Applications of numerical optimization methods to helicopter design problems - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miura, H.

1985-01-01

A survey of applications of mathematical programming methods is used to improve the design of helicopters and their components. Applications of multivariable search techniques in the finite dimensional space are considered. Five categories of helicopter design problems are considered: (1) conceptual and preliminary design, (2) rotor-system design, (3) airframe structures design, (4) control system design, and (5) flight trajectory planning. Key technical progress in numerical optimization methods relevant to rotorcraft applications are summarized.

Applications of numerical optimization methods to helicopter design problems - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miura, H.

1984-01-01

A survey of applications of mathematical programming methods is used to improve the design of helicopters and their components. Applications of multivariable search techniques in the finite dimensional space are considered. Five categories of helicopter design problems are considered: (1) conceptual and preliminary design, (2) rotor-system design, (3) airframe structures design, (4) control system design, and (5) flight trajectory planning. Key technical progress in numerical optimization methods relevant to rotorcraft applications are summarized.

Key Features of Research Portal for Stimulating Research in Institutions of Higher Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agarwal, Parul Dharmani; Kiran, Ravi; Verma, Anil Kumar

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: The current higher learning institutions in developed countries have adapted to their changing role in a knowledge-based society It is time for developing countries like India to focus on Knowledge Management thus, the current study presents research undertaken in understanding the implication of Knowledge Management in the…

Youth Prevention. Technical Assistance Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Join Together, Boston, MA.

Prevention is the ultimate key to reversing the upward trend in the use of drugs and to empowering communities to address their drug problems. An essential factor is the development and implementation of initiatives to prevent illicit drug use. A goal of prevention for youth is to provide them with a set of skills and tools to help them resist the…

A business man views commercial ventures in space.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scarff, D. D.; Bloom, H. L.

1973-01-01

Paper reviews technical, resource planning and marketing steps an industrial organization must perform in arriving at a decision to undertake space development and production of commercial products or services for Users on the ground. Technical elements are supported by particular examples. Analysis of required resources emphasizes facility and financial inter-relationships between commercial organizations and NASA. Marketing planning covers elements of profitability. Paper addresses questions related to protection of corporate stockholders and public interest, investment decision timing, budget variations. Paper concludes with observations on timeliness of planning shuttle-based commercial ventures and on key industry/NASA problems and decisions.

Mammalian Toxicology Testing: Problem Definition Study, Technical Plan.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

Acute Oral Exposure Area, Rzdent 2. Subchrcnic Oral Exposure Area, .odent 3. Chronic Oral Exposure Area, Rodent 4. Subchronic Oral Eposure Area, "og...Alarms Fire Extinguisher First Aid Fiscal Year Record Fixtures (See Jigs, Fixtures & Molds Control System) Food Preparation/Blending Forms Control...Insurance Invoicing (See Bookkeeping) Janitorial Service Jigs, Fixtures & Molds Control System Key Control System Keypunch Control System Label

Factors Influencing Team Performance in a Continuous Quality Improvement Process in the Wisconsin Technical College System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pietz, Victoria Lynn

2014-01-01

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) programs are growing in popularity in higher education settings and a key component is the use of work groups, which require active employee involvement. The problem addressed in this research was the lack of employee engagement in the Quality Review Process (QRP), which is a statewide CQI model developed by…

Airborne electronics for automated flight systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, G. B., Jr.

1975-01-01

The increasing importance of airborne electronics for use in automated flight systems is briefly reviewed with attention to both basic aircraft control functions and flight management systems for operational use. The requirements for high levels of systems reliability are recognized. Design techniques are discussed and the areas of control systems, computing and communications are considered in terms of key technical problems and trends for their solution.

FacetGist: Collective Extraction of Document Facets in Large Technical Corpora.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Tarique; Ren, Xiang; Parameswaran, Aditya; Han, Jiawei

2016-10-01

Given the large volume of technical documents available, it is crucial to automatically organize and categorize these documents to be able to understand and extract value from them. Towards this end, we introduce a new research problem called Facet Extraction. Given a collection of technical documents, the goal of Facet Extraction is to automatically label each document with a set of concepts for the key facets ( e.g. , application, technique, evaluation metrics, and dataset) that people may be interested in. Facet Extraction has numerous applications, including document summarization, literature search, patent search and business intelligence. The major challenge in performing Facet Extraction arises from multiple sources: concept extraction, concept to facet matching, and facet disambiguation. To tackle these challenges, we develop FacetGist, a framework for facet extraction. Facet Extraction involves constructing a graph-based heterogeneous network to capture information available across multiple local sentence-level features, as well as global context features. We then formulate a joint optimization problem, and propose an efficient algorithm for graph-based label propagation to estimate the facet of each concept mention. Experimental results on technical corpora from two domains demonstrate that Facet Extraction can lead to an improvement of over 25% in both precision and recall over competing schemes.

FacetGist: Collective Extraction of Document Facets in Large Technical Corpora

PubMed Central

Siddiqui, Tarique; Ren, Xiang; Parameswaran, Aditya; Han, Jiawei

2017-01-01

Given the large volume of technical documents available, it is crucial to automatically organize and categorize these documents to be able to understand and extract value from them. Towards this end, we introduce a new research problem called Facet Extraction. Given a collection of technical documents, the goal of Facet Extraction is to automatically label each document with a set of concepts for the key facets (e.g., application, technique, evaluation metrics, and dataset) that people may be interested in. Facet Extraction has numerous applications, including document summarization, literature search, patent search and business intelligence. The major challenge in performing Facet Extraction arises from multiple sources: concept extraction, concept to facet matching, and facet disambiguation. To tackle these challenges, we develop FacetGist, a framework for facet extraction. Facet Extraction involves constructing a graph-based heterogeneous network to capture information available across multiple local sentence-level features, as well as global context features. We then formulate a joint optimization problem, and propose an efficient algorithm for graph-based label propagation to estimate the facet of each concept mention. Experimental results on technical corpora from two domains demonstrate that Facet Extraction can lead to an improvement of over 25% in both precision and recall over competing schemes. PMID:28210517

Radio speech communication problems reported in a survey of military pilots.

PubMed

Lahtinen, Taija M M; Huttunen, Kerttu H; Kuronen, Pentti O; Sorri, Martti J; Leino, Tuomo K

2010-12-01

Despite technological advances in conveying information, speech communication is still a key safety factor in aviation. Effective radio communication is necessary, for example, in building and maintaining good team situation awareness. However, little has been reported concerning the prevalence and nature of radio communication problems in everyday working environments in military aviation. We surveyed Finnish Defense Forces pilots regarding the prevalence of radio speech communication problems. Of the 225 pilots contacted, 75% replied to our survey. Altogether 138 of the respondents were fixed-wing pilots and 31 were helicopter pilots. Problems in radio communication occurred, on average, during 14% of flight time. The most prevalent problems were multiple speakers on the same radio frequency band causing overlapping speech, missing acknowledgments, high background noise especially during helicopter operations, and technical problems. Of the respondents, 18% (31 pilots) reported having encountered at least one potentially dangerous event caused by problems in radio communication during their military aviation career. If the employer were to offer extra hearing protection, such as custom-made ear plugs, 93% of the pilots indicated that they would use it. Communication can be a flight safety factor especially during intense air combat exercises and other information-loaded flights. During these situations, communication should be clear and focused on the most essential information. So, training and technical improvements are necessary for better communication. High quality radio speech communication also improves operational effectiveness in military aviation.

Asia-Pacific malaria is singular, pervasive, diverse and invisible.

PubMed

Baird, J Kevin

2017-06-01

Malaria in the Asia-Pacific region has been targeted for elimination by the year 2030. This article asks the question, "by what means?" in the context of proven technical strategies and tools against key challenges imposed by the distinct character of the Asia-Pacific malaria problem. The misperception of malaria in the Asia-Pacific region as a less serious but otherwise essentially similar problem to African malaria lulls us into rote application of the same tools and strategies. Those now mitigating the harm done by malaria in Africa will not suffice to eliminate malaria in the Asia-Pacific region - these tasks and the problems are fundamentally distinct. This article describes the singular characteristics of Asia-Pacific malaria and the bearing of those upon the technical strategy of malaria elimination. Most of the tools needed for that endeavour do not yet exist and spirited calls for elimination within the next 14years may discourage the patience and investments needed to conceive, optimise and validate them. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Development of weighting value for ecodrainage implementation assessment criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andajani, S.; Hidayat, D. P. A.; Yuwono, B. E.

2018-01-01

This research aim to generate weighting value for each factor and find out the most influential factor for identify implementation of ecodrain concept using loading factor and Cronbach Alpha. The drainage problem especially in urban areas are getting more complex and need to be handled as soon as possible. Flood and drought problem can’t be solved by the conventional paradigm of drainage (to drain runoff flow as faster as possible to the nearest drainage area). The new paradigm of drainage that based on environmental approach called “ecodrain” can solve both of flood and drought problems. For getting the optimal result, ecodrain should be applied in smallest scale (domestic scale), until the biggest scale (city areas). It is necessary to identify drainage condition based on environmental approach. This research implement ecodrain concept by a guidelines that consist of parameters and assessment criteria. It was generating the 2 variables, 7 indicators and 63 key factors from previous research and related regulations. the conclusion of the research is the most influential indicator on technical management variable is storage system, while on non-technical management variable is government role.

Helicopter Non-Unique Trim Strategies for Blade-Vortex Interaction (BVI) Noise Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-22

levels of harmonic rotor noise are one of the key technical barriers preventing the widespread public acceptance of helicopters for commercial...transportation. Blade-Vortex Interaction (BVI) is one such mechanism of rotor noise. BVI noise is a problem for civilian helicopter terminal area...non-rotating frame) on the vehicle trim which in turn affects noise generation. For example, conventional single main rotor helicopters commonly

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

Yuan, Chris, E-mail: cyuan@uwm.edu; Wang, Endong; Zhai, Qiang

Temporal homogeneity of inventory data is one of the major problems in life cycle assessment (LCA). Addressing temporal homogeneity of life cycle inventory data is important in reducing the uncertainties and improving the reliability of LCA results. This paper attempts to present a critical review and discussion on the fundamental issues of temporal homogeneity in conventional LCA and propose a theoretical framework for temporal discounting in LCA. Theoretical perspectives for temporal discounting in life cycle inventory analysis are discussed first based on the key elements of a scientific mechanism for temporal discounting. Then generic procedures for performing temporal discounting inmore » LCA is derived and proposed based on the nature of the LCA method and the identified key elements of a scientific temporal discounting method. A five-step framework is proposed and reported in details based on the technical methods and procedures needed to perform a temporal discounting in life cycle inventory analysis. Challenges and possible solutions are also identified and discussed for the technical procedure and scientific accomplishment of each step within the framework. - Highlights: • A critical review for temporal homogeneity problem of life cycle inventory data • A theoretical framework for performing temporal discounting on inventory data • Methods provided to accomplish each step of the temporal discounting framework.« less

Career Corner: Pitching Your Contributions at the Right Level

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

Anderson-Cook, Christine Michaela

Whether it is in a job interview, a presentation or in collaborations with colleagues with differing technical backgrounds, effectively conveying your ideas and contributions is at least as important as the content. Daniel Goleman speaks to the importance of emotional intelligence being a key driver of success and advancement. Why does this matter so much? If you dive right into technical details without providing a broader context and motivation for the problem, then the people with whom you are communicating will not appreciate the contribution. If you talk only about your ideas at a high level with insufficient detail, thenmore » the weight of your contributions might be undervalued or misinterpreted.« less

Career Corner: Pitching Your Contributions at the Right Level

DOE PAGES

Anderson-Cook, Christine Michaela

2017-04-15

Whether it is in a job interview, a presentation or in collaborations with colleagues with differing technical backgrounds, effectively conveying your ideas and contributions is at least as important as the content. Daniel Goleman speaks to the importance of emotional intelligence being a key driver of success and advancement. Why does this matter so much? If you dive right into technical details without providing a broader context and motivation for the problem, then the people with whom you are communicating will not appreciate the contribution. If you talk only about your ideas at a high level with insufficient detail, thenmore » the weight of your contributions might be undervalued or misinterpreted.« less

Beyond good intentions: lessons on equipment donation from an African hospital.

PubMed

Howie, Stephen R C; Hill, Sarah E; Peel, David; Sanneh, Momodou; Njie, Malick; Hill, Philip C; Mulholland, Kim; Adegbola, Richard A

2008-01-01

In 2000, a referral hospital in the Gambia accepted a donation of oxygen concentrators to help maintain oxygen supplies. The concentrators broke down and were put into storage. A case study was done to find the reasons for the problem and to draw lessons to help improve both oxygen supplies and the success of future equipment donations. A technical assessment of the concentrators was carried out by a biomedical engineer with relevant expertise. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key informants, and content analysis and inductive approaches were applied to construct the history of the episode and the reasons for the failure. Interviews confirmed the importance of technical problems with the equipment. They also revealed that the donation process was flawed, and that the hospital did not have the expertise to assess or maintain the equipment. Technical assessment showed that all units had the wrong voltage and frequency, leading to overheating and breakdown. Subsequently a hospital donations committee was established to oversee the donations process. On-site biomedical engineering expertise was arranged with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) partner. Appropriate donations of medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators, can be of benefit to hospitals in resource-poor settings, but recipients and donors need to actively manage donations to ensure that the donations are beneficial. Success requires planning, technical expertise and local participation. Partners with relevant skills and resources may also be needed. In 2002, WHO produced guidelines for medical equipment donations, which address problems that might be encountered. These guidelines should be publicized and used.

Beyond good intentions: lessons on equipment donation from an African hospital

PubMed Central

Hill, Sarah E; Peel, David; Sanneh, Momodou; Njie, Malick; Hill, Philip C; Mulholland, Kim; Adegbola, Richard A

2008-01-01

Abstract Objective In 2000, a referral hospital in the Gambia accepted a donation of oxygen concentrators to help maintain oxygen supplies. The concentrators broke down and were put into storage. A case study was done to find the reasons for the problem and to draw lessons to help improve both oxygen supplies and the success of future equipment donations. Methods A technical assessment of the concentrators was carried out by a biomedical engineer with relevant expertise. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key informants, and content analysis and inductive approaches were applied to construct the history of the episode and the reasons for the failure. Findings Interviews confirmed the importance of technical problems with the equipment. They also revealed that the donation process was flawed, and that the hospital did not have the expertise to assess or maintain the equipment. Technical assessment showed that all units had the wrong voltage and frequency, leading to overheating and breakdown. Subsequently a hospital donations committee was established to oversee the donations process. On-site biomedical engineering expertise was arranged with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) partner. Conclusion Appropriate donations of medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators, can be of benefit to hospitals in resource-poor settings, but recipients and donors need to actively manage donations to ensure that the donations are beneficial. Success requires planning, technical expertise and local participation. Partners with relevant skills and resources may also be needed. In 2002, WHO produced guidelines for medical equipment donations, which address problems that might be encountered. These guidelines should be publicized and used. PMID:18235890

The name-locator guide: A new resource for technology transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clingman, W. H.

1974-01-01

A new transfer mechanism to facilitate technology transfer between aerospace technology and nonaerospace industries, was proposed with the following sequence of steps. First, the key technical problems in a given industry would be analyzed. The analysis will define the characteristics which relevant technology will have. Second, a limited list of subject terms will be developed using words familiar to those working in the industry. It is these which will be applied in subsequent steps to the NASA technology and used to locate technology relevant to a specific problem in the industry. Third, for each Required Technology Program, terms applicable to that program would be chosen from this list. Fourth, a name-locator guide would be provided to the Regional Dissemination Centers. This guide would be analogous to an index. The key words would be chosen from the special subject term list for the given industry.

Research on the EDM Technology for Micro-holes at Complex Spatial Locations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Y Liu, J.; Guo, J. M.; Sun, D. J.; Cai, Y. H.; Ding, L. T.; Jiang, H.

2017-12-01

For the demands on machining micro-holes at complex spatial location, several key technical problems are conquered such as micro-Electron Discharge Machining (micro-EDM) power supply system’s development, the host structure’s design and machining process technical. Through developing low-voltage power supply circuit, high-voltage circuit, micro and precision machining circuit and clearance detection system, the narrow pulse and high frequency six-axis EDM machining power supply system is developed to meet the demands on micro-hole discharging machining. With the method of combining the CAD structure design, CAE simulation analysis, modal test, ODS (Operational Deflection Shapes) test and theoretical analysis, the host construction and key axes of the machine tool are optimized to meet the position demands of the micro-holes. Through developing the special deionized water filtration system to make sure that the machining process is stable enough. To verify the machining equipment and processing technical developed in this paper through developing the micro-hole’s processing flow and test on the real machine tool. As shown in the final test results: the efficient micro-EDM machining pulse power supply system, machine tool host system, deionized filtration system and processing method developed in this paper meet the demands on machining micro-holes at complex spatial locations.

Challenges in legislation, recycling system and technical system of waste electrical and electronic equipment in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Shengen; Ding, Yunji; Liu, Bo; Pan, De'an; Chang, Chein-chi; Volinsky, Alex A

2015-11-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has been one of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide. Effective and efficient management and treatment of WEEE has become a global problem. As one of the world's largest electronic products manufacturing and consumption countries, China plays a key role in the material life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment. Over the past 20 years, China has made a great effort to improve WEEE recycling. Centered on the legal, recycling and technical systems, this paper reviews the progresses of WEEE recycling in China. An integrated recycling system is proposed to realize WEEE high recycling rate for future WEEE recycling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design considerations for composite fuselage structure of commercial transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, G. W.; Sakata, I. F.

1981-01-01

The structural, manufacturing, and service and environmental considerations that could impact the design of composite fuselage structure for commercial transport aircraft application were explored. The severity of these considerations was assessed and the principal design drivers delineated. Technical issues and potential problem areas which must be resolved before sufficient confidence is established to commit to composite materials were defined. The key issues considered are: definition of composite fuselage design specifications, damage tolerance, and crashworthiness.

Silk Fibroin Based Porous Materials

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qiang; Yan, Shuqin; Li, Mingzhong

2009-01-01

Silk from the Bombyx mori silkworm is a protein-based fiber. Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) is one of the most important candidates for biomedical porous material based on its superior machinability, biocompatibility, biodegradation, bioresorbability, and so on. In this paper, we have reviewed the key features of SF. Moreover we have focused on the morphous, technical processing, and biocompatibility of SF porous materials, followed by the application research. Finally, we provide a perspective the potential and problems of SF porous materials.

Restful API Architecture Based on Laravel Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xianjun; Ji, Zhoupeng; Fan, Yu; Zhan, Yongsong

2017-10-01

Web service has been an industry standard tech for message communication and integration between heterogeneous systems. RESTFUL API has become mainstream web service development paradigm after SOAP, how to effectively construct RESTFUL API remains a research hotspots. This paper presents a development model of RESTFUL API construction based on PHP language and LARAVEL framework. The key technical problems that need to be solved during the construction of RESTFUL API are discussed, and implementation details based on LARAVEL are given.

Boredom begets creativity: A solution to the exploitation-exploration trade-off in predictive coding.

PubMed

Gomez-Ramirez, Jaime; Costa, Tommaso

2017-12-01

Here we investigate whether systems that minimize prediction error e.g. predictive coding, can also show creativity, or on the contrary, prediction error minimization unqualifies for the design of systems that respond in creative ways to non-recurrent problems. We argue that there is a key ingredient that has been overlooked by researchers that needs to be incorporated to understand intelligent behavior in biological and technical systems. This ingredient is boredom. We propose a mathematical model based on the Black-Scholes-Merton equation which provides mechanistic insights into the interplay between boredom and prediction pleasure as the key drivers of behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of the Key Fields and Their Key Technical Points of Oncology by Patent Analysis

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ting; Chen, Juan; Jia, Xiaofeng

2015-01-01

Background This paper aims to identify the key fields and their key technical points of oncology by patent analysis. Methodology/Principal Findings Patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were searched in the Thomson Innovation database. The key fields and their key technical points were determined by analyzing the Derwent Classification (DC) and the International Patent Classification (IPC), respectively. Patent applications in the top ten DC occupied 80% of all the patent applications of oncology, which were the ten fields of oncology to be analyzed. The number of patent applications in these ten fields of oncology was standardized based on patent applications of oncology from 2006 to 2012. For each field, standardization was conducted separately for each of the seven years (2006–2012) and the mean of the seven standardized values was calculated to reflect the relative amount of patent applications in that field; meanwhile, regression analysis using time (year) and the standardized values of patent applications in seven years (2006–2012) was conducted so as to evaluate the trend of patent applications in each field. Two-dimensional quadrant analysis, together with the professional knowledge of oncology, was taken into consideration in determining the key fields of oncology. The fields located in the quadrant with high relative amount or increasing trend of patent applications are identified as key ones. By using the same method, the key technical points in each key field were identified. Altogether 116,820 patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were retrieved, and four key fields with twenty-nine key technical points were identified, including “natural products and polymers” with nine key technical points, “fermentation industry” with twelve ones, “electrical medical equipment” with four ones, and “diagnosis, surgery” with four ones. Conclusions/Significance The results of this study could provide guidance on the development direction of oncology, and also help researchers broaden innovative ideas and discover new technological opportunities. PMID:26599967

Identification of the Key Fields and Their Key Technical Points of Oncology by Patent Analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Ting; Chen, Juan; Jia, Xiaofeng

2015-01-01

This paper aims to identify the key fields and their key technical points of oncology by patent analysis. Patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were searched in the Thomson Innovation database. The key fields and their key technical points were determined by analyzing the Derwent Classification (DC) and the International Patent Classification (IPC), respectively. Patent applications in the top ten DC occupied 80% of all the patent applications of oncology, which were the ten fields of oncology to be analyzed. The number of patent applications in these ten fields of oncology was standardized based on patent applications of oncology from 2006 to 2012. For each field, standardization was conducted separately for each of the seven years (2006-2012) and the mean of the seven standardized values was calculated to reflect the relative amount of patent applications in that field; meanwhile, regression analysis using time (year) and the standardized values of patent applications in seven years (2006-2012) was conducted so as to evaluate the trend of patent applications in each field. Two-dimensional quadrant analysis, together with the professional knowledge of oncology, was taken into consideration in determining the key fields of oncology. The fields located in the quadrant with high relative amount or increasing trend of patent applications are identified as key ones. By using the same method, the key technical points in each key field were identified. Altogether 116,820 patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were retrieved, and four key fields with twenty-nine key technical points were identified, including "natural products and polymers" with nine key technical points, "fermentation industry" with twelve ones, "electrical medical equipment" with four ones, and "diagnosis, surgery" with four ones. The results of this study could provide guidance on the development direction of oncology, and also help researchers broaden innovative ideas and discover new technological opportunities.

Methods and means used in programming intelligent searches of technical documents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gross, David L.

1993-01-01

In order to meet the data research requirements of the Safety, Reliability & Quality Assurance activities at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), a new computer search method for technical data documents was developed. By their very nature, technical documents are partially encrypted because of the author's use of acronyms, abbreviations, and shortcut notations. This problem of computerized searching is compounded at KSC by the volume of documentation that is produced during normal Space Shuttle operations. The Centralized Document Database (CDD) is designed to solve this problem. It provides a common interface to an unlimited number of files of various sizes, with the capability to perform any diversified types and levels of data searches. The heart of the CDD is the nature and capability of its search algorithms. The most complex form of search that the program uses is with the use of a domain-specific database of acronyms, abbreviations, synonyms, and word frequency tables. This database, along with basic sentence parsing, is used to convert a request for information into a relational network. This network is used as a filter on the original document file to determine the most likely locations for the data requested. This type of search will locate information that traditional techniques, (i.e., Boolean structured key-word searching), would not find.

Tankless Water Heater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Kennedy Space Center specialists aided Space, Energy, Time Saving (SETS) Systems, Inc. in working out the problems they encountered with their new electronic "tankless" water heater. The flow switch design suffered intermittent problems. Hiring several testing and engineering firms produced only graphs, printouts, and a large expense, but no solutions. Then through the Kennedy Space Center/State of Florida Technology Outreach Program, SETS was referred to Michael Brooks, a 21-year space program veteran and flowmeter expert. Run throughout Florida to provide technical service to businesses at no cost, the program applies scientific and engineering expertise originally developed for space applications to the Florida business community. Brooks discovered several key problems, resulting in a new design that turned out to be simpler, yielding a 63 percent reduction in labor and material costs over the old design.

Fatigue and Fracture Branch: A compendium of recently completed and on-going research projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elber, W.

1984-01-01

This compendium of recently completed and ongoing research projects from the Fatigue and Fracture Branch at NASA Langley Research Center provides technical descriptions and key results of all such projects expected to lead to publication of significant findings. The common thread to all these studies is the application of fracture mechanics analyses to engineering problems in metals and composites, with particular emphasis on airframe structural materials. References to recent publications are included where appropriate.

The environmental analysis of helicopter operations by Federal agencies: Current procedures and research needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, C. C.; Warner, D. B.; Dajani, J. S.

1977-01-01

The technical, economic, and environmental problems restricting commercial helicopter passenger operations are reviewed. The key considerations for effective assessment procedures are outlined and a preliminary model for the environmental analysis of helicopters is developed. It is recommended that this model, or some similar approach, be used as a common base for the development of comprehensive environmental assessment methods for each of the federal agencies concerned with helicopters. A description of the critical environmental research issues applicable to helicopters is also presented.

Case study of a problem-based learning course of physics in a telecommunications engineering degree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macho-Stadler, Erica; Jesús Elejalde-García, Maria

2013-08-01

Active learning methods can be appropriate in engineering, as their methodology promotes meta-cognition, independent learning and problem-solving skills. Problem-based learning is the educational process by which problem-solving activities and instructor's guidance facilitate learning. Its key characteristic involves posing a 'concrete problem' to initiate the learning process, generally implemented by small groups of students. Many universities have developed and used active methodologies successfully in the teaching-learning process. During the past few years, the University of the Basque Country has promoted the use of active methodologies through several teacher training programmes. In this paper, we describe and analyse the results of the educational experience using the problem-based learning (PBL) method in a physics course for undergraduates enrolled in the technical telecommunications engineering degree programme. From an instructors' perspective, PBL strengths include better student attitude in class and increased instructor-student and student-student interactions. The students emphasised developing teamwork and communication skills in a good learning atmosphere as positive aspects.

Research on precise modeling of buildings based on multi-source data fusion of air to ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yongqiang; Niu, Lubiao; Yang, Shasha; Li, Lixue; Zhang, Xitong

2016-03-01

Aims at the accuracy problem of precise modeling of buildings, a test research was conducted based on multi-source data for buildings of the same test area , including top data of air-borne LiDAR, aerial orthophotos, and façade data of vehicle-borne LiDAR. After accurately extracted the top and bottom outlines of building clusters, a series of qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out for the 2D interval between outlines. Research results provide a reliable accuracy support for precise modeling of buildings of air ground multi-source data fusion, on the same time, discussed some solution for key technical problems.

Research Advances on Fabricated Shear Wall System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xudong; Wang, Donghui; Wang, Sheng; Zhai, Yu

2018-03-01

With the rapid development of the construction industry, building energy consumption has been increasing, has become a problem that can not be ignored. It is imperative to develop energy-saving buildings. A new type of prefabricated shear wall is assembled and partially assembled by prefabricated parts, and some concrete is spliced together. The new structure has good integrity, seismic resistance and excellent energy saving and environmental protection performance. It reduces building energy consumption to a great extent. Therefore, the design method, manufacturing process, site assembly process and key technical problems of the system are discussed. For the construction industry gradually entered the energy conservation, environmental protection, safety and durability of sustainable development laid the foundation.

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

Amitava Sarkar; James K. Neathery; Burtron H. Davis

A fundamental filtration study was started to investigate the separation of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) liquids from iron-based catalyst particles. Slurry-phase FTS in slurry bubble column reactor systems is the preferred mode of operation since the reaction is highly exothermic. Consequently, heavy wax products in one approach may be separated from catalyst particles before being removed from the reactor system. Achieving an efficient wax product separation from iron-based catalysts is one of the most challenging technical problems associated with slurry-phase iron-based FTS and is a key factor for optimizing operating costs. The separation problem is further compounded by attrition of ironmore » catalyst particles and the formation of ultra-fine particles.« less

[Encryption technique for linkable anonymizing].

PubMed

Okamoto, Etsuji

2004-06-01

Linkage of different records such as health insurance claims or medical records for the purpose of cohort studies or cancer registration usually requires matching with personal names and other personally identifiable data. The present study was conducted to examine the possibility of performing such privacy-sensitive procedures in a "linkable anonymizing" manner using encryption. While bidirectional communication entails encryption and deciphering, necessitating both senders and receivers sharing a common secret "key", record linkage entails only encryption and not deciphering because researchers do not need to know the identity of the linked person. This unidirectional nature relieves researchers from the historical problem of "key sharing" and enables data holders such as municipal governments and insurers to encrypt personal names in a relatively easy manner. The author demonstrates an encryption technique using readily available spread-sheet software, Microsoft Excel in a step-by-step fashion. Encoding Chinese characters into the numeric JIS codes and replacing the codes with a randomly assigned case-sensitive alphabet, all names of Japanese nationals will be encrypted into gibberish strings of alphabet, which can not be deciphered without the secret key. Data holders are able to release personal data without sacrificing privacy, even when accidental leakage occurs and researchers are still able to link records of the same name because encrypted texts, although gibberish, are unique to each name. Such a technical assurance of privacy protection is expected to satisfy the Privacy Protection Act or the Ethical Guidelines for Epidemiological Research and enhance public health research. Traditional encryption techniques, however, cannot be applied to cancer or stroke registration, because the registrar receives reports from numerous unspecified senders. The new public key encryption technique will enable disease registry in a linkable anonymizing manner. However various technical problems such as complexity, difficulties in registrar inquiries and risk of code-breaking make the encryption technique unsuitable for disease registry in the foreseeable future.

Solid Waste Management in Nigeria: Problems and Issues.

PubMed

AGUNWAMBA

1998-11-01

/ This paper is a presentation of the problems of solid waste management in Nigeria and certain important issues that must be addressed in order to achieve success. At the core of the problems of solid waste management are the absence of adequate policies, enabling legislation, and an environmentally stimulated and enlightened public. Government policies on the environment are piecemeal where they exist and are poorly implemented. Public enlightenment programs lacked the needed coverage, intensity, and continuity to correct the apathetic public attitude towards the environment. Up to now the activities of the state environmental agencies have been hampered by poor funding, inadequate facilities and human resources, inappropriate technology, and an inequitable taxation system. Successful solid waste management in Nigeria will require a holistic program that will integrate all the technical, economic, social, cultural, and psychological factors that are often ignored in solid waste programs.KEY WORDS: Solid waste; Management; Problems; Solutions; Nigeria

Joint electrical engineering/physics course sequence for optics fundamentals and design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magnusson, Robert; Maldonado, Theresa A.; Black, Truman D.

2000-06-01

Optics is a key technology in a broad range of engineering and science applications of high national priority. Engineers and scientists with a sound background in this field are needed to preserve technical leadership and to establish new directions of research and development. To meet this educational need, a joint Electrical Engineering/Physics optics course sequence was created as PHYS 3445 Fundamentals of Optics and EE 4444 Optical Systems Design, both with a laboratory component. The objectives are to educate EE and Physics undergraduate students in the fundamentals of optics; in interdisciplinary problem solving; in design and analysis; in handling optical components; and in skills such as communications and team cooperation. Written technical reports in professional format are required, formal presentations are given, and participation in paper design contests is encouraged.

Spacelab: An International Success Story

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lord, Douglas R.

1987-01-01

Spacelab is a European-developed and U.S.-operated space laboratory carried in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. This story of the Spacelab Development Program traces the program from the origin of the Spacelab concept, describing negotiations and agreements for European participation and the role of Europe and the United States in system development, operational capability development, and utilization planning. It also considers the joint management structure, coordination, and experience in solving management and technical interface problems. The book is not an exhaustive historical treatise, but an informative and readable story of the evolution and technical accomplishments of this unique program in manned space flight and of some of the unusual political and human interest aspects of the program from the viewpoint of one of the key participants.

Bridging Scales: A Model-Based Assessment of the Technical Tidal-Stream Energy Resource off Massachusetts, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowles, G. W.; Hakim, A.; Churchill, J. H.

2016-02-01

Tidal in-stream energy conversion (TISEC) facilities provide a highly predictable and dependable source of energy. Given the economic and social incentives to migrate towards renewable energy sources there has been tremendous interest in the technology. Key challenges to the design process stem from the wide range of problem scales extending from device to array. In the present approach we apply a multi-model approach to bridge the scales of interest and select optimal device geometries to estimate the technical resource for several realistic sites in the coastal waters of Massachusetts, USA. The approach links two computational models. To establish flow conditions at site scales ( 10m), a barotropic setup of the unstructured grid ocean model FVCOM is employed. The model is validated using shipboard and fixed ADCP as well as pressure data. For device scale, the structured multiblock flow solver SUmb is selected. A large ensemble of simulations of 2D cross-flow tidal turbines is used to construct a surrogate design model. The surrogate model is then queried using velocity profiles extracted from the tidal model to determine the optimal geometry for the conditions at each site. After device selection, the annual technical yield of the array is evaluated with FVCOM using a linear momentum actuator disk approach to model the turbines. Results for several key Massachusetts sites including comparison with theoretical approaches will be presented.

Building capacity for health promotion--a case study from China.

PubMed

Tang, Kwok-Cho; Nutbeam, Don; Kong, Lingzhi; Wang, Ruotao; Yan, Jun

2005-09-01

During the period 1997-2000 a technical assistance project to build capacity for community-based health promotion was implemented in seven cities and one province in China. The technical assistance project formed part of a much larger World Bank supported program to improve disease prevention capabilities in China, commonly known as Health VII. The technical assistance project was funded by the Australian Agency for International Development. It was designed to develop capacity within the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the cities and province in the management of community-based health promotion projects, as well as supporting institutional development and public health policy reform. There are some relatively unique features of this technical assistance which helped shape its implementation and impact. It sought to provide the Chinese MOH and the cities and province with an introduction to comprehensive health promotion strategies, in contrast to the more limited information, education and communication strategies. The project was provided on a continuing basis over 3 years through a single institution, rather than as a series of ad hoc consultancies by individuals. Teaching and learning processes were developmental, leading progressively to a greater degree of local Chinese input and management to ensure sustainability and maintenance of technical support for the project. Based on this experience, this paper presents a model for capacity building projects of this type. It describes the education, training and planning activities that were the key inputs to the project, as well as the limited available evidence on the impact of the project. It describes how the project evolved over time to meet the changing needs of the participants, specifically how the content of the project shifted from a risk-factor orientation to a settings-based focus, and the delivery of the project moved from an expert-led approach to a more participatory, problem based learning approach. In terms of impact, marked differences before and after the implementation of the training activities were identified in key areas for reform, in addition to the self reported positive change in knowledge, and a high level of participant satisfaction. Key lessons are summarized. Technical assistance projects of this kind benefit from continuity and a high level of coordination, the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate teaching, and a clear understanding of the need to match workforce development with organizational/institutional development.

A problem-based learning curriculum for occupational therapy education.

PubMed

Royeen, C B

1995-04-01

To prepare practitioners and researchers who are well equipped to deal with the inevitable myriad changes in health care and in society coming in the 21st century, a new focus is needed in occupational therapy education. In addition to proficiency in clinical skills and technical knowledge, occupational therapy graduates will need outcome competencies underlying the skills of critical reflection. In this article, the author presents (a) the rationale for the need for change in occupational therapy education, (b) key concepts of clinical reasoning and critical reflection pertaining to the outcome such change in occupational therapy education should address, (c) problem-based learning as a process and educational method to prepare occupational therapists in these competencies, and (d) the experience of the Program in Occupational Therapy at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, in implementing a problem-based learning curriculum.

The Effects of Solid Modeling and Visualization on Technical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Douglas

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the use of solid modeling software increases participants' success in solving a specified technical problem and how visualization affects their ability to solve a technical problem. Specifically, the study sought to determine if (a) students' visualization skills affect their problem…

Unresolved Technical Issues in Fair Interest Measurement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Nancy S.

The problem of sex differences in interest measurement involves many technical issues and procedures. The purpose of this paper is to provide a description of the technical problems involved in construction, scoring, and interpretation of interest measures as related to sex differences and to suggest guidelines within these technical issues which…

Data management in pattern recognition and image processing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zobrist, A. L.; Bryant, N. A.

1976-01-01

Data management considerations are important to any system which handles large volumes of data or where the manipulation of data is technically sophisticated. A particular problem is the introduction of image-formatted files into the mainstream of data processing application. This report describes a comprehensive system for the manipulation of image, tabular, and graphical data sets which involve conversions between the various data types. A key characteristic is the use of image processing technology to accomplish data management tasks. Because of this, the term 'image-based information system' has been adopted.

Security management techniques and evaluative checklists for security force effectiveness. Technical report (final) Sep 80-Jul 81

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

Schurman, D.L.; Datesman, G.H. Jr; Truitt, J.O.

The report presents a system for evaluating and correcting deficiencies in security-force effectiveness in licensed nuclear facilities. There are four checklists which security managers can copy directly, or can use as guidelines for developing their own checklists. The checklists are keyed to corrective-action guides found in the body of the report. In addition to the corrective-action guides, the report gives background information on the nature of security systems and discussions of various special problems of the licensed nuclear industry.

Energy use, entropy and extra-terrestrial civilizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hetesi, Zsolt

2010-03-01

The possible number of extra-terrestrial civilizations is estimated by the Drake-equation. Many articles pointed out that there are missing factors and over-estimations in the original equation. In this article we will point out that assuming some axioms there might be several limits for a technical civilization. The key role of the energy use and the problem of the centres and periphery strongly influence the value of the Llifetime of a civilization. Our development have several edifications of the investigations of the growth of an alien civilization.

Decision analysis framing study; in-valley drainage management strategies for the western San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Presser, Theresa S.; Jenni, Karen E.; Nieman, Timothy; Coleman, James

2010-01-01

Constraints on drainage management in the western San Joaquin Valley and implications of proposed approaches to management were recently evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS found that a significant amount of data for relevant technical issues was available and that a structured, analytical decision support tool could help optimize combinations of specific in-valley drainage management strategies, address uncertainties, and document underlying data analysis for future use. To follow-up on USGS's technical analysis and to help define a scientific basis for decisionmaking in implementing in-valley drainage management strategies, this report describes the first step (that is, a framing study) in a Decision Analysis process. In general, a Decision Analysis process includes four steps: (1) problem framing to establish the scope of the decision problem(s) and a set of fundamental objectives to evaluate potential solutions, (2) generation of strategies to address identified decision problem(s), (3) identification of uncertainties and their relationships, and (4) construction of a decision support model. Participation in such a systematic approach can help to promote consensus and to build a record of qualified supporting data for planning and implementation. In December 2008, a Decision Analysis framing study was initiated with a series of meetings designed to obtain preliminary input from key stakeholder groups on the scope of decisions relevant to drainage management that were of interest to them, and on the fundamental objectives each group considered relevant to those decisions. Two key findings of this framing study are: (1) participating stakeholders have many drainage management objectives in common; and (2) understanding the links between drainage management and water management is necessary both for sound science-based decisionmaking and for resolving stakeholder differences about the value of proposed drainage management solutions. Citing ongoing legal processes associated with drainage management in the western San Joaquin Valley, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) withdrew from the Decision Analysis process early in the proceedings. Without the involvement of the USBR, the USGS discontinued further development of this study.

Ineffective Healthcare Technology Management in Benin’s Public Health Sector: The Perceptions of Key Actors and Their Ability to Address the Main Problems

PubMed Central

Houngbo, P. Thierry; De Cock Buning, Tjard; Bunders, Joske; Coleman, Harry L. S.; Medenou, Daton; Dakpanon, Laurent; Zweekhorst, Marjolein

2017-01-01

Background: Low-income countries face many contextual challenges to manage healthcare technologies effectively, as the majority are imported and resources are constrained to a greater extent. Previous healthcare technology management (HTM) policies in Benin have failed to produce better quality of care for the population and costeffectiveness for the government. This study aims to identify and assess the main problems facing HTM in Benin’s public health sector, as well as the ability of key actors within the sector to address these problems. Methods: We conducted 2 surveys in 117 selected health facilities. The first survey was based on 377 questionnaires and 259 interviews, and the second involved observation and group interviews at health facilities. The Temple-Bird Healthcare Technology Package System (TBHTPS), tailored to the context of Benin’s health system, was used as a conceptual framework. Results: The findings of the first survey show that 85% of key actors in Benin’s HTM sector characterized the system as failing in components of the TBHTPS framework. Biomedical, clinical, healthcare technology engineers and technicians perceived problems most severely, followed by users of equipment, managers and hospital directors, international organization officers, local and foreign suppliers, and finally policy-makers, planners and administrators at the Ministry of Health (MoH). The 5 most important challenges to be addressed are policy, strategic management and planning, and technology needs assessment and selection – categorized as major enabling inputs (MEI) in HTM by the TBHTPS framework – and installation and commissioning, training and skill development and procurement, which are import and use activities (IUA). The ability of each key actor to address these problems (the degree of political or administrative power they possess) was inversely proportional to their perception of the severity of the problems. Observational data gathered during site visits described a different set of challenges including maintenance and repair, distribution, installation and commissioning, use and training and personnel skill development. Conclusion: The lack of experiential and technical knowledge in policy development processes could underpin many of the continuing problems in Benin’s HTM system. Before solutions can be devised to these problems, it is necessary to investigate their root causes, and which problems are most amenable to policy development. PMID:28949474

An Interdisciplinary Program in Technical Communications: Problems Encountered.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckman, Martha

The need for experts in technical communication is growing significantly while the number of college graduates in the field accounts for less than one percent of the need. Three major types of problems should be considered in trying to establish a technical communication program: those involving society's need for better technical communicators,…

Renewable Energy Technical Potential | Geospatial Data Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Technical Potential Renewable Energy Technical Potential The renewable energy technical potential level from Resource to Technical to Economic to Market. The benefit of assessing technical potential is potential-resource, technical, economic, and market-as shown in the graphic with key assumptions. Technical

The Value Added National Project. Technical Report: Primary 4. Value-Added Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tymms, Peter

This is the fourth in a series of technical reports that have dealt with issues surrounding the possibility of national value-added systems for primary schools in England. The main focus has been on the relative progress made by students between the ends of Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2). The analysis has indicated that the strength of…

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

Not Available

This report summarizes significant FY93 programmatic information and accomplishments relevant to the individual activities within the Office of Technology Development Program for Research, Development, Demonstration, Testing, and Evaluation (RDDT&E). A brief discussion of the mission of the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) and the Office of Technology Development is presented. An overview is presented of the major problem areas confronting DOE. These problem areas include: groundwater and soils cleanup; waste retrieval and processing; and pollution prevention. The organizational elements within EM are highlighted. An EM-50 Funding Summary for FY92 and FY93 is also provided. RDDT&E programs aremore » discussed and their key problem areas are summarized. Three salient program-formulating concepts are explained. They are: Integrated Demonstrations, Integrated Programs, and the technology window of opportunity. Detailed information for each of the programs within RDDT&E is presented and includes a fact sheet, a list of technical task plans and an accomplishments and objectives section.« less

Job Scheduling in a Heterogeneous Grid Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shan, Hong-Zhang; Smith, Warren; Oliker, Leonid; Biswas, Rupak

2004-01-01

Computational grids have the potential for solving large-scale scientific problems using heterogeneous and geographically distributed resources. However, a number of major technical hurdles must be overcome before this potential can be realized. One problem that is critical to effective utilization of computational grids is the efficient scheduling of jobs. This work addresses this problem by describing and evaluating a grid scheduling architecture and three job migration algorithms. The architecture is scalable and does not assume control of local site resources. The job migration policies use the availability and performance of computer systems, the network bandwidth available between systems, and the volume of input and output data associated with each job. An extensive performance comparison is presented using real workloads from leading computational centers. The results, based on several key metrics, demonstrate that the performance of our distributed migration algorithms is significantly greater than that of a local scheduling framework and comparable to a non-scalable global scheduling approach.

Identifying Effective Strategies to Providing Technical Support to One-to-One Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Mark W.

2013-01-01

The problem of this study was that while one-to-one initiatives in the K-12 environment are growing, the technical support personnel that work in these environments are experiencing problems supporting these initiatives. The purposes of this study were to: (a) identify common problems of providing technical support in a one-to-one laptop program,…

The use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for modulating craving and addictive behaviours: a critical literature review of efficacy, technical and methodological considerations.

PubMed

Grall-Bronnec, M; Sauvaget, A

2014-11-01

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a potential therapeutic intervention for the treatment of addiction. This critical review aims to summarise the recent developments with respect to the efficacy of rTMS for all types of addiction and related disorders (including eating disorders), and concentrates on the associated methodological and technical issues. The bibliographic search consisted of a computerised screening of the Medline and ScienceDirect databases up to December 2013. Criteria for inclusion were the target problem was an addiction, a related disorder, or craving; the intervention was performed using rTMS; and the study was a clinical trial. Of the potential 638 articles, 18 met the criteria for inclusion. Most of these (11 of the 18) supported the efficacy of rTMS, especially in the short term. In most cases, the main assessment criterion was the measurement of craving using a Visual Analogue Scale. The results are discussed with respect to the study limitations and, in particular, the many methodological and technical discrepancies that were identified. Key recommendations are provided.

Informing evidence-based policies for ageing and health in Ghana

PubMed Central

Byles, Julie; Aquah, Charles; Amofah, George; Biritwum, Richard; Panisset, Ulysses; Goodwin, James; Beard, John

2015-01-01

Abstract Problem Ghana’s population is ageing. In 2011, the Government of Ghana requested technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to help revise national policies on ageing and health. Approach We applied WHO’s knowledge translation framework on ageing and health to assist evidence based policy-making in Ghana. First, we defined priority problems and health system responses by performing a country assessment of epidemiologic data, policy review, site visits and interviews of key informants. Second, we gathered evidence on effective health systems interventions in low- middle- and high-income countries. Third, key stakeholders were engaged in a policy dialogue. Fourth, policy briefs were developed and presented to the Ghana Health Services. Local setting Ghana has a well-structured health system that can adapt to meet the health care needs of older people. Relevant changes Six problems were selected as priorities, however after the policy dialogue, only five were agreed as priorities by the stakeholders. The key stakeholders drafted evidence-based policy recommendations that were used to develop policy briefs. The briefs were presented to the Ghana Health Service in 2014. Lessons learnt The framework can be used to build local capacity on evidence-informed policy-making. However, knowledge translation tools need further development to be used in low-income countries and in the field of ageing. The terms and language of the tools need to be adapted to local contexts. Evidence for health system interventions on ageing populations is very limited, particularly for low- and middle-income settings. PMID:25558107

The Water Framework Directive: The Challenges of Testing and Validation of Guidance Documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, F.; Bidoglio, G.; Murray, C. N.; Zaldivar, J.; Bouraoui, F.

On the 23rd October 2000 the European Parliament and Council passed a Directive establishing a framework of community action in the field of water policy (Water Framework Directive- FWD). The Water Framework Directive (FWD) raises major challenges, these include an extremely demanding timetable, in particular in the nine preparatory years; the complexity of the text and the diversity of possible solutions to scientific, technical and practical questions. A further problem is that a common understanding and methodologies for the application of the different areas of the FWD do not necessarily exist. Member States have, historically, developed approaches to monitoring, impact assessment, economic analysis etc. that will need to be compared in order to be certain that they provide comparable level of results over the range of ecosystems covered in the European Union. Accession Countries will also have to start to adjust their environmental legislation to be compatible with EU Directives and standards. The Framework Water Directive imposes a series of deadlines for the reporting by Member States to the European Commission. In order to respond to this problem a Common Strategy on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive is being developed by the European Commission and Member States. The aim of the development of this Common Strategy is to allow, as far as possible, a coherent and harmonious implementation of the Directive. Focus is on methodological questions related to a common understanding of the technical and scientific implications of the Directive. The aim is to clarify and develop, where appropriate, supporting technical and scientific information to assist in the practical implementation of the Directive. Guidance documents, advice for operational methods and other supporting documents will be developed for this purpose. A modular structure has been chosen for the overall strategy. The main modules are the key activities for the implementation process.. · Activity 1: Information sharing · Activity 2: Develop guidance on technical issues · Activity 3: Information and data management · Activity 4: Application, testing and validation The first three priorities have a more horizontal character. They are the key activities for developing a common understanding of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. All these horizontal activities need to be integrated and made operational in the River Basin Management Plans. Activity 4 (Application, Testing and Validation) significantly contributes to this integration role by making these activities operational in the River Basin Management Plans. The integration step is crucial for the effective implementation of the WFD. The objective of Activity 4 is to ensure coherence amongst the different guidance documents and their cross applicability by testing the guidance documents in selected pilot river basins. To achieve these objectives a Network of pilot river basins and associated coastal zones (where applicable) will be identified, in close co- operation with WGs in Key Action 2, that are considered to represent a range of problems and conditions characteristic of those to be found in the application of the different guidelines. The Network of identified sites will used for testing and cross- validation of proposed WG guidelines. The Joint Research Centre is acting as the technical secretariat for the Scientific Coordination Committee who is responsible for Activity 4. The purpose of the present paper is to describe approach, methodology and timetable for integrated testing of guidance documents.

Determinants of quality management systems implementation in hospitals.

PubMed

Wardhani, Viera; Utarini, Adi; van Dijk, Jitse Pieter; Post, Doeke; Groothoff, Johan Willem

2009-03-01

To identify the problems and facilitating factors in the implementation of quality management system (QMS) in hospitals through a systematic review. A search strategy was performed on the Medline database for articles written in English published between 1992 and early 2006. Using the thesaurus terms 'Total Quality Management' and 'Quality Assurance Health Care', combined with the term 'hospital' and 'implement*', we identified 533 publications. The screening process was based on empirical articles describing organization-wide QMS implementation. Fourteen empirical articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in this paper. An organization culture emphasizing standards and values associated with affiliation, teamwork and innovation, assumption of change and risk taking, play as the key success factor in QMS implementation. This culture needs to be supported by sufficient technical competence to apply a scientific problem-solving approach. A clear distribution of QMS function within the organizational structure is more important than establishing a formal quality structure. In addition to management leadership, physician involvement also plays an important role in implementing QMS. Six supporting and limiting factors determining QMS implementation are identified in this review. These are the organization culture, design, leadership for quality, physician involvement, quality structure and technical competence.

Feasibility and benefits of laminar flow control on supersonic cruise airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, A. G.; Agrawal, S.; Lacey, T. R.

1989-01-01

An evaluation was made of the applicability and benefits of laminar flow control (LFC) technology to supersonic cruise airplanes. Ancillary objectives were to identify the technical issues critical to supersonic LFC application, and to determine how those issues can be addressed through flight and wind-tunnel testing. Vehicle types studied include a Mach 2.2 supersonic transport configuration, a Mach 4.0 transport, and two Mach 2-class fighter concepts. Laminar flow control methodologies developed for subsonic and transonic wing laminarization were extended and applied. No intractible aerodynamic problems were found in applying LFC to airplanes of the Mach 2 class, even ones of large size. Improvements of 12 to 17 percent in lift-drag ratios were found. Several key technical issues, such as contamination avoidance and excresence criteria were identified. Recommendations are made for their resolution. A need for an inverse supersonic wing design methodology is indicated.

Geothermal down well pumping system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matthews, H. B.; Mcbee, W. D.

1974-01-01

A key technical problem in the exploitation of hot water geothermal energy resources is down-well pumping to inhibit mineral precipitation, improve thermal efficiency, and enhance flow. A novel approach to this problem involves the use of a small fraction of the thermal energy of the well water to boil and super-heat a clean feedwater flow in a down-hole exchanger adjacent to the pump. This steam powers a high-speed turbine-driven pump. The exhaust steam is brought to the surface through an exhaust pipe, condensed, and recirculated. A small fraction of the high-pressure clean feedwater is diverted to lubricate the turbine pump bearings and prevent leakage of brine into the turbine-pump unit. A project demonstrating the feasibility of this approach by means of both laboratory and down-well tests is discussed.

Liver transplantation in Asia: past, present and future.

PubMed

Ng, Kelvin K; Lo, Chung Mau

2009-04-01

With the technical advances and improvements in perioperative management and immunosuppressants, liver transplantation is the standard treatment for patients with end-stage liver diseases. In Asia, a shortage of deceased donor liver grafts is the universal problem to be faced with in all transplant centres. Many surgical innovations are then driven to counteract this problem. This review focuses on 3 issues that denote the development of liver transplantation in Asian countries. These include living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), split liver transplantation (SLT) and liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Minimal graft weight, types of liver graft to donate and the inclusion of the middle hepatic vein with the graft are the main issues to be established in LDLT. The rapid growth and wide dissemination of LDLT has certainly alleviated the supply-and-demand problem of liver grafts in Asia. SLT is another attractive approach. Technical expertise, donor selection and graft allocation are the main determinants for its success. Liver transplantation plays a key role in the management of HCC in Asia. LDLT would be the main strategy in this aspect. The issue of extending the selection criteria for HCC patients for LDLT is still controversial. On the whole, future developments to increase the donor pool for the expanding recipient need in Asia would involve transplantation from non-heart beating donor and ABO incompatible transplantation.

Synthesizing Huber's Problem Solving and Kolb's Learning Cycle: A Balanced Approach to Technical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamis, Arnold; Khan, Beverly K.

2009-01-01

How do we model and improve technical problem solving, such as network subnetting? This paper reports an experimental study that tested several hypotheses derived from Kolb's experiential learning cycle and Huber's problem solving model. As subjects solved a network subnetting problem, they mapped their mental processes according to Huber's…

Matrix Completion Optimization for Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks for Intelligent IoT

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thu L. N.; Shin, Yoan

2016-01-01

Localization in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is one of the primary functions of the intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) that offers automatically discoverable services, while the localization accuracy is a key issue to evaluate the quality of those services. In this paper, we develop a framework to solve the Euclidean distance matrix completion problem, which is an important technical problem for distance-based localization in WSNs. The sensor network localization problem is described as a low-rank dimensional Euclidean distance completion problem with known nodes. The task is to find the sensor locations through recovery of missing entries of a squared distance matrix when the dimension of the data is small compared to the number of data points. We solve a relaxation optimization problem using a modification of Newton’s method, where the cost function depends on the squared distance matrix. The solution obtained in our scheme achieves a lower complexity and can perform better if we use it as an initial guess for an interactive local search of other higher precision localization scheme. Simulation results show the effectiveness of our approach. PMID:27213378

Utility of Social Modeling for Proliferation Assessment - Preliminary Assessment

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

Coles, Garill A.; Gastelum, Zoe N.; Brothers, Alan J.

2009-06-01

This Preliminary Assessment draft report will present the results of a literature search and preliminary assessment of the body of research, analysis methods, models and data deemed to be relevant to the Utility of Social Modeling for Proliferation Assessment research. This report will provide: 1) a description of the problem space and the kinds of information pertinent to the problem space, 2) a discussion of key relevant or representative literature, 3) a discussion of models and modeling approaches judged to be potentially useful to the research, and 4) the next steps of this research that will be pursued based onmore » this preliminary assessment. This draft report represents a technical deliverable for the NA-22 Simulations, Algorithms, and Modeling (SAM) program. Specifically this draft report is the Task 1 deliverable for project PL09-UtilSocial-PD06, Utility of Social Modeling for Proliferation Assessment. This project investigates non-traditional use of social and cultural information to improve nuclear proliferation assessment, including nonproliferation assessment, proliferation resistance assessments, safeguards assessments and other related studies. These assessments often use and create technical information about the State’s posture towards proliferation, the vulnerability of a nuclear energy system to an undesired event, and the effectiveness of safeguards. This project will find and fuse social and technical information by explicitly considering the role of cultural, social and behavioral factors relevant to proliferation. The aim of this research is to describe and demonstrate if and how social science modeling has utility in proliferation assessment.« less

Factors that affect implementation of web-based faculty evaluation forms: residents' perspectives from a developing country.

PubMed

Ibrahim, S H; Ali, S K; Sadaf, S

2010-08-01

A web-based evaluation system for residents to provide feedback on faculty was piloted in four training programs at the Aga Khan University prior to institution-wide implementation. Of the four programs, less than 50% of forms were submitted by residents of three programs while more than 70% of forms were submitted by the residents of one program. This study was conducted to identify reasons for the varying participation rates of the four programs with a view to improving the system. A qualitative approach was employed using focus group discussions (FGDs). Volunteers were invited and three groups of eight to ten residents each were formed. Participants for FGDs were selected from all residency years. FGDs were used to identify residents' perceptions regarding the web-based faculty evaluation system and to identify residents' problems and concerns with completing the web-based faculty evaluating forms. Technical issues in completing and submitting the forms online were identified to be the main deterrents to completing the evaluation forms. Non-accessibility of a resource person for resolving technical problems with the software and the burden of taking time out to complete the forms were considered as limiting factors by many residents. Residents recommended a focused orientation session to the new system within the departments. Residents' confidence and support are key to promoting adequate participation in web-based evaluations. Focused orientation sessions, reinforcement, reminders, assurances of confidentiality, and removal of technical glitches should help to improve resident participation.

NASA Langley's Approach to the Sandia's Structural Dynamics Challenge Problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horta, Lucas G.; Kenny, Sean P.; Crespo, Luis G.; Elliott, Kenny B.

2007-01-01

The objective of this challenge is to develop a data-based probabilistic model of uncertainty to predict the behavior of subsystems (payloads) by themselves and while coupled to a primary (target) system. Although this type of analysis is routinely performed and representative of issues faced in real-world system design and integration, there are still several key technical challenges that must be addressed when analyzing uncertain interconnected systems. For example, one key technical challenge is related to the fact that there is limited data on target configurations. Moreover, it is typical to have multiple data sets from experiments conducted at the subsystem level, but often samples sizes are not sufficient to compute high confidence statistics. In this challenge problem additional constraints are placed as ground rules for the participants. One such rule is that mathematical models of the subsystem are limited to linear approximations of the nonlinear physics of the problem at hand. Also, participants are constrained to use these models and the multiple data sets to make predictions about the target system response under completely different input conditions. Our approach involved initially the screening of several different methods. Three of the ones considered are presented herein. The first one is based on the transformation of the modal data to an orthogonal space where the mean and covariance of the data are matched by the model. The other two approaches worked solutions in physical space where the uncertain parameter set is made of masses, stiffnesses and damping coefficients; one matches confidence intervals of low order moments of the statistics via optimization while the second one uses a Kernel density estimation approach. The paper will touch on all the approaches, lessons learned, validation 1 metrics and their comparison, data quantity restriction, and assumptions/limitations of each approach. Keywords: Probabilistic modeling, model validation, uncertainty quantification, kernel density

Multidimensional model to assess the readiness of Saudi Arabia to implement evidence based child maltreatment prevention programs at a large scale.

PubMed

Almuneef, Maha A; Qayad, Mohamed; Noor, Ismail K; Al-Eissa, Majid A; Albuhairan, Fadia S; Inam, Sarah; Mikton, Christopher

2014-03-01

There has been increased awareness of child maltreatment in Saudi Arabia recently. This study assessed the readiness for implementing large-scale evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs in Saudi Arabia. Key informants, who were key decision makers and senior managers in the field of child maltreatment, were invited to participate in the study. A multidimensional tool, developed by WHO and collaborators from several middle and low income countries, was used to assess 10 dimensions of readiness. A group of experts also gave an objective assessment of the 10 dimensions and key informants' and experts' scores were compared. On a scale of 100, the key informants gave a readiness score of 43% for Saudi Arabia to implement large-scale, evidence-based CM prevention programs, and experts gave an overall readiness score of 40%. Both the key informants and experts agreed that 4 of the dimensions (attitudes toward child maltreatment prevention, institutional links and resources, material resources, and human and technical resources) had low readiness scores (<5) each and three dimensions (knowledge of child maltreatment prevention, scientific data on child maltreatment prevention, and will to address child maltreatment problem) had high readiness scores (≥5) each. There was significant disagreement between key informants and experts on the remaining 3 dimensions. Overall, Saudi Arabia has a moderate/fair readiness to implement large-scale child maltreatment prevention programs. Capacity building; strengthening of material resources; and improving institutional links, collaborations, and attitudes toward the child maltreatment problem are required to improve the country's readiness to implement such programs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 89.102 - Effective dates, optional inclusion, flexibility for equipment manufacturers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... exemptions for technical or engineering hardship. You may request additional engine allowances under... technical or engineering problems that prevent you from meeting the requirements of this part. You must show... your engine supplier to design products. (iii) Describe the engineering or technical problems causing...

40 CFR 89.102 - Effective dates, optional inclusion, flexibility for equipment manufacturers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... exemptions for technical or engineering hardship. You may request additional engine allowances under... technical or engineering problems that prevent you from meeting the requirements of this part. You must show... your engine supplier to design products. (iii) Describe the engineering or technical problems causing...

40 CFR 89.102 - Effective dates, optional inclusion, flexibility for equipment manufacturers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... exemptions for technical or engineering hardship. You may request additional engine allowances under... technical or engineering problems that prevent you from meeting the requirements of this part. You must show... your engine supplier to design products. (iii) Describe the engineering or technical problems causing...

Seven Keys to Successful Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Peter

Written for secondary, technical, and technical and further education (TAFE) students, this book aims to make learning easier and more enjoyable by showing students how to use a series of basic study skills called "keys." The book offers an explanation, examples, graphic illustrations, and activities for each skill. Chapters include: (1)…

Authentication, Time-Stamping and Digital Signatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Judah

1996-01-01

Time and frequency data are often transmitted over public packet-switched networks, and the use of this mode of distribution is likely to increase in the near future as high-speed logical circuits transmitted via networks replace point-to-point physical circuits. ALthough these networks have many technical advantages, they are susceptible to evesdropping, spoofing, and the alteration of messages enroute using techniques that are relatively simple to implement and quite difficult to detect. I will discuss a number of solutions to these problems, including the authentication mechanism used in the Network Time Protocol (NTP) and the more general technique of signing time-stamps using public key cryptography. This public key method can also be used to implement the digital analog of a Notary Public, and I will discuss how such a system could be realized on a public network such as the Internet.

User Problems Associated with the Services of Federal and Quasi-Federal Technical Information Producing Agencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Los Angeles Regional Technical Information Users Council, CA.

Nine reports of the Los Angeles Regional Technical Information Users Council, which identify and discuss user problem areas and recommend solutions, comprise this document. The topics of the reports are: (1) Air Force Technical Objective Document Release Program (AFTOD); (2) Army Qualitative Requirements Information Program (QDRI); (3)…

Analysis of the policymaking process in Burkina Faso's health sector: case studies of the creation of two health system support units.

PubMed

Zida, Andre; Lavis, John N; Sewankambo, Nelson K; Kouyate, Bocar; Moat, Kaelan; Shearer, Jessica

2017-02-13

Burkina Faso has made a number of health system policy decisions to improve performance on health indicators and strengthen responsiveness to health-related challenges. These included the creation of a General Directorate of Health Information and Statistics (DGISS) and a technical unit to coordinate performance-based financing (CT-FBR). We analysed the policymaking processes associated with the establishment of these units, and documented the factors that influenced this process. We used a multiple-case study design based on Kingdon's agenda-setting model to investigate the DGISS and CT-FBR policymaking processes. Data were collected from interviews with key informants (n = 28), published literature, policy documents (including two strategic and 230 action plans), and 55 legal/regulatory texts. Interviews were analysed using thematic qualitative analysis. Data from the documentary analysis were triangulated with the qualitative interview data. Key factors influencing the policymaking processes associated with the two units involved the 'problem' (problem identification), 'policy' (formation of policy proposals), and 'politics' (political climate/change) streams, which came together in a way that resulted in proposals being placed on the decision agenda. A number of problems with Burkina Faso's health information and financing systems were identified. Policy proposals for the DGISS and CT-FBR units were developed in response to these problems, emerging from several sources including development partners. Changes in political and public service administrations (specifically the 2008 appointment of a new Minister of Health and the establishment of a new budget allocation system), with corresponding changes in the actors and interests involved, appeared key in elevating the proposals to the decision agenda. Efforts to improve performance on health indicators and strengthen responsiveness to health-related challenges need focus on the need for a compelling problem, a viable policy, and conducive politics in order to make it to the decision agenda.

The problems inherent in teaching technical writing and report writing to native Americans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zukowski/faust, J.

1981-01-01

Teaching technical writing to Native Americans contending with a second language and culture is addressed. Learning difficulties arising from differences between native and acquired language and cultural systems are examined. Compartmentalized teaching, which presents the ideals of technical writing in minimal units, and skills development are considered. Rhetorical problems treated include logic of arrangement, selection of support and scope of detail, and time and space. Specific problems selected include the concept of promptness, the contextualization of purpose, interpersonal relationships, wordiness, mixture of registers, and the problem of abstracting. Four inductive procedures for students having writing and perception problems are included. Four sample exercises and a bibliography of 13 references are also included.

When trust defies common security sense.

PubMed

Williams, Patricia A H

2008-09-01

Primary care medical practices fail to recognize the seriousness of security threats to their patient and practice information. This can be attributed to a lack of understanding of security concepts, underestimation of potential threats and the difficulty in configuration of security technology countermeasures. To appreciate the factors contributing to such problems, research into general practitioner security practice and perceptions of security was undertaken. The investigation focused on demographics, actual practice, issues and barriers, and practitioner perception. Poor implementation, lack of relevant knowledge and inconsistencies between principles and practice were identified as key themes. Also the results revealed an overwhelming reliance on trust in staff and in computer information systems. This clearly identified that both cultural and technical attributes contribute to the deficiencies in information security practice. The aim of this research is to understand user needs and problems when dealing with information security practice.

An Introduction to Kristof's Theorem for Solving Least-Square Optimization Problems Without Calculus.

PubMed

Waller, Niels

2018-01-01

Kristof's Theorem (Kristof, 1970 ) describes a matrix trace inequality that can be used to solve a wide-class of least-square optimization problems without calculus. Considering its generality, it is surprising that Kristof's Theorem is rarely used in statistics and psychometric applications. The underutilization of this method likely stems, in part, from the mathematical complexity of Kristof's ( 1964 , 1970 ) writings. In this article, I describe the underlying logic of Kristof's Theorem in simple terms by reviewing four key mathematical ideas that are used in the theorem's proof. I then show how Kristof's Theorem can be used to provide novel derivations to two cognate models from statistics and psychometrics. This tutorial includes a glossary of technical terms and an online supplement with R (R Core Team, 2017 ) code to perform the calculations described in the text.

Interprofessional non-technical skills for surgeons in disaster response: a qualitative study of the Australian perspective.

PubMed

Willems, Anneliese; Waxman, Buce; Bacon, Andrew K; Smith, Julian; Peller, Jennifer; Kitto, Simon

2013-03-01

Interprofessional non-technical skills for surgeons in disaster response have not yet been developed. The aims of this study were to identify the non-technical skills required of surgeons in disaster response and training for disaster response and to explore the barriers and facilitators to interprofessional practice in surgical teams responding to disasters. Twenty health professionals, with prior experience in natural disaster response or education, participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. A qualitative matrix analysis design was used to thematically analyze the data. Non-technical skills for surgeons in disaster response identified in this study included skills for austere environments, cognitive strategies and interprofessional skills. Skills for austere environments were physical self-care including survival skills, psychological self-care, flexibility, adaptability, innovation and improvisation. Cognitive strategies identified in this study were "big picture" thinking, situational awareness, critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. Interprofessional attributes include communication, team-player, sense of humor, cultural competency and conflict resolution skills. "Interprofessionalism" in disaster teams also emerged as a key factor in this study and incorporated elements of effective teamwork, clear leadership, role adjustment and conflict resolution. The majority of participants held the belief that surgeons needed training in non-technical skills in order to achieve best practice in disaster response. Surgeons considerring becoming involved in disaster management should be trained in these skills, and these skills should be incorporated into disaster preparation courses with an interprofessional focus.

Developing Human Resources for the Technical Workforce: A Comparative Study of Korea and Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Joshua D.; Paek, Jeeyon

2005-01-01

Asian countries face significant and growing shortages of technically skilled workers. Vocational-technical systems are key components of national human resource development. Using labor market data from Thailand and Korea, this paper analyzes the economic payoff for individual investment in vocational-technical education, and subsequent…

42 CFR 493.1451 - Standard: Technical supervisor responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... testing samples; and (vi) Assessment of problem solving skills; and (9) Evaluating and documenting the... analysis and reporting of test results; (5) Resolving technical problems and ensuring that remedial actions...

Technical Efficiency and Productivity for Higher Education Institutions in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, C.; Antelius, J.; Månsson, J.; Sund, K.

2017-01-01

This study investigates technical efficiency and productivity for Swedish higher education institutions (HEIs). One identified problem in previous research concerns adjusting efficiency scores for input quality. This problem is avoided using grades from upper-secondary schools. A second problem concerns heterogeneity with respect to subjects and…

Mismatched Perceptions and Expectations: An Exploration of Stakeholders' Views of Key and Technical Skills in Vocational Education and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Mark N. K.; Skinner, Denise; Beresford, Richard

2005-01-01

Purpose: To explore potential mismatches between stakeholders' perceptions and expectations of key and technical skills needed for an advanced modern apprentice within the UK. Design/methodology/approach: Using data collected from the automotive sector, the template process is used to establish lecturer, student and employee stakeholder group's…

Diverse knowledges and competing interests: an essay on socio-technical problem-solving.

PubMed

di Norcia, Vincent

2002-01-01

Solving complex socio-technical problems, this paper claims, involves diverse knowledges (cognitive diversity), competing interests (social diversity), and pragmatism. To explain this view, this paper first explores two different cases: Canadian pulp and paper mill pollution and siting nuclear reactors in systematically sensitive areas of California. Solving such socio-technically complex problems involves cognitive diversity as well as social diversity and pragmatism. Cognitive diversity requires one to not only recognize relevant knowledges but also to assess their validity. Finally, it is suggested, integrating the resultant set of diverse relevant and valid knowledges determines the parameters of the solution space for the problem.

Development of technical skills in Electrical Power Engineering students: A case study of Power Electronics as a Key Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, I. S.; Azlee Hamid, Fazrena

2017-08-01

Technical skills are one of the attributes, an engineering student must attain by the time of graduation, as per recommended by Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC). This paper describes the development of technical skills, Programme Outcome (PO) number 5, in students taking the Bachelor of Electrical Power Engineering (BEPE) programme in Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN). Seven courses are identified to address the technical skills development. The course outcomes (CO) of the courses are designed to instill the relevant technical skills with suitable laboratory activities. Formative and summative assessments are carried out to gauge students’ acquisition of the skills. Finally, to measure the attainment of the technical skills, key course concept is used. The concept has been implemented since 2013, focusing on improvement of the programme instead of the cohort. From the PO attainment analysis method, three different levels of PO attainment can be calculated: from the programme level, down to the course and student levels. In this paper, the attainment of the courses mapped to PO5 is measured. It is shown that Power Electronics course, which is the key course for PO5, has a strong attainment at above 90%. PO5 of other six courses are also achieved. As a conclusion, by embracing outcome-based education (OBE), the BEPE programme has a sound method to develop technical psychomotor skills in the degree students.

A Practical Guide To Developing Effective Web-based Learning

PubMed Central

Cook, David A; Dupras, Denise M

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE Online learning has changed medical education, but many “educational” websites do not employ principles of effective learning. This article will assist readers in developing effective educational websites by integrating principles of active learning with the unique features of the Web. DESIGN Narrative review. RESULTS The key steps in developing an effective educational website are: Perform a needs analysis and specify goals and objectives; determine technical resources and needs; evaluate preexisting software and use it if it fully meets your needs; secure commitment from all participants and identify and address potential barriers to implementation; develop content in close coordination with website design (appropriately use multimedia, hyperlinks, and online communication) and follow a timeline; encourage active learning (self-assessment, reflection, self-directed learning, problem-based learning, learner interaction, and feedback); facilitate and plan to encourage use by the learner (make website accessible and user-friendly, provide time for learning, and motivate learners); evaluate learners and course; pilot the website before full implementation; and plan to monitor online communication and maintain the site by resolving technical problems, periodically verifying hyperlinks, and regularly updating content. CONCLUSION Teaching on the Web involves more than putting together a colorful webpage. By consistently employing principles of effective learning, educators will unlock the full potential of Web-based medical education. PMID:15209610

Healthcare public key infrastructure (HPKI) and non-profit organization (NPO): essentials for healthcare data exchange.

PubMed

Takeda, Hiroshi; Matsumura, Yasushi; Nakagawa, Katsuhiko; Teratani, Tadamasa; Qiyan, Zhang; Kusuoka, Hideo; Matsuoka, Masami

2004-01-01

To share healthcare information and to promote cooperation among healthcare providers and customers (patients) under computerized network environment, a non-profit organization (NPO), named as OCHIS, was established at Osaka, Japan in 2003. Since security and confidentiality issues on the Internet have been major concerns in the OCHIS, the system has been based on healthcare public key infrastructure (HPKI), and found that there remained problems to be solved technically and operationally. An experimental study was conducted to elucidate the central and the local function in terms of a registration authority and a time stamp authority by contracting with the Ministry of Economics and Trading Industries in 2003. This paper describes the experimental design with NPO and the results of the study concerning message security and HPKI. The developed system has been operated practically in Osaka urban area.

Computer vision in roadway transportation systems: a survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loce, Robert P.; Bernal, Edgar A.; Wu, Wencheng; Bala, Raja

2013-10-01

There is a worldwide effort to apply 21st century intelligence to evolving our transportation networks. The goals of smart transportation networks are quite noble and manifold, including safety, efficiency, law enforcement, energy conservation, and emission reduction. Computer vision is playing a key role in this transportation evolution. Video imaging scientists are providing intelligent sensing and processing technologies for a wide variety of applications and services. There are many interesting technical challenges including imaging under a variety of environmental and illumination conditions, data overload, recognition and tracking of objects at high speed, distributed network sensing and processing, energy sources, as well as legal concerns. This paper presents a survey of computer vision techniques related to three key problems in the transportation domain: safety, efficiency, and security and law enforcement. A broad review of the literature is complemented by detailed treatment of a few selected algorithms and systems that the authors believe represent the state-of-the-art.

Engineering model system study for a regenerative fuel cell: Study report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, B. J.; Schubert, F. H.; Kovach, A. J.; Wynveen, R. A.

1984-01-01

Key design issues of the regenerative fuel cell system concept were studied and a design definition of an alkaline electrolyte based engineering model system or low Earth orbit missions was completed. Definition of key design issues for a regenerative fuel cell system include gaseous reactant storage, shared heat exchangers and high pressure pumps. A power flow diagram for the 75 kW initial space station and the impact of different regenerative fuel cell modular sizes on the total 5 year to orbit weight and volume are determined. System characteristics, an isometric drawing, component sizes and mass and energy balances are determined for the 10 kW engineering model system. An open loop regenerative fuel cell concept is considered for integration of the energy storage system with the life support system of the space station. Technical problems and their solutions, pacing technologies and required developments and demonstrations for the regenerative fuel cell system are defined.

Administrative Problems of Technical Assistance to Community Development and Agricultural Extension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safa-Isfahani, Manouchehr

An attempt was made to analyze the administrative problems of United States technical assistance to community development and agricultural extension programs in the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, Thailand, and Nigeria, with emphasis on field problems and on the point of view of local administrators, field technicians, and local people. The concept…

Robust and Reusable Fuzzy Extractors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyen, Xavier

The use of biometric features as key material in security protocols has often been suggested to relieve their owner from the need to remember long cryptographic secrets. The appeal of biometric data as cryptographic secrets stems from their high apparent entropy, their availability to their owner, and their relative immunity to loss. In particular, they constitute a very effective basis for user authentication, especially when combined with complementary credentials such as a short memorized password or a physical token. However, the use of biometrics in cryptography does not come without problems. Some difficulties are technical, such as the lack of uniformity and the imperfect reproducibility of biometrics, but some challenges are more fundamental.

Infant Transport Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The photo sequence illustrates the movement of an ill infant to a special care hospital by means of a new Pediatric Monitoring and Transport System, in which NASA technology and technical assistance are being applied to an urgent medical problem. Development of the system is a collaborative effort involving several organizations, principally, NASA Ames Research Center and Children's Hospital Medical Center, Oakland, California. Key to the system's efficacy is a custom-designed ambulance-to-hospital and hospital-to-hospital communications network, including two-way voice capability and space-derived biotelemetry; it allows a specialist at the destination hospital to monitor continuously the vital signs of the patient during transit.

Estimating the stability of electrical conductivity of filled polymers under the influence of negative temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minakova, N. N.; Ushakov, V. Ya.

2017-12-01

One of the key problems in modern materials technology is synthesis of materials for electrotechnical devices capable of operating under severe conditions. Electrical and power engineering, in particular, demands for electrically conductive composite materials operating at high and low temperatures, various mechanical loads, electric fields, etc. Chaotic arrangement of electrically conductive component in the matrix and its structural and geometrical inhomogeneity can increase the local electric and thermal energy flux densities up to critical values even when their average values remain moderate. Elastomers filled with technical carbon being a promising component for electrotechnical devices was chosen as an object of study.

Do Disadvantaged Students Get Less Effective Teaching? Key Findings from Recent Institute of Education Sciences Studies. NCEE Evaluation Brief. Technical Appendix. NCEE 2014-4010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Max, Jeffrey; Glazerman, Steven

2014-01-01

This document represents the technical appendix intended to accompany "Do Disadvantaged Students Get Less Effective Teaching? Key Findings from Recent Institute of Education Sciences Studies. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2014-4010." Contents include: (1) Summary of Related, Non-Peer-Reviewed Studies; (2) Methods for Comparing Findings…

Photonics: Maintaining competitiveness in the information era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Photonics concerns the use of photons to work with or to replace electrons in certain communications, computer, or control applications traditionally carried out by electronics. It is a key high-technology area, well established in long-distance fiber-optic telecommunications and rapidly growing in other areas of great importance to society. This report concentrates on technical areas where the overall worldwide market for equipment approaches $400 billion per year, i.e., Telecommunications; Information processing; Optical storage and display; Optical sensors; and Policy Issues. It is essential to increase our industrial competitiveness in product development, manufacturing skills, and marketing; There must be continuing industrial effort in long-range research and innovation; The photonics industry should consider the advantages of an industry association that could help organize consortia to conduct cooperative research and address technical problems and policy issues beyond the scope of any one organization; and Government contractors who receive a percentage of sales for their independent research should devote a sizable fraction to projects with a life span of 5 to 10 years.

Technical Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flannery, Carol A.

This manuscript provides information and problems for teaching mathematics to vocational education students. Problems reflect applications of mathematical concepts to specific technical areas. The materials are organized into six chapters. Chapter 1 covers basic arithmetic, including fractions, decimals, ratio and proportions, percentages, and…

Advances in optimal routing through computer networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paz, I. M.

1977-01-01

The optimal routing problem is defined. Progress in solving the problem during the previous decade is reviewed, with special emphasis on technical developments made during the last few years. The relationships between the routing, the throughput, and the switching technology used are discussed and their future trends are reviewed. Economic aspects are also briefly considered. Modern technical approaches for handling the routing problems and, more generally, the flow control problems are reviewed.

About STIP | OSTI, US Dept of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical

Science.gov Websites

Information Skip to main content Scientific and Technical Information Program The home of the U.S. Department of Energy's Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP) Here you will find through scientific and technical information (STI), a key outcome of DOE R&D and other activities

76 FR 78062 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-15

... problem and make other technical changes. The proposed change will be operative on December 1, 2011. The... experiences a bona fide systems problem and make other technical changes. The Exchange presently has three... Exchange experienced a bona fide systems problem. The Exchange proposes to amend the Fee Schedule to extend...

[Mathematical model of technical equipment of a clinical-diagnostic laboratory].

PubMed

Bukin, S I; Busygin, D V; Tilevich, M E

1990-01-01

The paper is concerned with the problems of technical equipment of standard clinico-diagnostic laboratories (CDL) in this country. The authors suggest a mathematic model that may minimize expenditures for laboratory studies. The model enables the following problems to be solved: to issue scientifically-based recommendations for technical equipment of CDL; to validate the medico-technical requirements for newly devised items; to select the optimum types of uniform items; to define optimal technical decisions at the stage of the design; to determine the lab assistant's labour productivity and the cost of some investigations; to compute the medical laboratory engineering requirement for treatment and prophylactic institutions of this country.

Problem Solving Process Research of Everyone Involved in Innovation Based on CAI Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tao; Shao, Yunfei; Tang, Xiaowo

It is very important that non-technical department personnel especially bottom line employee serve as innovators under the requirements of everyone involved in innovation. According the view of this paper, it is feasible and necessary to build everyone involved in innovation problem solving process under Total Innovation Management (TIM) based on the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). The tools under the CAI technology: How TO mode and science effects database could be very useful for all employee especially non-technical department and bottom line for innovation. The problem solving process put forward in the paper focus on non-technical department personnel especially bottom line employee for innovation.

Development of students' conceptual thinking by means of video analysis and interactive simulations at technical universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hockicko, Peter; Krišt‧ák, L.‧uboš; Němec, Miroslav

2015-03-01

Video analysis, using the program Tracker (Open Source Physics), in the educational process introduces a new creative method of teaching physics and makes natural sciences more interesting for students. This way of exploring the laws of nature can amaze students because this illustrative and interactive educational software inspires them to think creatively, improves their performance and helps them in studying physics. This paper deals with increasing the key competencies in engineering by analysing real-life situation videos - physical problems - by means of video analysis and the modelling tools using the program Tracker and simulations of physical phenomena from The Physics Education Technology (PhET™) Project (VAS method of problem tasks). The statistical testing using the t-test confirmed the significance of the differences in the knowledge of the experimental and control groups, which were the result of interactive method application.

Relativistic quantum cryptography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molotkov, S. N.; Nazin, S. S.

2003-07-01

The problem of unconditional security of quantum cryptography (i.e. the security which is guaranteed by the fundamental laws of nature rather than by technical limitations) is one of the central points in quantum information theory. We propose a relativistic quantum cryptosystem and prove its unconditional security against any eavesdropping attempts. Relativistitic causality arguments allow to demonstrate the security of the system in a simple way. Since the proposed protocol does not empoly collective measurements and quantum codes, the cryptosystem can be experimentally realized with the present state-of-art in fiber optics technologies. The proposed cryptosystem employs only the individual measurements and classical codes and, in addition, the key distribution problem allows to postpone the choice of the state encoding scheme until after the states are already received instead of choosing it before sending the states into the communication channel (i.e. to employ a sort of "antedate" coding).

Development of 3D Atlas of Metalworking Equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yevgenyevna Maslennikova, Olga; Borisovna Nazarova, Olga; Aleksandrovna Chudinova, Yulia

2018-05-01

The paper is dedicated to solving the problem of developing innovative educational systems able to train personnel of complex and dangerous manufacturing industries (such as in metallurgy) to control the process not only under regular conditions, but in emergency and pre-emergency situations as well. At that, such educational systems shall transform training of future and current engineers into a professional activity, model both subject matter and social content of their professional labor. Key characteristics of a 3D atlas of equipment as an educational system are given, as it provides immersion of trainees into professional environment. Requirements for such systems are defined (functional, information, software and technical). Stages of development of a 3D atlas of equipment as an automated system are given, allowing one to get closer to yet another problem that of IT specialist training so that they are able to design, implement and deploy such systems.

Piloting Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA): Planning for Climate Change at the Portland Water Bureau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heyn, K.; Campbell, E.

2016-12-01

The Portland Water Bureau has been studying the anticipated effects of climate change on its primary surface water source, the Bull Run Watershed, since the early 2000's. Early efforts by the bureau were almost exclusively reliant on outside expertise from climate modelers and researchers, particularly those at the Climate Impacts Group (CIG) at the University of Washington. Early work products from CIG formed the basis of the bureau's understanding of the most likely and consequential impacts to the watershed from continued GHG-caused warming. However, by mid-decade, as key supply and demand conditions for the bureau changed, it found it lacked the technical capacity and tools to conduct more refined and updated research to build on the outside analysis it had obtained. Beginning in 2010 through its participation in the Pilot Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA) project, the bureau identified and began working to address the holes in its technical and institutional capacity by embarking on a process to assess and select a hydrologic model while obtaining downscaled climate change data to utilize within it. Parallel to the development of these technical elements, the bureau made investments in qualified staff to lead the model selection, development and utilization, while working to establish productive, collegial and collaborative relationships with key climate research staff at the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute (OCCRI), the University of Washington and the University of Idaho. This presentation describes the learning process of a major metropolitan area drinking water utility as its approach to addressing the complex problem of climate change evolves, matures, and begins to influence broader aspects of the organization's planning efforts.

Creating an Early Warning System: Predictors of Dropout in Delaware. REL Mid-Atlantic Technical Assistance Brief. REL MA 1.2.75-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uekawa, Kazuaki; Merola, Stacey; Fernandez, Felix; Porowski, Allan

2010-01-01

This Technical Brief presents an historical analysis of key indicators of dropout for Delaware students in grades 9-12. Cut points for key risk indicators of high school dropout for the State of Delaware are provided. Using data provided by the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE), relationships between student dropout and several student…

Key issues and technical route of cyber physical distribution system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, P. X.; Chen, B.; Zheng, L. J.; Zhang, G. L.; Fan, Y. L.; Pei, T.

2017-01-01

Relying on the National High Technology Research and Development Program, this paper introduced the key issues in Cyber Physical Distribution System (CPDS), mainly includes: composite modelling method and interaction mechanism, system planning method, security defence technology, distributed control theory. Then on this basis, the corresponding technical route is proposed, and a more detailed research framework along with main schemes to be adopted is also presented.

Tailoring and Critical Thinking - Key Principles for Acquisition Success

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

Defense AT&L: September–October 2015 6 Tailoring and Critical Thinking— Key Principles for Acquisition Success Mike Kotzian, D.M. n Michael Paul...well as program success . 7 Defense AT&L: September–October 2015 The Long Range Anti-Ship Missile Opportunity To ensure DARPA maintains its ability... successful flight demonstra- tions that initially proved the technical approach. Concurrent with these technical accomplishments came two important

Nanotechnology on a dime: building affordable research facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DiBattista, Jeff; Clare, Donna; Lynch, David

2005-08-01

Designing buildings to house nanotechnology research presents a multitude of well-recognized challenges to architectural and engineering design teams, from environmental control to spatial arrangements to operational functionality. These technical challenges can be solved with relative ease on projects with large budgets: designers have the option of selecting leading-edge systems without undue regard for their expense. This is reflected in the construction cost of many nanotechnology research facilities that run well into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Smaller universities and other institutions need not be shut out of the nanotechnology research field simply because their construction budgets are tens of millions of dollars or less. The key to success for these less expensive projects lies with making good strategic decisions: identifying priorities for the facility in terms of what it will is--and will not--provide to the researchers. Making these strategic decisions puts bounds on the tactical, technical problems that the design team at large must address, allowing them to focus their efforts on the key areas for success. The process and challenges of this strategic decision-making process are examined, with emphasis placed on the types of decisions that must be made and the factors that must be considered when making them. Case study examples of projects undertaken at the University of Alberta are used to illustrate how strategic-level decision-making sets the stage for cutting-edge success on a modest budget.

Leadership Skills among Technical and Vocational Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zakaria, Nurazyan Zahidah; Jizat, Nor Atikah Md.; Zakaria, Normah

2015-01-01

The purpose of leadership skills among technical and vocational educator are to prepare them towards effective organization. Effective leadership is widely accepted as being a key constituent in achieving organization improvement and to examine. This study aimed to gauge the leadership skills among technical and vocational educators effectiveness…

The National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Craun, Kari J.; Constance, Eric W.; Donnelly, Jay; Newell, Mark R.

2009-01-01

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) provides geospatial technical expertise in support of the National Geospatial Program in its development of The National Map, National Atlas of the United States, and implementation of key components of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).

CHAPTER 10: CURRENT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS IN EMERGY ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

Technical problems related to the determination of the emergy base for self-organization in environmental systems are considered in this paper. The comparability of emergy analysis results depends on emergy analysts making similar choices in determining the emergy base for a part...

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 36: Technical uncertainty as a correlate of information use by US industry-affiliated aerospace engineers and scientists

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Glassman, Nanci A.; Affelder, Linda O.; Hecht, Laura M.; Kennedy, John M.; Barclay, Rebecca O.

1994-01-01

This paper reports the results of an exploratory study that investigated the influence of technical uncertainty on the use of information and information sources by U.S. industry-affiliated aerospace engineers and scientists in completing or solving a project, task, or problem. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Survey participants were U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists whose names appeared on the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) mailing list. The results support the findings of previous research and the following study assumptions. Information and information-source use differ for projects, problems, and tasks with high and low technical uncertainty. As technical uncertainty increases, information-source use changes from internal to external and from informal to formal sources. As technical uncertainty increases, so too does the use of federally funded aerospace research and development (R&D). The use of formal information sources to learn about federally funded aerospace R&D differs for projects, problems, and tasks with high and low technical uncertainty.

Technical Colleges at a Crossroads.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selingo, Jeffrey

1999-01-01

Under pressure from governors and legislators to heighten academic rigor, technical colleges in several states are becoming part of higher education, whether they want to or not. With business leaders calling for better-educated workers, technical colleges are seen increasingly as stepping-stone institutions within higher education and key cogs in…

76 FR 33332 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the Technical Assistance and Capacity Building under the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

... of key Departmental objectives, including but not limited to, energy efficiency and green building... Awards for the Technical Assistance and Capacity Building under the Transformation Initiative Program...) for the Technical Assistance and Capacity Building under the Transformation Initiative program for...

Technical Education--The Key to Sustainable Technological Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odo, J. U.; Okafor, W. C.; Odo, A. L.; Ejikeugwu, L. N.; Ugwuoke, C. N.

2017-01-01

Technical education has been identified as one of the most effective human resource development that needs to be embraced for rapid industrialization and sustainable technological development of any nation. Technical education has been an integral part of national development in many societies because of its impact on productivity and economic…

Expressive/Exploratory Technical Writing (XTW) in Engineering: Shifting the Technical Writing Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnock, Scott; Kahn, Michael

2007-01-01

While the importance of "expressive writing," or informal, self-directed writing, has been well established, teachers underutilize it, particularly in technical writing courses. We introduce the term expressive/exploratory technical writing (XTW), which is the use of informal, self-directed writing to problem-solve in technical fields. We describe…

The Marketability of Technical Graduates from Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) Offering Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): A Case from Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajadurai, Jegatheesan; Sapuan, Noraina Mazuin; Daud, Salina; Abidin, Nurazariah

2018-01-01

Technical, Vocational Education and Training has been viewed as a means of developing a nation. The marketability of technical graduates is reliant on whether these graduates possess the attributes demanded by their respective industries. Hence, this study aims to investigate the gap between the key attributes of Higher Education Institutions'…

Technical writing versus technical writing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dillingham, J. W.

1981-01-01

Two terms, two job categories, 'technical writer' and 'technical author' are discussed in terms of industrial and business requirements and standards. A distinction between 'technical writing' and technical 'writing' is made. The term 'technical editor' is also considered. Problems inherent in the design of programs to prepare and train students for these jobs are discussed. A closer alliance between industry and academia is suggested as a means of preparing students with competent technical communication skills (especially writing and editing skills) and good technical skills.

Vaccines for minor use and minor species (MUMS)--industry's views.

PubMed

Bönisch, B

2004-01-01

Over the past 30 years the importance of vaccines for minor use and minor species has changed for multinational animal health companies. The major reasons for this are being reviewed, with a particular focus on technical, financial and business aspects. Key regulatory obstacles to the development of new products for minor uses and minor species are identified, and examples of vaccines falling into the various categories are provided. A number of proposals are offered with the intention of resolving the medicines availability problem between all the stakeholders involved. Finally, based on the presented scientific and regulatory considerations, ideas are shared as to where the legal and economical framework would need to change to reach a viable solution.

[Research advances in water quality monitoring technology based on UV-Vis spectrum analysis].

PubMed

Wei, Kang-Lin; Wen, Zhi-yu; Wu, Xin; Zhang, Zhong-Wei; Zeng, Tian-Ling

2011-04-01

The application of spectral analysis to water quality monitoring is an important developing trend in the field of modern environment monitoring technology. The principle and characteristic of water quality monitoring technology based on UV-Vis spectrum analysis are briefly reviewed. And the research status and advances are introduced from two aspects, on-line monitoring and in-situ monitoring. Moreover, the existent key technical problems are put forward. Finally, the technology trends of multi-parameter water quality monitoring microsystem and microsystem networks based on microspectrometer are prospected, which has certain reference value for the research and development of environmental monitoring technology and modern scientific instrument in the authors' country.

32 CFR 203.12 - Technical assistance for public participation provider qualifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... waste problems. (2) Experience in making technical presentations. (3) Demonstrated writing skills. (4... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Technical assistance for public participation... THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (TAPP...

Bibliography of Technical Reports - 1974,

DTIC Science & Technology

The bibliography lists all Technical Reports prepared by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the year 1974. It includes an author index , and also a key relating Reports to ’Contribution Numbers’.

Towards technical interoperability in telemedicine.

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

Craft, Richard Layne, II

2004-05-01

For telemedicine to realize the vision of anywhere, anytime access to care, the question of how to create a fully interoperable technical infrastructure must be addressed. After briefly discussing how 'technical interoperability' compares with other types of interoperability being addressed in the telemedicine community today, this paper describes reasons for pursuing technical interoperability, presents a proposed framework for realizing technical interoperability, identifies key issues that will need to be addressed if technical interoperability is to be achieved, and suggests a course of action that the telemedicine community might follow to accomplish this goal.

The dragons of inaction: psychological barriers that limit climate change mitigation and adaptation.

PubMed

Gifford, Robert

2011-01-01

Most people think climate change and sustainability are important problems, but too few global citizens engaged in high-greenhouse-gas-emitting behavior are engaged in enough mitigating behavior to stem the increasing flow of greenhouse gases and other environmental problems. Why is that? Structural barriers such as a climate-averse infrastructure are part of the answer, but psychological barriers also impede behavioral choices that would facilitate mitigation, adaptation, and environmental sustainability. Although many individuals are engaged in some ameliorative action, most could do more, but they are hindered by seven categories of psychological barriers, or "dragons of inaction": limited cognition about the problem, ideological world views that tend to preclude pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, comparisons with key other people, sunk costs and behavioral momentum, discredence toward experts and authorities, perceived risks of change, and positive but inadequate behavior change. Structural barriers must be removed wherever possible, but this is unlikely to be sufficient. Psychologists must work with other scientists, technical experts, and policymakers to help citizens overcome these psychological barriers.

Technical documentation challenges in aviation maintenance : a proceedings report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

The 2012 Technical Documentation workshop addressed both problems and solutions associated with technical : documentation for maintenance. These issues are known to cause errors, rework, maintenance delays, other : safety hazards, and FAA administrat...

Final Technical Report: "Achieving Regional Energy Efficiency Potential in the Southeast”

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

Mahoney, Mandy

The overall objective of this award was to facilitate sharing of DOE resources and best practices as well as provide technical assistance to key stakeholders to support greater compliance with energy efficiency standards and increased energy savings. The outcomes of this award include greater awareness among key stakeholders on energy efficiency topics, increased deployment and utilization of DOE resources, and effective policies and programs to support energy efficiency in the Southeast.

78 FR 66375 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the OneCPD Plus: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-05

... of key Departmental objectives, including but not limited to, energy efficiency and green building... Awards for the OneCPD Plus: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Under the Transformation... Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the OneCPD Plus: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building...

Florida Study of Career and Technical Education. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Louis; Mokher, Christine

2014-01-01

A key goal of the "Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006" ("Perkins IV") is to ensure career and technical education (CTE) programs are widely available for preparing high school and college students for "high skill, high wage, or high demand occupations in current or emerging professions"…

Technical Report, Onondaga Lake, New York, Main Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

growth . Section 3 of this report will expand upon the specific water quality problems. EXISTING CONDITIONS Page 23 Table V - Comparison of Current...This technical report on Ononidaga Lake, New York has compi led existing data to determine which water quality and enviromental enhancements are... bacteria is a problem during storm events causing contravention of the State swimming standards. The source of the problem has been identified as the

Integrated Maintenance Information System (IMIS): A Maintenance Information Delivery Concept.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-01

InterFace Figure 2. Portable Maintenance Computer Concept. provide advice for difficult fault-isolation problems . The technician will be able to accomplish...faced with an ever-growing number of paper-based technical orders (TOs). This has greatly increased costs and distribution problems . In addition, it has...compounded problems associ- ated with ensuring accurate data and the lengthy correction times involved. To improve the accuracy of technical data and

The Method of Immersion the Problem of Comparing Technical Objects in an Expert Shell in the Class of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergey Vasilievich, Buharin; Aleksandr Vladimirovich, Melnikov; Svetlana Nikolaevna, Chernyaeva; Lyudmila Anatolievna, Korobova

2017-08-01

The method of dip of the underlying computational problem of comparing technical object in an expert shell in the class of data mining methods is examined. An example of using the proposed method is given.

Cognitive Processes Embedded in Self-Explanations of Solving Technical Problems: Implications for Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maughan, George R.

2007-01-01

This qualitative research examines the cognitive processes embedded in self-explanations of automobile and motorcycle service technicians performing troubleshooting tasks and solving technical problems. In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve service technicians who have obtained the designation of "master technician" or equivalent within…

Problems Relating to Examinations in Three-Year Technical/Natural Science Courses of Study at the Federal Armed Forces University, Munich.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulbricht, Kurt; Zimmermann, Peter

1981-01-01

Problems encountered in testing in aerospace engineering courses in an accelerated technical program of a German military university are outlined. Four common grading procedures are compared, and the optimum length of written tests is discussed. (MSE)

The composing process in technical communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masse, R. E.

1981-01-01

The theory and application of the composing process in technical communications is addressed. The composing process of engineers, some implications for composing research for the teaching and research of technical communication, and an interpretation of the processes as creative experience are also discussed. Two areas of technical communications summarized concern: the rhetorical features of technical communications, and the theoretical background for a process-based view, a problem-solving approach to technical writing.

Developing physician-leaders: key competencies and available programs.

PubMed

Stoller, James K

2008-01-01

Because effective leadership is critical to organizational success, frontrunner organizations cultivate leaders for bench depth and pipeline development. The many challenges in healthcare today create a special need for great leadership. This paper reviews the leadership competencies needed by physician-leaders and current experience with developing physician-leaders in healthcare institution-sponsored programs. On the basis of this review, six key leadership competency domains are proposed: 1. technical skills and knowledge (regarding operational, financial, and information systems, human resources, and strategic planning), 2. industry knowledge (e.g., regarding clinical processes, regulation, and healthcare trends), 3. problem-solving skills, 4. emotional intelligence, 5. communication, and 6. a commitment to lifelong learning. Review of current experience indicates that, in addition to leadership training through degree and certificate-granting programs (e.g., by universities and/or official medical societies), healthcare institutions themselves are developing intramural programs to cultivate physician-leaders. Greater attention is needed to assessing the impact and effectiveness of such programs in developing leaders and benefiting organizational outcomes.

Standardization of quantum key distribution and the ETSI standardization initiative ISG-QKD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Länger, Thomas; Lenhart, Gaby

2009-05-01

In recent years, quantum key distribution (QKD) has been the object of intensive research activities and of rapid progress, and it is now developing into a competitive industry with commercial products. Once QKD systems are transferred from the controlled environment of physical laboratories into a real-world environment for practical use, a number of practical security, compatibility and connectivity issues need to be resolved. In particular, comprehensive security evaluation and watertight security proofs need to be addressed to increase trust in QKD. System interoperability with existing infrastructures and applications as well as conformance with specific user requirements have to be assured. Finding common solutions to these problems involving all actors can provide an advantage for the commercialization of QKD as well as for further technological development. The ETSI industry specification group for QKD (ISG-QKD) offers a forum for creating such universally accepted standards and will promote significant leverage effects on coordination, cooperation and convergence in research, technical development and business application of QKD.

Predictors of employer satisfaction: technical and non-technical skills.

PubMed

Danielson, Jared A; Wu, Tsui-Feng; Fales-Williams, Amanda J; Kirk, Ryan A; Preast, Vanessa A

2012-01-01

Employers of 2007-2009 graduates from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine were asked to respond to a survey regarding their overall satisfaction with their new employees as well as their new employees' preparation in several technical and non-technical skill areas. Seventy-five responses contained complete data and were used in the analysis. Four technical skill areas (data collection, data interpretation, planning, and taking action) and five non-technical skill areas (interpersonal skills, ability to deal with legal issues, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving) were identified. All of the skill area subscales listed above had appropriate reliability (Cronbach's alpha>0.70) and were positively and significantly correlated with overall employer satisfaction. Results of two simultaneous regression analyses indicated that of the four technical skill areas, taking action is the most salient predictor of employer satisfaction. Of the five non-technical skill areas, interpersonal skills, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving were the most important skills in predicting employer satisfaction. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that all technical skills explained 25% of the variation in employer satisfaction; non-technical skills explained an additional 42% of the variation in employer satisfaction.

SpaceWire Tiger Team Findings and Suggestions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ishac, Joseph A.

2011-01-01

This technical report intends to highlight the key findings and recommendations of the SpaceWire Tiger Team for the CoNNeCT project. It covers findings which are technical in nature, covering design concepts and approaches.

Benchmark Analysis of Career and Technical Education in Lenawee County. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollenbeck, Kevin

The career and technical education (CTE) provided in grades K-12 in the county's vocational-technical center and 12 local public school districts of Lenawee County, Michigan, was benchmarked with respect to its attention to career development. Data were collected from the following sources: structured interviews with a number of key respondents…

Some technical writing skills industry needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, F. R.

1981-01-01

It is suggested that engineers and other technical students be taught three classes of skills in technical writing. First, "Big Picture Things", which includes: the importance of clear writing, the wide scope of writing, the wide scope of writing tasks that will be faced in industry, and the principles of organization of technical materials such as; how to analyze, classify, partition, and interpret. Second, "Writing Procedures", which encompasses: how to get words on paper efficiently and team-write. Third, "Writing Details", in which two considerations are important: how to achieve precision in the use of language and the aspects of style. Three problems in style are cited: the problem of sentence transition, overuse of attributive adjectives, and verbosity in paragraph structure. The most important thing in technical writing is considered to be functionality, economy and clarity.

Some Characteristics and Writing Problems of Technically Oriented Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruehr, Ruthann

An understanding of the writing problems and personalities of some of the technically oriented students at Michigan Technological University may help others who teach similar students. Although their scores on aptitude tests are high, these students have had very little experience in writing. In addition, the majority of the students have had very…

Approaches to Technological Update of Vocational/Technical Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, James B.; McElroy, Jack

As part of an effort to address the problem of the technological update of vocational and technical teachers, the National Center for Research in Vocational Education conducted a status study to determine the nature and extent of the problem with respect to institutional level and occupational area. A second aspect of the study dealt with…

Building Geographic Information System Capacity in Local Health Departments: Lessons From a North Carolina Project

PubMed Central

Miranda, Marie Lynn; Silva, Jennifer M.; Overstreet Galeano, M. Alicia; Brown, Jeffrey P.; Campbell, Douglas S.; Coley, Evelyn; Cowan, Christopher S.; Harvell, Dianne; Lassiter, Jenny; Parks, Jerry L.; Sandelé, Wanda

2005-01-01

State government, university, and local health department (LHD) partners collaborated to build the geographic information system (GIS) capacity of 5 LHDs in North Carolina. Project elements included procuring hardware and software, conducting individualized and group training, developing data layers, guiding the project development process, coordinating participation in technical conferences, providing ongoing project consultation, and evaluating project milestones. The project provided health department personnel with the skills and resources required to use sophisticated information management systems, particularly those that address spatial dimensions of public health practice. This capacity-building project helped LHDs incorporate GIS technology into daily operations, resulting in improved time and cost efficiency. Keys to success included (1) methods training rooted in problems specific to the LHD, (2) required project identification by LHD staff with associated timelines for development, (3) ongoing technical support as staff returned to home offices after training, (4) subgrants to LHDs to ease hardware and software resource constraints, (5) networks of relationships among LHDs and other professional GIS users, and (6) senior LHD leadership who supported the professional development activities being undertaken by staff. PMID:16257950

Conversations with Technical Writing Teachers: Defining a Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selting, Bonita R.

2002-01-01

Considers if teaching technology is problematic for technical writing instructors. Presents ideas of 64 Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW) members who were queried on their roles as teachers of technical writing in relation to the demands made upon them to also be teachers of technology skills. Concludes with a call for more…

FRATIS concept of operations : assess test readiness of FRATIS (task 4).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

This technical memorandum presents a concise assessment of the key technical and nontechnical issues and limitations related to field-testing the Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) bundle and its...

Malnutrition in emergencies: the framing of nutrition concerns in the humanitarian appeals process, 1992 to 2009.

PubMed

Webb, Patrick

2009-12-01

This paper examines how nutrition has been used to raise humanitarian relief resources through the United Nations appeals process, from 1992 to early 2009. Recent calls for "nutrition safety nets" as a response to the world food price crisis reflect a growing recognition of nutrition as a key element in crisis management, not simply as a metric of how bad things have become. The evolution in thinking about the role of nutrition in emergency programming is reflected in changes in how nutrition has been conceptualized and presented in the consolidated appeals process. Based on a desk review, supported by key informant interviews, the paper highlights important changes that include an increasing distinction that separates nutrition from food, water, and health; the importance of synergies across sectors; increased emphasis on "essential packages" of inputs and services versus stand-alone activities; the importance of technical rigor in food and nutrition assessment and surveys; the need for technical competency and capacity in the design and management of nutrition interventions; and the importance of planning for long-term change even in delivering a short-term response. There has also been growing emphasis on specificity in objectives--a trend linked to demand for more accountability across the humanitarian system. Enhanced emergency preparedness will require further capacity building and improved systems for surveillance and data management. Without more systematic, targeted attention to pre-crisis malnutrition, the resources needed to tackle nutrition problems during emergencies will continue to grow.

Technical Excellence: A Requirement for Good Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Paul S.; Vaughan, William W.

2008-01-01

Technical excellence is a requirement for good engineering. Technical excellence has many different ways of expressing itself within engineering. NASA has initiatives that address the enhancement of the Agency's technical excellence and thrust to maintain the associated high level of performance by the Agency on current programs/projects and as it moves into the Constellation Program and the return to the Moon with plans to visit Mars. This paper addresses some of the key initiatives associated with NASA's technical excellence thrust. Examples are provided to illustrate some results being achieved and plans to enhance these initiatives.

Key technology research of HILS based on real-time operating system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fankai; Lu, Huiming; Liu, Che

2018-03-01

In order to solve the problems that the long development cycle of traditional simulation and digital simulation doesn't have the characteristics of real time, this paper designed a HILS(Hardware In the Loop Simulation) system based on the real-time operating platform xPC. This system solved the communication problems between HMI and Simulink models through the MATLAB engine interface, and realized the functions of system setting, offline simulation, model compiling and downloading, etc. Using xPC application interface and integrating the TeeChart ActiveX chart component to realize the monitoring function of real-time target application; Each functional block in the system is encapsulated in the form of DLL, and the data interaction between modules was realized by MySQL database technology. When the HILS system runs, search the address of the online xPC target by means of the Ping command, to establish the Tcp/IP communication between the two machines. The technical effectiveness of the developed system is verified through the typical power station control system.

El Instituto de Nutrición de Centro América y Panamá: Servicios de Información Científica en Una Región en Vía de Desarrollo *

PubMed Central

Flores, Raquel; Corado, Adelina; Girón, Arturo

1964-01-01

Pioneering scientific information in underdeveloped areas poses several problems, such as (1) lack of understanding on the part of key functionaries as to the why, what, and when of information services; (2) lack of trained personnel to assume the responsibility for such services; (3) lack of economic resources; and (4) lack of information pertaining to available bibliographical sources in the particular area or region. The Bibliographic and Documentation Service of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) provides, in addition to the customary services, technical assistance for the organization or reorganization of biomedical libraries and makes INCAP library materials available to member countries, either by loan or photocopy. Although the program was designed for the member countries, INCAP tries to make its services available to other Latin American nations, Africa, and Asia, where similar nutritional problems are being studied. PMID:14119292

What We Know (and What We Don't Know) about Training of Cognitive Strategies for Technical Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foshay, Wellesley R.

The topic of teaching troubleshooting is examined as an example of the teaching of cognitive strategies for technical problem solving. The traditional behavioral approach to teaching troubleshooting has essentially been algorithmic. Recent cognitive research suggests an approach founded first on task analysis and characterized by: (1) analysis of…

Web Based Technical Problem Solving for Enhancing Writing Skills of Secondary Vocational Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papantoniou, Eleni; Hadzilacos, Thanasis

2017-01-01

We discuss some aspects of a pilot e-learning technical writing course addressed to 11th grade vocational high school students in Greece. The application of this alternative teaching intervention stemmed from the researcher-instructor's reflections relating to the integration of a problem based e-pedagogy that aims not just to familiarize students…

Elements of Emotional Intelligence that Facilitate Exper-to-Peer Tacit Knowledge Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Catherine M.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the emotional intelligence competencies of a group of technical experts with high skills in problem-solving, leadership and mentoring (Group A) with a group of technical experts with lower skills in problem solving, leadership, and mentoring (Group B) at a semiconductor manufacturing factory in…

Supplement to a Methodology for Succession Planning for Technical Experts

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

Kirk, Bernadette Lugue; Cain, Ronald A.; Agreda, Carla L.

This report complements A Methodology for Succession Planning for Technical Experts (Ron Cain, Shaheen Dewji, Carla Agreda, Bernadette Kirk, July 2017), which describes a draft methodology for identifying and evaluating the loss of key technical skills at nuclear operations facilities. This report targets the methodology for identifying critical skills, and the methodology is tested through interviews with selected subject matter experts.

Research on Swivel Construction Technology of 22,400 Tons in Zoucheng Thirty Meter Bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jun; Benlin, Xiao

2018-05-01

In recent years, with the rapid development of highways and railways in our country, there have been many new bridges that need to cross the existing routes. If the conventional construction methods are used, the existing traffic will be affected and the traffic will be built above the busy traffic lines, so there is a big security risk, the construction methods must be improved and innovated. In this paper, it intends to research and develop some key technologies of swivel construction. According to the construction features to use finite element method of swivel cable-stayed bridge to analyse the cable-stayed bridge . The swivel construction process is carried out to solve the technical problems and difficulties in the construction.

Reverse design and characteristic study of multi-range HMCVT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhen; Chen, Long; Zeng, Falin

2017-09-01

The reduction of fuel consumption and increase of transmission efficiency is one of the key problems of the agricultural machinery. Many promising technologies such as hydromechanical continuously variable transmissions (HMCVT) are the focus of research and investments, but there is little technical documentation that describes the design principle and presents the design parameters. This paper presents the design idea and characteristic study of HMCVT, in order to find out the suitable scheme for the big horsepower tractors. Analyzed the kinematics and dynamics of a large horsepower tractor, according to the characteristic parameters, a hydro-mechanical continuously variable transmission has been designed. Compared with the experimental curves and theoretical curves of the stepless speed regulation of transmission, the experimental result illustrates the rationality of the design scheme.

Job Superscheduler Architecture and Performance in Computational Grid Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shan, Hongzhang; Oliker, Leonid; Biswas, Rupak

2003-01-01

Computational grids hold great promise in utilizing geographically separated heterogeneous resources to solve large-scale complex scientific problems. However, a number of major technical hurdles, including distributed resource management and effective job scheduling, stand in the way of realizing these gains. In this paper, we propose a novel grid superscheduler architecture and three distributed job migration algorithms. We also model the critical interaction between the superscheduler and autonomous local schedulers. Extensive performance comparisons with ideal, central, and local schemes using real workloads from leading computational centers are conducted in a simulation environment. Additionally, synthetic workloads are used to perform a detailed sensitivity analysis of our superscheduler. Several key metrics demonstrate that substantial performance gains can be achieved via smart superscheduling in distributed computational grids.

The keys to successful online continuing education programs for nurses.

PubMed

Sweeney, Nancy M; Saarmann, Lembi; Flagg, Joan; Seidman, Robert

2008-01-01

Asynchronous online tutorials that award continuing education units without cost and provide knowledge about computers and nursing informatics were made available to registered nurses in Southern California. Four hundred seventy-three nurses enrolled; 52% (246) completed tutorials. Nonsignificant differences in the number of tutorials completed were found across characteristics of participants, meaning that nurses were similarly disposed to participate regardless of age, educational preparation, experience, practice setting, or ethnicity. They tended to overestimate their computer capabilities at the time of enrollment and abandoned the tutorials when they encountered technical problems. Nurses need live workshops teaching computer basics, Internet skills, and how to enroll in and run asynchronous programs. Marketing of online programs should be multifaceted, including live and electronic strategies.

A technical platform for environments for ageing--lessons learned from three field studies.

PubMed

Eichelberg, Marco; Büsching, Felix; Steen, Enno-Edzard; Helmer, Axel; Thiel, Andreas; Hein, Andreas; Wolf, Lars

2014-01-01

The Lower Saxony Research Network "Design of Environments for Ageing" (GAL) studied possible applications of assistive technology for enabling older adults to live longer and independent in their own home. As part of this work, a technical platform was developed as a common technical basis for all assistive systems in the project. This article presents an overview of the architecture and core functionality of the technical platform, which in the first generation was developed for use in a laboratory setting, and in a second generation was extended for use in the project's field studies, i.e. prototype installations in end-users homes. The field studies' primary objective was the evaluation of the assistive technologies, that were developed within the overall project. However, these studies also confirmed that the fundamental concept of the technical platform is valid, and the prototypes continuously worked 24 h a day for several months. However, there were some problems related to lack of infrastructure in the older adults' homes and human factors such as inadvertent placement of objects across sensors' field of view, acceptance problems due to aesthetical reasons or simply communication problems, which show that making complex technologies work for users with little technical experience is well possible, but requires a careful consideration of the complete service chain and related "soft factors".

Sandia National Laboratories analysis code data base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, C. W.

1994-11-01

Sandia National Laboratories' mission is to solve important problems in the areas of national defense, energy security, environmental integrity, and industrial technology. The laboratories' strategy for accomplishing this mission is to conduct research to provide an understanding of the important physical phenomena underlying any problem, and then to construct validated computational models of the phenomena which can be used as tools to solve the problem. In the course of implementing this strategy, Sandia's technical staff has produced a wide variety of numerical problem-solving tools which they use regularly in the design, analysis, performance prediction, and optimization of Sandia components, systems, and manufacturing processes. This report provides the relevant technical and accessibility data on the numerical codes used at Sandia, including information on the technical competency or capability area that each code addresses, code 'ownership' and release status, and references describing the physical models and numerical implementation.

A success paradigm for project managers in the aerospace industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Barry Jon

Within the aerospace industry, project managers traditionally have been selected based on their technical competency. While this may lead to brilliant technical solutions to customer requirements, a lack of management ability can result in failed programs that over-run on cost, are late to critical path schedules, fail to fully utilize the diversity of talent available within the program team, and otherwise disappoint key stakeholders. This research study identifies the key competencies that a project manager should possess in order to successfully lead and manage a project in the aerospace industry. The research attempts to show evidence that within the aerospace industry, it is perceived that management competency is more important to project management success than only technical competence.

A Socio-technical Approach for Transient SME Alliances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezgui, Yacine

The paper discusses technical requirements to promote the adoption of alliance modes of operation by SMEs in the construction sector. These requirements have provided a basis for specifying a set of functionality to support the collaboration and cooperation needs of SMEs. While service-oriented architectures and semantic web services provide the middleware technology to implement the identified functionality, a number of key technical limitations have been identified, including lack of support for the dynamic and non-functional characteristics of SME alliances distributed business processes, lack of execution monitoring functionality to manage running business processes, and lack of support for semantic reasoning to enable SME business process service composition. The paper examines these issues and provides key directions for supporting SME alliances effectively.

Key team physical and technical performance indicators indicative of team quality in the soccer Chinese super league.

PubMed

Yang, Gai; Leicht, Anthony S; Lago, Carlos; Gómez, Miguel-Ángel

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the key physical and technical performance variables related to team quality in the Chinese Super League (CSL). Teams' performance variables were collected from 240 matches and analysed via analysis of variance between end-of-season-ranked groups and multinomial logistic regression. Significant physical performance differences between groups were identified for sprinting (top-ranked group vs. upper-middle-ranked group) and total distance covered without possession (upper and upper-middle-ranked groups and lower-ranked group). For technical performance, teams in the top-ranked group exhibited a significantly greater amount of possession in opponent's half, number of entry passes in the final 1/3 of the field and the Penalty Area, and 50-50 challenges than lower-ranked teams. Finally, time of possession increased the probability of a win compared with a draw. The current study identified key performance indicators that differentiated end-season team quality within the CSL.

What Consultation and Freelance Writing Can Do for You and Your Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, John A.

1978-01-01

Urges teachers of technical writing and graduate students in English to get off campus and engage in giving businesses advice intended to solve problems in technical communication, editing technical communication publications, and researching and writing such publications. (GW)

Operational Interventions to Maintenance Error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Walter, Diane; Dulchinos, VIcki

1997-01-01

A significant proportion of aviation accidents and incidents are known to be tied to human error. However, research of flight operational errors has shown that so-called pilot error often involves a variety of human factors issues and not a simple lack of individual technical skills. In aircraft maintenance operations, there is similar concern that maintenance errors which may lead to incidents and accidents are related to a large variety of human factors issues. Although maintenance error data and research are limited, industry initiatives involving human factors training in maintenance have become increasingly accepted as one type of maintenance error intervention. Conscientious efforts have been made in re-inventing the team7 concept for maintenance operations and in tailoring programs to fit the needs of technical opeRAtions. Nevertheless, there remains a dual challenge: 1) to develop human factors interventions which are directly supported by reliable human error data, and 2) to integrate human factors concepts into the procedures and practices of everyday technical tasks. In this paper, we describe several varieties of human factors interventions and focus on two specific alternatives which target problems related to procedures and practices; namely, 1) structured on-the-job training and 2) procedure re-design. We hope to demonstrate that the key to leveraging the impact of these solutions comes from focused interventions; that is, interventions which are derived from a clear understanding of specific maintenance errors, their operational context and human factors components.

Reduction of Maintenance Error Through Focused Interventions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Walter, Diane; Rosekind, Mark R. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

It is well known that a significant proportion of aviation accidents and incidents are tied to human error. In flight operations, research of operational errors has shown that so-called "pilot error" often involves a variety of human factors issues and not a simple lack of individual technical skills. In aircraft maintenance operations, there is similar concern that maintenance errors which may lead to incidents and accidents are related to a large variety of human factors issues. Although maintenance error data and research are limited, industry initiatives involving human factors training in maintenance have become increasingly accepted as one type of maintenance error intervention. Conscientious efforts have been made in re-inventing the "team" concept for maintenance operations and in tailoring programs to fit the needs of technical operations. Nevertheless, there remains a dual challenge: to develop human factors interventions which are directly supported by reliable human error data, and to integrate human factors concepts into the procedures and practices of everyday technical tasks. In this paper, we describe several varieties of human factors interventions and focus on two specific alternatives which target problems related to procedures and practices; namely, 1) structured on-the-job training and 2) procedure re-design. We hope to demonstrate that the key to leveraging the impact of these solutions comes from focused interventions; that is, interventions which are derived from a clear understanding of specific maintenance errors, their operational context and human factors components.

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

Price, L.K.; Phylipsen, G.J.M.; Worrell, E.

Iron and steel production consumes enormous quantities of energy, especially in developing countries where outdated, inefficient technologies are still used to produce iron and steel. Carbon dioxide emissions from steel production, which range between 5 and 15% of total country emissions in key developing countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa), will continue to grow as these countries develop and as demand for steel products such as materials, automobiles, and appliances increases. In this report, we describe the key steel processes, discuss typical energy-intensity values for these processes, review historical trends in iron and steel production by process inmore » five key developing countries, describe the steel industry in each of the five key developing countries, present international comparisons of energy use and carbon dioxide emissions among these countries, and provide our assessment of the technical potential to reduce these emissions based on best-practice benchmarking. Using a best practice benchmark, we find that significant savings, in the range of 33% to 49% of total primary energy used to produce steel, are technically possible in these countries. Similarly, we find that the technical potential for reducing intensities of carbon dioxide emissions ranges between 26% and 49% of total carbon dioxide emissions from steel production in these countries.« less

DS-2 Mars Microprobe Battery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, H.; Kindler, A.; Deligiannis, F.; Davies, E.; Blankevoort, J.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; Surampudi, S.

1999-01-01

In January of 1999 the NM DS-2 Mars microprobe will be launched to impact on Mars in December. The technical objectives of the missions are to demonstrate: key technologies, a passive atmospheric entry, highly integrated microelectronics which can withstand both low temperatures and high decelerations, and the capability to conduct in-situ, surface and subsurface science data acquisition. The scientific objectives are to determine if ice is present below the Martian surface, measure the local atmospheric pressure, characterize the thermal properties of the martian subsurface soil, and to estimate the vertical temperature gradient of the Martian soil. The battery requirements are 2-4 cell batteries, with voltage of 6-14 volts, capacity of 550 mAh at 80C, and 2Ah at 25C, shelf life of 2.5 years, an operating temperature of 60C and below, and the ability to withstand shock impact of 80,000 g's. The technical challenges and the approach is reviewed. The Li-SOCL2 system is reviewed, and graphs showing the current and voltage is displayed, along with the voltage over discharge time. The problems encountered during the testing were: (1) impact sensitivity, (2) cracking of the seals, and (3) delay in voltage. A new design resulted in no problems in the impact testing phase. The corrective actions for the seal problems involved: (1) pre weld fill tube, (2) an improved heat sink during case to cover weld and (3) change the seal dimensions to reduce stress. To correct the voltage delay problem the solutions involved: (1) drying the electrodes to reduce contamination by water, (2) assemblage of the cells within a week of electrode manufacture, (3) ensure electrolyte purity, and (4) provide second depassivation pulse after landing. The conclusions on further testing were that the battery can: (1) withstand anticipated shock of up to 80,000 g, (2) meet the discharge profile post shock at Mars temperatures, (3) meet the required self discharge rate and (4) meet environmental requirements.

Ecological Interface Design for Computer Network Defense.

PubMed

Bennett, Kevin B; Bryant, Adam; Sushereba, Christen

2018-05-01

A prototype ecological interface for computer network defense (CND) was developed. Concerns about CND run high. Although there is a vast literature on CND, there is some indication that this research is not being translated into operational contexts. Part of the reason may be that CND has historically been treated as a strictly technical problem, rather than as a socio-technical problem. The cognitive systems engineering (CSE)/ecological interface design (EID) framework was used in the analysis and design of the prototype interface. A brief overview of CSE/EID is provided. EID principles of design (i.e., direct perception, direct manipulation and visual momentum) are described and illustrated through concrete examples from the ecological interface. Key features of the ecological interface include (a) a wide variety of alternative visual displays, (b) controls that allow easy, dynamic reconfiguration of these displays, (c) visual highlighting of functionally related information across displays, (d) control mechanisms to selectively filter massive data sets, and (e) the capability for easy expansion. Cyber attacks from a well-known data set are illustrated through screen shots. CND support needs to be developed with a triadic focus (i.e., humans interacting with technology to accomplish work) if it is to be effective. Iterative design and formal evaluation is also required. The discipline of human factors has a long tradition of success on both counts; it is time that HF became fully involved in CND. Direct application in supporting cyber analysts.

Assessing future scenarios for health care waste management using a multi-criteria decision analysis tool: A case study in the Turkish West Black Sea Region.

PubMed

Ciplak, Nesli

2015-08-01

The aim of this paper is to identify the best possible health care waste management option in the West Black Sea Region by taking into account economic, social, environmental, and technical aspects in the concept of multi-criteria decision analysis. In the scope of this research, three different health care waste management scenarios that consist of different technology alternatives were developed and compared using a decision-making computer software, called Right Choice, by identifying various criteria, measuring them, and ranking their relative importance from the point of key stakeholders. The results of the study show that the decentralized autoclave technology option coupled with the disposal through land-filling with energy recovery has potential to be an optimum option for health care waste management system, and an efficient health care waste segregation scheme should be given more attention by the authorities in the region. Furthermore, the discussion of the results points out multidisciplinary approach and the equilibrium between social, environmental, economic, and technical criteria. The methodology used in this research was developed in order to enable the decision makers to gain an increased perception of a decision problem. In general, the results and remarks of this study can be used as a basis of future planning and anticipation of needs for investment in the area of health care waste management in the region and also in developing countries that are dealing with the similar waste management problems.

Should Technical Education Be More Liberal?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckman, Richard T.

Due to the increasing emphasis on technology and the trend toward downsizing and multiculturalism in today's workplace, graduates of technical education programs need non-technical thinking and problem solving skills to stay successfully employed. Historically, however, a dichotomy has existed between vocational and liberal education, which has…

Technical Mathematics: Restructure of Technical Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flannery, Carol A.

Designed to accompany a series of videotapes, this textbook provides information, examples, problems, and solutions relating to mathematics and its applications in technical fields. Chapter I deals with basic arithmetic, providing information on fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, percentages, and order of operations. Chapter II focuses on…

Using Dynamic Geometry and Computer Algebra Systems in Problem Based Courses for Future Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomiczková, Svetlana; Lávicka, Miroslav

2015-01-01

It is a modern trend today when formulating the curriculum of a geometric course at the technical universities to start from a real-life problem originated in technical praxis and subsequently to define which geometric theories and which skills are necessary for its solving. Nowadays, interactive and dynamic geometry software plays a more and more…

The Effects of Experience Grouping on Achievement, Problem-Solving Discourse, and Satisfaction in Professional Technical Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulcahy, Robert Sean

2010-01-01

Learners inevitably enter adult technical training classrooms--indeed, in all classrooms--with different levels of expertise on the subject matter. When the diversity of expertise is wide and the course makes use of small group problem solving, instructors have a choice about how to group learners: they may distribute learners with greater…

Energy Systems Integration News | Energy Systems Integration Facility |

Science.gov Websites

facility. "We try to scope out some technical work that is based on the fundamental problem that technical or market problem that they're trying to solve, and then we'll scope out work with them based on that visit. "The second step is to begin to break that scope of work into what I call three

Problem-Oriented and Project-Based Learning (POPBL) as an Innovative Learning Strategy for Sustainable Development in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehmann, M.; Christensen, P.; Du, X.; Thrane, M.

2008-01-01

In a world where systems are increasingly larger, where their boundaries are often difficult to identify, and where societal rather than technical issues play increasingly bigger roles, problems cannot be solved by applying a technical solution alone. It thus becomes important for engineers to be skilled not only in terms of their particular…

Practical Problems in Connection with the Planning and Introduction of Information Systems. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klose, Traugott

Major reforms brought about in July 1969 at the Free University of Berlin in its organization, planning, and decision making are reviewed. Specific problems are addressed, such as plans for introducing an information system on technical data and space use, plans for an information system on personnel employed by the university, and plans for an…

Effects of Think-Aloud Pair Problem Solving on Secondary-Level Students' Performance in Career and Technical Education Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pate, Michael L.; Miller, Greg

2011-01-01

A randomized posttest-only control group experimental design was used to determine the effects of think-aloud pair problem solving (TAPPS) on the troubleshooting performance of 34 secondary-level career and technical education students. There was no significant difference in success rate between TAPPS students and students who worked alone…

A Combined Corpus and Systemic-Functional Analysis of the Problem-Solution Pattern in a Student and Professional Corpus of Technical Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowerdew, Lynne

2003-01-01

Reports on research describing similarities and differences between expert and novice writing in the problem-solution pattern, a frequent rhetorical pattern of technical academic writing. A corpus of undergraduate student writing and one containing professional writing consisted of 80 and 60 recommendation reports, respectively, with each corpus…

Systems Engineering Awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucero, John

2016-01-01

The presentation will provide an overview of the fundamentals and principles of Systems Engineering (SE). This includes understanding the processes that are used to assist the engineer in a successful design, build and implementation of solutions. The context of this presentation will be to describe the involvement of SE throughout the life-cycle of a project from cradle to grave. Due to the ever growing number of complex technical problems facing our world, a Systems Engineering approach is desirable for many reasons. The interdisciplinary technical structure of current systems, technical processes representing System Design, Technical Management and Product Realization are instrumental in the development and integration of new technologies into mainstream applications. This tutorial will demonstrate the application of SE tools to these types of problems..

A Review of Radiolysis Concerns for Water Shielding in Fission Surface Power Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenfeld, Michael P.

2008-01-01

This paper presents an overview of radiolysis concerns with regard to water shields for fission surface power. A review of the radiolysis process is presented and key parameters and trends are identified. From this understanding of the radiolytic decomposition of water, shield pressurization and corrosion are identified as the primary concerns. Existing experimental and modeling data addressing concerns are summarized. It was found that radiolysis of pure water in a closed volume results in minimal, if any net decomposition, and therefore reduces the potential for shield pressurization and corrosion. With the space program focus m emphasize more on permanent return to the Moon and eventually manned exploration of Mars, there has been a renewed look at fission power to meet the difficult technical & design challenges associated with this effort. This is due to the ability of fission power to provide a power rich environment that is insensitive to solar intensity and related aspects such as duration of night, dusty environments, and distance from the sun, etc. One critical aspect in the utilization of fission power for these applications of manned exploration is shielding. Although not typically considered for space applications, water shields have been identified as one potential option due to benefits in mass savings and reduced development cost and technical risk (Poston, 2006). However, the water shield option requires demonstration of its ability to meet key technical challenges including such things as adequate natural circulation for thermal management and capability for operational periods up to 8 years. Thermal management concerns have begun to be addressed and are not expected to be a problem (Pearson, 2007). One significant concern remaining is the ability to maintain the shield integrity through its operational lifetime. Shield integrity could be compromised through shield pressurization and corrosion resulting from the radiolytic decomposition of water.

REIMR: A Process for Utilizing Propulsion-Oriented 'Lessons-Learned' to Mitigate Development Risk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, Richard O.; Brown, Kendall K.

2005-01-01

This paper is a summary overview of a study conducted a t the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) during the initial phases of the Space Launch Initiative (SLI) program to evaluate a large number of technical problems associated with the design, development, test, evaluation and operation of several major liquid propellant rocket engine systems (i.e., SSME, Fastrac, J-2, F-1). The results of this study was the identification of the "Fundamental Root Causes" that enabled the technical problems to manifest, and practices that can be implemented to prevent them from recurring in future engine development efforts. This paper will discus the Fundamental Root Causes, cite some examples of how the technical problems arose from them, and provide a discussion of how they can be mitigated or avoided.

Using Model-Based System Engineering to Provide Artifacts for NASA Project Life-Cycle and Technical Reviews Presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrott, Edith L.; Weiland, Karen J.

2017-01-01

This is the presentation for the AIAA Space conference in September 2017. It highlights key information from Using Model-Based Systems Engineering to Provide Artifacts for NASA Project Life-cycle and Technical Reviews paper.

How Engineers Perceive the Importance of Ethics in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taajamaa, Ville; Majanoja, Anne-Maarit; Bairaktarova, Diana; Airola, Antti; Pahikkala, Tapio; Sutinen, Erkki

2018-01-01

Success in complex and holistic engineering practices requires more than problem-solving abilities and technical competencies. Engineering education must offer proficient technical competences and also train engineers to think and act ethically. A technical "engineering-like" focus and demand have made educators and students overlook the…

Technical Assistance for Arts Facilities: A Sourcebook. A Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Facilities Labs., Inc., New York, NY.

This booklet is a directory of sources of technical assistance on problems relating to physical facilities for arts organizations. Wherever possible, agencies and organizations are described in their own words. Technical assistance in the area of physical facilities encompasses planning, financing, acquiring, renovating, designing, and maintaining…

Theoretical Aspects of the Patterns Recognition Statistical Theory Used for Developing the Diagnosis Algorithms for Complicated Technical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obozov, A. A.; Serpik, I. N.; Mihalchenko, G. S.; Fedyaeva, G. A.

2017-01-01

In the article, the problem of application of the pattern recognition (a relatively young area of engineering cybernetics) for analysis of complicated technical systems is examined. It is shown that the application of a statistical approach for hard distinguishable situations could be the most effective. The different recognition algorithms are based on Bayes approach, which estimates posteriori probabilities of a certain event and an assumed error. Application of the statistical approach to pattern recognition is possible for solving the problem of technical diagnosis complicated systems and particularly big powered marine diesel engines.

Construction of a single atom trap for quantum information protocols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, Margaret E.; Baker, Paul M.; Gauthier, Daniel J.; Duke Physics Department Team

2016-05-01

The field of quantum information science addresses outstanding problems such as achieving fundamentally secure communication and solving computationally hard problems. Great progress has been made in the field, particularly using photons coupled to ions and super conducting qubits. Neutral atoms are also interesting for these applications and though the technology for control of neutrals lags behind that of trapped ions, they offer some key advantages: primarily coupling to optical frequencies closer to the telecom band than trapped ions or superconducting qubits. Here we report progress on constructing a single atom trap for 87 Rb. This system is a promising platform for studying the technical problems facing neutral atom quantum computing. For example, most protocols destroy the trap when reading out the neutral atom's state; we will investigate an alternative non-destructive state detection scheme. We detail the experimental systems involved and the challenges addressed in trapping a single atom. All of our hardware components are off the shelf and relatively inexpensive. Unlike many other systems, we place a high numerical aperture lens inside our vacuum system to increase photon collection efficiency. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the ARO through Grant # W911NF1520047.

Fuel cells feasibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schonfeld, D.; Charng, T.

1981-01-01

The technical and economic status of fuel cells is assessed with emphasis on their potential benefits to the Deep Space Network. The fuel cell, what it is, how it operates, and what its outputs are, is reviewed. Major technical problems of the fuel cell and its components are highlighted. Due to these problems and economic considerations it is concluded that fuel cells will not become commercially viable until the early 1990s.

Problems of Technical Standards Teaching in the Context of the Globalization and Euro-Integration in Higher Education System of Ukraine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kornuta, Olena; Pryhorovska, Tetiana

2015-01-01

Globalization and Ukraine association with EU imply including Ukrainian universities into the world scientific space. The aim of this article is to analyze the problem of drawing standards teaching, based on the experience of Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas (Ukraine) and to summarize the experience of post Soviet…

A Fast Solution of the Lindley Equations for the M-Group Regression Problem. Technical Report 78-3, October 1977 through May 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molenaar, Ivo W.

The technical problems involved in obtaining Bayesian model estimates for the regression parameters in m similar groups are studied. The available computer programs, BPREP (BASIC), and BAYREG, both written in FORTRAN, require an amount of computer processing that does not encourage regular use. These programs are analyzed so that the performance…

Teaching Technical Writing: Focusing on Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santelmann, Patricia Kelly

In preparing students for business writing, a technical writing class should foster (1) a sensitivity to audience and an understanding of the business or technical organizational audience, (2) analytical problem solving that precedes any but the simplest writing task, (3) understanding of the patterns of organization that make information clear to…

Moving International Technical Communication Forward: A World Englishes Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bokor, Michael Jarvis Kwadzo

2011-01-01

This article explores how the English language contributes to cross-boundary communication failure and establishes that there is an "English language problem" that has not been adequately addressed in preparing United States native English-speaking students for international technical communication tasks. For example, U.S. technical communication…

Technical Writing Tips

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Patrick M.

2004-01-01

The main reason engineers, technicians, and programmers write poor technical documents is because they have had little training or experience in that area. This article addresses some of the basics that students can use to master technical writing tasks. The article covers the most common problems writers make and offers suggestions for improving…

A Decision Support Tool to Evaluate Sources and Sinks of Nitrogen within a Watershed Framework

EPA Science Inventory

Human transformation of the nitrogen (N) cycle is causing a number of environmental and human health problems. Federal, state and local authorities focusing on management of N loadings face both technical and non-technical challenges. One technical issue is that we need a bette...

48 CFR 253.209-1 - Responsible prospective contractors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Section III, Block 19, generally mean— (A) Technical capability. An assessment of the prospective contractor's key management personnel to determine if they have the basic technical knowledge, experience... completion. This includes— (1) An assessment of the prospective contractor's possession of, or the ability to...

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION, A REPORT OF A NATIONAL RESEARCH PLANNING CONFERENCE IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION (THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, JANUARY 10-11, 1967).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MILLER, AARON J.

A SELECT GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTING NATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, RESEARCH, GOVERNMENT, AND EDUCATION MET TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE MOST OBVIOUS NEW EMERGING TECHNICAL OCCUPATIONS WHICH MIGHT REQUIRE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING RESEARCHABLE PROBLEM AREAS IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION. THE NEW OR…

Non-technical skills training to enhance patient safety.

PubMed

Gordon, Morris

2013-06-01

  Patient safety is an increasingly recognised issue in health care. Systems-based and organisational methods of quality improvement, as well as education focusing on key clinical areas, are common, but there are few reports of educational interventions that focus on non-technical skills to address human factor sources of error. A flexible model for non-technical skills training for health care professionals has been designed based on the best available evidence, and with sound theoretical foundations.   Educational sessions to improve non-technical skills in health care have been described before. The descriptions lack the details to allow educators to replicate and innovate further.   A non-technical skills training course that can be delivered as either a half- or full-day intervention has been designed and delivered to a number of mixed groups of undergraduate medical students and doctors in postgraduate training. Participant satisfaction has been high and patient safety attitudes have improved post-intervention.   This non-technical skills educational intervention has been built on a sound evidence base, and is described so as to facilitate replication and dissemination. With the key themes laid out, clinical educators will be able to build interventions focused on numerous clinical issues that pay attention to human factor contributors to safety. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developmental problems and their solution for the Space Shuttle main engine alternate liquid oxygen high-pressure turbopump: Anomaly or failure investigation the key

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, R.; Gross, L. A.

1995-05-01

The Space Shuttle main engine (SSME) alternate high-pressure liquid oxygen pump experienced synchronous vibration and ball bearing life problems that were program threatening. The success of the program hinged on the ability to solve these development problems. The design and solutions to these problems are engirded in the lessons learned and experiences from prior programs, technology programs, and the ability to properly conduct failure or anomaly investigations. The failure investigation determines the problem cause and is the basis for recommending design solutions. For a complex problem, a comprehensive solution requires that formal investigation procedures be used, including fault trees, resolution logic, and action items worked through a concurrent engineering-multidiscipline team. The normal tendency to use an intuitive, cut-and-try approach will usually prove to be costly, both in money and time and will reach a less than optimum, poorly understood answer. The SSME alternate high-pressure oxidizer turbopump development has had two complex problems critical to program success: (1) high synchronous vibrations and (2) excessive ball bearing wear. This paper will use these two problems as examples of this formal failure investigation approach. The results of the team's investigation provides insight into the complexity of the turbomachinery technical discipline interacting/sensitivities and the fine balance of competing investigations required to solve problems and guarantee program success. It is very important to the solution process that maximum use be made of the resources that both the contractor and Government can bring to the problem in a supporting and noncompeting way. There is no place for the not-invented-here attitude. The resources include, but are not limited to: (1) specially skilled professionals; (2) supporting technologies; (3) computational codes and capabilities; and (4) test and manufacturing facilities.

Developmental problems and their solution for the Space Shuttle main engine alternate liquid oxygen high-pressure turbopump: Anomaly or failure investigation the key

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, R.; Gross, L. A.

1995-01-01

The Space Shuttle main engine (SSME) alternate high-pressure liquid oxygen pump experienced synchronous vibration and ball bearing life problems that were program threatening. The success of the program hinged on the ability to solve these development problems. The design and solutions to these problems are engirded in the lessons learned and experiences from prior programs, technology programs, and the ability to properly conduct failure or anomaly investigations. The failure investigation determines the problem cause and is the basis for recommending design solutions. For a complex problem, a comprehensive solution requires that formal investigation procedures be used, including fault trees, resolution logic, and action items worked through a concurrent engineering-multidiscipline team. The normal tendency to use an intuitive, cut-and-try approach will usually prove to be costly, both in money and time and will reach a less than optimum, poorly understood answer. The SSME alternate high-pressure oxidizer turbopump development has had two complex problems critical to program success: (1) high synchronous vibrations and (2) excessive ball bearing wear. This paper will use these two problems as examples of this formal failure investigation approach. The results of the team's investigation provides insight into the complexity of the turbomachinery technical discipline interacting/sensitivities and the fine balance of competing investigations required to solve problems and guarantee program success. It is very important to the solution process that maximum use be made of the resources that both the contractor and Government can bring to the problem in a supporting and noncompeting way. There is no place for the not-invented-here attitude. The resources include, but are not limited to: (1) specially skilled professionals; (2) supporting technologies; (3) computational codes and capabilities; and (4) test and manufacturing facilities.

Creation of closed life support systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gitelson, I.

The 40-year-long experience in devising ecological systems with a significantly closed material cycling (CES), which are intended for human life support outside the Earth's biosphere, allows us to state that this problem has been largely solved technically. To test the terrestrial prototypes of these systems: Bios in Krasnoyarsk, the Terrestrial Ecological System (TES) in Moscow, and Bioplex in Houston, crews of humans stayed inside them over long periods of time. In Bios-3 humans could be fully (100%) provided with regenerated air and water and with a vegetable part (80%) of their diet. One human requires 4.5 kW of light energy, which is equal to the light energy incident on an 8-m2 surface perpendicular to solar rays in the Earth's orbit. The regeneration of air and water can be alternatively performed by a 17-L2 microalgal cultivator with a light-receiving surface of 8 m at 2 kW of light energy or by a conveyer culture of agricultural plants. To regenerate the vegetable part of2 the diet to the full, the area must increase to 31.5 m per person. Similar values have been obtained in the TES and in Bioplex. It can be concluded that the system is ready to be implemented in the engineering-technical designs of specific versions: for orbital flights, for missions to Mars and other planets, and for stations on the Moon and Mars. To improve the CES further, a number of new key problems should be resolved. The first of them are: to robotize the technological processes and to establish an optimized system of the internal control of the CES by the crew working in it; to develop a hybrid physicochemical-biological technology for returning the dead-end products of biosynthesis into the system's cycling; to solve the fundamental problem of regenerating the human ration completely inside the CES by the autotrophic chemo - and photosynthesis. Once this problem is solved, the energy requirements for life support in space will be significantly reduced. This will also considerably contribute to the solution of the most pressing terrestrial problem - energy efficient production of food.

Dependability of technical items: Problems of standardization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedotova, G. A.; Voropai, N. I.; Kovalev, G. F.

2016-12-01

This paper is concerned with problems blown up in the development of a new version of the Interstate Standard GOST 27.002 "Industrial product dependability. Terms and definitions". This Standard covers a wide range of technical items and is used in numerous regulations, specifications, standard and technical documentation. A currently available State Standard GOST 27.002-89 was introduced in 1990. Its development involved a participation of scientists and experts from different technical areas, its draft was debated in different audiences and constantly refined, so it was a high quality document. However, after 25 years of its application it's become necessary to develop a new version of the Standard that would reflect the current understanding of industrial dependability, accounting for the changes taking place in Russia in the production, management and development of various technical systems and facilities. The development of a new version of the Standard makes it possible to generalize on a terminological level the knowledge and experience in the area of reliability of technical items, accumulated over a quarter of the century in different industries and reliability research schools, to account for domestic and foreign experience of standardization. Working on the new version of the Standard, we have faced a number of issues and problems on harmonization with the International Standard IEC 60500-192, caused first of all by different approaches to the use of terms and differences in the mentalities of experts from different countries. The paper focuses on the problems related to the chapter "Maintenance, restoration and repair", which caused difficulties for the developers to harmonize term definitions both with experts and the International Standard, which is mainly related to differences between the Russian concept and practice of maintenance and repair and foreign ones.

SAM Technical Contacts

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These technical contacts are available to help with questions regarding method deviations, modifications, sample problems or interferences, quality control requirements, the use of alternative methods, or the need to address analytes or sample types.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION POLICY AND GUIDE OF THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

One of the primary missions of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) is to generate technical information that is key to the protection of environmental quality. This information also influences national environmental policy. In this context, the way in which information i...

The Role of Communication in the Professional Socialization Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, George A.; Carson, David L.

To explore the professional socialization of technical writers and communicators, 98 professional technical communicators were administered a questionnaire identifying key concepts in the field. On seven occasions, professionals, teachers, and graduate students were asked to estimate how greatly these concepts, together with four additional terms…

A practical guide to assessing clinical decision-making skills using the key features approach.

PubMed

Farmer, Elizabeth A; Page, Gordon

2005-12-01

This paper in the series on professional assessment provides a practical guide to writing key features problems (KFPs). Key features problems test clinical decision-making skills in written or computer-based formats. They are based on the concept of critical steps or 'key features' in decision making and represent an advance on the older, less reliable patient management problem (PMP) formats. The practical steps in writing these problems are discussed and illustrated by examples. Steps include assembling problem-writing groups, selecting a suitable clinical scenario or problem and defining its key features, writing the questions, selecting question response formats, preparing scoring keys, reviewing item quality and item banking. The KFP format provides educators with a flexible approach to testing clinical decision-making skills with demonstrated validity and reliability when constructed according to the guidelines provided.

Parallel image-acquisition in continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance imaging with a surface coil array: Proof-of-concept experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enomoto, Ayano; Hirata, Hiroshi

2014-02-01

This article describes a feasibility study of parallel image-acquisition using a two-channel surface coil array in continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) imaging. Parallel EPR imaging was performed by multiplexing of EPR detection in the frequency domain. The parallel acquisition system consists of two surface coil resonators and radiofrequency (RF) bridges for EPR detection. To demonstrate the feasibility of this method of parallel image-acquisition with a surface coil array, three-dimensional EPR imaging was carried out using a tube phantom. Technical issues in the multiplexing method of EPR detection were also clarified. We found that degradation in the signal-to-noise ratio due to the interference of RF carriers is a key problem to be solved.

Optical design of multi-multiple expander structure of laser gas analysis and measurement device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xiang; Wei, Biao

2018-03-01

The installation and debugging of optical circuit structure in the application of carbon monoxide distributed laser gas analysis and measurement, there are difficult key technical problems. Based on the three-component expansion theory, multi-multiple expander structure with expansion ratio of 4, 5, 6 and 7 is adopted in the absorption chamber to enhance the adaptability of the installation environment of the gas analysis and measurement device. According to the basic theory of aberration, the optimal design of multi-multiple beam expander structure is carried out. By using image quality evaluation method, the difference of image quality under different magnifications is analyzed. The results show that the optical quality of the optical system with the expanded beam structure is the best when the expansion ratio is 5-7.

Media discourses of low carbon housing: The marginalisation of social and behavioural dimensions within the British broadsheet press.

PubMed

Cherry, Catherine; Hopfe, Christina; MacGillivray, Brian; Pidgeon, Nick

2015-04-01

Decarbonising housing is a key UK government policy to mitigate climate change. Using discourse analysis, we assess how low carbon housing is portrayed within British broadsheet media. Three distinct storylines were identified. Dominating the discourse, Zero carbon housing promotes new-build, low carbon houses as offering high technology solutions to the climate problem. Retrofitting homes emphasises the need to reduce emissions within existing housing, tackling both climate change and rising fuel prices. A more marginal discourse, Sustainable living, frames low carbon houses as related to individual identities and 'off-grid' or greener lifestyles. Our analysis demonstrates that technical and economic paradigms dominate media discourse on low carbon housing, marginalising social and behavioural aspects. © The Author(s) 2013.

Translating evidence from systematic reviews for policy makers.

PubMed

Nannini, Angela; Houde, Susan Crocker

2010-06-01

Gerontological nurses who have received education and have experience in conducting systematic reviews may assume a key role in interpreting systematic reviews for policy makers. Systematic reviews offer evidence to determine the best policy and program solutions to a problem. To be successful in translating evidence from systematic reviews, gerontological nurses need to (a) understand the steps of the policy making process and where different kinds of reviews may be used, (b) assess the "technical" literacy and level of interest in gerontological issues of the intended policy maker, and (c) develop and practice skills in policy writing that distill information in policy briefs as well as shorter formats. Gerontological nurses can be powerful advocates for older adults using the systematic review of the literature as an instrument to educate policy makers. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

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

Not Available

This report contains presentations presented at a technical symposium on oil production. Chapter 1 contains summaries of the presentations given at the Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored symposium and key points of the discussions that followed. Chapter 2 characterizes the light oil resource from fluvial-dominated deltaic reservoirs in the Tertiary Oil Recovery Information System (TORIS). An analysis of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and advanced secondary recovery (ASR) potential for fluvial-dominated deltaic reservoirs based on recovery performance and economic modeling as well as the potential resource loss due to well abandonments is presented. Chapter 3 provides a summary of the general reservoirmore » characteristics and properties within deltaic deposits. It is not exhaustive treatise, rather it is intended to provide some basic information about geologic, reservoir, and production characteristics of deltaic reservoirs, and the resulting recovery problems.« less

Deviation Management: Key Management Subsystem Driver of Knowledge-Based Continuous Improvement in the Henry Ford Production System.

PubMed

Zarbo, Richard J; Copeland, Jacqueline R; Varney, Ruan C

2017-10-01

To develop a business subsystem fulfilling International Organization for Standardization 15189 nonconformance management regulatory standard, facilitating employee engagement in problem identification and resolution to effect quality improvement and risk mitigation. From 2012 to 2016, the integrated laboratories of the Henry Ford Health System used a quality technical team to develop and improve a management subsystem designed to identify, track, trend, and summarize nonconformances based on frequency, risk, and root cause for elimination at the level of the work. Programmatic improvements and training resulted in markedly increased documentation culminating in 71,641 deviations in 2016 classified by a taxonomy of 281 defect types into preanalytic (74.8%), analytic (23.6%), and postanalytic (1.6%) testing phases. The top 10 deviations accounted for 55,843 (78%) of the total. Deviation management is a key subsystem of managers' standard work whereby knowledge of nonconformities assists in directing corrective actions and continuous improvements that promote consistent execution and higher levels of performance. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Certification of UAW/Ford thermographers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, Ken; Spring, Robert W.

2000-03-01

Ford Motor Company has been using infrared thermography in the maintenance of its production facilities for more than fifteen years. It has proven to be a key tool, which has helped the company continuously achieved high standards of production quality by using a work force trained with the essential technical skills. Many early successes in thermography provided an environment in which expansion of the program could occur. A group of key Ford and United Auto Workers personnel was formed to promote the use of infrared technology to help meet worldwide quality standards. The committee also addressed the need for standardized training, qualification, and certification. The program that has evolved, which is based on the qualification and certification standards of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, is a strong partnership created between the UAW-Ford National Programs Center, UAW and Ford Motor Company with assistance from an outside training contractor. The paper will detail the experiences of establishing the program, the lessons that have been learned in the problem solving process, and the costs and benefits of the solutions that were developed.

Heat strain models applicable for protective clothing: Comparison of core temperature response. Technical report

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

Gonzalez, R.R.; McLellan, T.M.; Withey, W.R.

This report represents the results of TTCP-UTP6 efforts on modeling aspects when chemical protective ensembles are worn which need to be considered in warm environments. Since 1983, a significant data base has been collected using human experimental studies and wide clothing systems from which predictive modeling equations have been developed with individuals working in temperate and hot environments, but few comparisons of the -- results from various model outputs have ever been carried out. This initial comparison study was part of a key technical area (KIA) project for The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) UTP-6 working party. A modeling workshop wasmore » conducted in Toronto, Canada on 9-10 June 1994 to discuss the data reduction and results acquired in an initial clothing analysis study of TTCP using various chemical protective garments. To our knowledge, no comprehensive study to date has ever focused on comparing experimental results using an international standardized heat stress procedure matched to physiological outputs from various model predictions in individuals dressed in chemical protective clothing systems. This is the major focus of this TTCP key technical study. This technical report covers one aspect of the working party`s results.« less

A Summary of Technical Problems Associated With Broadband Cable Teleservices Development. A Survey of Technical Requirements for Broadband Cable Teleservices; Volume One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McManamon, P. M.; Utlaut, W. F.

The results of a survey of cable television (CATV) and related technological industries are summarized. In this, the first of a series of seven reports, attention is focused upon some major technical factors which need to be considered in order that a transition from the technical state of today's cable television and services to new teleservices…

Information Hang-Ups; Problems Encountered by Users of the Technical Information Services Offered by DDC and CFSTI, with Recommendations for the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee of DDC Users in the Greater Washington, DC. Area, Washington, DC.

A change in policy of the Defense Documentation Center (DDC) with regard to supplying hard copy and/or microforms of reports caused problems to users of the DDC Technical Report Service. Discussions among users of the service, a questionnaire survey and committee reports summarized basic user concerns, provided selected statistics and a look at…

Problems of Technical Electrodynamics (Selected Articles),

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-11

copy available. ii DC 83143001 PAGE 1 PROBLEMS OF TECHNICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS. DOC - 83143001 PAGE 2 In the collector /collection are connected the...composite/ compound reliable in mechanical sense forgings of rotors with a weight of 250 t and it is more and rotor binding bands. These K forgings must be...go - calculated coefficient, which considers the character of temperature field. With a linear change in temperature .=1, with parabolic =3

Orbital debris: A technical assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gleghorn, George; Asay, James; Atkinson, Dale; Flury, Walter; Johnson, Nicholas; Kessler, Donald; Knowles, Stephen; Rex, Dietrich; Toda, Susumu; Veniaminov, Stanislav

1995-01-01

To acquire an unbiased technical assessment of (1) the research needed to better understand the debris environment, (2) the necessity and means of protecting spacecraft against the debris environment, and (3) potential methods of reducing the future debris hazard, NASA asked the National Research Council to form an international committee to examine the orbital debris issue. The committee was asked to draw upon available data and analyses to: characterize the current debris environment, project how this environment might change in the absence of new measures to alleviate debris proliferation, examine ongoing alleviation activities, explore measures to address the problem, and develop recommendations on technical methods to address the problems of debris proliferation.

Strategy Keys as Tools for Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herold-Blasius, Raja

2017-01-01

Problem solving is one of the main competences we seek to teach students at school for use in their future lives. However, when dealing with mathematical problems, teachers encounter a wide variety of difficulties. To foster students' problem-solving skills, the authors developed "strategy keys." Strategy keys can serve as material to…

State Practices in the Assessment of Outcomes for Students with Disabilities. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriner, James G.; And Others

This technical report describes the methodology, results, and conclusions of a 1991 survey, which was conducted to determine state efforts to develop systems to assess educational outcomes, states' needs for solutions to technical/implementation problems, existing databases, and efforts of states to design a comprehensive system of indicators in…

Introducing Heuristics of Cultural Dimensions into the Service-Level Technical Communication Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schafer, Robert

2009-01-01

A significant problem for practitioners of technical communication is to gain the skills to compete in a global, multicultural work environment. Instructors of technical communication can provide future practitioners with the tools to compete and excel in this global environment by introducing heuristics of cultural dimensions into the…

Emphasis: Technical Education. Conference Report (St. Louis, Mo., May 12-14, 1966).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Junior Colleges, Washington, DC.

The purpose of this conference was to bring expertise in the field of technical education to bear upon the identification and resolution of problems inhibiting the expansion of programs at the junior college level. Sixty-four participants were involved. The conference focused upon the relationships of technical education to: society, college…

Expanding and Redirecting Historical Research in Technical Writing: In Search of Our Past.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tebeaux, Elizabeth; Killingsworth, M. Jimmie

1992-01-01

Suggests an approach for expanding and integrating research to produce a history of technical writing. Defines problems that reside in writing such a history, suggests research premises and questions, and then applies these questions to technical writing as it existed in the English Renaissance, 1475-1640. (SR)

Factors Influencing the Pursuit of IT Certifications: A Study of Minnesota Public Community and Technical College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkens, Eric S.

2013-01-01

This quantitative study attempted to understand the factors that influence Minnesota community and technical college students to pursue Information Technology (IT) certification. The study investigated the problem of determining the factors that influence Minnesota community and technical college students to pursue IT certification along with…

A Question of Trust: Predictive Conditions for Adaptive and Technical Leadership in Educational Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daly, Alan J.; Chrispeels, Janet

2008-01-01

Recent studies have suggested that educational leaders enacting a balance of technical and adaptive leadership have an effect on increasing student achievement. Technical leadership focuses on problem-solving or first-order changes within existing structures and paradigms. Adaptive leadership involves deep or second-order changes that alter…

Development of a Centralized Automated Scientific and Technical Information Service in the People's Republic of Bulgaria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiratsov, P.

1983-01-01

Discusses the design and organization of the Automated Information Centre, a centralized automated scientific and technical information service established within the main organ of Bulgaria's National System for Scientific and Technical Information, with UNESCO and United Nations Development Program assistance. Problems and perspectives for…

Advances in participatory occupational health aimed at good practices in small enterprises and the informal sector.

PubMed

Kogi, Kazutaka

2006-01-01

Participatory programmes for occupational risk reduction are gaining importance particularly in small workplaces in both industrially developing and developed countries. To discuss the types of effective support, participatory steps commonly seen in our "work improvement-Asia" network are reviewed. The review covered training programmes for small enterprises, farmers, home workers and trade union members. Participatory steps commonly focusing on low-cost good practices locally achieved have led to concrete improvements in multiple technical areas including materials handling, workstation ergonomics, physical environment and work organization. These steps take advantage of positive features of small workplaces in two distinct ways. First, local key persons are ready to accept local good practices conveyed through personal, informal approaches. Second, workers and farmers are capable of understanding technical problems affecting routine work and taking flexible actions leading to solving them. This process is facilitated by the use of locally adjusted training tools such as local good examples, action checklists and group work methods. It is suggested that participatory occupational health programmes can work in small workplaces when they utilize low-cost good practices in a flexible manner. Networking of these positive experiences is essential.

Proposal for Land Consolidation Project Solutions for Selected Problem Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojcik-Len, Justyna; Strek, Zanna

2017-12-01

One of the economic tools for supporting agricultural policy are the activities implemented under the Rural Development Program (RDP). By encouraging agricultural activities and creating equal opportunities for development of farms, among others in areas with unfavourable environmental conditions characterized by low productivity of soils exposed to degradation, decision makers can contribute to improving the spatial structure of rural areas. In Poland, one of the major concerns are agricultural problem areas (regions). In view of this situation, the aim of this article was to characterize the problem areas in question and propose land consolidation project solutions for selected fragments of those areas. This paper presents the results of a review of literature and an analysis of geodetic and cartographic data regarding the problem areas. The process of land consolidation, which is one of the technical and legal instruments supporting the development of rural areas, was characterized. The study allowed the present authors to establish criteria for selecting agricultural problem areas for land consolidation. To develop a proposal for rational management of the problem areas, key general criteria (location, topography, soil quality and usefulness) and specific criteria were defined and assigned weights. A conception of alternative development of the agricultural problem areas was created as part of a land consolidation project. The results were used to create a methodology for the development of agricultural problem areas to be employed during land consolidation in rural areas. Every agricultural space includes areas with unfavourable environmental and soil conditions determined by natural or anthropogenic factors. Development of agricultural problem areas through land consolidation should take into account the specific functions assigned to these areas in land use plans, as well as to comply with legal regulations.

Field Test of the Methodology for Succession Planning for Technical Experts

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

Cain, Ronald A.; Kirk, Bernadette Lugue; Agreda, Carla L.

This report complements A Methodology for Succession Planning for Technical Experts (Ron Cain, Shaheen Dewji, Carla Agreda, Bernadette Kirk, July 2017), which describes a methodology for identifying and evaluating the loss of key technical skills at nuclear operations facilities. This report targets the methodology for identifying critical skills, hereafter referred to as “core competencies”. The methodology has been field tested by interviewing selected retiring subject matter experts (SMEs).

An Overview of the 3C-STAR project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.

2009-04-01

Over the past three decades, city clusters have played a leading role in the economic growth of China, owing to their collective economic capacity and interdependency. However, pollution prevention lags behind the economic boom, led to a general decline in air quality in city clusters. As a result, industrial emissions and traffic exhausts together contribute to high levels of ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution problems ranging from urban to regional scale. Such high levels of both primary and secondary airborne pollutants lead to the development of a (perhaps typically Chinese) "air pollution complex" concept. Air pollution complex is particularly true and significant in Beijing-Tianjin area, Pearl River Delta (PRD) and Yangtze River Delta. The concurrent high concentrations of O3 and PM2.5 in PRD as well as in other China city clusters have led to rather unique pollution characteristics due to interactions between primary emissions and photochemical processes, between gaseous compounds and aerosol phase species, and between local and regional scale processes. The knowledge and experience needed to find solutions to the unique pollution complex in China are still lacking. Starting from 2007, we launch a major project "Synthesized Prevention Techniques for Air Pollution Complex and Integrated Demonstration in Key City-Cluster Region" (3C-STAR) to address those problems scientifically and technically. The purpose of the project is to build up the capacity of regional air pollution control and to establish regional coordination mechanism for joint implementation of pollution control. The project includes a number of key components technically: regional air quality monitoring network and super-sites, regional dynamic emission inventory of multi-pollutants, regional ensemble air quality forecasting model system, and regional management system supported by decision making platform. The 3C-STAR project selected PRD as a core area to have technical demonstration, and thus provide opportunities as well as challenges for PRD to improve its regional air quality. An integrated field measurement campaign 3C-STAR2008 was organized during October 15-November 19, 2008, including 3-D regional air quality monitoring network, two super-sites, and in-site meteorological and air quality forecasting. With the efforts of more than 100 scientists and students from 12 research institutes, the 3C-STAR2008 was conducted with great success. A great amount of data with rigorous QA/QC procedures has been obtained and data analysis is underway. In this talk, an overview of the 3C-STAR project will be presented, together with major findings from previous PRD campaigns (PRD2004 and PRD2006).

Workplace training for senior trainees: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of current approaches to promote patient safety.

PubMed

Walton, Merrilyn; Harrison, Reema; Burgess, Annette; Foster, Kirsty

2015-10-01

Preventable harm is one of the top six health problems in the developed world. Developing patient safety skills and knowledge among advanced trainee doctors is critical. Clinical supervision is the main form of training for advanced trainees. The use of supervision to develop patient safety competence has not been established. To establish the use of clinical supervision and other workplace training to develop non-technical patient safety competency in advanced trainee doctors. Keywords, synonyms and subject headings were used to search eight electronic databases in addition to hand-searching of relevant journals up to 1 March 2014. Titles and abstracts of retrieved publications were screened by two reviewers and checked by a third. Full-text articles were screened against the eligibility criteria. Data on design, methods and key findings were extracted. Clinical supervision documents were assessed against components common to established patient safety frameworks. Findings from the reviewed articles and document analysis were collated in a narrative synthesis. Clinical supervision is not identified as an avenue for embedding patient safety skills in the workplace and is consequently not evaluated as a method to teach trainees these skills. Workplace training in non-technical patient safety skills is limited, but one-off training courses are sometimes used. Clinical supervision is the primary avenue for learning in postgraduate medical education but the most overlooked in the context of patient safety learning. The widespread implementation of short courses is not matched by evidence of rigorous evaluation. Supporting supervisors to identify teaching moments during supervision and to give weight to non-technical skills and technical skills equally is critical. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Cluster: Drafting. Course: Introduction to Technical Drafting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanford - Lee County Schools, NC.

The set of 10 units is designed for use with an instructor as an introduction to technical drafting, and is also keyed to other texts. Each unit contains several task packages specifying prerequisites, rationale for learning, objectives, learning activities to be supervised by the instructor, and learning practice. The units cover: drafting…

TECHNICAL APPROACHES TO CHARACTERIZING AND CLEANING UP IRON AND STEEL MILL SITES UNDER THE BROWNFIELDS INITIATIVE

EPA Science Inventory

This document provides brownfields planners with an overview of the technical methods that can be used to achieve successful site assessment and cleanup which are two key components of the brownfields redevelopment process. No two brownfields sites are identical and planners will...

TECHNICAL APPROACHES TO CHARACTERIZING AND CLEANING UP AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SITES UNDER THE BROWNFIELDS INITIATIVE

EPA Science Inventory

The document provides brownfields planners with an overview of the technical methods that can be used to achieve successful site assessment and cleanup which are two key components of the brownfields redevelopment process. No two brownfields sites are identical and planners will...

TECHNICAL APPROACHES TO CHARACTERIZING AND CLEANING UP METAL FINISHING SITES UNDER THE BROWNFIELDS INITIATIVE

EPA Science Inventory

The document provides brownfields planners with an overview of the technical methods that can be used to achieve successful site assessment and cleanup which are two key components of the brownfields redevelopment process. No two brownfields sites are identical and planners will...

77 FR 37060 - Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) Asset Protection Technical Assistance Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-20

...), National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP.../IP/IICD, 245 Murray Lane SW., Mailstop 0602, Arlington, VA 20598-0602. Email requests should go to... Technical Assistance Program (CAPTAP) is offered jointly by the NPPD/IP and the Federal Emergency Management...

Mathematics, Engineering Science Achievement (MESA). Washington's Community and Technical Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 2014

2014-01-01

Growing Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics (STEM) talent Washington MESA--Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement--helps under-represented community college students excel in school and ultimately earn STEM bachelor's degrees. MESA has two key programs: one for K-12 students, and the other for community and technical college…

48 CFR 37.115-2 - General policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... degrade the level of technical expertise required to fulfill the Government's requirements (see 15.305 for competitive negotiations and 15.404-1(d) for cost realism analysis). When acquiring these services... skill levels and its use in key technical positions. [62 FR 44815, Aug. 22, 1997, as amended at 64 FR...

NOTES: a review of the technical problems encountered and their solutions.

PubMed

Mintz, Yoav; Horgan, Santiago; Cullen, John; Stuart, David; Falor, Eric; Talamini, Mark A

2008-08-01

Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is currently investigated and developed worldwide. In the past few years, multiple groups have confronted this challenge. Many technical problems are encountered in this technique due to the currently available tools for this approach. Some of the unique technical problems in NOTES include: blindly performed primary incisions; uncontrolled pneumoperitoneal pressure; no support for the endoscope in the abdominal cavity; inadequate vision; insufficient illumination; limited retraction and exposure; and the complexity of suturing and performing a safe anastomosis. In this paper, we review the problems encountered in NOTES and provide possible temporary solutions. Acute and survival studies were performed on 15 farm pigs. The hybrid technique approach (i.e., endoscopic surgery with the aid of laparoscopic vision) was performed in all cases. Procedures performed included liver biopsies, bilateral tubal ligation, oophprectomy, cholecystectomy, splenectomy and small bowel resection, and anastomosis. All attempted procedures were successfully performed. New methods and techniques were developed to overcome the technical problems. Closure of the gastrotomy was achieved by T-bar sutures and by stapler closure of the stomach incision. Small bowel anastomosis was achieved by the dual-lumen NOTES technique. The hybrid technique serves as a temporary approach to aid in developing the NOTES technique. A rectal or vaginal port of entry enables and facilitates gastrointestinal NOTES by using available laparoscopic instruments. The common operations performed today in the laparoscopic fashion could be probably performed in the NOTES approach. The safety of these procedures, however, is yet to be determined.

Making intelligent systems team players: Overview for designers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Schreckenghost, Debra L.

1992-01-01

This report is a guide and companion to the NASA Technical Memorandum 104738, 'Making Intelligent Systems Team Players,' Volumes 1 and 2. The first two volumes of this Technical Memorandum provide comprehensive guidance to designers of intelligent systems for real-time fault management of space systems, with the objective of achieving more effective human interaction. This report provides an analysis of the material discussed in the Technical Memorandum. It clarifies what it means for an intelligent system to be a team player, and how such systems are designed. It identifies significant intelligent system design problems and their impacts on reliability and usability. Where common design practice is not effective in solving these problems, we make recommendations for these situations. In this report, we summarize the main points in the Technical Memorandum and identify where to look for further information.

Support of NASA quality requirements by defense contract administration services regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrar, Hiram D.

1966-01-01

Defense Contract Administration Services Regions (DCASR) quality assurance personnel performing under NASA Letters of Delegation must work closely with the assigned technical representative of the NASA centers. It is realized that technical personnel from the NASA Centers cannot make on-site visits as frequently as they would like to. However, DCASR quality assurance personnel would know the assigned NASA technical representative and should contact him when problems arise. The technical representative is the expert on the hardware and should be consulted on any problem area. It is important that the DCASR quality assurance personnel recommend to the delegating NASA Center any new or improved methods of which they may be aware which would assist in achieving the desired quality and reliability in NASA hardware. NASA expects assignment of competent personnel in the Quality Assurance functional area and is not only buying the individual's technical skill, but also his experience. Suggestions by field personnel can many times up-grade the quality or the hardware.

Understanding Innovation Engines: Automated Creativity and Improved Stochastic Optimization via Deep Learning.

PubMed

Nguyen, A; Yosinski, J; Clune, J

2016-01-01

The Achilles Heel of stochastic optimization algorithms is getting trapped on local optima. Novelty Search mitigates this problem by encouraging exploration in all interesting directions by replacing the performance objective with a reward for novel behaviors. This reward for novel behaviors has traditionally required a human-crafted, behavioral distance function. While Novelty Search is a major conceptual breakthrough and outperforms traditional stochastic optimization on certain problems, it is not clear how to apply it to challenging, high-dimensional problems where specifying a useful behavioral distance function is difficult. For example, in the space of images, how do you encourage novelty to produce hawks and heroes instead of endless pixel static? Here we propose a new algorithm, the Innovation Engine, that builds on Novelty Search by replacing the human-crafted behavioral distance with a Deep Neural Network (DNN) that can recognize interesting differences between phenotypes. The key insight is that DNNs can recognize similarities and differences between phenotypes at an abstract level, wherein novelty means interesting novelty. For example, a DNN-based novelty search in the image space does not explore in the low-level pixel space, but instead creates a pressure to create new types of images (e.g., churches, mosques, obelisks, etc.). Here, we describe the long-term vision for the Innovation Engine algorithm, which involves many technical challenges that remain to be solved. We then implement a simplified version of the algorithm that enables us to explore some of the algorithm's key motivations. Our initial results, in the domain of images, suggest that Innovation Engines could ultimately automate the production of endless streams of interesting solutions in any domain: for example, producing intelligent software, robot controllers, optimized physical components, and art.

EarthCube Activities: Community Engagement Advancing Geoscience Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinkade, D.

2015-12-01

Our ability to advance scientific research in order to better understand complex Earth systems, address emerging geoscience problems, and meet societal challenges is increasingly dependent upon the concept of Open Science and Data. Although these terms are relatively new to the world of research, Open Science and Data in this context may be described as transparency in the scientific process. This includes the discoverability, public accessibility and reusability of scientific data, as well as accessibility and transparency of scientific communication (www.openscience.org). Scientists and the US government alike are realizing the critical need for easy discovery and access to multidisciplinary data to advance research in the geosciences. The NSF-supported EarthCube project was created to meet this need. EarthCube is developing a community-driven common cyberinfrastructure for the purpose of accessing, integrating, analyzing, sharing and visualizing all forms of data and related resources through advanced technological and computational capabilities. Engaging the geoscience community in EarthCube's development is crucial to its success, and EarthCube is providing several opportunities for geoscience involvement. This presentation will provide an overview of the activities EarthCube is employing to entrain the community in the development process, from governance development and strategic planning, to technical needs gathering. Particular focus will be given to the collection of science-driven use cases as a means of capturing scientific and technical requirements. Such activities inform the development of key technical and computational components that collectively will form a cyberinfrastructure to meet the research needs of the geoscience community.

Determining the Effectiveness and Evaluating the Implementation Process of a Quality/Performance Circles System Model to Assist in Institutional Decision Making and Problem Solving at Lakeshore Technical Institute.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladwig, Dennis J.

During the 1982-83 school year, a quality/performance circles system model was implemented at Lakeshore Technical Institute (LTI) to promote greater participation by staff in decision making and problem solving. All management staff at the college (N=45) were invited to participate in the process, and 39 volunteered. Non-management staff (N=240)…

The technical consideration of multi-beam mask writer for production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang Hee; Ahn, Byung-Sup; Choi, Jin; Shin, In Kyun; Tamamushi, Shuichi; Jeon, Chan-Uk

2016-10-01

Multi-beam mask writer is under development to solve the throughput and patterning resolution problems in VSB mask writer. Theoretically, the writing time is appropriate for future design node and the resolution is improved with multi-beam mask writer. Many previous studies show the feasible results of resolution, CD control and registration. Although such technical results of development tool seem to be enough for mass production, there are still many unexpected problems for real mass production. In this report, the technical challenges of multi-beam mask writer are discussed in terms of production and application. The problems and issues are defined based on the performance of current development tool compared with the requirements of mask quality. Using the simulation and experiment, we analyze the specific characteristics of electron beam in multi-beam mask writer scheme. Consequently, we suggest necessary specifications for mass production with multi-beam mask writer in the future.

The Roots of Technical Learning and Thinking: Situating TLT in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Ron

2008-01-01

Technical thinking is defined as an aptitude, ingenuity, and affliction for solving practical problems through experience. From the beginning of civilization such thinking has been a significant part of human existence. Learning associated with it is a natural instinct for most people, young and old, who work in a technical field, pursue a…

Students' Strengths and Weaknesses in Evaluating Technical Arguments as Revealed through Implementing Calibrated Peer Review™ in a Bioengineering Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volz, Tracy; Saterbak, Ann

2009-01-01

In engineering fields, students are expected to construct technical arguments that demonstrate a discipline's expected use of logic, evidence, and conventions. Many undergraduate bioengineering students struggle to enact the appropriate argument structures when they produce technical posters. To address this problem we implemented Calibrated Peer…

Methodology for Planning Technical Education: With a Case Study of Polytechnics in Bangladesh.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritzen, Jozef M.; Balderston, Judith B.

A product of research first begun by one of the authors in Bangladesh, this book develops a comprehensive set of methods for planning technical education. Wherever possible, the authors draw on existing tools, fitting them to the specific context of technical education. When faced with planning problems for which existing methods are ill suited…

Keep Your Small Network Sailing Safely in Dangerous Waters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semmelroth, Jim

2006-01-01

Asmall library's essential technical problem is that it has to chart a course through the technology shoals without a navigator on board. Small libraries in small towns often have a very low level of technical skill on staff. Furthermore, obtaining skilled technical support can frequently be pretty expensive. Even when one is available, a clever…

WORKING WITH STUDENTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM IN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BRAZZIEL, WILLIAM F.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION OF THE ADULT HARD-CORE UNEMPLOYED OFTEN FAILS BECAUSE OF PERSONAL PROBLEMS AND BASIC EDUCATION AND CULTURAL LACKS. A BROAD CONCEPT OF EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL TO PROGRAMS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL SKILLS. A COLLEGE PROJECT DESIGNED TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS IS PRESENTED. A COMBINATION OF BASIC AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION WITH THE…

Evolving a Regionally-Based Mechanism for the Provision of Technical Knowledge to SMEs: Lessons for Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lean, Jonathan; Tucker, Jonathan

2005-01-01

This paper describes and evaluates a pilot project undertaken in the South West of England to develop a computer-based system for facilitating effective technical knowledge transfer to small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs). It explores the problem of technical knowledge transfer to SMEs, focusing in particular on the policy context. The…

Solar technical assistance provided to Forest City military communities in Hawaii for incorporation of 20-30 MW of solar energy generation to power family housing for US Navy personnel.

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

Dominick, Jeff; Merrigan, Tim; Boudra, Will

2010-06-01

In May 2007, Forest City Military Communities won a US Department of Energy Solar America Showcase Award. As part of this award, executives and staff from Forest City Military Communities worked side-by-side with a DOE technical assistance team to overcome technical obstacles encountered by this large-scale real estate developer and manager. This paper describes the solar technical assistance that was provided and the key solar experiences acquired by Forest City Military Communities over an 18 month period.

Quantum auctions: Facts and myths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piotrowski, Edward W.; Sładkowski, Jan

2008-06-01

Quantum game theory, whatever opinions may be held due to its abstract physical formalism, have already found various applications even outside the orthodox physics domain. In this paper we introduce the concept of a quantum auction, its advantages and drawbacks. Then we describe the models that have already been put forward. A general model involves Wigner formalism and infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces - we envisage that the implementation might not be an easy task. But a restricted model advocated by the Hewlett-Packard group (Hogg et al.) seems to be much easier to implement. We focus on problems related to combinatorial auctions and technical assumptions that are made. Powerful quantum algorithms for finding solutions would extend the range of possible applications. Quantum strategies, being qubits, can be teleported but are immune from cloning - therefore extreme privacy of the agent’s activity could in principle be guaranteed. Then we point out some key problems that have to be solved before commercial use would be possible. With present technology, optical networks, single photon sources and detectors seems to be sufficient for an experimental realization in the near future.

How Do I Get My Students to Work Together? Getting Cooperative Learning Started

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamby Towns, Marcy

1998-01-01

The American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training presented in their Spring 1996 newsletter the results of an industrial roundtable which was convened to address what industry looks for in new hires. Roundtable participants voiced broad agreement that in addition to technical skills, one of the key experiences industry seeks in new hires is team problem solving. Cooperative learning activities improve team problem solving skills and promote the development of interpersonal skills and communication skills through face-to-face interactions. Cooperative learning is not simply putting students into groups and telling them to work together. Cooperative learning requires preparation on the part of the students and the instructor. This article discusses how to implement cooperative learning through a series of activities which allow the students to get to know each other. Students who build supportive committed relationships with each other become more committed to the course, more committed to each other, and more willing to take on tough tasks because they expect to succeed. In essence, they form a coherent learning community.

A General Formulation for Robust and Efficient Integration of Finite Differences and Phase Unwrapping on Sparse Multidimensional Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costantini, Mario; Malvarosa, Fabio; Minati, Federico

2010-03-01

Phase unwrapping and integration of finite differences are key problems in several technical fields. In SAR interferometry and differential and persistent scatterers interferometry digital elevation models and displacement measurements can be obtained after unambiguously determining the phase values and reconstructing the mean velocities and elevations of the observed targets, which can be performed by integrating differential estimates of these quantities (finite differences between neighboring points).In this paper we propose a general formulation for robust and efficient integration of finite differences and phase unwrapping, which includes standard techniques methods as sub-cases. The proposed approach allows obtaining more reliable and accurate solutions by exploiting redundant differential estimates (not only between nearest neighboring points) and multi-dimensional information (e.g. multi-temporal, multi-frequency, multi-baseline observations), or external data (e.g. GPS measurements). The proposed approach requires the solution of linear or quadratic programming problems, for which computationally efficient algorithms exist.The validation tests obtained on real SAR data confirm the validity of the method, which was integrated in our production chain and successfully used also in massive productions.

Proximal spinal muscular atrophy: current orthopedic perspective

PubMed Central

Haaker, Gerrit; Fujak, Albert

2013-01-01

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a hereditary neuromuscular disease of lower motor neurons that is caused by a defective “survival motor neuron” (SMN) protein that is mainly associated with proximal progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. Although SMA involves a wide range of disease severity and a high mortality and morbidity rate, recent advances in multidisciplinary supportive care have enhanced quality of life and life expectancy. Active research for possible treatment options has become possible since the disease-causing gene defect was identified in 1995. Nevertheless, a causal therapy is not available at present, and therapeutic management of SMA remains challenging; the prolonged survival is increasing, especially orthopedic, respiratory and nutritive problems. This review focuses on orthopedic management of the disease, with discussion of key aspects that include scoliosis, muscular contractures, hip joint disorders, fractures, technical devices, and a comparative approach of conservative and surgical treatment. Also emphasized are associated complications including respiratory involvement, perioperative care and anesthesia, nutrition problems, and rehabilitation. The SMA disease course can be greatly improved with adequate therapy with established orthopedic procedures in a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach. PMID:24399883

Perceptions of Postsecondary Career and Technical Education: A Q Method Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kandalec, Katherine Rae

2016-01-01

High school counselors are considered key decision influencers for students in the college search stage. The purpose of the study was to identify the perceptions currently held among public school counselors in the state of North Carolina towards postsecondary career and technical education. Q methodology, which provides an opportunity to study…

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges: Academic Year Report 2013-2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 2014

2014-01-01

The "Academic Year Report 2013-14" provides a snapshot of funding, facilities, staffing, and enrollments in Washington's community and technical colleges for the past academic year. The report also describes key measures of student outcomes and addresses the most frequently asked questions related to expenditures, personnel, and…

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Academic Year Report, 2012-2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 2013

2013-01-01

This "Academic Year Report 2012-13" provides a snapshot of funding, facilities, staffing, and enrollments in community and technical colleges in Washington state for the past academic year. The report also describes key measures of student outcomes and addresses the most frequently asked questions related to expenditures, personnel and…

Cluster: Drafting. Course: Basic Technical Drafting. Research Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanford - Lee County Schools, NC.

The set of six units is designed for use with an instructor in basic technical drafting and is also keyed to other texts. Each unit contains several task packages specifying prerequisites, rationale for learning, objectives, learning activities to be supervised by the instructor, and learning practice. The units cover: pictorial drawing; screw…

Career and Technical Education. 2015 Annual Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah System of Higher Education, 2015

2015-01-01

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a key ingredient to meet the needs of Utah's economy. Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions offer CTE programs in all regions of the state, working closely with local business and industry leaders to develop and deliver programs specifically tailored to local workforce development needs. This…

College Readiness and Workforce Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Thomas G.; Cook, Harry J.

2011-01-01

One of the key points of agreement among educators is that highly successful schools must disseminate best practices so that all can benefit. Eastern Technical High School, part of Baltimore County (MD) Public Schools, is a career and technical education (CTE) high school where students gain the knowledge and skills they need to pursue a career in…

Lessons Learned from Highly Implemented Programs of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stipanovic, Natalie; Shumer, Rob; Stringfield, Sam

2012-01-01

American businesses and industries have long identified shortages in key career and technical areas--some of these areas require two- or four-year college degrees, whereas others simply require industry certifications. Career and technical education (CTE) has the potential to play a central role in filling these gaps. The current Carl D. Perkins…

The Future of the National Technical Information Service: Issues and Options.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Charles R.

In recent years there has been considerable debate about the appropriate role, management structure, and activities for the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). This background paper identifies key issues that require attention by Congress and by NTIS itself to increase the effectiveness of NTIS in the collection and dissemination of…

Marketing Technology. FasTrak Specialization Integrated Technical and Academic Competency (ITAC). Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Career-Technical and Adult Education.

This document presents the Ohio Integrated Technical and Academic Competency profile for marketing technology. The profile is to serve as the basis for curriculum development in Ohio's secondary, adult, and postsecondary programs. The profile includes a comprehensive listing of 580 specialty and foundation key indicators for evaluating mastery of…

Career and Technical Education. 2016 Annual Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah System of Higher Education, 2016

2016-01-01

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a key ingredient to meet the needs of Utah's economy. Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions offer CTE programs in all regions of the state, working closely with local business and industry leaders to develop and deliver programs specifically tailored to local workforce development needs. This…

75 FR 47573 - Career and Technical Education Program-Promoting Rigorous Career and Technical Education Programs...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... program is to use 10 key components based on the ``Program of Study Design Framework'' [[Page 47574...., the States' Career Clusters \\2\\), and offer students the opportunities to earn postsecondary credits... extent to which students are attaining necessary knowledge and skills, we agree that administrators...

Occupational/Technical Programs at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Research Report Number 3-91.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Head, Ronald B.

In 1991, a study was conducted at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) to identify key trends and provide information regarding occupational/technical programs at PVCC, particularly with respect to student enrollment, student completion, and occupational opportunities for graduates. Major findings of the study included the following: (1)…

Standardization of quantum technologies and QKD activities within ETSI (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenhart, Gaby

2016-04-01

In order to establish new ICT technologies successfully on the market it is essential to build trust within any potential users. This is especially true for technologies which are based upon paradigms that are not yet familiar to these users, such as quantum technologies. Technical standards are an excellent means to offer a certain degree of legal reliability and technical interoperability that is required by industry for commercial take up. While such standards on the one hand must be clear enough to provide strict rules for implementers, on the other hand they also must remain flexible enough to not restrict progress in further research and development on the standardized technology. Hence such standards have to be produced by a wide variety of stakeholders taking into account all their different needs. The paper will provide some insight into the general mechanisms of standardization and their relation to quantum technologies. Alongside with the relevance of standardization as an enabler for certification of quantum based technologies it will explain its potential for securing intellectual property. In its first part paper will concentrate on the advantages of standardization and discuss fears some of the stakeholders share, in detail. The second part will focus on the technical work going on in ETSI in relation to quantum technologies. In 2008 ETSI created a standards work group on Quantum Key Distribution, the ETSI ISG QKD and more recently a group on Quantum-Safe Cryptography, the ETSI ISG QSC. A significant part of the technical work of these groups has already been published and will be introduced in the following. However a big share of work is still ongoing and lot more is planned for the future, as are continuous revisions and updates of the published specifications. This standardization work covers several levels: It starts of by problem statements in the form of use cases, from which technical requirements can be derived. These requirements then form the base upon which a reference architecture is created. Various different specifications describe in detail components, protocols and interfaces. An ontology is developed in order to guarantee common understanding of the technical terms used in standardization for quantum technologies. Special emphasis is provided to security proofs.

Ground Water Technical Support Center (GWTSC) Annual ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Ground Water Technical Support Center (GWTSC) is part of the Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division (GWERD), which is based in the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center in Ada, Oklahoma. The GWERD is a research division of U.S. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL). The GWTSC is one of an interlinked group of specialized Technical Support Centersthat were established under the Technical Support Project (TSP). The GWTSC provides technical support on issues related to groundwater. Specifically, the GWTSC provides technical support to U.S. EPA and State regulators for issues and problems related to:1. subsurface contamination (contaminants in ground water, soils and sediments),2. cross-media transfer (movement of contaminants from the subsurface to other media such as surface water or air), and3. restoration of impacted ecosystems.The GWTSC works with Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) and other decision makers to solve specific problems at Superfund, RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), Brownfields sites, and ecosystem restoration sites. The Ground Water Technical Support Center (GWTSC) is part of the Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division (GWERD), which is based in the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center in Ada, Oklahoma. The GWERD is a research division of U.S. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL). The GWTSC is one of an interlinked group of specialized Technical Suppo

Mesoscopic quantum cryptography

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

Molotkov, S. N., E-mail: sergei.molotkov@gmail.com

Since a strictly single-photon source is not yet available, in quantum cryptography systems, one uses, as information quantum states, coherent radiation of a laser with an average number of photons of μ ≈ 0.1–0.5 in a pulse, attenuated to the quasi-single-photon level. The linear independence of a set of coherent quasi-single-photon information states leads to the possibility of unambiguous measurements that, in the presence of losses in the line, restrict the transmission range of secret keys. Starting from a certain value of critical loss (the length of the line), the eavesdropper knows the entire key, does not make errors, andmore » is not detected—the distribution of secret keys becomes impossible. This problem is solved by introducing an additional reference state with an average number of photons of μ{sub cl} ≈ 10{sup 3}–10{sup 6}, depending on the length of the communication line. It is shown that the use of a reference state does not allow the eavesdropper to carry out measurements with conclusive outcome while remaining undetected. A reference state guarantees detecting an eavesdropper in a channel with high losses. In this case, information states may contain a mesoscopic average number of photons in the range of μ{sub q} ≈ 0.5–10{sup 2}. The protocol proposed is easy to implement technically, admits flexible adjustment of parameters to the length of the communication line, and is simple and transparent for proving the secrecy of keys.« less

A Dichotomous Key for the Identification of Common British Wild Flower Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Piers

2004-01-01

This article argues the need for, and provides, a dichotomous single access key for the identification of common British wild flower families. A minimum of technical vocabulary is used while at the same time retaining most of the recent botanical names of families. The key provides a user-friendly opportunity for school pupils to become familiar…

[Flexible ENT endoscopy--video technic].

PubMed

Rasinger, G A; Horak, F

1985-02-01

This study discusses the solutions to the problem of documenting moving processes in the field of otolaryngology. A flexible bronchoscope and video equipment connected to it are presented as a specific solution of the problem, with ample of observations. A technical comparison is used as the basis for a discussion of the pros and cons of the video and film techniques. A successful arrangement of examination facilities illustrates the future of flexible-endoscope techniques in the field of otolaryngology.

Technical management techniques for identification and control of industrial safety and pollution hazards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R.; Dyer, M. K.; Hoard, E. G.; Little, D. G.; Taylor, A. C.

1972-01-01

Constructive recommendations are suggested for pollution problems from offshore energy resources industries on outer continental shelf. Technical management techniques for pollution identification and control offer possible applications to space engineering and management.

The astronaut and the banana peel: An EVA retriever scenario

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, Daniel G.

1989-01-01

To prepare for the problem of accidents in Space Station activities, the Extravehicular Activity Retriever (EVAR) robot is being constructed, whose purpose is to retrieve astronauts and tools that float free of the Space Station. Advanced Decision Systems is at the beginning of a project to develop research software capable of guiding EVAR through the retrieval process. This involves addressing problems in machine vision, dexterous manipulation, real time construction of programs via speech input, and reactive execution of plans despite the mishaps and unexpected conditions that arise in uncontrolled domains. The problem analysis phase of this work is presented. An EVAR scenario is used to elucidate major domain and technical problems. An overview of the technical approach to prototyping an EVAR system is also presented.

Problem-Based Learning: Student Engagement, Learning and Contextualized Problem-Solving. Occasional Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mossuto, Mark

2009-01-01

The adoption of problem-based learning as a teaching method in the advertising and public relations programs offered by the Business TAFE (Technical and Further Education) School at RMIT University is explored in this paper. The effect of problem-based learning on student engagement, student learning and contextualised problem-solving was…

The needs analysis of learning Inventive Problem Solving for technical and vocational students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sai'en, Shanty; Tze Kiong, Tee; Yunos, Jailani Md; Foong, Lee Ming; Heong, Yee Mei; Mohaffyza Mohamad, Mimi

2017-08-01

Malaysian Ministry of Education highlighted in their National Higher Education Strategic plan that higher education’s need to focus adopting 21st century skills in order to increase a graduate’s employability. Current research indicates that most graduate lack of problem solving skills to help them securing the job. Realising the important of this skill hence an alternative way suggested as an option for high institution’s student to solve their problem. This study was undertaken to measure the level of problem solving skills, identify the needs of learning inventive problem solving skills and the needs of developing an Inventive problem solving module. Using a questionnaire, the study sampled 132 students from Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education. Findings indicated that majority of the students fail to define what is an inventive problem and the root cause of a problem. They also unable to state the objectives and goal thus fail to solve the problem. As a result, the students agreed on the developing Inventive Problem Solving Module to assist them.

Using Technology To Enhance Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mingus, Tabitha; Grassl, Richard

1997-01-01

Secondary mathematics teachers participated in a problem-solving course in which technology became a means to develop as teachers and as problem solvers. Findings indicate a delineation between technical competence and metatechnology--thinking about how and when to apply technology to particular problems. (PVD)

Deployment Area Selection and Land Withdrawal/Acquisition. M-X/MPS (M-X/Multiple Protective Shelter) Environmental Technical Report. Washington County, Utah.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-02

file a FEIS for the MPS system. However, the attached preliminary FEIS captures the environ- mental data and analysis in the document that was nearing...efforts in the study area. There- fore, in response to requests for environmental technical data from the Congress, federal agencies and the states involved...associated Environmental Technical Reports (ETRs). The data tables presented here provide projections of the key socioeconomic impacts of M-X deployment for

A Report by the Governor's Task Force on Vocational and Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Governor's Task Force on Vocational and Technical Education, Columbus, OH.

On July 19, 1968, a Task Force on Vocational and Technical Education was created by the governor of Ohio to develop proposals for organization, financing, and legislation. Some major problems to which the Task Force gave attention were: (1) the serious gap between the need for and the availability of vocational and technical education, (2) the…

Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and Oceania. Report of a Regional Seminar (Singapore, Malaysia, November 20-27, 1979).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

This seminar report contains summaries of presentations as well as entire reports and addresses made at the Regional Seminar on Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and Oceania held in Singapore in November 1979. Chapter 1 summarizes the trends, problems, and innovations in technical and vocational education which were identified in…

Minnesota Area Vocational-Technical Institutes. A Plan to Address Declining Enrollments and Resources. Submitted to the Minnesota State Legislature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Board for Vocational Education, St. Paul.

In March 1982, the Minnesota Division of Vocational-Technical Education received requests from State legislators to develop an action plan to address the problems of declining enrollments and resources. In response to this request, a plan was developed whereby area vocational-technical institutes (AVTIs) in the State would (1) promote a process…

48 CFR 1352.215-75 - Evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... relative importance among the technical evaluation factors.] Based upon the results of the integrated... and manage the contract and the means that will be used to accomplish the contract requirements. The... non-performance. Factor 3—KEY PERSONNEL. The education, experience, and accomplishments of key...

48 CFR 1352.215-75 - Evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... relative importance among the technical evaluation factors.] Based upon the results of the integrated... and manage the contract and the means that will be used to accomplish the contract requirements. The... non-performance. Factor 3—KEY PERSONNEL. The education, experience, and accomplishments of key...

48 CFR 1352.215-75 - Evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... relative importance among the technical evaluation factors.] Based upon the results of the integrated... and manage the contract and the means that will be used to accomplish the contract requirements. The... non-performance. Factor 3—KEY PERSONNEL. The education, experience, and accomplishments of key...

Tin Cans Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verderber, Nadine L.

1992-01-01

Presents the use of spreadsheets as an alternative method for precalculus students to solve maximum or minimum problems involving surface area and volume. Concludes that students with less technical backgrounds can solve problems normally requiring calculus and suggests sources for additional problems. (MDH)

Bioanalysis in microfluidic devices.

PubMed

Khandurina, Julia; Guttman, András

2002-01-18

Microfabricated bioanalytical devices (also referred to as laboratory-on-a-chip or micro-TAS) offer highly efficient platforms for simultaneous analysis of a large number of biologically important molecules, possessing great potential for genome, proteome and metabolome studies. Development and implementation of microfluidic-based bioanalytical tools involves both established and evolving technologies, including microlithography, micromachining, micro-electromechanical systems technology and nanotechnology. This article provides an overview of the latest developments in the key device subject areas and the basic interdisciplinary technologies. Important aspects of DNA and protein analysis, interfacing issues and system integration are all thoroughly discussed, along with applications for this novel "synergized" technology in high-throughput separations of biologically important molecules. This review also gives a better understanding of how to utilize these technologies as well as to provide appropriate technical solutions to problems perceived as being more fundamental.

[Integrated tobacco production: health, labor, and working conditions of tobacco farmers in Southern Brazil].

PubMed

Riquinho, Deise Lisboa; Hennington, Élida Azevedo

2016-12-22

This study aimed to analyze the tobacco farming and marketing process in an integrated system and tobacco farmers' living and working conditions in Southern Brazil. A qualitative study was conducted from December 2010 to August 2011, with 31 semi-structured interviews with tobacco farmers and key informants, besides participant observation. The principal analytical reference was the ergological perspective. The integrated system allows the tobacco industry to control the amounts paid and the tobacco's quality. Tobacco growing features high cost of inputs, farmers' indebtedness, insufficient crop insurance, and intensive use of family labor. Accident and disease risks were associated with work in tobacco farming. According to the dynamic three-pole model proposed by ergology, dealing with these problems requires confronting the workers' knowledge with technical and scientific knowledge, linked with ethical and social responsibility.

Programmatic management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: models from three countries.

PubMed

Furin, J; Bayona, J; Becerra, M; Farmer, P; Golubkov, A; Hurtado, R; Joseph, J K; Keshavjee, S; Ponomarenko, O; Rich, M; Shin, S

2011-10-01

Although multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a major global health problem, there is a gap in programmatic treatment implementation. This study describes MDR-TB treatment models in three countries--Peru, Russia and Lesotho-- using qualitative data collected over a 13-year period. A program analysis is presented for each country focusing on baseline medical care, initial implementation and program evolution. A pattern analysis revealed six overarching themes common to all three programs: 1) importance of baseline assessments, 2) early identification of key collaborators, 3) identification of initial locus of care, 4) minimization of patient-incurred costs, 5) targeted interventions for vulnerable populations and 6) importance of technical assistance and funding. Site commonalities and differences in each of these areas were analyzed. It is recommended that all programs providing MDR-TB treatment address these six areas during program development and implementation.

Power and process: The politics of electricity sector reform in Uganda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gore, Christopher David

In 2007, Uganda had one of the lowest levels of access to electricity in the world. Given the influence of multilateral and bilateral agencies in Uganda; the strong international reputation and domestic influence of its President; the country's historic achievements in public sector and economic reform; and the intimate connection between economic performance, social well-being and access to electricity, the problems with Uganda's electricity sector have proven deeply frustrating and, indeed, puzzling. Following increased scholarly attention to the relationship between political change, policymaking, and public sector reform in sub-Saharan Africa and the developing world generally, this thesis examines the multilevel politics of Uganda's electricity sector reform process. This study contends that explanations for Uganda's electricity sector reform problems generally, and hydroelectric dam construction efforts specifically, must move beyond technical and financial factors. Problems in this sector have also been the result of a model of reform (promoted by the World Bank) that failed adequately to account for the character of political change. Indeed, the model of reform that was promoted and implemented was risky and it was deeply antagonistic to domestic and international civil society organizations. In addition, it was presented as a linear, technical, apolitical exercise. Finally the model was inconsistent with key principles the Bank itself, and public policy literature generally, suggest are needed for success. Based on this analysis, the thesis contends that policymaking and reform must be understood as deeply political processes, which not only define access to services, but also participation in, and exclusion from, national debates. Future approaches to reform and policymaking must anticipate the complex, multilevel, non-linear character of 'second-generation' policy issues like electricity, and the political and institutional capacity needed to increase the potential for success. At the heart of this approach is a need to carefully consider how the character of state-society relations in the country---"governance"---will influence reform processes and outcomes.

Meeting the challenges of installing a mobile robotic system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decorte, Celeste

1994-01-01

The challenges of integrating a mobile robotic system into an application environment are many. Most problems inherent to installing the mobile robotic system fall into one of three categories: (1) the physical environment - location(s) where, and conditions under which, the mobile robotic system will work; (2) the technological environment - external equipment with which the mobile robotic system will interact; and (3) the human environment - personnel who will operate and interact with the mobile robotic system. The successful integration of a mobile robotic system into these three types of application environment requires more than a good pair of pliers. The tools for this job include: careful planning, accurate measurement data (as-built drawings), complete technical data of systems to be interfaced, sufficient time and attention of key personnel for training on how to operate and program the robot, on-site access during installation, and a thorough understanding and appreciation - by all concerned - of the mobile robotic system's role in the security mission at the site, as well as the machine's capabilities and limitations. Patience, luck, and a sense of humor are also useful tools to keep handy during a mobile robotic system installation. This paper will discuss some specific examples of problems in each of three categories, and explore approaches to solving these problems. The discussion will draw from the author's experience with on-site installations of mobile robotic systems in various applications. Most of the information discussed in this paper has come directly from knowledge learned during installations of Cybermotion's SR2 security robots. A large part of the discussion will apply to any vehicle with a drive system, collision avoidance, and navigation sensors, which is, of course, what makes a vehicle autonomous. And it is with these sensors and a drive system that the installer must become familiar in order to foresee potential trouble areas in the physical, technical, and human environment.

Using case studies to teach an engineering technology technical writing class

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, M. M.

1981-01-01

The use of the case method in teaching various technical communication skills is described. Features of the method considered include: solving communication problems, identifying an audience, planning written communications, presenting written communications, and using visual aids.

An Approach to the Reuse of Technical Materials for Educational Purposes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levinstein, Irwin; Bryant, Wayne H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This project addresses the problem of transforming technical documents intended for a technical audience into educational materials directed toward segments of the general public. In particular it addresses the conversion of technical material into Internet based educational materials. A major consideration of the project is the conservation of the time of subject matter experts in the organization in recognition of the fact that such experts are likely to be more valuable to the organization for purposes other than the production of educational outreach.

Problem Solving. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Mike

2004-01-01

No longer solely the domain of Mathematics, problem solving permeates every area of today's curricula. Ideally students are applying heuristics strategies in varied contexts and novel situations in every subject taught. The ability to solve problems is a basic life skill and is essential to understanding technical subjects. Problem-solving is a…

PREFACE: 2nd Russia-Japan-USA Symposium on the Fundamental and Applied Problems of Terahertz Devices and Technologies (RJUS TeraTech - 2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasik, Valeriy; Ryzhii, Viktor; Yurchenko, Stanislav

2014-03-01

The 2nd Russia-Japan-USA Symposium 'The Fundamental & Applied Problems of Terahertz Devices & Technologies' (RJUS TeraTech - 2013) Bauman Moscow State Technical University Moscow, Russia, 3-6 June, 2013 The 2nd Russia-Japan-USA Symposium 'The Fundamental & Applied Problems of Terahertz Devices & Technologies' (RJUS TeraTech - 2013) was held in Bauman Moscow State Technical University on 3-6 June 2013 and was devoted to modern problems of terahertz optical technologies. RJUS TeraTech 2013 was organized by Bauman Moscow State Technical University in cooperation with Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan) and University of Buffalo (The State University of New York, USA). The Symposium was supported by Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Moscow, Russia) and Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant number 13-08-06100-g). RJUS TeraTech - 2013 became a foundation for sharing and discussing modern and promising achievements in fundamental and applied problems of terahertz optical technologies, devices based on grapheme and grapheme strictures, condensed matter of different nature. Among participants of RJUS TeraTech - 2013, there were more than 100 researchers and students from different countries. This volume contains proceedings of the 2nd Russia-Japan-USA Symposium 'The Fundamental & Applied Problems of Terahertz Devices & Technologies'. Valeriy Karasik, Viktor Ryzhii and Stanislav Yurchenko Bauman Moscow State Technical University Symposium chair Anatoliy A Aleksandrov, Rector of BMSTU Symposium co-chair Valeriy E Karasik, Head of the Research and Educational Center 'PHOTONICS AND INFRARED TECHNOLOGY' (Russia) Invited Speakers Taiichi Otsuji, Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan Akira Satou, Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan Michael Shur, Electrical, Computer and System Engineering and Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY, USA Natasha Kirova, University Paris-Sud, France Andrei Sergeev, Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Buffalo, The State University of New Your, Buffalo, NY, USA Magnus Willander, Linkoping University (LIU), Department of Science and Technology, Linkopings, Sweden Dmitry R Khohlov, Physical Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia Vladimir L Vaks, Institute for Physics of Microstructures of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

Keys of Japanese Prosody and Didactical-Technical Analysis of OJAD (Online Japanese Accent Dictionary)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delgado Algarra, Emilio José

2016-01-01

Most of the studies focus on the teaching of foreign languages indicate that little attention is paid to the prosodic features both didactic materials and teaching-learning processes (Martinsen, Avord and Tanner, 2014). In this context and throughout this article, an analysis of the didactical and technical dimensions of OJAD (Japanese Accent…

75 FR 28610 - Draft EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-21

... SAB will convene an expert panel composed of scientists knowledgeable about technical issues related... consideration. Members of the public who wish to ensure that their technical comments are provided to the SAB... any written public comments that EPA receives in accordance with the detailed instructions provided...

Quality and Quality Assurance in Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Thematic Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seyfried, Erwin

2008-01-01

In many countries in both the Mediterranean region and the European Union (EU), interest in the quality of, and improvements to, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems has increased progressively in recent years. The main reason underlying this interest is a growing awareness of the key role played by education and training…

Montana Standards and Guidelines for Career and Vocational/Technical Education. Summer 2002 Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montana State Office of Public Instruction, Helena.

This document presents Montana's standards and guidelines for career and vocational/technical education (CVTE). The guide begins with a directory of Montana's key CVTE personnel and specialists. Part 1 presents the federal and state definitions of CVTE and provides an overview of Montana's system for delivering CVTE and its philosophy regarding…

Development of a Technical Data File On the Design and Use of Instructional Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Sanford P.

A technical data file concerned with the technology of Instructional System Development suitable for a variety of users was developed. The file was prepared in a way amenable to later computerized storage and retrieval. General information sources and indexes of highly probable relevance were reviewed with key words and relevant specialty journals…

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...

A Case Study in Locating the Architectural Roots of Technical Debt

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-16

SoftServe is using, such as SonarQube ? RQ3: Is it possible to quantify the return on investment of removing architecture debts? In other words, is it possible...the Titan tool chain did differ significantly from the files reported as sources of technical debt by SonarQube . The precision and recall of Titan...tools such as SonarQube . But not all of these code problems are certain to cause maintenance or quality problems. In fact, no existing work has been

[Medical surveillance in university: organizational difficulties, legal problems, scientific e technical specificities. Experience of University of Milan Bicocca].

PubMed

D'Orso, M I; Giuliani, C; Assini, R; Riva, M A; Cesana, G

2012-01-01

Our research describes activities of Occupational Health carried out during last year in University of Milan Bicocca by Occupational Doctors. We describe results of medical surveillance in 1153 employees or students exposed to occupational risks for health and safety. We report results obtained, technical difficulties, organizational problems, and preventive actions decided to improve functionality of our activity. Students seem to be less protected and consequently seem to have higher professional safety and health risks.

Numerical Problems and Agent-Based Models for a Mass Transfer Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murthi, Manohar; Shea, Lonnie D.; Snurr, Randall Q.

2009-01-01

Problems requiring numerical solutions of differential equations or the use of agent-based modeling are presented for use in a course on mass transfer. These problems were solved using the popular technical computing language MATLABTM. Students were introduced to MATLAB via a problem with an analytical solution. A more complex problem to which no…

Whys and hows of in-house writing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, J. C.

1981-01-01

The combining of requisite technical knowledge with requisite writing ability is addressed. Considerations in the development of in-house writing courses, in-plant training, are presented and evaluated. Specific problems in past methodology are also detailed. It is suggested that teachers of technical writing should be technical people themselves, preferably with working experience in industry or business; the training provided should be user-oriented, not theory oriented.

Understanding factors that influence the integration of acute malnutrition interventions into the national health system in Niger.

PubMed

Deconinck, Hedwig; Hallarou, Mahaman Elh; Pesonen, Anais; Gérard, Jean Christophe; Criel, Bart; Donnen, Philippe; Macq, Jean

2016-12-01

Since 2007 to address a high burden, integration of acute malnutrition has been promoted in Niger. This paper studies factors that influenced the integration process of acute malnutrition into the Niger national health system.We used qualitative methods of observation, key informant interviews and focus group discussions at national level, two districts and nine communities selected through convenience sampling, as well as document review. A framework approach constructed around the problem, intervention, adoption system, health system characteristics and broad context guided the analysis. Data were recorded on paper, transcribed in a descriptive record, coded by themes deduced by building on the framework and triangulated for comprehensiveness.Key facilitating factors identified were knowledge and recognition of the problem helped by accurate information; effectiveness of decentralized continuity of care; compatibility with goals, support and involvement of health actors; and leadership for aligning policies and partnerships and mobilizing resources within a favourable political context driven by multisectoral development goals. Key hindering factors identified were not fully understanding severity, causes and consequences of the problem; limited utilization and trust in health interventions; high workload, and health worker turnover and attrition; and high dependence on financial and technical support based on short-term emergency funding within a context of high demographic pressure.The study uncovered influencing factors of integrating acute malnutrition into the national health system and their complex dynamics and relationships. It elicited the need for goal-oriented strategies and alignment of health actors to achieve sustainability, and systems thinking to understand pathways that foster integration. We recommend that context-specific learning of integrating acute malnutrition may expand to include causal modelling and scenario testing to inform strategy designs. The method may also be applied to monitor progress of integrating nutrition by the multisectoral nutrition plan to guide change. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ethical and Professional Issues in Career Assessment on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barak, Azy

2003-01-01

Concerns about Internet-based career assessments include the following: users' technical skill level, lack of screening, psychological factors, cultural bias, unprotected results, technical failures, lack of standardization, digital divide, interpretation problems, outdated tests, copyright violations, administrator qualifications, and hidden…

A Phenomenographic Investigation of the Ways Engineering Students Experience Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fila, Nicholas David

Innovation has become an important phenomenon in engineering and engineering education. By developing novel, feasible, viable, and valued solutions to complex technical and human problems, engineers support the economic competitiveness of organizations, make a difference in the lives of users and other stakeholders, drive societal and scientific progress, and obtain key personal benefits. Innovation is also a complex phenomenon. It occurs across a variety of contexts and domains, encompasses numerous phases and activities, and requires unique competency profiles. Despite this complexity, many studies in engineering education focus on specific aspects (e.g., engineering students' abilities to generate original concepts during idea generation), and we still know little about the variety of ways engineering students approach and understand innovation. This study addresses that gap by asking: 1. What are the qualitatively different ways engineering students experience innovation during their engineering projects? 2. What are the structural relationships between the ways engineering students experience innovation? This study utilized phenomenography, a qualitative research method, to explore the above research questions. Thirty-three engineering students were recruited to ensure thorough coverage along four factors suggested by the literature to support differences related to innovation: engineering project experience, academic major, year in school, and gender. Each participant completed a 1-2 hour, semi-structured interview that focused on experiences with and conceptions of innovation. Whole transcripts were analyzed using an eight-stage, iterative, and comparative approach meant to identify a limited number of categories of description (composite ways of experiencing innovation comprised of the experiences of several participants), and the structural relationships between these categories. Phenomenographic analysis revealed eight categories of description that were structured in a semi-hierarchical, two-dimensional outcome space. The first four categories demonstrated a progression toward greater comprehensiveness in both process and focus dimensions. In the process dimension, subsequent categories added increasingly preliminary innovation phases: idea realization, idea generation, problem scoping, and problem finding. In the focus dimension, subsequent categories added key areas engineers considered during innovation: technical, human, and enterprise. The final four categories each incorporated all previous process phases and focus areas, but prioritized different focus areas in sophisticated ways and acknowledged a macro-iterative cycle, i.e., an understanding of how the processes within a single innovation project built upon and contributed to past and future innovation projects. These results demonstrate important differences between engineering students and suggest how they may come to experience innovation in increasingly comprehensive ways. A framework based on the results can be used by educators and researchers to support more robust educational offerings and nuanced research designs that reflect these differences.

Crowdsourcing for Challenging Technical Problems - It Works!

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Jeffrey R.

2011-01-01

The NASA Johnson Space Center Space Life Sciences Directorate (SLSD) and Wyle Integrated Science and Engineering (Wyle) will conduct a one-day business cluster at the 62nd IAC so that IAC attendees will understand the benefits of open innovation (crowdsourcing), review successful results of conducting technical challenges in various open innovation projects, and learn how an organization can effectively deploy these new problem solving tools to innovate more efficiently and effectively. Results from both the SLSD open innovation pilot program and the open innovation workshop conducted by the NASA Human Health and Performance Center will be discussed. NHHPC members will be recruited to participate in the business cluster (see membership http://nhhpc.nasa.gov) and as IAF members. Crowdsourcing may be defined as the act of outsourcing tasks that are traditionally performed by an employee or contractor to an undefined, generally large group of people or community (a crowd) in the form of an open call. The open call may be issued by the organization wishing to find a solution to a particular problem or complete a task, or by an open innovation service provider on behalf of that organization. In 2008, the SLSD, with the support of Wyle, established and implemented pilot projects in open innovation (crowdsourcing) to determine if these new internet-based platforms could indeed find solutions to difficult technical challenges. These unsolved technical problems were converted to problem statements, called Challenges by some open innovation service providers, and were then posted externally to seek solutions to these problems. In addition, an open call was issued internally to NASA employees Agency wide (11 Field Centers and NASA HQ) using an open innovation service provider crowdsourcing platform to post NASA challenges from each Center for the others to propose solutions). From 2008 to 2010, the SLSD issued 34 challenges, 14 externally and 20 internally. The 14 external problems or challenges were posted through three different vendors: InnoCentive, yet2.com and TopCoder. The 20 internal challenges were conducted using the InnoCentive crowdsourcing platform designed for use internal to an organization and customized for NASA use, and promoted as NASA@Work. The results were significant. Of the seven InnoCentive external challenges, two full and five partial awards were made in complex technical areas such as predicting solar flares and long-duration food packaging.

Psychosocial dimensions of solving an indoor air problem.

PubMed

Lahtinen, Marjaana; Huuhtanen, Pekka; Kähkönen, Erkki; Reijula, Kari

2002-03-01

This investigation focuses on the psychological and social dimensions of managing and solving indoor air problems. The data were collected in nine workplaces by interviews (n = 85) and questionnaires (n = 375). Indoor air problems in office environments have traditionally utilized industrial hygiene or technical expertise. However, indoor air problems at workplaces are often more complex issues to solve. Technical questions are inter-related with the dynamics of the work community, and the cooperation and interaction skills of the parties involved in the solving process are also put to the test. In the present study, the interviewees were very critical of the process of solving the indoor air problem. The responsibility for coordinating the problem-managing process was generally considered vague, as were the roles and functions of the various parties. Communication problems occurred and rumors about the indoor air problem circulated widely. Conflicts were common, complicating the process in several ways. The research focused on examining different ways of managing and resolving an indoor air problem. In addition, reference material on the causal factors of the indoor air problem was also acquired. The study supported the hypothesis that psychosocial factors play a significant role in indoor air problems.

REIMR - A Process for Utilizing Liquid Rocket Propulsion-Oriented 'Lessons Learned' to Mitigate Development Risk in Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, RIchard O.

2006-01-01

This paper is a summary overview of a study conducted at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA MSFC) during the initial phases of the Space Launch Initiative (SLI) program to evaluate a large number of technical problems associated with the design, development, test, evaluation and operation of several major liquid propellant rocket engine systems (i.e., SSME, Fastrac, J-2, F-1). One of the primary results of this study was the identification of the Fundamental Root Causes that enabled the technical problems to manifest, and practices that can be implemented to prevent them from recurring in future propulsion system development efforts, such as that which is currently envisioned in the field of nuclear thermal propulsion (NTF). This paper will discuss the Fundamental Root Causes, cite some examples of how the technical problems arose from them, and provide a discussion of how they can be mitigated or avoided in the development of an NTP system

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical devices: a complex environment and multifaceted problem

PubMed Central

Williams, Patricia AH; Woodward, Andrew J

2015-01-01

The increased connectivity to existing computer networks has exposed medical devices to cybersecurity vulnerabilities from which they were previously shielded. For the prevention of cybersecurity incidents, it is important to recognize the complexity of the operational environment as well as to catalog the technical vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity protection is not just a technical issue; it is a richer and more intricate problem to solve. A review of the factors that contribute to such a potentially insecure environment, together with the identification of the vulnerabilities, is important for understanding why these vulnerabilities persist and what the solution space should look like. This multifaceted problem must be viewed from a systemic perspective if adequate protection is to be put in place and patient safety concerns addressed. This requires technical controls, governance, resilience measures, consolidated reporting, context expertise, regulation, and standards. It is evident that a coordinated, proactive approach to address this complex challenge is essential. In the interim, patient safety is under threat. PMID:26229513

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical devices: a complex environment and multifaceted problem.

PubMed

Williams, Patricia Ah; Woodward, Andrew J

2015-01-01

The increased connectivity to existing computer networks has exposed medical devices to cybersecurity vulnerabilities from which they were previously shielded. For the prevention of cybersecurity incidents, it is important to recognize the complexity of the operational environment as well as to catalog the technical vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity protection is not just a technical issue; it is a richer and more intricate problem to solve. A review of the factors that contribute to such a potentially insecure environment, together with the identification of the vulnerabilities, is important for understanding why these vulnerabilities persist and what the solution space should look like. This multifaceted problem must be viewed from a systemic perspective if adequate protection is to be put in place and patient safety concerns addressed. This requires technical controls, governance, resilience measures, consolidated reporting, context expertise, regulation, and standards. It is evident that a coordinated, proactive approach to address this complex challenge is essential. In the interim, patient safety is under threat.

Perceptions on TRIST: Implications for INSET.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Murray

1987-01-01

The article explores strategic responses of key participants to the design and implementation of inservice education related to a technical and vocational education initiative developed in England and Wales. Data collected from interviews with the participants are used to discuss their aims, their roles as key informants, and methodological stance…

The Key Technologies. Some Implications for Education and Training. An Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansell, Jack; And Others

National competitiveness depends in large part on the practical application of technologies. Educational planners must, therefore, identify key (newly emerging) topics in science and engineering that are likely to have a major evolutionary effect on industry and incorporate these areas into existing vocational and technical curricula. Because…

Hydraulic Fracturing and Drinking Water Resources: Update on EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study

EPA Science Inventory

Natural gas plays a key role in our nation's energy future and the process known as hydraulic fracturing (HF) is one way of accessing that resource. Over the past few years, several key technical, economic, and energy developments have spurred increased use of HF for gas extracti...

Precision Machining. FasTrak Specialization Integrated Technical and Academic Competency (ITAC). 2002 Revision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Career-Technical and Adult Education.

This publication provided the competencies and key indicators for a program that enables students to prepare for a number of occupations within the broader metalworking industry. Specializations include machinist, computer numerical control programmers, and maintenance and machine builders. Competencies and the related key indicators are presented…

Problems of systems dataware using optoelectronic measuring means of linear displacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazykin, S. N.; Bazykina, N. A.; Samohina, K. S.

2017-10-01

Problems of the dataware of the systems with the use of optoelectronic means of the linear displacement are considered in the article. The classification of the known physical effects, realized by the means of information-measuring systems, is given. The organized analysis of information flows in technical systems from the standpoint of determination of inaccuracies of measurement and management was conducted. In spite of achieved successes in automation of machine-building and instruments-building equipment in the field of dataware of the technical systems, there are unresolved problems, concerning the qualitative aspect of the production process. It was shown that the given problem can be solved using optoelectronic lazer information-measuring systems. Such information-measuring systems are capable of not only executing the measuring functions, but also solving the problems of management and control during processing, thereby guaranteeing the quality of final products.

Symmetric Key Services Markup Language (SKSML)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, Arshad

Symmetric Key Services Markup Language (SKSML) is the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) being standardized by the OASIS Enterprise Key Management Infrastructure Technical Committee for requesting and receiving symmetric encryption cryptographic keys within a Symmetric Key Management System (SKMS). This protocol is designed to be used between clients and servers within an Enterprise Key Management Infrastructure (EKMI) to secure data, independent of the application and platform. Building on many security standards such as XML Signature, XML Encryption, Web Services Security and PKI, SKSML provides standards-based capability to allow any application to use symmetric encryption keys, while maintaining centralized control. This article describes the SKSML protocol and its capabilities.

Problem? "No Problem!" Solving Technical Contradictions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutz, K. Scott; Stefan, Victor

2007-01-01

TRIZ (pronounced TREES), the Russian acronym for the theory of inventive problem solving, enables a person to focus his attention on finding genuine, potential solutions in contrast to searching for ideas that "may" work through a happenstance way. It is a patent database-backed methodology that helps to reduce time spent on the problem,…

Independence Pending: Teacher Behaviors Preceding Learner Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roesler, Rebecca A.

2017-01-01

The purposes of the present study were to identify the teacher behaviors that preceded learners' active participation in solving musical and technical problems and describe learners' roles in the problem-solving process. I applied an original model of problem solving to describe the behaviors of teachers and students in 161 rehearsal frames…

Coordinating Council. Sixth Meeting: Who Are Our Key Users?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This NASA Scientific and Technical Information Program Coordinating Council meeting deals with the topic 'Who are our key users?' Presentations were made on the following subtopics: Key users: Who uses the system the most, Who orders the most documents, Users: What do we know about them?, NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion research project on 'Potential key users', How we meet the user's needs, and STI Council user requirements update. Summaries of discussions after the presentations are included along with visuals for the presentations.

Open Source in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakhan, Shaheen E.; Jhunjhunwala, Kavita

2008-01-01

Educational institutions have rushed to put their academic resources and services online, beginning the global community onto a common platform and awakening the interest of investors. Despite continuing technical challenges, online education shows great promise. Open source software offers one approach to addressing the technical problems in…

Technician Education Yearbook 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prakken Publications, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI.

This yearbook deals with technician education. Included in a section on new issues, problems, and proposals for technician education are the following papers: "High Technology Challenges the Vocational-Technical Curriculum," by Walter J. Brooking; "Assessment of Technical Competency," by Gordon C. McMahon; "Industry and Education Cooperation…

Successful implementation of a wellness and tobacco cessation curriculum in psychosocial rehabilitation clubhouses

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Tobacco remains a seemingly intractable problem for individuals living with severe and persistent mental illness. This study evaluated the implementation, technical assistance, and perceived impact of a model curriculum ("Learning About Healthy Living") to promote wellness and motivation to quit tobacco use in psychosocial rehabilitation clubhouses. Methods We used semi-structured interviews (n = 9) with clubhouse staff (n = 12) and a survey of participating clubhouse members (n = 271) in nine clubhouses. Results Fifty-eight percent of clubhouse participants completed surveys. Results showed tobacco users open to tobacco-free policies (62%) and perceiving more discussions about quitting tobacco with healthcare providers (69%). Analyses of staff interviews and member surveys revealed four key themes: (1) the curriculum was successfully implemented and appreciated; (2) technical assistance kept implementation on track; (3) adding wellness content and interactive components should enhance the curriculum; and, (4) the curriculum advanced other healthful policies and practices. Conclusions Mental health settings are important locations for implementing programs to address tobacco use. In this real-world implementation of a model curriculum in psychosocial rehabilitation clubhouses, the curriculum tested well, was feasible and well-received, and suggests potential impact on tobacco use outcomes. Revision, dissemination, and a randomized controlled trial evaluation of the model curriculum should now occur. PMID:21917179

ISS Solar Array Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) Bearing Failure and Recovery: Technical and Project Management Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DellaCorte, Christopher; Krantz, Timothy L.; Dube, Michael J.

2011-01-01

The photovoltaic solar panels on the International Space Station (ISS) track the Sun through continuous rotating motion enabled by large bearings on the main truss called solar array alpha rotary joints (SARJs). In late 2007, shortly after installation, the starboard SARJ had become hard to turn and had to be shut down after exceeding drive current safety limits. The port SARJ, of the same design, had been working well for over 2 years. An exhaustive failure investigation ensued that included multiple extravehicular activities to collect information and samples for engineering forensics, detailed structural and thermal analyses, and a careful review of the build records. The ultimate root cause was determined to be kinematic design vulnerability coupled with inadequate lubrication, and manufacturing flaws; this was corroborated through ground tests, metallurgical studies, and modeling. A highly successful recovery plan was developed and implemented that included replacing worn and damaged components in orbit and applying space-compatible grease to improve lubrication. Beyond the technical aspects, however, lie several key programmatic lessons learned. These lessons, such as running ground tests to intentional failure to experimentally verify failure modes, are reviewed and discussed so they can be applied to future projects to avoid such problems.

Manpower for the coal mining industry: an assessment of adequacy through the year 2000. Volume II. Technical approach. Final technical report. [USA; forecasting

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

Mendis, M.S.; Rosenberg, J.I.; Medville, D.M.

1980-03-01

This report presents a summary of the analytical approach taken and the conclusions reached in an assessment of the supply and demand for manpower in the coal mining industry through the year 2000. A hybrid system dynamics/econometric model of the coal mining industry was developed which incorporates relationships between technological change, labor productivity, production costs, wages, graduation rates, and other key variables in estimating imbalances between labor supply and demand. Study results indicate that while the supply of production workers is expected to be sufficient under most future demand scenarios, periodic shortages of experienced workers, especially in the Northern Greatmore » Plains can be expected. Other study findings are that the supply of mining engineers will be sufficient under all but the highest coal demand scenario, a shortage of faculty will affect the supply of mining engineers in the near-term and the employment of mining technicians is expected to exhibit the largest increase in any labor category studied. In this volume the nature of the coal mining manpower problem is discussed, a detailed description of that analysis conducted and the sources of data used is provided, and the findings of the study are presented.« less

Changes in dive profiles as an indicator of feeding success in king and Adélie penguins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bost, C. A.; Handrich, Y.; Butler, P. J.; Fahlman, A.; Halsey, L. G.; Woakes, A. J.; Ropert-Coudert, Y.

2007-02-01

Determining when and how deep avian divers feed remains a challenge despite technical advances. Systems that record oesophageal temperature are able to determine rate of prey ingestion with a high level of accuracy but technical problems still remain to be solved. Here we examine the validity of using changes in depth profiles to infer feeding activity in free-ranging penguins, as more accessible proxies of their feeding success. We used oesophageal temperature loggers with fast temperature sensors, deployed in tandem with time-depth recorders, on king and Adélie penguins. In the king penguin, a high correspondence was found between the number of ingestions recorded per dive and the number of wiggles during the bottom and the ascent part of the dives. In the Adélie penguins, which feed on smaller prey, the number of large temperature drops was linearly related to the number of undulations per dive. The analysis of change in depth profiles from high-resolution time-depth recorders can provide key information to enhance the study of feeding rate and foraging success of these predators. Such potential is especially relevant in the context of using Southern marine top predators to study change in availability of marine resources.

Multiple-objective evaluation of wastewater treatment plant control alternatives.

PubMed

Flores-Alsina, Xavier; Gallego, Alejandro; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Rodriguez-Roda, Ignasi

2010-05-01

Besides the evaluation of the environmental issues, the correct assessment of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) should take into account several objectives such as: economic e.g. operation costs; technical e.g. risk of suffering microbiology-related TSS separation problems; or legal e.g. accomplishment with the effluent standards in terms of the different pollution loads. For this reason, the main objective of this paper is to show the benefits of complementing the environmental assessment carried out by life cycle assessment with economical, technical and legal criteria. Using a preliminary version of the BSM2 as a case study, different combinations of controllers are implemented, simulated and evaluated. In the following step, the resulting multi-criteria matrix is mined using multivariate statistical techniques. The results showed that the presence of an external carbon source addition, the type of aeration system and the TSS controller are the key elements creating the differences amongst the alternatives. Also, it was possible to characterize the different control strategies according to a set of aggregated criteria. Additionally, the existing synergies amongst different objectives and their consequent trade-offs were identified. Finally, it was discovered that from the initial extensive list of evaluation criteria, only a small set of five are really discriminant, being useful to differentiate within the generated alternatives. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent Progress in Advanced Nanobiological Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications

PubMed Central

Choi, Hyo-Jick; Montemagno, Carlo D.

2013-01-01

In this review, we briefly introduce our efforts to reconstruct cellular life processes by mimicking natural systems and the applications of these systems to energy and environmental problems. Functional units of in vitro cellular life processes are based on the fabrication of artificial organelles using protein-incorporated polymersomes and the creation of bioreactors. This concept of an artificial organelle originates from the first synthesis of poly(siloxane)-poly(alkyloxazoline) block copolymers three decades ago and the first demonstration of protein activity in the polymer membrane a decade ago. The increased value of biomimetic polymers results from many research efforts to find new applications such as functionally active membranes and a biochemical-producing polymersome. At the same time, foam research has advanced to the point that biomolecules can be efficiently produced in the aqueous channels of foam. Ongoing research includes replication of complex biological processes, such as an artificial Calvin cycle for application in biofuel and specialty chemical production, and carbon dioxide sequestration. We believe that the development of optimally designed biomimetic polymers and stable/biocompatible bioreactors would contribute to the realization of the benefits of biomimetic systems. Thus, this paper seeks to review previous research efforts, examine current knowledge/key technical parameters, and identify technical challenges ahead. PMID:28788424

The physics of life: one molecule at a time

PubMed Central

Leake, Mark C.

2013-01-01

The esteemed physicist Erwin Schrödinger, whose name is associated with the most notorious equation of quantum mechanics, also wrote a brief essay entitled ‘What is Life?’, asking: ‘How can the events in space and time which take place within the spatial boundary of a living organism be accounted for by physics and chemistry?’ The 60+ years following this seminal work have seen enormous developments in our understanding of biology on the molecular scale, with physics playing a key role in solving many central problems through the development and application of new physical science techniques, biophysical analysis and rigorous intellectual insight. The early days of single-molecule biophysics research was centred around molecular motors and biopolymers, largely divorced from a real physiological context. The new generation of single-molecule bioscience investigations has much greater scope, involving robust methods for understanding molecular-level details of the most fundamental biological processes in far more realistic, and technically challenging, physiological contexts, emerging into a new field of ‘single-molecule cellular biophysics’. Here, I outline how this new field has evolved, discuss the key active areas of current research and speculate on where this may all lead in the near future. PMID:23267186

A Wideband Satcom Based Avionics Network with CDMA Uplink and TDM Downlink

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agrawal, D.; Johnson, B. S.; Madhow, U.; Ramchandran, K.; Chun, K. S.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe some key technical ideas behind our vision of a future satcom based digital communication network for avionics applications The key features of our design are as follows: (a) Packetized transmission to permit efficient use of system resources for multimedia traffic; (b) A time division multiplexed (TDM) satellite downlink whose physical layer is designed to operate the satellite link at maximum power efficiency. We show how powerful turbo codes (invented originally for linear modulation) can be used with nonlinear constant envelope modulation, thus permitting the satellite amplifier to operate in a power efficient nonlinear regime; (c) A code division multiple access (CDMA) satellite uplink, which permits efficient access to the satellite from multiple asynchronous users. Closed loop power control is difficult for bursty packetized traffic, especially given the large round trip delay to the satellite. We show how adaptive interference suppression techniques can be used to deal with the ensuing near-far problem; (d) Joint source-channel coding techniques are required both at the physical and the data transport layer to optimize the end-to-end performance. We describe a novel approach to multiple description image encoding at the data transport layer in this paper.

Extending the life-cycle of reverse osmosis membranes: A review.

PubMed

Coutinho de Paula, Eduardo; Amaral, Míriam Cristina Santos

2017-05-01

The reverse osmosis (RO) technology for desalination and demineralization serves the global water crisis context, both technically and economically, and its market is growing. However, RO membranes have a limited life-cycle and are often disposed of in landfills. The impacts caused by the disposal of thousands of tonnes per annum of RO membranes have grown dramatically around the world. Waste prevention should have a high priority and take effect before the end-of-life phase of a product is reached. In this review, a summary is presented of the main advances in the performance of the RO technology and the membrane lifespan. Afterwards, this paper reviews the most important relevant literature and summarizes the key findings of the research on reusing and recycling the discarded modules for the purpose of extending the life-cycle of the RO membranes. In addtion, there are some recent researches that indicated recycling RO membranes for use by the microfiltration or ultrafiltration separation processes is a promising solution to the disposal problem. However, there are many gaps and differences in procedures and results. This article also discusses and brings to light key parameters involved and controversies about oxidative treatment of discarded RO membranes.

A Roadmap of Innovative Nuclear Energy System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekimoto, Hiroshi

2017-01-01

Nuclear is a dense energy without CO2 emission. It can be used for more than 100,000 years using fast breeder reactors with uranium from the sea. However, it raises difficult problems associated with severe accidents, spent fuel waste and nuclear threats, which should be solved with acceptable costs. Some innovative reactors have attracted interest, and many designs have been proposed for small reactors. These reactors are considered much safer than conventional large reactors and have fewer technical obstructions. Breed-and-burn reactors have high potential to solve all inherent problems for peaceful use of nuclear energy. However, they have some technical problems with materials. A roadmap for innovative reactors is presented herein.

Leading with Purpose and Passion: Keys to Effective Leadership in Career and Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lacroix, Steve L.

2012-01-01

Effective leaders in career and technical education (CTE) are not just visionaries. They are educational leaders who understand the mission clearly, can articulate the vision of the school, and will also do whatever it takes to accomplish and carry out that mission. They know their purpose and the reason for their assignment. These leaders are not…

Trends in Articulation Arrangements for Technical and Vocational Education in the South East Asian Region.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haas, Adrian R.

Trends in articulation arrangements for technical and vocational education (TVE) in the South East Asia region were studied. A key feature of articulation is the existence of pathways that allow graduates of one course of study to progress to other courses. Effective articulation opens up advancement for individuals and helps to create a flexible…

Validity of GRE General Test Scores and TOEFL Scores for Graduate Admission to a Technical University in Western Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmermann, Judith; von Davier, Alina A.; Buhmann, Joachim M.; Heinimann, Hans R.

2018-01-01

Graduate admission has become a critical process in tertiary education, whereby selecting valid admissions instruments is key. This study assessed the validity of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores for admission to Master's programmes at a technical university in Europe. We investigated the indicative value of GRE scores for the…

Toward the Development of a Program Quality Framework for Career and Technical Education Programs: A Researcher-Practitioner Collaborative Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodersen, R. Marc; Yanoski, David; Hyslop, Alisha; Imperatore, Catherine

2016-01-01

Career and technical education (CTE) programs of study are subject to rigorous state and federal accountability systems that provide information on key student outcomes. However, while these outcome measures can form a basis for identifying high- and low-performing programs, they are insufficient for answering underlying questions about how or why…

Skills for the 21st Century: A Report for the Maine Technical College System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gildart, Kevin; Healy, Bridget

The Skills Commission for the 21st Century was established by the Maine Technical College System Board of Trustees to determine the critical complementary skills necessary for success in the workplace of the 1990s. This report presents the Commission's findings based on input from employers and other key groups in the state. Following introductory…

[White House Conference on Aging, 1981. Research in Aging. Report and Executive Summary of the Technical Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birren, James E.; And Others

This Technical Committee Report provides an overview and historical sketch of research in aging and proposes a need for new knowledge. An examination of key issues notes the difficulty in assigning priority to research topics, and identifies emerging issues of public concern including: (1) physical health (alcohol and drugs, falls and accidents,…

75 FR 35800 - Draft EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

... FR 28610). Written comments on the draft report were to be submitted to EPA by August 19, 2010 (a 90... review. The SAB will convene an expert panel composed of scientists knowledgeable about technical issues... for their consideration. Members of the public who wish to ensure that their technical comments are...

Strategy-Based Technical Instruction: Development and Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

scripts dependant on target tasks and the outcomes desired, and to the use of node-link knowledge maps as communications props. In addition, we have...information "on the job" - communicate with others in the task environment; - monitor, diagnose, and correct problems associated with critical tasks... communicated . Technical Training Goals The individual in a technical training scenario is expected to achieve a wide variety of goals. These goals can

Development of noise emission measurement specifications for color printing multifunctional devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimizuka, Ikuo

2005-09-01

Color printing (including copying) is becoming more popular application in home, as well as in offices. Existing de jule and/or industrial standards (such as ISO 7779, ECMA-74, ANSI S12.10 series, etc.), however, state only monochrome patterns, which are mainly intended for acoustic noise testing of mechanical impact type printers. This paper discusses the key issues and corresponding resolutions for development of color printing patterns for acoustic noise measurements. The results of these technical works will be published by JBMS-74 (new industry standard of JBMIA within 2005), and hopefully be the technical basis of updating other standards mentioned above. This paper also shows the development processes and key features of proposed patterns.

The impact of age on the art of mammography and how to adapt accordingly.

PubMed

Lake, B; Cielecki, L; Williams, S; Worrall, C; Metelko, M

2017-11-01

Breast cancer is increasingly a disease of the elderly, and combined with the NHS Breast Screening Extension means that more elderly patients are having mammography. Increasing age can make mammography more technically difficult. This is a technical note detailing the results of a local audit which may be of interest due to potential service implications. A retrospective audit of the first year of screening extension of The Shropshire Breast Screening Programme. Aims to collect data on patient demographics and describe the technical adaptations developed in Shropshire. Breast screening extension has increased by 2.5 times the number of women aged 70-74 screened, and doubled the overall numbers of women over 70 screened. Significantly more older patients are being screened to present technical challenges to a screening programme. Data was obtained from a month of screening showed that 29% of patients over 70 needed extra time for positioning. Reasons included 22% difficulty in obtaining adequate positioning and 15% needed a relative to aid with consent. In the Shropshire screening programme different technical adaptations have been developed and are key to ensuring adequate images. These include double appointments, two radiographers, thorough assessment, steeper angles, seated examinations, from-below imaging and pre-planning for subsequent screen. Significantly more older women are having breast screening due to the increasing incidence of breast cancer and the Breast Screening Programme extension. Increasing age can significantly increase time taken for adequate imaging and present technical challenges. Development of technical adaptations to art of mammography is key to achieve adequate images. Copyright © 2017 The College of Radiographers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on the integration of layered water injection technology and subdivision adjustment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yancui

2018-06-01

With oil many infillings, thin and poor reservoir exploitation changes gradually to low permeability, thin and poor reservoir development characteristics of multiple layers thickness, low permeability, in the actual development process, the General Department of oil layers of encryption perforation long thin and poor mining, interlayer contradiction more prominent, by conventional layered water injection that can alleviate the contradiction between layers to a certain extent, by the injection interval and other factors can not fundamentally solve the problem, leading to the potential well area key strata or layers is difficult to determine, the layering test and slicing technology is difficult to adapt to the need of tap water control block. This paper through numerical simulation using the conceptual model and the actual block, it has a great influence on the low permeability reservoir of different stratified water permeability combination of permeability technology and application limits, profit and loss balance principle, low oil prices on the lower series of subdivision technical and economic limit, so the reservoir subdivision reorganization, narrow wells mining, reduce the interference between layers, from the maximum fundamental improvement of layered water injection efficiency. At the same time, in order to meet the needs of reservoir subdivision adjustment, subdividing distance with water, a small interlayer wells subdivision technology for further research in the pickup, solved using two ordinary bridge eccentric water regulator with injection of two layers, by throwing exercise distance limit card from the larger problem, the water distribution card size from 7.0m to 1.0m, and the testing efficiency is improved, and provide technical support for further subdivision water injection wells.

School feeding, moving from practice to policy: reflections on building sustainable monitoring and evaluation systems.

PubMed

Gelli, Aulo; Espejo, Francisco

2013-06-01

To provide an overview of the status of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of school feeding across sub-Saharan Africa and to reflect on the experience on strengthening M&E systems to influence policy making in low-income countries. Literature review on the M&E of school feeding programmes as well as data from World Food Programme surveys. Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries implementing school feeding. Only two randomized controlled impact evaluations have been implemented in sub-Saharan Africa. Where M&E data collection is underway, the focus is on process and service delivery and not on child outcomes. M&E systems generally operate under the Ministry of Education, with other Ministries represented within technical steering groups supporting implementation. There is no internationally accepted standardized framework for the M&E of school feeding. There have been examples where evidence of programme performance has influenced policy: considering the popularity of school feeding these cases though are anecdotal, highlighting the opportunity for systemic changes. There is strong buy-in on school feeding from governments in sub-Saharan Africa. In response to this demand, development partners have been harmonizing their support to strengthen national programmes, with a focus on M&E. However, policy processes are complex and can be influenced by a number of factors. A comprehensive but simple approach is needed where the first step is to ensure a valid mandate to intervene, legitimizing the interaction with key stakeholders, involving them in the problem definition and problem solving. This process has been facilitated through the provision of technical assistance and exposure to successful experiences through South–South cooperation and knowledge exchange.

Healthy Municipios in Latin America.

PubMed

Restrepo, H E; Llanos, G; Contreras, A; Rocabado, F; Gross, S; Suárez, J; González, J

1995-09-01

This article describes the Healthy Municipios movement in Latin America and gives examples of some PAHO projects that could become demonstration projects. The Healthy Municipios movement was established in the early 1990s. The movement aims to promote healthy municipalities according to objectives set forth in the 1987 Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion, the 1992 Declaration of Bogota, and the 1993 Caribbean Health Promotion Charter. The movement is a joint effort of government, the health sector, and the community in promoting health locally. Key features of the movement are its creativity, variety, political strength, and adaptation to local conditions. Technical cooperation serves the purpose of facilitating information exchange and promotes the use of modern techniques of analysis and scientific and technical information. All projects shared the following common features: initiation by the local community with strong political commitment, intersectoral organizational structure, widespread community mobilization and participation, problem solving activities, and a recognizable leader. Pioneering projects include the Comprehensive Project for Cienfuegos, Cuba; the Health Manizales, Colombia; the Network in Mexico; Baruta and El Hatillo, Venezuela; Valdivia, Chile; and San Carlos Canton, Costa Rica. It is concluded that these projects and most others aim to assure equity. These efforts are important for placing health on the political agenda and implementing healthy policies. The Valdivia project, for example, serves a population of about 120,000 in the urban city of Valdivia, the semi-urban area, and rural areas. The project was officially sanctioned by the President of Chile on World Health Day in 1993. Progress was reported in mass communication and school-based programs. Attention was directed also to prevention of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and to the problem of traffic accidents.

[NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 1:] The value of Scientific and Technical Information (STI), its relationship to Research and Development (R&D), and its use by US aerospace engineers and scientists

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Glassman, Myron; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Oliu, Walter E.

1990-01-01

The relationship between scientific and technical information (STI), its use by aerospace engineers and scientists, and the aerospace R&D process is examined. Data are presented from studies of the role of STI in the performance and management of R&D activities and the behavior of engineers when using and seeking information. Consideration is given to the information sources used to solve technical problems, the production and use of technical communications, and the use of libraries, technical information centers, and on-line data bases.

Iridium: failures & successes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen, CarissaBryce; Beard, Suzette

2001-03-01

This paper will provide an overview of the Iridium business venture in terms of the challenges faced, the successes achieved, and the causes of the ultimate failure of the venture — bankruptcy and system de-orbit. The paper will address technical, business, and policy issues. The intent of the paper is to provide a balanced and accurate overview of the Iridium experience, to aid future decision-making by policy makers, the business community, and technical experts. Key topics will include the history of the program, the objectives and decision-making of Motorola, the market research and analysis conducted, partnering strategies and their impact, consumer equipment availability, and technical issues — target performance, performance achieved, technical accomplishments, and expected and unexpected technical challenges. The paper will use as sources trade media and business articles on the Iridium program, technical papers and conference presentations, Wall Street analyst's reports, and, where possible, interviews with participants and close observers.

A technical report on structural evaluation of the Meade County reinforced concrete bridge.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

This is a technical report on the first phase of the evaluation of the Meade County reinforced concrete bridge. : The first three chapters introduce the main problem and provide a general review of the existing evaluation : methods and the procedures...

Policy content and stakeholder network analysis for infant and young child feeding in Nepal.

PubMed

Karn, Sumit; Devkota, Madhu Dixit; Uddin, Shahadat; Thow, Anne Marie

2017-06-13

Despite concerted effort from government and partners, Nepal continues to have a high burden of under nutrition among children. Identifying opportunities to strengthen policy support for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is a key component to improve child survival, growth and development. This study aims to explore policy support for IYCF and to identify the influential stakeholders for IYCF for effective future policy development and programmatic action. Policies relevant to IYCF were identified through web searches and direct approaches to relevant government ministries. Policy content was analysed based on four key domains focussed on mothers, using a qualitative synthesis approach. Three group interviews were conducted using the participatory tool "Net-Map", to identify the influential stakeholders in IYCF policy and programming processes. Twenty-six relevant policy documents were analysed for content relating to IYCF. General support for IYCF was found in most of the development plans and high-level health sector policies. Most implementation level documents included support for provision of correct information to mothers. Capacity building of frontline workers for IYCN and system strengthening were well supported through sectoral plans and policies. However, gaps were identified regarding maternity protection, support for monitoring and evaluation, and translation of high-level policy directives into implementation level guidelines, resulting in a lack of clarity over roles and responsibilities. Both government and non-governmental stakeholders, particularly donors, emerged as influential drivers of IYCF policy decisions in Nepal, through technical assistance and funding. The Nutrition Technical Committee under the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, Suaahara, USAID and WHO were identified as key actors providing technical assistance. Key funding agencies were identified as UNICEF and USAID. This study reveals strong policy support for key dimensions of IYCF, supported by a highly networked stakeholder environment. Opportunities to further strengthen IYCF policy in Nepal include: further support for training of frontline workers and complementary feeding interventions; extending maternity leave provisions; and clarifying roles and responsibilities of actors, particularly non-governmental actors. Engaging technical and funding agencies and developing partnerships with other relevant actors will be crucial for ensuring effective policy translates into effective practice.

Technical aspects of CT imaging of the spine.

PubMed

Tins, Bernhard

2010-11-01

This review article discusses technical aspects of computed tomography (CT) imaging of the spine. Patient positioning, and its influence on image quality and movement artefact, is discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the choice of scan parameters and their relation to image quality and radiation burden to the patient. Strategies to reduce radiation burden and artefact from metal implants are outlined. Data acquisition, processing, image display and steps to reduce artefact are reviewed. CT imaging of the spine is put into context with other imaging modalities for specific clinical indications or problems. This review aims to review underlying principles for image acquisition and to provide a rough guide for clinical problems without being prescriptive. Individual practice will always vary and reflect differences in local experience, technical provisions and clinical requirements.

Analysis for water conflicts in a changing world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lund, J. R.

2012-12-01

Like any subject which involves billions of dollars and thousands or millions of people, managing water involves serious conflicts among contending objectives and interest groups. These conflicts usually spill into the technical and scientific analysis of water resources problems and potential solutions. A favorable or unfavorable analytical outcome can be worth millions or cost millions to a stakeholder, so they have a self-interested duty to contend. This talk examines ideas for conducting analysis to improve the technical and scientific quality of public and policy discussions of controversial water problems. More than just solid technical work is needed. Investigators must organize, disseminate, and communicate their work effectively and attentively. Research must often be designed to be effective in informing policy discussions. Several sometimes conflicting strategies are available for this.

Mode Selection Techniques in Variable Mass Flexible Body Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quiocho, Leslie J.; Ghosh, Tushar K.; Frenkel, David; Huynh, An

2010-01-01

In developing a flexible body spacecraft simulation for the Launch Abort System of the Orion vehicle, when a rapid mass depletion takes place, the dynamics problem with time varying eigenmodes had to be addressed. Three different techniques were implemented, with different trade-offs made between performance and fidelity. A number of technical issues had to be solved in the process. This paper covers the background of the variable mass flexibility problem, the three approaches to simulating it, and the technical issues that were solved in formulating and implementing them.

The American Experience in the Transition from Vocational Schools to Work: A Report to the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. International Symposium on Problems of Transition from Technical and Vocational Schools to Work (Berlin, German Democratic Republic, 14-18 April, 1980).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunham, Daniel B.

This paper discusses the central problems and issues of the transition from school to worklife in the United States. Developed from a framework which outlines the structure of the education system and the place of vocational-technical education within it, the paper addresses measures the United States has taken to facilitate the transition from…

New technology implementation: Technical, economic and political factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, J. W., Jr.; Susman, G. I.; Porter, P. S.

1985-01-01

An analysis is presented of the process of implementing advanced manufacturing technology, based on studies of numerous organizations. This process is seen as consisting of a series of decisions with technical, economic, and political objectives. Frequency decisions involve specifications, equipment, resources/organization, and location. Problems in implementation are viewed as resulting from tradeoffs among the objectives, the tendency of decision makers to emphasize some objectives at the expense of others, and the propensity of problems to spread from one area to another. Three sets of recommendations, based on this analysis, are presented.

Full-arch milled titanium implant bridge: technical report.

PubMed

Peché, Wendy-Ann; Van Vuuren, Ludwig Jansen; Park, Chae

2011-09-01

The manufacturing of full-arch fixed implant-supported bridges with the use of the traditional lost wax technique remains a technical challenge. Distortion of the alloy during casting and subsequent heating cycles during porcelain build-up causes numerous problems. Fracturing of porcelain on large restorations is difficult and costly to restore. The fitting problems can be eliminated by utilising CAD/CAM technology in the manufacturing of long-span or full-arch titanium bridges. Repair of damaged porcelain can be simplified with the use of discrete, individually-removable crowns on the bridge.

Problems in Recording the Electrocardiogram.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, John G.

The unwanted signals that arise in electrocardiography are discussed. A technical background of electrocardiography is given, along with teaching techniques that educate students of medical instrumentation to solve the problems caused by these signals. (MJH)

Counter-Terrorism Contributions from the National Labs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Jay

2002-04-01

The DOD and NNSA laboratories have significant technical capabilities that can contribute to counter-terrorism and homeland security. Maximizing those contributions, however, requires that laboratory staff engage the doctrinal and operational issues of these problems as well. The broader interagency community needs support in these components of the problem as much as in the technical components. The speaker's experiences as director of the DoD Defense Threat Reduction Agency, established in 1998 to address DoD's role in defense against weapons of mass destruction in all venues, have given him a somewhat unique perspective on this problem. Examples of issues identified in scenario play at Cabinet level in the last Admistration will be given to illustrate the breadth of this problem, as will the speaker's assessment of the grand challenges in deterring use of WMD against the Homeland.

Plant Tissue Culture Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Robert Alan

Plant tissue culture has developed into a valid botanical discipline and is considered a key area of biotechnology, but it has not been a key component of the science curriculum because of the expensive and technical nature of research in this area. This manual presents a number of activities that are relatively easy to prepare and perform. The…

Improving SPAWAR PEO C4I Organizational Alignment to Better Enable Enterprise Technical Risk Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

possible. The thesis also utilized organizational alignment literature to include organizational alignment principles in the evaluation. Key principles ...thesis also utilized organizational alignment literature to include organizational alignment principles in the evaluation. Key principles include 1...39 A. CORE PRINCIPLES ...............................................................................39 B. RELATIONSHIP OF CORE PRINCIPLES

Key Stage 3 Pupils' Views about Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkinson, Cathy

2006-01-01

Recent developments in literacy teaching have tended to target the needs of primary, rather than high school pupils and focus on technical, rather than affective aspects of reading. This paper describes a questionnaire-based study undertaken to identify perceptions and views held by Key Stage 3 readers of different ages, genders and abilities.…

Problem Solving in the PISA and TIMSS 2003 Assessments. Technical Report. NCES 2007-049

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dossey, John A.; McCrone, Sharon S.; O'Sullivan, Christine

2006-01-01

In 2003, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) included a special focus on problem-solving. This report reviews the problem-solving aspects of each study in order to compare and contrast the nature of problem solving in each assessment. The report's authors develop…

Alcohol Problems Prevention/Intervention Programs: Guidelines for College Campuses. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harding, Frances M.; Connor, Leslie S.

This manual is designed to respond to the growing interest among colleges in technical assistance for dealing with alcohol-related problems. Part One provides an overview of the dimensions of alcohol related problems and delves into the causes and prevention of alcohol problems. It outlines the Public Health Model approach to dealing with alcohol…

Technical clarity in inter-agency negotiations: Lessons from four hydropower projects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burkardt, Nina; Lamb, Berton Lee; Taylor, Jonathan G.; Waddle, Terry J.

1995-01-01

We investigated the effect of technical clarity on success in multi-party negotiations in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing process. Technical clarity is the shared understanding of dimensions such as the geographic extent of the project, range of flows to be considered, important species and life stages, and variety of water uses considered. The results of four hydropower licensing consultations are reported. Key participants were interviewed to ascertain the level of technical clarity present during the consultations and the degree to which the consultations were successful. Technical clarity appears to be a prerequisite for successful outcomes. Factors that enhance technical clarity include simple project design, new rather than existing projects, precise definition of issues, a sense of urgency to reach agreement, a sense of fairness among participants, and consistency in participation. Negotiators should not neglect the critical pre-negotiation steps of defining technical issues and determining appropriate studies, deciding how to interpret studies, and agreeing on responses to study results.

Good practices in managing work-related indoor air problems: a psychosocial perspective.

PubMed

Lahtinen, Marjaana; Huuhtanen, Pekka; Vähämäki, Kari; Kähkönen, Erkki; Mussalo-Rauhamaa, Helena; Reijula, Kari

2004-07-01

Indoor air problems at workplaces are often exceedingly complex. Technical questions are interrelated with the dynamics of the work community, and the cooperation and interaction skills of the parties involved in the problem solving process are also put to the test. The objective of our study was to analyze the process of managing and solving indoor air problems from a psychosocial perspective. This collective case study was based on data from questionnaires, interviews and various documentary materials. Technical inspections of the buildings and indoor air measurements were also carried out. The following four factors best differentiated successful cases from impeded cases: extensive multiprofessional collaboration and participative action, systematic action and perseverance, investment in information and communication, and process thinking and learning. The study also proposed a theoretical model for the role of the psychosocial work environment in indoor air problems. The expertise related to social and human aspects of problem solving plays a significant role in solving indoor air problems. Failures to properly handle these aspects may lead to resources being wasted and result in a problematic situation becoming stagnant or worse. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Important Non-Technical Skills in Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Lobectomy: Team Perspectives.

PubMed

Gjeraa, Kirsten; Mundt, Anna S; Spanager, Lene; Hansen, Henrik J; Konge, Lars; Petersen, René H; Østergaard, Doris

2017-07-01

Safety in the operating room is dependent on the team's non-technical skills. The importance of non-technical skills appears to be different for minimally invasive surgery as compared with open surgery. The aim of this study was to identify which non-technical skills are perceived by team members to be most important for patient safety, in the setting of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy. This was an explorative, semistructured interview-based study with 21 participants from all four thoracic surgery centers in Denmark that perform VATS lobectomy. Data analysis was deductive, and directed content analysis was used to code the text into the Oxford Non-Technical Skills system for evaluating operating teams' non-technical skills. The most important non-technical skills described by the VATS teams were planning and preparation, situation awareness, problem solving, leadership, risk assessment, and teamwork. These non-technical skills enabled the team to achieve shared mental models, which in turn facilitated their efforts to anticipate next steps. This was viewed as important by the participants as they saw VATS lobectomy as a high-risk procedure with complementary and overlapping scopes of practice between surgical and anesthesia subteams. This study identified six non-technical skills that serve as the foundation for shared mental models of the patient, the current situation, and team resources. These findings contribute three important additions to the shared mental model construct: planning and preparation, risk assessment, and leadership. Shared mental models are crucial for patient safety because they enable VATS teams to anticipate problems through adaptive patterns of both implicit and explicit coordination. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On Per-Phase Topology Control and Switching in Emerging Distribution Systems

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

Ding, Fei; Mousavi, Mirrasoul J.

This paper presents a new concept and approach for topology control and switching in distribution systems by extending the traditional circuit switching to laterals and single-phase loads. Voltage unbalance and other key performance indicators including voltage magnitudes, line loading, and energy losses are used to characterize and demonstrate the technical value of optimizing system topology on a per-phase basis in response to feeder conditions. The near-optimal per-phase topology control is defined as a series of hierarchical optimization problems. The proposed approach is respectively applied to IEEE 13-bus and 123-bus test systems for demonstration, which included the impact of integrating electricmore » vehicles (EVs) in the test circuit. It is concluded that the proposed approach can be effectively leveraged to improve voltage profiles with electric vehicles, the extent of which depends upon the performance of the base case without EVs.« less

Materials-Related Aspects of Thermochemical Water and Carbon Dioxide Splitting: A Review

PubMed Central

Roeb, Martin; Neises, Martina; Monnerie, Nathalie; Call, Friedemann; Simon, Heike; Sattler, Christian; Schmücker, Martin; Pitz-Paal, Robert

2012-01-01

Thermochemical multistep water- and CO2-splitting processes are promising options to face future energy problems. Particularly, the possible incorporation of solar power makes these processes sustainable and environmentally attractive since only water, CO2 and solar power are used; the concentrated solar energy is converted into storable and transportable fuels. One of the major barriers to technological success is the identification of suitable active materials like catalysts and redox materials exhibiting satisfactory durability, reactivity and efficiencies. Moreover, materials play an important role in the construction of key components and for the implementation in commercial solar plants. The most promising thermochemical water- and CO2-splitting processes are being described and discussed with respect to further development and future potential. The main materials-related challenges of those processes are being analyzed. Technical approaches and development progress in terms of solving them are addressed and assessed in this review.

Accidental versus operational oil spills from shipping in the Baltic Sea: risk governance and management strategies.

PubMed

Hassler, Björn

2011-03-01

Marine governance of oil transportation is complex. Due to difficulties in effectively monitoring procedures on vessels en voyage, incentives to save costs by not following established regulations on issues such as cleaning of tanks, crew size, and safe navigation may be substantial. The issue of problem structure is placed in focus, that is, to what degree the specific characteristics and complexity of intentional versus accidental oil spill risks affect institutional responses. It is shown that whereas the risk of accidental oil spills primarily has been met by technical requirements on the vessels in combination with Port State control, attempts have been made to curb intentional pollution by for example increased surveillance and smart governance mechanisms such as the No-Special-Fee system. It is suggested that environmental safety could be improved by increased use of smart governance mechanisms tightly adapted to key actors' incentives to alter behavior in preferable directions.

Space and biotechnology: An industry profile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Richard S.; Norton, David J.; Tom, Baldwin H.

1988-01-01

The results of a study conducted by the Center for Space and Advanced Technology (CSAT) for NASA-JSC are presented. The objectives were to determine the interests and attitudes of the U.S. biotechnology industry toward space biotechnology and to prepare a concise review of the current activities of the biotechnology industry. In order to accomplish these objectives, two primary actions were taken. First, a questionnaire was designed, reviewed, and distributed to U.S. biotechnology companies. Second, reviews of the various biotechnology fields were prepared in several aspects of the industry. For each review, leading figures in the field were asked to prepare a brief review pointing out key trends and current industry technical problems. The result is a readable narrative of the biotechnology industry which will provide space scientists and engineers valuable clues as to where the space environment can be explored to advance the U.S. biotechnology industry.

Predicting Defects Using Information Intelligence Process Models in the Software Technology Project

PubMed Central

Selvaraj, Manjula Gandhi; Jayabal, Devi Shree; Srinivasan, Thenmozhi; Balasubramanie, Palanisamy

2015-01-01

A key differentiator in a competitive market place is customer satisfaction. As per Gartner 2012 report, only 75%–80% of IT projects are successful. Customer satisfaction should be considered as a part of business strategy. The associated project parameters should be proactively managed and the project outcome needs to be predicted by a technical manager. There is lot of focus on the end state and on minimizing defect leakage as much as possible. Focus should be on proactively managing and shifting left in the software life cycle engineering model. Identify the problem upfront in the project cycle and do not wait for lessons to be learnt and take reactive steps. This paper gives the practical applicability of using predictive models and illustrates use of these models in a project to predict system testing defects thus helping to reduce residual defects. PMID:26495427

Strategies for synchronisation in an evolving telecommunications network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avery, Rob

1992-06-01

The achievement of precise synchronization in the telecommunications environment is addressed. Transmitting the timing from node to node has been the inherent problem for all digital networks. Traditional network equipment used to transfer synchronization, such as digital switching ststems, adds impairments to the once traceable signal. As the synchronization signals are passed from node to node, they lose stability by passing through intervening clocks. Timing would be an integrated part of all new network and service deployments. New transmission methods, such as the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), survivable network topologies and the issues that arise from them, necessitate a review of current network synchronization strategies. Challenges that face the network are itemized. A demonstration of why localized Primary Reference Clocks (PRC) in key nodes and the Synchronization Supply Unit (SSU) clock architecture of transit and local node clocks is a technically and economically viable solution to the issues facing network planners today is given.

Minimax Rate-optimal Estimation of High-dimensional Covariance Matrices with Incomplete Data*

PubMed Central

Cai, T. Tony; Zhang, Anru

2016-01-01

Missing data occur frequently in a wide range of applications. In this paper, we consider estimation of high-dimensional covariance matrices in the presence of missing observations under a general missing completely at random model in the sense that the missingness is not dependent on the values of the data. Based on incomplete data, estimators for bandable and sparse covariance matrices are proposed and their theoretical and numerical properties are investigated. Minimax rates of convergence are established under the spectral norm loss and the proposed estimators are shown to be rate-optimal under mild regularity conditions. Simulation studies demonstrate that the estimators perform well numerically. The methods are also illustrated through an application to data from four ovarian cancer studies. The key technical tools developed in this paper are of independent interest and potentially useful for a range of related problems in high-dimensional statistical inference with missing data. PMID:27777471

Minimax Rate-optimal Estimation of High-dimensional Covariance Matrices with Incomplete Data.

PubMed

Cai, T Tony; Zhang, Anru

2016-09-01

Missing data occur frequently in a wide range of applications. In this paper, we consider estimation of high-dimensional covariance matrices in the presence of missing observations under a general missing completely at random model in the sense that the missingness is not dependent on the values of the data. Based on incomplete data, estimators for bandable and sparse covariance matrices are proposed and their theoretical and numerical properties are investigated. Minimax rates of convergence are established under the spectral norm loss and the proposed estimators are shown to be rate-optimal under mild regularity conditions. Simulation studies demonstrate that the estimators perform well numerically. The methods are also illustrated through an application to data from four ovarian cancer studies. The key technical tools developed in this paper are of independent interest and potentially useful for a range of related problems in high-dimensional statistical inference with missing data.

Modeling and Analysis of Multidiscipline Research Teams at NASA Langley Research Center: A Systems Thinking Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waszak, Martin R.; Barthelemy, Jean-Francois; Jones, Kenneth M.; Silcox, Richard J.; Silva, Walter A.; Nowaczyk, Ronald H.

1998-01-01

Multidisciplinary analysis and design is inherently a team activity due to the variety of required expertise and knowledge. As a team activity, multidisciplinary research cannot escape the issues that affect all teams. The level of technical diversity required to perform multidisciplinary analysis and design makes the teaming aspects even more important. A study was conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center to develop a model of multidiscipline teams that can be used to help understand their dynamics and identify key factors that influence their effectiveness. The study sought to apply the elements of systems thinking to better understand the factors, both generic and Langley-specific, that influence the effectiveness of multidiscipline teams. The model of multidiscipline research teams developed during this study has been valuable in identifying means to enhance team effectiveness, recognize and avoid problem behaviors, and provide guidance for forming and coordinating multidiscipline teams.

Predicting Defects Using Information Intelligence Process Models in the Software Technology Project.

PubMed

Selvaraj, Manjula Gandhi; Jayabal, Devi Shree; Srinivasan, Thenmozhi; Balasubramanie, Palanisamy

2015-01-01

A key differentiator in a competitive market place is customer satisfaction. As per Gartner 2012 report, only 75%-80% of IT projects are successful. Customer satisfaction should be considered as a part of business strategy. The associated project parameters should be proactively managed and the project outcome needs to be predicted by a technical manager. There is lot of focus on the end state and on minimizing defect leakage as much as possible. Focus should be on proactively managing and shifting left in the software life cycle engineering model. Identify the problem upfront in the project cycle and do not wait for lessons to be learnt and take reactive steps. This paper gives the practical applicability of using predictive models and illustrates use of these models in a project to predict system testing defects thus helping to reduce residual defects.

Does Problem-Based Learning Improve Problem Solving Skills?--A Study among Business Undergraduates at Malaysian Premier Technical University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadir, Z. Abdul; Abdullah, N. H.; Anthony, E.; Salleh, B. Mohd; Kamarulzaman, R.

2016-01-01

Problem-based Learning (PBL) approach has been widely used in various disciplines since it is claimed to improve students' soft skills. However, empirical supports on the effect of PBL on problem solving skills have been lacking and anecdotal in nature. This study aimed to determine the effect of PBL approach on students' problem solving skills…

Participatory approach: from problem identification to setting strategies for increased productivity and sustainability in small scale irrigated agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habtu, Solomon; Ludi, Eva; Jamin, Jean Yves; Oates, Naomi; Fissahaye Yohannes, Degol

2014-05-01

Practicing various innovations pertinent to irrigated farming at local field scale is instrumental to increase productivity and yield for small holder farmers in Africa. However the translation of innovations from local scale to the scale of a jointly operated irrigation scheme is far from trivial. It requires insight on the drivers for adoption of local innovations within the wider farmer communities. Participatory methods are expected to improve not only the acceptance of locally developed innovations within the wider farmer communities, but to allow also an estimation to which extend changes will occur within the entire irrigation scheme. On such a base, more realistic scenarios of future water productivity within an irrigation scheme, which is operated by small holder farmers, can be estimated. Initial participatory problem and innovation appraisal was conducted in Gumselassa small scale irrigation scheme, Ethiopia, from Feb 27 to March 3, 2012 as part of the EAU4FOOD project funded by EC. The objective was to identify and appraise problems which hinder sustainable water management to enhance production and productivity and to identify future research strategies. Workshops were conducted both at local (Community of Practices) and regional (Learning Practice Alliance) level. At local levels, intensive collaboration with farmers using participatory methods produced problem trees and a "Photo Safari" documented a range of problems that negatively impact on productive irrigated farming. A range of participatory methods were also used to identify local innovations. At regional level a Learning Platform was established that includes a wide range of stakeholders (technical experts from various government ministries, policy makers, farmers, extension agents, researchers). This stakeholder group did a range of exercise as well to identify major problems related to irrigated smallholder farming and already identified innovations. Both groups identified similar problems to productive smallholder irrigation: soil nutrient depletion, salinization, disease and pest resulting from inefficient irrigation practices, infrastructure problems leading to a reduction of the size of the command area and decrease in reservoir volume. The major causes have been poor irrigation infrastructure, poor on-farm soil and water management, prevalence of various crop pests and diseases, lack of inputs and reservoir siltation. On-farm participatory research focusing on soil, crop and water management issues, including technical, institutional and managerial aspects, to identify best performing innovations while taking care of the environment was recommended. Currently, a range of interlinked activities are implemented a multiple scales, combining participatory and scientific approaches towards innovation development and up-scaling of promising technologies and institutional and managerial approaches from local to regional scales. ____________________________ Key words: Irrigation scheme, productivity, innovation, participatory method, Gumselassa, Ethiopia

Annual Report of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (1st). [Administrative Report Including Technical Reports Nos. 1 to 7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1916-01-01

Report includes the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics letter of submittal to the President, Congressional report, summaries of the committee's activities and research accomplished, expenditures, problems, recommendations, and a compilation of technical reports produced.

48 CFR 2452.242-71 - Contract management system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., concise summary of technical progress made and the costs incurred for each task during the reporting... technical progress made for each task during the reporting period; and (B) Identifies problems, or potential... and progress reporting as described herein. (b) The contract management system shall consist of two...

Annual report of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (4th).administrative report including Technical Reports nos. 24 to 50

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1920-01-01

Report includes the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics letter of submittal to the President, Congressional report, summaries of the committee's activities and research accomplished, expenditures, problems, recommendations, and a compilation of technical reports produced.

PISA 2012 Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2014

2014-01-01

The "PISA 2012 Technical Report" describes the methodology underlying the PISA 2012 survey, which tested 15-year-olds' competencies in mathematics, reading and science and, in some countries, problem solving and financial literacy. It examines the design and implementation of the project at a level of detail that allows researchers to…

Vocational and Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Compact, 1968

1968-01-01

Volume 2, Issue 3 of "Compact" was designed to point out the problems and potential of vocational-technical education and to offer some suggestions for action. Major content includes: (1) "Education for Twenty-First Century Employment," by Wayne Morse, (2) "Pending Federal Legislation Encourages Vocational Innovation," by Grant Venn, (3)…

Facilitating Service Learning in the Online Technical Communication Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Danielle

2016-01-01

Drawing from the author's experience teaching online technical communication courses with an embedded service-learning component, this essay opens the discussion to the potential problems involved in designing online service-learning courses and provides practical approaches to integrating service learning into online coursework. The essay…

South Carolina TEC Student Code.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, C. A., Ed.; Kiser, J. A., Ed.

This student code has statewide application to South Carolina Technical Colleges and Technical Education Centers (TEC). Provisions are divided into eight articles: (1) General Provisions, including the purpose of a student code, the precept of internal solution of problems, and definitions; (2) Student Rights, including Bill of Rights protections;…

Special Education Finance in California. Technical Appendices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Laura; Warren, Paul; Murphy, Patrick; Ugo, Iwunze; Pathak, Aditi

2016-01-01

This document presents the technical appendices that accompany the full report, "Special Education Finance in California." The appendices include: (1) Problems with AB 602 and Other State Funding Programs for Special Education; (2) Additional Figures for Analysis of Distribution of Students with Disabilities; (3) Using Supplemental and…

The Design and Transfer of Advanced Command and Control (C2) Computer-Based Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-31

TECHNICAL REPORT 80-02 QUARTERLY TECHNICAL REPORT: THE DESIGN AND TRANSFER OF ADVANCED COMMAND AND CONTROL (C 2 ) COMPUTER-BASED SYSTEMS ARPA...The Tasks/Objectives and/or Purposes of the overall project are connected with the design , development, demonstration and transfer of advanced...command and control (C2 ) computer-based systems; this report covers work in the computer-based design and transfer areas only. The Technical Problems thus

Passage Key Inlet, Florida; CMS Modeling and Borrow Site Impact Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

Impact Analysis by Kelly R. Legault and Sirisha Rayaprolu PURPOSE: This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) describes the...use of a nested Coastal Modeling System (CMS) model for Passage Key Inlet, which is one of the connections between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay...driven sediment transport at Passage Key Inlet. This analysis resulted in issuing a new Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) permit to

Teaching ethics to engineers: ethical decision making parallels the engineering design process.

PubMed

Bero, Bridget; Kuhlman, Alana

2011-09-01

In order to fulfill ABET requirements, Northern Arizona University's Civil and Environmental engineering programs incorporate professional ethics in several of its engineering courses. This paper discusses an ethics module in a 3rd year engineering design course that focuses on the design process and technical writing. Engineering students early in their student careers generally possess good black/white critical thinking skills on technical issues. Engineering design is the first time students are exposed to "grey" or multiple possible solution technical problems. To identify and solve these problems, the engineering design process is used. Ethical problems are also "grey" problems and present similar challenges to students. Students need a practical tool for solving these ethical problems. The step-wise engineering design process was used as a model to demonstrate a similar process for ethical situations. The ethical decision making process of Martin and Schinzinger was adapted for parallelism to the design process and presented to students as a step-wise technique for identification of the pertinent ethical issues, relevant moral theories, possible outcomes and a final decision. Students had greatest difficulty identifying the broader, global issues presented in an ethical situation, but by the end of the module, were better able to not only identify the broader issues, but also to more comprehensively assess specific issues, generate solutions and a desired response to the issue.

Laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernia in adults

PubMed Central

Yang, Xue-Fei

2016-01-01

Laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernia is mini-invasive and has confirmed effects. The procedures include intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) repair, transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair and total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair. These procedures have totally different anatomic point of view, process and technical key points from open operations. The technical details of these operations are discussed in this article, also the strategies of treatment for some special conditions. PMID:27867954

Metals and Ceramics Information Center.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

Systems RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS a Ordnance Technology a Space Systems and Applications a Biomass Resources 6 Business Planning • Economics ...r 19 KEY WORDS (Cwintince on reverse side 4 neressery and identify by block numnber) Technical Information Center Composites DoD Information Analysis ...The Metals and Ceramics Information Center (MCIC) is one of the technical Information Analysis Centers (IAC’s) chartered and sponsored by the

Philosophies of Policy Development and Implementation in Technical and Vocational Education. Report on UNESCO/UNEVOC Regional Expert Group Meeting (Auckland, New Zealand, April 2-9, 1995).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auckland Inst. of Tech. (New Zealand).

This report begins with an outline of key issues in policy development and implementation in technical and vocational education (TVE). It sets forth the bases of policy development and implementation, the purpose of TVE, contextual factors that affect policy development and implementation. The following values significant in policy determination…

An Ecological Framework for Monitoring Sustainable Management of Wildlife: A New Mexico Furbearer Example.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-09-01

Understanding use relative to availability is necessary to manage wildlife harvest sustainably. We used ecological zones ( ecozones ) as a framework...ecological classification scheme, reviewed technical literature mapped species distribution among ecozones , assessed harvest, estimated sustainable extraction...other wildlife. Technical literature review of 70 key words and species names identified 534 citations regarding furbearers in ecozones shared by New

Quality Control in Title I Evaluation: Problems and Approaches.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Joe B.

Educational program evalaution is subject to many difficulties. Problems with evaluation include such conceptual problems as: (1) understanding of decisions to be made; (2) adequate definition; (3) consensus on values and criteria; (4) coordination among administrative levels; and (5) use of an appropriate evaluation model. Technical problems…

Computer Assisted Problem Solving in an Introductory Statistics Course. Technical Report No. 56.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Thomas H.; And Others

The computer assisted problem solving system (CAPS) described in this booklet administered "homework" problem sets designed to develop students' computational, estimation, and procedural skills. These skills were related to important concepts in an introductory statistics course. CAPS generated unique data, judged student performance,…

The Association between Mathematical Word Problems and Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vilenius-Tuohimaa, Piia Maria; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2008-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the interplay between mathematical word problem skills and reading comprehension. The participants were 225 children aged 9-10 (Grade 4). The children's text comprehension and mathematical word problem-solving performance was tested. Technical reading skills were investigated in order to categorise participants as…

New Testing Methods to Assess Technical Problem-Solving Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hambleton, Ronald K.; And Others

Tests to assess problem-solving ability being provided for the Air Force are described, and some details on the development and validation of these computer-administered diagnostic achievement tests are discussed. Three measurement approaches were employed: (1) sequential problem solving; (2) context-free assessment of fundamental skills and…

Support Services for Remote Users of Online Public Access Catalogs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalin, Sally W.

1991-01-01

Discusses the needs of remote users of online public access catalogs (OPACs). User expectations are discussed; problems encountered by remote-access users are examined, including technical problems and searching problems; support services are described, including instruction, print guides, and online help; and differences from the needs of…

mvp - an open-source preprocessor for cleaning duplicate records and missing values in mass spectrometry data.

PubMed

Lee, Geunho; Lee, Hyun Beom; Jung, Byung Hwa; Nam, Hojung

2017-07-01

Mass spectrometry (MS) data are used to analyze biological phenomena based on chemical species. However, these data often contain unexpected duplicate records and missing values due to technical or biological factors. These 'dirty data' problems increase the difficulty of performing MS analyses because they lead to performance degradation when statistical or machine-learning tests are applied to the data. Thus, we have developed missing values preprocessor (mvp), an open-source software for preprocessing data that might include duplicate records and missing values. mvp uses the property of MS data in which identical chemical species present the same or similar values for key identifiers, such as the mass-to-charge ratio and intensity signal, and forms cliques via graph theory to process dirty data. We evaluated the validity of the mvp process via quantitative and qualitative analyses and compared the results from a statistical test that analyzed the original and mvp-applied data. This analysis showed that using mvp reduces problems associated with duplicate records and missing values. We also examined the effects of using unprocessed data in statistical tests and examined the improved statistical test results obtained with data preprocessed using mvp.

Evolving perspectives during 12 years of electrical turbulence.

PubMed

Winfree, A. T.

1998-03-01

This Focus issue describes a problem in electrical dynamics which has fascinated generations of physiologists. There are today so many views of fibrillation that only the rarest generalization can embrace all of them. Fifty-two prominent investigators collaborate here to present aspects of the problem in these eighteen articles (including this introduction) tailored for readers whose principal expertise lies elsewhere. In "The High One's Lay" (Norse Runes, ca. 800) Odin remarks, "Much too early I came to many places: the beer was not yet ready, or was already drunk em leader " but to this one we come at very nearly the right time in 1998. This introduction attempts to guide newcomers by noting the changed or multiple meanings of novel technical terms while sorting the key facts and ideas into an order that facilitates comparison and contrast with those of a dozen years ago. This Focus issue is authored by some of the foremost innovators of both theory and experiment in this area. By assimilating their presentations the readers of Chaos can become well poised to appreciate and evaluate the definitive evidence expected in the next few years. (c) 1998 American Institute of Physics.

Patent Documents as a Resource for Studies and Education in Geophysics - An Approach.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wollny, K. G.

2016-12-01

Patents are a highly neglected source of information in geophysics, although they supply a wealth of technical and historically relevant data and might be an important asset for researchers and students. The technical drawings and descriptions in patent documents provide insight into the personal work of a researcher or a scientific group and give detailed technical background information, show interdisciplinary solutions for similar problems, help to learn about inventions too advanced for their time but maybe useful now, and to explore the historical background and timelines of inventions and their inventors. It will be shown how to get access to patent documents and how to use them for research and education purposes. Exemplary inventions by well-known geoscientists or scientists in related fields will be presented to illustrate the usefulness of patent documents. The data pool used is the International Patent Classification (IPC) class G01V that the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has set up mainly for inventions with key aspects in geophysics. This class contains approximately 235,000 patent documents (July 2016) for methods, apparatuses or scientific instruments developed during scientific projects or by geophysical companies. The patent documents can be accessed via patent databases. The most important patent databases are for free, search functionality is self-explanatory and the amount of information to be extracted is enormous. For example, more than 90 million multilingual patent documents are currently available online (July 2016) in DEPATIS database of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office or ESPACENET of the European Patent Office. To summarize, patent documents are a highly useful tool for educational and research purposes to strengthen students' and scientists' knowledge in a practically orientated geophysical field and to widen the horizon to adjacent technical areas. Last but not least, they also provide insight into historical aspects of geophysics and the persons working in that area.

Managerial Cost Accounting for a Technical Information Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helmkamp, John G.

A two-fold solution to the cost information deficiency problem is proposed. A formal managerial cost accounting system is designed expressly for the two information services of retrospective search and selective dissemination. The system was employed during a trial period to test its effectiveness in a technical information center. Once…

40 CFR 1039.625 - What requirements apply under the program for equipment-manufacturer flexibility?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... is manufactured. (4) An e-mail address and phone number to contact for further information, or a Web... secondary engine manufacturers. (l) [Reserved] (m) Additional exemptions for technical or engineering... avoided with reasonable discretion have resulted in technical or engineering problems that prevent you...

Technology-Dependent Children: Hospital v. Home Care: A Technical Memorandum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Office of Technology Assessment.

This technical memorandum examines the problems of health care financing encountered by technology-dependent children. A working definition of technology dependence is provided and the prevalence of technology dependence among American children is estimated. Analysis shows that the population of technology-dependent children has increased in size…

Outdoor Leadership Evaluation: Nature and Scope of the Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Leroy M.

Beyond the ability to exhibit good judgment and common sense while performing duties as a leader under stress and pressure, an outdoor adventure program leader should possess technical skills, human relations skills, and philosophical understanding of outdoor programming. Technical skills include knowledge of initiatives/ropes course activities,…

Post-Secondary Occupational Education and the Energy Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riendeau, Albert J.

Many implications exist for postsecondary educational institutions in the challenge of arriving at a responsible solution to the energy problem. The intent of the Energy Materials Conservation Education Act of 1975 is to call for a commitment by educators (community colleges, technical institutes, and trade and technical schools) to: (1) help…

Annual Report, 1979-1980. New York City Technical College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Technical Coll., Brooklyn. Div. of Continuing Education and Extension Services.

Funding, enrollments, and outcomes are reported for the programs offered during 1979-1980 by New York City Technical College's Division of Continuing Education and Extension Services. The report's introduction analyzes enrollment in the division, summarizes external evaluation of selected programs, and examines problems of staffing, space, and the…

Build It and They Will Come: Addressing the Problem of Declining Entry-Level Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koontz, Paul

2000-01-01

The growing gap between the skills of the work force and the technical requirements of today's jobs have reemphasized the need to transform the educational system to provide the solid academic and technical skills required by the jobs of today and tomorrow. (Author)

CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANTS' WORKSHOP, REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS (ATLANTA, MAY 17-20, 1967).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DOBROVOLNY, JERRY S.

THIS REPORT ATTEMPTS TO SHOW ADMINISTRATORS OF JUNIOR COLLEGES, TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, AND GOVERNMENT OR INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PROGRAMS CERTAIN CRITICAL PROBLEMS IN THE TRAINING OF CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS. THE PHILOSOPHY OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION REQUIRES ATTENTION AS DOES THE IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM AND SUCCESSFULLY…

The Humanities in the Two-Year Agricultural Technical College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Ronald J.

Drawing from the experiences of the University of Minnesota Technical College, Waseca (UMW), this paper provides a rationale and suggestions for promoting and integrating the humanities in vocational education. After discussions of the problems of interesting occupational students in humanities courses and the value of humanities instruction in…

Learning SQL Programming with Interactive Tools: From Integration to Personalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brusilovsky, Pete; Sosnovsky, Sergey; Yudelson, Michael V.; Lee, Danielle H.; Zadorozhny, Vladimir; Zhou, Xin

2010-01-01

Rich, interactive eLearning tools receive a lot of attention nowadays from both practitioners and researchers. However, broader dissemination of these tools is hindered by the technical difficulties of their integration into existing platforms. This article explores the technical and conceptual problems of using several interactive educational…

Automation and the Workplace. Selected Labor, Education, and Training Issues. A Technical Memorandum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Office of Technology Assessment.

This technical memorandum discusses procedures for evaluating potential employment change associated with automation and outlines associated problems. It also describes the nature and modes of delivery of education, training, and retraining for persons holding or seeking employment in manufacturing industries. An introduction provides a brief…

Conceptual Complexity and Apparent Contradictions in Mathematics Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, John

2007-01-01

Mathematics is like a language, although technically it is not a natural or informal human language, but a formal, that is, artificially constructed language. Importantly, educators use their natural everyday language to teach the formal language of mathematics. At times, however, instructors encounter problems when the technical words they use,…

Diving into Real World Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saldana, Matt; Rodden, Leslie

2012-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss how educators can engage students in real world learning using their academic knowledge and technical skills. They describe how school districts have discovered that the world of robotics can help students use technical skills to solve simulated problems found in the real world, while understanding the…

Teaching Graduate Business Students to Write Clearly about Technical Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyrud, Marilyn A.; Worley, Rebecca B.; Jameson, Daphne

2006-01-01

Graduate programs in business emphasize technical analysis in finance, accounting, marketing, and other core courses. Important business decisions--what market to target, which products to offer, how to finance an acquisition, whether to lease or buy equipment--require mathematical and statistical problem solving. Management communication courses…

Sophistic Ethics in the Technical Writing Classroom: Teaching "Nomos," Deliberation, and Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, J. Blake

1995-01-01

Claims that teaching ethics is particularly important to technical writing. Outlines a classical, sophistic approach to ethics based on the theories and pedagogies of Protagoras, Gorgias, and Isocrates, which emphasizes the Greek concept of "nomos," internal and external deliberation, and responsible action. Discusses problems and…

Analysis of "The Wonderful Desert." Technical Report No. 170.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, G. M.; And Others

This report presents a text analysis of "The Wonderful Desert," a brief selection from the "Reader's Digest Skill Builder" series. (The techniques used in arriving at the analysis are presented in a Reading Center Technical Report, Number 168, "Problems and Techniques of Text Analysis.") Tables are given for a…

Postsecondary Technical Education and the Energy Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riendeau, Albert J.

The energy problem affects virtually every wage earner in America and cries out for increased involvement by vocational and technical educators. A recent study by the National Planning Association points up the need to project future manpower demands in energy and energy-related industries so that the country's educational and training…

Seminar for Preparation of Professional Personnel for Vocational-Technical Education. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillon, Roy D.; Horner, James T.

Seminar participants included college administrative officers, state vocational education directors, vocational-technical teacher educators, and Office of Education staff. The purpose of the June, 1968 seminar was to consider strategies for resolving critical vocational education personnel supply and demand problems. Presentations included in the…

Information Retrieval Diary of an Expert Technical Translator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cremmins, Edward T.

1984-01-01

Recommends use of entries from the information retrieval diary of Ted Crump, expert technical translator at the National Institute of Health, in the construction of computer models showing how expert translators solve problems of ambiguity in language. Expert and inexpert translation systems, eponyms, abbreviations, and alphabetic solutions are…

Direct Adaptive Control of Systems with Actuator Failures: State of the Art and Continuing Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tao, Gang; Joshi, Suresh M.

2008-01-01

In this paper, the problem of controlling systems with failures and faults is introduced, and an overview of recent work on direct adaptive control for compensation of uncertain actuator failures is presented. Actuator failures may be characterized by some unknown system inputs being stuck at some unknown (fixed or varying) values at unknown time instants, that cannot be influenced by the control signals. The key task of adaptive compensation is to design the control signals in such a manner that the remaining actuators can automatically and seamlessly take over for the failed ones, and achieve desired stability and asymptotic tracking. A certain degree of redundancy is necessary to accomplish failure compensation. The objective of adaptive control design is to effectively use the available actuation redundancy to handle failures without the knowledge of the failure patterns, parameters, and time of occurrence. This is a challenging problem because failures introduce large uncertainties in the dynamic structure of the system, in addition to parametric uncertainties and unknown disturbances. The paper addresses some theoretical issues in adaptive actuator failure compensation: actuator failure modeling, redundant actuation requirements, plant-model matching, error system dynamics, adaptation laws, and stability, tracking, and performance analysis. Adaptive control designs can be shown to effectively handle uncertain actuator failures without explicit failure detection. Some open technical challenges and research problems in this important research area are discussed.

48 CFR 36.303-2 - Phase Two.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... potential phase-two technical evaluation factors include design concepts, management approach, key personnel... OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS Two-Phase Design-Build Selection...

Necessity and Contention of Education on Engineer Ethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Kunihiko; Ishikawa, Tomoyuki

Using examples of major accidents caused by technical technology are effective when teaching engineering ethics in undergraduate courses because almost all students have had no actual experience in technical problems or accidents in their lives. The typical accidents that have been selected in the past for this purpose by lecturers are limited in Japanese colleges or in textbooks. Some examples are the Minamata disease, the Kanemi oil PCB contamination, the space shuttle “Challenger” accident, the Ford “Pinto” design problem, Mitsubishi Motor's scandal and the unclear power plant accident at Tokai. However, it is difficult to decide whether or not these typical accidents are suitable for the teaching of engineering ethics. The responsibility of an engineer in Japan is strictly limited because he has no authority to finally decide upon the problem of ethics even if the item is purely technical and he is the best person to make the decision. The reason is discussed focusing on 1) the concept of the “profession” of medical doctors and engineers and 2) the relationships between the treatment, position, honor and responsibility of engineers in Japanese society.

A History of the ARPANET: The First Decade

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

10 2.2 Major Technical Problems and Approaches 11-12 2.3 Major Changes in Objectives and Approaches 11-19 3, ,3 Scientific and Technical Results and...successful projects ever undertaken by DARPA! The program has initiated extensive changes in the Defense Department’s use of computers as well as in...the ARPANET project represents a similarly far-reaching change in the use of computers by mankind. The full impact of the technical changes set in

Bibliography of Technical Publications and Papers, October 1978 - September 1979

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-11-01

overnutrition. Symposium on Psychosocial Factors in Nutritional Problems, llth International Congress of Nutrition, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil, September...VBIOGRAPHY OF-TZHNICAL BLICATIONS AND An T7 Octber118 -Seu~imb~ 199k6. PERFORMNING OR0. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTMOR( e ) S. CONTRACT -OR G ANT HNDMER~a) 9...Officer Advanced Class 79-2, US Army Quartermaster School, Fort Lee, VA, 14 August 1979. 6 OFFICE OF TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Technical Papers 12. ROSS, E . W

Descriptive analysis of context evaluation instrument for technical oral presentation skills evaluation: A case study in English technical communication course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Abdullah-Adnan; Asmawi, Adelina; Hamid, Mohd Rashid Ab; Mustafa, Zainol bin

2015-02-01

This paper reports a pilot study of Context Evaluation using a self-developed questionnaire distributed among engineering undergraduates at a university under study. The study aims to validate the self-developed questionnaires used in the Context evaluation, a component in the CIPP Model. The Context evaluation assesses background information for needs, assets, problems and opportunities relevant to beneficiaries of the study in a defined environment. Through the questionnaire, background information for the assessment of needs, assets and problems related to the engineering undergraduates' perceptions on the teaching and learning of technical oral presentation skills was collected and analysed. The questionnaire was developed using 5-points Likert scale to measure the constructs under study. They were distributed to 100 respondents with 79 returned. The respondents consisted of engineering undergraduates studied at various faculties at one technical university in Malaysia. The descriptive analysis of data for each item which makes up the construct for Context evaluation is found to be high. This implied that engineering undergraduates showed high interest in teaching and learning of technical oral presentation skills, thus their needs are met. Also, they agreed that assets and facilities are conducive to their learning. In conclusion, the context evaluation involving needs and assets factors are both considerably important; their needs are met and the assets and facilities do support their technical oral presentation skills learning experience.

Technical communications in aerospace - An analysis of the practices reported by U.S. and European aerospace engineers and scientists

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.; Glassman, Myron

1990-01-01

The flow of scientific and technical information (STI) at the individual, organizational, national, and international levels is studied. The responses of U.S and European aerospace engineers and scientists to questionnaires concerning technical communications in aerospace are examined. Particular attention is given to the means used to communicate information and the social system of the aerospace knowledge diffusion process. Demographic data about the survey respondents are provided. The methods used to communicate technical data and the sources utilized to solve technical problems are described. The importance of technical writing skills and the use of computer technology in the aerospace field are discussed. The derived data are useful for R&D and information managers in order to improve access to and utilization of aerospace STI.

Cosmetology. FasTrak Specialization Integrated Technical and Academic Competency (ITAC). 2002 Revision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Career-Technical and Adult Education.

This publication provides the competencies and key indicators for a cosmetology program that prepares students to become licensed in the State of Ohio to work in the area of hair, skin, and/or nail care. Competencies and the related key indicators are presented for these 14 units: orientation to the cosmetology profession; dispensary operations…

Student and Staff Perceptions of Key Aspects of Computer Science Engineering Capstone Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olarte, Juan José; Dominguez, César; Jaime, Arturo; Garcia-Izquierdo, Francisco José

2016-01-01

In carrying out their capstone projects, students use knowledge and skills acquired throughout their degree program to create a product or provide a technical service. An assigned advisor guides the students and supervises the work, and a committee assesses the projects. This study compares student and staff perceptions of key aspects of…

Development of NASA Technical Standards Program Relative to Enhancing Engineering Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Paul S.; Vaughan, William W.

2003-01-01

The enhancement of engineering capabilities is an important aspect of any organization; especially those engaged in aerospace development activities. Technical Standards are one of the key elements of this endeavor. The NASA Technical Standards Program was formed in 1997 in response to the NASA Administrator s directive to develop an Agencywide Technical Standards Program. The Program s principal objective involved the converting Center-unique technical standards into Agency wide standards and the adoption/endorsement of non-Government technical standards in lieu of government standards. In the process of these actions, the potential for further enhancement of the Agency s engineering capabilities was noted relative to value of being able to access Agencywide the necessary full-text technical standards, standards update notifications, and integration of lessons learned with technical standards, all available to the user from one Website. This was accomplished and is now being enhanced based on feedbacks from the Agency's engineering staff and supporting contractors. This paper addresses the development experiences with the NASA Technical Standards Program and the enhancement of the Agency's engineering capabilities provided by the Program s products. Metrics are provided on significant aspects of the Program.

The Problem of Technical Progress and Mineral Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukashev, Konstantin I.

1974-01-01

Examines the estimates of known potential reserves of the major raw materials, future sources therof, the geological and technological problems associated with these, the manufacture of artifical minerals, and international cooperation in this sphere. (Author/GS)

1992

EPA Science Inventory

There are two classes of statistical issues: firm issues amenable to problem statement and technical resolution and soft issues that have qualitative dimensions and ideological implications. irm issues are easy: defining and stating the problem is much of the solution. he soft is...

CONTACT: An Air Force technical report on military satellite control technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weakley, Christopher K.

1993-07-01

This technical report focuses on Military Satellite Control Technologies and their application to the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN). This report is a compilation of articles that provide an overview of the AFSCN and the Advanced Technology Program, and discusses relevant technical issues and developments applicable to the AFSCN. Among the topics covered are articles on Future Technology Projections; Future AFSCN Topologies; Modeling of the AFSCN; Wide Area Communications Technology Evolution; Automating AFSCN Resource Scheduling; Health & Status Monitoring at Remote Tracking Stations; Software Metrics and Tools for Measuring AFSCN Software Performance; Human-Computer Interface Working Group; Trusted Systems Workshop; and the University Technical Interaction Program. In addition, Key Technology Area points of contact are listed in the report.

Three Years of Global Positioning System Experience on International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gomez, Susan

2005-01-01

The International Space Station global positioning systems (GPS) receiver was activated in April 2002. Since that time, numerous software anomalies surfaced that had to be worked around. Some of the software problems required waivers, such as the time function, while others required extensive operator intervention, such as numerous power cycles. Eventually, enough anomalies surfaced that the three pieces of code included in the GPS unit have been re-written and the GPS units were upgraded. The technical aspects of the problems are discussed, as well as the underlying causes that led to the delivery of a product that has had numerous problems. The technical aspects of the problems included physical phenomena that were not well understood, such as the affect that the ionosphere would have on the GPS measurements. The underlying causes were traced to inappropriate use of legacy software, changing requirements, inadequate software processes, unrealistic schedules, incorrect contract type, and unclear ownership responsibilities.

Three Years of Global Positioning System Experience on International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gomez, Susan

2006-01-01

The International Space Station global positioning system (GPS) receiver was activated in April 2002. Since that time, numerous software anomalies surfaced that had to be worked around. Some of the software problems required waivers, such as the time function, while others required extensive operator intervention, such as numerous power cycles. Eventually enough anomalies surfaced that the three pieces of code included in the GPS unit have been re-written and the GPS units upgraded. The technical aspects of the problems are discussed, as well as the underlying causes that led to the delivery of a product that has had so many problems. The technical aspects of the problems included physical phenomena that were not well understood, such as the affect that the ionosphere would have on the GPS measurements. The underlying causes were traced to inappropriate use of legacy software, changing requirements, inadequate software processes, unrealistic schedules, incorrect contract type, and unclear ownership responsibilities..

Computer technologies and institutional memory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, Christopher; Lachman, Roy

1989-01-01

NASA programs for manned space flight are in their 27th year. Scientists and engineers who worked continuously on the development of aerospace technology during that period are approaching retirement. The resulting loss to the organization will be considerable. Although this problem is general to the NASA community, the problem was explored in terms of the institutional memory and technical expertise of a single individual in the Man-Systems division. The main domain of the expert was spacecraft lighting, which became the subject area for analysis in these studies. The report starts with an analysis of the cumulative expertise and institutional memory of technical employees of organizations such as NASA. A set of solutions to this problem are examined and found inadequate. Two solutions were investigated at length: hypertext and expert systems. Illustrative examples were provided of hypertext and expert system representation of spacecraft lighting. These computer technologies can be used to ameliorate the problem of the loss of invaluable personnel.

Integrating technical rock climbing into protected area management: a case example of Minnewaska State Park Preserve, New York State

Treesearch

Jennifer A. Cairo; Thomas L. Cobb

1998-01-01

In the fall of 1996, technical rock climbing was introduced as a regulated outdoor recreation activity in Minnewaska State Park Preserve, situated in the Shawangunk Mountain region of New York State. It is the first instance in which rock climbing has been sanctioned by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. This paper identifies key...

Electric power restructuring in iran: achievements and challenges

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

Khosroshahi, Kaveh Aflaki; Jadid, Shahram; Shahidehpour, Mohammad

2009-03-15

Although the power market in Iran is not fully constructed, several key steps have been taken to meet privatization and restructuring objectives. The addition of a power exchange sector has placed the power market on par with that in other countries. Operational concerns that still need to be addressed include technical and non-technical losses, enhancing new investment, and providing incentives for introducing energy efficiency and promoting green power generation. (author)

SeaQuaKE: Sea-optimized Quantum Key Exchange

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

ONRBAA13-001). In this technical report, we describe modeling results of an entangled photon - pair source based on spontaneous four-wave mixing for...Distribution Special Notice (13-SN- 0004 under ONRBAA13-001). In this technical report, we describe modeling results of an entangled photon - pair ...areas over the last quarter include (i) development of a wavelength-dependent, entangled photon - pair source model and (ii) end-to-end system modeling

Advanced Exploration Systems Atmosphere Resource Recovery and Environmental Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, J.; Abney, M.; Conrad, R.; Garber, A.; Howard, D.; Kayatin, M.; Knox, J.; Newton, R.; Parrish, K.; Roman, M.;

Dealing With Shallow-Water Flow in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostermeier, R.

2006-05-01

Some of the Shell experience in dealing with the shallow-water flow problem in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM) will be presented. The nature of the problem, including areal extent and over-pressuring mechanisms, will be discussed. Methods for sand prediction and shallow sediment and flow characterization will be reviewed. These include seismic techniques, the use of geo-technical wells, regional trends, and various MWD methods. Some examples of flow incidents with pertinent drilling issues, including well failures and abandonment, will be described. To address the shallow-water flow problem, Shell created a multi-disciplinary team of specialists in geology, geophysics, petrophysics, drilling, and civil engineering. The team developed several methodologies to deal with various aspects of the problem. These include regional trends and data bases, shallow seismic interpretation and sand prediction, well site and casing point selection, geo-technical well design and data interpretation, logging program design and interpretation, cementing design and fluids formulation, methods for remediation and mitigation of lost circulation, and so on. Shell's extensive Deepwater GOM drilling experience has lead to new understanding of the problem. Examples include delineation of trends in shallow water flow occurrence and severity, trends and departures in PP/FG, rock properties pertaining to seismic identification of sands, and so on. New knowledge has also been acquired through the use of geo-technical wells. One example is the observed rapid onset and growth of over-pressures below the mudline. Total trouble costs due to shallow water flow for all GOM operators almost certainly runs into the several hundred million dollars. Though the problem remains a concern, advances in our knowledge and understanding make it a problem that is manageable and not the "show stopper" once feared.

Teachers' ICT and Problem-Solving Skills: Competencies and Needs. Education Indicators in Focus. No. 40

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2016

2016-01-01

The education sector performs well for information and communication technology (ICT) and problem-solving skills, although it still lags behind the professional, scientific and technical activities sector. Primary and secondary teachers have better ICT and problem-solving skills than the general population, and similar skills to other…

Solving Problems in Hawaiian-American Classrooms: Excellent Teaching and Cultural Factors. Technical Report #2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallimore, Ronald; And Others

This paper describes a community research project which preceded the development of the Kamehameha Early Education Project (KEEP). The community project was designed to assist teachers in solving classroom behavior and academic problems. The initial focus on workshops and theories proved inadequate for dealing with daily classroom problems. A…

The Evolution of a Flipped Classroom: Evidence-Based Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velegol, Stephanie Butler; Zappe, Sarah E.; Mahoney, Emily

2015-01-01

Engineering students benefit from an active and interactive classroom environment where they can be guided through the problem solving process. Typically faculty members spend class time presenting the technical content required to solve problems, leaving students to apply this knowledge and problem solve on their own at home. There has recently…

NASA and Industry Benefits of ACTS High Speed Network Interoperability Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zernic, M. J.; Beering, D. R.; Brooks, D. E.

2000-01-01

This paper provides synopses of the design. implementation, and results of key high data rate communications experiments utilizing the technologies of NASA's Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). Specifically, the network protocol and interoperability performance aspects will be highlighted. The objectives of these key experiments will be discussed in their relevant context to NASA missions, as well as, to the comprehensive communications industry. Discussion of the experiment implementation will highlight the technical aspects of hybrid network connectivity, a variety of high-speed interoperability architectures, a variety of network node platforms, protocol layers, internet-based applications, and new work focused on distinguishing between link errors and congestion. In addition, this paper describes the impact of leveraging government-industry partnerships to achieve technical progress and forge synergistic relationships. These relationships will be the key to success as NASA seeks to combine commercially available technology with its own internal technology developments to realize more robust and cost effective communications for space operations.

Adapting HIV prevention evidence-based interventions in practice settings: an interview study

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Evidence-based interventions that are being delivered in real-world settings are adapted to enhance the external validity of these interventions. The purpose of this study was to examine multiple intervention adaptations made during pre-implementation, implementation, maintenance, and evolution phases of human immunodeficiency virus HIV prevention technology transfer. We examined two important categories of adaptations -- modifications to key characteristics, such as activities or delivery methods of interventions and reinvention of the interventions including addition and deletion of core elements. Methods Study participants were thirty-four community-based organization staff who were implementing evidence-based interventions in Los Angeles, California. Participants were interviewed twice and interviews were professionally transcribed. Transcriptions were coded by two coders with good inter-rater reliability (kappa coefficient = 0.73). Sixty-two open-ended codes for adaptation activities, which were linked to 229 transcript segments, were categorized as modifications of key characteristics or reinvention. Results Participants described activities considered modifications to key characteristics and reinvention of evidence-based interventions during pre-implementation, implementation, and maintenance phases. None of the participants reported accessing technical assistance or guidance when reinventing their interventions. Staff executed many of the recommended steps for sound adaptation of these interventions for new populations and settings. Conclusion Staff reported modifying and reinventing interventions when translating HIV prevention programs into practice. Targeted technical assistance for formative evaluation should be focused on the pre-implementation phase during which frequent modifications occur. Continuous or repeated measurements of fidelity are recommended. Increased technical assistance and guidance are needed to ensure that reinventions are evaluated and consistent with the aims of the original interventions. Providing strategic technical assistance and written guidance can facilitate effective HIV prevention technology transfer of evidence-based interventions. PMID:19930653

Alternative vehicle detection technologies for traffic signal systems : technical report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

Due to the well-documented problems associated with inductive loops, most jurisdictions have : replaced many intersection loops with video image vehicle detection systems (VIVDS). While VIVDS : have overcome some of the problems with loops such as tr...

The Effect of Web-Based Collaborative Learning Methods to the Accounting Courses in Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, K. W. Kevin

2009-01-01

This study mainly explored the effect of applying web-based collaborative learning instruction to the accounting curriculum on student's problem-solving attitudes in Technical Education. The research findings and proposed suggestions would serve as a reference for the development of accounting-related curricula and teaching strategies. To achieve…

Power, Language, and Professional Choices: A Hermeneutic Approach To Teaching Technical Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillery, Denise

2001-01-01

Argues that the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer provides a useful theoretical framework from which to discuss ethical issues in the technical communication classroom. Analyzes a previously published case study to demonstrate how hermeneutics can shed light on the ways that writers can be unconscious of ethical problems in their…

Defining Projects to Integrate Evolving Team Fundamentals and Project Management Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Harold, III; Smarkusky, Debra; Corrigall, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

Industry has indicated the desire for academic programs to produce graduates that are well-versed in collaborative problem solving and general project management concepts in addition to technical skills. The primary focus of a curriculum is typically centered on the technical training with minimal attention given to coalescing team and project…

Interactive Methods of Teaching Physics at Technical Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krišták, L'uboš; Nemec, Miroslav; Danihelová, Zuzana

2014-01-01

The paper presents results of "non-traditional" teaching of the basic course of Physics in the first year of study at the Technical University in Zvolen, specifically teaching via interactive method enriched with problem tasks and experiments. This paper presents also research results of the use of the given method in conditions of…

The (Un)Attractiveness of Vocational and Technical Education: Theoretical Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovšin, Miha

2014-01-01

This paper considers the problem of the lack of attractiveness of vocational and technical education via a review of legislation on counselling practices, implementing documents, and the social factors by means of which the education system can influence the individual's decision. It is apparent that legislation regulating the organisation and…

NATIONAL VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION SEMINAR ON OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY AND MIGRATION. CENTER SEMINAR AND CONFERENCE REPORT, NUMBER 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BEARD, H.G.

THIRTY-THREE STATE-LEVEL LEADERS WITH RESEARCH RESPONSIBILITIES IN VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION FROM 23 STATES AND TERRITORIES ATTENDED THE SEMINAR WHICH HAD THE OBJECTIVES TO -- (1) SECURE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS AND DECISIONS FACING EDUCATIONAL POLICYMAKERS, PROGRAM PLANNERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND TEACHERS, (2) DEVELOP A…

Water Quality Criteria, Report of the National Technical Advisory Committee to the Secretary of the Interior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of the Interior, Washington, DC. Federal Water Pollution Control Administration.

Contained are reports of five subcommittees of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Water Quality Criteria. Subcommittees were recreation and aesthetics; public water supplies; fish, other aquatic life, and wildlife; agricultural uses; and industrial water supplies. Each committee report contains discussion of the problem area, criteria…

Technical Education as a Tool for Ensuring Sustainable Development: A Case of India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Gagan Deep; Uppal, Raminder Singh; Mahendru, Mandeep

2016-01-01

This paper notes that education needs to essentially lead to sustainable development serving two-fold purpose--eradicating the problems of unemployment and poverty; and ensuring equitable distribution of wealth while ensuring the right understanding leading to a peaceful, prosperous and developed world. In its current state, technical education…

A Formal Theory of Perception. Technical Report No. 161.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rottmayer, William Arthur

An attempt to build a mathematical model of a device that could learn geometry is discussed. The report discusses the background and motivation of the study, the coding problem, the derivation of Suppes "Stimulus-Response Theory of Finite Automata" used in the work in learning theory, and a summary of the technical work. (DB)

A State Response to Indian Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, Bruce

In 1977 more than 500 Native Americans attended Wisconsin's vocational, technical and adult schools located in the state's 16 vocational-technical districts. While many problems still lack a clear identification and many new programs are needed to meet the needs of Native Americans, a great deal of progress has been made. A group of four Indians…

Learning Objects and Virtual Learning Environments Technical Evaluation Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurilovas, Eugenijus; Dagiene, Valentina

2009-01-01

The main scientific problems investigated in this article deal with technical evaluation of quality attributes of the main components of e-Learning systems (referred here as DLEs--Digital Libraries of Educational Resources and Services), i.e., Learning Objects (LOs) and Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). The main research object of the work is…

Exploring Atypical Verb+Noun Combinations in Learner Technical Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luzon Marco, Maria Jose

2011-01-01

Professional and academic discourse is characterised by a specific phraseology, which usually poses problems for students. This paper investigates atypical verb+noun collocations in a corpus of English technical writing of Spanish students. I focus on the type of verbs that most frequently occurred in these awkward or questionable combinations and…

Project T.E.A.M. (Technical Education Advancement Modules). Advanced Statistical Process Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlap, Dale

This instructional guide, one of a series developed by the Technical Education Advancement Modules (TEAM) project, is a 20-hour advanced statistical process control (SPC) and quality improvement course designed to develop the following competencies: (1) understanding quality systems; (2) knowing the process; (3) solving quality problems; and (4)…

Knowledge as a Resource--Networks Do Matter: A Study of SME Firms in Rural Illinois.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solymossy, Emeric

2000-01-01

Networks among people and businesses facilitate the capture and diffusion of technical and organizational knowledge and can be classified by type of knowledge being exchanged. Types include buyer-supplier information, technical problem-solving information, and informal community information. A survey of 141 small and medium-sized enterprises…

Problem Solving Skills of Hispanic College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerace, William J.; Mestre, Jose P.

Minorities have for some time been underrepresented in the technical fields, such as engineering and computer science. This development is known to be caused by a variety of factors, but the primary purpose of this report is to help identify those factors that adversely affect the cognitive development of the technical bilingual student in terms…

Vocational and Technical Education in Lebanon: Strategic Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karam, Gebran

2006-01-01

The current status of the Lebanese vocational and technical education (VTE) system is assessed and the strategic issues and challenges facing it are identified. In addition to the economic and social challenges that are common to many developing countries, the Lebanese system suffers from idiosyncratic problems, which may require innovative and…

More than Sanctions: Closing Achievement Gaps through California's Use of Intensive Technical Assistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strunk, Katharine O.; McEachin, Andrew

2014-01-01

One of the enduring problems in education is the persistence of achievement gaps between White, wealthy, native English-speaking students and their counterparts who are minority, lower-income, or English language learners. This study shows that one intensive technical assistance (TA) intervention--California's District Assistance and Intervention…

Performance Problems in Service Contracting

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

technical manual for the U.S. Army. Contract types have run the gamut from firm fixed price to various forms of cost plus arrangements, and award has been...in a National Forest to producing a technical manual for the U.S. Army. Contract types have run the gamut from firm fixed price to various forms of

Teaching Technology with Technology. An Off-the-Shelf Robotics Course Builds Technical Center Enrollment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannemann, Jim; Rice, Thomas R.

1991-01-01

At the Oakland Technical Center, which provides vocational programs for nine Michigan high schools, a one-semester course in Foundations of Technology Systems uses a computer-simulated manufacturing environment to teach applied math, science, language arts, communication skills, problem solving, and teamwork in the context of technology education.…

Helping Doctoral Students Establish Long-Term Identities as Technical Communication Scholars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant-Davie, Keith; Matheson, Breeanne; Stephens, Eric James

2017-01-01

This article aims to help doctoral students in technical communication prepare themselves for the academic job market and for the subsequent process of earning tenure and promotion in increasingly demanding environments. The authors propose that students do four things: (a) learn to spot and articulate research problems; (b) find their…

Technical and Non-Technical Programme Students' Attitudes and Reasons for Plagiarism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harji, Madhubala Bava; Ismail, Zalina; Chetty, Thiba Naraina; Letchumanan, Krishnaveni

2017-01-01

To date, plagiarism continues to be a widespread problem in higher education. Deemed to be endemic, researchers continue to examine various aspects of plagiarism, including students' perception, practices, attitudes and reasons for plagiarism, in addressing this growing concern. Most studies, however, tend to examine these aspects independently.…

Vocational-Technical Education; A Prospectus for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaefer, Carl J., Ed.; Kaufman, Jacob J., Ed.

To seek resolution of problems in providing education for youth and adults oriented toward the world of work, the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Education (MACE) undertook a study of vocational-technical education as a major project. This publication contains the major papers and prepared reactions to these papers, which were presented at a…

How to Recognize a Quality Technical Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doty, Charles R.

Criteria for the evaluation of quality technical educational programs must be identified if follow-up studies are to be effective. Current research shows that problems in the development of such criteria include the tendency to evaluate programs on the basis of organizational structure rather than on the quality of the instructional program…

Radiological clinical trials: Proposal of a problem-finding questionnaire to improve study success.

PubMed

Valdora, Francesca; Bignotti, Bianca; Calabrese, Massimo; Houssami, Nehmat; Tagliafico, Alberto

2016-12-26

To develop a survey to help define the main problems in radiological clinical trials. Since 2006, we have managed seven different radiological clinical trials recruiting patients in academic and non-academic centres. We developed a preliminary questionnaire using a four-round Delphi approach to identify problems occurring in radiological clinical trials run at our centre. We investigated the recruitment experience, involvement of all multi-disciplinary team members and main obstacles to completing the projects. A final round of Delphi processes elucidated solutions to the identified problems. Among 19/20 (95%) respondents, 10 (53%) were young physicians (under 35 years old), and the respondents included non-faculty members, fellows, residents, and undergraduate students. Ninety-four percent (18/19) of respondents showed interest in conducting clinical trials. On a scale of 1 to 10, the problems with higher/worse scores (8-9) were related to technical or communication problems. The most frequent problems across all studies were technical problems related to clinical trial equipment, insufficient willingness to participate, obstacles to understanding the design of electronic-case report form and extra work. The developed questionnaire identified the main recurring problems in radiological clinical trials as perceived by end-users and helped define possible solutions that are mostly related to having dedicated clinical trial research staff.

Verification of Algebra Step Problems: A Chronometric Study of Human Problem Solving. Technical Report No. 253. Psychology and Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Paul G.; Atkinson, Richard C.

This paper reports an experiment designed to test theoretical relations among fast problem solving, more complex and slower problem solving, and research concerning fundamental memory processes. Using a cathode ray tube, subjects were presented with propositions of the form "Y is in list X" which they memorized. In later testing they were asked to…

A Geoscience Workforce Model for Non-Geoscience and Non-Traditional STEM Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Norouzi, H.; Vladutescu, D. V.; Yuen-Lau, L.

2016-12-01

The Summit on the Future of Geoscience Undergraduate Education has recently identified key professional skills, competencies, and conceptual understanding necessary in the development of undergraduate geoscience students (American Geosciences Institute, 2015). Through a comprehensive study involving a diverse range of the geoscience academic and employer community, the following professional scientist skills were rated highly important: 1) critical thinking/problem solving skills; 2) effective communication; 3) ability to access and integrate information; 4) strong quantitative skills; and 5) ability to work in interdisciplinary/cross cultural teams. Based on the findings of the study above, the New York City College of Technology (City Tech) has created a one-year intensive training program that focusses on the development of technical and non-technical geoscience skills for non-geoscience, non-traditional STEM students. Although City Tech does not offer geoscience degrees, the primary goal of the program is to create an unconventional pathway for under-represented minority STEM students to enter, participate, and compete in the geoscience workforce. The selected cohort of STEM students engage in year-round activities that include a geoscience course, enrichment training workshops, networking sessions, leadership development, research experiences, and summer internships at federal, local, and private geoscience facilities. These carefully designed programmatic elements provide both the geoscience knowledge and the non-technical professional skills that are essential for the geoscience workforce. Moreover, by executing this alternate, robust geoscience workforce model that attracts and prepares underrepresented minorities for geoscience careers, this unique pathway opens another corridor that helps to ameliorate the dire plight of the geoscience workforce shortage. This project is supported by NSF IUSE GEOPATH Grant # 1540721.

The evolution of the Italian EPR system for the management of household Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Technical and economic performance in the spotlight.

PubMed

Favot, Marinella; Veit, Raphael; Massarutto, Antonio

2016-10-01

In this paper we analyse the Italian collective system for the management of household Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and its evolution over time, following the European Directives on WEEE, which include the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The analysis focuses on the technical and economic performance of WEEE compliance organisations (consortia), as they are the key players in the Italian EPR regime. Economic results have not usually been provided in previous studies, due to the lack of available data. This study overcomes this problem by accessing the financial statements for the years 2009-2014 of all consortia. The main conclusions of the study are: The Italian EPR system barely exceeded the technical target of the first WEEE Directive (4kg per capita). Improvements are necessary to achieve the target set for 2019 by the Recast Directive. The economic performance of the Italian EPR regime improved significantly over time. The fees charged per tonne of WEEE collected decreased by almost 43% from 652 Euro per tonne in 2009 to 374 Euro per tonne in 2014, while the fees per tonne put on the market (POM) were 134 Euro in 2009 and 104 Euro in 2014. The results prove the theory which states that, competing consortia use the learning effects to reduce the contribution fees for producers rather than to increase the quantity collected. Municipalities remain the most important actor in WEEE collection operations. Consortia compensate municipalities with a reimbursement that ranges between 28 and 38 Euros per tonne collected. These repayments cover only partially their costs. Additional studies should investigate their role. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges for nursing education in Angola: the perception of nurse leaders affiliated with professional education institutions

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Angola is one of the African countries with the highest morbidity and mortality rates and a devastating lack of human resources for health, including nursing. The World Health Organization stimulates and takes technical cooperation initiatives for human resource education and training in health and education, with a view to the development of countries in the region. The aim in this study was to identify how nurses affiliated with nursing education institutions perceive the challenges nursing education is facing in Angola. Methods After consulting the National Directory of Human Resources in Angola, the nurse leaders affiliated with professional nursing education institutions in Angola were invited to participate in the study by email. Data were collected in February 2009 through the focus group technique. The group of participants was focused on the central question: what are the challenges faced for nursing education in your country? To register and understand the information, besides the use of a recorder, the reporters elaborated an interpretative report. Data were coded using content analysis. Results Fourteen nurses participated in the meeting, most of whom were affiliated with technical nursing education institutions. It was verified that the nurse leaders at technical and higher nursing education institutions in Angola face many challenges, mainly related to the lack of infrastructure, absence of trained human resources, bureaucratic problems to regularize the schools and lack of material resources. On the opposite, the solutions they present are predominantly centered on the valuation of nursing professionals, which implies cultural and attitude changes. Conclusions Public health education policies need to be established in Angola, including action guidelines that permit effective nursing activities. Professional education institutions need further regularizations and nurses need to be acknowledged as key elements for the qualitative enhancement of health services in the country. PMID:23866740

Challenges for nursing education in Angola: the perception of nurse leaders affiliated with professional education institutions.

PubMed

Marchi-Alves, Leila Maria; Ventura, Carla A Arena; Trevizan, Maria Auxiliadora; Mazzo, Alessandra; de Godoy, Simone; Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa

2013-07-17

Angola is one of the African countries with the highest morbidity and mortality rates and a devastating lack of human resources for health, including nursing. The World Health Organization stimulates and takes technical cooperation initiatives for human resource education and training in health and education, with a view to the development of countries in the region. The aim in this study was to identify how nurses affiliated with nursing education institutions perceive the challenges nursing education is facing in Angola. After consulting the National Directory of Human Resources in Angola, the nurse leaders affiliated with professional nursing education institutions in Angola were invited to participate in the study by email. Data were collected in February 2009 through the focus group technique. The group of participants was focused on the central question: what are the challenges faced for nursing education in your country? To register and understand the information, besides the use of a recorder, the reporters elaborated an interpretative report. Data were coded using content analysis. Fourteen nurses participated in the meeting, most of whom were affiliated with technical nursing education institutions. It was verified that the nurse leaders at technical and higher nursing education institutions in Angola face many challenges, mainly related to the lack of infrastructure, absence of trained human resources,bureaucratic problems to regularize the schools and lack of material resources. On the opposite, the solutions they present are predominantly centered on the valuation of nursing professionals, which implies cultural and attitude changes. Public health education policies need to be established in Angola, including action guidelines that permit effective nursing activities. Professional education institutions need further regularizations and nurses need to be acknowledged as key elements for the qualitative enhancement of health services in the country.

Web-based technical assistance and training to promote community tobacco control policy change.

PubMed

Young, Walter F; Montgomery, Debbie; Nycum, Colleen; Burns-Martin, Lavon; Buller, David B

2006-01-01

In 1998 the tobacco industry was released of claims that provided monetary relief for states. A significant expansion of tobacco control activity in many states created a need to develop local capacity. Technical assistance and training for new and experienced staff became a significant challenge for tobacco control leadership. In Colorado, this challenge was addressed in part through the development of a technical assistance and training Web site designed for local tobacco control staff and coalition members. Researchers, technical Web site development specialists, state health agency, and state tobacco control coalition staff collaborated to develop, promote, and test the efficacy of this Web site. The work group embodied a range of skills including tobacco control, Web site technical development, marketing, training, and project management. Persistent marketing, updating of Web site content, and institutionalizing it as a principal source of information and training were key to use by community coalition members.

Necessity of creating digital tools to ensure efficiency of technical means

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakov, V. I.; Zakharova, O. V.

2018-05-01

The authors estimated the problems of functioning of technical objects. The article notes that the increasing complexity of automation systems may lead to an increase of the redundant resource in proportion to the number of components and relationships in the system, and to the need of the redundant resource constant change that can make implementation of traditional structures with redundancy unnecessarily costly (Standby System, Fault Tolerance, High Availability). It proposes the idea of creating digital tools to ensure efficiency of technical facilities.

Solving the problem of Trans-Genomic Query with alignment tables.

PubMed

Parker, Douglass Stott; Hsiao, Ruey-Lung; Xing, Yi; Resch, Alissa M; Lee, Christopher J

2008-01-01

The trans-genomic query (TGQ) problem--enabling the free query of biological information, even across genomes--is a central challenge facing bioinformatics. Solutions to this problem can alter the nature of the field, moving it beyond the jungle of data integration and expanding the number and scope of questions that can be answered. An alignment table is a binary relationship on locations (sequence segments). An important special case of alignment tables are hit tables ? tables of pairs of highly similar segments produced by alignment tools like BLAST. However, alignment tables also include general binary relationships, and can represent any useful connection between sequence locations. They can be curated, and provide a high-quality queryable backbone of connections between biological information. Alignment tables thus can be a natural foundation for TGQ, as they permit a central part of the TGQ problem to be reduced to purely technical problems involving tables of locations.Key challenges in implementing alignment tables include efficient representation and indexing of sequence locations. We define a location datatype that can be incorporated naturally into common off-the-shelf database systems. We also describe an implementation of alignment tables in BLASTGRES, an extension of the open-source POSTGRESQL database system that provides indexing and operators on locations required for querying alignment tables. This paper also reviews several successful large-scale applications of alignment tables for Trans-Genomic Query. Tables with millions of alignments have been used in queries about alternative splicing, an area of genomic analysis concerning the way in which a single gene can yield multiple transcripts. Comparative genomics is a large potential application area for TGQ and alignment tables.