The Generalized Hellmann-Feynman Theorem Approach to Quantum Effects of Mesoscopic Complicated Coupling Circuit at Finite Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiu-Xia

2016-02-01

By employing the generalized Hellmann-Feynman theorem, the quantization of mesoscopic complicated coupling circuit is proposed. The ensemble average energy, the energy fluctuation and the energy distribution are investigated at finite temperature. It is shown that the generalized Hellmann-Feynman theorem plays the key role in quantizing a mesoscopic complicated coupling circuit at finite temperature, and when the temperature is lower than the specific temperature, the value of (\\vartriangle {hat {H}})2 is almost zero and the values of e and (\\vartriangle hat {{H}})2are basically constant, but while the temperature rises to the specific temperature, both of them move upward rapidly. The energy fluctuation of the system becomes larger when the coupling inductance is larger or the coupling capacitance is smaller.

The state of health services in China and India: a larger context.

PubMed

Bardhan, Pranab

2008-01-01

In this paper the problems of health services in China and India are related to some structural features of the two economies. Some similarities and differences exist across these two countries in terms of political economy, with differential results. Both countries have experienced remarkable economic growth during the past quarter-century, but this has not always translated into improvements in health for the poor. Although China used to have an egalitarian basic public health service, the system has become quite inegalitarian during the past quarter-century, with the disintegration of the communes and adoption of fee-based services under a system of decentralized public finance. India's health system has remained inegalitarian throughout.

Investigation of storage system designs and techniques for optimizing energy conservation in integrated utility systems. Volume 2: (Application of energy storage to IUS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The applicability of energy storage devices to any energy system depends on the performance and cost characteristics of the larger basic system. A comparative assessment of energy storage alternatives for application to IUS which addresses the systems aspects of the overall installation is described. Factors considered include: (1) descriptions of the two no-storage IUS baselines utilized as yardsticks for comparison throughout the study; (2) discussions of the assessment criteria and the selection framework employed; (3) a summary of the rationale utilized in selecting water storage as the primary energy storage candidate for near term application to IUS; (4) discussion of the integration aspects of water storage systems; and (5) an assessment of IUS with water storage in alternative climates.

Program Evaluation for USAID/Guinea Basic Education Program Portfolio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Midling, Michael; Filion, Louise; David-Gnahoui, Emmanuel M.; Gassama-Mbaye, Mbarou; Diallo, Amadou Tidjane; Diallo, Abdoul Karim

2006-01-01

In support of its strategic objective of a quality basic education provided to a larger percentage of Guinean children with an emphasis on girls and rural children, the United States Agency for International Development established the following intermediate results: (1) Improved sectoral strategic planning, management, and decision-making in…

Impact of basic angle variations on the parallax zero point for a scanning astrometric satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butkevich, Alexey G.; Klioner, Sergei A.; Lindegren, Lennart; Hobbs, David; van Leeuwen, Floor

2017-07-01

Context. Determination of absolute parallaxes by means of a scanning astrometric satellite such as Hipparcos or Gaia relies on the short-term stability of the so-called basic angle between the two viewing directions. Uncalibrated variations of the basic angle may produce systematic errors in the computed parallaxes. Aims: We examine the coupling between a global parallax shift and specific variations of the basic angle, namely those related to the satellite attitude with respect to the Sun. Methods: The changes in observables produced by small perturbations of the basic angle, attitude, and parallaxes were calculated analytically. We then looked for a combination of perturbations that had no net effect on the observables. Results: In the approximation of infinitely small fields of view, it is shown that certain perturbations of the basic angle are observationally indistinguishable from a global shift of the parallaxes. If these kinds of perturbations exist, they cannot be calibrated from the astrometric observations but will produce a global parallax bias. Numerical simulations of the astrometric solution, using both direct and iterative methods, confirm this theoretical result. For a given amplitude of the basic angle perturbation, the parallax bias is smaller for a larger basic angle and a larger solar aspect angle. In both these respects Gaia has a more favourable geometry than Hipparcos. In the case of Gaia, internal metrology is used to monitor basic angle variations. Additionally, Gaia has the advantage of detecting numerous quasars, which can be used to verify the parallax zero point.

Engine monitoring display study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornsby, Mary E.

1992-01-01

The current study is part of a larger NASA effort to develop displays for an engine-monitoring system to enable the crew to monitor engine parameter trends more effectively. The objective was to evaluate the operational utility of adding three types of information to the basic Boeing Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) display formats: alphanumeric alerting messages for engine parameters whose values exceed caution or warning limits; alphanumeric messages to monitor engine parameters that deviate from expected values; and a graphic depiction of the range of expected values for current conditions. Ten training and line pilots each flew 15 simulated flight scenarios with five variants of the basic EICAS format; these variants included different combinations of the added information. The pilots detected engine problems more quickly when engine alerting messages were included in the display; adding a graphic depiction of the range of expected values did not affect detection speed. The pilots rated both types of alphanumeric messages (alert and monitor parameter) as more useful and easier to interpret than the graphic depiction. Integrating engine parameter messages into the EICAS alerting system appears to be both useful and preferred.

Grammar and the Lexicon. Working Papers in Linguistics 16.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of Trondheim Working Papers in Linguistics, 1993

1993-01-01

In this volume, five working papers are presented. "Minimal Signs and Grammar" (Lars Hellan) proposes that a significant part of the "production" of grammar is incremental, building larger and larger constructs, with lexical objects called minimal signs as the first steps. It also suggests that the basic lexical information in…

Solar stills for agricultural purposes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Selcuk, M. K.; Tran, V. V.

1975-01-01

Basic concepts of using desalinated water for agricultural purposes are outlined. A mathematical model describing heat and mass transfer in a system combining a solar still with a greenhouse, its solution, and test results of a small-scale unit built at the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, are discussed. The unit was employed to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the system. Further development and modifications are necessary for larger-scale operations. The basis of an optimization study which is underway at the Brace Research Institute of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, aimed at finding the best combination of design and operation parameters is also presented.

Bioinspired nanovalves with selective permeability and pH sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Z.; Huang, X.; Schenderlein, M.; Moehwald, H.; Xu, G.-K.; Shchukin, D. G.

2015-01-01

Biological systems with controlled permeability and release functionality, which are among the successful examples of living beings to survive in evolution, have attracted intensive investigation and have been mimicked due to their broad spectrum of applications. We present in this work, for the first time, an example of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs)-inspired controlled release system that exhibits on-demand release of angstrom-sized molecules. We do so in a cost-effective way by stabilizing porous cobalt basic carbonates as nanovalves and realizing pH-sensitive release of entrapped subnano cargo. The proof-of-concept work also consists of the establishment of two mathematical models to explain the selective permeability of the nanovalves. Finally, gram-sized (or larger) quantities of the bio-inspired controlled release system can be synthesized through a scaling-up strategy, which opens up opportunities for controlled release of functional molecules in wider practical applications.Biological systems with controlled permeability and release functionality, which are among the successful examples of living beings to survive in evolution, have attracted intensive investigation and have been mimicked due to their broad spectrum of applications. We present in this work, for the first time, an example of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs)-inspired controlled release system that exhibits on-demand release of angstrom-sized molecules. We do so in a cost-effective way by stabilizing porous cobalt basic carbonates as nanovalves and realizing pH-sensitive release of entrapped subnano cargo. The proof-of-concept work also consists of the establishment of two mathematical models to explain the selective permeability of the nanovalves. Finally, gram-sized (or larger) quantities of the bio-inspired controlled release system can be synthesized through a scaling-up strategy, which opens up opportunities for controlled release of functional molecules in wider practical applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06378c

Targeted Basic Studies of Ferroelectric and Ferroelastic Materials for Piezoelectric Transducer Applications.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-01

structure mixed halides in the general formula ABX 3 where A is a larger monovalent cation B is small divalent cation X the halideion are needed for extending...and cut for electrostriction measure- ments. In KCaF 3, all the crystals grown contain small opaque solid inclusions, probably CaO and attempts are now...are filled, and in many compositions all the very small C4 sites are often vacant. It is our objective to grow compositions in the system (KlxNa x)2

Fostering First Graders' Fluency with Basic Subtraction and Larger Addition Combinations via Computer-Assisted Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baroody, Arthur J.; Purpura, David J.; Eiland, Michael D.; Reid, Erin E.

2014-01-01

Achieving fluency with basic subtraction and add-with-8 or -9 combinations is difficult for primary grade children. A 9-month training experiment entailed evaluating the efficacy of software designed to promote such fluency via guided learning of reasoning strategies. Seventy-five eligible first graders were randomly assigned to one of three…

Entropic cohering power in quantum operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Zhengjun; Hu, Ming-Liang; Li, Yongming; Fan, Heng

2018-02-01

Coherence is a basic feature of quantum systems and a common necessary condition for quantum correlations. It is also an important physical resource in quantum information processing. In this paper, using relative entropy, we consider a more general definition of the cohering power of quantum operations. First, we calculate the cohering power of unitary quantum operations and show that the amount of distributed coherence caused by non-unitary quantum operations cannot exceed the quantum-incoherent relative entropy between system of interest and its environment. We then find that the difference between the distributed coherence and the cohering power is larger than the quantum-incoherent relative entropy. As an application, we consider the distributed coherence caused by purification.

A new six-degree-of-freedom force-reflecting hand controller for space telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcaffee, Douglas; Snow, Edward; Townsend, William; Robinson, Lee; Hanson, Joe

1990-01-01

A new 6 degree of freedom universal Force Reflecting Hand Controller (FRHC) was designed for use as the man-machine interface in teleoperated and telerobotic flight systems. The features of this new design include highly intuitive operation, excellent kinesthetic feedback, high fidelity force/torque feedback, a kinematically simple structure, mechanically decoupled motion in all 6 DOF, good back-drivability, and zero backlash. In addition, the new design has a much larger work envelope, smaller stowage volume, greater stiffness and responsiveness, and better overlap of the human operator's range of motion than do previous designs. The utility and basic operation of a new, flight prototype FRHC called the Model X is briefly discussed. The design heritage, general design goals, and design implementation of this advanced new generation of FRHCs are presented, followed by a discussion of basic features and the results of initial testing.

Helical vortices: linear stability analysis and nonlinear dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selçuk, C.; Delbende, I.; Rossi, M.

2018-02-01

We numerically investigate, within the context of helical symmetry, the dynamics of a regular array of two or three helical vortices with or without a straight central hub vortex. The Navier-Stokes equations are linearised to study the instabilities of such basic states. For vortices with low pitches, an unstable mode is extracted which corresponds to a displacement mode and growth rates are found to compare well with results valid for an infinite row of point vortices or an infinite alley of vortex rings. For larger pitches, the system is stable with respect to helically symmetric perturbations. In the nonlinear regime, we follow the time-evolution of the above basic states when initially perturbed by the dominant instability mode. For two vortices, sequences of overtaking events, leapfrogging and eventually merging are observed. The transition between such behaviours occurs at a critical ratio involving the core size and the vortex-separation distance. Cases with three helical vortices are also presented.

Micro-insurance in Bangladesh: Risk Protection for the Poor?

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Health services and modern medicines are out of reach for over one billion people globally. Micro-insurance for health is one method to address unmet health needs. This case study used a social exclusion perspective to assess the health and poverty impact of micro-insurance for health in Bangladesh and contrasts this with several micro-insurance systems for health offered in India. Micro-insurance for health in Bangladesh targeted towards the poor and the ultra-poor provides basic healthcare at an affordable rate whereas the Indian micro-insurance schemes for health have been implemented across larger populations and include high-cost and low-frequency events. Results of analysis of the existing literature showed that micro-insurance for health as currently offered in Bangladesh increased access to, and use of, basic health services among excluded populations but did not reduce the likelihood that essential health-related costs would be a catastrophic expense for a marginalized household. PMID:19761089

Dynamic facial expressions of emotion transmit an evolving hierarchy of signals over time.

PubMed

Jack, Rachael E; Garrod, Oliver G B; Schyns, Philippe G

2014-01-20

Designed by biological and social evolutionary pressures, facial expressions of emotion comprise specific facial movements to support a near-optimal system of signaling and decoding. Although highly dynamical, little is known about the form and function of facial expression temporal dynamics. Do facial expressions transmit diagnostic signals simultaneously to optimize categorization of the six classic emotions, or sequentially to support a more complex communication system of successive categorizations over time? Our data support the latter. Using a combination of perceptual expectation modeling, information theory, and Bayesian classifiers, we show that dynamic facial expressions of emotion transmit an evolving hierarchy of "biologically basic to socially specific" information over time. Early in the signaling dynamics, facial expressions systematically transmit few, biologically rooted face signals supporting the categorization of fewer elementary categories (e.g., approach/avoidance). Later transmissions comprise more complex signals that support categorization of a larger number of socially specific categories (i.e., the six classic emotions). Here, we show that dynamic facial expressions of emotion provide a sophisticated signaling system, questioning the widely accepted notion that emotion communication is comprised of six basic (i.e., psychologically irreducible) categories, and instead suggesting four. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in pollination ecology from tropical plantation crops.

PubMed

Klein, Alexandra-Maria; Cunningham, Saul A; Bos, Merijn; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf

2008-04-01

Although ecologists traditionally focus on natural ecosystems, there is growing awareness that mixed landscapes of managed and unmanaged systems provide a research environment for understanding basic ecological relationships on a large scale. Here, we show how tropical agroforestry systems can be used to develop ideas about the mechanisms that influence species diversity and subsequent biotic interactions at different spatial scales. Our focus is on tropical plantation crops, mainly coffee and cacao, and their pollinators, which are of basic ecological interest as partners in an important mutualistic interaction. We review how insect-mediated pollination services depend on local agroforest and natural habitats in surrounding landscapes. Further, we evaluate the functional significance of pollinator diversity and the explanatory value of species traits, and we provide an intercontinental comparison of pollinator assemblages. We found that optimal pollination success might be best understood as a consequence of niche complementarities among pollinators in landscapes harboring various species. We further show that small cavity-nesting bees and small generalist beetles were especially affected by isolation from forest and that larger-bodied insects in the same landscapes were not similarly affected. We suggest that mixed tropical landscapes with agroforestry systems have great potential for future research on the interactions between plants and pollinators.

156 Mbps Ultrahigh-Speed Wireless LAN Prototype in the 38 GHz Band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Gang; Inoue, Masugi; Murakami, Homare; Hase, Yoshihiro

2001-12-01

This paper describes a 156 Mbps ultrahigh-speed wireless LAN operating in the 38 GHz millimeter (mm)-wave band. The system is a third prototype developed at the Communications Research Laboratory since 1998. Compared with the previous prototypes, the system is faster (156 Mbps) and smaller (volume of radio transceiver less than 1000 cc), it has a larger service area (two overlapping basic service sets), and a longer transmission distance (the protocol can support a distance of more than two hundred meters). The development is focused on the physical layer and the data link control layer, and thus a GMSK-based mm-wave transceiver and an enhanced RS-ISMA (reservation-based slotted idle signal multiple access) protocol are key development components. This paper describes the prototype system's design, configuration, and implementation.

Security aspects of RFID communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bîndar, Valericǎ; Popescu, Mircea; Bǎrtuşicǎ, Rǎzvan; Craciunescu, Razvan; Halunga, Simona

2015-02-01

The objective of this study is to provide an overview of basic technical elements and security risks of RFID communication systems and to analyze the possible threats arising from the use of RFID systems. A number of measurements are performed on a communication system including RFID transponder and the tag reader, and it has been determined that the uplink signal level is 62 dB larger than the average value of the noise at the distance of 1m from the tag, therefore the shielding effectiveness has to exceed this threshold. Next, the card has been covered with several shielding materials and measurements were carried, under similar conditions to test the recovery of compromising signals. A very simple protection measure to prevent unauthorized reading of the data stored on the card has been proposed, and some electromagnetic shielding materials have been proposed and tested.

PLSS 2.5 Fan Design and Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Converse, David; Carra, Michael; Quinn, Gregory; Chullen, Cinda

2015-01-01

NASA is building a high fidelity prototype of an advanced portable life support system (PLSS) as part of the Advanced Exploration Systems Program. This new PLSS, designated as PLSS 2.5, will advance component technologies and systems knowledge in order to inform a future flight program. The oxygen ventilation loop of its predecessor, PLSS 2.0, is driven by a centrifugal fan developed using specifications from over five years ago. PLSS technology and system parameters have matured to the point where the existing fan will not perform adequately for the new prototype. In addition, areas of potential improvement have been identified with the existing fan that could be addressed in a new design. As a result, a new fan was designed and tested for the PLSS 2.5. The PLSS 2.5 fan is a derivative of the one used in PLSS 2.0. It uses the same basic non-metallic can around the motor, but with a larger volute and impeller to meet the higher pressure drop requirements of the PLSS 2.5 loop. This allows it to operate at rotational speeds that are matched to rolling element bearings, and which create reasonably low impeller tip speeds. Development of the fan also considered a shrouded impeller design that allows larger clearances for greater oxygen safety and better performance.

Inhalers and nebulizers: basic principles and preliminary measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misik, Ondrej; Lizal, Frantisek; Asl, Vahid Farhikhteh; Belka, Miloslav; Jedelsky, Jan; Elcner, Jakub; Jicha, Miroslav

2018-06-01

Inhalers are hand-held devices which are used for administration of therapeutic aerosols via inhalation. Nebulizers are larger devices serving for home and hospital care using inhaled medication. This contribution describes the basic principles of dispersion of aerosol particles used in various types of inhalers and nebulizers, and lists the basic physical mechanisms contributing to the deposition of inhaled particles in the human airways. The second part of this article presents experimental setup, methodology and preliminary results of particle size distributions produced by several selected inhalers and nebulizers.

Large space deployable antenna systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The design technology is described for manufacturing a 20 m or larger space erectable antenna with high thermal stability, high dynamic stiffness, and minimum stowed size. The selected approach includes a wrap rib design with a cantilever beam basic element and graphite-epoxy composite lenticular cross section ribs. The rib configuration and powered type operated deploying mechanism are described and illustrated. Other features of the parabolic reflector discussed include weight and stowed diameter characteristics, structural dynamics characteristics, orbit thermal aperture limitations, and equivalent element and secondary (on axis) patterns. A block diagram of the multiple beam pattern is also presented.

Equations of condition for high order Runge-Kutta-Nystrom formulae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bettis, D. G.

1974-01-01

Derivation of the equations of condition of order eight for a general system of second-order differential equations approximated by the basic Runge-Kutta-Nystrom algorithm. For this general case, the number of equations of condition is considerably larger than for the special case where the first derivative is not present. Specifically, it is shown that, for orders two through eight, the number of equations for each order is 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9 for the special case and is 1, 1, 2, 5, 13, 34, and 95 for the general case.

Genetic variation in basic density and modulus of elasticity of coastal Douglas-fir.

Treesearch

G.R. Johnson; B.L. Gartner

2006-01-01

Douglas-fir trees from 39 open-pollinated families at four test locations were assessed to estimate heritability of modulus of elasticity (MOE) and basic density. Heritability estimates of MOE (across-site h = 0.55) were larger than those for total height (0.15) and diameter at breast height (DBH; 0.29), and similar to those for density (0.59)....

Toward Defining and Improving Quality in Adult Basic Education: Issues and Challenges. Rutgers Invitational Symposium on Education Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belzer, Alisa, Ed.

2007-01-01

This volume revisits, problematizes, and expands the meaning of quality in the context of adult basic education. Covering a wide range of relevant topics, it includes contributors from the realms of both policy and practice and encompasses both the major instructional areas--reading, writing, and mathematics--as well as larger issues of literacy,…

Echinococcus granulosus: specificity of amino acid transport systems in protoscoleces.

PubMed

Jeffs, S A; Arme, C

1987-08-01

Protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus absorb the L-amino acids proline, methionine, leucine, alanine, serine, phenylalanine, lysine and glutamic acid by a combination of mediated transport and diffusion. All eight amino acids were accumulated against a concentration gradient. Comparison of Kt and Vmax values suggests that a low affinity for a particular compound is compensated for by a relatively larger number of transport sites for that compound. Four systems serve for the transport of the eight substrates studied: 2 for neutral (EgN1, EgN2) and 1 each for acidic (EgA) and basic (EgB) amino acids. All eight amino acids are incorporated into protein to varying degrees and substantial portions of absorbed L-alanine and L-methionine are metabolized into other compounds.

Atmospheric transport modelling in support of CTBT verification—overview and basic concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wotawa, Gerhard; De Geer, Lars-Erik; Denier, Philippe; Kalinowski, Martin; Toivonen, Harri; D'Amours, Real; Desiato, Franco; Issartel, Jean-Pierre; Langer, Matthias; Seibert, Petra; Frank, Andreas; Sloan, Craig; Yamazawa, Hiromi

Under the provisions of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), a global monitoring system comprising different verification technologies is currently being set up. The network will include 80 radionuclide (RN) stations distributed all over the globe that measure treaty-relevant radioactive species. While the seismic subsystem cannot distinguish between chemical and nuclear explosions, RN monitoring would provide the "smoking gun" of a possible treaty violation. Atmospheric transport modelling (ATM) will be an integral part of CTBT verification, since it provides a geo-temporal location capability for the RN technology. In this paper, the basic concept for the future ATM software system to be installed at the International Data Centre is laid out. The system is based on the operational computation of multi-dimensional source-receptor sensitivity fields for all RN samples by means of adjoint tracer transport modelling. While the source-receptor matrix methodology has already been applied in the past, the system that we suggest will be unique and unprecedented, since it is global, real-time and aims at uncovering source scenarios that are compatible with measurements. Furthermore, it has to deal with source dilution ratios that are by orders of magnitude larger than in typical transport model applications. This new verification software will need continuous scientific attention, and may well provide a prototype system for future applications in areas of environmental monitoring, emergency response and verification of other international agreements and treaties.

The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program - Presentation to Korean Aerospace Research Institute

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; Sampson, Michael J.

2016-01-01

This presentation will provide basic information about NASA's Electronic Parts and Packaging Program (NEPP), for sharing with representatives of the South Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) as part of a larger presentation by Headquarters Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. The NEPP information includes mission and goals, history of the program, basic focus areas, strategies, deliverables and some examples of current tasks.

Superordinate Level Processing Has Priority Over Basic-Level Processing in Scene Gist Recognition

PubMed Central

Sun, Qi; Zheng, Yang; Sun, Mingxia; Zheng, Yuanjie

2016-01-01

By combining a perceptual discrimination task and a visuospatial working memory task, the present study examined the effects of visuospatial working memory load on the hierarchical processing of scene gist. In the perceptual discrimination task, two scene images from the same (manmade–manmade pairing or natural–natural pairing) or different superordinate level categories (manmade–natural pairing) were presented simultaneously, and participants were asked to judge whether these two images belonged to the same basic-level category (e.g., street–street pairing) or not (e.g., street–highway pairing). In the concurrent working memory task, spatial load (position-based load in Experiment 1) and object load (figure-based load in Experiment 2) were manipulated. The results were as follows: (a) spatial load and object load have stronger effects on discrimination of same basic-level scene pairing than same superordinate level scene pairing; (b) spatial load has a larger impact on the discrimination of scene pairings at early stages than at later stages; on the contrary, object information has a larger influence on at later stages than at early stages. It followed that superordinate level processing has priority over basic-level processing in scene gist recognition and spatial information contributes to the earlier and object information to the later stages in scene gist recognition. PMID:28382195

24 CFR 1003.201 - Basic eligible activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... occupy a designated and discrete area within the larger facility; and (B) The grantee can determine the.... Clearance, demolition, and removal of buildings and improvements, including movement of structures to other...

24 CFR 1003.201 - Basic eligible activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... occupy a designated and discrete area within the larger facility; and (B) The grantee can determine the.... Clearance, demolition, and removal of buildings and improvements, including movement of structures to other...

24 CFR 1003.201 - Basic eligible activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... occupy a designated and discrete area within the larger facility; and (B) The grantee can determine the.... Clearance, demolition, and removal of buildings and improvements, including movement of structures to other...

24 CFR 1003.201 - Basic eligible activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... occupy a designated and discrete area within the larger facility; and (B) The grantee can determine the.... Clearance, demolition, and removal of buildings and improvements, including movement of structures to other...

24 CFR 1003.201 - Basic eligible activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... occupy a designated and discrete area within the larger facility; and (B) The grantee can determine the.... Clearance, demolition, and removal of buildings and improvements, including movement of structures to other...

Electronics Shielding and Reliability Design Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, John W.; ONeill, P. M.; Zang, Thomas A., Jr.; Pandolf, John E.; Koontz, Steven L.; Boeder, P.; Reddell, B.; Pankop, C.

2006-01-01

It is well known that electronics placement in large-scale human-rated systems provides opportunity to optimize electronics shielding through materials choice and geometric arrangement. For example, several hundred single event upsets (SEUs) occur within the Shuttle avionic computers during a typical mission. An order of magnitude larger SEU rate would occur without careful placement in the Shuttle design. These results used basic physics models (linear energy transfer (LET), track structure, Auger recombination) combined with limited SEU cross section measurements allowing accurate evaluation of target fragment contributions to Shuttle avionics memory upsets. Electronics shielding design on human-rated systems provides opportunity to minimize radiation impact on critical and non-critical electronic systems. Implementation of shielding design tools requires adequate methods for evaluation of design layouts, guiding qualification testing, and an adequate follow-up on final design evaluation including results from a systems/device testing program tailored to meet design requirements.

Space Debris and Space Safety - Looking Forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ailor, W.; Krag, H.

Man's activities in space are creating a shell of space debris around planet Earth which provides a growing risk of collision with operating satellites and manned systems. Including both the larger tracked objects and the small, untracked debris, more than 98% of the estimated 600,000 objects larger than 1 cm currently in orbit are “space junk”--dead satellites, expended rocket stages, debris from normal operations, fragments from explosions and collisions, and other material. Recognizing the problem, space faring nations have joined together to develop three basic principles for minimizing the growth of the debris population: prevent on-orbit breakups, remove spacecraft and orbital stages that have reached the end of their mission operations from the useful densely populated orbit regions, and limit the objects released during normal operations. This paper provides an overview of what is being done to support these three principles and describes proposals that an active space traffic control service to warn satellite operators of pending collisions with large objects combined with a program to actively remove large objects may reduce the rate of future collisions. The paper notes that cost and cost effectiveness are important considerations that will affect the evolution of such systems.

Making traceability work across the entire food supply chain.

PubMed

Bhatt, Tejas; Buckley, Greg; McEntire, Jennifer C; Lothian, Paul; Sterling, Brian; Hickey, Caitlin

2013-12-01

The Institute of Food Technologists held Traceability Research Summits on July 14, August 22, and November 1, 2011, to address how to meet the growing requirement for agriculture and food traceability. Each meeting had a group of about 50 individuals who came from food companies, trade associations, local, state, and federal governments, 3rd-party traceability solution providers, not-for-profit corporations, consultants, and consumer groups. They discussed and deliberated the objectives of traceability and the means to develop product tracing in the food system. A total of 70 people participated in the 3 summits. These individuals were invited to participate in a small workgroup responsible for considering the details related to product tracing and presenting draft concepts to the larger group on November 1, 2011, in Chicago. During this meeting, the larger assembly further refined the concepts and came to an agreement on the basic principles and overall design of the desired approach to traceability. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE. Moving Forward on Financial and Transformation Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-05-13

recovers. The Service’s basic business model, Page 3 GAO-02-694T which assumes that rising mail volume will cover rising costs and mitigate rate increases...in the ratemaking and new products areas, it will be important that any additional flexibility be coupled with an appropriate level of transparency...the Service’s basic business model is not sustainable and that much larger declines in mail volume may be in the offing if mailers increasingly shift

Differences in citation frequency of clinical and basic science papers in cardiovascular research.

PubMed

Opthof, Tobias

2011-06-01

In this article, a critical analysis is performed on differences in citation frequency of basic and clinical cardiovascular papers. It appears that the latter papers are cited at about 40% higher frequency. The differences between the largest number of citations of the most cited papers are even larger. It is also demonstrated that the groups of clinical and basic cardiovascular papers are also heterogeneous concerning citation frequency. It is concluded that none of the existing citation indicators appreciates these differences. At this moment these indicators should not be used for quality assessment of individual scientists and scientific niches with small numbers of scientists.

Resilience of biochemical activity in protein domains in the face of structural divergence.

PubMed

Zhang, Dapeng; Iyer, Lakshminarayan M; Burroughs, A Maxwell; Aravind, L

2014-06-01

Recent studies point to the prevalence of the evolutionary phenomenon of drastic structural transformation of protein domains while continuing to preserve their basic biochemical function. These transformations span a wide spectrum, including simple domains incorporated into larger structural scaffolds, changes in the structural core, major active site shifts, topological rewiring and extensive structural transmogrifications. Proteins from biological conflict systems, such as toxin-antitoxin, restriction-modification, CRISPR/Cas, polymorphic toxin and secondary metabolism systems commonly display such transformations. These include endoDNases, metal-independent RNases, deaminases, ADP ribosyltransferases, immunity proteins, kinases and E1-like enzymes. In eukaryotes such transformations are seen in domains involved in chromatin-related peptide recognition and protein/DNA-modification. Intense selective pressures from 'arms-race'-like situations in conflict and macromolecular modification systems could favor drastic structural divergence while preserving function. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Self-Focusing and the Talbot Effect in Conformal Transformation Optics.

PubMed

Wang, Xiangyang; Chen, Huanyang; Liu, Hui; Xu, Lin; Sheng, Chong; Zhu, Shining

2017-07-21

Transformation optics has been used to propose various novel optical devices. With the help of metamaterials, several intriguing designs, such as invisibility cloaks, have been implemented. However, as the basic units should be much smaller than the working wavelengths to achieve the effective material parameters, and the sizes of devices should be much larger than the wavelengths of illumination to work within the light-ray approximation, it is a big challenge to implement an experimental system that works simultaneously for both geometric optics and wave optics. In this Letter, by using a gradient-index microstructured optical waveguide, we realize a device of conformal transformation optics (CTO) and demonstrate its self-focusing property for geometry optics and the Talbot effect for wave optics. In addition, the Talbot effect in such a system has a potential application to transfer digital information without diffraction. Our findings demonstrate the photon controlling ability of CTO in a feasible experiment system.

Self-Focusing and the Talbot Effect in Conformal Transformation Optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiangyang; Chen, Huanyang; Liu, Hui; Xu, Lin; Sheng, Chong; Zhu, Shining

2017-07-01

Transformation optics has been used to propose various novel optical devices. With the help of metamaterials, several intriguing designs, such as invisibility cloaks, have been implemented. However, as the basic units should be much smaller than the working wavelengths to achieve the effective material parameters, and the sizes of devices should be much larger than the wavelengths of illumination to work within the light-ray approximation, it is a big challenge to implement an experimental system that works simultaneously for both geometric optics and wave optics. In this Letter, by using a gradient-index microstructured optical waveguide, we realize a device of conformal transformation optics (CTO) and demonstrate its self-focusing property for geometry optics and the Talbot effect for wave optics. In addition, the Talbot effect in such a system has a potential application to transfer digital information without diffraction. Our findings demonstrate the photon controlling ability of CTO in a feasible experiment system.

Optimal physiological structure of small neurons to guarantee stable information processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, S. Y.; Zhang, Z. Z.; Wei, D. Q.; Luo, X. S.; Tang, W. Y.; Zeng, S. W.; Wang, R. F.

2013-02-01

Spike is the basic element for neuronal information processing and the spontaneous spiking frequency should be less than 1 Hz for stable information processing. If the neuronal membrane area is small, the frequency of neuronal spontaneous spiking caused by ion channel noise may be high. Therefore, it is important to suppress the deleterious spontaneous spiking of the small neurons. We find by simulation of stochastic neurons with Hodgkin-Huxley-type channels that the leakage system is critical and extremely efficient to suppress the spontaneous spiking and guarantee stable information processing of the small neurons. However, within the physiological limit the potassium system cannot do so. The suppression effect of the leakage system is super-exponential, but that of the potassium system is quasi-linear. With the minor physiological cost and the minimal consumption of metabolic energy, a slightly lower reversal potential and a relatively larger conductance of the leakage system give the optimal physiological structure to suppress the deleterious spontaneous spiking and guarantee stable information processing of small neurons, dendrites and axons.

Age or health status: which influences medical insurance enrollment greater?

PubMed Central

Xu, Wei; Cai, Gong–Jie; Li, Guan–Nan; Cao, Jing–Jing; Shi, Qiong–Hua; Bai, Jie

2016-01-01

Background The New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) for peasantries implemented in 2003 and the Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) for the urban unemployed implemented in 2007 have many similarities. They both apply the financing mode of individual premiums plus government’s subsidies, and the voluntary enrollment. The Chinese government plans to integrate these two systems and build a unified basic medical insurance system for the unemployed in order to achieve the medical equity and increase the general health level. Thus, to analyze the main influencing factors of the enrollment of the urban unemployed and rural residents is very important for improving the system and securing the stability of the system during the transition. Methods The study uses data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) and adopts logistic regression models to test which factors influence the enrollment of the URBMI and the NCMS under the background of rather high enrollment rate of Chinese basic medical insurances and strong fiscal support of the Chinese government, especially whether health status or age influences enrollment of these two insurances greater. Results There is indeed some adverse selection in the URBMI and the NCMS. Whether the individual has chronic diseases have significant influence on enrollments of both the urban unemployed and rural residents, while whether the individual got ill in last four weeks just influences enrollments of the urban unemployed. Age influences enrollment greater than health status. The older the insured are, the larger the enrollment rates are. Conclusion Because of the active support for basic medical insurances of the Chinese government, the enrollment performance of the urban unemployed and rural residents has already changed. When implementing the new policy, the government should pay attention to the willingness to enroll in and the change of enrollment performance of the insured. Therefore, under the policy of voluntary enrollment, every coordinated province and city should enlarge the proportion of young people to insuring group, optimizing the age structure, and the financing proportion of governments and individuals should be measured properly. With the increasing of governments’ subsidies, the proportion of individual’s premiums should also be increased. PMID:28028435

Multibus-based parallel processor for simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogrady, E. P.; Wang, C.-H.

1983-01-01

A Multibus-based parallel processor simulation system is described. The system is intended to serve as a vehicle for gaining hands-on experience, testing system and application software, and evaluating parallel processor performance during development of a larger system based on the horizontal/vertical-bus interprocessor communication mechanism. The prototype system consists of up to seven Intel iSBC 86/12A single-board computers which serve as processing elements, a multiple transmission controller (MTC) designed to support system operation, and an Intel Model 225 Microcomputer Development System which serves as the user interface and input/output processor. All components are interconnected by a Multibus/IEEE 796 bus. An important characteristic of the system is that it provides a mechanism for a processing element to broadcast data to other selected processing elements. This parallel transfer capability is provided through the design of the MTC and a minor modification to the iSBC 86/12A board. The operation of the MTC, the basic hardware-level operation of the system, and pertinent details about the iSBC 86/12A and the Multibus are described.

Short- and medium-term efficacy of a Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education intervention for adults including cognitive and environmental feedback: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Springvloet, Linda; Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Hein; Candel, Math J J M; Oenema, Anke

2015-01-19

Web-based, computer-tailored nutrition education interventions can be effective in modifying self-reported dietary behaviors. Traditional computer-tailored programs primarily targeted individual cognitions (knowledge, awareness, attitude, self-efficacy). Tailoring on additional variables such as self-regulation processes and environmental-level factors (the home food environment arrangement and perception of availability and prices of healthy food products in supermarkets) may improve efficacy and effect sizes (ES) of Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education interventions. This study evaluated the short- and medium-term efficacy and educational differences in efficacy of a cognitive and environmental feedback version of a Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education intervention on self-reported fruit, vegetable, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake compared to generic nutrition information in the total sample and among participants who did not comply with dietary guidelines (the risk groups). A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a basic (tailored intervention targeting individual cognition and self-regulation processes; n=456), plus (basic intervention additionally targeting environmental-level factors; n=459), and control (generic nutrition information; n=434) group. Participants were recruited from the general population and randomly assigned to a study group. Self-reported fruit, vegetable, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake were assessed at baseline and at 1- (T1) and 4-months (T2) postintervention using online questionnaires. Linear mixed model analyses examined group differences in change over time. Educational differences were examined with group×time×education interaction terms. In the total sample, the basic (T1: ES=-0.30; T2: ES=-0.18) and plus intervention groups (T1: ES=-0.29; T2: ES=-0.27) had larger decreases in high-energy snack intake than the control group. The basic version resulted in a larger decrease in saturated fat intake than the control intervention (T1: ES=-0.19; T2: ES=-0.17). In the risk groups, the basic version caused larger decreases in fat (T1: ES=-0.28; T2: ES=-0.28) and high-energy snack intake (T1: ES=-0.34; T2: ES=-0.20) than the control intervention. The plus version resulted in a larger increase in fruit (T1: ES=0.25; T2: ES=0.37) and a larger decrease in high-energy snack intake (T1: ES=-0.38; T2: ES=-0.32) than the control intervention. For high-energy snack intake, educational differences were found. Stratified analyses showed that the plus version was most effective for high-educated participants. Both intervention versions were more effective in improving some of the self-reported dietary behaviors than generic nutrition information, especially in the risk groups, among both higher- and lower-educated participants. For fruit intake, only the plus version was more effective than providing generic nutrition information. Although feasible, incorporating environmental-level information is time-consuming. Therefore, the basic version may be more feasible for further implementation, although inclusion of feedback on the arrangement of the home food environment and on availability and prices may be considered for fruit and, for high-educated people, for high-energy snack intake. Netherlands Trial Registry NTR3396; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=3396 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6VNZbdL6w).

Short- and Medium-Term Efficacy of a Web-Based Computer-Tailored Nutrition Education Intervention for Adults Including Cognitive and Environmental Feedback: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Hein; Candel, Math JJM; Oenema, Anke

2015-01-01

Background Web-based, computer-tailored nutrition education interventions can be effective in modifying self-reported dietary behaviors. Traditional computer-tailored programs primarily targeted individual cognitions (knowledge, awareness, attitude, self-efficacy). Tailoring on additional variables such as self-regulation processes and environmental-level factors (the home food environment arrangement and perception of availability and prices of healthy food products in supermarkets) may improve efficacy and effect sizes (ES) of Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education interventions. Objective This study evaluated the short- and medium-term efficacy and educational differences in efficacy of a cognitive and environmental feedback version of a Web-based computer-tailored nutrition education intervention on self-reported fruit, vegetable, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake compared to generic nutrition information in the total sample and among participants who did not comply with dietary guidelines (the risk groups). Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a basic (tailored intervention targeting individual cognition and self-regulation processes; n=456), plus (basic intervention additionally targeting environmental-level factors; n=459), and control (generic nutrition information; n=434) group. Participants were recruited from the general population and randomly assigned to a study group. Self-reported fruit, vegetable, high-energy snack, and saturated fat intake were assessed at baseline and at 1- (T1) and 4-months (T2) postintervention using online questionnaires. Linear mixed model analyses examined group differences in change over time. Educational differences were examined with group×time×education interaction terms. Results In the total sample, the basic (T1: ES=–0.30; T2: ES=–0.18) and plus intervention groups (T1: ES=–0.29; T2: ES=–0.27) had larger decreases in high-energy snack intake than the control group. The basic version resulted in a larger decrease in saturated fat intake than the control intervention (T1: ES=–0.19; T2: ES=–0.17). In the risk groups, the basic version caused larger decreases in fat (T1: ES=–0.28; T2: ES=–0.28) and high-energy snack intake (T1: ES=–0.34; T2: ES=–0.20) than the control intervention. The plus version resulted in a larger increase in fruit (T1: ES=0.25; T2: ES=0.37) and a larger decrease in high-energy snack intake (T1: ES=–0.38; T2: ES=–0.32) than the control intervention. For high-energy snack intake, educational differences were found. Stratified analyses showed that the plus version was most effective for high-educated participants. Conclusions Both intervention versions were more effective in improving some of the self-reported dietary behaviors than generic nutrition information, especially in the risk groups, among both higher- and lower-educated participants. For fruit intake, only the plus version was more effective than providing generic nutrition information. Although feasible, incorporating environmental-level information is time-consuming. Therefore, the basic version may be more feasible for further implementation, although inclusion of feedback on the arrangement of the home food environment and on availability and prices may be considered for fruit and, for high-educated people, for high-energy snack intake. Trial Registration Netherlands Trial Registry NTR3396; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=3396 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6VNZbdL6w). PMID:25599828

A system-level mathematical model for evaluation of power train performance of load-leveled electric-vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purohit, G. P.; Leising, C. J.

1984-01-01

The power train performance of load leveled electric vehicles can be compared with that of nonload leveled systems by use of a simple mathematical model. This method of measurement involves a number of parameters including the degree of load leveling and regeneration, the flywheel mechanical to electrical energy fraction, and efficiencies of the motor, generator, flywheel, and transmission. Basic efficiency terms are defined and representative comparisons of a variety of systems are presented. Results of the study indicate that mechanical transfer of energy into and out of the flywheel is more advantageous than electrical transfer. An optimum degree of load leveling may be achieved in terms of the driving cycle, battery characteristics, mode of mechanization, and the efficiency of the components. For state of the art mechanically coupled flyheel systems, load leveling losses can be held to a reasonable 10%; electrically coupled systems can have losses that are up to six times larger. Propulsion system efficiencies for mechanically coupled flywheel systems are predicted to be approximately the 60% achieved on conventional nonload leveled systems.

Site dependent factors affecting the economic feasibility of solar powered absorption cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartlett, J. C.

1978-01-01

A procedure was developed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of combining an absorption cycle chiller with a solar energy system. A basic assumption of the procedure is that a solar energy system exists for meeting the heating load of the building, and that the building must be cooled. The decision to be made is to either cool the building with a conventional vapor compression cycle chiller or to use the existing solar energy system to provide a heat input to the absorption chiller. Two methods of meeting the cooling load not supplied by solar energy were considered. In the first method, heat is supplied to the absorption chiller by a boiler using fossil fuel. In the second method, the load not met by solar energy is net by a conventional vapor compression chiller. In addition, the procedure can consider waste heat as another form of auxiliary energy. Commercial applications of solar cooling with an absorption chiller were found to be more cost effective than the residential applications. In general, it was found that the larger the chiller, the more economically feasible it would be. Also, it was found that a conventional vapor compression chiller is a viable alternative for the auxiliary cooling source, especially for the larger chillers. The results of the analysis gives a relative rating of the sites considered as to their economic feasibility of solar cooling.

Collagen content as a risk factor in breast cancer? A pilot clinical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pifferi, Antonio; Quarto, Giovanna; Abbate, Francesca; Balestreri, Nicola; Menna, Simona; Cassano, Enrico; Cubeddu, Rinaldo; Taroni, Paola

2015-07-01

A retrospective pilot clinical study on time domain multi-wavelength (635 to 1060 nm) optical mammography was exploited to assess collagen as a breast-cancer risk factor on a total of 109 subjects (53 healthy and 56 with malignant lesions). An increased cancer occurrence is observed on the 15% subset of patients with higher age-matched collagen content. Further, a similar clustering based on the percentage breast density leads to a different set of patients, possibly indicating collagen as a new independent breast cancer risk factor. If confirmed statistically and on larger numbers, these results could have huge impact on personalized diagnostics, health care systems, as well as on basic research.

Asynchronous oscillations of rigid rods drive viscous fluid to swirl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Rintaro; Takagi, Daisuke

2017-12-01

We present a minimal system for generating flow at low Reynolds number by oscillating a pair of rigid rods in silicone oil. Experiments show that oscillating them in phase produces no net flow, but a phase difference alone can generate rich flow fields. Tracer particles follow complex trajectory patterns consisting of small orbital movements every cycle and then drifting or swirling in larger regions after many cycles. Observations are consistent with simulations performed using the method of regularized Stokeslets, which reveal complex three-dimensional flow structures emerging from simple oscillatory actuation. Our findings reveal the basic underlying flow structure around oscillatory protrusions such as hairs and legs as commonly featured on living and nonliving bodies.

On the origin of why static or breakloose friction is larger than kinetic friction, and how to reduce it: the role of aging, elasticity and sequential interfacial slip.

PubMed

Lorenz, B; Persson, B N J

2012-06-06

We discuss the origin of static friction and show how it can be reduced towards kinetic friction by the appropriate design of the sliding system. The basic idea is to use elastically soft solids and apply the external forces in such a way that different parts of the contacting interface start to slip at different times during the (tangential) loading process. In addition, the local slip must be large enough in order to result in a strong drop in the static friction force. We illustrate the theoretical predictions with the results of a simple model experiment.

Comparisons of MRI images, and auditory-related and vocal-related protein expressions in the brain of echolocation bats and rodents.

PubMed

Hsiao, Chun-Jen; Hsu, Chih-Hsiang; Lin, Ching-Lung; Wu, Chung-Hsin; Jen, Philip Hung-Sun

2016-08-17

Although echolocating bats and other mammals share the basic design of laryngeal apparatus for sound production and auditory system for sound reception, they have a specialized laryngeal mechanism for ultrasonic sound emissions as well as a highly developed auditory system for processing species-specific sounds. Because the sounds used by bats for echolocation and rodents for communication are quite different, there must be differences in the central nervous system devoted to producing and processing species-specific sounds between them. The present study examines the difference in the relative size of several brain structures and expression of auditory-related and vocal-related proteins in the central nervous system of echolocation bats and rodents. Here, we report that bats using constant frequency-frequency-modulated sounds (CF-FM bats) and FM bats for echolocation have a larger volume of midbrain nuclei (inferior and superior colliculi) and cerebellum relative to the size of the brain than rodents (mice and rats). However, the former have a smaller volume of the cerebrum and olfactory bulb, but greater expression of otoferlin and forkhead box protein P2 than the latter. Although the size of both midbrain colliculi is comparable in both CF-FM and FM bats, CF-FM bats have a larger cerebrum and greater expression of otoferlin and forkhead box protein P2 than FM bats. These differences in brain structure and protein expression are discussed in relation to their biologically relevant sounds and foraging behavior.

Performance evaluation of a second-generation elastic loop mobility system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melzer, K. J.; Swanson, G. D.

1974-01-01

Tests were conducted to evaluate the mobility performance of a second-generation Elastic Loop Mobility System (ELMS II). Performance on level test lanes and slopes of lunar soil simulant (LSS) and obstacle-surmounting and crevasse-crossing capabilities were investigated. In addition, internal losses and contact pressure distributions were evaluated. To evaluate the soft-soil performance, two basic soil conditions were tested: loose (LSS1) and dense (LSS5). These conditions embrace the spectrum of soil strengths tested during recent studies for NASA related to the mobility performance of the LRV. Data indicated that for the tested range of the various performance parameters, performance was independent of unit load (contact pressure) and ELMS II drum angular velocity, but was influenced by soil strength and ELMS pitch mode. Power requirements were smaller at a given system output for dense soil than for loose soil. The total system output in terms of pull developed or slope-climbing capability was larger for the ELMS II operating in restrained-pitch mode than in free-pitch mode.

Development of a method for fabricating metallic matrix composite shapes by a continuous mechanical process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divecha, A. P.; Karmarkar, S. D.; Pawar, P. G.

1973-01-01

The continuing efforts in upscaling to produce larger diameter Al/B tubes are described. While the basic methodology remains unchanged, the larger volume of acrylic binder material and its removal by dissolution in toluene had to be performed by dynamic scrubbing. Similarly, the boron and MCF continuous length requirements increased when a 6 foot long by 7 inches wide mat was needed. These modifications and associated problems are described fully with schematics. Also included are seven experiments conducted to prepare larger tubes. The thermal profile, drawing speeds, and furnace positions in the draw bench bay are presented along with metallographic evidence of composite cross sections.

Applications of Research to Camping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Karla A.

1987-01-01

Considers contributions of basic/theoretical, applied/practical, and marketing research to the field of camping. Outlines research concerns: application of qualitative methods, practical application of marketing research, effective research dissemination, and focus on longitudinal studies using larger samples. Affirms role of research to document…

Creating Energy for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neiman, Robert A.

2002-01-01

Describes the use of small-scale change projects by Philadelphia's Department of Human Services to generate new outcomes and new skills and experience that improved basic day-to-day operations, strategic planning, and cumulatively produced larger-scale changes in service, financing, and performance. (Author/LRW)

Quality Inspection and Analysis of Three-Dimensional Geographic Information Model Based on Oblique Photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, S.; Yan, Q.; Xu, Y.; Bai, J.

2018-04-01

In order to promote the construction of digital geo-spatial framework in China and accelerate the construction of informatization mapping system, three-dimensional geographic information model emerged. The three-dimensional geographic information model based on oblique photogrammetry technology has higher accuracy, shorter period and lower cost than traditional methods, and can more directly reflect the elevation, position and appearance of the features. At this stage, the technology of producing three-dimensional geographic information models based on oblique photogrammetry technology is rapidly developing. The market demand and model results have been emerged in a large amount, and the related quality inspection needs are also getting larger and larger. Through the study of relevant literature, it is found that there are a lot of researches on the basic principles and technical characteristics of this technology, and relatively few studies on quality inspection and analysis. On the basis of summarizing the basic principle and technical characteristics of oblique photogrammetry technology, this paper introduces the inspection contents and inspection methods of three-dimensional geographic information model based on oblique photogrammetry technology. Combined with the actual inspection work, this paper summarizes the quality problems of three-dimensional geographic information model based on oblique photogrammetry technology, analyzes the causes of the problems and puts forward the quality control measures. It provides technical guidance for the quality inspection of three-dimensional geographic information model data products based on oblique photogrammetry technology in China and provides technical support for the vigorous development of three-dimensional geographic information model based on oblique photogrammetry technology.

Plant Development, Auxin, and the Subsystem Incompleteness Theorem

PubMed Central

Niklas, Karl J.; Kutschera, Ulrich

2012-01-01

Plant morphogenesis (the process whereby form develops) requires signal cross-talking among all levels of organization to coordinate the operation of metabolic and genomic subsystems operating in a larger network of subsystems. Each subsystem can be rendered as a logic circuit supervising the operation of one or more signal-activated system. This approach simplifies complex morphogenetic phenomena and allows for their aggregation into diagrams of progressively larger networks. This technique is illustrated here by rendering two logic circuits and signal-activated subsystems, one for auxin (IAA) polar/lateral intercellular transport and another for IAA-mediated cell wall loosening. For each of these phenomena, a circuit/subsystem diagram highlights missing components (either in the logic circuit or in the subsystem it supervises) that must be identified experimentally if each of these basic plant phenomena is to be fully understood. We also illustrate the “subsystem incompleteness theorem,” which states that no subsystem is operationally self-sufficient. Indeed, a whole-organism perspective is required to understand even the most simple morphogenetic process, because, when isolated, every biological signal-activated subsystem is morphogenetically ineffective. PMID:22645582

How Will Big Data Improve Clinical and Basic Research in Radiation Therapy?

PubMed Central

Rosenstein, Barry S.; Capala, Jacek; Efstathiou, Jason A.; Hammerbacher, Jeff; Kerns, Sarah; Kong, Feng-Ming (Spring); Ostrer, Harry; Prior, Fred W.; Vikram, Bhadrasain; Wong, John; Xiao, Ying

2015-01-01

Historically, basic scientists and clinical researchers have transduced reality into data so that they might explain or predict the world. Because data are fundamental to their craft, these investigators have been on the front lines of the Big Data deluge in recent years. Radiotherapy data are complex and longitudinal data sets are frequently collected to track both tumor and normal tissue response to therapy. As basic, translational and clinical investigators explore with increasingly greater depth the complexity of underlying disease processes and treatment outcomes, larger sample populations are required for research studies and greater quantities of data are being generated. In addition, well-curated research and trial data are being pooled in public data repositories to support large-scale analyses. Thus, the tremendous quantity of information produced in both basic and clinical research in radiation therapy can now be considered as having entered the realm of Big Data. PMID:26797542

Growth in liquid or solid media.

PubMed

Elbing, K L; Brent, R

2001-05-01

This appendix presents basic procedures for growing overnight (and larger) cultures, monitoring growth, and titering and isolating bacterial cultures by serial dilution. In addition, protocols are provided for isolating single colonies by streaking and spreading a plate. Replica plating and strain storage/retrieval is also detailed.

Lock and Key Colloids through Polymerization-Induced Buckling of Monodispersed Silicon Oil Droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sacanna, Stefano; Irvine, William T. M.; Chaikin, Paul M.; Pine, David J.

2010-03-01

Colloidal particles can spontaneously associate into larger structured aggregates when driven by selective and directional interactions. Colloidal organization can be programmed by engineering shapes and interactions of basic building blocks in a manner similar to molecular self-assembly. Examples of successful strategies that allow non-trivial assembly of particles include template-directed patterning, capillary forces and, most commonly, the functionalization of the particle surfaces with ``sticky patches'' of biological or synthetic molecules. The level of complexity of the realizable assemblies, increases when particles with well defined shape anisotropies are used. In particular depletion forces and specific surface treatments in combination with non spherical particles have proven to be powerful tools to self-assembly complex microstructures. We describe a simple, high yield, synthetic pathway to fabricate monodisperse hybrid silica spheres with well defined cavities. Because the particle morphologies are reproducible and tunable with precision, the resulting particles can be used as basic building blocks in the assembly of larger monodisperse clusters. This is demonstrated using depletion to drive the self-assembly.

The New Millennium and an Education That Captures the Basic Spirit of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bybee, Rodger W.

This document discusses reflections of the old and new millennium on education that capture the basic spirit of science. The explanation includes basic scientific ideas in physical sciences, earth systems, solar system and space; living systems; basic scientific thinking; the basic distinction between science and technology; basic connections…

Preliminary Consideration of the ADS Research in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Shouxian; Fu, Shinian

2002-08-01

Power supply is a key issue for China's further economic development. To meet the needs of our economic growth in the next century, the part of nuclear energy in the total newly increased power supply must become larger. However, the present nuclear power stations dominated by the PWR in the world are facing some troubles. Recently, a new concept, called ADS (Accelerator Driven Subcritical system), can avoid these troubles and it is recognized as a most prospective power system for fission energy. So during the early time of nuclear power development in our country, it is worthwhile to exploit this novel idea. In this paper, the ADS research program and a proposed verification facility are described. It consists of an 300MeV/3mA low energy accelerator, a swimming pool reactor and some basic research equipment. Beam physics, such as beam halo formation, in the intense-beam accelerator is also discussed.

Biological Soft Robotics.

PubMed

Feinberg, Adam W

2015-01-01

In nature, nanometer-scale molecular motors are used to generate force within cells for diverse processes from transcription and transport to muscle contraction. This adaptability and scalability across wide temporal, spatial, and force regimes have spurred the development of biological soft robotic systems that seek to mimic and extend these capabilities. This review describes how molecular motors are hierarchically organized into larger-scale structures in order to provide a basic understanding of how these systems work in nature and the complexity and functionality we hope to replicate in biological soft robotics. These span the subcellular scale to macroscale, and this article focuses on the integration of biological components with synthetic materials, coupled with bioinspired robotic design. Key examples include nanoscale molecular motor-powered actuators, microscale bacteria-controlled devices, and macroscale muscle-powered robots that grasp, walk, and swim. Finally, the current challenges and future opportunities in the field are addressed.

Genomic selection for the improvement of meat quality in beef.

PubMed

Pimentel, E C G; König, S

2012-10-01

Selection index theory was used to compare different selection strategies aiming at the improvement of meat quality in beef cattle. Alternative strategies were compared with a reference scenario with three basic traits in the selection index: BW at 200 d (W200) and 400 d (W400) and muscling score (MUSC). These traits resemble the combination currently used in the German national beef genetic evaluation system. Traits in the breeding goal were defined as the 3 basic traits plus marbling score (MARB), to depict a situation where an established breeding program currently selecting for growth and carcass yield intends to incorporate meat quality in its selection program. Economic weights were either the same for all 4 traits, or doubled or tripled for MARB. Two additional selection criteria for improving MARB were considered: Live animal intramuscular fat content measured by ultrasound (UIMF) as an indicator trait and a genomic breeding value (GEBV) for the target trait directly (gMARB). Results were used to estimate the required number of genotyped animals in an own calibration set for implementing genomic selection focusing on meat quality. Adding UIMF to the basic index increased the overall genetic gain per generation by 15% when the economic weight on MARB was doubled and by 44% when it was tripled. When a genomic breeding value for marbling could be estimated with an accuracy of 0.5, adding gMARB to the index provided larger genetic gain than adding UIMF. Greatest genetic gain per generation was obtained with the scenario containing GEBV for 4 traits (gW200, gW400, gMUSC, and gMARB) when the accuracies of these GEBV were ≥0.7. Adding UIMF to the index substantially improved response to selection for MARB, which switched from negative to positive when the economic weight on MARB was doubled or tripled. For all scenarios that contained gMARB in the selection index, the response to selection in MARB was positive for all relative economic weights on MARB, when the accuracy of GEBV was >0.7. Results indicated that setting up a calibration set of ∼500 genotyped animals with carcass phenotypes for MARB could suffice to obtain a larger response to selection than measuring UIMF. If the size of the calibration set is ∼2,500, adding the ultrasound trait to an index containing already the GEBV would bring little benefit, unless the relative economic weight for marbling is much larger than for the other traits.

Modeling Off-Nominal Behavior in SysML

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Day, John; Donahue, Kenny; Ingham, Mitch; Kadesch, Alex; Kennedy, Kit; Post, Ethan

2012-01-01

Fault Management is an essential part of the system engineering process that is limited in its effectiveness by the ad hoc nature of the applied approaches and methods. Providing a rigorous way to develop and describe off-nominal behavior is a necessary step in the improvement of fault management, and as a result, will enable safe, reliable and available systems even as system complexity increases... The basic concepts described in this paper provide a foundation to build a larger set of necessary concepts and relationships for precise modeling of off-nominal behavior, and a basis for incorporating these ideas into the overall systems engineering process.. The simple FMEA example provided applies the modeling patterns we have developed and illustrates how the information in the model can be used to reason about the system and derive typical fault management artifacts.. A key insight from the FMEA work was the utility of defining failure modes as the "inverse of intent", and deriving this from the behavior models.. Additional work is planned to extend these ideas and capabilities to other types of relevant information and additional products.

Muscle Injuries: A Brief Guide to Classification and Management

PubMed Central

Maffulli, Nicola; Del Buono, Angelo; Oliva, Francesco; Giai Via, Alessio; Frizziero, Antonio; Barazzuol, Michele; Brancaccio, Paola; Freschi, Marco; Galletti, Stefano; Lisitano, Gianfranco; Melegati, Gianluca; Nanni, Gianni; Pasta, Ghito; Ramponi, Carlo; Rizzo, Diego; Testa, Vittorino; Valent, Alessandro

2015-01-01

Muscle injuries are frequent in athletes. Despite their high incidence, advances in clinical diagnostic criteria and imaging, their optimal management and rehabilitation strategies are still debated in literature. Furthermore, reinjury rate is high after a muscle lesion, and an improper treatment or an early return to sports can increase the rate of reinjury and complications. Most muscle injuries are managed conservatively with excellent results, and surgery is normally advocated only for larger tears. This article reviews the current literature to provide physicians and rehabilitation specialists with the necessary basic tools to diagnose, classify and to treat muscle injuries. Based on anatomy, biomechanics, and imaging features of muscle injury, the use of a recently reported new classification system is also advocated. PMID:26535183

Efficient transfer of an arbitrary qutrit state in circuit quantum electrodynamics.

PubMed

Liu, Tong; Xiong, Shao-Jie; Cao, Xiao-Zhi; Su, Qi-Ping; Yang, Chui-Ping

2015-12-01

Compared with a qubit, a qutrit (i.e., three-level quantum system) has a larger Hilbert space and thus can be used to encode more information in quantum information processing and communication. Here, we propose a method to transfer an arbitrary quantum state between two flux qutrits coupled to two resonators. This scheme is simple because it only requires two basic operations. The state-transfer operation can be performed fast because only resonant interactions are used. Numerical simulations show that the high-fidelity transfer of quantum states between the two qutrits is feasible with current circuit-QED technology. This scheme is quite general and can be applied to accomplish the same task for other solid-state qutrits coupled to resonators.

Scalable real space pseudopotential density functional codes for materials in the exascale regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lena, Charles; Chelikowsky, James; Schofield, Grady; Biller, Ariel; Kronik, Leeor; Saad, Yousef; Deslippe, Jack

Real-space pseudopotential density functional theory has proven to be an efficient method for computing the properties of matter in many different states and geometries, including liquids, wires, slabs, and clusters with and without spin polarization. Fully self-consistent solutions using this approach have been routinely obtained for systems with thousands of atoms. Yet, there are many systems of notable larger sizes where quantum mechanical accuracy is desired, but scalability proves to be a hindrance. Such systems include large biological molecules, complex nanostructures, or mismatched interfaces. We will present an overview of our new massively parallel algorithms, which offer improved scalability in preparation for exascale supercomputing. We will illustrate these algorithms by considering the electronic structure of a Si nanocrystal exceeding 104 atoms. Support provided by the SciDAC program, Department of Energy, Office of Science, Advanced Scientific Computing Research and Basic Energy Sciences. Grant Numbers DE-SC0008877 (Austin) and DE-FG02-12ER4 (Berkeley).

Intergenerational Programs: A Resource for Community Renewal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorp, Kathlyn

A four-part publication places intergenerational programming in the larger context of community renewal and well-being. Part I, "The Basics: What, Who, and Why," contains two articles. The first, by Kathlyn Thorp, defines intergenerational activities and considers organizations which should be involved in such activities and possible…

A Large Radius Human Centrifuge: The Human Hypergravity Havitat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Loon, J. J. W. A.

2008-06-01

Life on Earth has developed at unit gravity, 9.81 m/s2, but how would plants and animals have evolved on a larger planet, i.e. larger than Earth? We are able to address this question simply by studies using centrifuges. In the past decades numerous experiments have been performed on cells, plants and animals grown for longer durations, even multi generations, under hypergravity conditions. Based on these studies we have gained interesting insights in the physiological process of these systems when exposed to artificial gravity. Animals and plants adapt themselves to this new high-g environment. Information of adaptation to hyper-g in mammals is interesting, or maybe even proof vital, for future human space flight programs especially in light of long duration missions to Moon and Mars. We know from long duration animal studies that numerous physiological processes and structures like muscles, bones, neuro-vestibular, or the cardiovascular system are affected. However, humans have never been exposed to a hyper-g environment for long durations. Human studies are mostly in the order of hours at most. Current work on human centrifuges is all focused on short arm systems to apply artificial gravity in long duration space missions. In this paper we want to address the possible usefulness of a large radius human centrifuge on Earth, or even on Moon or Mars, for both basic research and possible applications. In such a centrifuge a group of humans may be exposed to hypergravity for, in principle, an unlimited period of time.

Clinical evaluation of a microwave/radiofrequency system (BSD Corporation) for induction of local and regional hyperthermia.

PubMed

Gibbs, F A

1981-06-01

The technical aspects of an experience with clinical hyperthermia utilizing the BSD-1000 and BDS annular phased array applicator are reviewed. The design and operation of the basic console functions of the BSD apparatus relating to temperature data presentation and recording and computer control leave little need for significant improvement. Such improvements as may eventually be desired can probably be made as software changes in the computer programs. The 100 W generator capacity is occasionally inadequate to drive even a single applicator and certainly inadequate to supply multiple applicator arrays or larger low frequency applicators. Amplifiers will eventually be added for the frequency ranges of greatest interest. The temperature probes and utilization routines have been excellent but their diameter is undesirably large. However, the design of the basic instrument is such that improved smaller probes and systems for dynamic temperature sampling matrices can be interfaced readily. Due to the limited superficial volumes that can be presently heated with this device, most important potentially curable tumors cannot be treated. Possible important exceptions to this are a number of sites in the upper respiratory tract. The depth and superficial extent of heatable volumes may be moderately extended with increased power, appropriate study of applicator arrays and new applicator designs. Provisions for surface temperature control are important and will need to be incorporated. The annular phased array applicator, though still a prototype design, has demonstrated encouraging results regarding its possible use for regional heating of central abdominal and thoracic tumors. Improvements in "human engineering" and study of the effects and implications of departures from basic cylindrical anatomy are required and are in progress. The improved sophistication in temperature sampling techniques described is considered important for adequate monitoring of temperature gradients in the abdomen and chest.

Sub-4 nm PtZn Intermetallic Nanoparticles for Enhanced Mass and Specific Activities in Catalytic Electrooxidation Reaction

DOE PAGES

Qi, Zhiyuan; Xiao, Chaoxian; Liu, Cong; ...

2017-03-08

Atomically ordered intermetallic nanoparticles (iNPs) have sparked considerable interest in fuel cell applications by virtue of their exceptional electronic and structural properties. However, the synthesis of small iNPs in a controllable manner remains a formidable challenge because of the high temperature generally required in the formation of intermetallic phases. Here in this paper we report a general method for the synthesis of PtZn iNPs (3.2 ± 0.4 nm) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) via a facile and capping agent free strategy using a sacrificial mesoporous silica (mSiO 2) shell. The as-prepared PtZn iNPs exhibited ca. 10 times higher mass activitymore » in both acidic and basic solution toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) compared to larger PtZn iNPs synthesized on MWNT without the mSiO 2 shell. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict that PtZn systems go through a “non-CO” pathway for MOR because of the stabilization of the OH* intermediate by Zn atoms, while a pure Pt system forms highly stable COH* and CO* intermediates, leading to catalyst deactivation. Experimental studies on the origin of the backward oxidation peak of MOR coincide well with DFT predictions. Moreover, the calculations demonstrate that MOR on smaller PtZn iNPs is energetically more favorable than larger iNPs, due to their high density of corner sites and lower-lying energetic pathway. Therefore, smaller PtZn iNPs not only increase the number but also enhance the activity of the active sites in MOR compared with larger ones. This work opens a new avenue for the synthesis of small iNPs with more undercoordinated and enhanced active sites for fuel cell applications.« less

Sub-4 nm PtZn Intermetallic Nanoparticles for Enhanced Mass and Specific Activities in Catalytic Electrooxidation Reaction

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

Qi, Zhiyuan; Xiao, Chaoxian; Liu, Cong

2017-03-22

Atomically ordered intermetallic nanoparticles (iNPs) have sparked considerable interest in fuel cell applications by virtue of their exceptional electronic and structural properties. However, the synthesis of small iNPs in a controllable manner remains a formidable challenge because of the high temperature generally required in the formation of intermetallic phases. Here we report a general method for the synthesis of PtZn. iNPs (3.2 +/- 0.4 nm) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) via a facile and capping agent free strategy using a sacrificial mesoporous silica (mSiO(2)) shell. The as-prepared PtZn iNPs exhibited ca. 10 times higher mass activity in both acidic andmore » basic solution toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) compared to larger PtZn iNPs synthesized on MWNT without the mSiO2 shell. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict that PtZn systems go through a "non-CO" pathway for MOR because of the stabilization of the OH* intermediate by Zn atoms, while a pure Pt system forms highly stable COH* and CO* intermediates, leading to catalyst deactivation. Experimental studies on the origin of the backward oxidation peak of MOR coincide well with DFT predictions. Moreover, the calculations demonstrate that MOR on smaller PtZn iNPs is energetically more favorable than larger iNPs, due to their high density of corner sites and lower-lying energetic pathway. Therefore, smaller PtZn iNPs not only increase the number but also enhance the activity of the active sites in MOR compared with larger ones. This work opens a new avenue for the synthesis of small iNPs with more undercoordinated and enhanced active sites for fuel cell applications.« less

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Introduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twohig, Michael P.

2012-01-01

This is the introductory article to a special series in Cognitive and Behavioral Practice on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Instead of each article herein reviewing the basics of ACT, this article contains that review. This article provides a description of where ACT fits within the larger category of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT):…

Research on the compressive strength of basic magnesium salts and cyanide slag solidified body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Yubo; Han, Peiwei; Ye, Shufeng; Wei, Lianqi; Zhang, Xiaomeng; Fu, Guoyan; Yu, Bo

2018-02-01

The solidification of cyanide slag by using basic magnesium salts could reduce pollution and protect the environment. Experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of age, mixing amount of cyanide slag, water cement ratio and molar ratio of MgO to MgSO4 on the compressive strength of basic magnesium salts and cyanide slag solidified body in the present paper. It was found that compressive strength of solidified body increased with the increase of age, and decreased with the increase of mixing amount of cyanide slag and water cement ratio. The molar ratio of MgO to MgSO4 should be controlled in the range from 9 to 11 when the mixing amount of cyanide slag was larger than 80 mass%.

Approach/Avoidance Orientations Affect Self-Construal and Identification with In-group

PubMed Central

Nussinson, Ravit; Häfner, Michael; Seibt, Beate; Strack, Fritz; Trope, Yaacov

2011-01-01

Approach and avoidance are two basic motivational orientations. Their activation influences cognitive and perceptive processes: Previous work suggests that an approach orientation instigates a focus on larger units as compared to avoidance. Study 1 confirms this assumption using a paradigm that more directly taps a person’s tendency to represent objects as belonging to small or large units than prior studies. It was further predicted that the self should also be represented as belonging to larger units, and hence be more interdependent under approach than under avoidance. Study 2 supports this prediction. As a consequence of this focus on belonging to larger units, it was finally predicted that approach results in a stronger identification with one’s in-group than avoidance. Studies 3 and 4 support that prediction. PMID:22844229

LEGION: Lightweight Expandable Group of Independently Operating Nodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burl, Michael C.

2012-01-01

LEGION is a lightweight C-language software library that enables distributed asynchronous data processing with a loosely coupled set of compute nodes. Loosely coupled means that a node can offer itself in service to a larger task at any time and can withdraw itself from service at any time, provided it is not actively engaged in an assignment. The main program, i.e., the one attempting to solve the larger task, does not need to know up front which nodes will be available, how many nodes will be available, or at what times the nodes will be available, which is normally the case in a "volunteer computing" framework. The LEGION software accomplishes its goals by providing message-based, inter-process communication similar to MPI (message passing interface), but without the tight coupling requirements. The software is lightweight and easy to install as it is written in standard C with no exotic library dependencies. LEGION has been demonstrated in a challenging planetary science application in which a machine learning system is used in closed-loop fashion to efficiently explore the input parameter space of a complex numerical simulation. The machine learning system decides which jobs to run through the simulator; then, through LEGION calls, the system farms those jobs out to a collection of compute nodes, retrieves the job results as they become available, and updates a predictive model of how the simulator maps inputs to outputs. The machine learning system decides which new set of jobs would be most informative to run given the results so far; this basic loop is repeated until sufficient insight into the physical system modeled by the simulator is obtained.

The coordinating evaluation and spatial correlation analysis of CSGC: A case study of Henan province, China.

PubMed

Xie, Mingxia; Wang, Jiayao; Chen, Ke

2017-01-01

This study investigates the basic characteristics and proposes a concept for the complex system of geographical conditions (CSGC). By analyzing the DPSIR model and its correlation with the index system, we selected indexes for geographical conditions according to the resources, ecology, environment, economy and society parameters to build a system. This system consists of four hierarchies: index, classification, element and target levels. We evaluated the elements or indexes of the complex system using the TOPSIS method and a general model coordinating multiple complex systems. On this basis, the coordination analysis experiment of geographical conditions is applied to cities in the Henan province in China. The following conclusions were reached: ①According to the pressure, state and impact of geographical conditions, relatively consistent measures are taken around the city, but with conflicting results. ②The coordination degree of geographical conditions is small among regions showing large differences in classification index value. The degree of coordination of such regions is prone to extreme values; however, the smaller the difference the larger the coordination degree. ③The coordinated development of geographical conditions in the Henan province is at the stage of the point axis.

A hypersonic vehicle approach to planetary exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murbach, Marcus S.

1993-01-01

An enhanced Mars network class mission using a lifting hypersonic entry vehicle is proposed. The basic vehicle, derived from a mature hypersonic flight system called SWERVE, offers several advantages over more conventional low L/D or ballistic entry systems. The proposed vehicle has greatly improved lateral and cross range capability (e.g., it is capable of reaching the polar regions during less than optimal mission opportunities), is not limited to surface target areas of low elevation, and is less susceptible to problems caused by Martian dust storms. Further, the integrated vehicle has attractive deployment features and allows for a much improved evolutionary path to larger vehicles with greater science capability. Analysis of the vehicle is aided by the development of a Mars Hypersonic Flight Simulator from which flight trajectories are obtained. Atmospheric entry performance of the baseline vehicle is improved by a deceleration skirt and transpiration cooling system which significantly reduce TPS (Thermal Protection System) and flight battery mass. The use of the vehicle is also attractive in that the maturity of the flight systems make it cost-competitive with the development of a conventional low L/D entry system. Finally, the potential application of similar vehicles to other planetary missions is discussed.

Symmetry compression method for discovering network motifs.

PubMed

Wang, Jianxin; Huang, Yuannan; Wu, Fang-Xiang; Pan, Yi

2012-01-01

Discovering network motifs could provide a significant insight into systems biology. Interestingly, many biological networks have been found to have a high degree of symmetry (automorphism), which is inherent in biological network topologies. The symmetry due to the large number of basic symmetric subgraphs (BSSs) causes a certain redundant calculation in discovering network motifs. Therefore, we compress all basic symmetric subgraphs before extracting compressed subgraphs and propose an efficient decompression algorithm to decompress all compressed subgraphs without loss of any information. In contrast to previous approaches, the novel Symmetry Compression method for Motif Detection, named as SCMD, eliminates most redundant calculations caused by widespread symmetry of biological networks. We use SCMD to improve three notable exact algorithms and two efficient sampling algorithms. Results of all exact algorithms with SCMD are the same as those of the original algorithms, since SCMD is a lossless method. The sampling results show that the use of SCMD almost does not affect the quality of sampling results. For highly symmetric networks, we find that SCMD used in both exact and sampling algorithms can help get a remarkable speedup. Furthermore, SCMD enables us to find larger motifs in biological networks with notable symmetry than previously possible.

The role of myelin lipids in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Part 1. Influence on disease production by non-encephalitogenic doses of myelin basic protein.

PubMed

Hosein, Z Z; Gilbert, J J; Strejan, G H

1984-12-01

Hartley guinea pig central nervous system (CNS) myelin has been purified and fractionated into its protein and lipid components. Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in juvenile strain 13 guinea pigs with both lyophilized and fresh 'wet' myelin. However, a larger dose of lyophilized myelin was required to induce chronic EAE. Total myelin lipids, galactocerebrosides, gangliosides, phospholipids or proteolipids were combined with a non-encephalitogenic dose of myelin basic protein (MBP) and injected in juvenile Hartley guinea pigs. No clinical or histological manifestations of disease were observed. Parameters of immune functions indicated that the total myelin lipids augmented cell-mediated immune responses as measured by in vitro lymphocyte transformation and by a significant decrease in the percentage of peripheral early T cells. Only the proteolipids elicited delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Animals that received the phospholipid-MBP combination showed no changes when compared to animals injected with MBP alone. The results suggest that although the myelin lipids did not act synergistically with a non-encephalitogenic dose of MBP to induce EAE, they induced immunological changes and potentiated the immune response to MBP.

English Spelling Errors Made by Arabic-Speaking Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Busaidi, Saleh; Al-Saqqaf, Abdullah H.

2015-01-01

Spelling is a basic literacy skill in any language as it is crucial in communication. EFL students are often unable to spell or pronounce very simple monosyllabic words even after several years of English instruction. Similarly, teachers and researchers usually focus on the larger skills such as speaking and reading and ignore the smaller…

Is My World Getting Smaller? The Challenges of Living with Vision Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Sue

2012-01-01

Introduction: Vision loss influences both basic and instrumental activities of daily living. There is limited information, however, on the relationship between vision loss and leisure activities. The research presented here was part of a larger study that aimed to understand the importance of participation in leisure activities for those with…

The Role of the University in the Development Process of Less Developed Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinbergen, J.

1978-01-01

The role of the university in the development process must be dealt with in an environment of widespread great poverty characteristic of the larger part of the developing world. Focuses on development policy and the satisfaction of human basic needs as the highest priority for the university. (Author/RK)

Financial Statistics. Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) [machine-readable data file].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Education Statistics (ED/OERI), Washington, DC.

The Financial Statistics machine-readable data file (MRDF) is a subfile of the larger Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS). It contains basic financial statistics for over 3,000 institutions of higher education in the United States and its territories. The data are arranged sequentially by institution, with institutional…

The Future of Pathology: A Delphi Study by Pathology Department Chairmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodale, Fairfield; Gander, George W.

1976-01-01

Over 100 department chairmen in American and Canadian medical schools participated in this questionnaire study. Most are deeply concerned about increasing federal regulation of medicine, expect more emphasis on the basic science aspects of pathology, and foresee a shift of residency training programs away from small hospitals to larger medical…

Learning to Reflect and to Attribute Constructively as Basic Components of Self-Regulated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masui, Chris; De Corte, Erik

2005-01-01

Background: Higher education is facing a number of problems: adjusting to larger and more heterogeneous student populations, increasing the number of graduating students, and preparing for lifelong learning. Improving learning competence can make a substantial contribution to solving each of these major concerns. The growing knowledge base on…

Room-temperature ballistic transport in III-nitride heterostructures.

PubMed

Matioli, Elison; Palacios, Tomás

2015-02-11

Room-temperature (RT) ballistic transport of electrons is experimentally observed and theoretically investigated in III-nitrides. This has been largely investigated at low temperatures in low band gap III-V materials due to their high electron mobilities. However, their application to RT ballistic devices is limited by their low optical phonon energies, close to KT at 300 K. In addition, the short electron mean-free-path at RT requires nanoscale devices for which surface effects are a limitation in these materials. We explore the unique properties of wide band-gap III-nitride semiconductors to demonstrate RT ballistic devices. A theoretical model is proposed to corroborate experimentally their optical phonon energy of 92 meV, which is ∼4× larger than in other III-V semiconductors. This allows RT ballistic devices operating at larger voltages and currents. An additional model is described to determine experimentally a characteristic dimension for ballistic transport of 188 nm. Another remarkable property is their short carrier depletion at device sidewalls, down to 13 nm, which allows top-down nanofabrication of very narrow ballistic devices. These results open a wealth of new systems and basic transport studies possible at RT.

An analysis of long and medium-haul air passenger demand, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eriksen, S. E.

1978-01-01

A basic model was developed which is a two equation pair econometric system in which air passenger demand and airline level-of-service are the endogenous variables. The model aims to identify the relationship between each of these two variables and its determining factors, and to identify the interaction of demand and level-of-service with each other. The selected variable for the measure of air passenger traffic activity in a given pair market is defined as the number of passengers in a given time that originate in one region and fly to the other region for purposes other than to make a connection to a third region. For medium and long haul markets, the model seems to perform better for larger markets. This is due to a specification problem regarding the route structure variable. In larger markets, a greater percentage of nonlocal passengers are accounted for by this variable. Comparing the estimated fare elasticities of long and medium haul markets, it appears that air transportation demand is more price elastic in longer haul markets. Long haul markets demand will saturate with a fewer number of departures than will demand in medium haul markets.

TUBEWALL: a passive solar thermo-siphoning, field-fabricated, water storage wall system

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

Moore, F.; Hemker, P.

1980-01-01

The basic component of TUBEWALL is a water-filled thin-wall cylindrical tube with an insulating foam vertical partition insert that divides the inside of the tube into a thin collector water compartment (solar side) and a larger storage water compartment (room side). The two compartments are connected at the top and bottom by means of circulation holes in the foam partition. When the sun strikes the solar side of the tube, the thin layer of collector water is heated, thermosiphons through the top opening in the partition into the larger storage compartment on the room side, and is replaced with coolmore » water drawn from the bottom of the storage through the bottom hole in the partition. Night back-siphonage is prevented by a thin flap valve over the top circulation hole. The tubes may by used between wall studs having a low-cost fiberglass/tedlar double glazing. The tubes can be covered on the room side with drywall and heat transferred to the living space by indirect radiation, and either natural air convection through top and bottom vent slots or by fan. Alternatively, the tubes can be left exposed for direct radiation.« less

Linking Climate Risk, Policy Networks and Adaptation Planning in Public Lands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubell, M.; Schwartz, M.; Peters, C.

2014-12-01

Federal public land management agencies in the United States have engaged a variety of planning efforts to address climate adaptation. A major goal of these efforts is to build policy networks that enable land managers to access information and expertise needed for responding to local climate risks. This paper investigates whether the perceived and modeled climate risk faced by different land managers is leading to larger networks or more participating in climate adaptation. In theory, the benefits of climate planning networks are larger when land managers are facing more potential changes. The basic hypothesis is tested with a survey of public land managers from hundreds of local and regional public lands management units in the Southwestern United States, as well as other stakeholders involved with climate adaptation planning. All survey respondents report their perceptions of climate risk along a variety of dimensions, as well as their participation in climate adaptation planning and information sharing networks. For a subset of respondents, we have spatially explicity GIS data about their location, which will be linked with downscaled climate model data. With the focus on climate change, the analysis is a subset of the overall idea of linking social and ecological systems.

Umami the Fifth Basic Taste: History of Studies on Receptor Mechanisms and Role as a Food Flavor

PubMed Central

Kurihara, Kenzo

2015-01-01

Three umami substances (glutamate, 5′-inosinate, and 5′-guanylate) were found by Japanese scientists, but umami has not been recognized in Europe and America for a long time. In the late 1900s, umami was internationally recognized as the fifth basic taste based on psychophysical, electrophysiological, and biochemical studies. Three umami receptors (T1R1 + T1R3, mGluR4, and mGluR1) were identified. There is a synergism between glutamate and the 5′-nucleotides. Among the above receptors, only T1R1 + T1R3 receptor exhibits the synergism. In rats, the response to a mixture of glutamate and 5′-inosinate is about 1.7 times larger than that to glutamate alone. In human, the response to the mixture is about 8 times larger than that to glutamate alone. Since glutamate and 5′-inosinate are contained in various foods, we taste umami induced by the synergism in daily eating. Hence umami taste induced by the synergism is a main umami taste in human. PMID:26247011

The basic reproduction number as a predictor for epidemic outbreaks in temporal networks.

PubMed

Holme, Petter; Masuda, Naoki

2015-01-01

The basic reproduction number R0--the number of individuals directly infected by an infectious person in an otherwise susceptible population--is arguably the most widely used estimator of how severe an epidemic outbreak can be. This severity can be more directly measured as the fraction of people infected once the outbreak is over, Ω. In traditional mathematical epidemiology and common formulations of static network epidemiology, there is a deterministic relationship between R0 and Ω. However, if one considers disease spreading on a temporal contact network--where one knows when contacts happen, not only between whom--then larger R0 does not necessarily imply larger Ω. In this paper, we numerically investigate the relationship between R0 and Ω for a set of empirical temporal networks of human contacts. Among 31 explanatory descriptors of temporal network structure, we identify those that make R0 an imperfect predictor of Ω. We find that descriptors related to both temporal and topological aspects affect the relationship between R0 and Ω, but in different ways.

NASA World Wind Near Real Time Data for Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogan, P.

2013-12-01

Innovation requires open standards for data exchange, not to mention ^access to data^ so that value-added, the information intelligence, can be continually created and advanced by the larger community. Likewise, innovation by academia and entrepreneurial enterprise alike, are greatly benefited by an open platform that provides the basic technology for access and visualization of that data. NASA World Wind Java, and now NASA World Wind iOS for the iPhone and iPad, provides that technology. Whether the interest is weather science or climate science, emergency response or supply chain, seeing spatial data in its native context of Earth accelerates understanding and improves decision-making. NASA World Wind open source technology provides the basic elements for 4D visualization, using Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) protocols, while allowing for customized access to any data, big or small, including support for NetCDF. NASA World Wind includes access to a suite of US Government WMS servers with near real time data. The larger community can readily capitalize on this technology, building their own value-added applications, either open or proprietary. Night lights heat map Glacier National Park

Studies with spike initiators - Linearization by noise allows continuous signal modulation in neural networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, Xiaolong; Lewis, Edwin R.

1989-01-01

It is shown that noise can be an important element in the translation of neuronal generator potentials (summed inputs) to neuronal spike trains (outputs), creating or expanding a range of amplitudes over which the spike rate is proportional to the generator potential amplitude. Noise converts the basically nonlinear operation of a spike initiator into a nearly linear modulation process. This linearization effect of noise is examined in a simple intuitive model of a static threshold and in a more realistic computer simulation of spike initiator based on the Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) model. The results are qualitatively similar; in each case larger noise amplitude results in a larger range of nearly linear modulation. The computer simulation of the HH model with noise shows linear and nonlinear features that were earlier observed in spike data obtained from the VIIIth nerve of the bullfrog. This suggests that these features can be explained in terms of spike initiator properties, and it also suggests that the HH model may be useful for representing basic spike initiator properties in vertebrates.

Characterization of rat calcitonin mRNA.

PubMed Central

Amara, S G; David, D N; Rosenfeld, M G; Roos, B A; Evans, R M

1980-01-01

A chimeric plasmic containing cDNA complementary to rat calcitonin mRNA has been constructed. Partial sequence analysis shows that the insert contains a nucleotide sequence encoding the complete amino acid sequence of calcitonin. Two basic amino acids precede and three basic amino acids follow the hormone sequence, suggesting that calcitonin is generated by the proteolytic cleavage of a larger precursor in a manner analogous to that of other small polypeptide hormones. The COOH-terminal proline, known to be amidated in the secreted hormone, is followed by a glycine in the precursor. The cloned calcitonin DNA was used to characterize the expression of calcitonin mRNA. Cytoplasmic mRNAs from calcitonin-producing rat medullary thyroid carcinoma lines and from normal rat thyroid glands contain a single species, 1050 nucleotides long, whch hybridizes to the cloned calcitonin cDNA. The concentration of calcitonin mRNA sequences is greater in those tumors that produce larger amounts of immunoreactive calcitonin. RNAs from other endocrine tissues, including anterior and neurointermediate lobes of rat pituitary, contain no detectable calcitonin mRNA. Images PMID:6933496

Relevance of motion-related assessment metrics in laparoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Oropesa, Ignacio; Chmarra, Magdalena K; Sánchez-González, Patricia; Lamata, Pablo; Rodrigues, Sharon P; Enciso, Silvia; Sánchez-Margallo, Francisco M; Jansen, Frank-Willem; Dankelman, Jenny; Gómez, Enrique J

2013-06-01

Motion metrics have become an important source of information when addressing the assessment of surgical expertise. However, their direct relationship with the different surgical skills has not been fully explored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relevance of motion-related metrics in the evaluation processes of basic psychomotor laparoscopic skills and their correlation with the different abilities sought to measure. A framework for task definition and metric analysis is proposed. An explorative survey was first conducted with a board of experts to identify metrics to assess basic psychomotor skills. Based on the output of that survey, 3 novel tasks for surgical assessment were designed. Face and construct validation was performed, with focus on motion-related metrics. Tasks were performed by 42 participants (16 novices, 22 residents, and 4 experts). Movements of the laparoscopic instruments were registered with the TrEndo tracking system and analyzed. Time, path length, and depth showed construct validity for all 3 tasks. Motion smoothness and idle time also showed validity for tasks involving bimanual coordination and tasks requiring a more tactical approach, respectively. Additionally, motion smoothness and average speed showed a high internal consistency, proving them to be the most task-independent of all the metrics analyzed. Motion metrics are complementary and valid for assessing basic psychomotor skills, and their relevance depends on the skill being evaluated. A larger clinical implementation, combined with quality performance information, will give more insight on the relevance of the results shown in this study.

[Nurse's concept in the managerial conception of a basic health unit].

PubMed

Passos, Joanir Pereira; Ciosak, Suely Itsuko

2006-12-01

This study is part of a larger survey called "Use of indicators in nurses' managerial practice in Basic Health Care Units in the city of Rio de Janeiro", which was carried out in the Basic Health Care Units of the Planning Area 5.3 and whose objectives were to identify nurses' conception regarding the tools required for management in those units and to discuss the role of management in organizing health services. The study is descriptive and data were collected in interviews with seven nurse managers. The results show that health services actions are organized and directed to the purpose of the working process through the relationship established between the object, the instruments and the final product, and that for those nurses the end result to be achieved is client's satisfaction and the quality of medical and nursing care.

47 CFR 22.757 - Channels for basic exchange telephone radio systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Channels for basic exchange telephone radio... CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Rural Radiotelephone Service Basic Exchange Telephone Radio Systems § 22.757 Channels for basic exchange telephone radio systems. The channels listed in § 22.725 are...

An Introduction to Transient Engine Applications Using the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) and MATLAB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Jeffrey C.; Csank, Jeffrey T.; Haller, William J.; Seidel, Jonathan A.

2016-01-01

This document outlines methodologies designed to improve the interface between the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation framework and various control and dynamic analyses developed in the Matlab and Simulink environment. Although NPSS is most commonly used for steady-state modeling, this paper is intended to supplement the relatively sparse documentation on it's transient analysis functionality. Matlab has become an extremely popular engineering environment, and better methodologies are necessary to develop tools that leverage the benefits of these disparate frameworks. Transient analysis is not a new feature of the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS), but transient considerations are becoming more pertinent as multidisciplinary trade-offs begin to play a larger role in advanced engine designs. This paper serves to supplement the relatively sparse documentation on transient modeling and cover the budding convergence between NPSS and Matlab based modeling toolsets. The following sections explore various design patterns to rapidly develop transient models. Each approach starts with a base model built with NPSS, and assumes the reader already has a basic understanding of how to construct a steady-state model. The second half of the paper focuses on further enhancements required to subsequently interface NPSS with Matlab codes. The first method being the simplest and most straightforward but performance constrained, and the last being the most abstract. These methods aren't mutually exclusive and the specific implementation details could vary greatly based on the designer's discretion. Basic recommendations are provided to organize model logic in a format most easily amenable to integration with existing Matlab control toolsets.

Studies of high temperature ternary phases in mixed-metal-rich early transition metal sulfide and phosphide systems

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

Marking, Gregory Allen

1994-01-04

Investigations of ternary mixed early transition metal-rich sulfide and phosphide systems resulted in the discovery of new structures and new phases. A new series of Zr and Hf - group V transition metal - sulfur K-phases was synthesized and crystallographically characterized. When the group V transition metal was Nb or Ta, the unit cell volume was larger than any previously reported K-phase. The presence of adventitious oxygen was determined in two K-phases through a combination of neutron scattering and X-ray diffraction experiments. A compound Hf 10Ta 3S 3 was found to crystallize in a new-structure type similar to the knownmore » gamma brasses. This structure is unique in that it is the only reported "stuffed" gamma-brass type structure. The metal components, Hf and Ta, are larger in size and more electropositive than the metals found in normal gamma brasses (e.g. Cu and Zn) and because of the larger metallic radii, sulfur can be incorporated into the structure where it plays an integral role in stabilizing this phase relative to others. X-ray single-crystal, X-ray powder and neutron powder refinements were performed on this structure. A new structure was found in the ternary Nb-Zr-P system which has characteristics in common with many known early transition metal-rich sulfides, selenides, and phosphides. This structure has the simplest known interconnection of the basic building blocks known for this structural class. Anomalous scattering was a powerful tool for differentiating between Zr and Nb when using Mo Kα X-radiation. The compounds ZrNbP and HfNbP formed in the space group Prima with the simple Co 2Si structure which is among the most common structures found for crystalline solid materials. Solid solution compounds in the Ta-Nb-P, Ta-Zr-P, Nb-Zr-P, Hf-Nb-P, and Hf-Zr-S systems were crystallographically characterized. The structural information corroborated ideas about bonding in metal-rich compounds.« less

AGATE: A High Energy Gamma-Ray Telescope Using Drift Chambers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, R.; Dingus, B. L.; Esposito, J. A.; Bertsch, D. L.; Cuddapah, R.; Fichtel, C. E.; Hartman, R. C.; Hunter, S. D.; Thompson, D. J.

1996-01-01

The exciting results from the highly successful Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) instrument on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) has contributed significantly to increasing our understanding of high energy gamma-ray astronomy. A follow-on mission to EGRET is needed to continue these scientific advances as well as to address the several new scientific questions raised by EGRET. Here we describe the work being done on the development of the Advanced Gamma-Ray Astronomy Telescope Experiment (AGATE), visualized as the successor to EGRET. In order to achieve the scientific goals, AGATE will have higher sensitivity than EGRET in the energy range 30 MeV to 30 GeV, larger effective area, better angular resolution, and an extended low and high energy range. In its design, AGATE will follow the tradition of the earlier gamma-ray telescopes, SAS-2, COS B, and EGRET, and will have the same four basic components of an anticoincidence system, directional coincidence system, track imaging, and energy measurement systems. However, due to its much larger size, AGATE will use drift chambers as its track imaging system rather than the spark chambers used by EGRET. Drift chambers are an obvious choice as they have less deadtime per event, better spatial resolution, and are relatively easy and inexpensive to build. Drift chambers have low power requirements, so that many layers of drift chambers can be included. To test the feasibility of using drift chambers, we have constructed a prototype instrument consisting of a stack of sixteen 1/2m × 1/2m drift chambers and have measured the spatial resolution using atmospheric muons. The results on the drift chamber performance in the laboratory are presented here.

Effect of mobile phone proliferation on crash notification times and fatality rates.

PubMed

Stickles, Jimmy L; Kempema, James M; Brown, Lawrence H

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether increased proliferation of mobile telephones has been associated with decreased MVC notification times and/or decreased MVC fatality rates in the United States (US). We used World Bank annual mobile phone market penetration data and US Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) fatal MVC data for 1994-2014. For each year, phone proliferation was measured as mobile phones per 100 population. FARS data were used to calculate MVC notification time (time EMS notified - time MVC occurred) in minutes, and to determine the MVC fatality rate per billion vehicle miles traveled (BVMT). We used basic vector auto-regression modeling to explore relationships between changes in phone proliferation and subsequent changes in median and 90th percentile MVC notification times, as well as MVC fatality rates. From 1994 to 2014, larger year-over-year increases in phone proliferation were associated with larger decreases in 90th percentile notification times for MVCs occurring during daylight hours (p=0.004) and on the national highway system (p=0.046) two years subsequent, and crashes off the national highway system three years subsequent (p=0.023). There were no significant associations between changes in phone proliferation and subsequent changes in median crash notification times, nor with subsequent changes in MVC fatality rates. Between 1994 and 2014 increased mobile phone proliferation in the U.S. was associated with shorter 90th percentile EMS notification times for some subgroups of fatal MVCs, but not with decreases in median notification times or overall MVC fatality rates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SCaLeM: A Framework for Characterizing and Analyzing Execution Models

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

Chavarría-Miranda, Daniel; Manzano Franco, Joseph B.; Krishnamoorthy, Sriram

2014-10-13

As scalable parallel systems evolve towards more complex nodes with many-core architectures and larger trans-petascale & upcoming exascale deployments, there is a need to understand, characterize and quantify the underlying execution models being used on such systems. Execution models are a conceptual layer between applications & algorithms and the underlying parallel hardware and systems software on which those applications run. This paper presents the SCaLeM (Synchronization, Concurrency, Locality, Memory) framework for characterizing and execution models. SCaLeM consists of three basic elements: attributes, compositions and mapping of these compositions to abstract parallel systems. The fundamental Synchronization, Concurrency, Locality and Memory attributesmore » are used to characterize each execution model, while the combinations of those attributes in the form of compositions are used to describe the primitive operations of the execution model. The mapping of the execution model’s primitive operations described by compositions, to an underlying abstract parallel system can be evaluated quantitatively to determine its effectiveness. Finally, SCaLeM also enables the representation and analysis of applications in terms of execution models, for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of such mapping.« less

Fruit_Flies_in_Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-25

Scientists study how astronauts are affected by microgravity, but with a relatively small number of human subjects available to them, they often turn to model organisms for research. Model organisms are living organisms that have a genetic makeup that is relatively well-documented and understood, and is similar to human systems. Fruit flies are reliable model organisms because their systems closely resemble that of larger organisms. They have the benefit of being small in size, well understood, and reproduce quickly so many generations can be studied in a short amount of time. Some of the things we can study using fruit flies are how microgravity affects the immune system. Will the muscle cells of the heart lose strength in microgravity? Are reproduction, lifespan and the aging process affected by microgravity? Do changes in gravity affect the basic metabolic rate and metabolism of living systems? Fruit flies offer a manageable way to study living systems in microgravity. Learn more about other model organisms and how they are being used for microgravity research, and keep up with all the science being conducted aboard your orbiting laboratory by visiting ISS Research Overview on nasa.gov http://www.twitter.com/ISS_Research

The Coast Artillery Journal. Volume 63, Number 2, August 1925

DTIC Science & Technology

1925-08-01

half hours until relieved. A larger example is that of the 12th Brigade and Guard Kobi Bri- gade at the Sha-Ho, opposing the 1st and 3rd Siberian Corps...at the studio ; covers the underlying principles of all basic receiving sets and the modifications as sold on the market today, including the neutrodyne

THE USE OF ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICAL MATERIALS, THEORY AND PRACTICE. SECOND EDITION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acoustical Materials Association, New York, NY.

THIS DISCUSSION OF THE BASIC FUNCTION OF ACOUSTICAL MATERIALS--THE CONTROL OF SOUND BY SOUND ABSORPTION--IS BASED ON THE WAVE AND ENERGY PROPERTIES OF SOUND. IT IS STATED THAT, IN GENERAL, A MUCH LARGER VOLUME OF ACOUSTICAL MATERIALS IS NEEDED TO REMOVE DISTRACTING NOISE FROM CLASSROOMS AND OFFICES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAN FROM AUDITORIUMS, WHERE A…

Opinion Leadership in India, A Study of Interpersonal Communication in Eight Villages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sen, Lalit K.

A part of a larger study on "Diffusion of Innovations in Rural Societies" conducted in Brazil, Nigeria, and India during 1966-1968, this particular study is based on opinion leadership provided by 680 farmers in 8 Indian villages. In these villages, opinion leaders comprise the primary source of basic information and play a very…

The Factor Structure of the CIBS-II-Readiness Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gotch, Chad M.; French, Brian F.

2011-01-01

The Brigance Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills-II (CIBS-II)-Readiness form is a diagnostic battery intended for children aged 5 and 6 years. The CIBS-II-Readiness is a new version of the CIBS-Revised-Readiness and includes updated normative information on a larger representative sample in comparison to the CIBS-Revised-Readiness. Empirical…

Tutorial on architectural acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Neil; Talaske, Rick; Bistafa, Sylvio

2002-11-01

This tutorial is intended to provide an overview of current knowledge and practice in architectural acoustics. Topics covered will include basic concepts and history, acoustics of small rooms (small rooms for speech such as classrooms and meeting rooms, music studios, small critical listening spaces such as home theatres) and the acoustics of large rooms (larger assembly halls, auditoria, and performance halls).

Evaluating QR Code Case Studies Using a Mobile Learning Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rikala, Jenni

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of Quick Response (QR) codes and mobile devices in the context of Finnish basic education. The feasibility was analyzed through a mobile learning framework, which includes the core characteristics of mobile learning. The study is part of a larger research where the aim is to develop a…

Declining Academic Fields in U.S. Four-Year Colleges and Universities, 1970-2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brint, Steven; Proctor, Kristopher; Mulligan, Kerry; Rotondi, Matthew B.; Hanneman, Robert A.

2012-01-01

This research identifies 22 fields that declined in absolute numbers and/or prevalence over a 35-year period. Most were basic fields in the arts and sciences. Steep declines were evident only in a few fields, notably European languages and literatures. Larger, higher status, and historically liberal arts oriented institutions were less likely to…

African American College Students' Attitudes toward HIV/AIDS: Implications for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Sandra E.; Jones, Tara

2007-01-01

This paper investigated African American college students' responses to a set of interview questions selected from a larger survey instrument in an exploratory study of basic attitudes about HIV/AIDS. Forty-two participants responded to an interview schedule in an investigation of student attitudinal domains regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic.…

Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: Hawaii

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

Hawaii showed improvement in reading and math in grade 8 at the basic, proficient, and advanced levels for Asian and white students, low income students, and boys and girls. Gains in math tended to be larger than in reading. Trends in closing achievement gaps were mixed. Comparable data were available from 2007 through 2009. (Contains 9 tables.)…

Scientific and Technological Progress, Political Beliefs and Environmental Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makrakis, Vassilios

2012-01-01

With the development of science and technology, a basically optimistic ideology of progress has emerged. This deterministic attitude has been challenged in recent decades as a result of harmful side-effects generated by the way technology and science have been approached and used. The study presented here is a part of a larger international and…

Development of the HERMIES III mobile robot research testbed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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

Manges, W.W.; Hamel, W.R.; Weisbin, C.R.

1988-01-01

The latest robot in the Hostile Environment Robotic Machine Intelligence Experiment Series (HERMIES) is now under development at the Center for Engineering Systems Advanced Research (CESAR) in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The HERMIES III robot incorporates a larger than human size 7-degree-of-freedom manipulator mounted on a 2-degree-of-freedom mobile platform including a variety of sensors and computers. The deployment of this robot represents a significant increase in research capabilities for the CESAR laboratory. The initial on-board computer capacity of the robot exceeds that of 20 Vax 11/780s. The navigation and vision algorithms under development make extensive use of the on-boardmore » NCUBE hypercube computer while the sensors are interfaced through five VME computers running the OS-9 real-time, multitasking operating system. This paper describes the motivation, key issues, and detailed design trade-offs of implementing the first phase (basic functionality) of the HERMIES III robot. 10 refs., 7 figs.« less

Pulmonary drug delivery. Part II: The role of inhalant delivery devices and drug formulations in therapeutic effectiveness of aerosolized medications

PubMed Central

Labiris, N R; Dolovich, M B

2003-01-01

Research in the area of pulmonary drug delivery has gathered momentum in the last several years, with increased interest in using the lung as a means of delivering drugs systemically. Advances in device technology have led to the development of more efficient delivery systems capable of delivering larger doses and finer particles into the lung. As more efficient pulmonary delivery devices and sophisticated formulations become available, physicians and health professionals will have a choice of a wide variety of device and formulation combinations that will target specific cells or regions of the lung, avoid the lung's clearance mechanisms and be retained within the lung for longer periods. It is now recognized that it is not enough just to have inhalation therapy available for prescribing; physicians and other healthcare providers need a basic understanding of aerosol science, inhaled formulations, delivery devices, and bioequivalence of products to prescribe these therapies optimally. PMID:14616419

Generation of a conditional analog-sensitive kinase in human cells using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering.

PubMed

Moyer, Tyler C; Holland, Andrew J

2015-01-01

The ability to rapidly and specifically modify the genome of mammalian cells has been a long-term goal of biomedical researchers. Recently, the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system from bacteria has been exploited for genome engineering in human cells. The CRISPR system directs the RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease to a specific genomic locus to induce a DNA double-strand break that may be subsequently repaired by homology-directed repair using an exogenous DNA repair template. Here we describe a protocol using CRISPR/Cas9 to achieve bi-allelic insertion of a point mutation in human cells. Using this method, homozygous clonal cell lines can be constructed in 5-6 weeks. This method can also be adapted to insert larger DNA elements, such as fluorescent proteins and degrons, at defined genomic locations. CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering offers exciting applications in both basic science and translational research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reactor Neutronics: Impact of Fissile Material

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

Heidet, F.; Hill, R. N.

Here, given a wide variety of reactor designs and fuel types, it can be difficult to identify the underlying cause of basic performance differences such as flux level and enrichment requirement. In this paper, using solely the definitions of the core multiplication factor and core power, simple relations have been derived allowing estimates of the flux ratio and fissile material concentration ratio for any reactor concept when 235U is replaced with 239Pu or vice-versa. These relations are functions of the neutron non-leakage probability, and one only needs to know number of neutrons emitted per fission, and the fission cross-section ratiomore » between the 235U system and the 239Pu system. It is found that for a reactor concept having significant leakage, the achievable flux level when using 239Pu as fissile material can be up to 45% larger than when using 235U as fissile material, and the required fissile concentration of 239Pu is up to 48% lower than that of 235U to achieve criticality.« less

Reactor Neutronics: Impact of Fissile Material

DOE PAGES

Heidet, F.; Hill, R. N.

2017-06-09

Here, given a wide variety of reactor designs and fuel types, it can be difficult to identify the underlying cause of basic performance differences such as flux level and enrichment requirement. In this paper, using solely the definitions of the core multiplication factor and core power, simple relations have been derived allowing estimates of the flux ratio and fissile material concentration ratio for any reactor concept when 235U is replaced with 239Pu or vice-versa. These relations are functions of the neutron non-leakage probability, and one only needs to know number of neutrons emitted per fission, and the fission cross-section ratiomore » between the 235U system and the 239Pu system. It is found that for a reactor concept having significant leakage, the achievable flux level when using 239Pu as fissile material can be up to 45% larger than when using 235U as fissile material, and the required fissile concentration of 239Pu is up to 48% lower than that of 235U to achieve criticality.« less

Composition inversion in mixtures of binary colloids and polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Isla; Pinchaipat, Rattachai; Wilding, Nigel B.; Faers, Malcolm A.; Bartlett, Paul; Evans, Robert; Royall, C. Patrick

2018-05-01

Understanding the phase behaviour of mixtures continues to pose challenges, even for systems that might be considered "simple." Here, we consider a very simple mixture of two colloidal and one non-adsorbing polymer species, which can be simplified even further to a size-asymmetrical binary mixture, in which the effective colloid-colloid interactions depend on the polymer concentration. We show that this basic system exhibits surprisingly rich phase behaviour. In particular, we enquire whether such a system features only a liquid-vapor phase separation (as in one-component colloid-polymer mixtures) or whether, additionally, liquid-liquid demixing of two colloidal phases can occur. Particle-resolved experiments show demixing-like behaviour, but when combined with bespoke Monte Carlo simulations, this proves illusory, and we reveal that only a single liquid-vapor transition occurs. Progressive migration of the small particles to the liquid phase as the polymer concentration increases gives rise to composition inversion—a maximum in the large particle concentration in the liquid phase. Close to criticality, the density fluctuations are found to be dominated by the larger colloids.

The effect of pH and triethanolamine on sulfisoxazole complexation with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin.

PubMed

Gladys, Granero; Claudia, Garnero; Marcela, Longhi

2003-11-01

A novel complexation of sulfisoxazole with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) was studied. Two systems were used: binary complexes prepared with HP-beta-CD and multicomponent system (HP-beta-CD and the basic compound triethanolamine (TEA)). Inclusion complex formation in aqueous solutions and in solid state were investigated by the solubility method, thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and dissolution studies. The solid complexes of sulfisoxazole were prepared by freeze-drying the homogeneous concentrated aqueous solutions in molar ratios of sulfisoxazole:HP-beta-CD 1:1 and 1:2, and sulfisoxazole:TEA:HP-beta-CD 1:1:2. FT-IR and thermal analysis showed differences among sulfisoxazole:HP-beta-CD and sulfisoxazole:TEA:HP-beta-CD and their corresponding physical mixtures and individual components. The HP-beta-CD solubilization of sulfisoxazole could be improved by ionization of the drug molecule through pH adjustments. However, larger improvements of the HP-beta-CD solubilization are obtained when multicomponent systems are used, allowing to reduce the amount of CD necessary to prepare the target formulation.

An overload behavior detection system for engineering transport vehicles based on deep learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Libo; Wu, Gang

2018-04-01

This paper builds an overloaded truck detect system called ITMD to help traffic department automatically identify the engineering transport vehicles (commonly known as `dirt truck') in CCTV and determine whether the truck is overloaded or not. We build the ITMD system based on the Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) model. By constructing the image dataset of the truck and adjusting hyper-parameters of the original SSD neural network, we successfully trained a basic network model which the ITMD system depends on. The basic ITMD system achieves 83.01% mAP on classifying overload/non-overload truck, which is a not bad result. Still, some shortcomings of basic ITMD system have been targeted to enhance: it is easy for the ITMD system to misclassify other similar vehicle as truck. In response to this problem, we optimized the basic ITMD system, which effectively reduced basic model's false recognition rate. The optimized ITMD system achieved 86.18% mAP on the test set, which is better than the 83.01% mAP of the basic ITMD system.

Dynamic quality of service differentiation using fixed code weight in optical CDMA networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakaee, Majid H.; Essa, Shawnim I.; Abd, Thanaa H.; Seyedzadeh, Saleh

2015-11-01

The emergence of network-driven applications, such as internet, video conferencing, and online gaming, brings in the need for a network the environments with capability of providing diverse Quality of Services (QoS). In this paper, a new code family of novel spreading sequences, called a Multi-Service (MS) code, has been constructed to support multiple services in Optical- Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system. The proposed method uses fixed weight for all services, however reducing the interfering codewords for the users requiring higher QoS. The performance of the proposed code is demonstrated using mathematical analysis. It shown that the total number of served users with satisfactory BER of 10-9 using NB=2 is 82, while they are only 36 and 10 when NB=3 and 4 respectively. The developed MS code is compared with variable-weight codes such as Variable Weight-Khazani Syed (VW-KS) and Multi-Weight-Random Diagonal (MW-RD). Different numbers of basic users (NB) are used to support triple-play services (audio, data and video) with different QoS requirements. Furthermore, reference to the BER of 10-12, 10-9, and 10-3 for video, data and audio, respectively, the system can support up to 45 total users. Hence, results show that the technique can clearly provide a relative QoS differentiation with lower value of basic users can support larger number of subscribers as well as better performance in terms of acceptable BER of 10-9 at fixed code weight.

Directed energy missions for planetary defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Philip; Hughes, Gary B.; Eskenazi, Mike; Kosmo, Kelly; Johansson, Isabella E.; Griswold, Janelle; Pryor, Mark; O'Neill, Hugh; Meinhold, Peter; Suen, Jonathan; Riley, Jordan; Zhang, Qicheng; Walsh, Kevin; Melis, Carl; Kangas, Miikka; Motta, Caio; Brashears, Travis

2016-09-01

Directed energy for planetary defense is now a viable option and is superior in many ways to other proposed technologies, being able to defend the Earth against all known threats. This paper presents basic ideas behind a directed energy planetary defense system that utilizes laser ablation of an asteroid to impart a deflecting force on the target. A conceptual philosophy called DE-STAR, which stands for Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and exploration, is an orbiting stand-off system, which has been described in other papers. This paper describes a smaller, stand-on system known as DE-STARLITE as a reduced-scale version of DE-STAR. Both share the same basic heritage of a directed energy array that heats the surface of the target to the point of high surface vapor pressure that causes significant mass ejection thus forming an ejection plume of material from the target that acts as a rocket to deflect the object. This is generally classified as laser ablation. DE-STARLITE uses conventional propellant for launch to LEO and then ion engines to propel the spacecraft from LEO to the near-Earth asteroid (NEA). During laser ablation, the asteroid itself provides the propellant source material; thus a very modest spacecraft can deflect an asteroid much larger than would be possible with a system of similar mission mass using ion beam deflection (IBD) or a gravity tractor. DE-STARLITE is capable of deflecting an Apophis-class (325 m diameter) asteroid with a 1- to 15-year targeting time (laser on time) depending on the system design. The mission fits within the rough mission parameters of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) program in terms of mass and size. DE-STARLITE also has much greater capability for planetary defense than current proposals and is readily scalable to match the threat. It can deflect all known threats with sufficient warning.

Autonomic nervous system reactivity within the valence-arousal affective space: Modulation by sex and age.

PubMed

Gomez, Patrick; von Gunten, Armin; Danuser, Brigitta

2016-11-01

In the present study, we examined how sex and age shape cardiovascular, electrodermal, and pupillary reactivity to picture series within the valence-arousal affective space in a sample of 176 healthy younger, middle-aged, and older men and women. Across participants, heart rate (HR) decelerated with increasing self-reported unpleasantness, whereas skin conductance level (SCL) and pupil size (PS) increased with increasing self-rated arousal. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure increased with increasing self-rated arousal when valence was pleasant but much less when valence was unpleasant. Compared to women, men exhibited a stronger correlation between valence and HR and an SBP response characterized by larger increases for pleasant high-arousal states and lower change scores for unpleasant low- and high-arousal and pleasant low-arousal states. Men's largest SCL change scores were for pleasant high-arousal states, whereas women's largest SCL change scores were for unpleasant high-arousal states. The arousal-PS relationship was stronger among women, in particular for unpleasant series. From younger to older age, there were decreases in the strength of the valence-HR, arousal-SCL, and arousal-PS relationships. Older adults had larger overall increases in SBP and DBP than younger adults, but the relationships with self-reported valence and arousal were not age dependent. We discuss how the observed sex and age effects may reflect sex and age differences in emotional processing and in basic autonomic nervous system functioning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of alkaline precipitation on Cr species of Cr(III)-bearing complexes typically used in the tannery industry.

PubMed

Wang, Dandan; Ye, Yuxuan; Liu, Hui; Ma, Hongrui; Zhang, Weiming

2018-02-01

Various organic compounds extensively used in the leather industry could influence the performance of alkaline precipitation with Cr(III). This study focused on two typical Cr(III)-bearing complexes (Cr(III)-collagen and Cr(III)-citrate) ubiquitous in tannery effluent yet with distinct treatment efficiencies, as Cr(III) was much more difficult to remove in the Cr(III)-citrate solution. Comprehensive analytical methods were employed to explore the intrinsic mechanism. It was found that a lower removal efficiency towards Cr(III) was significantly associated with higher oligomers. The molecular size of the Cr(III)-citrate complex continued to increase with rising pH, making it larger overall than Cr(III)-collagen species. The growing oligomer moiety of dissolved Cr(III)-complex species could persist in the stronger basic pH range, leading to the large amount of residual Cr(III) in the Cr(III)-citrate system. Combining this result with potentiometric titration and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data, it was believed that the polymeric species other than monomers facilitated resisting the attack from hydroxide ions, and the postulated Cr(III)-citrate species towards higher oligomers were discovered. Beyond that, both charge neutralization and sweeping effects were presented among the gradually emerging flocs in the Cr(III)-collagen system together with the electric double layer compression effect derived from salinity, thus resulting in a larger floc size and higher Cr(III) removal efficiency in saline solutions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and construction of multigenic constructs for plant biotechnology using the GoldenBraid cloning strategy.

PubMed

Sarrion-Perdigones, Alejandro; Palaci, Jorge; Granell, Antonio; Orzaez, Diego

2014-01-01

GoldenBraid (GB) is an iterative and standardized DNA assembling system specially designed for Multigene Engineering in Plant Synthetic Biology. GB is based on restriction-ligation reactions using type IIS restriction enzymes. GB comprises a collection of standard DNA pieces named "GB parts" and a set of destination plasmids (pDGBs) that incorporate the multipartite assembly of standardized DNA parts. GB reactions are extremely efficient: two transcriptional units (TUs) can be assembled from several basic GBparts in one T-DNA less than 24 h. Moreover, larger assemblies comprising 4-5 TUs are routinely built in less than 2 working weeks. Here we provide a detailed view of the GB methodology. As a practical example, a Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation construct comprising four TUs in a 12 kb DNA fragment is presented.

Measuring the Usability of Augmented Reality e-Learning Systems: A User-Centered Evaluation Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pribeanu, Costin; Balog, Alexandru; Iordache, Dragoş Daniel

The development of Augmented Reality (AR) systems is creating new challenges and opportunities for the designers of e-learning systems. The mix of real and virtual requires appropriate interaction techniques that have to be evaluated with users in order to avoid usability problems. Formative usability aims at finding usability problems as early as possible in the development life cycle and is suitable to support the development of such novel interactive systems. This work presents an approach to the user-centered usability evaluation of an e-learning scenario for Biology developed on an Augmented Reality educational platform. The evaluation has been carried on during and after a summer school held within the ARiSE research project. The basic idea was to perform usability evaluation twice. In this respect, we conducted user testing with a small number of students during the summer school in order to get a fast feedback from users having good knowledge in Biology. Then, we repeated the user testing in different conditions and with a relatively larger number of representative users. In this paper we describe both experiments and compare the usability evaluation results.

Physical insight into the simultaneous optimization of structure and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacques, Robert N.; Miller, David W.

1993-01-01

Recent trends in spacecraft design which yield larger structures with more stringent performance requirements place many flexible modes of the structure within the bandwidth of active controllers. The resulting complications to the spacecraft design make it highly desirable to understand the impact of structural changes on an optimally controlled structure. This work uses low structural models with optimal H(sub 2) and H(sub infinity) controllers to develop some basic insight into this problem. This insight concentrates on several basic approaches to improving controlled performance and how these approaches interact in determining the optimal designs. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate how this insight can be generalized to more complex problems.

What Is the Internet, Who Is Running It and How Is It Used?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eschbach, Darel

The Internet, for the purposes of this discussion, refers to the network that has the National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET) as its backbone. For this paper, internet is the larger connection of networks that provides a minimum basic connection for electronic mail. The network is made up of many segments structured in a multitiered hierarchy…

THE EDUCATION OF THE MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER FOR AMERICAN SCHOOLS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AXELROD, JOSEPH

THE PROBLEM WITH WHICH THIS REPORT DEALS IS PART OF A LARGER AND MORE BASIC PROBLEM FACING FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES - REDEFINING THE ENDS OF THE INSTRUCTION OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND DISCOVERING MORE ADEQUATE CURRICULAR MEANS THAN ARE USED AT PRESENT TO IMPLEMENT THOSE ENDS. SECTION ONE OF THE REPORT FOCUSES ON THE…

Dimensions of L2 Performance and Proficiency: Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency in SLA. Language Learning & Language Teaching. Volume 32

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Housen, Alex, Ed.; Kuiken, Folkert, Ed.; Vedder, Ineke, Ed.

2012-01-01

Research into complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF) as basic dimensions of second language performance, proficiency and development has received increased attention in SLA. However, the larger picture in this field of research is often obscured by the breadth of scope, multiple objectives and lack of clarity as to how complexity, accuracy and…

Improvement of spectral and axial resolutions in modified coded aperture correlation holography (COACH) imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayakumar, A.; Rosen, Joseph

2017-05-01

Coded aperture correlation holography (COACH) is a recently developed incoherent digital holographic technique. In COACH, two holograms are recorded: the object hologram for the object under study and another hologram for a point object called PSF hologram. The holograms are recorded by interfering two beams, both diffracted from the same object point, but only one of them passes through a random-like coded phase mask (CPM). The same CPM is used for recording the object as well as the PSF holograms. The image is reconstructed by correlating the object hologram with a processed version of the PSF hologram. The COACH holographic technique exhibits the same transverse and axial resolution of the regular imaging, but with the unique capability of storing 3D information. The basic COACH configuration consists of a single spatial light modulator (SLM) used for displaying the CPM. In this study, the basic COACH configuration has been advanced by employing two spatial light modulators (SLMs) in the setup. The refractive lens used in the basic COACH setup for collecting and collimating the light diffracted by the object is replaced by an SLM on which an equivalent diffractive lens is displayed. Unlike a refractive lens, the diffractive lens displayed on the first SLM focuses light with different wavelengths to different axial planes, which are separated by distances larger than the axial correlation lengths of the CPM for any visible wavelength. This characteristic extends the boundaries of COACH from three-dimensional to four-dimensional imaging with the wavelength as its fourth dimension.

Electric and magnetic microfields inside and outside space-limited configurations of ions and ionic currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanovsky, M. Yu; Ebeling, W.; Schimansky-Geier, L.

2005-01-01

The problem of electric and magnetic microfields inside finite spherical systems of stochastically moving ions and outside them is studied. The first possible field of applications is high temperature ion clusters created by laser fields [1]. Other possible applications are nearly spherical liquid systems at room-temperature containing electrolytes. Looking for biological applications we may also think about a cell which is a complicated electrolytic system or even a brain which is a still more complicated system of electrolytic currents. The essential model assumption is the random character of charges motion. We assume in our basic model that we have a finite nearly spherical system of randomly moving charges. Even taking into account that this is at best a caricature of any real system, it might be of interest as a limiting case, which admits a full theoretical treatment. For symmetry reasons, a random configuration of moving charges cannot generate a macroscopic magnetic field, but there will be microscopic fluctuating magnetic fields. Distributions for electric and magnetic microfields inside and outside such space- limited systems are calculated. Spherical systems of randomly distributed moving charges are investigated. Starting from earlier results for infinitely large systems, which lead to Holtsmark- type distributions, we show that the fluctuations in finite charge distributions are larger (in comparison to infinite systems of the same charge density).

Design and application of quadrature compensation patterns in bulk silicon micro-gyroscopes.

PubMed

Ni, Yunfang; Li, Hongsheng; Huang, Libin

2014-10-29

This paper focuses on the detailed design issues of a peculiar quadrature reduction method named system stiffness matrix diagonalization, whose key technology is the design and application of quadrature compensation patterns. For bulk silicon micro-gyroscopes, a complete design and application case was presented. The compensation principle was described first. In the mechanical design, four types of basic structure units were presented to obtain the basic compensation function. A novel layout design was proposed to eliminate the additional disturbing static forces and torques. Parameter optimization was carried out to maximize the available compensation capability in a limited layout area. Two types of voltage loading methods were presented. Their influences on the sense mode dynamics were analyzed. The proposed design was applied on a dual-mass silicon micro-gyroscope developed in our laboratory. The theoretical compensation capability of a quadrature equivalent angular rate no more than 412 °/s was designed. In experiments, an actual quadrature equivalent angular rate of 357 °/s was compensated successfully. The actual compensation voltages were a little larger than the theoretical ones. The correctness of the design and the theoretical analyses was verified. They can be commonly used in planar linear vibratory silicon micro-gyroscopes for quadrature compensation purpose.

Concentration Dependent Ion-Protein Interaction Patterns Underlying Protein Oligomerization Behaviours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batoulis, Helena; Schmidt, Thomas H.; Weber, Pascal; Schloetel, Jan-Gero; Kandt, Christian; Lang, Thorsten

2016-04-01

Salts and proteins comprise two of the basic molecular components of biological materials. Kosmotropic/chaotropic co-solvation and matching ion water affinities explain basic ionic effects on protein aggregation observed in simple solutions. However, it is unclear how these theories apply to proteins in complex biological environments and what the underlying ionic binding patterns are. Using the positive ion Ca2+ and the negatively charged membrane protein SNAP25, we studied ion effects on protein oligomerization in solution, in native membranes and in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We find that concentration-dependent ion-induced protein oligomerization is a fundamental chemico-physical principle applying not only to soluble but also to membrane-anchored proteins in their native environment. Oligomerization is driven by the interaction of Ca2+ ions with the carboxylate groups of aspartate and glutamate. From low up to middle concentrations, salt bridges between Ca2+ ions and two or more protein residues lead to increasingly larger oligomers, while at high concentrations oligomers disperse due to overcharging effects. The insights provide a conceptual framework at the interface of physics, chemistry and biology to explain binding of ions to charged protein surfaces on an atomistic scale, as occurring during protein solubilisation, aggregation and oligomerization both in simple solutions and membrane systems.

Top-down modulation of auditory processing: effects of sound context, musical expertise and attentional focus.

PubMed

Tervaniemi, M; Kruck, S; De Baene, W; Schröger, E; Alter, K; Friederici, A D

2009-10-01

By recording auditory electrical brain potentials, we investigated whether the basic sound parameters (frequency, duration and intensity) are differentially encoded among speech vs. music sounds by musicians and non-musicians during different attentional demands. To this end, a pseudoword and an instrumental sound of comparable frequency and duration were presented. The accuracy of neural discrimination was tested by manipulations of frequency, duration and intensity. Additionally, the subjects' attentional focus was manipulated by instructions to ignore the sounds while watching a silent movie or to attentively discriminate the different sounds. In both musicians and non-musicians, the pre-attentively evoked mismatch negativity (MMN) component was larger to slight changes in music than in speech sounds. The MMN was also larger to intensity changes in music sounds and to duration changes in speech sounds. During attentional listening, all subjects more readily discriminated changes among speech sounds than among music sounds as indexed by the N2b response strength. Furthermore, during attentional listening, musicians displayed larger MMN and N2b than non-musicians for both music and speech sounds. Taken together, the data indicate that the discriminative abilities in human audition differ between music and speech sounds as a function of the sound-change context and the subjective familiarity of the sound parameters. These findings provide clear evidence for top-down modulatory effects in audition. In other words, the processing of sounds is realized by a dynamically adapting network considering type of sound, expertise and attentional demands, rather than by a strictly modularly organized stimulus-driven system.

77 FR 51496 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Basic Safeguarding of Contractor Information Systems

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-24

... Federal Acquisition Regulation; Basic Safeguarding of Contractor Information Systems AGENCY: Department of... Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add a new subpart and contract clause for the basic safeguarding of contractor... information) that will be resident on or transiting through contractor information systems. DATES: Interested...

Antimicrobial peptide-like genes in Nasonia vitripennis: a genomic perspective

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an essential component of innate immunity which can rapidly respond to diverse microbial pathogens. Insects, as a rich source of AMPs, attract great attention of scientists in both understanding of the basic biology of the immune system and searching molecular templates for anti-infective drug design. Despite a large number of AMPs have been identified from different insect species, little information in terms of these peptides is available from parasitic insects. Results By using integrated computational approaches to systemically mining the Hymenopteran parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis genome, we establish the first AMP repertoire whose members exhibit extensive sequence and structural diversity and can be distinguished into multiple molecular types, including insect and fungal defensin-like peptides (DLPs) with the cysteine-stabilized α-helical and β-sheet (CSαβ) fold; Pro- or Gly-rich abaecins and hymenoptaecins; horseshoe crab tachystatin-type AMPs with the inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) fold; and a linear α-helical peptide. Inducible expression pattern of seven N. vitripennis AMP genes were verified, and two representative peptides were synthesized and functionally identified to be antibacterial. In comparison with Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera) and several non-Hymenopteran model insects, N. vitripennis has evolved a complex antimicrobial immune system with more genes and larger protein precursors. Three classical strategies that are likely responsible for the complexity increase have been recognized: 1) Gene duplication; 2) Exon duplication; and 3) Exon-shuffling. Conclusion The present study established the N. vitripennis peptidome associated with antimicrobial immunity by using a combined computational and experimental strategy. As the first AMP repertoire of a parasitic wasp, our results offer a basic platform for further studying the immunological and evolutionary significances of these newly discovered AMP-like genes in this class of insects. PMID:20302637

High-temperature thermoelectric properties of Ca0.92La0.04RE0.04MnO3 (RE = Sm, Dy and Yb) prepared by coprecipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Cuiqin; Chen, Qianlin; Yan, Yunan; Li, Yanan; Zhao, Ying

2018-02-01

A series of Ca0.92La0.04RE0.04MnO3 (RE = Sm, Dy and Yb) compounds are synthesized via a coprecipitation technique. The influence of La/RE dual doping on the phase structure, microstructure and thermoelectric properties of the CaMnO3 system is investigated. Increased material density with grain sizes of 1-2 μm and a homogeneous microstructure is realized. Dual doping decreases the electrical resistivity due to an increase in the carrier concentration and also decreases the thermal conductivity due to increased grain scattering, damping of local vibrations by heavier La/RE ions compared to Ca and lattice distortion. The Ca0.92La0.04Yb0.04MnO3 shows the highest power factor of 3.49 × 10-4 W m-1 K-2 and the highest dimensionless figure of merit ZT of 0.25 at 770 K, which is approximately 3 times larger than that obtained for the undoped CaMnO3 and significantly larger than that of single-doped CaMnO3 prepared by solid-state reaction. This work provides a basic foundation for the industrial application of this thermoelectric material.

THE SECRETION OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES AND CAECAL SIZE ARE DETERMINED BY DIETARY PROTEIN IN THE CRICKET Gryllus bimaculatus.

PubMed

Woodring, Joseph; Weidlich, Sandy

2016-11-01

In Gryllus bimaculatus, the size of the caecum decreases in the latter half of each instar to a stable minimal size with a steady minimal rate of digestive enzyme secretion until feeding resumes after ecdysis. The higher the percent protein in the newly ingested food, the faster and larger the caecum grows, and as a consequent the higher the secretion rate of trypsin and amylase. When hard boiled eggs (40% protein) are eaten the caecum is 2× larger, the trypsin secretion is almost 3× greater, and amylase 2.5× greater then when fed the same amount of apples (1.5% protein). Only dietary protein increases amylase secretion, whereas dietary carbohydrates have no effect on amylase secretion. The minimal caecal size and secretion rate must be supported by utilization of hemolymph amino acids, but the growth of the caecum and increasing enzymes secretions after the molt depend upon an amino acid source in the lumen. This simple regulation of digestive enzyme secretion is ideal for animals that must stop feeding in order to molt. This basic control system does not preclude additional regulation mechanisms, such as prandal, which is also indicated for G. bimaculatus, or even paramonal regulation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Two non linear dynamics plasma astrophysics experiments at LANL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Intrator, T. P.; Weber, T. E.; Feng, Y.; Sears, J. A.; Swan, H.; Hutchinson, T.; Boguski, J.; Gao, K.; Chapdelaine, L.; Dunn, J.

2013-10-01

Two laboratory experiments at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have been built to gain access to a wide range of fundamental plasma physics issues germane astro, space, and fusion plasmas. The over arching theme is magnetized plasma dynamics that include currents, MHD forces and instabilities, sheared flows and shocks, creation and annihilation of magnetic field. The Reconnection Scaling Experiment (RSX) creates current sheets and flux ropes that exhibit fully 3D dynamics, that can kink, bounce, merge and reconnect, shred, and reform in complicated ways. The most recent movies from a large detailed data set describe the 3D magnetic structure and helicity budget of a driven and dissipative system that spontaneously self saturates a kink instability. The Magnetized Shock Experiment (MSX) uses a Field reversed configuration (FRC) that is ejected at high speed and then stagnated onto a stopping mirror field, which drives a collisionless magnetized shock. A plasmoid accelerator will also access super critical shocks at much larger Alfven Mach numbers. Unique features include access to parallel, oblique and perpendicular shocks, in regions much larger than ion gyro radius and inertial length, large magnetic and fluid Reynolds numbers, and volume for turbulence. Center for Magnetic Self Organization, NASA Geospace NNHIOA044I-Basic, Department of Energy DE-AC52-06NA25369.

Setting health care priorities: Oregon's next steps.

PubMed

Dougherty, Charles J

1991-01-01

Since the proposal was first broached in 1987, a storm of controversy has engulfed Oregon's plan to prioritize the health care services offered to its Medicaid recipients. After two years of debate, community consultation, and public opinion polls, the Oregon Health Services Commission was mandated in 1989 to study prioritization as part of a package of bills enacted as the Oregon Basic Health Services Act. In March 1990 the commission released a draft list of ranked health care services for public comment... As part of the ongoing debate, the Hastings Center and the Wesley Foundation sponsored a two-day meeting in January 1991 in Wichita, Kansas, to provide opportunity for thoughtful, in-depth, informal analysis of the OBHSA model for health care reform...a majority felt that OBHSA, in the framework of progress toward larger reform goals, is an experiment worth trying. Some felt that even if OBHSA doesn't attain its larger goals it should be tried since it will extend access and may lead to better health outcomes among the poor. But the general view was that OBHSA is a valuable experiment only to the extent that it leads to a statewide system of universal health insurance in Oregon without creating special burdens for the state's poor....

Forward Collision Warning: Clues to Optimal Timing of Advisory Warnings

PubMed Central

Aksan, Nazan; Sager, Lauren; Hacker, Sarah; Marini, Robert; Dawson, Jeffrey; Anderson, Steven; Rizzo, Matthew

2016-01-01

We examined the effectiveness of a heads-up Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system in 39 younger to middle aged drivers (25-50, mean = 35 years) and 37 older drivers (66-87, mean = 77 years). The warnings were implemented in a fixed based, immersive, 180 degree forward field of view simulator. The FCW included a visual advisory component consisting of a red horizontal bar which flashed in the center screen of the simulator that was triggered at time-to-collision (TTC) 4 seconds. The bar roughly overlapped the rear bumper of the lead vehicle, just below the driver's line-of-sight. A sustained auditory tone (~80 dB) was activated at TTC=2 to alert the driver to an imminent collision. Hence, the warning system differed from the industry standard in significant ways. 95% Confidence intervals for the safety gains ranged from −.03 to .19 seconds in terms of average correction time across several activations. Older and younger adults did not differ in terms of safety gains. Closer inspection of data revealed that younger to middle aged drivers were already braking (42%) on a larger proportion of FCW activations than older drivers (26%), p < .001. Conversely, older drivers were still accelerating (38%) on a larger proportion of FCW activations than younger to middle aged drivers (23%) at the time FCW was activated, p < .009. There were no differences in the proportion of activations when drivers were coasting at the time FCW was activated, p = .240. Furthermore, large individual differences in basic visual, motor, and cognitive function predicted the tendency to brake prior to FCW activation. Those who tended to be better functioning in each of these domains were more likely to be already braking prior to FCW activation at the fixed threshold of TTC=4. These findings suggest optimal timing for advisory alerts for forward events may need to be larger than TTC=4. PMID:27648455

Digital Holographic Data Storage with Fast Access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, J.; Chang, T.; Choi, S.; Hong, J.

Recent investigations in holographic mass memory systems have produced proof of concept demonstrations that have highlighted their potential for providing unprecedented capacity, data transfer rates and fast random access performance [1-4]. The exploratory nature of most such investigations has been largely confined to benchtop experiments in which the practical constraints of packaging and environmental concerns have been ignored. We have embarked on an effort to demonstrate the holographic mass memory concept by developing a compact prototype system geared for avionics and similar applications, which demand the following features (mostly interdependent factors): (1) solid-state design (no moving parts), (2) fast data-seek time, (3) robustness with respect to environmental factors (temperature, vibration, shock). In this chapter, we report on the development and demonstration of two systems, one with 100 Mbytes and the other with more than 1 Gbyte of storage capacity. Both systems feature solid-state design with the addressing mechanism realized with acousto-optic deflectors that are capable of better than 50 µs data seek time. Since the basic designs for the two systems are similar, we describe only the larger system in detail. The operation of the smaller system has been demonstrated in various environments, including hand-held operation and thermal/mechanical shock, and a photograph of the smaller system is provided as well as actual digital data retrieved from the same system.

Packaged digital holographic data storage with fast access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jian; Chang, Tallis Y.; Choi, Sung; Hong, John H.

1998-11-01

Recent investigations in holographic mass memory systems have produced proof of concept demonstrations that have highlighted their potential for providing unprecedented capacity, data transfer rates and fast random access performance. The exploratory nature of most such investigations have been largely confined to benchtop experiments in which the practical constraints of packaging and environmental concerns have been ignored. We have embarked on an effort to demonstrate the holographic mass memory concept by developing a compact prototype system geared for avionics and similar applications which demand the following features (mostly interdependent factors): (1) solid state design (no moving parts), (2) fast data seek time, (3) robust with respect to environmental factors (temperature, vibration, shock). In this paper, we report on the development and demonstration of two systems, one with 100 Mbytes and the other with more than 1 Gbyte of storage capacity. Both systems feature solid state design with the addressing mechanism realized with acousto- optic deflectors that are capable of better than 50 microseconds data seek time. Since the basic designs for the two systems are similar, we describe only the larger system in detail. The operation of the smaller system has been demonstrated in various environments including hand-held operation and thermal/mechanical shock and a photograph of the smaller system is provided as well as actual digital data retrieved from the same system.

The Impact of Resources for Clinical Surveillance on the Control of a Hypothetical Foot-and-Mouth Disease Epidemic in Denmark

PubMed Central

Halasa, Tariq; Boklund, Anette

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to assess whether current surveillance capacity is sufficient to fulfill EU and Danish regulations to control a hypothetical foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemic in Denmark, and whether enlarging the protection and/or surveillance zones could minimize economic losses. The stochastic spatial simulation model DTU-DADS was further developed to simulate clinical surveillance of herds within the protection and surveillance zones and used to model spread of FMD between herds. A queuing system was included in the model, and based on daily surveillance capacity, which was 450 herds per day, it was decided whether herds appointed for surveillance would be surveyed on the current day or added to the queue. The model was run with a basic scenario representing the EU and Danish regulations, which includes a 3 km protection and 10 km surveillance zone around detected herds. In alternative scenarios, the protection zone was enlarged to 5 km, the surveillance zone was enlarged to 15 or 20 km, or a combined enlargement of the protection and surveillance zones was modelled. Sensitivity analysis included changing surveillance capacity to 200, 350 or 600 herds per day, frequency of repeated visits for herds in overlapping surveillance zones from every 14 days to every 7, 21 and 30 days, and the size of the zones combined with a surveillance capacity increased to 600 herds per day. The results showed that the default surveillance capacity is sufficient to survey herds on time. Extra resources for surveillance did not improve the situation, but fewer resources could result in larger epidemics and costs. Enlarging the protection zone was a better strategy than the basic scenario. Despite that enlarging the surveillance zone might result in shorter epidemic duration, and lower number of affected herds, it resulted frequently in larger economic losses. PMID:25014351

Basic psychological needs and neurophysiological responsiveness to decisional conflict: an event-related potential study of integrative self processes.

PubMed

Di Domenico, Stefano I; Le, Ada; Liu, Yichuan; Ayaz, Hasan; Fournier, Marc A

2016-10-01

Fulfillment of the basic psychological needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy is believed to facilitate people's integrative tendencies to process psychological conflicts and develop a coherent sense of self. The present study therefore used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine the relation between need fulfillment and the amplitude of conflict negativity (CN), a neurophysiological measure of conflict during personal decision making. Participants completed a decision-making task in which they made a series of forced choices according to their personal preferences. Three types of decision-making situations were created on the basis of participants' unique preference ratings, which were obtained prior to ERP recording: low-conflict situations (choosing between an attractive and an unattractive option), high-conflict approach-approach situations (choosing between two similarly attractive options), and high-conflict avoidance-avoidance situations (choosing between two similarly unattractive options). As expected, CN amplitudes were larger in high- relative to low-conflict situations, and source localization analyses suggested that the anterior cingulate cortex was the generating structure of the CN. Most importantly, people reporting higher need fulfillment exhibited larger CN amplitudes in avoidance-avoidance situations relative to low-conflict situations; to a lesser extent, they also exhibited larger CN amplitudes in approach-approach situations relative to low-conflict situations. By contrast, people reporting lower need fulfillment exhibited CN amplitudes that poorly discriminated the three decision situations. These results suggest that need fulfillment may promote self-coherent functioning by increasing people's receptivity to and processing of events that challenge their abilities to make efficient, self-congruent choices.

Granularity of the mirror neuron system: A complex endeavor. Comment on "Grasping synergies: A motor-control approach to the mirror neuron mechanism" by A. D'Ausilio et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swinnen, S. P.; Alaerts, K.

2015-03-01

The review paper by D'Ausilio and coauthors [3] is very timely and addresses one of the long-standing issues with respect to the coding features of mirror neurons. Through the history of mirror neuron research, there has been some controversy with respect to the level of granularity of the mirror neuron system, as studied in animal and human systems. While some researchers have suggested that abstract (high level) features of movement are coded, others have claimed evidence for more muscle specific (low level) coding properties (for an example, see [1,2]). D'Ausilio et al. [3] take a strong position in their review, suggesting a convergence between basic mechanisms of movement control and the mirror neuron system. Their suggestion is inspired by Bernstein's influential work on the so-called degrees of freedom problem. Even though a goal can in principle be reached in an infinite number of ways, consistent and stereotypical patterns of kinematics and muscle activation are often observed [4]. This has led to the notion of movement synergies as the basic building blocks for movement control. Even though it is essentially possible to contract isolated muscles or even motor units, Bernstein suggested that control of complex movement relies on movement synergies or coordinative structures, referring to a group of muscles that behave as a functional unit. This reduces the computational demands of the central nervous system considerably by assigning more responsibility to the lower levels of the movement control system. Bernstein's approach has inspired the dynamical systems perspective that has focused on a better understanding of complex biological systems such as interlimb coordination in humans [8]. For example, the upper limbs behave as a coordinative structure whereby simultaneous activation of the homologous muscle groups constitutes the default or preferred coordination mode that has to be defied when alternative patterns of coordination need to be performed or learned [8,10]. Additional support for such larger building blocks or basic postures in the upper limbs has also been provided by electrical stimulation of motor cortical areas in nonhuman primates [6]. The important inference made by D'Ausilio et al. [3] is that research inspired by the mirror neuron system, such as noninvasive brain stimulation using TMS, should go beyond the registration of motor evoked potentials in single muscles and instead monitor activity in multiple muscles to reveal the operation of these motor synergies. We fully agree that this is an important methodological recommendation for future work because previous TMS research paradigms may have constrained our view on granularity of the mirror neuron system.

The Center for the Study of Social Organization of Schools and the Learning Process. Third Annual Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDill, Edward L.; And Others

A basic overview of Research and Development (R and D) Centers programs, and the various larger institutions of which they are a part, is given. The administrative and program structure of the Johns Hopkins R and D Center follows, with an organizational chart, staff list, and a program and project register included. A descriptive overview of the…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Massachusetts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Massachusetts' test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 4 reading and math and grade 8 math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles California's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Colorado

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Colorado's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on NAEP than…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Maryland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Maryland's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased at grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test than…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Alabama

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Alabama's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on the state…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Florida

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Florida's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on the state…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Pennsylvania's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 8 reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test than on NAEP in…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Arizona

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Arizona's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on the state…

Reciprocal Peer Learning with Task Cards: Analysis of Behaviour and Verbal Interactions in Structured and Unstructured Dyads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iserbyt, Peter

2015-01-01

Background: This study is a part of a larger research project where the effect of instructional guidance in terms of role definition and role switching was investigated on students' learning of Basic Life Support (BLS) during a 20-minute reciprocal learning episode with task cards. BLS is a lifesaving skill consisting of nine sub skills to be…

The 7 Habits of Peaceful Parents: A Facilitator's Manual [and] The Peaceful Parenting Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cress, Joseph; Lonning, Elizabeth; Berlowe, Burt

Based on the view that as parents and families explore the meaning of peace, they can create safe and harmonious homes in which all members can grow to the fullest and begin to combat violent tendencies in the larger culture, peaceful parenting evolved as a way to help parents become familiar with basic skills and to use them within their own…

Compensatory Education and Confined Youth. Volume 2: A National Evaluation of Title I Programs in State Institutions for Neglected or Delinquent Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keesling, J. Ward; And Others

This study (one portion of a larger study) was designed to determine whether Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I programs in State institutions for neglected or delinquent youth are effective in improving students' basic skills and attitudes and to determine which components of educational programs and characteristics of institutions…

Basics of Solar Heating & Hot Water Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Inst. of Architects, Washington, DC.

In presenting the basics of solar heating and hot water systems, this publication is organized from the general to the specific. It begins by presenting functional and operational descriptions of solar heating and domestic hot water systems, outlining the basic concepts and terminology. This is followed by a description of solar energy utilization…

Ultrafast fiber lasers: practical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pastirk, Igor; Sell, Alexander; Herda, Robert; Brodschelm, Andreas; Zach, Armin

2015-05-01

Over past three decades ultrafast lasers have come a long way from the bulky, demanding and very sensitive scientific research projects to widely available commercial products. For the majority of this period the titanium-sapphire-based ultrafast systems were the workhorse for scientific and emerging industrial and biomedical applications. However the complexity and intrinsic bulkiness of solid state lasers have prevented even larger penetration into wider array of practical applications. With emergence of femtosecond fiber lasers, based primarily on Er-doped and Yb-doped fibers that provide compact, inexpensive and dependable fs and ps pulses, new practical applications have become a reality. The overview of current state of the art ultrafast fiber sources, their basic principles and most prominent applications will be presented, including micromachining and biomedical implementations (ophthalmology) on one end of the pulse energy spectrum and 3D lithography and THz applications on the other.

Magnetically driven jets and winds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Berk, H. L.; Contopoulos, J.

1991-01-01

Four equations for the origin and propagation of nonrelativistic jets and winds are derived from the basic conservation laws of ideal MHD. The axial current density is negative in the vicinity of the axis and positive at larger radii; there is no net current because this is energetically favored. The magnetic field is essential for the jet solutions in that the zz-component of the magnetic stress acts, in opposition to gravity, to drive matter through the slow magnetosonic critical point. For a representative self-consistent disk/jet solution relevant to a protostellar system, the reaction of the accreted mass expelled in the jets is 0.1, the ratio of the power carried by the jets to the disk luminosity is 0.66, and the ratio of the boundary layer to disk luminosities is less than about 0.13. The star's rotation rate decreases with time even for rotation rates much less than the breakup rate.

Layout optimization with algebraic multigrid methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regler, Hans; Ruede, Ulrich

1993-01-01

Finding the optimal position for the individual cells (also called functional modules) on the chip surface is an important and difficult step in the design of integrated circuits. This paper deals with the problem of relative placement, that is the minimization of a quadratic functional with a large, sparse, positive definite system matrix. The basic optimization problem must be augmented by constraints to inhibit solutions where cells overlap. Besides classical iterative methods, based on conjugate gradients (CG), we show that algebraic multigrid methods (AMG) provide an interesting alternative. For moderately sized examples with about 10000 cells, AMG is already competitive with CG and is expected to be superior for larger problems. Besides the classical 'multiplicative' AMG algorithm where the levels are visited sequentially, we propose an 'additive' variant of AMG where levels may be treated in parallel and that is suitable as a preconditioner in the CG algorithm.

Learning a generative model of images by factoring appearance and shape.

PubMed

Le Roux, Nicolas; Heess, Nicolas; Shotton, Jamie; Winn, John

2011-03-01

Computer vision has grown tremendously in the past two decades. Despite all efforts, existing attempts at matching parts of the human visual system's extraordinary ability to understand visual scenes lack either scope or power. By combining the advantages of general low-level generative models and powerful layer-based and hierarchical models, this work aims at being a first step toward richer, more flexible models of images. After comparing various types of restricted Boltzmann machines (RBMs) able to model continuous-valued data, we introduce our basic model, the masked RBM, which explicitly models occlusion boundaries in image patches by factoring the appearance of any patch region from its shape. We then propose a generative model of larger images using a field of such RBMs. Finally, we discuss how masked RBMs could be stacked to form a deep model able to generate more complicated structures and suitable for various tasks such as segmentation or object recognition.

Deployable reflector configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meinel, A. B.; Meinel, M. P.; Woolf, N. J.

Both the theoretical reasons for considering a non-circular format for the Large Deployable Reflector, and a potentially realizable concept for such a device, are discussed. The optimum systems for diffraction limited telescopes with incoherent detection have either a single filled aperture, or two such apertures as an interferometer to synthesize a larger aperture. For a single aperture of limited area, a reflector in the form of a slot can be used to give increased angular resolution. It is shown how a 20 x 8 meter telescope can be configured to fit the Space Shuttle bay, and deployed with relatively simple operations. The relationship between the sunshield design and the inclination of the orbit is discussed. The possible use of the LDR as a basic module to permit the construction of supergiant space telescopes and interferometers both for IR/submm studies and for the entire ultraviolet through mm wave spectral region is discussed.

Deployable reflector configurations. [for space telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meinel, A. B.; Meinel, M. P.; Woolf, N. J.

1983-01-01

Both the theoretical reasons for considering a non-circular format for the Large Deployable Reflector, and a potentially realizable concept for such a device, are discussed. The optimum systems for diffraction limited telescopes with incoherent detection have either a single filled aperture, or two such apertures as an interferometer to synthesize a larger aperture. For a single aperture of limited area, a reflector in the form of a slot can be used to give increased angular resolution. It is shown how a 20 x 8 meter telescope can be configured to fit the Space Shuttle bay, and deployed with relatively simple operations. The relationship between the sunshield design and the inclination of the orbit is discussed. The possible use of the LDR as a basic module to permit the construction of supergiant space telescopes and interferometers both for IR/submm studies and for the entire ultraviolet through mm wave spectral region is discussed.

The costs and benefits of library site licenses to academic journals

PubMed Central

Bergstrom, Carl T.; Bergstrom, Theodore C.

2004-01-01

Scientific publishing is rapidly shifting from a paper-based system to one of predominantly electronic distribution, in which universities purchase site licenses for online access to journal contents. Will these changes necessarily benefit the scientific community? By using basic microeconomics and elementary statistical theory, we address this question and find a surprising answer. If a journal is priced to maximize the publisher's profits, scholars on average are likely to be worse off when universities purchase site licenses than they would be if access were by individual subscriptions only. However, site licenses are not always disadvantageous. Journals issued by professional societies and university presses are often priced so as to maximize subscriptions while recovering average costs. When such journals are sustained by institutional site licenses, the net benefits to the scientific community are larger than if these journals are sold only by individual subscriptions. PMID:14715902

The costs and benefits of library site licenses to academic journals.

PubMed

Bergstrom, Carl T; Bergstrom, Theodore C

2004-01-20

Scientific publishing is rapidly shifting from a paper-based system to one of predominantly electronic distribution, in which universities purchase site licenses for online access to journal contents. Will these changes necessarily benefit the scientific community? By using basic microeconomics and elementary statistical theory, we address this question and find a surprising answer. If a journal is priced to maximize the publisher's profits, scholars on average are likely to be worse off when universities purchase site licenses than they would be if access were by individual subscriptions only. However, site licenses are not always disadvantageous. Journals issued by professional societies and university presses are often priced so as to maximize subscriptions while recovering average costs. When such journals are sustained by institutional site licenses, the net benefits to the scientific community are larger than if these journals are sold only by individual subscriptions.

A possible formation scenario for dwarf spheroidal galaxies - III. Adding star formation histories to the fiducial model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcón Jara, A. G.; Fellhauer, M.; Matus Carrillo, D. R.; Assmann, P.; Urrutia Zapata, F.; Hazeldine, J.; Aravena, C. A.

2018-02-01

Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are regarded as the basic building blocks in the formation of larger galaxies and are the most dark matter dominated systems in the Universe, known so far. There are several models that attempt to explain their formation and evolution, but they have problems modelling the formation of isolated dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Here, we will explain a possible formation scenario in which star clusters form inside the dark matter halo of a dwarf spheroidal galaxy. These star clusters suffer from low star formation efficiency and dissolve while orbiting inside the dark matter halo. Thereby, they build the faint luminous components that we observe in dwarf spheroidal galaxies. In this paper, we study this model by adding different star formation histories to the simulations and compare the results with our previous work and observational data to show that we can explain the formation of dwarf spheroidal galaxies.

The Mercury Project: A High Average Power, Gas-Cooled Laser For Inertial Fusion Energy Development

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

Bayramian, A; Armstrong, P; Ault, E

Hundred-joule, kilowatt-class lasers based on diode-pumped solid-state technologies, are being developed worldwide for laser-plasma interactions and as prototypes for fusion energy drivers. The goal of the Mercury Laser Project is to develop key technologies within an architectural framework that demonstrates basic building blocks for scaling to larger multi-kilojoule systems for inertial fusion energy (IFE) applications. Mercury has requirements that include: scalability to IFE beamlines, 10 Hz repetition rate, high efficiency, and 10{sup 9} shot reliability. The Mercury laser has operated continuously for several hours at 55 J and 10 Hz with fourteen 4 x 6 cm{sup 2} ytterbium doped strontiummore » fluoroapatite (Yb:S-FAP) amplifier slabs pumped by eight 100 kW diode arrays. The 1047 nm fundamental wavelength was converted to 523 nm at 160 W average power with 73% conversion efficiency using yttrium calcium oxy-borate (YCOB).« less

Optimality of the basic colour categories for classification

PubMed Central

Griffin, Lewis D

2005-01-01

Categorization of colour has been widely studied as a window into human language and cognition, and quite separately has been used pragmatically in image-database retrieval systems. This suggests the hypothesis that the best category system for pragmatic purposes coincides with human categories (i.e. the basic colours). We have tested this hypothesis by assessing the performance of different category systems in a machine-vision task. The task was the identification of the odd-one-out from triples of images obtained using a web-based image-search service. In each triple, two of the images had been retrieved using the same search term, the other a different term. The terms were simple concrete nouns. The results were as follows: (i) the odd-one-out task can be performed better than chance using colour alone; (ii) basic colour categorization performs better than random systems of categories; (iii) a category system that performs better than the basic colours could not be found; and (iv) it is not just the general layout of the basic colours that is important, but also the detail. We conclude that (i) the results support the plausibility of an explanation for the basic colours as a result of a pressure-to-optimality and (ii) the basic colours are good categories for machine vision image-retrieval systems. PMID:16849219

Theoretical study of the local structures and the EPR parameters for RLNKB glasses with VO2+ and Cu2+ dopants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Chang-Chun; Wu, Shao-Yi; Wu, Li-Na; Zhang, Li-Juan; Peng, Li; Wu, Ming-He; Teng, Bao-Hua

2018-02-01

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters and local structures for impurities VO2+ and Cu2+ in RO-Li2O-Na2O-K2O-B2O3 (RLNKB; R = Zn, Mg, Sr and Ba) glasses are theoretically investigated by using the perturbation formulas of the EPR parameters for tetragonally compressed octahedral 3d1 and tetragonally elongated octahedral 3d9 clusters, respectively. The VO2+ and Cu2+ dopants are found to undergo the tetragonal compression (characterized by the negative relative distortion ratios ρ ≈ -3%, -0.98%, -1% and -0.8% for R = Zn, Mg, Sr and Ba) and elongation (characterized by the positive relative distortion ratios ρ ≈ 29%, 17%, 16% and 28%), respectively, due to the Jahn-Teller effect. Both dopants show similar overall decreasing trends of cubic field parameter Dq and covalency factor N with decreasing electronegativity of alkali earth cation R. The conventional optical basicities Λth and local optical basicities Λloc are calculated for both systems, and the local Λloc are higher for Cu2+ than for VO2+ in the same RLNKB glass, despite the opposite relationship for the conventional Λth. This point is supported by the weaker covalency or stronger ionicity for Cu2+ than VO2+ in the same RLNKB system, characterized by the larger N in the former. The above comparative analysis on the spectral and local structural properties would be helpful to understand structures and spectroscopic properties for the similar oxide glasses with transition-metal dopants of complementary electronic configurations.

Liquid lens based on electrowetting: actual developments on larger aperture and multiple electrodes design for image stabilization or beam steering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berge, Bruno; Broutin, Jérôme; Gaton, Hilario; Malet, Géraldine; Simon, Eric; Thieblemont, Florent

2013-03-01

This paper presents experimental results on several liquid lenses based on Electrowetting which are commercially available. It will be shown that larger aperture lenses are basically of the same optical quality than smaller lenses, sometimes reaching the diffraction limit, then opening new kind of applications areas for variable lenses in laser science. Regarding response time, actual performances of liquids lenses based on Electrowetting are presented and compared to a model simulating the internal fluid reorganization, seen as the main source of delay between electrical actuation and optical evolution of the lens. This simplified analytical model is supporting experimental results in various situations (focus and tilt variations), in static and dynamic regimes.

The Effect of Tick Size on Trading Volume Share in Two Competing Stock Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagumo, Shota; Shimada, Takashi; Yoshioka, Naoki; Ito, Nobuyasu

2017-01-01

The relationship between tick sizes and trading volume shares in competing markets is studied theoretically. By introducing a simple model which is equipped with two markets and non-strategic traders, we analytically calculate the steady states. It is shown that a market with a larger tick size is generally deprived of its share by the competing market. However, if traders' preference for the present market because of its major share is strong enough, the market with a larger tick size has a chance to keep a major share in the steady state. These findings are consistent with the previous results obtained from a more complicated artificial market model and also provide a clear understanding of the basic mechanism of market competition.

Chinese EFL teachers' knowledge of basic language constructs and their self-perceived teaching abilities.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Joshi, R Malatesha; Dixon, L Quentin; Huang, Liyan

2016-04-01

The present study examined the knowledge and skills of basic language constructs among elementary school teachers who were teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in China. Six hundred and thirty in-service teachers completed the adapted Reading Teacher Knowledge Survey. Survey results showed that English teachers' self-perceived ability to teach vocabulary was the highest and self-perceived ability to teach reading to struggling readers was the lowest. Morphological knowledge was positively correlated with teachers' self-perceived teaching abilities, and it contributed unique variance even after controlling for the effects of ultimate educational attainment and years of teaching. Findings suggest that elementary school EFL teachers in China, on average, were able to display implicit skills related to certain basic language constructs, but less able to demonstrate explicit knowledge of other skills, especially sub-lexical units (e.g., phonemic awareness and morphemes). The high self-perceived ability of teaching vocabulary and high scores on syllable counting reflected the focus on larger units in the English reading curriculum.

48 CFR 801.602-71 - Basic review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic review requirements... GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ACQUISITION REGULATION SYSTEM Career Development, Contracting Authority, and Responsibilities 801.602-71 Basic review requirements. Contracting officers must obtain...

Integrating system safety into the basic systems engineering process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griswold, J. W.

1971-01-01

The basic elements of a systems engineering process are given along with a detailed description of what the safety system requires from the systems engineering process. Also discussed is the safety that the system provides to other subfunctions of systems engineering.

Investigation of the influence of humidity on the ultrasonic agglomeration of submicron particles in diesel exhausts.

PubMed

Riera-Franco de Sarabia, E; Elvira-Segura, L; González-Gómez, I; Rodríguez-Maroto, J J; Muñoz-Bueno, R; Dorronsoro-Areal, J L

2003-06-01

Removing very fine particles in the 0.01-1 micro m range generated in diesel combustion is important for air pollution abatement because of the impact such particles have on the environment. By forming larger particles, acoustic agglomeration of submicron particles is presented as a promising process for enhancing the efficiency of the current filtration systems for particle removal. Nevertheless, some authors have pointed out that acoustic agglomeration is much more efficient for larger particles than for smaller particles. This paper studies the effect of humidity on the acoustic agglomeration of diesel exhausts particles in the nanometer size range at 21 kHz. For the agglomeration tests, the experimental facility basically consists of a pilot scale plant with a diesel engine, an ultrasonic agglomeration chamber a dilution system, a nozzle atomizer, and an aerosol sampling and measuring station. The effect of the ultrasonic treatment, generated by a linear array of four high-power stepped-plate transducers on fumes at flow rates of 900 Nm(3)/h, was a small reduction in the number concentration of particles at the outlet of the chamber. However, the presence of humidity raised the agglomeration rate by decreasing the number particle concentration by up to 56%. A numerical study of the agglomeration process as a linear combination of the orthokinetic and hydrodynamic agglomeration coefficients resulting from mutual radiation pressure also found that acoustic agglomeration was enhanced by humidity. Both results confirm the benefit of using high-power ultrasound together with humidity to enhance the agglomeration of particles much smaller than 1 micro m.

The role of personal values and basic traits in perceptions of the consequences of immigration: a three-nation study.

PubMed

Vecchione, Michele; Caprara, Gianvittorio; Schoen, Harald; Castro, Josè Luis Gonzàlez; Schwartz, Shalom H

2012-08-01

Using data from Italy, Spain, and Germany (N= 1,569), this study investigated the role of basic values (universalism and security) and basic traits (openness and agreeableness) in predicting perceptions of the consequences of immigration. In line with Schwartz's (1992) theory, we conceptualized security as having two distinct components, one concerned with safety of the self (personal security) and the other with harmony and stability of larger groups and of society (group security). Structural equation modelling revealed that universalism values underlie perceptions that immigration has positive consequences and group security values underlie perceptions that it has negative consequences. Personal security makes no unique, additional contribution. Multi-group analyses revealed that these associations are invariant across the three countries except for a stronger link between universalism and perceptions of the consequences of immigration in Spain. To examine whether values mediate relations of traits to perceptions of immigration, we used the five-factor model. Findings supported a full mediation model. Individuals' traits of openness and agreeableness explained significant variance in security and universalism values. Basic values, in turn, explained perceptions of the consequences of immigration. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Basic Restriction and Reference Level in Anatomically-based Japanese Models for Low-Frequency Electric and Magnetic Field Exposures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takano, Yukinori; Hirata, Akimasa; Fujiwara, Osamu

Human exposed to electric and/or magnetic fields at low frequencies may cause direct effect such as nerve stimulation and excitation. Therefore, basic restriction is regulated in terms of induced current density in the ICNIRP guidelines and in-situ electric field in the IEEE standard. External electric or magnetic field which does not produce induced quantities exceeding the basic restriction is used as a reference level. The relationship between the basic restriction and reference level for low-frequency electric and magnetic fields has been investigated using European anatomic models, while limited for Japanese model, especially for electric field exposures. In addition, that relationship has not well been discussed. In the present study, we calculated the induced quantities in anatomic Japanese male and female models exposed to electric and magnetic fields at reference level. A quasi static finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method was applied to analyze this problem. As a result, spatially averaged induced current density was found to be more sensitive to averaging algorithms than that of in-situ electric field. For electric and magnetic field exposure at the ICNIRP reference level, the maximum values of the induced current density for different averaging algorithm were smaller than the basic restriction for most cases. For exposures at the reference level in the IEEE standard, the maximum electric fields in the brain were larger than the basic restriction in the brain while smaller for the spinal cord and heart.

Data Analysis

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

Powell, Danny H; Elwood Jr, Robert H

2011-01-01

Analysis of the material protection, control, and accountability (MPC&A) system is necessary to understand the limits and vulnerabilities of the system to internal threats. A self-appraisal helps the facility be prepared to respond to internal threats and reduce the risk of theft or diversion of nuclear material. The material control and accountability (MC&A) system effectiveness tool (MSET) fault tree was developed to depict the failure of the MPC&A system as a result of poor practices and random failures in the MC&A system. It can also be employed as a basis for assessing deliberate threats against a facility. MSET uses faultmore » tree analysis, which is a top-down approach to examining system failure. The analysis starts with identifying a potential undesirable event called a 'top event' and then determining the ways it can occur (e.g., 'Fail To Maintain Nuclear Materials Under The Purview Of The MC&A System'). The analysis proceeds by determining how the top event can be caused by individual or combined lower level faults or failures. These faults, which are the causes of the top event, are 'connected' through logic gates. The MSET model uses AND-gates and OR-gates and propagates the effect of event failure using Boolean algebra. To enable the fault tree analysis calculations, the basic events in the fault tree are populated with probability risk values derived by conversion of questionnaire data to numeric values. The basic events are treated as independent variables. This assumption affects the Boolean algebraic calculations used to calculate results. All the necessary calculations are built into the fault tree codes, but it is often useful to estimate the probabilities manually as a check on code functioning. The probability of failure of a given basic event is the probability that the basic event primary question fails to meet the performance metric for that question. The failure probability is related to how well the facility performs the task identified in that basic event over time (not just one performance or exercise). Fault tree calculations provide a failure probability for the top event in the fault tree. The basic fault tree calculations establish a baseline relative risk value for the system. This probability depicts relative risk, not absolute risk. Subsequent calculations are made to evaluate the change in relative risk that would occur if system performance is improved or degraded. During the development effort of MSET, the fault tree analysis program used was SAPHIRE. SAPHIRE is an acronym for 'Systems Analysis Programs for Hands-on Integrated Reliability Evaluations.' Version 1 of the SAPHIRE code was sponsored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1987 as an innovative way to draw, edit, and analyze graphical fault trees primarily for safe operation of nuclear power reactors. When the fault tree calculations are performed, the fault tree analysis program will produce several reports that can be used to analyze the MPC&A system. SAPHIRE produces reports showing risk importance factors for all basic events in the operational MC&A system. The risk importance information is used to examine the potential impacts when performance of certain basic events increases or decreases. The initial results produced by the SAPHIRE program are considered relative risk values. None of the results can be interpreted as absolute risk values since the basic event probability values represent estimates of risk associated with the performance of MPC&A tasks throughout the material balance area (MBA). The RRR for a basic event represents the decrease in total system risk that would result from improvement of that one event to a perfect performance level. Improvement of the basic event with the greatest RRR value produces a greater decrease in total system risk than improvement of any other basic event. Basic events with the greatest potential for system risk reduction are assigned performance improvement values, and new fault tree calculations show the improvement in total system risk. The operational impact or cost-effectiveness from implementing the performance improvements can then be evaluated. The improvements being evaluated can be system performance improvements, or they can be potential, or actual, upgrades to the system. The RIR for a basic event represents the increase in total system risk that would result from failure of that one event. Failure of the basic event with the greatest RIR value produces a greater increase in total system risk than failure of any other basic event. Basic events with the greatest potential for system risk increase are assigned failure performance values, and new fault tree calculations show the increase in total system risk. This evaluation shows the importance of preventing performance degradation of the basic events. SAPHIRE identifies combinations of basic events where concurrent failure of the events results in failure of the top event.« less

Body Basics Library

MedlinePlus

... Body Basics articles explain just how each body system, part, and process works. Use this medical library to find out about basic human anatomy, how ... Teeth Skin, Hair, and Nails Spleen and Lymphatic System ... Visit the Nemours Web site. Note: All information on TeensHealth® is for ...

Turbojet-engine Starting and Acceleration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mc Cafferty, R. J.; Straight, D. M.

1956-01-01

From considerations of safety and reliability in performance of gas-turbine aircraft, it is clear that engine starting and acceleration are of utmost importance. For this reason extensive efforts have been devoted to the investigation of the factors involved in the starting and acceleration of engines. In chapter III it is shown that certain basic combustion requirements must be met before ignition can occur; consequently, the design and operation of an engine must be tailored to provide these basic requirements in the combustion zone of the engine, particularly in the vicinity of the ignition source. It is pointed out in chapter III that ignition by electrical discharges is aided by high pressure, high temperature, low gas velocity and turbulence, gaseous fuel-air mixture, proper mixture strength, and-an optimum spark. duration. The simultaneous achievement of all these requirements in an actual turbojet-engine combustor is obviously impossible, yet any attempt to satisfy as many requirements as possible will result in lower ignition energies, lower-weight ignition systems, and greater reliability. These factors together with size and cost considerations determine the acceptability of the final ignition system. It is further shown in chapter III that the problem of wall quenching affects engine starting. For example, the dimensions of the volume to be burned must be larger than the quenching distance at the lowest pressure and the most adverse fuel-air ratio encountered. This fact affects the design of cross-fire tubes between adjacent combustion chambers in a tubular-combustor turbojet engine. Only two chambers in these engines contain spark plugs; therefore, the flame must propagate through small connecting tubes between the chambers. The quenching studies indicate that if the cross-fire tubes are too narrow the flame will not propagate from one chamber to another. In order to better understand the role of the basic factors in actual engine operation, many investigations have been conducted in single combustors from gas-turbine engines and in full-scale engines in altitude tanks and in flight. The purpose of the present chapter is to discuss the results of such studies and, where possible, to interpret these results qualitatively in terms of the basic requirements reported in chapter III. The discussion parallels the three phases of turbojet engine starting: (1) Ignition of the fuel-air mixture (2) Propagation of flame throughout the combustion zone (3) Acceleration of the engine to operating speed.

Transport signatures of topology protected quantum criticality in Majorana islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papaj, Michal; Zhu, Zheng; Fu, Liang

Using numerical renormalization group we study a topological superconductor island coupled to three metallic leads in the vicinity of the charge degeneracy point. We show that the system flows to a non-Fermi liquid fixed point at low temperatures with fractional quantized DC conductance of 2 / 3e2 / h . Our proposal is experimentally feasible due to a much larger crossover temperature than in the previously studied cases and the robustness of the setup against the channel coupling anisotropy and charge degeneracy detuning. Including Majorana hybridization drives the system into a Fermi liquid phase at very low temperatures. The two proposed experimental signatures of multi-terminal electron teleportation include nonmonotonic temperature dependence of DC conductance and emergence of a plateau at 2 / 3e2 / h in tunnel coupling dependence of DC conductance. This work is funded by the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering under Award de-sc0010526 (ZZ and LF) and the NSF STC ''Center for Integrated Quantum Materials'' under Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-1231319 (MP).

Advances in space power research and technology at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullin, J. P.; Randolph, L. P.; Hudson, W. R.; Ambrus, J. H.

1981-01-01

Progress and plans in various areas of the NASA Space Power Program are discussed. Solar cell research is narrowed to GaAs, multibandgap, and thin Si cells for arrays in planar and concentrator configurations, with further work to increase cell efficiency, radiation hardness, develop flexible encapsulants, and reduce cost. Electrochemical research is concentrating on increasing energy and power density, cycle and wet stand life, reliability and cost reduction of batteries. Further development of the Ni-H2 battery and O2-H2 fuel cell to multihundred kW with a 5 year life and 30,000 cycles is noted. Basic research is ongoing for alkali metal anodes for high energy density secondary cells. Nuclear thermoelectric propulsion is being developed for outer planets exploration propulsion systems, using Si-Ge generators, and studies with rare earth chalcogenides and sulfides are mentioned. Power Systems Management seeks to harmonize increasing power supply levels with inner and outer spacecraft environments, circuits, demands, and automatic monitoring. Concomitant development of bipolar transistors, an infrared rectenna, spacecraft charging measurement, and larger heat pipe transport capacity are noted.

Dynamic wave field synthesis: enabling the generation of field distributions with a large space-bandwidth product.

PubMed

Kamau, Edwin N; Heine, Julian; Falldorf, Claas; Bergmann, Ralf B

2015-11-02

We present a novel approach for the design and fabrication of multiplexed computer generated volume holograms (CGVH) which allow for a dynamic synthesis of arbitrary wave field distributions. To achieve this goal, we developed a hybrid system that consists of a CGVH as a static element and an electronically addressed spatial light modulator as the dynamic element. We thereby derived a new model for describing the scattering process within the inhomogeneous dielectric material of the hologram. This model is based on the linearization of the scattering process within the Rytov approximation and incorporates physical constraints that account for voxel based laser-lithography using micro-fabrication of the holograms in a nonlinear optical material. In this article we demonstrate that this system basically facilitates a high angular Bragg selectivity on the order of 1°. Additionally, it allows for a qualitatively low cross-talk dynamic synthesis of predefined wave fields with a much larger space-bandwidth product (SBWP ≥ 8.7 × 10(6)) as compared to the current state of the art in computer generated holography.

Prototype AEGIS: A Pixel-Array Readout Circuit for Gamma-Ray Imaging.

PubMed

Barber, H Bradford; Augustine, F L; Furenlid, L; Ingram, C M; Grim, G P

2005-07-31

Semiconductor detector arrays made of CdTe/CdZnTe are expected to be the main components of future high-performance, clinical nuclear medicine imaging systems. Such systems will require small pixel-pitch and much larger numbers of pixels than are available in current semiconductor-detector cameras. We describe the motivation for developing a new readout integrated circuit, AEGIS, for use in hybrid semiconductor detector arrays, that may help spur the development of future cameras. A basic design for AEGIS is presented together with results of an HSPICE ™ simulation of the performance of its unit cell. AEGIS will have a shaper-amplifier unit cell and neighbor pixel readout. Other features include the use of a single input power line with other biases generated on-board, a control register that allows digital control of all thresholds and chip configurations and an output approach that is compatible with list-mode data acquisition. An 8×8 prototype version of AEGIS is currently under development; the full AEGIS will be a 64×64 array with 300 μm pitch.

Improving Self-Assembly by Varying the Temperature Periodically with Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raz, Oren; Jarzynski, Christopher

Self-assembly (SA) is the process by which basic components organize into a larger structure without external guidance. These processes are common in Nature, and also have technological applications, e.g. growing a crystal with a specific structure. So far, artificial SA processes have been designed mostly using diffusive building blocks with high specificity and directionality. The formation of the self-assembled structures is then driven by free-energy minimization into a thermodynamically stable state. In an alternative approach to SA, macroscopic parameters such as temperature, pressure, pH, magnetic field etc., are varied periodically with time. In this case, the SA structures are the stable periodic states of the driven system. Currently there are no design principles for periodically driven SA, other than in the limits of fast or weak driving. We present guiding ideas for self-assembly under periodic driving. As an example, we show a particular case in which self-assembly errors can be dramatically reduced by varying a system's temperature periodically with time. James S. McDonnell Foundation, and the US National Science Foundation: DMR-1506969.

Deterministic alternatives to the full configuration interaction quantum Monte Carlo method for strongly correlated systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tubman, Norm; Whaley, Birgitta

The development of exponential scaling methods has seen great progress in tackling larger systems than previously thought possible. One such technique, full configuration interaction quantum Monte Carlo, allows exact diagonalization through stochastically sampling of determinants. The method derives its utility from the information in the matrix elements of the Hamiltonian, together with a stochastic projected wave function, which are used to explore the important parts of Hilbert space. However, a stochastic representation of the wave function is not required to search Hilbert space efficiently and new deterministic approaches have recently been shown to efficiently find the important parts of determinant space. We shall discuss the technique of Adaptive Sampling Configuration Interaction (ASCI) and the related heat-bath Configuration Interaction approach for ground state and excited state simulations. We will present several applications for strongly correlated Hamiltonians. This work was supported through the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Advanced Scientific Computing Research and Basic Energy Sciences.

Modeling of two-phase porous flow with damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Z.; Bercovici, D.

2009-12-01

Two-phase dynamics has been broadly studied in Earth Science in a convective system. We investigate the basic physics of compaction with damage theory and present preliminary results of both steady state and time-dependent transport when melt migrates through porous medium. In our simple 1-D model, damage would play an important role when we consider the ascent of melt-rich mixture at constant velocity. Melt segregation becomes more difficult so that porosity is larger than that in simple compaction in the steady-state compaction profile. Scaling analysis for compaction equation is performed to predict the behavior of melt segregation with damage. The time-dependent of the compacting system is investigated by looking at solitary wave solutions to the two-phase model. We assume that the additional melt is injected to the fracture material through a single pulse with determined shape and velocity. The existence of damage allows the pulse to keep moving further than that in simple compaction. Therefore more melt could be injected to the two-phase mixture and future application such as carbon dioxide injection is proposed.

Advanced electric propulsion system concept for electric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raynard, A. E.; Forbes, F. E.

1979-01-01

Seventeen propulsion system concepts for electric vehicles were compared to determine the differences in components and battery pack to achieve the basic performance level. Design tradeoffs were made for selected configurations to find the optimum component characteristics required to meet all performance goals. The anticipated performance when using nickel-zinc batteries rather than the standard lead-acid batteries was also evaluated. The two systems selected for the final conceptual design studies included a system with a flywheel energy storage unit and a basic system that did not have a flywheel. The flywheel system meets the range requirement with either lead-acid or nickel-zinc batteries and also the acceleration of zero to 89 km/hr in 15 s. The basic system can also meet the required performance with a fully charged battery, but, when the battery approaches 20 to 30 percent depth of discharge, maximum acceleration capability gradually degrades. The flywheel system has an estimated life-cycle cost of $0.041/km using lead-acid batteries. The basic system has a life-cycle cost of $0.06/km. The basic system, using batteries meeting ISOA goals, would have a life-cycle cost of $0.043/km.

Where Soviet and Neoliberal Discourses Meet: The Transformation of The Purposes of Higher Education in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smolentseva, Anna

2017-01-01

This paper studies transformations in the role of higher education in Russia as represented in official Soviet and post-Soviet policy documents between the 1950s and 2013. The focus is on the categories defining the purposes and tasks of higher education in the larger context of society and economy. There is a basic dichotomy in relation to the…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Nevada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Nevada's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP increased in grade 8 reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test than on NAEP in both subjects. Trends in average (mean) test scores…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. North Dakota

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles North Dakota's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentage of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test…

GREAT (Groundwater Resources & Educational Activities for Teaching). An Iowa Project for Earth/Life/General Science, 7th-9th Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Gail, Ed.

These resource materials are a part of a larger plan for groundwater education, as detailed in the Iowa Groundwater Education Strategy. The six units are arranged in priority order. The first unit covers the basics of groundwater and hydrogeology in Iowa. The other five units cover Iowa's groundwater issues in priority order, as outlined in the…

Approximation methods for stochastic petri nets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jungnitz, Hauke Joerg

1992-01-01

Stochastic Marked Graphs are a concurrent decision free formalism provided with a powerful synchronization mechanism generalizing conventional Fork Join Queueing Networks. In some particular cases the analysis of the throughput can be done analytically. Otherwise the analysis suffers from the classical state explosion problem. Embedded in the divide and conquer paradigm, approximation techniques are introduced for the analysis of stochastic marked graphs and Macroplace/Macrotransition-nets (MPMT-nets), a new subclass introduced herein. MPMT-nets are a subclass of Petri nets that allow limited choice, concurrency and sharing of resources. The modeling power of MPMT is much larger than that of marked graphs, e.g., MPMT-nets can model manufacturing flow lines with unreliable machines and dataflow graphs where choice and synchronization occur. The basic idea leads to the notion of a cut to split the original net system into two subnets. The cuts lead to two aggregated net systems where one of the subnets is reduced to a single transition. A further reduction leads to a basic skeleton. The generalization of the idea leads to multiple cuts, where single cuts can be applied recursively leading to a hierarchical decomposition. Based on the decomposition, a response time approximation technique for the performance analysis is introduced. Also, delay equivalence, which has previously been introduced in the context of marked graphs by Woodside et al., Marie's method and flow equivalent aggregation are applied to the aggregated net systems. The experimental results show that response time approximation converges quickly and shows reasonable accuracy in most cases. The convergence of Marie's method and flow equivalent aggregation are applied to the aggregated net systems. The experimental results show that response time approximation converges quickly and shows reasonable accuracy in most cases. The convergence of Marie's is slower, but the accuracy is generally better. Delay equivalence often fails to converge, while flow equivalent aggregation can lead to potentially bad results if a strong dependence of the mean completion time on the interarrival process exists.

48 CFR 970.2201 - Basic labor policies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic labor policies. 970.2201 Section 970.2201 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AGENCY SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS DOE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATING CONTRACTS Application of Labor Policies 970.2201 Basic labor policies. ...

BASIC Instructional Program: System Documentation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dageforde, Mary L.

This report documents the BASIC Instructional Program (BIP), a "hands-on laboratory" that teaches elementary programming in the BASIC language, as implemented in the MAINSAIL language, a machine-independent revision of SAIL which should facilitate implementation of BIP on other computing systems. Eight instructional modules which make up…

SIGPI. Fault Tree Cut Set System Performance

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

Patenaude, C.J.

1992-01-13

SIGPI computes the probabilistic performance of complex systems by combining cut set or other binary product data with probability information on each basic event. SIGPI is designed to work with either coherent systems, where the system fails when certain combinations of components fail, or noncoherent systems, where at least one cut set occurs only if at least one component of the system is operating properly. The program can handle conditionally independent components, dependent components, or a combination of component types and has been used to evaluate responses to environmental threats and seismic events. The three data types that can bemore » input are cut set data in disjoint normal form, basic component probabilities for independent basic components, and mean and covariance data for statistically dependent basic components.« less

SIGPI. Fault Tree Cut Set System Performance

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

Patenaude, C.J.

1992-01-14

SIGPI computes the probabilistic performance of complex systems by combining cut set or other binary product data with probability information on each basic event. SIGPI is designed to work with either coherent systems, where the system fails when certain combinations of components fail, or noncoherent systems, where at least one cut set occurs only if at least one component of the system is operating properly. The program can handle conditionally independent components, dependent components, or a combination of component types and has been used to evaluate responses to environmental threats and seismic events. The three data types that can bemore » input are cut set data in disjoint normal form, basic component probabilities for independent basic components, and mean and covariance data for statistically dependent basic components.« less

Image-Based Visual Servoing for Robotic Systems: A Nonlinear Lyapunov-Based Control Approach

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

Dixon, Warren

2004-06-01

There is significant motivation to provide robotic systems with improved autonomy as a means to significantly accelerate deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) operations while also reducing the associated costs, removing human operators from hazardous environments, and reducing the required burden and skill of human operators. To achieve improved autonomy, this project focused on the basic science challenges leading to the development of visual servo controllers. The challenge in developing these controllers is that a camera provides 2-dimensional image information about the 3-dimensional Euclidean-space through a perspective (range dependent) projection that can be corrupted by uncertainty in the camera calibration matrix andmore » by disturbances such as nonlinear radial distortion. Disturbances in this relationship (i.e., corruption in the sensor information) propagate erroneous information to the feedback controller of the robot, leading to potentially unpredictable task execution. This research project focused on the development of a visual servo control methodology that targets compensating for disturbances in the camera model (i.e., camera calibration and the recovery of range information) as a means to achieve predictable response by the robotic system operating in unstructured environments. The fundamental idea is to use nonlinear Lyapunov-based techniques along with photogrammetry methods to overcome the complex control issues and alleviate many of the restrictive assumptions that impact current robotic applications. The outcome of this control methodology is a plug-and-play visual servoing control module that can be utilized in conjunction with current technology such as feature recognition and extraction to enable robotic systems with the capabilities of increased accuracy, autonomy, and robustness, with a larger field of view (and hence a larger workspace). The developed methodology has been reported in numerous peer-reviewed publications and the performance and enabling capabilities of the resulting visual servo control modules have been demonstrated on mobile robot and robot manipulator platforms.« less

ADAPTIVE CLEARANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR TURBINE ENGINES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blackwell, Keith M.

2004-01-01

The Controls and Dynamics Technology Branch at NASA Glenn Research Center primarily deals in developing controls, dynamic models, and health management technologies for air and space propulsion systems. During the summer of 2004 I was granted the privilege of working alongside professionals who were developing an active clearance control system for commercial jet engines. Clearance, the gap between the turbine blade tip and the encompassing shroud, increases as a result of wear mechanisms and rubbing of the turbine blades on shroud. Increases in clearance cause larger specific fuel consumption (SFC) and loss of efficient air flow. This occurs because, as clearances increase, the engine must run hotter and bum more fuel to achieve the same thrust. In order to maintain efficiency, reduce fuel bum, and reduce exhaust gas temperature (EGT), the clearance must be accurately controlled to gap sizes no greater than a few hundredths of an inch. To address this problem, NASA Glenn researchers have developed a basic control system with actuators and sensors on each section of the shroud. Instead of having a large uniform metal casing, there would be sections of the shroud with individual sensors attached internally that would move slightly to reform and maintain clearance. The proposed method would ultimately save the airline industry millions of dollars.

Using network science in the language sciences and clinic.

PubMed

Vitevitch, Michael S; Castro, Nichol

2015-02-01

A number of variables—word frequency, word length—have long been known to influence language processing. This study briefly reviews the effects in speech perception and production of two more recently examined variables: phonotactic probability and neighbourhood density. It then describes a new approach to study language, network science, which is an interdisciplinary field drawing from mathematics, computer science, physics and other disciplines. In this approach, nodes represent individual entities in a system (i.e. phonological word-forms in the lexicon), links between nodes represent relationships between nodes (i.e. phonological neighbours) and various measures enable researchers to assess the micro-level (i.e. the individual word), the macro-level (i.e. characteristics about the whole system) and the meso-level (i.e. how an individual fits into smaller sub-groups in the larger system). Although research on individual lexical characteristics such as word-frequency has increased understanding of language processing, these measures only assess the "micro-level". Using network science, researchers can examine words at various levels in the system and how each word relates to the many other words stored in the lexicon. Several new findings using the network science approach are summarized to illustrate how this approach can be used to advance basic research as well as clinical practice.

Using network science in the language sciences and clinic

PubMed Central

Vitevitch, Michael S.; Castro, Nichol

2017-01-01

A number of variables—word frequency, word length—have long been known to influence language processing. We briefly review the effects in speech perception and production of two more recently examined variables: phonotactic probability and neighborhood density. We then describe a new approach to study language, network science, which is an interdisciplinary field drawing from mathematics, computer science, physics, and other disciplines. In this approach, nodes represent individual entities in a system (i.e., phonological word-forms in the lexicon), links between nodes represent relationships between nodes (i.e., phonological neighbors), and various measures enable researchers to assess the micro-level (i.e., the individual word), the macro-level (i.e., characteristics about the whole system), and the meso-level (i.e., how an individual fits into smaller sub-groups in the larger system). Although research on individual lexical characteristics such as word-frequency has increased our understanding of language processing, these measures only assess the “micro-level.” Using network science, researchers can examine words at various levels in the system, and how each word relates to the many other words stored in the lexicon. Several new findings using the network science approach are summarized to illustrate how this approach can be used to advance basic research as well as clinical practice. PMID:25539473

CME Velocity and Acceleration Error Estimates Using the Bootstrap Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michalek, Grzegorz; Gopalswamy, Nat; Yashiro, Seiji

2017-01-01

The bootstrap method is used to determine errors of basic attributes of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) visually identified in images obtained by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission's Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) instruments. The basic parameters of CMEs are stored, among others, in a database known as the SOHO/LASCO CME catalog and are widely employed for many research studies. The basic attributes of CMEs (e.g. velocity and acceleration) are obtained from manually generated height-time plots. The subjective nature of manual measurements introduces random errors that are difficult to quantify. In many studies the impact of such measurement errors is overlooked. In this study we present a new possibility to estimate measurements errors in the basic attributes of CMEs. This approach is a computer-intensive method because it requires repeating the original data analysis procedure several times using replicate datasets. This is also commonly called the bootstrap method in the literature. We show that the bootstrap approach can be used to estimate the errors of the basic attributes of CMEs having moderately large numbers of height-time measurements. The velocity errors are in the vast majority small and depend mostly on the number of height-time points measured for a particular event. In the case of acceleration, the errors are significant, and for more than half of all CMEs, they are larger than the acceleration itself.

Guanidinophosphazenes: design, synthesis, and basicity in THF and in the gas phase.

PubMed

Kolomeitsev, Alexander A; Koppel, Ilmar A; Rodima, Toomas; Barten, Jan; Lork, Enno; Röschenthaler, Gerd-Volker; Kaljurand, Ivari; Kütt, Agnes; Koppel, Ivar; Mäemets, Vahur; Leito, Ivo

2005-12-21

A principle for creating a new generation of nonionic superbases is presented. It is based on attachment of tetraalkylguanidino, 1,3-dimethylimidazolidine-2-imino, or bis(tetraalkylguanidino)carbimino groups to the phosphorus atom of the iminophosphorane group using tetramethylguanidine or easily available 1,3-dimethylimidazolidine-2-imine. Seven new nonionic superbasic phosphazene bases, tetramethylguanidino-substituted at the P atom, have been synthesized. Their base strengths are established in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution by means of spectrophotometric titration and compared with those of eight reference superbases designed specially for this study, P2- and P4-iminophosphoranes. The gas-phase basicities of several guanidino- and N',N',N'',N''-tetramethylguanidino (tmg)-substituted phosphazenes and their cyclic analogues are calculated, and the crystal structures of (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu and (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu x HBF4 are determined. The enormous basicity-increasing effect of this principle is experimentally verified for the tetramethylguanidino groups in the THF medium: the basicity increase when moving from (dma)3P=N-t-Bu (pKalpha = 18.9) to (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu (pKalpha = 29.1) is 10 orders of magnitude. A significantly larger basicity increase (up to 20 powers of 10) is expected (based on the high-level density functional theory calculations) to accompany the similar gas-phase transfer between the (dma)3P=NH and (tmg)3P=NH bases. Far stronger basicities still are expected when, in the latter two compounds, all three dimethylamino (or tetramethylguanidino) fragments are replaced by methylated triguanide fragments, (tmg)2C=N-. The gas-phase basicity (around 300-310 kcal/mol) of the resulting base, [(tmg)2C=N-]3P=NH, having only one phosphorus atom, is predicted to exceed the basicity of (dma)3P=NH by more than 40 powers of 10 and to surpass also the basicity of the widely used commercial [(dma)3P=N]3P=N-t-Bu (t-BuP4) superbase.

NASA Researcher with a Coaxial Plasma Gun

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-06-21

Researcher Charles Michels operates a coaxial plasma gun rig in Cell SW-13 of the Engine Research Building at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. From 1962 to 1967 NASA Lewis investigated coaxial plasma guns powered by conventional capacitor banks. The studies were part of a larger effort to identify electromagnetic accelerators for space propulsion. NASA worked with General Dynamics, General Electric, General Motors, and Republic Aviation on the project. NASA Lewis conducted a research program to determine which factors influenced the coaxial gun’s efficiency and analyze the acceleration process. The system had not previously been used for propulsion applications. The single-shot gun’s fast gas valve and capacitor banks with variable-delay ignition source permitted the evaluation of gun performance under controllable propellant quantity and distribution conditions. The coaxial plasma gun was the most basic type of electromagnetic accelerator. It included a charged capacitor in series with a pair of coaxial electrodes. An electrical breakdown occurred when gas was admitted to the inter-electrode region. The gas instantly became a good conductor and formed a conducting sheet that separated the magnetic field from the open region beyond. The highly-conducting gas was basically expelled by the force of the magnetic pressure. This type of thruster could operate at the high instantaneous power levels without decreasing its average power level.

Microbial electrolysis cell accelerates phosphate remobilisation from iron phosphate contained in sewage sludge.

PubMed

Fischer, Fabian; Zufferey, Géraldine; Sugnaux, Marc; Happe, Manuel

2015-01-01

Phosphate was remobilised from iron phosphate contained in digested sewage sludge using a bio-electric cell. A significant acceleration above former results was caused by strongly basic catholytes. For these experiments a dual chambered microbial electrolysis cell with a small cathode (40 mL) and an 80 times larger anode (2.5 L) was equipped with a platinum sputtered reticulated vitreous carbon cathode. Various applied voltages (0.2-6.0 V) generated moderate to strongly basic catholytes using artificial waste water with pH close to neutral. Phosphate from iron phosphate contained in digested sewage sludge was remobilised most effectively at pH ∼13 with up to 95% yield. Beside minor electrochemical reduction, hydroxyl substitution was the dominating remobilisation mechanism. Particle-fluid kinetics using the "shrinking core" model allowed us to determine the reaction controlling step. Reaction rates changed with temperature (15-40 °C) and an activation energy of Ea = 55 kJ mol(-1) was found. These analyses indicated chemical and physical reaction control, which is of interest for future scale-up work. Phosphate remobilisation rates increased significantly, yields doubled and recovered PO4(3-) concentrations increased four times using a task specific bio-electric system. The result is a sustainable process for decentralized phosphate mining and a green chemical base generator useful also for many other sustainable processing needs.

Effect of chest compressions only during experimental basic life support on alveolar collapse and recruitment.

PubMed

Markstaller, Klaus; Rudolph, Annette; Karmrodt, Jens; Gervais, Hendrik W; Goetz, Rolf; Becher, Anja; David, Matthias; Kempski, Oliver S; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich; Dick, Wolfgang F; Eberle, Balthasar

2008-10-01

The importance of ventilatory support during cardiac arrest and basic life support is controversial. This experimental study used dynamic computed tomography (CT) to assess the effects of chest compressions only during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCO-CPR) on alveolar recruitment and haemodynamic parameters in porcine model of ventricular fibrillation. Twelve anaesthetized pigs (26+/-1 kg) were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: (1) intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) both during basic life support and advanced cardiac life support, or (2) CCO during basic life support and IPPV during advanced cardiac life support. Measurements were acquired at baseline prior to cardiac arrest, during basic life support, during advanced life support, and after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), as follows: dynamic CT series, arterial and central venous pressures, blood gases, and regional organ blood flow. The ventilated and atelectatic lung area was quantified from dynamic CT images. Differences between groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and a p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. IPPV was associated with cyclic alveolar recruitment and de-recruitment. Compared with controls, the CCO-CPR group had a significantly larger mean fractional area of atelectasis (p=0.009), and significantly lower PaO2 (p=0.002) and mean arterial pressure (p=0.023). The increase in mean atelectatic lung area observed during basic life support in the CCO-CPR group remained clinically relevant throughout the subsequent advanced cardiac life support period and following ROSC, and was associated with prolonged impaired haemodynamics. No inter-group differences in myocardial and cerebral blood flow were observed. A lack of ventilation during basic life support is associated with excessive atelectasis, arterial hypoxaemia and compromised CPR haemodynamics. Moreover, these detrimental effects remain evident even after restoration of IPPV.

Multi-scale mechanics from molecules to morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Davidson, Lance; von Dassow, Michelangelo; Zhou, Jian

2009-01-01

Dynamic mechanical processes shape the embryo and organs during development. Little is understood about the basic physics of these processes, what forces are generated, or how tissues resist or guide those forces during morphogenesis. This review offers an outline of some of the basic principles of biomechanics, provides working examples of biomechanical analyses of developing embryos, and reviews the role of structural proteins in establishing and maintaining the mechanical properties of embryonic tissues. Drawing on examples we highlight the importance of investigating mechanics at multiple scales from milliseconds to hours and from individual molecules to whole embryos. Lastly, we pose a series of questions that will need to be addressed if we are to understand the larger integration of molecular and physical mechanical processes during morphogenesis and organogenesis. PMID:19394436

Neurohormones and heart failure.

PubMed

Mendzef, Scott D; Slovinski, Jennifer R

2004-12-01

The management of several neurohormonal pathways is crucial to treating the progression of HF, in addition to improving the quality of life for patients diagnosed with HF. Stimulation of the sympathetic and retin-angiogensin-aldosterone systems begins the initial and primary neurohormonal stimulation associated with the progression of this disease. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that other systems, including the cellular immune, endothelin-NO pathway, kallikrein-kinin system, the arachidonic acid cascade, and the natriuretic peptides need to be considered by clinicians when treating HF. Once treated solely with nitrates, diuretics, and morphine, the management of HF is becoming a more complex and intricate balancing act among several interdependent neurohormonal systems. Understanding the complex nature and proper management of these systems are crucial if patients with HF are to enjoy a better quality of life and experience an improvement in their symptoms. Current recommendations for the treatment and management of HF use several medications, which affect multiple neurohormonal pathways. The Heart Failure Society of America and the American Heart Association both recommend in their recent guidelines for management of HF the use of beta-adrenergic receptor blockers (beta-blockers), loop diuretics, digitalis glycosides(digoxin), ACE-I, aldactone antagonists (spironolactone), and in selected instances, ARBs and the combination of hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate. No discussion of HF is complete without mention of the larger challenges associated with the management of HF. It is a complex syndrome that requires a multidisciplinary approach with expertise in nutrition, exercise, pharmacology, education, and the basic pathophysiology of complex neurohormonal systems. Patients with uncompensated HF are frightened, vulnerable, and require frequent medication adjustments as well as substantial time dedicated to counseling, physical assessment, and innovative educational programs for them and their families. In fact, a majority of hospital readmissions for HF occur because of patients' dietary indiscretions, medication noncompliance, or ignorance about when to call their health providers. The management of HF represents a careful balancing act between powerful neurohormonal pathways and medications but also between the basics of diet, exercise, educating both family and patient, and most importantly, caring.

Basic Operational Robotics Instructional System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todd, Brian Keith; Fischer, James; Falgout, Jane; Schweers, John

2013-01-01

The Basic Operational Robotics Instructional System (BORIS) is a six-degree-of-freedom rotational robotic manipulator system simulation used for training of fundamental robotics concepts, with in-line shoulder, offset elbow, and offset wrist. BORIS is used to provide generic robotics training to aerospace professionals including flight crews, flight controllers, and robotics instructors. It uses forward kinematic and inverse kinematic algorithms to simulate joint and end-effector motion, combined with a multibody dynamics model, moving-object contact model, and X-Windows based graphical user interfaces, coordinated in the Trick Simulation modeling environment. The motivation for development of BORIS was the need for a generic system for basic robotics training. Before BORIS, introductory robotics training was done with either the SRMS (Shuttle Remote Manipulator System) or SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) simulations. The unique construction of each of these systems required some specialized training that distracted students from the ideas and goals of the basic robotics instruction.

Carbon chemistry in dense molecular clouds: Theory and observational constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blake, Geoffrey A.

1990-01-01

For the most part, gas phase models of the chemistry of dense molecular clouds predict the abundances of simple species rather well. However, for larger molecules and even for small systems rich in carbon these models often fail spectacularly. Researchers present a brief review of the basic assumptions and results of large scale modeling of the carbon chemistry in dense molecular clouds. Particular attention is to the influence of the gas phase C/O ratio in molecular clouds, and the likely role grains play in maintaining this ratio as clouds evolve from initially diffuse objects to denser cores with associated stellar and planetary formation. Recent spectral line surveys at centimeter and millimeter wavelengths along with selected observations in the submillimeter have now produced an accurate inventory of the gas phase carbon budget in several different types of molecular clouds, though gaps in our knowledge clearly remain. The constraints these observations place on theoretical models of interstellar chemistry can be used to gain insights into why the models fail, and show also which neglected processes must be included in more complete analyses. Looking toward the future, larger molecules are especially difficult to study both experimentally and theoretically in such dense, cold regions, and some new methods are therefore outlined which may ultimately push the detectability of small carbon chains and rings to much heavier species.

Basic principles of a flexible astronomical data processing system in UNIX environment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verkhodanov, O. V.; Erukhimov, B. L.; Monosov, M. L.; Chernenkov, V. N.; Shergin, V. S.

Methods of construction of a flexible system for astronomical data processing (FADPS) are described. An example of construction of such a FADPS for continuum radiometer data of the RATAN-600 is presented. The Job Control Language of this system is the Job Control Language of OS UNIX. It is shown that using basic commands of the data processing system (DPS) a user, knowing basic principles of Job in OS UNIX, can create his own mini-DPS. Examples of such mini-DPSs are presented.

Are cometary nuclei primordial rubble piles?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weissman, P. R.

1986-01-01

Whipple's icy conglomerate model for the cometary nucleus has had considerable sucess in explaining a variety of cometary phenomena such as gas production rates and nongravitational forces. However, as discussed here, both observational evidence and theoretical considerations suggest that the cometary nucleus may not be a well-consolidated single body, but may instead be a loosely bound agglomeration of smaller fragments, weakly bonded and subject to occasional or even frequent disruptive events. The proposed model is analogous to the 'rubble pile' model suggested for the larger main-belt asteroids, although the larger cometary fragments are expected to be primordial condensations rather than collisionally derived debris as in the asteroid case. The concept of cometary nuclei as primordial rubble piles is proposed as a modification of the basic Whipple model, not as a replacement for it.

Multiscale simulations of the early stages of the growth of graphene on copper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaillard, P.; Chanier, T.; Henrard, L.; Moskovkin, P.; Lucas, S.

2015-07-01

We have performed multiscale simulations of the growth of graphene on defect-free copper (111) in order to model the nucleation and growth of graphene flakes during chemical vapour deposition and potentially guide future experimental work. Basic activation energies for atomic surface diffusion were determined by ab initio calculations. Larger scale growth was obtained within a kinetic Monte Carlo approach (KMC) with parameters based on the ab initio results. The KMC approach counts the first and second neighbours to determine the probability of surface diffusion. We report qualitative results on the size and shape of the graphene islands as a function of deposition flux. The dominance of graphene zigzag edges for low deposition flux, also observed experimentally, is explained by its larger dynamical stability that the present model fully reproduced.

Preliminary basic performance analysis of the Cedar multiprocessor memory system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallivan, K.; Jalby, W.; Turner, S.; Veidenbaum, A.; Wijshoff, H.

1991-01-01

Some preliminary basic results on the performance of the Cedar multiprocessor memory system are presented. Empirical results are presented and used to calibrate a memory system simulator which is then used to discuss the scalability of the system.

[Investigation of the accurate measurement of the basic imaging properties for the digital radiographic system based on flat panel detector].

PubMed

Katayama, R; Sakai, S; Sakaguchi, T; Maeda, T; Takada, K; Hayabuchi, N; Morishita, J

2008-07-20

PURPOSE/AIM OF THE EXHIBIT: The purpose of this exhibit is: 1. To explain "resampling", an image data processing, performed by the digital radiographic system based on flat panel detector (FPD). 2. To show the influence of "resampling" on the basic imaging properties. 3. To present accurate measurement methods of the basic imaging properties of the FPD system. 1. The relationship between the matrix sizes of the output image and the image data acquired on FPD that automatically changes depending on a selected image size (FOV). 2. The explanation of the image data processing of "resampling". 3. The evaluation results of the basic imaging properties of the FPD system using two types of DICOM image to which "resampling" was performed: characteristic curves, presampled MTFs, noise power spectra, detective quantum efficiencies. CONCLUSION/SUMMARY: The major points of the exhibit are as follows: 1. The influence of "resampling" should not be disregarded in the evaluation of the basic imaging properties of the flat panel detector system. 2. It is necessary for the basic imaging properties to be measured by using DICOM image to which no "resampling" is performed.

A molecular rotor based ratiometric sensor for basic amino acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pettiwala, Aafrin M.; Singh, Prabhat K.

2018-01-01

The inevitable importance of basic amino acids, arginine and lysine, in human health and metabolism demands construction of efficient sensor systems for them. However, there are only limited reports on the 'ratiometric' detection of basic amino acids which is further restricted by the use of chemically complex sensor molecules, which impedes their prospect for practical applications. Herein, we report a ratiometric sensor system build on simple mechanism of disassociation of novel emissive Thioflavin-T H-aggregates from heparin surface, when subjected to interaction with basic amino acids. The strong and selective electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interaction of basic amino acids with heparin leads to large alteration in photophysical attributes of heparin bound Thioflavin-T, which forms a highly sensitive sensor platform for detection of basic amino acids in aqueous solution. These selective interactions between basic amino acids and heparin allow our sensor system to discriminate arginine and lysine from other amino acids. This unique mechanism of dissociation of Thioflavin-T aggregates from heparin surface provides ratiometric response on both fluorimetric and colorimetric outputs for detection of arginine and lysine, and thus it holds a significant advantage over other developed sensor systems which are restricted to single wavelength detection. Apart from the sensitivity and selectivity, our system also provides the advantage of simplicity, dual mode of sensing, and more importantly, it employs an inexpensive commercially available probe molecule, which is a significant advantage over other developed sensor systems that uses tedious synthesis protocol for the employed probe in the detection scheme, an impediment for practical applications. Additionally, our sensor system also shows response in complex biological media of serum samples.

Problem Solving and Cognitive Skill Acquisition

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

the history of the field, most research has concerned tasks, that take minutes or hours to perform. Typically, subjects make many observable actions...may be moved at a time and a larger disk may never be placed on top of a smaller one. There are many variations of this basic puzzle. For instance...book, Human Problem Solving, is still required reading for anyone seriously interested in the field. This theory became the foundation for many detailed

Tactics and Technology for 21st Century Military Superiority. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-10-01

will require analysis, simulation, red teaming and field experiments to expose and overcome vulnerabilities and to determine how best to integrate and...be the exploration of the command relationships that best take advantage of these additional degrees of freedom. We will not be able to eliminate...basic questions: • What are the realistic missions and how does the concept fit within larger military strategies and force employment? • What

A new look at the convergence of a famous sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobrescu, Mihaela

2010-12-01

A new proof for the monotonicity of the sequence ? is given as a special case of a large family of monotomic and bounded, hence convergent sequences. The new proof is based on basic calculus results rather than induction, which makes it accessible to a larger audience including business and life sciences students and faculty. The slow rate of convergence of the two sequences is also discussed, and convergence bounds are found.

Confined Li ion migration in the silicon-graphene complex system: An ab initio investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guoqing; Xu, Bo; Shi, Jing; Lei, Xueling; Ouyang, Chuying

2018-04-01

Silicon-Carbon complex systems play an important role in enhancing the performance of Si-based anode materials for Li ion batteries. In this work, the Li migration property of the Silicon-Graphene (Si-Gr) complex systems are investigated by using first-principles calculations. Especially, the effects of graphene coating on the migration of Li ions are discussed in detail. The distance between Si surface and graphene in the Si-Gr system significantly affects the lateral migration of Li ions. With the decrease of the distance from 4.715 to 3.844 Å, the energy barrier of Li ion migration also decreases from 0.115 to 0.067 eV, which are all lower than that of the case without graphene d(0.135 eV). However, smaller distance (3.586 Å) brings the high energy barrier (0.237 eV). Through AIMD calculations, it is found that the graphene coating in the Si-Gr complex system would result in the larger intercalation depths, more uniform distributions, and higher migration coefficients of Li ions. Further calculations of migration coefficients of Li ions at different temperature are used to obtained the activation energy for Li ions migration in the Si-Gr system, which is as low as 0.028 eV. This low activation energy shows that it is easy for Li ions migrating in the Si-Gr system. Our study provided the basically information to understand the migration mechanism of Li ions in Si-C system.

Conceptual design of a manned orbital transfer vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Richard; Duquette, Miles; Fredrick, Rebecca; Schumacher, Daniel; Somers, Schaeffer; Stafira, Stanley; Williams, James; Zelinka, Mark

1988-01-01

With the advent of the manned space station, man now requires a spacecraft based on the space station with the ability to deploy, recover, and repair satellites quickly and economically. Such a craft would prolong and enhance the life and performance of many satellites. A basic design was developed for an orbital tansfer vehicle (OTV). The basic design criteria are discussed. The design of the OTV and systems were researched in the following areas: avionics, crew systems, electrical power systems, environmental control/life support systems, navigation and orbital maneuvers, propulsion systems, reaction control systems (RCS), servicing systems, and structures. The basic concepts in each of the areas are summarized.

AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL MAINTENANCE 2. UNIT III, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS--HYDRAULICS (PART I).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Engineering Inst., Cleveland, OH.

THIS MODULE OF A 25-MODULE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE BASIC HYDRAULIC PRINCIPLES AND PROVIDE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSIONS USED IN DIESEL POWERED VEHICLES. TOPICS ARE WHY USE HYDRAULICS, REVIEWING BASIC PHYSICS LAWS IN RELATION TO HYDRAULICS, UNDERSTANDING THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, AND DEVELOPING A BASIC HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE MODULE…

Chinese-Cantonese Basic Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defense Language Inst., Washington, DC.

This nine-volume basic course in Cantonese Chinese is designed for 47 weeks of intense audiolingual instruction. The first book of the series introduces the pronunciation, with emphasis on the tone system, and the basic aspects of the grammar. Also introduced in this volume is the romanization system used in this series (the U.S. Army Language…

Advanced Life Support Project Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Life support systems are an enabling technology and have become integral to the success of living and working in space. As NASA embarks on human exploration and development of space to open the space frontier by exploring, using and enabling the development of space and to expand the human experience into the far reaches of space, it becomes imperative, for considerations of safety, cost, and crew health, to minimize consumables and increase the autonomy of the life support system. Utilizing advanced life support technologies increases this autonomy by reducing mass, power, and volume necessary for human support, thus permitting larger payload allocations for science and exploration. Two basic classes of life support systems must be developed, those directed toward applications on transportation/habitation vehicles (e.g., Space Shuttle, International Space Station (ISS), next generation launch vehicles, crew-tended stations/observatories, planetary transit spacecraft, etc.) and those directed toward applications on the planetary surfaces (e.g., lunar or Martian landing spacecraft, planetary habitats and facilities, etc.). In general, it can be viewed as those systems compatible with microgravity and those compatible with hypogravity environments. Part B of the Appendix defines the technology development 'Roadmap' to be followed in providing the necessary systems for these missions. The purpose of this Project Plan is to define the Project objectives, Project-level requirements, the management organizations responsible for the Project throughout its life cycle, and Project-level resources, schedules and controls.

Dentistry in the future--on the role and goal of basic research in oral biology.

PubMed

Mäkinen, K K

1993-01-01

Examination of the state of affairs of oral biology cannot be endeavoured without considering the mutual interactions and interdependencies of sciences, and without considering the impact human acts will exert on these developments. Oral biology deals with the biochemical, chemical, molecular biologic, general biologic and physical aspects of all processes that take place in the oral cavity, in the masticatory organ, and in tissues and body fluids that are associated with the above processes. Oral biology also reaps the harvest sown by (other) basic sciences. From the methodological point of view, oral biology is indistinguishable from basic sciences; it is the anatomical object that makes it specific. Oral biology cannot be regarded as "big science" (i.e. compared with the human genome project, space research, AIDS research etc.). This fact may preserve the attractiveness of oral biology. Important science--this concerns oral biology as well--still emerges in smaller settings, although there are omens that large research cartels will swallow larger and larger portions of research appropriations. A key to staying competitive is to use new science sources and--in some cases--to join bigger groups. Once upon a time oral biologists--or scientists in general--assumed that a record of solid accomplishments was sufficient to maintain research support. Today, in several countries, politics and public visibility unfortunately determine the funding privileges. Provided that human operations on earth will render future development of sciences possible, the future of oral biology will depend 1) on concomitant development in the above basic fields, and 2) on innovations in the individual psyches. This combination will unravel the structure of genes involved in the development and metabolism of oral processes, clone important salivary and connective tissue proteins, and control most important oral diseases. To achieve these goals, oral biology must attract young talent and funding must be made available. There is no shortcut, however. Individual efforts and persistent labouring at the laboratory bench will still remain prerequisites. Although successful prevention of certain oral diseases, such as dental caries, may be possible in certain regions of the Earth, the prospects are much gloomier globally.

5 CFR 534.304 - Basic pay for staff positions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Basic pay for staff positions. 534.304... UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Basic Pay for Employees of Temporary Organizations § 534.304 Basic pay for staff positions. (a)(1) Rates of basic pay for staff or other non-executive level positions of temporary...

5 CFR 534.304 - Basic pay for staff positions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Basic pay for staff positions. 534.304... UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Basic Pay for Employees of Temporary Organizations § 534.304 Basic pay for staff positions. (a)(1) Rates of basic pay for staff or other non-executive level positions of temporary...

5 CFR 534.304 - Basic pay for staff positions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Basic pay for staff positions. 534.304... UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Basic Pay for Employees of Temporary Organizations § 534.304 Basic pay for staff positions. (a)(1) Rates of basic pay for staff or other non-executive level positions of temporary...

5 CFR 534.304 - Basic pay for staff positions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Basic pay for staff positions. 534.304... UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Basic Pay for Employees of Temporary Organizations § 534.304 Basic pay for staff positions. (a)(1) Rates of basic pay for staff or other non-executive level positions of temporary...

5 CFR 534.304 - Basic pay for staff positions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Basic pay for staff positions. 534.304... UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Basic Pay for Employees of Temporary Organizations § 534.304 Basic pay for staff positions. (a)(1) Rates of basic pay for staff or other non-executive level positions of temporary...

Ultrasensitive response motifs: basic amplifiers in molecular signalling networks

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qiang; Bhattacharya, Sudin; Andersen, Melvin E.

2013-01-01

Multi-component signal transduction pathways and gene regulatory circuits underpin integrated cellular responses to perturbations. A recurring set of network motifs serve as the basic building blocks of these molecular signalling networks. This review focuses on ultrasensitive response motifs (URMs) that amplify small percentage changes in the input signal into larger percentage changes in the output response. URMs generally possess a sigmoid input–output relationship that is steeper than the Michaelis–Menten type of response and is often approximated by the Hill function. Six types of URMs can be commonly found in intracellular molecular networks and each has a distinct kinetic mechanism for signal amplification. These URMs are: (i) positive cooperative binding, (ii) homo-multimerization, (iii) multistep signalling, (iv) molecular titration, (v) zero-order covalent modification cycle and (vi) positive feedback. Multiple URMs can be combined to generate highly switch-like responses. Serving as basic signal amplifiers, these URMs are essential for molecular circuits to produce complex nonlinear dynamics, including multistability, robust adaptation and oscillation. These dynamic properties are in turn responsible for higher-level cellular behaviours, such as cell fate determination, homeostasis and biological rhythm. PMID:23615029

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of wheat straw: influence of feedwater pH prepared by acetic acid and potassium hydroxide.

PubMed

Reza, M Toufiq; Rottler, Erwin; Herklotz, Laureen; Wirth, Benjamin

2015-04-01

In this study, influence of feedwater pH (2-12) was studied for hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of wheat straw at 200 and 260°C. Acetic acid and KOH were used as acidic and basic medium, respectively. Hydrochars were characterized by elemental and fiber analyses, SEM, surface area, pore volume and size, and ATR-FTIR, while HTC process liquids were analyzed by HPLC and GC. Both hydrochar and HTC process liquid qualities vary with feedwater pH. At acidic pH, cellulose and elemental carbon increase in hydrochar, while hemicellulose and pseudo-lignin decrease. Hydrochars produced at pH 2 feedwater has 2.7 times larger surface area than that produced at pH 12. It also has the largest pore volume (1.1 × 10(-1) ml g(-1)) and pore size (20.2 nm). Organic acids were increasing, while sugars were decreasing in case of basic feedwater, however, phenolic compounds were present only at 260°C and their concentrations were increasing in basic feedwater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Test Operations Procedure (TOP) 02-2-546 Teleoperated Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) Latency Measurements

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-11

discrete system components or measurements of latency in autonomous systems. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Unmanned Ground Vehicles, Basic Video Latency, End-to... discrete system components or measurements of latency in autonomous systems. 1.1 Basic Video Latency. Teleoperation latency, or lag, describes

Accretion of Cometary Nuclei in the Solar Nebula: Boulders, Not Pebbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weissman, Paul R.; A'Hearn, Michael

2015-11-01

Comets are the most primitive bodies in the solar system. They retain a largely unprocessed record of conditions in the primordial solar nebula 4.56 Gyr ago, including the initial accretion of dust and ice particles into macroscopic bodies. Current accretion theory suggests that ice and dust aggregates grew to pebble (cm) sizes before streaming instabilities and gravitational collapse brought these pebble swarms together as km-sized (or larger) bodies. Recent imaging of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by the Rosetta OSIRIS camera team has revealed the existence of “goose bump” terrain on the nucleus surface and lining the interior walls of large, ~200 m diameter and 180 m deep cylindrical pits. These pits are believed to be sinkholes, formed when near-surface materials collapse into voids within the nucleus, revealing the fresh comet interior on the walls of the pits. The goose bump terrain consists of 3-4 m diameter “boulders” randomly stacked one on top of another. We propose that these boulders, likely with an icy-conglomerate composition, are the basic building blocks of cometary nuclei. This is the first observational confirmation of current accretion theories, with the caveat that rather than pebbles, the preferred size range is 3-4 m boulders for objects formed in the giant planets region of the solar system. The presence of icy grains beyond the solar nebula snow-line and the large heliocentric range of the giant planets region likely contribute to the formation of these larger boulders, before they are incorporated into cometary nuclei. This work was supported by NASA through the U.S. Rosetta Project.

Quantum self-organization and nuclear collectivities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otsuka, T.; Tsunoda, Y.; Togashi, T.; Shimizu, N.; Abe, T.

2018-02-01

The quantum self-organization is introduced as one of the major underlying mechanisms of the quantum many-body systems. In the case of atomic nuclei as an example, two types of the motion of nucleons, single-particle states and collective modes, dominate the structure of the nucleus. The outcome of the collective mode is determined basically by the balance between the effect of the mode-driving force (e.g., quadrupole force for the ellipsoidal deformation) and the resistance power against it. The single-particle energies are one of the sources to produce such resistance power: a coherent collective motion is more hindered by larger gaps between relevant single particle states. Thus, the single-particle state and the collective mode are “enemies” each other. However, the nuclear forces are demonstrated to be rich enough so as to enhance relevant collective mode by reducing the resistance power by changing singleparticle energies for each eigenstate through monopole interactions. This will be verified with the concrete example taken from Zr isotopes. Thus, when the quantum self-organization occurs, single-particle energies can be self-organized, being enhanced by (i) two quantum liquids, e.g., protons and neutrons, (ii) two major force components, e.g., quadrupole interaction (to drive collective mode) and monopole interaction (to control resistance). In other words, atomic nuclei are not necessarily like simple rigid vases containing almost free nucleons, in contrast to the naïve Fermi liquid picture. Type II shell evolution is considered to be a simple visible case involving excitations across a (sub)magic gap. The quantum self-organization becomes more important in heavier nuclei where the number of active orbits and the number of active nucleons are larger. The quantum self-organization is a general phenomenon, and is expected to be found in other quantum systems.

Evaluation of multilayer perceptron algorithms for an analysis of network flow data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieniasz, Jedrzej; Rawski, Mariusz; Skowron, Krzysztof; Trzepiński, Mateusz

2016-09-01

The volume of exchanged information through IP networks is larger than ever and still growing. It creates a space for both benign and malicious activities. The second one raises awareness on security network devices, as well as network infrastructure and a system as a whole. One of the basic tools to prevent cyber attacks is Network Instrusion Detection System (NIDS). NIDS could be realized as a signature-based detector or an anomaly-based one. In the last few years the emphasis has been placed on the latter type, because of the possibility of applying smart and intelligent solutions. An ideal NIDS of next generation should be composed of self-learning algorithms that could react on known and unknown malicious network activities respectively. In this paper we evaluated a machine learning approach for detection of anomalies in IP network data represented as NetFlow records. We considered Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) as the classifier and we used two types of learning algorithms - Backpropagation (BP) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). This paper includes a comprehensive survey on determining the most optimal MLP learning algorithm for the classification problem in application to network flow data. The performance, training time and convergence of BP and PSO methods were compared. The results show that PSO algorithm implemented by the authors outperformed other solutions if accuracy of classifications is considered. The major disadvantage of PSO is training time, which could be not acceptable for larger data sets or in real network applications. At the end we compared some key findings with the results from the other papers to show that in all cases results from this study outperformed them.

From Flashes to Edges to Objects: Recovery of Local Edge Fragments Initiates Spatiotemporal Boundary Formation

PubMed Central

Erlikhman, Gennady; Kellman, Philip J.

2016-01-01

Spatiotemporal boundary formation (SBF) is the perception of illusory boundaries, global form, and global motion from spatially and temporally sparse transformations of texture elements (Shipley and Kellman, 1993a, 1994; Erlikhman and Kellman, 2015). It has been theorized that the visual system uses positions and times of element transformations to extract local oriented edge fragments, which then connect by known interpolation processes to produce larger contours and shapes in SBF. To test this theory, we created a novel display consisting of a sawtooth arrangement of elements that disappeared and reappeared sequentially. Although apparent motion along the sawtooth would be expected, with appropriate spacing and timing, the resulting percept was of a larger, moving, illusory bar. This display approximates the minimal conditions for visual perception of an oriented edge fragment from spatiotemporal information and confirms that such events may be initiating conditions in SBF. Using converging objective and subjective methods, experiments showed that edge formation in these displays was subject to a temporal integration constraint of ~80 ms between element disappearances. The experiments provide clear support for models of SBF that begin with extraction of local edge fragments, and they identify minimal conditions required for this process. We conjecture that these results reveal a link between spatiotemporal object perception and basic visual filtering. Motion energy filters have usually been studied with orientation given spatially by luminance contrast. When orientation is not given in static frames, these same motion energy filters serve as spatiotemporal edge filters, yielding local orientation from discrete element transformations over time. As numerous filters of different characteristic orientations and scales may respond to any simple SBF stimulus, we discuss the aperture and ambiguity problems that accompany this conjecture and how they might be resolved by the visual system. PMID:27445886

A molecular rotor based ratiometric sensor for basic amino acids.

PubMed

Pettiwala, Aafrin M; Singh, Prabhat K

2018-01-05

The inevitable importance of basic amino acids, arginine and lysine, in human health and metabolism demands construction of efficient sensor systems for them. However, there are only limited reports on the 'ratiometric' detection of basic amino acids which is further restricted by the use of chemically complex sensor molecules, which impedes their prospect for practical applications. Herein, we report a ratiometric sensor system build on simple mechanism of disassociation of novel emissive Thioflavin-T H-aggregates from heparin surface, when subjected to interaction with basic amino acids. The strong and selective electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interaction of basic amino acids with heparin leads to large alteration in photophysical attributes of heparin bound Thioflavin-T, which forms a highly sensitive sensor platform for detection of basic amino acids in aqueous solution. These selective interactions between basic amino acids and heparin allow our sensor system to discriminate arginine and lysine from other amino acids. This unique mechanism of dissociation of Thioflavin-T aggregates from heparin surface provides ratiometric response on both fluorimetric and colorimetric outputs for detection of arginine and lysine, and thus it holds a significant advantage over other developed sensor systems which are restricted to single wavelength detection. Apart from the sensitivity and selectivity, our system also provides the advantage of simplicity, dual mode of sensing, and more importantly, it employs an inexpensive commercially available probe molecule, which is a significant advantage over other developed sensor systems that uses tedious synthesis protocol for the employed probe in the detection scheme, an impediment for practical applications. Additionally, our sensor system also shows response in complex biological media of serum samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural changes in the hot Algol OGLE-LMC-DPV-097 and its disc related to its long cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcés L, J.; Mennickent, R. E.; Djurašević, G.; Poleski, R.; Soszyński, I.

2018-06-01

Double Periodic Variables (DPVs) are hot Algols showing a long photometric cycle of uncertain origin. We report the discovery of changes in the orbital light curve of OGLE-LMC-DPV-097 which depend on the phase of its long photometric cycle. During the ascending branch of the long cycle the brightness at the first quadrature is larger than during the second quadrature, during the maximum of the long cycle the brightness is basically the same at both quadratures, during the descending branch the brightness at the second quadrature is larger than during the first quadrature, and during the minimum of the long cycle the secondary minimum disappears. We model the light curve at different phases of the long cycle and find that the data are consistent with changes in the properties of the accretion disc and two disc spots. The disc's size and temperature change with the long-cycle period. We find a smaller and hotter disc at minimum, and larger and cooler disc at maximum. The spot temperatures, locations, and angular sizes also show variability during the long cycle.

JSC interactive basic accounting system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spitzer, J. F.

1978-01-01

Design concepts for an interactive basic accounting system (IBAS) are considered in terms of selecting the design option which provides the best response at the lowest cost. Modeling the IBAS workload and applying this workload to a U1108 EXEC 8 based system using both a simulation model and the real system is discussed.

Layers of Oppression and Exclusion in the Context of HIV and AIDS: The Case of Adult and Child Learners in the Richmond District, Province of Kwazulu-Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muthukrishna, Nithi; Ramsuran, Anitha

2007-01-01

This paper emerges out of a larger qualitative study that aimed at mapping barriers to basic education experienced by children and adults in the context of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The study was undertaken in Richmond district and involved a range of centres of learning (formal and informal) including three high schools, five primary schools,…

The photovoltaic properties of an Al In As/InP heterojunctions grown by LPE method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Edward Y.

1989-01-01

Work is presented on heterojunction solar cells which were studied under the NASA/Arizona State University intern program. The heterojunction solar cells were fabricated by the liquid phase epitaxy method. The basic conversion efficiency was measured at 5 percent. It was determined that a thicker epilayer is needed, and that the density of recombination center should be reduced to give a smaller saturation current and hence a larger open-circuit voltage.

The Development of the Command and Control Centre for Trial Kondari

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

the C2 centre inside a blue bubble whose modems have privately assigned IP addresses which are authenticated by Telstra’s radius server. No other sim...cards can communicate on this private network unless authorised by the radius server. The Next IP network is a network bubble within the larger Next...for all machines on the network.  EPLRS Network Manager (ENM) radio – authenticates and manages all the EPLRS radios. The basic plan’s final

An Investigation of Integrated Sizing for US Army Men and Women

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

number) Anthropometry U.S. Army Field Clothing Mee, surem, ent (s) Military Personnel Sizing (Clothing) Body Size Men Clothing Design Sizes...are larger. ’Ibid. ŕ°White, Robert M. and Edmund Churchill, 1.971, The Body Size of Soldiers, U.S. Army Anthropometry - 1966, Technical Report 72-51...1977, Anthropometry of Women in the U.S. Army--1977; Report No. 2 - The Basic Univariate Statistics, Technical Report NATICK/TR-77/024, U.S. Army

The Emergence of Contextual Social Psychology.

PubMed

Pettigrew, Thomas F

2018-07-01

Social psychology experiences recurring so-called "crises." This article maintains that these episodes actually mark advances in the discipline; these "crises" have enhanced relevance and led to greater methodological and statistical sophistication. New statistical tools have allowed social psychologists to begin to achieve a major goal: placing psychological phenomena in their larger social contexts. This growing trend is illustrated with numerous recent studies; they demonstrate how cultures and social norms moderate basic psychological processes. Contextual social psychology is finally emerging.

Correlation-coefficient-based fast template matching through partial elimination.

PubMed

Mahmood, Arif; Khan, Sohaib

2012-04-01

Partial computation elimination techniques are often used for fast template matching. At a particular search location, computations are prematurely terminated as soon as it is found that this location cannot compete with an already known best match location. Due to the nonmonotonic growth pattern of the correlation-based similarity measures, partial computation elimination techniques have been traditionally considered inapplicable to speed up these measures. In this paper, we show that partial elimination techniques may be applied to a correlation coefficient by using a monotonic formulation, and we propose basic-mode and extended-mode partial correlation elimination algorithms for fast template matching. The basic-mode algorithm is more efficient on small template sizes, whereas the extended mode is faster on medium and larger templates. We also propose a strategy to decide which algorithm to use for a given data set. To achieve a high speedup, elimination algorithms require an initial guess of the peak correlation value. We propose two initialization schemes including a coarse-to-fine scheme for larger templates and a two-stage technique for small- and medium-sized templates. Our proposed algorithms are exact, i.e., having exhaustive equivalent accuracy, and are compared with the existing fast techniques using real image data sets on a wide variety of template sizes. While the actual speedups are data dependent, in most cases, our proposed algorithms have been found to be significantly faster than the other algorithms.

Science deserves to be judged by its contents, not by its wrapping: Revisiting Seglen's work on journal impact and research evaluation.

PubMed

Zhang, Lin; Rousseau, Ronald; Sivertsen, Gunnar

2017-01-01

The scientific foundation for the criticism on the use of the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) in evaluations of individual researchers and their publications was laid between 1989 and 1997 in a series of articles by Per O. Seglen. His basic work has since influenced initiatives such as the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), the Leiden Manifesto for research metrics, and The Metric Tide review on the role of metrics in research assessment and management. Seglen studied the publications of only 16 senior biomedical scientists. We investigate whether Seglen's main findings still hold when using the same methods for a much larger group of Norwegian biomedical scientists with more than 18,000 publications. Our results support and add new insights to Seglen's basic work.

Science deserves to be judged by its contents, not by its wrapping: Revisiting Seglen's work on journal impact and research evaluation

PubMed Central

Rousseau, Ronald; Sivertsen, Gunnar

2017-01-01

The scientific foundation for the criticism on the use of the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) in evaluations of individual researchers and their publications was laid between 1989 and 1997 in a series of articles by Per O. Seglen. His basic work has since influenced initiatives such as the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), the Leiden Manifesto for research metrics, and The Metric Tide review on the role of metrics in research assessment and management. Seglen studied the publications of only 16 senior biomedical scientists. We investigate whether Seglen’s main findings still hold when using the same methods for a much larger group of Norwegian biomedical scientists with more than 18,000 publications. Our results support and add new insights to Seglen’s basic work. PMID:28350849

A financial network perspective of financial institutions' systemic risk contributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei-Qiang; Zhuang, Xin-Tian; Yao, Shuang; Uryasev, Stan

2016-08-01

This study considers the effects of the financial institutions' local topology structure in the financial network on their systemic risk contribution using data from the Chinese stock market. We first measure the systemic risk contribution with the Conditional Value-at-Risk (CoVaR) which is estimated by applying dynamic conditional correlation multivariate GARCH model (DCC-MVGARCH). Financial networks are constructed from dynamic conditional correlations (DCC) with graph filtering method of minimum spanning trees (MSTs). Then we investigate dynamics of systemic risk contributions of financial institution. Also we study dynamics of financial institution's local topology structure in the financial network. Finally, we analyze the quantitative relationships between the local topology structure and systemic risk contribution with panel data regression analysis. We find that financial institutions with greater node strength, larger node betweenness centrality, larger node closeness centrality and larger node clustering coefficient tend to be associated with larger systemic risk contributions.

12 CFR 900.1 - Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 8 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities. 900.1 Section 900.1 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD GENERAL DEFINITIONS GENERAL DEFINITIONS APPLYING TO ALL FINANCE BOARD REGULATIONS § 900.1 Basic terms...

12 CFR 900.1 - Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 8 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities. 900.1 Section 900.1 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD GENERAL DEFINITIONS GENERAL DEFINITIONS APPLYING TO ALL FINANCE BOARD REGULATIONS § 900.1 Basic terms...

12 CFR 900.1 - Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 8 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities. 900.1 Section 900.1 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD GENERAL DEFINITIONS GENERAL DEFINITIONS APPLYING TO ALL FINANCE BOARD REGULATIONS § 900.1 Basic terms...

12 CFR 900.1 - Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities. 900.1 Section 900.1 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD GENERAL DEFINITIONS GENERAL DEFINITIONS APPLYING TO ALL FINANCE BOARD REGULATIONS § 900.1 Basic terms...

Pulsed plasma processing for control of diesel engine emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogtlin, G. E.; Freytag, E. K.; Bardsley, J. N.; Wallman, H.

1993-02-01

Electrical discharges can be used as an after treatment for diesel exhaust. We are presently involved in research to determine the feasibility of this process. These discharges have been shown to remove nitric oxide, sulfur dioxide, particulates, and many organic compounds. A key issue is the efficiency of this removal since it effects both capital and operating costs. These discharges must be of short duration, less than one microsecond, to avoid energy losses due to heating of bulk gas molecules. The voltage must be kept below the voltage breakdown limit where ion heating creates an arc discharge. The basic process is the acceleration of electrons which then collide with gas molecules to form radicals such as O and OH. These radicals then react with and eliminate pollutants. Two basic electrode geometries are used to generate these discharges. The barrier discharge is when one or both of the electrodes is insulated and the pulse length is limited by charging of the insulator. This discharge must be driven by alternating current to permit alternating charging of the insulator. The other geometry is when one electrode has a peak voltage stress five or more times the average stress. We have been investigating the high stress geometry which uses a small wire inside a pipe. The principal experimental apparatus utilized by this effort uses a closed loop gas system. This system permits the production of various gas combinations prior to testing. Analysis can be conducted during or after these tests. The recirculated gas can be heated up to 400 F. This system can measure the energy used and the pollutant removal to determine efficiency. Our primary goal is the simultaneous removal of nitric oxide and particulates typical of diesel exhaust.

Vibration Reduction of Helicopter Blade Using Variable Dampers: A Feasibility Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, George C.; Liang, Zach; Gan, Quan; Niu, Tiecheng

2002-01-01

In the report, the investigation of controlling helicopter-blade lead-lag vibration is described. Current practice of adding passive damping may be improved to handle large dynamic range of the blade with several peaks of vibration resonance. To minimize extra-large damping forces that may damage the control system of blade, passive dampers should have relatively small damping coefficients, which in turn limit the effectiveness. By providing variable damping, a much larger damping coefficient to suppress the vibration can be realized. If the damping force reaches the maximum allowed threshold, the damper will be automatically switched into the mode with smaller damping coefficient to maintain near-constant damping force. Furthermore, the proposed control system will also have a fail-safe feature to guarantee the basic performation of a typical passive damper. The proposed control strategy to avoid resonant regions in the frequency domain is to generate variable damping force in combination with the supporting stiffness to manipulate the restoring force and conservative energy of the controlled blade system. Two control algorithms are developed and verified by a prototype variable damper, a digital controller and corresponding algorithms. Primary experiments show good potentials for the proposed variable damper: about 66% and 82% reductions in displacement at 1/3 length and the root of the blade respectively.

The Bio-Logic and machinery of plant morphogenesis.

PubMed

Niklas, Karl J

2003-04-01

Morphogenesis (the development of organic form) requires signal-trafficking and cross-talking across all levels of organization to coordinate the operation of metabolic and genomic networked systems. Many biologists are currently converging on the pictorial conventions of computer scientists to render biological signaling as logic circuits supervising the operation of one or more signal-activated metabolic or gene networks. This approach can redact and simplify complex morphogenetic phenomena and allows for their aggregation into diagrams of larger, more "global" networked systems. This conceptualization is discussed in terms of how logic circuits and signal-activated subsystems work, and it is illustrated for examples of increasingly more complex morphogenetic phenomena, e.g., auxin-mediated cell expansion, entry into the mitotic cell cycle phases, and polar/lateral intercellular auxin transport. For each of these phenomena, a posited circuit/subsystem diagram draws rapid attention to missing components, either in the logic circuit or in the subsystem it supervises. These components must be identified experimentally if each of these basic phenomena is to be fully understood. Importantly, the power of the circuit/subsystem approach to modeling developmental phenomena resides not in its pictorial appeal but in the mathematical tools that are sufficiently strong to reveal and quantify the synergistics of networked systems and thus foster a better understanding of morphogenesis.

48 CFR 16.702 - Basic agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic agreements. 16.702... AND CONTRACT TYPES TYPES OF CONTRACTS Agreements 16.702 Basic agreements. (a) Description. A basic agreement is a written instrument of understanding, negotiated between an agency or contracting activity and...

48 CFR 3416.702 - Basic agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic agreements. 3416.702... CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES TYPES OF CONTRACTS Agreements 3416.702 Basic agreements. (a)-(d) [Reserved] (e) Negotiated overhead rates. Basic agreements may include negotiated overhead rates for cost...

48 CFR 16.702 - Basic agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Basic agreements. 16.702... AND CONTRACT TYPES TYPES OF CONTRACTS Agreements 16.702 Basic agreements. (a) Description. A basic agreement is a written instrument of understanding, negotiated between an agency or contracting activity and...

48 CFR 16.702 - Basic agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Basic agreements. 16.702... AND CONTRACT TYPES TYPES OF CONTRACTS Agreements 16.702 Basic agreements. (a) Description. A basic agreement is a written instrument of understanding, negotiated between an agency or contracting activity and...

Radially polarized, half-cycle, attosecond pulses from laser wakefields through coherent synchrotronlike radiation.

PubMed

Li, F Y; Sheng, Z M; Chen, M; Yu, L L; Meyer-ter-Vehn, J; Mori, W B; Zhang, J

2014-10-01

Attosecond bursts of coherent synchrotronlike radiation are found when driving ultrathin relativistic electron disks in a quasi-one-dimensional regime of wakefield acceleration, in which the laser waist is larger than the wake wavelength. The disks of overcritical density shrink radially due to focusing wakefields, thus providing the transverse currents for the emission of an intense, radially polarized, half-cycle pulse of about 100 attoseconds in duration. The electromagnetic pulse first focuses to a peak intensity (7×10(20)W/cm(2)) 10 times larger than the driving pulse and then emerges as a conical beam. Basic dynamics of the radiative process are derived analytically and in agreement with particle-in-cell simulations. By making use of gas targets instead of solids to form the ultrathin disks, this method allows for high repetition rates required for applications.

The fascinating and complex dynamics of geyser eruptions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hurwitz, Shaul; Manga, Michael

2017-01-01

Geysers episodically erupt liquid and vapor. Despite two centuries of scientific study, basic questions persist—why do geysers exist? What determines eruption intervals, durations, and heights? What initiates eruptions? Through monitoring eruption intervals, analyzing geophysical data, taking measurements within geyser conduits, performing numerical simulations, and constructing laboratory models, some of these questions have been addressed. Geysers are uncommon because they require a combination of abundant water recharge, magmatism, and rhyolite flows to supply heat and silica, and large fractures and cavities overlain by low-permeability materials to trap rising multiphase and multicomponent fluids. Eruptions are driven by the conversion of thermal to kinetic energy during decompression. Larger and deeper cavities permit larger eruptions and promote regularity by isolating water from weather variations. The ejection velocity may be limited by the speed of sound of the liquid + vapor mixture.

Structure and origin of cometary nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donn, B.; Rahe, J.

1981-01-01

There is strong evidence that a comet nucleus consists of a single object whose basic structure is Whipple's icy conglomerate. A number of cometary phenomena indicate that the nucleus is a low density, fragile object with a large degree of radial uniformity in structure and composition. Details of the ice-dust pattern are more uncertain. A working model is proposed which is based on theories of accumulation of larger objects from grains. This nucleus is a distorted spherical aggregate of a hierarchy of ice-dust cometesimals. These cometesimals retain some separate identity which lead to comet fragmentation when larger components break off. The outer layers of new comets were modified by cosmic ray irradiation in the Oort Cloud. The evidence for meteorite-comet association is steill controversial. Current dynamical studies do not seem to require a cometary source of meteorites.

High cumulants of conserved charges and their statistical uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li-Zhu, Chen; Ye-Yin, Zhao; Xue, Pan; Zhi-Ming, Li; Yuan-Fang, Wu

2017-10-01

We study the influence of measured high cumulants of conserved charges on their associated statistical uncertainties in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. With a given number of events, the measured cumulants randomly fluctuate with an approximately normal distribution, while the estimated statistical uncertainties are found to be correlated with corresponding values of the obtained cumulants. Generally, with a given number of events, the larger the cumulants we measure, the larger the statistical uncertainties that are estimated. The error-weighted averaged cumulants are dependent on statistics. Despite this effect, however, it is found that the three sigma rule of thumb is still applicable when the statistics are above one million. Supported by NSFC (11405088, 11521064, 11647093), Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (2014CB845402) and Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) (2016YFE0104800)

Rip current monitoring using GPS buoy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, DongSeob; Kim, InHo; Kang, DongSoo

2014-05-01

The occurrence of rip current in the Haeundae beach, which is one of the most famous beaches in South Korea, has been threatening beach-goers security in summer season annually. Many coastal scientists have been investigating rip currents by using field observations and measurements, laboratory measurements and wave tank experiments, and computer and numerical modeling. Rip current velocity is intermittent and may rapidly increase within minutes due to larger incoming wave groups or nearshore circulation instabilities. It is important to understand that changes in rip current velocity occur in response to changes in incoming wave height and period as well as changes in water level. GPS buoys have been used to acquire sea level change data, atmospheric parameters and other oceanic variables in sea for the purposes of vertical datum determination, tide correction, radar altimeter calibration, ocean environment and marine pollution monitoring. Therefore, we adopted GPS buoy system for an experiment which is to investigate rip current velocity; it is sporadic and may quickly upsurge within minutes due to larger arriving wave groups or nearshore flow uncertainties. In this study, for high accurate positioning of buy equipment, a Satellite Based Argumentation System DGPS data logger was deployed to investigate within floating object, and it can be acquired three-dimensional coordinate or geodetic position of buoy with continuous NMEA-0183 protocol during 24 hours. The wave height measured by in-situ hydrometer in a cross-shore array clearly increased before and after occurrence of rip current, and wave period also was lengthened around an event. These results show that wave height and period correlate reasonably well with long-shore current interaction in the Haeundae beach. Additionally, current meter data and GPS buoy data showed that rip current velocities, about 0.2 m/s, may become dangerously strong under specific conditions. Acknowledgement This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology(2010-0024670)

Dynamical Evolution and Momentum Transfer for Binary Asteroid Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellerose, Julie

Over the past decade, robotic missions have been sent to small bodies, providing a basic understanding of their environment. Some of these small systems are found to be in pairs, orbiting each other, which are thought to represent about 16% of the near-Earth asteroid population. It is fair to assume that a mission will target a binary asteroid system in the near future as they can enable scientific insight into both the geology and dynamics of asteroids. In previous work, the dynamical evolution of binary systems was investigated for an ellipsoidsphere model. From the dynamics of two celestial bodies, equilibrium configurations and their stability were analyzed. For a given value of angular momentum, it was shown that there are in general two relative equilibrium configurations which are opposite in stability. When perturbations are introduced, we found that the equilibrium states are the minimum energy points of nearby periodic families. General dynamics from unstable to stable configurations were investigated for binaries in close proximity. Accounting for the dynamics of binaries, the dynamics of particles in this gravitational field were also studied. The location of the analogue Lagrangian points and energy associated with them were characterized. The L1 region is a key element for transfers between the bodies. It was shown that L1 can be situated between or inside the bodies depending on the free parameters of the system modifying the transfer possibilities since L1 has a hyperbolic manifold associated with it. In the current work, we look at the L1 region for binary system where the bodies are in relative equilibrium, close to each other. We find that L1 transits from outside to inside the ellipsoid when the mass ratio is larger than 0.6. For binary systems in close proximity with L1 being inside the ellipsoidal body, simulations show that particles on the surface tend to move away from the ellipsoid, toward the spherical primary. We can relate this to the Roche limit of binaries which affect the distribution of mass between the bodies. Other parameters such as the spin rate of a larger spherical primary may also influence particle distribution. Hence, we can map and characterize the mass distribution and momentum exchange that may occur within a closely formed binary systems.

Male reproductive system and spermatophores production and storage in Histioteuthis bonnellii (Cephalopoda: Histioteuthidae): A look into deep-sea squids' reproductive strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuccu, Danila; Mereu, Marco; Agus, Blondine; Cau, Angelo; Culurgioni, Jacopo; Sabatini, Andrea; Jereb, Patrizia

2014-09-01

Coleoid cephalopods go through a single breeding period in their life cycle, i.e., they are semelparous, although a great flexibility has been observed in their reproductive strategies, which range from simultaneous terminal spawning over a short period at the end of the animal's life to continuous spawning over a long period of the animal's life. So far, the information available on deep-sea species reproductive strategies is still poor and most of our knowledge about squid reproduction relates to females. In particular, not much is known on what strategy male squids have evolved to store sperm into spermatophores and adapt to semelparity. In this study an investigation of male reproductive strategy of the deep-sea umbrella squid Histioteuthis bonnellii (Férussac, 1835) is presented. The reproductive system was examined in 119 males caught in the Sardinian waters (Central Western Mediterranean) and is described for the first time. Results indicate that this species produces and stores spermatophores over a considerable period of time. The total number of spermatophores found in the reproductive system ranged between 12 and 3097 and the size of spermatophores stored by a single individual varied greatly, up to over 300%. Spermatophore length (SpL) gradually decreased towards the distal end of the reproductive system, so that spermatophores found in the proximal part of Needham's Sac were larger than those found in the terminal organ. Body size and SpL of spermatophores from the proximal part of Needham's Sac were positively correlated. Both indices of the sperm mass and of the ejaculatory apparatus decreased with the increase of SpL, while the cement body index increased, indicating that larger spermatophores contain less sperm and are equipped with larger cement bodies. Up to 64 spermatangia were found, exclusively in the terminal organ. The large size range of mature males (ML: 60.0-198.0 mm; TW: 113.50-2409.00 g) and the variation in spermatophore number and size indicate that in H. bonnellii males the allocation and storage of sperm start early in the individual life and extends in time, while animals continue to grow and produce spermatophores presumably more successful in attaching to female tissues. This pattern enlarges the time window available for reproduction and likely maximizes the percentage of mating success as the animals grow older and chances of mating events become comparatively lower, due to the basic low density of specimens in the deep-sea environment. Both aspects are potentially indicative of adaptation to the deep sea.

47 CFR 76.611 - Cable television basic signal leakage performance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cable television basic signal leakage... television basic signal leakage performance criteria. (a) No cable television system shall commence or... one of the following cable television basic signal leakage performance criteria: (1) prior to carriage...

48 CFR 416.702 - Basic agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Basic agreements. 416.702... CONTRACT TYPES TYPES OF CONTRACTS Agreements 416.702 Basic agreements. Promptly after execution by the Government, the HCA shall furnish to the Senior Procurement Executive a copy of each basic agreement...

48 CFR 416.702 - Basic agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic agreements. 416.702... CONTRACT TYPES TYPES OF CONTRACTS Agreements 416.702 Basic agreements. Promptly after execution by the Government, the HCA shall furnish to the Senior Procurement Executive a copy of each basic agreement...

Counter-extrapolation method for conjugate interfaces in computational heat and mass transfer.

PubMed

Le, Guigao; Oulaid, Othmane; Zhang, Junfeng

2015-03-01

In this paper a conjugate interface method is developed by performing extrapolations along the normal direction. Compared to other existing conjugate models, our method has several technical advantages, including the simple and straightforward algorithm, accurate representation of the interface geometry, applicability to any interface-lattice relative orientation, and availability of the normal gradient. The model is validated by simulating the steady and unsteady convection-diffusion system with a flat interface and the steady diffusion system with a circular interface, and good agreement is observed when comparing the lattice Boltzmann results with respective analytical solutions. A more general system with unsteady convection-diffusion process and a curved interface, i.e., the cooling process of a hot cylinder in a cold flow, is also simulated as an example to illustrate the practical usefulness of our model, and the effects of the cylinder heat capacity and thermal diffusivity on the cooling process are examined. Results show that the cylinder with a larger heat capacity can release more heat energy into the fluid and the cylinder temperature cools down slower, while the enhanced heat conduction inside the cylinder can facilitate the cooling process of the system. Although these findings appear obvious from physical principles, the confirming results demonstrates the application potential of our method in more complex systems. In addition, the basic idea and algorithm of the counter-extrapolation procedure presented here can be readily extended to other lattice Boltzmann models and even other computational technologies for heat and mass transfer systems.

Controllable 3D Display System Based on Frontal Projection Lenticular Screen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Q.; Sang, X.; Yu, X.; Gao, X.; Wang, P.; Li, C.; Zhao, T.

2014-08-01

A novel auto-stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) projection display system based on the frontal projection lenticular screen is demonstrated. It can provide high real 3D experiences and the freedom of interaction. In the demonstrated system, the content can be changed and the dense of viewing points can be freely adjusted according to the viewers' demand. The high dense viewing points can provide smooth motion parallax and larger image depth without blurry. The basic principle of stereoscopic display is described firstly. Then, design architectures including hardware and software are demonstrated. The system consists of a frontal projection lenticular screen, an optimally designed projector-array and a set of multi-channel image processors. The parameters of the frontal projection lenticular screen are based on the demand of viewing such as the viewing distance and the width of view zones. Each projector is arranged on an adjustable platform. The set of multi-channel image processors are made up of six PCs. One of them is used as the main controller, the other five client PCs can process 30 channel signals and transmit them to the projector-array. Then a natural 3D scene will be perceived based on the frontal projection lenticular screen with more than 1.5 m image depth in real time. The control section is presented in detail, including parallax adjustment, system synchronization, distortion correction, etc. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this novel controllable 3D display system.

Development of dispersion-strengthened Ni-Cr-ThOz alloys for the space shuttle thermal protection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, C. P.; Saunders, N. T.

1972-01-01

Manufacturing processes were developed for TD-NiCr providing small sheet (45 x 90 cm), and larger sheet (60 x 150 cm) and foil. The alternate alloy, DS-NiCr, was produced by pack-chromizing Ni-ThO2 sheet. Formability criteria are being established for basic sheet forming processes, which are brake forming, corrugation forming, joggling, dimpling, and beading. Resistance spot welding (fusion and solid state), resistance seam welding, solid state diffusion welding, and brazing are included in the joining programs. Major emphasis is centered on an Al-modified Ni-Cr-ThO2 alloy development. These alloys, containing 3 to 5% Al, form the protective Al2O3 scale. This enhances oxidation resistance under reentry conditions. Both TD-NiCrAl and DS-NiCrAl alloys are included. A tentative composition of Ni-16Cr-3.5Al-2ThO2 was selected based on oxidation resistance and fabricability.

High-resolution imaging gamma-ray spectroscopy with externally segmented germanium detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callas, J. L.; Mahoney, W. A.; Varnell, L. S.; Wheaton, W. A.

1993-01-01

Externally segmented germanium detectors promise a breakthrough in gamma-ray imaging capabilities while retaining the superb energy resolution of germanium spectrometers. An angular resolution of 0.2 deg becomes practical by combining position-sensitive germanium detectors having a segment thickness of a few millimeters with a one-dimensional coded aperture located about a meter from the detectors. Correspondingly higher angular resolutions are possible with larger separations between the detectors and the coded aperture. Two-dimensional images can be obtained by rotating the instrument. Although the basic concept is similar to optical or X-ray coded-aperture imaging techniques, several complicating effects arise because of the penetrating nature of gamma rays. The complications include partial transmission through the coded aperture elements, Compton scattering in the germanium detectors, and high background count rates. Extensive electron-photon Monte Carlo modeling of a realistic detector/coded-aperture/collimator system has been performed. Results show that these complicating effects can be characterized and accounted for with no significant loss in instrument sensitivity.

Imaging a Large Sample with Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy Based on Multiple Fluorescent Microsphere Tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Inkeon; Kim, Daekeun

2018-04-01

A typical selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) image size is basically limited by the field of view, which is a characteristic of the objective lens. If an image larger than the imaging area of the sample is to be obtained, image stitching, which combines step-scanned images into a single panoramic image, is required. However, accurately registering the step-scanned images is very difficult because the SPIM system uses a customized sample mount where uncertainties for the translational and the rotational motions exist. In this paper, an image registration technique based on multiple fluorescent microsphere tracking is proposed in the view of quantifying the constellations and measuring the distances between at least two fluorescent microspheres embedded in the sample. Image stitching results are demonstrated for optically cleared large tissue with various staining methods. Compensation for the effect of the sample rotation that occurs during the translational motion in the sample mount is also discussed.

Assessing the accuracy of different simplified frictional rolling contact algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollebregt, E. A. H.; Iwnicki, S. D.; Xie, G.; Shackleton, P.

2012-01-01

This paper presents an approach for assessing the accuracy of different frictional rolling contact theories. The main characteristic of the approach is that it takes a statistically oriented view. This yields a better insight into the behaviour of the methods in diverse circumstances (varying contact patch ellipticities, mixed longitudinal, lateral and spin creepages) than is obtained when only a small number of (basic) circumstances are used in the comparison. The range of contact parameters that occur for realistic vehicles and tracks are assessed using simulations with the Vampire vehicle system dynamics (VSD) package. This shows that larger values for the spin creepage occur rather frequently. Based on this, our approach is applied to typical cases for which railway VSD packages are used. The results show that particularly the USETAB approach but also FASTSIM give considerably better results than the linear theory, Vermeulen-Johnson, Shen-Hedrick-Elkins and Polach methods, when compared with the 'complete theory' of the CONTACT program.

Bifurcation from stable holes to replicating holes in vibrated dense suspensions.

PubMed

Ebata, H; Sano, M

2013-11-01

In vertically vibrated starch suspensions, we observe bifurcations from stable holes to replicating holes. Above a certain acceleration, finite-amplitude deformations of the vibrated surface continue to grow until void penetrates fluid layers, and a hole forms. We studied experimentally and theoretically the parameter dependence of the holes and their stabilities. In suspensions of small dispersed particles, the circular shapes of the holes are stable. However, we find that larger particles or lower surface tension of water destabilize the circular shapes; this indicates the importance of capillary forces acting on the dispersed particles. Around the critical acceleration for bifurcation, holes show intermittent large deformations as a precursor to hole replication. We applied a phenomenological model for deformable domains, which is used in reaction-diffusion systems. The model can explain the basic dynamics of the holes, such as intermittent behavior, probability distribution functions of deformation, and time intervals of replication. Results from the phenomenological model match the linear growth rate below criticality that was estimated from experimental data.

Development of reaction-sintered SiC mirror for space-borne optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yui, Yukari Y.; Kimura, Toshiyoshi; Tange, Yoshio

2017-11-01

We are developing high-strength reaction-sintered silicon carbide (RS-SiC) mirror as one of the new promising candidates for large-diameter space-borne optics. In order to observe earth surface or atmosphere with high spatial resolution from geostationary orbit, larger diameter primary mirrors of 1-2 m are required. One of the difficult problems to be solved to realize such optical system is to obtain as flat mirror surface as possible that ensures imaging performance in infrared - visible - ultraviolet wavelength region. This means that homogeneous nano-order surface flatness/roughness is required for the mirror. The high-strength RS-SiC developed and manufactured by TOSHIBA is one of the most excellent and feasible candidates for such purpose. Small RS-SiC plane sample mirrors have been manufactured and basic physical parameters and optical performances of them have been measured. We show the current state of the art of the RS-SiC mirror and the feasibility of a large-diameter RS-SiC mirror for space-borne optics.

The impact of plasma dynamics on the self-magnetic-pinch diode impedance

DOE PAGES

Bennett, Nichelle; Crain, M. Dale; Droemer, Darryl W.; ...

2015-03-20

In this study, the self-magnetic-pinch diode is being developed as an intense electron beam source for pulsed-power-driven x-ray radiography. The basic operation of this diode has long been understood in the context of pinched diodes, including the dynamic effect that the diode impedance decreases during the pulse due to electrode plasma formation and expansion. Experiments being conducted at Sandia National Laboratories' RITS-6 accelerator are helping to characterize these plasmas using time-resolved and time-integrated camera systems in the x-ray and visible. These diagnostics are analyzed in conjunction with particle-in-cell simulations of anode plasma formation and evolution. The results confirm the long-standingmore » theory of critical-current operation with the addition of a time-dependent anode-cathode gap length. Finally, the results may suggest that anomalous impedance collapse is driven by increased plasma radial drift, leading to larger-than-average ion v r × B θ acceleration into the gap.« less

Cavitation Generation and Usage Without Ultrasound: Hydrodynamic Cavitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogate, Parag R.; Pandit, Aniruddha B.

Hydrodynamic Cavitation, which was and is still looked upon as an unavoidable nuisance in the flow systems, can be a serious contender as an alternative to acoustic cavitation for harnessing the spectacular effects of cavitation in physical and chemical processing. The present chapter covers the basics of hydrodynamic cavitation including the considerations for the bubble dynamics analysis, reactor designs and recommendations for optimum operating parameters. An overview of applications in different areas of physical, chemical and biological processing on scales ranging from few grams to several hundred kilograms has also been presented. Since hydrodynamic cavitation was initially proposed as an alternative to acoustic cavitation, it is necessary to compare the efficacy of both these modes of cavitations for a variety of applications and hence comparisons have been discussed either on the basis of energy efficiency or based on the scale of operation. Overall it appears that hydrodynamic cavitation results in conditions similar to those generated using acoustic cavitation but at comparatively much larger scale of operation and with better energy efficiencies.

Basic charasteristics of information system of health insurance in FB&H.

PubMed

Dzubur, Amela; Besić, Asim; Omanić, Ajnija; Dzubur, Alen; Niksić, Dragana

2004-10-01

Due to the territorial and administrative division in the war period, information system of health protection after the war was divided in two systems, what matched organisation of health insurance in that period. Those information systems were incompatible, developed on different, both, hardware and software. Therefore, Ministry of Health, within the project "Basic hospital services", financed through the World Bank loan, applied new, common information system in health insurance. Goal of this paper is to present basic features of information system of health insurance in FB&H, as well as the way of its functioning in respect to other institutions included in the system, respective data bases, sites of entering and updating data, while using data available with Federal Bureau of Health Insurance.

Basic Research Needs for Electrical Energy Storage. Report of the Basic Energy Sciences Workshop on Electrical Energy Storage, April 2-4, 2007

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Goodenough, J. B.; Abruna, H. D.; Buchanan, M. V.

2007-04-04

To identify research areas in geosciences, such as behavior of multiphase fluid-solid systems on a variety of scales, chemical migration processes in geologic media, characterization of geologic systems, and modeling and simulation of geologic systems, needed for improved energy systems.

Determination of the Basic Friction Angle of Rock Surfaces by Tilt Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyun-Sic; Zhang, Qing-Zhao; Kang, Seong-Seung; Jang, Bo-An

2018-04-01

Samples of Hwangdeung granite from Korea and Berea sandstone from USA, both containing sliding planes, were prepared by saw-cutting or polishing using either #100 or #600 grinding powders. Their basic friction angles were measured by direct shear testing, triaxial compression testing, and tilt testing. The direct shear tests and triaxial compression tests on the saw-cut, #100, and #600 surfaces indicated that the most reliable results were obtained from the #100 surface: basic friction angle of 29.4° for granite and 34.1° for sandstone. To examine the effect of surface conditions on the friction angle in tilt tests, the sliding angles were measured 50 times with two surface conditions (surfaces cleaned and not cleaned after each measurement). The initial sliding angles were high regardless of rock type and surface conditions and decreased exponentially as measurements continued. The characteristics of the sliding angles, differences between tilt tests, and dispersion between measurements in each test indicated that #100 surface produced the most reliable basic friction angle measurement. Without cleaning the surfaces, the average angles for granite (32 measurements) and sandstone (23 measurements) were similar to the basic friction angle. When 20-50 measurements without cleaning were averaged, the basic friction angle was within ± 2° for granite and ± 3° for sandstone. Sliding angles using five different tilting speeds were measured but the average was similar, indicating that tilting speed (between 0.2° and 1.6°/s) has little effect on the sliding angle. Sliding angles using four different sample sizes were measured with the best results obtained for samples larger than 8 × 8 cm.

Mountain Plains Learning Experience Guide: Heating, Refrigeration, & Air Conditioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, John

This Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning course is comprised of eleven individualized units: (1) Refrigeration Tools, Materials, and Refrigerant; (2) Basic Heating and Air Conditioning; (3) Sealed System Repairs; (4) Basic Refrigeration Systems; (5) Compression Systems and Compressors; (6) Refrigeration Controls; (7) Electric Circuit…

The use of quizStar application for online examination in basic physics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kustijono, R.; Budiningarti, H.

2018-03-01

The purpose of the study is to produce an online Basic Physics exam system using the QuizStar application. This is a research and development with ADDIE model. The steps are: 1) analysis; 2) design; 3) development; 4) implementation; 5) evaluation. System feasibility is reviewed for its validity, practicality, and effectiveness. The subjects of research are 60 Physics Department students of Universitas Negeri Surabaya. The data analysis used is a descriptive statistic. The validity, practicality, and effectiveness scores are measured using a Likert scale. Criteria feasible if the total score of all aspects obtained is ≥ 61%. The results obtained from the online test system by using QuizStar developed are 1) conceptually feasible to use; 2) the system can be implemented in the Basic Physics assessment process, and the existing constraints can be overcome; 3) student's response to system usage is in a good category. The results conclude that QuizStar application is eligible to be used for online Basic Physics exam system.

Momentum harvesting techniques for solar system travel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willoughby, Alan J.

1990-01-01

Astronomers are lately estimating there are 400,000 Earth visiting asteroids larger than 100 meters in diameter. These asteroids are accessible sources of building materials, propellants, oxygen, water, and minerals which also constitute a huge momentum reserve, potentially usable for travel throughout the solar system. To use this momentum, these stealthy objects must be tracked and the extraction of the momentum wanted must be learned. Momentum harvesting by momentum transfer from asteroid to spacecraft, and by using the momentum of the extraterrestrial material to help deliver itself to the destination are discussed. A net and tether concept is the suggested means of asteroid capture, the basic momentum exchange process. The energy damping characteristics of the tether will determine the velocity mismatch that can be tolerated, and hence the amount of momentum that can be harvested per capture. As it plays out of its reel, drag on the tether steadily accelerates the spacecraft. A variety of concepts for riding and using the asteroid after capture are discussed. The hitchhiker uses momentum transfer only. The beachcomber, the caveman, the swinger, the prospector, and the rock wrecker also take advantage of raw asteroidal materials. The chemist and the hijacker go further, they process the asteroid into propellant. Or, an 'asteroid railway system' could evolve with each hijacked asteroid becoming a scheduled train. Travelers could board the space railway system assured that water, oxygen, and propellants await them.

Digital data collection in paleoanthropology.

PubMed

Reed, Denné; Barr, W Andrew; Mcpherron, Shannon P; Bobe, René; Geraads, Denis; Wynn, Jonathan G; Alemseged, Zeresenay

2015-01-01

Understanding patterns of human evolution across space and time requires synthesizing data collected by independent research teams, and this effort is part of a larger trend to develop cyber infrastructure and e-science initiatives. At present, paleoanthropology cannot easily answer basic questions about the total number of fossils and artifacts that have been discovered, or exactly how those items were collected. In this paper, we examine the methodological challenges to data integration, with the hope that mitigating the technical obstacles will further promote data sharing. At a minimum, data integration efforts must document what data exist and how the data were collected (discovery), after which we can begin standardizing data collection practices with the aim of achieving combined analyses (synthesis). This paper outlines a digital data collection system for paleoanthropology. We review the relevant data management principles for a general audience and supplement this with technical details drawn from over 15 years of paleontological and archeological field experience in Africa and Europe. The system outlined here emphasizes free open-source software (FOSS) solutions that work on multiple computer platforms; it builds on recent advances in open-source geospatial software and mobile computing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Continuous flow electrophoresis system experiments on shuttle flights STS-6 and STS-7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Robert S.; Rhodes, Percy H.; Miller, Teresa Y.

1987-01-01

A space continuous flow electrophoresis system (CFES) was developed that would incorporate specific modifications to laboratory instruments to take advantage of weightlessness. The specific objectives were to use a model sample material at a high concentration to evaluate the continuous flow electrophoresis process in the CFES instrument and compare its separation resolution and sample throughput with related devices on Earth and to expand the basic knowledge of the limitations imposed by fluid flows and particle concentration effects on the electrophoresis process by careful design and evaluation of the space experiment. Hemoglobin and polysaccharide were selected as primary samples. The results from space show a large band spread of the high concentration of the single species of hemoglobin that was due to the mismatch of electrical conductivity between the sample and the buffer. On STS-7 the major objective was to evaluate the influence of the electrical properties of the sample constituents on the resolution of the CFES. As expected, the polystyrene latex microspheres dispersed in a solution with 3 times the electrical conductivity of the curtain buffer separated with a larger band spread than in the 2nd experiment.

Multi-step EMG Classification Algorithm for Human-Computer Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Peng; Barreto, Armando; Adjouadi, Malek

A three-electrode human-computer interaction system, based on digital processing of the Electromyogram (EMG) signal, is presented. This system can effectively help disabled individuals paralyzed from the neck down to interact with computers or communicate with people through computers using point-and-click graphic interfaces. The three electrodes are placed on the right frontalis, the left temporalis and the right temporalis muscles in the head, respectively. The signal processing algorithm used translates the EMG signals during five kinds of facial movements (left jaw clenching, right jaw clenching, eyebrows up, eyebrows down, simultaneous left & right jaw clenching) into five corresponding types of cursor movements (left, right, up, down and left-click), to provide basic mouse control. The classification strategy is based on three principles: the EMG energy of one channel is typically larger than the others during one specific muscle contraction; the spectral characteristics of the EMG signals produced by the frontalis and temporalis muscles during different movements are different; the EMG signals from adjacent channels typically have correlated energy profiles. The algorithm is evaluated on 20 pre-recorded EMG signal sets, using Matlab simulations. The results show that this method provides improvements and is more robust than other previous approaches.

Single-cell printer: automated, on demand, and label free.

PubMed

Gross, Andre; Schöndube, Jonas; Niekrawitz, Sonja; Streule, Wolfgang; Riegger, Lutz; Zengerle, Roland; Koltay, Peter

2013-12-01

Within the past years, single-cell analysis has developed into a key topic in cell biology to study cellular functions that are not accessible by investigation of larger cell populations. Engineering approaches aiming to access single cells to extract information about their physiology, phenotype, and genotype at the single-cell level are going manifold ways, meanwhile allowing separation, sorting, culturing, and analysis of individual cells. Based on our earlier research toward inkjet-like printing of single cells, this article presents further characterization results obtained with a fully automated prototype instrument for printing of single living cells in a noncontact inkjet-like manner. The presented technology is based on a transparent microfluidic drop-on-demand dispenser chip coupled with a camera-assisted automatic detection system. Cells inside the chip are detected and classified with this detection system before they are expelled from the nozzle confined in microdroplets, thus enabling a "one cell per droplet" printing mode. To demonstrate the prototype instrument's suitability for biological and biomedical applications, basic experiments such as printing of single-bead and cell arrays as well as deposition and culture of single cells in microwell plates are presented. Printing efficiencies greater than 80% and viability rates about 90% were achieved.

Road to MOND: A novel perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milgrom, Mordehai

2015-08-01

Accepting that galactic mass discrepancies are due to modified dynamics, I show why it is specifically the Modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) paradigm that is pointed to cogently. MOND is thus discussed here as a special case of a larger class of modified dynamics theories whereby galactic systems with large mass discrepancies are described by scale-invariant dynamics. This is a novel presentation that uses more recent, after-the-fact insights and data (largely predicted beforehand by MOND). Starting from a purist set of tenets, I follow the path that leads specifically to the MOND basic tenets. The main signposts are as follows: (i) Space-time scale invariance underlies the dynamics of systems with large mass discrepancies. (ii) In these dynamics, G must be replaced by a single "scale-invariant" gravitational constant, Q0 (in MOND, Q0=A0=G a0, where a0 is MOND's acceleration constant). (iii) Universality of free fall points to the constant q0≡Q0/G as the boundary between the G -controlled, standard dynamics, and the Q0-controlled, scale-invariant dynamics (in MOND, q0=a0). (iv) Data clinch the case for q0 being an acceleration (MOND).

Project MAPP. The Vocabulary Booklet # 1. Implementing the Instructional Program: A Competency-Based Adult Education Learning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.

This booklet is intended to help adults master the basic and life skill vocabulary needed to meet the simple communication demands of daily life. It is designed to assist adult basic education (ABE) teachers in the implementation of a competency-based learning system that emphasizes the integration of basic and life skills learning. The booklet…

The RSZ BASIC programming language manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stattel, R. J.; Niswander, J. K.; Kochhar, A. K.

1980-01-01

The RSZ BASIC interactive language is described. The RSZ BASIC interpreter is resident in the Telemetry Data Processor, a system dedicated to the processing and displaying of PCM telemetry data. A series of working examples teaches the fundamentals of RSZ BASIC and shows how to construct, edit, and manage storage of programs.

A conceptual network model of the air transportation system. the basic level 1 model.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-04-01

A basic conceptual model of the entire Air Transportation System is being developed to serve as an analytical tool for studying the interactions among the system elements. The model is being designed to function in an interactive computer graphics en...

Scanning gate study of organic thin-film field-effect transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, N.; Sudou, K.; Matsusaki, K.; Okamoto, K.; Ochiai, Y.

2008-03-01

Scanning gate microscopy (SGM) has been applied for a study of organic thin-film field effect transistor (OFET). In contrast to one-dimensional nano-material such a carbon nanonube or nano-structure such a quantum point contact, visualization a transport characteristic of OFET channel is basically rather difficult since the channel width is much larger than the size of the SGM tip. Nevertheless, Schottky barriers are successfully visualized at the boundary between the metal electrodes and the OFET channel at ambient atmosphere.

An overview of subatomic particles for non-physicists.

PubMed

Lederman, Leon M

2007-08-01

The particles used in radiation therapy are part of a larger universe of particles discovered by experimental physicists. May of these particles are themselves composed of particles. Understanding the way particles interact, and the forces underlying their interactions, is basic to the quest to understand the universe. High-energy physics studies in the past have identified the particles used in medicine; future studies may identify still others, but if not, may contribute to a better knowledge of the milieu in which medicine and other human endeavors exist.

The photovoltaic properties of an Al In As/InP heterojunctions grown by LPE method. Final technical report

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

Wang, E.Y.

1989-10-01

Work is presented on heterojunction solar cells which were studied under the NASA/Arizona State University intern program. The heterojunction solar cells were fabricated by the liquid phase epitaxy method. The basic conversion efficiency was measured at 5 percent. It was determined that a thicker epilayer is needed, and that the density of recombination center should be reduced to give a smaller saturation current and hence a larger open-circuit voltage.

Planetary rings and astrophysical discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latter, Henrik

2016-05-01

Disks are ubiquitous in astrophysics and participate in some of its most important processes. Of special interest is their role in star, planet and moon formation, the growth of supermassive black holes, and the launching of jets. Although astrophysical disks can be up to ten orders of magnitude larger than planetary rings and differ hugely in composition, all disks share to some extent the same basic dynamics and many physical phenomena. This review explores these areas of overlap. Topics covered include disk formation, accretion, collisions, instabilities, and satellite-disk interactions.

Axial pico turbine - construction and experimental research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peczkis, G.; Goryca, Z.; Korczak, A.

2017-08-01

The paper concerns axial water turbine of power equal to 1 kW. The example of axial water turbine constructional calculations was provided, as well as turbine rotor construction with NACA profile blades. The laboratory test rig designed and built to perform measurements on pico turbine was described. The turbine drove three-phase electrical generator. On the basis of highest efficiency parameters, pico turbine basic characteristics were elaborated. The experimental research results indicated that pico turbine can achieve maximum efficiency close to the values of larger water turbines.

Design and simulation of the micromixer with chaotic advection in twisted microchannels.

PubMed

Jen, Chun-Ping; Wu, Chung-Yi; Lin, Yu-Cheng; Wu, Ching-Yi

2003-05-01

Chaotic mixers with twisted microchannels were designed and simulated numerically in the present study. The phenomenon whereby a simple Eulerian velocity field may generate a chaotic response in the distribution of a Lagrangian marker is termed chaotic advection. Dynamic system theory indicates that chaotic particle motion can occur when a velocity field is either two-dimensional and time-dependent, or three-dimensional. In the present study, micromixers with three-dimensional structures of the twisted microchannel were designed in order to induce chaotic mixing. In addition to the basic T-mixer, three types of micromixers with inclined, oblique and wavelike microchannels were investigated. In the design of each twisted microchannel, the angle of the channels' bottoms alternates in each subsection. When the fluids enter the twisted microchannels, the flow sways around the varying structures within the microchannels. The designs of the twisted microchannels provide a third degree of freedom to the flow field in the microchannel. Therefore, chaotic regimes that lead to chaotic mixing may arise. The numerical results indicate that mixing occurs in the main channel and progressively larger mixing lengths are required as the Peclet number increased. The swaying of the flow in the twisted microchannel causes chaotic advection. Among the four micromixer designs, the micromixer with the inclined channel most improved mixing. Furthermore, using the inclined mixer with six subsections yielded optimum performance, decreasing the mixing length by up to 31% from that of the basic T-mixer.

75 FR 54149 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-03

... current basic case-mix adjusted composite payment system and the methodologies for the reimbursement of... during the transition will be paid under the basic case-mix adjusted composite payment system. Form...

Methane production using resin-wafer electrodeionization

DOEpatents

Snyder, Seth W; Lin, YuPo; Urgun-Demirtas, Meltem

2014-03-25

The present invention provides an efficient method for creating natural gas including the anaerobic digestion of biomass to form biogas, and the electrodeionization of biogas to form natural gas and carbon dioxide using a resin-wafer deionization (RW-EDI) system. The method may be further modified to include a wastewater treatment system and can include a chemical conditioning/dewatering system after the anaerobic digestion system. The RW-EDI system, which includes a cathode and an anode, can either comprise at least one pair of wafers, each a basic and acidic wafer, or at least one wafer comprising of a basic portion and an acidic portion. A final embodiment of the RW-EDI system can include only one basic wafer for creating natural gas.

Trainable Gene Regulation Networks with Applications to Drosophila Pattern Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mjolsness, Eric

2000-01-01

This chapter will very briefly introduce and review some computational experiments in using trainable gene regulation network models to simulate and understand selected episodes in the development of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. For details the reader is referred to the papers introduced below. It will then introduce a new gene regulation network model which can describe promoter-level substructure in gene regulation. As described in chapter 2, gene regulation may be thought of as a combination of cis-acting regulation by the extended promoter of a gene (including all regulatory sequences) by way of the transcription complex, and of trans-acting regulation by the transcription factor products of other genes. If we simplify the cis-action by using a phenomenological model which can be tuned to data, such as a unit or other small portion of an artificial neural network, then the full transacting interaction between multiple genes during development can be modelled as a larger network which can again be tuned or trained to data. The larger network will in general need to have recurrent (feedback) connections since at least some real gene regulation networks do. This is the basic modeling approach taken, which describes how a set of recurrent neural networks can be used as a modeling language for multiple developmental processes including gene regulation within a single cell, cell-cell communication, and cell division. Such network models have been called "gene circuits", "gene regulation networks", or "genetic regulatory networks", sometimes without distinguishing the models from the actual modeled systems.

Human-caused mortality influences spatial population dynamics: pumas in landscapes with varying mortality risks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newby, Jesse R.; Mills, L. Scott; Ruth, Toni K.; Pletscher, Daniel H.; Mitchell, Michael S.; Quigley, Howard B.; Murphy, Kerry M.; DeSimone, Rich

2013-01-01

An understanding of how stressors affect dispersal attributes and the contribution of local populations to multi-population dynamics are of immediate value to basic and applied ecology. Puma (Puma concolor) populations are expected to be influenced by inter-population movements and susceptible to human-induced source–sink dynamics. Using long-term datasets we quantified the contribution of two puma populations to operationally define them as sources or sinks. The puma population in the Northern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (NGYE) was largely insulated from human-induced mortality by Yellowstone National Park. Pumas in the western Montana Garnet Mountain system were exposed to greater human-induced mortality, which changed over the study due to the closure of a 915 km2 area to hunting. The NGYE’s population growth depended on inter-population movements, as did its ability to act as a source to the larger region. The heavily hunted Garnet area was a sink with a declining population until the hunting closure, after which it became a source with positive intrinsic growth and a 16× increase in emigration. We also examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of individual dispersal attributes (emigration, dispersal distance, establishment success) of subadult pumas (N = 126). Human-caused mortality was found to negatively impact all three dispersal components. Our results demonstrate the influence of human-induced mortality on not only within population vital rates, but also inter-population vital rates, affecting the magnitude and mechanisms of local population’s contribution to the larger metapopulation.

12 CFR 900.1 - Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank System and related entities. 900.1 Section 900.1 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD GENERAL DEFINITIONS GENERAL DEFINITIONS APPLYING TO ALL FINANCE BOARD REGULATIONS § 900.1 Basic terms relating to the Finance Board, the Bank Syste...

Basic Facts and Figures about the Educational System in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Inst. for Educational Research, Tokyo (Japan).

Tables, charts, and graphs convey supporting data that accompany text on various aspects of the Japanese educational system presented in this booklet. There are seven chapters: (1) Fundamental principles of education; (2) Organization of the educational system; (3) Basic statistics of education; (4) Curricula, textbooks, and instructional aids;…

The Higher Education System: Academic Organization in Cross-National Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Burton R.

Basic elements of the higher education system are considered, along with variations across nations (the United Kingdom, Sweden, Japan, Italy, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Australia, Canada, the United States, Poland, Yugoslavia, Mexico, and Thailand). Three basic elements of the organization of higher education system are identified:…

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research & Practice. Volume 8, Issue D

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Barbara, Ed.

2007-01-01

Learning disabilities is the theme of the latest issue of "Focus on Basics," the World Education publication that brings together research, policy, and practice in adult basic education. Starting with an update on research on neurobiology and dyslexia, this issue also examines how the adult basic education system supports students with…

Survey of Basic Education in Eastern Africa. UNESCO/UNICEF Co-Operation Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Nairobi (Kenya). Regional Office of Science and Technology for Africa.

A survey of basic education in 13 Eastern African countries (Madagascar, Burundi, Comores, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, and Somalia) covers basic education programs and UNICEF's supporting role. Basic education is seen as a concept evolved in the region, involving formal school systems and…

Evaluation of Microcomputer-Based Operation and Maintenance Management Systems for Army Water/Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

COMPUTER-AIDED OPERATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ................. 29 Functions of an Off-Line Computer-Aided Operation Management System Applications of...System Comparisons 85 DISTRIBUTION 5V J. • 0. FIGURES Number Page 1 Hardware Components 21 2 Basic Functions of a Computer-Aided Operation Management System...Plant Visits 26 4 Computer-Aided Operation Management Systems Reviewed for Analysis of Basic Functions 29 5 Progress of Software System Installation and

Elimination of representative contaminant candidate list viruses, coxsackievirus, echovirus, hepatitis A virus, and norovirus, from water by coagulation processes.

PubMed

Shirasaki, N; Matsushita, T; Matsui, Y; Murai, K; Aochi, A

2017-03-15

We examined the removal of representative contaminant candidate list (CCL) viruses (coxsackievirus [CV] B5, echovirus type [EV] 11, and hepatitis A virus [HAV] IB), recombinant norovirus virus-like particles (rNV-VLPs), and murine norovirus (MNV) type 1 by coagulation. Water samples were subjected to coagulation with polyaluminum chloride (PACl, basicity 1.5) followed by either settling or settling and filtration. Together with our previously published results, the removal ratio order, as evaluated by a plaque-forming-unit method or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after settling, was HAV>EV=rNV-VLPs≥CV=poliovirus type 1=MNV>adenovirus type 40 (range, 0.1-2.7-log 10 ). Infectious HAV was likely inactivated by the PACl and therefore was removed to a greater extent than the other viruses. A nonsulfated high-basicity PACl (basicity 2.1), removed the CCL viruses more efficiently than did two other sulfated PACls (basicity 1.5 or 2.1), alum, or ferric chloride. We also examined the removal ratio of two bacteriophages. The removal ratios for MS2 tended to be larger than those of the CCL viruses, whereas those for φX174 were comparable with or smaller than those of the CCL viruses. Therefore, φX174 may be a useful conservative surrogate for CCL viruses during coagulation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Controllability of complex networks for sustainable system dynamics

EPA Science Inventory

Successful implementation of sustainability ideas in ecosystem management requires a basic understanding of the often non-linear and non-intuitive relationships among different dimensions of sustainability, particularly the system-wide implications of human actions. This basic un...

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

Tai, Lin-Ru; Chou, Chang-Wei; Lee, I-Fang

In this study, we used a multiple copy (EGFP){sub 3} reporter system to establish a numeric nuclear index system to assess the degree of nuclear import. The system was first validated by a FRAP assay, and then was applied to evaluate the essential and multifaceted nature of basic amino acid clusters during the nuclear import of ribosomal protein L7. The results indicate that the sequence context of the basic cluster determines the degree of nuclear import, and that the number of basic residues in the cluster is irrelevant; rather the position of the pertinent basic residues is crucial. Moreover, itmore » also found that the type of carrier protein used by basic cluster has a great impact on the degree of nuclear import. In case of L7, importin β2 or importin β3 are preferentially used by clusters with a high import efficiency, notwithstanding that other importins are also used by clusters with a weaker level of nuclear import. Such a preferential usage of multiple basic clusters and importins to gain nuclear entry would seem to be a common practice among ribosomal proteins in order to ensure their full participation in high rate ribosome synthesis. - Highlights: ► We introduce a numeric index system that represents the degree of nuclear import. ► The rate of nuclear import is dictated by the sequence context of the basic cluster. ► Importin β2 and β3 were mainly responsible for the N4 mediated nuclear import.« less

Case complexity scores in congenital heart surgery: a comparative study of the Aristotle Basic Complexity score and the Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1) system.

PubMed

Al-Radi, Osman O; Harrell, Frank E; Caldarone, Christopher A; McCrindle, Brian W; Jacobs, Jeffrey P; Williams, M Gail; Van Arsdell, Glen S; Williams, William G

2007-04-01

The Aristotle Basic Complexity score and the Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery system were developed by consensus to compare outcomes of congenital cardiac surgery. We compared the predictive value of the 2 systems. Of all index congenital cardiac operations at our institution from 1982 to 2004 (n = 13,675), we were able to assign an Aristotle Basic Complexity score, a Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery score, and both scores to 13,138 (96%), 11,533 (84%), and 11,438 (84%) operations, respectively. Models of in-hospital mortality and length of stay were generated for Aristotle Basic Complexity and Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery using an identical data set in which both Aristotle Basic Complexity and Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery scores were assigned. The likelihood ratio test for nested models and paired concordance statistics were used. After adjustment for year of operation, the odds ratios for Aristotle Basic Complexity score 3 versus 6, 9 versus 6, 12 versus 6, and 15 versus 6 were 0.29, 2.22, 7.62, and 26.54 (P < .0001). Similarly, odds ratios for Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery categories 1 versus 2, 3 versus 2, 4 versus 2, and 5/6 versus 2 were 0.23, 1.98, 5.80, and 20.71 (P < .0001). Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery added significant predictive value over Aristotle Basic Complexity (likelihood ratio chi2 = 162, P < .0001), whereas Aristotle Basic Complexity contributed much less predictive value over Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery (likelihood ratio chi2 = 13.4, P = .009). Neither system fully adjusted for the child's age. The Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery scores were more concordant with length of stay compared with Aristotle Basic Complexity scores (P < .0001). The predictive value of Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery is higher than that of Aristotle Basic Complexity. The use of Aristotle Basic Complexity or Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery as risk stratification and trending tools to monitor outcomes over time and to guide risk-adjusted comparisons may be valuable.

Self-assessment of current knowledge in nuclear medicine (second edition)

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

Selby, J.B.; Frey, G.D.; Cooper, J.F.

1981-01-01

In this updated second edition, the order of contents of the textbook has been reorganized. It has been divided into main parts: Basic Science and Clinical Nuclear Medicine. Basic Science, Part I, encompasses basic physics, radiation protection, interaction of radiation with matter and radiation detection, imaging, nuclear pharmacy, and radiation biology. Part II, Clinical Nuclear Medicine, covers the central nervous system, bone, gastroenterology (liver/spleen), cardiovascular system, pulmonary system, genitourinary system, thyroid and endocrine systems, gallium studies, radioassay, hematology, and therapy. The total number of pages of the current edition is increased to 250 from the 213 of the first editionmore » but there are fewer questions because those in the basic science area have been carefully selected to 60 of the original 98 questions. Compared with the previous edition, there are two advantages in the current one: (1) the addition of explanatory answers; and (2) the inclusion of up-to-date scintiphotos replacing rectilinear scan illustrations.« less

A Diary Study of Basic Psychological Needs and Daily Headache Experience.

PubMed

Greene, Nathaniel R; Smith, C Veronica; Jewell, Devin E; Smitherman, Todd A

2018-04-01

A diary study was conducted to investigate the relationships between headache activity and basic psychological needs satisfaction. One hundred sixteen young adults (M age = 19.17 (SD = 2.90); 81.7% female; 75.9% Caucasian) completed an online daily diary of headache activity and needs satisfaction for 3 weeks. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. On days when headache occurred, participants reported decreased needs satisfaction of competence (γ 10  = -0.18, P = .014) and relatedness (γ 10  = -0.24, P = .003), and a marginal but not significant reduction in autonomy (γ 10  = -0.13, P = .067). Additionally, more severe headaches were associated with decreased needs satisfaction in autonomy (γ 10  = -0.08, P = .009), competence (γ 10  = -0.08, P = .011), and relatedness (γ 10  = -0.09, P = .005). Presence of a headache diagnosis did not moderate the relationship between headache occurrence and basic needs satisfaction (all Ps ≥ .24). This preliminary study is the first to show that headache is related to reduced basic psychological needs satisfaction, providing a potential account for one mechanism by which headache may negatively affect quality of life. Further research is needed to extend these findings to larger samples of migraine sufferers to enable more thorough between-group comparisons of headache-related burden on basic needs satisfaction. These findings may be informative for treatment approaches that focus on outcomes beyond mere symptom reduction. © 2018 American Headache Society.

Determination of the location of positive charges in gas-phase polypeptide polycations by tandem mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kjeldsen, Frank; Savitski, Mikhail M.; Adams, Christopher M.; Zubarev, Roman A.

2006-06-01

Location of protonated sites in electrospray-ionized gas-phase peptides and proteins was performed with tandem mass spectrometry using ion activation by both electron capture dissociation (ECD) and collisional activation dissociation (CAD). Charge-carrying sites were assigned based on the increment in the charge state of fragment ions compared to that of the previous fragment in the same series. The property of ECD to neutralize preferentially the least basic site was confirmed by the analysis of three thousand ECD mass spectra of doubly charged tryptic peptides. Multiply charged cations of bradykinin, neurotensin and melittin were studied in detail. For n+ precursors, ECD revealed the positions of (n - 1) most basic sites, while CAD could in principle locate alln charges. However, ECD introduced minimal proton mobilization and produced more conclusive data than CAD, for which N- and C-terminal data often disagreed. Consistent with the dominance of one charge conformer and its preservation in ECD, the average charge states of complementary fragments of n+ ions almost always added up to (n - 1)+, while the similar figure in CAD often deviated from n+, indicating extensive charge isomerization under collisional excitation. For bradykinin and neurotensin, the charge assignments were largely in agreement with the intrinsic gas-phase basicity of the respective amino acid residues. For melittin ions in higher charge states, ECD revealed the charging at both intrinsically basic as well as at less basic residues, which was attributed to charge sharing with other groups due to the presence of secondary and higher order structures in this larger polypeptide.

Waterworks Operator Training Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Instructional Materials Lab.

Sixteen self-study waterworks operators training modules are provided. Module titles are the following: basic mathematics, basic chemistry, analysis procedures, microbiology, basic electricity, hydraulics, chlorination, plant operation, surface water, ground water, pumps, cross connections, distribution systems, safety, public relations, and…

Anomaly General Circulation Models.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarra, Antonio

The feasibility of the anomaly model is assessed using barotropic and baroclinic models. In the barotropic case, both a stationary and a time-dependent model has been formulated and constructed, whereas only the stationary, linear case is considered in the baroclinic case. Results from the barotropic model indicate that a relation between the stationary solution and the time-averaged non-linear solution exists. The stationary linear baroclinic solution can therefore be considered with some confidence. The linear baroclinic anomaly model poses a formidable mathematical problem because it is necessary to solve a gigantic linear system to obtain the solution. A new method to find solution of large linear system, based on a projection on the Krylov subspace is shown to be successful when applied to the linearized baroclinic anomaly model. The scheme consists of projecting the original linear system on the Krylov subspace, thereby reducing the dimensionality of the matrix to be inverted to obtain the solution. With an appropriate setting of the damping parameters, the iterative Krylov method reaches a solution even using a Krylov subspace ten times smaller than the original space of the problem. This generality allows the treatment of the important problem of linear waves in the atmosphere. A larger class (nonzonally symmetric) of basic states can now be treated for the baroclinic primitive equations. These problem leads to large unsymmetrical linear systems of order 10000 and more which can now be successfully tackled by the Krylov method. The (R7) linear anomaly model is used to investigate extensively the linear response to equatorial and mid-latitude prescribed heating. The results indicate that the solution is deeply affected by the presence of the stationary waves in the basic state. The instability of the asymmetric flows, first pointed out by Simmons et al. (1983), is active also in the baroclinic case. However, the presence of baroclinic processes modifies the dominant response. The most sensitive areas are identified; they correspond to north Japan, the Pole and Greenland regions. A limited set of higher resolution (R15) experiments indicate that this situation is still present and enhanced at higher resolution. The linear anomaly model is also applied to a realistic case. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).

Particle size and interfacial effects on heat transfer characteristics of water and {alpha}-SiC nanofluids.

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

Timofeeva, E.; Smith, D. S.; Yu, W.

2010-01-01

The effect of average particle sizes on basic macroscopic properties and heat transfer performance of {alpha}-SiC/water nanofluids was investigated. The average particle sizes, calculated from the specific surface area of nanoparticles, were varied from 16 to 90 nm. Nanofluids with larger particles of the same material and volume concentration provide higher thermal conductivity and lower viscosity increases than those with smaller particles because of the smaller solid/liquid interfacial area of larger particles. It was also demonstrated that the viscosity of water-based nanofluids can be significantly decreased by pH of the suspension independently from the thermal conductivity. Heat transfer coefficients weremore » measured and compared to the performance of base fluids as well as to nanofluids reported in the literature. Criteria for evaluation of the heat transfer performance of nanofluids are discussed and optimum directions in nanofluid development are suggested.« less

Profitability Analysis of Soybean Oil Processes.

PubMed

Cheng, Ming-Hsun; Rosentrater, Kurt A

2017-10-07

Soybean oil production is the basic process for soybean applications. Cash flow analysis is used to estimate the profitability of a manufacturing venture. Besides capital investments, operating costs, and revenues, the interest rate is the factor to estimate the net present value (NPV), break-even points, and payback time; which are benchmarks for profitability evaluation. The positive NPV and reasonable payback time represent a profitable process, and provide an acceptable projection for real operating. Additionally, the capacity of the process is another critical factor. The extruding-expelling process and hexane extraction are the two typical approaches used in industry. When the capacities of annual oil production are larger than 12 and 173 million kg respectively, these two processes are profitable. The solvent free approach, known as enzyme assisted aqueous extraction process (EAEP), is profitable when the capacity is larger than 17 million kg of annual oil production.

Profitability Analysis of Soybean Oil Processes

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Soybean oil production is the basic process for soybean applications. Cash flow analysis is used to estimate the profitability of a manufacturing venture. Besides capital investments, operating costs, and revenues, the interest rate is the factor to estimate the net present value (NPV), break-even points, and payback time; which are benchmarks for profitability evaluation. The positive NPV and reasonable payback time represent a profitable process, and provide an acceptable projection for real operating. Additionally, the capacity of the process is another critical factor. The extruding-expelling process and hexane extraction are the two typical approaches used in industry. When the capacities of annual oil production are larger than 12 and 173 million kg respectively, these two processes are profitable. The solvent free approach, known as enzyme assisted aqueous extraction process (EAEP), is profitable when the capacity is larger than 17 million kg of annual oil production. PMID:28991168

Preisach modeling of piezoceramic and shape memory alloy hysteresis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Declan; Wen, John T.

1997-06-01

Smart materials such as piezoceramics, magnetostrictive materials, and shape memory alloys exhibit hysteresis, and the larger the input signal the larger the effect. Hysteresis can lead to unwanted harmonics, inaccuracy in open loop control, and instability in closed loop control. The Preisach independent domain hysteresis model has been shown to capture the major features of hysteresis arising in ferromagnetic materials. Noting the similarity between the microscopic domain kinematics that generate static hysteresis effects in ferromagnetics, piezoceramics, and shape memory alloys (SMAs), we apply the Preisach model for the hysteresis in piezoceramic and shape memory alloy materials. This paper reviews the basic properties of the Preisach model, discusses control-theoretic issues such as identification, simulation, and inversion, and presents experimental results for piezoceramic sheet actuators bonded to a flexible aluminum beam, and a Nitinol SMA wire muscle that applies a bending force to the end of a beam.

Back to basics: The effects of block vs. interleaved trial administration on pro- and anti-saccade performance

PubMed Central

Zeligman, Liran; Zivotofsky, Ari Z.

2017-01-01

The pro and anti-saccade task (PAT) is a widely used tool in the study of overt and covert attention with promising potential role in neurocognitive and psychiatric assessment. However, specific PAT protocols can vary significantly between labs, potentially resulting in large variations in findings across studies. In light of recent calls towards a standardization of PAT the current study's objective was to systematically and purposely evaluate the effects of block vs. interleaved administration—a fundamental consideration—on PAT measures in a within subject design. Additionally, this study evaluated whether measures of a Posner-type cueing paradigm parallels measures of the PAT paradigm. As hypothesized, results indicate that PAT performance is highly susceptible to administration mode. Interleaved mode resulted in larger error rates not only for anti (blocks: M = 22%; interleaved: M = 42%) but also for pro-saccades (blocks: M = 5%; interleaved: M = 12%). This difference between block and interleaved administration was significantly larger in anti-saccades compared to pro-saccades and cannot be attributed to a 'speed/accuracy tradeoff'. Interleaved mode produced larger pro and anti-saccade differences in error rates while block administration produced larger latency differences. Results question the reflexive nature of pro-saccades, suggesting they are not purely reflexive. These results were further discussed and compared to previous studies that included within subject data of blocks and interleaved trials. PMID:28222173

Continuous-Flow System Produces Medical-Grade Water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akse, James R.; Dahl, Roger W.; Wheeler, Richard R.

2009-01-01

A continuous-flow system utilizes microwave heating to sterilize water and to thermally inactivate endotoxins produced in the sterilization process. The system is designed for use in converting potable water to medical-grade water. Systems like this one could be used for efficient, small-scale production of medical- grade water in laboratories, clinics, and hospitals. This system could be adapted to use in selective sterilization of connections in ultra-pure-water-producing equipment and other equipment into which intrusion by microorganisms cannot be tolerated. Lightweight, port - able systems based on the design of this system could be rapidly deployed to remote locations (e.g., military field hospitals) or in response to emergencies in which the normal infrastructure for providing medical-grade water is disrupted. Larger systems based on the design of this system could be useful for industrial production of medical-grade water. The basic microwave-heating principle of this system is the same as that of a microwave oven: An item to be heated, made of a lossy dielectric material (in this case, flowing water) is irradiated with microwaves in a multimode microwave cavity. The heating is rapid and efficient because it results from absorption of microwave power throughout the volume of the lossy dielectric material. In this system, a copper tube having a length of 49.5 cm and a diameter of 2.25 cm serves as both the microwave cavity and the sterilization chamber. Microwave power is fed via a coaxial cable to an antenna mounted inside the tube at mid-length (see figure). Efficient power transfer occurs due to the shift in wavelength associated with the high permittivity of water combined with the strong coupling of 2.45-GHz microwaves with rotational-vibrational transitions of the dipolar water molecule.

5 CFR 534.406 - Conversion to the SES pay system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Conversion to the SES pay system. 534.406... UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Pay and Performance Awards Under the Senior Executive Service § 534.406 Conversion... senior executive's converted rate of basic pay. Conversion to a new SES rate of basic pay is not...

Concept of electro-optical sensor module for sniper detection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trzaskawka, Piotr; Dulski, Rafal; Kastek, Mariusz

2010-10-01

The paper presents an initial concept of the electro-optical sensor unit for sniper detection purposes. This unit, comprising of thermal and daylight cameras, can operate as a standalone device but its primary application is a multi-sensor sniper and shot detection system. Being a part of a larger system it should contribute to greater overall system efficiency and lower false alarm rate thanks to data and sensor fusion techniques. Additionally, it is expected to provide some pre-shot detection capabilities. Generally acoustic (or radar) systems used for shot detection offer only "after-the-shot" information and they cannot prevent enemy attack, which in case of a skilled sniper opponent usually means trouble. The passive imaging sensors presented in this paper, together with active systems detecting pointed optics, are capable of detecting specific shooter signatures or at least the presence of suspected objects in the vicinity. The proposed sensor unit use thermal camera as a primary sniper and shot detection tool. The basic camera parameters such as focal plane array size and type, focal length and aperture were chosen on the basis of assumed tactical characteristics of the system (mainly detection range) and current technology level. In order to provide costeffective solution the commercially available daylight camera modules and infrared focal plane arrays were tested, including fast cooled infrared array modules capable of 1000 fps image acquisition rate. The daylight camera operates as a support, providing corresponding visual image, easier to comprehend for a human operator. The initial assumptions concerning sensor operation were verified during laboratory and field test and some example shot recording sequences are presented.

Why Be a Shrub? A Basic Model and Hypotheses for the Adaptive Values of a Common Growth Form

PubMed Central

Götmark, Frank; Götmark, Elin; Jensen, Anna M.

2016-01-01

Shrubs are multi-stemmed short woody plants, more widespread than trees, important in many ecosystems, neglected in ecology compared to herbs and trees, but currently in focus due to their global expansion. We present a novel model based on scaling relationships and four hypotheses to explain the adaptive significance of shrubs, including a review of the literature with a test of one hypothesis. Our model describes advantages for a small shrub compared to a small tree with the same above-ground woody volume, based on larger cross-sectional stem area, larger area of photosynthetic tissue in bark and stem, larger vascular cambium area, larger epidermis (bark) area, and larger area for sprouting, and faster production of twigs and canopy. These components form our Hypothesis 1 that predicts higher growth rate for a small shrub than a small tree. This prediction was supported by available relevant empirical studies (14 publications). Further, a shrub will produce seeds faster than a tree (Hypothesis 2), multiple stems in shrubs insure future survival and growth if one or more stems die (Hypothesis 3), and three structural traits of short shrub stems improve survival compared to tall tree stems (Hypothesis 4)—all hypotheses have some empirical support. Multi-stemmed trees may be distinguished from shrubs by more upright stems, reducing bending moment. Improved understanding of shrubs can clarify their recent expansion on savannas, grasslands, and alpine heaths. More experiments and other empirical studies, followed by more elaborate models, are needed to understand why the shrub growth form is successful in many habitats. PMID:27507981

Fitting prelingually deafened adult cochlear implant users based on electrode discrimination performance.

PubMed

Debruyne, Joke A; Francart, Tom; Janssen, A Miranda L; Douma, Kim; Brokx, Jan P L

2017-03-01

This study investigated the hypotheses that (1) prelingually deafened CI users do not have perfect electrode discrimination ability and (2) the deactivation of non-discriminable electrodes can improve auditory performance. Electrode discrimination difference limens were determined for all electrodes of the array. The subjects' basic map was subsequently compared to an experimental map, which contained only discriminable electrodes, with respect to speech understanding in quiet and in noise, listening effort, spectral ripple discrimination and subjective appreciation. Subjects were six prelingually deafened, late implanted adults using the Nucleus cochlear implant. Electrode discrimination difference limens across all subjects and electrodes ranged from 0.5 to 7.125, with significantly larger limens for basal electrodes. No significant differences were found between the basic map and the experimental map on auditory tests. Subjective appreciation was found to be significantly poorer for the experimental map. Prelingually deafened CI users were unable to discriminate between all adjacent electrodes. There was no difference in auditory performance between the basic and experimental map. Potential factors contributing to the absence of improvement with the experimental map include the reduced number of maxima, incomplete adaptation to the new frequency allocation, and the mainly basal location of deactivated electrodes.

Skylab hardware report operational bioinstrumentation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luczkowski, S.

1977-01-01

The Skylab Operational Bioinstrumentation System is a personal, individually adjustable biomedical system designed to monitor the basic physiological functions of each suited crewman during specified periods of a manned space mission. The basic physiological functions of this system include electrocardiogram, respiration by impedance pneumogram, body temperature, cardiotachometer, and subject identification. The Operational Bioinstrumentation System was scheduled to monitor each crewman during launch, extravehicular activities, suited intravehicular experiments, and undocking and return.

Carrier rockets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleksandrov, V. A.; Vladimirov, V. V.; Dmitriev, R. D.; Osipov, S. O.

This book takes into consideration domestic and foreign developments related to launch vehicles. General information concerning launch vehicle systems is presented, taking into account details of rocket structure, basic design considerations, and a number of specific Soviet and American launch vehicles. The basic theory of reaction propulsion is discussed, giving attention to physical foundations, the various types of forces acting on a rocket in flight, basic parameters characterizing rocket motion, the effectiveness of various approaches to obtain the desired velocity, and rocket propellants. Basic questions concerning the classification of launch vehicles are considered along with construction and design considerations, aspects of vehicle control, reliability, construction technology, and details of structural design. Attention is also given to details of rocket motor design, the basic systems of the carrier rocket, and questions of carrier rocket development.

Physics Laboratory in UEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takada, Tohru; Nakamura, Jin; Suzuki, Masaru

All the first-year students in the University of Electro-Communications (UEC) take "Basic Physics I", "Basic Physics II" and "Physics Laboratory" as required subjects; Basic Physics I and Basic Physics II are calculus-based physics of mechanics, wave and oscillation, thermal physics and electromagnetics. Physics Laboratory is designed mainly aiming at learning the skill of basic experimental technique and technical writing. Although 95% students have taken physics in the senior high school, they poorly understand it by connecting with experience, and it is difficult to learn Physics Laboratory in the university. For this reason, we introduced two ICT (Information and Communication Technology) systems of Physics Laboratory to support students'learning and staff's teaching. By using quantitative data obtained from the ICT systems, we can easily check understanding of physics contents in students, and can improve physics education.

Phase 1: Definition of intercity transportation comparison framework. Volume 1: Summary. [operations research of passenger and freight transporatation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

A unified framework for comparing intercity passenger and freight transportation systems is presented. Composite measures for cost, service/demand, energy, and environmental impact were determined. A set of 14 basic measures were articulated to form the foundation for computing the composite measures. A parameter dependency diagram, constructed to explicitly interrelate the composite and basic measures is discussed. Ground rules and methodology for developing the values of the basic measures are provided and the use of the framework with existing cost and service data is illustrated for various freight systems.

The Emergence of Predators in Early Life: There was No Garden of Eden

PubMed Central

de Nooijer, Silvester; Holland, Barbara R.; Penny, David

2009-01-01

Background Eukaryote cells are suggested to arise somewhere between 0.85∼2.7 billion years ago. However, in the present world of unicellular organisms, cells that derive their food and metabolic energy from larger cells engulfing smaller cells (phagocytosis) are almost exclusively eukaryotic. Combining these propositions, that eukaryotes were the first phagocytotic predators and that they arose only 0.85∼2.7 billion years ago, leads to an unexpected prediction of a long period (∼1–3 billion years) with no phagocytotes – a veritable Garden of Eden. Methodology We test whether such a long period is reasonable by simulating a population of very simple unicellular organisms - given only basic physical, biological and ecological principles. Under a wide range of initial conditions, cellular specialization occurs early in evolution; we find a range of cell types from small specialized primary producers to larger opportunistic or specialized predators. Conclusions Both strategies, specialized smaller cells and phagocytotic larger cells are apparently fundamental biological strategies that are expected to arise early in cellular evolution. Such early predators could have been ‘prokaryotes’, but if the earliest cells on the eukaryote lineage were predators then this explains most of their characteristic features. PMID:19492046

Training Aids for Basic Combat Skills: A Video Feedback System

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Report 1945 Training Aids for Basic Combat...Training Aids for Basic Combat Skills: A Video Feedback System 5a. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBER W74V8H-04-D-0045 (DO #0034) 5b. PROGRAM ELEMENT...Subject Matter POC: Martin L. Bink 14. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words): The overarching goal was to develop a training aid that could be used by

A Multi-Faceted Approach for the Development of the Army's Functional Basic Skills Education Program (BSEP).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begland, Robert R.

In reviewing the Army Continuing Education System in 1979, the Assistant Secretary of the Army found a basic skills program based on traditional academic level goals was inadequate to meet the Army's requirement to provide functional, job-related basic skill education. Combining the shrinking manpower pool and projected basic skill deficiencies of…

49 CFR 236.1043 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Positive Train Control Systems § 236.1043 Task analysis and basic requirements. (a) Training structure and... installation, maintenance, repair, modification, inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be...

49 CFR 236.1043 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Positive Train Control Systems § 236.1043 Task analysis and basic requirements. (a) Training structure and... installation, maintenance, repair, modification, inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be...

49 CFR 236.1043 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Positive Train Control Systems § 236.1043 Task analysis and basic requirements. (a) Training structure and... installation, maintenance, repair, modification, inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be...

49 CFR 236.1043 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Positive Train Control Systems § 236.1043 Task analysis and basic requirements. (a) Training structure and... installation, maintenance, repair, modification, inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be...

49 CFR 236.1043 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Positive Train Control Systems § 236.1043 Task analysis and basic requirements. (a) Training structure and... installation, maintenance, repair, modification, inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be...

PLATO User's Memo, Number Two: Basic Bit Operations. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avner, Elaine

To help the PLATO computer-based instruction system user achieve the most efficient storage and manipulation of data, this manual begins with a review of the structure of decimal, binary, and octal number systems, and methods for converting from one system to another. The text describes the four basic operations that PLATO employs to manipulate…

Grass Grows, the Cow Eats: A Simple Grazing Systems Model with Emergent Properties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ungar, Eugene David; Seligman, Noam G.; Noy-Meir, Imanuel

2004-01-01

We describe a simple, yet intellectually challenging model of grazing systems that introduces basic concepts in ecology and systems analysis. The practical is suitable for high-school and university curricula with a quantitative orientation, and requires only basic skills in mathematics and spreadsheet use. The model is based on Noy-Meir's (1975)…

Validation, Edits, and Application Processing System Report: Phase I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Susan; And Others

Findings of phase 1 of a study of the 1979-1980 Basic Educational Opportunity Grants validation, edits, and application processing system are presented. The study was designed to: assess the impact of the validation effort and processing system edits on the correct award of Basic Grants; and assess the characteristics of students most likely to…

Improving Professional Development Systems: Recommendations from the Pennsylvania Adult Basic and Literacy Education Professional Development System Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belzer, Alisa

2005-01-01

The recommendations from a two-part, formative evaluation of Pennsylvania's Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education professional development system are reported here. The first phase of the evaluation studied the relationships between the vision for professional development held by planners and facilitators and the ways in which participants…

A structurally oriented simulation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aran, Z.

1973-01-01

The computer program SOSS (Structurally Oriented Simulation System) is designed to be used as an experimental aid in the study of reliable systems. Basically, SOSS can simulate the structure and behavior of a discrete-time, finite-state, time-invariant system at various levels of structural definition. A general description of the program is given along with its modes of operation, command language of the basic system, future features to be incorporated in SOSS, and an example of usage.

47 CFR 32.5000 - Basic local service revenue.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Basic local service revenue. 32.5000 Section 32.5000 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions For Revenue Accounts § 32.5000 Basic...

47 CFR 32.5001 - Basic area revenue.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Basic area revenue. 32.5001 Section 32.5001 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions For Revenue Accounts § 32.5001 Basic area revenue. (a...

47 CFR 32.5000 - Basic local service revenue.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Basic local service revenue. 32.5000 Section 32.5000 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions For Revenue Accounts § 32.5000 Basic...

47 CFR 32.5001 - Basic area revenue.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Basic area revenue. 32.5001 Section 32.5001 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions For Revenue Accounts § 32.5001 Basic area revenue. (a...

47 CFR 32.5001 - Basic area revenue.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Basic area revenue. 32.5001 Section 32.5001 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions For Revenue Accounts § 32.5001 Basic area revenue. (a...

47 CFR 32.5000 - Basic local service revenue.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Basic local service revenue. 32.5000 Section 32.5000 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions For Revenue Accounts § 32.5000 Basic...

PV system field experience and reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durand, Steven; Rosenthal, Andrew; Thomas, Mike

1997-02-01

Hybrid power systems consisting of battery inverters coupled with diesel, propane, or gasoline engine-driven electrical generators, and photovoltaic arrays are being used in many remote locations. The potential cost advantages of hybrid systems over simple engine-driven generator systems are causing hybrid systems to be considered for numerous applications including single-family residential, communications, and village power. This paper discusses the various design constraints of such systems and presents one technique for reducing hybrid system losses. The Southwest Technology Development Institute under contract to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories has been installing data acquisition systems (DAS) on a number of small and large hybrid PV systems. These systems range from small residential systems (1 kW PV - 7 kW generator), to medium sized systems (10 kW PV - 20 kW generator), to larger systems (100 kW PV - 200 kW generator). Even larger systems are being installed with hundreds of kilowatts of PV modules, multiple wind machines, and larger diesel generators.

North Carolina's Basic Education Plan and the Arts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Frances M.; Dyke, Lane

1990-01-01

Discusses the changes made by the North Carolina General Assembly in the state school system with the Basic Education Plan (BEP). The plan focuses on curriculum, class size, spiral curriculum, and competency examinations. Reports that the BEP views the arts as basic to education. (GG)

48 CFR 204.7003 - Basic PII number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Basic PII number. 204.7003... OF DEFENSE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Uniform Procurement Instrument Identification Numbers 204.7003 Basic PII number. (a) Elements of a number. The number consists of 13 alpha-numeric characters...

48 CFR 204.7003 - Basic PII number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Basic PII number. 204.7003... OF DEFENSE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Uniform Procurement Instrument Identification Numbers 204.7003 Basic PII number. (a) Elements of a number. The number consists of 13 alpha-numeric characters...

A Method for Direct-Measurement of the Energy of Rupture of Impact Specimens

DTIC Science & Technology

1953-01-01

CONTENTS SECTION A - Poreword SFCTION B » ObjectiTes of the Current Investigation SECTION C - Basic Elements of an Impact Testing System ...SECTION D - Discussion lo Linear System 2 c Rotary System 3o Methods for Ifeasui ing the Energy of Rupture SECTION E « The Energy Measuring System ...has followed and to siironarize our techni<»l findings, Co BASIC ELEKEMTS OF AN IMPACT TESTING SYSTEM For the analytical purposes of this

Space station needs, attributes and architectural options. Volume 4, task 2 and 3: Mission implementation and cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

An overview of the basic space station infrastructure is presented. A strong case is made for the evolution of the station using the basic Space Transportation System (STS) to achieve a smooth transition and cost effective implementation. The integrated logistics support (ILS) element of the overall station infrastructure is investigated. The need for an orbital transport system capability that is the key to servicing and spacecraft positioning scenarios and associated mission needs is examined. Communication is also an extremely important element and the basic issue of station autonomy versus ground support effects the system and subsystem architecture.

The universal applications of microtubes and microtube composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, Wesley P.; Upadhya, Kamleshwar

1994-01-01

Microtubes are a basic component for a myriad of potential products. They are very small tubes (hundreds can fit in a human hair) that can be made from practically any material. Tubes larger than 1 micron diameter can be made with any cross-sectional shape desired. The significance of microtubes and microtube composites is that they provide the opportunity to miniaturize (even to the nanoscale) numerous products and devices that are currently in existence as well as allowing the fabrication of products that have to date been impossible to produce.

Teaching/learning principles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hankins, D. B.; Wake, W. H.

1981-01-01

The potential remote sensing user community is enormous, and the teaching and training tasks are even larger; however, some underlying principles may be synthesized and applied at all levels from elementary school children to sophisticated and knowledgeable adults. The basic rules applying to each of the six major elements of any training course and the underlying principle involved in each rule are summarized. The six identified major elements are: (1) field sites for problems and practice; (2) lectures and inside study; (3) learning materials and resources (the kit); (4) the field experience; (5) laboratory sessions; and (6) testing and evaluation.

Cost Reporting at a Navy Branch Clinic

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

John Wiley & Sons, 1991. 15 Horngren , Charles, Cost Accounting -=A Managerial Emphasis, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1982...traditionally reported under a partial cost reporting system. By applying basic principles of managerial accounting , a full cost reporting system is...traditionally reported under a partial cost reporting system. By applying basic principles of managerial accounting , a proposed full cost reporting

On the Acquisition of Some Basic Word Spelling Mechanisms in a Deep (French) and a Shallow (Spanish) System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrillo, Maria Soledad; Alegria, Jesus; Marin, Javier

2013-01-01

An experiment was carried out to compare the time course of the acquisition of two basic spelling mechanisms in Spanish, a shallow system, and French, a deep system. The first was lexical. It relies on the orthographic lexicon, a hypothetical structure containing the orthographic representations of words accessible for word spelling. To evaluate…

Back to the Basics: Cnidarians Start to Fire

PubMed Central

Bosch, Thomas C. G.; Klimovich, Alexander; Domazet-Lošo, Tomislav; Gründer, Stefan; Holstein, Thomas W.; Jékely, Gáspár; Miller, David J.; Murillo-Rincon, Andrea P.; Rentzsch, Fabian; Richards, Gemma S.; Schröder, Katja; Technau, Ulrich; Yuste, Rafael

2016-01-01

The nervous systems of cnidarians, pre-bilaterian animals that diverged close to the base of the metazoan radiation, are structurally simple and thus have great potential to inform us about basic structural and functional principles of neural circuits. Unfortunately, cnidarians have thus far been relatively intractable to electrophysiological and genetic techniques and consequently have been largely passed over by neurobiologists. However, recent advances in molecular and imaging methods are fueling a renaissance of interest in and research into cnidarians nervous systems. Here, we review current knowledge on the nervous systems of some cnidarian species and propose that researchers should seize this opportunity and undertake the study of this phylum as strategic experimental systems with great basic and translational relevance for neuroscience. PMID:28041633

Educating for the 21st-Century Health Care System: An Interdependent Framework of Basic, Clinical, and Systems Sciences.

PubMed

Gonzalo, Jed D; Haidet, Paul; Papp, Klara K; Wolpaw, Daniel R; Moser, Eileen; Wittenstein, Robin D; Wolpaw, Terry

2017-01-01

In the face of a fragmented and poorly performing health care delivery system, medical education in the United States is poised for disruption. Despite broad-based recommendations to better align physician training with societal needs, adaptive change has been slow. Traditionally, medical education has focused on the basic and clinical sciences, largely removed from the newer systems sciences such as population health, policy, financing, health care delivery, and teamwork. In this article, authors examine the current state of medical education with respect to systems sciences and propose a new framework for educating physicians in adapting to and practicing in systems-based environments. Specifically, the authors propose an educational shift from a two-pillar framework to a three-pillar framework where basic, clinical, and systems sciences are interdependent. In this new three-pillar framework, students not only learn the interconnectivity in the basic, clinical, and systems sciences but also uncover relevance and meaning in their education through authentic, value-added, and patient-centered roles as navigators within the health care system. Authors describe the Systems Navigation Curriculum, currently implemented for all students at the Penn State College of Medicine, as an example of this three-pillar educational model. Simple adjustments, such as including occasional systems topics in medical curriculum, will not foster graduates prepared to practice in the 21st-century health care system. Adequate preparation requires an explicit focus on the systems sciences as a vital and equal component of physician education.

C-SIDE: The control-structure interaction demonstration experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mohl, James B.; Davis, Hugh W.

1993-01-01

The Control-Structure Interaction Demonstration Experiment (C-SIDE) is sponsored by the Electro-Optics and Cryogenics Division of Ball Aerospace Systems Group. Our objective is to demonstrate methods of solution to structure control problems utilizing currently available hardware in a system that is an extension of our corporate experience. The larger space structures with which Ball has been associated are the SEASAT radar antenna, Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR) -A, -B and -C antennas and the Radarsat spacecraft. The motivation for the C-SIDE configuration is to show that integration of active figure control in the radar's system-level design can relieve antenna mechanical design constraints. This presentation is primarily an introduction to the C-SIDE testbed. Its physical and functional layouts, and major components are described. The sensor is of special interest as it enables direct surface figure measurements from a remote location. The Remote Attitude Measurement System (RAMS) makes high-rate, unobtrusive measurements of many locations, several of which may be collocated easily with actuators. The control processor is a 386/25 executing a reduced order model-based algorithm with provision for residual mode filters to compensate for structure interaction. The actuators for the ground demonstration are non-contacting, linear force devices. Results presented illustrate some basic characteristics of control-structure interaction with this hardware. The testbed will be used for evaluation of current technologies and for research in several areas. A brief indication of the evolution of the C-SIDE is given at the conclusion.

Error estimates for (semi-)empirical dispersion terms and large biomacromolecules.

PubMed

Korth, Martin

2013-10-14

The first-principles modeling of biomaterials has made tremendous advances over the last few years with the ongoing growth of computing power and impressive developments in the application of density functional theory (DFT) codes to large systems. One important step forward was the development of dispersion corrections for DFT methods, which account for the otherwise neglected dispersive van der Waals (vdW) interactions. Approaches at different levels of theory exist, with the most often used (semi-)empirical ones based on pair-wise interatomic C6R(-6) terms. Similar terms are now also used in connection with semiempirical QM (SQM) methods and density functional tight binding methods (SCC-DFTB). Their basic structure equals the attractive term in Lennard-Jones potentials, common to most force field approaches, but they usually use some type of cutoff function to make the mixing of the (long-range) dispersion term with the already existing (short-range) dispersion and exchange-repulsion effects from the electronic structure theory methods possible. All these dispersion approximations were found to perform accurately for smaller systems, but error estimates for larger systems are very rare and completely missing for really large biomolecules. We derive such estimates for the dispersion terms of DFT, SQM and MM methods using error statistics for smaller systems and dispersion contribution estimates for the PDBbind database of protein-ligand interactions. We find that dispersion terms will usually not be a limiting factor for reaching chemical accuracy, though some force fields and large ligand sizes are problematic.

76 FR 66666 - Basic Service Tier Encryption Compatibility Between Cable Systems and Consumer Electronics Equipment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-27

... 11-153] Basic Service Tier Encryption Compatibility Between Cable Systems and Consumer Electronics... substantially affect compatibility between cable service and consumer electronics equipment for most subscribers... problems between cable service and consumer electronics equipment were limiting and/or precluding the...

77 FR 67290 - Basic Service Tier Encryption Compatibility Between Cable Systems and Consumer Electronics Equipment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-09

...-126] Basic Service Tier Encryption Compatibility Between Cable Systems and Consumer Electronics... between consumer electronics equipment (such as digital television sets) and newly encrypted cable service... Act''), Congress sought to make sure that consumer electronics equipment could receive cable...

49 CFR 236.923 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Standards for Processor-Based Signal and Train Control Systems § 236.923 Task analysis and basic requirements..., inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be performed on a railroad's products. This includes the...

49 CFR 236.923 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Standards for Processor-Based Signal and Train Control Systems § 236.923 Task analysis and basic requirements..., inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be performed on a railroad's products. This includes the...

49 CFR 236.923 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Standards for Processor-Based Signal and Train Control Systems § 236.923 Task analysis and basic requirements..., inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be performed on a railroad's products. This includes the...

49 CFR 236.923 - Task analysis and basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Standards for Processor-Based Signal and Train Control Systems § 236.923 Task analysis and basic requirements..., inspection, testing, and operating tasks that must be performed on a railroad's products. This includes the...

Trauma system evaluation in developing countries: applicability of American College of Surgeons/Committee on Trauma (ACS/COT) basic criteria.

PubMed

Latifi, Rifat; Ziemba, Michelle; Leppäniemi, Ari; Dasho, Erion; Dogjani, Agron; Shatri, Zhaneta; Kociraj, Agim; Oldashi, Fatos; Shosha, Lida

2014-08-01

Trauma continues to be a major health problem worldwide, particularly in the developing world, with high mortality and morbidity. Yet most developing countries lack an organized trauma system. Furthermore, developing countries do not have in place any accreditation process for trauma centers; thus, no accepted standard assessment tools exist to evaluate their trauma services. The aims of this study were to evaluate the trauma system in Albania, using the basic trauma criteria of the American College of Surgeons/Committee on Trauma (ACS/COT) as assessment tools, and to provide the Government with a situational analysis relative to these criteria. We used the ACS/COT basic criteria as assessment tools to evaluate the trauma system in Albania. We conducted a series of semi-structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and focus groups with all stakeholders at the Ministry of Health, at the University Trauma Hospital (UTH) based in Tirana (the capital city), and at ten regional hospitals across the country. Albania has a dedicated national trauma center that serves as the only tertiary center, plus ten regional hospitals that provide some trauma care. However, overall, its trauma system is in need of major reforms involving all essential elements in order to meet the basic requirements of a structured trauma system. The ACS/COT basic criteria can be used as assessment tools to evaluate trauma care in developing countries. Further studies are needed in other developing countries to validate the applicability of these criteria.

Modeling the Geographic Spread of Rabies in China

PubMed Central

Chen, Jing; Zou, Lan; Jin, Zhen; Ruan, Shigui

2015-01-01

In order to investigate how the movement of dogs affects the geographically inter-provincial spread of rabies in Mainland China, we propose a multi-patch model to describe the transmission dynamics of rabies between dogs and humans, in which each province is regarded as a patch. In each patch the submodel consists of susceptible, exposed, infectious, and vaccinated subpopulations of both dogs and humans and describes the spread of rabies among dogs and from infectious dogs to humans. The existence of the disease-free equilibrium is discussed, the basic reproduction number is calculated, and the effect of moving rates of dogs between patches on the basic reproduction number is studied. To investigate the rabies virus clades lineages, the two-patch submodel is used to simulate the human rabies data from Guizhou and Guangxi, Hebei and Fujian, and Sichuan and Shaanxi, respectively. It is found that the basic reproduction number of the two-patch model could be larger than one even if the isolated basic reproduction number of each patch is less than one. This indicates that the immigration of dogs may make the disease endemic even if the disease dies out in each isolated patch when there is no immigration. In order to reduce and prevent geographical spread of rabies in China, our results suggest that the management of dog markets and trades needs to be regulated, and transportation of dogs has to be better monitored and under constant surveillance. PMID:26020234

Considerations on fundamental issues in establishing a universal coverage system for health in China.

PubMed

Lei, Hai Chao

2008-11-01

This study discusses basic health services in China. In this study common sense and international experience in establishing a high-performing health system were introduced. Five components are identified: basic qualified human resources for health; basic infrastructure; essential medicines; essential technology and procedures; and basic service pathways. Recommendations were presented based upon the Chinese situation. They are: increase public financing and lower private out-of-pocket payment for services; revitalize the functions of public facilities; merge different health financing schemes; co-ordinate public fiscal and pricing policies; prioritize public financing to preventive and primary healthcare; establish and strengthen the partnership between public and private facilities and insurance schemes; and re-organize the administrative system in health-based upon the rules of simplicity, unity, and efficiency. © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

A Simple Case Study of a Grid Performance System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aydt, Ruth; Gunter, Dan; Quesnel, Darcy; Smith, Warren; Taylor, Valerie; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This document presents a simple case study of a Grid performance system based on the Grid Monitoring Architecture (GMA) being developed by the Grid Forum Performance Working Group. It describes how the various system components would interact for a very basic monitoring scenario, and is intended to introduce people to the terminology and concepts presented in greater detail in other Working Group documents. We believe that by focusing on the simple case first, working group members can familiarize themselves with terminology and concepts, and productively join in the ongoing discussions of the group. In addition, prototype implementations of this basic scenario can be built to explore the feasibility of the proposed architecture and to expose possible shortcomings. Once the simple case is understood and agreed upon, complexities can be added incrementally as warranted by cases not addressed in the most basic implementation described here. Following the basic performance monitoring scenario discussion, unresolved issues are introduced for future discussion.

The on-line coupled atmospheric chemistry model system MECO(n) - Part 5: Expanding the Multi-Model-Driver (MMD v2.0) for 2-way data exchange including data interpolation via GRID (v1.0)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerkweg, Astrid; Hofmann, Christiane; Jöckel, Patrick; Mertens, Mariano; Pante, Gregor

2018-03-01

As part of the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy), the Multi-Model-Driver (MMD v1.0) was developed to couple online the regional Consortium for Small-scale Modeling (COSMO) model into a driving model, which can be either the regional COSMO model or the global European Centre Hamburg general circulation model (ECHAM) (see Part 2 of the model documentation). The coupled system is called MECO(n), i.e., MESSy-fied ECHAM and COSMO models nested n times. In this article, which is part of the model documentation of the MECO(n) system, the second generation of MMD is introduced. MMD comprises the message-passing infrastructure required for the parallel execution (multiple programme multiple data, MPMD) of different models and the communication of the individual model instances, i.e. between the driving and the driven models. Initially, the MMD library was developed for a one-way coupling between the global chemistry-climate ECHAM/MESSy atmospheric chemistry (EMAC) model and an arbitrary number of (optionally cascaded) instances of the regional chemistry-climate model COSMO/MESSy. Thus, MMD (v1.0) provided only functions for unidirectional data transfer, i.e. from the larger-scale to the smaller-scale models.Soon, extended applications requiring data transfer from the small-scale model back to the larger-scale model became of interest. For instance, the original fields of the larger-scale model can directly be compared to the upscaled small-scale fields to analyse the improvements gained through the small-scale calculations, after the results are upscaled. Moreover, the fields originating from the two different models might be fed into the same diagnostic tool, e.g. the online calculation of the radiative forcing calculated consistently with the same radiation scheme. Last but not least, enabling the two-way data transfer between two models is the first important step on the way to a fully dynamical and chemical two-way coupling of the various model instances.In MMD (v1.0), interpolation between the base model grids is performed via the COSMO preprocessing tool INT2LM, which was implemented into the MMD submodel for online interpolation, specifically for mapping onto the rotated COSMO grid. A more flexible algorithm is required for the backward mapping. Thus, MMD (v2.0) uses the new MESSy submodel GRID for the generalised definition of arbitrary grids and for the transformation of data between them.In this article, we explain the basics of the MMD expansion and the newly developed generic MESSy submodel GRID (v1.0) and show some examples of the abovementioned applications.

[The origins of the basic healthcare system in Brazil: the District System of Sanitation Administration].

PubMed

Campos, Carlos Eduardo Aguilera

2007-01-01

There exists an interaction between multiple issues involving policy making, the building of knowledge and the implementation of practices in the health sector, which results in the particular way health services are provided in different historical contexts. The emergence and consolidation of sanitation organization was the result of a political process based on an idea of meeting the needs perceived in a given historical context. The historical course taken by the basic healthcare system in Brazil is analyzed from the perspective of its organizational and welfare principles, its expansion in physical terms, and its function within the public health system between 1918 and 1942. The article seeks to describe in detail the antecedents and initiatives taken in the establishment of a district system of sanitation administration, first in Rio de Janeiro and later across Brazil, which was a precursor of the basic healthcare system in Brazil.

Basic Diagnosis and Prediction of Persistent Contrail Occurrence using High-resolution Numerical Weather Analyses/Forecasts and Logistic Regression. Part I: Effects of Random Error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duda, David P.; Minnis, Patrick

2009-01-01

Straightforward application of the Schmidt-Appleman contrail formation criteria to diagnose persistent contrail occurrence from numerical weather prediction data is hindered by significant bias errors in the upper tropospheric humidity. Logistic models of contrail occurrence have been proposed to overcome this problem, but basic questions remain about how random measurement error may affect their accuracy. A set of 5000 synthetic contrail observations is created to study the effects of random error in these probabilistic models. The simulated observations are based on distributions of temperature, humidity, and vertical velocity derived from Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) weather analyses. The logistic models created from the simulated observations were evaluated using two common statistical measures of model accuracy, the percent correct (PC) and the Hanssen-Kuipers discriminant (HKD). To convert the probabilistic results of the logistic models into a dichotomous yes/no choice suitable for the statistical measures, two critical probability thresholds are considered. The HKD scores are higher when the climatological frequency of contrail occurrence is used as the critical threshold, while the PC scores are higher when the critical probability threshold is 0.5. For both thresholds, typical random errors in temperature, relative humidity, and vertical velocity are found to be small enough to allow for accurate logistic models of contrail occurrence. The accuracy of the models developed from synthetic data is over 85 percent for both the prediction of contrail occurrence and non-occurrence, although in practice, larger errors would be anticipated.

Calculation of induced current densities for humans by magnetic fields from electronic article surveillance devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandhi, Om P.; Kang, Gang

2001-11-01

This paper illustrates the use of the impedance method to calculate the electric fields and current densities induced in millimetre resolution anatomic models of the human body, namely an adult and 10- and 5-year-old children, for exposure to nonuniform magnetic fields typical of two assumed but representative electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices at 1 and 30 kHz, respectively. The devices assumed for the calculations are a solenoid type magnetic deactivator used at store checkouts and a pass-by panel-type EAS system consisting of two overlapping rectangular current-carrying coils used at entry and exit from a store. The impedance method code is modified to obtain induced current densities averaged over a cross section of 1 cm2 perpendicular to the direction of induced currents. This is done to compare the peak current densities with the limits or the basic restrictions given in the ICNIRP safety guidelines. Because of the stronger magnetic fields at lower heights for both the assumed devices, the peak 1 cm2 area-averaged current densities for the CNS tissues such as the brain and the spinal cord are increasingly larger for smaller models and are the highest for the model of the 5-year-old child. For both the EAS devices, the maximum 1 cm2 area-averaged current densities for the brain of the model of the adult are lower than the ICNIRP safety guideline, but may approach or exceed the ICNIRP basic restrictions for models of 10- and 5-year-old children if sufficiently strong magnetic fields are used.

Calculation of induced current densities for humans by magnetic fields from electronic article surveillance devices.

PubMed

Gandhi, O P; Kang, G

2001-11-01

This paper illustrates the use of the impedance method to calculate the electric fields and current densities induced in millimetre resolution anatomic models of the human body, namely an adult and 10- and 5-year-old children, for exposure to nonuniform magnetic fields typical of two assumed but representative electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices at 1 and 30 kHz, respectively. The devices assumed for the calculations are a solenoid type magnetic deactivator used at store checkouts and a pass-by panel-type EAS system consisting of two overlapping rectangular current-carrying coils used at entry and exit from a store. The impedance method code is modified to obtain induced current densities averaged over a cross section of 1 cm2 perpendicular to the direction of induced currents. This is done to compare the peak current densities with the limits or the basic restrictions given in the ICNIRP safety guidelines. Because of the stronger magnetic fields at lower heights for both the assumed devices, the peak 1 cm2 area-averaged current densities for the CNS tissues such as the brain and the spinal cord are increasingly larger for smaller models and are the highest for the model of the 5-year-old child. For both the EAS devices, the maximum 1 cm2 area-averaged current densities for the brain of the model of the adult are lower than the ICNIRP safety guideline, but may approach or exceed the ICNIRP basic restrictions for models of 10- and 5-year-old children if sufficiently strong magnetic fields are used.

Index of Workplace & Adult Basic Skills Software.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Askov, Eunice N.; Clark, Cindy Jo

This index of workplace and adult basic skills computer software includes 108 listings. Each listing is described according to the following classifications: (1) teacher/tutor tools (customizable or mini-authoring systems); (2) assessment and skills; (3) content; (4) instruction method; (5) system requirements; and (6) name, address, and phone…

Technology Literacy: A Key to the New Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Richard

The United States needs a vocational educational system that delivers, in an applied technological setting, the new basic skills that industry needs, as well as a general education system that provides creative instruction in applied math, physics, and science. To be effective, technological training should encompass, along with machine-specific…

The University of Missouri Adult Basic Education System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mocker, Donald W.; Veri, Clive C.

The University of Missouri adult basic education (ABE) system, developed from the ABE laboratory with the help of Title III funds, consists of a series of subsystems designed to effect behavioral change in undereducated adults through an individualized flexible approach to learning. The subsystems of diagnostic testing; individual counseling,…

Adult Basic Education Outreach Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Vocational Centre, Edmonton.

The Alberta Vocational Center (AVC) developed a portable competency-based learning system for use in non-institutional adult basic education community programs. The system addresses needs identified by the 1971 census which found 28% of Alberta's residents (over fifteen and out of school) had less than a ninth grade education. Administered through…

South Africa's School Infrastructure Performance Indicator System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibberd, Jeremy

2007-01-01

While some South African schools have excellent infrastructure, others lack basic services such as water and sanitation. This article describes the school infrastructure performance indicator system (SIPIS) in South Africa. The project offers an approach that can address both the urgent provision of basic services as well as support the…

Fluid Power Systems Maintenance and Operation. Instructor's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paule, Bob A.

Written to complement the Fluid Power/Basic Hydraulic and Basic Pneumatics guides, this curriculum guide contains materials for a seven-unit course in fluid power systems maintenance and operation. Units, which consist of one to eight lessons, cover these topics: preventive maintenance, repair machine malfunctions, overhaul/recondition hydraulic…

The availability and accessibility of basic concept vocabulary in AAC software: a preliminary study.

PubMed

McCarthy, Jillian H; Schwarz, Ilsa; Ashworth, Morgan

2017-09-01

Core vocabulary lists obtained through the analyses of children's utterances include a variety of basic concept words. Supporting young children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to develop their understanding and use of basic concepts is an area of practice that has important ramifications for successful communication in a classroom environment. This study examined the availability of basic concept words across eight frequently used, commercially available AAC language systems, iPad© applications, and symbol libraries used to create communication boards. The accessibility of basic concept words was subsequently examined using two AAC language page sets and two iPad applications. Results reveal that the availability of basic concept words represented within the different AAC language programs, iPad applications, and symbol libraries varied but was limited across programs. However, there is no significant difference in the accessibility of basic concept words across the language program page sets or iPad applications, generally because all of them require sophisticated motor and cognitive plans for access. These results suggest that educators who teach or program vocabulary in AAC systems need to be mindful of the importance of basic concept words in classroom settings and, when possible, enhance the availability and accessibility of these words to users of AAC.

OTIS Basic Index Access System (OBIAS); A System for Retrieval of Information From the ERIC and CIJE Data Bases Utilizing a Direct Access Inverted Index of Descriptors and a Reformatted Direct Access ERIC-CIJE File.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracken, Paula

The OTIS Basic Index Access System (OBIAS) for searching the ERIC data base is described. This system offers two advantages over the previous system. First, search time has been halved, reducing the cost per search to an estimated $10 on a batch basis. Second, the "OTIS ERIC Descripter Catalog" which contains all descriptors used in the…

Process control systems at Homer City coal preparation plant

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

Shell, W.P.

1983-03-01

An important part of process control engineering is the implementation of the basic control system design through commissioning to routine operation. This is a period when basic concepts can be reviewed and improvements either implemented or recorded for application in future systems. The experience of commissioning the process control systems in the Homer City coal cleaning plant are described and discussed. The current level of operating control performance in individual sections and the overall system are also reported and discussed.

Design and implementation of an array of micro-electrochemical detectors for two-dimensional liquid chromatography--proof of principle.

PubMed

Abia, Jude A; Putnam, Joel; Mriziq, Khaled; Guiochon, Georges A

2010-03-05

Simultaneous two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) is an implementation of two-dimensional liquid chromatography which has the potential to provide very fast, yet highly efficient separations. It is based on the use of time x space and space x space separation systems. The basic principle of this instrument has been validated long ago by the success of two-dimensional thin layer chromatography. The construction of a pressurized wide and flat column (100 mm x 100 mm x 1 mm) operated under an inlet pressure of up to 50 bar was described previously. However, to become a modern analytical method, simultaneous 2D-LC requires the development of detectors suitable for the monitoring of the composition of the eluent of this pressurized planar, wide column. An array of five equidistant micro-electrochemical sensors was built for this purpose and tested. Each sensor is a three-electrode system, with the working electrode being a 25 microm polished platinum micro-electrode. The auxiliary electrode is a thin platinum wire and the reference electrode an Ag/AgCl (3M sat. KCl) electrode. In this first implementation, proof of principle is demonstrated, but the final instrument will require a much larger array. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Multi-Scale, Integrated Approach to Representing Watershed Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, Valeriy; Kim, Jongho; Fatichi, Simone; Katopodes, Nikolaos

2014-05-01

Understanding and predicting process dynamics across a range of scales are fundamental challenges for basic hydrologic research and practical applications. This is particularly true when larger-spatial-scale processes, such as surface-subsurface flow and precipitation, need to be translated to fine space-time scale dynamics of processes, such as channel hydraulics and sediment transport, that are often of primary interest. Inferring characteristics of fine-scale processes from uncertain coarse-scale climate projection information poses additional challenges. We have developed an integrated model simulating hydrological processes, flow dynamics, erosion, and sediment transport, tRIBS+VEGGIE-FEaST. The model targets to take the advantage of the current generation of wealth of data representing watershed topography, vegetation, soil, and landuse, as well as to explore the hydrological effects of physical factors and their feedback mechanisms over a range of scales. We illustrate how the modeling system connects precipitation-hydrologic runoff partition process to the dynamics of flow, erosion, and sedimentation, and how the soil's substrate condition can impact the latter processes, resulting in a non-unique response. We further illustrate an approach to using downscaled climate change information with a process-based model to infer the moments of hydrologic variables in future climate conditions and explore the impact of climate information uncertainty.

Large Mammalian Animal Models of Heart Disease

PubMed Central

Camacho, Paula; Fan, Huimin; Liu, Zhongmin; He, Jia-Qiang

2016-01-01

Due to the biological complexity of the cardiovascular system, the animal model is an urgent pre-clinical need to advance our knowledge of cardiovascular disease and to explore new drugs to repair the damaged heart. Ideally, a model system should be inexpensive, easily manipulated, reproducible, a biological representative of human disease, and ethically sound. Although a larger animal model is more expensive and difficult to manipulate, its genetic, structural, functional, and even disease similarities to humans make it an ideal model to first consider. This review presents the commonly-used large animals—dog, sheep, pig, and non-human primates—while the less-used other large animals—cows, horses—are excluded. The review attempts to introduce unique points for each species regarding its biological property, degrees of susceptibility to develop certain types of heart diseases, and methodology of induced conditions. For example, dogs barely develop myocardial infarction, while dilated cardiomyopathy is developed quite often. Based on the similarities of each species to the human, the model selection may first consider non-human primates—pig, sheep, then dog—but it also depends on other factors, for example, purposes, funding, ethics, and policy. We hope this review can serve as a basic outline of large animal models for cardiovascular researchers and clinicians. PMID:29367573

Use of the Hadoop structured storage tools for the ATLAS EventIndex event catalogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favareto, A.

2016-09-01

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC collects billions of events each data-taking year, and processes them to make them available for physics analysis in several different formats. An even larger amount of events is in addition simulated according to physics and detector models and then reconstructed and analysed to be compared to real events. The EventIndex is a catalogue of all events in each production stage; it includes for each event a few identification parameters, some basic non-mutable information coming from the online system, and the references to the files that contain the event in each format (plus the internal pointers to the event within each file for quick retrieval). Each EventIndex record is logically simple but the system has to hold many tens of billions of records, all equally important. The Hadoop technology was selected at the start of the EventIndex project development in 2012 and proved to be robust and flexible to accommodate this kind of information; both the insertion and query response times are acceptable for the continuous and automatic operation that started in Spring 2015. This paper describes the EventIndex data input and organisation in Hadoop and explains the operational challenges that were overcome in order to achieve the expected performance.

Contaminant attenuation by shallow aquifer systems under steady flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soltani, S. S.; Cvetkovic, V.

2017-10-01

We present a framework for analyzing advection-dominated solute transport and transformation in aquifer systems of boreal catchments that are typically shallow and rest on crystalline bedrock. A methodology is presented for estimating tracer discharge based on particle trajectories from recharge to discharge locations and computing their first passage times assuming that the flow pattern is approximately steady-state. Transformation processes can be included by solving one-dimensional reactive transport with randomized water travel time as the independent variable; the distribution of the travel times incorporates morphological dispersion (due to catchment geometry/topography) as well as macro-dispersion (due to heterogeneity of underlying hydraulic properties). The implementation of the framework is illustrated for the well characterized coastal catchment of Forsmark (Sweden). We find that macro-dispersion has a notable effect on attenuation even though the morphological dispersion is significantly larger. Preferential flow on the catchment scale is found to be considerable with only 5% of the Eulerian velocities contributing to transport over the simulation period of 375 years. Natural attenuation is illustrated as a simple (linear decay) transformation process. Simulated natural attenuation can be estimated analytically reasonably well by using basic hydrological and structural information, the latter being the pathway length distribution and average aquifer depth to the bedrock.

Multiscale Granger causality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faes, Luca; Nollo, Giandomenico; Stramaglia, Sebastiano; Marinazzo, Daniele

2017-10-01

In the study of complex physical and biological systems represented by multivariate stochastic processes, an issue of great relevance is the description of the system dynamics spanning multiple temporal scales. While methods to assess the dynamic complexity of individual processes at different time scales are well established, multiscale analysis of directed interactions has never been formalized theoretically, and empirical evaluations are complicated by practical issues such as filtering and downsampling. Here we extend the very popular measure of Granger causality (GC), a prominent tool for assessing directed lagged interactions between joint processes, to quantify information transfer across multiple time scales. We show that the multiscale processing of a vector autoregressive (AR) process introduces a moving average (MA) component, and describe how to represent the resulting ARMA process using state space (SS) models and to combine the SS model parameters for computing exact GC values at arbitrarily large time scales. We exploit the theoretical formulation to identify peculiar features of multiscale GC in basic AR processes, and demonstrate with numerical simulations the much larger estimation accuracy of the SS approach compared to pure AR modeling of filtered and downsampled data. The improved computational reliability is exploited to disclose meaningful multiscale patterns of information transfer between global temperature and carbon dioxide concentration time series, both in paleoclimate and in recent years.

Functional Roles of Slow Enzyme Conformational Changes in Network Dynamics

PubMed Central

Wu, Zhanghan; Xing, Jianhua

2012-01-01

Extensive studies from different fields reveal that many macromolecules, especially enzymes, show slow transitions among different conformations. This phenomenon is named such things as dynamic disorder, heterogeneity, hysteretic or mnemonic enzymes across these different fields, and has been directly demonstrated by single molecule enzymology and NMR studies recently. We analyzed enzyme slow conformational changes in the context of regulatory networks. A single enzymatic reaction with slow conformational changes can filter upstream network noises, and can either resonantly respond to the system stimulus at certain frequencies or respond adaptively for sustained input signals of the network fluctuations. It thus can serve as a basic functional motif with properties that are normally for larger intermolecular networks in the field of systems biology. We further analyzed examples including enzymes functioning against pH fluctuations, metabolic state change of Artemia embryos, and kinetic insulation of fluctuations in metabolic networks. The study also suggests that hysteretic enzymes may be building blocks of synthetic networks with various properties such as narrow-banded filtering. The work fills the missing gap between studies on enzyme biophysics and network level dynamics, and reveals that the coupling between the two is functionally important; it also suggests that the conformational dynamics of some enzymes may be evolutionally selected. PMID:23009855

Monitoring the condition of natural resources in US national parks.

PubMed

Fancy, S G; Gross, J E; Carter, S L

2009-04-01

The National Park Service has developed a long-term ecological monitoring program for 32 ecoregional networks containing more than 270 parks with significant natural resources. The monitoring program assists park managers in developing a broad-based understanding of the status and trends of park resources as a basis for making decisions and working with other agencies and the public for the long-term protection of park ecosystems. We found that the basic steps involved in planning and designing a long-term ecological monitoring program were the same for a range of ecological systems including coral reefs, deserts, arctic tundra, prairie grasslands, caves, and tropical rainforests. These steps involve (1) clearly defining goals and objectives, (2) compiling and summarizing existing information, (3) developing conceptual models, (4) prioritizing and selecting indicators, (5) developing an overall sampling design, (6) developing monitoring protocols, and (7) establishing data management, analysis, and reporting procedures. The broad-based, scientifically sound information obtained through this systems-based monitoring program will have multiple applications for management decision-making, research, education, and promoting public understanding of park resources. When combined with an effective education program, monitoring results can contribute not only to park issues, but also to larger quality-of-life issues that affect surrounding communities and can contribute significantly to the environmental health of the nation.

Computational Architecture of the Parieto-Frontal Network Underlying Cognitive-Motor Control in Monkeys

PubMed Central

Borra, Elena; Visco-Comandini, Federica; Averbeck, Bruno B.

2017-01-01

The statistical structure of intrinsic parietal and parieto-frontal connectivity in monkeys was studied through hierarchical cluster analysis. Based on their inputs, parietal and frontal areas were grouped into different clusters, including a variable number of areas that in most instances occupied contiguous architectonic fields. Connectivity tended to be stronger locally: that is, within areas of the same cluster. Distant frontal and parietal areas were targeted through connections that in most instances were reciprocal and often of different strength. These connections linked parietal and frontal clusters formed by areas sharing basic functional properties. This led to five different medio-laterally oriented pillar domains spanning the entire extent of the parieto-frontal system, in the posterior parietal, anterior parietal, cingulate, frontal, and prefrontal cortex. Different information processing streams could be identified thanks to inter-domain connectivity. These streams encode fast hand reaching and its control, complex visuomotor action spaces, hand grasping, action/intention recognition, oculomotor intention and visual attention, behavioral goals and strategies, and reward and decision value outcome. Most of these streams converge on the cingulate domain, the main hub of the system. All of them are embedded within a larger eye–hand coordination network, from which they can be selectively set in motion by task demands. PMID:28275714

Honey bee protein atlas at organ-level resolution.

PubMed

Chan, Queenie W T; Chan, Man Yi; Logan, Michelle; Fang, Yuan; Higo, Heather; Foster, Leonard J

2013-11-01

Genome sequencing has provided us with gene lists but cannot tell us where and how their encoded products work together to support life. Complex organisms rely on differential expression of subsets of genes/proteins in organs and tissues, and, in concert, evolved to their present state as they function together to improve an organism's overall reproductive fitness. Proteomics studies of individual organs help us understand their basic functions, but this reductionist approach misses the larger context of the whole organism. This problem could be circumvented if all the organs in an organism were comprehensively studied by the same methodology and analyzed together. Using honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) as a model system, we report here an initial whole proteome of a complex organism, measuring 29 different organ/tissue types among the three honey bee castes: queen, drone, and worker. The data reveal that, e.g., workers have a heightened capacity to deal with environmental toxins and queens have a far more robust pheromone detection system than their nestmates. The data also suggest that workers altruistically sacrifice not only their own reproductive capacity but also their immune potential in favor of their queen. Finally, organ-level resolution of protein expression offers a systematic insight into how organs may have developed.

Mechanical Characterization of In and Out-of-Autoclave Cured Composite Panels for Large Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellas, Sotiris; Lerch, Bradley A.; Wilmoth, Nathan

2012-01-01

Two manufacturing demonstration panels (1/16th-arc-segments of 10 m diameter cylinder) were fabricated under the composites part of the Lightweight Space Structures and Materials program. Both panels were of sandwich construction with aluminum core and 8-ply quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy facesheets. One of the panels was constructed with in-autoclave curable unidirectional prepreg (IM7/977-3) and the second with out-of-autoclave unidirectional prepreg (T40-800B/5320-1). Following NDE inspection, each panel was divided into a number of small specimens for material property characterization and a large (0.914 m wide by 1.524 m long) panel for a buckling study. Results from the small specimen tests were used to (a) assess the fabrication quality of each 1/16th arc segment panel and (b) to develop and/or verify basic material property inputs to Finite Element analysis models. The mechanical performance of the two material systems is assessed at the coupon level by comparing average measured properties such as flatwise tension, edgewise compression, and facesheet tension. The buckling response of the 0.914 m wide by 1.524 m long panel provided a comparison between the in- and out-of autoclave systems at a larger scale.

Auto Mechanics. Performance Objectives. Basic Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Thomas G., Sr.

Several intermediate performance objectives and corresponding criterion measures are listed for each of 14 terminal objectives for a basic automotive mechanics course. The materials were developed for a two-semester course (2 hours daily) designed to provide training in the basic fundamentals in diagnosis and repair including cooling system and…

5 CFR 843.309 - Basic employee death benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Basic employee death benefit. 843.309... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEATH BENEFITS AND EMPLOYEE REFUNDS Current and Former Spouse Benefits § 843.309 Basic employee death benefit. (a) Except as provided in § 843.312, if an...

5 CFR 843.309 - Basic employee death benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Basic employee death benefit. 843.309... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEATH BENEFITS AND EMPLOYEE REFUNDS Current and Former Spouse Benefits § 843.309 Basic employee death benefit. (a) Except as provided in § 843.312, if an...

5 CFR 843.309 - Basic employee death benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Basic employee death benefit. 843.309... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEATH BENEFITS AND EMPLOYEE REFUNDS Current and Former Spouse Benefits § 843.309 Basic employee death benefit. (a) Except as provided in § 843.312, if an...

5 CFR 843.309 - Basic employee death benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Basic employee death benefit. 843.309... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEATH BENEFITS AND EMPLOYEE REFUNDS Current and Former Spouse Benefits § 843.309 Basic employee death benefit. (a) Except as provided in § 843.312, if an...

5 CFR 843.309 - Basic employee death benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Basic employee death benefit. 843.309... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEATH BENEFITS AND EMPLOYEE REFUNDS Current and Former Spouse Benefits § 843.309 Basic employee death benefit. (a) Except as provided in § 843.312, if an...

5 CFR 534.603 - Rates of basic pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Rates of basic pay. 534.603 Section 534.603 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Pay for Administrative Appeals Judge Positions § 534.603 Rates of basic pay. (a) The...

48 CFR 1527.404 - Basic rights in data clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Basic rights in data clause... GENERAL CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS PATENTS, DATA, AND COPYRIGHTS Rights in Data and Copyrights 1527.404 Basic rights in data clause. The Contracting Officer shall insert in the Limited Rights Notice when...

Multiple Flow Loop SCADA System Implemented on the Production Prototype Loop

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

Baily, Scott A.; Dalmas, Dale Allen; Wheat, Robert Mitchell

2015-11-16

The following report covers FY 15 activities to develop supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for the Northstar Moly99 production prototype gas flow loop. The goal of this effort is to expand the existing system to include a second flow loop with a larger production-sized blower. Besides testing the larger blower, this system will demonstrate the scalability of our solution to multiple flow loops.

Mechanics of mouse ocular motor plant quantified by optogenetic techniques.

PubMed

Stahl, John S; Thumser, Zachary C; May, Paul J; Andrade, Francisco H; Anderson, Sean R; Dean, Paul

2015-09-01

Rigorous descriptions of ocular motor mechanics are often needed for models of ocular motor circuits. The mouse has become an important tool for ocular motor studies, yet most mechanical data come from larger species. Recordings of mouse abducens neurons indicate the mouse mechanics share basic viscoelastic properties with larger species but have considerably longer time constants. Time constants can also be extracted from the rate at which the eye re-centers when released from an eccentric position. The displacement can be accomplished by electrically stimulating ocular motor nuclei, but electrical stimulation may also activate nearby ocular motor circuitry. We achieved specific activation of abducens motoneurons through photostimulation in transgenic mice expressing channelrhodopsin in cholinergic neurons. Histology confirmed strong channelrhodopsin expression in the abducens nucleus with relatively little expression in nearby ocular motor structures. Stimulation was delivered as 20- to 1,000-ms pulses and 40-Hz trains. Relaxations were modeled best by a two-element viscoelastic system. Time constants were sensitive to stimulus duration. Analysis of isometric relaxation of isolated mouse extraocular muscles suggest the dependence is attributable to noninstantaneous decay of active forces in non-twitch fibers following stimulus offset. Time constants were several times longer than those obtained in primates, confirming that the mouse ocular motor mechanics are relatively sluggish. Finally, we explored the effects of 0.1- to 20-Hz sinusoidal photostimuli and demonstrated their potential usefulness in characterizing ocular motor mechanics, although this application will require further data on the temporal relationship between photostimulation and neuronal firing in extraocular motoneurons.

PyMT: A Python package for model-coupling in the Earth sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutton, E.

2016-12-01

The current landscape of Earth-system models is not only broad in scientific scope, but also broad in type. On the one hand, the large variety of models is exciting, as it provides fertile ground for extending or linking models together in novel ways to answer new scientific questions. However, the heterogeneity in model type acts to inhibit model coupling, model development, or even model use. Existing models are written in a variety of programming languages, operate on different grids, use their own file formats (both for input and output), have different user interfaces, have their own time steps, etc. Each of these factors become obstructions to scientists wanting to couple, extend - or simply run - existing models. For scientists whose main focus may not be computer science these barriers become even larger and become significant logistical hurdles. And this is all before the scientific difficulties of coupling or running models are addressed. The CSDMS Python Modeling Toolkit (PyMT) was developed to help non-computer scientists deal with these sorts of modeling logistics. PyMT is the fundamental package the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System uses for the coupling of models that expose the Basic Modeling Interface (BMI). It contains: Tools necessary for coupling models of disparate time and space scales (including grid mappers) Time-steppers that coordinate the sequencing of coupled models Exchange of data between BMI-enabled models Wrappers that automatically load BMI-enabled models into the PyMT framework Utilities that support open-source interfaces (UGRID, SGRID,CSDMS Standard Names, etc.) A collection of community-submitted models, written in a variety of programminglanguages, from a variety of process domains - but all usable from within the Python programming language A plug-in framework for adding additional BMI-enabled models to the framework In this presentation we intoduce the basics of the PyMT as well as provide an example of coupling models of different domains and grid types.

Study on diesel vertical migration characteristics and mechanism in water-bearing sand stratum using an automated resistivity monitoring system.

PubMed

Pan, Yuying; Jia, Yonggang; Wang, Yuhua; Xia, Xin; Guo, Lei

2018-02-01

Oil spills frequently occur on both land and sea. Petroleum in mobile phase will cause serious pollution in the sediment and can form a secondary pollution source. Therefore, it is very important to study the migration of petroleum in sediments ideally in a rapid and simplified approach. The release of diesel was simulated using fine beach sand to construct a model aquifer, and dynamic monitoring was carried out using an automated monitoring system including a resistivity probe originally developed by our research group. The mobile phase migration fronts were determined accurately using wavelet analysis method combined with resistivity curve method. Then, a relationship between resistivity and the joint oil-water content was established. The main conclusions were as follows. The seepage velocity of the diesel with high mobility at the initial stage of infiltration was faster, followed by a period when gravity seepage was dominant, and finally a redistribution period at the later stage, which was mainly an oil-water displacement process. The resistivity trends for diesel infiltration in different water-saturated soil layers varied with depth. The resistivity in the vadose zone fluctuated significantly, increasing initially and later decreasing. The resistivity change in the capillary zone was relatively small and constant in the initial stage; then, it increased and subsequently decreased. The resistivity in the saturated zone was basically unchanged with depth, and the value became slightly larger than the background value over time. Overall, for a large volume of mobile phase diesel leakage, the arrival migration fronts can be detected by wavelet analysis combined with resistivity curves. The thickness of the oil slick in the capillary zone can be estimated by resistivity changes. The relationships between resistivity and both the moisture content and oil-water joint saturation are in agreement with the linear models. The research results provide basic data and a new data processing method for monitoring of contaminated sites following major oil spills using the resistivity method.

Translating orthopaedic basic science into clinical relevance.

PubMed

Madry, Henning

2014-12-01

In orthopaedic and trauma surgery, the rapid evolution of biomedical research has fundamentally changed the perception of the musculoskeletal system. Here, the rigor of basic science and the art of musculoskeletal surgery have come together to create a new discipline -experimental orthopaedics- that holds great promise for the causative cure of many orthopaedic conditions. The Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics intends to bridge the gap between orthopaedic basic science and clinical relevance, to allow for a fruitful clinical translation of excellent and important investigations in the field of the entire musculoskeletal system.

Three basic principles of success.

PubMed

Levin, Roger

2003-06-01

Basic business principles all but ensure success when they are followed consistently. Putting strategies, objectives and tactics in place is the first step toward being able to document systems, initiate scripting and improve staff training. Without the basic steps, systems, scripting and training the practice for performance would be hit or miss, at best. More importantly, applying business principles ensures that limited practice resources are dedicated to the achievement of the strategy. By following this simple, three-step process, a dental practice can significantly enhance both financial success and dentist and staff satisfaction.

Wireless Power Transmission Options for Space Solar Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henley, Mark; Potter, Seth; Howell, Joseph; Mankins, John

2002-01-01

Space Solar Power (SSP), combined with Wireless Power Transmission (WPT), offers the far-term potential to solve major energy problems on Earth. In this paper two basic WPT options, using radio waves and light waves, are considered for both long-term and near-term SSP applications. In the long-term, we aspire to beam energy to Earth from geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), or even further distances in space. Accordingly, radio- and light- wave WPT options are compared through a wide range of criteria, each showing certain strengths. In the near-term, we plan to beam power over more moderate distances, but still stretch the limits of today's technology. For the near-term, a 100 kWe-class 'Power Plug' Satellite and a 10 kWe-class Lunar Polar Solar Power outpost are considered as the first steps in using these WPT options for SSP. By using SSP and WPT technology in near-term space science and exploration missions, we gain experience needed for sound decisions in designing and developing larger systems to send power from Space to Earth.

Wireless Power Transmission Options for Space Solar Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henley, Mark; Potter, Seth; Howell, Joseph; Mankins, John

2007-01-01

Space Solar Power (SSP), combined with Wireless Power Transmission (WPT), offers the far-term potential to solve major energy problems on Earth. In this presentation, two basic WPT options, using radio waves an d light waves, are considered for both long-term and near-term SSP applications. In the long-term, we aspire to beam energy to Earth from geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), or even further distances in space. Accordingly, radio- and light- wave WPT options are compared through a wide range of criteria, each showing certain strengths. In the near-term, we plan to beam power over more moderate distances, but still stretch the limits of today's technology. For the near-term, a 100 kWe-class "Power Plug" Satellite and a 10 kWe-class Lunar Polar Solar Power outpost are considered as the first steps in using these WPT options for SSP. By using SSP and WPT technology in nearterm space science and exploration missions, we gain experience needed for sound decisions in designing and developing larger systems to send power from Space to Earth.

Two-body Schrödinger wave functions in a plane-wave basis via separation of dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jerke, Jonathan; Poirier, Bill

2018-03-01

Using a combination of ideas, the ground and several excited electronic states of the helium atom and the hydrogen molecule are computed to chemical accuracy—i.e., to within 1-2 mhartree or better. The basic strategy is very different from the standard electronic structure approach in that the full two-electron six-dimensional (6D) problem is tackled directly, rather than starting from a single-electron Hartree-Fock approximation. Electron correlation is thus treated exactly, even though computational requirements remain modest. The method also allows for exact wave functions to be computed, as well as energy levels. From the full-dimensional 6D wave functions computed here, radial distribution functions and radial correlation functions are extracted—as well as a 2D probability density function exhibiting antisymmetry for a single Cartesian component. These calculations support a more recent interpretation of Hund's rule, which states that the lower energy of the higher spin-multiplicity states is actually due to reduced screening, rather than reduced electron-electron repulsion. Prospects for larger systems and/or electron dynamics applications appear promising.

Ozone changes in response to the heavy-duty diesel truck control in the Pearl River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xin; Yuan, Zibing; Fung, J. C. H.; Xue, Jian; Li, Ying; Zheng, Junyu; Lau, A. K. H.

2014-05-01

In recent years, restricting heavy-duty diesel trucks from driving within urban areas during the daytime is implemented in major PRD cities (e.g. Guangzhou and Shenzhen). Potential effects of this traffic control policy on spatial and temporal variations of O3 concentrations are examined by CMAQ model system. Temporal profiles of mobile source emissions are modified to reflect the emission characteristics after the control. Our results show that: (1) with the updated mobile emission profile, there is a notable improvement in O3 simulation performance for urban sites, with reductions in both the nighttime O3 overestimation (up to 25 ppb) and the daytime underestimation on O3 peak values (up to 20 ppb); (2) although the control policies are only applied in urban locations, their effects may extend to much larger downwind areas. The results from this study provide basic information that is useful in understanding the effects of mobile control policies on ambient O3 in highly developing regions of China where similar strategies have been widely implemented.

Experimental and analytical studies of a true airspeed sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goglia, G. L.; Shen, J. Y.

1983-01-01

A true airspeed sensor based on the precession of a vortex whistle for sensing airspeeds up to 321.9 km/hr (200 mph). In an attempt to model the complicated fluid mechanics of the vortex precession, three dimensional, inviscid, unsteady, incompressible fluid flow was studied by using the hydrodynamical linearized stability theory. The temporal stability approach was used to derive the relationship between the true airspeed and frequency response. The results show that the frequency response is linearly proportional to the airspeed. A computer program was developed to obtain the numerical solution. Computational results for various parameters were obtained. The designed sensor basically consisted of a vortex tube, a swirler, and a transducer system. A microphone converted the audible tone to an electronic frequency signal. Measurements for both the closed conduit tests and wind tunnel tests were recorded. For a specific flow rate or airspeed, larger exit swirler angles produced higher frequencies. For a smaller cross sectional area in the precessional flow region, the frequency was higher. It was observed that as the airspeed was increased the Strouhal number remained constant.

Frontiers in Outreach and Education: The Florida Red Tide Experience.

PubMed

Nierenberg, Kate; Hollenbeck, Julie; Fleming, Lora E; Stephan, Wendy; Reich, Andrew; Backer, Lorraine C; Currier, Robert; Kirkpatrick, Barbara

2011-05-01

To enhance information sharing and garner increased support from the public for scientific research, funding agencies now typically require that research groups receiving support convey their work to stakeholders. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences-(NIEHS) funded Aerosolized Florida Red Tide P01 research group (Florida Red Tide Research Group) has employed a variety of outreach strategies to meet this requirement. Messages developed from this project began a decade ago and have evolved from basic print material (fliers and posters) to an interactive website, to the use of video and social networking technologies, such as Facebook and Twitter. The group was able to track dissemination of these information products; however, evaluation of their effectiveness presented much larger challenges. The primary lesson learned by the Florida Red Tide Research Group is that the best ways to reach specific stakeholders is to develop unique products or services to address specific stakeholders needs, such as the Beach Conditions Reporting System. Based on the experience of the Group, the most productive messaging products result when scientific community engages potential stakeholders and outreach experts during the very initial phases of a project.

Analysis of the position of robotic cell components and its impact on energy consumption by robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banas, W.; Gwiazda, A.; Monica, Z.; Sekala, A.; Foit, K.

2016-08-01

Location elements in the robot cell is very important must provide reasonable access to technological points. This is a basic condition, but it is possible to shift these elements worth considering over other criteria. One of them can be energy consumption. This is an economic parameter and in most cases its improvement make shorten the working time an industrial robot. In most conventional mechanical systems you do not need to consume power in standby mode only for a move. Robot because of its construction, even if it does not move has enabled engines and is ready to move. In this case, the servo speed is zero. During this stop servo squeak. Low-speed motors cause the engine torque is reduced and increases power consumption. In larger robots are installed brakes that when the robot does not move mechanically hold the position. Off the robot has enabled brakes and remembers the position servo drives. Brakes must be released when the robot wants to move and drives hold the position.

Two-body Schrödinger wave functions in a plane-wave basis via separation of dimensions.

PubMed

Jerke, Jonathan; Poirier, Bill

2018-03-14

Using a combination of ideas, the ground and several excited electronic states of the helium atom and the hydrogen molecule are computed to chemical accuracy-i.e., to within 1-2 mhartree or better. The basic strategy is very different from the standard electronic structure approach in that the full two-electron six-dimensional (6D) problem is tackled directly, rather than starting from a single-electron Hartree-Fock approximation. Electron correlation is thus treated exactly, even though computational requirements remain modest. The method also allows for exact wave functions to be computed, as well as energy levels. From the full-dimensional 6D wave functions computed here, radial distribution functions and radial correlation functions are extracted-as well as a 2D probability density function exhibiting antisymmetry for a single Cartesian component. These calculations support a more recent interpretation of Hund's rule, which states that the lower energy of the higher spin-multiplicity states is actually due to reduced screening, rather than reduced electron-electron repulsion. Prospects for larger systems and/or electron dynamics applications appear promising.

Unsolved mysteries of Rag GTPase signaling in yeast.

PubMed

Hatakeyama, Riko; De Virgilio, Claudio

2016-10-01

The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) plays a central role in controlling eukaryotic cell growth by fine-tuning anabolic and catabolic processes to the nutritional status of organisms and individual cells. Amino acids represent essential and primordial signals that modulate TORC1 activity through the conserved Rag family GTPases. These assemble, as part of larger lysosomal/vacuolar membrane-associated complexes, into heterodimeric sub-complexes, which typically comprise two paralogous Rag GTPases of opposite GTP-/GDP-loading status. The TORC1-stimulating/inhibiting states of these heterodimers are controlled by various guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) and GTPase-activating protein (GAP) complexes, which are remarkably conserved in various eukaryotic model systems. Among the latter, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been instrumental for the elucidation of basic aspects of Rag GTPase regulation and function. Here, we discuss the current state of the respective research, focusing on the major unsolved issues regarding the architecture, regulation, and function of the Rag GTPase containing complexes in yeast. Decoding these mysteries will undoubtedly further shape our understanding of the conserved and divergent principles of nutrient signaling in eukaryotes.

Unsolved mysteries of Rag GTPase signaling in yeast

PubMed Central

Hatakeyama, Riko; De Virgilio, Claudio

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) plays a central role in controlling eukaryotic cell growth by fine-tuning anabolic and catabolic processes to the nutritional status of organisms and individual cells. Amino acids represent essential and primordial signals that modulate TORC1 activity through the conserved Rag family GTPases. These assemble, as part of larger lysosomal/vacuolar membrane-associated complexes, into heterodimeric sub-complexes, which typically comprise two paralogous Rag GTPases of opposite GTP-/GDP-loading status. The TORC1-stimulating/inhibiting states of these heterodimers are controlled by various guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) and GTPase-activating protein (GAP) complexes, which are remarkably conserved in various eukaryotic model systems. Among the latter, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been instrumental for the elucidation of basic aspects of Rag GTPase regulation and function. Here, we discuss the current state of the respective research, focusing on the major unsolved issues regarding the architecture, regulation, and function of the Rag GTPase containing complexes in yeast. Decoding these mysteries will undoubtedly further shape our understanding of the conserved and divergent principles of nutrient signaling in eukaryotes. PMID:27400376

Photon-assisted tunneling in an asymmetrically coupled triple quantum dot

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

Wang, Bao-Chuan; Cao, Gang, E-mail: gcao@ustc.edu.cn; Chen, Bao-Bao

The gate-defined quantum dot is regarded as one of the basic structures required for scalable semiconductor quantum processors. Here, we demonstrate a structure that contains three quantum dots scaled in series. The electron number of each dot and the tunnel coupling between them can be tuned conveniently using splitting gates. We tune the quantum dot array asymmetrically such that the tunnel coupling between the right dot and the central dot is much larger than that between the left dot and the central dot. When driven by microwaves, the sidebands of the photon-assisted tunneling process appear not only in the left-to-centralmore » dot transition region but also in the left-to-right dot transition region. These sidebands are both attributed to the left-to-central transition for asymmetric coupling. Our result shows that there is a region of a triple quantum dot structure that remains indistinct when studied with a normal two-dimensional charge stability diagram; this will be helpful in future studies of the scalability of quantum dot systems.« less

Treatment seeking and health financing in selected poor urban neighbourhoods in India, Indonesia and Thailand.

PubMed

Seeberg, Jens; Pannarunothai, Supasit; Padmawati, Retna Siwi; Trisnantoro, Laksono; Barua, Nupur; Pandav, Chandrakant S

2014-02-01

This article presents a comparative analysis of socio-economic disparities in relation to treatment-seeking strategies and healthcare expenditures in poor neighbourhoods within larger health systems in four cities in India, Indonesia and Thailand. About 200 households in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Jogjakarta and Phitsanulok were repeatedly interviewed over 12 months to relate health problems with health seeking and health financing at household level. Quantitative data were complemented with ethnographic studies involving the same neighbourhoods and a number of private practitioners at each site. Within each site, the higher and lower income groups among the poor were compared. The lower income group was more likely than the higher income group to seek care from less qualified health providers and incur catastrophic health spending. The study recommends linking quality control mechanisms with universal health coverage (UHC) policies; to monitor the impact of UHC among the poorest; intervention research to reach the poorest with UHC; and inclusion of private providers without formal medical qualification in basic healthcare. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemistry of cometary meteoroids from video-tape records of meteor spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millman, P. M.

1982-01-01

The chemistry of the cometary meteoroids was studied by closed circuit television observing systems. Vidicon cameras produce basic data on standard video tape and enable the recording of the spectra of faint shower meteors, consequently the chemical study is extended to smaller particles and we have a larger data bank than is available from the more conventional method of recording meteor spectra by photography. The two main problems in using video tape meteor spectrum records are: (1) the video tape recording has a much lower resolution than the photographic technique; (2) video tape is relatively new type of data storage in astronomy and the methods of quantitative photometry have not yet been fully developed in the various fields where video tape is used. The use of the most detailed photographic meteor spectra to calibrate the video tape records and to make positive identification of the more prominent chemical elements appearing in the spectra may solve the low resolution problem. Progress in the development of standard photometric techniques for the analysis of video tape records of meteor spectra is reported.

The cochlear size of bats and rodents derived from MRI images and histology.

PubMed

Hsiao, Chun Jen; Jen, Philip Hung-Sun; Wu, Chung Hsin

2015-05-27

From the evolutionary perspective, the ear of each animal species is built for effective processing of the biologically relevant signals used for communication and acoustically guided orientation. Because the sound pulses used by echolocating bats for orientation and rodents for communication are quite different, the basic design of the mammalian auditory system commonly shared by echolocating bats must be specialized in some manner to effectively process their species-specific sounds. The present study examines the difference in the cochlea of these animal species using MRI images and histological techniques. We report here that, although all these animal species share a similar cochlear structure, they vary in their cochlear size and turns. Bats using constant frequency-frequency-modulated pulses (CF-FM bats) and frequency-modulated pulses (FM bats) for echolocation have a larger cochlear size and more cochlear turns than rodents (mice and rats). However, CF-FM bats have the largest cochlear size and most cochlear turns. This difference in cochlear size and turns of these animal species is discussed in relation to their biologically relevant sounds and acoustic behavior.

Emerging Drugs for Uveitis

PubMed Central

Larson, Theresa; Nussenblatt, Robert B.; Sen, H. Nida

2010-01-01

Importance of the Field Uveitis is a challenging disease covering both infectious and noninfectious conditions. The current treatment strategies are hampered by the paucity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and few trials comparing efficacy of different agents. Areas Covered in this Review This review describes the current and future treatments of uveitis. A literature search was performed in PUBMED from 1965 to 2010 on drugs treating ocular inflammation with emphasis placed on more recent, larger studies. What the Reader Will Gain Readers should gain a basic understanding of current treatment strategies beginning with corticosteroids and transitioning to steroid sparing agents. Steroid sparing agents include the antimetabolites which include methotrexate, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil; the calcineurin inhibitors which include cyclosporine, tacrolimus; alkylating agents which include cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil; and biologics which include the TNF-α inhibitors infliximab, adalimumab, and etanercept; daclizumab, interferon α2a, and rituximab. Take Home Message Newer agents are typically formulated from existing drugs or developed based on new advances in immunology. Future treatment will require a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in autoimmune diseases and better delivery systems in order to provide targeted treatment with minimal side effects. PMID:21210752

The Virtual Solar Observatory: Still a Small Box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurman, J. B.; Bogart, R. S.; Davey, A. R.; Dimitoglou, G.; Hill, F.; Hourcle, J. A.; Martens, P. C.; Surez-Sola, I.; Tian, K. Q.; Wampler, S.

2005-01-01

Two and a half years after a design study began, and a year and a half after development commenced, version 1.0 of the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) was released at the 2004 Fall AGU meeting. Although internal elements of the VSO have changed, the basic design has remained the same, reflecting the team's belief in the importance of a simple, robust mechanism for registering data provider holdings, initiating queries at the appropriate provider sites, aggregating the responses, allowing the user to iterate before making a final selection, and enabling the delivery of data directly from the providers. In order to make the VSO transparent, lightweight, and portable, the developers employed XML for the registry, SOAP for communication between a VSO instance and data services, and HTML for the graphic user interface (GUI's). We discuss the internal data model, the API, and user responses to various trial GUI's as typical design issues for any virtual observatory. We also discuss the role of the "small box" of data search, identification, and delivery services provided by the VSO in the larger, Sun-Solar System Connection virtual observatory (VxO) scheme.

High coercivity in large exchange-bias Co/CoO-MgO nano-granular films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Chuan-Nan; Wan, Xian-Gang; Eric, Pellegrin; Hu, Zhi-Wei; Wen-I, Liang; Michael, Bruns; Zou, Wen-Qin; Du, You-Wei

2015-03-01

We present a detailed study on the magnetic coercivity of Co/CoO-MgO core-shell systems, which exhibits a large exchange bias due to an increase of the uncompensated spin density at the interface between the CoO shell and the metallic Co core by replacing Co by Mg within the CoO shell. We find a large magnetic coercivity of 7120 Oe around the electrical percolation threshold of the Co/CoO core/shell particles, while samples with a smaller or larger Co metal volume fraction show a considerably smaller coercivity. Thus, this study may lead to a route to improving the magnetic properties of artificial magnetic material in view of potential applications. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2012CB932304), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. U1232210, 91122035, 11174124, and 11374137), the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China (Grant No. 14KJB140003), and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, China.

Gums induced microstructure stability in Ca(II)-alginate beads containing lactase analyzed by SAXS.

PubMed

Traffano-Schiffo, Maria Victoria; Castro-Giraldez, Marta; Fito, Pedro J; Perullini, Mercedes; Santagapita, Patricio R

2018-01-01

Previous works show that the addition of trehalose and gums in β-galactosidase (lactase) Ca(II)-alginate encapsulation systems improved its intrinsic stability against freezing and dehydration processes in the pristine state. However, there is no available information on the evolution in microstructure due to the constraints imposed by the operational conditions. The aim of this research is to study the time course of microstructural changes of Ca(II)-alginate matrices driven by the presence of trehalose, arabic and guar gums as excipients and to discuss how these changes influence the diffusional transport (assessed by LF-NMR) and the enzymatic activity of the encapsulated lactase. The structural modifications at different scales were assessed by SAXS. The incorporation of gums as second excipients induces a significant stabilization in the microstructure not only at the rod scale, but also in the characteristic size and density of alginate dimers (basic units of construction of rods) and the degree of interconnection of rods at a larger scale, improving the performance in terms of lactase activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mass Uncertainty and Application For Space Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beech, Geoffrey

2013-01-01

Expected development maturity under contract (spec) should correlate with Project/Program Approved MGA Depletion Schedule in Mass Properties Control Plan. If specification NTE, MGA is inclusive of Actual MGA (A5 & A6). If specification is not an NTE Actual MGA (e.g. nominal), then MGA values are reduced by A5 values and A5 is representative of remaining uncertainty. Basic Mass = Engineering Estimate based on design and construction principles with NO embedded margin MGA Mass = Basic Mass * assessed % from approved MGA schedule. Predicted Mass = Basic + MGA. Aggregate MGA % = (Aggregate Predicted - Aggregate Basic) /Aggregate Basic.

Binary Systems as Test-Beds of Gravity Theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damour, Thibault

The discovery of binary pulsars in 1974 [1] opened up a new testing ground for relativistic gravity. Before this discovery, the only available testing ground for relativistic gravity was the solar system. As Einstein's theory of General Relativity (GR) is one of the basic pillars of modern science, it deserves to be tested, with the highest possible accuracy, in all its aspects. In the solar sys tem, the gravitational field is slowly varying and represents only a very small deformation of a flat spacetime. As a consequence, solar system tests can only probe the quasi-stationary (non-radiative) weak-field limit of relativis tic gravity. By contrast binary systems containing compact objects (neutron stars or black holes) involve spacetime domains (inside and near the compact objects) where the gravitational field is strong. Indeed, the surface relativistic gravitational field h 00 ≈ 2 GM/c 2 R of a neutron star is of order 0.4, which is close to the one of a black hole (2GM/c 2 R = 1) and much larger than the surface gravitational fields of solar system bodies: (2GM/c 2 R)Sun ˜ 10-6, (2GM/c 2 R)Earth ˜ 10-9. In addition, the high stability of “pulsar clocks” has made it possible to monitor the dynamics of its orbital motion down to a precision allowing one to measure the small (˜ (v/c)5) orbital effects linked to the propagation of the gravitational field at the velocity of light between the pulsar and its companion.

Reduction of Net Erosion of High-Z Divertor Surface by Local Redeposition in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stangeby, P. C.

2012-10-01

Utilizing the unique capability to expose material samples to well characterized diverted plasmas, recent DIII-D measurements have confirmed theoretical expectations of the relative net and gross erosion rates of molybdenum in the divertor region. Knowledge of these erosion rates is important for predicting first wall lifetime in future fusion devices. Theory suggests that the net erosion rate will be much less than gross erosion due to prompt local deposition of eroded ions by gyro-orbit motion, the strong E-field toward the target and friction with the fast plasma flow toward the target. However, experimental evidence to date has been contradictory. The results here, which are the most definitive to date, are consistent with the basic theoretical predictions. The net and gross erosion rates were measured utilizing 1-cm and 1-mm diameter Mo samples that are mounted on the DIII-D Divertor Material Evaluation System (DiMES) system and simultaneously exposed near the attached outer strike point of an L-mode plasma for 4 s. Due to the spatial extent of the re-deposition, the larger sample gives the net erosion while the smaller sample is indicative of the gross erosion. Post-mortem ion beam analysis (RBS) of the larger sample, indicates a 2.9 nm film thickness reduction (or 0.72 nm/s net erosion rate). Similar analysis of the smaller sample yields a 1.3 nm/s gross erosion rate, consistent with spectroscopic measurements of Mo I emission. The net to gross erosion ratio of 0.56 is consistent with calculations using a modeling package including REDEP/WBS and OEDGE codes. Using as input the measured plasma density and temperature profiles from divertor Langmuir probes, these codes estimate a net to gross erosion ratio of 0.46. Details of the modeling and implications for future devices will be discussed.

Helicopter Visual Segment Approach Lighting System (HALS) Test Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

this Pegl 23. Ne. a# Palo$ 22. Ptuco Unclassified Unclassified 316 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-721 Reproduction of e9Isted Ppe authorized TABLE OF CONTENTS...Subject Pilot Range Rate/Vertical Position Plots lii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page I Basic Heliport IFR Lighting System 4 2 Heliport Approach...Instrument Flight Rules ( IFR ) Heliport Lighting System and a centerline HALS. The Basic IFR Approach Light System is presented in figure 1. It consists of

Are you interested? A meta-analysis of relations between vocational interests and employee performance and turnover.

PubMed

Van Iddekinge, Chad H; Roth, Philip L; Putka, Dan J; Lanivich, Stephen E

2011-11-01

A common belief among researchers is that vocational interests have limited value for personnel selection. However, no comprehensive quantitative summaries of interests validity research have been conducted to substantiate claims for or against the use of interests. To help address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of relations between interests and employee performance and turnover using data from 74 studies and 141 independent samples. Overall validity estimates (corrected for measurement error in the criterion but not for range restriction) for single interest scales were .14 for job performance, .26 for training performance, -.19 for turnover intentions, and -.15 for actual turnover. Several factors appeared to moderate interest-criterion relations. For example, validity estimates were larger when interests were theoretically relevant to the work performed in the target job. The type of interest scale also moderated validity, such that corrected validities were larger for scales designed to assess interests relevant to a particular job or vocation (e.g., .23 for job performance) than for scales designed to assess a single, job-relevant realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, or conventional (i.e., RIASEC) interest (.10) or a basic interest (.11). Finally, validity estimates were largest when studies used multiple interests for prediction, either by using a single job or vocation focused scale (which tend to tap multiple interests) or by using a regression-weighted composite of several RIASEC or basic interest scales. Overall, the results suggest that vocational interests may hold more promise for predicting employee performance and turnover than researchers may have thought. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Proline-Rich Salivary Proteins Have Extended Conformations

PubMed Central

Boze, Hélène; Marlin, Thérèse; Durand, Dominique; Pérez, Javier; Vernhet, Aude; Canon, Francis; Sarni-Manchado, Pascale; Cheynier, Véronique; Cabane, Bernard

2010-01-01

Abstract Three basic proline-rich salivary proteins have been produced through the recombinant route. IB5 is a small basic proline-rich protein that is involved in the binding of plant tannins in the oral cavity. II-1 is a larger protein with a closely related backbone; it is glycosylated, and it is also able to bind plant tannins. II-1ng has the same polypeptidic backbone as II-1, but it is not glycosylated. Small angle x-ray scattering experiments on dilute solutions of these proteins confirm that they are intrinsically disordered. IB5 and II-1ng can be described through a chain model including a persistence length and cross section. The measured radii of gyration (Rg = 27.9 and 41.0 ± 1 Å respectively) and largest distances (rmax = 110 and 155 ± 10 Å respectively) show that their average conformations are rather extended. The length of the statistical segment (twice the persistence length) is b = 30 Å, which is larger than the usual value (18 Å − 20 Å) for unstructured polypeptide chains. These characteristics are presumably related to the presence of polyproline helices within the polypeptidic backbones. For both proteins, the radius of gyration of the chain cross-section is Rc = 2.7 ± 0.2Å. The glycosylated protein II-1 has similar conformations but the presence of large polyoside sidegroups yields the structure of a branched macromolecule with the same hydrophobic backbone and hydrophilic branches. It is proposed that the unusually extended conformations of these proteins in solution facilitate the capture of plant tannins in the oral cavity. PMID:20643086

Modelling the effects of phylogeny and body size on within-host pathogen replication and immune response.

PubMed

Banerjee, Soumya; Perelson, Alan S; Moses, Melanie

2017-11-01

Understanding how quickly pathogens replicate and how quickly the immune system responds is important for predicting the epidemic spread of emerging pathogens. Host body size, through its correlation with metabolic rates, is theoretically predicted to impact pathogen replication rates and immune system response rates. Here, we use mathematical models of viral time courses from multiple species of birds infected by a generalist pathogen (West Nile Virus; WNV) to test more thoroughly how disease progression and immune response depend on mass and host phylogeny. We use hierarchical Bayesian models coupled with nonlinear dynamical models of disease dynamics to incorporate the hierarchical nature of host phylogeny. Our analysis suggests an important role for both host phylogeny and species mass in determining factors important for viral spread such as the basic reproductive number, WNV production rate, peak viraemia in blood and competency of a host to infect mosquitoes. Our model is based on a principled analysis and gives a quantitative prediction for key epidemiological determinants and how they vary with species mass and phylogeny. This leads to new hypotheses about the mechanisms that cause certain taxonomic groups to have higher viraemia. For example, our models suggest that higher viral burst sizes cause corvids to have higher levels of viraemia and that the cellular rate of virus production is lower in larger species. We derive a metric of competency of a host to infect disease vectors and thereby sustain the disease between hosts. This suggests that smaller passerine species are highly competent at spreading the disease compared with larger non-passerine species. Our models lend mechanistic insight into why some species (smaller passerine species) are pathogen reservoirs and some (larger non-passerine species) are potentially dead-end hosts for WNV. Our techniques give insights into the role of body mass and host phylogeny in the spread of WNV and potentially other zoonotic diseases. The major contribution of this work is a computational framework for infectious disease modelling at the within-host level that leverages data from multiple species. This is likely to be of interest to modellers of infectious diseases that jump species barriers and infect multiple species. Our method can be used to computationally determine the competency of a host to infect mosquitoes that will sustain WNV and other zoonotic diseases. We find that smaller passerine species are more competent in spreading the disease than larger non-passerine species. This suggests the role of host phylogeny as an important determinant of within-host pathogen replication. Ultimately, we view our work as an important step in linking within-host viral dynamics models to between-host models that determine spread of infectious disease between different hosts. © 2017 The Author(s).

Removal of basic dye (methylene blue) from wastewaters utilizing beer brewery waste.

PubMed

Tsai, Wen-Tien; Hsu, Hsin-Chieh; Su, Ting-Yi; Lin, Keng-Yu; Lin, Chien-Ming

2008-06-15

In the work, the beer brewery waste has been shown to be a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of basic dye from the aqueous solution as compared to its precursor (i.e., diatomite) based on its physical and chemical characterizations including surface area, pore volume, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and non-mineral elemental analyses. The pore properties of this waste were significantly larger than those of its raw material, reflecting that the trapped organic matrices contained in the waste probably provided additional adsorption sites and/or adsorption area. The results of preliminary adsorption kinetics showed that the diatomite waste could be directly used as a potential adsorbent for removal of methylene blue on the basis of its adsorption-biosorption mechanisms. The adsorption parameters thus obtained from the pseudo-second-order model were in accordance with their pore properties. From the results of adsorption isotherm at 298 K and the applicability examinations in treating industrial wastewater containing basic dye, it was further found that the adsorption capacities of diatomite waste were superior to those of diatomite, which were also in good agreement with their corresponding physical properties. From the results mentioned above, it is feasible to utilize the food-processing waste for removing dye from the industrial dying wastewater.

A simulation study of control and display requirements for zero-experience general aviation pilots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Eric C.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this simulation study was to define the basic human factor requirements for operating an airplane in all weather conditions. The basic human factors requirements are defined as those for an operator who is a complete novice for airplane operations but who is assumed to have automobile driving experience. These operators thus have had no piloting experience or training of any kind. The human factor requirements are developed for a practical task which includes all of the basic maneuvers required to go from one airport to another airport in limited visibility conditions. The task was quite demanding including following a precise path with climbing and descending turns while simultaneously changing airspeed. The ultimate goal of this research is to increase the utility of general aviation airplanes - that is, to make them a practical mode of transportation for a much larger segment of the general population. This can be accomplished by reducing the training and proficiency requirements of pilots while improving the level of safety. It is believed that advanced technologies such as fly-by-wire (or light), and head-up pictorial displays can be of much greater benefit to the general aviation pilot than to the full-time, professional pilot.

Overview of MST Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, B. E.

2017-10-01

MST progress in advancing the RFP for (1) fusion plasma confinement with ohmic heating and minimal external magnetization, (2) predictive capability in toroidal confinement physics, and (3) basic plasma physics is summarized. Validation of key plasma models is a program priority, which is enhanced by programmable power supplies (PPS) to maximize inductive capability. The existing PPS enables access to very low plasma current, down to Ip =0.02 MA. This greatly expands the Lundquist number range S =104 -108 and allows nonlinear, 3D MHD computation using NIMROD and DEBS with dimensionless parameters that overlap those of MST plasmas. A new, second PPS will allow simultaneous PPS control of the Bp and Bt circuits. The PPS also enables MST tokamak operation, thus far focused on disruptions and RMP suppression of runaway electrons. Gyrokinetic modeling with GENE predicts unstable TEM in improved-confinement RFP plasmas. Measured fluctuations have TEM properties including a density-gradient threshold larger than for tokamak plasmas. Turbulent energization of an electron tail occurs during sawtooth reconnection. Probe measurements hint that drift waves are also excited via the turbulent cascade in standard RFP plasmas. Exploration of basic plasma science frontiers in MST RFP and tokamak plasmas is proposed as part of WiPPL, a basic science user facility. Work supported by USDoE.

Enhancing ICT Competency for Teachers in the Thailand Basic Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akarawang, Chaiya; Kidrakran, Pachoen; Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2015-01-01

Information and communications technologies (ICT) competency has been identified as a deficiency in teacher training in the basic education system of Thailand. This research aimed to study needs and training for enhancing ICT competency. Some 377 teachers from 35 schools and 12 school directors, supervisors and professional teachers were surveyed…

The sleep-wake-cycle: basic mechanisms.

PubMed

Jones, B E

1989-11-01

The physiologic characteristics of the sleep-wake states have been well defined and some of the chemical and neuron systems that participate in the cyclic generation and maintenance of these states have been identified. The actual dynamic process by which these systems interact to generate the basic sleep-wake cycle, however, remains a mystery.

Application of the Virginia STEPS (Student/Teacher Education Planning System) by Basic Skills Education Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seguin, Barbara; Swanson, Lois

The Virginia STEPS (Student/Teacher Education Planning System) was developed to enable adult basic education (ABE) students to become independent learners responsible for planning, carrying out, evaluating, and making adjustments in their education. ABE instructors at Blackhawk Technical College in Wisconsin have adapted the STEPS model to make…

Mobility of Adult Basic Education Students in BC: The 2004-05 Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrance, Jill

2008-01-01

British Columbia offers multiple educational pathways to address the literacy and academic needs of its adult population. In BC, Adult Basic Education (ABE) is offered through two public systems: the secondary system offers the Adult Graduation program in various school district facilities, typically through Continuing Education, and the public…

A Prototype HTML Training System for Graphic Communication Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runquist, Roger L.

2010-01-01

This design research demonstrates a prototype content management system capable of training graphic communication students in the creation of basic HTML web pages. The prototype serve as a method of helping students learn basic HTML structure and commands earlier in their academic careers. Exposure to the concepts of web page creation early in…

Development of a prototype two-phase thermal bus system for Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myron, D. L.; Parish, R. C.

1987-01-01

This paper describes the basic elements of a pumped two-phase ammonia thermal control system designed for microgravity environments, the development of the concept into a Space Station flight design, and design details of the prototype to be ground-tested in the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Thermal Test Bed. The basic system concept is one of forced-flow heat transport through interface heat exchangers with anhydrous ammonia being pumped by a device expressly designed for two-phase fluid management in reduced gravity. Control of saturation conditions, and thus system interface temperatures, is accomplished with a single central pressure regulating valve. Flow control and liquid inventory are controlled by passive, nonelectromechanical devices. Use of these simple control elements results in minimal computer controls and high system reliability. Building on the basic system concept, a brief overview of a potential Space Station flight design is given. Primary verification of the system concept will involve testing at JSC of a 25-kW ground test article currently in fabrication.

Synchronisation under shocks: The Lévy Kuramoto model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Dale; Kalloniatis, Alexander C.

2018-04-01

We study the Kuramoto model of identical oscillators on Erdős-Rényi (ER) and Barabasi-Alberts (BA) scale free networks examining the dynamics when perturbed by a Lévy noise. Lévy noise exhibits heavier tails than Gaussian while allowing for their tempering in a controlled manner. This allows us to understand how 'shocks' influence individual oscillator and collective system behaviour of a paradigmatic complex system. Skewed α-stable Lévy noise, equivalent to fractional diffusion perturbations, are considered, but overlaid by exponential tempering of rate λ. In an earlier paper we found that synchrony takes a variety of forms for identical Kuramoto oscillators subject to stable Lévy noise, not seen for the Gaussian case, and changing with α: a noise-induced drift, a smooth α dependence of the point of cross-over of synchronisation point of ER and BA networks, and a severe loss of synchronisation at low values of α. In the presence of tempering we observe both analytically and numerically a dramatic change to the α < 1 behaviour where synchronisation is sustained over a larger range of values of the 'noise strength' σ, improved compared to the α > 1 tempered cases. Analytically we study the system close to the phase synchronised fixed point and solve the tempered fractional Fokker-Planck equation. There we observe that densities show stronger support in the basin of attraction at low α for fixed coupling, σ and tempering λ. We then perform numerical simulations for networks of size N = 1000 and average degree d ¯ = 10. There, we compute the order parameter r as a function of σ for fixed α and λ and observe values of r ≈ 1 over larger ranges of σ for α < 1 and λ ≠ 0. In addition we observe drift of both positive and negative slopes for different α and λ when native frequencies are equal, and confirm a sustainment of synchronisation down to low values of α. We propose a mechanism for this in terms of the basic shape of the tempered stable Lévy densities for various α and how it feeds into Kuramoto oscillator dynamics and illustrate this with examples of specific paths.

Education: The Basics. The Basics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Kay

2011-01-01

Everyone knows that education is important, we are confronted daily by discussion of it in the media and by politicians, but how much do we really know about education? "Education: The Basics" is a lively and engaging introduction to education as an academic subject, taking into account both theory and practice. Covering the schooling system, the…

41 CFR 301-73.106 - What are the basic services that should be covered by a TMS?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., confirmation of reservations, etc.). (b) Provide basic management information, such as— (1) Number of... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the basic... Management Federal Travel Regulation System TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES 73...

Solar Process Heat Basics | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Process Heat Basics Solar Process Heat Basics Commercial and industrial buildings may use the same , black metal panel mounted on a south-facing wall to absorb the sun's heat. Air passes through the many nonresidential buildings. A typical system includes solar collectors that work along with a pump, heat exchanger

Global threshold dynamics of an SIVS model with waning vaccine-induced immunity and nonlinear incidence.

PubMed

Yang, Junyuan; Martcheva, Maia; Wang, Lin

2015-10-01

Vaccination is the most effective method of preventing the spread of infectious diseases. For many diseases, vaccine-induced immunity is not life long and the duration of immunity is not always fixed. In this paper, we propose an SIVS model taking the waning of vaccine-induced immunity and general nonlinear incidence into consideration. Our analysis shows that the model exhibits global threshold dynamics in the sense that if the basic reproduction number is less than 1, then the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable implying the disease dies out; while if the basic reproduction number is larger than 1, then the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable indicating that the disease persists. This global threshold result indicates that if the vaccination coverage rate is below a critical value, then the disease always persists and only if the vaccination coverage rate is above the critical value, the disease can be eradicated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Basic science and surgical treatment options for articular cartilage injuries of the knee.

PubMed

Tetteh, Elizabeth S; Bajaj, Sarvottam; Ghodadra, Neil S

2012-03-01

The complex structure of articular cartilage allows for diverse knee function throughout range of motion and weight bearing. However, disruption to the structural integrity of the articular surface can cause significant morbidity. Due to an inherently poor regenerative capacity, articular cartilage defects present a treatment challenge for physicians and therapists. For many patients, a trial of nonsurgical treatment options is paramount prior to surgical intervention. In instances of failed conservative treatment, patients can undergo an array of palliative, restorative, or reparative surgical procedures to treat these lesions. Palliative methods include debridement and lavage, while restorative techniques include marrow stimulation. For larger lesions involving subchondral bone, reparative procedures such as osteochondral grafting or autologous chondrocyte implantation are considered. Clinical success not only depends on the surgical techniques but also requires strict adherence to rehabilitation guidelines. The purpose of this article is to review the basic science of articular cartilage and to provide an overview of the procedures currently performed at our institution for patients presenting with symptomatic cartilage lesions.

An inquiry-based practical for a large, foundation-level undergraduate laboratory that enhances student understanding of basic cellular concepts and scientific experimental design.

PubMed

Bugarcic, A; Zimbardi, K; Macaranas, J; Thorn, P

2012-01-01

Student-centered education involving research experiences or inquiry have been shown to help undergraduate students understand, and become excited about, the process of scientific investigation. These benefits are particularly important for students in the early stages of their degree (Report and Kenny, http://naplesccsunysbedu/Pres/boyernsf/1998). However, embedding such experiences into the curriculum is particularly difficult when dealing with early stage students, who are in larger cohorts and often lack the background content knowledge necessary to engage with primary research literature and research level methods and equipment. We report here the design, delivery, assessment, and subsequent student learning outcomes of a 4-week practical module for 120 students at the beginning of their second year of university, which successfully engages students in designing cell culture experiments and in understanding the molecular processes and machinery involved in the basic cellular process of macropinocytosis. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Digital Microwave System Design Guide.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

traffic analysis is a continuous effort, setting parameters for subsequent stages of expansion after the system design is finished. 2.1.3 Quality of...operational structure of the user for whom he is providing service. 2.2.3 Quality of Service. In digital communications, the basic performance parameter ...the basic interpretation of system performance is measured in terms of a single parameter , throughput. Throughput can be defined as the number of

Methodology development for quantitative optimization of security enhancement in medical information systems -Case study in a PACS and a multi-institutional radiotherapy database-.

PubMed

Haneda, Kiyofumi; Umeda, Tokuo; Koyama, Tadashi; Harauchi, Hajime; Inamura, Kiyonari

2002-01-01

The target of our study is to establish the methodology for analyzing level of security requirements, for searching suitable security measures and for optimizing security distribution to every portion of medical practice. Quantitative expression must be introduced to our study as possible for the purpose of easy follow up of security procedures and easy evaluation of security outcomes or results. Results of system analysis by fault tree analysis (FTA) clarified that subdivided system elements in detail contribute to much more accurate analysis. Such subdivided composition factors very much depended on behavior of staff, interactive terminal devices, kinds of service, and routes of network. As conclusion, we found the methods to analyze levels of security requirements for each medical information systems employing FTA, basic events for each composition factor and combination of basic events. Methods for searching suitable security measures were found. Namely risk factors for each basic event, number of elements for each composition factor and candidates of security measure elements were found. Method to optimize the security measures for each medical information system was proposed. Namely optimum distribution of risk factors in terms of basic events were figured out, and comparison of them between each medical information systems became possible.

Space shuttle propulsion systems on-board checkout and monitoring system development study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Investigations on the fundamental space shuttle propulsion systems program are reported, with emphasis on in-depth reviews of preliminary drafts of the guidelines. The guidelines will be used to incorporate the onboard checkout and monitoring function into the basic design of the propulsion systems and associated interfacing systems. The analysis of checkout and monitoring requirements of the Titan 3 L expandable booster propulsion systems was completed, and the techniques for accomplishing the checkout and monitoring functions were determined. Updating results of the basic study of propulsion system checkout and monitoring is continuing.

The Immune System: Basis of so much Health and Disease: 2. Innate Immunity.

PubMed

Scully, Crispian; Georgakopoulou, Eleni A; Hassona, Yazan

2017-03-01

The immune system is the body’s primary defence mechanism against infections, and disturbances in the system can cause disease if the system fails in defence functions (in immunocompromised people), or if the activity is detrimental to the host (as in auto-immune and auto-inflammatory states). A healthy immune system is also essential to normal health of dental and oral tissues. This series presents the basics for the understanding of the immune system, this article covering innate immunity. Clinical relevance: Modern dental clinicians need a basic understanding of the immune system as it underlies health and disease.

The Immune System: Basis of so much Health and Disease: 3. Adaptive Immunity.

PubMed

Scully, Crispian; Georgakopoulou, Eleni A; Hassona, Yazan

2017-04-01

The immune system is the body’s primary defence mechanism against infections, and disturbances in the system can cause disease if the system fails in defence functions (in immunocompromised people), or if the activity is detrimental to the host (as in auto-immune and auto-inflammatory states). A healthy immune system is also essential to normal health of dental and oral tissues. This series presents the basics for the understanding of the immune system; this article covers adaptive immunity. Clinical relevance: Dental clinicians need a basic understanding of the immune system as it underlies health and disease.

Defining and incorporating basic nursing care actions into the electronic health record.

PubMed

Englebright, Jane; Aldrich, Kelly; Taylor, Cathy R

2014-01-01

To develop a definition of basic nursing care for the hospitalized adult patient and drive uptake of that definition through the implementation of an electronic health record. A team of direct care nurses, assisted by subject matter experts, analyzed nursing theory and regulatory requirements related to basic nursing care. The resulting list of activities was coded using the Clinical Care Classification (CCC) system and incorporated into the electronic health record system of a 170-bed community hospital. Nine basic nursing care activities were identified as a result of analyzing nursing theory and regulatory requirements in the framework of a hypothetical "well" patient. One additional basic nursing care activity was identified following the pilot implementation in the electronic health record. The pilot hospital has successfully passed a post-implementation regulatory review with no recommendations related to the documentation of basic patient care. This project demonstrated that it is possible to define the concept of basic nursing care and to distinguish it from the interdisciplinary, problem-focused plan of care. The use of the electronic health record can help clarify, document, and communicate basic care elements and improve uptake among nurses. This project to define basic nursing care activities and incorporate into the electronic health record represents a first step in capturing meaningful data elements. When fully implemented, these data could be translated into knowledge for improving care outcomes and collaborative processes. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Microprocessor-Based Systems Control for the Rigidized Inflatable Get-Away-Special Experiment

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

communications and faster data throughput increase, satellites are becoming larger. Larger satellite antennas help to provide the needed gain to...increase communications in space. Compounding the performance and size trade-offs are the payload weight and size limit imposed by the launch vehicles...increased communications capacity, and reduce launch costs. This thesis develops and implements the computer control system and power system to

Next Steps for Science and Policy on Promoting Vegetable Consumption among US Infants and Young Children12

PubMed Central

Fisher, Jennifer O; Dwyer, Johanna T

2016-01-01

Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet for infants and young children, but they are poorly accepted and underconsumed. This paper highlights major themes and research needs for understanding how to raise children to consume and enjoy vegetables as part of a healthful diet. A range of factors impedes US infants and young children from eating as many vegetables as experts consider optimal for child nutrition, health, and development. Barriers include biological and behavioral issues relating to infant and child development, household- and family-related barriers, obstacles in the larger community, economic limitations, and some government policies and programs. These barriers must be removed to encourage children to eat more vegetables. Research gaps also must be filled. We summarize the basic and applied research that is needed to craft more effective messages, devise strategies for parents and other child caretakers to take within households, develop action in the larger community, and modify some government policies and programs. PMID:26773035

Of cilium and flagellum kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandyopadhyay, Promode R.; Hansen, Joshua C.

2009-11-01

The kinematics of propulsion of small animals such as paramecium and spermatozoa is considered. Larger scale models of the cilium and flagellum have been built and a four-motor apparatus has been constructed to reproduce their known periodic motions. The cilium model has transverse deformational ability in one plane only, while the flagellum model has such ability in two planes. When the flagellum model is given a push-pull in one diametral plane, instead of transverse deflection in one plane, it forms a coil. Berg & Anderson's postulation (Nature 245 1973) that a flagellum rotates, is recalled. The kinematics of cilia of paramecium, of the whipping motion of the spermatozoa flagella, and of the flapping motion (rolling and pitching) of the pectoral fins of much larger animals such penguins, have been reproduced in the same basic paramecium apparatus. The results suggest that each of the tiny individual paramecium propulsors have the intrinsic dormant kinematic and structural building blocks to optimize into higher Reynolds number propulsors. A synthetic hypothesis on how small might have become large is animated.

Next Steps for Science and Policy on Promoting Vegetable Consumption among US Infants and Young Children.

PubMed

Fisher, Jennifer O; Dwyer, Johanna T

2016-01-01

Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet for infants and young children, but they are poorly accepted and underconsumed. This paper highlights major themes and research needs for understanding how to raise children to consume and enjoy vegetables as part of a healthful diet. A range of factors impedes US infants and young children from eating as many vegetables as experts consider optimal for child nutrition, health, and development. Barriers include biological and behavioral issues relating to infant and child development, household- and family-related barriers, obstacles in the larger community, economic limitations, and some government policies and programs. These barriers must be removed to encourage children to eat more vegetables. Research gaps also must be filled. We summarize the basic and applied research that is needed to craft more effective messages, devise strategies for parents and other child caretakers to take within households, develop action in the larger community, and modify some government policies and programs. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Micro- and meso-scale pore structure in mortar in relation to aggregate content

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

Gao, Yun, E-mail: yun.gao@ugent.be; De Schutter, Geert; Ye, Guang

2013-10-15

Mortar is often viewed as a three-phase composite consisting of aggregate, bulk paste, and an interfacial transition zone (ITZ). However, this description is inconsistent with experimental findings because of the basic assumption that larger pores are only present within the ITZ. In this paper, we use backscattered electron (BSE) imaging to investigate the micro- and meso-scale structure of mortar with varying aggregate content. The results indicate that larger pores are present not only within the ITZ but also within areas far from aggregates. This phenomenon is discussed in detail based on a series of analytical calculations, such as the effectivemore » water binder ratio and the inter-aggregate spacing. We developed a modified computer model that includes a two-phase structure for bulk paste. This model interprets previous mercury intrusion porosimetry data very well. -- Highlights: •Based on BSE, we examine the HCSS model. •We develop the HCSS-DBLB model. •We use the modified model to interpret the MIP data.« less

The Immune System: Basis of so much Health and Disease: 4. Immunocytes.

PubMed

Scully, Crispian; Georgakopoulou, Eleni A; Hassona, Yazan

2017-05-01

The immune system is the body’s primary defence mechanism against infections, and disturbances in the system can cause disease if the system fails in defence functions (in immunocompromised people), or if the activity is detrimental to the host (as in auto-immune and auto-inflammatory states). A healthy immune system is also essential to normal health of dental and oral tissues. This series presents the basics for the understanding of the immune system, this article covers cells of the immune system (immunocytes). Clinical relevance: Modern dental clinicians need a basic understanding of the immune system as it underlies health and disease.

The Basic Organizing/Optimizing Training Scheduler (BOOTS): User's Guide. Technical Report 151.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Richard L.; Keeler, F. Laurence

This report provides the step-by-step instructions required for using the Navy's Basic Organizing/Optimizing Training Scheduler (BOOTS) system. BOOTS is a computerized tool designed to aid in the creation of master training schedules for each Navy recruit training command. The system is defined in terms of three major functions: (1) data file…

A Mobile Computing Solution for Collecting Functional Analysis Data on a Pocket PC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, James; Dixon, Mark R.

2007-01-01

The present paper provides a task analysis for creating a computerized data system using a Pocket PC and Microsoft Visual Basic. With Visual Basic software and any handheld device running the Windows MOBLE operating system, this task analysis will allow behavior analysts to program and customize their own functional analysis data-collection…

The Bilingual Academic Services and Integrated Career Systems Program, BASICS 1988-1989. OREA Evaluation Section Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Tomi D.; Barrera, Marbella

In its second year, the Bilingual Academic Services and Integrated Career Systems (BASICS) Program served 104 limited-English-proficient students at Bayside High School in Queens (New York City). Project goals were to develop English literacy skills, produce an organizing framework of thinking and language skills across the curriculum, generate a…

The Bilingual Academic Services and Integrated Career Systems Program: Project BASICS, 1987-1988. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Tomi D.; Carey, Cecilia

The Bilingual Academic Services and Integrated Career Systems Program (Project BASICS) is a federally-funded program of instructional and support services provided to 122 students at a Queens high school. The program's aim was to develop English literacy skills and appreciation of cultural diversity, and to prepare students for the psychosocial…