Forum: The Rise of International Large-Scale Assessments and Rationales for Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Addey, Camilla; Sellar, Sam; Steiner-Khamsi, Gita; Lingard, Bob; Verger, Antoni

2017-01-01

This Forum discusses the significant growth of international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) since the mid-1990s. Addey and Sellar's contribution ("A Framework for Analysing the Multiple Rationales for Participating in International Large-Scale Assessments") outlines a framework of rationales for participating in ILSAs and examines the…

International Intercomparison of Regular Transmittance Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckerle, K. L.; Sutter, E.; Freeman, G. H. C.; Andor, G.; Fillinger, L.

1990-01-01

An intercomparison of the regular spectral transmittance scales of NIST, Gaithersburg, MD (USA); PTB, Braunschweig (FRG); NPL, Teddington, Middlesex (UK); and OMH, Budapest (H) was accomplished using three sets of neutral glass filters with transmittances ranging from approximately 0.92 to 0.001. The difference between the results from the reference spectrophotometers of the laboratories was generally smaller than the total uncertainty of the interchange. The relative total uncertainty ranges from 0.05% to 0.75% for transmittances from 0.92 to 0.001. The sample-induced error was large - contributing 40% or more of the total except in a few cases.

Assessment of international reference materials for isotope-ratio analysis (IUPAC Technical Report)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brand, Willi A.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Vogl, Jochen; Rosner, Martin; Prohaska, Thomas

2014-01-01

Since the early 1950s, the number of international measurement standards for anchoring stable isotope delta scales has mushroomed from 3 to more than 30, expanding to more than 25 chemical elements. With the development of new instrumentation, along with new and improved measurement procedures for studying naturally occurring isotopic abundance variations in natural and technical samples, the number of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials with a specified delta value has blossomed in the last six decades to more than 150 materials. More than half of these isotopic reference materials were produced for isotope-delta measurements of seven elements: H, Li, B, C, N, O, and S. The number of isotopic reference materials for other, heavier elements has grown considerably over the last decade. Nevertheless, even primary international measurement standards for isotope-delta measurements are still needed for some elements, including Mg, Fe, Te, Sb, Mo, and Ge. It is recommended that authors publish the delta values of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials that were used for anchoring their measurement results to the respective primary stable isotope scale.

Projecting Images of the "Good" and the "Bad School": Top Scorers in Educational Large-Scale Assessments as Reference Societies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldow, Florian

2017-01-01

Researchers interested in the global flow of educational ideas and programmes have long been interested in the role of so-called "reference societies." The article investigates how top scorers in large-scale assessments are framed as positive or negative reference societies in the education policy-making debate in German mass media and…

[Colombian migration to the Venezuelan agrarian sector: a binational context].

PubMed

Mora, J; Gomez, A

1980-01-01

The authors attempt to determine the reasons for the chronic national labor shortage in the Venezuelan agrarian sector and for the large-scale emigration of Colombians to work in Venezuelan agriculture. The income of agricultural wage earners and the conditions of labor force reproduction in Venezuela are discussed as factors contributing to the labor shortage. With reference to Colombia, the rapid growth of international commerce and the policy of limiting wages are suggested as factors which contribute to emigration

Physical Growth of the Shuar: Height, Weight, and BMI References for an Indigenous Amazonian Population

PubMed Central

URLACHER, SAMUEL S.; BLACKWELL, AARON D.; LIEBERT, MELISSA A.; MADIMENOS, FELICIA C.; CEPON-ROBINS, TARA J.; GILDNER, THERESA E.; SNODGRASS, J. JOSH; SUGIYAMA, LAWRENCE S.

2015-01-01

Objectives Information concerning physical growth among small-scale populations remains limited, yet such data are critical to local health efforts and to foster basic understandings of human life history and variation in childhood development. Using a large dataset and robust modeling methods, this study aims to describe growth from birth to adulthood among the indigenous Shuar of Amazonian Ecuador. Methods Mixed-longitudinal measures of height, weight, and BMI were collected from Shuar participants (n = 2,463; age 0–29 years). Centile growth curves and tables were created for each anthropometric variable of interest using GAMLSS. Pseudo-velocity and LMS curves were generated to further investigate Shuar patterns of growth and to facilitate comparison with U.S. CDC and multinational WHO growth references. Results The Shuar are small throughout life and exhibit complex patterns of growth that differ substantially from those of international references. Similar to other Amazonians, Shuar growth in weight compares more favorably to references than growth in height, resulting in BMI curves that approximate international medians. Several additional characteristics of Shuar development are noteworthy, including large observed variation in body size early in life, significant infant growth faltering, extended male growth into adulthood, and a markedly early female pubertal growth spurt in height. Phenotypic plasticity and genetic selection in response to local environmental factors may explain many of these patterns. Conclusions Providing a detailed reference of growth for the Shuar and other Amazonian populations, this study possesses direct clinical application and affords valuable insight into childhood health and the ecology of human growth. PMID:26126793

Diagnosing schistosomiasis: where are we?

PubMed

Gomes, Luciana Inácia; Enk, Martin Johannes; Rabello, Ana

2014-01-01

In light of the World Health Organization's initiative to extend schistosomiasis morbidity and mortality control programs by including a disease elimination strategy in low endemic settings, this paper reviews diagnostic tools described during the last decades and provide an overview of ongoing efforts in making an efficient diagnostic tool available worldwide. A literature search on PubMed using the search criteria schistosomiasis and diagnosis within the period from 1978 to 2013 was carried out. Articles with abstract in English and that used laboratory techniques specifically developed for the detection of schistosomiasis in humans were included. Publications were categorized according to the methodology applied (parasitological, immunological, or molecular) and stage of development (in house development, limited field, or large scale field testing). The initial research generated 4,535 publications, of which only 643 met the inclusion criteria. The vast majority (537) of the publications focused on immunological techniques; 81 focused on parasitological diagnosis, and 25 focused on molecular diagnostic methods. Regarding the stage of development, 307 papers referred to in-house development, 202 referred to limited field tests, and 134 referred to large scale field testing. The data obtained show that promising new diagnostic tools, especially for Schistosoma antigen and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection, which are characterized by high sensitivity and specificity, are being developed. In combination with international funding initiatives these tools may result in a significant step forward in successful disease elimination and surveillance, which is to make efficient tests accessible and its large use self-sustainable for control programs in endemic countries.

The gallium melting-point standard: its role in our temperature measurement system.

PubMed

Mangum, B W

1977-01-01

The latest internationally-adopted temperature scale, the International Practical Temperature Scale of 1968 (amended edition of 1975), is discussed in some detail and a brief description is given of its evolution. The melting point of high-purity gallium (stated to be at least 99.99999% pure) as a secondary temperature reference point is evaluated. I believe that this melting-point temperature of gallium should be adopted by the various medical professional societies and voluntary standards groups as the reaction temperature for enzyme reference methods in clinical enzymology. Gallium melting-point cells are available at the National Bureau of Standards as Standard Reference Material No. 1968.

Questionnaire-based assessment of executive functioning: Psychometrics.

PubMed

Castellanos, Irina; Kronenberger, William G; Pisoni, David B

2018-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Learning, Executive, and Attention Functioning (LEAF) scale were investigated in an outpatient clinical pediatric sample. As a part of clinical testing, the LEAF scale, which broadly measures neuropsychological abilities related to executive functioning and learning, was administered to parents of 118 children and adolescents referred for psychological testing at a pediatric psychology clinic; 85 teachers also completed LEAF scales to assess reliability across different raters and settings. Scores on neuropsychological tests of executive functioning and academic achievement were abstracted from charts. Psychometric analyses of the LEAF scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, parent-teacher inter-rater reliability in the small to large effect size range, and test-retest reliability in the large effect size range, similar to values for other executive functioning checklists. Correlations between corresponding subscales on the LEAF and other behavior checklists were large, while most correlations with neuropsychological tests of executive functioning and achievement were significant but in the small to medium range. Results support the utility of the LEAF as a reliable and valid questionnaire-based assessment of delays and disturbances in executive functioning and learning. Applications and advantages of the LEAF and other questionnaire measures of executive functioning in clinical neuropsychology settings are discussed.

Linking Large-Scale Reading Assessments: Measuring International Trends over 40 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strietholt, Rolf; Rosén, Monica

2016-01-01

Since the start of the new millennium, international comparative large-scale studies have become one of the most well-known areas in the field of education. However, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) has already been conducting international comparative studies for about half a century. The present…

A global probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment from earthquake sources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davies, Gareth; Griffin, Jonathan; Lovholt, Finn; Glimsdal, Sylfest; Harbitz, Carl; Thio, Hong Kie; Lorito, Stefano; Basili, Roberto; Selva, Jacopo; Geist, Eric L.; Baptista, Maria Ana

2017-01-01

Large tsunamis occur infrequently but have the capacity to cause enormous numbers of casualties, damage to the built environment and critical infrastructure, and economic losses. A sound understanding of tsunami hazard is required to underpin management of these risks, and while tsunami hazard assessments are typically conducted at regional or local scales, globally consistent assessments are required to support international disaster risk reduction efforts, and can serve as a reference for local and regional studies. This study presents a global-scale probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment (PTHA), extending previous global-scale assessments based largely on scenario analysis. Only earthquake sources are considered, as they represent about 80% of the recorded damaging tsunami events. Globally extensive estimates of tsunami run-up height are derived at various exceedance rates, and the associated uncertainties are quantified. Epistemic uncertainties in the exceedance rates of large earthquakes often lead to large uncertainties in tsunami run-up. Deviations between modelled tsunami run-up and event observations are quantified, and found to be larger than suggested in previous studies. Accounting for these deviations in PTHA is important, as it leads to a pronounced increase in predicted tsunami run-up for a given exceedance rate.

Global energy and water cycle experiment (GEWEX) continental-scale international project (GCIP); reference data sets CD-ROM

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rea, Alan; Cederstrand, Joel R.

1994-01-01

The data sets on this compact disc are a compilation of several geographic reference data sets of interest to the global-change research community. The data sets were chosen with input from the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) Data Committee and the GCIP Hydrometeorology and Atmospheric Subpanels. The data sets include: locations and periods of record for stream gages, reservoir gages, and meteorological stations; a 500-meter-resolution digital elevation model; grid-node locations for the Eta numerical weather-prediction model; and digital map data sets of geology, land use, streams, large reservoirs, average annual runoff, average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, average annual heating and cooling degree days, hydrologic units, and state and county boundaries. Also included are digital index maps for LANDSAT scenes, and for the U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000, 1:100,000, and 1:24,000-scale map series. Most of the data sets cover the conterminous United States; the digital elevation model also includes part of southern Canada. The stream and reservoir gage and meteorological station files cover all states having area within the Mississippi River Basin plus that part of the Mississippi River Basin lying within Canada. Several data-base retrievals were processed by state, therefore many sites outside the Mississippi River Basin are included.

Large perceptual distortions of locomotor action space occur in ground-based coordinates: Angular expansion and the large-scale horizontal-vertical illusion.

PubMed

Klein, Brennan J; Li, Zhi; Durgin, Frank H

2016-04-01

What is the natural reference frame for seeing large-scale spatial scenes in locomotor action space? Prior studies indicate an asymmetric angular expansion in perceived direction in large-scale environments: Angular elevation relative to the horizon is perceptually exaggerated by a factor of 1.5, whereas azimuthal direction is exaggerated by a factor of about 1.25. Here participants made angular and spatial judgments when upright or on their sides to dissociate egocentric from allocentric reference frames. In Experiment 1, it was found that body orientation did not affect the magnitude of the up-down exaggeration of direction, suggesting that the relevant orientation reference frame for this directional bias is allocentric rather than egocentric. In Experiment 2, the comparison of large-scale horizontal and vertical extents was somewhat affected by viewer orientation, but only to the extent necessitated by the classic (5%) horizontal-vertical illusion (HVI) that is known to be retinotopic. Large-scale vertical extents continued to appear much larger than horizontal ground extents when observers lay sideways. When the visual world was reoriented in Experiment 3, the bias remained tied to the ground-based allocentric reference frame. The allocentric HVI is quantitatively consistent with differential angular exaggerations previously measured for elevation and azimuth in locomotor space. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Large perceptual distortions of locomotor action space occur in ground-based coordinates: Angular expansion and the large-scale horizontal-vertical illusion

PubMed Central

Klein, Brennan J.; Li, Zhi; Durgin, Frank H.

2015-01-01

What is the natural reference frame for seeing large-scale spatial scenes in locomotor action space? Prior studies indicate an asymmetric angular expansion in perceived direction in large-scale environments: Angular elevation relative to the horizon is perceptually exaggerated by a factor of 1.5, whereas azimuthal direction is exaggerated by a factor of about 1.25. Here participants made angular and spatial judgments when upright or on their sides in order to dissociate egocentric from allocentric reference frames. In Experiment 1 it was found that body orientation did not affect the magnitude of the up-down exaggeration of direction, suggesting that the relevant orientation reference frame for this directional bias is allocentric rather than egocentric. In Experiment 2, the comparison of large-scale horizontal and vertical extents was somewhat affected by viewer orientation, but only to the extent necessitated by the classic (5%) horizontal-vertical illusion (HVI) that is known to be retinotopic. Large-scale vertical extents continued to appear much larger than horizontal ground extents when observers lay sideways. When the visual world was reoriented in Experiment 3, the bias remained tied to the ground-based allocentric reference frame. The allocentric HVI is quantitatively consistent with differential angular exaggerations previously measured for elevation and azimuth in locomotor space. PMID:26594884

TriAnnot: A Versatile and High Performance Pipeline for the Automated Annotation of Plant Genomes

PubMed Central

Leroy, Philippe; Guilhot, Nicolas; Sakai, Hiroaki; Bernard, Aurélien; Choulet, Frédéric; Theil, Sébastien; Reboux, Sébastien; Amano, Naoki; Flutre, Timothée; Pelegrin, Céline; Ohyanagi, Hajime; Seidel, Michael; Giacomoni, Franck; Reichstadt, Mathieu; Alaux, Michael; Gicquello, Emmanuelle; Legeai, Fabrice; Cerutti, Lorenzo; Numa, Hisataka; Tanaka, Tsuyoshi; Mayer, Klaus; Itoh, Takeshi; Quesneville, Hadi; Feuillet, Catherine

2012-01-01

In support of the international effort to obtain a reference sequence of the bread wheat genome and to provide plant communities dealing with large and complex genomes with a versatile, easy-to-use online automated tool for annotation, we have developed the TriAnnot pipeline. Its modular architecture allows for the annotation and masking of transposable elements, the structural, and functional annotation of protein-coding genes with an evidence-based quality indexing, and the identification of conserved non-coding sequences and molecular markers. The TriAnnot pipeline is parallelized on a 712 CPU computing cluster that can run a 1-Gb sequence annotation in less than 5 days. It is accessible through a web interface for small scale analyses or through a server for large scale annotations. The performance of TriAnnot was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and general fitness using curated reference sequence sets from rice and wheat. In less than 8 h, TriAnnot was able to predict more than 83% of the 3,748 CDS from rice chromosome 1 with a fitness of 67.4%. On a set of 12 reference Mb-sized contigs from wheat chromosome 3B, TriAnnot predicted and annotated 93.3% of the genes among which 54% were perfectly identified in accordance with the reference annotation. It also allowed the curation of 12 genes based on new biological evidences, increasing the percentage of perfect gene prediction to 63%. TriAnnot systematically showed a higher fitness than other annotation pipelines that are not improved for wheat. As it is easily adaptable to the annotation of other plant genomes, TriAnnot should become a useful resource for the annotation of large and complex genomes in the future. PMID:22645565

Standard Errors for National Trends in International Large-Scale Assessments in the Case of Cross-National Differential Item Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sachse, Karoline A.; Haag, Nicole

2017-01-01

Standard errors computed according to the operational practices of international large-scale assessment studies such as the Programme for International Student Assessment's (PISA) or the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) may be biased when cross-national differential item functioning (DIF) and item parameter drift are…

Creation and Initial Validation of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale

PubMed Central

Steele, Catriona M.; Namasivayam-MacDonald, Ashwini M.; Guida, Brittany T.; Cichero, Julie A.; Duivestein, Janice; MRSc; Hanson, Ben; Lam, Peter; Riquelme, Luis F.

2018-01-01

Objective To assess consensual validity, interrater reliability, and criterion validity of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale, a new functional outcome scale intended to capture the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia, as represented by the degree of diet texture restriction recommended for the patient. Design Participants assigned International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale scores to 16 clinical cases. Consensual validity was measured against reference scores determined by an author reference panel. Interrater reliability was measured overall and across quartile subsets of the dataset. Criterion validity was evaluated versus Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores assigned by survey respondents to the same case scenarios. Feedback was requested regarding ease and likelihood of use. Setting Web-based survey. Participants Respondents (NZ170) from 29 countries. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Consensual validity (percent agreement and Kendall t), criterion validity (Spearman rank correlation), and interrater reliability (Kendall concordance and intraclass coefficients). Results The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale showed strong consensual validity, criterion validity, and interrater reliability. Scenarios involving liquid-only diets, transition from nonoral feeding, or trial diet advances in therapy showed the poorest consensus, indicating a need for clear instructions on how to score these situations. The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale showed greater sensitivity than the FOIS to specific changes in diet. Most (>70%) respondents indicated enthusiasm for implementing the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale. Conclusions This initial validation study suggests that the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale has strong consensual and criterion validity and can be used reliably by clinicians to capture diet texture restriction and progression in people with dysphagia. PMID:29428348

Creation and Initial Validation of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale.

PubMed

Steele, Catriona M; Namasivayam-MacDonald, Ashwini M; Guida, Brittany T; Cichero, Julie A; Duivestein, Janice; Hanson, Ben; Lam, Peter; Riquelme, Luis F

2018-05-01

To assess consensual validity, interrater reliability, and criterion validity of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale, a new functional outcome scale intended to capture the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia, as represented by the degree of diet texture restriction recommended for the patient. Participants assigned International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale scores to 16 clinical cases. Consensual validity was measured against reference scores determined by an author reference panel. Interrater reliability was measured overall and across quartile subsets of the dataset. Criterion validity was evaluated versus Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores assigned by survey respondents to the same case scenarios. Feedback was requested regarding ease and likelihood of use. Web-based survey. Respondents (N=170) from 29 countries. Not applicable. Consensual validity (percent agreement and Kendall τ), criterion validity (Spearman rank correlation), and interrater reliability (Kendall concordance and intraclass coefficients). The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale showed strong consensual validity, criterion validity, and interrater reliability. Scenarios involving liquid-only diets, transition from nonoral feeding, or trial diet advances in therapy showed the poorest consensus, indicating a need for clear instructions on how to score these situations. The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale showed greater sensitivity than the FOIS to specific changes in diet. Most (>70%) respondents indicated enthusiasm for implementing the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale. This initial validation study suggests that the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale has strong consensual and criterion validity and can be used reliably by clinicians to capture diet texture restriction and progression in people with dysphagia. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are Mindful Parents More Authoritative and Less Authoritarian? An Analysis of Clinic-Referred Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Keith L.; Wahler, Robert G.

2010-01-01

Forty clinic-referred mothers completed questionnaires describing their children's problems, the mothers' parenting styles, and their everyday mindfulness. Psychometric analyses of the questionnaires showed mother reports to be internally consistent, except for one of the parenting style scales (i.e., permissive style). We dropped the scale and…

Cross-cultural adaptation of the German version of the spinal stenosis measure.

PubMed

Wertli, Maria M; Steurer, Johann; Wildi, Lukas M; Held, Ulrike

2014-06-01

To validate the German version of the spinal stenosis measure (SSM), a disease-specific questionnaire assessing symptom severity, physical function, and satisfaction with treatment in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. After translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and pilot testing, we assessed internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness of the SSM subscales. Data from a large Swiss multi-center prospective cohort study were used. Reference scales for the assessment of construct validity and responsiveness were the numeric rating scale, pain thermometer, and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. One hundred and eight consecutive patients were included in this validation study, recruited from five different centers. Cronbach's alpha was above 0.8 for all three subscales of the SSM. The objectivity of the SSM was assessed using a partial credit approach. The model showed a good global fit to the data. Of the 108 patients 78 participated in the test-retest procedure. The ICC values were above 0.8 for all three subscales of the SSM. Correlations with reference scales were above 0.7 for the symptom and function subscales. For satisfaction subscale, it was 0.66 or above. Clinically meaningful changes of the reference scales over time were associated with significantly more improvement in all three SSM subscales (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The proposed version of the SSM showed very good measurement properties and can be considered validated for use in the German language.

A bibliographical surveys of large-scale systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corliss, W. R.

1970-01-01

A limited, partly annotated bibliography was prepared on the subject of large-scale system control. Approximately 400 references are divided into thirteen application areas, such as large societal systems and large communication systems. A first-author index is provided.

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in Caregivers of Clinically-Referred Youth: Psychometric Properties and Mediation Analysis

PubMed Central

Athay, M. Michele

2012-01-01

This paper presents the psychometric evaluation of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larson & Griffen, 1985) used with a large sample (N = 610) of caregivers for youth receiving mental health services. Methods from classical test theory, factor analysis and item response theory are utilized. Additionally, this paper investigates whether caregiver strain mediates the effect of youth symptom severity on caregiver life satisfaction (N = 356). Bootstrapped confidence intervals are used to determine the significance of the mediated effects. Results indicate that the SWLS is a psychometrically sound instrument to be used with caregivers of clinically-referred youth. Mediation analyses found that the effect of youth symptom severity on caregiver life satisfaction is mediated by caregiver strain but that the mediation effect differs based on the type of youth symptoms. Caregiver strain is a partial mediator when externalizing symptoms are measured and a full mediator when internalizing symptoms are measured. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed. PMID:22407554

Comprehensive geo-spatial data creation for Qassim region in the KSA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alrajhi, M.; Hawarey, M.

2009-04-01

The General Directorate for Surveying and Mapping (GDSM) of the Deputy Ministry for Land and Surveying (DMLS) of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has the exclusive mandate to carry out aerial photography and produce large-scale detailed maps for about 220 cities and villages in the KSA. This presentation is about the comprehensive geo-spatial data creation for the Qassim region, North KSA, that was founded on country-wide horizontal geodetic ground control using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) within the MOMRA's Terrestrial Reference Frame 2000 (MTRF2000) that is tied to International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2000 (ITRF2000) Epoch 2004.0, and vertical geodetic ground control using precise digital leveling in reference to Jeddah 1969 mean sea level, and included aerial photography of 1,505 km2 at 1:5,500 scale, 4,081 km2 at scale 22,500 and 22,224 km2 at 1:45,000 scale, full aerial triangulation, production of orthophoto maps at scale of 1:10,000 (463 sheets) for 22,224 km2, and production of GIS-oriented highly-detailed digital line maps in various formats at scales of 1:1,000 (1,534 sheets) and 1:2,500 (383 sheets) for 1,150 km2, 1:10,000 (161 sheets) for 7,700 km2, and 1:20,000 (130 sheets) for 22,000 km2. While aerial photography lasted from Feb 2003 thru May 2003, the line mapping continued May 2005 until December 2008.

The value of cows in reference populations for genomic selection of new functional traits.

PubMed

Buch, L H; Kargo, M; Berg, P; Lassen, J; Sørensen, A C

2012-06-01

Today, almost all reference populations consist of progeny tested bulls. However, older progeny tested bulls do not have reliable estimated breeding values (EBV) for new traits. Thus, to be able to select for these new traits, it is necessary to build a reference population. We used a deterministic prediction model to test the hypothesis that the value of cows in reference populations depends on the availability of phenotypic records. To test the hypothesis, we investigated different strategies of building a reference population for a new functional trait over a 10-year period. The trait was either recorded on a large scale (30 000 cows per year) or on a small scale (2000 cows per year). For large-scale recording, we compared four scenarios where the reference population consisted of 30 sires; 30 sires and 170 test bulls; 30 sires and 2000 cows; or 30 sires, 2000 cows and 170 test bulls in the first year with measurements of the new functional trait. In addition to varying the make-up of the reference population, we also varied the heritability of the trait (h2 = 0.05 v. 0.15). The results showed that a reference population of test bulls, cows and sires results in the highest accuracy of the direct genomic values (DGV) for a new functional trait, regardless of its heritability. For small-scale recording, we compared two scenarios where the reference population consisted of the 2000 cows with phenotypic records or the 30 sires of these cows in the first year with measurements of the new functional trait. The results showed that a reference population of cows results in the highest accuracy of the DGV whether the heritability is 0.05 or 0.15, because variation is lost when phenotypic data on cows are summarized in EBV of their sires. The main conclusions from this study are: (i) the fewer phenotypic records, the larger effect of including cows in the reference population; (ii) for small-scale recording, the accuracy of the DGV will continue to increase for several years, whereas the increases in the accuracy of the DGV quickly decrease with large-scale recording; (iii) it is possible to achieve accuracies of the DGV that enable selection for new functional traits recorded on a large scale within 3 years from commencement of recording; and (iv) a higher heritability benefits a reference population of cows more than a reference population of bulls.

Quantifying expert consensus against the existence of a secret, large-scale atmospheric spraying program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shearer, Christine; West, Mick; Caldeira, Ken; Davis, Steven J.

2016-08-01

Nearly 17% of people in an international survey said they believed the existence of a secret large-scale atmospheric program (SLAP) to be true or partly true. SLAP is commonly referred to as ‘chemtrails’ or ‘covert geoengineering’, and has led to a number of websites purported to show evidence of widespread chemical spraying linked to negative impacts on human health and the environment. To address these claims, we surveyed two groups of experts—atmospheric chemists with expertize in condensation trails and geochemists working on atmospheric deposition of dust and pollution—to scientifically evaluate for the first time the claims of SLAP theorists. Results show that 76 of the 77 scientists (98.7%) that took part in this study said they had not encountered evidence of a SLAP, and that the data cited as evidence could be explained through other factors, including well-understood physics and chemistry associated with aircraft contrails and atmospheric aerosols. Our goal is not to sway those already convinced that there is a secret, large-scale spraying program—who often reject counter-evidence as further proof of their theories—but rather to establish a source of objective science that can inform public discourse.

A Review of International Large-Scale Assessments in Education: Assessing Component Skills and Collecting Contextual Data. PISA for Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cresswell, John; Schwantner, Ursula; Waters, Charlotte

2015-01-01

This report reviews the major international and regional large-scale educational assessments, including international surveys, school-based surveys and household-based surveys. The report compares and contrasts the cognitive and contextual data collection instruments and implementation methods used by the different assessments in order to identify…

Effects of Ensemble Configuration on Estimates of Regional Climate Uncertainties

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

Goldenson, N.; Mauger, G.; Leung, L. R.

Internal variability in the climate system can contribute substantial uncertainty in climate projections, particularly at regional scales. Internal variability can be quantified using large ensembles of simulations that are identical but for perturbed initial conditions. Here we compare methods for quantifying internal variability. Our study region spans the west coast of North America, which is strongly influenced by El Niño and other large-scale dynamics through their contribution to large-scale internal variability. Using a statistical framework to simultaneously account for multiple sources of uncertainty, we find that internal variability can be quantified consistently using a large ensemble or an ensemble ofmore » opportunity that includes small ensembles from multiple models and climate scenarios. The latter also produce estimates of uncertainty due to model differences. We conclude that projection uncertainties are best assessed using small single-model ensembles from as many model-scenario pairings as computationally feasible, which has implications for ensemble design in large modeling efforts.« less

Improved reliability of pH measurements.

PubMed

Spitzer, Petra; Werner, Barbara

2002-11-01

Measurements of pH are performed on a large scale at laboratory level, and in industry. To meet the quality-control requirements and other technical specifications there is a need for traceability in measurement results. The prerequisite for the international acceptance of analytical data is reliability. To measure means to compare. Comparability entails use of recognised references to which the standard buffer solutions used for calibration of pH meter-electrode assemblies can be traced. The new recommendation on the measurement of pH recently published as a provisional document by the International Union on Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) enables traceability for measured pH values to a conventional reference frame which is recognised world-wide. The primary method for pH will be described. If analytical data are to be accepted internationally it is necessary to demonstrate the equivalence of the national traceability structures, including national measurement standards. For the first time key comparisons for pH have been performed by the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance (CCQM, set up by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, BIPM) to assess the equivalence of the national measurement procedures used to determine the pH of primary standard buffer solutions. The results of the first key comparison on pH CCQM-K9, and other international initiatives to improve the consistency of the results of measurement for pH, are reported.

A new reference frame for astronomically-tuned Plio-Pleistocene climate variability derived from a benthic oxygen isotope splice of the Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lourens, L. J.; Ziegler, M.; Konijnendijk, T. Y. M.; Hilgen, F. J.; Bos, R.; Beekvelt, B.; van Loevezijn, A.; Collin, S.

2017-12-01

The astronomical theory of climate has revolutionized our understanding of past climate change and the development of highly accurate geologic time scales for the entire Cenozoic. Most of this understanding has come from the construction of astronomically tuned global ocean benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope (δ18O) stacked record, derived by the international drilling operations of DSDP, ODP and IODP. The tuning includes fixed phase relationships between the obliquity and precession cycles and the inferred high-latitude climate, i.e. glacial-interglacial, response, which hark back to SPECMAP, using simple ice sheet models and a limited number of radiometric dates. This approach was largely implemented in the widely applied LR04 stack, though LR04 assumed shorter response times for the smaller ice caps during the Pliocene. In the past decades, an astronomically calibrated time scale for the Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Mediterranean has been developed, which has become the reference for the standard Geologic Time Scale. Typical of the Mediterranean marine sediments are the cyclic lithological alternations, reflecting the interference between obliquity and precession-paced low latitude climate variability, such as the African monsoon. Here we present the first benthic foraminiferal based oxygen isotope record of the Mediterranean reference scale, which strikingly mirrors the LR04. We will use this record to discuss the assumed open ocean glacial-interglacial related phase relations over the past 5.3 million years.

Why Do Countries Participate in International Large-Scale Assessments? The Case of PISA. Policy Research Working Paper 7447

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockheed, Marlaine E.

2015-01-01

The number of countries that regularly participate in international large-scale assessments has increased sharply over the past 15 years, with the share of countries participating in the Programme for International Student Assessment growing from one-fifth of countries in 2000 to over one-third of countries in 2015. What accounts for this…

International Large-Scale Assessments: What Uses, What Consequences?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johansson, Stefan

2016-01-01

Background: International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) are a much-debated phenomenon in education. Increasingly, their outcomes attract considerable media attention and influence educational policies in many jurisdictions worldwide. The relevance, uses and consequences of these assessments are often the focus of research scrutiny. Whilst some…

Higher-Order Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales with a Referred Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Jason M.; Canivez, Gary L.; Lindstrom, Will; Hatt, Clifford V.

2007-01-01

The factor structure of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS; [Reynolds, C.R., & Kamphaus, R.W. (2003). "Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales". Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.]) was investigated with a large (N=1163) independent sample of referred students (ages 6-18). More rigorous factor extraction criteria…

Individualized adjustments to reference phantom internal organ dosimetry—scaling factors given knowledge of patient internal anatomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wayson, Michael B.; Bolch, Wesley E.

2018-04-01

Various computational tools are currently available that facilitate patient organ dosimetry in diagnostic nuclear medicine, yet they are typically restricted to reporting organ doses to ICRP-defined reference phantoms. The present study, while remaining computational phantom based, provides straightforward tools to adjust reference phantom organ dose for both internal photon and electron sources. A wide variety of monoenergetic specific absorbed fractions were computed using radiation transport simulations for tissue spheres of varying size and separation distance. Scaling methods were then constructed for both photon and electron self-dose and cross-dose, with data validation provided from patient-specific voxel phantom simulations, as well as via comparison to the scaling methodology given in MIRD Pamphlet No. 11. Photon and electron self-dose was found to be dependent on both radiation energy and sphere size. Photon cross-dose was found to be mostly independent of sphere size. Electron cross-dose was found to be dependent on sphere size when the spheres were in close proximity, owing to differences in electron range. The validation studies showed that this dataset was more effective than the MIRD 11 method at predicting patient-specific photon doses for at both high and low energies, but gave similar results at photon energies between 100 keV and 1 MeV. The MIRD 11 method for electron self-dose scaling was accurate for lower energies but began to break down at higher energies. The photon cross-dose scaling methodology developed in this study showed gains in accuracy of up to 9% for actual patient studies, and the electron cross-dose scaling methodology showed gains in accuracy up to 9% as well when only the bremsstrahlung component of the cross-dose was scaled. These dose scaling methods are readily available for incorporation into internal dosimetry software for diagnostic phantom-based organ dosimetry.

Individualized adjustments to reference phantom internal organ dosimetry-scaling factors given knowledge of patient internal anatomy.

PubMed

Wayson, Michael B; Bolch, Wesley E

2018-04-13

Various computational tools are currently available that facilitate patient organ dosimetry in diagnostic nuclear medicine, yet they are typically restricted to reporting organ doses to ICRP-defined reference phantoms. The present study, while remaining computational phantom based, provides straightforward tools to adjust reference phantom organ dose for both internal photon and electron sources. A wide variety of monoenergetic specific absorbed fractions were computed using radiation transport simulations for tissue spheres of varying size and separation distance. Scaling methods were then constructed for both photon and electron self-dose and cross-dose, with data validation provided from patient-specific voxel phantom simulations, as well as via comparison to the scaling methodology given in MIRD Pamphlet No. 11. Photon and electron self-dose was found to be dependent on both radiation energy and sphere size. Photon cross-dose was found to be mostly independent of sphere size. Electron cross-dose was found to be dependent on sphere size when the spheres were in close proximity, owing to differences in electron range. The validation studies showed that this dataset was more effective than the MIRD 11 method at predicting patient-specific photon doses for at both high and low energies, but gave similar results at photon energies between 100 keV and 1 MeV. The MIRD 11 method for electron self-dose scaling was accurate for lower energies but began to break down at higher energies. The photon cross-dose scaling methodology developed in this study showed gains in accuracy of up to 9% for actual patient studies, and the electron cross-dose scaling methodology showed gains in accuracy up to 9% as well when only the bremsstrahlung component of the cross-dose was scaled. These dose scaling methods are readily available for incorporation into internal dosimetry software for diagnostic phantom-based organ dosimetry.

International Large-Scale Assessment Studies and Educational Policy-Making in Chile: Contexts and Dimensions of Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Cristián; Meckes, Lorena

2016-01-01

Since the 1990s, Chile has participated in all major international large-scale assessment studies (ILSAs) of the IEA and OECD, as well as the regional ones conducted by UNESCO in Latin America, after it had been involved in the very first international Science Study in 1970-1971. This article examines the various ways in which these studies have…

Belief in reciprocity in a Chinese sample.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhen; Zhang, Jianxin

2012-08-01

Belief in reciprocity refers to a personally internalized faith in the reciprocity norm: that people will return positive and negative interactions or favors in kind. The current study aims to examine the relationship between belief in reciprocity and altruism among a Chinese sample. The Personal Norm of Reciprocity Scale, Trait Forgiveness Scale, Prosocial Tendency Measure, and Altruism Scale were used to assess extent of belief in reciprocity, forgiveness, and prosocial motivation, respectively, among 204 Chinese undergraduates. The results indicated that belief in reciprocity was a partially negative, but not neutral, reciprocity norm for Chinese people. Specifically, belief in reciprocity was positively related to negative reciprocity, but not significantly related to positive reciprocity. Moreover, belief in reciprocity was negatively related to both prosocial tendency and altruistic motivation. The results also indicated that forgiveness largely mediated the effect of belief in reciprocity on altruism. Finally, the implications and limitations of the current study were discussed.

Cumulative effects of restoration efforts on ecological characteristics of an open water area within the Upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, B.R.; Shi, W.; Houser, J.N.; Rogala, J.T.; Guan, Z.; Cochran-Biederman, J. L.

2011-01-01

Ecological restoration efforts in large rivers generally aim to ameliorate ecological effects associated with large-scale modification of those rivers. This study examined whether the effects of restoration efforts-specifically those of island construction-within a largely open water restoration area of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) might be seen at the spatial scale of that 3476ha area. The cumulative effects of island construction, when observed over multiple years, were postulated to have made the restoration area increasingly similar to a positive reference area (a proximate area comprising contiguous backwater areas) and increasingly different from two negative reference areas. The negative reference areas represented the Mississippi River main channel in an area proximate to the restoration area and an open water area in a related Mississippi River reach that has seen relatively little restoration effort. Inferences on the effects of restoration were made by comparing constrained and unconstrained models of summer chlorophyll a (CHL), summer inorganic suspended solids (ISS) and counts of benthic mayfly larvae. Constrained models forced trends in means or in both means and sampling variances to become, over time, increasingly similar to those in the positive reference area and increasingly dissimilar to those in the negative reference areas. Trends were estimated over 12- (mayflies) or 14-year sampling periods, and were evaluated using model information criteria. Based on these methods, restoration effects were observed for CHL and mayflies while evidence in favour of restoration effects on ISS was equivocal. These findings suggest that the cumulative effects of island building at relatively large spatial scales within large rivers may be estimated using data from large-scale surveillance monitoring programs. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Participation in International Large-Scale Assessments from a US Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plisko, Valena White

2013-01-01

International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) play a distinct role in the United States' decentralized federal education system. Separate from national and state assessments, they offer an external, objective measure for the United States to assess student performance comparatively with other countries and over time. The US engagement in ILSAs…

A new resource for developing and strengthening large-scale community health worker programs.

PubMed

Perry, Henry; Crigler, Lauren; Lewin, Simon; Glenton, Claire; LeBan, Karen; Hodgins, Steve

2017-01-12

Large-scale community health worker programs are now growing in importance around the world in response to the resurgence of interest and growing evidence of the importance of community-based primary health care for improving the health of populations in resource-constrained, high-mortality settings. These programs, because of their scale and operational challenges, merit special consideration by the global health community, national policy-makers, and program implementers. A new online resource is now available to assist in that effort: Developing and Strengthening Community Health Worker Programs at Scale: A Reference Guide and Case Studies for Program Managers and Policymakers ( http://www.mchip.net/CHWReferenceGuide ). This CHW Reference Guide is the product of 27 different collaborators who, collectively, have a formidable breadth and depth of experience and knowledge about CHW programming around the world. It provides a thoughtful discussion about the many operational issues that large-scale CHW programs need to address as they undergo the process of development, expansion or strengthening. Detailed case studies of 12 national CHW programs are included in the Appendix-the most current and complete cases studies as a group that are currently available. Future articles in this journal will highlight many of the themes in the CHW Reference Guide and provide an update of recent advances and experiences. These articles will serve, we hope, to (1) increase awareness about the CHW Reference Guide and its usefulness and (2) connect a broader audience to the critical importance of strengthening large-scale CHW programs for the health benefits that they can bring to underserved populations around the world.

On Applications of Rasch Models in International Comparative Large-Scale Assessments: A Historical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wendt, Heike; Bos, Wilfried; Goy, Martin

2011-01-01

Several current international comparative large-scale assessments of educational achievement (ICLSA) make use of "Rasch models", to address functions essential for valid cross-cultural comparisons. From a historical perspective, ICLSA and Georg Rasch's "models for measurement" emerged at about the same time, half a century ago. However, the…

Large-scale deformational systems in the South Polar Layered Deposits (Promethei Lingula, Mars): "Soft-sediment" and Deep-Seated Gravitational Slope Deformations Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guallini, Luca; Brozzetti, Francesco; Marinangeli, Lucia

2012-08-01

The present study is the first attempt at a detailed structural and kinematic analysis of large-scale deformational systems observed in the South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLDs) in the Promethei Lingula (PL) margins (Mars). By systematically collecting attitude data referable to previously unknown deformational structures and defining the cross-cut relationships of the structures, we reconstructed a deformational history consisting of two superimposed, well-defined stages. The first stage is dominated by large-scale strike-slip and transtensional faults arranged into conjugate systems and delimiting shear zones that show a wide range of subsidiary structures, including normal and reverse faults, drag folds, boudins, S-C tectonites and sub-horizontal interstratal shear planes marked by sygmoidal boudins. Other typical structures referable to this event are ductile folds (locally true convolute folds) and lobes (ball-and-pillow structures) affecting certain marker beds of the succession. We suggest that the structural assemblage might be the expression of a shallow soft-sediment tectonics that possibly occurred during warm periods of the South Pole climate. The second stage seems to affect the weaker and in certain cases pre-deformed stratigraphic levels of the SPLD succession. This stage is mainly characterized by extensional deformations caused by gravity. The consequence of the deformations is the nucleation of Deep-Seated Gravitational Slope Deformations (DSGSDs) marked by typical morphostructures, such as scarps, trenches and bulging basal contractant zones. These phenomena were never observed within an ice cap. According to terrestrial modeling, these slow collapses were caused by (1) the presence of detachment levels (i.e., subhorizontal bedding planes) along which the ice-sheet margins can slide and (2) the development of listric faults within the glacial mass, which merge with sub-horizontal shear planes in the subsurface. The presence of complex deformational systems in the SPLD necessarily implies that a large-scale dynamics of the ice-sheet occurred in the past. The relatively fast internal creep and basal/internal sliding, inferable from the structure assemblage, can be due to partial melting of the ice possibly caused by climatic changes in the Promethei Lingula region. In this manner, we believe that climate heating (which, according to the literature, is likely caused by orbital variations) softened some of the SPLD layers, triggering or accelerating the ice sheet's outward movement. The evidence of a marked disharmonic deformational style through the SPLD succession suggests the possibility of local periodic compositional variations in the sequence.

Capturing remote mixing due to internal tides using multi-scale modeling tool: SOMAR-LES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santilli, Edward; Chalamalla, Vamsi; Scotti, Alberto; Sarkar, Sutanu

2016-11-01

Internal tides that are generated during the interaction of an oscillating barotropic tide with the bottom bathymetry dissipate only a fraction of their energy near the generation region. The rest is radiated away in the form of low- high-mode internal tides. These internal tides dissipate energy at remote locations when they interact with the upper ocean pycnocline, continental slope, and large scale eddies. Capturing the wide range of length and time scales involved during the life-cycle of internal tides is computationally very expensive. A recently developed multi-scale modeling tool called SOMAR-LES combines the adaptive grid refinement features of SOMAR with the turbulence modeling features of a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) to capture multi-scale processes at a reduced computational cost. Numerical simulations of internal tide generation at idealized bottom bathymetries are performed to demonstrate this multi-scale modeling technique. Although each of the remote mixing phenomena have been considered independently in previous studies, this work aims to capture remote mixing processes during the life cycle of an internal tide in more realistic settings, by allowing multi-level (coarse and fine) grids to co-exist and exchange information during the time stepping process.

The International DORIS Service contribution to the 2014 realization of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreaux, Guilhem; Lemoine, Frank G.; Capdeville, Hugues; Kuzin, Sergey; Otten, Michiel; Štěpánek, Petr; Willis, Pascal; Ferrage, Pascale

2016-12-01

In preparation of the 2014 realization of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2014), the International DORIS Service delivered to the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service a set of 1140 weekly solution files including station coordinates and Earth orientation parameters, covering the time period from 1993.0 to 2015.0. The data come from eleven DORIS satellites: TOPEX/Poseidon, SPOT2, SPOT3, SPOT4, SPOT5, Envisat, Jason-1, Jason-2, Cryosat-2, Saral and HY-2A. In their processing, the six analysis centers which contributed to the DORIS combined solution used the latest time variable gravity models and estimated DORIS ground beacon frequency variations. Furthermore, all the analysis centers but one excepted included in their processing phase center variations for ground antennas. The main objective of this study is to present the combination process and to analyze the impact of the new modeling on the performance of the new combined solution. Comparisons with the IDS contribution to ITRF2008 show that (i) the application of the DORIS ground phase center variations in the data processing shifts the combined scale upward by nearly 7-11 mm and (ii) thanks to estimation of DORIS ground beacon frequency variations, the new combined solution no longer shows any scale discontinuity in early 2002 and does not present unexplained vertical discontinuities in any station position time series. However, analysis of the new series with respect to ITRF2008 exhibits a scale increase late 2011 which is not yet explained. A new DORIS Terrestrial Reference Frame was computed to evaluate the intrinsic quality of the new combined solution. That evaluation shows that the addition of data from the new missions equipped with the latest generation of DORIS receiver (Jason-2, Cryosat-2, HY-2A, Saral), results in an internal position consistency of 10 mm or better after mid-2008.

Approaches to standardization of atmospheric pollution undergoing long-range and transboundary transport.

PubMed

Izrael, Y A; Nazarov, I M; Ryaboshapko, A G

1982-12-01

The authors consider some possible ways of regulating three types of atmospheric emission of pollutants: - emission of substances causing pollution of the natural environment on the global scale (global pollutants); - emission of substances causing pollution on a regional scale, most often including territories of several countries (international pollutants); - emission of substances causing negative effects in a relatively limited region, for example within border area of two adjoining countries. Substances (gaseous, as a rule) of a long life-time in the atmosphere that can contaminate natural media on a global scale irrespective of the place of emission refer to the first class of pollutants that are subject to emission regulation at an international level and to quota establishement for individual countries. They are carbon dioxide, freon, krypton-85.Various approaches to determining permissible emission and to quota establishing are discussed in the paper.The second group includes substances of a limited, yet rather long, life-time whose emission intensity makes a notable contribution to environmental pollution of a large region including territories of several countries. Here it is needed to regulate internationally not the atmospheric emission as it is but pollutant transport over national boundaries (sulphur and nitrogen oxides, pesticides, heavy metals).The third group includes substances of relatively short time of life producing local effects. Emission regulation in such cases should be based upon bilateral agreements with due account of countries' mutual interests.

MAGGnet: An international network to foster mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Research networks provide a framework for review, synthesis, and systematic testing of theories by multiple scientists across international borders critical for addressing global-scale issues. In 2012, a greenhouse gas (GHG) research network referred to as MAGGnet (Managing Agricultural Greenhouse ...

Additional Results of Glaze Icing Scaling in SLD Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsao, Jen-Ching

2016-01-01

New guidance of acceptable means of compliance with the super-cooled large drops (SLD) conditions has been issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its Advisory Circular AC 25-28 in November 2014. The Part 25, Appendix O is developed to define a representative icing environment for super-cooled large drops. Super-cooled large drops, which include freezing drizzle and freezing rain conditions, are not included in Appendix C. This paper reports results from recent glaze icing scaling tests conducted in NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) to evaluate how well the scaling methods recommended for Appendix C conditions might apply to SLD conditions. The models were straight NACA 0012 wing sections. The reference model had a chord of 72 inches and the scale model had a chord of 21 inches. Reference tests were run with airspeeds of 100 and 130.3 knots and with MVD's of 85 and 170 microns. Two scaling methods were considered. One was based on the modified Ruff method with scale velocity found by matching the Weber number W (sub eL). The other was proposed and developed by Feo specifically for strong glaze icing conditions, in which the scale liquid water content and velocity were found by matching reference and scale values of the non-dimensional water-film thickness expression and the film Weber number W (sub ef). All tests were conducted at 0 degrees angle of arrival. Results will be presented for stagnation freezing fractions of 0.2 and 0.3. For non-dimensional reference and scale ice shape comparison, a new post-scanning ice shape digitization procedure was developed for extracting 2-dimensional ice shape profiles at any selected span-wise location from the high fidelity 3-dimensional scanned ice shapes obtained in the IRT.

Additional Results of Glaze Icing Scaling in SLD Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsao, Jen-Ching

2016-01-01

New guidance of acceptable means of compliance with the super-cooled large drops (SLD) conditions has been issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its Advisory Circular AC 25-28 in November 2014. The Part 25, Appendix O is developed to define a representative icing environment for super-cooled large drops. Super-cooled large drops, which include freezing drizzle and freezing rain conditions, are not included in Appendix C. This paper reports results from recent glaze icing scaling tests conducted in NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) to evaluate how well the scaling methods recommended for Appendix C conditions might apply to SLD conditions. The models were straight NACA 0012 wing sections. The reference model had a chord of 72 in. and the scale model had a chord of 21 in. Reference tests were run with airspeeds of 100 and 130.3 kn and with MVD's of 85 and 170 micron. Two scaling methods were considered. One was based on the modified Ruff method with scale velocity found by matching the Weber number WeL. The other was proposed and developed by Feo specifically for strong glaze icing conditions, in which the scale liquid water content and velocity were found by matching reference and scale values of the nondimensional water-film thickness expression and the film Weber number Wef. All tests were conducted at 0 deg AOA. Results will be presented for stagnation freezing fractions of 0.2 and 0.3. For nondimensional reference and scale ice shape comparison, a new post-scanning ice shape digitization procedure was developed for extracting 2-D ice shape profiles at any selected span-wise location from the high fidelity 3-D scanned ice shapes obtained in the IRT.

Applying the Pseudo-Panel Approach to International Large-Scale Assessments: A Methodology for Analyzing Subpopulation Trend Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooper, Martin

2017-01-01

TIMSS and PIRLS assess representative samples of students at regular intervals, measuring trends in student achievement and student contexts for learning. Because individual students are not tracked over time, analysis of international large-scale assessment data is usually conducted cross-sectionally. Gustafsson (2007) proposed examining the data…

No Country Left Behind: Rhetoric and Reality of International Large-Scale Assessment. William H. Angoff Memorial Lecture Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feuer, Michael J.

2011-01-01

Few arguments about education are as effective at galvanizing public attention and motivating political action as those that compare the performance of students with their counterparts in other countries and that connect academic achievement to economic performance. Because data from international large-scale assessments (ILSA) have a powerful…

The Contribution of International Large-Scale Assessments to Educational Research: Combining Individual and Institutional Data Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strietholt, Rolf; Scherer, Ronny

2018-01-01

The present paper aims to discuss how data from international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) can be utilized and combined, even with other existing data sources, in order to monitor educational outcomes and study the effectiveness of educational systems. We consider different purposes of linking data, namely, extending outcomes measures,…

Using Stressor Gradients to Determine Reference Expectations for Great River Fish Assemblages

EPA Science Inventory

Determining reference conditions for large and great rivers like the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers is difficult because there are few, if any, reaches in minimally disturbed condition. In this paper, we describe a method for determining internal reference conditions usin...

Inferring internal properties of Earth's core dynamics and their evolution from surface observations and a numerical geodynamo model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubert, J.; Fournier, A.

2011-10-01

Over the past decades, direct three-dimensional numerical modelling has been successfully used to reproduce the main features of the geodynamo. Here we report on efforts to solve the associated inverse problem, aiming at inferring the underlying properties of the system from the sole knowledge of surface observations and the first principle dynamical equations describing the convective dynamo. To this end we rely on twin experiments. A reference model time sequence is first produced and used to generate synthetic data, restricted here to the large-scale component of the magnetic field and its rate of change at the outer boundary. Starting from a different initial condition, a second sequence is next run and attempts are made to recover the internal magnetic, velocity and buoyancy anomaly fields from the sparse surficial data. In order to reduce the vast underdetermination of this problem, we use stochastic inversion, a linear estimation method determining the most likely internal state compatible with the observations and some prior knowledge, and we also implement a sequential evolution algorithm in order to invert time-dependent surface observations. The prior is the multivariate statistics of the numerical model, which are directly computed from a large number of snapshots stored during a preliminary direct run. The statistics display strong correlation between different harmonic degrees of the surface observations and internal fields, provided they share the same harmonic order, a natural consequence of the linear coupling of the governing dynamical equations and of the leading influence of the Coriolis force. Synthetic experiments performed with a weakly nonlinear model yield an excellent quantitative retrieval of the internal structure. In contrast, the use of a strongly nonlinear (and more realistic) model results in less accurate static estimations, which in turn fail to constrain the unobserved small scales in the time integration of the evolution scheme. Evaluating the quality of forecasts of the system evolution against the reference solution, we show that our scheme can improve predictions based on linear extrapolations on forecast horizons shorter than the system e-folding time. Still, in the perspective of forthcoming data assimilation activities, our study underlines the need of advanced estimation techniques able to cope with the moderate to strong nonlinearities present in the geodynamo.

When Students Doubt Their Teachers' Diagnostic Competence: Moderation in the Internal/External Frame of Reference Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmermann, Friederike; Möller, Jens; Köller, Olaf

2018-01-01

The internal/external frame of reference model (I/E model) posits that individuals' achievement-related self-concepts are formed through social comparisons (e.g., self vs. peers) within academic domains and dimensional comparisons (e.g., math vs. verbal) between distinct domains. A large body of research has supported the theorized pattern of…

Intercomparison of methods of coupling between convection and large-scale circulation. 1. Comparison over uniform surface conditions

DOE PAGES

Daleu, C. L.; Plant, R. S.; Woolnough, S. J.; ...

2015-10-24

Here, as part of an international intercomparison project, a set of single-column models (SCMs) and cloud-resolving models (CRMs) are run under the weak-temperature gradient (WTG) method and the damped gravity wave (DGW) method. For each model, the implementation of the WTG or DGW method involves a simulated column which is coupled to a reference state defined with profiles obtained from the same model in radiative-convective equilibrium. The simulated column has the same surface conditions as the reference state and is initialized with profiles from the reference state. We performed systematic comparison of the behavior of different models under a consistentmore » implementation of the WTG method and the DGW method and systematic comparison of the WTG and DGW methods in models with different physics and numerics. CRMs and SCMs produce a variety of behaviors under both WTG and DGW methods. Some of the models reproduce the reference state while others sustain a large-scale circulation which results in either substantially lower or higher precipitation compared to the value of the reference state. CRMs show a fairly linear relationship between precipitation and circulation strength. SCMs display a wider range of behaviors than CRMs. Some SCMs under the WTG method produce zero precipitation. Within an individual SCM, a DGW simulation and a corresponding WTG simulation can produce different signed circulation. When initialized with a dry troposphere, DGW simulations always result in a precipitating equilibrium state. The greatest sensitivities to the initial moisture conditions occur for multiple stable equilibria in some WTG simulations, corresponding to either a dry equilibrium state when initialized as dry or a precipitating equilibrium state when initialized as moist. Multiple equilibria are seen in more WTG simulations for higher SST. In some models, the existence of multiple equilibria is sensitive to some parameters in the WTG calculations.« less

The global reference atmospheric model, mod 2 (with two scale perturbation model)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justus, C. G.; Hargraves, W. R.

1976-01-01

The Global Reference Atmospheric Model was improved to produce more realistic simulations of vertical profiles of atmospheric parameters. A revised two scale random perturbation model using perturbation magnitudes which are adjusted to conform to constraints imposed by the perfect gas law and the hydrostatic condition is described. The two scale perturbation model produces appropriately correlated (horizontally and vertically) small scale and large scale perturbations. These stochastically simulated perturbations are representative of the magnitudes and wavelengths of perturbations produced by tides and planetary scale waves (large scale) and turbulence and gravity waves (small scale). Other new features of the model are: (1) a second order geostrophic wind relation for use at low latitudes which does not "blow up" at low latitudes as the ordinary geostrophic relation does; and (2) revised quasi-biennial amplitudes and phases and revised stationary perturbations, based on data through 1972.

A Comparison of Linking Methods for Estimating National Trends in International Comparative Large-Scale Assessments in the Presence of Cross-national DIF

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sachse, Karoline A.; Roppelt, Alexander; Haag, Nicole

2016-01-01

Trend estimation in international comparative large-scale assessments relies on measurement invariance between countries. However, cross-national differential item functioning (DIF) has been repeatedly documented. We ran a simulation study using national item parameters, which required trends to be computed separately for each country, to compare…

Promoting Teaching, Learning and Informed Decision-Making through the Lenses of International Large-Scale Assessment: Looking beyond Numbers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Säljö, Roger; Radišic, Jelena

2018-01-01

Public discussion on the quality of education in different corners of the world very much relies on the data provided by the international large-scale assessment (ILSA) studies. While aware of different methodological keystones and technicalities embedded in these, the idea behind this special issue is to contribute to the understanding of how…

Understanding Business Interests in International Large-Scale Student Assessments: A Media Analysis of "The Economist," "Financial Times," and "Wall Street Journal"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner-Khamsi, Gita; Appleton, Margaret; Vellani, Shezleen

2018-01-01

The media analysis is situated in the larger body of studies that explore the varied reasons why different policy actors advocate for international large-scale student assessments (ILSAs) and adds to the research on the fast advance of the global education industry. The analysis of "The Economist," "Financial Times," and…

The Limits and Possibilities of International Large-Scale Assessments. Education Policy Brief. Volume 9, Number 2, Spring 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutkowski, David J.; Prusinski, Ellen L.

2011-01-01

The staff of the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) at Indiana University is often asked about how international large-scale assessments influence U.S. educational policy. This policy brief is designed to provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions encountered by CEEP researchers concerning the three most popular…

Large eddy simulation modelling of combustion for propulsion applications.

PubMed

Fureby, C

2009-07-28

Predictive modelling of turbulent combustion is important for the development of air-breathing engines, internal combustion engines, furnaces and for power generation. Significant advances in modelling non-reactive turbulent flows are now possible with the development of large eddy simulation (LES), in which the large energetic scales of the flow are resolved on the grid while modelling the effects of the small scales. Here, we discuss the use of combustion LES in predictive modelling of propulsion applications such as gas turbine, ramjet and scramjet engines. The LES models used are described in some detail and are validated against laboratory data-of which results from two cases are presented. These validated LES models are then applied to an annular multi-burner gas turbine combustor and a simplified scramjet combustor, for which some additional experimental data are available. For these cases, good agreement with the available reference data is obtained, and the LES predictions are used to elucidate the flow physics in such devices to further enhance our knowledge of these propulsion systems. Particular attention is focused on the influence of the combustion chemistry, turbulence-chemistry interaction, self-ignition, flame holding burner-to-burner interactions and combustion oscillations.

Development and psychometric validation of social cognitive theory scales in an oral health context.

PubMed

Jones, Kelly; Parker, Eleanor J; Steffens, Margaret A; Logan, Richard M; Brennan, David; Jamieson, Lisa M

2016-04-01

This study aimed to develop and evaluate scales reflecting potentially modifiable social cognitive theory-based risk indicators associated with homeless populations' oral health. The scales are referred to as the social cognitive theory risk scales in an oral health context (SCTOH) and are referred to as SCTOH(SE), SCTOH(K) and SCTOH(F), respectively. The three SCTOH scales assess the key constructs of social cognitive theory: self-efficacy, knowledge and fatalism. The reliability and validity of the three scales were evaluated in a convenience sample of 248 homeless participants (age range 17-78 years, 79% male) located in a metropolitan setting in Australia. The scales were supported by exploratory factor analysis and established three distinct and internally consistent domains of social cognition: oral health-related self-efficacy, oral health-related knowledge and oral health-related fatalism, with Cronbach's alphas of 0.95, 0.85 and Spearman's-Brown ρ of 0.69. Concurrent ability was confirmed by each SCTOH scale's association with oral health status in the expected directions. The three SCTOH scales appear to be internally valid and reliable. If confirmed by further research, these scales could potentially be used for tailored educational and cognitive-behavioural interventions to reduce oral health inequalities among homeless and other vulnerable populations. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

Potential for improved radiation thermometry measurement uncertainty through implementing a primary scale in an industrial laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willmott, Jon R.; Lowe, David; Broughton, Mick; White, Ben S.; Machin, Graham

2016-09-01

A primary temperature scale requires realising a unit in terms of its definition. For high temperature radiation thermometry in terms of the International Temperature Scale of 1990 this means extrapolating from the signal measured at the freezing temperature of gold, silver or copper using Planck’s radiation law. The difficulty in doing this means that primary scales above 1000 °C require specialist equipment and careful characterisation in order to achieve the extrapolation with sufficient accuracy. As such, maintenance of the scale at high temperatures is usually only practicable for National Metrology Institutes, and calibration laboratories have to rely on a scale calibrated against transfer standards. At lower temperatures it is practicable for an industrial calibration laboratory to have its own primary temperature scale, which reduces the number of steps between the primary scale and end user. Proposed changes to the SI that will introduce internationally accepted high temperature reference standards might make it practicable to have a primary high temperature scale in a calibration laboratory. In this study such a scale was established by calibrating radiation thermometers directly to high temperature reference standards. The possible reduction in uncertainty to an end user as a result of the reduced calibration chain was evaluated.

Assessing the importance of internal tide scattering in the deep ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haji, Maha; Peacock, Thomas; Carter, Glenn; Johnston, T. M. Shaun

2014-11-01

Tides are one of the main sources of energy input to the deep ocean, and the pathways of energy transfer from barotropic tides to turbulent mixing scales via internal tides are not well understood. Large-scale (low-mode) internal tides account for the bulk of energy extracted from barotropic tides and have been observed to propagate over 1000 km from their generation sites. We seek to examine the fate of these large-scale internal tides and the processes by which their energy is transferred, or ``scattered,'' to small-scale (high-mode) internal tides, which dissipate locally and are responsible for internal tide driven mixing. The EXperiment on Internal Tide Scattering (EXITS) field study conducted in 2010-2011 sought to examine the role of topographic scattering at the Line Islands Ridge. The scattering process was examined via data from three moorings equipped with moored profilers, spanning total depths of 3000--5000 m. The results of our field data analysis are rationalized via comparison to data from two- and three-dimensional numerical models and a two-dimensional analytical model based on Green function theory.

Food waste impact on municipal solid waste angle of internal friction.

PubMed

Cho, Young Min; Ko, Jae Hac; Chi, Liqun; Townsend, Timothy G

2011-01-01

The impact of food waste content on the municipal solid waste (MSW) friction angle was studied. Using reconstituted fresh MSW specimens with different food waste content (0%, 40%, 58%, and 80%), 48 small-scale (100-mm-diameter) direct shear tests and 12 large-scale (430 mm × 430 mm) direct shear tests were performed. A stress-controlled large-scale direct shear test device allowing approximately 170-mm sample horizontal displacement was designed and used. At both testing scales, the mobilized internal friction angle of MSW decreased considerably as food waste content increased. As food waste content increased from 0% to 40% and from 40% to 80%, the mobilized internal friction angles (estimated using the mobilized peak (ultimate) shear strengths of the small-scale direct shear tests) decreased from 39° to 31° and from 31° to 7°, respectively, while those of large-scale tests decreased from 36° to 26° and from 26° to 15°, respectively. Most friction angle measurements produced in this study fell within the range of those previously reported for MSW. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Further psychometric evaluation and revision of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory in a national sample.

PubMed

Malec, James F; Kragness, Miriam; Evans, Randall W; Finlay, Karen L; Kent, Ann; Lezak, Muriel D

2003-01-01

To evaluate the internal consistency of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI), further refine the instrument, and provide reference data based on a large, geographically diverse sample of persons with acquired brain injury (ABI). 386 persons, most with moderate to severe ABI. Outpatient, community-based, and residential rehabilitation facilities for persons with ABI located in the United States: West, Midwest, and Southeast. Rasch, item cluster, principal components, and traditional psychometric analyses for internal consistency of MPAI data and subscales. With rescoring of rating scales for 4 items, a 29-item version of the MPAI showed satisfactory internal consistency by Rasch (Person Reliability=.88; Item Reliability=.99) and traditional psychometric indicators (Cronbach's alpha=.89). Three rationally derived subscales for Ability, Activity, and Participation demonstrated psychometric properties that were equivalent to subscales derived empirically through item cluster and factor analyses. For the 3 subscales, Person Reliability ranged from.78 to.79; Item Reliability, from.98 to.99; and Cronbach's alpha, from.76 to.83. Subscales correlated moderately (Pearson r =.49-.65) with each other and strongly with the overall scale (Pearson r=.82-.86). Outcome after ABI is represented by the unitary dimension described by the MPAI. MPAI subscales further define regions of this dimension that may be useful for evaluation of clinical cases and program evaluation.

Real-time adaptive ramp metering : phase I, MILOS proof of concept (multi-objective, integrated, large-scale, optimized system).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-12-01

Over the last several years, researchers at the University of Arizonas ATLAS Center have developed an adaptive ramp : metering system referred to as MILOS (Multi-Objective, Integrated, Large-Scale, Optimized System). The goal of this project : is ...

Mortality during a Large-Scale Heat Wave by Place, Demographic Group, Internal and External Causes of Death, and Building Climate Zone.

PubMed

Joe, Lauren; Hoshiko, Sumi; Dobraca, Dina; Jackson, Rebecca; Smorodinsky, Svetlana; Smith, Daniel; Harnly, Martha

2016-03-09

Mortality increases during periods of elevated heat. Identification of vulnerable subgroups by demographics, causes of death, and geographic regions, including deaths occurring at home, is needed to inform public health prevention efforts. We calculated mortality relative risks (RRs) and excess deaths associated with a large-scale California heat wave in 2006, comparing deaths during the heat wave with reference days. For total (all-place) and at-home mortality, we examined risks by demographic factors, internal and external causes of death, and building climate zones. During the heat wave, 582 excess deaths occurred, a 5% increase over expected (RR = 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.08). Sixty-six percent of excess deaths were at home (RR = 1.12, CI 1.07-1.16). Total mortality risk was higher among those aged 35-44 years than ≥ 65, and among Hispanics than whites. Deaths from external causes increased more sharply (RR = 1.18, CI 1.10-1.27) than from internal causes (RR = 1.04, CI 1.02-1.07). Geographically, risk varied by building climate zone; the highest risks of at-home death occurred in the northernmost coastal zone (RR = 1.58, CI 1.01-2.48) and the southernmost zone of California's Central Valley (RR = 1.43, CI 1.21-1.68). Heat wave mortality risk varied across subpopulations, and some patterns of vulnerability differed from those previously identified. Public health efforts should also address at-home mortality, non-elderly adults, external causes, and at-risk geographic regions.

How International Large-Scale Skills Assessments Engage with National Actors: Mobilising Networks through Policy, Media and Public Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Mary

2017-01-01

This paper examines how international, large-scale skills assessments (ILSAs) engage with the broader societies they seek to serve and improve. It looks particularly at the discursive work that is done by different interest groups and the media through which the findings become part of public conversations and are translated into usable form in…

Can International Large-Scale Assessments Inform a Global Learning Goal? Insights from the Learning Metrics Task Force

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winthrop, Rebecca; Simons, Kate Anderson

2013-01-01

In recent years, the global community has developed a range of initiatives to inform the post-2015 global development agenda. In the education community, International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs) have an important role to play in advancing a global shift in focus to access plus learning. However, there are a number of other assessment tools…

Comparing the Effectiveness of Self-Paced and Collaborative Frame-of-Reference Training on Rater Accuracy in a Large-Scale Writing Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raczynski, Kevin R.; Cohen, Allan S.; Engelhard, George, Jr.; Lu, Zhenqiu

2015-01-01

There is a large body of research on the effectiveness of rater training methods in the industrial and organizational psychology literature. Less has been reported in the measurement literature on large-scale writing assessments. This study compared the effectiveness of two widely used rater training methods--self-paced and collaborative…

The Longitudinal Interplay of Students' Academic Self-Concepts and Achievements within and across Domains: Replicating and Extending the Reciprocal Internal/External Frame of Reference Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niepel, Christoph; Brunner, Martin; Preckel, Franzis

2014-01-01

Students' cognitive and motivational profiles have a large impact on their academic careers. The development of such profiles can partly be explained by the reciprocal internal/external frame of reference model (RI/E model). The RI/E model predicts positive and negative longitudinal effects between academic self-concepts and achievements within…

Validating Large Scale Networks Using Temporary Local Scale Networks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA NRCS Soil Climate Analysis Network and NOAA Climate Reference Networks are nationwide meteorological and land surface data networks with soil moisture measurements in the top layers of soil. There is considerable interest in scaling these point measurements to larger scales for validating ...

Improving anaerobic and aerobic degradation by ultrasonic disintegration of biomass.

PubMed

Neis, Uwe; Nickel, Klaus; Lundén, Anna

2008-11-01

Biological cell lysis is known to be the rate-limiting step of anaerobic biosolids degradation. Due to the slow pace by which this reaction occurs, it is necessary to equip treatment plants with large digesters or alternatively incorporate technological aids. High-power ultrasound used to disintegrate bacterial cells has been utilized as a pre-treatment process prior to anaerobic digestion. Through this application, as seen on pilot- and full-scales, it is possible to attain up to 30% more biogas, an increase in VS-destruction of up to 30% and a reduced sludge mass for disposal. Utilizing ultrasound technology in aerobic applications is a new and innovative approach. Improved denitrification through a more readily available internal carbon source, and less excess sludge mass can be traced to the positive effects that sonication of sludge has on the overall biological wastewater treatment process. Reference full-scale installations suggest that the technology is both technically feasible and economically sound.

Anthropology for the nuclear age

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

Mandelbaum, D.G.

An anthropological approach to preparing for a turning point in the nuclear age as a result of a large-scale accident or act of terrorism suggests three areas for preliminary study: institutional changes that would reinforce international structures to be more effective in preserving the peace and would redirect military institutions toward that end; cultural changes that would deal with the fears and perceptions of citizens within each nation to find new ways of communication and conflict resolution, but keeping in mind the major class, religious, regional, and ethnic groupings; and global forces that would deal with population pressures. These preliminarymore » studies would need revision after the nuclear event to incorporate the new circumstances. 15 references.« less

The MIT Alewife Machine: A Large-Scale Distributed-Memory Multiprocessor

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-01

Symposium on Compiler Construction, June 1986. [14] Daniel Gajski , David Kuck, Duncan Lawrie, and Ahmed Saleh. Cedar - A Large Scale Multiprocessor. In...Directory Methods. In Proceedings 17th Annual International Symposium on Computer Architecture, June 1990. [31] G . M. Papadopoulos and D.E. Culler...Monsoon: An Explicit Token-Store Ar- chitecture. In Proceedings 17th Annual International Symposium on Computer Architecture, June 1990. [32] G . F

The gravity field observations and products at IGFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barzaghi, Riccardo; Vergos, George; Bonvalot, Sylvain; Barthelmes, Franz; Reguzzoni, Mirko; Wziontek, Hartmut; Kelly, Kevin

2017-04-01

The International Gravity Field Service (IGFS) is a service of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) that was established in 2003 at the IAG/IUGG General Assembly in Sapporo (Japan). This service aims at coordinating the actions of the IAG services related to the Earth gravity field, i.e. the Bureau Gravimétrique International (BGI), the International Service for the Geoid (ISG), the International Geodynamics and Earth Tides Service (IGETS), the International Center for Global Earth Models (ICGEM) and the International Digital Elevation Model Service (IDEMS). Also, via its Central Bureau hosted at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), IGFS provides a link to the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) bureaus in order to communicate their requirements and recommendations to the IGFS-Centers. In this work, a presentation is given on the recent activities of the service, namely those related to the contributions to the implementation of: the International Height Reference System/Frame; the Global Geodetic Reference System/Frame; the new Global Absolute Gravity Reference System/Frame. Particularly, the impact that these activities have in improving the estimation of the Earth's gravity field, either at global and local scale, is highlighted also in the framework of GGOS.

The large scale microelectronics Computer-Aided Design and Test (CADAT) system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gould, J. M.

1978-01-01

The CADAT system consists of a number of computer programs written in FORTRAN that provide the capability to simulate, lay out, analyze, and create the artwork for large scale microelectronics. The function of each software component of the system is described with references to specific documentation for each software component.

A Combined Eulerian-Lagrangian Data Representation for Large-Scale Applications.

PubMed

Sauer, Franz; Xie, Jinrong; Ma, Kwan-Liu

2017-10-01

The Eulerian and Lagrangian reference frames each provide a unique perspective when studying and visualizing results from scientific systems. As a result, many large-scale simulations produce data in both formats, and analysis tasks that simultaneously utilize information from both representations are becoming increasingly popular. However, due to their fundamentally different nature, drawing correlations between these data formats is a computationally difficult task, especially in a large-scale setting. In this work, we present a new data representation which combines both reference frames into a joint Eulerian-Lagrangian format. By reorganizing Lagrangian information according to the Eulerian simulation grid into a "unit cell" based approach, we can provide an efficient out-of-core means of sampling, querying, and operating with both representations simultaneously. We also extend this design to generate multi-resolution subsets of the full data to suit the viewer's needs and provide a fast flow-aware trajectory construction scheme. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method using three large-scale real world scientific datasets and provide insight into the types of performance gains that can be achieved.

Investigation of flow fields within large scale hypersonic inlet models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gnos, A. V.; Watson, E. C.; Seebaugh, W. R.; Sanator, R. J.; Decarlo, J. P.

1973-01-01

Analytical and experimental investigations were conducted to determine the internal flow characteristics in model passages representative of hypersonic inlets for use at Mach numbers to about 12. The passages were large enough to permit measurements to be made in both the core flow and boundary layers. The analytical techniques for designing the internal contours and predicting the internal flow-field development accounted for coupling between the boundary layers and inviscid flow fields by means of a displacement-thickness correction. Three large-scale inlet models, each having a different internal compression ratio, were designed to provide high internal performance with an approximately uniform static-pressure distribution at the throat station. The models were tested in the Ames 3.5-Foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel at a nominal free-stream Mach number of 7.4 and a unit free-stream Reynolds number of 8.86 X one million per meter.

German National Proficiency Scales in Biology: Internal Structure, Relations to General Cognitive Abilities and Verbal Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kampa, Nele; Köller, Olaf

2016-01-01

National and international large-scale assessments (LSA) have a major impact on educational systems, which raises fundamental questions about the validity of the measures regarding their internal structure and their relations to relevant covariates. Given its importance, research on the validity of instruments specifically developed for LSA is…

The Children's Body Image Scale: reliability and use with international standards for body mass index.

PubMed

Truby, Helen; Paxton, Susan J

2008-03-01

To test the reliability of the Children's Body Image Scale (CBIS) and assess its usefulness in the context of new body size charts for children. Participants were 281 primary schoolchildren with 50% being retested after 3 weeks. The CBIS figure scale was compared with a range of international body mass index (BMI) reference standards. Children had a high degree of body image dissatisfaction. The test-retest reliability of the CBIS was supported. The CBIS is a useful tool for assessing body image in children with sound scale properties. It can also be used to identify the body size of children, which lies outside the healthy weight range of BMI.

Towards an International Culture: Gen Y Students and SNS?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichy, Jessica

2012-01-01

This article reports the findings of a small-scale investigation into the Internet user behaviour of generation Y (Gen Y) students, with particular reference to social networking sites. The study adds to the literature on cross-cultural Internet user behaviour with specific reference to Gen Y and social networking. It compares how a cohort of…

Accuracy assessment of NOAA's daily reference evapotranspiration maps for the Texas High Plains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides daily reference ET for the continental U.S. using climatic data from North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). This data provides large scale spatial representation for reference ET, which is essential for regional scal...

Error mechanism analyses of an ultra-precision stage for high speed scan motion over a large stroke

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shaokai; Tan, Jiubin; Cui, Jiwen

2015-02-01

Reticle Stage (RS) is designed to complete scan motion with high speed in nanometer-scale over a large stroke. Comparing with the allowable scan accuracy of a few nanometers, errors caused by any internal or external disturbances are critical and must not be ignored. In this paper, RS is firstly introduced in aspects of mechanical structure, forms of motion, and controlling method. Based on that, mechanisms of disturbances transferred to final servo-related error in scan direction are analyzed, including feedforward error, coupling between the large stroke stage (LS) and the short stroke stage (SS), and movement of measurement reference. Especially, different forms of coupling between SS and LS are discussed in detail. After theoretical analysis above, the contributions of these disturbances to final error are simulated numerically. The residual positioning error caused by feedforward error in acceleration process is about 2 nm after settling time, the coupling between SS and LS about 2.19 nm, and the movements of MF about 0.6 nm.

[Measuring job satisfaction: development of a multidimensional scale].

PubMed

Faraci, Palmira; Valenti, Giusy

2016-01-01

Although numerous studies have been done on the topic ofjob satisfaction, as regards the Italian research, the construction of specific psychometric instruments is lacking. The present paper is aimed to develop a scale to measure job satisfaction referring to our cultural context. Participants were 222 workers (36.5% males, 63.5% females) with an average age of 38.39 years (SD = 10.91). The formulated items were selected from a large item pool on the basis of the evaluation by a group of expert judges, and the item analysis procedure. In order to establish test validity, the following instruments were also administered: Occupational Stress Indicator, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Beck Depression Inventory. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses highlighted a 6-factor structure. Those factors were responsible for 51.30% of the total variance. Reliability analyses indicated satisfying internal consistency (ranging from alpha = .73 to alpha = .86). Construct validity was supported by results obtained calculating correlations with the theoretically associated variables. Our findings suggest promising psychometric properties for the presented measure. The instrument could be used in specific programs developed to promote well-being conditions in work settings.

Reynolds number trend of hierarchies and scale interactions in turbulent boundary layers.

PubMed

Baars, W J; Hutchins, N; Marusic, I

2017-03-13

Small-scale velocity fluctuations in turbulent boundary layers are often coupled with the larger-scale motions. Studying the nature and extent of this scale interaction allows for a statistically representative description of the small scales over a time scale of the larger, coherent scales. In this study, we consider temporal data from hot-wire anemometry at Reynolds numbers ranging from Re τ ≈2800 to 22 800, in order to reveal how the scale interaction varies with Reynolds number. Large-scale conditional views of the representative amplitude and frequency of the small-scale turbulence, relative to the large-scale features, complement the existing consensus on large-scale modulation of the small-scale dynamics in the near-wall region. Modulation is a type of scale interaction, where the amplitude of the small-scale fluctuations is continuously proportional to the near-wall footprint of the large-scale velocity fluctuations. Aside from this amplitude modulation phenomenon, we reveal the influence of the large-scale motions on the characteristic frequency of the small scales, known as frequency modulation. From the wall-normal trends in the conditional averages of the small-scale properties, it is revealed how the near-wall modulation transitions to an intermittent-type scale arrangement in the log-region. On average, the amplitude of the small-scale velocity fluctuations only deviates from its mean value in a confined temporal domain, the duration of which is fixed in terms of the local Taylor time scale. These concentrated temporal regions are centred on the internal shear layers of the large-scale uniform momentum zones, which exhibit regions of positive and negative streamwise velocity fluctuations. With an increasing scale separation at high Reynolds numbers, this interaction pattern encompasses the features found in studies on internal shear layers and concentrated vorticity fluctuations in high-Reynolds-number wall turbulence.This article is part of the themed issue 'Toward the development of high-fidelity models of wall turbulence at large Reynolds number'. © 2017 The Author(s).

An International Assessment of the Emotional and Behavioral Strengths of Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lappalainen, Kristiina; Savolainen, Hannu; Kuorelahti, Matti; Epstein, Michael H.

2009-01-01

The assessment of emotional and behavioral strengths has been identified as an important part of the assessment process for children referred for specialized services. The Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 (BERS-2; Epstein, Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale: a strength-based approach to assessment. PRO-Ed, Austin, TX, 2004) was developed…

Temperature and heat flux scaling laws for isoviscous, infinite Prandtl number mixed heating convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilella, Kenny; Deschamps, Frédéric

2018-07-01

Thermal evolution of terrestrial planets is controlled by heat transfer through their silicate mantles. A suitable framework for modelling this heat transport is a system including bottom heating (from the core) and internal heating, for example, generated by secular cooling or by the decay of radioactive isotopes. The mechanism of heat transfer depends on the physical properties of the system. In systems where convection is able to operate, two different regimes are possible depending on the relative amount of bottom and internal heating. For moderate internal heating rates, the system is composed of active hot upwellings and cold downwellings. For large internal heating rates, the bottom heat flux becomes negative and the system is only composed of active cold downwellings. Here, we build theoretical scaling laws for both convective regimes following the approach of Vilella & Kaminski (2017), which links the surface heat flux and the temperature jump across both the top and the bottom thermal boundary layer (TBL) to the Rayleigh number and the dimensionless internal heating rate. Theoretical predictions are then verified against numerical simulations performed in 2-D and 3-D Cartesiangeometry, and covering a large range of the parameter space. Our theoretical scaling laws are more successful in predicting the thermal structure of systems with large internal heating rates than that of systems with no or moderate internal heating. The differences between moderate and large internal heating rates are interpreted as differences in the mechanisms generating thermal instabilities. We identified three mechanisms: conductive growth of the TBL, instability impacting, and TBL erosion, the last two being present only for moderate internal heating rates, in which hot plumes are generated at the bottom of the system and are able to reach the surface. Finally, we apply our scaling laws to the evolution of the early Earth, proposing a new model for the cooling of the primordial magma ocean that reconciles geochemical observations and magma ocean dynamics.

Temperature and heat flux scaling laws for isoviscous, infinite Prandtl number mixed heating convection.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilella, Kenny; Deschamps, Frederic

2018-04-01

Thermal evolution of terrestrial planets is controlled by heat transfer through their silicate mantles. A suitable framework for modelling this heat transport is a system including bottom heating (from the core) and internal heating, e.g., generated by secular cooling or by the decay of radioactive isotopes. The mechanism of heat transfer depends on the physical properties of the system. In systems where convection is able to operate, two different regimes are possible depending on the relative amount of bottom and internal heating. For moderate internal heating rates, the system is composed of active hot upwellings and cold downwellings. For large internal heating rates, the bottom heat flux becomes negative and the system is only composed of active cold downwellings. Here, we build theoretical scaling laws for both convective regimes following the approach of Vilella & Kaminski (2017), which links the surface heat flux and the temperature jump across both the top and bottom thermal boundary layer (TBL) to the Rayleigh number and the dimensionless internal heating rate. Theoretical predictions are then verified against numerical simulations performed in 2D and 3D-Cartesian geometry, and covering a large range of the parameter space. Our theoretical scaling laws are more successful in predicting the thermal structure of systems with large internal heating rates than that of systems with no or moderate internal heating. The differences between moderate and large internal heating rates are interpreted as differences in the mechanisms generating thermal instabilities. We identified three mechanisms: conductive growth of the TBL, instability impacting, and TBL erosion, the last two being present only for moderate internal heating rates, in which hot plumes are generated at the bottom of the system and are able to reach the surface. Finally, we apply our scaling laws to the evolution of the early Earth, proposing a new model for the cooling of the primordial magma ocean that reconciles geochemical observations and magma ocean dynamics.

Identification of TMEM208 and PQLC2 as reference genes for normalizing mRNA expression in colorectal cancer treated with aspirin

PubMed Central

Zhu, Yuanyuan; Yang, Chao; Weng, Mingjiao; Zhang, Yan; Yang, Chunhui; Jin, Yinji; Yang, Weiwei; He, Yan; Wu, Yiqi; Zhang, Yuhua; Wang, Guangyu; RajkumarEzakiel Redpath, Riju James; Zhang, Lei; Jin, Xiaoming; Liu, Ying; Sun, Yuchun; Ning, Ning; Qiao, Yu; Zhang, Fengmin; Li, Zhiwei; Wang, Tianzhen; Zhang, Yanqiao; Li, Xiaobo

2017-01-01

Numerous evidences indicate that aspirin usage causes a significant reduction in colorectal cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms about aspirin preventing colon cancer are largely unknown. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a most frequently used method to identify the target molecules regulated by certain compound. However, this method needs stable internal reference genes to analyze the expression change of the targets. In this study, the transcriptional stabilities of several traditional reference genes were evaluated in colon cancer cells treated with aspirin, and also, the suitable internal reference genes were screened by using a microarray and were further identified by using the geNorm and NormFinder softwares, and then were validated in more cell lines and xenografts. We have showed that three traditional internal reference genes, β-actin, GAPDH and α-tubulin, are not suitable for studying gene transcription in colon cancer cells treated with aspirin, and we have identified and validated TMEM208 and PQLC2 as the ideal internal reference genes for detecting the molecular targets of aspirin in colon cancer in vitro and in vivo. This study reveals stable internal reference genes for studying the target genes of aspirin in colon cancer, which will contribute to identify the molecular mechanism behind aspirin preventing colon cancer. PMID:28184026

Identification of TMEM208 and PQLC2 as reference genes for normalizing mRNA expression in colorectal cancer treated with aspirin.

PubMed

Zhu, Yuanyuan; Yang, Chao; Weng, Mingjiao; Zhang, Yan; Yang, Chunhui; Jin, Yinji; Yang, Weiwei; He, Yan; Wu, Yiqi; Zhang, Yuhua; Wang, Guangyu; RajkumarEzakiel Redpath, Riju James; Zhang, Lei; Jin, Xiaoming; Liu, Ying; Sun, Yuchun; Ning, Ning; Qiao, Yu; Zhang, Fengmin; Li, Zhiwei; Wang, Tianzhen; Zhang, Yanqiao; Li, Xiaobo

2017-04-04

Numerous evidences indicate that aspirin usage causes a significant reduction in colorectal cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms about aspirin preventing colon cancer are largely unknown. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a most frequently used method to identify the target molecules regulated by certain compound. However, this method needs stable internal reference genes to analyze the expression change of the targets. In this study, the transcriptional stabilities of several traditional reference genes were evaluated in colon cancer cells treated with aspirin, and also, the suitable internal reference genes were screened by using a microarray and were further identified by using the geNorm and NormFinder softwares, and then were validated in more cell lines and xenografts. We have showed that three traditional internal reference genes, β-actin, GAPDH and α-tubulin, are not suitable for studying gene transcription in colon cancer cells treated with aspirin, and we have identified and validated TMEM208 and PQLC2 as the ideal internal reference genes for detecting the molecular targets of aspirin in colon cancer in vitro and in vivo. This study reveals stable internal reference genes for studying the target genes of aspirin in colon cancer, which will contribute to identify the molecular mechanism behind aspirin preventing colon cancer.

Children's Understanding of Large-Scale Mapping Tasks: An Analysis of Talk, Drawings, and Gesture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotsopoulos, Donna; Cordy, Michelle; Langemeyer, Melanie

2015-01-01

This research examined how children represent motion in large-scale mapping tasks that we referred to as "motion maps". The underlying mathematical content was transformational geometry. In total, 19 children, 8- to 10-year-old, created motion maps and captured their motion maps with accompanying verbal description digitally. Analysis of…

An Approach to Scoring and Equating Tests with Binary Items: Piloting With Large-Scale Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimitrov, Dimiter M.

2016-01-01

This article describes an approach to test scoring, referred to as "delta scoring" (D-scoring), for tests with dichotomously scored items. The D-scoring uses information from item response theory (IRT) calibration to facilitate computations and interpretations in the context of large-scale assessments. The D-score is computed from the…

Mortality during a Large-Scale Heat Wave by Place, Demographic Group, Internal and External Causes of Death, and Building Climate Zone

PubMed Central

Joe, Lauren; Hoshiko, Sumi; Dobraca, Dina; Jackson, Rebecca; Smorodinsky, Svetlana; Smith, Daniel; Harnly, Martha

2016-01-01

Mortality increases during periods of elevated heat. Identification of vulnerable subgroups by demographics, causes of death, and geographic regions, including deaths occurring at home, is needed to inform public health prevention efforts. We calculated mortality relative risks (RRs) and excess deaths associated with a large-scale California heat wave in 2006, comparing deaths during the heat wave with reference days. For total (all-place) and at-home mortality, we examined risks by demographic factors, internal and external causes of death, and building climate zones. During the heat wave, 582 excess deaths occurred, a 5% increase over expected (RR = 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.08). Sixty-six percent of excess deaths were at home (RR = 1.12, CI 1.07–1.16). Total mortality risk was higher among those aged 35–44 years than ≥65, and among Hispanics than whites. Deaths from external causes increased more sharply (RR = 1.18, CI 1.10–1.27) than from internal causes (RR = 1.04, CI 1.02–1.07). Geographically, risk varied by building climate zone; the highest risks of at-home death occurred in the northernmost coastal zone (RR = 1.58, CI 1.01–2.48) and the southernmost zone of California’s Central Valley (RR = 1.43, CI 1.21–1.68). Heat wave mortality risk varied across subpopulations, and some patterns of vulnerability differed from those previously identified. Public health efforts should also address at-home mortality, non-elderly adults, external causes, and at-risk geographic regions. PMID:27005646

fMRI Evidence for Strategic Decision-Making during Resolution of Pronoun Reference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillan, Corey T.; Clark, Robin; Gunawardena, Delani; Ryant, Neville; Grossman, Murray

2012-01-01

Pronouns are extraordinarily common in daily language yet little is known about the neural mechanisms that support decisions about pronoun reference. We propose a large-scale neural network for resolving pronoun reference that consists of two components. First, a core language network in peri-Sylvian cortex supports syntactic and semantic…

Establishment and validation of analytical reference panels for the standardization of quantitative BCR-ABL1 measurements on the international scale.

PubMed

White, Helen E; Hedges, John; Bendit, Israel; Branford, Susan; Colomer, Dolors; Hochhaus, Andreas; Hughes, Timothy; Kamel-Reid, Suzanne; Kim, Dong-Wook; Modur, Vijay; Müller, Martin C; Pagnano, Katia B; Pane, Fabrizio; Radich, Jerry; Cross, Nicholas C P; Labourier, Emmanuel

2013-06-01

Current guidelines for managing Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia include monitoring the expression of the BCR-ABL1 (breakpoint cluster region/c-abl oncogene 1, non-receptor tyrosine kinase) fusion gene by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). Our goal was to establish and validate reference panels to mitigate the interlaboratory imprecision of quantitative BCR-ABL1 measurements and to facilitate global standardization on the international scale (IS). Four-level secondary reference panels were manufactured under controlled and validated processes with synthetic Armored RNA Quant molecules (Asuragen) calibrated to reference standards from the WHO and the NIST. Performance was evaluated in IS reference laboratories and with non-IS-standardized RT-qPCR methods. For most methods, percent ratios for BCR-ABL1 e13a2 and e14a2 relative to ABL1 or BCR were robust at 4 different levels and linear over 3 logarithms, from 10% to 0.01% on the IS. The intraassay and interassay imprecision was <2-fold overall. Performance was stable across 3 consecutive lots, in multiple laboratories, and over a period of 18 months to date. International field trials demonstrated the commutability of the reagents and their accurate alignment to the IS within the intra- and interlaboratory imprecision of IS-standardized methods. The synthetic calibrator panels are robust, reproducibly manufactured, analytically calibrated to the WHO primary standards, and compatible with most BCR-ABL1 RT-qPCR assay designs. The broad availability of secondary reference reagents will further facilitate interlaboratory comparative studies and independent quality assessment programs, which are of paramount importance for worldwide standardization of BCR-ABL1 monitoring results and the optimization of current and new therapeutic approaches for chronic myeloid leukemia. © 2013 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Calibration of BCR-ABL1 mRNA quantification methods using genetic reference materials is a valid strategy to report results on the international scale.

PubMed

Mauté, Carole; Nibourel, Olivier; Réa, Delphine; Coiteux, Valérie; Grardel, Nathalie; Preudhomme, Claude; Cayuela, Jean-Michel

2014-09-01

Until recently, diagnostic laboratories that wanted to report on the international scale had limited options: they had to align their BCR-ABL1 quantification methods through a sample exchange with a reference laboratory to derive a conversion factor. However, commercial methods calibrated on the World Health Organization genetic reference panel are now available. We report results from a study designed to assess the comparability of the two alignment strategies. Sixty follow-up samples from chronic myeloid leukemia patients were included. Two commercial methods calibrated on the genetic reference panel were compared to two conversion factor methods routinely used at Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, and at Lille University Hospital. Results were matched against concordance criteria (i.e., obtaining at least two of the three following landmarks: 50, 75 and 90% of the patient samples within a 2-fold, 3-fold and 5-fold range, respectively). Out of the 60 samples, more than 32 were available for comparison. Compared to the conversion factor method, the two commercial methods were within a 2-fold, 3-fold and 5-fold range for 53 and 59%, 89 and 88%, 100 and 97%, respectively of the samples analyzed at Saint-Louis. At Lille, results were 45 and 85%, 76 and 97%, 100 and 100%, respectively. Agreements between methods were observed in the four comparisons performed. Our data show that the two commercial methods selected are concordant with the conversion factor methods. This study brings the proof of principle that alignment on the international scale using the genetic reference panel is compatible with the patient sample exchange procedure. We believe that these results are particularly important for diagnostic laboratories wishing to adopt commercial methods. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP. Volume 16: Atmospheric Structure and Its Variation in the Region 20 to 120 Km. Draft of a New Reference Middle Atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labitzke, K. (Editor); Barnett, J. J. (Editor); Edwards, B. (Editor)

1985-01-01

A draft of a new reference atmosphere for the region between 20 and 80 km which depends largely on recent satellite experiments covering the globe from 80 deg S to 80 deg N is given. A separate international tropical reference atmosphere is given, as well as reference ozone models for the middle atmosphere.

Tipping elements in the Earth's climate system.

PubMed

Lenton, Timothy M; Held, Hermann; Kriegler, Elmar; Hall, Jim W; Lucht, Wolfgang; Rahmstorf, Stefan; Schellnhuber, Hans Joachim

2008-02-12

The term "tipping point" commonly refers to a critical threshold at which a tiny perturbation can qualitatively alter the state or development of a system. Here we introduce the term "tipping element" to describe large-scale components of the Earth system that may pass a tipping point. We critically evaluate potential policy-relevant tipping elements in the climate system under anthropogenic forcing, drawing on the pertinent literature and a recent international workshop to compile a short list, and we assess where their tipping points lie. An expert elicitation is used to help rank their sensitivity to global warming and the uncertainty about the underlying physical mechanisms. Then we explain how, in principle, early warning systems could be established to detect the proximity of some tipping points.

Development of Certified Reference Materials for Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning Toxins, Part 1: Calibration Solutions.

PubMed

Beach, Daniel G; Crain, Sheila; Lewis, Nancy; LeBlanc, Patricia; Hardstaff, William R; Perez, Ruth A; Giddings, Sabrina D; Martinez-Farina, Camilo F; Stefanova, Roumiana; Burton, Ian W; Kilcoyne, Jane; Melanson, Jeremy E; Quilliam, Michael A; McCarron, Pearse

2016-09-01

Okadaic acid (OA) and its analogs dinophysistoxins-1 (DTX1) and -2 (DTX2) are lipophilic polyethers produced by marine dinoflagellates. These toxins accumulate in shellfish and cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in humans. Regulatory testing of shellfish is essential to safeguard public health and for international trade. Certified reference materials (CRMs) play a key role in analytical monitoring programs. This paper presents an overview of the interdisciplinary work that went into the planning, production, and certification of calibration-solution CRMs for OA, DTX1, and DTX2. OA and DTX1 were isolated from large-scale algal cultures and DTX2 from naturally contaminated mussels. Toxins were isolated by a combination of extraction and chromatographic steps with processes adapted to suit the source and concentration of each toxin. New 19-epi-DSP toxin analogs were identified as minor impurities. Once OA, DTX1, and DTX2 were established to be of suitable purity, solutions were prepared and dispensed into flame-sealed glass ampoules. Certification measurements were carried out using quantitative NMR spectroscopy and LC-tandem MS. Traceability of measurements was established through certified external standards of established purity. Uncertainties were assigned following standards and guidelines from the International Organization for Standardization, with components from the measurement, stability, and homogeneity studies being propagated into final combined uncertainties.

Contamination, misuse and abuse of the global oceans leading to ecosystem damage and destruction, health consequences and international conflict

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Unregulated uses of the oceans may threaten the global ecological balance, alter plant and animal life and significantly impact the global climatic systems. Recent plans to locate large scale structures on the oceans and to exploit the mineral riches of the seas pose even greater risk to the ecological system. Finally, increasing use of the oceans for large scale transport greatly enhances the probability of collision, polluting spills and international conflict.

Operating Reserves and Wind Power Integration: An International Comparison; Preprint

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

Milligan, M.; Donohoo, P.; Lew, D.

2010-10-01

This paper provides a high-level international comparison of methods and key results from both operating practice and integration analysis, based on an informal International Energy Agency Task 25: Large-scale Wind Integration.

Dynamic-gravimetric preparation of metrologically traceable primary calibration standards for halogenated greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillevic, Myriam; Vollmer, Martin K.; Wyss, Simon A.; Leuenberger, Daiana; Ackermann, Andreas; Pascale, Céline; Niederhauser, Bernhard; Reimann, Stefan

2018-06-01

For many years, the comparability of measurements obtained with various instruments within a global-scale air quality monitoring network has been ensured by anchoring all results to a unique suite of reference gas mixtures, also called a primary calibration scale. Such suites of reference gas mixtures are usually prepared and then stored over decades in pressurised cylinders by a designated laboratory. For the halogenated gases which have been measured over the last 40 years, this anchoring method is highly relevant as measurement reproducibility is currently much better ( < 1 %, k = 2 or 95 % confidence interval) than the expanded uncertainty of a reference gas mixture (usually > 2 %). Meanwhile, newly emitted halogenated gases are already measured in the atmosphere at pmol mol-1 levels, while still lacking an established reference standard. For compounds prone to adsorption on material surfaces, it is difficult to evaluate mixture stability and thus variations in the molar fractions over time in cylinders at pmol mol-1 levels.To support atmospheric monitoring of halogenated gases, we create new primary calibration scales for SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride), HFC-125 (pentafluoroethane), HFO-1234yf (or HFC-1234yf, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene), HCFC-132b (1,2-dichloro-1,1-difluoroethane) and CFC-13 (chlorotrifluoromethane). The preparation method, newly applied to halocarbons, is dynamic and gravimetric: it is based on the permeation principle followed by dynamic dilution and cryo-filling of the mixture in cylinders. The obtained METAS-2017 primary calibration scales are made of 11 cylinders containing these five substances at near-ambient and slightly varying molar fractions. Each prepared molar fraction is traceable to the realisation of SI units (International System of Units) and is assigned an uncertainty estimate following international guidelines (JCGM, 2008), ranging from 0.6 % for SF6 to 1.3 % (k = 2) for all other substances. The smallest uncertainty obtained for SF6 is mostly explained by the high substance purity level in the permeator and the low SF6 contamination of the matrix gas. The measured internal consistency of the suite ranges from 0.23 % for SF6 to 1.1 % for HFO-1234yf (k = 1). The expanded uncertainty after verification (i.e. measurement of the cylinders vs. each others) ranges from 1 to 2 % (k = 2).This work combines the advantages of SI-traceable reference gas mixture preparation with a calibration scale system for its use as anchor by a monitoring network. Such a combined system supports maximising compatibility within the network while linking all reference values to the SI and assigning carefully estimated uncertainties.For SF6, comparison of the METAS-2017 calibration scale with the scale prepared by SIO (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, SIO-05) shows excellent concordance, the ratio METAS-2017 / SIO-05 being 1.002. For HFC-125, the METAS-2017 calibration scale is measured as 7 % lower than SIO-14; for HFO-1234yf, it is 9 % lower than Empa-2013. No other scale for HCFC-132b was available for comparison. Finally, for CFC-13 the METAS-2017 primary calibration scale is 5 % higher than the interim calibration scale (Interim-98) that was in use within the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE) network before adopting the scale established in the present work.

Attributes and Behaviors of Performance-Centered Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gery, Gloria

1995-01-01

Examines attributes, characteristics, and behaviors of performance-centered software packages that are emerging in the consumer software marketplace and compares them with large-scale systems software being designed by internal information systems staffs and vendors of large-scale software designed for financial, manufacturing, processing, and…

Nonreciprocity in the dynamics of coupled oscillators with nonlinearity, asymmetry, and scale hierarchy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Keegan J.; Bunyan, Jonathan; Tawfick, Sameh; Gendelman, Oleg V.; Li, Shuangbao; Leamy, Michael; Vakakis, Alexander F.

2018-01-01

In linear time-invariant dynamical and acoustical systems, reciprocity holds by the Onsager-Casimir principle of microscopic reversibility, and this can be broken only by odd external biases, nonlinearities, or time-dependent properties. A concept is proposed in this work for breaking dynamic reciprocity based on irreversible nonlinear energy transfers from large to small scales in a system with nonlinear hierarchical internal structure, asymmetry, and intentional strong stiffness nonlinearity. The resulting nonreciprocal large-to-small scale energy transfers mimic analogous nonlinear energy transfer cascades that occur in nature (e.g., in turbulent flows), and are caused by the strong frequency-energy dependence of the essentially nonlinear small-scale components of the system considered. The theoretical part of this work is mainly based on action-angle transformations, followed by direct numerical simulations of the resulting system of nonlinear coupled oscillators. The experimental part considers a system with two scales—a linear large-scale oscillator coupled to a small scale by a nonlinear spring—and validates the theoretical findings demonstrating nonreciprocal large-to-small scale energy transfer. The proposed study promotes a paradigm for designing nonreciprocal acoustic materials harnessing strong nonlinearity, which in a future application will be implemented in designing lattices incorporating nonlinear hierarchical internal structures, asymmetry, and scale mixing.

An immersed boundary method for direct and large eddy simulation of stratified flows in complex geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapaka, Narsimha R.; Sarkar, Sutanu

2016-10-01

A sharp-interface Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) is developed to simulate density-stratified turbulent flows in complex geometry using a Cartesian grid. The basic numerical scheme corresponds to a central second-order finite difference method, third-order Runge-Kutta integration in time for the advective terms and an alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme for the viscous and diffusive terms. The solver developed here allows for both direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large eddy simulation (LES) approaches. Methods to enhance the mass conservation and numerical stability of the solver to simulate high Reynolds number flows are discussed. Convergence with second-order accuracy is demonstrated in flow past a cylinder. The solver is validated against past laboratory and numerical results in flow past a sphere, and in channel flow with and without stratification. Since topographically generated internal waves are believed to result in a substantial fraction of turbulent mixing in the ocean, we are motivated to examine oscillating tidal flow over a triangular obstacle to assess the ability of this computational model to represent nonlinear internal waves and turbulence. Results in laboratory-scale (order of few meters) simulations show that the wave energy flux, mean flow properties and turbulent kinetic energy agree well with our previous results obtained using a body-fitted grid (BFG). The deviation of IBM results from BFG results is found to increase with increasing nonlinearity in the wave field that is associated with either increasing steepness of the topography relative to the internal wave propagation angle or with the amplitude of the oscillatory forcing. LES is performed on a large scale ridge, of the order of few kilometers in length, that has the same geometrical shape and same non-dimensional values for the governing flow and environmental parameters as the laboratory-scale topography, but significantly larger Reynolds number. A non-linear drag law is utilized in the large-scale application to parameterize turbulent losses due to bottom friction at high Reynolds number. The large scale problem exhibits qualitatively similar behavior to the laboratory scale problem with some differences: slightly larger intensification of the boundary flow and somewhat higher non-dimensional values for the energy fluxed away by the internal wave field. The phasing of wave breaking and turbulence exhibits little difference between small-scale and large-scale obstacles as long as the important non-dimensional parameters are kept the same. We conclude that IBM is a viable approach to the simulation of internal waves and turbulence in high Reynolds number stratified flows over topography.

Development and Validation of a Spanish Version of the Grit-S Scale

PubMed Central

Arco-Tirado, Jose L.; Fernández-Martín, Francisco D.; Hoyle, Rick H.

2018-01-01

This paper describes the development and initial validation of a Spanish version of the Short Grit (Grit-S) Scale. The Grit-S Scale was adapted and translated into Spanish using the Translation, Review, Adjudication, Pre-testing, and Documentation model and responses to a preliminary set of items from a large sample of university students (N = 1,129). The resultant measure was validated using data from a large stratified random sample of young adults (N = 1,826). Initial validation involved evaluating the internal consistency of the adapted scale and its subscales and comparing the factor structure of the adapted version to that of the original scale. The results were comparable to results from similar analyses of the English version of the scale. Although the internal consistency of the subscales was low, the internal consistency of the full scale was well-within the acceptable range. A two-factor model offered an acceptable account of the data; however, when a single correlated error involving two highly similar items was included, a single factor model fit the data very well. The results support the use of overall scores from the Spanish Grit-S Scale in future research. PMID:29467705

Large-Angular-Scale Clustering as a Clue to the Source of UHECRs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berlind, Andreas A.; Farrar, Glennys R.

We explore what can be learned about the sources of UHECRs from their large-angular-scale clustering (referred to as their "bias" by the cosmology community). Exploiting the clustering on large scales has the advantage over small-scale correlations of being insensitive to uncertainties in source direction from magnetic smearing or measurement error. In a Cold Dark Matter cosmology, the amplitude of large-scale clustering depends on the mass of the system, with more massive systems such as galaxy clusters clustering more strongly than less massive systems such as ordinary galaxies or AGN. Therefore, studying the large-scale clustering of UHECRs can help determine a mass scale for their sources, given the assumption that their redshift depth is as expected from the GZK cutoff. We investigate the constraining power of a given UHECR sample as a function of its cutoff energy and number of events. We show that current and future samples should be able to distinguish between the cases of their sources being galaxy clusters, ordinary galaxies, or sources that are uncorrelated with the large-scale structure of the universe.

Large-Scale Assessments and Educational Policies in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damiani, Valeria

2016-01-01

Despite Italy's extensive participation in most large-scale assessments, their actual influence on Italian educational policies is less easy to identify. The present contribution aims at highlighting and explaining reasons for the weak and often inconsistent relationship between international surveys and policy-making processes in Italy.…

Ketamine and international regulations.

PubMed

Liao, Yanhui; Tang, Yi-Lang; Hao, Wei

2017-09-01

Ketamine is an anesthetic commonly used in low-income countries and has recently been shown to be effective for treatment-resistant depression. However, the illicit manufacturing, trafficking, and nonmedical use of ketamine are increasing globally, and its illicit use poses major public health challenges in many countries. To review the nonmedical use of ketamine in selected countries and its regulatory control. We conducted a review of literature identified from searches of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) (1979-2016) and PubMed databases, supplemented by additional references identified by the authors. Special attention was given to the regulation of ketamine. Illicit manufacturing, trafficking, and use of ketamine appear to have begun on a large scale in several Asian nations, and it has subsequently spread to other regions. Regulations governing availability of ketamine vary across countries, but there is a clear trend toward tighter regulations. As nonmedical use of ketamine and its harmful consequences have worsened globally, stricter controls are necessary. Appropriate regulation of ketamine is important for international efforts to control ketamine's cross-border trafficking and its nonmedical use.

Assessment of the accuracy of global geodetic satellite laser ranging observations and estimated impact on ITRF scale: estimation of systematic errors in LAGEOS observations 1993-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appleby, Graham; Rodríguez, José; Altamimi, Zuheir

2016-12-01

Satellite laser ranging (SLR) to the geodetic satellites LAGEOS and LAGEOS-2 uniquely determines the origin of the terrestrial reference frame and, jointly with very long baseline interferometry, its scale. Given such a fundamental role in satellite geodesy, it is crucial that any systematic errors in either technique are at an absolute minimum as efforts continue to realise the reference frame at millimetre levels of accuracy to meet the present and future science requirements. Here, we examine the intrinsic accuracy of SLR measurements made by tracking stations of the International Laser Ranging Service using normal point observations of the two LAGEOS satellites in the period 1993 to 2014. The approach we investigate in this paper is to compute weekly reference frame solutions solving for satellite initial state vectors, station coordinates and daily Earth orientation parameters, estimating along with these weekly average range errors for each and every one of the observing stations. Potential issues in any of the large number of SLR stations assumed to have been free of error in previous realisations of the ITRF may have been absorbed in the reference frame, primarily in station height. Likewise, systematic range errors estimated against a fixed frame that may itself suffer from accuracy issues will absorb network-wide problems into station-specific results. Our results suggest that in the past two decades, the scale of the ITRF derived from the SLR technique has been close to 0.7 ppb too small, due to systematic errors either or both in the range measurements and their treatment. We discuss these results in the context of preparations for ITRF2014 and additionally consider the impact of this work on the currently adopted value of the geocentric gravitational constant, GM.

On the Cross-Country Comparability of Indicators of Socioeconomic Resources in PISA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pokropek, Artur; Borgonovi, Francesca; McCormick, Carina

2017-01-01

Large-scale international assessments rely on indicators of the resources that students report having in their homes to capture the financial capital of their families. The scaling methodology currently used to develop the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) background indices is designed to maximize within-country comparability…

Survey on large scale system control methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mercadal, Mathieu

1987-01-01

The problem inherent to large scale systems such as power network, communication network and economic or ecological systems were studied. The increase in size and flexibility of future spacecraft has put those dynamical systems into the category of large scale systems, and tools specific to the class of large systems are being sought to design control systems that can guarantee more stability and better performance. Among several survey papers, reference was found to a thorough investigation on decentralized control methods. Especially helpful was the classification made of the different existing approaches to deal with large scale systems. A very similar classification is used, even though the papers surveyed are somehow different from the ones reviewed in other papers. Special attention is brought to the applicability of the existing methods to controlling large mechanical systems like large space structures. Some recent developments are added to this survey.

Optimal Reference Genes for Gene Expression Normalization in Trichomonas vaginalis.

PubMed

dos Santos, Odelta; de Vargas Rigo, Graziela; Frasson, Amanda Piccoli; Macedo, Alexandre José; Tasca, Tiana

2015-01-01

Trichomonas vaginalis is the etiologic agent of trichomonosis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. This infection is associated with several health consequences, including cervical and prostate cancers and HIV acquisition. Gene expression analysis has been facilitated because of available genome sequences and large-scale transcriptomes in T. vaginalis, particularly using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), one of the most used methods for molecular studies. Reference genes for normalization are crucial to ensure the accuracy of this method. However, to the best of our knowledge, a systematic validation of reference genes has not been performed for T. vaginalis. In this study, the transcripts of nine candidate reference genes were quantified using qRT-PCR under different cultivation conditions, and the stability of these genes was compared using the geNorm and NormFinder algorithms. The most stable reference genes were α-tubulin, actin and DNATopII, and, conversely, the widely used T. vaginalis reference genes GAPDH and β-tubulin were less stable. The PFOR gene was used to validate the reliability of the use of these candidate reference genes. As expected, the PFOR gene was upregulated when the trophozoites were cultivated with ferrous ammonium sulfate when the DNATopII, α-tubulin and actin genes were used as normalizing gene. By contrast, the PFOR gene was downregulated when the GAPDH gene was used as an internal control, leading to misinterpretation of the data. These results provide an important starting point for reference gene selection and gene expression analysis with qRT-PCR studies of T. vaginalis.

Optimal Reference Genes for Gene Expression Normalization in Trichomonas vaginalis

PubMed Central

dos Santos, Odelta; de Vargas Rigo, Graziela; Frasson, Amanda Piccoli; Macedo, Alexandre José; Tasca, Tiana

2015-01-01

Trichomonas vaginalis is the etiologic agent of trichomonosis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. This infection is associated with several health consequences, including cervical and prostate cancers and HIV acquisition. Gene expression analysis has been facilitated because of available genome sequences and large-scale transcriptomes in T. vaginalis, particularly using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), one of the most used methods for molecular studies. Reference genes for normalization are crucial to ensure the accuracy of this method. However, to the best of our knowledge, a systematic validation of reference genes has not been performed for T. vaginalis. In this study, the transcripts of nine candidate reference genes were quantified using qRT-PCR under different cultivation conditions, and the stability of these genes was compared using the geNorm and NormFinder algorithms. The most stable reference genes were α-tubulin, actin and DNATopII, and, conversely, the widely used T. vaginalis reference genes GAPDH and β-tubulin were less stable. The PFOR gene was used to validate the reliability of the use of these candidate reference genes. As expected, the PFOR gene was upregulated when the trophozoites were cultivated with ferrous ammonium sulfate when the DNATopII, α-tubulin and actin genes were used as normalizing gene. By contrast, the PFOR gene was downregulated when the GAPDH gene was used as an internal control, leading to misinterpretation of the data. These results provide an important starting point for reference gene selection and gene expression analysis with qRT-PCR studies of T. vaginalis. PMID:26393928

pycola: N-body COLA method code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tassev, Svetlin; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Wandelt, Benjamin D.; Zaldarriagag, Matias

2015-09-01

pycola is a multithreaded Python/Cython N-body code, implementing the Comoving Lagrangian Acceleration (COLA) method in the temporal and spatial domains, which trades accuracy at small-scales to gain computational speed without sacrificing accuracy at large scales. This is especially useful for cheaply generating large ensembles of accurate mock halo catalogs required to study galaxy clustering and weak lensing. The COLA method achieves its speed by calculating the large-scale dynamics exactly using LPT while letting the N-body code solve for the small scales, without requiring it to capture exactly the internal dynamics of halos.

Development of parallel scales to measure HIV-related stigma

PubMed Central

Visser, Maretha J.; Kershaw, Trace; Makin, Jennifer D.; Forsyth, Brian W.C.

2014-01-01

HIV-related stigma is a multidimensional concept which has pervasive effects on the lives of HIV-infected people as well as serious consequences for the management of HIV/AIDS. In this research three parallel stigma scales were developed to assess personal views of stigma, stigma attributed to others, and internalized stigma experienced by HIV-infected individuals. The stigma scales were administered in two samples: a community sample of 1077 respondents and 317 HIV-infected pregnant women recruited at clinics from the same community in Tshwane (South Africa). A two-factor structure referring to moral judgment and interpersonal distancing was confirmed across scales and sample groups. The internal consistency of the scales was acceptable and evidence of validity is reported. Parallel scales to assess and compare different perspectives of stigma provide opportunities for research aimed at understanding of stigma, assessing the consequences or evaluating possible interventions aimed at reducing stigma. PMID:18266101

Accuracy assessment of NOAA gridded daily reference evapotranspiration for the Texas High Plains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides daily reference evapotranspiration (ETref) maps for the contiguous United States using climatic data from North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). This data provides large-scale spatial representation of ETref, which i...

Skin Friction Reduction Through Large-Scale Forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatt, Shibani; Artham, Sravan; Gnanamanickam, Ebenezer

2017-11-01

Flow structures in a turbulent boundary layer larger than an integral length scale (δ), referred to as large-scales, interact with the finer scales in a non-linear manner. By targeting these large-scales and exploiting this non-linear interaction wall shear stress (WSS) reduction of over 10% has been achieved. The plane wall jet (PWJ), a boundary layer which has highly energetic large-scales that become turbulent independent of the near-wall finer scales, is the chosen model flow field. It's unique configuration allows for the independent control of the large-scales through acoustic forcing. Perturbation wavelengths from about 1 δ to 14 δ were considered with a reduction in WSS for all wavelengths considered. This reduction, over a large subset of the wavelengths, scales with both inner and outer variables indicating a mixed scaling to the underlying physics, while also showing dependence on the PWJ global properties. A triple decomposition of the velocity fields shows an increase in coherence due to forcing with a clear organization of the small scale turbulence with respect to the introduced large-scale. The maximum reduction in WSS occurs when the introduced large-scale acts in a manner so as to reduce the turbulent activity in the very near wall region. This material is based upon work supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Award Number FA9550-16-1-0194 monitored by Dr. Douglas Smith.

Historical and current landscape-scale ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forest structure in the Southern Sierra Nevada

Treesearch

Scott L. Stephens; Jamie M. Lydersen; Brandon M. Collins; Danny L. Fry; Marc D. Meyer

2015-01-01

Many managers today are tasked with restoring forests to mitigate the potential for uncharacteristically severe fire. One challenge to this mandate is the lack of large-scale reference information on forest structure prior to impacts from Euro-American settlement. We used a robust 1911 historical dataset that covers a large geographic extent (>10,000 ha) and has...

A summary and analysis of the low-speed longitudinal characteristics of swept wings at high Reynolds number

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Furlong, G Chester; Mchugh, James G

1957-01-01

An analysis of the longitudinal characteristics of swept wings which is based on available large-scale low-speed data and supplemented with low-scale data when feasible is presented. The emphasis has been placed on the differentiation of the characteristics by a differentiation between the basic flow phenomenon involved. Insofar as possible all large-scale data available as of August 15, 1951 have been summarized in tabular form for ready reference.

Leaders Leading and Learning (Part 1)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannay, Lynne M.; Manning, Michael; Earl, Sandra; Blair, Don

2006-01-01

Internationally, large scale reform is big business and yet relatively little is known about the senior administrators who manage and lead local educational reform implementation. In this first of a two-part article, the authors focus on the role of senior administrators in facilitating large-scale reform in one Ontario, Canada school district…

Towards Productive Critique of Large-Scale Comparisons in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorur, Radhika

2017-01-01

International large-scale assessments and comparisons (ILSAs) in education have become significant policy phenomena. How a country fares in these assessments has come to signify not only how a nation's education system is performing, but also its future prospects in a global economic "race". These assessments provoke passionate arguments…

SAIP2014, the 59th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelbrecht, Chris; Karataglidis, Steven

2015-04-01

The International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) was adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1997. The current standard, the ICRF-2, is based on Very Long Baseline Interferometric (VLBI) radio observations of positions of 3414 extragalactic radio reference sources. The angular resolution achieved by the VLBI technique is on a scale of milliarcsecond to sub-milliarcseconds and defines the ICRF with the highest accuracy available at present. An ideal reference source used for celestial reference frame work should be unresolved or point-like on these scales. However, extragalactic radio sources, such as those that definevand maintain the ICRF, can exhibit spatially extended structures on sub-milliarsecond scalesvthat may vary both in time and frequency. This variability can introduce a significant error in the VLBI measurements thereby degrading the accuracy of the estimated source position. Reference source density in the Southern celestial hemisphere is also poor compared to the Northern hemisphere, mainly due to the limited number of radio telescopes in the south. In order to dene the ICRF with the highest accuracy, observational efforts are required to find more compact sources and to monitor their structural evolution. In this paper we show that the astrometric VLBI sessions can be used to obtain source structure information and we present preliminary imaging results for the source J1427-4206 at 2.3 and 8.4 GHz frequencies which shows that the source is compact and suitable as a reference source.

Large - scale Rectangular Ruler Automated Verification Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hao; Chang, Luping; Xing, Minjian; Xie, Xie

2018-03-01

This paper introduces a large-scale rectangular ruler automated verification device, which consists of photoelectric autocollimator and self-designed mechanical drive car and data automatic acquisition system. The design of mechanical structure part of the device refer to optical axis design, drive part, fixture device and wheel design. The design of control system of the device refer to hardware design and software design, and the hardware mainly uses singlechip system, and the software design is the process of the photoelectric autocollimator and the automatic data acquisition process. This devices can automated achieve vertical measurement data. The reliability of the device is verified by experimental comparison. The conclusion meets the requirement of the right angle test procedure.

Numerical Simulations of Vortical Mode Stirring: Effects of Large Scale Shear and Strain

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

Numerical Simulations of Vortical Mode Stirring: Effects of Large-Scale Shear and Strain M.-Pascale Lelong NorthWest Research Associates...can be implemented in larger-scale ocean models. These parameterizations will incorporate the effects of local ambient conditions including latitude...talk at the 1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Nonlinear Effects in Internal Waves Conference held

18O-labeled proteome reference as global internal standards for targeted quantification by selected reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Seo; Fillmore, Thomas L; Liu, Tao; Robinson, Errol; Hossain, Mahmud; Champion, Boyd L; Moore, Ronald J; Camp, David G; Smith, Richard D; Qian, Wei-Jun

2011-12-01

Selected reaction monitoring (SRM)-MS is an emerging technology for high throughput targeted protein quantification and verification in biomarker discovery studies; however, the cost associated with the application of stable isotope-labeled synthetic peptides as internal standards can be prohibitive for screening a large number of candidate proteins as often required in the preverification phase of discovery studies. Herein we present a proof of concept study using an (18)O-labeled proteome reference as global internal standards (GIS) for SRM-based relative quantification. The (18)O-labeled proteome reference (or GIS) can be readily prepared and contains a heavy isotope ((18)O)-labeled internal standard for every possible tryptic peptide. Our results showed that the percentage of heavy isotope ((18)O) incorporation applying an improved protocol was >99.5% for most peptides investigated. The accuracy, reproducibility, and linear dynamic range of quantification were further assessed based on known ratios of standard proteins spiked into the labeled mouse plasma reference. Reliable quantification was observed with high reproducibility (i.e. coefficient of variance <10%) for analyte concentrations that were set at 100-fold higher or lower than those of the GIS based on the light ((16)O)/heavy ((18)O) peak area ratios. The utility of (18)O-labeled GIS was further illustrated by accurate relative quantification of 45 major human plasma proteins. Moreover, quantification of the concentrations of C-reactive protein and prostate-specific antigen was illustrated by coupling the GIS with standard additions of purified protein standards. Collectively, our results demonstrated that the use of (18)O-labeled proteome reference as GIS provides a convenient, low cost, and effective strategy for relative quantification of a large number of candidate proteins in biological or clinical samples using SRM.

Experimental Study of Homogeneous Isotropic Slowly-Decaying Turbulence in Giant Grid-Wind Tunnel Set Up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliseda, Alberto; Bourgoin, Mickael; Eswirp Collaboration

2014-11-01

We present preliminary results from a recent grid turbulence experiment conducted at the ONERA wind tunnel in Modane, France. The ESWIRP Collaboration was conceived to probe the smallest scales of a canonical turbulent flow with very high Reynolds numbers. To achieve this, the largest scales of the turbulence need to be extremely big so that, even with the large separation of scales, the smallest scales would be well above the spatial and temporal resolution of the instruments. The ONERA wind tunnel in Modane (8 m -diameter test section) was chosen as a limit of the biggest large scales achievable in a laboratory setting. A giant inflatable grid (M = 0.8 m) was conceived to induce slowly-decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence in a large region of the test section, with minimal structural risk. An international team or researchers collected hot wire anemometry, ultrasound anemometry, resonant cantilever anemometry, fast pitot tube anemometry, cold wire thermometry and high-speed particle tracking data of this canonical turbulent flow. While analysis of this large database, which will become publicly available over the next 2 years, has only started, the Taylor-scale Reynolds number is estimated to be between 400 and 800, with Kolmogorov scales as large as a few mm . The ESWIRP Collaboration is formed by an international team of scientists to investigate experimentally the smallest scales of turbulence. It was funded by the European Union to take advantage of the largest wind tunnel in Europe for fundamental research.

Validation of the Short Form of the Academic Procrastination Scale.

PubMed

Yockey, Ronald D

2016-02-01

The factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and convergent validity of the five-item Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form was investigated on an ethnically diverse sample of college students. The results provided support for the Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form as a unidimensional measure of academic procrastination, which possessed good internal consistency reliability in this sample of 282 students. The scale also demonstrated good convergent validity, with moderate to large correlations with both the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students and the Tuckman Procrastination Scale. Implications of the results are discussed and recommendations for future work provided.

Progress toward a low budget reference grade genome assembly

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reference quality de novo genome assemblies were once solely the domain of large, well-funded genome projects. While next-generation short read technology removed some of the cost barriers, accurate chromosome-scale assembly remains a real challenge. Here we present efforts to de novo assemble the...

Bridging Scales: Developing a Framework to Build a City-Scale Environmental Scenario for Japanese Municipalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashimoto, S.; Fujita, T.; Nakayama, T.; Xu, K.

2007-12-01

There is an ongoing project on establishing environmental scenarios in Japan to evaluate middle to long-term environmental policy and technology options toward low carbon society. In this project, the time horizon of the scenarios is set for 2050 on the ground that a large part of social infrastructure in Japan is likely to be renovated by that time, and cities are supposed to play important roles in building low carbon society in Japan. This belief is held because cities or local governments could implement various policies and programs, such as land use planning and promotion of new technologies with low GHG emissions, which produce an effect in an ununiform manner, taking local socio-economic conditions into account, while higher governments, either national or prefectural, could impose environmental tax on electricity and gas to alleviate ongoing GHG emissions, which uniformly covers their jurisdictions. In order for local governments to devise and implement concrete administrative actions equipped with rational policies and technologies, referring the environmental scenarios developed for the entire nation, we need to localize the national scenarios, both in terms of spatial and temporal extent, so that they could better reflect local socio-economic and institutional conditions. In localizing the national scenarios, the participation of stakeholders is significant because they play major roles in shaping future society. Stakeholder participation in the localization process would bring both creative and realistic inputs on how future unfolds on a city scale. In this research, 1) we reviewed recent efforts on international and domestic scenario development to set a practical time horizon for a city-scale environmental scenario, which would lead to concrete environmental policies and programs, 2) designed a participatory scenario development/localization process, drawing on the framework of the 'Story-and-Simulation' or SAS approach, which Alcamo(2001) proposed, and 3) started implementing it to the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, in cooperation with municipal officials and stakeholders. The participatory process is to develop city-scale environmental scenarios toward low carbon society, referring international and domestic environmental scenarios. Though the scenario development is still in process, it has already brought practical knowledge about and experience on how to bridge scenarios developed for different temporal and spatial scales.

Global daily reference evapotranspiration modeling and evaluation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senay, G.B.; Verdin, J.P.; Lietzow, R.; Melesse, Assefa M.

2008-01-01

Accurate and reliable evapotranspiration (ET) datasets are crucial in regional water and energy balance studies. Due to the complex instrumentation requirements, actual ET values are generally estimated from reference ET values by adjustment factors using coefficients for water stress and vegetation conditions, commonly referred to as crop coefficients. Until recently, the modeling of reference ET has been solely based on important weather variables collected from weather stations that are generally located in selected agro-climatic locations. Since 2001, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) has been producing six-hourly climate parameter datasets that are used to calculate daily reference ET for the whole globe at 1-degree spatial resolution. The U.S. Geological Survey Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science has been producing daily reference ET (ETo) since 2001, and it has been used on a variety of operational hydrological models for drought and streamflow monitoring all over the world. With the increasing availability of local station-based reference ET estimates, we evaluated the GDAS-based reference ET estimates using data from the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS). Daily CIMIS reference ET estimates from 85 stations were compared with GDAS-based reference ET at different spatial and temporal scales using five-year daily data from 2002 through 2006. Despite the large difference in spatial scale (point vs. ∼100 km grid cell) between the two datasets, the correlations between station-based ET and GDAS-ET were very high, exceeding 0.97 on a daily basis to more than 0.99 on time scales of more than 10 days. Both the temporal and spatial correspondences in trend/pattern and magnitudes between the two datasets were satisfactory, suggesting the reliability of using GDAS parameter-based reference ET for regional water and energy balance studies in many parts of the world. While the study revealed the potential of GDAS ETo for large-scale hydrological applications, site-specific use of GDAS ETo in complex hydro-climatic regions such as coastal areas and rugged terrain may require the application of bias correction and/or disaggregation of the GDAS ETo using downscaling techniques.

Realizing a terrestrial reference frame using the Global Positioning System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haines, Bruce J.; Bar-Sever, Yoaz E.; Bertiger, Willy I.; Desai, Shailen D.; Harvey, Nate; Sibois, Aurore E.; Weiss, Jan P.

2015-08-01

We describe a terrestrial reference frame (TRF) realization based on Global Positioning System (GPS) data alone. Our approach rests on a highly dynamic, long-arc (9 day) estimation strategy and on GPS satellite antenna calibrations derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and TOPEX/Poseidon low Earth orbit receiver GPS data. Based on nearly 17 years of data (1997-2013), our solution for scale rate agrees with International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF)2008 to 0.03 ppb yr-1, and our solution for 3-D origin rate agrees with ITRF2008 to 0.4 mm yr-1. Absolute scale differs by 1.1 ppb (7 mm at the Earth's surface) and 3-D origin by 8 mm. These differences lie within estimated error levels for the contemporary TRF.

Large Scale Deformation of the Western U.S. Cordillera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, Richard A.

2002-01-01

Over the past couple of years, with support from NASA, we used a large collection of data from GPS, VLBI, SLR, and DORIS networks which span the Western U.S. Cordillera (WUSC) to precisely quantify present-day large-scale crustal deformations in a single uniform reference frame. Our work was roughly divided into an analysis of these space geodetic observations to infer the deformation field across and within the entire plate boundary zone, and an investigation of the implications of this deformation field regarding plate boundary dynamics. Following the determination of the first generation WUSC velocity solution, we placed high priority on the dissemination of the velocity estimates. With in-kind support from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, we constructed a web-site which allows anyone to access the data, and to determine their own velocity reference frame.

Large Scale Deformation of the Western U.S. Cordillera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, Richard A.

2002-01-01

Over the past couple of years, with support from NASA, we used a large collection of data from GPS, VLBI, SLR, and DORIS networks which span the Westem U.S. Cordillera (WUSC) to precisely quantify present-day large-scale crustal deformations in a single uniform reference frame. Our work was roughly divided into an analysis of these space geodetic observations to infer the deformation field across and within the entire plate boundary zone, and an investigation of the implications of this deformation field regarding plate boundary dynamics. Following the determination of the first generation WUSC velocity solution, we placed high priority on the dissemination of the velocity estimates. With in-kind support from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, we constructed a web-site which allows anyone to access the data, and to determine their own velocity reference frame.

Iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker for large-scale systems: a digital redesign approach.

PubMed

Tsai, Jason Sheng-Hong; Du, Yan-Yi; Huang, Pei-Hsiang; Guo, Shu-Mei; Shieh, Leang-San; Chen, Yuhua

2011-07-01

In this paper, a digital redesign methodology of the iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker is proposed to improve the dynamic performance of sampled-data linear large-scale control systems consisting of N interconnected multi-input multi-output subsystems, so that the system output will follow any trajectory which may not be presented by the analytic reference model initially. To overcome the interference of each sub-system and simplify the controller design, the proposed model reference decentralized adaptive control scheme constructs a decoupled well-designed reference model first. Then, according to the well-designed model, this paper develops a digital decentralized adaptive tracker based on the optimal analog control and prediction-based digital redesign technique for the sampled-data large-scale coupling system. In order to enhance the tracking performance of the digital tracker at specified sampling instants, we apply the iterative learning control (ILC) to train the control input via continual learning. As a result, the proposed iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker not only has robust closed-loop decoupled property but also possesses good tracking performance at both transient and steady state. Besides, evolutionary programming is applied to search for a good learning gain to speed up the learning process of ILC. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tipping elements in the Earth's climate system

PubMed Central

Lenton, Timothy M.; Held, Hermann; Kriegler, Elmar; Hall, Jim W.; Lucht, Wolfgang; Rahmstorf, Stefan; Schellnhuber, Hans Joachim

2008-01-01

The term “tipping point” commonly refers to a critical threshold at which a tiny perturbation can qualitatively alter the state or development of a system. Here we introduce the term “tipping element” to describe large-scale components of the Earth system that may pass a tipping point. We critically evaluate potential policy-relevant tipping elements in the climate system under anthropogenic forcing, drawing on the pertinent literature and a recent international workshop to compile a short list, and we assess where their tipping points lie. An expert elicitation is used to help rank their sensitivity to global warming and the uncertainty about the underlying physical mechanisms. Then we explain how, in principle, early warning systems could be established to detect the proximity of some tipping points. PMID:18258748

Cross - Scale Intercomparison of Climate Change Impacts Simulated by Regional and Global Hydrological Models in Eleven Large River Basins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hattermann, F. F.; Krysanova, V.; Gosling, S. N.; Dankers, R.; Daggupati, P.; Donnelly, C.; Florke, M.; Huang, S.; Motovilov, Y.; Buda, S.;

Cross-scale intercomparison of climate change impacts simulated by regional and global hydrological models in eleven large river basins

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

Hattermann, F. F.; Krysanova, V.; Gosling, S. N.

Ideally, the results from models operating at different scales should agree in trend direction and magnitude of impacts under climate change. However, this implies that the sensitivity of impact models designed for either scale to climate variability and change is comparable. In this study, we compare hydrological changes simulated by 9 global and 9 regional hydrological models (HM) for 11 large river basins in all continents under reference and scenario conditions. The foci are on model validation runs, sensitivity of annual discharge to climate variability in the reference period, and sensitivity of the long-term average monthly seasonal dynamics to climatemore » change. One major result is that the global models, mostly not calibrated against observations, often show a considerable bias in mean monthly discharge, whereas regional models show a much better reproduction of reference conditions. However, the sensitivity of two HM ensembles to climate variability is in general similar. The simulated climate change impacts in terms of long-term average monthly dynamics evaluated for HM ensemble medians and spreads show that the medians are to a certain extent comparable in some cases with distinct differences in others, and the spreads related to global models are mostly notably larger. Summarizing, this implies that global HMs are useful tools when looking at large-scale impacts of climate change and variability, but whenever impacts for a specific river basin or region are of interest, e.g. for complex water management applications, the regional-scale models validated against observed discharge should be used.« less

On the Assessment of Global Terrestrial Reference Frame Temporal Variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ampatzidis, Dimitrios; Koenig, Rolf; Zhu, Shengyuan

2015-04-01

Global Terrestrial Reference Frames (GTRFs) as the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) provide reliable 4-D position information (3-D coordinates and their evolution through time). The given 3-D velocities play a significant role in precise position acquisition and are estimated from long term coordinate time series from the space-geodetic techniques DORIS, GNSS, SLR, and VLBI. GTRFs temporal evolution is directly connected with their internal stability: The more intense and inhomogeneous velocity field, the less stable TRF is derived. The assessment of the quality of the GTRF is mainly realized by comparing it to each individual technique's reference frame. E.g the comparison of GTRFs to SLR-only based TRF gives the sense of the ITRF stability with respect to the Geocenter and scale and their associated rates respectively. In addition, the comparison of ITRF to the VLBI-only based TRF can be used for the scale validation. However, till now there is not any specified methodology for the total assessment (in terms of origin, orientation and scale respectively) of the temporal evolution and GTRFs associated accuracy. We present a new alternative diagnostic tool for the assessment of GTRFs temporal evolution based on the well-known time-dependent Helmert type transformation formula (three shifts, three rotations and scale rates respectively). The advantage of the new methodology relies on the fact that it uses the full velocity field of the TRF and therefore all points not just the ones common to different techniques. It also examines simultaneously rates of origin, orientation and scale. The methodology is presented and implemented to the two existing GTRFs on the market (ITRF and DTRF which is computed from DGFI) , the results are discussed. The results also allow to compare directly each GTRF dynamic behavior. Furthermore, the correlations of the estimated parameters can also provide useful information to the proposed GTRFs assessment scheme.

Causal Inferences with Large Scale Assessment Data: Using a Validity Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutkowski, David; Delandshere, Ginette

2016-01-01

To answer the calls for stronger evidence by the policy community, educational researchers and their associated organizations increasingly demand more studies that can yield causal inferences. International large scale assessments (ILSAs) have been targeted as a rich data sources for causal research. It is in this context that we take up a…

Conceptualizing the Science Curriculum: 40 Years of Developing Assessment Frameworks in Three Large-Scale Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kind, Per Morten

2013-01-01

The paper analyzes conceptualizations in the science frameworks in three large-scale assessments, Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The assessments have a shared history, but have developed different conceptualizations. The…

Limited Aspects of Reality: Frames of Reference in Language Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulcher, Glenn; Svalberg, Agneta

2013-01-01

Language testers operate within two frames of reference: norm-referenced (NRT) and criterion-referenced testing (CRT). The former underpins the world of large-scale standardized testing that prioritizes variability and comparison. The latter supports substantive score meaning in formative and domain specific assessment. Some claim that the…

International Bibliography of Computer-Assisted Terminology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krommer-Benz, Magdalena, Comp.

Because of the need for adequate reference tools in the new area of data banks for the field of terminology (there are currently 25 term banks in existence and more are planned), this bibliography lists some 350 references selected from a large number of both primary and secondary sources. It includes some entries selected from a list of…

On humanity's role in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Puttkamer, J.

1978-01-01

Manned spaceflight is considered within the framework of two broad categories: human exploitation of space for economic or scientific gain, and human habitation of space as a place where man may live, grow, and actualize himself. With the advent of the Space Shuttle, exploitation of space will take the form of new product development. This will continue during the 1990s as the new products are manufactured on a scale large enough to be profitable. The turn of the century should see major industries in space, and large space habitats. Thus, the question of mankind's existential needs arises. In addition to basic physical needs, the spiritual and cultural requirements of human beings must be considered. The impact of man's presence in space upon human culture in general is discussed with reference to international cooperation, public interest in space programs, scientific advancement, the basic urge to explore, and the density of mankind as a whole; which will become free of external constraints as we step into the cosmos.

Decoupling local mechanics from large-scale structure in modular metamaterials.

PubMed

Yang, Nan; Silverberg, Jesse L

2017-04-04

A defining feature of mechanical metamaterials is that their properties are determined by the organization of internal structure instead of the raw fabrication materials. This shift of attention to engineering internal degrees of freedom has coaxed relatively simple materials into exhibiting a wide range of remarkable mechanical properties. For practical applications to be realized, however, this nascent understanding of metamaterial design must be translated into a capacity for engineering large-scale structures with prescribed mechanical functionality. Thus, the challenge is to systematically map desired functionality of large-scale structures backward into a design scheme while using finite parameter domains. Such "inverse design" is often complicated by the deep coupling between large-scale structure and local mechanical function, which limits the available design space. Here, we introduce a design strategy for constructing 1D, 2D, and 3D mechanical metamaterials inspired by modular origami and kirigami. Our approach is to assemble a number of modules into a voxelized large-scale structure, where the module's design has a greater number of mechanical design parameters than the number of constraints imposed by bulk assembly. This inequality allows each voxel in the bulk structure to be uniquely assigned mechanical properties independent from its ability to connect and deform with its neighbors. In studying specific examples of large-scale metamaterial structures we show that a decoupling of global structure from local mechanical function allows for a variety of mechanically and topologically complex designs.

Decoupling local mechanics from large-scale structure in modular metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Nan; Silverberg, Jesse L.

2017-04-01

A defining feature of mechanical metamaterials is that their properties are determined by the organization of internal structure instead of the raw fabrication materials. This shift of attention to engineering internal degrees of freedom has coaxed relatively simple materials into exhibiting a wide range of remarkable mechanical properties. For practical applications to be realized, however, this nascent understanding of metamaterial design must be translated into a capacity for engineering large-scale structures with prescribed mechanical functionality. Thus, the challenge is to systematically map desired functionality of large-scale structures backward into a design scheme while using finite parameter domains. Such “inverse design” is often complicated by the deep coupling between large-scale structure and local mechanical function, which limits the available design space. Here, we introduce a design strategy for constructing 1D, 2D, and 3D mechanical metamaterials inspired by modular origami and kirigami. Our approach is to assemble a number of modules into a voxelized large-scale structure, where the module’s design has a greater number of mechanical design parameters than the number of constraints imposed by bulk assembly. This inequality allows each voxel in the bulk structure to be uniquely assigned mechanical properties independent from its ability to connect and deform with its neighbors. In studying specific examples of large-scale metamaterial structures we show that a decoupling of global structure from local mechanical function allows for a variety of mechanically and topologically complex designs.

The Development of the Cleft Aesthetic Rating Scale: A New Rating Scale for the Assessment of Nasolabial Appearance in Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients.

PubMed

Mosmuller, David G M; Mennes, Lisette M; Prahl, Charlotte; Kramer, Gem J C; Disse, Melissa A; van Couwelaar, Gijs M; Niessen, Frank B; Griot, J P W Don

2017-09-01

  The development of the Cleft Aesthetic Rating Scale, a simple and reliable photographic reference scale for the assessment of nasolabial appearance in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate patients.   A blind retrospective analysis of photographs of cleft lip and palate patients was performed with this new rating scale.   VU Medical Center Amsterdam and the Academic Center for Dentistry of Amsterdam.   Complete unilateral cleft lip and palate patients at the age of 6 years.   Photographs that showed the highest interobserver agreement in earlier assessments were selected for the photographic reference scale. Rules were attached to the rating scale to provide a guideline for the assessment and improve interobserver reliability. Cropped photographs revealing only the nasolabial area were assessed by six observers using this new Cleft Aesthetic Rating Scale in two different sessions.   Photographs of 62 children (6 years of age, 44 boys and 18 girls) were assessed. The interobserver reliability for the nose and lip together was 0.62, obtained with the intraclass correlation coefficient. To measure the internal consistency, a Cronbach alpha of .91 was calculated. The estimated reliability for three observers was .84, obtained with the Spearman Brown formula.   A new, easy to use, and reliable scoring system with a photographic reference scale is presented in this study.

The role of simulated small-scale ocean variability in inverse computations for ocean acoustic tomography.

PubMed

Dushaw, Brian D; Sagen, Hanne

2017-12-01

Ocean acoustic tomography depends on a suitable reference ocean environment with which to set the basic parameters of the inverse problem. Some inverse problems may require a reference ocean that includes the small-scale variations from internal waves, small mesoscale, or spice. Tomographic inversions that employ data of stable shadow zone arrivals, such as those that have been observed in the North Pacific and Canary Basin, are an example. Estimating temperature from the unique acoustic data that have been obtained in Fram Strait is another example. The addition of small-scale variability to augment a smooth reference ocean is essential to understanding the acoustic forward problem in these cases. Rather than a hindrance, the stochastic influences of the small scale can be exploited to obtain accurate inverse estimates. Inverse solutions are readily obtained, and they give computed arrival patterns that matched the observations. The approach is not ad hoc, but universal, and it has allowed inverse estimates for ocean temperature variations in Fram Strait to be readily computed on several acoustic paths for which tomographic data were obtained.

Initial Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of the Student Risk Screening Scale with Elementary Age English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Richards-Tutor, Catherine; Oakes, Wendy Peia; Connor, Kristin

2014-01-01

We report findings of a validation study exploring the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS; Drummond, 1994) for use with English learners (ELs) attending a large suburban elementary school. First, we explored the reliability of the SRSS by examining internal consistency, with results indicating adequate internal consistency (0.83). Second, we…

Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Atrial Size and Function in Warmblood Horses: Reference Intervals, Allometric Scaling, and Agreement of Different Echocardiographic Variables.

PubMed

Huesler, I M; Mitchell, K J; Schwarzwald, C C

2016-07-01

Echocardiographic assessment of left atrial (LA) size and function in horses is not standardized. The aim of this study was to establish reference intervals for echocardiographic indices of LA size and function in Warmblood horses and to provide proof of concept for allometric scaling of variables and for the clinical use of area-based indices. Thirty-one healthy Warmblood horses and 91 Warmblood horses with a primary diagnosis of mitral regurgitation (MR) or aortic regurgitation (AR). Retrospective study. Echocardiographic indices of LA size and function were measured and scaled to body weight (BWT). Reference intervals were calculated, the influence of BWT, age, and valvular regurgitation on LA size and function was investigated and agreement between different measurements of LA size was assessed. Allometric scaling of variables of LA size allowed for correction of differences in BWT. Indices of LA size documented LA enlargement with moderate and severe MR and AR, whereas most indices of LA mechanical function were not significantly altered by valvular regurgitation. Different indices of LA size were in fair to good agreement but still lead to discordant conclusions with regard to assessment of LA enlargement in individual horses. Allometric scaling of echocardiographic variables of LA size is advised to correct for differences in BWT among Warmblood horses. Assessment of LA dimensions should be based on an integrative approach combining subjective evaluation and assessment of multiple measurements, including area-based variables. The clinical relevance of indices of LA mechanical function remains unclear when used in horses with mitral or aortic regurgitation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Cultural, Social, and Economic Capital Constructs in International Assessments: An Evaluation Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caro, Daniel H.; Sandoval-Hernández, Andrés; Lüdtke, Oliver

2014-01-01

The article employs exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to evaluate constructs of economic, cultural, and social capital in international large-scale assessment (LSA) data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009. ESEM integrates the…

Using Computing and Data Grids for Large-Scale Science and Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, William E.

2001-01-01

We use the term "Grid" to refer to a software system that provides uniform and location independent access to geographically and organizationally dispersed, heterogeneous resources that are persistent and supported. These emerging data and computing Grids promise to provide a highly capable and scalable environment for addressing large-scale science problems. We describe the requirements for science Grids, the resulting services and architecture of NASA's Information Power Grid (IPG) and DOE's Science Grid, and some of the scaling issues that have come up in their implementation.

The property of the Japanese version of the Recovery Knowledge Inventory (RKI) among mental health service providers: a cross sectional study.

PubMed

Chiba, Rie; Umeda, Maki; Goto, Kyohei; Miyamoto, Yuki; Yamaguchi, Sosei; Kawakami, Norito

2017-01-01

The Recovery Knowledge Inventory (RKI) is one of the influential scales to assess knowledge and attitude toward recovery-oriented practices among mental health service providers. In the present study, we aimed to develop a Japanese version of RKI and examine the validity and reliability. We translated RKI into Japanese by reference to the guidelines for translating and adapting psychometric scales. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with mental health service providers. Of a total of 475 eligible professionals, we used data from the 299 participants without missing value for the analyses (valid response rate = 62.9%). The questionnaire included Japanese RKI, Recovery Attitudes Questionnaire, The positive attitudes scale, and Japanese-language version of the Social Distance Scale. To examine the factorial validity of RKI, explanatory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis was employed. Convergent validity was assessed by calculating Pearson's correlation coefficients between the total RKI score and the scores for the other three scales. We also calculated Cronbach's α coefficients for the total score and for each domain of RKI to assess internal consistency reliability. The participants' mean age was 40.4 years and 30.4% were men. 20-item RKI did not provide any adequate or interpretable factor solutions at any number of factors by EFAs. Thus four items (#1, 4, 5, and 13) were subsequently eliminated in stages, then 16-item RKI was employed as a consequence for further analyses. EFA with four factor structures yielded marginally interpretable constitution. Each factor represented the knowledge regarding psychiatric symptoms and recovery; knowledge about the recovery process; the understanding of what is important for recovery; and the understanding of the challenges and responsibility in recovery, respectively. Subsequent CFA suggested good fit to the data. Good convergent validity and understandable internal consistency reliability were also observed. The Japanese 16-item RKI revealed reasonable factorial validity, good convergent validity, and understandable internal consistency reliability among mental health professionals. Japanese cultural settings seemed to influence the four-factor structure in the present study. It can be used for future study in Japan, while future large-scale research is required to ensure robust verification.

The International Conference on Vector and Parallel Computing (2nd)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-17

Computation of the SVD of Bidiagonal Matrices" ...................................... 11 " Lattice QCD -As a Large Scale Scientific Computation...vectorizcd for the IBM 3090 Vector Facility. In addition, elapsed times " Lattice QCD -As a Large Scale Scientific have been reduced by using 3090...benchmarked Lattice QCD on a large number ofcompu- come from the wavefront solver routine. This was exten- ters: CrayX-MP and Cray 2 (vector

IVS contribution to ITRF2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachmann, Sabine; Thaller, Daniela; Roggenbuck, Ole; Lösler, Michael; Messerschmitt, Linda

2016-07-01

Every few years the International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) Center of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) decides to generate a new version of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). For the upcoming ITRF2014 the official contribution of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS) comprises 5796 combined sessions in SINEX file format from 1979.6 to 2015.0 containing 158 stations, overall. Nine AC contributions were included in the combination process, using five different software packages. Station coordinate time series of the combined solution show an overall repeatability of 3.3 mm for the north, 4.3 mm for the east and 7.5 mm for the height component over all stations. The minimum repeatabilities are 1.5 mm for north, 2.1 mm for east and 2.9 mm for height. One of the important differences between the IVS contribution to the ITRF2014 and the routine IVS combination is the omission of the correction for non-tidal atmospheric pressure loading (NTAL). Comparisons between the amplitudes of the annual signals derived by the VLBI observations and the annual signals from an NTAL model show that for some stations, NTAL has a high impact on station height variation. For other stations, the effect of NTAL is low. Occasionally other loading effects have a higher influence (e.g. continental water storage loading). External comparisons of the scale parameter between the VTRF2014 (a TRF based on combined VLBI solutions), DTRF2008 (DGFI-TUM realization of ITRS) and ITRF2008 revealed a significant difference in the scale. A scale difference of 0.11 ppb (i.e. 0.7 mm on the Earth's surface) has been detected between the VTRF2014 and the DTRF2008, and a scale difference of 0.44 ppb (i.e. 2.8 mm on the Earth's surface) between the VTRF2014 and ITRF2008. Internal comparisons between the EOP of the combined solution and the individual solutions from the AC contributions show a WRMS in X- and Y-Pole between 40 and 100 \\upmu as and for dUT1 between 5 and 15 \\upmu s. External comparisons with respect to the IERS-08-C04 series show a WRMS of 132 and 143 \\upmu as for X- and Y-Pole, respectively, and 13 \\upmu s for dUT.

Impurity engineering of Czochralski silicon used for ultra large-scaled-integrated circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Deren; Chen, Jiahe; Ma, Xiangyang; Que, Duanlin

2009-01-01

Impurities in Czochralski silicon (Cz-Si) used for ultra large-scaled-integrated (ULSI) circuits have been believed to deteriorate the performance of devices. In this paper, a review of the recent processes from our investigation on internal gettering in Cz-Si wafers which were doped with nitrogen, germanium and/or high content of carbon is presented. It has been suggested that those impurities enhance oxygen precipitation, and create both denser bulk microdefects and enough denuded zone with the desirable width, which is benefit of the internal gettering of metal contamination. Based on the experimental facts, a potential mechanism of impurity doping on the internal gettering structure is interpreted and, a new concept of 'impurity engineering' for Cz-Si used for ULSI is proposed.

Twisted versus braided magnetic flux ropes in coronal geometry. II. Comparative behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prior, C.; Yeates, A. R.

2016-06-01

Aims: Sigmoidal structures in the solar corona are commonly associated with magnetic flux ropes whose magnetic field lines are twisted about a mutual axis. Their dynamical evolution is well studied, with sufficient twisting leading to large-scale rotation (writhing) and vertical expansion, possibly leading to ejection. Here, we investigate the behaviour of flux ropes whose field lines have more complex entangled/braided configurations. Our hypothesis is that this internal structure will inhibit the large-scale morphological changes. Additionally, we investigate the influence of the background field within which the rope is embedded. Methods: A technique for generating tubular magnetic fields with arbitrary axial geometry and internal structure, introduced in part I of this study, provides the initial conditions for resistive-MHD simulations. The tubular fields are embedded in a linear force-free background, and we consider various internal structures for the tubular field, including both twisted and braided topologies. These embedded flux ropes are then evolved using a 3D MHD code. Results: Firstly, in a background where twisted flux ropes evolve through the expected non-linear writhing and vertical expansion, we find that flux ropes with sufficiently braided/entangled interiors show no such large-scale changes. Secondly, embedding a twisted flux rope in a background field with a sigmoidal inversion line leads to eventual reversal of the large-scale rotation. Thirdly, in some cases a braided flux rope splits due to reconnection into two twisted flux ropes of opposing chirality - a phenomenon previously observed in cylindrical configurations. Conclusions: Sufficiently complex entanglement of the magnetic field lines within a flux rope can suppress large-scale morphological changes of its axis, with magnetic energy reduced instead through reconnection and expansion. The structure of the background magnetic field can significantly affect the changing morphology of a flux rope.

Upper Limit of Weights in TAI Computation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Claudine; Azoubib, Jacques

1996-01-01

The international reference time scale International Atomic Time (TAI) computed by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) relies on a weighted average of data from a large number of atomic clocks. In it, the weight attributed to a given clock depends on its long-term stability. In this paper the TAI algorithm is used as the basis for a discussion of how to implement an upper limit of weight for clocks contributing to the ensemble time. This problem is approached through the comparison of two different techniques. In one case, a maximum relative weight is fixed: no individual clock can contribute more than a given fraction to the resulting time scale. The weight of each clock is then adjusted according to the qualities of the whole set of contributing elements. In the other case, a parameter characteristic of frequency stability is chosen: no individual clock can appear more stable than the stated limit. This is equivalent to choosing an absolute limit of weight and attributing this to to the most stable clocks independently of the other elements of the ensemble. The first technique is more robust than the second and automatically optimizes the stability of the resulting time scale, but leads to a more complicated computatio. The second technique has been used in the TAI algorithm since the very beginning. Careful analysis of tests on real clock data shows that improvement of the stability of the time scale requires revision from time to time of the fixed value chosen for the upper limit of absolute weight. In particular, we present results which confirm the decision of the CCDS Working Group on TAI to increase the absolute upper limit by a factor of 2.5. We also show that the use of an upper relative contribution further helps to improve the stability and may be a useful step towards better use of the massive ensemble of HP 507IA clocks now contributing to TAI.

Large Scale Deformation of the Western US Cordillera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, Richard A.

2001-01-01

Destructive earthquakes occur throughout the western US Cordillera (WUSC), not just within the San Andreas fault zone. But because we do not understand the present-day large-scale deformations of the crust throughout the WUSC, our ability to assess the potential for seismic hazards in this region remains severely limited. To address this problem, we are using a large collection of Global Positioning System (GPS) networks which spans the WUSC to precisely quantify present-day large-scale crustal deformations in a single uniform reference frame. Our work can roughly be divided into an analysis of the GPS observations to infer the deformation field across and within the entire plate boundary zone and an investigation of the implications of this deformation field regarding plate boundary dynamics.

Two Wheels are Better than One: The Importance of Capturing the Home Literacy Environment in Large-Scale Assessments of Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowd, Amy Jo; Pisani, Lauren

2013-01-01

Children's reading skill development is influenced by availability of reading materials, reading habits and opportunity to read. Save the Children's Literacy Boost data have replicated this finding across numerous developing contexts. Meanwhile international large-scale reading assessments do not capture detail on current home literacy. The…

Influencing Public School Policy in the United States: The Role of Large-Scale Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, William H.; Burroughs, Nathan A.

2016-01-01

The authors review the influence of state, national and international large-scale assessments (LSAs) on education policy and research. They distinguish between two main uses of LSAs: as a means for conducting research that informs educational reform and LSAs as a tool for implementing standards and enforcing accountability. The authors discuss the…

Secondary Analysis of Large-Scale Assessment Data: An Alternative to Variable-Centred Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chow, Kui Foon; Kennedy, Kerry John

2014-01-01

International large-scale assessments are now part of the educational landscape in many countries and often feed into major policy decisions. Yet, such assessments also provide data sets for secondary analysis that can address key issues of concern to educators and policymakers alike. Traditionally, such secondary analyses have been based on a…

Absolute IGS antenna phase center model igs08.atx: status and potential improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmid, R.; Dach, R.; Collilieux, X.; Jäggi, A.; Schmitz, M.; Dilssner, F.

2016-04-01

On 17 April 2011, all analysis centers (ACs) of the International GNSS Service (IGS) adopted the reference frame realization IGS08 and the corresponding absolute antenna phase center model igs08.atx for their routine analyses. The latter consists of an updated set of receiver and satellite antenna phase center offsets and variations (PCOs and PCVs). An update of the model was necessary due to the difference of about 1 ppb in the terrestrial scale between two consecutive realizations of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2008 vs. ITRF2005), as that parameter is highly correlated with the GNSS satellite antenna PCO components in the radial direction.

Barriers to International Student Mobility: Evidence from the Erasmus Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Souto-Otero, Manuel; Huisman, Jeroen; Beerkens, Maarja; de Wit, Hans; Vujic, Suncica

2013-01-01

In this article, we look at the barriers to international student mobility, with particular reference to the European Erasmus program. Much is known about factors that support or limit student mobility, but very few studies have made comparisons between participants and nonparticipants. Making use of a large data set on Erasmus and non-Erasmus…

Ask Here PA: Large-Scale Synchronous Virtual Reference for Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mariner, Vince

2008-01-01

Ask Here PA is Pennsylvania's new statewide live chat reference and information service. This article discusses the key strategies utilized by Ask Here PA administrators to recruit participating libraries to contribute staff time to the service, the importance of centralized staff training, the main aspects of staff training, and activating the…

SCALES: SEVIRI and GERB CaL/VaL area for large-scale field experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez-Baeza, Ernesto; Belda, Fernando; Bodas, Alejandro; Crommelynck, Dominique; Dewitte, Steven; Domenech, Carlos; Gimeno, Jaume F.; Harries, John E.; Jorge Sanchez, Joan; Pineda, Nicolau; Pino, David; Rius, Antonio; Saleh, Kauzar; Tarruella, Ramon; Velazquez, Almudena

2004-02-01

The main objective of the SCALES Project is to exploit the unique opportunity offered by the recent launch of the first European METEOSAT Second Generation geostationary satellite (MSG-1) to generate and validate new radiation budget and cloud products provided by the GERB (Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget) instrument. SCALES" specific objectives are: (i) definition and characterization of a large reasonably homogeneous area compatible to GERB pixel size (around 50 x 50 km2), (ii) validation of GERB TOA radiances and fluxes derived by means of angular distribution models, (iii) development of algorithms to estimate surface net radiation from GERB TOA measurements, and (iv) development of accurate methodologies to measure radiation flux divergence and analyze its influence on the thermal regime and dynamics of the atmosphere, also using GERB data. SCALES is highly innovative: it focuses on a new and unique space instrument and develops a new specific validation methodology for low resolution sensors that is based on the use of a robust reference meteorological station (Valencia Anchor Station) around which 3D high resolution meteorological fields are obtained from the MM5 Meteorological Model. During the 1st GERB Ground Validation Campaign (18th-24th June, 2003), CERES instruments on Aqua and Terra provided additional radiance measurements to support validation efforts. CERES instruments operated in the PAPS mode (Programmable Azimuth Plane Scanning) focusing the station. Ground measurements were taken by lidar, sun photometer, GPS precipitable water content, radiosounding ascents, Anchor Station operational meteorological measurements at 2m and 15m., 4 radiation components at 2m, and mobile stations to characterize a large area. In addition, measurements during LANDSAT overpasses on June 14th and 30th were also performed. These activities were carried out within the GIST (GERB International Science Team) framework, during GERB Commissioning Period.

Large-scale organizational and managerial change in health care: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Ferlie, E

1997-07-01

This paper takes an overview of the organizational and managerial literature on recent large-scale change efforts within health care organizations. Such literature refers to issues of enhanced policy significance, as a succession of such changes has swept through health care, at an international level. Interpretive and case study method have been widely employed in this field. While the literature is emergent, key empirical concerns can be identified: (1) Changing roles and relationships, with the rise of management and the challenge to clinical domination; some argue that radical deprofessionalization now is evident, while others take a more nuanced view. (2) The impact of marketization, with health care becoming more of a commodity; various models of a health care 'quasi market' have been formulated. (3) Understanding the process of change in health care organizations, such as the development of a management of change literature. New theoretical frameworks have been developed, notably 'the reform cycle' as a way of understanding progressive cycles of organizational reform, the impact on health care of the rise of the new public management, and examining the demedicalization thesis through the more generic literature on professions. The paper concludes with a discussion of what this research base could contribute to policy-making.

Construction and Instrumentation of Full-Scale Geogrid Reinforced Pavement Test Sections

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

dataloggers (described below), which have internal thermistors that provide a refer- ence temperature. The dataloggers were programmed to record tempera...stainless steel plates welded together around the periphery and enclosing a fluid connected to a pressure trans- ducer through a high-pressure

Thermal/structural modeling of a large scale in situ overtest experiment for defense high level waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Facility

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

Morgan, H.S.; Stone, C.M.; Krieg, R.D.

Several large scale in situ experiments in bedded salt formations are currently underway at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA. In these experiments, the thermal and creep responses of salt around several different underground room configurations are being measured. Data from the tests are to be compared to thermal and structural responses predicted in pretest reference calculations. The purpose of these comparisons is to evaluate computational models developed from laboratory data prior to fielding of the in situ experiments. In this paper, the computational models used in the pretest reference calculation for one of themore » large scale tests, The Overtest for Defense High Level Waste, are described; and the pretest computed thermal and structural responses are compared to early data from the experiment. The comparisons indicate that computed and measured temperatures for the test agree to within ten percent but that measured deformation rates are between two and three times greater than corresponsing computed rates. 10 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Program Design for Retrospective Searches on Large Data Bases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiel, L. H.; Heaps, H. S.

1972-01-01

Retrospective search of large data bases requires development of special techniques for automatic compression of data and minimization of the number of input-output operations to the computer files. The computer program should require a relatively small amount of internal memory. This paper describes the structure of such a program. (9 references)…

Reference Ranges & What They Mean

MedlinePlus

... Time and International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR) PSEN1 Quantitative Immunoglobulins Red Blood Cell (RBC) Antibody Identification Red ... or should be treated. Through many years of research involving large, diverse populations, these limits have become ...

Relativity of Scales: Application to AN Endo-Perspective of Temporal Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nottale, Laurent; Timar, Pierre

The theory of scale relativity is an extension of the principle of relativity to scale transformations of the reference system, in a fractal geometry framework where coordinates become explicitly dependent on resolutions. Applied to an observer perspective, it means that the scales of length and of time, usually attributed to the observed object as being intrinsic to it, have actually no existence by themselves, since only the ratio between an external scale and an internal scale, which serves as unit, is meaningful. Oliver Sacks' observations on patients suffering from temporal and spatial distortions in Parkinson's and encephalitis lethargica disease offer a particularly relevant field of application for such a scale-relativistic view.

Identification of reference genes for quantitative expression analysis using large-scale RNA-seq data of Arabidopsis thaliana and model crop plants.

PubMed

Kudo, Toru; Sasaki, Yohei; Terashima, Shin; Matsuda-Imai, Noriko; Takano, Tomoyuki; Saito, Misa; Kanno, Maasa; Ozaki, Soichi; Suwabe, Keita; Suzuki, Go; Watanabe, Masao; Matsuoka, Makoto; Takayama, Seiji; Yano, Kentaro

2016-10-13

In quantitative gene expression analysis, normalization using a reference gene as an internal control is frequently performed for appropriate interpretation of the results. Efforts have been devoted to exploring superior novel reference genes using microarray transcriptomic data and to evaluating commonly used reference genes by targeting analysis. However, because the number of specifically detectable genes is totally dependent on probe design in the microarray analysis, exploration using microarray data may miss some of the best choices for the reference genes. Recently emerging RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) provides an ideal resource for comprehensive exploration of reference genes since this method is capable of detecting all expressed genes, in principle including even unknown genes. We report the results of a comprehensive exploration of reference genes using public RNA-seq data from plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis), Glycine max (soybean), Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Oryza sativa (rice). To select reference genes suitable for the broadest experimental conditions possible, candidates were surveyed by the following four steps: (1) evaluation of the basal expression level of each gene in each experiment; (2) evaluation of the expression stability of each gene in each experiment; (3) evaluation of the expression stability of each gene across the experiments; and (4) selection of top-ranked genes, after ranking according to the number of experiments in which the gene was expressed stably. Employing this procedure, 13, 10, 12 and 21 top candidates for reference genes were proposed in Arabidopsis, soybean, tomato and rice, respectively. Microarray expression data confirmed that the expression of the proposed reference genes under broad experimental conditions was more stable than that of commonly used reference genes. These novel reference genes will be useful for analyzing gene expression profiles across experiments carried out under various experimental conditions.

Learning Outcomes Assessment: Extrapolating from Study Abroad to International Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubin, Donald L.; Matthews, Paul H.

2013-01-01

For international service-learning to thrive, it must document student learning outcomes that accrue to participants. The approaches to international service-learning assessment must be compelling to a variety of stakeholders. Recent large-scale projects in study abroad learning outcomes assessment--including the Georgia Learning Outcomes of…

Medicine prices, availability, and affordability in 36 developing and middle-income countries: a secondary analysis.

PubMed

Cameron, A; Ewen, M; Ross-Degnan, D; Ball, D; Laing, R

2009-01-17

WHO and Health Action International (HAI) have developed a standardised method for surveying medicine prices, availability, affordability, and price components in low-income and middle-income countries. Here, we present a secondary analysis of medicine availability in 45 national and subnational surveys done using the WHO/HAI methodology. Data from 45 WHO/HAI surveys in 36 countries were adjusted for inflation or deflation and purchasing power parity. International reference prices from open international procurements for generic products were used as comparators. Results are presented for 15 medicines included in at least 80% of surveys and four individual medicines. Average public sector availability of generic medicines ranged from 29.4% to 54.4% across WHO regions. Median government procurement prices for 15 generic medicines were 1.11 times corresponding international reference prices, although purchasing efficiency ranged from 0.09 to 5.37 times international reference prices. Low procurement prices did not always translate into low patient prices. Private sector patients paid 9-25 times international reference prices for lowest-priced generic products and over 20 times international reference prices for originator products across WHO regions. Treatments for acute and chronic illness were largely unaffordable in many countries. In the private sector, wholesale mark-ups ranged from 2% to 380%, whereas retail mark-ups ranged from 10% to 552%. In countries where value added tax was applied to medicines, the amount charged varied from 4% to 15%. Overall, public and private sector prices for originator and generic medicines were substantially higher than would be expected if purchasing and distribution were efficient and mark-ups were reasonable. Policy options such as promoting generic medicines and alternative financing mechanisms are needed to increase availability, reduce prices, and improve affordability.

Protocol and standard operating procedures for common use in a worldwide multicenter study on reference values.

PubMed

Ozarda, Yesim; Ichihara, Kiyoshi; Barth, Julian H; Klee, George

2013-05-01

The reference intervals (RIs) given in laboratory reports have an important role in aiding clinicians in interpreting test results in reference to values of healthy populations. In this report, we present a proposed protocol and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for common use in conducting multicenter RI studies on a national or international scale. The protocols and consensus on their contents were refined through discussions in recent C-RIDL meetings. The protocol describes in detail (1) the scheme and organization of the study, (2) the target population, inclusion/exclusion criteria, ethnicity, and sample size, (3) health status questionnaire, (4) target analytes, (5) blood collection, (6) sample processing and storage, (7) assays, (8) cross-check testing, (9) ethics, (10) data analyses, and (11) reporting of results. In addition, the protocol proposes the common measurement of a panel of sera when no standard materials exist for harmonization of test results. It also describes the requirements of the central laboratory, including the method of cross-check testing between the central laboratory of each country and local laboratories. This protocol and the SOPs remain largely exploratory and may require a reevaluation from the practical point of view after their implementation in the ongoing worldwide study. The paper is mainly intended to be a basis for discussion in the scientific community.

International law poses problems for negative emissions research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brent, Kerryn; McGee, Jeffrey; McDonald, Jan; Rohling, Eelco J.

2018-06-01

New international governance arrangements that manage environmental risk and potential conflicts of interests are needed to facilitate negative emissions research that is essential to achieving the large-scale CO2 removal implied by the Paris Agreement targets.

Linear static structural and vibration analysis on high-performance computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baddourah, M. A.; Storaasli, O. O.; Bostic, S. W.

1993-01-01

Parallel computers offer the oppurtunity to significantly reduce the computation time necessary to analyze large-scale aerospace structures. This paper presents algorithms developed for and implemented on massively-parallel computers hereafter referred to as Scalable High-Performance Computers (SHPC), for the most computationally intensive tasks involved in structural analysis, namely, generation and assembly of system matrices, solution of systems of equations and calculation of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Results on SHPC are presented for large-scale structural problems (i.e. models for High-Speed Civil Transport). The goal of this research is to develop a new, efficient technique which extends structural analysis to SHPC and makes large-scale structural analyses tractable.

Coefficient Alpha and Reliability of Scale Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almehrizi, Rashid S.

2013-01-01

The majority of large-scale assessments develop various score scales that are either linear or nonlinear transformations of raw scores for better interpretations and uses of assessment results. The current formula for coefficient alpha (a; the commonly used reliability coefficient) only provides internal consistency reliability estimates of raw…

Cedar-a large scale multiprocessor

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

Gajski, D.; Kuck, D.; Lawrie, D.

1983-01-01

This paper presents an overview of Cedar, a large scale multiprocessor being designed at the University of Illinois. This machine is designed to accommodate several thousand high performance processors which are capable of working together on a single job, or they can be partitioned into groups of processors where each group of one or more processors can work on separate jobs. Various aspects of the machine are described including the control methodology, communication network, optimizing compiler and plans for construction. 13 references.

The internal and external validity of the Major Depression Inventory in measuring severity of depressive states.

PubMed

Olsen, L R; Jensen, D V; Noerholm, V; Martiny, K; Bech, P

2003-02-01

We have developed the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), consisting of 10 items, covering the DSM-IV as well as the ICD-10 symptoms of depressive illness. We aimed to evaluate this as a scale measuring severity of depressive states with reference to both internal and external validity. Patients representing the score range from no depression to marked depression on the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) completed the MDI. Both classical and modern psychometric methods were applied for the evaluation of validity, including the Rasch analysis. In total, 91 patients were included. The results showed that the MDI had an adequate internal validity in being a unidimensional scale (the total score an appropriate or sufficient statistic). The external validity of the MDI was also confirmed as the total score of the MDI correlated significantly with the HAM-D (Pearson's coefficient 0.86, P < or = 0.01, Spearman 0.80, P < or = 0.01). When used in a sample of patients with different states of depression the MDI has an adequate internal and external validity.

The Swedish version of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS)--a psychometric evaluation study in women with hirsutism and nursing students.

PubMed

Ekbäck, Maria; Benzein, Eva; Lindberg, Magnus; Arestedt, Kristofer

2013-10-10

The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is a short instrument, developed to assess perceived social support. The original English version has been widely used. The original scale has demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties in different settings, but no validated Swedish version has been available. The aim was therefore to translate, adapt and psychometrically evaluate the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for use in a Swedish context. In total 281 participants accepted to join the study, a main sample of 127 women with hirsutism and a reference sample of 154 nursing students. The MSPSS was translated and culturally adapted according to the rigorous official process approved by WHO. The psychometric evaluation included item analysis, evaluation of factor structure, known-group validity, internal consistency and reproducibility. The original three-factor structure was reproduced in the main sample of women with hirsutism. An equivalent factor structure was demonstrated in a cross-validation, based on the reference sample of nursing students. Known-group validity was supported and internal consistency was good for all scales (α = 0.91-0.95). The test-retest showed acceptable to very good reproducibility for the items (κw = 0.58-0.85) and the scales (ICC = 0.89-0.92; CCC = 0.89-0.92). The Swedish version of the MSPSS is a multidimensional scale with sound psychometric properties in the present study sample. The simple and short format makes it a useful tool for measuring perceived social support.

Plans for Embedding ICTs into Teaching and Learning through a Large-Scale Secondary Education Reform in the Country of Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jayson W.; Sales, Gregory; Sentocnik, Sonja

2015-01-01

Integrating ICTs into international development projects is common. However, focusing on how ICTs support leading, teaching, and learning is often overlooked. This article describes a team's approach to technology integration into the design of a large-scale, five year, teacher and leader professional development project in the country of Georgia.…

On unravelling mechanism of interplay between cloud and large scale circulation: a grey area in climate science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De, S.; Agarwal, N. K.; Hazra, Anupam; Chaudhari, Hemantkumar S.; Sahai, A. K.

2018-04-01

The interaction between cloud and large scale circulation is much less explored area in climate science. Unfolding the mechanism of coupling between these two parameters is imperative for improved simulation of Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and to reduce imprecision in climate sensitivity of global climate model. This work has made an effort to explore this mechanism with CFSv2 climate model experiments whose cloud has been modified by changing the critical relative humidity (CRH) profile of model during ISM. Study reveals that the variable CRH in CFSv2 has improved the nonlinear interactions between high and low frequency oscillations in wind field (revealed as internal dynamics of monsoon) and modulates realistically the spatial distribution of interactions over Indian landmass during the contrasting monsoon season compared to the existing CRH profile of CFSv2. The lower tropospheric wind error energy in the variable CRH simulation of CFSv2 appears to be minimum due to the reduced nonlinear convergence of error to the planetary scale range from long and synoptic scales (another facet of internal dynamics) compared to as observed from other CRH experiments in normal and deficient monsoons. Hence, the interplay between cloud and large scale circulation through CRH may be manifested as a change in internal dynamics of ISM revealed from scale interactive quasi-linear and nonlinear kinetic energy exchanges in frequency as well as in wavenumber domain during the monsoon period that eventually modify the internal variance of CFSv2 model. Conversely, the reduced wind bias and proper modulation of spatial distribution of scale interaction between the synoptic and low frequency oscillations improve the eastward and northward extent of water vapour flux over Indian landmass that in turn give feedback to the realistic simulation of cloud condensates attributing improved ISM rainfall in CFSv2.

Research Activities for the DORIS Contribution to the Next International Terrestrial Reference Frame

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soudarin, L.; Moreaux, G.; Lemoine, F.; Willis, P.; Stepanek, P.; Otten, M.; Govind, R.; Kuzin, S.; Ferrage, P.

2012-01-01

For the preparation of ITRF2008, the IDS processed data from 1993 to 2008, including data from TOPEX/Poseidon, the SPOT satellites and Envisat in the weekly solutions. Since the development of ITRF2008, the IDS has been engaged in a number of efforts to try and improve the reference frame solutions. These efforts include (i) assessing the contribution of the new DORIS satellites, Jason-2 and Cryosat2 (2008-2011), (ii) individually analyzing the DORIS satellite contributions to geocenter and scale, and (iii) improving orbit dynamics (atmospheric loading effects, satellite surface force modeling. . . ). We report on the preliminary results from these research activities, review the status of the IDS combination which is now routinely generated from the contributions of the IDS analysis centers, and discuss the prospects for continued improvement in the DORIS contribution to the next international reference frame.

Estimación de la incerteza cinemática de los espectros obtenidos con REOSC (CAsLeo), Flamingos-2 y PHOENIX (Gemini) para observaciones de gas ionizado en galaxias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaspar, G.; Díaz, R. J.; Güunthardt, G.; Agüuero, M. P.; Camperi, J. A.; Gimeno, G.

The determination of the radial velocity curves of ionized gas in galaxies requires knowing the value of the internal kinematic uncertainly along the slit for the used spectrographs. We present preliminary results of the study of the variation of the measured radial velocity of both the telluric and comparison emission lines in the spatial direction. This was done for the spectrographs REOSC, Flamingos-2 (F2) and Phoenix. In particular we are interested in using this data to homogenize the rotation curves of nearby galaxies in large-scale ranges. These results will be also useful as references for those works that measure radial velocities of extended objects using only one emission line of ionized gas. FULL TEXT IN SPANISH

Communication between Brain Areas Based on Nested Oscillations

PubMed Central

Kastner, Sabine

2017-01-01

Abstract Unraveling how brain regions communicate is crucial for understanding how the brain processes external and internal information. Neuronal oscillations within and across brain regions have been proposed to play a crucial role in this process. Two main hypotheses have been suggested for routing of information based on oscillations, namely communication through coherence and gating by inhibition. Here, we propose a framework unifying these two hypotheses that is based on recent empirical findings. We discuss a theory in which communication between two regions is established by phase synchronization of oscillations at lower frequencies (<25 Hz), which serve as temporal reference frame for information carried by high-frequency activity (>40 Hz). Our framework, consistent with numerous recent empirical findings, posits that cross-frequency interactions are essential for understanding how large-scale cognitive and perceptual networks operate. PMID:28374013

[The IARC carcinogenicity evaluation of radio-frequency electromagnetic field: with special reference to epidemiology of mobile phone use and brain tumor risk].

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Naohito

2013-01-01

The International Agency for Research on Cancer of World Health Organization announced in May 2011 the results of evaluation of carcinogenicity of radio-frequency electromagnetic field. In the overall evaluation, the radio-frequency electromagnetic field was classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans", on the basis of the fact that the evidence provided by epidemiological studies and animal bioassays was limited. Regarding epidemiology, the results of the Interphone Study, an international collaborative case-control study, were of special importance, together with the results of a prospective cohort study in Denmark, case-control studies in several countries, and a case-case study in Japan. The evidence obtained was considered limited, because the increased risk observed in some studies was possibly spurious, caused by selection bias or recall bias as well as residual effects of confounding factors. Further research studies, such as large-scale multinational epidemiological studies, are crucially needed to establish a sound evidence base from which a more conclusive judgment can be made for the carcinogenicity of the radio-frequency electromagnetic field.

Current Technology Development Efforts on the International X-Ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, David

2011-01-01

The International X-ray Observatory (IXO) is a collaboration between NASA, ESA, and JAXA which is under study for launch in 2021. IXO will be a large 6600 kilogram Great Observatory-class mission which will build upon the legacies of the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observatories. There is an extensive ongoing effort to raise the technology readiness level of the X-ray mirror from TRL 3 to TRL 6 in the next decade. Improvements have recently been made in the area of positioning and bonding mirrors on the nanometer scale and developing metals and composites with a matching coefficient of thermal expansion to the glass X-ray mirrors. On the mission systems side, the NASA reference design has been through a preliminary coupled loads analysis and a STOP analysis of the flight mirror assembly has been initiated. An impact study was performed comparing launching IXO on an Ariane 5 or a U.S. EELV. This paper will provide a snapshot of NASA's current observatory configuration and summarize the progress of these various technology and design efforts.

Stand-scale habitat associations across a large geographic region of an old-growth specialist, the marbled murrelet

Treesearch

Carolyn B. Meyer; Sherri L. Miller; C. John Ralph

2004-01-01

We used two metrics, occupancy and relative abundance, to study forest stand characteristics believed to be important to a threatened seabird that nests in old-growth forests, the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus). Occupancy refers to murrelet presence or absence based on observed bird behaviors, while relative abundance refers to...

Managing a Statewide Virtual Reference Service: How Q and A NJ Works.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bromberg, Peter

2003-01-01

Describes the live virtual reference service, Q and A NJ (Question and Answer New Jersey), strategies used to meet the challenges of day-to-day management, scaled growth and quality control. Describes how it began; how long it took; how to manage a large project (constant communication; training and practice; transcript analysis and privacy;…

On time scales and time synchronization using LORAN-C as a time reference signal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chi, A. R.

1974-01-01

The long term performance of the eight LORAN-C chains is presented in terms of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) of the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO); and the use of the LORAN-C navigation system for maintaining the user's clock to a UTC scale is described. The atomic time scale and the UTC of several national laboratories and observatories relative to the international atomic time are reported. Typical performance of several NASA tracking station clocks, relative to the USNO master clock, is also presented.

Dependable Trend Measurement Is Not Just IRT Scaling: Commentary on "Linking Large-Scale Reading Assessments: Measuring International Trends over 40 Years"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullis, Ina V. S.; Martin, Michael O.

2016-01-01

Linking IEA's international reading assessments across 40 years is an interesting endeavor from several perspectives. Being able to examine trends in reading achievement at the 4th grade over such a long period and relate these to policy changes during that time span is an attractive idea. However, this work brings to the fore many thorny issues…

Characterizing the EPODE logic model: unravelling the past and informing the future.

PubMed

Van Koperen, T M; Jebb, S A; Summerbell, C D; Visscher, T L S; Romon, M; Borys, J M; Seidell, J C

2013-02-01

EPODE ('Ensemble Prévenons l'Obésité De Enfants' or 'Together let's Prevent Childhood Obesity') is a large-scale, centrally coordinated, capacity-building approach for communities to implement effective and sustainable strategies to prevent childhood obesity. Since 2004, EPODE has been implemented in over 500 communities in six countries. Although based on emergent practice and scientific knowledge, EPODE, as many community programs, lacks a logic model depicting key elements of the approach. The objective of this study is to gain insight in the dynamics and key elements of EPODE and to represent these in a schematic logic model. EPODE's process manuals and documents were collected and interviews were held with professionals involved in the planning and delivery of EPODE. Retrieved data were coded, themed and placed in a four-level logic model. With input from international experts, this model was scaled down to a concise logic model covering four critical components: political commitment, public and private partnerships, social marketing and evaluation. The EPODE logic model presented here can be used as a reference for future and follow-up research; to support future implementation of EPODE in communities; as a tool in the engagement of stakeholders; and to guide the construction of a locally tailored evaluation plan. © 2012 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2012 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Perceived Quality of Educational Technology Matters: A Secondary Analysis of Students' ICT Use, ICT-Related Attitudes, and PISA 2012 Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petko, Dominik; Cantieni, Andrea; Prasse, Doreen

2017-01-01

In large-scale international assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), or the Progress in International Reading Study (PISA), research has struggled to find positive associations between the frequency of educational technology use in schools and…

Chapter 3: Climate change at multiple scales

Treesearch

Constance Millar; Ron Neilson; Dominique Bachelet; Ray Drapek; Jim Lenihan

2006-01-01

Concepts about the natural world influence approaches to forest management. In the popular press, climate change inevitably refers to global warming, greenhouse gas impacts, novel anthropogenic (human-induced) threats, and international politics. There is, however, a larger context that informs our understanding of changes that are occurring - that is, Earth’...

Indexes of the proceedings for the nine symposia (international) on detonation, 1951--89

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

Crane, S.L.; Deal, W.E.; Ramsay, J.B.

1993-01-01

The Proceedings of the nine Detonation Symposia have become the major archival source of information of international research in explosive phenomenology, theory, experimental techniques, numerical modeling, and high-rate reaction chemistry. In many cases, they contain the original reference or the only reference to major progress in the field. For some papers, the information is more complete than the complementary article appearing in a formal journal, yet for others, authors elected to publish only an abstract in the Proceedings. For the large majority of papers, the Symposia Proceedings provide the only published reference to a body of work. This report indexesmore » the nine existing Proceedings of the Detonation Symposia by paper titles, topic phrases, authors, and first appearance of acronyms and code names.« less

Indexes of the Proceedings for the Ten International Symposia on Detonation 1951-93

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

Deal, William E.; Ramsay, John B.; Roach, Alita M.

1998-09-01

The Proceedings of the ten Detonation Symposia have become the major archival source of information of international research in explosive phenomenology, theory, experimental techniques, numerical modeling, and high-rate reaction chemistry. In many cases, they contain the original reference or the only reference to major progress in the field. For some papers, the information is more complete than the complementary article appearing in a formal journal; yet for others, authors elected to publish only an abstract in the Proceedings. For the large majority of papers, the Symposia Proceedings provide the only published reference to a body of work. This report indexesmore » the ten existing Proceedings of the Detonation Symposia by paper titles, topic phrases, authors, and first appearance of acronyms and code names.« less

Cross-flow turbines: progress report on physical and numerical model studies at large laboratory scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wosnik, Martin; Bachant, Peter

2016-11-01

Cross-flow turbines show potential in marine hydrokinetic (MHK) applications. A research focus is on accurately predicting device performance and wake evolution to improve turbine array layouts for maximizing overall power output, i.e., minimizing wake interference, or taking advantage of constructive wake interaction. Experiments were carried with large laboratory-scale cross-flow turbines D O (1 m) using a turbine test bed in a large cross-section tow tank, designed to achieve sufficiently high Reynolds numbers for the results to be Reynolds number independent with respect to turbine performance and wake statistics, such that they can be reliably extrapolated to full scale and used for model validation. Several turbines of varying solidity were employed, including the UNH Reference Vertical Axis Turbine (RVAT) and a 1:6 scale model of the DOE-Sandia Reference Model 2 (RM2) turbine. To improve parameterization in array simulations, an actuator line model (ALM) was developed to provide a computationally feasible method for simulating full turbine arrays inside Navier-Stokes models. Results are presented for the simulation of performance and wake dynamics of cross-flow turbines and compared with experiments and body-fitted mesh, blade-resolving CFD. Supported by NSF-CBET Grant 1150797, Sandia National Laboratories.

Evolution of Timescales from Astronomy to Physical Metrology

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-20

2000 [7] recommended the use of the ‘non-rotating origin’ both in the Geocentric Celestial Reference System (GCRS) and the International Terrestrial...timescale defined in a geocentric reference frame with the SI second as realized on the rotating geoid as the scale unit’ [30, 31]. This meant that it was...of the new timescale for apparent geocentric ephemerides, will be 1977 January 1d.0003725 (1d 00h 00m 32.184s) exactly. (b) The unit of this timescale

The Untapped Promise of Secondary Data Sets in International and Comparative Education Policy Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chudagr, Amita; Luschei, Thomas F.

2016-01-01

The objective of this commentary is to call attention to the feasibility and importance of large-scale, systematic, quantitative analysis in international and comparative education research. We contend that although many existing databases are under- or unutilized in quantitative international-comparative research, these resources present the…

TIMSS and PISA Impact--The Case of Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ababneh, Emad; Al-Tweissi, Ahmad; Abulibdeh, Khattab

2016-01-01

Jordan has participated in international large-scale assessments (LSAs) since 1991 and in most of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS) as well as the Programme for International Student Assessments (PISA). After a short description of education system and policy-making context in the country, this article provides an…

Teaching and Learning International Survey TALIS 2013: Conceptual Framework. Final

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutkowski, David; Rutkowski, Leslie; Bélanger, Julie; Knoll, Steffen; Weatherby, Kristen; Prusinski, Ellen

2013-01-01

In 2008, the initial cycle of the OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2008) established, for the first time, an international, large-scale survey of the teaching workforce, the conditions of teaching, and the learning environments of schools in participating countries. The second cycle of TALIS (TALIS 2013) aims to continue…

Large-Scale Land Acquisition and Its Effects on the Water Balance in Investor and Host Countries

PubMed Central

Breu, Thomas; Bader, Christoph; Messerli, Peter; Heinimann, Andreas; Rist, Stephan; Eckert, Sandra

2016-01-01

This study examines the validity of the assumption that international large-scale land acquisition (LSLA) is motivated by the desire to secure control over water resources, which is commonly referred to as ‘water grabbing’. This assumption was repeatedly expressed in recent years, ascribing the said motivation to the Gulf States in particular. However, it must be considered of hypothetical nature, as the few global studies conducted so far focused primarily on the effects of LSLA on host countries or on trade in virtual water. In this study, we analyse the effects of 475 intended or concluded land deals recorded in the Land Matrix database on the water balance in both host and investor countries. We also examine how these effects relate to water stress and how they contribute to global trade in virtual water. The analysis shows that implementation of the LSLAs in our sample would result in global water savings based on virtual water trade. At the level of individual LSLA host countries, however, water use intensity would increase, particularly in 15 sub-Saharan states. From an investor country perspective, the analysis reveals that countries often suspected of using LSLA to relieve pressure on their domestic water resources—such as China, India, and all Gulf States except Saudi Arabia—invest in agricultural activities abroad that are less water-intensive compared to their average domestic crop production. Conversely, large investor countries such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Japan are disproportionately externalizing crop water consumption through their international land investments. Statistical analyses also show that host countries with abundant water resources are not per se favoured targets of LSLA. Indeed, further analysis reveals that land investments originating in water-stressed countries have only a weak tendency to target areas with a smaller water risk. PMID:26943794

Large-Scale Land Acquisition and Its Effects on the Water Balance in Investor and Host Countries.

PubMed

Breu, Thomas; Bader, Christoph; Messerli, Peter; Heinimann, Andreas; Rist, Stephan; Eckert, Sandra

2016-01-01

This study examines the validity of the assumption that international large-scale land acquisition (LSLA) is motivated by the desire to secure control over water resources, which is commonly referred to as 'water grabbing'. This assumption was repeatedly expressed in recent years, ascribing the said motivation to the Gulf States in particular. However, it must be considered of hypothetical nature, as the few global studies conducted so far focused primarily on the effects of LSLA on host countries or on trade in virtual water. In this study, we analyse the effects of 475 intended or concluded land deals recorded in the Land Matrix database on the water balance in both host and investor countries. We also examine how these effects relate to water stress and how they contribute to global trade in virtual water. The analysis shows that implementation of the LSLAs in our sample would result in global water savings based on virtual water trade. At the level of individual LSLA host countries, however, water use intensity would increase, particularly in 15 sub-Saharan states. From an investor country perspective, the analysis reveals that countries often suspected of using LSLA to relieve pressure on their domestic water resources--such as China, India, and all Gulf States except Saudi Arabia--invest in agricultural activities abroad that are less water-intensive compared to their average domestic crop production. Conversely, large investor countries such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Japan are disproportionately externalizing crop water consumption through their international land investments. Statistical analyses also show that host countries with abundant water resources are not per se favoured targets of LSLA. Indeed, further analysis reveals that land investments originating in water-stressed countries have only a weak tendency to target areas with a smaller water risk.

MHD Modeling of the Solar Wind with Turbulence Transport and Heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, M. L.; Usmanov, A. V.; Matthaeus, W. H.; Breech, B.

2009-01-01

We have developed a magnetohydrodynamic model that describes the global axisymmetric steady-state structure of the solar wind near solar minimum with account for transport of small-scale turbulence associated heating. The Reynolds-averaged mass, momentum, induction, and energy equations for the large-scale solar wind flow are solved simultaneously with the turbulence transport equations in the region from 0.3 to 100 AU. The large-scale equations include subgrid-scale terms due to turbulence and the turbulence (small-scale) equations describe the effects of transport and (phenomenologically) dissipation of the MHD turbulence based on a few statistical parameters (turbulence energy, normalized cross-helicity, and correlation scale). The coupled set of equations is integrated numerically for a source dipole field on the Sun by a time-relaxation method in the corotating frame of reference. We present results on the plasma, magnetic field, and turbulence distributions throughout the heliosphere and on the role of the turbulence in the large-scale structure and temperature distribution in the solar wind.

Exploring the construct validity of the social cognition and object relations scale in a clinical sample.

PubMed

Stein, Michelle B; Slavin-Mulford, Jenelle; Sinclair, S Justin; Siefert, Caleb J; Blais, Mark A

2012-01-01

The Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global rating method (SCORS-G; Stein, Hilsenroth, Slavin-Mulford, & Pinsker, 2011; Westen, 1995) measures the quality of object relations in narrative material. This study employed a multimethod approach to explore the structure and construct validity of the SCORS-G. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943) was administered to 59 patients referred for psychological assessment at a large Northeastern U.S. hospital. The resulting 301 TAT narratives were rated using the SCORS-G method. The 8 SCORS variables were found to have high interrater reliability and good internal consistency. Principal components analysis revealed a 3-component solution with components tapping emotions/affect regulation in relationships, self-image, and aspects of cognition. Next, the construct validity of the SCORS-G components was explored using measures of intellectual and executive functioning, psychopathology, and normal personality. The 3 SCORS-G components showed unique and theoretically meaningful relationships across these broad and diverse psychological measures. This study demonstrates the value of using a standardized scoring method, like the SCORS-G, to reveal the rich and complex nature of narrative material.

Evaluation of Cartosat-1 Multi-Scale Digital Surface Modelling Over France

PubMed Central

Gianinetto, Marco

2009-01-01

On 5 May 2005, the Indian Space Research Organization launched Cartosat-1, the eleventh satellite of its constellation, dedicated to the stereo viewing of the Earth's surface for terrain modeling and large-scale mapping, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (India). In early 2006, the Indian Space Research Organization started the Cartosat-1 Scientific Assessment Programme, jointly established with the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Within this framework, this study evaluated the capabilities of digital surface modeling from Cartosat-1 stereo data for the French test sites of Mausanne les Alpilles and Salon de Provence. The investigation pointed out that for hilly territories it is possible to produce high-resolution digital surface models with a root mean square error less than 7.1 m and a linear error at 90% confidence level less than 9.5 m. The accuracy of the generated digital surface models also fulfilled the requirements of the French Reference 3D®, so Cartosat-1 data may be used to produce or update such kinds of products. PMID:22412311

Static and wind tunnel model tests for the development of externally blown flap noise reduction techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pennock, A. P.; Swift, G.; Marbert, J. A.

1975-01-01

Externally blown flap models were tested for noise and performance at one-fifth scale in a static facility and at one-tenth scale in a large acoustically-treated wind tunnel. The static tests covered two flap designs, conical and ejector nozzles, third-flap noise-reduction treatments, internal blowing, and flap/nozzle geometry variations. The wind tunnel variables were triple-slotted or single-slotted flaps, sweep angle, and solid or perforated third flap. The static test program showed the following noise reductions at takeoff: 1.5 PNdB due to treating the third flap; 0.5 PNdB due to blowing from the third flap; 6 PNdB at flyover and 4.5 PNdB in the critical sideline plane (30 deg elevation) due to installation of the ejector nozzle. The wind tunnel program showed a reduction of 2 PNdB in the sideline plane due to a forward speed of 43.8 m/s (85 kn). The best combination of noise reduction concepts reduced the sideline noise of the reference aircraft at constant field length by 4 PNdB.

Implementing a National Scottish Digital Health & Wellbeing Service at Scale: A Qualitative Study of Stakeholders' Views.

PubMed

Agbakoba, Ruth; McGee-Lennon, Marilyn; Bouamrane, Matt-Mouley; Watson, Nicholas; Mair, Frances

2015-01-01

Digital technologies are being used as part of international efforts to revolutionize healthcare in order to meet increasing demands such as the rising burden of chronic disease and ageing populations. In Scotland there is a government push towards a national service (Living It Up) as a single point of reference where citizens can access information, products and services to support their health and wellbeing. The aim of the study is to examine implementation issues including the challenges or facilitators which can help to sustain this intervention. We gathered data in three ways: a) participant observation to gain an understanding of LiU (N=16); b) in-depth interviews (N=21) with stakeholders involved in the process; and c) analysis of documentary evidence about the progress of the implementation (N=45). Barriers included the need to "work at risk" due to delays in financing, inadequate infrastructure and skill-set deficiencies, whilst facilitators included trusted relationships, champions and a push towards normalisation. The findings suggest that a Scottish ehealth service is achievable but identifies key considerations for future large scale initiatives.

Planetary Structures And Simulations Of Large-scale Impacts On Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swift, Damian; El-Dasher, B.

2009-09-01

The impact of large meteroids is a possible cause for isolated orogeny on bodies devoid of tectonic activity. On Mars, there is a significant, but not perfect, correlation between large, isolated volcanoes and antipodal impact craters. On Mercury and the Moon, brecciated terrain and other unusual surface features can be found at the antipodes of large impact sites. On Earth, there is a moderate correlation between long-lived mantle hotspots at opposite sides of the planet, with meteoroid impact suggested as a possible cause. If induced by impacts, the mechanisms of orogeny and volcanism thus appear to vary between these bodies, presumably because of differences in internal structure. Continuum mechanics (hydrocode) simulations have been used to investigate the response of planetary bodies to impacts, requiring assumptions about the structure of the body: its composition and temperature profile, and the constitutive properties (equation of state, strength, viscosity) of the components. We are able to predict theoretically and test experimentally the constitutive properties of matter under planetary conditions, with reasonable accuracy. To provide a reference series of simulations, we have constructed self-consistent planetary structures using simplified compositions (Fe core and basalt-like mantle), which turn out to agree surprisingly well with the moments of inertia. We have performed simulations of large-scale impacts, studying the transmission of energy to the antipodes. For Mars, significant antipodal heating to depths of a few tens of kilometers was predicted from compression waves transmitted through the mantle. Such heating is a mechanism for volcanism on Mars, possibly in conjunction with crustal cracking induced by surface waves. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

The New Big Science at the NSLS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crease, Robert

2016-03-01

The term ``New Big Science'' refers to a phase shift in the kind of large-scale science that was carried out throughout the U.S. National Laboratory system, when large-scale materials science accelerators rather than high-energy physics accelerators became marquee projects at most major basic research laboratories in the post-Cold War era, accompanied by important changes in the character and culture of the research ecosystem at these laboratories. This talk explores some aspects of this phase shift at BNL's National Synchrotron Light Source.

Evaluating the construct of triage acuity against a set of reference vignettes developed via modified Delphi method.

PubMed

Twomey, Michèle; Wallis, Lee A; Myers, Jonathan E

2014-07-01

To evaluate the construct of triage acuity as measured by the South African Triage Scale (SATS) against a set of reference vignettes. A modified Delphi method was used to develop a set of reference vignettes. Delphi participants completed a 2-round consensus-building process, and independently assigned triage acuity ratings to 100 written vignettes unaware of the ratings given by others. Triage acuity ratings were summarised for all vignettes, and only those that reached 80% consensus during round 2 were included in the reference set. Triage ratings for the reference vignettes given by two independent experts using the SATS were compared with the ratings given by the international Delphi panel. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, associated percentages for over-triage/under-triage were used to evaluate the construct of triage acuity (as measured by the SATS) by examining the association between the ratings by the two experts and the international panel. On completion of the Delphi process, 42 of the 100 vignettes reached 80% consensus on their acuity rating and made up the reference set. On average, over all acuity levels, sensitivity was 74% (CI 64% to 82%), specificity 92% (CI 87% to 94%), under-triage occurred 14% (CI 8% to 23%) and over-triage 12% (CI 8% to 23%) of the time. The results of this study provide an alternative to evaluating triage scales against the construct of acuity as measured with the SATS. This method of using 80% consensus vignettes may, however, systematically bias the validity estimate towards better performance. 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.

IKONOS imagery for the Large Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA).

Treesearch

George Hurtt; Xiangming Xiao; Michael Keller; Michael Palace; Gregory P. Asner; Rob Braswell; Brond& #305; Eduardo S. zio; Manoel Cardoso; Claudio J.R. Carvalho; Matthew G. Fearon; Liane Guild; Steve Hagen; Scott Hetrick; Berrien Moore III; Carlos Nobre; Jane M. Read; S& aacute; Tatiana NO-VALUE; Annette Schloss; George Vourlitis; Albertus J. Wickel

2003-01-01

The LBA-ECO program is one of several international research components under the Brazilian-led Large Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA). The field-oriented research activities of this study are organized along transects and include a set of primary field sites, where the major objective is to study land-use change and ecosystem dynamics, and a...

Issues and Methodologies in Large-Scale Assessments. Special Issue 2: Measuring Students' Family Background in Large-Scale International Education Studies. IERI Monograph Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brese, Falk; Mirazchiyski, Plamen

2013-01-01

The relationship between students' family background and achievement is often seen as an important topic in regard to equality and equity of educational provision. The results of various education studies show that the family background of students correlates with students' academic achievement at school. This paper focuses on the measurement of…

The integral inventory for depression, a new, self-rated clinimetric instrument for the emotional and painful dimensions in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Dueñas, Héctor; Lara, Carmen; Walton, Richard J; Granger, Renee E; Dossenbach, Martin; Raskin, Joel

2011-09-01

To assess the reliability and validity of the Integral Inventory for Depression (IID) scale using post hoc analyses of data from a multi-country study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00561509) of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients (N = 1629) completed the IID (comprising two separate dimensions for emotional and physically painful symptoms; maximum score of 65) and a reference scale (16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report) at baseline and at follow-up (8 and 24 weeks). Physicians rated MDD symptoms using the Clinical Global Impressions of Severity scale at each visit. Inter-item correlation, internal consistency, external validity, factor structure, and exploratory analysis of an optimal severity cut-off point were assessed. The IID displayed two distinct dimensions (i.e. painful and emotional) with little item redundancy and good internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.83 at each visit). The IID displayed good external validity (Pearson's correlations coefficients >0.60 at each visit) and statistically significant agreement (McNemar's test; P < 0.001 at follow-up) with the reference scale. Results suggest that a cut-off score of ≤24 had adequate precision (>80%) to identify patients with and without moderate MDD. Results suggest that the IID may be a reliable and valid tool for assessing emotional and painful symptoms of MDD.

Quality assurance and quality control in light stable isotope laboratories: A case study of Rio Grande, Texas, water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, T.B.; Qi, H.

2009-01-01

New isotope laboratories can achieve the goal of reporting the same isotopic composition within analytical uncertainty for the same material analysed decades apart by (1) writing their own acceptance testing procedures and putting them into their mass spectrometric or laser-based isotope-ratio equipment procurement contract, (2) requiring a manufacturer to demonstrate acceptable performance using all sample ports provided with the instrumentation, (3) for each medium to be analysed, prepare two local reference materials substantially different in isotopic composition to encompass the range in isotopic composition expected in the laboratory and calibrated them with isotopic reference materials available from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), (4) using the optimum storage containers (for water samples, sealing in glass ampoules that are sterilised after sealing is satisfactory), (5) interspersing among sample unknowns local laboratory isotopic reference materials daily (internationally distributed isotopic reference materials can be ordered at three-year intervals, and can be used for elemental analyser analyses and other analyses that consume less than 1 mg of material) - this process applies to H, C, N, O, and S isotope ratios, (6) calculating isotopic compositions of unknowns by normalising isotopic data to that of local reference materials, which have been calibrated to internationally distributed isotopic reference materials, (7) reporting results on scales normalised to internationally distributed isotopic reference materials (where they are available) and providing to sample submitters the isotopic compositions of internationally distributed isotopic reference materials of the same substance had they been analysed with unknowns, (8) providing an audit trail in the laboratory for analytical results - this trail commonly will be in electronic format and might include a laboratory information management system, (9) making at regular intervals a complete backup of laboratory analytical data (both of samples logged into the laboratory and of mass spectrometric analyses), being sure to store one copy of this backup offsite, and (10) participating in interlaboratory comparison exercises sponsored by the IAEA and other agencies at regular intervals. ?? Taylor & Francis.

Experimental investigation of large-scale vortices in a freely spreading gravity current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Yeping; Horner-Devine, Alexander R.

2017-10-01

A series of laboratory experiments are presented to compare the dynamics of constant-source buoyant gravity currents propagating into laterally confined (channelized) and unconfined (spreading) environments. The plan-form structure of the spreading current and the vertical density and velocity structures on the interface are quantified using the optical thickness method and a combined particle image velocimetry and planar laser-induced fluorescence method, respectively. With lateral boundaries, the buoyant current thickness is approximately constant and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are generated within the shear layer. The buoyant current structure is significantly different in the spreading case. As the current spreads laterally, nonlinear large-scale vortex structures are observed at the interface, which maintain a coherent shape as they propagate away from the source. These structures are continuously generated near the river mouth, have amplitudes close to the buoyant layer thickness, and propagate offshore at speeds approximately equal to the internal wave speed. The observed depth and propagation speed of the instabilities match well with the fastest growing mode predicted by linear stability analysis, but with a shorter wavelength. The spreading flows have much higher vorticity, which is aggregated within the large-scale structures. Secondary instabilities are generated on the leading edge of the braids between the large-scale vortex structures and ultimately break and mix on the lee side of the structures. Analysis of the vortex dynamics shows that lateral stretching intensifies the vorticity in the spreading currents, contributing to higher vorticity within the large-scale structures in the buoyant plume. The large-scale instabilities and vortex structures observed in the present study provide new insights into the origin of internal frontal structures frequently observed in coastal river plumes.

The brief multidimensional students' life satisfaction scale-college version.

PubMed

Zullig, Keith J; Huebner, E Scott; Patton, Jon M; Murray, Karen A

2009-01-01

To investigate the psychometric properties of the BMSLSS-College among 723 college students. Internal consistency estimates explored scale reliability, factor analysis explored construct validity, and known-groups validity was assessed using the National College Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study. Criterion-related validity was explored through analyses with the CDC's health-related quality of life scale and a social isolation scale. Acceptable internal consistency reliability, construct, known-groups, and criterion-related validity were established. Findings offer preliminary support for the BMSLSS-C; it could be useful in large-scale research studies, applied screening contexts, and for program evaluation purposes toward achieving Healthy People 2010 objectives.

Development of AM 1.5 global measurement procedures and international cell measurement round robin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, R.

1985-01-01

The development of the capability for measurement under global irradiance spectral distribution is reported. The airmass 1.5 global measurement procedure is given. Also given is the procedure and justification for using the large area pulsed solar simulator (LAPSS). The status of the international round robin of reference cell measurements managed by the Commission of European Communities (CEC) is described.

Differential Item Functioning for Accommodated Students with Disabilities: Effect of Differences in Proficiency Distributions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quesen, Sarah

2016-01-01

When studying differential item functioning (DIF) with students with disabilities (SWD) focal groups typically suffer from small sample size, whereas the reference group population is usually large. This makes it possible for a researcher to select a sample from the reference population to be similar to the focal group on the ability scale. Doing…

Mixing induced by a propagating normal mode in long term experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dossmann, Yvan; Pollet, Florence; Odier, Philippe; Dauxois, Thierry

2017-04-01

The energy pathways from propagating internal waves to the scales of irreversible mixing in the ocean are numerous. The triadic resonant instability (TRI) is an intrinsic destabilization process that can lead to mixing away from topographies. It consists in the destabilization of a primary internal wave generation leading to the radiation of two secondary waves of lower frequencies and different wave vectors. In the process, internal wave energy is carried down to smaller scales. A previous study focused on the assessment of instantaneous turbulent fluxes fields associated with the TRI process in laboratory experiments [1]. The present study investigates the integrated impact of mixing processes induced by a propagative normal mode over long term experiments using a similar setup. Configurations for which the TRI process is either favored or inhibited are tackled. Optical measurements using the light attenuation technique allow to follow the internal waves dynamics and the evolution of the density profile between two runs of one hour typical duration. The horizontally averaged turbulent diffusivity Kt(z) and the mixing efficiency Γ are assessed. One finds values up to Kt = 10-6 m2/s and Γ = 11 %, with slightly larger values in the presence of TRI. The maximum value for Kt is measured at the position(s) of the maximum shear normal mode shear for both normal modes 1 and 2. The development of staircases in the density profile is observed after several hours of forcing. This mechanism can be explained by Phillips' argument by which sharp interfaces can form due to vertical variations of the buoyancy flux. The staircases are responsible for large variations in the vertical distribution of turbulent diffusivity. These results could help to refine parameterizations of the impact of low order normal modes in ocean mixing. Reference : [1] Dossmann et al. 2016, Mixing by internal waves quantified using combined PIV/PLIF technique, Experiments in Fluids, 57, 132.

Figures of Merit for Lunar Simulants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slane, Frederick A.; Rickman, Douglas L.

2012-01-01

At an earlier SRR the concept for an international standard on Lunar regolith simulants was presented. The international standard, ISO 10788, Lunar Simulants, has recently been published. This paper presents the final content of the standard. Therefore, we are presenting an update of the following: The collection and analysis of lunar samples from 1969 to present has yielded large amounts of data. Published analyses give some idea of the complex nature of the regolith at all scales, rocks, soils and the smaller particulates commonly referred to as dust. Data recently acquired in support of NASA s simulant effort has markedly increased our knowledge and quantitatively demonstrates that complexity. It is anticipated that future analyses will further add to the known complexity. In an effort to communicate among the diverse technical communities performing research on or research using regolith samples and simulants, a set of Figures of Merit (FoM) have been devised. The objective is to allow consistent and concise comparative communication between researchers from multiple organizations and nations engaged in lunar exploration. This paper describes Figures of Merit in a new international standard for Lunar Simulants. The FoM methodology uses scientific understanding of the lunar samples to formulate parameters which are reproducibly quantifiable. Contaminants and impurities in the samples are also addressed.

The height-, weight-, and BMI-for-age of Polish school-aged children and adolescents relative to international and local growth references.

PubMed

Kulaga, Zbigniew; Litwin, Mieczysław; Tkaczyk, Marcin; Rózdzyńska, Agnieszka; Barwicka, Katarzyna; Grajda, Aneta; Swiader, Anna; Gurzkowska, Beata; Napieralska, Ewelina; Pan, Huiqi

2010-03-04

The growth of children is an indicator of health and society's wellbeing. Growth references are useful in monitoring a child's growth, which is a very important part of child care. Poland's growth references are not updated regularly. Although several growth reference ranges have been developed in Poland over recent years, sampling was restricted to urban populations of major cities. The aim of this study was to assess how well Polish children match with, or diverge from, regional charts and to compare them with international growth references. Four Polish and two international (WHO 2007 and USCDC2000) growth references were used to calculate the height, weight and BMI z-scores in a recent, large, population-representative sample of school-aged children and adolescents in Poland. The distributions of z-scores were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Mean height z-scores calculated with the use of the WHO 2007 and USCDC2000 references were positive and significantly different from zero over the entire age range. The mean height z-score was closest to zero in the Poznan reference for boys (0.05) and Warszawa reference for girls (0.01). Median weight z-scores were positive under all weight references over the entire age range with only the exception of 18-year-old girls' weight z-score calculated relative to USCDC2000. Median BMI z-scores were positive in males in early childhood, decreasing with age. In the case of girls, the median BMI z-score calculated using WHO 2007 and USCDC2000 was close to zero in early childhood, decreased in adolescents and reached minimum values at age 18 years. Median BMI z-scores calculated with the use of the Lodz reference fluctuated between 0.05 and 0.2 over the studied age range. In this contemporary sample of Polish school-aged children, distributions of height, weight and BMI differed from those of children from the international growth references. These differences should be considered when using the references. There exist certain limitations to the analysis of height, weight, and BMI z-scores when Polish regional references are used.

The height-, weight-, and BMI-for-age of Polish school-aged children and adolescents relative to international and local growth references

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The growth of children is an indicator of health and society's wellbeing. Growth references are useful in monitoring a child's growth, which is a very important part of child care. Poland's growth references are not updated regularly. Although several growth reference ranges have been developed in Poland over recent years, sampling was restricted to urban populations of major cities. The aim of this study was to assess how well Polish children match with, or diverge from, regional charts and to compare them with international growth references. Methods Four Polish and two international (WHO 2007 and USCDC2000) growth references were used to calculate the height, weight and BMI z-scores in a recent, large, population-representative sample of school-aged children and adolescents in Poland. The distributions of z-scores were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results Mean height z-scores calculated with the use of the WHO 2007 and USCDC2000 references were positive and significantly different from zero over the entire age range. The mean height z-score was closest to zero in the Poznan reference for boys (0.05) and Warszawa reference for girls (0.01). Median weight z-scores were positive under all weight references over the entire age range with only the exception of 18-year-old girls' weight z-score calculated relative to USCDC2000. Median BMI z-scores were positive in males in early childhood, decreasing with age. In the case of girls, the median BMI z-score calculated using WHO 2007 and USCDC2000 was close to zero in early childhood, decreased in adolescents and reached minimum values at age 18 years. Median BMI z-scores calculated with the use of the Lodz reference fluctuated between 0.05 and 0.2 over the studied age range. Conclusions In this contemporary sample of Polish school-aged children, distributions of height, weight and BMI differed from those of children from the international growth references. These differences should be considered when using the references. There exist certain limitations to the analysis of height, weight, and BMI z-scores when Polish regional references are used. PMID:20199693

Personality Assessment Inventory scale characteristics and factor structure in the assessment of alcohol dependency.

PubMed

Schinka, J A

1995-02-01

Individual scale characteristics and the inventory structure of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) were examined by conducting internal consistency and factor analyses of item and scale score data from a large group (N = 301) of alcohol-dependent patients. Alpha coefficients, mean inter-item correlations, and corrected item-total scale correlations for the sample paralleled values reported by Morey for a large clinical sample. Minor differences in the scale factor structure of the inventory from Morey's clinical sample were found. Overall, the findings support the use of the PAI in the assessment of personality and psychopathology of alcohol-dependent patients.

Using Syntactic Patterns to Enhance Text Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Bradley B.

2017-01-01

Large scale product and service reviews proliferate and are commonly found across the web. The ability to harvest, digest and analyze a large corpus of reviews from online websites is still however a difficult problem. This problem is referred to as "opinion mining." Opinion mining is an important area of research as advances in the…

Hierarchical spatial models for predicting tree species assemblages across large domains

Treesearch

Andrew O. Finley; Sudipto Banerjee; Ronald E. McRoberts

2009-01-01

Spatially explicit data layers of tree species assemblages, referred to as forest types or forest type groups, are a key component in large-scale assessments of forest sustainability, biodiversity, timber biomass, carbon sinks and forest health monitoring. This paper explores the utility of coupling georeferenced national forest inventory (NFI) data with readily...

Validation of the preschool and primary school form of a questionnaire assessing parents' childrearing behavior.

PubMed

Meunier, Jean-Christophe; Roskam, Isabelle

2009-01-01

This study presents a validation of a scale that assesses parents' childrearing behavior toward young children. The scale was validated on 565 parents of 2- to 7-year-old children. The current results replicated the factor solution of the original scale designed for parents of school-aged children. The scale demonstrated good psychometric properties: moderate to high internal consistency, the expected relations with criterion variables (parental self-efficacy beliefs, child's behavior and personality), and discriminative properties according to the parents' gender and educational level, the child's age and gender, and the difference between referred and nonreferred children.

Operational use of the GPS to build the "Temps Atomique Français" TA(F).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fréon, G.; Tourde, R.

The clock comparisons by the observations of the satellites of the GPS in common view between several laboratories have been used by the BNM-LPTF since 1983. They have contributed to improve the stability of the national reference time scale: the "Temps Atomique Français". This time comparison method is also used by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures and all the time and frequency laboratories which participate to the calculation of the International Atomic Time (TAI).

Portuguese Armed Forces in the International Security and Assistance Force in Afghanistan: Psychological Support for the Command of Kabul International Airport

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

all other results are higher than the reference population averages. One should not neglect the bias of the results due to the “ social desirability...scales applied in this paper, the hypothesis of a bias ( social desirability) is also to be taken into account, in spite of the fact that the force...the main adjustment factors are: • Social competences (interpersonal relationship capability and team integration); • Family support; • Emotional

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Cooperation: Distance Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph presents data on the application of distance theory to patterns of cooperation among nations. Distance theory implies that international relations systems (nations, organizations, individuals, etc.) can be…

Linking Errors between Two Populations and Tests: A Case Study in International Surveys in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hastedt, Dirk; Desa, Deana

2015-01-01

This simulation study was prompted by the current increased interest in linking national studies to international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) such as IEA's TIMSS, IEA's PIRLS, and OECD's PISA. Linkage in this scenario is achieved by including items from the international assessments in the national assessments on the premise that the average…

Are High School Students Living in Lodgings at an Increased Risk for Internalizing Problems?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wannebo, Wenche; Wichstrom, Lars

2010-01-01

This study aimed to investigate whether leaving home to live in lodgings during senior high school can be a risk factor for the development of internalizing problems. Utilizing two large-scale prospective community studies of 2399 and 3906 Norwegian students (age range 15-19 years), respectively, the difference in internalizing symptoms between…

What Did We Learn about Our Teachers and Principals? Results of the TALIS-2013 International Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinskaya, M. A.; Lenskaya, E. A.; Ponomareva, A. A.; Brun, I. V.; Kosaretsky, S. G.; Savelyeva, M. B.

2016-01-01

The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is a large-scale and authoritative international study of teachers. It is conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to collect and compare information about teachers and principals in different countries in such key areas as the training and professional…

WHK Interns Highlight the Importance of Their Work | Poster

Cancer.gov

The Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) student interns at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Frederick are participating in groundbreaking cancer research, along with large-scale projects and technological advancements, during their senior year of high school. The interns at NCI at Frederick are given more than the opportunity to watch the research; they participate in and conduct

International Comparative Studies in Education: Descriptions of Selected Large-Scale Assessments and Case Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC. Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.

Since its inception in 1988, the Board on International Comparative Studies in Education (BICSE) has monitored U.S. participation in those cross national comparative studies in education that are funded by its sponsors, the National Science Foundation and the National Center for Education Statistics. This set of international study descriptions…

Toward an International Comparison of Economic and Educational Mobility: Recent Findings from the Japan Child Panel Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akabayashi, Hideo; Nakamura, Ryosuke; Naoi, Michio; Shikishima, Chizuru

2016-01-01

In the past decades, income inequality has risen in most developed countries. There is growing interest among economists in international comparisons of economic and educational mobility. This is aided by the availability of internationally comparable, large-scale data. The present paper aims to make three contributions. First, we introduce the…

International Assessments of Student Achievement and Public Confidence in Education: Evidence from a Cross-National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizmony-Levy, Oren; Bjorklund, Peter, Jr.

2018-01-01

One of the overarching goals of international large-scale assessments (ILSA) is to inform public discourse about the quality of education in different countries. To fulfil this function, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), for example, raises awareness of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)…

The International Guide to Publishers and Distributors of Large Print. IFLA Professional Reports, No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massis, Bruce E.

This guide provides a listing and description of publishers and distributors of large print books (in 12 point type or larger) available in 15 countries. The listings are arranged alphabetically by country and an abstract for each country includes specific information. Designed to be used by librarians and reference persons in their respective…

Feasibility analysis of large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment for the International Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alberts, Samantha J.

The investigation of microgravity fluid dynamics emerged out of necessity with the advent of space exploration. In particular, capillary research took a leap forward in the 1960s with regards to liquid settling and interfacial dynamics. Due to inherent temperature variations in large spacecraft liquid systems, such as fuel tanks, forces develop on gas-liquid interfaces which induce thermocapillary flows. To date, thermocapillary flows have been studied in small, idealized research geometries usually under terrestrial conditions. The 1 to 3m lengths in current and future large tanks and hardware are designed based on hardware rather than research, which leaves spaceflight systems designers without the technological tools to effectively create safe and efficient designs. This thesis focused on the design and feasibility of a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment, which utilizes temperature variations to drive a flow. The design of a helical channel geometry ranging from 1 to 2.5m in length permits a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment to fit in a seemingly small International Space Station (ISS) facility such as the Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR). An initial investigation determined the proposed experiment produced measurable data while adhering to the FIR facility limitations. The computational portion of this thesis focused on the investigation of functional geometries of fuel tanks and depots using Surface Evolver. This work outlines the design of a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment for the ISS FIR. The results from this work improve the understanding thermocapillary flows and thus improve technological tools for predicting heat and mass transfer in large length-scale thermocapillary flows. Without the tools to understand the thermocapillary flows in these systems, engineers are forced to design larger, heavier vehicles to assure safety and mission success.

Studies of land-cover, land-use, and biophysical properties of vegetation in the Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere experiment in Amazonia.

Treesearch

Dar A. Robertsa; Michael Keller; Joao Vianei Soares

2003-01-01

We summarize early research on land-cover, land-use, and biophysical properties of vegetation from the Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere (LBA) experiment in Amazoˆnia. LBA is an international research program developed to evaluate regional function and to determine how land-use and climate modify biological, chemical and physical processes there. Remote sensing has...

Estimating missing hourly climatic data using artificial neural network for energy balance based ET mapping applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Remote sensing based evapotranspiration (ET) mapping has become an important tool for water resources management at a regional scale. Accurate hourly climatic data and reference ET are crucial input for successfully implementing remote sensing based ET models such as Mapping ET with internal calibra...

Designing a Likert-Type Scale to Predict Environmentally Responsible Behavior in Undergraduate Students: A Multistep Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Sebasto, N. J.; D'Costa, Ayres

1995-01-01

Describes an attempt to develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess the relationship between locus of control of reinforcement and environmentally responsible behavior. Presents a six-step psychometric process used to develop the Environmental Action Internal Control Index (EAICI) for undergraduate students. Contains 54 references. (JRH)

NASA Alternative Orion Small Cell Battery Design Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haynes, Chuck

2016-01-01

The NASA Orion Crew Module Reference Design was produced to address large scale thermal runaway (TR) hazard with specific safety controls for the Orion Spacecraft. The design presented provides the description of a full scale battery design reference for implementation as a drop in replacement to meet all spacecraft energy requirements with compatible 120 Vdc electrical and mechanical interface using small cell technology (18650) packaging. The 32V SuperBrick incorporates unique support features and an electrical bus bar arrangement that allows cells negative can insertion into heat sink that is compressively coupled to the battery enclosure to promote good thermal management. The housing design also provides an internal flame suppression "filter tray" and positive venting path internal to the enclosure to allow hot effluent ejecta to escape in the event of single cell TR. Virtual cells (14P Banks) that are supported to provide cell spacing with interstitial materials to prevent side can failures that can produce cell to cell TR propagation. These features were successfully test in four separate TR run with the full scale DTA1 test article in February 2016. Successfully Completed Test Objectives - Four separate TR test runs with Full-Scale DTA1 housing with Two SuperBricks, Two SuperBrick Emulators All Tests resulted in "clean" gas with less than 6 C rise at Battery vent All Tests resulted in less than 2 C temperature rise on cold-plate outlet All Tests resulted in less than 6 psi pressure rise in the battery housing Test Run 1 -One neighbor cell TR, highest remaining neighbor 139 C. Ejecta shorted to bus caused prolonged additional heating, One shorted cell did experience TR after 12 minutes, remaining cells had adequate thermal margin Test Run 2 - No cell to cell propagation, highest neighbor cell 112 C; Test Run 3 - No cell to cell propagation, highest neighbor cell 96 C; Test Run 4 - No cell to cell propagation, highest neighbor cell 101 C; Primary TR testing and analysis were completed and reviewed for endorsement by NASA Engineering and Safety Center team members. All Key Test Objectives were met and the small cell design alternative was demonstrated and selected to be a feasible drop in replacement for the MPCV Orion CM Battery for EM2 mission.

Re-annotation, improved large-scale assembly and establishment of a catalogue of noncoding loci for the genome of the model brown alga Ectocarpus.

PubMed

Cormier, Alexandre; Avia, Komlan; Sterck, Lieven; Derrien, Thomas; Wucher, Valentin; Andres, Gwendoline; Monsoor, Misharl; Godfroy, Olivier; Lipinska, Agnieszka; Perrineau, Marie-Mathilde; Van De Peer, Yves; Hitte, Christophe; Corre, Erwan; Coelho, Susana M; Cock, J Mark

2017-04-01

The genome of the filamentous brown alga Ectocarpus was the first to be completely sequenced from within the brown algal group and has served as a key reference genome both for this lineage and for the stramenopiles. We present a complete structural and functional reannotation of the Ectocarpus genome. The large-scale assembly of the Ectocarpus genome was significantly improved and genome-wide gene re-annotation using extensive RNA-seq data improved the structure of 11 108 existing protein-coding genes and added 2030 new loci. A genome-wide analysis of splicing isoforms identified an average of 1.6 transcripts per locus. A large number of previously undescribed noncoding genes were identified and annotated, including 717 loci that produce long noncoding RNAs. Conservation of lncRNAs between Ectocarpus and another brown alga, the kelp Saccharina japonica, suggests that at least a proportion of these loci serve a function. Finally, a large collection of single nucleotide polymorphism-based markers was developed for genetic analyses. These resources are available through an updated and improved genome database. This study significantly improves the utility of the Ectocarpus genome as a high-quality reference for the study of many important aspects of brown algal biology and as a reference for genomic analyses across the stramenopiles. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories: The Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale

PubMed Central

Brotherton, Robert; French, Christopher C.; Pickering, Alan D.

2013-01-01

The psychology of conspiracy theory beliefs is not yet well understood, although research indicates that there are stable individual differences in conspiracist ideation – individuals’ general tendency to engage with conspiracy theories. Researchers have created several short self-report measures of conspiracist ideation. These measures largely consist of items referring to an assortment of prominent conspiracy theories regarding specific real-world events. However, these instruments have not been psychometrically validated, and this assessment approach suffers from practical and theoretical limitations. Therefore, we present the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs (GCB) scale: a novel measure of individual differences in generic conspiracist ideation. The scale was developed and validated across four studies. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis of a novel 75-item measure of non-event-based conspiracist beliefs identified five conspiracist facets. The 15-item GCB scale was developed to sample from each of these themes. Studies 2, 3, and 4 examined the structure and validity of the GCB, demonstrating internal reliability, content, criterion-related, convergent and discriminant validity, and good test-retest reliability. In sum, this research indicates that the GCB is a psychometrically sound and practically useful measure of conspiracist ideation, and the findings add to our theoretical understanding of conspiracist ideation as a monological belief system unpinned by a relatively small number of generic assumptions about the typicality of conspiratorial activity in the world. PMID:23734136

Micro-Macro Coupling in Plasma Self-Organization Processes during Island Coalescence

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

Wan Weigang; Lapenta, Giovanni; Centrum voor Plasma-Astrofysica, Departement Wiskunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200B, 3001 Leuven

The collisionless island coalescence process is studied with particle-in-cell simulations, as an internal-driven magnetic self-organization scenario. The macroscopic relaxation time, corresponding to the total time required for the coalescence to complete, is found to depend crucially on the scale of the system. For small-scale systems, where the macroscopic scales and the dissipation scales are more tightly coupled, the relaxation time is independent of the strength of the internal driving force: the small-scale processes of magnetic reconnection adjust to the amount of the initial magnetic flux to be reconnected, indicating that at the microscopic scales reconnection is enslaved by the macroscopicmore » drive. However, for large-scale systems, where the micro-macro scale separation is larger, the relaxation time becomes dependent on the driving force.« less

The binary protein-protein interaction landscape of Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Rajagopala, Seesandra V.; Vlasblom, James; Arnold, Roland; Franca-Koh, Jonathan; Pakala, Suman B.; Phanse, Sadhna; Ceol, Arnaud; Häuser, Roman; Siszler, Gabriella; Wuchty, Stefan; Emili, Andrew; Babu, Mohan; Aloy, Patrick; Pieper, Rembert; Uetz, Peter

2014-01-01

Efforts to map the Escherichia coli interactome have identified several hundred macromolecular complexes, but direct binary protein-protein interactions (PPIs) have not been surveyed on a large scale. Here we performed yeast two-hybrid screens of 3,305 baits against 3,606 preys (~70% of the E. coli proteome) in duplicate to generate a map of 2,234 interactions, approximately doubling the number of known binary PPIs in E. coli. Integration of binary PPIs and genetic interactions revealed functional dependencies among components involved in cellular processes, including envelope integrity, flagellum assembly and protein quality control. Many of the binary interactions that could be mapped within multi-protein complexes were informative regarding internal topology and indicated that interactions within complexes are significantly more conserved than those interactions connecting different complexes. This resource will be useful for inferring bacterial gene function and provides a draft reference of the basic physical wiring network of this evolutionarily significant model microbe. PMID:24561554

Dentoalveolar oral surgery in children and adolescents: organization and surgical treatment in a large, Danish municipal dental service.

PubMed

Grønbæk, Anni Birgitte; Petersen, Flemming; Haubek, Dorte; Poulsen, Sven

2017-11-01

To describe a population-based organization of dentoalveolar surgical service for 0 to 18-year old subjects in a Danish municipal dental service, and analyze the type of dentoalveolar surgical interventions needed. The study was conducted in the Municipality of Aarhus, Denmark during five consecutive school-years. An internal referral system was established within the municipality where patients could be referred to colleagues with a higher level of competencies and more experiences with paediatric dentoalveolar surgery. The analysis includes a total of 1812 children and a total of 2854 surgical interventions. Almost 80% of the patients, representing more than 80% of the dentoalveolar surgical interventions needed, were referred internally. Denudations were the most frequent treatment type (40.3%) carried out, followed by removal of third molars (18.0%). Furthermore, 22 odontomas and 100 supernumerary teeth were removed. The need of dentoalveolar surgery in children and adolescents is relatively low, but includes a wide range of interventions. An organizational system, where dentists can refer to colleagues who have developed special competencies in this field, results in most of these surgical patients being referred and treated internally.

Clinimetric Testing of the Comprehensive Cervical Dystonia Rating Scale

PubMed Central

Comella, C. L.; Perlmutter, J.S.; Jinnah, H. A.; Waliczek, T. A.; Rosen, A. R.; Galpern, W. R.; Adler, C. H.; Barbano, R. L.; Factor, S. A.; Goetz, C.G.; Jankovic, J.; Reich, S. G.; Rodriguez, R. L.; Severt, W. L.; Zurowski, M.; Fox, S. H.; Stebbins, G.T.

2016-01-01

Objective To test the clinimetric properties of the Comprehensive Cervical Dystonia Rating Scale. Background This is a modular scale with modifications of the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (composed of three subscales assessing motor severity, disability and pain) now referred to as the revised Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Scale-2.; a newly developed psychiatric screening instrument; and the Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile-58 as a quality of life measure. Methods Ten dystonia experts rated subjects with cervical dystonia using the comprehensive scale. Clinimetric techniques assessed each module of the scale for reliability, item correlation and factor structure. Results There were 208 cervical dystonia patients (73% women, age 59±10 years, duration 15±12 years). The internal consistency of the motor severity subscale was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.57). Item to total correlations showed that elimination of items with low correlations (<0.20) increased alpha to 0.71. Internal consistency estimates for the subscales for disability and pain were 0.88 and 0.95 respectively. The psychiatric screening scale had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.84 and satisfactory item to total correlations. When the subscales of the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis scale -2 were combined with the psychiatric screening scale, Cronbach's alpha was 0.88, and construct validity assessment demonstrated four rational factors: motor, disability, pain and psychiatric disorders. The Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile-58 had an alpha of 0.98 and its construction was validated through a confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusions The modules of the Comprehensive Cervical Dystonia Rating Scale are internally consistent with a logical factor structure. PMID:26971359

Reference intervals and allometric scaling of two-dimensional echocardiographic measurements in 150 healthy cats.

PubMed

Karsten, Schober; Stephanie, Savino; Vedat, Yildiz

2017-11-10

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of body weight (BW), breed, and sex on two-dimensional (2D) echocardiographic measures, reference ranges, and prediction intervals using allometrically-scaled data of left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) size and LV wall thickness in healthy cats. Study type was retrospective, observational, and clinical cohort. 150 healthy cats were enrolled and 2D echocardiograms analyzed. LA diameter, LV wall thickness, and LV dimension were quantified using three different imaging views. The effect of BW, breed, sex, age, and interaction (BW*sex) on echocardiographic variables was assessed using univariate and multivariate regression and linear mixed model analysis. Standard (using raw data) and allometrically scaled (Y=a × M b ) reference intervals and prediction intervals were determined. BW had a significant (P<0.05) independent effect on 2D variables whereas breed, sex, and age did not. There were clinically relevant differences between reference intervals using mean ± 2SD of raw data and mean and 95% prediction interval of allometrically-scaled variables, most prominent in larger (>6 kg) and smaller (<3 kg) cats. A clinically relevant difference between thickness of the interventricular septum (IVS) and dimension of the LV posterior wall (LVPW) was identified. In conclusion, allometric scaling and BW-based 95% prediction intervals should be preferred over conventional 2D echocardiographic reference intervals in cats, in particular in small and large cats. These results are particularly relevant to screening examinations for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Automation of film densitometry for application in personal monitoring.

PubMed

Taheri, M; Movafeghi, A; Rastkhah, N

2011-03-01

In this research work, a semi-automatic densitometry system has been developed for large-scale monitoring services by use of film badge dosemeters. The system consists of a charge-coupled device (CCD)-based scanner that can scan optical densities (ODs) up to 4.2, a computer vision algorithm to improve the quality of digitised films and an analyser program to calculate the necessary information, e.g. the mean OD of region of interest and radiation doses. For calibration of the system, two reference films were used. The Microtek scanner International Color Consortium (ICC) profiler is applied for determining the colour attributes of the scanner accurately and a reference of the density step tablet, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und-prüfung (BAM) is used for calibrating the automatic conversion of gray-level values to OD values in the range of 0.2-4.0 OD. The system contributes to achieve more objectives and reliable results. So by applying this system, we can digitise a set of 20 films at once and calculate their relative doses less than about 4 min, and meanwhile it causes to avoid disadvantages of manual process and to enhance the accuracy of dosimetry.

Geomagnetic transmission disturbances and heavy-ion fluences observed in low Earth orbit during the solar energetic particle events of October 1989.

PubMed

Boberg, P R; Tylka, A J; Adams, J H; Beahm, L P; Fluckiger, E O; Kleis, T; Kobel, E

1996-01-01

The large solar energetic particle (SEP) events and simultaneous large geomagnetic disturbances observed during October 1989 posed a significant, rapidly evolving space radiation hazard. Using data from the GOES-7, NOAA-10, IMP-8 and LDEF satellites, we determined the geomagnetic transmission, heavy ion fluences, mean Fe ionic charge state, and effective radiation hazard observed in low Earth orbit (LEO) for these SEPs. We modeled the geomagnetic transmission by tracing particles through the combination of the internal International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) and the Tsyganenko (1989) magnetospheric field models, extending the modeling to large geomagnetic disturbances. We used our results to assess the radiation hazard such very large SEP events would pose in the anticipated 52 degrees inclination space station orbit.

Comparing forests across climates and biomes: qualitative assessments, reference forests and regional intercomparisons.

PubMed

Salk, Carl F; Frey, Ulrich; Rusch, Hannes

2014-01-01

Communities, policy actors and conservationists benefit from understanding what institutions and land management regimes promote ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. However, the definition of success depends on local conditions. Forests' potential carbon stock, biodiversity and rate of recovery following disturbance are known to vary with a broad suite of factors including temperature, precipitation, seasonality, species' traits and land use history. Methods like tracking over-time changes within forests, or comparison with "pristine" reference forests have been proposed as means to compare the structure and biodiversity of forests in the face of underlying differences. However, data from previous visits or reference forests may be unavailable or costly to obtain. Here, we introduce a new metric of locally weighted forest intercomparison to mitigate the above shortcomings. This method is applied to an international database of nearly 300 community forests and compared with previously published techniques. It is particularly suited to large databases where forests may be compared among one another. Further, it avoids problematic comparisons with old-growth forests which may not resemble the goal of forest management. In most cases, the different methods produce broadly congruent results, suggesting that researchers have the flexibility to compare forest conditions using whatever type of data is available. Forest structure and biodiversity are shown to be independently measurable axes of forest condition, although users' and foresters' estimations of seemingly unrelated attributes are highly correlated, perhaps reflecting an underlying sentiment about forest condition. These findings contribute new tools for large-scale analysis of ecosystem condition and natural resource policy assessment. Although applied here to forestry, these techniques have broader applications to classification and evaluation problems using crowdsourced or repurposed data for which baselines or external validations are not available.

Comparing Forests across Climates and Biomes: Qualitative Assessments, Reference Forests and Regional Intercomparisons

PubMed Central

Salk, Carl F.; Frey, Ulrich; Rusch, Hannes

2014-01-01

Communities, policy actors and conservationists benefit from understanding what institutions and land management regimes promote ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. However, the definition of success depends on local conditions. Forests' potential carbon stock, biodiversity and rate of recovery following disturbance are known to vary with a broad suite of factors including temperature, precipitation, seasonality, species' traits and land use history. Methods like tracking over-time changes within forests, or comparison with “pristine” reference forests have been proposed as means to compare the structure and biodiversity of forests in the face of underlying differences. However, data from previous visits or reference forests may be unavailable or costly to obtain. Here, we introduce a new metric of locally weighted forest intercomparison to mitigate the above shortcomings. This method is applied to an international database of nearly 300 community forests and compared with previously published techniques. It is particularly suited to large databases where forests may be compared among one another. Further, it avoids problematic comparisons with old-growth forests which may not resemble the goal of forest management. In most cases, the different methods produce broadly congruent results, suggesting that researchers have the flexibility to compare forest conditions using whatever type of data is available. Forest structure and biodiversity are shown to be independently measurable axes of forest condition, although users' and foresters' estimations of seemingly unrelated attributes are highly correlated, perhaps reflecting an underlying sentiment about forest condition. These findings contribute new tools for large-scale analysis of ecosystem condition and natural resource policy assessment. Although applied here to forestry, these techniques have broader applications to classification and evaluation problems using crowdsourced or repurposed data for which baselines or external validations are not available. PMID:24743325

Reliability and validity of the Nurse Practitioners' Roles and Competencies Scale.

PubMed

Lin, Li-Chun; Lee, Sheuan; Ueng, Steve Wen-Neng; Tang, Woung-Ru

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to test the reliability and construct validity of the Nurse Practitioners' Roles and Competencies Scale. The role of nurse practitioners has attracted international attention. The advanced nursing role played by nurse practitioners varies with national conditions and medical environments. To date, no suitable measurement tool has been available for assessing the roles and competencies of nurse practitioners in Asian countries. Secondary analysis of data from three studies related to nurse practitioners' role competencies. We analysed data from 563 valid questionnaires completed in three studies to identify the factor structure of the Nurse Practitioners' Roles and Competencies Scale. To this end, we performed exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis extraction with varimax orthogonal rotation. The internal consistency reliabilities of the overall scale and its subscales were examined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The scale had six factors: professionalism, direct care, clinical research, practical guidance, medical assistance, as well as leadership and reform. These factors explained 67·5% of the total variance in nurse practitioners' role competencies. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the overall scale was 0·98, and those of its subscales ranged from 0·83-0·97. The internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the Nurse Practitioners' Roles and Competencies Scale were good. The high internal consistency reliabilities suggest item redundancy, which should be minimised by using item response theory to enhance the applicability of this questionnaire for future academic and clinical studies. The Nurse Practitioners' Roles and Competencies Scale can be used as a tool for assessing the roles and competencies of nurse practitioners in Taiwan. Our findings can also serve as a reference for other Asian countries to develop the nurse practitioner role. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimation of land surface evapotranspiration with A satellite remote sensing procedure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irmak, A.; Ratcliffe, I.; Ranade, P.; Hubbard, K.G.; Singh, Ramesh K.; Kamble, B.; Kjaersgaard, J.

2011-01-01

There are various methods available for estimating magnitude and trends of evapotranspiration. Bowen ratio energy balance system and eddy correlation techniques offer powerful alternatives for measuring land surface evapotranspiration. In spite of the elegance, high accuracy, and theoretical attractions of these techniques for measuring evapotranspiration, their practical use over large areas can be limited due to the number of sites needed and the related expense. Application of evapotranspiration mapping from satellite measurements can overcome the limitations. The objective of this study was to utilize the METRICTM (Mapping Evapotranspiration at High Resolution using Internalized Calibration) model in Great Plains environmental settings to understand water use in managed ecosystems on a regional scale. We investigated spatiotemporal distribution of a fraction of reference evapotranspiration (ETrF) using eight Landsat 5 images during the 2005 and 2006 growing season for path 29, row 32. The ETrF maps generated by METRICTM allowed us to follow the magnitude and trend in ETrF for major land-use classes during the growing season. The ETrF was lower early in the growing season for agricultural crops and gradually increased as the normalized difference vegetation index of crops increased, thus presenting more surface area over which water could transpire toward the midseason. Comparison of predictions with Bowen ratio energy balance system measurements at Clay Center, NE, showed that METRICTM performed well at the field scale for predicting evapotranspiration from a cornfield. If calibrated properly, the model could be a viable tool to estimate water use in managed ecosystems in subhumid climates at a large scale.

Pierre Auger Observatory and Telescope Array: Joint Contributions to the 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2013)

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

Abu-Zayyad, T.; et al.

2013-10-02

Joint contributions of the Pierre Auger and Telescope Array Collaborations to the 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 2013: cross-calibration of the fluorescence telescopes, large scale anisotropies and mass composition.

International Citizenship Education Research: An Annotated Bibliography of Research Using the IEA ICCS and IEA CIVED Datasets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Ryan T.; Di Stefano, Marialuisa

2015-01-01

In November 2015, a group of researchers met to discuss the role of large-scale international studies to inform social studies research and practice. The conversation focused on published analyses of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) 1999 Civic Education study (CIVED) of 14 year olds in 28 countries,…

Lessons Learned from PISA: A Systematic Review of Peer-Reviewed Articles on the Programme for International Student Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopfenbeck, Therese N.; Lenkeit, Jenny; El Masri, Yasmine; Cantrell, Kate; Ryan, Jeanne; Baird, Jo-Anne

2018-01-01

International large-scale assessments are on the rise, with the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) seen by many as having strategic prominence in education policy debates. The present article reviews PISA-related English-language peer-reviewed articles from the programme's first cycle in 2000 to its most current in 2015. Five…

Predicting Large-scale Effects During Cookoff of Plastic-Bonded Explosives (PBX 9501 PBX 9502 and LX-14)

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

Hobbs, Michael L.; Kaneshige, Michael J.; Erikson, William W.

In this study, we have made reasonable cookoff predictions of large-scale explosive systems by using pressure-dependent kinetics determined from small-scale experiments. Scale-up is determined by properly accounting for pressure generated from gaseous decomposition products and the volume that these reactive gases occupy, e.g. trapped within the explosive, the system, or vented. The pressure effect on the decomposition rates has been determined for different explosives by using both vented and sealed experiments at low densities. Low-density explosives are usually permeable to decomposition gases and can be used in both vented and sealed configurations to determine pressure-dependent reaction rates. In contrast, explosivesmore » that are near the theoretical maximum density (TMD) are not as permeable to decomposition gases, and pressure-dependent kinetics are difficult to determine. Ignition in explosives at high densities can be predicted by using pressure-dependent rates determined from the low-density experiments as long as gas volume changes associated with bulk thermal expansion are also considered. In the current work, cookoff of the plastic-bonded explosives PBX 9501 and PBX 9502 is reviewed and new experimental work on LX-14 is presented. Reactive gases are formed inside these heated explosives causing large internal pressures. The pressure is released differently for each of these explosives. For PBX 9501, permeability is increased and internal pressure is relieved as the nitroplasticizer melts and decomposes. Internal pressure in PBX 9502 is relieved as the material is damaged by cracks and spalling. For LX-14, internal pressure is not relieved until the explosive thermally ignites. The current paper is an extension of work presented at the 26th ICDERS symposium [1].« less

Measuring ideas of persecution and social reference: the Green et al. Paranoid Thought Scales (GPTS).

PubMed

Green, C E L; Freeman, D; Kuipers, E; Bebbington, P; Fowler, D; Dunn, G; Garety, P A

2008-01-01

Paranoia is increasingly being studied in clinical and non-clinical populations. However there is no multi-dimensional measure of persecutory ideas developed for use across the general population-psychopathology continuum. This paper reports the development of such a questionnaire: the 'Green et al. Paranoid Thought Scales'. The aim was to devise a tool to assess ideas of persecution and social reference in a simple self-report format, guided by a current definition of persecutory ideation, and incorporating assessment of conviction, preoccupation and distress. A total of 353 individuals without a history of mental illness, and 50 individuals with current persecutory delusions completed a pool of paranoid items and additional measures to assess validity. Items were devised from a recent definition of persecutory delusions, current assessments of paranoia, the authors' clinical experience, and incorporated dimensions of conviction, preoccupation and distress. Test-retest reliability in the non-clinical group was assessed at 2 weeks follow-up, and clinical change in the deluded group at 6 months follow-up. Two 16-item scales were extracted, assessing ideas of social reference and persecution. Good internal consistency and validity was established for both scales and their dimensions. The scales were sensitive to clinical change. A hierarchical relationship between social reference and persecution was found. The data provide further evidence for a continuum of paranoid ideas between deluded and healthy individuals. A reliable and valid tool for assessing paranoid thoughts is presented. It will provide an effective way for researchers to ensure consistency in research and for clinicians to assess change with treatment.

Numerical methods for large-scale, time-dependent partial differential equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turkel, E.

1979-01-01

A survey of numerical methods for time dependent partial differential equations is presented. The emphasis is on practical applications to large scale problems. A discussion of new developments in high order methods and moving grids is given. The importance of boundary conditions is stressed for both internal and external flows. A description of implicit methods is presented including generalizations to multidimensions. Shocks, aerodynamics, meteorology, plasma physics and combustion applications are also briefly described.

Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-10

United Press International, December 13, 2005. Organization (SCO; see above, Regional Tensions) that stated that “as large - scale military operations...reserves, and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been among the world’s top producers of low enriched uranium. Kazakhstan had a fast breeder reactor at Aktau...Asia, Afghanistan, and eventually Pakistan and India.72 All the states of the region possess large - scale resources that could contribute to the region

Technical instrumentation R&D for ILD SiW ECAL large scale device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balagura, V.

2018-03-01

Calorimeters with silicon detectors have many unique features and are proposed for several world-leading experiments. We describe the R&D program of the large scale detector element with up to 12 000 readout channels for the International Large Detector (ILD) at the future e+e‑ ILC collider. The program is focused on the readout front-end electronics embedded inside the calorimeter. The first part with 2 000 channels and two small silicon sensors has already been constructed, the full prototype is planned for the beginning of 2018.

Identification of Social Capital on Beef Cattle Farmers Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lestari, V. S.; Sirajuddin, S. N.; Abdullah, A.

2018-02-01

Social capital plays an important role in the development of beef cattle farms in South Sulawesi. The aim of this research was to know the social capital of beef cattle farmers in South Sulawesi. Population of this research was 31 beef cattle farmers. Variable of social capital was mutual trust, norms and linkage. The data were collected from observation and depth interview by using questionnaire. There were 10 questions which were adopted from Australian Center for International Agriculture Research. The answer was scored by using Likert scale ranging from 1 refer to strongly disagree; 2 refer to disagree; 3 refer to not sure; 4 refer to agree and 5 refer to strongly agree. The data were analyzed descriptively by using frequency distribution. The research revealed that the social capital of beef cattle farmers was categorized as “high”.

Development of an instrument to understand the child protective services decision-making process, with a focus on placement decisions.

PubMed

Dettlaff, Alan J; Christopher Graham, J; Holzman, Jesse; Baumann, Donald J; Fluke, John D

2015-11-01

When children come to the attention of the child welfare system, they become involved in a decision-making process in which decisions are made that have a significant effect on their future and well-being. The decision to remove children from their families is particularly complex; yet surprisingly little is understood about this decision-making process. This paper presents the results of a study to develop an instrument to explore, at the caseworker level, the context of the removal decision, with the objective of understanding the influence of the individual and organizational factors on this decision, drawing from the Decision Making Ecology as the underlying rationale for obtaining the measures. The instrument was based on the development of decision-making scales used in prior decision-making studies and administered to child protection caseworkers in several states. Analyses included reliability analyses, principal components analyses, and inter-correlations among the resulting scales. For one scale regarding removal decisions, a principal components analysis resulted in the extraction of two components, jointly identified as caseworkers' decision-making orientation, described as (1) an internal reference to decision-making and (2) an external reference to decision-making. Reliability analyses demonstrated acceptable to high internal consistency for 9 of the 11 scales. Full details of the reliability analyses, principal components analyses, and inter-correlations among the seven scales are discussed, along with implications for practice and the utility of this instrument to support the understanding of decision-making in child welfare. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetosheath jets: MMS observations of internal structures and jet interactions with ambient plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaschke, F.; Karlsson, T.; Hietala, H.; Archer, M. O.; Voros, Z.; Nakamura, R.; Magnes, W.; Baumjohann, W.; Torbert, R. B.; Russell, C. T.; Giles, B. L.

2017-12-01

The dayside magnetosheath downstream of the quasi-parallel bow shock is commonly permeated by high-speed jets. Under low IMF cone angle conditions, large scale jets alone (with cross-sectional diameters of over 2 Earth radii) have been found to impact the subsolar magnetopause once every 6 minutes - smaller scale jets occurring much more frequently. The consequences of jet impacts on the magnetopause can be significant: they may trigger local reconnection and waves, alter radiation belt electron drift paths, disturb the geomagnetic field, and potentially generate diffuse throat aurora at the dayside ionosphere. Although some basic statistical properties of jets are well-established, their internal structure and interactions with the surrounding magnetosheath plasma are rather unknown. We present Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observations which reveal a rich jet-internal structure of high-amplitude plasma moment and magnetic field variations and associated currents. These variations/structures are generally found to be in thermal and magnetic pressure balance; they mostly (but not always) convect with the plasma flow. Small velocity differences between plasma and structures are revealed via four-spacecraft timing analysis. Inside a jet core region, where the plasma velocity maximizes, structures are found to propagate forward (i.e., with the jet), whereas backward propagation is found outside that core region. Although super-magnetosonic flows are detected by MMS in the spacecraft frame of reference, no fast shock is seen as the jet plasma is sub-magnetosonic with respect to the ambient magnetosheath plasma. Instead, the fast jet plasma pushes ambient magnetosheath plasma ahead of the jet out of the way, possibly generating anomalous sunward flows in the vicinity, and modifies the magnetic field aligning it with the direction of jet propagation.

Brazil: Rondonia

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2016-12-30

... Places where clouds or other factors precluded an aerosol retrieval are shown in dark grey.   The main measurement site for the ... within World Reference System-2 path 231.   Further information about the CLAIRE campaign, and the Large-scale-Biosphere-Atmosphere ...

Moon-based visibility analysis for the observation of “The Belt and Road”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

REN, Yuanzhen; GUO, Huadong; LIU, Guang; YE, Hanlin; DING, Yixing; RUAN, Zhixing; LV, Mingyang

2016-11-01

Aiming at promoting the economic prosperity and regional economic cooperation, the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” (hereinafter referred to as the Belt and Road) was raised. To get a better understanding of “the Belt and Road” whole region, considering the large-scale characteristic, the Moon platform is a good choice. In this paper, the ephemeris is taken as data source and the positions and attitudes of Sun, Earth and Moon are obtained based on the reference systems transformation. Then we construct a simplified observation model and calculate the spatial and angular visibility of the Moon platform for “the Belt and Road” region. It turns out that Moon-based observation of this region shows a good performance of spatial visibility and variable angular visibility, indicating the Moon being a new potential platform for large-scale Earth observation.

Recent developments in the field of environmental reference materials at the JRC Ispra.

PubMed

Muntau, H

2001-06-01

The production of reference materials for environmental analysis started in the Joint Research Centre at Ispra/Italy in 1972 with the objective of later certification by the BCR, but for obvious budget reasons only a fraction of the total production achieved at Ispra ever reached certification level, although all materials were produced according to the severe quality requirements requested for certified reference materials. Therefore, the materials not destinated to certification are in growing demand as inter-laboratory test materials and as laboratory reference materials, for internal quality control, e.g., by control charts. The history of reference material production within the Joint Research Centre is briefly reviewed and the latest additions described. New developments such as micro-scale reference materials intended for analytical methods requiring sample intakes at milligram or sub-milligram level and therefor not finding supply on the reference material market, and "wet" environmental reference materials, which meet more precisely the "real-world" environmental analysis conditions, are presented and the state-of-the-art discussed.

A comparison of working in small-scale and large-scale nursing homes: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence.

PubMed

Vermeerbergen, Lander; Van Hootegem, Geert; Benders, Jos

2017-02-01

Ongoing shortages of care workers, together with an ageing population, make it of utmost importance to increase the quality of working life in nursing homes. Since the 1970s, normalised and small-scale nursing homes have been increasingly introduced to provide care in a family and homelike environment, potentially providing a richer work life for care workers as well as improved living conditions for residents. 'Normalised' refers to the opportunities given to residents to live in a manner as close as possible to the everyday life of persons not needing care. The study purpose is to provide a synthesis and overview of empirical research comparing the quality of working life - together with related work and health outcomes - of professional care workers in normalised small-scale nursing homes as compared to conventional large-scale ones. A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. A systematic literature search (April 2015) was performed using the electronic databases Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Web of Science. References and citations were tracked to identify additional, relevant studies. We identified 825 studies in the selected databases. After checking the inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine studies were selected for review. Two additional studies were selected after reference and citation tracking. Three studies were excluded after requesting more information on the research setting. The findings from the individual studies suggest that levels of job control and job demands (all but "time pressure") are higher in normalised small-scale homes than in conventional large-scale nursing homes. Additionally, some studies suggested that social support and work motivation are higher, while risks of burnout and mental strain are lower, in normalised small-scale nursing homes. Other studies found no differences or even opposing findings. The studies reviewed showed that these inconclusive findings can be attributed to care workers in some normalised small-scale homes experiencing isolation and too high job demands in their work roles. This systematic review suggests that normalised small-scale homes are a good starting point for creating a higher quality of working life in the nursing home sector. Higher job control enables care workers to manage higher job demands in normalised small-scale homes. However, some jobs would benefit from interventions to address care workers' perceptions of too low social support and of too high job demands. More research is needed to examine strategies to enhance these working life issues in normalised small-scale settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Policy Impact of PISA on Mathematics Education: The Case of Norway

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nortvedt, Guri A.

2018-01-01

This article addresses the policy implications of participation in international large-scale assessments (ILSAs), particularly the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and the ways in which such implications might influence mathematics education. Taking Norway as a special case, this discussion focuses on insights into teaching,…

Relationships of New Teachers' Beliefs and Instructional Practices: Comparisons across Four Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Qingmin; Zhang, Shaoan; Lin, Emily

2014-01-01

Drawing on large-scale international teachers' data from Hungary, Korea, Norway, and Turkey in the Teaching and Learning International Survey in 2008 assessment, this study examined the relationships between new teachers' beliefs about instruction (direct transmission and constructivist beliefs) and teaching practices (structured, student…

The Role of Divisional Principals in Teacher Retention in East African International Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winnard, Nigel J.

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen large-scale growth in the international school sector, with schools reporting increasing competition to recruit and retain expatriate teachers, particularly in hardship locations. Using a gap analysis framework (Clark & Estes, 2008), this study seeks to identify the knowledge, motivational, and organizational factors…

[Internal consistency and criterion validity and reliability of the Mexican Version of the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5)].

PubMed

Albores-Gallo, Lilia; Hernández-Guzmán, Laura; Hasfura-Buenaga, Cecilia; Navarro-Luna, Enrique

To investigate the validity and internal consistency of the Mexican version of the CBCL/1.5 -5 that assesses the most common psychopathology in pre-school children in clinical and epidemiological settings. A total of 438 parents from two groups, clinical-psychiatric (N= 62) and community (N= 376) completed the CBCL/1.5-5/Mexican version. The internal consistency was high for total problems α=0.95, and internalized α=0.89 and externalized α=0.91 subscales. The test re-test (one week) using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was ≥ 0.95 for the internalized, externalized, and total problems subscales. The ROC curve for the criterion status of clinically-referred vs. non-referred using the total problems scale ≥ 24 resulted in an AUC (area under curve) of 0.77, a specificity 0.73, and a sensitivity of 0.70. The CBCL/1.5 -5/Mexican version is a reliable and valid tool. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Science Diplomacy in Large International Collaborations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barish, Barry C.

2011-04-01

What opportunities and challenges does the rapidly growing internationalization of science, especially large scale science and technology projects, present for US science policy? On one hand, the interchange of scientists, the sharing of technology and facilities and the working together on common scientific goals promotes better understanding and better science. On the other hand, challenges are presented, because the science cannot be divorced from government policies, and solutions must be found for issues varying from visas to making reliable international commitments.

Lunar and Planetary Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basilevsky, Alexander T.

2018-05-01

Lunar and planetary geology can be described using examples such as the geology of Earth (as the reference case) and geologies of the Earth's satellite the Moon; the planets Mercury, Mars and Venus; the satellite of Saturn Enceladus; the small stony asteroid Eros; and the nucleus of the comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Each body considered is illustrated by its global view, with information given as to its position in the solar system, size, surface, environment including gravity acceleration and properties of its atmosphere if it is present, typical landforms and processes forming them, materials composing these landforms, information on internal structure of the body, stages of its geologic evolution in the form of stratigraphic scale, and estimates of the absolute ages of the stratigraphic units. Information about one body may be applied to another body and this, in particular, has led to the discovery of the existence of heavy "meteoritic" bombardment in the early history of the solar system, which should also significantly affect Earth. It has been shown that volcanism and large-scale tectonics may have not only been an internal source of energy in the form of radiogenic decay of potassium, uranium and thorium, but also an external source in the form of gravity tugging caused by attractions of the neighboring bodies. The knowledge gained by lunar and planetary geology is important for planning and managing space missions and for the practical exploration of other bodies of the solar system and establishing manned outposts on them.

Acoustic nonreciprocity in a lattice incorporating nonlinearity, asymmetry, and internal scale hierarchy: Experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunyan, Jonathan; Moore, Keegan J.; Mojahed, Alireza; Fronk, Matthew D.; Leamy, Michael; Tawfick, Sameh; Vakakis, Alexander F.

2018-05-01

In linear time-invariant systems acoustic reciprocity holds by the Onsager-Casimir principle of microscopic reversibility, and it can be broken only by odd external biases, nonlinearities, or time-dependent properties. Recently it was shown that one-dimensional lattices composed of a finite number of identical nonlinear cells with internal scale hierarchy and asymmetry exhibit nonreciprocity both locally and globally. Considering a single cell composed of a large scale nonlinearly coupled to a small scale, local dynamic nonreciprocity corresponds to vibration energy transfer from the large to the small scale, but absence of energy transfer (and localization) from the small to the large scale. This has been recently proven both theoretically and experimentally. Then, considering the entire lattice, global acoustic nonreciprocity has been recently proven theoretically, corresponding to preferential energy transfer within the lattice under transient excitation applied at one of its boundaries, and absence of similar energy transfer (and localization) when the excitation is applied at its other boundary. This work provides experimental validation of the global acoustic nonreciprocity with a one-dimensional asymmetric lattice composed of three cells, with each cell incorporating nonlinearly coupled large and small scales. Due to the intentional asymmetry of the lattice, low impulsive excitations applied to one of its boundaries result in wave transmission through the lattice, whereas when the same excitations are applied to the other end, they lead in energy localization at the boundary and absence of wave transmission. This global nonreciprocity depends critically on energy (i.e., the intensity of the applied impulses), and reduced-order models recover the nonreciprocal acoustics and clarify the nonlinear mechanism generating nonreciprocity in this system.

What Will the Neighbors Think? Building Large-Scale Science Projects Around the World

ScienceCinema

Jones, Craig; Mrotzek, Christian; Toge, Nobu; Sarno, Doug

2017-12-22

Public participation is an essential ingredient for turning the International Linear Collider into a reality. Wherever the proposed particle accelerator is sited in the world, its neighbors -- in any country -- will have something to say about hosting a 35-kilometer-long collider in their backyards. When it comes to building large-scale physics projects, almost every laboratory has a story to tell. Three case studies from Japan, Germany and the US will be presented to examine how community relations are handled in different parts of the world. How do particle physics laboratories interact with their local communities? How do neighbors react to building large-scale projects in each region? How can the lessons learned from past experiences help in building the next big project? These and other questions will be discussed to engage the audience in an active dialogue about how a large-scale project like the ILC can be a good neighbor.

Large-scale standardized phenotyping of strawberry in RosBREED

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A large, multi-institutional, international, research project with the goal of bringing genomicists and plant breeders together was funded by USDA-NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative. Apple, cherry, peach, and strawberry are the Rosaceous crops included in the project. Many (900+) strawberry g...

Flare angles measured with ball gage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cleghorn, D.; Wall, W. A.

1968-01-01

Precision tungsten carbide balls measure the internal angle of flared joints. Measurements from small and large balls in the flare throat to an external reference point are made. The difference in distances and diameters determine the average slope of the flare between the points of ball contact.

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Conflict: Relative Status-Field Theory, TT Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents the computer printout of an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents data on the application of discriminant function analysis to 'topdog'…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Conflict: Relative Status-Field Theory, TU Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents the computer printout of an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents data on the application of discriminant function analysis to combined…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Cooperation: Relative Status-Field Theory, UU Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents the computer printout of data on the application of second stage factor analysis of 'underdog'…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Cooperation, UT Behavior, 1966-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Computer printout of the analysis is included. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Cooperation: Relative Status-Field Theory, UT Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents the computer printout of an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents data on the application of discriminant function analysis of combined…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Conflict: Relative Status-Field Theory, UU Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents the computer printout of an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents data on the application of discriminant function analysis of 'underdog'…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Cooperation: Relative Status-Field Theory, TU Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents the computer printout of an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents data on the application of discriminant function analysis to combined…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Conflict: Relative Status-Field Theory, UT Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents the computer printout of an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents data on the application of second stage factor analysis of combined…

A Discrete Constraint for Entropy Conservation and Sound Waves in Cloud-Resolving Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeng, Xi-Ping; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Simpson, Joanne

2003-01-01

Ideal cloud-resolving models contain little-accumulative errors. When their domain is so large that synoptic large-scale circulations are accommodated, they can be used for the simulation of the interaction between convective clouds and the large-scale circulations. This paper sets up a framework for the models, using moist entropy as a prognostic variable and employing conservative numerical schemes. The models possess no accumulative errors of thermodynamic variables when they comply with a discrete constraint on entropy conservation and sound waves. Alternatively speaking, the discrete constraint is related to the correct representation of the large-scale convergence and advection of moist entropy. Since air density is involved in entropy conservation and sound waves, the challenge is how to compute sound waves efficiently under the constraint. To address the challenge, a compensation method is introduced on the basis of a reference isothermal atmosphere whose governing equations are solved analytically. Stability analysis and numerical experiments show that the method allows the models to integrate efficiently with a large time step.

Hydropower and sustainability: resilience and vulnerability in China's powersheds.

PubMed

McNally, Amy; Magee, Darrin; Wolf, Aaron T

2009-07-01

Large dams represent a whole complex of social, economic and ecological processes, perhaps more than any other large infrastructure project. Today, countries with rapidly developing economies are constructing new dams to provide energy and flood control to growing populations in riparian and distant urban communities. If the system is lacking institutional capacity to absorb these physical and institutional changes there is potential for conflict, thereby threatening human security. In this paper, we propose analyzing sustainability (political, socioeconomic, and ecological) in terms of resilience versus vulnerability, framed within the spatial abstraction of a powershed. The powershed framework facilitates multi-scalar and transboundary analysis while remaining focused on the questions of resilience and vulnerability relating to hydropower dams. Focusing on examples from China, this paper describes the complex nature of dams using the sustainability and powershed frameworks. We then analyze the roles of institutions in China to understand the relationships between power, human security and the socio-ecological system. To inform the study of conflicts over dams China is a particularly useful case study because we can examine what happens at the international, national and local scales. The powershed perspective allows us to examine resilience and vulnerability across political boundaries from a dynamic, process-defined analytical scale while remaining focused on a host of questions relating to hydro-development that invoke drivers and impacts on national and sub-national scales. The ability to disaggregate the affects of hydropower dam construction from political boundaries allows for a deeper analysis of resilience and vulnerability. From our analysis we find that reforms in China's hydropower sector since 1996 have been motivated by the need to create stability at the national scale rather than resilient solutions to China's growing demand for energy and water resource control at the local and international scales. Some measures that improved economic development through the market economy and a combination of dam construction and institutional reform may indeed improve hydro-political resilience at a single scale. However, if China does address large-scale hydropower construction's potential to create multi-scale geopolitical tensions, they may be vulnerable to conflict - though not necessarily violent - in domestic and international political arenas. We conclude with a look toward a resilient basin institution for the Nu/Salween River, the site of a proposed large-scale hydropower development effort in China and Myanmar.

Estimation of reference intervals from small samples: an example using canine plasma creatinine.

PubMed

Geffré, A; Braun, J P; Trumel, C; Concordet, D

2009-12-01

According to international recommendations, reference intervals should be determined from at least 120 reference individuals, which often are impossible to achieve in veterinary clinical pathology, especially for wild animals. When only a small number of reference subjects is available, the possible bias cannot be known and the normality of the distribution cannot be evaluated. A comparison of reference intervals estimated by different methods could be helpful. The purpose of this study was to compare reference limits determined from a large set of canine plasma creatinine reference values, and large subsets of this data, with estimates obtained from small samples selected randomly. Twenty sets each of 120 and 27 samples were randomly selected from a set of 1439 plasma creatinine results obtained from healthy dogs in another study. Reference intervals for the whole sample and for the large samples were determined by a nonparametric method. The estimated reference limits for the small samples were minimum and maximum, mean +/- 2 SD of native and Box-Cox-transformed values, 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles by a robust method on native and Box-Cox-transformed values, and estimates from diagrams of cumulative distribution functions. The whole sample had a heavily skewed distribution, which approached Gaussian after Box-Cox transformation. The reference limits estimated from small samples were highly variable. The closest estimates to the 1439-result reference interval for 27-result subsamples were obtained by both parametric and robust methods after Box-Cox transformation but were grossly erroneous in some cases. For small samples, it is recommended that all values be reported graphically in a dot plot or histogram and that estimates of the reference limits be compared using different methods.

The numerics of hydrostatic structured-grid coastal ocean models: State of the art and future perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klingbeil, Knut; Lemarié, Florian; Debreu, Laurent; Burchard, Hans

2018-05-01

The state of the art of the numerics of hydrostatic structured-grid coastal ocean models is reviewed here. First, some fundamental differences in the hydrodynamics of the coastal ocean, such as the large surface elevation variation compared to the mean water depth, are contrasted against large scale ocean dynamics. Then the hydrodynamic equations as they are used in coastal ocean models as well as in large scale ocean models are presented, including parameterisations for turbulent transports. As steps towards discretisation, coordinate transformations and spatial discretisations based on a finite-volume approach are discussed with focus on the specific requirements for coastal ocean models. As in large scale ocean models, splitting of internal and external modes is essential also for coastal ocean models, but specific care is needed when drying & flooding of intertidal flats is included. As one obvious characteristic of coastal ocean models, open boundaries occur and need to be treated in a way that correct model forcing from outside is transmitted to the model domain without reflecting waves from the inside. Here, also new developments in two-way nesting are presented. Single processes such as internal inertia-gravity waves, advection and turbulence closure models are discussed with focus on the coastal scales. Some overview on existing hydrostatic structured-grid coastal ocean models is given, including their extensions towards non-hydrostatic models. Finally, an outlook on future perspectives is made.

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

Daleu, C. L.; Plant, R. S.; Woolnough, S. J.

Here, as part of an international intercomparison project, a set of single-column models (SCMs) and cloud-resolving models (CRMs) are run under the weak-temperature gradient (WTG) method and the damped gravity wave (DGW) method. For each model, the implementation of the WTG or DGW method involves a simulated column which is coupled to a reference state defined with profiles obtained from the same model in radiative-convective equilibrium. The simulated column has the same surface conditions as the reference state and is initialized with profiles from the reference state. We performed systematic comparison of the behavior of different models under a consistentmore » implementation of the WTG method and the DGW method and systematic comparison of the WTG and DGW methods in models with different physics and numerics. CRMs and SCMs produce a variety of behaviors under both WTG and DGW methods. Some of the models reproduce the reference state while others sustain a large-scale circulation which results in either substantially lower or higher precipitation compared to the value of the reference state. CRMs show a fairly linear relationship between precipitation and circulation strength. SCMs display a wider range of behaviors than CRMs. Some SCMs under the WTG method produce zero precipitation. Within an individual SCM, a DGW simulation and a corresponding WTG simulation can produce different signed circulation. When initialized with a dry troposphere, DGW simulations always result in a precipitating equilibrium state. The greatest sensitivities to the initial moisture conditions occur for multiple stable equilibria in some WTG simulations, corresponding to either a dry equilibrium state when initialized as dry or a precipitating equilibrium state when initialized as moist. Multiple equilibria are seen in more WTG simulations for higher SST. In some models, the existence of multiple equilibria is sensitive to some parameters in the WTG calculations.« less

Internal variability of fine-scale components of meteorological fields in extended-range limited-area model simulations with atmospheric and surface nudging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Separovic, Leo; Husain, Syed Zahid; Yu, Wei

2015-09-01

Internal variability (IV) in dynamical downscaling with limited-area models (LAMs) represents a source of error inherent to the downscaled fields, which originates from the sensitive dependence of the models to arbitrarily small modifications. If IV is large it may impose the need for probabilistic verification of the downscaled information. Atmospheric spectral nudging (ASN) can reduce IV in LAMs as it constrains the large-scale components of LAM fields in the interior of the computational domain and thus prevents any considerable penetration of sensitively dependent deviations into the range of large scales. Using initial condition ensembles, the present study quantifies the impact of ASN on IV in LAM simulations in the range of fine scales that are not controlled by spectral nudging. Four simulation configurations that all include strong ASN but differ in the nudging settings are considered. In the fifth configuration, grid nudging of land surface variables toward high-resolution surface analyses is applied. The results show that the IV at scales larger than 300 km can be suppressed by selecting an appropriate ASN setup. At scales between 300 and 30 km, however, in all configurations, the hourly near-surface temperature, humidity, and winds are only partly reproducible. Nudging the land surface variables is found to have the potential to significantly reduce IV, particularly for fine-scale temperature and humidity. On the other hand, hourly precipitation accumulations at these scales are generally irreproducible in all configurations, and probabilistic approach to downscaling is therefore recommended.

Paleo movement of continents since 300 Ma, mantle dynamics and large wander of the rotational pole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greff-Lefftz, Marianne; Besse, Jean

2012-09-01

Apparent polar wander (APW) is known to be mainly linked to internal mass distribution changes and in particular to changes in subduction and large-scale upwellings in the mantle. We investigate plate motions during the last 410 million years in a reference frame where Africa is fixed. Indeed, Africa has remained a central plate from which most continents diverged since the break-up of Pangea. The exact amount of subduction is unknown prior to 120 Ma. We propose an approach, based on one hand on the study of the past subduction volcanism to locate ancient subduction activity, and on the other hand microplate motion history in the Tethyan area derived from geology and paleomagnetism. The peri-Pacific subductions seem to be a quasi-permanent feature of the Earth's history at least since the Paleozoic, with however localized interruptions. The “Tethyan” subductions have a complex history with successive collisions of continental blocs (Hercynian, Indo-Sinian, Alpine and Himalayan) and episodical rebirth of E-W subduction trending zones. Assuming that subducted slabs sink vertically into the mantle and taking into account large-scale upwellings derived from present-day tomography and intra-plate volcanism in the past, we compute the time variation of mantle density heterogeneities since 280 Ma. Due to conservation of the angular momentum of the Earth, the temporal evolution of the rotational axis is computed in a mantle reference frame where the Africa plate is fixed, and compared to the apparent polar wander (APW) observed by paleomagnetism since 280 Ma. We find that a major trend of both paleomagnetic and computed APW are successive oscillatory clockwise or counter-clockwise motions, with tracks separated by abrupt cusps (around 230 Ma, 190 Ma and 140-110 Ma). We find that cusps result from earlier major geodynamic events: the 230 Ma cusp is related to the end of active subduction due to the closure of the Rheic Ocean basin after the Hercynian continental collision (340-300 Ma) and to renewed subduction zone West of Laurentia, whereas the 190 Ma cusp results from the Indo-Sinian collision (270-230 Ma) and the subsequent end of the Neo-Tethys ocean subduction.

Development and validation of a stock addiction inventory (SAI).

PubMed

Youn, HyunChul; Choi, Jung-Seok; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, Sam-Wook

2016-01-01

Investing in financial markets is promoted and protected by the government as an essential economic activity, but can turn into a gambling addiction problem. Until now, few scales have widely been used to identify gambling addicts in financial markets. This study aimed to develop a self-rating scale to distinguish them. In addition, the reliability and validity of the stock addiction inventory (SAI) were demonstrated. A set of questionnaires, including the SAI, south oaks gambling screen (SOGS), and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, for gambling disorder was completed by 1005 participants. Factor analysis, internal consistency testing, t tests, analysis of variance, and partial correlation analysis were conducted to verify the reliability and validity of SAI. The factor analysis results showed the final SAI consisting of two factors and nine items. The internal consistency and concurrent validity of SAI were verified. The Cronbach's α for the total scale was 0.892, and the SAI and its factors were significantly correlated with SOGS. This study developed a specific scale for financial market investments or trading; this scale proved to be reliable and valid. Our scale expands the understanding of gambling addiction in financial markets and provides a diagnostic reference.

Measuring Risk Perception in Later Life: The Perceived Risk Scale.

PubMed

Lifshitz, Rinat; Nimrod, Galit; Bachner, Yaacov G

2016-11-01

Risk perception is a subjective assessment of the actual or potential threat to one's life or, more broadly, to one's psychological well-being. Given the various risks associated with later life, a valid and reliable integrative screening tool for assessing risk perception among the elderly is warranted. The study examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of a new integrative risk perception instrument, the Perceived Risk Scale. This eight-item measure refers to various risks simultaneously, including terror, health issues, traffic accidents, violence, and financial loss, and was developed specifically for older adults. An online survey was conducted with 306 participants aged 50 years and older. The scale was examined using exploratory factor analysis and concurrent validity testing. Factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure: later-life risks and terror risks A high percentage of explained variance, as well as internal consistency, was found for the entire scale and for both factors. Concurrent validity was supported by significant positive associations with participants' depression and negative correlations with their life satisfaction. These findings suggest that the Perceived Risk Scale is internally reliable, valid, and appropriate for evaluating risk perception in later life. The scale's potential applications are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Investigation of scale effects in the TRF determined by VLBI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahl, Daniel; Heinkelmann, Robert; Schuh, Harald

2017-04-01

The improvement of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) is of great significance for Earth sciences and one of the major tasks in geodesy. The translation, rotation and the scale-factor, as well as their linear rates, are solved in a 14-parameter transformation between individual frames of each space geodetic technique and the combined frame. In ITRF2008, as well as in the current release ITRF2014, the scale-factor is provided by Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) in equal shares. Since VLBI measures extremely precise group delays that are transformed to baseline lengths by the velocity of light, a natural constant, VLBI is the most suitable method for providing the scale. The aim of the current work is to identify possible shortcomings in the VLBI scale contribution to ITRF2008. For developing recommendations for an enhanced estimation, scale effects in the Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) determined with VLBI are considered in detail and compared to ITRF2008. In contrast to station coordinates, where the scale is defined by a geocentric position vector, pointing from the origin of the reference frame to the station, baselines are not related to the origin. They are describing the absolute scale independently from the datum. The more accurate a baseline length, and consequently the scale, is estimated by VLBI, the better the scale contribution to the ITRF. Considering time series of baseline length between different stations, a non-linear periodic signal can clearly be recognized, caused by seasonal effects at observation sites. Modeling these seasonal effects and subtracting them from the original data enhances the repeatability of single baselines significantly. Other effects influencing the scale strongly, are jumps in the time series of baseline length, mainly evoked by major earthquakes. Co- and post-seismic effects can be identified in the data, having a non-linear character likewise. Modeling the non-linear motion or completely excluding affected stations is another important step for an improved scale determination. In addition to the investigation of single baseline repeatabilities also the spatial transformation, which is performed for determining parameters of the ITRF2008, are considered. Since the reliability of the resulting transformation parameters is higher the more identical points are used in the transformation, an approach where all possible stations are used as control points is comprehensible. Experiments that examine the scale-factor and its spatial behavior between control points in ITRF2008 and coordinates determined by VLBI only showed that the network geometry has a large influence on the outcome as well. Introducing an unequally distributed network for the datum configuration, the correlations between translation parameters and the scale-factor can become remarkably high. Only a homogeneous spatial distribution of participating stations yields a maximally uncorrelated scale-factor that can be interpreted independent from other parameters. In the current release of the ITRF, the ITRF2014, for the first time, non-linear effects in the time series of station coordinates are taken into account. The present work shows the importance and the right direction of the modification of the ITRF calculation. But also further improvements were found which lead to an enhanced scale determination.

The PREP pipeline: standardized preprocessing for large-scale EEG analysis.

PubMed

Bigdely-Shamlo, Nima; Mullen, Tim; Kothe, Christian; Su, Kyung-Min; Robbins, Kay A

2015-01-01

The technology to collect brain imaging and physiological measures has become portable and ubiquitous, opening the possibility of large-scale analysis of real-world human imaging. By its nature, such data is large and complex, making automated processing essential. This paper shows how lack of attention to the very early stages of an EEG preprocessing pipeline can reduce the signal-to-noise ratio and introduce unwanted artifacts into the data, particularly for computations done in single precision. We demonstrate that ordinary average referencing improves the signal-to-noise ratio, but that noisy channels can contaminate the results. We also show that identification of noisy channels depends on the reference and examine the complex interaction of filtering, noisy channel identification, and referencing. We introduce a multi-stage robust referencing scheme to deal with the noisy channel-reference interaction. We propose a standardized early-stage EEG processing pipeline (PREP) and discuss the application of the pipeline to more than 600 EEG datasets. The pipeline includes an automatically generated report for each dataset processed. Users can download the PREP pipeline as a freely available MATLAB library from http://eegstudy.org/prepcode.

Avoiding and tolerating latency in large-scale next-generation shared-memory multiprocessors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Probst, David K.

1993-01-01

A scalable solution to the memory-latency problem is necessary to prevent the large latencies of synchronization and memory operations inherent in large-scale shared-memory multiprocessors from reducing high performance. We distinguish latency avoidance and latency tolerance. Latency is avoided when data is brought to nearby locales for future reference. Latency is tolerated when references are overlapped with other computation. Latency-avoiding locales include: processor registers, data caches used temporally, and nearby memory modules. Tolerating communication latency requires parallelism, allowing the overlap of communication and computation. Latency-tolerating techniques include: vector pipelining, data caches used spatially, prefetching in various forms, and multithreading in various forms. Relaxing the consistency model permits increased use of avoidance and tolerance techniques. Each model is a mapping from the program text to sets of partial orders on program operations; it is a convention about which temporal precedences among program operations are necessary. Information about temporal locality and parallelism constrains the use of avoidance and tolerance techniques. Suitable architectural primitives and compiler technology are required to exploit the increased freedom to reorder and overlap operations in relaxed models.

Multi-scale graph-cut algorithm for efficient water-fat separation.

PubMed

Berglund, Johan; Skorpil, Mikael

2017-09-01

To improve the accuracy and robustness to noise in water-fat separation by unifying the multiscale and graph cut based approaches to B 0 -correction. A previously proposed water-fat separation algorithm that corrects for B 0 field inhomogeneity in 3D by a single quadratic pseudo-Boolean optimization (QPBO) graph cut was incorporated into a multi-scale framework, where field map solutions are propagated from coarse to fine scales for voxels that are not resolved by the graph cut. The accuracy of the single-scale and multi-scale QPBO algorithms was evaluated against benchmark reference datasets. The robustness to noise was evaluated by adding noise to the input data prior to water-fat separation. Both algorithms achieved the highest accuracy when compared with seven previously published methods, while computation times were acceptable for implementation in clinical routine. The multi-scale algorithm was more robust to noise than the single-scale algorithm, while causing only a small increase (+10%) of the reconstruction time. The proposed 3D multi-scale QPBO algorithm offers accurate water-fat separation, robustness to noise, and fast reconstruction. The software implementation is freely available to the research community. Magn Reson Med 78:941-949, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

[Psychometric properties of an instrument to evaluate the nurse attitude towards good practice guides].

PubMed

López-Díaz, Cristina; Fraille-Calle, Luis; Herrero-Rosado, Marta; Arnés-Muñoz, Vanessa; De-Dios-De-Dios, Teresa

2016-01-01

The Guides of Good Practices (GGP) are necessary tools in the universal healthcare and in the clinical management, providing the user/patient with a major quality in the assistance, in order to optimize and reinforce an individualized attention into action, taking into account the best scientific evidence. The literature provides different references to the development of the GGP, but there is little knowledge about the attitude of professionals towards them, since most of the studies that exist are qualitative. Therefore, the aim of this work is to construct and validate a Likert scale which could assess the attitude of the nurse towards GGP. The methodology used was quantitative, descriptive, cross, opinion, anonymous and also it could validate a scale via the following measurements: content validation by experts, correlation between items, external reliability, internal consistency, stability and exploratory factor analysis. The result was a scale consisting of 20 items that refer to the attitude toward the GGP, with a percentage of agreement among experts over 75 % on all the items, and a significant Pearson correlation between the pre-test and post-test in all variables, but for three. The internal consistency measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.878. These results are acceptable in terms of the psychometric characteristics of the instrument, with easy and fast administration and simple in their interpretation, allowing quantifying and generating knowledge about the attitudes of nurses towards GGP.

How to Construct an Organizational Field: Empirical Educational Research in Germany, 1995-2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zapp, Mike; Powell, Justin J. W.

2016-01-01

Over the past two decades, educational research in Germany has undergone unprecedented changes. Following large-scale assessments such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and a political interest in evidence-based policy-making, quality assessment and…

Steering the National: Exploring the Education Policy Uses of PISA in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engel, Laura C.

2015-01-01

This article presents findings from a recent study of the education policy uses and impact of international large-scale assessments, namely the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The paper focuses on two overlapping dimensions of PISA's education policy use in the context of Spain. These include political dimensions, such as…

Improving the Comparability and Local Usefulness of International Assessments: A Look Back and a Way Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutkowski, Leslie; Rutkowski, David

2018-01-01

Over time international large-scale assessments have grown in terms of number of studies, cycles, and participating countries, many of which are a heterogeneous mix of economies, languages, cultures, and geography. This heterogeneity has meaningful consequences for comparably measuring both achievement and non-achievement constructs, such as…

Contextualizing South Africa's Participation in the SITES 2006 Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blignaut, Seugnet; Els, Christo; Howie, Sarah

2010-01-01

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) initiated the Second International Technology in Education Study (SITES 2006)--a large-scale comparative survey on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in schools. The goal was to understand the pedagogical use of ICTs in schools in 22…

Education as eHealth Infrastructure: Considerations in Advancing a National Agenda for eHealth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilberts, Sonya; Gray, Kathleen

2014-01-01

This paper explores the role of education as infrastructure in large-scale ehealth strategies--in theory, in international practice and in one national case study. Education is often invisible in the documentation of ehealth infrastructure. Nevertheless a review of international practice shows that there is significant educational investment made…

The Development of Complex Problem Solving in Adolescence: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frischkorn, Gidon T.; Greiff, Samuel; Wüstenberg, Sascha

2014-01-01

Complex problem solving (CPS) as a cross-curricular competence has recently attracted more attention in educational psychology as indicated by its implementation in international educational large-scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment. However, research on the development of CPS is scarce, and the few…

Large eddy simulations of compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grete, Philipp

2017-02-01

Supersonic, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence is thought to play an important role in many processes - especially in astrophysics, where detailed three-dimensional observations are scarce. Simulations can partially fill this gap and help to understand these processes. However, direct simulations with realistic parameters are often not feasible. Consequently, large eddy simulations (LES) have emerged as a viable alternative. In LES the overall complexity is reduced by simulating only large and intermediate scales directly. The smallest scales, usually referred to as subgrid-scales (SGS), are introduced to the simulation by means of an SGS model. Thus, the overall quality of an LES with respect to properly accounting for small-scale physics crucially depends on the quality of the SGS model. While there has been a lot of successful research on SGS models in the hydrodynamic regime for decades, SGS modeling in MHD is a rather recent topic, in particular, in the compressible regime. In this thesis, we derive and validate a new nonlinear MHD SGS model that explicitly takes compressibility effects into account. A filter is used to separate the large and intermediate scales, and it is thought to mimic finite resolution effects. In the derivation, we use a deconvolution approach on the filter kernel. With this approach, we are able to derive nonlinear closures for all SGS terms in MHD: the turbulent Reynolds and Maxwell stresses, and the turbulent electromotive force (EMF). We validate the new closures both a priori and a posteriori. In the a priori tests, we use high-resolution reference data of stationary, homogeneous, isotropic MHD turbulence to compare exact SGS quantities against predictions by the closures. The comparison includes, for example, correlations of turbulent fluxes, the average dissipative behavior, and alignment of SGS vectors such as the EMF. In order to quantify the performance of the new nonlinear closure, this comparison is conducted from the subsonic (sonic Mach number M s ≈ 0.2) to the highly supersonic (M s ≈ 20) regime, and against other SGS closures. The latter include established closures of eddy-viscosity and scale-similarity type. In all tests and over the entire parameter space, we find that the proposed closures are (significantly) closer to the reference data than the other closures. In the a posteriori tests, we perform large eddy simulations of decaying, supersonic MHD turbulence with initial M s ≈ 3. We implemented closures of all types, i.e. of eddy-viscosity, scale-similarity and nonlinear type, as an SGS model and evaluated their performance in comparison to simulations without a model (and at higher resolution). We find that the models need to be calculated on a scale larger than the grid scale, e.g. by an explicit filter, to have an influence on the dynamics at all. Furthermore, we show that only the proposed nonlinear closure improves higher-order statistics.

Advances and trends in computational structural mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, A. K.

1986-01-01

Recent developments in computational structural mechanics are reviewed with reference to computational needs for future structures technology, advances in computational models for material behavior, discrete element technology, assessment and control of numerical simulations of structural response, hybrid analysis, and techniques for large-scale optimization. Research areas in computational structural mechanics which have high potential for meeting future technological needs are identified. These include prediction and analysis of the failure of structural components made of new materials, development of computational strategies and solution methodologies for large-scale structural calculations, and assessment of reliability and adaptive improvement of response predictions.

Education Highlights: Forest Biomass

ScienceCinema

Barone, Rachel; Canter, Christina

2018-06-25

Argonne intern Rachel Barone from Ithaca College worked with Argonne mentor Christina Canter in studying forest biomass. This research will help scientists develop large scale use of biofuels from forest biomass.

Education Highlights: Forest Biomass

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

Barone, Rachel; Canter, Christina

2016-01-27

Argonne intern Rachel Barone from Ithaca College worked with Argonne mentor Christina Canter in studying forest biomass. This research will help scientists develop large scale use of biofuels from forest biomass.

Background | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

The term "proteomics" refers to a large-scale comprehensive study of a specific proteome resulting from its genome, including abundances of proteins, their variations and modifications, and interacting partners and networks in order to understand cellular processes involved.  Similarly, “Cancer proteomics” refers to comprehensive analyses of proteins and their derivatives translated from a specific cancer genome using a human biospecimen or a preclinical model (e.g., cultured cell or animal model).

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Conflict, TU Actors, 1966-1969, An Inventory of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents the computer printout of data on the application of discriminant function analysis of…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Conflict, UT Behavior, 1966-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Computer printout of the analysis is included. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status field…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Cooperation, TT Behavior, 1966-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status field theory on WEIS conflict data for 1966-1969…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Patterns of Cooperation: Relative Status-Field Theory, TT Actors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status field theory on WEIS conflict data for 1966-1969…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Social Field Theory, Results for Conflict, 1966-69, An Inventory of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this computer printout presents data on the application of social field theory to patterns of conflict among nations. Social field theory implies that international relations is a field which consists of all the…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Cooperation, TU Behavior, 1966-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status field theory on WEIS conflict data for 1966-1969…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Conflict, UU Behavior, 1966-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Computer printout of the analysis is included. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status field…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Conflict, TT Actors, 1966-69, An Inventory of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents a computer printout of data regarding 'topdog' behavior among nations with regard to economic development and…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Conflict, TU Behavior, 1966-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status field theory on WEIS conflict data for 1966-1969 for…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Cooperation, UU Actors, 1966-1969, An Inventory of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations, this monograph presents the computer printout of data on the application of discriminant function analysis…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Cooperation, UU Behavior, 1966-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph reports on the testing of relative status field theory on WEIS conflict data for 1966-1969…

Field Assessment Stroke Triage for Emergency Destination: A Simple and Accurate Prehospital Scale to Detect Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes.

PubMed

Lima, Fabricio O; Silva, Gisele S; Furie, Karen L; Frankel, Michael R; Lev, Michael H; Camargo, Érica C S; Haussen, Diogo C; Singhal, Aneesh B; Koroshetz, Walter J; Smith, Wade S; Nogueira, Raul G

2016-08-01

Patients with large vessel occlusion strokes (LVOS) may be better served by direct transfer to endovascular capable centers avoiding hazardous delays between primary and comprehensive stroke centers. However, accurate stroke field triage remains challenging. We aimed to develop a simple field scale to identify LVOS. The Field Assessment Stroke Triage for Emergency Destination (FAST-ED) scale was based on items of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) with higher predictive value for LVOS and tested in the Screening Technology and Outcomes Project in Stroke (STOPStroke) cohort, in which patients underwent computed tomographic angiography within the first 24 hours of stroke onset. LVOS were defined by total occlusions involving the intracranial internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery-M1, middle cerebral artery-2, or basilar arteries. Patients with partial, bihemispheric, and anterior+posterior circulation occlusions were excluded. Receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of FAST-ED were compared with the NIHSS, Rapid Arterial Occlusion Evaluation (RACE) scale, and Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Severity (CPSS) scale. LVO was detected in 240 of the 727 qualifying patients (33%). FAST-ED had comparable accuracy to predict LVO to the NIHSS and higher accuracy than RACE and CPSS (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: FAST-ED=0.81 as reference; NIHSS=0.80, P=0.28; RACE=0.77, P=0.02; and CPSS=0.75, P=0.002). A FAST-ED ≥4 had sensitivity of 0.60, specificity of 0.89, positive predictive value of 0.72, and negative predictive value of 0.82 versus RACE ≥5 of 0.55, 0.87, 0.68, and 0.79, and CPSS ≥2 of 0.56, 0.85, 0.65, and 0.78, respectively. FAST-ED is a simple scale that if successfully validated in the field, it may be used by medical emergency professionals to identify LVOS in the prehospital setting enabling rapid triage of patients. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Large Emergency-Response Exercises: Qualitative Characteristics--A Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yang-Im; Trim, Peter; Upton, Julia; Upton, David

2009-01-01

Exercises, drills, or simulations are widely used, by governments, agencies and commercial organizations, to simulate serious incidents and train staff how to respond to them. International cooperation has led to increasingly large-scale exercises, often involving hundreds or even thousands of participants in many locations. The difference between…

Mercury's Internal Magnetic Field: Results from MESSENGER's Search for Remanent Crustal Magnetization Associated with Impact Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purucker, M. E.; Johnson, C. L.; Nicholas, J. B.; Philpott, L. C.; Korth, H.; Anderson, B. J.; Head, J. W., III; Phillips, R. J.; Solomon, S. C.

2014-12-01

Magnetic field measurements obtained by the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft in orbit around Mercury have entered a new phase since April 2014, with periapsis altitudes below 200 km. MESSENGER is now obtaining magnetic profiles across large impact features at altitudes less than the horizontal scale of those features. We use data from this latest phase to investigate evidence for remanent crustal magnetization specifically associated with impact basins and large craters. The spatial resolution of magnetic field measurements for investigating crustal magnetization is approximately equal to the altitude of the observations. We focus on large impact features because their relative ages provide a powerful chronological tool for interpreting any associated magnetic signatures. We examine profiles across large impact basins such as Caloris, Shakespeare, Budh-Sobkou and Goethe. For example, coverage over Caloris during the last year of the mission will be largely at night and will comprise 18 profiles with altitudes between 125 and 200 km and 12 profiles with altitudes between 50 and 125 km over the northern part of the basin. We use large-scale magnetospheric models developed with MESSENGER data to remove contributions from the offset axial dipole, magnetopause, and magnetotail. The residual magnetic fields above 200 km are still dominated by poorly understood magnetospheric fields such as those from the cusp and from Birkeland currents. We empirically average, or exclude observations from these local times, in order to search for repeatable internal field signals. We use local basis functions such as equivalent source dipoles, applied with regularization tools, in order to map the altitude-normalized magnetic field from internal sources. These internal sources may comprise both crustal and core contributions, and we use the information from the along-track magnetic gradient in order to separate these contributions.

Comparative analysis between native and reference cladocerans to assess the toxic effects of products used by the oil industry in Mexico.

PubMed

Muñoz-Mejía, Guillermo; Zavala-Olivares, Gerardo; Martínez-Jerónimo, Fernando

2007-08-01

In this study, native cladocerans, Scapholeberis armata freyi and Macrothrix elegans, were collected from the region and their offspring were used as test organisms to assess the effects of 18 corrosion and scale inhibitors, widely used to protect oil pipelines. Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia were used as international reference species, and their sensitivity was compared to native species and assessed with the reference toxicant Cr(VI). We also determined the correlation between the native and the reference species. Corrosion inhibitors were grouped according to their uses and acute toxicity gradient; those used for multifunction pipelines are considered moderately toxic (LC(50) of 10 to 100 mg/L), and the remainder as toxic (LC(50) between 1.0 and 10 mg/L). Scale inhibitors are considered non-toxic, since the LC(50) for the 4 species exceeded 2,000 mg/L. Sensitivity test to Cr(VI) indicated that M. elegans was the least sensitive species. There was a high correlation (> 90%) in sensitivity among M. elegans, D. magna, and C. dubia to the corrosion inhibitors used. Hence, it is feasible to use these native species from Southeast Mexico as substitutes of the typical reference species.

International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium

Cancer.gov

An alliance of several large-scale prospective cohort studies of children to pool data and biospecimens from individual cohorts to study various modifiable and genetic factors in relation to cancer risk

Massive Sorghum Collection Genotyped with SSR Markers to Enhance Use of Global Genetic Resources

PubMed Central

Bouchet, Sophie; Chantereau, Jacques; Deu, Monique; Gardes, Laetitia; Noyer, Jean-Louis; Rami, Jean-François; Rivallan, Ronan; Li, Yu; Lu, Ping; Wang, Tianyu; Folkertsma, Rolf T.; Arnaud, Elizabeth; Upadhyaya, Hari D.; Glaszmann, Jean-Christophe; Hash, C. Thomas

2013-01-01

Large ex situ collections require approaches for sampling manageable amounts of germplasm for in-depth characterization and use. We present here a large diversity survey in sorghum with 3367 accessions and 41 reference nuclear SSR markers. Of 19 alleles on average per locus, the largest numbers of alleles were concentrated in central and eastern Africa. Cultivated sorghum appeared structured according to geographic regions and race within region. A total of 13 groups of variable size were distinguished. The peripheral groups in western Africa, southern Africa and eastern Asia were the most homogeneous and clearly differentiated. Except for Kafir, there was little correspondence between races and marker-based groups. Bicolor, Caudatum, Durra and Guinea types were each dispersed in three groups or more. Races should therefore better be referred to as morphotypes. Wild and weedy accessions were very diverse and scattered among cultivated samples, reinforcing the idea that large gene-flow exists between the different compartments. Our study provides an entry to global sorghum germplasm collections. Our reference marker kit can serve to aggregate additional studies and enhance international collaboration. We propose a core reference set in order to facilitate integrated phenotyping experiments towards refined functional understanding of sorghum diversity. PMID:23565161

Interlibrary Loan of Alternative Format Materials: A Balanced Sourcebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massis, Bruce E., Ed.; Vitzansky, Winnie, Ed.

This document presents perspectives on, and a reference guide to internationally interlending materials in alternate formats (recordings, braille, large print). A questionnaire was sent to the world's known libraries serving the blind; results of the survey include specific lending information from 29 countries including: South Africa, Hong Kong,…

Psychosocial predictors in consideration of cosmetic surgery among women.

PubMed

Nerini, Amanda; Matera, Camilla; Stefanile, Cristina

2014-04-01

This study aimed to analyze the influence of psychosocial factors on the consideration of cosmetic surgery. The authors hypothesized that the internalization of thin ideals and social comparisons mediate the relationship between media pressure, family and peer influence (appearance conversations, perception of teasing, and peer attributions), and the desire to pursue cosmetic surgery. The study participants were 429 Italian women (mean age, 33 years). They completed a questionnaire containing the Appearance Conversations With Friends Scale, the Perception of Teasing Scale for Friends, the Peer Attribution Scale, the "Pressure and Internalization-General" subscales of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3, the Feedback on Physical Appearance Scale, the Physical Appearance Comparison Scale, and the "Consider" subscale of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. Hierarchical linear regression was performed. The results indicated that media pressure and appearance conversations with peers predicted the outcome variable through the full mediation of internalization of thin ideals. The relation between peer attributions and interest in cosmetic surgery was partially mediated by internalization of thin ideals. Although social comparison was significantly related to both sociocultural variables and consideration of cosmetic procedures, it was not a significant mediator of this relationship. Neither family influence nor perception of teasing predicted the outcome variable. Overall, these results provide important information about the factors implicated in the consideration of cosmetic surgery by women. This research confirms that cosmetic surgeons need to adopt a base psychological approach. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The metrology of time.

PubMed

Arias, Elisa Felicitas

2005-09-15

Measuring time is a continuous activity, an international and restless enterprise hidden in time laboratories spread all over the planet. The Bureau International des Poids et Mesures is charged with coordinating activities for international timekeeping and it makes use of the world's capacity to produce a remarkably stable and accurate reference time-scale. Commercial atomic clocks beating the second in national laboratories can reach a stability of one part in 10(14) over a 5 day averaging time, compelling us to research the most highly performing methods of remote clock comparison. The unit of the international time-scale is the second of the International System of Units, realized with an uncertainty of the order 10(-15) by caesium fountains. Physicists in a few time laboratories are making efforts to gain one order of magnitude in the uncertainty of the realization of the second, and more refined techniques of time and frequency transfer are in development to accompany this progress. Femtosecond comb technology will most probably contribute in the near future to enhance the definition of the second with the incorporation of optical clocks. We will explain the evolution of the measuring of time, current state-of-the-art measures and future challenges.

Role of optometry school in single day large scale school vision testing

PubMed Central

Anuradha, N; Ramani, Krishnakumar

2015-01-01

Background: School vision testing aims at identification and management of refractive errors. Large-scale school vision testing using conventional methods is time-consuming and demands a lot of chair time from the eye care professionals. A new strategy involving a school of optometry in single day large scale school vision testing is discussed. Aim: The aim was to describe a new approach of performing vision testing of school children on a large scale in a single day. Materials and Methods: A single day vision testing strategy was implemented wherein 123 members (20 teams comprising optometry students and headed by optometrists) conducted vision testing for children in 51 schools. School vision testing included basic vision screening, refraction, frame measurements, frame choice and referrals for other ocular problems. Results: A total of 12448 children were screened, among whom 420 (3.37%) were identified to have refractive errors. 28 (1.26%) children belonged to the primary, 163 to middle (9.80%), 129 (4.67%) to secondary and 100 (1.73%) to the higher secondary levels of education respectively. 265 (2.12%) children were referred for further evaluation. Conclusion: Single day large scale school vision testing can be adopted by schools of optometry to reach a higher number of children within a short span. PMID:25709271

SOMAR-LES: A framework for multi-scale modeling of turbulent stratified oceanic flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chalamalla, Vamsi K.; Santilli, Edward; Scotti, Alberto; Jalali, Masoud; Sarkar, Sutanu

2017-12-01

A new multi-scale modeling technique, SOMAR-LES, is presented in this paper. Localized grid refinement gives SOMAR (the Stratified Ocean Model with Adaptive Resolution) access to small scales of the flow which are normally inaccessible to general circulation models (GCMs). SOMAR-LES drives a LES (Large Eddy Simulation) on SOMAR's finest grids, forced with large scale forcing from the coarser grids. Three-dimensional simulations of internal tide generation, propagation and scattering are performed to demonstrate this multi-scale modeling technique. In the case of internal tide generation at a two-dimensional bathymetry, SOMAR-LES is able to balance the baroclinic energy budget and accurately model turbulence losses at only 10% of the computational cost required by a non-adaptive solver running at SOMAR-LES's fine grid resolution. This relative cost is significantly reduced in situations with intermittent turbulence or where the location of the turbulence is not known a priori because SOMAR-LES does not require persistent, global, high resolution. To illustrate this point, we consider a three-dimensional bathymetry with grids adaptively refined along the tidally generated internal waves to capture remote mixing in regions of wave focusing. The computational cost in this case is found to be nearly 25 times smaller than that of a non-adaptive solver at comparable resolution. In the final test case, we consider the scattering of a mode-1 internal wave at an isolated two-dimensional and three-dimensional topography, and we compare the results with Legg (2014) numerical experiments. We find good agreement with theoretical estimates. SOMAR-LES is less dissipative than the closure scheme employed by Legg (2014) near the bathymetry. Depending on the flow configuration and resolution employed, a reduction of more than an order of magnitude in computational costs is expected, relative to traditional existing solvers.

Small-scale response in an avian community to a large-scale thinning project in the southwestern United States

Treesearch

Karen E. Bagne; Deborah M. Finch

2009-01-01

Avian populations were monitored using point counts from 2002 to 2007, two years before and four years after a 2800 ha fuel reduction project. The study area was within a ponderosa pine forest near Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Adjacent unthinned areas were also monitored as a reference for population variation related to other factors. For individual bird species...

Extremely Large Telescope Project Selected in ESFRI Roadmap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2006-10-01

In its first Roadmap, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) choose the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), for which ESO is presently developing a Reference Design, as one of the large scale projects to be conducted in astronomy, and the only one in optical astronomy. The aim of the ELT project is to build before the end of the next decade an optical/near-infrared telescope with a diameter in the 30-60m range. ESO PR Photo 40/06 The ESFRI Roadmap states: "Extremely Large Telescopes are seen world-wide as one of the highest priorities in ground-based astronomy. They will vastly advance astrophysical knowledge allowing detailed studies of inter alia planets around other stars, the first objects in the Universe, super-massive Black Holes, and the nature and distribution of the Dark Matter and Dark Energy which dominate the Universe. The European Extremely Large Telescope project will maintain and reinforce Europe's position at the forefront of astrophysical research." Said Catherine Cesarsky, Director General of ESO: "In 2004, the ESO Council mandated ESO to play a leading role in the development of an ELT for Europe's astronomers. To that end, ESO has undertaken conceptual studies for ELTs and is currently also leading a consortium of European institutes engaged in studying enabling technologies for such a telescope. The inclusion of the ELT in the ESFRI roadmap, together with the comprehensive preparatory work already done, paves the way for the next phase of this exciting project, the design phase." ESO is currently working, in close collaboration with the European astronomical community and the industry, on a baseline design for an Extremely Large Telescope. The plan is a telescope with a primary mirror between 30 and 60 metres in diameter and a financial envelope of about 750 m Euros. It aims at more than a factor ten improvement in overall performance compared to the current leader in ground based astronomy: the ESO Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory. The draft Baseline Reference Design will be presented to the wider scientific community on 29 - 30 November 2006 at a dedicated ELT Workshop Meeting in Marseille (France) and will be further reiterated. The design is then to be presented to the ESO Council at the end of 2006. The goal is to start the detailed E-ELT design work by the first half of 2007. Launched in April 2002, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures was set-up following a recommendation of the European Union Council, with the role to support a coherent approach to policy-making on research infrastructures in Europe, and to act as an incubator for international negotiations about concrete initiatives. In particular, ESFRI has prepared a European Roadmap identifying new Research Infrastructure of pan-European interest corresponding to the long term needs of the European research communities, covering all scientific areas, regardless of possible location and likely to be realised in the next 10 to 20 years. The Roadmap was presented on 19 October. It is the result of an intensive two-year consultation and peer review process involving over 1000 high level European and international experts. The Roadmap identifies 35 large scale infrastructure projects, at various stages of development, in seven key research areas including Environmental Sciences; Energy; Materials Sciences; Astrophysics, Astronomy, Particle and Nuclear Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Social Sciences and the Humanities; Computation and data Treatment.

Non-linear scale interactions in a forced turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duvvuri, Subrahmanyam; McKeon, Beverley

2015-11-01

A strong phase-organizing influence exerted by a single synthetic large-scale spatio-temporal mode on directly-coupled (through triadic interactions) small scales in a turbulent boundary layer forced by a spatially-impulsive dynamic wall-roughness patch was previously demonstrated by the authors (J. Fluid Mech. 2015, vol. 767, R4). The experimental set-up was later enhanced to allow for simultaneous forcing of multiple scales in the flow. Results and analysis are presented from a new set of novel experiments where two distinct large scales are forced in the flow by a dynamic wall-roughness patch. The internal non-linear forcing of two other scales with triadic consistency to the artificially forced large scales, corresponding to sum and difference in wavenumbers, is dominated by the latter. This allows for a forcing-response (input-output) type analysis of the two triadic scales, and naturally lends itself to a resolvent operator based model (e.g. McKeon & Sharma, J. Fluid Mech. 2010, vol. 658, pp. 336-382) of the governing Navier-Stokes equations. The support of AFOSR (grant #FA 9550-12-1-0469, program manager D. Smith) is gratefully acknowledged.

Mapping moderate-scale land-cover over very large geographic areas within a collaborative framework: A case study of the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowry, J.; Ramsey, R.D.; Thomas, K.; Schrupp, D.; Sajwaj, T.; Kirby, J.; Waller, E.; Schrader, S.; Falzarano, S.; Langs, L.; Manis, G.; Wallace, C.; Schulz, K.; Comer, P.; Pohs, K.; Rieth, W.; Velasquez, C.; Wolk, B.; Kepner, W.; Boykin, K.; O'Brien, L.; Bradford, D.; Thompson, B.; Prior-Magee, J.

2007-01-01

Land-cover mapping efforts within the USGS Gap Analysis Program have traditionally been state-centered; each state having the responsibility of implementing a project design for the geographic area within their state boundaries. The Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP) was the first formal GAP project designed at a regional, multi-state scale. The project area comprises the southwestern states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The land-cover map/dataset was generated using regionally consistent geospatial data (Landsat ETM+ imagery (1999-2001) and DEM derivatives), similar field data collection protocols, a standardized land-cover legend, and a common modeling approach (decision tree classifier). Partitioning of mapping responsibilities amongst the five collaborating states was organized around ecoregion-based "mapping zones". Over the course of 21/2 field seasons approximately 93,000 reference samples were collected directly, or obtained from other contemporary projects, for the land-cover modeling effort. The final map was made public in 2004 and contains 125 land-cover classes. An internal validation of 85 of the classes, representing 91% of the land area was performed. Agreement between withheld samples and the validated dataset was 61% (KHAT = .60, n = 17,030). This paper presents an overview of the methodologies used to create the regional land-cover dataset and highlights issues associated with large-area mapping within a coordinated, multi-institutional management framework. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fatigue in children: reliability and validity of the Dutch PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale.

PubMed

Gordijn, M Suzanne; Suzanne Gordijn, M; Cremers, Eline M P; Kaspers, Gertjan J L; Gemke, Reinoud J B J

2011-09-01

The aim of the study is to report on the feasibility, reliability, validity, and the norm-references of the Dutch version of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale. The study participants are four hundred and ninety-seven parents of children aged 2-18 years and 366 children aged 5-18 years from various day care facilities, elementary schools, and a high school who completed the Dutch version of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale. The number of missing items was minimal. All scales showed satisfactory internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach's coefficient alpha exceeding 0.70. Test-retest reliability was good to excellent (ICCs 0.68-0.84) and inter-observer reliability varied from moderate to excellent (ICCs 0.56-0.93) for total scores. Parent/child concordance for total scores was poor to good (ICCs 0.25-0.68). The PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was able to distinguish between healthy children and children with an impaired health condition. The Dutch version of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale demonstrates an adequate feasibility, reliability, and validity in another sociocultural context. With the obtained norm-references, it can be utilized as a tool in the evaluation of fatigue in healthy and chronically ill children aged 2-18 years.

GCOS reference upper air network (GRUAN): Steps towards assuring future climate records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorne, P. W.; Vömel, H.; Bodeker, G.; Sommer, M.; Apituley, A.; Berger, F.; Bojinski, S.; Braathen, G.; Calpini, B.; Demoz, B.; Diamond, H. J.; Dykema, J.; Fassò, A.; Fujiwara, M.; Gardiner, T.; Hurst, D.; Leblanc, T.; Madonna, F.; Merlone, A.; Mikalsen, A.; Miller, C. D.; Reale, T.; Rannat, K.; Richter, C.; Seidel, D. J.; Shiotani, M.; Sisterson, D.; Tan, D. G. H.; Vose, R. S.; Voyles, J.; Wang, J.; Whiteman, D. N.; Williams, S.

2013-09-01

The observational climate record is a cornerstone of our scientific understanding of climate changes and their potential causes. Existing observing networks have been designed largely in support of operational weather forecasting and continue to be run in this mode. Coverage and timeliness are often higher priorities than absolute traceability and accuracy. Changes in instrumentation used in the observing system, as well as in operating procedures, are frequent, rarely adequately documented and their impacts poorly quantified. For monitoring changes in upper-air climate, which is achieved through in-situ soundings and more recently satellites and ground-based remote sensing, the net result has been trend uncertainties as large as, or larger than, the expected emergent signals of climate change. This is more than simply academic with the tropospheric temperature trends issue having been the subject of intense debate, two international assessment reports and several US congressional hearings. For more than a decade the international climate science community has been calling for the instigation of a network of reference quality measurements to reduce uncertainty in our climate monitoring capabilities. This paper provides a brief history of GRUAN developments to date and outlines future plans. Such reference networks can only be achieved and maintained with strong continuing input from the global metrological community.

An Analysis of Strain Accumulation in the Western Part of Black Sea Region in Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deniz, I.; Avsar, N. B.; Deniz, R.; Mekik, C.; Kutoglu, S.

2014-12-01

Turkish National Horizontal Control Network (TNHCN) based on the European Datum 1950 (ED50) was used as the principal geodetic network until 2005 in Turkey. Since 2005, Turkish Large Scale Map and Map Information Production Regulation have required that that all the densification points have been produced within the same datum of Turkish National Fundamental GPS Network (TNFGN) put into practise in 2002 and based on International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). Hence, the common points were produced in both European Datum 1950 (ED50), and TNFGN.It is known that the geological and geophysical information about the network area can be obtained by the evaluation of the coordinate and scale variations in a geodetic network. For one such evaluation, the coordinate variations and velocities of network points, and also the strains are investigated. However, the principal problem in derivation of velocities arises from two different datums. In this context, the computation of velocities using the coordinate data of the ED50 and TNFGN is not accurate and reliable. Likewise, the analysis of strain from the coordinate differences is not reliable. However, due to the fact that the scale of a geodetic network is independent from datum, the strains can be derived from scale variations accurately and reliably.In this study, a test area limited 39.5°-42.0° northern latitudes and 31.0°-37.0° eastern longitudes was chosen. The benchmarks in this test area are composed of 30 geodetic control points derived with the aim of cadastral and engineering applications. We used data mining to investigate the common benchmarks in both reference systems for this area. Accordingly, the ED50 and TNFGN coordinates refer 1954 and 2005, respectively. Thus, it has been investigated the strain accumulation of 51 years in this region. It should be also noted that since 1954, the earthquakes have not registered greater than magnitude 6.0 in the test area. It is a considerable situation for this evaluation. The finite element analysis is used in order to derive the strain accumulation and rates in the test area (Figure 1). The results have been indicated that the minimum and maximum strains are 17μs and 3041μs, respectively.

39 CFR 20.1 - International Mail Manual; incorporation by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... reference. 20.1 Section 20.1 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE INTERNATIONAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL POSTAL SERVICE § 20.1 International Mail Manual; incorporation by reference. (a) Section 552(a) of Title... provided in this part, the U.S. Postal Service hereby incorporates by reference its International Mail...

AsterAnts: A Concept for Large-Scale Meteoroid Return and Processing using the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Globus, Al; Biegel, Bryan A.; Traugott, Steve

2004-01-01

AsterAnts is a concept calling for a fleet of solar sail powered spacecraft to retrieve large numbers of small (1/2-1 meter diameter) Near Earth Objects (NEOs) for orbital processing. AsterAnts could use the International Space Station (ISS) for NEO processing, solar sail construction, and to test NEO capture hardware. Solar sails constructed on orbit are expected to have substantially better performance than their ground built counterparts [Wright 1992]. Furthermore, solar sails may be used to hold geosynchronous communication satellites out-of-plane [Forward 1981] increasing the total number of slots by at least a factor of three. potentially generating $2 billion worth of orbital real estate over North America alone. NEOs are believed to contain large quantities of water, carbon, other life-support materials and metals. Thus. with proper processing, NEO materials could in principle be used to resupply the ISS, produce rocket propellant, manufacture tools, and build additional ISS working space. Unlike proposals requiring massive facilities, such as lunar bases, before returning any extraterrestrial larger than a typical inter-planetary mission. Furthermore, AsterAnts could be scaled up to deliver large amounts of material by building many copies of the same spacecraft, thereby achieving manufacturing economies of scale. Because AsterAnts would capture NEOs whole, NEO composition details, which are generally poorly characterized, are relatively unimportant and no complex extraction equipment is necessary. In combination with a materials processing facility at the ISS, AsterAnts might inaugurate an era of large-scale orbital construction using extraterrestrial materials.

Spatially dependent responses of a large-river fish assemblage to bank stabilization and side channels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinhold, Ann Marie; Bramblett, Robert G.; Zale, Alexander V.; Poole, Geoffrey C.; Roberts, David W.

2017-01-01

The alteration of rivers by anthropogenic bank stabilization to prevent the erosion of economically valuable lands and structures has become commonplace. However, such alteration has ambiguous consequences for fish assemblages, especially in large rivers. Because most large, temperate rivers have impoundments, it can be difficult to separate the influences of bank stabilization structures from those of main-stem impoundments, especially because both stabilization structures and impoundments can cause side-channel loss. Few large rivers are free flowing and retain extensive side channels, but the Yellowstone River (our study area) is one such river. We hypothesized that in this river (1) bank stabilization has changed fish assemblage structure by altering habitats, (2) side-channel availability has influenced fish assemblage structure by providing habitat heterogeneity, and (3) the influences of bank stabilization and side channels on fish assemblages were spatially scale dependent. We developed a spatially explicit framework to test these hypotheses. Fish assemblage structure varied with the extent of bank stabilization and the availability of side channels; however, not all assemblage subsets were influenced. Nevertheless, bank stabilization and side channels had different and sometimes opposite influences on the fish assemblage. The effects of side channels on fish were more consistent and widespread than those of bank stabilization; the catches of more fishes were positively correlated with side-channel availability than with the extent of bank stabilization. The influences of bank stabilization and side channels on the relative abundances of fish also varied, depending on species and river bend geomorphology. The variation in river morphology probably contributed to the assemblage differences between stabilized and reference river bends; stabilized alluvial pools were deeper than reference alluvial pools, but the depths of stabilized and reference bluff pools did not differ. The strengths of the relationships among fish assemblages, bank stabilization, and side channels were spatially scale dependent; optimum spatial scales ranged from less than 200 m to 3,200 m up- and downstream, suggesting that bank stabilization and side channels influenced fish assemblages across multiple spatial scales.

Topside Electron Density Representations for Middle and High Latitudes: A Topside Parameterization for E-CHAIM Based On the NeQuick

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Themens, David R.; Jayachandran, P. T.; Bilitza, Dieter; Erickson, Philip J.; Häggström, Ingemar; Lyashenko, Mykhaylo V.; Reid, Benjamin; Varney, Roger H.; Pustovalova, Ljubov

2018-02-01

In this study, we present a topside model representation to be used by the Empirical Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Model (E-CHAIM). In the process of this, we also present a comprehensive evaluation of the NeQuick's, and by extension the International Reference Ionosphere's, topside electron density model for middle and high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Using data gathered from all available incoherent scatter radars, topside sounders, and Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation satellites, we show that the current NeQuick parameterization suboptimally represents the shape of the topside electron density profile at these latitudes and performs poorly in the representation of seasonal and solar cycle variations of the topside scale thickness. Despite this, the simple, one variable, NeQuick model is a powerful tool for modeling the topside ionosphere. By refitting the parameters that define the maximum topside scale thickness and the rate of increase of the scale height within the NeQuick topside model function, r and g, respectively, and refitting the model's parameterization of the scale height at the F region peak, H0, we find considerable improvement in the NeQuick's ability to represent the topside shape and behavior. Building on these results, we present a new topside model extension of the E-CHAIM based on the revised NeQuick function. Overall, root-mean-square errors in topside electron density are improved over the traditional International Reference Ionosphere/NeQuick topside by 31% for a new NeQuick parameterization and by 36% for a newly proposed topside for E-CHAIM.

Articular scaling and body mass estimation in platyrrhines and catarrhines: Modern variation and application to fossil anthropoids.

PubMed

Perry, Jonathan M G; Cooke, Siobhán B; Runestad Connour, Jacqueline A; Burgess, M Loring; Ruff, Christopher B

2018-02-01

Body mass is an important component of any paleobiological reconstruction. Reliable skeletal dimensions for making estimates are desirable but extant primate reference samples with known body masses are rare. We estimated body mass in a sample of extinct platyrrhines and Fayum anthropoids based on four measurements of the articular surfaces of the humerus and femur. Estimates were based on a large extant reference sample of wild-collected individuals with associated body masses, including previously published and new data from extant platyrrhines, cercopithecoids, and hominoids. In general, scaling of joint dimensions is positively allometric relative to expectations of geometric isometry, but negatively allometric relative to expectations of maintaining equivalent joint surface areas. Body mass prediction equations based on articular breadths are reasonably precise, with %SEEs of 17-25%. The breadth of the distal femoral articulation yields the most reliable estimates of body mass because it scales similarly in all major anthropoid taxa. Other joints scale differently in different taxa; therefore, locomotor style and phylogenetic affinity must be considered when calculating body mass estimates from the proximal femur, proximal humerus, and distal humerus. The body mass prediction equations were applied to 36 Old World and New World fossil anthropoid specimens representing 11 taxa, plus two Haitian specimens of uncertain taxonomic affinity. Among the extinct platyrrhines studied, only Cebupithecia is similar to large, extant platyrrhines in having large humeral (especially distal) joints. Our body mass estimates differ from each other and from published estimates based on teeth in ways that reflect known differences in relative sizes of the joints and teeth. We prefer body mass estimators that are biomechanically linked to weight-bearing, and especially those that are relatively insensitive to differences in locomotor style and phylogenetic history. Whenever possible, extant reference samples should be chosen to match target fossils in joint proportionality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scaling effects on spring phenology detections from MODIS data at multiple spatial resolutions over the contiguous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Dailiang; Zhang, Xiaoyang; Zhang, Bing; Liu, Liangyun; Liu, Xinjie; Huete, Alfredo R.; Huang, Wenjiang; Wang, Siyuan; Luo, Shezhou; Zhang, Xiao; Zhang, Helin

2017-10-01

Land surface phenology (LSP) has been widely retrieved from satellite data at multiple spatial resolutions, but the spatial scaling effects on LSP detection are poorly understood. In this study, we collected enhanced vegetation index (EVI, 250 m) from collection 6 MOD13Q1 product over the contiguous United States (CONUS) in 2007 and 2008, and generated a set of multiple spatial resolution EVI data by resampling 250 m to 2 × 250 m and 3 × 250 m, 4 × 250 m, …, 35 × 250 m. These EVI time series were then used to detect the start of spring season (SOS) at various spatial resolutions. Further the SOS variation across scales was examined at each coarse resolution grid (35 × 250 m ≈ 8 km, refer to as reference grid) and ecoregion. Finally, the SOS scaling effects were associated with landscape fragment, proportion of primary land cover type, and spatial variability of seasonal greenness variation within each reference grid. The results revealed the influences of satellite spatial resolutions on SOS retrievals and the related impact factors. Specifically, SOS significantly varied lineally or logarithmically across scales although the relationship could be either positive or negative. The overall SOS values averaged from spatial resolutions between 250 m and 35 × 250 m at large ecosystem regions were generally similar with a difference less than 5 days, while the SOS values within the reference grid could differ greatly in some local areas. Moreover, the standard deviation of SOS across scales in the reference grid was less than 5 days in more than 70% of area over the CONUS, which was smaller in northeastern than in southern and western regions. The SOS scaling effect was significantly associated with heterogeneity of vegetation properties characterized using land landscape fragment, proportion of primary land cover type, and spatial variability of seasonal greenness variation, but the latter was the most important impact factor.

The Human Genome Project: big science transforms biology and medicine.

PubMed

Hood, Leroy; Rowen, Lee

2013-01-01

The Human Genome Project has transformed biology through its integrated big science approach to deciphering a reference human genome sequence along with the complete sequences of key model organisms. The project exemplifies the power, necessity and success of large, integrated, cross-disciplinary efforts - so-called 'big science' - directed towards complex major objectives. In this article, we discuss the ways in which this ambitious endeavor led to the development of novel technologies and analytical tools, and how it brought the expertise of engineers, computer scientists and mathematicians together with biologists. It established an open approach to data sharing and open-source software, thereby making the data resulting from the project accessible to all. The genome sequences of microbes, plants and animals have revolutionized many fields of science, including microbiology, virology, infectious disease and plant biology. Moreover, deeper knowledge of human sequence variation has begun to alter the practice of medicine. The Human Genome Project has inspired subsequent large-scale data acquisition initiatives such as the International HapMap Project, 1000 Genomes, and The Cancer Genome Atlas, as well as the recently announced Human Brain Project and the emerging Human Proteome Project.

The Human Genome Project: big science transforms biology and medicine

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The Human Genome Project has transformed biology through its integrated big science approach to deciphering a reference human genome sequence along with the complete sequences of key model organisms. The project exemplifies the power, necessity and success of large, integrated, cross-disciplinary efforts - so-called ‘big science’ - directed towards complex major objectives. In this article, we discuss the ways in which this ambitious endeavor led to the development of novel technologies and analytical tools, and how it brought the expertise of engineers, computer scientists and mathematicians together with biologists. It established an open approach to data sharing and open-source software, thereby making the data resulting from the project accessible to all. The genome sequences of microbes, plants and animals have revolutionized many fields of science, including microbiology, virology, infectious disease and plant biology. Moreover, deeper knowledge of human sequence variation has begun to alter the practice of medicine. The Human Genome Project has inspired subsequent large-scale data acquisition initiatives such as the International HapMap Project, 1000 Genomes, and The Cancer Genome Atlas, as well as the recently announced Human Brain Project and the emerging Human Proteome Project. PMID:24040834

Large scale mass redistribution and surface displacement from GRACE and SLR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, M.; Ries, J. C.; Tapley, B. D.

2012-12-01

Mass transport between the atmosphere, ocean and solid earth results in the temporal variations in the Earth gravity field and loading induced deformation of the Earth. Recent space-borne observations, such as GRACE mission, are providing extremely high precision temporal variations of gravity field. The results from 10-yr GRACE data has shown a significant annual variations of large scale vertical and horizontal displacements occurring over the Amazon, Himalayan region and South Asia, African, and Russian with a few mm amplitude. Improving understanding from monitoring and modeling of the large scale mass redistribution and the Earth's response are a critical for all studies in the geosciences, in particular for determination of Terrestrial Reference System (TRS), including geocenter motion. This paper will report results for the observed seasonal variations in the 3-dimentional surface displacements of SLR and GPS tracking stations and compare with the prediction from time series of GRACE monthly gravity solution.

Active Brownian rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peruani, Fernando

2016-11-01

Bacteria, chemically-driven rods, and motility assays are examples of active (i.e. self-propelled) Brownian rods (ABR). The physics of ABR, despite their ubiquity in experimental systems, remains still poorly understood. Here, we review the large-scale properties of collections of ABR moving in a dissipative medium. We address the problem by presenting three different models, of decreasing complexity, which we refer to as model I, II, and III, respectively. Comparing model I, II, and III, we disentangle the role of activity and interactions. In particular, we learn that in two dimensions by ignoring steric or volume exclusion effects, large-scale nematic order seems to be possible, while steric interactions prevent the formation of orientational order at large scales. The macroscopic behavior of ABR results from the interplay between active stresses and local alignment. ABR exhibit, depending on where we locate ourselves in parameter space, a zoology of macroscopic patterns that ranges from polar and nematic bands to dynamic aggregates.

Flux response of glycolysis and storage metabolism during rapid feast/famine conditions in Penicillium chrysogenum using dynamic (13)C labeling.

PubMed

de Jonge, Lodewijk; Buijs, Nicolaas A A; Heijnen, Joseph J; van Gulik, Walter M; Abate, Alessandro; Wahl, S Aljoscha

2014-03-01

The scale-up of fermentation processes frequently leads to a reduced productivity compared to small-scale screening experiments. Large-scale mixing limitations that lead to gradients in substrate and oxygen availability could influence the microorganism performance. Here, the impact of substrate gradients on a penicillin G producing Penicillium chrysogenum cultivation was analyzed using an intermittent glucose feeding regime. The intermittent feeding led to fluctuations in the extracellular glucose concentration between 400 μM down to 6.5 μM at the end of the cycle. The intracellular metabolite concentrations responded strongly and showed up to 100-fold changes. The intracellular flux changes were estimated on the basis of dynamic (13) C mass isotopomer measurements during three cycles of feast and famine using a novel hybrid modeling approach. The flux estimations indicated a high turnover of internal and external storage metabolites in P. chrysogenum under feast/famine conditions. The synthesis and degradation of storage requires cellular energy (ATP and UTP) in competition with other cellular functions including product formation. Especially, 38% of the incoming glucose was recycled once in storage metabolism. This result indicated that storage turnover is increased under dynamic cultivation conditions and contributes to the observed decrease in productivity compared to reference steady-state conditions. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

System Evaluation and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis of a Commercial-Scale High-Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

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

Edwin A. Harvego; James E. O'Brien; Michael G. McKellar

2012-11-01

Results of a system evaluation and lifecycle cost analysis are presented for a commercial-scale high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) central hydrogen production plant. The plant design relies on grid electricity to power the electrolysis process and system components, and industrial natural gas to provide process heat. The HYSYS process analysis software was used to evaluate the reference central plant design capable of producing 50,000 kg/day of hydrogen. The HYSYS software performs mass and energy balances across all components to allow optimization of the design using a detailed process flow sheet and realistic operating conditions specified by the analyst. The lifecycle cost analysismore » was performed using the H2A analysis methodology developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program. This methodology utilizes Microsoft Excel spreadsheet analysis tools that require detailed plant performance information (obtained from HYSYS), along with financial and cost information to calculate lifecycle costs. The results of the lifecycle analyses indicate that for a 10% internal rate of return, a large central commercial-scale hydrogen production plant can produce 50,000 kg/day of hydrogen at an average cost of $2.68/kg. When the cost of carbon sequestration is taken into account, the average cost of hydrogen production increases by $0.40/kg to $3.08/kg.« less

Psychometric Evaluation of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) for use in Singapore.

PubMed

Lim, Chun Yi; Law, Mary; Khetani, Mary; Rosenbaum, Peter; Pollock, Nancy

2018-08-01

To estimate the psychometric properties of a culturally adapted version of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) for use among Singaporean families. This is a prospective cohort study. Caregivers of 151 Singaporean children with (n = 83) and without (n = 68) developmental disabilities, between 0 and 7 years, completed the YC-PEM (Singapore) questionnaire with 3 participation scales (frequency, involvement, and change desired) and 1 environment scale for three settings: home, childcare/preschool, and community. Setting-specific estimates of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were obtained. Internal consistency estimates varied from .59 to .92 for the participation scales and .73 to .79 for the environment scale. Test-retest reliability estimates from the YC-PEM conducted on two occasions, 2-3 weeks apart, varied from .39 to .89 for the participation scales and from .65 to .80 for the environment scale. Moderate to large differences were found in participation and perceived environmental support between children with and without a disability. YC-PEM (Singapore) scales have adequate psychometric properties except for low internal consistency for the childcare/preschool participation frequency scale and low test-retest reliability for home participation frequency scale. The YC-PEM (Singapore) may be used for population-level studies involving young children with and without developmental disabilities.

SQDFT: Spectral Quadrature method for large-scale parallel O(N) Kohn-Sham calculations at high temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryanarayana, Phanish; Pratapa, Phanisri P.; Sharma, Abhiraj; Pask, John E.

2018-03-01

We present SQDFT: a large-scale parallel implementation of the Spectral Quadrature (SQ) method for O(N) Kohn-Sham Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations at high temperature. Specifically, we develop an efficient and scalable finite-difference implementation of the infinite-cell Clenshaw-Curtis SQ approach, in which results for the infinite crystal are obtained by expressing quantities of interest as bilinear forms or sums of bilinear forms, that are then approximated by spatially localized Clenshaw-Curtis quadrature rules. We demonstrate the accuracy of SQDFT by showing systematic convergence of energies and atomic forces with respect to SQ parameters to reference diagonalization results, and convergence with discretization to established planewave results, for both metallic and insulating systems. We further demonstrate that SQDFT achieves excellent strong and weak parallel scaling on computer systems consisting of tens of thousands of processors, with near perfect O(N) scaling with system size and wall times as low as a few seconds per self-consistent field iteration. Finally, we verify the accuracy of SQDFT in large-scale quantum molecular dynamics simulations of aluminum at high temperature.

GHEP-ISFG collaborative simulated exercise for DVI/MPI: Lessons learned about large-scale profile database comparisons.

PubMed

Vullo, Carlos M; Romero, Magdalena; Catelli, Laura; Šakić, Mustafa; Saragoni, Victor G; Jimenez Pleguezuelos, María Jose; Romanini, Carola; Anjos Porto, Maria João; Puente Prieto, Jorge; Bofarull Castro, Alicia; Hernandez, Alexis; Farfán, María José; Prieto, Victoria; Alvarez, David; Penacino, Gustavo; Zabalza, Santiago; Hernández Bolaños, Alejandro; Miguel Manterola, Irati; Prieto, Lourdes; Parsons, Thomas

2016-03-01

The GHEP-ISFG Working Group has recognized the importance of assisting DNA laboratories to gain expertise in handling DVI or missing persons identification (MPI) projects which involve the need for large-scale genetic profile comparisons. Eleven laboratories participated in a DNA matching exercise to identify victims from a hypothetical conflict with 193 missing persons. The post mortem database was comprised of 87 skeletal remain profiles from a secondary mass grave displaying a minimal number of 58 individuals with evidence of commingling. The reference database was represented by 286 family reference profiles with diverse pedigrees. The goal of the exercise was to correctly discover re-associations and family matches. The results of direct matching for commingled remains re-associations were correct and fully concordant among all laboratories. However, the kinship analysis for missing persons identifications showed variable results among the participants. There was a group of laboratories with correct, concordant results but nearly half of the others showed discrepant results exhibiting likelihood ratio differences of several degrees of magnitude in some cases. Three main errors were detected: (a) some laboratories did not use the complete reference family genetic data to report the match with the remains, (b) the identity and/or non-identity hypotheses were sometimes wrongly expressed in the likelihood ratio calculations, and (c) many laboratories did not properly evaluate the prior odds for the event. The results suggest that large-scale profile comparisons for DVI or MPI is a challenge for forensic genetics laboratories and the statistical treatment of DNA matching and the Bayesian framework should be better standardized among laboratories. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sampling large landscapes with small-scale stratification-User's Manual

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bart, Jonathan

2011-01-01

This manual explains procedures for partitioning a large landscape into plots, assigning the plots to strata, and selecting plots in each stratum to be surveyed. These steps are referred to as the "sampling large landscapes (SLL) process." We assume that users of the manual have a moderate knowledge of ArcGIS and Microsoft ® Excel. The manual is written for a single user but in many cases, some steps will be carried out by a biologist designing the survey and some steps will be carried out by a quantitative assistant. Thus, the manual essentially may be passed back and forth between these users. The SLL process primarily has been used to survey birds, and we refer to birds as subjects of the counts. The process, however, could be used to count any objects. ®

PISA Lends Legitimacy: A Study of Education Policy Changes in Germany and Sweden after 2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ringarp, Johanna

2016-01-01

School issues have become increasingly important in public elections and political debates, leading to increased focus on the results students achieve in international large-scale assessments and in the rankings of the involved countries. One of the most important studies of scholastic performance is the Programme for International Student…

Community Colleges in South Africa? Assessment of Potential from Comparative International Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolhuter, C. C.

2011-01-01

While South African higher education has, in many respects, achieved remarkable achievements since 1994, a series of serious problems continue to beset the system, and a low internal (high attrition rate) and external (alignment with the employment market) efficiency. There also exist the problems of large scale youth unemployment and the policy…

Methodologies for Investigating Item- and Test-Level Measurement Equivalence in International Large-Scale Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveri, Maria Elena; Olson, Brent F.; Ercikan, Kadriye; Zumbo, Bruno D.

2012-01-01

In this study, the Canadian English and French versions of the Problem-Solving Measure of the Programme for International Student Assessment 2003 were examined to investigate their degree of measurement comparability at the item- and test-levels. Three methods of differential item functioning (DIF) were compared: parametric and nonparametric item…

Temporal analysis of the morphological structures of comet 1P/Halley in the perihelion passages in 1910 and 1986

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voelzke, M. R.

2016-11-01

This work is based on a systematic analysis of images of 1P/Halley comet collected during its penultimate and ultimate approaches, i.e., in 1910 and in 1986. The present research basically characterised, identified, classified, measured and compared some of the tail structures of comet 1P/Halley like DEs, wavy structures and solitons. The images illustrated in the Atlas of Comet Halley 1910 II (Donn et al., 1986), which shows the comet in its 1910 passage, were compared with the images illustrated in The International Halley Watch Atlas of Large-Scale Phenomena (Brandt et al., 1992), which shows the comet in its 1986 passage. While two onsets of DEs were discovered after the perihelion passage in 1910, the average value of the corrected cometocentric velocity Vc was (57 ± 15) km/s; ten were discovered after the perihelion passage in 1986 with an average of corrected velocities equal to (130 ± 37) km/s. The mean value of the corrected wavelength of wavy structures, in 1910, is equal to (1.7 ± 0.1) x 10^6 km and in 1986 is (2.2 ± 0.2) x 10^6 km. The mean value of the amplitude A of the wave, in 1910, is equal to (1.4 ± 0.1) x 10^5 km and in 1986 it is equal to (2.8 ± 0.5) x 10^5 km. The goals of this research are to report the results obtained from the analysis of the P/Halleýs 1910 and 1986 images, to provide empirical data for comparison and to form the input for future physical/theoretical work. Referências [1] Brandt, J.C., Niedner Jr., M.B. & Rahe, J. 1992. International Halley Watch Atlas of Large-Scale Phenomena. University of Colorado-Boulder (printed by Johnson Printing Co., Boulder, CO) [2] Donn, B., Rahe, J. & Brandt, J.C. 1986. Atlas of Comet Halley 1910 II. NASA SP-488

Demonstrating the feasibility of large-scale development of standardized assays to quantify human proteins

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Jacob J.; Abbatiello, Susan E.; Kim, Kyunggon; Yan, Ping; Whiteaker, Jeffrey R.; Lin, Chenwei; Kim, Jun Seok; Zhang, Yuzheng; Wang, Xianlong; Ivey, Richard G.; Zhao, Lei; Min, Hophil; Lee, Youngju; Yu, Myeong-Hee; Yang, Eun Gyeong; Lee, Cheolju; Wang, Pei; Rodriguez, Henry; Kim, Youngsoo; Carr, Steven A.; Paulovich, Amanda G.

2014-01-01

The successful application of MRM in biological specimens raises the exciting possibility that assays can be configured to measure all human proteins, resulting in an assay resource that would promote advances in biomedical research. We report the results of a pilot study designed to test the feasibility of a large-scale, international effort in MRM assay generation. We have configured, validated across three laboratories, and made publicly available as a resource to the community 645 novel MRM assays representing 319 proteins expressed in human breast cancer. Assays were multiplexed in groups of >150 peptides and deployed to quantify endogenous analyte in a panel of breast cancer-related cell lines. Median assay precision was 5.4%, with high inter-laboratory correlation (R2 >0.96). Peptide measurements in breast cancer cell lines were able to discriminate amongst molecular subtypes and identify genome-driven changes in the cancer proteome. These results establish the feasibility of a scaled, international effort. PMID:24317253

International Halley Watch: Discipline specialists for large scale phenomena

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandt, J. C.; Niedner, M. B., Jr.

1986-01-01

The largest scale structures of comets, their tails, are extremely interesting from a physical point of view, and some of their properties are among the most spectacular displayed by comets. Because the tail(s) is an important component part of a comet, the Large-Scale Phenomena (L-SP) Discipline was created as one of eight different observational methods in which Halley data would be encouraged and collected from all around the world under the aspices of the International Halley Watch (IHW). The L-SP Discipline Specialist (DS) Team resides at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center under the leadership of John C. Brandt, Malcolm B. Niedner, and their team of image-processing and computer specialists; Jurgan Rahe at NASA Headquarters completes the formal DS science staff. The team has adopted the study of disconnection events (DE) as its principal science target, and it is because of the rapid changes which occur in connection with DE's that such extensive global coverage was deemed necessary to assemble a complete record.

A new reference global instrumental earthquake catalogue (1900-2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Giacomo, D.; Engdahl, B.; Bondar, I.; Storchak, D. A.; Villasenor, A.; Bormann, P.; Lee, W.; Dando, B.; Harris, J.

2011-12-01

For seismic hazard studies on a global and/or regional scale, accurate knowledge of the spatial distribution of seismicity, the magnitude-frequency relation and the maximum magnitudes is of fundamental importance. However, such information is normally not homogeneous (or not available) for the various seismically active regions of the Earth. To achieve the GEM objectives (www.globalquakemodel.org) of calculating and communicating earthquake risk worldwide, an improved reference global instrumental catalogue for large earthquakes spanning the entire 100+ years period of instrumental seismology is an absolute necessity. To accomplish this task, we apply the most up-to-date techniques and standard observatory practices for computing the earthquake location and magnitude. In particular, the re-location procedure benefits both from the depth determination according to Engdahl and Villaseñor (2002), and the advanced technique recently implemented at the ISC (Bondár and Storchak, 2011) to account for correlated error structure. With regard to magnitude, starting from the re-located hypocenters, the classical surface and body-wave magnitudes are determined following the new IASPEI standards and by using amplitude-period data of phases collected from historical station bulletins (up to 1970), which were not available in digital format before the beginning of this work. Finally, the catalogue will provide moment magnitude values (including uncertainty) for each seismic event via seismic moment, via surface wave magnitude or via other magnitude types using empirical relationships. References Engdahl, E.R., and A. Villaseñor (2002). Global seismicity: 1900-1999. In: International Handbook of Earthquake and Engineering Seismology, eds. W.H.K. Lee, H. Kanamori, J.C. Jennings, and C. Kisslinger, Part A, 665-690, Academic Press, San Diego. Bondár, I., and D. Storchak (2011). Improved location procedures at the International Seismological Centre, Geophys. J. Int., doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05107.x, in press.

Modeling the emissions of a dual fuel engine coupled with a biomass gasifier-supplementing the Wiebe function.

PubMed

Vakalis, Stergios; Caligiuri, Carlo; Moustakas, Konstantinos; Malamis, Dimitris; Renzi, Massimiliano; Baratieri, Marco

2018-03-12

There is a growing market demand for small-scale biomass gasifiers that is driven by the economic incentives and the legislative framework. Small-scale gasifiers produce a gaseous fuel, commonly referred to as producer gas, with relatively low heating value. Thus, the most common energy conversion systems that are coupled with small-scale gasifiers are internal combustion engines. In order to increase the electrical efficiency, the operators choose dual fuel engines and mix the producer gas with diesel. The Wiebe function has been a valuable tool for assessing the efficiency of dual fuel internal combustion engines. This study introduces a thermodynamic model that works in parallel with the Wiebe function and calculates the emissions of the engines. This "vis-à-vis" approach takes into consideration the actual conditions inside the cylinders-as they are returned by the Wiebe function-and calculates the final thermodynamic equilibrium of the flue gases mixture. This approach aims to enhance the operation of the dual fuel internal combustion engines by identifying the optimal operating conditions and-at the same time-advance pollution control and minimize the environmental impact.

Validation of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents using Rasch analysis.

PubMed

Janssen, Kitty C; Phillipson, Sivanes; O'Connor, Justen; Johns, Murray W

2017-05-01

A validated measure of daytime sleepiness for adolescents is needed to better explore emerging relationships between sleepiness and the mental and physical health of adolescents. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a widely used scale for daytime sleepiness in adults but contains references to alcohol and driving. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (ESS-CHAD) has been proposed as the official modified version of the ESS for children and adolescents. This study describes the psychometric analysis of the ESS-CHAD as a measure of daytime sleepiness for adolescents. The ESS-CHAD was completed by 297 adolescents, 12-18 years old, from two independent schools in Victoria, Australia. Exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis was conducted to determine the validity of the scale. Exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis indicated that ESS-CHAD has internal validity and a unidimensional structure with good model fit. Rasch analysis of four subgroups based on gender and year-level were consistent with the overall results. The results were consistent with published ESS results, which strongly indicates that the changes to the scale do not affect the scale's capacity to measure daytime sleepiness. It is concluded that the ESS-CHAD is a reliable and internally valid measure of daytime sleepiness in adolescents 12-18 years old. Further studies are needed to establish the internal validity of the ESS-CHAD for children under 12 years, and to establish external validity and accurate cut-off points for children and adolescents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Foundations for a multiscale collaborative Earth model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afanasiev, Michael; Peter, Daniel; Sager, Korbinian; Simutė, Saulė; Ermert, Laura; Krischer, Lion; Fichtner, Andreas

2016-01-01

We present a computational framework for the assimilation of local to global seismic data into a consistent model describing Earth structure on all seismically accessible scales. This Collaborative Seismic Earth Model (CSEM) is designed to meet the following requirements: (i) Flexible geometric parametrization, capable of capturing topography and bathymetry, as well as all aspects of potentially resolvable structure, including small-scale heterogeneities and deformations of internal discontinuities. (ii) Independence of any particular wave equation solver, in order to enable the combination of inversion techniques suitable for different types of seismic data. (iii) Physical parametrization that allows for full anisotropy and for variations in attenuation and density. While not all of these parameters are always resolvable, the assimilation of data that constrain any parameter subset should be possible. (iv) Ability to accommodate successive refinements through the incorporation of updates on any scale as new data or inversion techniques become available. (v) Enable collaborative Earth model construction. The structure of the initial CSEM is represented on a variable-resolution tetrahedral mesh. It is assembled from a long-wavelength 3-D global model into which several regional-scale tomographies are embedded. We illustrate the CSEM workflow of successive updating with two examples from Japan and the Western Mediterranean, where we constrain smaller scale structure using full-waveform inversion. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability of the CSEM to act as a vehicle for the combination of different tomographic techniques with a joint full-waveform and traveltime ray tomography of Europe. This combination broadens the exploitable frequency range of the individual techniques, thereby improving resolution. We perform two iterations of a whole-Earth full-waveform inversion using a long-period reference data set from 225 globally recorded earthquakes. At this early stage of the CSEM development, the broad global updates mostly act to remove artefacts from the assembly of the initial CSEM. During the future evolution of the CSEM, the reference data set will be used to account for the influence of small-scale refinements on large-scale global structure. The CSEM as a computational framework is intended to help bridging the gap between local, regional and global tomography, and to contribute to the development of a global multiscale Earth model. While the current construction serves as a first proof of concept, future refinements and additions will require community involvement, which is welcome at this stage already.

[Pediatric reference intervals : retrospective study on thyroid hormone levels].

PubMed

Ladang, A; Vranken, L; Luyckx, F; Lebrethon, M-C; Cavalier, E

2017-01-01

Defining reference range is an essential tool for diagnostic. Age and sexe influences on thyroid hormone levels have been already discussed. In this study, we are defining a new pediatric reference range for TSH, FT3 and FT4 for Cobas C6000 analyzer. To do so, we have taken in account 0 to 18 year old outclinic patients. During the first year of life, thyroid hormone levels change dramatically before getting stabilized around 3 years old. We also compared our results to those obtained in a Canadian large-scale prospective study (the CALIPER initiative).

Model simulations and proxy-based reconstructions for the European region in the past millennium (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zorita, E.

2009-12-01

One of the objectives when comparing simulations of past climates to proxy-based climate reconstructions is to asses the skill of climate models to simulate climate change. This comparison may accomplished at large spatial scales, for instance the evolution of simulated and reconstructed Northern Hemisphere annual temperature, or at regional or point scales. In both approaches a 'fair' comparison has to take into account different aspects that affect the inevitable uncertainties and biases in the simulations and in the reconstructions. These efforts face a trade-off: climate models are believed to be more skillful at large hemispheric scales, but climate reconstructions are these scales are burdened by the spatial distribution of available proxies and by methodological issues surrounding the statistical method used to translate the proxy information into large-spatial averages. Furthermore, the internal climatic noise at large hemispheric scales is low, so that the sampling uncertainty tends to be also low. On the other hand, the skill of climate models at regional scales is limited by the coarse spatial resolution, which hinders a faithful representation of aspects important for the regional climate. At small spatial scales, the reconstruction of past climate probably faces less methodological problems if information from different proxies is available. The internal climatic variability at regional scales is, however, high. In this contribution some examples of the different issues faced when comparing simulation and reconstructions at small spatial scales in the past millennium are discussed. These examples comprise reconstructions from dendrochronological data and from historical documentary data in Europe and climate simulations with global and regional models. These examples indicate that the centennial climate variations can offer a reasonable target to assess the skill of global climate models and of proxy-based reconstructions, even at small spatial scales. However, as the focus shifts towards higher frequency variability, decadal or multidecadal, the need for larger simulation ensembles becomes more evident. Nevertheless,the comparison at these time scales may expose some lines of research on the origin of multidecadal regional climate variability.

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Cooperation, UT Actors, 1966-1969, An Inventory of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph is a computer printout which presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph presents the computer printout of data on the application of…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Conflict, UU Actors, 1966-1969, An Inventory of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph is a computer printout which presents findings from an analysis of data on international conflict over a three-year period. Part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their ability to analyze international relations, this monograph presents the computer printout of data on the application of…

Attributes and National Behavior, Part 2: Modern International Relations Monograph Series. Relative Status-Field Theory, Results for Cooperation, TT Actors, 1966-69, An Inventory of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Jack E.

This monograph presents findings from an analysis of data on international cooperation over a three-year period. A computer printout of the analysis is included. The document is part of a large scale research project to test various theories with regard to their power in analyzing international relations. In this monograph, an inventory is…

Internal Wave Apparatus for Copepod Behavior Assays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, S.; Haas, K. A.; Webster, D. R.

2015-11-01

Internal waves are ubiquitous features in coastal marine environments and have been observed to mediate vertical distributions of zooplankton in situ. Internal waves are generated through oscillations of the pycnocline in stratified waters and thereby create fine-scale hydrodynamic cues that copepods and other zooplankton are known to sense, such as fluid density gradients and velocity gradients (quantified as shear deformation rate). The role of copepod behavior in response to cues associated with internal waves is largely unknown. Thus, a coupled quantification of copepod behavior and hydrodynamic cues will provide insight to the bio-physical interaction and the role of biological versus physical forcing in mediating organism distributions. We constructed a laboratory-scale internal wave apparatus to facilitate fine-scale observations of copepod behavior in flows that replicate in situ conditions of internal waves in a two-layer stratification. Three cases are chosen with density jump ranging between 0.75 - 1.5 kg/m3. Analytical analysis of the two-layer system provides guidance of the target forcing frequency to generate a standing internal wave with a single dominate frequency of oscillation. Flow visualization and signal processing of the interface location are used to quantify the wave characteristics. A copepod behavior assay is conducted, and sample trajectories are analyzed to identify copepod response to internal wave structure.

Fine and Coarse-Scale Patterns of Vegetation Diversity on Reclaimed Surface Mine-land Over a 40-Year Chronosequence.

PubMed

Bohrer, Stefanie L; Limb, Ryan F; Daigh, Aaron L; Volk, Jay M; Wick, Abbey F

2017-03-01

Rangelands are described as heterogeneous, due to patterning in species assemblages and productivity that arise from species dispersal and interactions with environmental gradients and disturbances across multiple scales. The objectives of rangeland reclamation are typically vegetation establishment, plant community productivity, and soil stability. However, while fine-scale diversity is often promoted through species-rich seed mixes, landscape heterogeneity and coarse-scale diversity are largely overlooked. Our objectives were to evaluate fine and coarse-scale vegetation patterns across a 40-year reclamation chronosequence on reclaimed surface coalmine lands. We hypothesized that both α-diversity and β-diversity would increase and community patch size and species dissimilarity to reference sites would decrease on independent sites over 40 years. Plant communities were surveyed on 19 post-coalmine reclaimed sites and four intact native reference sites in central North Dakota mixed-grass prairie. Our results showed no differences in α or β-diversity and plant community patch size over the 40-year chronosequence. However, both α-diversity and β-diversity on reclaimed sites was similar to reference sites. Native species establishment was limited due to the presence of non-native species such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) on both the reclaimed and reference sites. Species composition was different between reclaimed and reference sites and community dissimilarity increased on reclaimed sites over the 40-year chronosequence. Plant communities resulting from reclamation followed non-equilibrium succession, even with consistent seeds mixes established across all reclaimed years. This suggests post-reclamation management strategies influence species composition outcomes and land management strategies applied uniformly may not increase landscape-level diversity.

Finnish version of the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia: Reference values in the Finnish general population and associations with leisure-time physical activity.

PubMed

Koho, Petteri; Borodulin, Katja; Kautiainen, Hannu; Kujala, Urho; Pohjolainen, Timo; Hurri, Heikki

2015-03-01

To create reference values for the general Finnish population using the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-FIN), to study gender differences in the TSK-FIN, to assess the internal consistency of the TSK-FIN, to estimate the prevalence of high levels of kinesiophobia in Finnish men and women, and to examine the association between kinesiophobia and leisure-time physical activity and the impact of co-morbidities on kinesiophobia. The study population comprised 455 men and 579 women. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire about their socio-demographic factors, leisure-time physical activity, co-morbidities and kinesiophobia. The mean TSK-FIN score was significantly higher for men (mean 34.2, standard deviation (SD) 6.9) compared with women (mean 32.9, SD 6.5), with an age-adjusted p = 0.004 for the difference between men and women. Cronbach's alpha was 0.72, indicating substantial internal consistency. Men over 55 years of age and women over 65 years of age had a higher (p < 0.001) TSK score compared with younger people. There was a significant (p < 0.001) inverse association between kinesiophobia and leisure-time physical activity among both sexes. The presence of cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disease or a mental disorder was associated with a higher TSK-FIN score compared with the absence of the aforementioned disorders. We present here the reference values for the TSK-FIN. The reference values and prevalence among the general population may help clinicians to define the level of kinesiophobia among patients. Disorders other than musculoskeletal diseases were associated with kinesiophobia, which should be noted in daily practice.

Developing Large-Scale Bayesian Networks by Composition: Fault Diagnosis of Electrical Power Systems in Aircraft and Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mengshoel, Ole Jakob; Poll, Scott; Kurtoglu, Tolga

2009-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the use of Bayesian networks to construct large-scale diagnostic systems. In particular, we consider the development of large-scale Bayesian networks by composition. This compositional approach reflects how (often redundant) subsystems are architected to form systems such as electrical power systems. We develop high-level specifications, Bayesian networks, clique trees, and arithmetic circuits representing 24 different electrical power systems. The largest among these 24 Bayesian networks contains over 1,000 random variables. Another BN represents the real-world electrical power system ADAPT, which is representative of electrical power systems deployed in aerospace vehicles. In addition to demonstrating the scalability of the compositional approach, we briefly report on experimental results from the diagnostic competition DXC, where the ProADAPT team, using techniques discussed here, obtained the highest scores in both Tier 1 (among 9 international competitors) and Tier 2 (among 6 international competitors) of the industrial track. While we consider diagnosis of power systems specifically, we believe this work is relevant to other system health management problems, in particular in dependable systems such as aircraft and spacecraft. (See CASI ID 20100021910 for supplemental data disk.)

Population movement in post-colonial Fiji: review and speculation.

PubMed

Bedford, R D

1988-03-01

"This paper examines developments in population movement [in Fiji] between 1970 and 1986 with particular reference to an acceleration in levels of migration overseas by Indians and an exodus of Fijians from rural village communities for towns on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Trends in internal and international migration are evaluated at a range of spatial scales--national, regional and local. Some speculation on the effect of political and economic changes since May 1987 on these population movements attempts to provide a contemporary perspective on demographic developments over the last 15 years." Data are from the 1986 Fijian census. excerpt

In Defense of the National Labs and Big-Budget Science

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

Goodwin, J R

2008-07-29

The purpose of this paper is to present the unofficial and unsanctioned opinions of a Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the values of LLNL and the other National Labs. The basic founding value and goal of the National Labs is big-budget scientific research, along with smaller-budget scientific research that cannot easily be done elsewhere. The most important example in the latter category is classified defense-related research. The historical guiding light here is the Manhattan Project. This endeavor was unique in human history, and might remain so. The scientific expertise and wealth of an entire nation was tappedmore » in a project that was huge beyond reckoning, with no advance guarantee of success. It was in many respects a clash of scientific titans, with a large supporting cast, collaborating toward a single well-defined goal. Never had scientists received so much respect, so much money, and so much intellectual freedom to pursue scientific progress. And never was the gap between theory and implementation so rapidly narrowed, with results that changed the world, completely. Enormous resources are spent at the national or international level on large-scale scientific projects. LLNL has the most powerful computer in the world, Blue Gene/L. (Oops, Los Alamos just seized the title with Roadrunner; such titles regularly change hands.) LLNL also has the largest laser in the world, the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) has the most powerful microscope in the world. Not only is it beyond the resources of most large corporations to make such expenditures, but the risk exceeds the possible rewards for those corporations that could. Nor can most small countries afford to finance large scientific projects, and not even the richest can afford largess, especially if Congress is under major budget pressure. Some big-budget research efforts are funded by international consortiums, such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, and the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Cadarache, France, a magnetic-confinement fusion research project. The postWWII histories of particle and fusion physics contain remarkable examples of both international competition, with an emphasis on secrecy, and international cooperation, with an emphasis on shared knowledge and resources. Initiatives to share sometimes came from surprising directions. Most large-scale scientific projects have potential defense applications. NIF certainly does; it is primarily designed to create small-scale fusion explosions. Blue Gene/L operates in part in service to NIF, and in part to various defense projects. The most important defense projects include stewardship of the national nuclear weapons stockpile, and the proposed redesign and replacement of those weapons with fewer, safer, more reliable, longer-lived, and less apocalyptic warheads. Many well-meaning people will consider the optimal lifetime of a nuclear weapon to be zero, but most thoughtful people, when asked how much longer they think this nation will require them, will ask for some time to think. NIF is also designed to create exothermic small-scale fusion explosions. The malapropos 'exothermic' here is a convenience to cover a profusion of complexities, but the basic idea is that the explosions will create more recoverable energy than was used to create them. One can hope that the primary future benefits of success for NIF will be in cost-effective generation of electrical power through controlled small-scale fusion reactions, rather than in improved large-scale fusion explosions. Blue Gene/L also services climate research, genomic research, materials research, and a myriad of other computational problems that become more feasible, reliable, and precise the larger the number of computational nodes employed. Blue Gene/L has to be sited within a security complex for obvious reasons, but its value extends to the nation and the world. There is a duality here between large-scale scientific research machines and the supercomputers used to model them. An astounding example is illustrated in a graph released by EFDAJET, at Oxfordshire, UK, presently the largest operating magnetic-confinement fusion experiment. The graph shows plasma confinement times (an essential performance parameter) for all the major tokamaks in the international fusion program, over their existing lifetimes. The remarkable thing about the data is not so much confinement-time versus date or scale, but the fact that the data are given for both the computer model predictions and the actual experimental measurements, and the two are in phenomenal agreement over the extended range of scales. Supercomputer models, sometimes operating with the intricacy of Schroedinger's equation at quantum physical scales, have become a costly but enormously cost-saving tool.« less

Meteorite fractures and the behavior of meteoroids in the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryson, K.; Ostrowski, D. R.; Sears, D. W. G.

2015-12-01

Arguably the major difficulty faced to model the atmospheric behavior of objects entering the atmosphere is that we know very little about the internal structure of these objects and their methods of fragmentation during fall. In a study of over a thousand meteorite fragments (mostly hand-sized, some 40 or 50 cm across) in the collections of the Natural History Museums in Vienna and London, we identified six kinds of fracturing behavior. (1) Chondrites usually showed random fractures with no particular sensitivity to meteorite texture. (2) Coarse irons fractured along kamacite grain boundaries, while (3) fine irons fragmented randomly, c.f. chondrites. (4) Fine irons with large crystal boundaries (e.g. Arispe) fragmented along the crystal boundaries. (5) A few chondrites, three in the present study, have a distinct and strong network of fractures making a brickwork or chicken-wire structure. The Chelyabinsk meteorite has the chicken-wire structure of fractures, which explains the very large number of centimeter-sized fragments that showered the Earth. Finally, (6) previous work on Sutter's Mill showed that water-rich meteorites fracture around clasts. To scale the meteorite fractures to the fragmentation behavior of near-Earth asteroids, it has been suggested that the fracturing behavior follows a statistical prediction made in the 1930s, the Weibull distribution, where fractures are assumed to be randomly distributed through the target and the likelihood of encountering a fracture increases with distance. This results in a relationship: σl = σs(ns/nl)α, where σs and σl refers to stress in the small and large object and ns and nl refer to the number of cracks per unit volume of the small and large object. The value for α, the Weibull coefficient, is unclear. Ames meteorite laboratory is working to measure the density and length of fractures observed in these six types of fracture to determine values for the Weibull coefficient for each type of object.

THE CONCEPT OF REFERENCE CONDITION, REVISITED ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Ecological assessments of aquatic ecosystems depend on the ability to compare current conditions against some expectation of how they could be in the absence of significant human disturbance. The concept of a ‘‘reference condition’’ is often used to describe the standard or benchmark against which current condition is compared. If assessments are to be conducted consistently, then a common understanding of the definitions and complications of reference condition is necessary. A 2006 paper (Stoddard et al., 2006, Ecological Applications 16:1267-1276) made an early attempt at codifying the reference condition concept; in this presentation we will revisit the points raised in that paper (and others) and examine how our thinking has changed in a little over 10 years.Among the issues to be discussed: (1) the “moving target” created when reference site data are used to set thresholds in large scale assessments; (2) natural vs. human disturbance and their effects on reference site distributions; (3) circularity and the use of biological data to assist in reference site identification; (4) using site-scale (in-stream or in-lake) measurements vs. landscape-level human activity to identify reference conditions. Ecological assessments of aquatic ecosystems depend on the ability to compare current conditions against some expectation of how they could be in the absence of significant human disturbance. The concept of a ‘‘reference condition’’ is often use

Linking Large-Scale Reading Assessments: Comment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.

2016-01-01

E. A. Hanushek points out in this commentary that applied researchers in education have only recently begun to appreciate the value of international assessments, even though there are now 50 years of experience with these. Until recently, these assessments have been stand-alone surveys that have not been linked, and analysis has largely focused on…

Development and psychometric testing of the Attitudes, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioural Control, and Intention to Pursue a Career in Mental Health Nursing scale.

PubMed

Wilbourn, Mark; Salamonson, Yenna; Ramjan, Lucie; Chang, Sungwon

2018-02-01

The aim of the present study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Attitudes, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioural Control, and Intention to Pursue a Career in Mental Health Nursing (ASPIRE) scale, an instrument to assess nursing students' intention to work in mental health nursing. Understanding the factors influencing undergraduate nursing students' career intentions might lead to improved recruitment strategies. However, there are no standardized tools to measure and assess students' intention to pursue a career in mental health nursing. The present study used a cross-sectional survey design undertaken at a large tertiary institution in Western Sydney (Australia) between May and August 2013. It comprised three distinct and sequential phases: (i) items were generated representing the four dimensions of the theory of planned behaviour; (ii) face and content validity were tested by a representative reference group and panel of experts; and (iii) survey data from 1109 first- and second-year and 619 third-year students were used in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to test the factorial validity of the scale. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha. Items generated for the ASPIRE scale were subject to face and content validity testing. Results showed good factorial validity and reliability for the final 14-item scale. Principal axis factoring revealed a one-factor solution, the hypothesized model being supported by confirmatory factor analysis. The ASPIRE scale is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring intention to pursue a career in mental health nursing among Bachelor of Nursing students. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Evaluating Mixture Modeling for Clustering: Recommendations and Cautions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinley, Douglas; Brusco, Michael J.

2011-01-01

This article provides a large-scale investigation into several of the properties of mixture-model clustering techniques (also referred to as latent class cluster analysis, latent profile analysis, model-based clustering, probabilistic clustering, Bayesian classification, unsupervised learning, and finite mixture models; see Vermunt & Magdison,…

Measuring Long-Term Impact Based on Network Centrality: Unraveling Cinematic Citations

PubMed Central

Spitz, Andreas; Horvát, Emőke-Ágnes

2014-01-01

Traditional measures of success for film, such as box-office revenue and critical acclaim, lack the ability to quantify long-lasting impact and depend on factors that are largely external to the craft itself. With the growing number of films that are being created and large-scale data becoming available through crowd-sourced online platforms, an endogenous measure of success that is not reliant on manual appraisal is of increasing importance. In this article we propose such a ranking method based on a combination of centrality indices. We apply the method to a network that contains several types of citations between more than 40,000 international feature films. From this network we derive a list of milestone films, which can be considered to constitute the foundations of cinema. In a comparison to various existing lists of ‘greatest’ films, such as personal favourite lists, voting lists, lists of individual experts, and lists deduced from expert polls, the selection of milestone films is more diverse in terms of genres, actors, and main creators. Our results shed light on the potential of a systematic quantitative investigation based on cinematic influences in identifying the most inspiring creations in world cinema. In a broader perspective, we introduce a novel research question to large-scale citation analysis, one of the most intriguing topics that have been at the forefront of scientific enquiries for the past fifty years and have led to the development of various network analytic methods. In doing so, we transfer widely studied approaches from citation analysis to the the newly emerging field of quantification efforts in the arts. The specific contribution of this paper consists in modelling the multidimensional cinematic references as a growing multiplex network and in developing a methodology for the identification of central films in this network. PMID:25295877

Large-scale analyses of common and rare variants identify 12 new loci associated with atrial fibrillation

PubMed Central

Christophersen, Ingrid E.; Rienstra, Michiel; Roselli, Carolina; Yin, Xiaoyan; Geelhoed, Bastiaan; Barnard, John; Lin, Honghuang; Arking, Dan E.; Smith, Albert V.; Albert, Christine M.; Chaffin, Mark; Tucker, Nathan R.; Li, Molong; Klarin, Derek; Bihlmeyer, Nathan A; Low, Siew-Kee; Weeke, Peter E.; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Smith, J. Gustav; Brody, Jennifer A.; Niemeijer, Maartje N.; Dörr, Marcus; Trompet, Stella; Huffman, Jennifer; Gustafsson, Stefan; Schurman, Claudia; Kleber, Marcus E.; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Seppälä, Ilkka; Malik, Rainer; Horimoto, Andrea R. V. R.; Perez, Marco; Sinisalo, Juha; Aeschbacher, Stefanie; Thériault, Sébastien; Yao, Jie; Radmanesh, Farid; Weiss, Stefan; Teumer, Alexander; Choi, Seung Hoan; Weng, Lu-Chen; Clauss, Sebastian; Deo, Rajat; Rader, Daniel J.; Shah, Svati; Sun, Albert; Hopewell, Jemma C.; Debette, Stephanie; Chauhan, Ganesh; Yang, Qiong; Worrall, Bradford B.; Paré, Guillaume; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Hagemeijer, Yanick P.; Verweij, Niek; Siland, Joylene E.; Kubo, Michiaki; Smith, Jonathan D.; Van Wagoner, David R.; Bis, Joshua C.; Perz, Siegfried; Psaty, Bruce M.; Ridker, Paul M.; Magnani, Jared W.; Harris, Tamara B.; Launer, Lenore J.; Shoemaker, M. Benjamin; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Haessler, Jeffrey; Bartz, Traci M.; Waldenberger, Melanie; Lichtner, Peter; Arendt, Marina; Krieger, Jose E.; Kähönen, Mika; Risch, Lorenz; Mansur, Alfredo J.; Peters, Annette; Smith, Blair H.; Lind, Lars; Scott, Stuart A.; Lu, Yingchang; Bottinger, Erwin B.; Hernesniemi, Jussi; Lindgren, Cecilia M.; Wong, Jorge; Huang, Jie; Eskola, Markku; Morris, Andrew P.; Ford, Ian; Reiner, Alex P.; Delgado, Graciela; Chen, Lin Y.; Chen, Yii-Der Ida; Sandhu, Roopinder K.; Li, Man; Boerwinkle, Eric; Eisele, Lewin; Lannfelt, Lars; Rost, Natalia; Anderson, Christopher D.; Taylor, Kent D.; Campbell, Archie; Magnusson, Patrik K.; Porteous, David; Hocking, Lynne J.; Vlachopoulou, Efthymia; Pedersen, Nancy L.; Nikus, Kjell; Orho-Melander, Marju; Hamsten, Anders; Heeringa, Jan; Denny, Joshua C.; Kriebel, Jennifer; Darbar, Dawood; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; Shaffer, Christian; Macfarlane, Peter W.; Heilmann, Stefanie; Almgren, Peter; Huang, Paul L.; Sotoodehnia, Nona; Soliman, Elsayed Z.; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Hofman, Albert; Franco, Oscar H.; Völker, Uwe; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Sinner, Moritz F.; Lin, Henry J.; Guo, Xiuqing; Dichgans, Martin; Ingelsson, Erik; Kooperberg, Charles; Melander, Olle; Loos, Ruth J. F.; Laurikka, Jari; Conen, David; Rosand, Jonathan; van der Harst, Pim; Lokki, Marja-Liisa; Kathiresan, Sekar; Pereira, Alexandre; Jukema, J. Wouter; Hayward, Caroline; Rotter, Jerome I.; März, Winfried; Lehtimäki, Terho; Stricker, Bruno H.; Chung, Mina K.; Felix, Stephan B.; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Alonso, Alvaro; Roden, Dan M.; Kääb, Stefan; Chasman, Daniel I.; Heckbert, Susan R.; Benjamin, Emelia J.; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Lunetta, Kathryn L.; Lubitz, Steven A.; Ellinor, Patrick T.

2017-01-01

Atrial fibrillation affects more than 33 million people worldwide and increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and death.1,2 Fourteen genetic loci have been associated with atrial fibrillation in European and Asian ancestry groups.3–7 To further define the genetic basis of atrial fibrillation, we performed large-scale, multi-racial meta-analyses of common and rare variant association studies. The genome-wide association studies (GWAS) included 18,398 individuals with atrial fibrillation and 91,536 referents; the exome-wide association studies (ExWAS) and rare variant association studies (RVAS) involved 22,806 cases and 132,612 referents. We identified 12 novel genetic loci that exceeded genome-wide significance, implicating genes involved in cardiac electrical and structural remodeling. Our results nearly double the number of known genetic loci for atrial fibrillation, provide insights into the molecular basis of atrial fibrillation, and may facilitate new potential targets for drug discovery.8 PMID:28416818

Scales of Heterogeneities in the Continental Crust and Upper Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tittgemeyer, M.; Wenzel, F.; Ryberg, T.; Fuchs, K.

1999-09-01

A seismological characterization of crust and upper mantle can refer to large-scale averages of seismic velocities or to fluctuations of elastic parameters. Large is understood here relative to the wavelength used to probe the earth.¶In this paper we try to characterize crust and upper mantle by the fluctuations in media properties rather than by their average velocities. As such it becomes evident that different scales of heterogeneities prevail in different layers of crust and mantle. Although we cannot provide final models and an explanation of why these different scales exist, we believe that scales of inhomogeneities carry significant information regarding the tectonic processes that have affected the lower crust, the lithospheric and the sublithospheric upper mantle.¶We focus on four different types of small-scale inhomogeneities (1) the characteristics of the lower crust, (2) velocity fluctuations in the uppermost mantle, (3) scattering in the lowermost lithosphere and on (4) heterogeneities in the mantle transition zone.

Prediction of Large Vessel Occlusions in Acute Stroke: National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Is Hard to Beat.

PubMed

Vanacker, Peter; Heldner, Mirjam R; Amiguet, Michael; Faouzi, Mohamed; Cras, Patrick; Ntaios, George; Arnold, Marcel; Mattle, Heinrich P; Gralla, Jan; Fischer, Urs; Michel, Patrik

2016-06-01

Endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke with a large vessel occlusion was recently shown to be effective. We aimed to develop a score capable of predicting large vessel occlusion eligible for endovascular treatment in the early hospital management. Retrospective, cohort study. Two tertiary, Swiss stroke centers. Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients (1,645 patients; Acute STroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne registry), who had CT angiography within 6 and 12 hours of symptom onset, were categorized according to the occlusion site. Demographic and clinical information was used in logistic regression analysis to derive predictors of large vessel occlusion (defined as intracranial carotid, basilar, and M1 segment of middle cerebral artery occlusions). Based on logistic regression coefficients, an integer score was created and validated internally and externally (848 patients; Bernese Stroke Registry). None. Large vessel occlusions were present in 316 patients (21%) in the derivation and 566 (28%) in the external validation cohort. Five predictors added significantly to the score: National Institute of Health Stroke Scale at admission, hemineglect, female sex, atrial fibrillation, and no history of stroke and prestroke handicap (modified Rankin Scale score, < 2). Diagnostic accuracy in internal and external validation cohorts was excellent (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.84 both). The score performed slightly better than National Institute of Health Stroke Scale alone regarding prediction error (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p < 0.001) and regarding discriminatory power in derivation and pooled cohorts (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.81 vs 0.80; DeLong test, p = 0.02). Our score accurately predicts the presence of emergent large vessel occlusions, which are eligible for endovascular treatment. However, incorporation of additional demographic and historical information available on hospital arrival provides minimal incremental predictive value compared with the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale alone.

An extended algebraic variational multiscale-multigrid-multifractal method (XAVM4) for large-eddy simulation of turbulent two-phase flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasthofer, U.; Wall, W. A.; Gravemeier, V.

2018-04-01

A novel and comprehensive computational method, referred to as the eXtended Algebraic Variational Multiscale-Multigrid-Multifractal Method (XAVM4), is proposed for large-eddy simulation of the particularly challenging problem of turbulent two-phase flow. The XAVM4 involves multifractal subgrid-scale modeling as well as a Nitsche-type extended finite element method as an approach for two-phase flow. The application of an advanced structural subgrid-scale modeling approach in conjunction with a sharp representation of the discontinuities at the interface between two bulk fluids promise high-fidelity large-eddy simulation of turbulent two-phase flow. The high potential of the XAVM4 is demonstrated for large-eddy simulation of turbulent two-phase bubbly channel flow, that is, turbulent channel flow carrying a single large bubble of the size of the channel half-width in this particular application.

Achieving Excellence: Bringing Effective Literacy Pedagogy to Scale in Ontario's Publicly-Funded Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Mary Jean; Malloy, John; Ryerson, Rachel

2016-01-01

This paper offers an insiders' perspective on the large-scale, system-wide educational change undertaken in Ontario, Canada from 2003 to the present. The authors, Ministry and school system leaders intimately involved in this change process, explore how Ontario has come to be internationally recognized as an equitable, high-achieving, and…

On the status of IAEA delta-13C stable isotope reference materials.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assonov, Sergey; Groening, Manfred; Fajgelj, Ales

2016-04-01

For practical reasons all isotope measurements are performed on relative scales realized through the use of international, scale-defining primary standards. In fact these standards were materials (artefacts, similar to prototypes of meter and kg) selected based on their properties. The VPDB delta-13C scale is realised via two highest-level reference materials NBS19 and LSVEC, the first defining the scale and the second aimed to normalise lab-to-lab calibrations. These two reference materials (RMs) have been maintained and distributed by IAEA and NIST. The priority task is to maintain these primary RMs at the required uncertainty level, thus ensuring the long-term scale consistency. The second task is to introduce replacements when needed (currently for exhausted NBS19, work in progress). The next is to produce a family of lower level RMs (secondary, tertiary) addressing needs of various applications (with different delta values, in different physical-chemical forms) and their needs for the uncertainty; these RMs should be traceable to the highest level RMs. Presently three is a need for a range of RMs addressing existing and newly emerging analytical techniques (e.g. optical isotopic analysers) in form of calibrated CO2 gases with different delta-13C values. All that implies creating a family of delta-13C stable isotope reference materials. Presently IAEA works on replacement for NBS19 and planning new RMs. Besides, we found that LSVEC (introduced as second anchor for the VPDB scale in 2006) demonstrate a considerable scatter of its delta-13C value which implies a potential bias of the property value and increased value uncertainty which may conflict with uncertainty requirements for atmospheric monitoring. That is not compatible with the status of LSVEC, and therefore it should be replaced as soon as possible. The presentation will give an overview of the current status, the strategic plan of developments and the near future steps.

Self-consistency tests of large-scale dynamics parameterizations for single-column modeling

DOE PAGES

Edman, Jacob P.; Romps, David M.

2015-03-18

Large-scale dynamics parameterizations are tested numerically in cloud-resolving simulations, including a new version of the weak-pressure-gradient approximation (WPG) introduced by Edman and Romps (2014), the weak-temperature-gradient approximation (WTG), and a prior implementation of WPG. We perform a series of self-consistency tests with each large-scale dynamics parameterization, in which we compare the result of a cloud-resolving simulation coupled to WTG or WPG with an otherwise identical simulation with prescribed large-scale convergence. In self-consistency tests based on radiative-convective equilibrium (RCE; i.e., no large-scale convergence), we find that simulations either weakly coupled or strongly coupled to either WPG or WTG are self-consistent, butmore » WPG-coupled simulations exhibit a nonmonotonic behavior as the strength of the coupling to WPG is varied. We also perform self-consistency tests based on observed forcings from two observational campaigns: the Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) and the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) Summer 1995 IOP. In these tests, we show that the new version of WPG improves upon prior versions of WPG by eliminating a potentially troublesome gravity-wave resonance.« less

Using Mesoscale Weather Model Output as Boundary Conditions for Atmospheric Large-Eddy Simulations and Wind-Plant Aerodynamic Simulations (Presentation)

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

Churchfield, M. J.; Michalakes, J.; Vanderwende, B.

Wind plant aerodynamics are directly affected by the microscale weather, which is directly influenced by the mesoscale weather. Microscale weather refers to processes that occur within the atmospheric boundary layer with the largest scales being a few hundred meters to a few kilometers depending on the atmospheric stability of the boundary layer. Mesoscale weather refers to large weather patterns, such as weather fronts, with the largest scales being hundreds of kilometers wide. Sometimes microscale simulations that capture mesoscale-driven variations (changes in wind speed and direction over time or across the spatial extent of a wind plant) are important in windmore » plant analysis. In this paper, we present our preliminary work in coupling a mesoscale weather model with a microscale atmospheric large-eddy simulation model. The coupling is one-way beginning with the weather model and ending with a computational fluid dynamics solver using the weather model in coarse large-eddy simulation mode as an intermediary. We simulate one hour of daytime moderately convective microscale development driven by the mesoscale data, which are applied as initial and boundary conditions to the microscale domain, at a site in Iowa. We analyze the time and distance necessary for the smallest resolvable microscales to develop.« less

Compliant Robotic Structures. Part 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

Nonaxially Homogeneous Stresses and Strains 44 Parametric Studies 52 % References 65 III. LARGE DEFLECTIONS OF CONTINUOUS ELASTIC ’- STRUCTURES 66...APPENDIX C: Computer Program for the Element String 133 -° SUMMARY This is the second year report which is a part of a three- year study on compliant...ratios as high as 10/1 for laboratory-scale models and up to 3/1 for full-scale prototype arms. The first two years of this study have involved the

Ice Shape Scaling for Aircraft in SLD Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David N.; Tsao, Jen-Ching

2008-01-01

This paper has summarized recent NASA research into scaling of SLD conditions with data from both SLD and Appendix C tests. Scaling results obtained by applying existing scaling methods for size and test-condition scaling will be reviewed. Large feather growth issues, including scaling approaches, will be discussed briefly. The material included applies only to unprotected, unswept geometries. Within the limits of the conditions tested to date, the results show that the similarity parameters needed for Appendix C scaling also can be used for SLD scaling, and no additional parameters are required. These results were based on visual comparisons of reference and scale ice shapes. Nearly all of the experimental results presented have been obtained in sea-level tunnels. The currently recommended methods to scale model size, icing limit and test conditions are described.

Comment on the International Atomic Energy Agency Report on the Advisory Group Meeting on Stable Isotope Reference Samples for Geochemical and Hydrological Investigation, Vienna, Austria, September 19-21, 1983

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, T.B.; Friedman, Irving; O'Neil, J.R.

1984-01-01

According to U.S. Geological Survey records, a report prepared by R. Gonfiantini summarizing the findings and recommendations of the 1983 Advisory Group Meeting on Stable Isotope Reference Samples for Geochemical and Hydrologic Investigations held in Vienna does not accurately represent the consultants ' consensus on three important points. The consultants (1) recommended no value for the C02-H20 oxygen isotope fractionation factor, not the cited value of 1.04115, (2) adopted a value of 1.0309 rather than 1.03086 to relate the PDB and SMOW scales, and (3) adopted a firm 180 value of -2.20% for NBS-19 on the PDB scale rather than agreeing that this would be a tentative value subject to modification when more measurements in selected laboratories are available. (USGS)

Determining optimal parameters of the self-referent encoding task: A large-scale examination of self-referent cognition and depression.

PubMed

Dainer-Best, Justin; Lee, Hae Yeon; Shumake, Jason D; Yeager, David S; Beevers, Christopher G

2018-06-07

Although the self-referent encoding task (SRET) is commonly used to measure self-referent cognition in depression, many different SRET metrics can be obtained. The current study used best subsets regression with cross-validation and independent test samples to identify the SRET metrics most reliably associated with depression symptoms in three large samples: a college student sample (n = 572), a sample of adults from Amazon Mechanical Turk (n = 293), and an adolescent sample from a school field study (n = 408). Across all 3 samples, SRET metrics associated most strongly with depression severity included number of words endorsed as self-descriptive and rate of accumulation of information required to decide whether adjectives were self-descriptive (i.e., drift rate). These metrics had strong intratask and split-half reliability and high test-retest reliability across a 1-week period. Recall of SRET stimuli and traditional reaction time (RT) metrics were not robustly associated with depression severity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Solar Flare: A Strongly Turbulent Particle Accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlahos, L.; Krucker, S.; Cargill, P.

The topics of explosive magnetic energy release on a large scale (a solar flare) and particle acceleration during such an event are rarely discussed together in the same article. Many discussions of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) mod- eling of solar flares and/or CMEs have appeared (see [143] and references therein) and usually address large-scale destabilization of the coronal mag- netic field. Particle acceleration in solar flares has also been discussed exten- sively [74, 164, 116, 166, 87, 168, 95, 122, 35] with the main emphasis being on the actual mechanisms for acceleration (e.g., shocks, turbulence, DC electric fields) rather than the global magnetic context in which the acceleration takes place.

Dynamically Consistent Parameterization of Mesoscale Eddies This work aims at parameterization of eddy effects for use in non-eddy-resolving ocean models and focuses on the effect of the stochastic part of the eddy forcing that backscatters and induces eastward jet extension of the western boundary currents and its adjacent recirculation zones.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berloff, P. S.

2016-12-01

This work aims at developing a framework for dynamically consistent parameterization of mesoscale eddy effects for use in non-eddy-resolving ocean circulation models. The proposed eddy parameterization framework is successfully tested on the classical, wind-driven double-gyre model, which is solved both with explicitly resolved vigorous eddy field and in the non-eddy-resolving configuration with the eddy parameterization replacing the eddy effects. The parameterization focuses on the effect of the stochastic part of the eddy forcing that backscatters and induces eastward jet extension of the western boundary currents and its adjacent recirculation zones. The parameterization locally approximates transient eddy flux divergence by spatially localized and temporally periodic forcing, referred to as the plunger, and focuses on the linear-dynamics flow solution induced by it. The nonlinear self-interaction of this solution, referred to as the footprint, characterizes and quantifies the induced eddy forcing exerted on the large-scale flow. We find that spatial pattern and amplitude of each footprint strongly depend on the underlying large-scale flow, and the corresponding relationships provide the basis for the eddy parameterization and its closure on the large-scale flow properties. Dependencies of the footprints on other important parameters of the problem are also systematically analyzed. The parameterization utilizes the local large-scale flow information, constructs and scales the corresponding footprints, and then sums them up over the gyres to produce the resulting eddy forcing field, which is interactively added to the model as an extra forcing. Thus, the assumed ensemble of plunger solutions can be viewed as a simple model for the cumulative effect of the stochastic eddy forcing. The parameterization framework is implemented in the simplest way, but it provides a systematic strategy for improving the implementation algorithm.

New reference values for thyroid volume by ultrasound in iodine-sufficient schoolchildren: a World Health Organization/Nutrition for Health and Development Iodine Deficiency Study Group Report.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Michael B; Hess, Sonja Y; Molinari, Luciano; De Benoist, Bruno; Delange, François; Braverman, Lewis E; Fujieda, Kenji; Ito, Yoshiya; Jooste, Pieter L; Moosa, Khairya; Pearce, Elizabeth N; Pretell, Eduardo A; Shishiba, Yoshimasa

2004-02-01

Goiter prevalence in school-age children is an indicator of the severity of iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) in a population. In areas of mild-to-moderate IDDs, measurement of thyroid volume (Tvol) by ultrasound is preferable to palpation for grading goiter, but interpretation requires reference criteria from iodine-sufficient children. The study aim was to establish international reference values for Tvol by ultrasound in 6-12-y-old children that could be used to define goiter in the context of IDD monitoring. Tvol was measured by ultrasound in 6-12-y-old children living in areas of long-term iodine sufficiency in North and South America, central Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, Africa, and the western Pacific. Measurements were made by 2 experienced examiners using validated techniques. Data were log transformed, used to calculate percentiles on the basis of the Gaussian distribution, and then transformed back to the linear scale. Age- and body surface area (BSA)-specific 97th percentiles for Tvol were calculated for boys and girls. The sample included 3529 children evenly divided between boys and girls at each year ( +/- SD age: 9.3 +/- 1.9 y). The range of median urinary iodine concentrations for the 6 study sites was 118-288 micro g/L. There were significant differences in age- and BSA-adjusted mean Tvols between sites, which suggests that population-specific references in countries with long-standing iodine sufficiency may be more accurate than is a single international reference. However, overall differences in age- and BSA-adjusted Tvols between sites were modest relative to the population and measurement variability, which supports the use of a single, site-independent set of references. These new international reference values for Tvol by ultrasound can be used for goiter screening in the context of IDD monitoring.

Turbulence and entrainment length scales in large wind farms.

PubMed

Andersen, Søren J; Sørensen, Jens N; Mikkelsen, Robert F

2017-04-13

A number of large wind farms are modelled using large eddy simulations to elucidate the entrainment process. A reference simulation without turbines and three farm simulations with different degrees of imposed atmospheric turbulence are presented. The entrainment process is assessed using proper orthogonal decomposition, which is employed to detect the largest and most energetic coherent turbulent structures. The dominant length scales responsible for the entrainment process are shown to grow further into the wind farm, but to be limited in extent by the streamwise turbine spacing, which could be taken into account when developing farm layouts. The self-organized motion or large coherent structures also yield high correlations between the power productions of consecutive turbines, which can be exploited through dynamic farm control.This article is part of the themed issue 'Wind energy in complex terrains'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Turbulence and entrainment length scales in large wind farms

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A number of large wind farms are modelled using large eddy simulations to elucidate the entrainment process. A reference simulation without turbines and three farm simulations with different degrees of imposed atmospheric turbulence are presented. The entrainment process is assessed using proper orthogonal decomposition, which is employed to detect the largest and most energetic coherent turbulent structures. The dominant length scales responsible for the entrainment process are shown to grow further into the wind farm, but to be limited in extent by the streamwise turbine spacing, which could be taken into account when developing farm layouts. The self-organized motion or large coherent structures also yield high correlations between the power productions of consecutive turbines, which can be exploited through dynamic farm control. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Wind energy in complex terrains’. PMID:28265028

Emotion knowledge, emotion regulation, and psychosocial adjustment in children with nonverbal learning disabilities.

PubMed

Metsala, Jamie L; Galway, Tanya M; Ishaik, Galit; Barton, Veronica E

2017-07-01

Nonverbal learning disability is a childhood disorder with basic neuropsychological deficits in visuospatial processing and psychomotor coordination, and secondary impairments in academic and social-emotional functioning. This study examines emotion recognition, understanding, and regulation in a clinic-referred group of young children with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD). These processes have been shown to be related to social competence and psychological adjustment in typically developing (TD) children. Psychosocial adjustment and social skills are also examined for this young group, and for a clinic-referred group of older children with NLD. The young children with NLD scored lower than the TD comparison group on tasks assessing recognition of happy and sad facial expressions and tasks assessing understanding of how emotions work. Children with NLD were also rated as having less adaptive regulation of their emotions. For both young and older children with NLD, internalizing and externalizing problem scales were rated higher than for the TD comparison groups, and the means of the internalizing, attention, and social problem scales were found to fall within clinically concerning ranges. Measures of attention and nonverbal intelligence did not account for the relationship between NLD and Social Problems. Social skills and NLD membership share mostly overlapping variance in accounting for internalizing problems across the sample. The results are discussed within a framework wherein social cognitive deficits, including emotion processes, have a negative impact on social competence, leading to clinically concerning levels of depression and withdrawal in this population.

Study of Travelling Interplanetary Phenomena Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dryer, Murray

1987-09-01

Scientific progress on the topic of energy, mass, and momentum transport from the Sun into the heliosphere is contingent upon interdisciplinary and international cooperative efforts on the part of many workers. Summarized here is a report of some highlights of research carried out during the SMY/SMA by the STIP (Study of Travelling Interplanetary Phenomena) Project that included solar and interplanetary scientists around the world. These highlights are concerned with coronal mass ejections from solar flares or erupting prominences (sometimes together); their large-scale consequences in interplanetary space (such as shocks and magnetic 'bubbles'); and energetic particles and their relationship to these large-scale structures. It is concluded that future progress is contingent upon similar international programs assisted by real-time (or near-real-time) warnings of solar activity by cooperating agencies along the lines experienced during the SMY/SMA.

Occupational health standards. An international comparison.

PubMed

Holmberg, B; Winell, M

1977-03-01

The background for establishing standards for toxic agents is reviewed, and the standards of 14 different countries, including Sweden, are compared with special reference to criteria and organizational aspects. The differences among countries in the numerical limit values for toxic substances are largely due to differences in definitions, biomedical criteria, technical feasibility and sociopolitical judgements.

Geoengineering: re-making climate for profit or humanitarian intervention?

PubMed

Buck, Holly Jean

2012-01-01

Climate engineering, or geoengineering, refers to large-scale climate interventions to lower the earth's temperature, either by blocking incoming sunlight or removing carbon dioxide from the biosphere. Regarded as ‘technofixes’ by critics, these strategies have evoked concern that they would extend the shelf life of fossil-fuel driven socio-ecological systems for far longer than they otherwise would, or should, endure. A critical reading views geoengineering as a class project that is designed to keep the climate system stable enough for existing production systems to continue operating. This article first examines these concerns, and then goes on to envision a regime driven by humanitarian agendas and concern for vulnerable populations, implemented through international development and aid institutions. The motivations of those who fund research and implement geoengineering techniques are important, as the rationale for developing geoengineering strategies will determine which techniques are pursued, and hence which ecologies are produced. The logic that shapes the geoengineering research process could potentially influence social ecologies centuries from now.

Fault Detection and Diagnosis System for the Air-conditioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakahara, Nobuo

The fault detection and diagnosis system, the FDD system, for the HVAC was initiated around the middle of 1970s in Japan but it still remains at the elementary stage. The HVAC is really one of the most complicated and large scaled system for the FDD system. Besides, the maintenance engineering was never focussed as the target of the academic study since after the war, but the FDD system for some kinds of the components and subsystems has been developed for the sake of the practical industrial needs. Recently, international cooperative study in the IEA Annex 25 on the energy conservation for the building and community targetted on the BOFD, the building optimization, fault detection and diagnosis. Not a few academic peaple from various engineering field got interested and, moreover, some national projects seem to start in the European countries. The author has reviewed the state of the art of the FDD and BO as well based on the references and the experience at the IEA study.

An interactive display system for large-scale 3D models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zijian; Sun, Kun; Tao, Wenbing; Liu, Liman

2018-04-01

With the improvement of 3D reconstruction theory and the rapid development of computer hardware technology, the reconstructed 3D models are enlarging in scale and increasing in complexity. Models with tens of thousands of 3D points or triangular meshes are common in practical applications. Due to storage and computing power limitation, it is difficult to achieve real-time display and interaction with large scale 3D models for some common 3D display software, such as MeshLab. In this paper, we propose a display system for large-scale 3D scene models. We construct the LOD (Levels of Detail) model of the reconstructed 3D scene in advance, and then use an out-of-core view-dependent multi-resolution rendering scheme to realize the real-time display of the large-scale 3D model. With the proposed method, our display system is able to render in real time while roaming in the reconstructed scene and 3D camera poses can also be displayed. Furthermore, the memory consumption can be significantly decreased via internal and external memory exchange mechanism, so that it is possible to display a large scale reconstructed scene with over millions of 3D points or triangular meshes in a regular PC with only 4GB RAM.

Multi-level discriminative dictionary learning with application to large scale image classification.

PubMed

Shen, Li; Sun, Gang; Huang, Qingming; Wang, Shuhui; Lin, Zhouchen; Wu, Enhua

2015-10-01

The sparse coding technique has shown flexibility and capability in image representation and analysis. It is a powerful tool in many visual applications. Some recent work has shown that incorporating the properties of task (such as discrimination for classification task) into dictionary learning is effective for improving the accuracy. However, the traditional supervised dictionary learning methods suffer from high computation complexity when dealing with large number of categories, making them less satisfactory in large scale applications. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-level discriminative dictionary learning method and apply it to large scale image classification. Our method takes advantage of hierarchical category correlation to encode multi-level discriminative information. Each internal node of the category hierarchy is associated with a discriminative dictionary and a classification model. The dictionaries at different layers are learnt to capture the information of different scales. Moreover, each node at lower layers also inherits the dictionary of its parent, so that the categories at lower layers can be described with multi-scale information. The learning of dictionaries and associated classification models is jointly conducted by minimizing an overall tree loss. The experimental results on challenging data sets demonstrate that our approach achieves excellent accuracy and competitive computation cost compared with other sparse coding methods for large scale image classification.

Impact of oceanic-scale interactions on the seasonal modulation of ocean dynamics by the atmosphere.

PubMed

Sasaki, Hideharu; Klein, Patrice; Qiu, Bo; Sasai, Yoshikazu

2014-12-15

Ocean eddies (with a size of 100-300 km), ubiquitous in satellite observations, are known to represent about 80% of the total ocean kinetic energy. Recent studies have pointed out the unexpected role of smaller oceanic structures (with 1-50 km scales) in generating and sustaining these eddies. The interpretation proposed so far invokes the internal instability resulting from the large-scale interaction between upper and interior oceanic layers. Here we show, using a new high-resolution simulation of the realistic North Pacific Ocean, that ocean eddies are instead sustained by a different process that involves small-scale mixed-layer instabilities set up by large-scale atmospheric forcing in winter. This leads to a seasonal evolution of the eddy kinetic energy in a very large part of this ocean, with an amplitude varying by a factor almost equal to 2. Perspectives in terms of the impacts on climate dynamics and future satellite observational systems are briefly discussed.

Impact of oceanic-scale interactions on the seasonal modulation of ocean dynamics by the atmosphere

PubMed Central

Sasaki, Hideharu; Klein, Patrice; Qiu, Bo; Sasai, Yoshikazu

2014-01-01

Ocean eddies (with a size of 100–300 km), ubiquitous in satellite observations, are known to represent about 80% of the total ocean kinetic energy. Recent studies have pointed out the unexpected role of smaller oceanic structures (with 1–50 km scales) in generating and sustaining these eddies. The interpretation proposed so far invokes the internal instability resulting from the large-scale interaction between upper and interior oceanic layers. Here we show, using a new high-resolution simulation of the realistic North Pacific Ocean, that ocean eddies are instead sustained by a different process that involves small-scale mixed-layer instabilities set up by large-scale atmospheric forcing in winter. This leads to a seasonal evolution of the eddy kinetic energy in a very large part of this ocean, with an amplitude varying by a factor almost equal to 2. Perspectives in terms of the impacts on climate dynamics and future satellite observational systems are briefly discussed. PMID:25501039

A New Standard in Dementia Knowledge Measurement: Comparative Validation of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale and the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale.

PubMed

Annear, Michael J; Eccleston, Claire E; McInerney, Frances J; Elliott, Kate-Ellen J; Toye, Christine M; Tranter, Bruce K; Robinson, Andrew L

2016-06-01

To compare the psychometric performance of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS) and the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) when administered to a large international cohort before and after online dementia education. Comparative psychometric analysis with pre- and posteducation scale responses. The setting for this research encompassed 7,909 individuals from 124 countries who completed the 9-week Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Volunteer respondents who completed the DKAS and ADKS before (n = 3,649) and after (n = 878) completion of the Understanding Dementia MOOC. Assessment and comparison of the DKAS and ADKS included evaluation of scale development procedures, interscale correlations, response distribution, internal consistency, and construct validity. The DKAS had superior internal consistency, wider response distribution with less ceiling effect, and better discrimination between pre- and posteducation scores and occupational cohorts than the ADKS. The 27-item DKAS is a reliable and preliminarily valid measure of dementia knowledge that is psychometrically and conceptually sound, overcomes limitations of existing instruments, and can be administered to diverse cohorts to measure baseline understanding and knowledge change. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Risk of psychological ill health and methods of organisational downsizing: a cross-sectional survey in four European countries.

PubMed

Andreeva, Elena; Brenner, M Harvey; Theorell, Töres; Goldberg, Marcel

2017-09-29

The manner in which organizational downsizing is implemented can make a substantial difference as to whether the exposed workers will suffer from psychological ill health. Surprisingly, little research has directly investigated this issue. We examined the likelihood of psychological ill health associated with strategic and reactive downsizing. A cross-sectional survey included 1456 respondents from France, Sweden, Hungary and the United Kingdom: 681 employees in stable workplaces (reference group) and 775 workers from downsized companies. Reactive downsizing was exemplified by the exposures to compulsory redundancies of medium to large scale resulting in job loss or surviving a layoff while staying employed in downsized organizations. The workforce exposed to strategic downsizing was represented by surplus employees who were internally redeployed and supported through their career change process within a policy context of "no compulsory redundancy". Symptoms of anxiety, depression and emotional exhaustion were assessed in telephone interviews with brief subscales from Hospital Anxiety Scale (HADS-A), Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-CD 6 ) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS). Data were analyzed using logistic regression. We observed no increased risk of psychological ill health in the case of strategic downsizing. The number of significant associations with psychological ill health was the largest for the large-scale reactive downsizing: surviving a layoff was consistently associated with all three outcome measures; returning to work after the job loss experience was related to anxiety and depression, while persons still unemployed at interview had elevated odds of anxiety. After reactive medium-scale downsizing, unemployment at interview was the only exposure associated with anxiety and depression. The manner in which organizational downsizing is implemented can be important for the psychological wellbeing of workers. If downsizing is unavoidable, it should be achieved strategically. Greater attention is needed to employment and health policies supporting the workers after reactive downsizing.

Peculiarity of Seismicity in the Balakend-Zagatal Region, Azerbaijan

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

Ismail-Zadeh, Tahir T.

2006-03-23

The study of seismicity in the Balakend-Zagatal region demonstrates a temporal correlation of small events in the region with the moderate events in Caucasus for the time interval of 1980 to 1990. It is shown that the processes resulting in deformation and tectonic movements of main structural elements of the Caucasus region are internal and are not related to large-scale tectonic processes. A week dependence of the regional movements on the large-scale motion of the lithospheric plates and microplates is apparent from another geological and geodetic data as well.

The Global Geodetic Observing System: Space Geodesy Networks for the Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearlman, Michael; Pavlis, Erricos; Ma, Chopo; Altamini, Zuheir; Noll, Carey; Stowers, David

2011-01-01

Ground-based networks of co-located space geodetic techniques (VLBI, SLR, GNSS. and DORIS) are the basis for the development and maintenance of the International Terrestrial Reference frame (ITRF), which is our metric of reference for measurements of global change, The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) has established a task to develop a strategy to design, integrate and maintain the fundamental geodetic network and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable way to satisfy the long-term requirements for the reference frame. The GGOS goal is an origin definition at 1 mm or better and a temporal stability on the order of 0.1 mm/y, with similar numbers for the scale and orientation components. These goals are based on scientific requirements to address sea level rise with confidence, but other applications are not far behind. Recent studies including one by the US National Research Council has strongly stated the need and the urgency for the fundamental space geodesy network. Simulations are underway to examining accuracies for origin, scale and orientation of the resulting ITRF based on various network designs and system performance to determine the optimal global network to achieve this goal. To date these simulations indicate that 24 - 32 co-located stations are adequate to define the reference frame and a more dense GNSS and DORIS network will be required to distribute the reference frame to users anywhere on Earth. Stations in the new global network will require geologically stable sites with good weather, established infrastructure, and local support and personnel. GGOS wil seek groups that are interested in participation. GGOS intends to issues a Call for Participation of groups that would like to contribute in the network implementation and operation. Some examples of integrated stations currently in operation or under development will be presented. We will examine necessary conditions and challenges in designing a co-location station.

An Overview of Science Education in the Caribbean: Research, Policy and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeney, Aldrin E.

2003-01-01

Analyzes science education in the Caribbean and provides examples of science education policy and practice. Emphasizes large-scale national efforts in Barbados, Bermuda, and Jamaica. Discusses and provides recommendations for future directions in science education in these countries. (Contains 88 references.) (Author/NB)

The Effects of Motivational Constructs and Engagements on Mathematics Achievements: A Comparative Study Using TIMSS 2011 Data of Chinese Taipei, Singapore, and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ker, Hsiang-Wei

2017-01-01

Motivational constructs and students' engagements have great impacts on students' mathematics achievements, yet they have not been theoretically investigated using international large-scale assessment data. This study utilized the mathematics data of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2011 to conduct a comparative and…

Using Data Mining to Predict K-12 Students' Performance on Large-Scale Assessment Items Related to Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Xiufeng; Ruiz, Miguel E.

2008-01-01

This article reports a study on using data mining to predict K-12 students' competence levels on test items related to energy. Data sources are the 1995 Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1999 TIMSS-Repeat, 2003 Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and the National Assessment of Educational…

Proceedings of the International Conference on Adults Learning Mathematics (ALM-7) (7th, July 6-8, 2000, Medford, Massachusetts).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Mary Jane, Ed.; Safford-Ramus, Katherine, Ed.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 7th international conference on Adults Learning Mathematics--A Research Forum held in July, 2000 in Massachusetts. It includes posters and short oral reports under these section headings: (1) Research into Practice; (2) Large- Scale Issues: Frameworks, Standards, and Assessment; (3) Theoretical…

Computational Typologies of Multidimensional End-of-Primary-School Performance Profiles from an Educational Perspective of Large-Scale TIMSS and PIRLS Surveys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unlu, Ali; Schurig, Michael

2015-01-01

Recently, performance profiles in reading, mathematics and science were created using the data collectively available in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2011. In addition, a classification of children to the end of their primary school years was…

The Views of International Students Regarding University Support Services in Australia: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Pam; Boldy, Duncan; Dunworth, Katie

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a study aimed at developing an improved understanding of the support needs of international students. Using a case study approach at one Australian university, a three stage data collection process was adopted: interviews with key support service providers in the university, student focus groups, and a large-scale survey.…

Assessment of Teachers' Reactions to a Knowledge- and Skills-Based Pay Structure at an International School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Joel Courtney

2013-01-01

This study explores teachers' reactions to a knowledge- and skills-based pay (KSBP) system implemented in a large international school. Such systems are designed to set teacher compensation based on demonstrated professional knowledge and skills as opposed to the traditional scale based on years of experience and degrees attained. This study fills…

Comparing Future Teachers' Beliefs across Countries: Approximate Measurement Invariance with Bayesian Elastic Constraints for Local Item Dependence and Differential Item Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braeken, Johan; Blömeke, Sigrid

2016-01-01

Using data from the international Teacher Education and Development Study: Learning to Teach Mathematics (TEDS-M), the measurement equivalence of teachers' beliefs across countries is investigated for the case of "mathematics-as-a fixed-ability". Measurement equivalence is a crucial topic in all international large-scale assessments and…

Development of advanced materials composites for use as insulations for LH2 tanks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lemons, C. R.; Watts, C. R.; Salmassy, O. K.

1972-01-01

A study of internal insulation materials and fabrication processes for space shuttle LH2 tanks is reported. Emphasis was placed on an insulation system capable of reentry and multiple reuse in the Shuttle environment. Results are given on the optimization and manufacturing process scale-up of a 3D fiberreinforced foam insulation, BX-251-3D, derived from the Saturn S-4B internal insulation. It is shown that BX-251-3D can be satisfactorily installed in large-scale tanks under conditions that will permit a significant cost saving over the existing S-4B technology.

Microfluidic large-scale integration: the evolution of design rules for biological automation.

PubMed

Melin, Jessica; Quake, Stephen R

2007-01-01

Microfluidic large-scale integration (mLSI) refers to the development of microfluidic chips with thousands of integrated micromechanical valves and control components. This technology is utilized in many areas of biology and chemistry and is a candidate to replace today's conventional automation paradigm, which consists of fluid-handling robots. We review the basic development of mLSI and then discuss design principles of mLSI to assess the capabilities and limitations of the current state of the art and to facilitate the application of mLSI to areas of biology. Many design and practical issues, including economies of scale, parallelization strategies, multiplexing, and multistep biochemical processing, are discussed. Several microfluidic components used as building blocks to create effective, complex, and highly integrated microfluidic networks are also highlighted.

The Neural Network In Coordinate Transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urusan, Ahmet Yucel

2011-12-01

In international literature, Coordinate operations is divided into two categories. They are coordinate conversion and coordinate transformation. Coordinates converted from coordinate system A to coordinate system B in the same datum (mean origine, scale and axis directions are same) by coordinate conversion. There are two different datum in coordinate transformation. The basis of each datum to a different coordinate reference system. In Coordinate transformation, coordinates are transformed from coordinate reference system A to coordinate referance system B. Geodetic studies based on physical measurements. Coordinate transformation needs identical points which were measured in each coordinate reference system (A and B). However it is difficult (and need a big reserved budget) to measure in some places like as top of mountain, boundry of countries and seaside. In this study, this sample problem solution was researched. The method of learning which is one of the neural network methods, was used for solution of this problem.

The PREP pipeline: standardized preprocessing for large-scale EEG analysis

PubMed Central

Bigdely-Shamlo, Nima; Mullen, Tim; Kothe, Christian; Su, Kyung-Min; Robbins, Kay A.

2015-01-01

The technology to collect brain imaging and physiological measures has become portable and ubiquitous, opening the possibility of large-scale analysis of real-world human imaging. By its nature, such data is large and complex, making automated processing essential. This paper shows how lack of attention to the very early stages of an EEG preprocessing pipeline can reduce the signal-to-noise ratio and introduce unwanted artifacts into the data, particularly for computations done in single precision. We demonstrate that ordinary average referencing improves the signal-to-noise ratio, but that noisy channels can contaminate the results. We also show that identification of noisy channels depends on the reference and examine the complex interaction of filtering, noisy channel identification, and referencing. We introduce a multi-stage robust referencing scheme to deal with the noisy channel-reference interaction. We propose a standardized early-stage EEG processing pipeline (PREP) and discuss the application of the pipeline to more than 600 EEG datasets. The pipeline includes an automatically generated report for each dataset processed. Users can download the PREP pipeline as a freely available MATLAB library from http://eegstudy.org/prepcode. PMID:26150785

Frames of reference for helicopter electronic maps - The relevance of spatial cognition and componential analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harwood, Kelly; Wickens, Christopher D.

1991-01-01

Computer-generated map displays for NOE and low-level helicopter flight were formed according to prior research on maps, navigational problem solving, and spatial cognition in large-scale environments. The north-up map emphasized consistency of object location, wheareas, the track-up map emphasized map-terrain congruency. A component analysis indicates that different cognitive components, e.g., orienting and absolute object location, are supported to varying degrees by properties of different frames of reference.

CPTC and NIST-sponsored Yeast Reference Material Now Publicly Available | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

The yeast protein extract (RM8323) developed by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the auspices of NCI's CPTC initiative is currently available to the public at https://www-s.nist.gov/srmors/view_detail.cfm?srm=8323. The yeast proteome offers researchers a unique biological reference material. RM8323 is the most extensively characterized complex biological proteome and the only one associated with several large-scale studies to estimate protein abundance across a wide concentration range.

The Geochemical Databases GEOROC and GeoReM - What's New?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarbas, B.; Jochum, K. P.; Nohl, U.; Weis, U.

2017-12-01

The geochemical databases GEOROC (http: georoc.mpch-mainz.gwdg.de) and GeoReM (http: georem.mpch-mainz.gwdg.de) are maintained by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany. Both online databases became crucial tools for geoscientists from different research areas. They are regularly upgraded by new tools and new data from recent publications obtained from a wide range of international journals. GEOROC is a collection of published analyses of volcanic rocks and mantle xenoliths. Since recently, data for plutonic rocks are added. The analyses include major and trace element concentrations, radiogenic and non-radiogenic isotope ratios as well as analytical ages for whole rocks, glasses, minerals and inclusions. Samples come from eleven geological settings and span the whole geological age scale from Archean to Recent. Metadata include, among others, geographic location, rock class and rock type, geological age, degree of alteration, analytical method, laboratory, and reference. The GEOROC web page allows selection of samples by geological setting, geography, chemical criteria, rock or sample name, and bibliographic criteria. In addition, it provides a large number of precompiled files for individual locations, minerals and rock classes. GeoReM is a database collecting information about reference materials of geological and environmental interest, such as rock powders, synthetic and natural glasses as well as mineral, isotopic, biological, river water and seawater reference materials. It contains published data and compilation values (major and trace element concentrations and mass fractions, radiogenic and stable isotope ratios). Metadata comprise, among others, uncertainty, analytical method and laboratory. Reference materials are important for calibration, method validation, quality control and to establish metrological traceability. GeoReM offers six different search strategies: samples or materials (published values), samples (GeoReM preferred values), chemical criteria, chemical criteria based on bibliography, bibliography, as well as methods and institutions.

Soil nitrogen oxide fluxes from lowland forests converted to smallholder rubber and oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassler, Evelyn; Corre, Marife D.; Kurniawan, Syahrul; Veldkamp, Edzo

2017-06-01

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations cover large areas of former rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, supplying the global demand for these crops. Although forest conversion is known to influence soil nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) fluxes, measurements from oil palm and rubber plantations are scarce (for N2O) or nonexistent (for NO). Our study aimed to (1) quantify changes in soil-atmosphere fluxes of N oxides with forest conversion to rubber and oil palm plantations and (2) determine their controlling factors. In Jambi, Sumatra, we selected two landscapes that mainly differed in texture but were both on heavily weathered soils: loam and clay Acrisol soils. Within each landscape, we investigated lowland forests, rubber trees interspersed in secondary forest (termed as jungle rubber), both as reference land uses and smallholder rubber and oil palm plantations as converted land uses. In the loam Acrisol landscape, we conducted a follow-on study in a large-scale oil palm plantation (called PTPN VI) for comparison of soil N2O fluxes with smallholder oil palm plantations. Land-use conversion to smallholder plantations had no effect on soil N-oxide fluxes (P = 0. 58 to 0.76) due to the generally low soil N availability in the reference land uses that further decreased with land-use conversion. Soil N2O fluxes from the large-scale oil palm plantation did not differ with those from smallholder plantations (P = 0. 15). Over 1-year measurements, the temporal patterns of soil N-oxide fluxes were influenced by soil mineral N and water contents. Across landscapes, annual soil N2O emissions were controlled by gross nitrification and sand content, which also suggest the influence of soil N and water availability. Soil N2O fluxes (µg N m-2 h-1) were 7 ± 2 to 14 ± 7 (reference land uses), 6 ± 3 to 9 ± 2 (rubber), 12 ± 3 to 12 ± 6 (smallholder oil palm) and 42 ± 24 (large-scale oil palm). Soil NO fluxes (µg N m-2 h-1) were -0.6 ± 0.7 to 5.7 ± 5.8 (reference land uses), -1.2 ± 0.5 to -1.0 ± 0.2 (rubber) and -0.2 ± 1.2 to 0.7 ± 0.7 (smallholder oil palm). To improve the estimate of soil N-oxide fluxes from oil palm plantations in this region, studies should focus on large-scale plantations (which usually have 2 to 4 times higher N fertilization rates than smallholders) with frequent measurements following fertilizer application.

Chromosome-level assembly of Arabidopsis thaliana Ler reveals the extent of translocation and inversion polymorphisms.

PubMed

Zapata, Luis; Ding, Jia; Willing, Eva-Maria; Hartwig, Benjamin; Bezdan, Daniela; Jiao, Wen-Biao; Patel, Vipul; Velikkakam James, Geo; Koornneef, Maarten; Ossowski, Stephan; Schneeberger, Korbinian

2016-07-12

Resequencing or reference-based assemblies reveal large parts of the small-scale sequence variation. However, they typically fail to separate such local variation into colinear and rearranged variation, because they usually do not recover the complement of large-scale rearrangements, including transpositions and inversions. Besides the availability of hundreds of genomes of diverse Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, there is so far only one full-length assembled genome: the reference sequence. We have assembled 117 Mb of the A. thaliana Landsberg erecta (Ler) genome into five chromosome-equivalent sequences using a combination of short Illumina reads, long PacBio reads, and linkage information. Whole-genome comparison against the reference sequence revealed 564 transpositions and 47 inversions comprising ∼3.6 Mb, in addition to 4.1 Mb of nonreference sequence, mostly originating from duplications. Although rearranged regions are not different in local divergence from colinear regions, they are drastically depleted for meiotic recombination in heterozygotes. Using a 1.2-Mb inversion as an example, we show that such rearrangement-mediated reduction of meiotic recombination can lead to genetically isolated haplotypes in the worldwide population of A. thaliana Moreover, we found 105 single-copy genes, which were only present in the reference sequence or the Ler assembly, and 334 single-copy orthologs, which showed an additional copy in only one of the genomes. To our knowledge, this work gives first insights into the degree and type of variation, which will be revealed once complete assemblies will replace resequencing or other reference-dependent methods.

Ensuring the reliability of stable isotope ratio data--beyond the principle of identical treatment.

PubMed

Carter, J F; Fry, B

2013-03-01

The need for inter-laboratory comparability is crucial to facilitate the globalisation of scientific networks and the development of international databases to support scientific and criminal investigations. This article considers what lessons can be learned from a series of inter-laboratory comparison exercises organised by the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) network in terms of reference materials (RMs), the management of data quality, and technical limitations. The results showed that within-laboratory precision (repeatability) was generally good but between-laboratory accuracy (reproducibility) called for improvements. This review considers how stable isotope laboratories can establish a system of quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA), emphasising issues of repeatability and reproducibility. For results to be comparable between laboratories, measurements must be traceable to the international δ-scales and, because isotope ratio measurements are reported relative to standards, a key aspect is the correct selection, calibration, and use of international and in-house RMs. The authors identify four principles which promote good laboratory practice. The principle of identical treatment by which samples and RMs are processed in an identical manner and which incorporates three further principles; the principle of identical correction (by which necessary corrections are identified and evenly applied), the principle of identical scaling (by which data are shifted and stretched to the international δ-scales), and the principle of error detection by which QC and QA results are monitored and acted upon. To achieve both good repeatability and good reproducibility it is essential to obtain RMs with internationally agreed δ-values. These RMs will act as the basis for QC and can be used to calibrate further in-house QC RMs tailored to the activities of specific laboratories. In-house QA standards must also be developed to ensure that QC-based calibrations and corrections lead to accurate results for samples. The δ-values assigned to RMs must be recorded and reported with all data. Reference materials must be used to determine what corrections are necessary for measured data. Each analytical sequence of samples must include both QC and QA materials which are subject to identical treatment during measurement and data processing. Results for these materials must be plotted, monitored, and acted upon. Periodically international RMs should be analysed as an in-house proficiency test to demonstrate results are accurate.

Discovering Beaten Paths in Collaborative Ontology-Engineering Projects using Markov Chains

PubMed Central

Walk, Simon; Singer, Philipp; Strohmaier, Markus; Tudorache, Tania; Musen, Mark A.; Noy, Natalya F.

2014-01-01

Biomedical taxonomies, thesauri and ontologies in the form of the International Classification of Diseases as a taxonomy or the National Cancer Institute Thesaurus as an OWL-based ontology, play a critical role in acquiring, representing and processing information about human health. With increasing adoption and relevance, biomedical ontologies have also significantly increased in size. For example, the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, which is currently under active development by the World Health Organization contains nearly 50, 000 classes representing a vast variety of different diseases and causes of death. This evolution in terms of size was accompanied by an evolution in the way ontologies are engineered. Because no single individual has the expertise to develop such large-scale ontologies, ontology-engineering projects have evolved from small-scale efforts involving just a few domain experts to large-scale projects that require effective collaboration between dozens or even hundreds of experts, practitioners and other stakeholders. Understanding the way these different stakeholders collaborate will enable us to improve editing environments that support such collaborations. In this paper, we uncover how large ontology-engineering projects, such as the International Classification of Diseases in its 11th revision, unfold by analyzing usage logs of five different biomedical ontology-engineering projects of varying sizes and scopes using Markov chains. We discover intriguing interaction patterns (e.g., which properties users frequently change after specific given ones) that suggest that large collaborative ontology-engineering projects are governed by a few general principles that determine and drive development. From our analysis, we identify commonalities and differences between different projects that have implications for project managers, ontology editors, developers and contributors working on collaborative ontology-engineering projects and tools in the biomedical domain. PMID:24953242

Discovering beaten paths in collaborative ontology-engineering projects using Markov chains.

PubMed

Walk, Simon; Singer, Philipp; Strohmaier, Markus; Tudorache, Tania; Musen, Mark A; Noy, Natalya F

2014-10-01

Biomedical taxonomies, thesauri and ontologies in the form of the International Classification of Diseases as a taxonomy or the National Cancer Institute Thesaurus as an OWL-based ontology, play a critical role in acquiring, representing and processing information about human health. With increasing adoption and relevance, biomedical ontologies have also significantly increased in size. For example, the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, which is currently under active development by the World Health Organization contains nearly 50,000 classes representing a vast variety of different diseases and causes of death. This evolution in terms of size was accompanied by an evolution in the way ontologies are engineered. Because no single individual has the expertise to develop such large-scale ontologies, ontology-engineering projects have evolved from small-scale efforts involving just a few domain experts to large-scale projects that require effective collaboration between dozens or even hundreds of experts, practitioners and other stakeholders. Understanding the way these different stakeholders collaborate will enable us to improve editing environments that support such collaborations. In this paper, we uncover how large ontology-engineering projects, such as the International Classification of Diseases in its 11th revision, unfold by analyzing usage logs of five different biomedical ontology-engineering projects of varying sizes and scopes using Markov chains. We discover intriguing interaction patterns (e.g., which properties users frequently change after specific given ones) that suggest that large collaborative ontology-engineering projects are governed by a few general principles that determine and drive development. From our analysis, we identify commonalities and differences between different projects that have implications for project managers, ontology editors, developers and contributors working on collaborative ontology-engineering projects and tools in the biomedical domain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does deep ocean mixing drive upwelling or downwelling of abyssal waters?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrari, R. M.; McDougall, T. J.; Mashayek, A.; Nikurashin, M.; Campin, J. M.

2016-02-01

It is generally understood that small-scale mixing, such as is caused by breaking internal waves, drives upwelling of the densest ocean waters that sink to the ocean bottom at high latitudes. However the observational evidence that the turbulent fluxes generated by small-scale mixing in the stratified ocean interior are more vigorous close to the ocean bottom than above implies that small-scale mixing converts light waters into denser ones, thus driving a net sinking of abyssal water. Using a combination of numerical models and observations, it will be shown that abyssal waters return to the surface along weakly stratified boundary layers, where the small-scale mixing of density decays to zero. The net ocean meridional overturning circulation is thus the small residual of a large sinking of waters, driven by small-scale mixing in the stratified interior, and a comparably large upwelling, driven by the reduced small-scale mixing along the ocean boundaries.

The importance of being light: aerodynamic forces and weight in ski jumping.

PubMed

Schmölzer, B; Müller, W

2002-08-01

Many contemporary world class ski jumpers are alarmingly underweight and several cases of anorexia nervosa have come to light. Athletes strive for low body weight because it gives them a major competitive advantage. In order to stop this hazardous development, changes to the regulations are being discussed, and the International Ski Federation and the International Olympic Committee wish to be proactive in safe guarding the interest of the athletes and their health. This study of ski jumping uses field studies conducted during World Cup competitions, large-scale wind tunnel measurements with 1:1 models of ski jumpers in current equipment and highly accurate computer simulations of the flight phase that include the effects due to the athlete's position changes. Particular attention has been directed to the design of a reference jump that mirrors current flight style and equipment regulations (2001), and to the investigation of effects associated with variation in body mass, air density, and wind gusts during the simulated flight. The detailed analysis of the physics of ski jumping described here can be used for the investigation of all initial value and parameter variations that determine the flight path of a ski jumper and will form a reliable basis for setting regulations that will make it less attractive or even disadvantageous for the athlete to be extremely light.

Detection of right-to-left shunts: comparison between the International Consensus and Spencer Logarithmic Scale criteria.

PubMed

Lao, Annabelle Y; Sharma, Vijay K; Tsivgoulis, Georgios; Frey, James L; Malkoff, Marc D; Navarro, Jose C; Alexandrov, Andrei V

2008-10-01

International Consensus Criteria (ICC) consider right-to-left shunt (RLS) present when Transcranial Doppler (TCD) detects even one microbubble (microB). Spencer Logarithmic Scale (SLS) offers more grades of RLS with detection of >30 microB corresponding to a large shunt. We compared the yield of ICC and SLS in detection and quantification of a large RLS. We prospectively evaluated paradoxical embolism in consecutive patients with ischemic strokes or transient ischemic attack (TIA) using injections of 9 cc saline agitated with 1 cc of air. Results were classified according to ICC [negative (no microB), grade I (1-20 microB), grade II (>20 microB or "shower" appearance of microB), and grade III ("curtain" appearance of microB)] and SLS criteria [negative (no microB), grade I (1-10 microB), grade II (11-30 microB), grade III (31100 microB), grade IV (101300 microB), grade V (>300 microB)]. The RLS size was defined as large (>4 mm) using diameter measurement of the septal defects on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). TCD comparison to TEE showed 24 true positive, 48 true negative, 4 false positive, and 2 false negative cases (sensitivity 92.3%, specificity 92.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) 85.7%, negative predictive value (NPV) 96%, and accuracy 92.3%) for any RLS presence. Both ICC and SLS were 100% sensitive for detection of large RLS. ICC and SLS criteria yielded a false positive rate of 24.4% and 7.7%, respectively when compared to TEE. Although both grading scales provide agreement as to any shunt presence, using the Spencer Scale grade III or higher can decrease by one-half the number of false positive TCD diagnoses to predict large RLS on TEE.

Differential Relations between Facets of Complex Problem Solving and Students' Immigration Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonnleitner, Philipp; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Ulrich; Martin, Romain

2014-01-01

Whereas the assessment of complex problem solving (CPS) has received increasing attention in the context of international large-scale assessments, its fairness in regard to students' cultural background has gone largely unexplored. On the basis of a student sample of 9th-graders (N = 299), including a representative number of immigrant students (N…

Estimation of forest aboveground biomass and uncertainties by integration of field measurements, airborne LiDAR, and SAR and optical satellite data in Mexico.

PubMed

Urbazaev, Mikhail; Thiel, Christian; Cremer, Felix; Dubayah, Ralph; Migliavacca, Mirco; Reichstein, Markus; Schmullius, Christiane

2018-02-21

Information on the spatial distribution of aboveground biomass (AGB) over large areas is needed for understanding and managing processes involved in the carbon cycle and supporting international policies for climate change mitigation and adaption. Furthermore, these products provide important baseline data for the development of sustainable management strategies to local stakeholders. The use of remote sensing data can provide spatially explicit information of AGB from local to global scales. In this study, we mapped national Mexican forest AGB using satellite remote sensing data and a machine learning approach. We modelled AGB using two scenarios: (1) extensive national forest inventory (NFI), and (2) airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) as reference data. Finally, we propagated uncertainties from field measurements to LiDAR-derived AGB and to the national wall-to-wall forest AGB map. The estimated AGB maps (NFI- and LiDAR-calibrated) showed similar goodness-of-fit statistics (R 2 , Root Mean Square Error (RMSE)) at three different scales compared to the independent validation data set. We observed different spatial patterns of AGB in tropical dense forests, where no or limited number of NFI data were available, with higher AGB values in the LiDAR-calibrated map. We estimated much higher uncertainties in the AGB maps based on two-stage up-scaling method (i.e., from field measurements to LiDAR and from LiDAR-based estimates to satellite imagery) compared to the traditional field to satellite up-scaling. By removing LiDAR-based AGB pixels with high uncertainties, it was possible to estimate national forest AGB with similar uncertainties as calibrated with NFI data only. Since LiDAR data can be acquired much faster and for much larger areas compared to field inventory data, LiDAR is attractive for repetitive large scale AGB mapping. In this study, we showed that two-stage up-scaling methods for AGB estimation over large areas need to be analyzed and validated with great care. The uncertainties in the LiDAR-estimated AGB propagate further in the wall-to-wall map and can be up to 150%. Thus, when a two-stage up-scaling method is applied, it is crucial to characterize the uncertainties at all stages in order to generate robust results. Considering the findings mentioned above LiDAR can be used as an extension to NFI for example for areas that are difficult or not possible to access.

Low rank approximation methods for MR fingerprinting with large scale dictionaries.

PubMed

Yang, Mingrui; Ma, Dan; Jiang, Yun; Hamilton, Jesse; Seiberlich, Nicole; Griswold, Mark A; McGivney, Debra

2018-04-01

This work proposes new low rank approximation approaches with significant memory savings for large scale MR fingerprinting (MRF) problems. We introduce a compressed MRF with randomized singular value decomposition method to significantly reduce the memory requirement for calculating a low rank approximation of large sized MRF dictionaries. We further relax this requirement by exploiting the structures of MRF dictionaries in the randomized singular value decomposition space and fitting them to low-degree polynomials to generate high resolution MRF parameter maps. In vivo 1.5T and 3T brain scan data are used to validate the approaches. T 1 , T 2 , and off-resonance maps are in good agreement with that of the standard MRF approach. Moreover, the memory savings is up to 1000 times for the MRF-fast imaging with steady-state precession sequence and more than 15 times for the MRF-balanced, steady-state free precession sequence. The proposed compressed MRF with randomized singular value decomposition and dictionary fitting methods are memory efficient low rank approximation methods, which can benefit the usage of MRF in clinical settings. They also have great potentials in large scale MRF problems, such as problems considering multi-component MRF parameters or high resolution in the parameter space. Magn Reson Med 79:2392-2400, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Internal dosimetry with the Monte Carlo code GATE: validation using the ICRP/ICRU female reference computational model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villoing, Daphnée; Marcatili, Sara; Garcia, Marie-Paule; Bardiès, Manuel

2017-03-01

The purpose of this work was to validate GATE-based clinical scale absorbed dose calculations in nuclear medicine dosimetry. GATE (version 6.2) and MCNPX (version 2.7.a) were used to derive dosimetric parameters (absorbed fractions, specific absorbed fractions and S-values) for the reference female computational model proposed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in ICRP report 110. Monoenergetic photons and electrons (from 50 keV to 2 MeV) and four isotopes currently used in nuclear medicine (fluorine-18, lutetium-177, iodine-131 and yttrium-90) were investigated. Absorbed fractions, specific absorbed fractions and S-values were generated with GATE and MCNPX for 12 regions of interest in the ICRP 110 female computational model, thereby leading to 144 source/target pair configurations. Relative differences between GATE and MCNPX obtained in specific configurations (self-irradiation or cross-irradiation) are presented. Relative differences in absorbed fractions, specific absorbed fractions or S-values are below 10%, and in most cases less than 5%. Dosimetric results generated with GATE for the 12 volumes of interest are available as supplemental data. GATE can be safely used for radiopharmaceutical dosimetry at the clinical scale. This makes GATE a viable option for Monte Carlo modelling of both imaging and absorbed dose in nuclear medicine.

A Review of Large-Scale Fracture Experiments Relevant to Pressure Vessel Integrity Under Pressurized Thermal Shock Conditions

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

Pugh, C.E.

2001-01-29

Numerous large-scale fracture experiments have been performed over the past thirty years to advance fracture mechanics methodologies applicable to thick-wall pressure vessels. This report first identifies major factors important to nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) integrity under pressurized thermal shock (PTS) conditions. It then covers 20 key experiments that have contributed to identifying fracture behavior of RPVs and to validating applicable assessment methodologies. The experiments are categorized according to four types of specimens: (1) cylindrical specimens, (2) pressurized vessels, (3) large plate specimens, and (4) thick beam specimens. These experiments were performed in laboratories in six different countries. This reportmore » serves as a summary of those experiments, and provides a guide to references for detailed information.« less

Multi-profile analysis of soil moisture within the U.S. Climate Reference Network

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil moisture estimates are crucial for hydrologic modeling and agricultural decision-support efforts. These measurements are also pivotal for long-term inquiries regarding the impacts of climate change and the resulting droughts over large spatial and temporal scales. However, it has only been t...

Building software tools to help contextualize and interpret monitoring data

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Even modest monitoring efforts at landscape scales produce large volumes of data.These are most useful if they can be interpreted relative to land potential or other similar sites. However, for many ecological systems reference conditions may not be defined or are poorly described, which hinders und...

77 FR 71574 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-03

... Test. OMB Control Number: None Form Number(s): The automated survey instrument has no form number. Type... have been developed and are now slated for a large-scale field test to evaluate the questions and the... reference period and timing of data collection. Qualitative research has [[Page 71575

Forests planted for ecosystem restoration or conservation.

Treesearch

Constance A. Harrington

1999-01-01

Although the phrase, "planting for ecosystem restoration," is of recent origin, many of the earliest large-scale tree plantings were made for what we now refer to as "'restoration" or "conservation" goals. Forest restoration activities may be needed when ecosystems are disturbed by either natural or anthropogenic forces. Disturbances...

The international face of sports science through the window of the Journal of Sports Sciences--with a special reference to kinanthropometry.

PubMed

Reilly, Thomas

2008-02-15

The history of the Journal of Sports Sciences is traced from the antecedents of its initiation to the current time. The developments of the sports sciences at large are reflected in the content of the journal. Its links with the international agenda are described, and related to landmark publications. Special attention is given to the relationships with international bodies, the International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry and the World Commission of Science and Sports. The expansion of sport and exercise sciences, both nationally and internationally, was reflected in the increased frequency of publication of the journal. Key areas in the kinanthropometric content are identified and placed in context. The review culminates in the highlighting of likely areas for future research.

Speedy routing recovery protocol for large failure tolerance in wireless sensor networks.

PubMed

Lee, Joa-Hyoung; Jung, In-Bum

2010-01-01

Wireless sensor networks are expected to play an increasingly important role in data collection in hazardous areas. However, the physical fragility of a sensor node makes reliable routing in hazardous areas a challenging problem. Because several sensor nodes in a hazardous area could be damaged simultaneously, the network should be able to recover routing after node failures over large areas. Many routing protocols take single-node failure recovery into account, but it is difficult for these protocols to recover the routing after large-scale failures. In this paper, we propose a routing protocol, referred to as ARF (Adaptive routing protocol for fast Recovery from large-scale Failure), to recover a network quickly after failures over large areas. ARF detects failures by counting the packet losses from parent nodes, and upon failure detection, it decreases the routing interval to notify the neighbor nodes of the failure. Our experimental results indicate that ARF could provide recovery from large-area failures quickly with less packets and energy consumption than previous protocols.

The impact of large-scale circulation patterns on summer crop yields in IP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capa Morocho, Mirian; Rodríguez Fonseca, Belén; Ruiz Ramos, Margarita

2014-05-01

Large-scale circulations patterns (ENSO, NAO) have been shown to have a significant impact on seasonal weather, and therefore on crop yield over many parts of the world(Garnett and Khandekar, 1992; Aasa et al., 2004; Rozas and Garcia-Gonzalez, 2012). In this study, we analyze the influence of large-scale circulation patterns and regional climate on the principal components of maize yield variability in Iberian Peninsula (IP) using reanalysis datasets. Additionally, we investigate the modulation of these relationships by multidecadal patterns. This study is performed analyzing long time series of maize yield, only climate dependent, computed with the crop model CERES-maize (Jones and Kiniry, 1986) included in Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT v.4.5). To simulate yields, reanalysis daily data of radiation, maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation were used. The reanalysis climate data were obtained from National Center for Environmental Prediction (20th Century and NCEP) and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) data server (ERA 40 and ERA Interim). Simulations were run at five locations: Lugo (northwestern), Lerida (NE), Madrid (central), Albacete (southeastern) and Córdoba (S IP) (Gabaldón et al., 2013). From these time series standardized anomalies were calculated. Afterwards, time series were time filtered to focus on the interannual-to-multiannual variability, splitting up in two components: low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) time scales. The principal components of HF yield anomalies in IP were compared with a set of documented patterns. These relationships were compared with multidecadal patterns, as Atlanctic Multidecadal Oscillations (AMO) and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillations (IPO). The results of this study have important implications in crop forecasting. In this way, it may have a positive impact on both public (agricultural planning) and private (decision support to farmers, insurance companies) sectors, to take advantage of favorable conditions or reduce the effect of adverse conditions. Acknowledgements Research by M. Capa-Morocho has been partly supported by a PICATA predoctoral fellowship of the Moncloa Campus of International Excellence (UCM-UPM) and MULCLIVAR project (CGL2012-38923-C02-02) References Aasa, A., Jaagus, J., Ahas, R. and Sepp, M. 2004. The influence of atmospheric circulation on plant phenological phases in central and eastern Europe. International Journal of Climatology 24, 1551-1564. Gabaldón, C. et al. 2013. Evaluation of local strategies to climate change of maize crop in Andalusia for the first half of 21st century. European Geosciences Union - General Assembly2013 Vol. 15 (Vienna - Austria, 2013). Garnett, E. R. and Khandekar, M. L. 1992. The impact of large-scale atmospheric circulations and anomalies on Indian monsoon droughts and floods and on world grain yields-a statistical analysis. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 61, 113-128. Jones, C. and Kiniry, J. 1986. CERES-Maize: A Simulation Model of Maize Growth and Development. Texas A&M University Press, 194. Rozas, V. and Garcia-Gonzalez, I. 2012. Non-stationary influence of El Nino-Southern Oscillation and winter temperature on oak latewood growth in NW Iberian Peninsula. Int J Biometeorol 56, 787-800.

Evaluation of Global Observations-Based Evapotranspiration Datasets and IPCC AR4 Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, B.; Seneviratne, S. I.; Jimenez, C.; Corti, T.; Hirschi, M.; Balsamo, G.; Ciais, P.; Dirmeyer, P.; Fisher, J. B.; Guo, Z.;

Simulation of large scale motions and small scale structures in planetary atmospheres and oceans: From laboratory to space experiments on ISS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egbers, Christoph; Futterer, Birgit; Zaussinger, Florian; Harlander, Uwe

2014-05-01

Baroclinic waves are responsible for the transport of heat and momentum in the oceans, in the Earth's atmosphere as well as in other planetary atmospheres. The talk will give an overview on possibilities to simulate such large scale as well as co-existing small scale structures with the help of well defined laboratory experiments like the baroclinic wave tank (annulus experiment). The analogy between the Earth's atmosphere and the rotating cylindrical annulus experiment only driven by rotation and differential heating between polar and equatorial regions is obvious. From the Gulf stream single vortices seperate from time to time. The same dynamics and the co-existence of small and large scale structures and their separation can be also observed in laboratory experiments as in the rotating cylindrical annulus experiment. This experiment represents the mid latitude dynamics quite well and is part as a central reference experiment in the German-wide DFG priority research programme ("METSTRÖM", SPP 1276) yielding as a benchmark for lot of different numerical methods. On the other hand, those laboratory experiments in cylindrical geometry are limited due to the fact, that the surface and real interaction between polar and equatorial region and their different dynamics can not be really studied. Therefore, I demonstrate how to use the very successful Geoflow I and Geoflow II space experiment hardware on ISS with future modifications for simulations of small and large scale planetary atmospheric motion in spherical geometry with differential heating between inner and outer spheres as well as between the polar and equatorial regions. References: Harlander, U., Wenzel, J., Wang, Y., Alexandrov, K. & Egbers, Ch., 2012, Simultaneous PIV- and thermography measurements of partially blocked flow in a heated rotating annulus, Exp. in Fluids, 52 (4), 1077-1087 Futterer, B., Krebs, A., Plesa, A.-C., Zaussinger, F., Hollerbach, R., Breuer, D. & Egbers, Ch., 2013, Sheet-like and plume-like thermal flow in a spherical convection experiment performed under microgravity, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 75, p 647-683

Attachment states of mind among internationally adoptive and foster parents.

PubMed

Raby, K Lee; Yarger, Heather A; Lind, Teresa; Fraley, R Chris; Leerkes, Esther; Dozier, Mary

2017-05-01

The first aim of the current study was to examine the latent structure of attachment states of mind as assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) among three groups of parents of children at risk for insecure attachments: parents who adopted internationally (N = 147), foster parents (N = 300), and parents living in poverty and involved with Child Protective Services (CPS; N = 284). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the state of mind rating scales loaded on two factors reflecting adults' preoccupied and dismissing states of mind. Taxometric analyses indicated the variation in adults' preoccupied states of mind was more consistent with a dimensional than a categorical model, whereas results for dismissing states of mind were indeterminate. The second aim was to examine the degree to which the attachment states of mind of internationally adoptive and foster parents differ from those of poverty/CPS-referred parents and low-risk parents. After controlling for parental age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, (a) internationally adoptive parents had lower scores on the dismissing dimension than the sample of community parents described by Haltigan, Leerkes, Supple, and Calkins (2014); (b) foster parents did not differ from community parents on either the dismissing or the preoccupied AAI dimension; and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents had lower scores on the preoccupied dimension than poverty/CPS-referred parents. Analyses using the traditional AAI categories provided convergent evidence that (a) internationally adoptive parents were more likely to be classified as having an autonomous state of mind than low-risk North American mothers based on Bakermans-Kranenburg and van IJzendoorn's (2009) meta-analytic estimates, (b) the rates of autonomous states of mind did not differ between foster and low-risk parents, and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents were less likely to be classified as having a preoccupied state of mind than poverty/CPS-referred parents.

Attachment states of mind among internationally adoptive and foster parents

PubMed Central

RABY, K. LEE; YARGER, HEATHER A.; LIND, TERESA; FRALEY, R. CHRIS; LEERKES, ESTHER; DOZIER, MARY

2017-01-01

The first aim of the current study was to examine the latent structure of attachment states of mind as assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) among three groups of parents of children at risk for insecure attachments: parents who adopted internationally (N = 147), foster parents (N = 300), and parents living in poverty and involved with Child Protective Services (CPS; N = 284). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the state of mind rating scales loaded on two factors reflecting adults’ preoccupied and dismissing states of mind. Taxometric analyses indicated the variation in adults’ preoccupied states of mind was more consistent with a dimensional than a categorical model, whereas results for dismissing states of mind were indeterminate. The second aim was to examine the degree to which the attachment states of mind of internationally adoptive and foster parents differ from those of poverty/CPS-referred parents and low-risk parents. After controlling for parental age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, (a) internationally adoptive parents had lower scores on the dismissing dimension than the sample of community parents described by Haltigan, Leerkes, Supple, and Calkins (2014); (b) foster parents did not differ from community parents on either the dismissing or the preoccupied AAI dimension; and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents had lower scores on the preoccupied dimension than poverty/CPS-referred parents. Analyses using the traditional AAI categories provided convergent evidence that (a) internationally adoptive parents were more likely to be classified as having an autonomous state of mind than low-risk North American mothers based on Bakermans-Kranenburg and van IJzendoorn’s (2009) meta-analytic estimates, (b) the rates of autonomous states of mind did not differ between foster and low-risk parents, and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents were less likely to be classified as having a preoccupied state of mind than poverty/CPS-referred parents. PMID:28401831

Growth references for Tsimane forager-horticulturalists of the Bolivian Amazon

PubMed Central

Blackwell, Aaron D.; Urlacher, Samuel S.; Beheim, Bret; von Rueden, Christopher; Jaeggi, Adrian; Stieglitz, Jonathan; Trumble, Benjamin C.; Gurven, Michael; Kaplan, Hillard

2016-01-01

Objectives Growth standards and references currently used to assess population and individual health are derived primarily from urban populations, including few individuals from indigenous or subsistence groups. Given environmental and genetic differences, growth may vary in these populations. Thus, there is a need to assess whether international standards are appropriate for all populations, and to produce population specific references if growth differs. Here we present and assess growth references for the Tsimane, an indigenous population of Bolivian forager-horticulturalists. Methods Mixed cross-sectional/longitudinal anthropometrics (9,614 individuals; 30,118 observations; ages 0–29 years) were used to generate centile curves and Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) tables for height-for-age, weight-for-age, body mass index (BMI)-for-age, and weight-for-height (WFH) using Generalized Additive Models for Location Shape and Scale (GAMLSS). Velocity curves were generated using SuperImposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR). Tsimane ≤5 years were compared World Health Organization (WHO) standards while those >5 years were compared to WHO school age references. All ages were compared to published references for Shuar forager-horticulturalists of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Results Tsimane growth differs from WHO values in height and weight, but is similar for BMI and WFH. Tsimane growth is characterized by slow height velocity in childhood and early adolescent peak height velocity at 11.3 and 13.2 years for girls and boys. Tsimane growth patterns are similar to Shuar, suggesting shared features of growth among indigenous South Americans. Conclusions International references for BMI-for-age and WFH are likely appropriate for Tsimane, but differences in height-for-age and weight-for-age suggest Tsimane specific references may be useful for these measures. PMID:28218400

Growth references for Tsimane forager-horticulturalists of the Bolivian Amazon.

PubMed

Blackwell, Aaron D; Urlacher, Samuel S; Beheim, Bret; von Rueden, Christopher; Jaeggi, Adrian; Stieglitz, Jonathan; Trumble, Benjamin C; Gurven, Michael; Kaplan, Hillard

2017-03-01

Growth standards and references currently used to assess population and individual health are derived primarily from urban populations, including few individuals from indigenous or subsistence groups. Given environmental and genetic differences, growth may vary in these populations. Thus, there is a need to assess whether international standards are appropriate for all populations, and to produce population specific references if growth differs. Here we present and assess growth references for the Tsimane, an indigenous population of Bolivian forager-horticulturalists. Mixed cross-sectional/longitudinal anthropometrics (9,614 individuals; 30,118 observations; ages 0-29 years) were used to generate centile curves and Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) tables for height-for-age, weight-for-age, body mass index (BMI)-for-age, and weight-for-height (WFH) using Generalized Additive Models for Location Shape and Scale (GAMLSS). Velocity curves were generated using SuperImposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR). Tsimane ≤5 years were compared to World Health Organization (WHO) standards while those >5 years were compared to WHO school age references. All ages were compared to published references for Shuar forager-horticulturalists of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Tsimane growth differs from WHO values in height and weight, but is similar for BMI and WFH. Tsimane growth is characterized by slow height velocity in childhood and early adolescent peak height velocity at 11.3 and 13.2 years for girls and boys. Tsimane growth patterns are similar to Shuar, suggesting shared features of growth among indigenous South Americans. International references for BMI-for-age and WFH are likely appropriate for Tsimane, but differences in height-for-age and weight-for-age suggest Tsimane specific references may be useful for these measures. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Validation of neural spike sorting algorithms without ground-truth information.

PubMed

Barnett, Alex H; Magland, Jeremy F; Greengard, Leslie F

2016-05-01

The throughput of electrophysiological recording is growing rapidly, allowing thousands of simultaneous channels, and there is a growing variety of spike sorting algorithms designed to extract neural firing events from such data. This creates an urgent need for standardized, automatic evaluation of the quality of neural units output by such algorithms. We introduce a suite of validation metrics that assess the credibility of a given automatic spike sorting algorithm applied to a given dataset. By rerunning the spike sorter two or more times, the metrics measure stability under various perturbations consistent with variations in the data itself, making no assumptions about the internal workings of the algorithm, and minimal assumptions about the noise. We illustrate the new metrics on standard sorting algorithms applied to both in vivo and ex vivo recordings, including a time series with overlapping spikes. We compare the metrics to existing quality measures, and to ground-truth accuracy in simulated time series. We provide a software implementation. Metrics have until now relied on ground-truth, simulated data, internal algorithm variables (e.g. cluster separation), or refractory violations. By contrast, by standardizing the interface, our metrics assess the reliability of any automatic algorithm without reference to internal variables (e.g. feature space) or physiological criteria. Stability is a prerequisite for reproducibility of results. Such metrics could reduce the significant human labor currently spent on validation, and should form an essential part of large-scale automated spike sorting and systematic benchmarking of algorithms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scale free effects in world currency exchange network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Górski, A. Z.; Drożdż, S.; Kwapień, J.

2008-11-01

A large collection of daily time series for 60 world currencies' exchange rates is considered. The correlation matrices are calculated and the corresponding Minimal Spanning Tree (MST) graphs are constructed for each of those currencies used as reference for the remaining ones. It is shown that multiplicity of the MST graphs' nodes to a good approximation develops a power like, scale free distribution with the scaling exponent similar as for several other complex systems studied so far. Furthermore, quantitative arguments in favor of the hierarchical organization of the world currency exchange network are provided by relating the structure of the above MST graphs and their scaling exponents to those that are derived from an exactly solvable hierarchical network model. A special status of the USD during the period considered can be attributed to some departures of the MST features, when this currency (or some other tied to it) is used as reference, from characteristics typical to such a hierarchical clustering of nodes towards those that correspond to the random graphs. Even though in general the basic structure of the MST is robust with respect to changing the reference currency some trace of a systematic transition from somewhat dispersed - like the USD case - towards more compact MST topology can be observed when correlations increase.

The Uncertainty of Long-term Linear Trend in Global SST Due to Internal Variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lian, Tao

2016-04-01

In most parts of the global ocean, the magnitude of the long-term linear trend in sea surface temperature (SST) is much smaller than the amplitude of local multi-scale internal variation. One can thus use the record of a specified period to arbitrarily determine the value and the sign of the long-term linear trend in regional SST, and further leading to controversial conclusions on how global SST responds to global warming in the recent history. Analyzing the linear trend coefficient estimated by the ordinary least-square method indicates that the linear trend consists of two parts: One related to the long-term change, and the other related to the multi-scale internal variation. The sign of the long-term change can be correctly reproduced only when the magnitude of the linear trend coefficient is greater than a theoretical threshold which scales the influence from the multi-scale internal variation. Otherwise, the sign of the linear trend coefficient will depend on the phase of the internal variation, or in the other words, the period being used. An improved least-square method is then proposed to reduce the theoretical threshold. When apply the new method to a global SST reconstruction from 1881 to 2013, we find that in a large part of Pacific, the southern Indian Ocean and North Atlantic, the influence from the multi-scale internal variation on the sign of the linear trend coefficient can-not be excluded. Therefore, the resulting warming or/and cooling linear trends in these regions can-not be fully assigned to global warming.

An ethnically relevant consensus Korean reference genome is a step towards personal reference genomes

PubMed Central

Cho, Yun Sung; Kim, Hyunho; Kim, Hak-Min; Jho, Sungwoong; Jun, JeHoon; Lee, Yong Joo; Chae, Kyun Shik; Kim, Chang Geun; Kim, Sangsoo; Eriksson, Anders; Edwards, Jeremy S.; Lee, Semin; Kim, Byung Chul; Manica, Andrea; Oh, Tae-Kwang; Church, George M.; Bhak, Jong

2016-01-01

Human genomes are routinely compared against a universal reference. However, this strategy could miss population-specific and personal genomic variations, which may be detected more efficiently using an ethnically relevant or personal reference. Here we report a hybrid assembly of a Korean reference genome (KOREF) for constructing personal and ethnic references by combining sequencing and mapping methods. We also build its consensus variome reference, providing information on millions of variants from 40 additional ethnically homogeneous genomes from the Korean Personal Genome Project. We find that the ethnically relevant consensus reference can be beneficial for efficient variant detection. Systematic comparison of human assemblies shows the importance of assembly quality, suggesting the necessity of new technologies to comprehensively map ethnic and personal genomic structure variations. In the era of large-scale population genome projects, the leveraging of ethnicity-specific genome assemblies as well as the human reference genome will accelerate mapping all human genome diversity. PMID:27882922

Impact of seasonal and postglacial surface displacement on global reference frames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krásná, Hana; Böhm, Johannes; King, Matt; Memin, Anthony; Shabala, Stanislav; Watson, Christopher

2014-05-01

The calculation of actual station positions requires several corrections which are partly recommended by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) Conventions (e.g., solid Earth tides and ocean tidal loading) as well as other corrections, e.g. accounting for hydrology and atmospheric loading. To investigate the pattern of omitted non-linear seasonal motion we estimated empirical harmonic models for selected stations within a global solution of suitable Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) sessions as well as mean annual models by stacking yearly time series of station positions. To validate these models we compare them to displacement series obtained from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data and to hydrology corrections determined from global models. Furthermore, we assess the impact of the seasonal station motions on the celestial reference frame as well as on Earth orientation parameters derived from real and also artificial VLBI observations. In the second part of the presentation we apply vertical rates of the ICE-5G_VM2_2012 vertical land movement grid on vertical station velocities. We assess the impact of postglacial uplift on the variability in the scale given different sampling of the postglacial signal in time and hence on the uncertainty in the scale rate of the estimated terrestrial reference frame.

Representation of fine scale atmospheric variability in a nudged limited area quasi-geostrophic model: application to regional climate modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omrani, H.; Drobinski, P.; Dubos, T.

2009-09-01

In this work, we consider the effect of indiscriminate nudging time on the large and small scales of an idealized limited area model simulation. The limited area model is a two layer quasi-geostrophic model on the beta-plane driven at its boundaries by its « global » version with periodic boundary condition. This setup mimics the configuration used for regional climate modelling. Compared to a previous study by Salameh et al. (2009) who investigated the existence of an optimal nudging time minimizing the error on both large and small scale in a linear model, we here use a fully non-linear model which allows us to represent the chaotic nature of the atmosphere: given the perfect quasi-geostrophic model, errors in the initial conditions, concentrated mainly in the smaller scales of motion, amplify and cascade into the larger scales, eventually resulting in a prediction with low skill. To quantify the predictability of our quasi-geostrophic model, we measure the rate of divergence of the system trajectories in phase space (Lyapunov exponent) from a set of simulations initiated with a perturbation of a reference initial state. Predictability of the "global", periodic model is mostly controlled by the beta effect. In the LAM, predictability decreases as the domain size increases. Then, the effect of large-scale nudging is studied by using the "perfect model” approach. Two sets of experiments were performed: (1) the effect of nudging is investigated with a « global » high resolution two layer quasi-geostrophic model driven by a low resolution two layer quasi-geostrophic model. (2) similar simulations are conducted with the two layer quasi-geostrophic LAM where the size of the LAM domain comes into play in addition to the first set of simulations. In the two sets of experiments, the best spatial correlation between the nudge simulation and the reference is observed with a nudging time close to the predictability time.

Measuring vulnerability to disaster displacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brink, Susan A.; Khazai, Bijan; Power, Christopher; Wenzel, Friedemann

2015-04-01

Large scale disasters can cause devastating impacts in terms of population displacement. Between 2008 and 2013, on average 27 million people were displaced annually by disasters (Yonetani 2014). After large events such as hurricane Katrina or the Port-au-Prince earthquake, images of inadequate public shelter and concerns about large scale and often inequitable migration have been broadcast around the world. Population displacement can often be one of the most devastating and visible impacts of a natural disaster. Despite the importance of population displacement in disaster events, measures to understand the socio-economic vulnerability of a community often use broad metrics to estimate the total socio-economic risk of an event rather than focusing on the specific impacts that a community faces in a disaster. Population displacement is complex and multi-causal with the physical impact of a disaster interacting with vulnerability arising from the response, environmental issues (e.g., weather), cultural concerns (e.g., expectations of adequate shelter), and many individual factors (e.g., mobility, risk perception). In addition to the complexity of the causes, population displacement is difficult to measure because of the wide variety of different terms and definitions and its multi-dimensional nature. When we speak of severe population displacement, we may refer to a large number of displaced people, an extended length of displacement or associated difficulties such as poor shelter quality, risk of violence and crime in shelter communities, discrimination in aid, a lack of access to employment or other difficulties that can be associated with large scale population displacement. We have completed a thorough review of the literature on disaster population displacement. Research has been conducted on historic events to understand the types of negative impacts associated with population displacement and also the vulnerability of different groups to these impacts. We aggregate these ideas into a framework of disaster displacement vulnerability that distinguishes between three main aspects of disaster displacement. Disaster displacement can be considered in terms of the number of displaced people and the length of that displacement. However, the literature emphasizes that the severity of disaster displacement can not be measured completely in quantitative terms. Thus, we include a measure representing people who are trapped and unable to leave their homes due to mobility, resources or for other reasons. Finally the third main aspect considers the difficulties that are associated with displacement and reflects the difference between the experiences of those who are displaced into safe and supportive environments as compared to those whose only alternate shelter is dangerous and inadequate for their needs. Finally, we apply the framework to demonstrate a methodology to estimate vulnerability to disaster displacement. Using data from the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Social and Economic Vulnerability sub-National Database, we generate an index to measure the vulnerability of Japanese prefectures to the dimensions of displacement included in the framework. References Yonitani, M. (2014). Global Estimates 2014: People displaced by disasters. http://www.internal-displacement.org/publications/2014/global-estimates-2014-people-displaced-by-disasters/

Large-amplitude internal waves benefit corals during thermal stress.

PubMed

Wall, M; Putchim, L; Schmidt, G M; Jantzen, C; Khokiattiwong, S; Richter, C

2015-01-22

Tropical scleractinian corals are particularly vulnerable to global warming as elevated sea surface temperatures (SSTs) disrupt the delicate balance between the coral host and their algal endosymbionts, leading to symbiont expulsion, mass bleaching and mortality. While satellite sensing of SST has proved a reliable predictor of coral bleaching at the regional scale, there are large deviations in bleaching severity and mortality on the local scale that are poorly understood. Here, we show that internal waves play a major role in explaining local coral bleaching and mortality patterns in the Andaman Sea. Despite a severe region-wide SST anomaly in May 2010, frequent upslope intrusions of cold sub-pycnocline waters due to breaking large-amplitude internal waves (LAIW) mitigated coral bleaching and mortality in shallow waters. In LAIW-sheltered waters, by contrast, bleaching-susceptible species suffered severe bleaching and total mortality. These findings suggest that LAIW benefit coral reefs during thermal stress and provide local refugia for bleaching-susceptible corals. LAIW are ubiquitous in tropical stratified waters and their swash zones may thus be important conservation areas for the maintenance of coral diversity in a warming climate. Taking LAIW into account can significantly improve coral bleaching predictions and provide a valuable tool for coral reef conservation and management. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Bushfires Are "Men's Business": The Importance of Gender and Rural Hegemonic Masculinity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Meagan; Fairbrother, Peter

2013-01-01

This paper offers a critical review of the international literature on gender, disaster and rural masculinities. Empirical reference is made to bushfires in Australia, offering new evidence from the State of Victoria. Bushfires loom large in the Australian imagination and there is an increasing amount of research now being conducted in relation to…

Integrated view of internal friction in unfolded proteins from single-molecule FRET, contact quenching, theory, and simulations

PubMed Central

Soranno, Andrea; Holla, Andrea; Dingfelder, Fabian; Nettels, Daniel; Makarov, Dmitrii E.; Schuler, Benjamin

2017-01-01

Internal friction is an important contribution to protein dynamics at all stages along the folding reaction. Even in unfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins, internal friction has a large influence, as demonstrated with several experimental techniques and in simulations. However, these methods probe different facets of internal friction and have been applied to disparate molecular systems, raising questions regarding the compatibility of the results. To obtain an integrated view, we apply here the combination of two complementary experimental techniques, simulations, and theory to the same system: unfolded protein L. We use single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to measure the global reconfiguration dynamics of the chain, and photoinduced electron transfer (PET), a contact-based method, to quantify the rate of loop formation between two residues. This combination enables us to probe unfolded-state dynamics on different length scales, corresponding to different parts of the intramolecular distance distribution. Both FRET and PET measurements show that internal friction dominates unfolded-state dynamics at low denaturant concentration, and the results are in remarkable agreement with recent large-scale molecular dynamics simulations using a new water model. The simulations indicate that intrachain interactions and dihedral angle rotation correlate with the presence of internal friction, and theoretical models of polymer dynamics provide a framework for interrelating the contribution of internal friction observed in the two types of experiments and in the simulations. The combined results thus provide a coherent and quantitative picture of internal friction in unfolded proteins that could not be attained from the individual techniques. PMID:28223518

Integrated view of internal friction in unfolded proteins from single-molecule FRET, contact quenching, theory, and simulations.

PubMed

Soranno, Andrea; Holla, Andrea; Dingfelder, Fabian; Nettels, Daniel; Makarov, Dmitrii E; Schuler, Benjamin

2017-03-07

Internal friction is an important contribution to protein dynamics at all stages along the folding reaction. Even in unfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins, internal friction has a large influence, as demonstrated with several experimental techniques and in simulations. However, these methods probe different facets of internal friction and have been applied to disparate molecular systems, raising questions regarding the compatibility of the results. To obtain an integrated view, we apply here the combination of two complementary experimental techniques, simulations, and theory to the same system: unfolded protein L. We use single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to measure the global reconfiguration dynamics of the chain, and photoinduced electron transfer (PET), a contact-based method, to quantify the rate of loop formation between two residues. This combination enables us to probe unfolded-state dynamics on different length scales, corresponding to different parts of the intramolecular distance distribution. Both FRET and PET measurements show that internal friction dominates unfolded-state dynamics at low denaturant concentration, and the results are in remarkable agreement with recent large-scale molecular dynamics simulations using a new water model. The simulations indicate that intrachain interactions and dihedral angle rotation correlate with the presence of internal friction, and theoretical models of polymer dynamics provide a framework for interrelating the contribution of internal friction observed in the two types of experiments and in the simulations. The combined results thus provide a coherent and quantitative picture of internal friction in unfolded proteins that could not be attained from the individual techniques.

Utility of the Rosenberg self-esteem scale.

PubMed

Davis, Clare; Kellett, Stephen; Beail, Nigel

2009-05-01

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) continues to be used to purportedly measure self-esteem of people with intellectual disabilities, despite the lack of sound evidence concerning its validity and reliability when employed with this population. The psychometric foundations of the RSES were analyzed here with a sample of 219 participants with intellectual disabilities. The factor analytic methods employed revealed two factors (Self-Worth and Self-Criticism) and more specific problems with RSES Items 5 and 8. Overall, this scale showed only moderate temporal and moderate internal reliability and poor aspects of criterion validity. Results are discussed with reference to either developing a new measure of self-esteem or redesigning and simplifying the RSES in order to increase its initial face validity in intellectual disability samples.

Quantity and Quality of Computer Use and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale International Test Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheema, Jehanzeb R.; Zhang, Bo

2013-01-01

This study looked at the effect of both quantity and quality of computer use on achievement. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 student survey comprising of 4,356 students (boys, n = 2,129; girls, n = 2,227) was used to predict academic achievement from quantity and quality of computer use while controlling for…

SQDFT: Spectral Quadrature method for large-scale parallel O ( N ) Kohn–Sham calculations at high temperature

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

Suryanarayana, Phanish; Pratapa, Phanisri P.; Sharma, Abhiraj

We present SQDFT: a large-scale parallel implementation of the Spectral Quadrature (SQ) method formore » $$\\mathscr{O}(N)$$ Kohn–Sham Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations at high temperature. Specifically, we develop an efficient and scalable finite-difference implementation of the infinite-cell Clenshaw–Curtis SQ approach, in which results for the infinite crystal are obtained by expressing quantities of interest as bilinear forms or sums of bilinear forms, that are then approximated by spatially localized Clenshaw–Curtis quadrature rules. We demonstrate the accuracy of SQDFT by showing systematic convergence of energies and atomic forces with respect to SQ parameters to reference diagonalization results, and convergence with discretization to established planewave results, for both metallic and insulating systems. Here, we further demonstrate that SQDFT achieves excellent strong and weak parallel scaling on computer systems consisting of tens of thousands of processors, with near perfect $$\\mathscr{O}(N)$$ scaling with system size and wall times as low as a few seconds per self-consistent field iteration. Finally, we verify the accuracy of SQDFT in large-scale quantum molecular dynamics simulations of aluminum at high temperature.« less

SQDFT: Spectral Quadrature method for large-scale parallel O ( N ) Kohn–Sham calculations at high temperature

DOE PAGES

Suryanarayana, Phanish; Pratapa, Phanisri P.; Sharma, Abhiraj; ...

2017-12-07

We present SQDFT: a large-scale parallel implementation of the Spectral Quadrature (SQ) method formore » $$\\mathscr{O}(N)$$ Kohn–Sham Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations at high temperature. Specifically, we develop an efficient and scalable finite-difference implementation of the infinite-cell Clenshaw–Curtis SQ approach, in which results for the infinite crystal are obtained by expressing quantities of interest as bilinear forms or sums of bilinear forms, that are then approximated by spatially localized Clenshaw–Curtis quadrature rules. We demonstrate the accuracy of SQDFT by showing systematic convergence of energies and atomic forces with respect to SQ parameters to reference diagonalization results, and convergence with discretization to established planewave results, for both metallic and insulating systems. Here, we further demonstrate that SQDFT achieves excellent strong and weak parallel scaling on computer systems consisting of tens of thousands of processors, with near perfect $$\\mathscr{O}(N)$$ scaling with system size and wall times as low as a few seconds per self-consistent field iteration. Finally, we verify the accuracy of SQDFT in large-scale quantum molecular dynamics simulations of aluminum at high temperature.« less

Coping Behavior of International Late Adolescent Students in Selected Australian Educational Institutions

PubMed Central

Shahrill, Masitah; Mundia, Lawrence

2014-01-01

Using the Adolescent Coping Scale, ACS (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1993) we surveyed 45 randomly selected foreign adolescents in Australian schools. The coping strategies used most by the participants were: focus on solving the problem; seeking relaxing diversions; focusing on the positive; seeking social support; worry; seeking to belong; investing in close friends; wishful thinking; and keep to self (Table 4). With regard to coping styles, the most widely used was the productive coping followed by non-productive coping while the least used style was reference to others (Table 4). In terms of both genders the four coping strategies used most often were: work hard to achieve; seeking relaxing diversions; focus on solving the problem; and focus on the positive (Table 5). The most noticeable gender difference was the use of the physical recreation coping strategy in which male students engaged more (Fig 1). The usage of four coping strategies (solving problem; work hard; focus on positive; and social support) was higher for students who have been away from family more than once as compared to those who have been away once only while the usage of seeking relaxing diversions was higher for the first timers (Table 6). No significant differences were obtained on the sample’s performance on the ACS subscales by gender (Table 7), frequency of leaving own country (Table 8), country of origin (Table 9), and length of stay in Australia (Table 11). However, foundation students scored significantly higher on the reference to others variable than their secondary school peers (Table 10). We recommended counseling for students with high support needs and further large-scale mixed-methods research to gain additional insights. PMID:24373267

Laboratory-Scale Internal Wave Apparatus for Studying Copepod Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, S.; Webster, D. R.; Haas, K. A.; Yen, J.

2016-02-01

Internal waves are ubiquitous features in coastal marine environments and have been observed to mediate vertical distributions of zooplankton in situ. Internal waves create fine-scale hydrodynamic cues that copepods and other zooplankton are known to sense, such as fluid density gradients and velocity gradients (quantified as shear deformation rate). The role of copepod behavior in response to cues associated with internal waves is largely unknown. The objective is to provide insight to the bio-physical interaction and the role of biological versus physical forcing in mediating organism distributions. We constructed a laboratory-scale internal wave apparatus to facilitate fine-scale observations of copepod behavior in flows that replicate in situ conditions of internal waves in two-layer stratification. Two cases were chosen with density jump of 1 and 1.5 sigma-t units. Analytical analysis of the two-layer system provided guidance to the target forcing frequency needed to generate a standing internal wave with a single dominate frequency of oscillation. Flow visualization and signal processing of the interface location were used to quantify the wave characteristics. The results show a close match to the target wave parameters. Marine copepod (mixed population of Acartia tonsa, Temora longicornis, and Eurytemora affinis) behavior assays were conducted for three different physical arrangements: (1) no density stratification, (2) stagnant two-layer density stratification, and (3) two-layer density stratification with internal wave motion. Digitized trajectories of copepod swimming behavior indicate that in the control (case 1) the animals showed no preferential motion in terms of direction. In the stagnant density jump treatment (case 2) copepods preferentially moved horizontally, parallel to the density interface. In the internal wave treatment (case 3) copepods demonstrated orbital trajectories near the density interface.

The thought-action fusion scale: further evidence for its reliability and validity.

PubMed

Rassin, E; Merckelbach, H; Muris, P; Schmidt, H

2001-05-01

Thought-action fusion (TAF) refers to a set of cognitive biases that are thought to play a role in the development of obsessional phenomena. To measure these biases, R. Shafran, D. S. Thordarson, and S. Rachman (1996; Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 10, 379-391) developed the TAF-scale. They concluded that the TAF-scale possesses adequate psychometric qualities. The current study sought to further explore the reliability and validity of the TAF-scale. Results indicate that the TAF-scale has good internal consistency. TAF-scores correlated with self-reports of obsessional problems. Furthermore, mean scores in a mixed sample of anxiety disordered patients were higher than those in a normal sample. However, temporal consistency was somewhat disappointing. Also, the question remains whether TAF is specific to obsessive-compulsive disorder or taps more pervasive biases that play a role in a variety of disorders.

Scaling of the Urban Water Footprint: An Analysis of 65 Mid- to Large-Sized U.S. Metropolitan Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahjabin, T.; Garcia, S.; Grady, C.; Mejia, A.

2017-12-01

Scaling laws have been shown to be relevant to a range of disciplines including biology, ecology, hydrology, and physics, among others. Recently, scaling was shown to be important for understanding and characterizing cities. For instance, it was found that urban infrastructure (water supply pipes and electrical wires) tends to scale sublinearly with city population, implying that large cities are more efficient. In this study, we explore the scaling of the water footprint of cities. The water footprint is a measure of water appropriation that considers both the direct and indirect (virtual) water use of a consumer or producer. Here we compute the water footprint of 65 mid- to large-sized U.S. metropolitan areas, accounting for direct and indirect water uses associated with agricultural and industrial commodities, and residential and commercial water uses. We find that the urban water footprint, computed as the sum of the water footprint of consumption and production, exhibits sublinear scaling with an exponent of 0.89. This suggests the possibility of large cities being more water-efficient than small ones. To further assess this result, we conduct additional analysis by accounting for international flows, and the effects of green water and city boundary definition on the scaling. The analysis confirms the scaling and provides additional insight about its interpretation.

Fish scale terrace GaInN/GaN light-emitting diodes with enhanced light extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stark, Christoph J. M.; Detchprohm, Theeradetch; Zhao, Liang; Paskova, Tanya; Preble, Edward A.; Wetzel, Christian

2012-12-01

Non-planar GaInN/GaN light-emitting diodes were epitaxially grown to exhibit steps for enhanced light emission. By means of a large off-cut of the epitaxial growth plane from the c-plane (0.06° to 2.24°), surface morphologies of steps and inclined terraces that resemble fish scale patterns could controllably be achieved. These patterns penetrate the active region without deteriorating the electrical device performance. We find conditions leading to a large increase in light-output power over the virtually on-axis device and over planar sapphire references. The process is found suitable to enhance light extraction even without post-growth processing.