physicians (TISLEP) was hosted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. Of 64 attendees from eight countries, 34 joined working groups to develop leadership competencies. The CanMEDS Competency Framework, stage of learner development and venue of learning formed the scaffold for the work. Emotional intelligence was selected as the topic to test the feasibility of fruitful international collaboration; results were presented at TISLEP 2015. Findings Dedicated international stakeholders engaged actively and constructively through defined working groups to develop a globally relevant, competency-based curriculum for physician leadership education. Eleven principles are recommended for consideration in physician leadership curriculum development. Defining common language and taxonomy is essential for a harmonized product. The importance of establishing an international network to support implementation, evaluation, sustainability and dissemination of the work was underscored. Originality/value International stakeholders are collaborating successfully on a graduated, competency-based leadership curriculum for postgraduate medical learners. The final product will be available for adaptation to local needs. An international physician leadership education network is being developed to support and expand the work underway.

Research participation by people with intellectual disability and mental health issues: an examination of the processes of consent.

PubMed

Taua, Chris; Neville, Christine; Hepworth, Julie

2014-12-01

Balancing the demands of research and ethics is always challenging, and even more so when recruiting vulnerable groups. Within the context of current legislation and international human rights declarations, it is strongly advocated that research can and must be undertaken with all recipients of health-care services. Research in the field of intellectual disability presents particular challenges in regards to consenting processes. This paper is a reflective overview and analysis of the complex processes undertaken, and events that occurred in gaining informed consent from people with intellectual disability to participate in a study exploring their experiences of being an inpatient in mental health hospitals within Aotearoa/New Zealand. A framework based on capacity, information, and voluntariness is presented, with excerpts from the field provided to explore consenting processes. The practical implications of the processes utilized are then discussed in order to stimulate debate regarding clearer and enhanced methods of gaining informed consent from people with intellectual disability. © 2014 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Industrial symbiosis: corn ethanol fermentation, hydrothermal carbonization, and anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Wood, Brandon M; Jader, Lindsey R; Schendel, Frederick J; Hahn, Nicholas J; Valentas, Kenneth J; McNamara, Patrick J; Novak, Paige M; Heilmann, Steven M

2013-10-01

The production of dry-grind corn ethanol results in the generation of intermediate products, thin and whole stillage, which require energy-intensive downstream processing for conversion into commercial animal feed products. Hydrothermal carbonization of thin and whole stillage coupled with anaerobic digestion was investigated as alternative processing methods that could benefit the industry. By substantially eliminating evaporation of water, reductions in downstream energy consumption from 65% to 73% were achieved while generating hydrochar, fatty acids, treated process water, and biogas co-products providing new opportunities for the industry. Processing whole stillage in this manner produced the four co-products, eliminated centrifugation and evaporation, and substantially reduced drying. With thin stillage, all four co-products were again produced, as well as a high quality animal feed. Anaerobic digestion of the aqueous product stream from the hydrothermal carbonization of thin stillage reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD) by more than 90% and converted 83% of the initial COD to methane. Internal use of this biogas could entirely fuel the HTC process and reduce overall natural gas usage. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Burnout and Work Engagement among Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakanen, Jari J.; Bakker, Arnold B.; Schaufeli, Wilmar B.

2006-01-01

The Job Demands-Resources Model was used as the basis of the proposal that there are two parallel processes involved in work-related well-being among teachers, namely an energetical process (i.e., job demands --> burnout --> ill health) and a motivational process (i.e., job resources --> engagement --> organizational…

World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS ): Global Activity Module

EIA Publications

2016-01-01

The World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS ) is a comprehensive, mid?term energy forecasting and policy analysis tool used by EIA. WEPS projects energy supply, demand, and prices by country or region, given assumptions about the state of various economies, international energy markets, and energy policies. The Global Activity Module (GLAM) provides projections of economic driver variables for use by the supply, demand, and conversion modules of WEPS . GLAM’s baseline economic projection contains the economic assumptions used in WEPS to help determine energy demand and supply. GLAM can also provide WEPS with alternative economic assumptions representing a range of uncertainty about economic growth. The resulting economic impacts of such assumptions are inputs to the remaining supply and demand modules of WEPS .

Do oil shocks predict economic policy uncertainty?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehman, Mobeen Ur

2018-05-01

Oil price fluctuations have influential role in global economic policies for developed as well as emerging countries. I investigate the role of international oil prices disintegrated into structural (i) oil supply shock, (ii) aggregate demand shock and (iii) oil market specific demand shocks, based on the work of Kilian (2009) using structural VAR framework on economic policies uncertainty of sampled markets. Economic policy uncertainty, due to its non-linear behavior is modeled in a regime switching framework with disintegrated structural oil shocks. Our results highlight that Indian, Spain and Japanese economic policy uncertainty responds to the global oil price shocks, however aggregate demand shocks fail to induce any change. Oil specific demand shocks are significant only for China and India in high volatility state.

Neo-classical theory of competition or Adam Smith's hand as mathematized ideology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCauley, Joseph L.

2001-10-01

Orthodox economic theory (utility maximization, rational agents, efficient markets in equilibrium) is based on arbitrarily postulated, nonempiric notions. The disagreement between economic reality and a key feature of neo-classical economic theory was criticized empirically by Osborne. I show that the orthodox theory is internally self-inconsistent for the very reason suggested by Osborne: lack of invertibility of demand and supply as functions of price to obtain price as functions of supply and demand. The reason for the noninvertibililty arises from nonintegrable excess demand dynamics, a feature of their theory completely ignored by economists.

Interval Timing Deficits Assessed by Time Reproduction Dual Tasks as Cognitive Endophenotypes for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

PubMed Central

Hwang-Gu, Shoou-Lian; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2015-01-01

The literature has suggested timing processing as a potential endophenotype for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, whether the subjective internal clock speed presented by verbal estimation and limited attention capacity presented by time reproduction could be endophenotypes for ADHD is still unknown. We assessed 223 youths with DSM-IV ADHD (age range: 10-17 years), 105 unaffected siblings, and 84 typically developing (TD) youths using psychiatric interviews, intelligence tests, verbal estimation and time reproduction tasks (single task and simple and difficult dual tasks) at 5-second, 12-second, and 17-second intervals. We found that youths with ADHD tended to overestimate time in verbal estimation more than their unaffected siblings and TD youths, implying that fast subjective internal clock speed might be a characteristic of ADHD, rather than an endophenotype for ADHD. Youths with ADHD and their unaffected siblings were less precise in time reproduction dual tasks than TD youths. The magnitude of estimated errors in time reproduction was greater in youths with ADHD and their unaffected siblings than in TD youths, with an increased time interval at the 17-second interval and with increased task demands on both simple and difficult dual tasks versus the single task. Increased impaired time reproduction in dual tasks with increased intervals and task demands were shown in youths with ADHD and their unaffected siblings, suggesting that time reproduction deficits explained by limited attention capacity might be a useful endophenotype of ADHD. PMID:25992899

Agriculture and Energy: Implications for Food Security, Water, and Land Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokgoz, S.; Zhang, W.; Msangi, S.; Bhandary, P.

2011-12-01

Sustainable production of agricultural commodities and growth of international trade in these goods are challenged as never before by supply-side constraints (such as climate change, water and land scarcity, and environmental degradation) and by demand-side dynamics (volatility in food and energy markets, the strengthening food-energy linkage, population growth, and income growth). On the one hand, the rapidly expanding demand can potentially create new market opportunities for agriculture. On the other hand, there are many threats to a sufficient response by the supply side to meet this growing and changing demand. Agricultural production systems in many countries are neither resource-efficient, nor producing according to their full potential. The stock of natural resources such as land, water, nutrients, energy, and genetic diversity is shrinking relative to demand, and their use must become increasingly efficient in order to reduce environmental impacts and preserve the planet's productive capacity. World energy prices have increased rapidly in recent years. At the same time, agriculture has become more energy-intensive. Higher energy costs have pushed up the cost of producing, transporting and processing agricultural commodities, driving up commodity prices. Higher energy costs have also affected water use and availability through increased costs of water extraction, conveyance and desalinization, higher demand for hydroelectric power, and increased cost of subsidizing water services. In the meantime, the development of biofuels has diverted increasing amounts of agricultural land and water resources to the production of biomass-based renewable energy. This more "intensified" linkage between agriculture and energy comes at a time when there are other pressures on the world's limited resources. The related high food prices, especially those in the developing countries, have led to setbacks in the poverty alleviation effort among the global community with more population under hunger and poverty. In light of these threats and opportunities facing the global food system, the proposed study takes a long-term perspective and addresses the main medium and long- term drivers of agricultural markets using the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade developed by the Environment and Production Technology Division of IFPRI to project future production, consumption, and trade of key agricultural commodities. The main objective of the study is to analyze the link between energy and agricultural markets, focusing on the "new" role of agriculture as a supplier of energy for transportation through biofuels, and the subsequent impact on land use and demand for water from the agricultural sector. In this context, this study incorporates various scenarios of future energy demand and energy price impacts on global agricultural markets (food prices and food security), water use implications (irrigation water consumption by agricultural sector), and land use implications (changes in national and global crop area). The scenarios are designed to understand the impact of energy prices on biofuel production, cost of production for agricultural crops, conversion of rainfed area to irrigated area, and necessary levels of crop productivity growth to counter these effects.

Matching veterinary school accreditation to the global needs of the profession and global society.

PubMed

Craven, J A

2009-08-01

In North America, the United Kingdom and Australasia, veterinary school accreditation is an integral part of the process of registering veterinarians to practise. In these regions, the relevant accrediting authority develops a set of standards which form the basis for individual schools to prepare a self-evaluation report, in preparation for a site-visit team to spend a week validating the self assessment. Global trends in food production and animal movement increase the potential for spread of animal diseases and demands from trading partners to guarantee food quality standards. These and other trends in the practice of veterinary medicine require schools to continually review their curricula to accommodate workplace demands. Accreditation systems in the western world have been working together to improve collaboration and review standards but, to date, there has not been an international agency with responsibility for facilitating development of evolving and new systems. It is suggested that the World Organisation for Animal Health could consider whether it has a role in improving veterinary education by assisting in this area.

Research Infrastructure and Scientific Collections: The Supply and Demand of Scientific Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, E.; Schindel, D. E.

2016-12-01

Research infrastructure is essential in both experimental and observational sciences and is commonly thought of as single-sited facilities. In contrast, object-based scientific collections are distributed in nearly every way, including by location, taxonomy, geologic epoch, discipline, collecting processes, benefits sharing rules, and many others. These diffused collections may have been amassed for a particular discipline, but their potential for use and impact in other fields needs to be explored. Through a series of cross-disciplinary activities, Scientific Collections International (SciColl) has explored and developed new ways in which the supply of scientific collections can meet the demand of researchers in unanticipated ways. From cross-cutting workshops on emerging infectious diseases and food security, to an online portal of collections, SciColl aims to illustrate the scope and value of object-based scientific research infrastructure. As distributed infrastructure, the full impact of scientific collections to the research community is a result of discovering, utilizing, and networking these resources. Examples and case studies from infectious disease research, food security topics, and digital connectivity will be explored.

Managing inherent complexity for sustainable walleye fisheries in Lake Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseman, Edward F.; Drouin, Richard; Gaden, Marc; Knight, Roger; Tyson, Jeff; Zhao, Yingming; Taylor, William W.; Lynch, Abigail J.; Léonard, Nancy J.

2012-01-01

In Lake Erie, Walleye (Sander vitreus vitreus) is king. The naturally occurring species is the foundation of commercial fishing operations on the Canadian side of the lake and is a much-prized sport fish on the American side. Management of Lake Erie walleye fisheries is complex and takes place in an inter-jurisdictional setting composed of resource agencies from the states of Michigan (MDNR), Ohio (ODNR), Pennsylvania (PFBC), and New York (NYDEC) and the province of Ontario (OMNR). The complexity of walleye management is exacerbated by interactions among environmental and ecological changes in Lake Erie, complex life-history characteristics of the species, public demand for walleye, and cultural/governance differences among managing groups and their respective constituents. Success of future management strategies will largely hinge upon our ability to understand these inherent complexities and to employ tactics that successfully accommodate stock productivity and human demand in a highly dynamic environment. In this report, we review the history of Lake Erie walleye management, outline the multi-jurisdictional process for international management of walleye, and discuss strategies to address challenges facing managers.

Can demand-side policies stop the tobacco industry's damage? Lessons from Turkey.

PubMed

Gultekin-Karakas, Derya

2015-01-01

Trade and investment liberalisation in the post-1980 period allowed the penetration of transnational tobacco companies into the Turkish market. State control over the market was gradually removed and tobacco farming, manufacturing, trade and consumption were reshaped in line with the needs of transnational tobacco companies. The resultant increase in product proliferation and aggressive marketing strategies led to a dramatic rise in cigarette consumption in the 1990s, making Turkey a market with one of the sharpest consumption increases in the world. While Turkey implemented demand-side tobacco control policies to reduce consumption after 1996, it continued to stimulate manufacturing and trade in a conflicting way. The Turkish case verifies that the liberalisation process facilitated by the state under the auspices of international institutions conflicts with tobacco control. Liberalisation paves the way for market expansions of transnational tobacco companies that resist tobacco control in their drive for profit. Current global tobacco control policies, with no interest in controlling manufacturing, have limited effect on consumption. The Turkish case indicates the necessity of establishing public control over tobacco manufacturing and trade from a public health perspective.

7 CFR 1710.206 - Approval requirements for load forecasts prepared pursuant to approved load forecast work plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... narrative shall address the overall approach, time periods, and expected internal and external uses of the forecast. Examples of internal uses include providing information for developing or monitoring demand side... suppliers. Examples of external uses include meeting state and Federal regulatory requirements, obtaining...

Education With(Out) Distinction: Beyond Graduate Attributes for Chinese International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Xianlin; Cadman, Kate

2013-01-01

The recent explosion of Chinese students in Australian universities presents serious challenges for staff in higher education as we try to meet the conflicting demands of our positions. On one hand, we must offer diverse international students opportunity to compete equitably with their Australian counterparts and to receive an appropriate…

Cross-Cultural Teaching: Experiences of American Teachers in Thai Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Varaporn Jamklai

2012-01-01

Globalization and the expansion of Western influences have made English the lingua franca of international connections. For this reason, the demand for native English speaking teachers, especially those from the U.S, has been escalating worldwide, especially, in Thailand, one of the major hubs of international travel and education in Southeast…

Cultural Demands of the Host-Nation: International Student Experience and the Public Diplomacy Consequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triana, Benjamin

2015-01-01

Traditional approaches for hosting international students tend to focus on classroom achievement rather than on intercultural exchange and cultural immersion. Such approaches lessen the possibility of successful educational experiences which also hinders public diplomacy. Two case studies are presented that reveal how structural changes at a…

Verification of the Integrity and Legitimacy of Academic Credential Documents in an International Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gollin, George D.

2009-01-01

The global demand for higher education currently exceeds the world's existing university capacity. This shortfall is likely to persist for the foreseeable future, raising concerns that frustrated students might choose to purchase fraudulent credentials from counterfeiters or diploma mills. International efforts to encourage the development of…

Multidimensional Perfectionism and Internalizing Problems: Do Teacher and Classmate Support Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredrick, Stephanie Secord; Demaray, Michelle Kilpatrick; Jenkins, Lyndsay N.

2017-01-01

Adolescent stressors coupled with environmental demands, such as pressures to achieve, might lead to negative outcomes for some students. Students who worry about their ability to meet high standards might be more at risk of internalizing problems. The current study investigated the relations among perfectionism, social support, and internalizing…

Inside Thai Private Higher Education: Exploring Private Growth in International Context. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Praphamontripong, Prachayani

2008-01-01

This paper examines different institutional characteristics of Thai private higher education in historical-organizational perspective. The analysis applies different conceptual categories of private emergence--Catholic, elite, demand-absorbing--drawn from international literature starting with Levy (1986) to the Thai case. The societal context of…

Implications of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) for Test Development and Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Janet F.; Benson, Nicholas; Oakland, Thomas

2010-01-01

Implications of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) on the development and use of tests in school settings are enumerated. We predict increased demand for behavioural assessments that consider a person's activities, participation and person-environment interactions, including measures that: (a) address…

Global Perspectives in Higher Education: Taking the Agenda Forward in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lunn, Jenny

2008-01-01

The economic, social, and cultural interests of the nation demand that graduates have sound knowledge of global issues, the skills for working in an international context, and the values of a "global citizen." Research funded by the British government's Department for International Development sought to assess how such "global…

Imputation of microsatellite alleles from dense SNP genotypes for parentage verification across multiple Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microsatellite markers (MS) have traditionally been used for parental verification and are still the international standard in spite of their higher cost, error rate, and turnaround time compared with Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) -based assays. Despite domestic and international demands fr...

To Stay or Not to Stay: Retention of Asian International Faculty in STEM Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Janet H.; Celis, Sergio; Kim, Hee Sun; Lipson, Sarah Ketchen; Tong, Ximeng

2014-01-01

The present study identifies characteristics of individuals and work settings that influence Asian international faculty members' intentions to continue their employment in US research universities. Given the demand for researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields (STEM), the higher rate of turnover among untenured…

Staff Perceptions of External versus Internal Teaching and Staff Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Rohan G.; And Others

1984-01-01

A survey of University of New England academic staff was conducted to determine their perceptions of external teaching as part of a larger study to ascertain staff attitudes toward their effectiveness as teachers. Responses related to demands, enjoyment, and benefits of external and internal teaching, and student characteristics are discussed.…

Managing Health and Safety on International School Trips

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter-Jones, John; Hunter-Jones, Philippa

2007-01-01

Organizing international school trips can be a demanding experience because of the age of the participants, the unfamiliar surroundings and the excitement associated with the foreign trip. As many organizers are full-time teachers, without a background in the travel sector, the pressures can be even greater. The need to anticipate potential risks…

Sex-specific neural activity when resolving cognitive interference in individuals with or without prior internalizing disorders.

PubMed

Wang, Zhishun; Jacobs, Rachel H; Marsh, Rachel; Horga, Guillermo; Qiao, Jianping; Warner, Virginia; Weissman, Myrna M; Peterson, Bradley S

2016-03-30

The processing of cognitive interference is a self-regulatory capacity that is impaired in persons with internalizing disorders. This investigation was to assess sex differences in the neural correlates of cognitive interference in individuals with and without an illness history of an internalizing disorder. We compared functional magnetic resonance imaging blood-oxygenation-level-dependent responses in both males (n=63) and females (n=80) with and without this illness history during performance of the Simon task. Females deactivated superior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobe, and posterior cingulate cortex to a greater extent than males. Females with a prior history of internalizing disorder also deactivated these regions more compared to males with that history, and they additionally demonstrated greater activation of right inferior frontal gyrus. These group differences were represented in a significant sex-by-illness interaction in these regions. These deactivated regions compose a task-negative or default mode network, whereas the inferior frontal gyrus usually activates when performing an attention-demanding task and is a key component of a task-positive network. Our findings suggest that a prior history of internalizing disorders disproportionately influences functioning of the default mode network and is associated with an accompanying activation of the task-positive network in females during the resolution of cognitive interference. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

US Food Security and Climate Change: Mid-Century Projections of Commodity Crop Production by the IMPACT Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takle, E. S.; Gustafson, D. I.; Beachy, R.; Nelson, G. C.; Mason-D'Croz, D.; Palazzo, A.

2013-12-01

Agreement is developing among agricultural scientists on the emerging inability of agriculture to meet growing global food demands. The lack of additional arable land and availability of freshwater have long been constraints on agriculture. Changes in trends of weather conditions that challenge physiological limits of crops, as projected by global climate models, are expected to exacerbate the global food challenge toward the middle of the 21st century. These climate- and constraint-driven crop production challenges are interconnected within a complex global economy, where diverse factors add to price volatility and food scarcity. We use the DSSAT crop modeling suite, together with mid-century projections of four AR4 global models, as input to the International Food Policy Research Institute IMPACT model to project the impact of climate change on food security through the year 2050 for internationally traded crops. IMPACT is an iterative model that responds to endogenous and exogenous drivers to dynamically solve for the world prices that ensure global supply equals global demand. The modeling methodology reconciles the limited spatial resolution of macro-level economic models that operate through equilibrium-driven relationships at a national level with detailed models of biophysical processes at high spatial resolution. The analysis presented here suggests that climate change in the first half of the 21st century does not represent a near-term threat to food security in the US due to the availability of adaptation strategies (e.g., loss of current growing regions is balanced by gain of new growing regions). However, as climate continues to trend away from 20th century norms current adaptation measures will not be sufficient to enable agriculture to meet growing food demand. Climate scenarios from higher-level carbon emissions exacerbate the food shortfall, although uncertainty in climate model projections (particularly precipitation) is a limitation to impact studies.

The Golosiiv on-line plate archive database, management and maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakuliak, L.; Sergeeva, T.

2007-08-01

We intend to create online version of the database of the MAO NASU plate archive as VO-compatible structures in accordance with principles, developed by the International Virtual Observatory Alliance in order to make them available for world astronomical community. The online version of the log-book database is constructed by means of MySQL+PHP. Data management system provides a user with user interface, gives a capability of detailed traditional form-filling radial search of plates, obtaining some auxiliary sampling, the listing of each collection and permits to browse the detail descriptions of collections. The administrative tool allows database administrator the data correction, enhancement with new data sets and control of the integrity and consistence of the database as a whole. The VO-compatible database is currently constructing under the demands and in the accordance with principles of international data archives and has to be strongly generalized in order to provide a possibility of data mining by means of standard interfaces and to be the best fitted to the demands of WFPDB Group for databases of the plate catalogues. On-going enhancements of database toward the WFPDB bring the problem of the verification of data to the forefront, as it demands the high degree of data reliability. The process of data verification is practically endless and inseparable from data management owing to a diversity of data errors nature, that means to a variety of ploys of their identification and fixing. The current status of MAO NASU glass archive forces the activity in both directions simultaneously: the enhancement of log-book database with new sets of observational data as well as generalized database creation and the cross-identification between them. The VO-compatible version of the database is supplying with digitized data of plates obtained with MicroTek ScanMaker 9800 XL TMA. The scanning procedure is not total but is conducted selectively in the frames of special projects.

Downstream process options for the ABE fermentation.

PubMed

Friedl, Anton

2016-05-01

Butanol is a very interesting substance both for the chemical industry and as a biofuel. The classical distillation process for the removal of butanol is far too energy demanding, at a factor of 220% of the energy content of butanol. Alternative separation processes studied are hybrid processes of gas-stripping, liquid-liquid extraction and pervaporation with distillation and a novel adsorption/drying/desorption hybrid process. Compared with the energy content of butanol, the resulting energy demand for butanol separation and concentration of optimized hybrid processes is 11%-22% for pervaporation/distillation and 11%-17% for liquid-liquid extraction/distillation. For a novel adsorption/drying/desorption process, the energy demand is 9.4%. But all downstream process options need further proof of industrial applicability. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rideshare programs: a historical perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horais, Brian J.

2000-11-01

In recent years there has been a significant increase in demand for testing, qualification and evaluation of satellite components in space. This will continue to be true with the dramatic growth in remote sensing and communication satellites and constellations. Finding ways to space qualify components and sensors without paying for expensive, dedicated space experiments has prompted a number of aerospace companies (large and small) and government organizations to increase their emphasis on providing low-cost access to space by means of secondary rides on primary payloads and launch vehicle structures. Proactive rideshare brokering is a process that supports space testing by actively providing the information, processes and equipment necessary to support successful space testing. As U.S. space programs have grown in scope and cost, the capacity to accetp risk as part of the development process has diminished - resulting in reduced levels of innovation and erosion of our space industry domination. In contrast, the international space community has instituted a number of innovative processes that support low cost entry to space for small programs. This has stimulated new space systems industries in many countries around the world. This growth is closely coupled with the dynamic growth in the International space launch industry. Proactive rideshare brokering takes a new approach to secondary payload integration. Many commercial and government payload integration services have taken the approach "If you build it they will come." This is not sufficiently aggressive to attract the new technologists who know very little about space testing. Proactive brokering must take a "You must go out and actively seek high-payoff technology payloads" approach to have a true impact on the implementation of new space system technologies. It should also include the application of proven practices from the international payload integration community. The paper draws conclusions by comparing what has been done historically and currently in the international space payload integration community versus what the current practices are in the U.S.. Observations and recommendations are made that reflect a reduced timeline approach and that acknowledge the close coupling between the technology base, the space systems industry, infrastructure and educational processes.

Balancing Demands and Resources in Sport: Adaptation and Validation of the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation Questionnaire for Use in Sport.

PubMed

Balk, Yannick A; De Jonge, Jan; Oerlemans, Wido G M; Geurts, Sabine A E; Fletcher, David; Dormann, Christian

2018-06-01

Too high demands, combined with a lack of resources, are often detrimental to athletic health and well-being. However, a valid and reliable instrument to investigate different dimensions of demands and resources in sport is currently unavailable. Therefore, the present study examines the psychometric properties of an existing and well-validated survey instrument on demands and resources at task-level that was adapted to sport. This instrument, the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation Questionnaire for Sport (DISQ-SPORT), was empirically tested among 1,101 athletes (416 females and 685 males) from a variety of sports and in different languages. Results supported the proposed six-factor structure of the instrument, consisting of physical, cognitive, and emotional demands and resources. Internal consistencies of all subscales were satisfactory and the instrument was invariant across type of sport, competitive level and language. Continued evaluation of the psychometric properties of the DISQ-SPORT, especially in terms of content validity and test-retest stability, is nevertheless warranted. Theoretical and practical implications as well as areas for future research are discussed.

Nitric oxide and plant iron homeostasis.

PubMed

Buet, Agustina; Simontacchi, Marcela

2015-03-01

Like all living organisms, plants demand iron (Fe) for important biochemical and metabolic processes. Internal imbalances, as a consequence of insufficient or excess Fe in the environment, lead to growth restriction and affect crop yield. Knowledge of signals and factors affecting each step in Fe uptake from the soil and distribution (long-distance transport, remobilization from old to young leaves, and storage in seeds) is necessary to improve our understanding of plant mineral nutrition. In this context, the role of nitric oxide (NO) is discussed as a key player in maintaining Fe homeostasis through its cross talk with hormones, ferritin, and frataxin and the ability to form nitrosyl-iron complexes. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

Opportunities in Vietnam

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

Burke, F.; Donoghue, N.

1994-11-01

Vietnam`s energy needs are clear and acute. Economic reforms have triggered a dynamic development process with a large and growing appetite for power. In view of the Vietnamese government`s own shortages of capital, private international power companies have been identified as key problem-solvers in the country`s efforts to meet a skyrocketing demand for energy resources. There are no restrictions on the nature of projects in which non-Vietnamese investors may participate. A number of legal issues need resolution before independent power producers can take advantage of the Republic`s recently created Builder-Operator-Transfer Contracts (the BOT Regulations). This paper discusses these regulations andmore » how they affect independent power producers« less

In-Space Manufacturing: Pioneering a Sustainable Path to Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Werkheiser, Niki

2015-01-01

ISM is responsible for developing the on-demand manufacturing capabilities that will be required for affordable, sustainable operations during Exploration Missions (in-transit and on-surface) to destinations such as Mars. This includes advancing the needed technologies, as well as establishing the skills & processes (such as certification and characterization) that will enable the technologies to go from novel to institutionalized. These technologies are evolving rapidly due to terrestrial markets. ISM is leveraging this commercial development to develop these capabilities within a realistic timeframe and budget. ISM utilizes the International Space Station (ISS) as a test-bed to adapt these technologies for microgravity operations and evolve the current operations mindset from earth-reliant to earth-independent.

Assuring fish safety and quality in international fish trade.

PubMed

Ababouch, Lahsen

2006-01-01

International trade in fishery commodities reached US 58.2 billion dollars in 2002, a 5% improvement relative to 2000 and a 45% increase over 1992 levels. Within this global trade, developing countries registered a net trade surplus of US 17.4 billion dollars in 2002 and accounted for almost 50% by value and 55% of fish exports by volume. This globalization of fish trade, coupled with technological developments in food production, handling, processing and distribution, and the increasing awareness and demand of consumers for safe and high quality food have put food safety and quality assurance high in public awareness and a priority for many governments. Consequently, many countries have tightened food safety controls, imposing additional costs and requirements on imports. As early as 1980, there was an international drive towards adopting preventative HACCP-based safety and quality systems. More recently, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to food safety and quality throughout the entire food chain. Implementation of this approach requires an enabling policy and regulatory environment at national and international levels with clearly defined rules and standards, establishment of appropriate food control systems and programmes at national and local levels, and provision of appropriate training and capacity building. This paper discusses the international framework for fish safety and quality, with particular emphasis on the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization's (FAO) strategy to promote international harmonization and capacity building.

Hyperactivity in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): The role of executive and non-executive functions.

PubMed

Hudec, Kristen L; Alderson, R Matt; Patros, Connor H G; Lea, Sarah E; Tarle, Stephanie J; Kasper, Lisa J

2015-01-01

Motor activity of boys (age 8-12 years) with (n=19) and without (n=18) ADHD was objectively measured with actigraphy across experimental conditions that varied with regard to demands on executive functions. Activity exhibited during two n-back (1-back, 2-back) working memory tasks was compared to activity during a choice-reaction time (CRT) task that placed relatively fewer demands on executive processes and during a simple reaction time (SRT) task that required mostly automatic processing with minimal executive demands. Results indicated that children in the ADHD group exhibited greater activity compared to children in the non-ADHD group. Further, both groups exhibited the greatest activity during conditions with high working memory demands, followed by the reaction time and control task conditions, respectively. The findings indicate that large-magnitude increases in motor activity are predominantly associated with increased demands on working memory, though demands on non-executive processes are sufficient to elicit small to moderate increases in motor activity as well. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Validity and Reliability of Malay Version of the Job Content Questionnaire among Public Hospital Female Nurses in Malaysia.

PubMed

Amin, N A; Quek, K F; Oxley, J A; Noah, R M; Nordin, R

2015-10-01

The Job Content Questionnaire (M-JCQ) is an established self-reported instrument used across the world to measure the work dimensions based on the Karasek's demand-control-support model. To evaluate the psychometrics properties of the Malay version of M-JCQ among nurses in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was carried out on nurses working in 4 public hospitals in Klang Valley area, Malaysia. M-JCQ was used to assess the perceived psychosocial stressors and physical demands of nurses at their workplaces. Construct validity of the questionnaire was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Cronbach's α values were used to estimate the reliability (internal consistency) of the M-JCQ. EFA showed that 34 selected items were loaded in 4 factors. Except for psychological job demand (Cronbach's α 0.51), the remaining 3 α values for 3 subscales (job control, social support, and physical demand) were greater than 0.70, indicating acceptable internal consistency. However, an item was excluded due to poor item-total correlation (r<0.3). The final M-JCQ was consisted of 33 items. The M-JCQ is a reliable and valid instrument to measure psychosocial and physical stressors in the workplace of public hospital nurses in Malaysia.

The Effects of Reading Purpose and Working Memory Capacity on the Processing of Expository Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linderholm, Tracy; van den Broek, Paul

2002-01-01

Examines the extent to which low- and high-WMC (working memory capacity) readers adjust cognitive processes to fit the reading purpose. When reading to study, low-WMC readers emphasized less demanding processes over more demanding processes to a greater extent than high-WMC readers and recalled less. When reading for entertainment, patterns of…

The interplay of matching and non-matching job demands and resources on emotional exhaustion among teachers.

PubMed

Feuerhahn, Nicolas; Bellingrath, Silja; Kudielka, Brigitte M

2013-07-01

We investigated how matching and non-matching demands and resources are related to emotional exhaustion (EE) in teachers. Theoretically, we draw on the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation (DISC) model that proposes that demands, resources, and strains are multidimensional and comprise emotional, cognitive, and physical components. We first tested whether resources compensate aversive effects of demands. Second, as proposed by the triple-match principle, we tested whether interaction effects between job demands and resources are most likely if demands, resources, and outcomes relate to the same dimension. We retrieved data from 177 school teachers; a subsample was re-examined after a time lag of about 21 month (N = 56). Linear regression analyses reveal concurrent and longitudinal main and interaction effects of teacher-specific emotional and cognitive job demands and resources on EE. Results support the compensation principle and triple-match principle. Therefore, the DISC model seems to provide a valuable framework for the study of interaction effects in job stress research and, in particular, for interventions to reduce job strain in teachers. © 2013 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being © 2013 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Universal model of slow pyrolysis technology producing biochar and heat from standard biomass needed for the techno-economic assessment.

PubMed

Klinar, Dušan

2016-04-01

Biochar as a soil amendment and carbon sink becomes in last period one of the vast, interesting product of slow pyrolysis. Simplest and most used industrial process arrangement is a production of biochar and heat at the same time. Proposed mass and heat balance model consist of heat consumers (heat demand side) and heat generation-supply side. Direct burning of all generated uncondensed volatiles from biomass provides heat. Calculation of the mass and heat balance of both sides reveals the internal distribution of masses and energy inside process streams and units. Thermodynamic calculations verified not only the concept but also numerical range of the results. The comparisons with recent published scientific and vendors data prove its general applicability and reliability. The model opens the possibility for process efficiency innovations. Finally, the model was adapted to give more investors favorable results and support techno-economic assessments entirely. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Program evaluation in integrated resource planning

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

Council, C.D.

1994-12-31

The Western Area Power Administration along with the Southwestern and Southeastern Power Administrations joined together to develop a set of integrated resource planning (IRP) tools to help their customers development and implement an IRP process. The project has been entitled the Resource Planning Guide (RPG), and is specifically designed to help small- to mid-sized utilities analyze supply- and demand-side alternatives as part of an IRP process. The RPG project will be available in January 1994 and will include such support as: workshops, technical assistance, an RPG hotline, and an RPG User`s Group for the project. The RPG grew out ofmore » the interest shown by utility customers who wanted a user-friendly tool to aid in their application of the IRP process. The project has been field tested by 43 utilities and related organizations over the last year, has sparked interest both nationally and internationally, and is now available for public use. The program evaluation aspects of the IRP process are heightened by a requirement of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 which requires all long-term power customers of the Western Area Power Administration to develop, implement, and monitor an IRP process. The EPAct defines IRP as: A planning process for new energy resources that evaluates the full range of alternatives, including new generating capacity, power purchases, energy conservation and efficiency, cogeneration and district heating and cooling applications, and renewable energy resources, to provide adequate and reliable service to its electric customers at the lowest system cost. The process takes into account necessary features for system operation, such as diversity, reliability, dispatchability, and other factors of risk; the ability to verify energy savings achieved through energy conservation and efficiency and the projected durability of such savings measured over time; and treats demand and supply resources on a consistent and integrated basis.« less

Execution and pauses in writing narratives: processing time, cognitive effort and typing skill.

PubMed

Alves, Rui Alexandre; Castro, São Luís; Olive, Thierry

2008-12-01

At the behavioural level, the activity of a writer can be described as periods of typing separated by pauses. Although some studies have been concerned with the functions of pauses, few have investigated motor execution periods. Precise estimates of the distribution of writing processes, and their cognitive demands, across periods of typing and pauses are lacking. Furthermore, it is uncertain how typing skill affects these aspects of writing. We addressed these issues, selecting writers of low and high typing skill who performed dictation and composition tasks. The occurrences of writing processes were assessed through directed verbalization, and their cognitive demands were measured through interference in reaction times (IRT). Before writing a narrative, 34 undergraduates learned to categorize examples of introspective thoughts as different types of activities related to writing (planning, translating, or revising). Then, while writing, they responded to random auditory probes, and reported their ongoing activity according to the learned categories. Convergent with previous findings, translating was most often reported, and revising and planning had fewer occurrences. Translating was mostly activated during motor execution, whereas revising and planning were mainly activated during pauses. However, none of the writing processes can be characterized as being typical of pauses, since translating was activated to a similar extent as the other two processes. Regarding cognitive demands, revising is likely to be the most demanding process in narrative writing. Typing skill had an impact on IRTs of motor execution. The demands of execution were greater in the low than in the high typing skill group, but these greater demands did not affect the strategy of writing processes activation. Nevertheless, low typing skill had a detrimental impact on text quality.

Global Health Education: a cross-sectional study among German medical students to identify needs, deficits and potential benefits (Part 1 of 2: Mobility patterns & educational needs and demands).

PubMed

Bozorgmehr, Kayvan; Schubert, Kirsten; Menzel-Severing, Johannes; Tinnemann, Peter

2010-10-08

In recent years, education and training in global health has been the subject of recurring debate in many countries. However, in Germany, there has been no analysis of the educational needs or demands of medical students, or the educational deficits or potential benefits involved in global health education. Our purpose is to analyse international health elective patterns of medical students enrolled at German universities and assess whether or how they prepare for their electives abroad. We examine the exposure of medical students enrolled at German universities to training courses in tropical medicine or global health and assess students' perceived needs and demands for education in global health. Cross-sectional study among medical students in Germany including all 36 medical schools during the second half of the year 2007. All registered medical students were eligible to participate in the study. Recruitment occurred via electronic mailing-lists of students' unions. We developed a web-based, semi-structured questionnaire to capture students' international mobility patterns, preparation before electives, destination countries, exposure to and demand for global health learning opportunities. 1126 online-replies were received and analysed from all registered medical students in Germany (N = 78.067). 33.0% of all respondents (370/1126) declared at least one international health elective and of these, 36.0% (133/370) completed their electives in developing countries. 36.0% (131/363) did not prepare specifically at all, 59.0% (214/363) prepared either by self-study or declared a participation in specific preparation programmes. 87.8% of 5th and 6th year students had never participated in a global health course and 72.6% (209/288) had not completed a course in tropical medicine. 94.0% (861/916) endorsed the idea of introducing global health into medical education. Students in our sample are highly mobile during their studies. International health electives are common, also in developing countries. Formal preparation beyond self-study is virtually non-existent amongst our sample and the participation rate in courses of tropical medicine or global health is appallingly low. We have identified unmet perceived needs and the demand for more learning opportunities in global health in our sample, urging for reforms to adjust curricula to a globalising world.

Global Health Education: a cross-sectional study among German medical students to identify needs, deficits and potential benefits (Part 1 of 2: Mobility patterns & educational needs and demands)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In recent years, education and training in global health has been the subject of recurring debate in many countries. However, in Germany, there has been no analysis of the educational needs or demands of medical students, or the educational deficits or potential benefits involved in global health education. Our purpose is to analyse international health elective patterns of medical students enrolled at German universities and assess whether or how they prepare for their electives abroad. We examine the exposure of medical students enrolled at German universities to training courses in tropical medicine or global health and assess students' perceived needs and demands for education in global health. Methods Cross-sectional study among medical students in Germany including all 36 medical schools during the second half of the year 2007. All registered medical students were eligible to participate in the study. Recruitment occurred via electronic mailing-lists of students' unions. We developed a web-based, semi-structured questionnaire to capture students' international mobility patterns, preparation before electives, destination countries, exposure to and demand for global health learning opportunities. Results 1126 online-replies were received and analysed from all registered medical students in Germany (N = 78.067). 33.0% of all respondents (370/1126) declared at least one international health elective and of these, 36.0% (133/370) completed their electives in developing countries. 36.0% (131/363) did not prepare specifically at all, 59.0% (214/363) prepared either by self-study or declared a participation in specific preparation programmes. 87.8% of 5th and 6th year students had never participated in a global health course and 72.6% (209/288) had not completed a course in tropical medicine. 94.0% (861/916) endorsed the idea of introducing global health into medical education. Conclusion Students in our sample are highly mobile during their studies. International health electives are common, also in developing countries. Formal preparation beyond self-study is virtually non-existent amongst our sample and the participation rate in courses of tropical medicine or global health is appallingly low. We have identified unmet perceived needs and the demand for more learning opportunities in global health in our sample, urging for reforms to adjust curricula to a globalising world. PMID:20932277

Cognitive Processes in the Production of Multiple-Goal Messages: Evidence from the Temporal Characteristics of Speech.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, John O.; And Others

1993-01-01

Finds that the increased cognitive load accompanying multiple-goal messages arises from demands on time and processing capacity associated with assembling incompatible message features and that multiple-goal messages are characterized by heavier demand on processing capacity associated with maintaining more complex message-relevant specifications…

Processing, quality and safety of irradiation - and high pressure processed meat and seafood products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the past two decades, worldwide demands for meat and seafood products have increased dramatically due to the improved economical condition in many countries. To meet the demand, the producers have increased the production of meat and seafood products as well as applied new processing techniques t...

High-contrast 3D microscopic imaging of deep layers in a biological medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faridian, Ahmad; Pedrini, Giancarlo; Osten, Wolfgang

2014-03-01

Multilayer imaging of biological specimens is a demanding field of research, but scattering is one of the major obstacles in imaging the internal layers of a specimen. Although in many studies the biological object is assumed to be a weak scatterer, this condition is hardly satisfied for sub-millimeter sized organisms. The scattering medium is inhomogeneously distributed inside the specimen. Therefore, the scattering which occurs in the upper layers of a given internal layer of interest is different from the lower layers. That results in a different amount of collectable information for a specific point in the layer from each view. An opposed view dark-field digital holographic microscope (DHM) has been implemented in this work to collect the information concurrently from both views and increase the image quality. Implementing a DHM system gives the possibility to perform digital refocusing process and obtain multilayer images from each side without depth scanning of the object. The results have been presented and discussed here for a Drosophila embryo.

Measurement and simulation of the relatively competitive advantages and weaknesses between economies based on bipartite graph theory.

PubMed

Guan, Jun; Xu, Xiaoyu; Wu, Shan; Xing, Lizhi

2018-01-01

The input-output table is very comprehensive and detailed in describing the national economic systems with abundant economic relationships, which contain supply and demand information among various industrial sectors. The complex network, a theory, and method for measuring the structure of a complex system can depict the structural characteristics of the internal structure of the researched object by measuring the structural indicators of the social and economic systems, revealing the complex relationships between the inner hierarchies and the external economic functions. In this paper, functions of industrial sectors on the global value chain are to be distinguished with bipartite graph theory, and inter-sector competitive relationships are to be extracted through resource allocation process. Furthermore, quantitative analysis indices will be proposed under the perspective of a complex network, which will be used to bring about simulations on the variation tendencies of economies' status in different situations of commercial intercourses. Finally, a new econophysics analytical framework of international trade is to be established.

Expanding Continuous Quality Improvement Capacity in the Medical Intensive Care Unit: Prehealth Volunteers as a Solution.

PubMed

Priest, Kelsey C; Lobingier, Hannah; McCully, Nancy; Lombard, Jackie; Hansen, Mark; Uchiyama, Makoto; Hagg, Daniel S

2016-01-01

Health care delivery systems are challenged to support the increasing demands for improving patient safety, satisfaction, and outcomes. Limited resources and staffing are common barriers for making significant and sustained improvements. At Oregon Health & Science University, the medical intensive care unit (MICU) leadership team faced internal capacity limitations for conducting continuous quality improvement, specifically for the implementation and evaluation of the mobility portion of an evidence-based care bundle. The MICU team successfully addressed this capacity challenge using the person power of prehealth volunteers. In the first year of the project, 52 trained volunteers executed an evidence-based mobility intervention for 305 critically ill patients, conducting more than 200 000 exercise repetitions. The volunteers contributed to real-time evaluation of the project, with the collection of approximately 26 950 process measure data points. Prehealth volunteers are an untapped resource for effectively expanding internal continuous quality improvement capacity in the MICU and beyond.

Measurement and simulation of the relatively competitive advantages and weaknesses between economies based on bipartite graph theory

PubMed Central

Guan, Jun; Xu, Xiaoyu; Wu, Shan

2018-01-01

The input-output table is very comprehensive and detailed in describing the national economic systems with abundant economic relationships, which contain supply and demand information among various industrial sectors. The complex network, a theory, and method for measuring the structure of a complex system can depict the structural characteristics of the internal structure of the researched object by measuring the structural indicators of the social and economic systems, revealing the complex relationships between the inner hierarchies and the external economic functions. In this paper, functions of industrial sectors on the global value chain are to be distinguished with bipartite graph theory, and inter-sector competitive relationships are to be extracted through resource allocation process. Furthermore, quantitative analysis indices will be proposed under the perspective of a complex network, which will be used to bring about simulations on the variation tendencies of economies’ status in different situations of commercial intercourses. Finally, a new econophysics analytical framework of international trade is to be established. PMID:29813083

An assessment of the impact of the Department of Defense very high speed integrated circuit program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-01-01

The technical and economic effects of the Department of Defense's (DoD) development program for very-high-speed integrated circuits (VHSIC) are examined. The probable effects of this program on the domestic aspects and international position of the integrated-circuit (IC) industry as they relate to the interests of the general public and the DoD are considered. The report presents a review of the unique DoD needs that motivate VHSIC research and development; an estimate of the degree of which these needs are likely to be met by the VHSIC program; a discussion of the effects of the program's demands for manpower, materials, and design and processing technologies; the problems connected with the program's technology export controls; and an assessment of the impact of the program on the structure of the U.S. integrated-circuit industry, its continued development and production of civilian consumer products, and its international competitive position.

Trading Off Global Fuel Supply, CO2 Emissions and Sustainable Development.

PubMed

Wagner, Liam; Ross, Ian; Foster, John; Hankamer, Ben

2016-01-01

The United Nations Conference on Climate Change (Paris 2015) reached an international agreement to keep the rise in global average temperature 'well below 2°C' and to 'aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C'. These reductions will have to be made in the face of rising global energy demand. Here a thoroughly validated dynamic econometric model (Eq 1) is used to forecast global energy demand growth (International Energy Agency and BP), which is driven by an increase of the global population (UN), energy use per person and real GDP (World Bank and Maddison). Even relatively conservative assumptions put a severe upward pressure on forecast global energy demand and highlight three areas of concern. First, is the potential for an exponential increase of fossil fuel consumption, if renewable energy systems are not rapidly scaled up. Second, implementation of internationally mandated CO2 emission controls are forecast to place serious constraints on fossil fuel use from ~2030 onward, raising energy security implications. Third is the challenge of maintaining the international 'pro-growth' strategy being used to meet poverty alleviation targets, while reducing CO2 emissions. Our findings place global economists and environmentalists on the same side as they indicate that the scale up of CO2 neutral renewable energy systems is not only important to protect against climate change, but to enhance global energy security by reducing our dependence of fossil fuels and to provide a sustainable basis for economic development and poverty alleviation. Very hard choices will have to be made to achieve 'sustainable development' goals.

Trading Off Global Fuel Supply, CO2 Emissions and Sustainable Development

PubMed Central

Wagner, Liam; Ross, Ian; Foster, John; Hankamer, Ben

2016-01-01

The United Nations Conference on Climate Change (Paris 2015) reached an international agreement to keep the rise in global average temperature ‘well below 2°C’ and to ‘aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C’. These reductions will have to be made in the face of rising global energy demand. Here a thoroughly validated dynamic econometric model (Eq 1) is used to forecast global energy demand growth (International Energy Agency and BP), which is driven by an increase of the global population (UN), energy use per person and real GDP (World Bank and Maddison). Even relatively conservative assumptions put a severe upward pressure on forecast global energy demand and highlight three areas of concern. First, is the potential for an exponential increase of fossil fuel consumption, if renewable energy systems are not rapidly scaled up. Second, implementation of internationally mandated CO2 emission controls are forecast to place serious constraints on fossil fuel use from ~2030 onward, raising energy security implications. Third is the challenge of maintaining the international ‘pro-growth’ strategy being used to meet poverty alleviation targets, while reducing CO2 emissions. Our findings place global economists and environmentalists on the same side as they indicate that the scale up of CO2 neutral renewable energy systems is not only important to protect against climate change, but to enhance global energy security by reducing our dependence of fossil fuels and to provide a sustainable basis for economic development and poverty alleviation. Very hard choices will have to be made to achieve ‘sustainable development’ goals. PMID:26959977

Human rights, health, and capital accumulation in the Third World.

PubMed

Chossudovsky, M

1979-01-01

This article examines the relationship between human rights and the pattern of capital accumulation in the Third World. The repressive authoritarian State increasingly constitutes the means for enforcing the intensive exploitation of labor in Third World industrial enclaves and commercial agriculture. While the development of center capitalism has evolved toward "the Welfare State" and a framework of liberal sociodemocracy, the "peripheral State" is generally characterized by nondemocratic forms of government. This bipolarity in the state structure between center and periphery is functionally related to the international division of labor and the unity of production and circulation on a world level. The programs and policies of the center Welfare State (health, education, social security, etc.) constitute an input of "human capital" into the high-technology center labor process. Moreover, welfare programs in center countries activate the process of circulation by sustaining high levels of consumer demand. In underdeveloped countries, the underlying vacuum in the social sectors and the important allocations to military expenditure support the requirements of the peripheral labor process. Programs in health in the center and periphery are related to the bipolarity (qualification/dequalification) in the international division of labor. The social and economic functions of health programs are intimately related to the organic structure of the State and the mechanics whereby the State allocates its financial surplus in support of both capitalist production and circulation.

Outsourcing cognitive control to the environment: adult age differences in the use of task cues.

PubMed

Spieler, Daniel H; Mayr, Ulrich; LaGrone, Susan

2006-10-01

When an initial phase of cued task switching is followed by a phase of single-task trials, older adults show difficulties changing to the more efficient single-task mode of processing (Mayr & Liebscher, 2001). In Experiment 1, we show that these costs follow older adults' continued tendency to inspect task cues even though these provide no new information. In Experiment 2, we included a condition in which task cues were eliminated from the display after the task-switching phase. In this condition, older adults behaved the same as younger adults, suggesting that the presence of the task cue is critical for observing age differences while switching from a "high-control" to a "low-control" mode of processing. We discuss our results in terms of a life-span shift with regard to the reliance on internal versus external sources of information under conditions of high-control demands.

Neutron Imaging Reveals Internal Plant Hydraulic Dynamics

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

Warren, Jeffrey; Bilheux, Hassina Z; Kang, Misun

2013-01-01

Many terrestrial ecosystem processes are constrained by water availability and transport within the soil. Knowledge of plant water fluxes is thus critical for assessing mechanistic processes linked to biogeochemical cycles, yet resolution of root structure and xylem water transport dynamics has been a particularly daunting task for the ecologist. Through neutron imaging, we demonstrate the ability to non-invasively monitor individual root functionality and water fluxes within Zea mays L. (maize) and Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) seedlings growing in a sandy medium. Root structure and growth were readily imaged by neutron radiography and neutron computed tomography. Seedlings were irrigated with watermore » or deuterium oxide and imaged through time as a growth lamp was cycled on to alter leaf demand for water. Sub-millimeter scale resolution reveals timing and magnitudes of root water uptake, redistribution within the roots, and root-shoot hydraulic linkages, relationships not well characterized by other techniques.« less

Being transgender: the experience of transgender identity development.

PubMed

Levitt, Heidi M; Ippolito, Maria R

2014-01-01

This article is based on a grounded theory analysis of interviews with transgender-identified people from different regions of the United States. Participants held a variety of gender identities under the transgender rubric (e.g., crossdresser, transman, transwoman, butch lesbian). Interviews explored the participants' experiences in arriving at their gender identity. This article presents three clusters of findings related to the common processes of transgender identity development. This process was made possible by accessibility of transgender narratives that injected hope into what was a childhood replete with criticism and scrutiny. Ultimately, participants came to their identities through balancing a desire for authenticity with demands of necessity--meaning that they weighed their internal gender experience with considerations about their available resources, coping skills, and the consequences of gender transitions. The implications of these findings are considered in terms of their contribution to gender theory, research, and clinical support for transgender clients.

Architecture of distributed picture archiving and communication systems for storing and processing high resolution medical images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokareva, Victoria

2018-04-01

New generation medicine demands a better quality of analysis increasing the amount of data collected during checkups, and simultaneously decreasing the invasiveness of a procedure. Thus it becomes urgent not only to develop advanced modern hardware, but also to implement special software infrastructure for using it in everyday clinical practice, so-called Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS). Developing distributed PACS is a challenging task for nowadays medical informatics. The paper discusses the architecture of distributed PACS server for processing large high-quality medical images, with respect to technical specifications of modern medical imaging hardware, as well as international standards in medical imaging software. The MapReduce paradigm is proposed for image reconstruction by server, and the details of utilizing the Hadoop framework for this task are being discussed in order to provide the design of distributed PACS as ergonomic and adapted to the needs of end users as possible.

A DNA-based molecular motor that can navigate a network of tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wickham, Shelley F. J.; Bath, Jonathan; Katsuda, Yousuke; Endo, Masayuki; Hidaka, Kumi; Sugiyama, Hiroshi; Turberfield, Andrew J.

2012-03-01

Synthetic molecular motors can be fuelled by the hydrolysis or hybridization of DNA. Such motors can move autonomously and programmably, and long-range transport has been observed on linear tracks. It has also been shown that DNA systems can compute. Here, we report a synthetic DNA-based system that integrates long-range transport and information processing. We show that the path of a motor through a network of tracks containing four possible routes can be programmed using instructions that are added externally or carried by the motor itself. When external control is used we find that 87% of the motors follow the correct path, and when internal control is used 71% of the motors follow the correct path. Programmable motion will allow the development of computing networks, molecular systems that can sort and process cargoes according to instructions that they carry, and assembly lines that can be reconfigured dynamically in response to changing demands.

Interactive Light Stimulus Generation with High Performance Real-Time Image Processing and Simple Scripting

PubMed Central

Szécsi, László; Kacsó, Ágota; Zeck, Günther; Hantz, Péter

2017-01-01

Light stimulation with precise and complex spatial and temporal modulation is demanded by a series of research fields like visual neuroscience, optogenetics, ophthalmology, and visual psychophysics. We developed a user-friendly and flexible stimulus generating framework (GEARS GPU-based Eye And Retina Stimulation Software), which offers access to GPU computing power, and allows interactive modification of stimulus parameters during experiments. Furthermore, it has built-in support for driving external equipment, as well as for synchronization tasks, via USB ports. The use of GEARS does not require elaborate programming skills. The necessary scripting is visually aided by an intuitive interface, while the details of the underlying software and hardware components remain hidden. Internally, the software is a C++/Python hybrid using OpenGL graphics. Computations are performed on the GPU, and are defined in the GLSL shading language. However, all GPU settings, including the GPU shader programs, are automatically generated by GEARS. This is configured through a method encountered in game programming, which allows high flexibility: stimuli are straightforwardly composed using a broad library of basic components. Stimulus rendering is implemented solely in C++, therefore intermediary libraries for interfacing could be omitted. This enables the program to perform computationally demanding tasks like en-masse random number generation or real-time image processing by local and global operations. PMID:29326579

Strengthening accountability to citizens on gender and health.

PubMed

Murthy, R K

2008-01-01

Accountability refers to the processes by which those with power in the health sector engage with, and are answerable to, those who make demands on it, and enforce disciplinary action on those in the health sector who do not perform effectively. This paper reviews the practice of accountability to citizens on gender and health, assesses gaps, and recommends strategies. Four kinds of accountability mechanisms have been used by citizens to press for accountability on gender and health. These include international human rights instruments, legislation, governance structures, and other tools, some of which are relevant to all public sector services, some to the health sector alone, some to gender issues alone, and some to gender-specific health concerns of women. However, there are few instances wherein private health sector and donors have been held accountable. Rarely have accountability processes reduced gender inequalities in health, or addressed 'low priority' gender-specific health needs of women. Accountability with respect to implementation and to marginalized groups has remained weak. This paper recommends that: (1) the four kinds of accountability mechanisms be extended to the private health sector and donors; (2) health accountability mechanisms be engendered, and gender accountability mechanisms be made health-specific; (3) resources be earmarked to enable government to respond to gender-specific health demands; (4) mechanisms for enforcement of such policies be improved; and (5) democratic spaces and participation of marginalized groups be strengthened.

Coping with Changes in International Classifications of Sectors and Occupations: Application in Skills Forecasting. Research Paper No 43

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kvetan, Vladimir, Ed.

2014-01-01

Reliable and consistent time series are essential to any kind of economic forecasting. Skills forecasting needs to combine data from national accounts and labour force surveys, with the pan-European dimension of Cedefop's skills supply and demand forecasts, relying on different international classification standards. Sectoral classification (NACE)…

Analysis of Leadership Dynamics in Educational Settings during Times of External and Internal Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jäppinen, Aini-Kristiina

2017-01-01

Background: The article concerns the tensions that can arise during demanding external, and consequential internal changes and considers how educational leadership is able to respond to them. Leadership is here understood as a collaborative endeavour, producing shared sense-making in situations of tension. Purpose: The main research question was:…

The Growth in International Enrolments in Accounting: Implications for an Established Nexus between Education and Migration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekanayake, Dimuthu; Jackling, Beverley

2014-01-01

International student enrolments globally have grown substantially over the first decade of the twenty-first century. In the context of Australia, the higher education (HE) sector and specifically the accounting discipline grew during this time, together with the growth in the demand for qualified accountants. Australia was attractive to…

An Empirical Comparative Investigation of Operations Management Programmes: Demand, Content and Entrance Criteria within the Context of Internationalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chengbo; Chen, Xuezhong; Edgar, David; Zhao, Yang

2013-01-01

In higher education institutes (HEIs), Operations Management programmes (OMPs) are among those programmes attracting a substantial amount of international student enrollment. With the current situation that the government is reducing its funding input, the UK HEIs' financial balance relies more than before on the international students who pay…

New Horizons Tanzania, Ltd.--A Case of International HRD in Two Parts (Part Two)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Sandra L.; Hurley, Mark N.

2017-01-01

In this second segment of HRD in a developing country situation, accelerated pressure for organizational growth is placed upon leaders by the international board of directors. This growth pressure is accompanied by new technology which can assist in growth accomplishment, but which demands further training and orientation of cross-cultural…

International Students, Export Earnings and the Demands of Global Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enslin, Penny; Hedge, Nicki

2008-01-01

Is it just to charge international students fees that are generally much higher than those paid by home and European Union students at UK universities? Exploring the ethical tension between universities' avowed commitment to social justice on the one hand and selling education to foreign students at a premium on the other, we argue that increased…

International ESL Graduate Student Perceptions of Online Learning in the Context of Second Language Acquisition and Culturally Responsive Facilitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Fujuan; Nabb, Lee; Aagard, Steven; Kim, Kioh

2010-01-01

The development of technology has made adult and higher education learning opportunities increasingly more accessible to a growing number of people. With the number of courses steadily increasing to meet students' needs and demands, and because programs are likewise changing to incorporate more online learning opportunities, international, English…

Your Place or Mine? Global Imbalances in Internationalisation and Mobilisation in Educational Professional Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, John; Widodo, Ari

2016-01-01

International mobility programmes and opportunities have enthusiastically been embraced by universities as part of a growing demand for graduates with global, international and intercultural capital on the part of graduates. In this project, we take two universities, one Australian and one Indonesian, as illustrative case studies of some of the…

Cultural Navigators: International Faculty Fathers in the U.S Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sallee, Margaret; Hart, Jeni

2015-01-01

Based on interviews with 16 international tenure-track and tenured faculty fathers from collectivist cultures at 2 U.S. research universities, this study explores how these men reconcile the demands of parenting with those of the academic career. Adding to a robust body of literature on the concerns of domestic faculty parents, this study focuses…

The High Impact of Education Abroad: College Students' Engagement in International Experiences and the Development of Intercultural Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stebleton, Michael J.; Soria, Krista M.; Cherney, Blythe T.

2013-01-01

Study abroad opportunities continue to be a popular choice for U.S. college students looking to expand their undergraduate education. In response to the increasing demand for international opportunities, campuses have diversified their study abroad program models. On many campuses, students not only have opportunities to study abroad during…

External Validity, Internal Validity, and Organizational Reality: A Response to Robert L. Cardy (Commentary).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinfatt, Thomas M.

1991-01-01

Responds to an article in the same issue of this journal which defends the applied value of laboratory studies to managers. Agrees that external validity is often irrelevant, and maintains that the problem of making inferences from any subject sample in management communication is one that demands internal, not external, validity. (SR)

International students' enrollment in IPTA by using multilevel analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wai, Phoong Seuk; Ismail, Mohd Tahir; Karim, Samsul Ariffin Abdul

2012-09-01

The increases of demand on knowledge-based and production-based market force the growth of higher education. International students' enrollment contributes to economic growth and increase country's income, university reputation and name; promote the competitive of education and training markets. This paper used multilevel analysis to study the international students' enrollment in Malaysia public university. Student's background variables and institution background variables were study in this paper and the relationship among them also been investigated. Result shows that institution type is a significance factor on international students' enrollment in Malaysia public university.

Task-specific Aspects of Goal-directed Word Generation Identified via Simultaneous EEG-fMRI.

PubMed

Shapira-Lichter, Irit; Klovatch, Ilana; Nathan, Dana; Oren, Noga; Hendler, Talma

2016-09-01

Generating words according to a given rule relies on retrieval-related search and postretrieval control processes. Using fMRI, we recently characterized neural patterns of word generation in response to episodic, semantic, and phonemic cues by comparing free recall of wordlists, category fluency, and letter fluency [Shapira-Lichter, I., Oren, N., Jacob, Y., Gruberger, M., & Hendler, T. Portraying the unique contribution of the default mode network to internally driven mnemonic processes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., 110, 4950-4955, 2013]. Distinct selectivity for each condition was evident, representing discrete aspects of word generation-related memory retrieval. For example, the precuneus, implicated in processing spatiotemporal information, emerged as a key contributor to the episodic condition, which uniquely requires this information. Gamma band is known to play a central role in memory, and increased gamma power has been observed before word generation. Yet, gamma modulation in response to task demands has not been investigated. To capture the task-specific modulation of gamma power, we analyzed the EEG data recorded simultaneously with the aforementioned fMRI, focusing on the activity locked to and immediately preceding word articulation. Transient increases in gamma power were identified in a parietal electrode immediately before episodic and semantic word generation, however, within a different time frame relative to articulation. Gamma increases were followed by an alpha-theta decrease in the episodic condition, a gamma decrease in the semantic condition. This pattern indicates a task-specific modulation of the gamma signal corresponding to the specific demands of each word generation task. The gamma power and fMRI signal from the precuneus were correlated during the episodic condition, implying the existence of a common cognitive construct uniquely required for this task, possibly the reactivation or processing of spatiotemporal information.

Modeling and simulation of large scale stirred tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuville, John R.

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a written record of the evaluation performed on the DWPF mixing process by the construction of numerical models that resemble the geometry of this process. There were seven numerical models constructed to evaluate the DWPF mixing process and four pilot plants. The models were developed with Fluent software and the results from these models were used to evaluate the structure of the flow field and the power demand of the agitator. The results from the numerical models were compared with empirical data collected from these pilot plants that had been operated at an earlier date. Mixing is commonly used in a variety ways throughout industry to blend miscible liquids, disperse gas through liquid, form emulsions, promote heat transfer and, suspend solid particles. The DOE Sites at Hanford in Richland Washington, West Valley in New York, and Savannah River Site in Aiken South Carolina have developed a process that immobilizes highly radioactive liquid waste. The radioactive liquid waste at DWPF is an opaque sludge that is mixed in a stirred tank with glass frit particles and water to form slurry of specified proportions. The DWPF mixing process is composed of a flat bottom cylindrical mixing vessel with a centrally located helical coil, and agitator. The helical coil is used to heat and cool the contents of the tank and can improve flow circulation. The agitator shaft has two impellers; a radial blade and a hydrofoil blade. The hydrofoil is used to circulate the mixture between the top region and bottom region of the tank. The radial blade sweeps the bottom of the tank and pushes the fluid in the outward radial direction. The full scale vessel contains about 9500 gallons of slurry with flow behavior characterized as a Bingham Plastic. Particles in the mixture have an abrasive characteristic that cause excessive erosion to internal vessel components at higher impeller speeds. The desire for this mixing process is to ensure the agitation of the vessel is adequate to produce a homogenous mixture but not so high that it produces excessive erosion to internal components. The main findings reported by this study were: (1) Careful consideration of the fluid yield stress characteristic is required to make predictions of fluid flow behavior. Laminar Models can predict flow patterns and stagnant regions in the tank until full movement of the flow field occurs. Power Curves and flow patterns were developed for the full scale mixing model to show the differences in expected performance of the mixing process for a broad range of fluids that exhibit Herschel--Bulkley and Bingham Plastic flow behavior. (2) The impeller power demand is independent of the flow model selection for turbulent flow fields in the region of the impeller. The laminar models slightly over predicted the agitator impeller power demand produced by turbulent models. (3) The CFD results show that the power number produced by the mixing system is independent of size. The 40 gallon model produced the same power number results as the 9300 gallon model for the same process conditions. (4) CFD Results show that the Scale-Up of fluid motion in a 40 gallon tank should compare with fluid motion at full scale, 9300 gallons by maintaining constant impeller Tip Speed.

Social and ethical analysis in health technology assessment.

PubMed

Tantivess, Sripen

2014-05-01

This paper presents a review of the domestic and international literature on the assessment of the social and ethical implications of health technologies. It gives an overview of the key concepts, principles, and approaches that should be taken into account when conducting a social and ethical analysis within health technology assessment (HTA). Although there is growing consensus among healthcare experts that the social and ethical ramifications of a given technology should be examined before its adoption, the demand for this kind of analysis among policy-makers around the world, including in Thailand, has so far been lacking. Currently decision-makers mainly base technology adoption decisions using evidence on clinical effectiveness, value for money, and budget impact, while social and ethical aspects have been neglected. Despite the recognized importance of considering equity, justice, and social issues when making decisions regarding health resource allocation, the absence of internationally-accepted principles and methodologies, among other factors, hinders research in these areas. Given that developing internationally agreed standards takes time, it has been recommended that priority be given to defining processes that are justifiable, transparent, and contestable. A discussion of the current situation in Thailand concerning social and ethical analysis of health technologies is also presented.

Consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement for health services: a perspective from Mexico.

PubMed Central

Frenk, J; Gómez-Dantés, O; Cruz, C; Chacón, F; Hernández, P; Freeman, P

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVES. The purposes of the study were to assess the potential impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on medical care in Mexico and to identify internal measures Mexico could take to increase the benefits and minimize the risks of free trade. METHODS. The dual nature of the health sector is examined; the Mexican, Canadian, and US health care systems are compared; and modes and consequences of international exchange of health services are analyzed. RESULTS. Four issues require immediate attention: accreditation of health care facilities, licensing and certification of professionals, technology assessment, and financial equity. CONCLUSIONS. NAFTA offers opportunities for positive developments in Mexico, provided risks can be anticipated and preventive measures can be taken to avoid negative impacts on the health system. Medical services, like other elements of the Mexican economy, must be modernized to respond to the demands of global competition. The Mexican National Academy of Medicine has recommended to the Mexican government (1) internal strengthening of the Mexican health care system to improve its ability to respond to the new conditions created by NAFTA and (2) a gradual process to facilitate equitable and mutually beneficial interactions among the three countries. PMID:7943476

Reduction of environmental and energy footprint of microalgal biodiesel production through material and energy integration.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Raja; Viamajala, Sridhar; Gerlach, Robin

2012-03-01

The life cycle impacts were assessed for an integrated microalgal biodiesel production system that facilitates energy- and nutrient- recovery through anaerobic digestion, and utilizes glycerol generated within the facility for additional heterotrophic biodiesel production. Results show that when external fossil energy inputs are lowered through process integration, the energy demand, global warming potential (GWP), and process water demand decrease significantly and become less sensitive to algal lipid content. When substitution allocation is used to assign additional credit for avoidance of fossil energy use (through utilization of recycled nutrients and biogas), GWP and water demand can, in fact, increase with increase in lipid content. Relative to stand-alone algal biofuel facilities, energy demand can be lowered by 3-14 GJ per ton of biodiesel through process integration. GWP of biodiesel from the integrated system can be lowered by up to 71% compared to petroleum fuel. Evaporative water loss was the primary water demand driver. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expanding Regional Airport Usage to Accommodate Increased Air Traffic Demand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Carl R.

2009-01-01

Small regional airports present an underutilized source of capacity in the national air transportation system. This study sought to determine whether a 50 percent increase in national operations could be achieved by limiting demand growth at large hub airports and instead growing traffic levels at the surrounding regional airports. This demand scenario for future air traffic in the United States was generated and used as input to a 24-hour simulation of the national airspace system. Results of the demand generation process and metrics predicting the simulation results are presented, in addition to the actual simulation results. The demand generation process showed that sufficient runway capacity exists at regional airports to offload a significant portion of traffic from hub airports. Predictive metrics forecast a large reduction of delays at most major airports when demand is shifted. The simulation results then show that offloading hub traffic can significantly reduce nationwide delays.

Global Experiential and Didactic Education Opportunities at US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy.

PubMed

Steeb, David R; Overman, Robert A; Sleath, Betsy L; Joyner, Pamela U

2016-02-25

To assess the characteristics of global experiential and didactic education offerings in the pharmacy curricula. A 2-stage web-based review of US colleges and schools of pharmacy identified country locations of international advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE), globally focused didactic courses, and whether these offerings were interprofessional. Schools were contacted to confirm their offerings and were asked about student participation and demand. Sixty-four percent of responding schools confirmed an international APPE offering in 67 different countries with an average graduating class participation of 6.1%. Forty-seven percent of responding schools confirmed a globally focused course offering with an average graduating class participation of 13.1%. Almost two thirds of international APPEs and a majority of courses were designated as interprofessional. Student demand did not outweigh supply for either. Colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States are continuing to develop global education opportunities for students in the classroom and throughout the world.

Global Experiential and Didactic Education Opportunities at US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Overman, Robert A.; Sleath, Betsy L.; Joyner, Pamela U.

2016-01-01

Objective. To assess the characteristics of global experiential and didactic education offerings in the pharmacy curricula. Methods. A 2-stage web-based review of US colleges and schools of pharmacy identified country locations of international advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE), globally focused didactic courses, and whether these offerings were interprofessional. Schools were contacted to confirm their offerings and were asked about student participation and demand. Results. Sixty-four percent of responding schools confirmed an international APPE offering in 67 different countries with an average graduating class participation of 6.1%. Forty-seven percent of responding schools confirmed a globally focused course offering with an average graduating class participation of 13.1%. Almost two thirds of international APPEs and a majority of courses were designated as interprofessional. Student demand did not outweigh supply for either. Conclusion. Colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States are continuing to develop global education opportunities for students in the classroom and throughout the world. PMID:26941433

Demonstrate a Low Biochemical Oxygen Demand Aircraft Deicing Fluid

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Technologies International, LTD for collection and recycling of fluids. Spent fluid, diluted with any water, slush or snow removed from the aircraft or...Resistance Unmated only – some failures Voltage Withstand Testing Unmated only – some failures Plastic Windows Crazing Effect Pass The testing did result...At Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, however, waste PG is currently collected with a vacuum truck and recycled . Factors such as the market demand

Demonstrate a Low Biochemical Oxygen Demand Aircraft Deicing Fluid

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-04

Technologies International, LTD for collection and recycling of fluids. Spent fluid, diluted with any water, slush or snow removed from the aircraft or...Resistance Unmated only – some failures Voltage Withstand Testing Unmated only – some failures Plastic Windows Crazing Effect Pass The testing did result...At Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, however, waste PG is currently collected with a vacuum truck and recycled . Factors such as the market demand

Compressed air energy storage system

DOEpatents

Ahrens, F.W.; Kartsounes, G.T.

An internal combustion reciprocating engine is operable as a compressor during slack demand periods utilizing excess power from a power grid to charge air into an air storage reservoir and as an expander during peak demand periods to feed power into the power grid utilizing air obtained from the air storage reservoir together with combustion reciprocating engine is operated at high pressure and a low pressure turbine and compressor are also employed for air compression and power generation.

Motor programming when sequencing multiple elements of the same duration.

PubMed

Magnuson, Curt E; Robin, Donald A; Wright, David L

2008-11-01

Motor programming at the self-select paradigm was adopted in 2 experiments to examine the processing demands of independent processes. One process (INT) is responsible for organizing the internal features of the individual elements in a movement (e.g., response duration). The 2nd process (SEQ) is responsible for placing the elements into the proper serial order before execution. Participants in Experiment 1 performed tasks involving 1 key press or sequences of 4 key presses of the same duration. Implementing INT and SEQ was more time consuming for key-pressing sequences than for single key-press tasks. Experiment 2 examined whether the INT costs resulting from the increase in sequence length observed in Experiment 1 resulted from independent planning of each sequence element or via a separate "multiplier" process that handled repetitions of elements of the same duration. Findings from Experiment 2, in which participants performed single key presses or double or triple key sequences of the same duration, suggested that INT is involved with the independent organization of each element contained in the sequence. Researchers offer an elaboration of the 2-process account of motor programming to incorporate the present findings and the findings from other recent sequence-learning research.

Application of Temperature-Controlled Thermal Atomization for Printing Electronics in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Chih-Hao; Thompson, Furman V.

2017-01-01

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a technology that builds three dimensional objects by adding material layer-upon-layer throughout the fabrication process. The Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical (EEE) parts packaging group at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is investigating how various AM and 3D printing processes can be adapted to the microgravity environment of space to enable on demand manufacturing of electronics. The current state-of-the art processes for accomplishing the task of printing electronics through non-contact, direct-write means rely heavily on the process of atomization of liquid inks into fine aerosols to be delivered ultimately to a machine's print head and through its nozzle. As a result of cumulative International Space Station (ISS) research into the behaviors of fluids in zero-gravity, our experience leads us to conclude that the direct adaptation of conventional atomization processes will likely fall short and alternative approaches will need to be explored. In this report, we investigate the development of an alternative approach to atomizing electronic materials by way of thermal atomization, to be used in place of conventional aerosol generation and delivery processes for printing electronics in space.

Access to Archived Astronaut Data for Human Research Program Researchers: Update on Progress and Process Improvements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, L. R.; Montague, K. A.; Charvat, J. M.; Wear, M. L.; Thomas, D. M.; Van Baalen, M.

2016-01-01

Since the 2010 NASA directive to make the Life Sciences Data Archive (LSDA) and Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) data archives more accessible by the research and operational communities, demand for astronaut medical data has increased greatly. LSAH and LSDA personnel are working with Human Research Program on many fronts to improve data access and decrease lead time for release of data. Some examples include the following: Feasibility reviews for NASA Research Announcement (NRA) data mining proposals; Improved communication, support for researchers, and process improvements for retrospective Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols; Supplemental data sharing for flight investigators versus purely retrospective studies; Work with the Multilateral Human Research Panel for Exploration (MHRPE) to develop acceptable data sharing and crew consent processes and to organize inter-agency data coordinators to facilitate requests for international crewmember data. Current metrics on data requests crew consenting will be presented, along with limitations on contacting crew to obtain consent. Categories of medical monitoring data available for request will be presented as well as flow diagrams detailing data request processing and approval steps.

Application of household production theory to selected natural-resource problems in less-developed countries

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

Mercer, D.E.

The objectives are threefold: (1) to perform an analytical survey of household production theory as it relates to natural-resource problems in less-developed countries, (2) to develop a household production model of fuelwood decision making, (3) to derive a theoretical framework for travel-cost demand studies of international nature tourism. The model of household fuelwood decision making provides a rich array of implications and predictions for empirical analysis. For example, it is shown that fuelwood and modern fuels may be either substitutes or complements depending on the interaction of the gross-substitution and income-expansion effects. Therefore, empirical analysis should precede adoption of anymore » inter-fuel substitution policies such as subsidizing kerosene. The fuelwood model also provides a framework for analyzing the conditions and factors determining entry and exit by households into the wood-burning subpopulation, a key for designing optimal household energy policies in the Third World. The international nature tourism travel cost model predicts that the demand for nature tourism is an aggregate of the demand for the individual activities undertaken during the trip.« less

Quiet Clean Short-Haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) aerodynamic characteristics of 30.5 centimeter diameter inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul, D. L.

1975-01-01

A low speed test program was conducted in a 9- by 15-foot V/STOL wind tunnel to investigate internal performance characteristics and determine key design features required for an inlet to meet the demanding operational conditions of the QCSEE application. Four models each having a design average throat Mach number of 0.79 were tested over a range of incidence angle, throat Mach number, and freestream velocity. Principal design variable was internal lip diameter ratio. Stable, efficient inlet performance was found to be feasible at and beyond the 50 deg incidence angle required by the QCSEE application at its 41.2 m/sec (80 knot) nominal takeoff velocity, through suitably designed inlet lip and diffuser components. Forebody design was found to significantly impact flow stability via nose curvature. Measured inlet wall pressures were used to select a location for the inlet throat Mach number control's static pressure port that properly balanced the conflicting demands of relative insensitivity to flow incidence and sufficiently high response to changes in engine flow demand.

Whole tree transportation system for timber processing depots

Treesearch

John Lancaster; Tom Gallagher; Tim  McDonald; Dana Mitchell

2016-01-01

The growing demand for alternative energy has led those who are interested in producing sustainable energy from renewable timber to devise new concepts to satisfy those demands. The concept of timber processing depots, where whole stem trees will be delivered for future processing into wood products and high quality energy fuel, has led to the re-evaluation of our...

Involvement of the Central Cognitive Mechanism in Word Production in Adults Who Stutter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Pei-Tzu; Bernstein Ratner, Nan

2016-01-01

Purpose: The study examined whether semantic and phonological encoding processes were capacity demanding, involving the central cognitive mechanism, in adults who do and do not stutter (AWS and NS) to better understand the role of cognitive demand in linguistic processing and stuttering. We asked (a) whether the two linguistic processes in AWS are…

Whole tree transportation system for timber processing depots

Treesearch

John Lancaster; Tom Gallagher; Tim McDonald; Dana Mitchell

2017-01-01

The growing demand for alternative energy has led those interested in producing sustainable energy from renewable biomass such as timber to devise new concepts to satisfy those demands. The concept of timber processing depots, where whole stem trees will be delivered for future processing into wood products and high quality energy fuel, has led to the reevaluation of...

Notes on the incorporation of third world women into wage-labor through immigration and off-shore production.

PubMed

Sassen-koob, S

1984-01-01

The different forms and geographic locations in which the expanded incorporation of Third World women into wage labor occur may be closely interrelated. 2 such instances examined in this article are: 1) the recruitment of young women, without previous labor force experience, into the new manufacturing and service jobs generated by export-led manufacturing in several Caribbean and Asian countries; and 2) the employment of immigrant women in large cities of highly industrialized countries which have undergone basic economic restructuring. While many of these women may have become domestic or international migrants as a function of their husbands' or family's migration, the more fundamental processes of this restructuring are the ones promoting the formation of a supply of women migrants and a demand for this type of labor. Examples are the shift of plants and offices to Third World countries, and the demand for immigrant women labor in large cities within the US. The latter is a manifestation of the general shift to a service economy, the downgrading of manufacturing, partly to keep it competitive with overseas plants, and the direct and indirect demand for low-wage labor generated by the expansion of management and control functions centered in these large cities, and necessary for the regulation of the global economy. The feminization of job supply and the need to secure a politically adequate labor supply, which combine to create a demand for the type of labor represented by migrant women, suggest that gender has to be considered in conjunction with the structural arrangements and that gender by itself cannot adequately describe the nature of migrant labor.

Does job burnout mediate negative effects of job demands on mental and physical health in a group of teachers? Testing the energetic process of Job Demands-Resources model.

PubMed

Baka, Łukasz

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the direct and indirect - mediated by job burnout - effects of job demands on mental and physical health problems. The Job Demands-Resources model was the theoretical framework of the study. Three job demands were taken into account - interpersonal conflicts at work, organizational constraints and workload. Indicators of mental and physical health problems included depression and physical symptoms, respectively. Three hundred and sixteen Polish teachers from 8 schools participated in the study. The hypotheses were tested with the use of tools measuring job demands (Interpersonal Conflicts at Work, Organizational Constraints, Quantitative Workload), job burnout (the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory), depression (the Beck Hopelessness Scale), and physical symptoms (the Physical Symptoms Inventory). The regression analysis with bootstrapping, using the PROCESS macros of Hayes was applied. The results support the hypotheses partially. The indirect effect and to some extent the direct effect of job demands turned out to be statistically important. The negative impact of 3 job demands on mental (hypothesis 1 - H1) and physical (hypothesis 2 - H2) health were mediated by the increasing job burnout. Only organizational constraints were directly associated with mental (and not physical) health. The results partially support the notion of the Job Demands-Resources model and provide further insight into processes leading to the low well-being of teachers in the workplace. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Computers for Manned Space Applications Base on Commercial Off-the-Shelf Components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, T.; Gronowski, M.

2009-05-01

Similar to the consumer markets there has been an ever increasing demand in processing power, signal processing capabilities and memory space also for computers used for science data processing in space. An important driver of this development have been the payload developers for the International Space Station, requesting high-speed data acquisition and fast control loops in increasingly complex systems. Current experiments now even perform video processing and compression with their payload controllers. Nowadays the requirements for a space qualified computer are often far beyond the capabilities of, for example, the classic SPARC architecture that is found in ERC32 or LEON CPUs. An increase in performance usually demands costly and power consuming application specific solutions. Continuous developments over the last few years have now led to an alternative approach that is based on complete electronics modules manufactured for commercial and industrial customers. Computer modules used in industrial environments with a high demand for reliability under harsh environmental conditions like chemical reactors, electrical power plants or on manufacturing lines are entered into a selection procedure. Promising candidates then undergo a detailed characterisation process developed by Astrium Space Transportation. After thorough analysis and some modifications, these modules can replace fully qualified custom built electronics in specific, although not safety critical applications in manned space. This paper focuses on the benefits of COTS1 based electronics modules and the necessary analyses and modifications for their utilisation in manned space applications on the ISS. Some considerations regarding overall systems architecture will also be included. Furthermore this paper will also pinpoint issues that render such modules unsuitable for specific tasks, and justify the reasons. Finally, the conclusion of this paper will advocate the implementation of COTS based electronics for a range of applications within specifically adapted systems. The findings in this paper are extrapolated from two reference computer systems, both having been launched in 2008. One of those was a LEON-2 based computer installed onboard the Columbus Orbital Facility while the other system consisted mainly of a commercial Power-PC module that was modified for a launch mounted on the ICC pallet in the Space Shuttle's cargo bay. Both systems are currently upgraded and extended for future applications.

Using Terrain Analysis and Remote Sensing to Improve Snow Mass Balance and Runoff Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venteris, E. R.; Coleman, A. M.; Wigmosta, M. S.

2010-12-01

Approximately 70-80% of the water in the international Columbia River basin is sourced from snowmelt. The demand for this water has competing needs, as it is used for agricultural irrigation, municipal, hydro and nuclear power generation, and environmental in-stream flow requirements. Accurate forecasting of water supply is essential for planning current needs and prediction of future demands due to growth and climate change. A significant limitation on current forecasting is spatial and temporal uncertainty in snowpack characteristics, particularly snow water equivalent. Currently, point measurements of snow mass balance are provided by the NRCS SNOTEL network. Each site consists of a snow mass sensor and meteorology station that monitors snow water equivalent, snow depth, precipitation, and temperature. There are currently 152 sites in the mountains of Oregon and Washington. An important step in improving forecasts is determining how representative each SNOTEL site is of the total mass balance of the watershed through a full accounting of the spatiotemporal variability in snowpack processes. This variation is driven by the interaction between meteorological processes, land cover, and landform. Statistical and geostatistical spatial models relate the state of the snowpack (characterized through SNOTEL, snow course measurements, and multispectral remote sensing) to terrain attributes derived from digital elevation models (elevation, aspect, slope, compound topographic index, topographic shading, etc.) and land cover. Time steps representing the progression of the snow season for several meteorologically distinct water years are investigated to identify and quantify dominant physical processes. The spatially distributed snow balance data can be used directly as model inputs to improve short- and long-range hydrologic forecasts.

International red meat trade.

PubMed

Brester, Gary W; Marsh, John M; Plain, Ronald L

2003-07-01

The maturation of the US beef and pork markets and increasing consumer demands for convenience, safety, and nutrition suggests that the beef and pork industries must focus on product development and promotion. New marketing arrangements are developing that help coordinate production with consumer demands. The relative high levels of incomes in the United States are likely to increase the demands for branded products rather than increase total per capita consumption. Foreign markets represent the greatest opportunity for increased demand for commodity beef and pork products. Increasing incomes in developing countries will likely allow consumers to increase consumption of animal-source proteins. Real prices of beef and pork have declined substantially because of sagging domestic demand and increasing farm-level production technologies. Increasing US beef and pork exports have obviated some of the price declines. Pork attained a net export position from a quantity perspective in 1995. The United States continues to be a net importer of beef on a quantity basis but is close to becoming a net exporter in terms of value. By-products continue to play a critical role in determining the red meat trade balance and producer prices. The United States, however, must continue to become cost, price, and quality competitive with other suppliers and must secure additional market access if it is to sustain recent trade trends. Several trade tensions remain in the red meat industry. For example, mandated COOL will undoubtedly have domestic and international effects on the beef and pork sectors. Domestically, uncertainty regarding consumer demand responses or quality perceptions regarding product origin, as well as added processor-retailer costs will be nontrivial. How these factors balance out in terms of benefits versus costs to the industry is uncertain. From an international perspective, some beef and pork export suppliers to the United States could view required labeling as a trade restriction, which could ultimately impact future US red meat exports. Conversely, some countries may view such labeling requirements as an opportunity to brand high-quality products. The US lamb meat industry has experienced declining real prices, domestic production, and demand. The cessation of wool incentive payments, increased environmental regulations, and competition by imports have significantly affected the industry. Import suppliers have capitalized on product quality in this niche market. Trade restrictions initially imposed in 1999 by the US Government were ruled illegal by the WTO. The US Government responded by providing financial assistance to lamb producers. Product quality improvements and promotion aimed at the domestic market, however, will be critical factors in shaping the economic viability of the US lamb meat industry.

The Value of Advanced Smart Metering in the Management of Urban Water Supply Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guardiola, J.; Pulido-Velazquez, M.; Giuliani, M.; Castelletti, A.; Cominola, A.; Arregui de la Cruz, F.; Escriva-Bou, A.; Soriano, J.; Pérez, J. J.; Castillo, J.; Barba, J.; González, V.; Rizzoli, A. E.

2016-12-01

This work intends to outline the experience of the implementation and further exploitation of an extensive network of smart meters (SM) in the city of Valencia by Aguas de Valencia, the water utility that offers water supply and sanitation services to the city of Valencia and its metropolitan area. Valencia has become the first large city in Europe fully equipped with a point-to-point fixed network of SM (currently with more than 430,000 units, about 90% of the meters of the city). The shift towards a water supply management system based on SM is a complex process that entails changes and impacts on different management areas of the water supply organization. A new data management and processing platform has been developed and is already proving notable benefits in the operation of the system. For example, a tool allows to automatically issue and manage work orders when abnormalities such as internal leaks (constant consumption) or meter alarms are detected. Another tool has been developed to reduce levels of non-revenue water by continuously balancing supply and demand in district metered areas. Improving leak detection and adjusting pressure levels has significantly increased the efficiency of the water distribution network. Finally, a service of post-meter leak detection has been also implemented. But the SM also contribute to improve demand management. The customers now receive detailed information on their water consumption, valuable for improving household water management and assessing the value of water conservation strategies. SM are also key tools for improving the level of understanding of demand patterns. Users have been categorized into different clusters depending in their consumption patterns characteristics. Within the EU SmartH2O project, a high resolution and frequency monitoring of residential uses has been conducted in a selected sample of households for a precise disaggregation of residential end-uses. The disaggregation of end-uses allows for a better characterization and modelling of residential water demand, and, ultimately, designing efficient user-oriented water management strategies.

The Role of External Inputs and Internal Cycling in Shaping the Global Ocean Cobalt Distribution: Insights From the First Cobalt Biogeochemical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tagliabue, Alessandro; Hawco, Nicholas J.; Bundy, Randelle M.; Landing, William M.; Milne, Angela; Morton, Peter L.; Saito, Mak A.

2018-04-01

Cobalt is an important micronutrient for ocean microbes as it is present in vitamin B12 and is a co-factor in various metalloenzymes that catalyze cellular processes. Moreover, when seawater availability of cobalt is compared to biological demands, cobalt emerges as being depleted in seawater, pointing to a potentially important limiting role. To properly account for the potential biological role for cobalt, there is therefore a need to understand the processes driving the biogeochemical cycling of cobalt and, in particular, the balance between external inputs and internal cycling. To do so, we developed the first cobalt model within a state-of-the-art three-dimensional global ocean biogeochemical model. Overall, our model does a good job in reproducing measurements with a correlation coefficient of >0.7 in the surface and >0.5 at depth. We find that continental margins are the dominant source of cobalt, with a crucial role played by supply under low bottom-water oxygen conditions. The basin-scale distribution of cobalt supplied from margins is facilitated by the activity of manganese-oxidizing bacteria being suppressed under low oxygen and low temperatures, which extends the residence time of cobalt. Overall, we find a residence time of 7 and 250 years in the upper 250 m and global ocean, respectively. Importantly, we find that the dominant internal resupply process switches from regeneration and recycling of particulate cobalt to dissolution of scavenged cobalt between the upper ocean and the ocean interior. Our model highlights key regions of the ocean where biological activity may be most sensitive to cobalt availability.

Acute stress shifts the balance between controlled and automatic processes in prospective memory.

PubMed

Möschl, Marcus; Walser, Moritz; Plessow, Franziska; Goschke, Thomas; Fischer, Rico

2017-10-01

In everyday life we frequently rely on our abilities to postpone intentions until later occasions (prospective memory; PM) and to deactivate completed intentions even in stressful situations. Yet, little is known about the effects of acute stress on these abilities. In the present work we investigated the impact of acute stress on PM functioning under high task demands. (1) Different from previous studies, in which intention deactivation required mostly low processing demands, we used salient focal PM cues to induce high processing demands during intention-deactivation phases. (2) We systematically manipulated PM-monitoring demands in a nonfocal PM task that required participants to monitor for either one or six specific syllables that could occur in ongoing-task words. Eighty participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test, a standardized stress induction protocol, or a standardized control situation, before performing a computerized PM task. Our primary interests were whether PM performance, PM-monitoring costs, aftereffects of completed intentions and/or commission-error risk would differ between stressed and non-stressed individuals and whether these effects would differ under varying task demands. Results revealed that PM performance and aftereffects of completed intentions during subsequent performance were not affected by acute stress induction, replicating previous findings. Under high demands on intention deactivation (focal condition), however, acute stress produced a nominal increase in erroneous PM responses after intention completion (commission errors). Most importantly, under high demands on PM monitoring (nonfocal condition), acute stress led to a substantial reduction in PM-monitoring costs. These findings support ideas of selective and demand-dependent effects of acute stress on cognitive functioning. Under high task demands, acute stress might induce a shift in processing strategy towards resource-saving behavior, which seems to increase the efficiency of PM performance (reduced monitoring costs), but might increase initial susceptibility to automatic response activation after intention completion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards Hybrid Online On-Demand Querying of Realtime Data with Stateful Complex Event Processing

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

Zhou, Qunzhi; Simmhan, Yogesh; Prasanna, Viktor K.

Emerging Big Data applications in areas like e-commerce and energy industry require both online and on-demand queries to be performed over vast and fast data arriving as streams. These present novel challenges to Big Data management systems. Complex Event Processing (CEP) is recognized as a high performance online query scheme which in particular deals with the velocity aspect of the 3-V’s of Big Data. However, traditional CEP systems do not consider data variety and lack the capability to embed ad hoc queries over the volume of data streams. In this paper, we propose H2O, a stateful complex event processing framework,more » to support hybrid online and on-demand queries over realtime data. We propose a semantically enriched event and query model to address data variety. A formal query algebra is developed to precisely capture the stateful and containment semantics of online and on-demand queries. We describe techniques to achieve the interactive query processing over realtime data featured by efficient online querying, dynamic stream data persistence and on-demand access. The system architecture is presented and the current implementation status reported.« less

40 CFR 721.10002 - 2-Thiazolidinone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... HEPA filters; and supplied-air respirator operated in pressure demand or continuous flow mode and... substance may cause internal organ effects (blood, liver, and kidney). The substance may cause developmental...

40 CFR 721.10002 - 2-Thiazolidinone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... HEPA filters; and supplied-air respirator operated in pressure demand or continuous flow mode and... substance may cause internal organ effects (blood, liver, and kidney). The substance may cause developmental...

The pricing behavior comparison of Canada and Australia exporter in wheat international market using Pricing to Market (PTM) and Residual Demand Elasticity (RDE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibowo, R. P.; Sumono; Iddrisu, Y.; Darus, M.; Sihombing, L. P.; Jufri

2018-02-01

This paper try to identify and examined the degree of market power on wheat international market by 2 major exporting countries comprising Canada and Australia by using the Pricing to Market (PTM) method and Residual Demand Elasticity (RDE) method. The PTM method found that Canada impose noncompetitive strategy by applying price discrimination and apply market power to their importing. Different results come from Australian exporter as they are not using their market power to the importing. Conflicting result arise from estimation using RDE and PTM method suggest that the need to extend the theoretical model of both model by expand its economic and econometric model to have consistent expected result theoretically and empirically.

Using Microsensor Technology to Quantify Match Demands in Collegiate Women's Volleyball.

PubMed

Vlantes, Travis G; Readdy, Tucker

2017-12-01

Vlantes, TG and Readdy, T. Using microsensor technology to quantify match demands in collegiate women's volleyball. J Strength Cond Res 31(12): 3266-3278, 2017-The purpose of this study was to quantify internal and external load demands of women's NCAA Division I collegiate volleyball competitions using microsensor technology and session rating of perceived exertion (S-RPE). Eleven collegiate volleyball players wore microsensor technology (Optimeye S5; Catapult Sports, Chicago, IL, USA) during 15 matches played throughout the 2016 season. Parameters examined include player load (PL), high impact PL, percentage of HI PL, explosive efforts (EEs), and jumps. Session rating of perceived exertion was collected 20 minutes postmatch using a modified Borg scale. The relationship between internal and external load was explored, comparing S-RPE data with the microsensor metrics (PL, HI PL, % HI PL, EEs, and jumps). The setter had the greatest mean PL and highest number of jumps of all positions in a 5-1 system, playing all 6 rotations. Playing 4 sets yielded a mean PL increase of 25.1% over 3 sets, whereas playing 5 sets showed a 31.0% increase in PL. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant differences (p < 0.01) across all position groups when examining % HI PL and jumps. Cohen's d analysis revealed large (≥0.8) effect sizes for these differences. Defensive specialists recorded the greatest mean S-RPE values over all 15 matches (886 ± 384.6). Establishing positional load demands allows coaches, trainers, and strength and conditioning professionals to implement training programs for position-specific demands, creating consistent peak performance, and reducing injury risk.

The U.S. Army Study of the Human Dimension in the Future 2015-2024

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

136 6-3. Burnout ...They’d extolled the virtues of the course telling the students “Best leadership laboratory in the world!” Brian would find out first hand soon enough...in information age societies. Global demand for international higher education will increase from 1.8 million international students in 2000 to 7.2

Innovative Social Support Systems and the Recruitment and Retention of International Students in U.S. Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chen-Han

2012-01-01

As the notion of globalization becomes more and more important, students from all over the world decide to study abroad in order to gain multicultural experiences. The United States has always been the leading country, with the most international enrollment; yet the increasing demand for enrollment in universities between English-speaking…

Instructional Sensitivity Statistics Appropriate for Objectives-Based Test Items. CSE Report No. 91.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosecoff, Jacqueline B.; Klein, Stephen P.

Two types of sensitivity indices were developed in this paper, one internal to the total test and the second external. To evaluate the success of these statistics the three criteria suggested for a satisfactory index of item quality were considered. The Internal Sensitivity Index appears to meet these demands. Certainly it is easily computed. In…

An Analysis of 19 International Case Studies of Stress Prevention Through Work Reorganization Using the Demand/Control Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karasek, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Nineteen international case studies of workplace stress prevention initiatives are analyzed. The focus of these cases, which span a variety of workplaces and locations, is on preventing stress through work reorganization rather than remedial approaches for stress relief. It is found that the majority of the occupations represented in the case…

What Kind of International School Leaders Are in Demand around the World? A Test of Differences by Region and Stability over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Laura; Mancuso, Steven V.

2014-01-01

This mixed-methods study of 84 job advertisements for international school leaders on six continents from 2006 to 2012 entailed both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Job advertisements were obtained from the most active recruiting agency for school leaders worldwide. Conventional and summative content analysis procedures were used to…

Redefining the Role, Scope, and Mission of Community Colleges in an International Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manns, Derrick

2014-01-01

In an age of globalization, the need exists to understand international affairs, to recognize cultural values other than our own, and to understand world events from a variety of perspectives. Community colleges can play an important role in this context in preparing students to meet the new demands of the 21st century knowledge-based economy. We…

Facing the Future: The Two-Year College, the Technician & the Entrepreneur. An International Symposium. Report from the Conference (Orlando, Florida, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regional Technology Strategies, Inc., Carrboro, NC.

This document reports on the proceedings of an international 2-day conference in Orlando, Florida that was supported by the National Science Foundation. At the conference, practitioners, employers, policymakers, and researchers raised and debated issues surrounding two-year colleges. The themes of the conference reflected increasing demands by…

Summaries of the Regional Conferences Held in Preparation for the Second International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

UNEVOC Info, 1999

1999-01-01

In 1998, five regional conferences were held in preparation for the Second International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education (TVE). The Asia-Pacific regional conference focused on challenges of the 21st century, demands of the world of work, and changing patterns in the delivery of training programs. The European symposium covered five…

Who Needs a United Nations School? A Struggle between International Officials and Education Specialists, New York, 1946-1949

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugonjic, Leonora

2015-01-01

What are the origins of international schools? Authors in the fields of education and institutional history often point to the "need" of an invisible group of parents. This need, and the "demand" these schools claim to fulfill, haunt common discourse. From a historical and sociological viewpoint, however, these are precisely…

Coping Strategies of International Chinese Undergraduates in Response to Academic Challenges in U.S. Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heng, Tang

2018-01-01

Background/Context: One in three international students in the U.S. comes from China, propelled by a steep increase in undergraduate enrollment in U.S. colleges. This phenomenon has been accompanied by negative media discourse that portrays them as needy, passive, and unable to cope with their new educational demands. Purpose/Objective: Using a…

Internationalization of the Postdoctorate in the United States: Analyzing the Demand for International Postdoc Labor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantwell, Brendan; Taylor, Barrett J.

2013-01-01

The American academic research enterprise relies heavily on contributions made by foreign nationals. Of particular note is the large number of international postdocs employed at universities in the United States (US). Postdocs are among the fastest growing group of academic staff in the US, and over 50% of all postdocs in the US are temporary visa…

The Impact on Academic Staff of the Collaboration between a Pathway Provider and Its Partner University: An Australian Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaktinš, Louise

2018-01-01

New educational models such as those involving a third party educational provider linked with an official university for purposes of providing a bridge (a pathway program) into a mainstream university degree, particularly for international students, have become part of the higher education landscape capitalising on the international demand for…

International Demand for Spanish University Education: An Analysis in the Context of the European Higher Education Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rincón, Virginia; Barrutia, Jon

2017-01-01

In the current context of globalisation it seems inevitable that the international openness of universities would also lead to efforts to attract foreign students. In the case of Spain, this is more necessary, insofar as the drop in population, the existence of other quality educational offerings, and the greater number of public and private…

23 CFR 450.320 - Congestion management process in transportation management areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... travel demand reduction and operational management strategies. (b) The development of a congestion... appropriate analysis of reasonable (including multimodal) travel demand reduction and operational management... the analysis demonstrates that travel demand reduction and operational management strategies cannot...

5 CFR 1216.205 - Processing requests or demands.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Processing requests or demands. 1216.205 Section 1216.205 Administrative Personnel MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES TESTIMONY BY MSPB EMPLOYEES RELATING TO OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL RECORDS IN LEGAL...

A cross-national study on the multidimensional characteristics of the five-item psychological demands scale of the Job Content Questionnaire.

PubMed

Choi, BongKyoo; Kawakami, Norito; Chang, SeiJin; Koh, SangBaek; Bjorner, Jakob; Punnett, Laura; Karasek, Robert

2008-01-01

The five-item psychological demands scale of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) has been assumed to be one-dimensional in practice. To examine whether the scale has sufficient internal consistency and external validity to be treated as a single scale, using the cross-national JCQ datasets from the United States, Korea, and Japan. Exploratory factor analyses with 22 JCQ items, confirmatory factor analyses with the five psychological demands items, and correlations analyses with mental health indexes. Generally, exploratory factor analyses displayed the predicted demand/control/support structure with three and four factors extracted. However, at more detailed levels of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the demands scale showed clear evidence of multi-factor structure. The correlations of items and subscales of the demands scale with mental health indexes were similar to those of the full scale in the Korean and Japanese datasets, but not in the U.S. data. In 4 out of 16 sub-samples of the U.S. data, several significant correlations of the components of the demands scale with job dissatisfaction and life dissatisfaction were obscured by the full scale. The multidimensionality of the psychological demands scale should be considered in psychometric analysis and interpretation, occupational epidemiologic studies, and future scale extension.

Aerothermodynamics and Propulsion Integration for Hypersonic Vehicles (L’Integration de la Propusion et de l’aerodynnamique pour les vehicules hypersoniques).

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-10-01

aerothermoelasticity, temperature gradients and internal heat gies, belong fully resuable SSTO and TSTO sytems, protection. The demand of extreme light...supersonic conditions, convergent and convergent-divergent nozzles matching the cold cage internal diameter will be fixed on the end plate. A set of five...in hypersonic flow. AIAA Paper93- des Fluides, Avril 1996. 5111, 5th International Aerospace Planes and 16. Morrisette, E.L., Creel, T.R., Chen, F.J

Adults in the Academy. International Trends in Adult and Higher Education. A Selection of Papers from the International Conference: Serving the Adult Learner: New Roles and Changing Relationships of Adult and Higher Education (Stockholm, Sweden, May 20-22, 1987).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamsson, Kenneth, Ed.; And Others

These papers address the central objective of the conference: to create a better understanding of the societal determinants and educational response to increased demands from adults for greater access to education. The following papers in Part 1 outline some international trends relating to adults in higher education: "The New Policy Arena of…

Six Lessons We Learned Applying Six Sigma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carroll, Napoleon; Casleton, Christa H.

2005-01-01

As Chief Financial Officer of Kennedy Space Center (KSC), I'm not only responsible for financial planning and accounting but also for building strong partnerships with the CFO customers, who include Space Shuttle and International Space Station operations as well all who manage the KSC Spaceport. My never ending goal is to design, manage and continuously improve our core business processes so that they deliver world class products and services to the CFO's customers. I became interested in Six Sigma as Christa Casleton (KSC's first Six Sigma Black belt) applied Six Sigma tools and methods to our Plan and Account for Travel Costs Process. Her analysis was fresh, innovative and thorough but, even more impressive, was her approach to ensure ongoing, continuous process improvement. Encouraged by the results, I launched two more process improvement initiatives aimed at applying Six Sigma principles to CFO processes that not only touch most of my employees but also have direct customer impact. As many of you know, Six Sigma is a measurement scale that compares the output of a process with customer requirements. That's straight forward, but demands that you not only understand your processes but also know your products and the critical customer requirements. The objective is to isolate and eliminate the causes of process variation so that the customer sees consistently high quality.

Virtual groundwater transfers from overexploited aquifers in the United States

PubMed Central

Marston, Landon; Konar, Megan; Cai, Ximing; Troy, Tara J.

2015-01-01

The High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems within the United States are currently being overexploited for irrigation water supplies. The unsustainable use of groundwater resources in all three aquifer systems intensified from 2000 to 2008, making it imperative that we understand the consumptive processes and forces of demand that are driving their depletion. To this end, we quantify and track agricultural virtual groundwater transfers from these overexploited aquifer systems to their final destination. Specifically, we determine which US metropolitan areas, US states, and international export destinations are currently the largest consumers of these critical aquifers. We draw upon US government data on agricultural production, irrigation, and domestic food flows, as well as modeled estimates of agricultural virtual water contents to quantify domestic transfers. Additionally, we use US port-level trade data to trace international exports from these aquifers. In 2007, virtual groundwater transfers from the High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems totaled 17.93 km3, 9.18 km3, and 6.81 km3, respectively, which is comparable to the capacity of Lake Mead (35.7 km3), the largest surface reservoir in the United States. The vast majority (91%) of virtual groundwater transfers remains within the United States. Importantly, the cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers are critical to US food security (contributing 18.5% to domestic cereal supply). Notably, Japan relies upon cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers for 9.2% of its domestic cereal supply. These results highlight the need to understand the teleconnections between distant food demands and local agricultural water use. PMID:26124137

5. annual clean coal technology conference: powering the next millennium. Vol.1

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

NONE

1997-07-01

The Fifth Annual Clean Coal Technology Conference focuses on presenting strategies and approaches that will enable clean coal technologies to resolve the competing, interrelated demands for power, economic viability, and environmental constraints associated with the use of coal in the post-2000 era. The program addresses the dynamic changes that will result from utility competition and industry restructuring, and to the evolution of markets abroad. Current projections for electricity highlight the preferential role that electric power will have in accomplishing the long-range goals of most nations. Increased demands can be met by utilizing coal in technologies that achieve environmental goals whilemore » keeping the cost- per-unit of energy competitive. Results from projects in the DOE Clean Coal technology Demonstration Program confirm that technology is the pathway to achieving these goals. The industry/government partnership, cemented over the past 10 years, is focused on moving the clean coal technologies into the domestic and international marketplaces. The Fifth Annual Clean Coal Technology Conference provides a forum to discuss these benchmark issues and the essential role and need for these technologies in the post-2000 era. This volume contains papers presented at the plenary session and panel sessions on; international markets for clean coal technologies (CCTs); role of CCTs in the evolving domestic electricity market; environmental issues affecting CCT deployment; and CCT deployment from today into the next millennium. In addition papers presented at the closing plenary session on powering the next millennium--CCT answers the challenge are included. Selected papers have been processed for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology database.« less

Virtual groundwater transfers from overexploited aquifers in the United States.

PubMed

Marston, Landon; Konar, Megan; Cai, Ximing; Troy, Tara J

2015-07-14

The High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems within the United States are currently being overexploited for irrigation water supplies. The unsustainable use of groundwater resources in all three aquifer systems intensified from 2000 to 2008, making it imperative that we understand the consumptive processes and forces of demand that are driving their depletion. To this end, we quantify and track agricultural virtual groundwater transfers from these overexploited aquifer systems to their final destination. Specifically, we determine which US metropolitan areas, US states, and international export destinations are currently the largest consumers of these critical aquifers. We draw upon US government data on agricultural production, irrigation, and domestic food flows, as well as modeled estimates of agricultural virtual water contents to quantify domestic transfers. Additionally, we use US port-level trade data to trace international exports from these aquifers. In 2007, virtual groundwater transfers from the High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems totaled 17.93 km(3), 9.18 km(3), and 6.81 km(3), respectively, which is comparable to the capacity of Lake Mead (35.7 km(3)), the largest surface reservoir in the United States. The vast majority (91%) of virtual groundwater transfers remains within the United States. Importantly, the cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers are critical to US food security (contributing 18.5% to domestic cereal supply). Notably, Japan relies upon cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers for 9.2% of its domestic cereal supply. These results highlight the need to understand the teleconnections between distant food demands and local agricultural water use.

River and Wetland Food Webs in Australia's Wet-Dry Tropics: General Principles and Implications for Management.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, M. M.; Bunn, S. E.; Davies, P. M.

2005-05-01

The tropical rivers of northern Australia are internationally recognised for their high ecological and cultural values. They have largely unmodified flow regimes and are comparatively free of the impacts associated with intensive land use. However, there is growing demand for agricultural development and existing pressures, such as weeds and feral animals, threaten their ecological integrity. Using the international literature to provide a conceptual framework and drawing on limited published and unpublished data on rivers in northern Australia, we have derived five general principles about food webs and related ecosystem processes that both characterise tropical rivers of northern Australia and have important implications for their management. These are: (1) Seasonal hydrology is a strong driver of ecosystem processes and food web structure; (2) Hydrological connectivity is largely intact and underpins important terrestrial-aquatic food web subsidies; (3) River and wetland food webs are strongly dependent on algal production; (4) A few common macroconsumers species have a strong influence on benthic food webs; (5) Omnivory is widespread and food chains are short. These principles have implications for the management and protection of tropical rivers and wetlands of northern Australia and provide a framework for the formation of testable hypotheses in future research programs.

Consultation on the Libyan health systems: towards patient-centred services

PubMed Central

El Oakley, Reida M.; Ghrew, Murad H.; Aboutwerat, Ali A.; Alageli, Nabil A.; Neami, Khaldon A.; Kerwat, Rajab M.; Elfituri, Abdulbaset A.; Ziglam, Hisham M.; Saifenasser, Aymen M.; Bahron, Ali M.; Aburawi, Elhadi H.; Sagar, Samir A.; Tajoury, Adel E.; Benamer, Hani T.S.

2013-01-01

The extra demand imposed upon the Libyan health services during and after the Libyan revolution in 2011 led the ailing health systems to collapse. To start the planning process to re-engineer the health sector, the Libyan Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international experts in the field sponsored the National Health Systems Conference in Tripoli, Libya, between the 26th and the 30th of August 2012. The aim of this conference was to study how health systems function at the international arena and to facilitate a consultative process between 500 Libyan health experts in order to identify the problems within the Libyan health system and propose potential solutions. The scientific programme adopted the WHO health care system framework and used its six system building blocks: i) Health Governance; ii) Health Care Finance; iii) Health Service Delivery; iv) Human Resources for Health; v) Pharmaceuticals and Health Technology; and vi) Health Information System. The experts used a structured approach starting with clarifying the concepts, evaluating the current status of that health system block in Libya, thereby identifying the strengths, weaknesses, and major deficiencies. This article summarises the 500 health expert recommendations that seized the opportunity to map a modern health systems to take the Libyan health sector into the 21st century. PMID:23359277

Travel demand forecasting models: a comparison of EMME/2 and QUR II using a real-world network.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-10-01

In order to automate the travel demand forecasting process in urban transportation planning, a number of : commercial computer based travel demand forecasting models have been developed, which have provided : transportation planners with powerful and...

Post-processing techniques to enhance reliability of assignment algorithm based performance measures : [technical summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Travel demand modeling plays a key role in the transportation system planning and evaluation process. The four-step sequential travel demand model is the most widely used technique in practice. Traffic assignment is the key step in the conventional f...

Determining the appropriate strategies for emergency planning through AHP-SWOT.

PubMed

Kalatpour, Omid

2017-01-01

During an unexpected incident, companies should demonstrate appropriate behaviour based on predetermined and rehearsed emergency strategies. This paper describes how to select the proper strategies for emergency situations via means of the AHP-SWOT tool, where the initial SWOT analysis is conducted for the emergency management system, and the final strategies are selected via the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Alternative response strategies comprise internal, shared and external responses. Most of the scenarios investigated for this study demanded a shared response. These findings highlight the importance of mutual aid agreements, cooperative exercises and the improvement of communication systems. Organisations can take advantage of integrated approaches to select the best strategies and tactics for normal situations in general and emergency situations in particular.

Review: bioprinting: a beginning.

PubMed

Mironov, Vladimir; Reis, Nuno; Derby, Brian

2006-04-01

An increasing demand for directed assembly of biologically relevant materials, with prescribed three-dimensional hierarchical organizations, is stimulating technology developments with the ultimate goal of re-creating multicellular tissues and organs de novo. Existing techniques, mostly adapted from other applications or fields of research, are capable of independently meeting partial requirements for engineering biological or biomimetic structures, but their integration toward organ engineering is proving difficult. Inspired by recent developments in material transfer processes operating at all relevant length scales--from nano to macro--which are amenable to biological elements, a new research field of bioprinting and biopatterning has emerged. Here we present a short review regarding the framework, state of the art, and perspectives of this new field, based on the findings presented at a recent international workshop.

Brain Energetics During the Sleep-Wake Cycle

PubMed Central

DiNuzzo, Mauro; Nedergaard, Maiken

2017-01-01

Brain activity during wakefulness is associated with high metabolic rates that are believed to support information processing and memory encoding. In spite of loss of consciousness, sleep still carries a substantial energy cost. Experimental evidence supports a cerebral metabolic shift taking place during sleep that suppresses aerobic glycolysis, a hallmark of environment-oriented waking behavior and synaptic plasticity. Recent studies reveal that glial astrocytes respond to the reduction of wake-promoting neuromodulators by regulating volume, composition and glymphatic drainage of interstitial fluid. These events are accompanied by changes in neuronal discharge patterns, astrocyte-neuron interactions, synaptic transactions and underlying metabolic features. Internally-generated neuronal activity and network homeostasis are proposed to account for the high sleep-related energy demand. PMID:29024871

A global food demand model for the assessment of complex human-earth systems

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

EDMONDS, JAMES A.; LINK, ROBERT; WALDHOFF, STEPHANIE T.

Demand for agricultural products is an important problem in climate change economics. Food consumption will shape and shaped by climate change and emissions mitigation policies through interactions with bioenergy and afforestation, two critical issues in meeting international climate goals such as two-degrees. We develop a model of food demand for staple and nonstaple commodities that evolves with changing incomes and prices. The model addresses a long-standing issue in estimating food demands, the evolution of demand relationships across large changes in income and prices. We discuss the model, some of its properties and limitations. We estimate parameter values using pooled cross-sectional-time-seriesmore » observations and the Metropolis Monte Carlo method and cross-validate the model by estimating parameters using a subset of the observations and test its ability to project into the unused observations. Finally, we apply bias correction techniques borrowed from the climate-modeling community and report results.« less

Talent management for the twenty-first century.

PubMed

Cappelli, Peter

2008-03-01

Most firms have no formal programs for anticipating and fulfilling talent needs, relying on an increasingly expensive pool of outside candidates that has been shrinking since it was created from the white-collar layoffs of the 1980s. But the advice these companies are getting to solve the problem--institute large-scale internal development programs--is equally ineffective. Internal development was the norm back in the 1950s, and every management-development practice that seems novel today was routine in those years--from executive coaching to 360-degree feedback to job rotation to high-potential programs. However, the stable business environment and captive talent pipelines in which such practices were born no longer exist. It's time for a fundamentally new approach to talent management. Fortunately, companies already have such a model, one that has been well honed over decades to anticipate and meet demand in uncertain environments: supply chain management. Cappelli, a professor at the Wharton School, focuses on four practices in particular. First, companies should balance make-versus-buy decisions by using internal development programs to produce most--but not all--of the needed talent, filling in with outside hiring. Second, firms can reduce the risks in forecasting the demand for talent by sending smaller batches of candidates through more modularized training systems in much the same way manufacturers now employ components in just-in-time production lines. Third, companies can improve their returns on investment in development efforts by adopting novel cost-sharing programs. Fourth, they should seek to protect their investments by generating internal opportunities to encourage newly trained managers to stick with the firm. Taken together, these principles form the foundation for a new paradigm in talent management: a talent-on-demand system.

Decision-Making Processes in the Workplace: How Exhaustion, Lack of Resources and Job Demands Impair Them and Affect Performance

PubMed Central

Ceschi, Andrea; Demerouti, Evangelia; Sartori, Riccardo; Weller, Joshua

2017-01-01

The present study aims to connect more the I/O and the decision-making psychological domains, by showing how some common components across jobs interfere with decision-making and affecting performance. Two distinct constructs that can contribute to positive workplace performance have been considered: decision-making competency (DMCy) and decision environment management (DEM). Both factors are presumed to involve self-regulatory mechanisms connected to decision processes by influencing performance in relation to work environment conditions. In the framework of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the present study tested how such components as job demands, job resources and exhaustion can moderate decision-making processes and performance, where high resources are advantageous for decision-making processes and performance at work, while the same effect happens with low job demands and/or low exhaustion. In line with the formulated hypotheses, results confirm the relations between both the decision-making competences, performance (i.e., in-role and extra-role) and moderators considered. In particular, employees with low levels of DMCy show to be more sensitive to job demands toward in-role performance, whereas high DEM levels increase the sensitivity of employees toward job resources and exhaustion in relation to extra-role performance. These findings indicate that decision-making processes, as well as work environment conditions, are jointly related to employee functioning. PMID:28529491

Decision-Making Processes in the Workplace: How Exhaustion, Lack of Resources and Job Demands Impair Them and Affect Performance.

PubMed

Ceschi, Andrea; Demerouti, Evangelia; Sartori, Riccardo; Weller, Joshua

2017-01-01

The present study aims to connect more the I/O and the decision-making psychological domains, by showing how some common components across jobs interfere with decision-making and affecting performance. Two distinct constructs that can contribute to positive workplace performance have been considered: decision-making competency (DMCy) and decision environment management (DEM). Both factors are presumed to involve self-regulatory mechanisms connected to decision processes by influencing performance in relation to work environment conditions. In the framework of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the present study tested how such components as job demands, job resources and exhaustion can moderate decision-making processes and performance, where high resources are advantageous for decision-making processes and performance at work, while the same effect happens with low job demands and/or low exhaustion. In line with the formulated hypotheses, results confirm the relations between both the decision-making competences, performance (i.e., in-role and extra-role) and moderators considered. In particular, employees with low levels of DMCy show to be more sensitive to job demands toward in-role performance, whereas high DEM levels increase the sensitivity of employees toward job resources and exhaustion in relation to extra-role performance. These findings indicate that decision-making processes, as well as work environment conditions, are jointly related to employee functioning.

Control of Effluent Gases from Solid Waste Processing using Impregnated Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing; Fisher, John; Wignarajah, Kanapathipillai

2005-01-01

One of the major problems associated with solid waste processing technologies is effluent contaminants that are released in gaseous forms from the processes. This is a concern in both biological as well as physicochemical solid waste processing. Carbon dioxide (CO2), the major gas released, does not present a serious problem and there are currently in place a number of flight-qualified technologies for CO2 removal. However, a number of other gases, in particular NOx, SO2, NH3, and various hydrocarbons (e.g. CH4) do present health hazards to the crew members in space habitats. In the present configuration of solid waste processing in the International Space Station (ISS), some of these gases are removed by the Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS), demands a major resupply. Reduction of the resupply can be effective by using catalyst impregnated carbon nanotubes. For example, NO decomposition to N2 and O2 is thermodynamically favored. Data showing decomposition of NO on metal impregnated carbon nanotubes is presented. Comparisons are made of the existing TCCS systems with the carbon nanotube based technology for removing NOx based on mass/energy penalties.

IMF / World Bank boards of governors discuss population, migration.

PubMed

1994-05-01

A brief presentation was given of the statements Dr. Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and Secretary General of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), made before a meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on resource flows to developing countries, population, international trade, and migration. The meeting was attended by finance ministers from 24 countries. The IMF Managing Director gave an overview at the meeting of the world economic situation and the need for international assistance for effective population and family planning programs. Dr. Sadik emphasized this need as a requirement for implementation of the 20-year ICPD Programme of Action. The increased investment was considered beneficial because it would increase life expectancy, lower demand for health and education services, reduce pressure in the job market, reduce economic hardship, and increase social stability. The growth of prosperity was considered by Dr. Sadik to be tied to increased demand for housing, energy, and utilities. A slower and more balanced population growth would allow for government services to meet demands and for the world to adjust to increasing numbers of people. Several ministers supported the call for increased funding of population programs and poverty reduction programs. A special communique by ministers recognized that the connections between economic growth, population, poverty reduction, health, investment in human resources, and environmental degradation must be integrated into population policy. Ministers urged the ICPD to emphasize improvements in primary school enrollment in low income countries, in access to family planning and health services, and in maternal and child mortality rates. Ministers wanted to see increases in the proportion of aid directed to population programs above the current 1.25%. Requests were made for more research into the social, political, and economic impact of international migration among both host and origin countries.

Automatic-heuristic and executive-analytic processing during reasoning: Chronometric and dual-task considerations.

PubMed

De Neys, Wim

2006-06-01

Human reasoning has been shown to overly rely on intuitive, heuristic processing instead of a more demanding analytic inference process. Four experiments tested the central claim of current dual-process theories that analytic operations involve time-consuming executive processing whereas the heuristic system would operate automatically. Participants solved conjunction fallacy problems and indicative and deontic selection tasks. Experiment 1 established that making correct analytic inferences demanded more processing time than did making heuristic inferences. Experiment 2 showed that burdening the executive resources with an attention-demanding secondary task decreased correct, analytic responding and boosted the rate of conjunction fallacies and indicative matching card selections. Results were replicated in Experiments 3 and 4 with a different secondary-task procedure. Involvement of executive resources for the deontic selection task was less clear. Findings validate basic processing assumptions of the dual-process framework and complete the correlational research programme of K. E. Stanovich and R. F. West (2000).

Differences in price elasticities of demand for health insurance: a systematic review.

PubMed

Pendzialek, Jonas B; Simic, Dusan; Stock, Stephanie

2016-01-01

Many health insurance systems apply managed competition principles to control costs and quality of health care. Besides other factors, managed competition relies on a sufficient price-elastic demand. This paper presents a systematic review of empirical studies on price elasticity of demand for health insurance. The objective was to identify the differing international ranges of price elasticity and to find socio-economic as well as setting-oriented factors that influence price elasticity. Relevant literature for the topic was identified through a two-step identification process including a systematic search in appropriate databases and further searches within the references of the results. A total of 45 studies from countries such as the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland were found. Clear differences in price elasticity by countries were identified. While empirical studies showed a range between -0.2 and -1.0 for optional primary health insurance in the US, higher price elasticities between -0.6 and -4.2 for Germany and around -2 for Switzerland were calculated for mandatory primary health insurance. Dutch studies found price elasticities below -0.5. In consideration of all relevant studies, age and poorer health status were identified to decrease price elasticity. Other socio-economic factors had an unclear impact or too limited evidence. Premium level, range of premiums, homogeneity of benefits/coverage and degree of forced decision were found to have a major influence on price elasticity in their settings. Further influence was found from supplementary insurance and premium-dependent employer contribution.

Intensification of phosphorus cycling in China since the 1600s.

PubMed

Liu, Xin; Sheng, Hu; Jiang, Songyan; Yuan, Zengwei; Zhang, Chaosheng; Elser, James J

2016-03-08

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for living systems with emerging sustainability challenges related to supply uncertainty and aquatic eutrophication. However, its long-term temporal dynamics and subsequent effects on freshwater ecosystems are still unclear. Here, we quantify the P pathways across China over the past four centuries with a life cycle process-balanced model and evaluate the concomitant potential for eutrophication with a spatial resolution of 5 arc-minutes in 2012. We find that P cycling in China has been artificially intensified during this period to sustain the increasing population and its demand for animal protein-based diets, with continuous accumulations in inland waters and lands. In the past decade, China's international trade of P involves net exports of P chemicals and net imports of downstream crops, specifically soybeans from the United States, Brazil, and Argentina. The contribution of crop products to per capita food P demand, namely, the P directly consumed by humans, declined from over 98% before the 1950s to 76% in 2012, even though there was little change in per capita food P demand. Anthropogenic P losses to freshwater and their eutrophication potential clustered in wealthy coastal regions with dense populations. We estimate that Chinese P reserve depletion could be postponed for over 20 y by more efficient life cycle P management. Our results highlight the importance of closing the P cycle to achieve the cobenefits of P resource conservation and eutrophication mitigation in the world's most rapidly developing economy.

Intensification of phosphorus cycling in China since the 1600s

PubMed Central

Liu, Xin; Sheng, Hu; Jiang, Songyan; Yuan, Zengwei; Zhang, Chaosheng; Elser, James J.

2016-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for living systems with emerging sustainability challenges related to supply uncertainty and aquatic eutrophication. However, its long-term temporal dynamics and subsequent effects on freshwater ecosystems are still unclear. Here, we quantify the P pathways across China over the past four centuries with a life cycle process-balanced model and evaluate the concomitant potential for eutrophication with a spatial resolution of 5 arc-minutes in 2012. We find that P cycling in China has been artificially intensified during this period to sustain the increasing population and its demand for animal protein-based diets, with continuous accumulations in inland waters and lands. In the past decade, China’s international trade of P involves net exports of P chemicals and net imports of downstream crops, specifically soybeans from the United States, Brazil, and Argentina. The contribution of crop products to per capita food P demand, namely, the P directly consumed by humans, declined from over 98% before the 1950s to 76% in 2012, even though there was little change in per capita food P demand. Anthropogenic P losses to freshwater and their eutrophication potential clustered in wealthy coastal regions with dense populations. We estimate that Chinese P reserve depletion could be postponed for over 20 y by more efficient life cycle P management. Our results highlight the importance of closing the P cycle to achieve the cobenefits of P resource conservation and eutrophication mitigation in the world’s most rapidly developing economy. PMID:26903638

Integrated hydrologic modeling of a transboundary aquifer system —Lower Rio Grande

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, Randall T.; Schmid, Wolfgang; Knight, Jacob E.; Maddock, Thomas

2013-01-01

For more than 30 years the agreements developed for the aquifer systems of the lower Rio Grande and related river compacts of the Rio Grande River have evolved into a complex setting of transboundary conjunctive use. The conjunctive use now includes many facets of water rights, water use, and emerging demands between the states of New Mexico and Texas, the United States and Mexico, and various water-supply agencies. The analysis of the complex relations between irrigation and streamflow supplyand-demand components and the effects of surface-water and groundwater use requires an integrated hydrologic model to track all of the use and movement of water. MODFLOW with the Farm Process (MFFMP) provides the integrated approach needed to assess the stream-aquifer interactions that are dynamically affected by irrigation demands on streamflow allotments that are supplemented with groundwater pumpage. As a first step to the ongoing full implementation of MF-FMP by the USGS, the existing model (LRG_2007) was modified to include some FMP features, demonstrating the ability to simulate the existing streamflow-diversion relations known as the D2 and D3 curves, departure of downstream deliveries from these curves during low allocation years and with increasing efficiency upstream, and the dynamic relation between surface-water conveyance and estimates of pumpage and recharge. This new MF-FMP modeling framework can now internally analyze complex relations within the Lower Rio Grande Hydrologic Model (LRGHM_2011) that previous techniques had limited ability to assess.

Predictors of adaptation in Icelandic and American families of young children with chronic asthma.

PubMed

Svavarsdottir, Erla Kolbrun; Rayens, Mary Kay; McCubbin, Marilyn

2005-01-01

The purposes of this international study were to determine the predictors of adaptation and to assess potential moderating effects of parents' sense of coherence and family hardiness on the relationship of severity of illness of a child with asthma and family and caregiving demands as predictors of family adaptation. For both parents, sense of coherence and family hardiness predicted family adaptation. Icelandic mothers perceived their family's adaptation more favorably than did their American counterparts. For the fathers, family demands predicted adaptation. Sense of coherence moderated the effect of family demands on adaptation for both parents. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening individual and family resiliency as a mechanism for improving family adaptation.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking achilles tendinopathy patients.

PubMed

Lohrer, Heinz; Nauck, Tanja

2009-10-30

Achilles tendinopathy is the predominant overuse injury in runners. To further investigate this overload injury in transverse and longitudinal studies a valid, responsive and reliable outcome measure is demanded. Most questionnaires have been developed for English-speaking populations. This is also true for the VISA-A score, so far representing the only valid, reliable, and disease specific questionnaire for Achilles tendinopathy. To internationally compare research results, to perform multinational studies or to exclude bias originating from subpopulations speaking different languages within one country an equivalent instrument is demanded in different languages. The aim of this study was therefore to cross-cultural adapt and validate the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking Achilles tendinopathy patients. According to the "guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures" the VISA-A score was cross-culturally adapted into German (VISA-A-G) using six steps: Translation, synthesis, back translation, expert committee review, pretesting (n = 77), and appraisal of the adaptation process by an advisory committee determining the adequacy of the cross-cultural adaptation. The resulting VISA-A-G was then subjected to an analysis of reliability, validity, and internal consistency in 30 Achilles tendinopathy patients and 79 asymptomatic people. Concurrent validity was tested against a generic tendon grading system (Percy and Conochie) and against a classification system for the effect of pain on athletic performance (Curwin and Stanish). The "advisory committee" determined the VISA-A-G questionnaire as been translated "acceptable". The VISA-A-G questionnaire showed moderate to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.60 to 0.97). Concurrent validity showed good coherence when correlated with the grading system of Curwin and Stanish (rho = -0.95) and for the Percy and Conochie grade of severity (rho 0.95). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) for the total VISA-A-G scores of the patients was calculated to be 0.737. The VISA-A questionnaire was successfully cross-cultural adapted and validated for use in German speaking populations. The psychometric properties of the VISA-A-G questionnaire are similar to those of the original English version. It therefore can be recommended as a sufficiently robust tool for future measuring clinical severity of Achilles tendinopathy in German speaking patients.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking Achilles tendinopathy patients

PubMed Central

Lohrer, Heinz; Nauck, Tanja

2009-01-01

Background Achilles tendinopathy is the predominant overuse injury in runners. To further investigate this overload injury in transverse and longitudinal studies a valid, responsive and reliable outcome measure is demanded. Most questionnaires have been developed for English-speaking populations. This is also true for the VISA-A score, so far representing the only valid, reliable, and disease specific questionnaire for Achilles tendinopathy. To internationally compare research results, to perform multinational studies or to exclude bias originating from subpopulations speaking different languages within one country an equivalent instrument is demanded in different languages. The aim of this study was therefore to cross-cultural adapt and validate the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking Achilles tendinopathy patients. Methods According to the "guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures" the VISA-A score was cross-culturally adapted into German (VISA-A-G) using six steps: Translation, synthesis, back translation, expert committee review, pretesting (n = 77), and appraisal of the adaptation process by an advisory committee determining the adequacy of the cross-cultural adaptation. The resulting VISA-A-G was then subjected to an analysis of reliability, validity, and internal consistency in 30 Achilles tendinopathy patients and 79 asymptomatic people. Concurrent validity was tested against a generic tendon grading system (Percy and Conochie) and against a classification system for the effect of pain on athletic performance (Curwin and Stanish). Results The "advisory committee" determined the VISA-A-G questionnaire as been translated "acceptable". The VISA-A-G questionnaire showed moderate to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.60 to 0.97). Concurrent validity showed good coherence when correlated with the grading system of Curwin and Stanish (rho = -0.95) and for the Percy and Conochie grade of severity (rho 0.95). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) for the total VISA-A-G scores of the patients was calculated to be 0.737. Conclusion The VISA-A questionnaire was successfully cross-cultural adapted and validated for use in German speaking populations. The psychometric properties of the VISA-A-G questionnaire are similar to those of the original English version. It therefore can be recommended as a sufficiently robust tool for future measuring clinical severity of Achilles tendinopathy in German speaking patients. PMID:19878572

The development of a core syllabus for the teaching of oral anatomy, histology, and embryology to dental students via an international 'Delphi Panel'.

PubMed

Moxham, Bernard John; McHanwell, Stephen; Berkovitz, Barry

2018-03-01

The formulation of core syllabuses for the biomedical sciences within medical and dental courses is partially driven by the need to cope with decreased time allocations for these subjects as a result of major curricular changes taking place worldwide. There is also a requirement to deal with the request for increased clinical relevance. In response to such demands, the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) is devising core syllabuses for the anatomical sciences relating to the education and training of both scientific and clinical professions. The process initially involves using Delphi Panels consisting of a team of anatomists, scientists, and clinicians who evaluate syllabus content in detail and accord each element/topic 'essential,' 'important,' 'acceptable,' or 'not required' status. Their conjectures, published on the IFAA website, provide merely a framework to enable other stakeholders to comment. The approach is international in scope, is conceptually 'democratic,' and is developmentally fluid in being readily available for amendment. The aim is to set internationally recognized standards and thus to provide guidelines concerning anatomical knowledge when engaged in course development. This article presents the deliberations of an IFAA Delphi Panel into a core syllabus for oral anatomy, histology, and embryology within the dental curriculum. Clin. Anat. 31:231-249, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nurses on the move: a global overview.

PubMed

Kingma, Mireille

2007-06-01

To look at nurse migration flows in the light of national nursing workforce imbalances, examine factors that encourage or inhibit nurse mobility, and explore the potential benefits of circular migration. The number of international migrants has doubled since 1970 and nurses are increasingly part of the migratory stream. Critical nursing shortages in industrialized countries are generating a demand that is fueling energetic international recruitment campaigns. Structural adjustments in the developing countries have created severe workforce imbalances and shortfalls often coexist with large numbers of unemployed health professionals. A nurse's motivation to migrate is multifactorial, not limited to financial incentives, and barriers exist that discourage or slow the migration process. The migration flows vary in direction and magnitude over time, responding to socioeconomic factors present in source and destination countries. The dearth of data on which to develop international health human resource policy remains. There is growing recognition, however, that migration will continue and that temporary migration will be a focus of attention in the years to come. Today's search for labor is a highly organized global hunt for talent that includes nurses. International migration is a symptom of the larger systemic problems that make nurses leave their jobs. Nurse mobility becomes a major issue only in a context of migrant exploitation or nursing shortage. Injecting migrant nurses into dysfunctional health systems-ones that are not capable of attracting and retaining staff domestically-will not solve the nursing shortage.

Manipulation of M demand of chemistry problems and its effect on student performance: A neo-piagetian study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niaz, Mansoor

It has been shown that student performance in chemistry problems decreases as the M demand of the problem increases, thus emphasizing the role of information processing in problem solving. It was hypothesized that manipulation (increase or decrease) of the M demand of a problem can affect student performance. Increasing the M demand of a problem would affect more the performance of subjects with a limited functional M capacity. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of manipulation (increase) of the M demand of chemistry problems, having the same logical structure, on performance of students having different functional M capacity, cognitive style, and formal operational reasoning patterns. As predicted the performance of one group of students was lower after the manipulation (increase) in the M demand of the problem. This shows how even small changes in the amount of information required for processing can lead to working memory overload, as a consequence of a poor capacity for mobilization of M power.

Base Stock Policy in a Join-Type Production Line with Advanced Demand Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiraiwa, Mikihiko; Tsubouchi, Satoshi; Nakade, Koichi

Production control such as the base stock policy, the kanban policy and the constant work-in-process policy in a serial production line has been studied by many researchers. Production lines, however, usually have fork-type, join-type or network-type figures. In addition, in most previous studies on production control, a finished product is required at the same time as arrival of demand at the system. Demand information is, however, informed before due date in practice. In this paper a join-type (assembly) production line under base stock control with advanced demand information in discrete time is analyzed. The recursive equations for the work-in-process are derived. The heuristic algorithm for finding appropriate base stock levels of all machines at short time is proposed and the effect of advanced demand information is examined by simulation with the proposed algorithm. It is shown that the inventory cost can decreases with little backlogs by using the appropriate amount of demand information and setting appropriate base stock levels.

10 CFR 1707.205 - Processing demands or requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Processing demands or requests. 1707.205 Section 1707.205 Energy DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY BY DNFSB EMPLOYEES AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL... and/or produce official records and information. (b) The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will...

10 CFR 1707.205 - Processing demands or requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Processing demands or requests. 1707.205 Section 1707.205 Energy DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY BY DNFSB EMPLOYEES AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL... and/or produce official records and information. (b) The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will...

10 CFR 1707.205 - Processing demands or requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Processing demands or requests. 1707.205 Section 1707.205 Energy DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY BY DNFSB EMPLOYEES AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL... and/or produce official records and information. (b) The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will...

10 CFR 1707.205 - Processing demands or requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Processing demands or requests. 1707.205 Section 1707.205 Energy DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY BY DNFSB EMPLOYEES AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL... and/or produce official records and information. (b) The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will...

10 CFR 1707.205 - Processing demands or requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Processing demands or requests. 1707.205 Section 1707.205 Energy DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY BY DNFSB EMPLOYEES AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL... and/or produce official records and information. (b) The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will...

Explicit Processing Demands Reveal Language Modality-Specific Organization of Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudner, Mary; Ronnberg, Jerker

2008-01-01

The working memory model for Ease of Language Understanding (ELU) predicts that processing differences between language modalities emerge when cognitive demands are explicit. This prediction was tested in three working memory experiments with participants who were Deaf Signers (DS), Hearing Signers (HS), or Hearing Nonsigners (HN). Easily nameable…

Design and simulation study of high frequency response for surface acoustic wave device by using CST software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, M. R.; Hashim, U.; Amin, Mohd Hasrul I. M.; Ayub, R. Mat; Hashim, M. N.; Adam, T.

2015-05-01

This paper focuses on the enhancement and improvement of the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device performance. Due to increased demand in the international market for biosensor product, the product must be emphasized in terms of quality. However, within the technological advances, demand for device with low cost, high efficiency and friendly-user preferred. Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device with the combination of pair electrode know as Interdigital Transducer (IDT) was fabricated on a piezoelectric substrate. The design of Interdigital Transducer (IDT) parameter is changes in several sizes and values for which it is able to provide greater efficiency in sensing sensitivity by using process simulation with CST STUDIO Suite software. In addition, Interdigital Transducer (IDT) parameters also changed to be created the products with a smaller size and easy to handle where it also reduces the cost of this product. Parameter values of an Interdigital Transducer (IDT) will be changed in the design is the total number of fingers pair, finger length, finger width and spacing, aperture and also the thickness of the Interdigital Transducer (IDT). From the result, the performance of the sensor is improved significantly after modification is done.

Evaluation of efficiency of aircraft liquid waste treatment and identification of daily inspection indices: a case study in Changchun, China.

PubMed

Xu, Jianling; Yang, Jiaqi; Zhao, Nan; Sheng, Lianxi; Zhao, Yuanhui; Tang, Zhanhui

2013-07-01

Evaluation of the efficiency of aircraft liquid waste treatment has previously been conducted to prevent pollution of the environment. The current study aimed to provide a set of practical methods for efficient airport sanitary supervision. Aircraft liquid waste was collected at Longjia International Airport, Changchun from multiple flights. The efficiency of liquid waste treatment as well as the water quality of the wastewater processed via a second-stage wastewater facility were examined by measuring a number of physical, chemical, and biological indices. Our results indicated that treatment solely via resolvable sanitizing liquid was not sufficient. Although the contents of first-class pollutants all met the requirements of the standard criteria, the contents of a number of second-class pollutants did not satisfy these criteria. However, after further treatment via a second-stage wastewater facility installed at the airport, all indices reached second-grade requirements of the discharge standard. We suggest that daily inspection and quarantine indices at airports should include the suspension content, biological oxygen demands after 5 days, chemical oxygen demand total organic carbon content, amino nitrogen content, total phosphorous content, and the level of fecal coliforms.

Endothermy in birds: underlying molecular mechanisms.

PubMed

Walter, Isabel; Seebacher, Frank

2009-08-01

Endothermy is significant in vertebrate evolution because it changes the relations between animals and their environment. How endothermy has evolved in archosaurs (birds, crocodiles and dinosaurs) is controversial especially because birds do not possess brown adipose tissue, the specialized endothermic tissue of mammals. Internal heat production is facilitated by increased oxidative metabolic capacity, accompanied by the uncoupling of aerobic metabolism from energy (ATP) production. Here we show that the transition from an ectothermic to an endothermic metabolic state in developing chicken embryos occurs by the interaction between increased basal ATP demand (Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity and gene expression), increased oxidative capacity and increased uncoupling of mitochondria; this process is controlled by thyroid hormone via its effect on PGC1alpha and adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) gene expression. Mitochondria become more uncoupled during development, but unlike in mammals, avian uncoupling protein (avUCP) does not uncouple electron transport from oxidative phosphorylation and therefore plays no role in heat production. Instead, ANT is the principal uncoupling protein in birds. The relationship between oxidative capacity and uncoupling indicates that there is a continuum of phenotypes that fall between the extremes of selection for increased heat production and increased aerobic activity, whereas increased cellular ATP demand is a prerequisite for increased oxidative capacity.

An Indirect Mixed-Sensitivity Approach to Microgravity Vibration Isolation: The Exploitation of Kinematic Coupling In Frequency-Weighting Design-Filter Selections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hampton, R. David; Whorton, Mark S.

2000-01-01

Many space science experiments need an active isolation system to provide them with the requisite microgravity environment. The isolation systems planned for use with the International Space Station have been appropriately modeled using relative position, relative velocity, and acceleration states. In theory, frequency design filters can be applied to these state-space models, in order to develop optimal H, or mixed-norm controllers with desired stability- and performance characteristics. In practice. however, the kinematic coupling among the various states can lead, through the associated frequency-weighting-filters, to conflicting demands on the Riccati design "machinery." The results can be numerically ill-conditioned regulator and estimator Riccati equations and/or reduced intuition in the design process. In addition, kinematic coupling can result in a redundancy in the demands imposed by the frequency weights. Failure properly to account for this type of coupling can lead to an unnecessary increase in controller dimensionality and, in turn, controller complexity. This paper suggests a rational approach to the assignment of frequency weighting design filters, in the presence of the kinematic coupling among states that exists in the microgravity vibration isolation problem.

An Indirect Mixed-Sensitivity Approach to Microgravity Vibration Isolation: The Exploitation of Kinematic Coupling In Frequency-weighting Design-Filter Selections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hampton, R. David; Whorton, Mark S.

2000-01-01

Many space-science experiments need an active isolation system to provide them with the requisite microgravity environment. The isolation systems planned for use with the International Space Station have been appropriately modeled using relative position relative velocity, and acceleration states. In theory, frequency-weighting design filters can be applied to these state-space models, in order to develop optimal H2 or mixed-norm controllers with desired stability and performance characteristics. In practice, however, the kinematic coupling among the various states can lead, through the associated frequency-weighting-filters, to conflicting demands on the Riccati design "machinery." The results can be numerically ill-conditioned regulator and estimator Riccati equations and/or reduced intuition in the design process. In addition, kinematic coupling can result in a redundancy in the demands imposed by the frequency weights. Failure properly to account for this type of coupling can lead to an unnecessary increase in controller dimensionality and, in turn, controller complexity. This paper suggests a rational approach to the assignment of frequency-weighting design filters, in the presence of the kinematic coupling among states that exists in the microgravity vibration isolation problem.

Growth-defense tradeoffs in plants: a balancing act to optimize fitness.

PubMed

Huot, Bethany; Yao, Jian; Montgomery, Beronda L; He, Sheng Yang

2014-08-01

Growth-defense tradeoffs are thought to occur in plants due to resource restrictions, which demand prioritization towards either growth or defense, depending on external and internal factors. These tradeoffs have profound implications in agriculture and natural ecosystems, as both processes are vital for plant survival, reproduction, and, ultimately, plant fitness. While many of the molecular mechanisms underlying growth and defense tradeoffs remain to be elucidated, hormone crosstalk has emerged as a major player in regulating tradeoffs needed to achieve a balance. In this review, we cover recent advances in understanding growth-defense tradeoffs in plants as well as what is known regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms. Specifically, we address evidence supporting the growth-defense tradeoff concept, as well as known interactions between defense signaling and growth signaling. Understanding the molecular basis of these tradeoffs in plants should provide a foundation for the development of breeding strategies that optimize the growth-defense balance to maximize crop yield to meet rising global food and biofuel demands. © The Author 2014. Published by the Molecular Plant Shanghai Editorial Office in association with Oxford University Press on behalf of CSPB and IPPE, SIBS, CAS.

Health Technology Assessment in nursing: a literature review.

PubMed

Ramacciati, N

2013-03-01

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) approach, which provides scientific support for the decisions taken within the health field, is of increasing importance worldwide. In a context of limited resources, HTA has the potential of being an efficient tool for addressing the sustainability problems and the allocation choices arising from the constant increase in demand. This study aims to investigate HTA use in nursing, both in terms of quantifying HTA evaluations of nursing phenomena which have been conducted and in terms of the extent to which nursing has used the HTA approach. The Italian context has been analysed because of the growing diffusion of the HTA in Italy along with the recent developments in the nursing profession. A narrative review of international literature was undertaken using the following databases: HTA, PubMed, CINAHL, ILISI. Seventy evaluation studies on nursing were identified from the HTA database (1.12% of all studies in the database). The areas of nursing intervention and the country of origin of the studies were identified. Two nursing studies on the HTA approach were found in the PubMed, CINAHL and HTA databases. The first focused on the evaluation of nursing technology process and analysed 126 studies in six main thematic areas; the second was a systematic review on HTA in nursing and analysed 192 studies (46 meta-analyses, 31 Finnish primary studies, 117 international primary studies). Three Italian studies were identified from the ILISI database and Italian grey literature. In the international literature, although analyses regarding the efficacy of nursing interventions have been conducted, there are to date very few research projects that focus exclusively on the HTA process as applied to nursing. The recent development of a standardized nursing language coupled with the open debate as to which research method (qualitative vs. quantitative) best serves to 'read' nursing phenomena may explain the scarce diffusion of HTA in the field of nursing. © 2012 The Author. International Nursing Review © 2012 International Council of Nurses.

"Having It All" at Sleep's Expense: The Forced Choice of Participants in Advanced Placement Courses and International Baccalaureate Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foust, Regan Clark; Hertberg-Davis, Holly; Callahan, Carolyn M.

2008-01-01

The gifted can suffer from too many demands on their time and attention. This qualitative study tested the theory that advanced placement (AP) and international baccalaureate (IB) participants may feel forced to choose between academic success and social acceptance. The results, however, did not support the theory. Not only did gifted students not…

JPRS Report China.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-25

organs, and because their business mechanism did not undergo fundamental reform, show an evident lack of vitality; their equipment is outdated...international stan- dards, and demand of them that they conduct their business according to the relevant laws and regulations, and that they also, according...to international usage, publish their capital and the state of their business operations. It is only after this will have been done that we shall

Policy-Research Linkage: What We Have Learned from Providing a Rapid Response Facility for International Healthcare Comparisons to the Department of Health in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ettelt, Stefanie; Mays, Nicholas; Nolte, Ellen

2013-01-01

In this paper we reflect on our experience of providing a rapid response facility for international healthcare policy comparisons to the English Department of Health. We examine the challenges of developing sustained relationships with policy officials while providing an "on-demand" service in an environment with high turnover of…

Best Practices for NPT Transit Matching

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

Gilligan, Kimberly V.; Whitaker, J. Michael; Oakberg, John A.

2016-09-01

Transit matching is the process for relating or matching reports of shipments and receipts submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Transit matching is a component used by the IAEA in drawing safeguards conclusions and performing investigative analysis. Transit matching is part of IAEA safeguards activities and the State evaluation process, and it is included in the annual Safeguards Implementation Report (SIR). Annually, the IAEA currently receives reports of ~900,000 nuclear material transactions, of which ~500,000 are for domestic and foreign transfers. Of these the IAEA software can automatically match (i.e., machine match) about 95% of the domestic transfersmore » and 25% of the foreign transfers. Given the increasing demands upon IAEA resources, it is highly desirable for the machine-matching process to match as many transfers as possible. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have conducted an investigation funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration through the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative to identify opportunities to strengthen IAEA transit matching. Successful matching, and more specifically machine matching, is contingent on quality data from the reporting States. In February 2016, ORNL hosted representatives from three States, the IAEA, and Euratom to share results from past studies and to discuss the processes, policies, and procedures associated with State reporting for transit matching. Drawing on each entity's experience and knowledge, ORNL developed a best practices document to be shared with the international safeguards community to strengthen transit matching. This paper shares the recommendations that resulted from this strategic meeting and the next steps being taken to strengthen transit matching.« less

Unique strategies for technical information management at Johnson Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishen, Vijay

1994-01-01

In addition to the current NASA manned programs, the maturation of Space Station and the introduction of the Space Exploration programs are anticipated to add substantially to the number and variety of data and documentation at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). This growth in the next decade has been estimated at five to ten fold compared to the current numbers. There will be an increased requirement for the tracking and currency of space program data and documents with National pressures to realize economic benefits from the research and technological developments of space programs. From a global perspective the demand for NASA's technical data and documentation is anticipated to increase at local, national, and international levels. The primary users will be government, industry, and academia. In our present national strategy, NASA's research and technology will assume a great role in the revitalization of the economy and gaining international competitiveness. Thus, greater demand will be placed on NASA's data and documentation resources. In this paper the strategies and procedures developed by DDMS, Inc., to accommodate the present and future information utilization needs are presented. The DDMS, Inc., strategies and procedures rely on understanding user requirements, library management issues, and technological applications for acquiring, searching, storing, and retrieving specific information accurately and quickly. The proposed approach responds to changing customer requirements and product deliveries. The unique features of the proposed strategy include: (1) To establish customer driven data and documentation management through an innovative and unique methods to identify needs and requirements. (2) To implement a structured process which responds to user needs, aimed at minimizing costs and maximizing services, resulting in increased productivity. (3) To provide a process of standardization of services and procedures. This standardization is the central theme of the strategic approach. It will allow Division level Data and Documentation Libraries (DDL's) to function independently and optimize efficiency at the Directorate level. This process also facilitates interconnectivity between Division level DDL's and makes them transparent to the users. (4) To implement the process of 'cost savings', and at the same time the objective is to gain substantial improvement in the organization, categorization, and preservation of JSC-generated data and documentation, and (5) To find, locate, retrace, restore, and preserve the Center-generated crucial scientific and technical information that has been and is being provided by the engineers and scientists of JSC. This is important to the preservation of 'lessons learned'. Preliminary estimates of the possible cost savings which will result from the implementation of this process will also be discussed in this paper.

The United States Air Force Academy’s First Twenty-Five Years, Some Perceptions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

few professions, if any, can match the success of the service academies in inspiring their members to high standards of integrity and ethical conduct...Academic year 1964-1965 was a truly pivotal one and established a standard of excellence, internally demanded and externally required, which con- tinues to...accommodate a varied faculty and student body as well as adjust curricula and teaching methods to the demands of an ever-changing world. The Math Faculty The

76 FR 409 - Philadelphia International Airport, Capacity Enhancement Program, Environmental Impact Statement...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-04

... in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area during all weather conditions. This ROD sets forth FAA's final... current and future aviation demand in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area during all weather conditions...