MONET: multidimensional radiative cloud scene model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chervet, Patrick

1999-12-01

All cloud fields exhibit variable structures (bulge) and heterogeneities in water distributions. With the development of multidimensional radiative models by the atmospheric community, it is now possible to describe horizontal heterogeneities of the cloud medium, to study these influences on radiative quantities. We have developed a complete radiative cloud scene generator, called MONET (French acronym for: MOdelisation des Nuages En Tridim.) to compute radiative cloud scene from visible to infrared wavelengths for various viewing and solar conditions, different spatial scales, and various locations on the Earth. MONET is composed of two parts: a cloud medium generator (CSSM -- Cloud Scene Simulation Model) developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, and a multidimensional radiative code (SHDOM -- Spherical Harmonic Discrete Ordinate Method) developed at the University of Colorado by Evans. MONET computes images for several scenario defined by user inputs: date, location, viewing angles, wavelength, spatial resolution, meteorological conditions (atmospheric profiles, cloud types)... For the same cloud scene, we can output different viewing conditions, or/and various wavelengths. Shadowing effects on clouds or grounds are taken into account. This code is useful to study heterogeneity effects on satellite data for various cloud types and spatial resolutions, and to determine specifications of new imaging sensor.

A Transitiological Study of Some South African Educational Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Wet, Corene; Wolhuter, Charl

2009-01-01

In this study enrolment numbers and levels, as well as language-in-education, were viewed from a linear, comparative perspective. In the era prior to 1994, black and white learners not only attended separate schools but the segregated schools had different policies regarding medium of instruction. Resistance to the language policy regarding black…

Schlieren System and method for moving objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinstein, Leonard M. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A system and method are provided for recording density changes in a flow field surrounding a moving object. A mask having an aperture for regulating the passage of images is placed in front of an image recording medium. An optical system is placed in front of the mask. A transition having a light field-of-view and a dark field-of-view is located beyond the test object. The optical system focuses an image of the transition at the mask such that the aperture causes a band of light to be defined on the image recording medium. The optical system further focuses an image of the object through the aperture of the mask so that the image of the object appears on the image recording medium. Relative motion is minimized between the mask and the transition. Relative motion is also minimized between the image recording medium and the image of the object. In this way, the image of the object and density changes in a flow field surrounding the object are recorded on the image recording medium when the object crosses the transition in front of the optical system.

Wide field fluorescence epi-microscopy behind a scattering medium enabled by speckle correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofer, Matthias; Soeller, Christian; Brasselet, Sophie; Bertolotti, Jacopo

2018-04-01

Fluorescence microscopy is widely used in biological imaging, however scattering from tissues strongly limits its applicability to a shallow depth. In this work we adapt a methodology inspired from stellar speckle interferometry, and exploit the optical memory effect to enable fluorescence microscopy through a turbid layer. We demonstrate efficient reconstruction of micrometer-size fluorescent objects behind a scattering medium in epi-microscopy, and study the specificities of this imaging modality (magnification, field of view, resolution) as compared to traditional microscopy. Using a modified phase retrieval algorithm to reconstruct fluorescent objects from speckle images, we demonstrate robust reconstructions even in relatively low signal to noise conditions. This modality is particularly appropriate for imaging in biological media, which are known to exhibit relatively large optical memory ranges compatible with tens of micrometers size field of views, and large spectral bandwidths compatible with emission fluorescence spectra of tens of nanometers widths.

17. VIEW OF INTERIOR OF BUILDING 220 SECOND FLOOR, MALE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. VIEW OF INTERIOR OF BUILDING 220 SECOND FLOOR, MALE MEDIUM SECURITY SLEEPING AREA. - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Brig, Neville Way near Ninth Street at Marine Barracks, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Adolescent Involvement in Discipline Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deroma, Virginia M.; Lassiter, Kerry S.; Davis, Virginia A.

2004-01-01

This study examined the influence of (a) low, medium, or high adolescent involvement (degree to which adolescent input was solicited in determining consequence) in discipline decisions and (b) parental versus adolescent focus of impact of behavior problem (parent emphasized inconvenience to either self or adolescent). After viewing videotaped…

Electromagnetic backscattering from a random distribution of lossy dielectric scatterers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, R. H.

1980-01-01

Electromagnetic backscattering from a sparse distribution of discrete lossy dielectric scatterers occupying a region 5 was studied. The scatterers are assumed to have random position and orientation. Scattered fields are calculated by first finding the mean field and then by using it to define an equivalent medium within the volume 5. The scatterers are then viewed as being embedded in the equivalent medium; the distorted Born approximation is then used to find the scattered fields. This technique represents an improvement over the standard Born approximation since it takes into account the attenuation of the incident and scattered waves in the equivalent medium. The method is used to model a leaf canopy when the leaves are modeled by lossy dielectric discs.

ELT Teacher Education Flipped Classroom: An Analysis of Task Challenge and Student Teachers' Views and Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaaslan, Hatice; Çelebi, Hatice

2017-01-01

In this study, we explore the interplay between task complexity, task conditions and task difficulty introduced by Robinson (2001) in flipped classroom instruction at tertiary level through the data we collected from undergraduate English Language Teaching (ELT) department students studying at an English-medium state university. For the…

International Students' Views on Local Culture: Turkish Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetin, Yakup; Bahar, Mustafa; Griffiths, Carol

2017-01-01

The number of international students in Turkey has steadily increased in recent years. As they come from different geographical locations, their successful adaptation to a medium sized country in-between three continents is of great interest. This study was conducted to investigate international students' perceptions of their Turkish experience.…

International Students and "The Presentation of Self" across Cultures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamara, Abu

2017-01-01

Findings from this qualitative research study suggest that some international students view social and academic interactions not simply as mediums for absorbing requisite sociocultural and academic norms, and discipline knowledge, but also as stages for expressing their varied identities. As a result, whenever students' ability to present their…

Students' and Professors' Views on the Ethics of Faculty Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Betsy Levonian; And Others

This study compared students' and professors' perceptions of the ethicalness of faculty behavior. A total of 115 professors and 157 undergraduate students at a medium-sized public Midwestern university completed a 16-item faculty behavior scale adapted from Tabachnick and colleagues (1991) work. Significant differences between student and faculty…

Responses of Four Adolescent Females to Adolescent Fiction with Strong Female Characters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carico, Kathleen M.

A study examined the effects of a reader response approach to literature in which literature is viewed as a medium for exploration and the effects of such an approach on a group of young women. Subjects of the study were four female middle school students, with the adult female researcher as participant observer. Books chosen for…

Racism; A Film Course Study Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kernan, Margot

The medium of film is uniquely suited to the representation of social problems such as racism. By stressing major issues of racism--slavery, the black cultural heritage, black power, and the black civil rights movement--and coupling these issues with films which give a realistic view of the substance and problems of racism, both concepts…

The Challenges of Gaming for Democratic Education: The Case of iCivics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoddard, Jeremy; Banks, Angela M.; Nemacheck, Christine; Wenska, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Video games are the most recent technological advancement to be viewed as an educational panacea and a force for democracy. However, this medium has particular affordances and constraints as a tool for democratic education in educational environments. This paper presents results from a study of the design and content of four iCivics games and…

School System as Negotiated Order? A Comparative Analysis of Two Medium-Sized Public School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Peter M.; Spencer-Hall, Dee Ann

A study of two small-to-middle-sized midwestern school districts, each observed for over a year, shows that the negotiated order concept can provide a useful framework for viewing schools' organizational functions. According to the negotiated order concept, organizational relationships require constant negotiations concerning values, goals, rules,…

Play and Practice in the Development of Sport-Specific Creativity in Team Ball Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Memmert, Daniel; Baker, Joseph; Bertsch, Claudia

2010-01-01

Current theoretical approaches regarding the development of creativity support the view that gathering diversified experience over years is an ideal medium for creative thinking. This study examined the role of practice conditions in the development of creative behavior in team ball sports. Twelve trainers selected the most creative and the least…

Games as Artistic Medium: Interfacing Complexity Theory in Game-Based Art Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Ryan Matthew

2011-01-01

Having computer skills, let alone access to a personal computer, has become a necessary component of contemporary Western society and many parts of the world. Digital media literacy involves youth being able to view, participate in, and make creative works with technologies in personal and meaningful ways. Games, defined in this study as…

NATO Stanag Language Proficiency Levels for Joint Missions and Its Implementations at a State Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solak, Ekrem

2013-01-01

Turkish Armed Forces have been participating in joint missions together with other nations for decades. Since English is the medium of instruction in these missions, participating members should have NATO Standards in terms of language proficiency levels in four skills. Therefore, this study aims to specify personnel's views and their language…

Views of HR Specialists on Formal Mentoring: Current Situation and Prospects for the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laiho, Maarit; Brandt, Tiina

2012-01-01

Purpose: The article aims to report the findings of quantitative and qualitative analysis of the benefits, drawbacks and future prospects of formal mentoring in medium-sized and large organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical data for the study were collected via an online survey, and consist of responses from 152 human resource…

How Do the Faculty Members Go for Trolls? A View from an Emerging Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzu Demir, Elif Bugra; Mercimek, Baris; Dulkadir Yaman, Nihal; Odabasi, H. Ferhan

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the findings of an exploratory, qualitative phenomenological study and investigates opinions and evaluations of faculty members about trolls encountered in social media and mass medium. The research was carried out in Anadolu University in Turkey. A total of 18 faculty members from 9 faculties in 12 different departments…

Social Networks, Social Media and Absorptive Capacity in Regional Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosua, Rachelle; Evans, Nina; Sawyer, Janet

2013-01-01

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are major sources of prosperity and employment and are viewed as critical to regional development in Australia. A key factor to foster productivity and growth in SMEs is their ability to identify, acquire, transform and exploit external knowledge. This ability, referred to as the "absorptive capacity…

A FIELD-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION FOR ITS AUDIENCES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF CHILDREN IN STIMULATING FAMILY USE OF THIS MEDIUM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CARTER, ROY E.; AND OTHERS

THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF CHILDREN IN STIMULATING FAMILY USE OF EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DURING EVENING HOURS WAS STUDIED. FOUR EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS WERE CREATED AMONG TENTH-GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS AND THEIR CLASSES--(1) A DISCUSSION PROCEDURE WAS USED TO STIMULATE VIEWING OF A PUBLIC AFFAIRS SERIES ON THE AREA'S EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION STATION,…

Highlights of Astronomy, Vol. 16

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montmerle, Thierry

2015-04-01

Part I. Invited Discourses: 1. The Herschel view of star formation; 2. Past, present and future of Chinese astronomy; 3. The zoo of galaxies; 4. Supernovae, the accelerating cosmos, and dark energy; Part II. Joint Discussion: 5. Very massive stars in the local universe; 6. 3-D views of the cycling Sun in stellar context; 7. Ultraviolet emission in early-type galaxies; 8. From meteors and meteorites to their parent bodies: current status and future developments; 9. The connection between radio properties and high-energy emission in AGNs; 10. Space-time reference systems for future research; Part III. Special Sessions: 11. Origin and complexity of massive star clusters; 12. Cosmic evolution of groups and clusters of galaxies; 13. Galaxy evolution through secular processes; 14. New era for studying interstellar and intergalactic magnetic fields; 15. The IR view of massive stars: the main sequence and beyond; 16. Science with large solar telescopes; 17. The impact hazard: current activities and future plans; 18. Calibration of star-formation rate measurements across the electromagnetic spectrum; 19. Future large scale facilities; 20. Dynamics of the star-planet relations strategic plan and the Global Office of Astronomy for Development; 21. Strategic plan and the Global Office of Astronomy for Development; 22. Modern views of the interstellar medium; 23. High-precision tests of stellar physics from high-precision photometry; 24. Communicating astronomy with the public for scientists; 25. Data intensive astronomy; 26. Unexplained spectral phenomena in the interstellar medium; 27. Light pollution: protecting astronomical sites and increasing global awareness through education.

A Psychoevolutionary Approach to Identifying Preferred Nature Scenes With Potential to Provide Restoration From Stress.

PubMed

Thake, Carol L; Bambling, Matthew; Edirippulige, Sisira; Marx, Eric

2017-10-01

Research supports therapeutic use of nature scenes in healthcare settings, particularly to reduce stress. However, limited literature is available to provide a cohesive guide for selecting scenes that may provide optimal therapeutic effect. This study produced and tested a replicable process for selecting nature scenes with therapeutic potential. Psychoevolutionary theory informed the construction of the Importance for Survival Scale (IFSS), and its usefulness for identifying scenes that people generally prefer to view and that hold potential to reduce stress was tested. Relationships between Importance for Survival (IFS), preference, and restoration were tested. General community participants ( N = 20 males, 20 females; M age = 48 years) Q-sorted sets of landscape photographs (preranked by the researcher in terms of IFS using the IFSS) from most to least preferred, and then completed the Short-Version Revised Restoration Scale in response to viewing a selection of the scenes. Results showed significant positive relationships between IFS and each of scene preference (large effect), and restoration potential (medium effect), as well as between scene preference and restoration potential across the levels of IFS (medium effect), and for individual participants and scenes (large effect). IFS was supported as a framework for identifying nature scenes that people will generally prefer to view and that hold potential for restoration from emotional distress; however, greater therapeutic potential may be expected when people can choose which of the scenes they would prefer to view. Evidence for the effectiveness of the IFSS was produced.

How to Analyze the Students’ Thinking Levels Based on SOLO Taxonomy?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, U. H.; Mardiyana, M.; Saputro, D. R. S.

2017-09-01

This study aims to determine the extent to which the students ‘thinking level based on SOLO taxonomy in geometry learning viewed from students’ self efficacy (SE). This research utilizes descriptive research with qualitative approach. The data was collected by giving SE questionnaires to 32 students of grade VIII Junior High School which were then categorized into three (high, medium, and low). The subjects of the study were taken by one student in each SE category (high, medium, and low) which then given the problem solving test and the result was triangulated by interview. From this research, it is found that students with high SE can achieve uniructural-relational thinking level, subject with medium SE can be reach the level of unistructural-multistructural thinking, and subject with low SE able to reach unistructural-pristructural level. By paying attention to SE in learning, especially in problem solving process, it is expected that the educator can prepare the learning as well as possible so as to obtain optimal learning achievement.

Characteristics of the most viewed YouTube™ videos related to bullying.

PubMed

Basch, Corey H; Ruggles, Kelly V; Berdnik, Alyssa; Basch, Charles E

2015-11-10

Bullying is an intentional act that can wreak havoc in the life of an individual. With more than 1 billion users, YouTube™ is a powerful medium for disseminating information. The purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which content related to bullying is present on YouTube™ with respect to source, content, number of views, length, and year uploaded. Collectively, the videos in this sample were viewed more than half a billion times. The source of the most widely viewed videos was consumers, and none of the most widely viewed videos was posted by a governmental agency or a professional organization. The most common content in the videos was describing or depicting violence (n=89). Over one-half addressed getting help (n=56). Suicide was mentioned in 38 of the videos. Additional investment by professional agencies is warranted to improve understanding about ways to increase the dissemination of positive messages about bullying prevention, and about helping adolescents who are bullied on social media.

Talking with Business. The Views of 101 Top Executives of Smaller Businesses on Their Role in Supporting Non-Profit Activities and Partnerships with Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Barry J.

A study identified motivations and disincentives for business philanthropy among 101 small and medium-sized corporations operating nationwide, as revealed through interviews conducted with their executives from March through August 1984. Discussions identified several principal incentives to encourage corporate support of community services and…

The Ideological Implications of Using "Educational" Film to Teach Controversial Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoddard, Jeremy D.

2009-01-01

Use of media in today's classrooms, from feature and documentary film to news clips streamed via the Web, has grown exponentially. Film can be a powerful medium for teaching and learning, but is often viewed as a neutral source of information. This collective case study focuses on two teachers who use documentary film to teach about controversial…

Adolescents' TV Viewing Patterns in the Digital Era: A Cross-Cultural Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugalde, Leire; Martínez-de-Morentin, Juan-Ignacio; María-Concepción Medrano

2017-01-01

The deep-rooted changes that have taken place in the media world over recent years have brought about changes in both television itself and in the relationships established with this medium. Consequently, it is important to understand how young people watch television today, in order to design strategies to help them develop the capacities they…

The Ethics and Politics of Policing Plagiarism: A Qualitative Study of Faculty Views on Student Plagiarism and Turnitin®

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruton, Samuel; Childers, Dan

2016-01-01

Recently, the usage of plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin® has increased dramatically among university instructors. At the same time, academic criticism of this software's employment has also increased. We interviewed 23 faculty members from various departments at a medium-sized, public university in the southeastern US to determine…

The Role of Pubertal Timing in What Adolescent Boys Do Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skoog, Therese; Stattin, Hakan; Kerr, Margaret

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between pubertal timing and boys' Internet use, particularly their viewing of pornography. We used a sample comprising of 97 boys in grade 8 (M age, 14.22 years) from two schools in a medium-sized Swedish town. This age should be optimal for differentiating early, on-time, and later-maturing…

PUMA: the first results of a nebular spectrograph for the study of the kinematics of interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langarica, Rosalia; Bernal, Abel; Rosado, Margarita; Cobos Duenas, Francisco J.; Garfias, Fernando; Gutierrez, Leonel; Le Coarer, Etienne; Tejada, Carlos; Tinoco, Silvio J.

1998-07-01

The kinematics of the interstellar medium may be studied by means of a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer (SFPI). This allows the coverage of a wider field of view with higher spatial and spectral resolution than when a high-dispersion classical spectrograph is used. The system called PUMA consists of a focal reducer and a SFPI installed in the 2.1 m telescope of the San Pedro Martir National Astronomical Observatory (SPM), Mexico, in its f/7.5 configuration. It covers a field of view of 10 arcmin providing direct images as well as interferograms which are focused on a 1024 X 1024 Tektronix CCD, covering a wide spectral range. It is considered the integration of other optical elements for further developments. The optomechanical system and the developed software allow exact, remote positioning of all movable parts and control the FPI scanning and data acquisition. The parallelism of the interferometer plates is automatically achieved by a custom method. The PUMA provides spectral resolutions of 0.414 Angstrom and a free spectral range of 19.8 Angstrom. Results of high quality that compete with those obtained by similar systems in bigger telescopes, are presented.

20 CFR Appendix A to Part 718 - Standards for Administration and Interpretation of Chest Roentgenograms (X-Rays)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... be a single postero-anterior projection at full inspiration on a 14 by 17 inch film. Additional chest films or views shall be obtained if they are necessary for clarification and classification. The film... source or focal spot to film distance shall be at least 6 feet; (iii) Only medium-speed film and medium...

Multiple scattering corrections to the Beer-Lambert law. 2: Detector with a variable field of view.

PubMed

Zardecki, A; Tam, W G

1982-07-01

The multiple scattering corrections to the Beer-Lambert law in the case of a detector with a variable field of view are analyzed. We introduce transmission functions relating the received radiant power to reference power levels relevant to two different experimental situations. In the first case, the transmission function relates the received power to a reference power level appropriate to a nonattenuating medium. In the second case, the reference power level is established by bringing the receiver to the close-up position with respect to the source. To examine the effect of the variation of the detector field of view the behavior of the gain factor is studied. Numerical results modeling the laser beam propagation in fog, cloud, and rain are presented.

Study of chromatic adaptation via neutral white matches on different viewing media.

PubMed

Zhai, Qiyan; Luo, Ming R

2018-03-19

Two experiments were carried out to study the neutral white and the chromatic adaptation in human vision and color science. After matching neutral whites under different illuminants using both surface and self-luminous colors, the result were used to verify the previous study about the chromatic adaptation. Not all the white illuminants were found neutral even the adaptation time is long. The baseline illuminant of the two-step chromatic adaptation transform was found as the illuminant with the same chromaticity of the neutral white under it and depended on viewing medium in the present study. The results were also used as corresponding colors to derive models of the effective degree of chromatic adaptation, which were found highly associated with the chromaticity of the adapting illuminant.

Methods for Characterizing the Human Head for the Design of Helmets

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

several people who contributed their efforts. Thanks go to Mary Gross of Bescher Research Inc. who edited the three-dimensional data files and wrote the...encumbered top view 21 14. Two aubjacts in tha HOU S5/P aisa medium hairnet alignment, unencumbered, aide view 22 15. Two aubjecta in the HGU 55/P

78 FR 48656 - Procurement List; Proposed Additions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-09

..., Synthetic Mesh, 24x36, Locking Drawstring NSN: 3510-00-NIB-0013--Heavy Duty, \\3/16\\'' Hole Size. NSN: 3510-00-NIB-0014--Medium Duty, \\1/16\\'' Hole Size. NPA: Bestwork Industries for the Blind, Inc., Runnemede... NSN: 7510-01-462-1383--View Framed, Navy Blue, \\1/2\\''. NSN: 7510-01-462-1384--View Framed, Black, \\1...

S3D depth-axis interaction for video games: performance and engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zerebecki, Chris; Stanfield, Brodie; Hogue, Andrew; Kapralos, Bill; Collins, Karen

2013-03-01

Game developers have yet to embrace and explore the interactive stereoscopic 3D medium. They typically view stereoscopy as a separate mode that can be disabled throughout the design process and rarely develop game mechanics that take advantage of the stereoscopic 3D medium. What if we designed games to be S3D-specific and viewed traditional 2D viewing as a separate mode that can be disabled? The design choices made throughout such a process may yield interesting and compelling results. Furthermore, we believe that interaction within a stereoscopic 3D environment is more important than the visual experience itself and therefore, further exploration is needed to take into account the interactive affordances presented by stereoscopic 3D displays. Stereoscopic 3D displays allow players to perceive objects at different depths, thus we hypothesize that designing a core mechanic to take advantage of this viewing paradigm will create compelling content. In this paper, we describe Z-Fighter a game that we have developed that requires the player to interact directly along the stereoscopic 3D depth axis. We also outline an experiment conducted to investigate the performance, perception, and enjoyment of this game in stereoscopic 3D vs. traditional 2D viewing.

Development of a volumetric projection technique for the digital evaluation of field of view.

PubMed

Marshall, Russell; Summerskill, Stephen; Cook, Sharon

2013-01-01

Current regulations for field of view requirements in road vehicles are defined by 2D areas projected on the ground plane. This paper discusses the development of a new software-based volumetric field of view projection tool and its implementation within an existing digital human modelling system. In addition, the exploitation of this new tool is highlighted through its use in a UK Department for Transport funded research project exploring the current concerns with driver vision. Focusing specifically on rearwards visibility in small and medium passenger vehicles, the volumetric approach is shown to provide a number of distinct advantages. The ability to explore multiple projections of both direct vision (through windows) and indirect vision (through mirrors) provides a greater understanding of the field of view environment afforded to the driver whilst still maintaining compatibility with the 2D projections of the regulatory standards. Field of view requirements for drivers of road vehicles are defined by simplified 2D areas projected onto the ground plane. However, driver vision is a complex 3D problem. This paper presents the development of a new software-based 3D volumetric projection technique and its implementation in the evaluation of driver vision in small- and medium-sized passenger vehicles.

Passive microwave remote sensing of an anisotropic random-medium layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. K.; Kong, J. A.

1985-01-01

The principle of reciprocity is invoked to calculate the brightness temperatures for passive microwave remote sensing of a two-layer anisotropic random medium. The bistatic scattering coefficients are first computed with the Born approximation and then integrated over the upper hemisphere to be subtracted from unity, in order to obtain the emissivity for the random-medium layer. The theoretical results are illustrated by plotting the emissivities as functions of viewing angles and polarizations. They are used to interpret remote sgnsing data obtained from vegetation canopy where the anisotropic random-medium model applies. Field measurements with corn stalks arranged in various configurations with preferred azimuthal directions are successfully interpreted with this model.

X-ray studies of supernova remnants: A different view of supernova explosions

PubMed Central

Badenes, Carles

2010-01-01

The unprecedented spatial and spectral resolutions of Chandra have revolutionized our view of the X-ray emission from supernova remnants. The excellent datasets accumulated on young, ejecta-dominated objects like Cas A or Tycho present a unique opportunity to study at the same time the chemical and physical structure of the explosion debris and the characteristics of the circumstellar medium sculpted by the progenitor before the explosion. Supernova remnants can thus put strong constraints on fundamental aspects of both supernova explosion physics and stellar evolution scenarios for supernova progenitors. This view of the supernova phenomenon is completely independent of, and complementary to, the study of distant extragalactic supernovae at optical wavelengths. The calibration of these two techniques has recently become possible thanks to the detection and spectroscopic follow-up of supernova light echoes. In this paper, I review the most relevant results on supernova remnants obtained during the first decade of Chandra and the impact that these results have had on open issues in supernova research. PMID:20404206

Opinions and Attitudes of Prospective Teachers for the Use of Mobile Phones in Foreign Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cakir, Ismail

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore the current use of mobile phones in a foreign language teaching context where English is used as the medium of instruction by prospective teachers. To this end, it presents the views of prospective English teachers on utilizing the mobile phone as an instructional tool for foreign language learning purposes in…

Advanced coal cleaning meets acid rain emission limits

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

Boron, D.J.; Matoney, J.P.; Albrecht, M.C.

1987-03-01

The following processes were selected for study: fine-coal, heavy-medium cyclone separation/flotation, advanced flotation, Dow true heavy liquid separation, Advanced Energy Dynamics (AED) electrostatic separation, and National Research Council of Canada oil agglomeration. Advanced coal cleaning technology was done for the state of New York to investigate methods to use high sulfur coal in view of anticipated lower SO/sub 2/ emission limits.

Seriously, What Are They Reading? An Analysis of Korean Children's Reading Behavior Regarding Educational Graphic Novels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Yeojoo

2012-01-01

This dissertation is a qualitative study that analyzes diverse views on the popularity of Educational Graphic Novels (EGNs) in Korea and children's use of this medium. In order to elicit voices of children who are the main readers of EGNs, in-depth focus group interviews were conducted with fourteen Korean children ages seven to eleven. Interviews…

Reading the mind of children in response to food advertising: a cross-sectional study of Malaysian schoolchildren's attitudes towards food and beverages advertising on television.

PubMed

Ng, See Hoe; Kelly, Bridget; Se, Chee Hee; Sahathevan, Sharmela; Chinna, Karuthan; Ismail, Mohd Noor; Karupaiah, Tilakavati

2015-10-12

Television food advertising (TVFA) is the most dominant medium in the obesogenic environment promoting unhealthy food choices in children. This cross-sectional study investigated children's attitudes towards TVFA by examining four well-cited induction factors namely advertisement recognition, favourite advertisement, purchase request, and product preference. Malaysian urban schoolchildren (7 to 12 years) of equal ethnic distribution were voluntarily recruited (n = 402). Questionnaire administration was facilitated using a food album of 24 advertised food products. Majority of children were older (66.2 %), girls (56.7 %) with one-third either overweight or obese. TV viewing time for weekend was greater than weekdays (4.77 ± 2.60 vs 2.35 ± 1.40 h/day) and Malay children spent more time watching TV compared to Chinese (p < 0.001) and Indian (p < 0.05) children. Chinese children spent significantly more time surfing the internet compared to either Malay or Indian (p < 0.01). Median score trend was advertisement recognition > favourite advertisement and product preference > purchase request, and significantly greater (p < 0.001) for non-core than core food advertisements. TV viewing time and ethnicity significantly influenced all induction factors for non-core foods. After correcting for all influencing factors, 'favourite advertisement' (IRRfinal adj: 1.06; 95 % CI: 1.04 to 1.08), 'purchase request' (IRRfinal adj: 1.06; 95 % CI: 1.04 to 1.08) and 'product preference' (IRRfinal adj: 1.04; 95 % CI: 1.02 to 1.07) still were significantly associated with TV viewing time. For every additional hour of TV viewing, the incidence rates increased significantly by 1.04 to 1.06 for 'favourite advertisement', 'purchase request' and 'product preference' related to non-core foods amongst Malay and Indian children. However, Chinese children only demonstrated a significant association between TV viewing time and 'favourite advertisement' (IRRadj: 1.06; 95 % CI: 1.01 to 1.10). This study highlights TVFA as a powerful medium predisposing the mind of children to non-core foods through appealing TV commercials, promoting purchase request and generating unhealthy food preferences in early childhood.

Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Calendar: A Case Analysis of Faculty, Students and Administrative Opinions in a Medium-Sized Public Community College. Report 78-79-02.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrish, Richard M.; Pascale, Marie

After reviewing types of college calendars (traditional semester, early semester, trimester, and quarter) and previous research on the use of various school calendars, this paper describes a survey conducted by Ocean County College, a medium-sized college currently using a traditional semester calendar, to determine the views of students, faculty,…

Medium and large mammals in the Sierra La Madera, Sonora, Mexico

Treesearch

Erick Oswaldo Bermudez-Enriquez; Rosa Elena Jimenez-Maldonado; Gertrudis Yanes-Arvayo; Maria de la Paz Montanez-Armenta; Hugo Silva-Kurumiya

2013-01-01

Sierra La Madera is a Sky Island mountain range in the Madrean Archipelago. It is in Fracción V of the Ajos-Bavispe CONANP Reserve in the Municipios (= Counties) of Cumpas, Granados, Huásabas, Moctezuma, and Villa Hidalgo. Medium and large mammals were inventoried using camera traps. Eighteen Wild View 2® camera traps were deployed during four sampling periods: August...

BESST (Bochum Emotional Stimulus Set)--a pilot validation study of a stimulus set containing emotional bodies and faces from frontal and averted views.

PubMed

Thoma, Patrizia; Soria Bauser, Denise; Suchan, Boris

2013-08-30

This article introduces the freely available Bochum Emotional Stimulus Set (BESST), which contains pictures of bodies and faces depicting either a neutral expression or one of the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, and surprise), presented from two different perspectives (0° frontal view vs. camera averted by 45° to the left). The set comprises 565 frontal view and 564 averted view pictures of real-life bodies with masked facial expressions and 560 frontal and 560 averted view faces which were synthetically created using the FaceGen 3.5 Modeller. All stimuli were validated in terms of categorization accuracy and the perceived naturalness of the expression. Additionally, each facial stimulus was morphed into three age versions (20/40/60 years). The results show high recognition of the intended facial expressions, even under speeded forced-choice conditions, as corresponds to common experimental settings. The average naturalness ratings for the stimuli range between medium and high. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A method to estimate the biomass of Spirulina platensis cultivated on a solid medium.

PubMed

Pelizer, Lúcia Helena; Moraes, Iracema de Oliveira

2014-01-01

This paper presents a method to estimate the biomass of Spirulina cultivated on solid medium with sugarcane bagasse as a support, in view of the difficulty in determining biomass concentrations in bioprocesses, particularly those conducted in semi-solid or solid media. The genus Spirulina of the family Oscillatoriaceae comprises the group of multicellular filamentous cyanobacteria (blue-green microalgae). Spirulina is used as fish feed in aquaculture, as a food supplement, a source of vitamins, pigments, antioxidants and fatty acids. Therefore, its growth parameters are extremely important in studies of the development and optimization of bioprocesses. For studies of biomass growth, Spirulina platensis was cultured on solid medium using sugarcane bagasse as a support. The biomass thus produced was estimated by determining the protein content of the material grown during the process, based on the ratio of dry weight to protein content obtained in the surface growth experiments. The protein content of the biomass grown in Erlenmeyer flasks on surface medium was examined daily to check the influence of culture time on the protein content of the biomass. The biomass showed an average protein content of 42.2%. This methodology enabled the concentration of biomass adhering to the sugarcane bagasse to be estimated from the indirect measurement of the protein content associated with cell growth.

Potential of electrical resistivity tomography and muon density imaging to study spatio-temporal variations in the sub-surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesparre, Nolwenn; Cabrera, Justo; Courbet, Christelle

2015-04-01

We explore the capacity of electrical resistivity tomography and muon density imaging to detect spatio-temporal variations of the medium surrounding a regional fault crossing the underground platform of Tournemire (Aveyron, France). The studied Cernon fault is sub-vertical and intersects perpendicularly the tunnel of Tournemire and extends to surface. The fault separates clay and limestones layers of the Dogger from limestones layers of the Lias. The Cernon fault presents a thickness of a ten of meters and drives water from an aquifer circulating at the top of the Dogger clay layer to the tunnel. An experiment combining electrical resistivity imaging and muon density imaging was setup taking advantage of the tunnel presence. A specific array of electrodes were set up, adapted for the characterization of the fault. Electrodes were placed along the tunnel as well as at the surface above the tunnel on both sides of the fault in order to acquire data in transmission across the massif to better cover the sounded medium. Electrical resistivity is particularly sensitive to water presence in the medium and thus carry information on the main water flow paths and on the pore space saturation. At the same time a muon sensor was placed in the tunnel under the fault region to detect muons coming from the sky after their crossing of the rock medium. Since the muon flux is attenuated as function of the quantity of matter crossed, muons flux measurements supply information on the medium average density along muons paths. The sensor presents 961 angles of view so measurements performed from one station allows a comparison of the muon flux temporal variations along the fault as well as in the medium surrounding the fault. As the water saturation of the porous medium fluctuates through time the medium density might indeed present sensible variations as shown by gravimetric studies. During the experiment important rainfalls occurred leading variations of the medium properties affecting density and electrical resistivity physical parameters. We show with data sets acquired before and after an important rainfall event how muon density and electrical resistivity imaging may complementary characterize variations of the medium properties. The development of such innovative experiments for hydrogeophysical studies presents then the ability to supply new information on fluid dynamics in the sub-surface.

Comics as a Medium for Providing Information on Adult Immunizations.

PubMed

Muzumdar, Jagannath M; Pantaleo, Nicholas L

2017-10-01

This study compared the following effects of two vaccine information flyers-one developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) versus one adapted from this information to a comic medium (comic)-on adults: (a) attitude toward the flyer; (b) perceived informativeness of the flyer; (c) intention to seek more information about adult immunizations after viewing the flyer; and (d) intention to get immunized after viewing the flyer. A between-group, randomized trial was used to randomly assign adults (age 18 years or older) at an ambulatory care center to review the CDC or comic flyer. Participants were asked to complete a survey to measure several outcome variables. Items were measured using a 7-point semantic differential scale. Independent-samples t-test was used for comparisons. A total of 265 surveys (CDC n = 132 vs comic n = 133) were analyzed. The comic flyer had a statistically significant effect on participants' attitudes and their perception of the flyer's informativeness compared to the CDC flyer. Flyer type did not have a statistically significant effect on intention-related variables. The study findings showed that the comic flyer was positively evaluated compared to the CDC flyer. These findings could provide a new direction for developing adult educational materials.

Fabry-Perot observations of comet Austin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, David; Scherb, F.; Roesler, F. L.; Li, G.; Harlander, J.; Roberts, T. P. P.; Vandenberk, D.; Nossal, S.; Coakley, M.; Oliversen, Ronald J.

1990-01-01

Preliminary results of a program to observe Comet Austin (1990c1) from 16 April to 4 May and from 11 May to 27 May 1990 using the West Auxiliary of the McMath Solar Telescope on Kitt Peak, Arizona were presetned. The observations were made with a 15 cm duel-etalon Fabry-Perot scanning and imaging spectrometer with two modes of operation: a high resolution mode with a velocity resolution of 1.2 km/s and a medium resolution mode with a velocity resolution 10 km/s. Scanning data was obtained with an RCA C31034A photomultiplier tube and imaging data was obtained with a Photometrics LN2 cooled CCD camera with a 516 by 516 Ford chip. The results include: (1) information on the coma outflow velocity from high resolution spectral profiles of (OI)6300 and NH2 emissions, (2) gaseous water production rates from medium resolution observation of (OI)6300, (3) spectra of H2O(+) emissions in order to study the ionized component of the coma, (4) spatial distribution of H2O(+) emission features from sequences of velocity resolved images (data cubes), and (5) spatial distribution of (OI)6300 and NH2 emissions from medium resolution images. The field of view on the sky was 10.5 arcminutes in diameter. In the imaging mode the CCD was binned 4 by 4 resulting in 7.6 sec power pixel and a subarray readout for a field of view of 10.5 min.

An investigation into the mechanisms of drug release from taste-masking fatty acid microspheres.

PubMed

Qi, Sheng; Deutsch, David; Craig, Duncan Q M

2008-09-01

Fatty acid microspheres based on stearic and palmitic acids are known to form effective taste masking systems, although the mechanisms by which the drug is preferentially released in the lower gastrointestinal tract are not known. The objective of the present study was to identify the mechanisms involved, with a particular view to clarify the role of acid soap formation in the dissolution process. Microspheres were prepared by a spray chilling process. Using benzoic acid as a model drug and an alkaline dissolution medium, a faster drug release was observed in the mixed fatty acid formulation (50:50 stearic:palmitic acid (w/w)) compared to the single fatty acid component systems. Thermal and powder X-ray diffraction studies indicated a greater degree of acid soap formation for the mixed formulation in alkaline media compared to the single fatty acid systems. Particle size and porosity studies indicated a modest reduction in size for the mixed systems and an increase in porosity on immersion in the dissolution medium. It is proposed that the mixed fatty acid system form a mixed crystal system which in turn facilitates interaction with the dissolution medium, thereby leading to a greater propensity for acid soap formation which in turn forms a permeable liquid crystalline phase through which the drug may diffuse. The role of dissolution of palmitic acid into the dissolution medium is also discussed as a secondary mechanism.

Vivifying properties of water in the light of new concepts of catalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalninsh, K. K.; Pavlova, L. P.

2015-08-01

In this study, we try to turn a new page in the research on the relationships between water and life. The authors rely on the idea that water is an active catalytic medium which governs the proceeding of chemical and biochemical life processes. This point of view has not been considered in scientific literature until very recently. This principally new approach is presented in this study in its theoretical aspect, focusing on the catalytic role of water in life's anti-entropic tendency. The role of water in the origins of life is discussed with respect to the continuity of views of eminent scientists V.I. Vernadsky and A.I. Oparin, and the development of anticipatory representation on the basis of accelerated catalytic processes as proposed by P.K. Anokhin.

The dynamics of the water droplet impacting onto hot solid surfaces at medium Weber numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrakusuma, Windy H.; Kamal, Samsul; Indarto; Dyan Susila, M.; Hermawan; Deendarlianto

2017-10-01

The effects of the wettability of a droplet impacting onto a hot solid surface under medium Weber numbers were studied experimentally. The Weber numbers used in the present experiment were 52.1, 57.6, and 63.1. Three kinds of solid surfaces with different wettability were used. These were normal stainless steel (NSS), TiO2 coated NSS, and TiO2 coated NSS radiated with ultraviolet rays. The surface temperatures were varied from 60 to 200 °C. The image of side the view and 30° from horizontal were taken to explain the spreading and the interfacial behavior of a single droplet during impact the hot solid surfaces. It was found that under medium Weber numbers, the surface wettability plays an important role on the droplet spreading and evaporation time during the impact on the hot solid surfaces. The higher the wettability, the larger the droplet spreading on the hot surface, and the lower the evaporation time.

[Culture conditions for gametes and embryos: Which culture medium? Which impact on newborn?

PubMed

Koscinski, I; Merten, M; Kazdar, N; Guéant, J-L

2018-05-01

Many studies have examined the impact of cell/embryo culture media on the development of human embryo during IVF process, but few studies have followed up and compared the effects of these culture media on the developmental outcome of children conceived by IVF. As recurrent experimental evidence from animal studies suggests potential long-term effects of embryo culture media on the health outcome of IVF-conceived children, more studies are needed to clarify the role of the culture media and mechanisms underlying such effects. In human, however, the effects of culture media are difficult to pinpoint due to complications stem from both the influence of maternal nutrition during the gestational period and the parental genetic. Based on a simple review of the literature integrating animal experimentations and human clinic studies, we suggest that the composition of culture medium should be considered beyond the character of unique or sequential medium, corresponding to "let embryo choose" or "back to nature" respectively. Instead, we suggest that the main components of embryo culture media should be considered from the point of view of metabolic consequences and potential epigenetic effects. Given that energetic metabolites can regulate epigenetic machinery, we hypothesize that metabolic abnormalities linked to morphological abnormalities could reveal epigenetic defects in embryos. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Camera for Quasars in the Early Universe (CQUEAN)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Eunbin; Park, W.; Lim, J.; Jeong, H.; Kim, J.; Oh, H.; Pak, S.; Im, M.; Kuehne, J.

2010-05-01

The early universe of z ɳ is where the first stars, galaxies, and quasars formed, starting the re-ionization of the universe. The discovery and the study of quasars in the early universe allow us to witness the beginning of history of astronomical objects. In order to perform a medium-deep, medium-wide, imaging survey of quasars, we are developing an optical CCD camera, CQUEAN (Camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse) which uses a 1024*1024 pixel deep-depletion CCD. It has an enhanced QE than conventional CCD at wavelength band around 1μm, thus it will be an efficient tool for observation of quasars at z > 7. It will be attached to the 2.1m telescope at McDonald Observatory, USA. A focal reducer is designed to secure a larger field of view at the cassegrain focus of 2.1m telescope. For long stable exposures, auto-guiding system will be implemented by using another CCD camera viewing an off-axis field. All these instruments will be controlled by the software written in python on linux platform. CQUEAN is expected to see the first light during summer in 2010.

[Technology and future ways of thinking related to work from ergonomics points of views in moments of global crisis].

PubMed

Puentes-Lagos, David E; García-Acosta, Gabriel

2012-06-01

Is it possible to establish (at short, medium and long term) future work conditions or expected work conditions for Colombian people considering upcoming work technologies? Is it possible to anticipate future work desirable work conditions for Colombian people in order to plan (foresee?) work technologies? These questions guided this research and they point to an action thesis and to a reaction one in this context of work crisis. Even though a work technology establishes where, when, how, who, who with, and using what element work is done, it also establishes certain work conditions. Besides, multiple forms of considering and deconstructing past have been created from many disciplines. However, in order to foresee or construct work technologies requires a different perspective for looking further. This research has been carried out considering other disciplines points of view regarding Future Studies and Future Thinking Studies. This research has the purpose of finding future paths for Future Thinking Studies from ergonomics point of view in this moment of global work crisis we are going through.

WPC Medium-Range Forecasts (Days 3-7)

Science.gov Websites

Pressures Day 7 [b/w] [full color] *The Northern Hemispheric view is updated once daily at 1900Z. EXTENDED Level Pressures and Fronts CONUS View* Final Day 3 Fronts and Pressures for the CONUS Day 3 [b/w] [full color] Final Day 4 Fronts and Pressures for the CONUS Day 4 [b/w] [full color] Final Day 5 Fronts and

Studies of organic paint binders by NMR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spyros, A.; Anglos, D.

2006-06-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is applied to the study of aged binding media used in paintings, namely linseed oil, egg tempera and an acrylic medium. High resolution 1D and 2D NMR experiments establish the state of hydrolysis and oxidation of the linseed and egg tempera binders after five years of aging, by determining several markers sensitive to the hydrolytic and oxidative processes of the binder lipid fraction. The composition of the acrylic binder co-polymer is determined by 2D NMR spectroscopy, while the identification of a surfactant, poly(ethylene glycol), found in greater amounts in aged acrylic medium, is reported. The non-destructive nature of the proposed analytical NMR methodology, and minimization of the amount of binder material needed through the use of sophisticated cryoprobes and hyphenated LC-NMR techniques, make NMR attractive for the arts analyst, in view of its rapid nature and experimental simplicity.

On the passage of radiation through inhomogeneous, moving media. XI - Nonlinear effects on ray paths in the geometrical optics approximation. [in pulsar magnetospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, M. A.; Lerche, I.

1974-01-01

Study illustrating how the presence of a high-intensity pulse of radiation can distort its own passage through a plane differentially shearing medium. It is demonstrated that the distortion is a sensitive function of the precise, and detailed, variation of the medium's refractive index by considering a couple of simple examples which are worked out numerically. In view of the high-intensity pulses observed from pulsars (approximately 10 to the 30th ergs per pulse), it is believed that the present calculations are of more than academic interest in helping unravel the fundamental properties of pulse production in, and propagating through, differentially sheared media - such as pulsars' magnetospheres within the so-called speed-of-light circle.

The Evolution of Dust in the Multiphase Interstellar Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliversen, Ronald J. (Technical Monitor); Slavin, Jonathan

2003-01-01

Interstellar dust has a profound effect on the structure and evolution of the interstellar medium (ISM) and on the processes by which stars form from it. Dust obscures regions of star formation from view, and the uncertain quantities of elements in dust makes it difficult to measure accurately the abundances of the elements in low density regions. Despite the central importance of dust in astrophysics, we cannot answer some of the most basic questions about it: Why is it that most of the refractory elements are in dust grains? What determines the sizes of interstellar grains? It has been the goal of our proposed theoretical investigations to address these questions by studying the destruction of interstellar grains, and to develop observational diagnostics that can test the models we develop.

The Saturnian Sisters

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-07

he view from NASA Cassini spacecraft looks toward the anti-Saturn sides of Tethys and Rhea. North on both moons is up. Rhea and Tethys are medium-sized moons that are large enough to have pulled themselves into round shapes.

Comparative difficulty and the strategic regulation of accuracy: the impact of test-list context on monitoring and meta-metacognition.

PubMed

Arnold, Michelle M; Prike, Toby

2015-05-01

A growing body of research has shown that context manipulations can have little or no impact on accuracy performance, yet still significantly influence metacognitive performance. For example, participants in a test-list context paradigm study one list of words with a medium levels-of-processing task and a second word list with either a shallow or deep task: Recognition for medium words does not differ across conditions, however medium words are significantly more likely to be labeled as "remembered" (vs. merely familiar) if they had been studied with a shallow word list (Bodner & Lindsay, 2003). The goal of the current studies was to extend the test-list context paradigm to strategic regulation (report/withhold recognition test), and broaden it to incorporate different types of stimuli (i.e., face stimuli in place of a medium word list). The paradigm also was modified to include separate answer (studied/new) confidence and decision (report/withhold) confidence ratings at test. Results showed that context did not impact recognition accuracy for faces across the context conditions, however participants were more likely to report (i.e., volunteer) their face responses if they had studied the shallow word list. The results also demonstrated a difference between answer confidence and decision confidence, and the pattern of this difference depended on whether responses were reported or withheld (Experiment 1). Overall, the data are presented as support for the functional account of memory, which views memory states as inferential and attributional rather than static categories. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Track plate enclosures: Box designs affecting attractiveness to riparian mammals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loukmas, J.J.; Mayack, D.T.; Richmond, M.E.

2003-01-01

We examined the efficacy of four track plate enclosure designs for monitoring the abundance of small and medium-sized mammals along 10 streams in New York State. Box size and clarity of view through the box were evaluated as factors affecting visitation. We checked track plate stations weekly from September 1999 to March 2000. Eleven mammalian species or species groups visited the track plate stations. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) (P = 0.020) and feral cats (Felis catus) (P = 0.008) visited large enclosures significantly more than small enclosures. Feral cats visited clear-view enclosures significantly more than obstructed-view enclosures (P = 0.025). Enclosure size and view did not significantly affect visitation by other species; however, a large box with a clear view was the most effective design.

Effects of small variations of speed of sound in optoacoustic tomographic imaging

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

Deán-Ben, X. Luís; Ntziachristos, Vasilis; Razansky, Daniel, E-mail: dr@tum.de

2014-07-15

Purpose: Speed of sound difference in the imaged object and surrounding coupling medium may reduce the resolution and overall quality of optoacoustic tomographic reconstructions obtained by assuming a uniform acoustic medium. In this work, the authors investigate the effects of acoustic heterogeneities and discuss potential benefits of accounting for those during the reconstruction procedure. Methods: The time shift of optoacoustic signals in an acoustically heterogeneous medium is studied theoretically by comparing different continuous and discrete wave propagation models. A modification of filtered back-projection reconstruction is subsequently implemented by considering a straight acoustic rays model for ultrasound propagation. The results obtainedmore » with this reconstruction procedure are compared numerically and experimentally to those obtained assuming a heuristically fitted uniform speed of sound in both full-view and limited-view optoacoustic tomography scenarios. Results: The theoretical analysis showcases that the errors in the time-of-flight of the signals predicted by considering the straight acoustic rays model tend to be generally small. When using this model for reconstructing simulated data, the resulting images accurately represent the theoretical ones. On the other hand, significant deviations in the location of the absorbing structures are found when using a uniform speed of sound assumption. The experimental results obtained with tissue-mimicking phantoms and a mouse postmortem are found to be consistent with the numerical simulations. Conclusions: Accurate analysis of effects of small speed of sound variations demonstrates that accounting for differences in the speed of sound allows improving optoacoustic reconstruction results in realistic imaging scenarios involving acoustic heterogeneities in tissues and surrounding media.« less

HST Solar Arrays photographed by Electronic Still Camera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

This medium close-up view of one of two original Solar Arrays (SA) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was photographed with an Electronic Still Camera (ESC), and downlinked to ground controllers soon afterward. This view shows the cell side of the minus V-2 panel. Electronic still photography is a technology which provides the means for a handheld camera to electronically capture and digitize an image with resolution approaching film quality.

A systematic review of methods for studying consumer health YouTube videos, with implications for systematic reviews.

PubMed

Sampson, Margaret; Cumber, Jordi; Li, Claudia; Pound, Catherine M; Fuller, Ann; Harrison, Denise

2013-01-01

Background. YouTube is an increasingly important medium for consumer health information - with content provided by healthcare professionals, government and non-government organizations, industry, and consumers themselves. It is a rapidly developing area of study for healthcare researchers. We examine the methods used in reviews of YouTube consumer health videos to identify trends and best practices. Methods and Materials. Published reviews of consumer-oriented health-related YouTube videos were identified through PubMed. Data extracted from these studies included type of journal, topic, characteristics of the search, methods of review including number of reviewers and method to achieve consensus between reviewers, inclusion and exclusion criteria, characteristics of the videos reported, ethical oversight, and follow-up. Results. Thirty-three studies were identified. Most were recent and published in specialty journals. Typically, these included more than 100 videos, and were examined by multiple reviewers. Most studies described characteristics of the videos, number of views, and sometime characteristics of the viewers. Accuracy of portrayal of the health issue under consideration was a common focus. Conclusion. Optimal transparency and reproducibility of studies of YouTube health-related videos can be achieved by following guidance designed for systematic review reporting, with attention to several elements specific to the video medium. Particularly when seeking to replicate consumer viewing behavior, investigators should consider the method used to select search terms, and use a snowballing rather than a sequential screening approach. Discontinuation protocols for online screening of relevance ranked search results is an area identified for further development.

A systematic review of methods for studying consumer health YouTube videos, with implications for systematic reviews

PubMed Central

Cumber, Jordi; Li, Claudia; Pound, Catherine M.; Fuller, Ann; Harrison, Denise

2013-01-01

Background. YouTube is an increasingly important medium for consumer health information – with content provided by healthcare professionals, government and non-government organizations, industry, and consumers themselves. It is a rapidly developing area of study for healthcare researchers. We examine the methods used in reviews of YouTube consumer health videos to identify trends and best practices. Methods and Materials. Published reviews of consumer-oriented health-related YouTube videos were identified through PubMed. Data extracted from these studies included type of journal, topic, characteristics of the search, methods of review including number of reviewers and method to achieve consensus between reviewers, inclusion and exclusion criteria, characteristics of the videos reported, ethical oversight, and follow-up. Results. Thirty-three studies were identified. Most were recent and published in specialty journals. Typically, these included more than 100 videos, and were examined by multiple reviewers. Most studies described characteristics of the videos, number of views, and sometime characteristics of the viewers. Accuracy of portrayal of the health issue under consideration was a common focus. Conclusion. Optimal transparency and reproducibility of studies of YouTube health-related videos can be achieved by following guidance designed for systematic review reporting, with attention to several elements specific to the video medium. Particularly when seeking to replicate consumer viewing behavior, investigators should consider the method used to select search terms, and use a snowballing rather than a sequential screening approach. Discontinuation protocols for online screening of relevance ranked search results is an area identified for further development. PMID:24058879

Thermal analysis of Malaysian double storey housing - low/medium cost unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Normah, M. G.; Lau, K. Y.; Yusoff, S. Mohd.

2012-06-01

Almost half of the total energy used today is consumed in buildings. In the tropical climate, air-conditioning a housing unit takes much of the energy bill. Malaysia is no exception. Malaysian double storey terrace housing is popular among developers and buyers. Surveys have shown that housing occupants are much dissatisfied with the thermal comfort and artificial cooling is often sought. The objective of this study is to assess the thermal comfort of the low and medium-cost double storey housing in the area surrounding Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. A simulation program using the Weighting Factor Method calculates the heat transfer interaction, temperature distribution, and PMV level in three types of housing units in relation to the size. Fanger's PMV model based on ISO Standard 7730 is used here because it accounts for all parameters that affect the thermal sensation of a human within its equation. Results showed that both the low and medium-cost housing units studied are out of the comfortable range described by ASHRAE Standard 55 with the units all complied with the local bylaws. In view of the uncertainties in energy supply, future housing units should consider natural ventilation as part of the passive energy management.

Medium of exchange matters: what's fair for goods is unfair for money.

PubMed

DeVoe, Sanford E; Iyengar, Sheena S

2010-02-01

Organized groups face a fundamental problem of how to distribute resources fairly. We found people view it as less fair to distribute resources equally when the allocated resource invokes the market by being a medium of exchange than when the allocated resource is a good that holds value in use. These differences in fairness can be attributed to being a medium of exchange, and not to other essential properties of money (i.e., being a unit of account or a store of value). These findings suggest that egalitarian outcomes have a greater likelihood of being accepted as fair when the resources being distributed take the form of in-kind goods rather than of cash transfers.

Allopolyploidy in bryophytes: Multiple origins of Plagiomnium medium

PubMed Central

Wyatt, Robert; Odrzykoski, Ireneusz J.; Stoneburner, Ann; Bass, Henry W.; Galau, Glenn A.

1988-01-01

Bryophytes are thought to be unique among land plants in lacking the important evolutionary process of allopolyploidy, which involves interspecific hybridization and chromosome doubling. Electrophoretic data show, however, that the polyploid moss Plagiomnium medium is an allopolyploid derivative of Plagiomnium ellipticum and Plagiomnium insigne, that P. medium has originated more than once from these progenitors, and that cross-fertilization results in interlocus genetic recombination. Evidence from restriction fragment length polymorphisms in chloroplast DNA implicates P. insigne as the female parent in interspecific hybridizations with P. ellipticum. Contrary to prevailing views, it appears that those evolutionary processes responsible for genetic differentiation and speciation in other land plants occur in the bryophytes as well. Images PMID:16593968

[Hygiene in airline catering. I. Microbiologic study of meals distributed on aircrafts].

PubMed

Castellani, P; Frugoni, G

1983-08-25

A preliminary microbiological survey, conducted in the Italian national airlines Catering Department is reported. Precooked,, frozen meals reheated on medium and long distance flights were examined. The results indicate that hygiene standards are satisfactorily maintained. The presence of staphylococcus aureus in some samples highlights the importance of preventive and prophylactic measures in healthy carriers. In view of the growing concern about Salmonella poisoning in airline passengers the absence of this bacterium is extremely satisfying.

Photoinduced electron transfer interaction of anthraquinones with aniline quenchers: Influence of methyl substitution in aniline donors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivakumar, V.; Ponnamma, Deepalekshmi; Hussein, Yasser H. A.

2017-02-01

Photoinduced electron transfer between triplet state of 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) and its two derivatives: 2-chloro-9,10-anthraquinone (CAQ) and sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) and ground state aniline (AN) and its dimethyl substitutions: 2,3-dimethylaniline (2,3-DMA), 2,6-dimethylaniline (2,6-DMA), 3,5-dimethylaniline (3,5-DMA) and N,N-dimethylaniline (N,N-DMA) is studied using nanosecond laser flash photolysis at room temperature. Detection of radical bands of quinone anions and aniline cations along with their formation and/or decay kinetics are used to confirm the electron transfer (ET) process. In MeCN medium, AN quenches the triplet state of CAQ (CAQT) but not the triplets AQT or AQST. However in aqueous medium, AN quenches AQST and forms radical ion pair. All the DMAs can react through ET with all the triplet quinones at different degrees of efficiency in MeCN medium. Noticeably, the ring substituted DMAs are less efficient in electron donation to AQT or AQST while the N,N-DMA shows high efficiency in donating electron to all triplet quinones in MeCN medium. Charge distribution of donor molecules, in MeCN medium is calculated using density functional theory (DFT), and shows an enhancement of electron density of the ring of N,N-DMA, making it an ideal electron donor for ET studies compared to other DMAs. This systematic selection and usage of anilines with electrochemically tunable quinones can be viewed as a working model of donor-acceptor system that can be utilized in photoinduced ET applications.

Arthroscopically assisted reduction of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation using a single double-button device: Medium-term clinical and radiological outcomes.

PubMed

Issa, S-P; Payan, C; Le Hanneur, M; Loriaut, P; Boyer, P

2018-02-01

Double-button devices for endoscopic management of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation (ACJD) provide satisfactory short-term functional and radiological results. However, little exists in the literature regarding the long- and medium-term results of these implants, especially regarding the evolution of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ). Satisfactory and steady long- and medium-term outcomes can be achieved in patients with acute ACJD undergoing endoscopically assisted ACJ repair using a single double-button device. A retrospective single-center study was conducted in patients with acute Rockwood III and IV ACJD treated endoscopically with a single double-button device from October 2008 to October 2010, allowing a minimum 5-year follow-up. Functional evaluation used Constant and Quick-DASH scores. Clinical evidence of dislocation recurrence was combined with bilateral Zanca views to assess coracoclavicular distance. Acromioclavicular osteoarthritis was evaluated on the Paxinos test and Zanca views. Nineteen of the 25 operated patients were seen at a mean 76.9±8.5 months' follow-up. Mean age was 34.4±8.3 years. Mean Constant and Quick-DASH scores were 96.2±5.1 and 0.9±1.6 points, respectively. Four patients had a recurrence of their initial dislocation, 3 of whom had positive Paxinos test, whereas the 15 patients without recurrence had a negative test (p=0.004). Five patients had radiological evidence of ACJ osteoarthritis: all 4 patients with recurrence and 1 without (p=0.001). Long- and medium-term radioclinical outcome of endoscopically assisted management of acute ACJD using a single double-button device seems to be satisfactory and steady over time. Recurrence of the initial dislocation appears to be related to onset of degenerative ACJ arthropathy. Therapeutic type IV-Retrospective case series. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Soybean Tissue Culture - Apollo 15 Lunar Material Growth

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-10-01

S71-51315 (1 Oct. 1971) --- A close-up view of soybean tissue culture growing in a synthetic medium and Apollo 15 lunar material. Note the greening occurring in areas in contact with the soil particles.

IMAX camera in payload bay

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-12-20

STS074-361-035 (12-20 Nov 1995) --- This medium close-up view centers on the IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC) and its associated IMAX Camera Container Equipment (ICCE) at its position in the cargo bay of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis. With its own ?space suit? or protective covering to protect it from the rigors of space, this version of the IMAX was able to record scenes not accessible with the in-cabin cameras. For docking and undocking activities involving Russia?s Mir Space Station and the Space Shuttle Atlantis, the camera joined a variety of in-cabin camera hardware in recording the historical events. IMAX?s secondary objectives were to film Earth views. The IMAX project is a collaboration between NASA, the Smithsonian Institution?s National Air and Space Museum (NASM), IMAX Systems Corporation, and the Lockheed Corporation to document significant space activities and promote NASA?s educational goals using the IMAX film medium.

From ATLASGAL to SEDIGISM: Towards a Complete 3D View of the Dense Galactic Interstellar Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuller, F.; Urquhart, J.; Bronfman, L.; Csengeri, T.; Bontemps, S.; Duarte-Cabral, A.; Giannetti, A.; Ginsburg, A.; Henning, T.; Immer, K.; Leurini, S.; Mattern, M.; Menten, K.; Molinari, S.; Muller, E.; Sánchez-Monge, A.; Schisano, E.; Suri, S.; Testi, L.; Wang, K.; Wyrowski, F.; Zavagno, A.

2016-09-01

The ATLASGAL survey has provided the first unbiased view of the inner Galactic Plane at sub-millimetre wavelengths. This is the largest ground-based survey of its kind to date, covering 420 square degrees at a wavelength of 870 µm. The reduced data, consisting of images and a catalogue of > 104 compact sources, are available from the ESO Science Archive Facility through the Phase 3 infrastructure. The extremely rich statistics of this survey initiated several follow-up projects, including spectroscopic observations to explore molecular complexity and high angular resolution imaging with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), aimed at resolving individual protostars. The most extensive follow-up project is SEDIGISM, a 3D mapping of the dense interstellar medium over a large fraction of the inner Galaxy. Some notable results of these surveys are highlighted.

Associations of perceived neighborhood physical and social environments with physical activity and television viewing in African American men and women

PubMed Central

Strong, Larkin L.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Wetter, David W.; McNeill, Lorna H.

2013-01-01

Purpose Few studies have assessed how attributes of neighborhood environments contribute to sedentary, in addition to active, behaviors. This study investigated associations of perceived social and physical aspects of neighborhood environments with television (TV) viewing and physical activity (PA) in African American adults. Design Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported survey. Setting Large mega-church in Houston, TX. Subjects 1,374 African American men and women. Measures Outcomes included log-transformed daily TV viewing and participation in medium/high levels of PA, measured by the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Neighborhood perceptions were assessed with the Social Cohesion and Trust and the Neighborhood Problems scales. Analysis Multivariable models that controlled for clustering within neighborhoods. Results Reporting more neighborhood problems was significantly associated with greater log-transformed TV viewing in women (β=0.017, SE=0.006, p=0.003), and social cohesion was positively associated with PA in women (OR=1.06, 95% CI=1.02, 1.11, p=0.006). Concerns about litter and walking after dark, and a lack of places to shop were associated with increased TV viewing among women, and concerns about traffic and walking after dark were associated with reduced PA among men. Conclusion Physical and social neighborhood conditions were associated with TV viewing and PA, particularly in women. Neighborhood-based strategies to reduce sedentary behaviors and enhance PA should include attention to social as well as physical aspects of neighborhood environments. PMID:23398134

Associations of perceived neighborhood physical and social environments with physical activity and television viewing in African-American men and women.

PubMed

Strong, Larkin L; Reitzel, Lorraine R; Wetter, David W; McNeill, Lorna H

2013-01-01

Few studies have assessed how attributes of neighborhood environments contribute to sedentary, in addition to active, behaviors. This study investigated associations of perceived social and physical aspects of neighborhood environments with television (TV) viewing and physical activity (PA) in African-American adults. Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported survey. Large mega-church in Houston, Texas. A total of 1374 African-American men and women. Outcomes included log-transformed daily TV viewing and participation in medium/high levels of PA, measured by the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Neighborhood perceptions were assessed with the Social Cohesion and Trust and the Neighborhood Problems scales. Multivariable models that controlled for clustering within neighborhoods. Reporting more neighborhood problems was significantly associated with greater log-transformed TV viewing in women (β = .017, SE = .006, p = .003), and social cohesion was positively associated with PA in women (odds ratio = 1.06, 95% confidence interval = 1.02, 1.11, p = .006). Concerns about litter and walking after dark and a lack of places to shop were associated with increased TV viewing among women, and concerns about traffic and walking after dark were associated with reduced PA among men. Physical and social neighborhood conditions were associated with TV viewing and PA, particularly in women. Neighborhood-based strategies to reduce sedentary behaviors and enhance PA should include attention to social as well as physical aspects of neighborhood environments.

High-accuracy mass spectrometry for fundamental studies.

PubMed

Kluge, H-Jürgen

2010-01-01

Mass spectrometry for fundamental studies in metrology and atomic, nuclear and particle physics requires extreme sensitivity and efficiency as well as ultimate resolving power and accuracy. An overview will be given on the global status of high-accuracy mass spectrometry for fundamental physics and metrology. Three quite different examples of modern mass spectrometric experiments in physics are presented: (i) the retardation spectrometer KATRIN at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, employing electrostatic filtering in combination with magnetic-adiabatic collimation-the biggest mass spectrometer for determining the smallest mass, i.e. the mass of the electron anti-neutrino, (ii) the Experimental Cooler-Storage Ring at GSI-a mass spectrometer of medium size, relative to other accelerators, for determining medium-heavy masses and (iii) the Penning trap facility, SHIPTRAP, at GSI-the smallest mass spectrometer for determining the heaviest masses, those of super-heavy elements. Finally, a short view into the future will address the GSI project HITRAP at GSI for fundamental studies with highly-charged ions.

Electrochemical corrosion behaviour of dental/implant alloys in saline medium.

PubMed

Sharma, Mohit; Kumar, A V Ramesh; Singh, Nirbhay

2008-07-01

Dental alloys implanted in mouth are exposed to various aggressive conditions. Keeping this in view, corrosion behaviour of various dental alloys viz. Ni-Cr, Co-Cr, Cu-Ni-Al and commercially pure Ti (c.p. Ti) were studied in 3% NaCl medium by using Tafel polarization, cyclic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. EIS studies were carried out for different duration viz. 1 h, 1 day and 7 days to evaluate the stability of passive film and change in corrosion characteristics with time. It has been found that for Ni-Cr, Co-Cr (DRDO developed) and c.p. Ti the passive film characteristic changed with time whereas for Co-Cr (commercial) and Cu-Ni-Al alloys, the passive film characteristics remained same. From DC electrochemical studies various parameters viz. i(corr), E(corr), i(pass), E(pass) were evaluated. The corrosion rates were observed to be in the order Cu-Ni-Al > Co-Cr (commercial) > Ni-Cr > c.p. Ti > Co-Cr (DRDO).

The medium and the message: a revisionist view of image quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferwerda, James A.

2010-02-01

In his book "Understanding Media" social theorist Marshall McLuhan declared: "The medium is the message." The thesis of this paper is that with respect to image quality, imaging system developers have taken McLuhan's dictum too much to heart. Efforts focus on improving the technical specifications of the media (e.g. dynamic range, color gamut, resolution, temporal response) with little regard for the visual messages the media will be used to communicate. We present a series of psychophysical studies that investigate the visual system's ability to "see through" the limitations of imaging media to perceive the messages (object and scene properties) the images represent. The purpose of these studies is to understand the relationships between the signal characteristics of an image and the fidelity of the visual information the image conveys. The results of these studies provide a new perspective on image quality that shows that images that may be very different in "quality", can be visually equivalent as realistic representations of objects and scenes.

Estimation of leaf area index using WorldView-2 and Aster satellite image: a case study from Turkey.

PubMed

Günlü, Alkan; Keleş, Sedat; Ercanlı, İlker; Şenyurt, Muammer

2017-10-04

The objective of this study is to estimate the leaf area index (LAI) of a forest ecosystem using two different satellite images, WorldView-2 and Aster. For this purpose, 108 sample plots were taken from pure Crimean pine forest stands of Yenice Forest Management Planning Unit in Ilgaz Forest Management Enterprise, Turkey. Each sample plot was imaged with hemispherical photographs with a fish-eye camera to determine the LAI. These photographs were analyzed with the help of Hemisfer Hemiview software program, and thus, the LAI of each sample plot was estimated. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis method was used to model the statistical relationships between the LAI values and band spectral reflection values and some vegetation indices (Vis) obtained from satellite images. The results show that the high-resolution WorldView-2 satellite image is better than the medium-resolution Aster satellite image in predicting the LAI. It was also seen that the results obtained by using the VIs are better than the bands when the LAI value is predicted with satellite images.

Application of statistical experimental design for optimisation of bioinsecticides production by sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain on cheap medium.

PubMed

Ben Khedher, Saoussen; Jaoua, Samir; Zouari, Nabil

2013-01-01

In order to overproduce bioinsecticides production by a sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain, an optimal composition of a cheap medium was defined using a response surface methodology. In a first step, a Plackett-Burman design used to evaluate the effects of eight medium components on delta-endotoxin production showed that starch, soya bean and sodium chloride exhibited significant effects on bioinsecticides production. In a second step, these parameters were selected for further optimisation by central composite design. The obtained results revealed that the optimum culture medium for delta-endotoxin production consists of 30 g L(-1) starch, 30 g L(-1) soya bean and 9 g L(-1) sodium chloride. When compared to the basal production medium, an improvement in delta-endotoxin production up to 50% was noted. Moreover, relative toxin yield of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis S22 was improved markedly by using optimised cheap medium (148.5 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch) when compared to the yield obtained in the basal medium (94.46 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch). Therefore, the use of optimised culture cheap medium appeared to be a good alternative for a low cost production of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides at industrial scale which is of great importance in practical point of view.

Application of statistical experimental design for optimisation of bioinsecticides production by sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain on cheap medium

PubMed Central

Ben Khedher, Saoussen; Jaoua, Samir; Zouari, Nabil

2013-01-01

In order to overproduce bioinsecticides production by a sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain, an optimal composition of a cheap medium was defined using a response surface methodology. In a first step, a Plackett-Burman design used to evaluate the effects of eight medium components on delta-endotoxin production showed that starch, soya bean and sodium chloride exhibited significant effects on bioinsecticides production. In a second step, these parameters were selected for further optimisation by central composite design. The obtained results revealed that the optimum culture medium for delta-endotoxin production consists of 30 g L−1 starch, 30 g L−1 soya bean and 9 g L−1 sodium chloride. When compared to the basal production medium, an improvement in delta-endotoxin production up to 50% was noted. Moreover, relative toxin yield of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis S22 was improved markedly by using optimised cheap medium (148.5 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch) when compared to the yield obtained in the basal medium (94.46 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch). Therefore, the use of optimised culture cheap medium appeared to be a good alternative for a low cost production of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides at industrial scale which is of great importance in practical point of view. PMID:24516462

18. VIEW OF INTERIOR OF BUILDING 220 SECOND FLOOR, MIDDLE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. VIEW OF INTERIOR OF BUILDING 220 SECOND FLOOR, MIDDLE OF MALE MEDIUM SECURITY SLEEPING AREA LOOKING UP AT THE CLERESTORY. THE WOOD TRUSS SYSTEM IS SHOWN IN UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF PHOTO, RETREATING INTO THE BACKGROUND OF THE PHOTO. THE WOOD STRUTS SHOWN IN THE UPPER LEFT OF PHOTO, TRANSVERSES ACROSS TOWARDS THE RIGHT OF PHOTO. - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Brig, Neville Way near Ninth Street at Marine Barracks, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Evidence for effective interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma and discrimination in the medium and long term: systematic review.

PubMed

Mehta, N; Clement, S; Marcus, E; Stona, A-C; Bezborodovs, N; Evans-Lacko, S; Palacios, J; Docherty, M; Barley, E; Rose, D; Koschorke, M; Shidhaye, R; Henderson, C; Thornicroft, G

2015-11-01

Most research on interventions to counter stigma and discrimination has focused on short-term outcomes and has been conducted in high-income settings. To synthesise what is known globally about effective interventions to reduce mental illness-based stigma and discrimination, in relation first to effectiveness in the medium and long term (minimum 4 weeks), and second to interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We searched six databases from 1980 to 2013 and conducted a multi-language Google search for quantitative studies addressing the research questions. Effect sizes were calculated from eligible studies where possible, and narrative syntheses conducted. Subgroup analysis compared interventions with and without social contact. Eighty studies (n = 422 653) were included in the review. For studies with medium or long-term follow-up (72, of which 21 had calculable effect sizes) median standardised mean differences were 0.54 for knowledge and -0.26 for stigmatising attitudes. Those containing social contact (direct or indirect) were not more effective than those without. The 11 LMIC studies were all from middle-income countries. Effect sizes were rarely calculable for behavioural outcomes or in LMIC studies. There is modest evidence for the effectiveness of anti-stigma interventions beyond 4 weeks follow-up in terms of increasing knowledge and reducing stigmatising attitudes. Evidence does not support the view that social contact is the more effective type of intervention for improving attitudes in the medium to long term. Methodologically strong research is needed on which to base decisions on investment in stigma-reducing interventions. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Evidence for effective interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma and discrimination in the medium and long term: systematic review

PubMed Central

Mehta, N.; Clement, S.; Marcus, E.; Stona, A.-C.; Bezborodovs, N.; Evans-Lacko, S.; Palacios, J.; Docherty, M.; Barley, E.; Rose, D.; Koschorke, M.; Shidhaye, R.; Henderson, C.; Thornicroft, G.

2015-01-01

Background Most research on interventions to counter stigma and discrimination has focused on short-term outcomes and has been conducted in high-income settings. Aims To synthesise what is known globally about effective interventions to reduce mental illness-based stigma and discrimination, in relation first to effectiveness in the medium and long term (minimum 4 weeks), and second to interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Method We searched six databases from 1980 to 2013 and conducted a multi-language Google search for quantitative studies addressing the research questions. Effect sizes were calculated from eligible studies where possible, and narrative syntheses conducted. Subgroup analysis compared interventions with and without social contact. Results Eighty studies (n = 422 653) were included in the review. For studies with medium or long-term follow-up (72, of which 21 had calculable effect sizes) median standardised mean differences were 0.54 for knowledge and −0.26 for stigmatising attitudes. Those containing social contact (direct or indirect) were not more effective than those without. The 11 LMIC studies were all from middle-income countries. Effect sizes were rarely calculable for behavioural outcomes or in LMIC studies. Conclusions There is modest evidence for the effectiveness of anti-stigma interventions beyond 4 weeks follow-up in terms of increasing knowledge and reducing stigmatising attitudes. Evidence does not support the view that social contact is the more effective type of intervention for improving attitudes in the medium to long term. Methodologically strong research is needed on which to base decisions on investment in stigma-reducing interventions. PMID:26527664

On the energy-momentum tensor of light in strong fields: an all optical view of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macleod, Alexander J.; Noble, Adam; Jaroszynski, Dino A.

2017-05-01

The Abraham-Minkowski controversy is the debate surrounding the "correct" form of the energy-momentum tensor of light in a medium. Over a century of theoretical and experimental studies have consistently produced conflicting results, with no consensus being found on how best to describe the influence of a material on the propagation of light. It has been argued that the total energy-momentum tensor for each of the theories, which includes both wave and material components, are equal. The difficulty in separating the full energy-momentum tensor is generally attributed to the fact that one cannot obtain the energy-momentum tensor of the medium for real materials. Non-linear electrodynamics provides an opportunity to approach the debate from an all optical set up, where the role of the medium is replaced by the vacuum under the influence of a strong background field. We derive, from first principles, the general form of the energy-momentum tensor in such theories, and use our results to shed some light on this long standing issue.

Review Of Implementation In Bunut Shoes Assistance Program In Order Of Micro, Small And Medium Enterprises Economic In Asahan Regency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleh Malawat, M.; Putra, M. Umar Maya

2018-03-01

This paper studies the implementation of business opportunities that can improve the revenue of Bunut Shoes Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Probit model with E Views 6 program was used to see how far the opportunity of variable efforts to improve the revenue such as education, training, capital assistance, technological procurement of them. The data used was the primary data by conducting a survey using questionnaires to members of them with the observation period from 2013 to 2015. The results showed that all variables of implementation did not have a business opportunity correlation to the increase in revenue and Asahan District Governments are asked to create a creative breakthrough in order to achieve optimal business revenue and cooperate with other private institutions related to increase the business income.

Color-televised medical microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heath, M. A.; Peck, J. C.

1968-01-01

Color television microscopy used at laboratory range magnifications, reproduces a slide image with sufficient fidelity for medical laboratory and instructional use. The system is used for instant pathological reporting between operating room and remotely located pathologist viewing a biopsy through this medium.

View of a South Pacific storm photographed from Skylab space station

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-12-02

SL4-136-3388 (2 Dec. 1973) --- This excellent view of a South Pacific storm was photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen. The camera used was a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad, with SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome film. This photograph of a low pressure area and associated frontal activity was taken for studying the development of such storm systems. The low sun angle enhances the relief, giving much of the picture a three-dimensional appearance. The good definition of the clouds with the cumulonimbus (thunderstorm clouds) penetrating the cirrus cloud layer makes this an interesting photograph to study. This storm, located east of New Zealand at 170 degrees west longitude and 50 degrees south latitude, is not and never became a typhoon. However, in some ways it may look similar. Photo credit: NASA

Are Instant Messages Speech?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baron, Naomi S.

Instant messaging (IM) is commonly viewed as a “spoken” medium, in light of its reputation for informality, non-standard spelling and punctuation, and use of lexical shortenings and emoticons. However, the actual nature of IM is an empirical issue that bears linguistic analysis.

Words from "Sesame Street": Learning Vocabulary While Viewing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Mabel L.; And Others

1990-01-01

Suggests that the content and presentation formats of "Sesame Street" are well suited to preschoolers' vocabulary development, independently of parent education, family size, child gender, and parental attitudes. Findings also suggest the feasibility of tutorial uses of the video medium. (RH)

Examining Television.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaffney, Maureen, Ed.

1980-01-01

Designed for media specialists and educators, this issue contains four articles focusing on children and television. The lead article outlines major Australian views on television, analyzing how these concepts determine that country's use of the medium. The second article reviews international developments in children's television highlighted at…

CD-ROM-aided Databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuyama, Keiichi

CD-ROM has rapidly evolved as a new information medium with large capacity, In the U.S. it is predicted that it will become two hundred billion yen market in three years, and thus CD-ROM is strategic target of database industry. Here in Japan the movement toward its commercialization has been active since this year. Shall CD-ROM bussiness ever conquer information market as an on-disk database or electronic publication? Referring to some cases of the applications in the U.S. the author views marketability and the future trend of this new optical disk medium.

Oblique view of cloud patterns over Pacific Ocean

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-07-16

AST-01-042 (16 July 1975) --- An oblique view of unique cloud patterns over the Pacific Ocean caused by aircraft contrail shadows altering cumulus clouds and forming straight line clouds, as photographed from the Apollo spacecraft in Earth orbit during the joint U.S.-USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. This area is southwest of Los Angeles, California. This photograph was taken at an altitude of 177 kilometers (110 statute miles) with a 70mm Hasselblad camera using medium-speed Ektachrome QX-807 type film.

Biocorrosion of Endodontic Files through the Action of Two Species of Sulfate-reducing Bacteria: Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis.

PubMed

Heggendorn, Fabiano Luiz; Gonçalves, Lucio Souza; Dias, Eliane Pedra; de Oliveira Freitas Lione, Viviane; Lutterbach, Márcia Teresa Soares

2015-08-01

This study assessed the biocorrosive capacity of two bacteria: Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis on endodontic files, as a preliminary step in the development of a biopharmaceutical, to facilitate the removal of endodontic file fragments from root canals. In the first stage, the corrosive potential of the artificial saliva medium (ASM), modified Postgate E medium (MPEM), 2.5 % sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution and white medium (WM), without the inoculation of bacteria was assessed by immersion assays. In the second stage, test samples were inoculated with the two species of sulphur-reducing bacteria (SRB) on ASM and modified artificial saliva medium (MASM). In the third stage, test samples were inoculated with the same species on MPEM, ASM and MASM. All test samples were viewed under an infinite focus Alicona microscope. No test sample became corroded when immersed only in media, without bacteria. With the exception of one test sample between those inoculated with bacteria in ASM and MASM, there was no evidence of corrosion. Fifty percent of the test samples demonstrated a greater intensity of biocorrosion when compared with the initial assays. Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and D. fairfieldensis are capable of promoting biocorrosion of the steel constituent of endodontic files. This study describes the initial development of a biopharmaceutical to facilitate the removal of endodontic file fragments from root canals, which can be successfully implicated in endodontic therapy in order to avoiding parendodontic surgery or even tooth loss in such events.

Photoinduced electron transfer interaction of anthraquinones with aniline quenchers: Influence of methyl substitution in aniline donors.

PubMed

Sivakumar, V; Ponnamma, Deepalekshmi; Hussein, Yasser H A

2017-02-15

Photoinduced electron transfer between triplet state of 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) and its two derivatives: 2-chloro-9,10-anthraquinone (CAQ) and sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) and ground state aniline (AN) and its dimethyl substitutions: 2,3-dimethylaniline (2,3-DMA), 2,6-dimethylaniline (2,6-DMA), 3,5-dimethylaniline (3,5-DMA) and N,N-dimethylaniline (N,N-DMA) is studied using nanosecond laser flash photolysis at room temperature. Detection of radical bands of quinone anions and aniline cations along with their formation and/or decay kinetics are used to confirm the electron transfer (ET) process. In MeCN medium, AN quenches the triplet state of CAQ (CAQ T ) but not the triplets AQ T or AQS T . However in aqueous medium, AN quenches AQS T and forms radical ion pair. All the DMAs can react through ET with all the triplet quinones at different degrees of efficiency in MeCN medium. Noticeably, the ring substituted DMAs are less efficient in electron donation to AQ T or AQS T while the N,N-DMA shows high efficiency in donating electron to all triplet quinones in MeCN medium. Charge distribution of donor molecules, in MeCN medium is calculated using density functional theory (DFT), and shows an enhancement of electron density of the ring of N,N-DMA, making it an ideal electron donor for ET studies compared to other DMAs. This systematic selection and usage of anilines with electrochemically tunable quinones can be viewed as a working model of donor-acceptor system that can be utilized in photoinduced ET applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parametric study of beam refraction problems across laser anemometer windows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, A. K.

1986-01-01

The experimenter is often required to view flows through a window with a different index of refraction than either the medium being observed or the medium that the laser anemometer is immersed in. The refraction that occurs at the window surfaces may lead to undesirable changes in probe volume position or beam crossing angle and can lead to partial or complete beam uncrossing. This report describes the results of a parametric study of this problem using a ray tracing technique to predict these changes. The windows studied were a flat plate and a simple cyclinder. For the flat-plate study: (1) surface thickness, (2) beam crossing angle, (3) bisecting line - surface normal angle, and (4) incoming beam plane surface orientation were varied. For the cylindrical window additional parameters were also varied: (1) probe volume immersion, (2) probe volume off-radial position, and (3) probe volume position out of the R-theta plane of the lens. A number of empirical correlations were deduced to aid the interested reader in determining the movement, uncrossing, and change in crossing angle for a particular situation.

A parametric study of the beam refraction problems across laser anemometer windows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, Albert K.

1986-01-01

The experimenter is often required to view flows through a window with a different index of refraction than either the medium being observed or the medium that the laser anemometer is immersed in. The refraction that occurs at the window surfaces may lead to undesirable changes in probe volume position or beam crossing angle and can lead to partial or complete beam uncrossing. This report describes the results of a parametric study of this problem using a ray tracing technique to predict these changes. The windows studied were a flat plate and a simple cylinder. For the flat-plate study: (1) surface thickness, (2) beam crossing angle, (3) bisecting line - surface normal angle, and (4) incoming beam plane surface orientation were varied. For the cylindrical window additional parameters were also varied: (1) probe volume immersion, (2) probe volume off-radial position, and (3) probe volume position out of the r-theta plane of the lens. A number of empirical correlations were deduced to aid the reader in determining the movement, uncrossing, and change in crossing angle for a particular situations.

Mapping young stellar populations towards Orion with Gaia DR1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zari, Eleonora; Brown, Anthony G. A.

2018-04-01

OB associations are prime sites for the study of star formation processes and of the interaction between young massive stars with the interstellar medium. Furthermore, the kinematics and structure of the nearest OB associations provide detailed insight into the properties and origin of the Gould Belt. In this context, the Orion complex has been extensively studied. However, the spatial distribution of the stellar population is still uncertain: in particular, the distances and ages of the various sub-groups composing the Orion OB association, and their connection to the surrounding interstellar medium, are not well determined. We used the first Gaia data release to characterize the stellar population in Orion, with the goal to obtain new distance and age estimates of the numerous stellar groups composing the Orion OB association. We found evidence of the existence of a young and rich population spread over the entire region, loosely clustered around some known groups. This newly discovered population of young stars provides a fresh view of the star formation history of the Orion region.

Molecular gas excitation in Kleinmann-Low nebula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callejo, Gonzague; Lemaire, Jean-Louis; Le Petit, F.; Pineau Des Forets, Guillaume; Field, David

2004-12-01

The Orion molecular cloud OMC-1 is the perfect object for the study of the dense interstellar medium accounting for active star formation; the intrinsic complexity of this region serves as a stallion, both for observing techniques and for interstellar medium modelling. A detailed dynamic and spectroscopic study has been performed using VLT and CFHT observations of the infrared Kleinmann-Low nebula; yielding a complete small-scale structure in velocity and most importantly powerful diagnosis tools in order to put a new light into the gas behaviour. These results allow to build up a consistent model of the gas excitation, and a clear dynamical view of the region. The crucial action of the shock waves is confirmed, and the discrepancies between the observations and the standard models are discussed. The consequences of this modelling will be discussed in terms of extinction, magnetic field, and other quantities related to induced star formation. The goodness of the models used for the interpretations will be also discussed and some future directions of investigation enhanced.

Presentation of laboratory test results in patient portals: influence of interface design on risk interpretation and visual search behaviour.

PubMed

Fraccaro, Paolo; Vigo, Markel; Balatsoukas, Panagiotis; van der Veer, Sabine N; Hassan, Lamiece; Williams, Richard; Wood, Grahame; Sinha, Smeeta; Buchan, Iain; Peek, Niels

2018-02-12

Patient portals are considered valuable instruments for self-management of long term conditions, however, there are concerns over how patients might interpret and act on the clinical information they access. We hypothesized that visual cues improve patients' abilities to correctly interpret laboratory test results presented through patient portals. We also assessed, by applying eye-tracking methods, the relationship between risk interpretation and visual search behaviour. We conducted a controlled study with 20 kidney transplant patients. Participants viewed three different graphical presentations in each of low, medium, and high risk clinical scenarios composed of results for 28 laboratory tests. After viewing each clinical scenario, patients were asked how they would have acted in real life if the results were their own, as a proxy of their risk interpretation. They could choose between: 1) Calling their doctor immediately (high interpreted risk); 2) Trying to arrange an appointment within the next 4 weeks (medium interpreted risk); 3) Waiting for the next appointment in 3 months (low interpreted risk). For each presentation, we assessed accuracy of patients' risk interpretation, and employed eye tracking to assess and compare visual search behaviour. Misinterpretation of risk was common, with 65% of participants underestimating the need for action across all presentations at least once. Participants found it particularly difficult to interpret medium risk clinical scenarios. Participants who consistently understood when action was needed showed a higher visual search efficiency, suggesting a better strategy to cope with information overload that helped them to focus on the laboratory tests most relevant to their condition. This study confirms patients' difficulties in interpreting laboratories test results, with many patients underestimating the need for action, even when abnormal values were highlighted or grouped together. Our findings raise patient safety concerns and may limit the potential of patient portals to actively involve patients in their own healthcare.

METAL-MEDIATED TWO-ATOM CARBOCYCLE ENLARGEMENT IN AQUEOUS MEDIUM. (R822668)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

The Effects of Varying Contextual Demands on Age-related Positive Gaze Preferences

PubMed Central

Noh, Soo Rim; Isaacowitz, Derek M.

2015-01-01

Despite many studies on the age-related positivity effect and its role in visual attention, discrepancies remain regarding whether one’s full attention is required for age-related differences to emerge. The present study took a new approach to this question by varying the contextual demands of emotion processing. This was done by adding perceptual distractions, such as visual and auditory noise, that could disrupt attentional control. Younger and older participants viewed pairs of happy–neutral and fearful–neutral faces while their eye movements were recorded. Facial stimuli were shown either without noise, embedded in a background of visual noise (low, medium, or high), or with simultaneous auditory babble. Older adults showed positive gaze preferences, looking toward happy faces and away from fearful faces; however, their gaze preferences tended to be influenced by the level of visual noise. Specifically, the tendency to look away from fearful faces was not present in conditions with low and medium levels of visual noise, but was present where there were high levels of visual noise. It is important to note, however, that in the high-visual-noise condition, external cues were present to facilitate the processing of emotional information. In addition, older adults’ positive gaze preferences disappeared or were reduced when they first viewed emotional faces within a distracting context. The current results indicate that positive gaze preferences may be less likely to occur in distracting contexts that disrupt control of visual attention. PMID:26030774

The effects of varying contextual demands on age-related positive gaze preferences.

PubMed

Noh, Soo Rim; Isaacowitz, Derek M

2015-06-01

Despite many studies on the age-related positivity effect and its role in visual attention, discrepancies remain regarding whether full attention is required for age-related differences to emerge. The present study took a new approach to this question by varying the contextual demands of emotion processing. This was done by adding perceptual distractions, such as visual and auditory noise, that could disrupt attentional control. Younger and older participants viewed pairs of happy-neutral and fearful-neutral faces while their eye movements were recorded. Facial stimuli were shown either without noise, embedded in a background of visual noise (low, medium, or high), or with simultaneous auditory babble. Older adults showed positive gaze preferences, looking toward happy faces and away from fearful faces; however, their gaze preferences tended to be influenced by the level of visual noise. Specifically, the tendency to look away from fearful faces was not present in conditions with low and medium levels of visual noise but was present when there were high levels of visual noise. It is important to note, however, that in the high-visual-noise condition, external cues were present to facilitate the processing of emotional information. In addition, older adults' positive gaze preferences disappeared or were reduced when they first viewed emotional faces within a distracting context. The current results indicate that positive gaze preferences may be less likely to occur in distracting contexts that disrupt control of visual attention. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Molecular adsorption steers bacterial swimming at the air/water interface.

PubMed

Morse, Michael; Huang, Athena; Li, Guanglai; Maxey, Martin R; Tang, Jay X

2013-07-02

Microbes inhabiting Earth have adapted to diverse environments of water, air, soil, and often at the interfaces of multiple media. In this study, we focus on the behavior of Caulobacter crescentus, a singly flagellated bacterium, at the air/water interface. Forward swimming C. crescentus swarmer cells tend to get physically trapped at the surface when swimming in nutrient-rich growth medium but not in minimal salt motility medium. Trapped cells move in tight, clockwise circles when viewed from the air with slightly reduced speed. Trace amounts of Triton X100, a nonionic surfactant, release the trapped cells from these circular trajectories. We show, by tracing the motion of positively charged colloidal beads near the interface that organic molecules in the growth medium adsorb at the interface, creating a high viscosity film. Consequently, the air/water interface no longer acts as a free surface and forward swimming cells become hydrodynamically trapped. Added surfactants efficiently partition to the surface, replacing the viscous layer of molecules and reestablishing free surface behavior. These findings help explain recent similar studies on Escherichia coli, showing trajectories of variable handedness depending on media chemistry. The consistent behavior of these two distinct microbial species provides insights on how microbes have evolved to cope with challenging interfacial environments. Copyright © 2013 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An investigation of the cratering-induced motions occurring during the formation of bowl-shaped craters. [using high explosive charges as the cratering source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piekutowski, A. J.

1980-01-01

The effects of the dynamic processes which occur during crater formation were examined using small hemispherical high-explosive charges detonated in a tank which had one wall constructed of a thick piece of clear plexiglas. Crater formation and the motions of numerous tracer particles installed in the cratering medium at the medium-wall interface were viewed through the wall of this quarter-space tank and recorded with high-speed cameras. Subsequent study and analysis of particle motions and events recorded on the film provide data needed to develop a time-sequence description of the formation of a bowl-shaped crater. Tables show the dimensions of craters produced in a quarter-space tank compared with dimensions of craters produced in normal half-space tanks. Crater growth rate summaries are also tabulated.

Location and Modality Effects in Online Dating: Rich Modality Profile and Location-Based Information Cues Increase Social Presence, While Moderating the Impact of Uncertainty Reduction Strategy.

PubMed

Jung, Soyoung; Roh, Soojin; Yang, Hyun; Biocca, Frank

2017-09-01

This study investigates how different interface modality features of online dating sites, such as location awareness cues and modality of profiles, affect the sense of social presence of a prospective date. We also examined how various user behaviors aimed at reducing uncertainty about online interactions affect social presence perceptions and are affected by the user interface features. Male users felt a greater sense of social presence when exposed to both location and accessibility cues (geographical proximity) and a richer medium (video profiles). Viewing a richer medium significantly increased the sense of social presence among female participants whereas location-based information sharing features did not directly affect their social presence perception. Augmented social presence, as a mediator, contributed to users' greater intention to meet potential dating partners in a face-to-face setting and to buy paid memberships on online dating sites.

Evaluation of collimation and imaging configuration in scintimammography

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

Tsui, B.M.W.; Frey, E.C.; Wessell, D.E.

1996-12-31

Conventional scintimammography (SM) with {sup 99m}Tc sestamibi has been limited to taking a single lateral view of the breast using a parallel-hole high resolution (LEHR) collimator. The collimator is placed close to the breast for best possible spatial resolution. However, the collimator geometry precludes imaging the breast from other views. We evaluated using a pinhole collimator instead of a LEHR collimator in SM for improved spatial resolution and detection efficiency, and to allow additional imaging views. Results from theoretical calculations indicated that pinhole collimators could be designed with higher spatial resolution and detection efficiency than LEHR when imaging small tomore » medium size breasts. The geometrical shape of the pinhole collimator allows imaging of the breasts from both the lateral and craniocaudal views. The dual-view images allow better determination of the location of the tumors within the breast and improved detection of tumors located in the medial region of the breast. A breast model that simulates the shape and composition of the breast and breast tumors with different sizes and locations was added to an existing 3D mathematical cardiac-torso (MCAT) phantom. A cylindrically shaped phantom with 10 cm diameter and spherical inserts with different sizes and {sup 99m}Tc sestamibi uptakes with respect to the background provide physical models of breast with tumors. Simulation studies using the breast and MCAT phantoms and experimental studies using the cylindrical phantom confirmed the utility of the pinhole collimator in SM for improved breast tumor detection.« less

BWTG3 hepatoma cells can acquire phenylalanine hydroxylase, cystathionine synthase and CPS-I without genetic manipulation, but activation of the silent OTC gene requires cell fusion with hepatocytes.

PubMed

Farmer, A A; Goss, S J

1991-04-01

The mouse hepatoma BWTG3 has been tested for its ability to grow in three different media that select for traits normally expressed in adult liver: homocysteine medium to select for cystathionine synthase (CS), tyrosine-free medium for phenylalanine hydroxylase (PH), and ornithine medium for carbamylphosphate synthetase-I (CPS-I) and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC). In no case were the cells immediately capable of bulk growth, showing that all these traits were in some degree deficient. However, the cultures in homocysteine medium and in tyrosine-free medium both gave rise, spontaneously, to growing clones with frequencies of approximately 10(-3) and 10(-5), respectively. The deficiencies of CS and PH were accordingly excluded from further study, in view of their inherent instability. In contrast, no colonies ever formed in ornithine medium. Though neither CPS-I nor OTC were detectable in stock BWTG3 cells, it was found that CPS-I was readily inducible by hormones. The deficiency of OTC, however, appeared to be totally stable showing no reversion in response either to hormones or to azacytidine treatment. This deficiency was investigated by fusing the hepatoma to OTC+ liver cells prepared from normal or sparse-fur (spf) mice. Sparse-fur mice were used because their OTC is mutant and has a distinctive pH-dependence. OTC+ hybrids were readily produced, without the need for any specific selection for OTC, and, in one case at least, with only minimal chromosome segregation. In all the OTC+ hybrids made with spf cells, there was clear reactivation of the wild-type, hepatoma-derived OTC gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adsorption of guanidinium collectors on aluminosilicate minerals - a density functional study.

PubMed

Nulakani, Naga Venkateswara Rao; Baskar, Prathab; Patra, Abhay Shankar; Subramanian, Venkatesan

2015-10-07

In this density functional theory based investigation, we have modelled and studied the adsorption behaviour of guanidinium cations and substituted (phenyl, methoxy phenyl, nitro phenyl and di-nitro phenyl) guanidinium cationic collectors on the basal surfaces of kaolinite and goethite. The adsorption behaviour is assessed in three different media, such as gas, explicit water and pH medium, to understand the affinity of GC collectors to the SiO4 tetrahedral and AlO6 octahedral surfaces of kaolinite. The tetrahedral siloxane surface possesses a larger binding affinity to GC collectors than the octahedral sites due to the presence of surface exposed oxygen atoms that are active in the intermolecular interactions. Furthermore, the inductive electronic effects of substituted guanidinium cations also play a key role in the adsorption mechanism. Highly positive cations result in a stronger electrostatic interaction and preferential adsorption with the kaolinite surfaces than low positive cations. Computed interaction energies and electron densities at the bond critical points suggest that the adsorption of guanidinium cations on the surfaces of kaolinite and goethite is due to the formation of intra/inter hydrogen bonding networks. Also, the electrostatic interaction favours the high adsorption ability of GC collectors in the pH medium than gas phase and water medium. The structures and energies of GC collectors pave an intuitive view for future experimental studies on mineral flotation.

Virtually There.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lanier, Jaron

2001-01-01

Describes tele-immersion, a new medium for human interaction enabled by digital technologies. It combines the display and interaction techniques of virtual reality with new vision technologies that transcend the traditional limitations of a camera. Tele-immersion stations observe people as moving sculptures without favoring a single point of view.…

Extreme ultraviolet observations of G191-B2B and the local interstellar medium with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimble, Randy A.; Davidsen, Arthur F.; Blair, William P.; Bowers, Charles W.; Van Dyke Dixon, W.; Durrance, Samuel T.; Feldman, Paul D.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Henry, Richard C.; Kriss, Gerard A.

1993-01-01

During the Astro-l mission in 1990 December, the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) was used to observe the extreme ultraviolet spectrum (415-912 A) of the hot DA white dwarf GI91-B2B. Absorption by neutral helium shortward of the 504 A He I absorption edge is clearly detected in the raw spectrum. Model fits to the observed spectrum require interstellar neutral helium and neutral hydrogen column densities of 1.45 +/- 0.065 x 10 exp 17/sq cm and 1.69 +/- 0.12 x 10 exp 18/sq cm, respectively. Comparison of the neutral columns yields a direct assessment of the ionization state of the local interstellar cloud surrounding the Sun. The neutral hydrogen to helium ratio of 11.6 +/- 1.0 observed by HUT strongly contradicts the widespread view that hydrogen is much more ionized than helium in the local interstellar medium, a view which has motivated some exotic theoretical explanations for the supposed high ionization.

Analysis of students geometry skills viewed from spatial intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riastuti, Nova; Mardiyana, Pramudya, Ikrar

2017-12-01

Geometry is one of the difficult materials for students because students must have the ability to visualize, describe the picture, draw a figure, and know the kinds of figures. This study aimisto describe the students geometry skills in resolving geometry problems viewed from spatial intelligence. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method has aim to identify students geometry skills by 6 students in eight grade of Ngawi regency, Indonesia. The subjects were 2 students with high spatial intelligence, 2 students with medium spatial intelligence, and 2 students with low spatial intelligence. Datas were collected based on written test and interview. The result of this research showed that the students geometry skills viewed from spatial intelligence includes. The results of this study indicate that there was a correlation between students' spatial intelligence with geometric skills. Students had different geometric skills in each category of spatial intelligence, although there were similarities in some geometry skill indicators. Students with low spatial intelligence had less geometry skills, thus requiring special attention from teachers. Mathematics teachers are expected to provide more practice questions that reinforce students' geometry skills including visual skills, descriptive skills, drawing skills, logical skills, applied skills.

Can a Single Sagittal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Slice Represent Whole Fatty Infiltration in Chronic Rotator Cuff Tears at the Supraspinatus?

PubMed

Lee, Yong-Beom; Yang, Cheol-Jung; Li, Cheng Zhen; Zhuan, Zhong; Kwon, Seung-Cheol; Noh, Kyu-Cheol

2018-03-01

This study aimed to investigate whether fatty infiltration (FI) measured on a single sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) slice can represent FI of the whole supraspinatus muscle. This study retrospectively reviewed the MRIs of 106 patients (age 50-79 years) divided into three rotator cuff tear-size groups: medium, large, and massive. Fat mass and muscle mass on all T1-weighted sagittal MRI scans (FA and MA) were measured. Of the total MRI scans, the Y-view was defined as the most lateral image of the junction of the scapular spine with the scapular body on the oblique sagittal T1-weighted image. Fat mass and muscle mass seen on this Y-view single slice were recorded as F1 and M1, respectively. Fat mass and muscle mass were also assessed on MRI scans lateral and medial to the Y-view. The means of fat mass and muscle mass on these three slices were recorded as F3 and M3, respectively. Average FI ratios (fat mass/muscle mass) of the three assessment methods (F1/M1, FA/MA, and F3/M3) were compared. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for inter- and intraobserver reliability. ICCs showed higher reliability (> 0.8) for all measurements. F1/M1 values were not statistically different from FA/MA and F3/M3 values ( p > 0.05), except in males with medium and large tears. F3/M3 and FA/MA were not statistically different. The difference between F1/M1 and FA/MA did not exceed 2%. A single sagittal MRI slice can represent the whole FI in chronic rotator cuff tears, except in some patient groups. We recommend measurement of FI using a single sagittal MRI slice, given the effort required for repeated measurements.

Can a Single Sagittal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Slice Represent Whole Fatty Infiltration in Chronic Rotator Cuff Tears at the Supraspinatus?

PubMed Central

Lee, Yong-Beom; Yang, Cheol-Jung; Li, Cheng Zhen; Zhuan, Zhong; Kwon, Seung-Cheol

2018-01-01

Background This study aimed to investigate whether fatty infiltration (FI) measured on a single sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) slice can represent FI of the whole supraspinatus muscle. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed the MRIs of 106 patients (age 50–79 years) divided into three rotator cuff tear-size groups: medium, large, and massive. Fat mass and muscle mass on all T1-weighted sagittal MRI scans (FA and MA) were measured. Of the total MRI scans, the Y-view was defined as the most lateral image of the junction of the scapular spine with the scapular body on the oblique sagittal T1-weighted image. Fat mass and muscle mass seen on this Y-view single slice were recorded as F1 and M1, respectively. Fat mass and muscle mass were also assessed on MRI scans lateral and medial to the Y-view. The means of fat mass and muscle mass on these three slices were recorded as F3 and M3, respectively. Average FI ratios (fat mass/muscle mass) of the three assessment methods (F1/M1, FA/MA, and F3/M3) were compared. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for inter- and intraobserver reliability. Results ICCs showed higher reliability (> 0.8) for all measurements. F1/M1 values were not statistically different from FA/MA and F3/M3 values (p > 0.05), except in males with medium and large tears. F3/M3 and FA/MA were not statistically different. The difference between F1/M1 and FA/MA did not exceed 2%. Conclusions A single sagittal MRI slice can represent the whole FI in chronic rotator cuff tears, except in some patient groups. We recommend measurement of FI using a single sagittal MRI slice, given the effort required for repeated measurements. PMID:29564048

Measurements of bovine sperm velocities under true anaerobic and aerobic conditions.

PubMed

Krzyzosiak, J; Molan, P; Vishwanath, R

1999-04-30

Velocities of bovine spermatozoa in a medium containing glucose were similar under true anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Spermatozoa were not able to sustain motility under anaerobic conditions when glycolysis was inhibited, but regained motility when re-aerated. This demonstrates that immobilisation was due to lack of oxygen and that conditions under which motility was analysed were truly anaerobic. Sperm motility parameters were not significantly different in the presence and absence of 4 microM antimycin A and 4 microM rotenone when glucose was present in the medium. After each incubation, functionality of sperm mitochondria was assayed by washing sperm into the medium which supported respiration but not glycolysis, and motility was visually assessed. All sperm samples were highly motile in this medium indicating that their mitochondria were functional. When glycolysis was inhibited, antimycin and rotenone abolished sperm motility immediately after addition. Bovine sperm can maintain similar levels of motility aerobically and anaerobically if a glycolysable substrate is available. Available data on bovine sperm energetics support this view.

Videophysiology--Videopsychology--Videoaesthetics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malik, M. F.; Murphy, D.

This article considers the physiological, psychological, and aesthetical parameters of video on two levels--practical and conceptual. Physiological effects and processes are defined as those which occur within a human being when viewing a video event, while videopsychology focuses on how people use the medium of video and the possibilities for…

(Re)visioning the Self through Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Sue Ellen; Verica, Joseph M.

2015-01-01

How can art function as a medium through which to re(view) the self and others? This article explores this central question through an interdisciplinary classroom experiment that brought theories of identity development in a multiculturalism classroom together with principles of portraiture present in an introductory drawing class. Interview…

USE OF POLYURETHANE FOAM AS THE IMPACTION SUBSTRATE/COLLECTION MEDIUM IN CONVENTIONAL INERTIAL IMPACTORS. (R825270)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Television the Medium, the Message and Nutritional Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wadsworth, Laurie A.

1996-01-01

Presents a review of research linking nutritional health and body image attitudes with television viewing. Highlights include content analyses of advertisements and programming; audience uses of television; television as reality; socialization of attitudes and television; television, body image and self-esteem; television and health behaviors; and…

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis: Observer Performance of Clustered Microcalcification Detection on Breast Phantom Images Acquired with an Experimental System Using Variable Scan Angles, Angular Increments, and Number of Projection Views

PubMed Central

Goodsitt, Mitchell M.; Helvie, Mark A.; Zelakiewicz, Scott; Schmitz, Andrea; Noroozian, Mitra; Paramagul, Chintana; Roubidoux, Marilyn A.; Nees, Alexis V.; Neal, Colleen H.; Carson, Paul; Lu, Yao; Hadjiiski, Lubomir; Wei, Jun

2014-01-01

Purpose To investigate the dependence of microcalcification cluster detectability on tomographic scan angle, angular increment, and number of projection views acquired at digital breast tomosynthesis (DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis). Materials and Methods A prototype DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis system operated in step-and-shoot mode was used to image breast phantoms. Four 5-cm-thick phantoms embedded with 81 simulated microcalcification clusters of three speck sizes (subtle, medium, and obvious) were imaged by using a rhodium target and rhodium filter with 29 kV, 50 mAs, and seven acquisition protocols. Fixed angular increments were used in four protocols (denoted as scan angle, angular increment, and number of projection views, respectively: 16°, 1°, and 17; 24°, 3°, and nine; 30°, 3°, and 11; and 60°, 3°, and 21), and variable increments were used in three (40°, variable, and 13; 40°, variable, and 15; and 60°, variable, and 21). The reconstructed DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis images were interpreted by six radiologists who located the microcalcification clusters and rated their conspicuity. Results The mean sensitivity for detection of subtle clusters ranged from 80% (22.5 of 28) to 96% (26.8 of 28) for the seven DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis protocols; the highest sensitivity was achieved with the 16°, 1°, and 17 protocol (96%), but the difference was significant only for the 60°, 3°, and 21 protocol (80%, P < .002) and did not reach significance for the other five protocols (P = .01–.15). The mean sensitivity for detection of medium and obvious clusters ranged from 97% (28.2 of 29) to 100% (24 of 24), but the differences fell short of significance (P = .08 to >.99). The conspicuity of subtle and medium clusters with the 16°, 1°, and 17 protocol was rated higher than those with other protocols; the differences were significant for subtle clusters with the 24°, 3°, and nine protocol and for medium clusters with 24°, 3°, and nine; 30°, 3°, and 11; 60°, 3° and 21; and 60°, variable, and 21 protocols (P < .002). Conclusion With imaging that did not include x-ray source motion or patient motion during acquisition of the projection views, narrow-angle DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis provided higher sensitivity and conspicuity than wide-angle DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis for subtle microcalcification clusters. © RSNA, 2014 PMID:25007048

Multi-platform assessment of turbidity plumes during dredging operations in a major estuarine system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caballero, Isabel; Navarro, Gabriel; Ruiz, Javier

2018-06-01

Dredging activities in estuaries frequently cause deleterious environmental effects on the water quality which can impact flora, fauna, and hydrodynamics, among others. A medium- and high-resolution satellite-based procedure is used in this study to monitor turbidity plumes generated during the dredging operations in the Guadalquivir estuary, a major estuarine system providing important ecosystem services in southwest Europe. A multi-sensor scheme is evaluated using a combination of five public and commercial medium- and high-resolution satellites, including Landsat-8, Sentinel-2A, WorldView-2, WorldView-3, and GeoEye-1, with pixel sizes ranging from 30 m to 0.3 m. Applying a multi-conditional algorithm after the atmospheric correction of the optical imagery with ACOLITE, Sen2Cor and QUAC processors, it is demonstrated the feasibility to monitoring suspended solids during dredging operations at a spatial resolution unachievable with traditional satellite-based ocean color sensors (>300 m). The frame work can be used to map on-going, post and pre-dredging activities and asses Total Suspended Solids (TSS) anomalies caused by natural and anthropogenic processes in coastal and inland waters. These promising results are suitable to effectively improve the assessment of features relevant to environmental policies for the challenging coastal management and might serve as a notable contribution to the Earth Observation Program.

View of portion of Libya and Arab Republic of Egypt

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-07-20

AST-02-130 (20 July 1975) --- An oblique view of a portion of Libya and the Arab Republic of Egypt, as photographed from the Apollo spacecraft in Earth orbit during the joint U.S.-USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. The geological features are the Jebel Uweinat and Jebel Arkenu basaltic mountains in the Libyan sand sea. This picture was taken with a 70mm Hasselblad camera using medium-speed Ektachrome QX-807 type film. The spacecraft was at an altitude of 219 kilometers (136 statute miles).

Narcissistic Traits and Explicit Self-Esteem: The Moderating Role of Implicit Self-View

PubMed Central

Di Pierro, Rossella; Mattavelli, Simone; Gallucci, Marcello

2016-01-01

Objective: Whilst the relationship between narcissism and self-esteem has been studied for a long time, findings are still controversial. The majority of studies investigated narcissistic grandiosity (NG), neglecting the existence of vulnerable manifestations of narcissism. Moreover, recent studies have shown that grandiosity traits are not always associated with inflated explicit self-esteem. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between narcissistic traits and explicit self-esteem, distinguishing between grandiosity and vulnerability. Moreover, we consider the role of implicit self-esteem in qualifying these associations. Method: Narcissistic traits, explicit and implicit self-esteem measures were assessed among 120 university students (55.8% women, Mage = 22.55, SD = 3.03). Results: Results showed different patterns of association between narcissistic traits and explicit self-esteem, depending on phenotypic manifestations of narcissism. Narcissistic vulnerability (NV) was linked to low explicit self-evaluations regardless of one’s levels of implicit self-esteem. On the other hand, the link between NG and explicit self-esteem was qualified by levels of implicit self-views, such that grandiosity was significantly associated with inflated explicit self-evaluations only at either high or medium levels of implicit self-views. Discussion: These findings showed that the relationship between narcissistic traits and explicit self-esteem is not univocal, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between NG and NV. Finally, the study suggested that both researchers and clinicians should consider the relevant role of implicit self-views in conditioning self-esteem levels reported explicitly by individuals with grandiose narcissistic traits. PMID:27920739

Narcissistic Traits and Explicit Self-Esteem: The Moderating Role of Implicit Self-View.

PubMed

Di Pierro, Rossella; Mattavelli, Simone; Gallucci, Marcello

2016-01-01

Objective: Whilst the relationship between narcissism and self-esteem has been studied for a long time, findings are still controversial. The majority of studies investigated narcissistic grandiosity (NG), neglecting the existence of vulnerable manifestations of narcissism. Moreover, recent studies have shown that grandiosity traits are not always associated with inflated explicit self-esteem. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between narcissistic traits and explicit self-esteem, distinguishing between grandiosity and vulnerability. Moreover, we consider the role of implicit self-esteem in qualifying these associations. Method: Narcissistic traits, explicit and implicit self-esteem measures were assessed among 120 university students (55.8% women, M age = 22.55, SD = 3.03). Results: Results showed different patterns of association between narcissistic traits and explicit self-esteem, depending on phenotypic manifestations of narcissism. Narcissistic vulnerability (NV) was linked to low explicit self-evaluations regardless of one's levels of implicit self-esteem. On the other hand, the link between NG and explicit self-esteem was qualified by levels of implicit self-views, such that grandiosity was significantly associated with inflated explicit self-evaluations only at either high or medium levels of implicit self-views. Discussion: These findings showed that the relationship between narcissistic traits and explicit self-esteem is not univocal, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between NG and NV. Finally, the study suggested that both researchers and clinicians should consider the relevant role of implicit self-views in conditioning self-esteem levels reported explicitly by individuals with grandiose narcissistic traits.

The comparison of Missouri mathematics project and teams games tournament viewed from emotional quotient eight grade student of junior school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyawan, Indra; Budiyono, Slamet, Isnandar

2017-08-01

This research was a quasi-experimental research with 2 × 3 factorial design. It aimed to determine the learning model between Missouri Mathematics Project (MMP) and Teams Games Tournament (TGT) that gave the best achievement on mathematics subject viewed from emotional quotient. The population of this research were all of Junior High School students at the 8th grade in Surakarta City, Central Java, Indonesia in academic year 2016/2017 which applied KTSP curriculum. The sample was taken by using stratified cluster random sampling. The data were collected by using methods of documentation, emotional quotient questionnaires, and mathematics achievement test. Data analysis technique used two ways analysis of variance (ANOVA) with unequal cell. According to the research findings, it could be concluded that: (1) students' mathematics achievement which were taught by using MMP is as good as emotional quotient achievement which were taught by using TGT in straight-line equation material, (2) mathematics achievement of students with high emotional quotient is better than students with medium and low emotional quotient, and mathematics achievement of students with medium emotional quotient is as good as students with low emotional quotient in straight-line equation material, (3) in each learning model, mathematics achievement of students with high emotional quotient is better than students with medium and low emotional quotient, and mathematics achievement of students with medium emotional quotient is as good as students with low emotional quotient in straight-line equation material (4) in each category of high and medium emotional quotient, student's mathematics achievement which were taught by using MMP is better than student's mathematics achievement which were taught by using TGT and in low emotional quotient student's mathematics achievement which were taught by using MMP is as good as student's mathematics achievement which were taught by using TGT in straight-line equation material.

Comic Books' Latest Plot Twist: Enhancing Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapp, David N.

2011-01-01

Recently, support has grown for using comic books and graphic novels to enhance and support literacy instruction. In some ways, it's surprising that the medium has only recently enjoyed such support. Stereotyped views of comics as unsophisticated, disposable entertainment or material written to the lowest common denominator fail to consider the…

EFFECTS OF MEDIUM COMPONENTS AND LIGHT ON CALLUS INDUCTION, GROWTH, AND FROND REGENERATION IN LEMNA GIBBA (DUCKWEED). (R823570)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Extrapolating Subjectivity Research to Other Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banea, Carmen

2013-01-01

Socrates articulated it best, "Speak, so I may see you." Indeed, language represents an invisible probe into the mind. It is the medium through which we express our deepest thoughts, our aspirations, our views, our feelings, our inner reality. From the beginning of artificial intelligence, researchers have sought to impart human like…

VizieR Online Data Catalog: MUSYC optical imaging in ECDF-S (Cardamone+, 2010)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardamone, C. N.; van Dokkum, P. G.; Urry, C. M.; Taniguchi, Y.; Gawiser, E.; Brammer, G.; Taylor, E.; Damen, M.; Treister, E.; Cobb, B. E.; Bond, N.; Schawinski, K.; Lira, P.; Murayama, T.; Saito, T.; Sumikawa, K.

2011-10-01

We carried out a medium-band imaging campaign on the Subaru Telescope using the wide field-of-view camera Suprime-Cam. Observations were collected in six runs over 2 years, in 2006 January, February, and December and 2007 January, March, and December. (2 data files).

Integrating Transportation Modeling and Desktop GIS: A Practical and Affordable Analysis Tool for Small and Medium Sized Communities

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-09-16

This paper and presentation discuss some of the benefits of integrating travel : demand models and desktop GIS (ArchInfo and ArcView for PCs) as a : cost-effective and staff saving tool, as well as specific improvements to : transportation planning m...

Subject Leaders and School Strategy: Exercising Upward Influence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatwin, R.

2004-01-01

The National College for School Leadership continues to extend its influence into school through the medium of training programmes based on standards frameworks. It has been suggested that these have three features. First, they place an overwhelming emphasis on leadership, rather than on management and administration. Secondly, the view of…

Esther Dyson's Vision of the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runyan, Andy

1999-01-01

Discusses a vision of the future based on Esther Dyson's views of the proliferation of the Internet. Topics include the Internet as a communication medium; electronic commerce; the role of education, including the role of teachers; intellectual property rights; and friction freedom in a new digital economy relating to pricing. (LRW)

3D Heart: a new visual training method for electrocardiographic analysis.

PubMed

Olson, Charles W; Lange, David; Chan, Jack-Kang; Olson, Kim E; Albano, Alfred; Wagner, Galen S; Selvester, Ronald H S

2007-01-01

This new training method is based on developing a sound understanding of the sequence in which electrical excitation spreads through both the normal and the infarcted myocardium. The student is made aware of the cardiac electrical performance through a series of 3-dimensional pictures during the excitation process. The electrocardiogram 3D Heart 3-dimensional program contains a variety of different activation simulations. Currently, this program enables the user to view the activation simulation for all of the following pathology examples: normal activation; large, medium, and small anterior myocardial infarction (MI); large, medium, and small posterolateral MI; large, medium, and small inferior MI. Simulations relating to other cardiac abnormalities, such as bundle branch block and left ventricular hypertrophy fasicular block, are being developed as part of a National Institute of Health (NIH) Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

Fluoroscopy-Guided Sacroiliac Joint Injection: Description of a Modified Technique.

PubMed

Kasliwal, Prasad Jaychand; Kasliwal, Sapana

2016-02-01

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pathology is a common etiologic cause for 10 - 27% of cases of mechanical low back pain (LBP) below the L5 level. In the absence of definite clinical or radiologic diagnostic criteria, controlled blocks of the SIJ have become the choice assessment method for making the diagnosis of SIJ pain. The SI joint is most often characterized as a large, auricular-shaped, diarthrodial synovial joint. In reality, its synovial characteristic is limited only to the distal third and anterior third. In SIJ interventions, the lateral view has been underutilized. In our technique, we used the lateral view to create a three-dimensional view of the SIJ to aid in gauging the accurateness of the contrast spread and to obtain a precise block. After obtaining appropriate fluoroscopic images, a curved tip spinal needle was directed into the inferior aspect of the SIJ using a posterior approach. As the needle contacts firm tissues on the posterior aspect of the joint, position of the needle tip is checked using lateral fluoroscopy. In the lateral view, the needle tip position is manipulated to keep it in the anterior third of the SIJ and contrast is injected. Our criteria for accurate SIJ block, in posteroanterior (PA) view, is the injection of the contrast medium should outline the joint space and the contrast medium should be seen to travel cephalad along the joint line. In the lateral view, the contrast medium most densely outlines the parameter of the joint. We have utilized this method with good effect in approximately 30 cases over one year. Out of 30 cases, needle position and contrast spread was satisfactory in 28 and 27 cases, respectively. So satisfactory needle placement and contrast spread was in 93% and 87% cases. Pain relief of 80% or more after intra-articular injection of local anesthetic was seen in 50% (15 of 30) patients; pain relief of 50 - 79% was witnessed in 30% (9 of 30) patients. Thus, pain decreased 50% or more in 80% (24 of 30) of the joints. Out of 24 joints where we got satisfactory needle position and contrast spread, 23 joints got more than 50% relief. Thus, if needle position and contrast spread is satisfactory as per the criteria, pain relief of 50% or more was in 96% (23 of 24) of joints. There are few possible limitations with this study like difficulty to go up to the anterior third of the SIJ, it may be more painful as a narrow joint line has to be travelled in depth, sciatic numbness due to drug leak, or injuring the pelvic structure. Advantages of this method are that depth and level of the needle tip for a SIJ block is described for the more precise block. This will reduce false positive and false negative results, i.e., sensitivity and specificity of SIJ blocks and results for diagnostic blocks become more reliable. It will also reduce the chances of a case getting abandoned due to inappropriate contrast spread obscuring the fluoroscopic landmarks. As we know the depth of the needle, the chances of injuring pelvic structures become less and safety improves.

A Decade of Hubble Space Telescope Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Livio, Mario; Noll, Keith; Stiavelli, Massimo

2003-06-01

1. HST studies of Mars J. F. Bell; 2. HST images of Jupiter's UV aurora J. T. Clarke; 3. Star formation J. Bally; 4. SN1987A: the birth of a supernova remnant R. McCray; 5. Globular clusters: the view from HST W. E. Harris; 6. Ultraviolet absorption line studies of the Galactic interstellar medium with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph B. D. Savage; 7. HST's view of the center of the Milky Way galaxy M. J. Rieke; 8. Stellar populations in dwarf galaxies: a review of the contribution of HST to our understanding of the nearby universe E. Tolstoy; 9. The formation of star clusters B. C. Whitmore; 10. Starburst galaxies observed with the Hubble Space Telescope C. Leitherer; 11. Supermassive black holes F. D. Macchetto; 12. The HST Key Project to measure the Hubble Constant W. L. Freedman, R. C. Kennicutt, J. R. Mould and B. F. Madore; 13. Ho from Type Ia Supernovae G. A. Tammann, A. Sandage and A. Saha; 14. Strong gravitational lensing: cosmology from angels and redshifts A. Tyson.

Multiplexing and de-multiplexing with scattering media for large field of view and multispectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, Sujit Kumar; Tang, Dongliang; Dang, Cuong

2018-02-01

Large field of view multispectral imaging through scattering medium is a fundamental quest in optics community. It has gained special attention from researchers in recent years for its wide range of potential applications. However, the main bottlenecks of the current imaging systems are the requirements on specific illumination, poor image quality and limited field of view. In this work, we demonstrated a single-shot high-resolution colour-imaging through scattering media using a monochromatic camera. This novel imaging technique is enabled by the spatial, spectral decorrelation property and the optical memory effect of the scattering media. Moreover the use of deconvolution image processing further annihilate above-mentioned drawbacks arise due iterative refocusing, scanning or phase retrieval procedures.

Drawing the PDB: Protein-Ligand Complexes in Two Dimensions.

PubMed

Stierand, Katrin; Rarey, Matthias

2010-12-09

The two-dimensional representation of molecules is a popular communication medium in chemistry and the associated scientific fields. Computational methods for drawing small molecules with and without manual investigation are well-established and widely spread in terms of numerous software tools. Concerning the planar depiction of molecular complexes, there is considerably less choice. We developed the software PoseView, which automatically generates two-dimensional diagrams of macromolecular complexes, showing the ligand, the interactions, and the interacting residues. All depicted molecules are drawn on an atomic level as structure diagrams; thus, the output plots are clearly structured and easily readable for the scientist. We tested the performance of PoseView in a large-scale application on nearly all druglike complexes of the PDB (approximately 200000 complexes); for more than 92% of the complexes considered for drawing, a layout could be computed. In the following, we will present the results of this application study.

Binocular summation for reflexive eye movements

PubMed Central

Quaia, Christian; Optican, Lance M.; Cumming, Bruce G.

2018-01-01

Psychophysical studies and our own subjective experience suggest that, in natural viewing conditions (i.e., at medium to high contrasts), monocularly and binocularly viewed scenes appear very similar, with the exception of the improved depth perception provided by stereopsis. This phenomenon is usually described as a lack of binocular summation. We show here that there is an exception to this rule: Ocular following eye movements induced by the sudden motion of a large stimulus, which we recorded from three human subjects, are much larger when both eyes see the moving stimulus, than when only one eye does. We further discovered that this binocular advantage is a function of the interocular correlation between the two monocular images: It is maximal when they are identical, and reduced when the two eyes are presented with different images. This is possible only if the neurons that underlie ocular following are sensitive to binocular disparity. PMID:29621384

Grain Surface Chemistry and the Composition of Interstellar Ices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2006-01-01

Submicron sized dust grains are an important component of the interstellar medium. In particular they provide surface where active chemistry can take place. At the low temperatures (-10 K) of the interstellar medium, colliding gas phase species will stick, diffuse, react, and form an icy mantle on these dust grains. This talk will review the principles of grain surface chemistry and delineate important grain surface routes, focusing on reactions involving H, D, and O among each other and with molecules such as CO. Interstellar ice mantles can be studied through the fundamental vibrations of molecular species in the mid-infrared spectra of sources embedded in or located behind dense molecular clouds. Analysis of this type of data has provided a complex view of the composition of these ices and the processes involved. Specifically, besides grain surface chemistry, the composition of interstellar ices is also affected by thermal processing due to nearby newly formed stars. This leads to segregation between different ice components as well as outgassing. The latter results in the formation of a so-called Hot Core region with a gas phase composition dominated by evaporated mantle species. Studies of such regions provide thus a different view on the ice composition and the chemical processes involved. Interstellar ices can also be processed by FUV photons and high energy cosmic ray ions. Cosmic ray processing likely dominates the return of accreted species to the gas phase where further gas phase reactions can take place. These different chemical routes towards molecular complexity in molecular clouds and particularly regions of star formation will be discussed.

Computer Generated View of Earth as seen from the Asteroid Toutatis

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-11-27

This computer generated image depicts a view of Earth as seen from the surface of the asteroid Toutatis on Nov 29th 1996. A 2.5 degree field-of-view synthetic computer camera was used for this simulation. Toutatis is visible on this date as a twelfth magnitude object in the night sky in the constellation of Virgo and could be viewed with a medium sized telescope. Toutatis currently approaches Earth once every four years and, on Nov. 29th, 1996 will be 5.2 million kilometers away (approx. 3.3 million miles). In approximately 8 years, on Sept. 29th, 2004, it will be less than 1.6 million kilometers from Earth. This is only 4 times the distance to the moon, and is the closest approach predicted for any known asteroid or comet during the next 60 years. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00515

Paddy farmer households’ participation and food security level in special effort program in Seputih Raman sub-district of Central Lampung Regency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rangga, K. K.; Syarief, Y. A.

2018-03-01

The objectives of this study are to study the participation of paddy farmers in the Special Effort program to increase paddy production, to study the level of household food security of paddy farmers, and to analyze the correlation between farmer participation and food security level of paddy farmers. The location was chosen purposively in Seputih Raman sub-district. The data were collected from December 2016 to February 2017. The population of this study was paddy farmers who participating in Special Effort program. The hypothesis was tested by using Spearman’s Rank correlation test. Farmer household’s food security was measured objectively based on the share of household’s food expenditure and subjectively based on the opinion, views, and attitudes or farmers’ opinions on food availability, food distribution, and household food consumption. This research showed that farmers’ participation in Special Effort program in Seputih Raman Sub Ditrict, Central Lampung Regency belonged to medium classification, household food security either objectively or subjectively was in food resistant condition of medium classification, and there was significant correlation between farmers’ participation and food security level of paddy farmer household.

Solution of Radiative Transfer Equation with a Continuous and Stochastic Varying Refractive Index by Legendre Transform Method

PubMed Central

Gantri, M.

2014-01-01

The present paper gives a new computational framework within which radiative transfer in a varying refractive index biological tissue can be studied. In our previous works, Legendre transform was used as an innovative view to handle the angular derivative terms in the case of uniform refractive index spherical medium. In biomedical optics, our analysis can be considered as a forward problem solution in a diffuse optical tomography imaging scheme. We consider a rectangular biological tissue-like domain with spatially varying refractive index submitted to a near infrared continuous light source. Interaction of radiation with the biological material into the medium is handled by a radiative transfer model. In the studied situation, the model displays two angular redistribution terms that are treated with Legendre integral transform. The model is used to study a possible detection of abnormalities in a general biological tissue. The effect of the embedded nonhomogeneous objects on the transmitted signal is studied. Particularly, detection of targets of localized heterogeneous inclusions within the tissue is discussed. Results show that models accounting for variation of refractive index can yield useful predictions about the target and the location of abnormal inclusions within the tissue. PMID:25013454

Molecular understanding of mutagenicity using potential energy methods. Progress report, July 1, 1992--September 30, 1993

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

Broyde, S.; Shapiro, R.

1993-09-01

Our objective has been to elucidate on a molecular level, at atomic resolution, the structures of DNAs modified by highly mutagenic aromatic amines and hydrocarbons. The underlying hypothesis is that DNA replicates with reduced fidelity when its normal right-handed B-structure is altered, and one result is a higher mutation rate. This change in structure may occur normally at a low incidence but it may be enhanced greatly after covalent modification by a mutagenic substance. The methods that we use to elucidate structures are computational, but we keep in close contact with experimental developments, and we incorporate data from NMR studiesmore » in our calculations when they are available. X-ray and low resolution spectroscopic studies have not succeeded in producing atomic resolution views of mutagen and carcinogen-oligonucleotide adducts. Even the high resolution NMR method cannot alone yield molecular views, though it does so in combination with our computations. The specific methods that we employ are minimized potential energy calculations using the torsion angle space molecular mechanics program DUPLEX to yield static views. Molecular dynamics simulations of static structures with solvent and salt can be carried out with the program AMBER; this yields mobile views in a medium that mimics aspects of the natural aqueous environment of the cell.« less

How is the New Public Management applied in the occupational health care system? - decision-makers' and OH personnel's views in Finland

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In many countries occupational health care system is in change. Occupational health studies are mainly focused on occupational health substance and content. This study offers new perspectives on municipal OHS and its operations from management perspective. Aim The aim of this study is to analyse how New Public Management (NPM) doctrines are applied in the Finnish occupational health care system (OHS). The main focus is to describe and compare the views of decision-makers' and OH workers within the framework of NPM. Methods The data were collected by semi-structured interviews from 17 municipal decision-makers' and 26 municipal OH workers. Data was analyzed by examining coded data in a theory-driven way according to Hood's doctrine of NPM. Results The doctrines were not as compatible with the OH personnel view as with the decision-makers' view. Decision-makers and OH personnel highlighted the strict criteria required for operation evaluation. Moreover, decision-makers strongly accentuated professional management in the public sector and the reorganization of public sector units. These were not equally relevant in OH personnel views. In OH personnel views, other doctrines (more attention to performance and accomplishments, emphasizing and augmentation of the competition and better control of public expense and means test) were not similarly in evidence, only weak evidence was observed when their importance viewed as medium by decision-makers. Neither of the respondents group kept the doctrine of management models of the private sector relevant. Conclusions The NPM and Hoods doctrine fitted well with OH research. The doctrine brought out view differences and similarities between decision-makers and OH personnel. For example, policymakers highlighted more strongly the structural change by emphasizing professional management compared to OH personnel. The need for reorganization of municipal OH, regardless of different operational preconditions, was obvious for both decision-makers and OH personnel. The adaptation of more clarify management to a municipal context is not trouble-free. The municipality systemic structure, complex operational environment, and reconciliation of political and officer authority set challenges to management of municipalities. PMID:21880141

Sexual media exposure, sexual behavior, and sexual violence victimization in adolescence.

PubMed

Ybarra, Michele L; Strasburger, Victor C; Mitchell, Kimberly J

2014-11-01

Emerging research suggests sexual media affects sexual behavior, but most studies are based on regional samples and few include measures of newer mediums. Furthermore, little is known about how sexual media relates to sexual violence victimization. Data are from 1058 youth 14 to 21 years of age in the national, online Growing up with Media study. Forty-seven percent reported that many or almost all/all of at least one type of media they consumed depicted sexual situations. Exposure to sexual media in television and movies, and music was greater than online and in games. All other things equal, more frequent exposure to sexual media was related to ever having had sex, coercive sex victimization, and attempted/completed rape but not risky sexual behavior. Longer standing mediums such as television and movies appear to be associated with greater amounts of sexual media consumption than newer ones, such as the Internet. A nuanced view of how sexual media content may and may not be affecting today's youth is needed. © The Author(s) 2014.

Medium-energy particle experiments—electron analyzer (MEP-e) for the exploration of energization and radiation in geospace (ERG) mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasahara, Satoshi; Yokota, Shoichiro; Mitani, Takefumi; Asamura, Kazushi; Hirahara, Masafumi; Shibano, Yasuko; Takashima, Takeshi

2018-05-01

The medium-energy particle experiments—electron analyzer onboard the exploration of energization and radiation in geospace spacecraft measures the energy and direction of each incoming electron in the energy range of 7-87 keV. The sensor covers a 2 π-radian disklike field of view with 16 detectors, and the full solid angle coverage is achieved through the spacecraft's spin motion. The electron energy is independently measured by both an electrostatic analyzer and avalanche photodiodes, enabling significant background reduction. We describe the technical approach, data output, and examples of initial observations.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Self-Assembled InAs Nanowires as Optical Reflectors

PubMed Central

Floris, Francesco; Fornasari, Lucia; Marini, Andrea; Roddaro, Stefano; Beltram, Fabio; Cecchini, Marco; Sorba, Lucia; Rossella, Francesco

2017-01-01

Subwavelength nanostructured surfaces are realized with self-assembled vertically-aligned InAs nanowires, and their functionalities as optical reflectors are investigated. In our system, polarization-resolved specular reflectance displays strong modulations as a function of incident photon energy and angle. An effective-medium model allows one to rationalize the experimental findings in the long wavelength regime, whereas numerical simulations fully reproduce the experimental outcomes in the entire frequency range. The impact of the refractive index of the medium surrounding the nanostructure assembly on the reflectance was estimated. In view of the present results, sensing schemes compatible with microfluidic technologies and routes to innovative nanowire-based optical elements are discussed. PMID:29160860

Optical signatures of high-redshift galaxy clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evrard, August E.; Charlot, Stephane

1994-01-01

We combine an N-body and gasdynamic simulation of structure formation with an updated population synthesis code to explore the expected optical characteristics of a high-redshift cluster of galaxies. We examine a poor (2 keV) cluster formed in a biased, cold dark matter cosmology and employ simple, but plausible, threshold criteria to convert gas into stars. At z = 2, the forming cluster appears as a linear chain of very blue (g-r approximately equals 0) galaxies, with 15 objects brighter than r = 25 within a 1 square arcmin field of view. After 2 Gyr of evolution, the cluster viewed at z = 1 displays both freshly infalling blue galaxies and red galaxies robbed of recent accretion by interaction with the hot intracluster medium. The range in G-R colors is approximately 3 mag at z = 1, with the reddest objects lying at sites of highest galaxy density. We suggest that red, high-redshift galaxies lie in the cores of forming clusters and that their existence indicates the presence of a hot intracluster medium at redshifts z approximately equals 2. The simulated cluster viewed at z = 2 has several characteristics similar to the collection of faint, blue objects identified by Dressler et al. in a deep Hubble Space Telescope observation. The similarities provide some support for the interpretation of this collection as a high-redshift cluster of galaxies.

Experiences with E-learning in Ophthalmology

PubMed Central

Bandhu, Seema Dutt; Raje, Swati

2014-01-01

Introduction: E-learning is the use of internet for the purpose of education. E-learning in medical education is at a nascent stage in our country. The present study was carried out with the purpose of introducing e-learning to third year medical students in the subject of Ophthalmology and taking feedback on their attitude towards the new methodology of teaching and evaluating. Materials and Methods: E-learning was introduced to the seventh semester students of MBBS in the subject of Ophthalmology. The topics were converted to web friendly format and used for teaching and evaluating. Feedback was taken from the students on completion of the term on their attitudes towards e-learning and their views on the scope of e-learning in medical education. Results: All the students agreed on the usefulness of e-learning in medical education. Eleven students (27.5%) found the medium of e-learning to be interesting, 15 (37.5%) considered it to be easy and accessible, 10 (25%) found it to be fast and easy, 4 (10%) considered it to be a medium which can give updated information. Twenty-three (57.5%) students considered that e-learning should be a medium of instruction in all the subjects, 15 (37.5%) students considered its usefulness in clinical subjects only. Twenty-eight students (70%) desired that e-learning should be used to provide important notes, questions, MCQs on all topics. Conclusions: E-learning is well accepted as a medium of instruction by medical students. PMID:25116772

[C ii] 158 μm line detection of the warm ionized medium in the Scutum-Crux spiral arm tangency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velusamy, T.; Langer, W. D.; Pineda, J. L.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2012-05-01

Context. The Herschel HIFI GOT C+ Galactic plane [C ii] spectral survey has detected strong emission at the spiral arm tangencies. Aims: We use the unique viewing geometry of the Scutum-Crux (S-C) tangency nearl = 30° to detect the warm ionized medium (WIM) component traced by [CII] and to study the effects of spiral density waves on Interstellar Medium (ISM) gas. Methods: We compare [C ii] velocity features with ancillary H i, 12CO and 13CO data near tangent velocities at each longitude to separate the cold neutral medium and the warm neutral + ionized components in the S-C tangency, then we identify [C ii] emission at the highest velocities without any contribution from 12CO clouds, as WIM. Results: We present the GOT C+ results for the S-C tangency. We interpret the diffuse and extended excess [C ii] emission at and above the tangent velocities as arising in the electron-dominated warm ionized gas in the WIM. We derive an electron density in the range of 0.2-0.9 cm-3 at each longitude, a factor of several higher than the average value from Hα and pulsar dispersion. Conclusions: We interpret the excess [C ii] in S-C tangency as shock compression of the WIM induced by the spiral density waves. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

View of the Skylab space station cluster photographed against black sky

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-07-28

SL3-114-1682 (28 July 1973) --- A close-up view of the Skylab Space Station photographed against an Earth background from the Skylab 3 Command and Service Modules (CSM) during station-keeping maneuvers prior to docking. Aboard the Command Module (CM) were astronauts Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott and Jack R. Lousma, who remained with the Skylab Space Station in Earth orbit for 59 days. This picture was taken with a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad camera using a 100mm lens and SO-368 medium speed Ektachrome film. Photo credit: NASA

Seeds of Destruction, Seeds of Success: The Survival or Failure of Violent Extremist Organizations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

of Asahara, which promised among other things supernatural powers like telepathy and levitation and a new life. Asahara used mediums familiar to...John Negroponte Was Mullah Omar." Common Dreams . February 20, 2005. http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0220-20.htm (accessed March 29, 2010

Dr. Zakir Husain on Education and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Deepak; Radha Gayathri, Ch.

2017-01-01

Dr. Zakir Husain is known as a self-less nationalist leader and also as an educationist "par excellence." Taking a cue from his educational ideas like the "Nai Talim," this article brings into focus his views on the medium-conundrum. Dr. Husain was very clear about the role of Indian languages and the relevance of mother…

Developing a User-Oriented Second Language Comprehensibility Scale for English-Medium Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaacs, Talia; Trofimovich, Pavel; Foote, Jennifer Ann

2018-01-01

There is growing research on the linguistic features that most contribute to making second language (L2) speech easy or difficult to understand. Comprehensibility, which is usually captured through listener judgments, is increasingly viewed as integral to the L2 speaking construct. However, there are shortcomings in how this construct is…

The Visual Arts and Qualitative Research: Diverse and Emerging Voices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephen, Veronica P.

The arts are basic educational processes that involve students with different abilities and from differing age groups in sensory perception. This perception, augmented by the use of art compositions, establishes a critical dialogue between the medium and the viewer. What one views, sees, and observes in an art piece serves to create a…

Developments in spectrophotometry III: Multiple-field-of-view spectrometer to determine particle-size distribution and refractive index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fymat, A. L.

1975-01-01

Instrument is based on inverse solution ot equations for light scattered by a transparent medium. Measurements are taken over several angles of incidence rather than over several frequencies. Measurements can be used to simultaneously determine chemical and physical properties of particles in mixed gas or liquid.

Choosing an Angle: Citizenship through Video Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verrall, Ben

2006-01-01

Citizenship education is an important part of the development of young adults, enabling them to learn about their rights and responsibilities, and to understand how society works. Video is an effective medium for young people to express their views and, through involvement in a production process, they are able to learn more about putting forward…

Who Make Effective Teachers, Men or Women? An Indian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Islahi, Fatima; Nasreen, Nakhat

2013-01-01

The article aims to discuss the effectiveness of male and female teachers in relation to demographic factors like marital status, training, location and medium of instruction. These issues have important implications to understand and evaluate teachers' effectiveness especially in view of the changing sex ratio of school teachers. Correlation,…

Possibilities and Limitations of Cable TV for Adult Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niemi, John A.

The paper investigates various organizational models of cable TV ownership and control, legislation in Canada and the United States regarding cable systems, and the potential of cable as an information network for adult education. With a view to giving everyone access to the cable medium and an opportunity to participate, advantages and…

Teaching Discrete and Programmable Logic Design Techniques Using a Single Laboratory Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debiec, P.; Byczuk, M.

2011-01-01

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are used at many universities in introductory digital logic laboratories, where kits containing a single high-capacity PLD replace "standard" sets containing breadboards, wires, and small- or medium-scale integration (SSI/MSI) chips. From the pedagogical point of view, two problems arise in these…

Training for Agriculture: Annual Review of Selected Developments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome (Italy).

This review is a medium for dissemination of information and views on agricultural education and training, extension, and related subjects to the member governments and field workers of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The document consists of more than two dozen articles and comments on agricultural education,…

Critics Out of Vidiots.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoopes, Ned

1967-01-01

Students begin to comprehend the medium of television as they learn to make qualitative judgments about what they like in TV viewing and why. To find convincing reasons for their personal responses, they should analyze all kinds of good and bad TV experiences as well as learn to recognize the socio-legal-economic context of TV. As students become…

Educating Parents about Youth Suicide: Knowledge, Response to Suicidal Statements, Attitudes, and Intention to Help.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maine, Shriyani; Shute, Rosalyn; Martin, Graham

2001-01-01

Evaluated the video "Youth Suicide: Recognising the Signs" as a parent educational medium. Before and after viewing the video, parents of young people answered questionnaires measuring their knowledge of and attitudes toward suicide. Knowledge and intentionality predicted response to suicidal statements, but no relationships existed between…

A View From the Sidewalk: "Flowers for Algernon,""Requiem for a Heavyweight,- "Hurricane's Corner."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochberg, Frances

1968-01-01

Those high school students who are unmotivated slow-learners living in a "sense-oriented" world respond to instructional units centered around a sense-oriented medium--the motion picture. A unit incorporating "Requiem for a Heavyweight" (a motion picture), "Hurricane's Corner" (an editorial about a fighter), and…

The Challenge of Medium of Instruction: A View from Maldivian Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamed, Naashia

2013-01-01

In the era of globalisation, language-in-education policies continue to present challenges as policy-makers across the globe aim to balance the emphasis given to students' first language and the pressing need for students to be proficient in English as the global "lingua franca" [Hanna, P. (2011). Gaining global perspective: Educational…

EFFECTS OF MEDIUM COMPONENTS AND PHYTOHORMONES ON IN VITRO FROND PROLIFERATOIN OF LEMNA GIBBA G3 AND 24 ADDITIONAL LEMNA GIBBA STRAINS. (R823570)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

A Historical Vignette: Language Learning Eighteenth-Century Style.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalwies, Howard H.

1977-01-01

French became the foremost medium of communication in Europe in the 18th century. In Germany the most widely used French textbook was Johan Valentin Meidinger's "Practische Franzoesische Grammatik." This textbook was apparently a huge success from the pedagogical and the commerical points of view. With a few minor revisions, it would…

From Low-Lying Roofs to Towering Spires: Toward a Heideggerian Understanding of Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ream, Todd C.; Ream, Tyler W.

2005-01-01

This article explores the significance that environments play in terms of the learning process. In the United States, the legacy of John Dewey's intellectual efforts left a theoretical understanding that views the architectural composition of learning environments as instrumental mediums which house the educational process. This understanding of…

Possible markets for dirigibles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The use of mini, small, medium, and heavy dirigibles for the transportation of passengers and cargo, for aerial handling of materials, for the support of scientific platforms, and for use in agriculture and forest management is evaluated. The operational efficiency of one or more dirigibles in view of possible integration into the general transport system is described.

SKYLAB (SL)-3 - EXPERIMENT HARDWARE

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-11-08

S74-19675 (1974) --- Medium close-up view of the M512 materials processing equipment storage assembly and the M518 electric furnace in the Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA), one of the primary elements of the Skylab space station. The assembly holds equipment designed to explore space manufacturing capability in a weightless state. Photo credit: NASA

Nighttime medium scale traveling ionospheric disturbances in southern hemisphere using FORMOSAT-2/ISUAL 630.0 nm airglow images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajesh, P. K.; Lin, C. C. H.; Liu, T. J. Y.; Chen, A. B. C.; Hsu, R. R.; Chen, C. H.; Huba, J. D.

2017-12-01

In this work characteristics of nighttime medium-scale travelling ionospheric disturbances (MSTID) are investigated using 630.0 nm limb images by Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightnings (ISUAL), onboard FORMOSAT-2 satellite. The limb integrated measurements, when projected to a horizontal plane, reveal bands of intensity perturbation with distinct southwest to northeast orientation in the southern hemisphere. Airglow simulations are carried out by artificially introducing MSTID fluctuations in model electron density to confirm if such azimuthally oriented features could be identified in the ISUAL viewing geometry. Further statistical analysis shows more MSTID occurrence in solstices with peak in June-July months. The wavelengths of the observed perturbations were in the range 150-300 km. The wave fronts were oriented about 30°-50° from the east-west plane, indicating that coupled Perkins and Es-layer instability might be important in the MSTID generation. The results demonstrate that space based airglow imaging is an effective method for global investigation of MSTID events that are appropriately aligned with the viewing geometry.

Influence of seismic anisotropy on the cross correlation tensor: numerical investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saade, M.; Montagner, J. P.; Roux, P.; Cupillard, P.; Durand, S.; Brenguier, F.

2015-05-01

Temporal changes in seismic anisotropy can be interpreted as variations in the orientation of cracks in seismogenic zones, and thus as variations in the stress field. Such temporal changes have been observed in seismogenic zones before and after earthquakes, although they are still not well understood. In this study, we investigate the azimuthal polarization of surface waves in anisotropic media with respect to the orientation of anisotropy, from a numerical point of view. This technique is based on the observation of the signature of anisotropy on the nine-component cross-correlation tensor (CCT) computed from seismic ambient noise recorded on pairs of three-component sensors. If noise sources are spatially distributed in a homogeneous medium, the CCT allows the reconstruction of the surface wave Green's tensor between the station pairs. In homogeneous, isotropic medium, four off-diagonal terms of the surface wave Green's tensor are null, but not in anisotropic medium. This technique is applied to three-component synthetic seismograms computed in a transversely isotropic medium with a horizontal symmetry axis, using a spectral element code. The CCT is computed between each pair of stations and then rotated, to approximate the surface wave Green's tensor by minimizing the off-diagonal components. This procedure allows the calculation of the azimuthal variation of quasi-Rayleigh and quasi-Love waves. In an anisotropic medium, in some cases, the azimuth of seismic anisotropy can induce a large variation in the horizontal polarization of surface waves. This variation depends on the relative angle between a pair of stations and the direction of anisotropy, the amplitude of the anisotropy, the frequency band of the signal and the depth of the anisotropic layer.

Digital tumor fluoroscopy (DTF)--a new direct imaging system in the therapy planning for brain tumors.

PubMed

Herbst, M; Fröder, M

1990-01-01

Digital Tumor Fluoroscopy is an expanded x-ray video chain optimized to iodine contrast with an extended Gy scale up to 64000 Gy values. Series of pictures are taken before and after injection of contrast medium. With the most recent unit, up to ten images can be taken and stored. The microprogrammable processor allows the subtraction of images recorded at any moment of the examination. Dynamic views of the distribution of contrast medium in the intravasal and extravasal spaces of brain and tumor tissue are gained by the subtraction of stored images. Tumors can be differentiated by studying the storage and drainage behavior of the contrast medium during the period of examination. Meningiomas store contrast medium very intensively during the whole time of investigation, whereas astrocytomas grade 2-3 pick it up less strongly at the beginning and release it within 2 min. Glioblastomas show a massive but delayed accumulation of contrast medium and a decreased flow-off-rate. In comparison with radiography and MR-imaging the most important advantage of Digital Tumor Fluoroscopy is that direct information on tumor localization is gained in relation to the skull-cap. This enables the radiotherapist to mark the treatment field directly on the skull. Therefore it is no longer necessary to calculate the tumor volume from several CT scans for localization. In radiotherapy Digital Tumor Fluoroscopy a unit combined with a simulator can replace CT planning. This would help overcome the disadvantages arising from the lack of a collimating system, and the inaccuracies which result from completely different geometric relationships between a CT unit and a therapy machine.

The XMM-Newton View of Wolf-Rayet Bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerrero, M.; Toala, J.

2017-10-01

The powerful stellar winds of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars blow large bubble into the circumstellar material ejected in previous phases of stellar evolution. The shock of those stellar winds produces X-ray-emitting hot plasmas which tells us about the diffusion of processed material onto the interstellar medium, about processes of heat conduction and turbulent mixing at the interface, about the late stages of stellar evolution, and about the shaping of the circumstellar environment, just before supernova explosions. The unique sensitivity of XMM-Newton has been key for the detection, mapping and spectral analysis of the X-ray emission from the hot bubbles around WR stars. These observations underscore the importance of the structure of the interstellar medium around massive stars, but they have also unveiled unknown phenomena, such as blowouts of hot gas into the interstellar medium or spatially-resolved spectral properties of the hot gas, which disclose inhomogeneous chemical abundances and physical properties across these bubbles.

Aureole radiance field about a source in a scattering-absorbing medium.

PubMed

Zachor, A S

1978-06-15

A technique is described for computing the aureole radiance field about a point source in a medium that absorbs and scatters according to an arbitrary phase function. When applied to an isotropic source in a homogenous medium, the method uses a double-integral transform which is evaluated recursively to obtain the aureole radiances contributed by successive scattering orders, as in the Neumann solution of the radiative transfer equation. The normalized total radiance field distribution and the variation of flux with field of view and range are given for three wavelengths in the uv and one in the visible, for a sea-level model atmosphere assumed to scatter according to a composite of the Rayleigh and modified Henyey-Greenstein phase functions. These results have application to the detection and measurement of uncollimated uv and visible sources at short ranges in the lower atmosphere.

Presynaptic elements involved in the maintenance of the neuromuscular junction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrows, G. H.

1984-01-01

Alterations in the neuromuscular junction were observed in rats preceding loss of muscle mass. In view of the possibility that these alterations involve changes in the secretion of myotrophic agents by presynaptic motor neurons, an investigation was undertaken to characterize a neuronall factor which is thought to be involved in the initiation and maintenance of cholinergic synapses. This factor, which is secreted into the incubation medium by NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells, induces the aggregation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on primary cultures of rat hindlimb myotubes. Previous attempts to purify this factor failed. Extensive washing of the NG108-15 cells with hepes-buffered salt solution followed by short (4 hour) collection times resulted in the collection of incubation medium containing maximal aggregation activity with as little as 5 ug secreted protein per ml of fresh medium. A three-fold increase in specific activity was obtained after anion exchange chromatography.

Laboratory Investigations of the Physical and Optical Properties of the Analogs of Individual Cosmic Dust Grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbas, M. M.; Tankosic, D.; Craven, P. D.; Spann, J. F.; LeClair, A.; West, E. A.

2005-01-01

Microdsub-micron size cosmic dust grains play an important role in the physical and dynamical process in the galaxy, the interstellar medium, and the interplanetary and planetary environments. The dust grains in various astrophysical environments are generally charged by a variety of mechanisms that include collisional process with electrons and ions, and photoelectric emissions with UV radiation. The photoelectric emission process is believed to be the dominant process in many astrophysical environments with nearby UV sources, such as the interstellar medium, diffuse clouds, the outer regions of the dense molecular clouds, interplanetary medium, dust in planetary environments and rings, cometary tails, etc. Also, the processes and mechanisms involved in the rotation and alignment of interstellar dust grains are of great interest in view of the polarization of observed starlight as a probe for evaluation of the galactic magnetic field.

Water versus DNA: New insights into proton track-structure modeling in radiobiology and radiotherapy

DOE PAGES

Champion, Christophe; Quinto, Michele A.; Monti, Juan M.; ...

2015-09-25

Water is a common surrogate of DNA for modelling the charged particle-induced ionizing processes in living tissue exposed to radiations. The present study aims at scrutinizing the validity of this approximation and then revealing new insights into proton-induced energy transfers by a comparative analysis between water and realistic biological medium. In this context, a self-consistent quantum mechanical modelling of the ionization and electron capture processes is reported within the continuum distorted wave-eikonal initial state framework for both isolated water molecules and DNA components impacted by proton beams. Their respective probability of occurrence-expressed in terms of total cross sections-as well asmore » their energetic signature (potential and kinetic) are assessed in order to clearly emphasize the differences existing between realistic building blocks of living matter and the controverted water-medium surrogate. Thus the consequences in radiobiology and radiotherapy will be discussed in particular in view of treatment planning refinement aiming at better radiotherapy strategies.« less

Gas-liquid interface of room-temperature ionic liquids.

PubMed

Santos, Cherry S; Baldelli, Steven

2010-06-01

The organization of ions at the interface of ionic liquids and the vacuum is an ideal system to test new ideas and concepts on the interfacial chemistry of electrolyte systems in the limit of no solvent medium. Whilst electrolyte systems have numerous theoretical and experimental methods used to investigate their properties, the ionic liquids are relatively new and our understanding of the interfacial properties is just beginning to be explored. In this critical review, the gas-liquid interface is reviewed, as this interface does not depend on the preparation of another medium and thus produces a natural interface. The interface has been investigated by sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy and ultra-high vacuum techniques. The results provide a detailed molecular-level view of the surface composition and structure. These have been complemented by theoretical studies. The combinations of treatments on this interface are starting to provide a somewhat convergent description of how the ions are organized at this neat interface (108 references).

Water versus DNA: new insights into proton track-structure modelling in radiobiology and radiotherapy.

PubMed

Champion, C; Quinto, M A; Monti, J M; Galassi, M E; Weck, P F; Fojón, O A; Hanssen, J; Rivarola, R D

2015-10-21

Water is a common surrogate of DNA for modelling the charged particle-induced ionizing processes in living tissue exposed to radiations. The present study aims at scrutinizing the validity of this approximation and then revealing new insights into proton-induced energy transfers by a comparative analysis between water and realistic biological medium. In this context, a self-consistent quantum mechanical modelling of the ionization and electron capture processes is reported within the continuum distorted wave-eikonal initial state framework for both isolated water molecules and DNA components impacted by proton beams. Their respective probability of occurrence-expressed in terms of total cross sections-as well as their energetic signature (potential and kinetic) are assessed in order to clearly emphasize the differences existing between realistic building blocks of living matter and the controverted water-medium surrogate. Consequences in radiobiology and radiotherapy will be discussed in particular in view of treatment planning refinement aiming at better radiotherapy strategies.

Unveiling the structural arrangements responsible for the atomic dynamics in metallic glasses during physical aging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giordano, V. M.; Ruta, B.

2016-01-01

Understanding and controlling physical aging, that is, the spontaneous temporal evolution of out-of-equilibrium systems, represents one of the greatest tasks in material science. Recent studies have revealed the existence of a complex atomic motion in metallic glasses, with different aging regimes in contrast with the typical continuous aging observed in macroscopic quantities. By combining dynamical and structural synchrotron techniques, here for the first time we directly connect previously identified microscopic structural mechanisms with the peculiar atomic motion, providing a broader unique view of their complexity. We show that the atomic scale is dominated by the interplay between two processes: rearrangements releasing residual stresses related to a cascade mechanism of relaxation, and medium range ordering processes, which do not affect the local density, likely due to localized relaxations of liquid-like regions. As temperature increases, a surprising additional secondary relaxation process sets in, together with a faster medium range ordering, likely precursors of crystallization.

Modelling, teachers' views on the nature of modelling, and implications for the education of modellers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Justi, Rosária S.; Gilbert, John K.

2002-04-01

In this paper, the role of modelling in the teaching and learning of science is reviewed. In order to represent what is entailed in modelling, a 'model of modelling' framework is proposed. Five phases in moving towards a full capability in modelling are established by a review of the literature: learning models; learning to use models; learning how to revise models; learning to reconstruct models; learning to construct models de novo. In order to identify the knowledge and skills that science teachers think are needed to produce a model successfully, a semi-structured interview study was conducted with 39 Brazilian serving science teachers: 10 teaching at the 'fundamental' level (6-14 years); 10 teaching at the 'medium'-level (15-17 years); 10 undergraduate pre-service 'medium'-level teachers; 9 university teachers of chemistry. Their responses are used to establish what is entailed in implementing the 'model of modelling' framework. The implications for students, teachers, and for teacher education, of moving through the five phases of capability, are discussed.

Electronic propensity rules in Li-H+ collisions involving initial and/or final oriented states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salas, P. J.

2000-12-01

Electronic excitation and capture processes are studied in collisions involving systems with only one active electron such as the alkaline (Li)-proton in the medium-energy region (0.1-15 keV). Using the semiclassical impact parameter method, the probabilities and the orientation parameter are calculated for transitions between initial and/or final oriented states. The results show a strong asymmetry in the probabilities depending on the orientation of the initial and/or final states. An intuitive view of the processes, by means of the concepts of propensity and velocity matching rules, is provided.

Discretization limits of multi-component lattice-Boltzmann methods and implications on the real porous media simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herring, A. L.; Li, Z.; Middleton, J.; Varslot, T.; McClure, J. E.; Sheppard, A.

2017-12-01

Multicomponent lattice-Boltzmann (LB) modeling is widely applied to study two-phase flow in various porous media. However, the impact on LB modeling of the fundamental trade-off between image resolution and field of view has received relatively little attention. This is important since 3D images of geological samples rarely have both sufficient resolution to capture fine structure and sufficient field of view to capture a full representative elementary volume of the medium. To optimize the simulations, it is important to know the minimum number of grid points that LB methods require to deliver physically meaningful results, and allow for the sources of measurement uncertainty to be appropriately balanced. In this work, we study the behavior of the Shan-Chen (SC) and Rothman-Keller (RK) models when the phase interfacial radius of curvature and the feature size of the medium approach the discrete unit size of the computational grid. Both simple, small-scale test geometries and real porous media are considered. Models' behavior in the extreme discrete limit is classified ranging from gradual loss of accuracy to catastrophic numerical breakdown. Based on this study, we provide guidance for experimental data collection and how to apply the LBM to accurately resolve physics of interest for two-fluid flow in porous media. Resolution effects are particularly relevant to the study of low-porosity systems, including fractured materials, when the typical pore width may only be a few voxels across.Overall, we find that the shortcoming of the SC model predominantly arises from the strongly pressure-dependent miscibility of the fluid components, where small droplets with high interfacial curvature have an exaggerated tendency to dissolve into the surrounding fluid. For the RK model, the most significant shortcoming is unphysical flow of non-wetting phase through narrow channels and crevices (2 voxels across or smaller), which we observed both in simple capillary tube and realistic porous medium. This process generates unphysical non-wetting phase ganglia that are hard to distinguish from ganglia of physical origin (e.g. arising from snap-off). While both methods have advantages and shortcomings, the RK model with modern enhancements seems to exhibit fewer instabilities, and is more suitable for system of low miscibility.

A study of videoconferencing for postgraduate continuing education in dentistry in the UK--the teachers' view.

PubMed

Odell, E W; Francis, C A; Eaton, K A; Reynolds, P A; Mason, R D

2001-08-01

Videoconferencing is an established method for providing medical education over long distances. Our aims were to assess the feasibility of videoconferencing in dental postgraduate education, to evaluate its practicability, teacher satisfaction and evaluate equipment. Twenty-seven teachers from the 4 London Dental Schools provided 41 postgraduate dental education sessions on a range of topics to regional postgraduate centres and dental practices as part of the Thames Health Region's programme. Videoconferencing was carried out using a relatively inexpensive personal computer system link using ISDN2 telephone lines and Z350 protocol. Presenter views and assessment were obtained by questionnaire, interview and videotape. Teachers felt that minimal additional preparation time was required for videoconferencing and 21/27 preferred it to in-person teaching, most noting the saving in travel time. Only 3 of the teachers were dissatisfied with their ability to communicate, 4 were equivocal and 20 were either pleased or very pleased. The teachers largely enjoyed the experience and performed well in the new medium. However, sound quality proved inadequate in 5/41 links and most sessions included some periods of suboptimal sound. Only 4 teachers were satisfied with their ability to perform question and answer interaction with the audience. We conclude that experienced teachers adapt readily to videoconferencing and learn to communicate effectively very quickly. Teachers were positive about the medium despite its shortcomings and improvements in sound quality would allow a rapid expansion of postgraduate dental education by videoconference.

Origins Space Telescope: Nearby Galaxies, the Milky Way, and the Interstellar Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battersby, Cara; Sandstrom, Karin; Origins Space Telescope Science and Technology Definition Team

2018-01-01

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is the mission concept for the Far-Infrared Surveyor, one of the four science and technology definition studies of NASA Headquarters for the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal survey. Origins will enable flagship-quality general observing programs led by the astronomical community in the 2030s. We welcome you to contact the Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) with your science needs and ideas by emailing us at ost_info@lists.ipac.caltech.eduThis presentation will summarize the science case related to Nearby Galaxies, the Milky Way, and the Interstellar Medium (Interstellar Medium). The Origins Space Telescope will enable a wealth of unprecedented scientific advances in this area, both those we know to expect, and the discovery space that lies unexplored. Origins will enable a comprehensive view of magnetic fields, turbulence, and the multiphase ISM; connecting these physics across scales of galaxies to protostellar cores. With unprecedented sensitivity, Origins will measure and characterize the mechanisms of feedback from star formation and Active Galactic Nuclei, and their interplay, over cosmic time. Origins will unveil the abundance and availability of water for habitable planets by allowing us to trace the trail of water from interstellar clouds to protoplanetary disks, to Earth itself.

Early Studies on Protoplast Isolation of Ludisia discolor, A Wild Orchid

PubMed Central

Poobathy, Ranjetta; Zakaria, Rahmad; Hamzah, Syed Mohd. Edzham Syed; Subramaniam, Sreeramanan

2016-01-01

The terrestrial Ludisia discolor, also referred to as the jewel orchid is prized for the quality of its leaves. L. discolor is known as a medicinal herb and is touted for its heat- and pathogen-resisting qualities. L. discolor is valuable in the production of both flavonoids and anthocyanins, antioxidants that are exalted in the health industry. Plant cell cultures have emerged as alternative sources of anthocyanin production. Plant protoplast cultures are used frequently in transient gene expression studies and in the establishment of callus and cell suspension cultures. Benefits of plant protoplast system include similarity to cells found in plant tissues, reproduction under controlled conditions, and prevention of masking of stress responses to previous handling techniques. A study was conducted to assess the amenability of the stem and leaves of L. discolor to protoplast isolation. The stem and leaf segments were weighed, sliced into thin layers, immersed in a digestion medium, washed and then cultured onto a recovery medium. Results indicated that the production of plant protoplasts from L. discolor may be viewed as an alternative in the generation of cell cultures and ultimately in the production of anthocyanins from the cell cultures. PMID:27965736

Early Studies on Protoplast Isolation of Ludisia discolor, A Wild Orchid.

PubMed

Poobathy, Ranjetta; Zakaria, Rahmad; Hamzah, Syed Mohd Edzham Syed; Subramaniam, Sreeramanan

2016-11-01

The terrestrial Ludisia discolor , also referred to as the jewel orchid is prized for the quality of its leaves. L. discolor is known as a medicinal herb and is touted for its heat- and pathogen-resisting qualities. L. discolor is valuable in the production of both flavonoids and anthocyanins, antioxidants that are exalted in the health industry. Plant cell cultures have emerged as alternative sources of anthocyanin production. Plant protoplast cultures are used frequently in transient gene expression studies and in the establishment of callus and cell suspension cultures. Benefits of plant protoplast system include similarity to cells found in plant tissues, reproduction under controlled conditions, and prevention of masking of stress responses to previous handling techniques. A study was conducted to assess the amenability of the stem and leaves of L. discolor to protoplast isolation. The stem and leaf segments were weighed, sliced into thin layers, immersed in a digestion medium, washed and then cultured onto a recovery medium. Results indicated that the production of plant protoplasts from L. discolor may be viewed as an alternative in the generation of cell cultures and ultimately in the production of anthocyanins from the cell cultures.

Emotional and Physiological Desensitization to Real-Life and Movie Violence

PubMed Central

Mrug, Sylvie; Madan, Anjana; Cook, Edwin W.; Wright, Rex A.

2014-01-01

Youth are exposed to large amounts of violence in real life and media, which may lead to desensitization. Given evidence of curvilinear associations between exposure to violence and emotional distress, we examined linear and curvilinear associations of exposure to real-life and movie violence with PTSD symptoms, empathy, and physiological arousal, as well emotional and physiological reactivity to movie violence. College students (N=209; mean age=18.74) reported on their exposure to real-life and televised violence, PTSD symptoms, and empathy. Then, students were randomly assigned to view a series of violent or nonviolent high-action movie scenes, providing ratings of emotional distress after each clip. Blood pressure was measured at rest and during video viewing. Results showed that with increasing exposure to real-life violence, youth reported more PTSD symptoms and greater identification with fictional characters. Cognitive and emotional empathy increased from low to medium levels of exposure to violence, but declined at higher levels. For males, exposure to higher levels of real-life violence was associated with diminishing (vs. increasing) emotional distress when viewing violent videos. Exposure to televised violence was generally unrelated to emotional functioning. However, those with medium levels of exposure to TV/movie violence experienced lower elevations of blood pressure when viewing violent videos compared to those with low exposure, and those with higher levels of exposure evidenced rapid increase in blood pressure that quickly declined over time. The results point to diminished empathy and reduced emotional reactivity to violence as key aspects of desensitization to real-life violence, and more limited evidence of physiological desensitization to movie violence among those exposed to high levels of televised violence. PMID:25326900

Emotional and physiological desensitization to real-life and movie violence.

PubMed

Mrug, Sylvie; Madan, Anjana; Cook, Edwin W; Wright, Rex A

2015-05-01

Youth are exposed to large amounts of violence in real life and media, which may lead to desensitization. Given evidence of curvilinear associations between exposure to violence and emotional distress, we examined linear and curvilinear associations of exposure to real-life and movie violence with PTSD symptoms, empathy, and physiological arousal, as well emotional and physiological reactivity to movie violence. College students (N = 209; mean age = 18.74) reported on their exposure to real-life and televised violence, PTSD symptoms, and empathy. Then, students were randomly assigned to view a series of violent or nonviolent high-action movie scenes, providing ratings of emotional distress after each clip. Blood pressure was measured at rest and during video viewing. Results showed that with increasing exposure to real-life violence, youth reported more PTSD symptoms and greater identification with fictional characters. Cognitive and emotional empathy increased from low to medium levels of exposure to violence, but declined at higher levels. For males, exposure to higher levels of real-life violence was associated with diminishing (vs. increasing) emotional distress when viewing violent videos. Exposure to televised violence was generally unrelated to emotional functioning. However, those with medium levels of exposure to TV/movie violence experienced lower elevations of blood pressure when viewing violent videos compared to those with low exposure, and those with higher levels of exposure evidenced rapid increase in blood pressure that quickly declined over time. The results point to diminished empathy and reduced emotional reactivity to violence as key aspects of desensitization to real-life violence, and more limited evidence of physiological desensitization to movie violence among those exposed to high levels of televised violence.

Defining Constellation Suit Helmet Field of View Requirements Employing a Mission Segment Based Reduction Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McFarland, Shane M.

2008-01-01

Field of view has always been a design feature paramount to helmet design, and in particular space suit design, where the helmet must provide an adequate field of view for a large range of activities, environments, and body positions. For Project Constellation, a slightly different approach to helmet requirement maturation was utilized; one that was less a direct function of body position and suit pressure and more a function of the mission segment in which the field of view is required. Through taxonimization of various parameters that affect suited FOV, as well as consideration for possible nominal and contingency operations during that mission segment, a reduction process was able to condense the large number of possible outcomes to only six unique field of view angle requirements that still captured all necessary variables without sacrificing fidelity. The specific field of view angles were defined by considering mission segment activities, historical performance of other suits, comparison between similar requirements (pressure visor up versus down, etc.), estimated requirements from other teams for field of view (Orion, Altair, EVA), previous field of view tests, medical data for shirtsleeve field of view performance, and mapping of visual field data to generate 45degree off-axis field of view requirements. Full resolution of several specific field of view angle requirements warranted further work, which consisted of low and medium fidelity field of view testing in the rear entry ISuit and DO27 helmet prototype. This paper serves to document this reduction progress and followup testing employed to write the Constellation requirements for helmet field of view.

Giving Feedback: Development of Scales for the Mum Effect, Discomfort Giving Feedback, and Feedback Medium Preference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Susie S.; Marler, Laura E.; Simmering, Marcia J.; Totten, Jeff W.

2011-01-01

Research in organizational behavior and human resources promotes the view that it is critical for managers to provide accurate feedback to employees, yet little research addresses rater tendencies (i.e., the "mum effect") and attitudes that influence how performance feedback is given. Because technology has changed the nature of…

Rhetoric, Grammar, and the Conception of Language As a Substantial Medium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruns, Gerald L.

1969-01-01

Discusses language as being (1) substance, and as such a reflection of the mind, and (2) an activity played out in oratory and the pattern of discourse. Examples from classical, medieval, and contemporary works are cited to illustrate the various concepts of language and to present a historical view of the literary and oral traditions. (DS)

Electronic Identities: The Strategic Use of Email for Impression Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersten, Larry; Phillips, Stephen R.

Traditionally, e-mail (electronic mail) has been seen as an efficient communications medium for the transmission of simple, routine, unambiguous messages. More recent research has argued that the simple, efficient view of e-mail is incomplete. Future research should be extended into the strategic and symbolic functions of email, such as the use of…

Films for a New DEEL: Documentary Films in the Educational Leadership Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polizzi, Joseph A.; San Clementi, Erin

2013-01-01

The discourse on the use of film in the educational leadership classroom is often limited to the viewing of Hollywood features or industry films created for training purposes. We were motivated by an interest in finding new, valuable curriculum material and mediums that can inform and transform the work of education administrators. Guiding the…

Commentary on Reviews of James Tooley's "The Beautiful Tree" and Tooley's Reply

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yagnamurthy, Sreekanth; Tooley, James

2011-01-01

In this commentary Yagnamurthy raises several issues such as right to education, English as the medium of instruction, and quality of education in low-fee and unrecognized schools. Also, Yagnamurthy is of the view that both public and private sectors need to endeavor for equitable participation of all children in education. Tooley replies.

Power Relationships in Rumpelstiltskin: A Textual Comparison of a Traditional and a Reconstructed Fairy Tale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Jane E.

2008-01-01

Reconstructed fairy tales provide a different point of view and challenge the assumptions of a common set of values; for that reason, these stories provide a medium in which to examine power relationships in texts by applying a critical multicultural analysis (Botelho & Rudman, forthcoming, 2008, "A critical multicultural analysis of children's…

Evaluation of the acceptability of a CD-Rom as a health promotion tool for Inuit in Ottawa.

PubMed

McShane, Kelly E; Smylie, Janet K; Hastings, Paul D; Prince, Conrad; Siedule, Connie

2013-01-01

There are few health promotion tools for urban Inuit, and there is a specific dearth of evaluations on such tools. The current study used a community-specific approach in the evaluation of a health promotion tool, based on an urban Inuit community's preferences of health knowledge sources and distribution strategies. In partnership with the Tungasuvvingat Inuit Family Health Team in Ottawa, a CD-Rom was developed featuring an Inuk Elder presenting prenatal health messages in both Inuktitut and English. Also, relevant evaluation materials were developed. Using a mixed methods approach, 40 participants completed interviews prior to viewing the CD-Rom and participated in a focus group at follow-up. Questionnaires were also completed pre- and post-viewing to assess changes between expectations and reactions in order to document acceptability. Significant increases were found on satisfaction, acceptability of medium and relevance of content ratings. Qualitative findings also included (a) interest, uncertainty and conditional interest prior to viewing; and (b) positive evaluations of the CD-Rom. This suggests that CD-Rom technology has the potential for health promotion for urban Inuit, and the community-specific evaluation approach yielded useful information.

Evaluation of the acceptability of a CD-Rom as a health promotion tool for Inuit in Ottawa

PubMed Central

McShane, Kelly E.; Smylie, Janet K.; Hastings, Paul D.; Prince, Conrad; Siedule, Connie

2013-01-01

Background There are few health promotion tools for urban Inuit, and there is a specific dearth of evaluations on such tools. Objective The current study used a community-specific approach in the evaluation of a health promotion tool, based on an urban Inuit community's preferences of health knowledge sources and distribution strategies. In partnership with the Tungasuvvingat Inuit Family Health Team in Ottawa, a CD-Rom was developed featuring an Inuk Elder presenting prenatal health messages in both Inuktitut and English. Also, relevant evaluation materials were developed. Design Using a mixed methods approach, 40 participants completed interviews prior to viewing the CD-Rom and participated in a focus group at follow-up. Questionnaires were also completed pre- and post-viewing to assess changes between expectations and reactions in order to document acceptability. Results Significant increases were found on satisfaction, acceptability of medium and relevance of content ratings. Qualitative findings also included (a) interest, uncertainty and conditional interest prior to viewing; and (b) positive evaluations of the CD-Rom. Conclusions This suggests that CD-Rom technology has the potential for health promotion for urban Inuit, and the community-specific evaluation approach yielded useful information. PMID:23717816

Portrayal of tobacco in Mongolian language YouTube videos: policy gaps.

PubMed

Tsai, Feng-Jen; Sainbayar, Bolor

2016-07-01

This study examined how effectively current policy measures control depictions of tobacco in Mongolian language YouTube videos. A search of YouTube videos using the Mongolian term for 'tobacco', and employing 'relevance' and 'view count' criteria, resulted in a total sample of 120 videos, from which 38 unique videos were coded and analysed. Most videos were antismoking public service announcements; however, analyses of viewing patterns showed that pro-smoking videos accounted for about two-thirds of all views. Pro-smoking videos were also perceived more positively and had a like:dislike ratio of 4.6 compared with 3.5 and 1.5, respectively, for the magic trick and antismoking videos. Although Mongolia prohibits tobacco advertising, 3 of the pro-smoking videos were made by a tobacco company; additionally, 1 pro-smoking video promoted electronic cigarettes. Given the popularity of Mongolian YouTube videos that promote smoking, policy changes are urgently required to control this medium, and more effectively protect youth and young adults from insidious tobacco marketing. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Astronomy in Denver: Polarization of bow shock nebulae around massive stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, Manisha; Hoffman, Jennifer L.; Ignace, Richard; Neilson, Hilding; Richard Ignace

2018-06-01

Stellar wind bow shocks are structures created when stellar winds with supersonic relative velocities interact with the local interstellar medium (ISM). They can be studied to understand the properties of stars as well as the ISM. Since bow shocks are asymmetric, light becomes polarized by scattering in the regions of enhanced density they create. We use a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code calle SLIP to simulate the polarization signatures produced by both resolved and unresolved bow shocks with analytically derived shapes and density structures. When electron scattering is the polarizing mechanism, we find that optical depth plays an important role in the polarization signatures. While results for low optical depths reproduce theoretical predictions, higher optical depths produce higher polarization and position angle rotations at specific viewing angles. This is due to the geometrical properties of the bow shock along with multiple scattering effects. For dust scattering, we find that the polarization signature is strongly affected by wavelength, dust size, dust composition, and viewing angle. Depending on the viewing angle, the polarization magnitude may increase or decrease as a function of wavelength. We will present results from these simulations and preliminary comparisons with observational data.

Combinatorial effect of mutagenesis and medium component optimization on Bacillus amyloliquefaciens antifungal activity and efficacy in eradicating Botrytis cinerea.

PubMed

Masmoudi, Fatma; Ben Khedher, Saoussen; Kamoun, Amel; Zouari, Nabil; Tounsi, Slim; Trigui, Mohamed

2017-04-01

This work is directed towards Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain BLB371 metabolite production for biocontrol of fungal phytopathogens. In order to maximise antifungal metabolite production by this strain, two approaches were combined: random mutagenesis and medium component optimization. After three rounds of mutagenesis, a hyper active mutant, named M3-7, was obtained. It produces 7 fold more antifungal metabolites (1800AU/mL) than the wild strain in MC medium. A hybrid design was applied to optimise a new medium to enhance antifungal metabolite production by M3-7. The new optimized medium (35g/L of peptone, 32.5g/L of sucrose, 10.5g/L of yeast extract, 2.4g/L of KH 2 PO 4 , 1.3g/L of MgSO 4 and 23mg/L of MnSO 4 ) achieved 1.62 fold enhancement in antifungal compound production (3000AU/mL) by this mutant, compared to that achieved in MC medium. Therefore, combinatory effect of these two approaches (mutagenesis and medium component optimization) allowed 12 fold improvement in antifungal activity (from 250UA/mL to 3000UA/mL). This improvement was confirmed against several phytopathogenic fungi with an increase of MIC and MFC over than 50%. More interestingly, a total eradication of gray mold was obtained on tomato fruits infected by Botrytis cinerea and treated by M3-7, compared to those treated by BLB371. From the practical point of view, combining random mutagenesis and medium optimization could be considered as an excellent tool for obtaining promising biological products useful against phytopathogenic fungi. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Hyperspectral Imagers for the Study of Massive Star Nebulae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drissen, L.; Alarie, A.; Martin, T.; Spiomm/Sitelle Team

2012-12-01

We present two wide-field imaging Fourier transform spectrometers built by our team to study the interstellar medium around massive stars in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. SpIOMM, attached to the Mont Mégantic 1.6-m telescope, is capable of obtaining the visible spectrum of every source of light in a 12 arcminute field of view, with a spectral resolution ranging from R = 1 (wide-band image) to R = 25 000, resulting in about a million spectra with a spatial resolution of one arcsecond. SITELLE will be a similar instrument attached to the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope, and will be in operation in early 2013. We illustrate SpIOMM's capabilities to study the interactions between massive stars and their environment.

Multispectral Resource Sampler (MRS): Proof of concept. Study on bidirectional reflectance. A simulation analysis of bidirectional reflectance properties and their effects on scene radiance. Implications for the MRS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, J. A.

1980-01-01

A study was performed to evaluate the geometrical implication of a Multispectral Resource Sampler; a pointable sensor. Several vegetative targets representative of natural and agricultural canopies were considered in two wavelength bands. All combinations of Sun and view angles between 5 and 85 degrees zenith for a range of azimuths were simulated to examine geometrical dependance arising from seasonal as well as latitudinal variation. The effects of three different atmospheres corresponding to clear, medium and heavy haze conditions are included. An extensive model data base was generated to provide investigators with means for possible further study of atmospheric correction procedures and sensor design questions.

Upstream waves and particles /Tutorial Lecture/. [from shocks in interplanetary space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, C. T.; Hoppe, M. M.

1983-01-01

The plasma waves, MHD waves, energetic electrons and ions associated with the proximity of the region upstream from terrestrial, planetary and interplanetary shocks are discussed in view of observations and current theories concerning their origin. These waves cannot be separated from the study of shock structure. Since the shocks are supersonic, they continually overtake any ULF waves created in the plasma in front of the shock. The upstream particles and waves are also of intrinsic interest because they provide a plasma laboratory for the study of wave-particle interactions in a plasma which, at least at the earth, is accessible to sophisticated probing. Insight may be gained into interstellar medium cosmic ray acceleration through the study of these phenomena.

On a neutral particle with permanent magnetic dipole moment in a magnetic medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakke, K.; Salvador, C.

2018-03-01

We investigate quantum effects that stem from the interaction of a permanent magnetic dipole moment of a neutral particle with an electric field in a magnetic medium. We consider a long non-conductor cylinder that possesses a uniform distribution of electric charges and a non-uniform magnetization. We discuss the possibility of achieving this non-uniform magnetization from the experimental point of view. Besides, due to this non-uniform magnetization, the permanent magnetic dipole moment of the neutral particle also interacts with a non-uniform magnetic field. This interaction gives rise to a linear scalar potential. Then, we show that bound states solutions to the Schrödinger-Pauli equation can be achieved.

How does c-view image quality compare with conventional 2D FFDM?

PubMed

Nelson, Jeffrey S; Wells, Jered R; Baker, Jay A; Samei, Ehsan

2016-05-01

The FDA approved the use of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in 2011 as an adjunct to 2D full field digital mammography (FFDM) with the constraint that all DBT acquisitions must be paired with a 2D image to assure adequate interpretative information is provided. Recently manufacturers have developed methods to provide a synthesized 2D image generated from the DBT data with the hope of sparing patients the radiation exposure from the FFDM acquisition. While this much needed alternative effectively reduces the total radiation burden, differences in image quality must also be considered. The goal of this study was to compare the intrinsic image quality of synthesized 2D c-view and 2D FFDM images in terms of resolution, contrast, and noise. Two phantoms were utilized in this study: the American College of Radiology mammography accreditation phantom (ACR phantom) and a novel 3D printed anthropomorphic breast phantom. Both phantoms were imaged using a Hologic Selenia Dimensions 3D system. Analysis of the ACR phantom includes both visual inspection and objective automated analysis using in-house software. Analysis of the 3D anthropomorphic phantom includes visual assessment of resolution and Fourier analysis of the noise. Using ACR-defined scoring criteria for the ACR phantom, the FFDM images scored statistically higher than c-view according to both the average observer and automated scores. In addition, between 50% and 70% of c-view images failed to meet the nominal minimum ACR accreditation requirements-primarily due to fiber breaks. Software analysis demonstrated that c-view provided enhanced visualization of medium and large microcalcification objects; however, the benefits diminished for smaller high contrast objects and all low contrast objects. Visual analysis of the anthropomorphic phantom showed a measureable loss of resolution in the c-view image (11 lp/mm FFDM, 5 lp/mm c-view) and loss in detection of small microcalcification objects. Spectral analysis of the anthropomorphic phantom showed higher total noise magnitude in the FFDM image compared with c-view. Whereas the FFDM image contained approximately white noise texture, the c-view image exhibited marked noise reduction at midfrequency and high frequency with far less noise suppression at low frequencies resulting in a mottled noise appearance. Their analysis demonstrates many instances where the c-view image quality differs from FFDM. Compared to FFDM, c-view offers a better depiction of objects of certain size and contrast, but provides poorer overall resolution and noise properties. Based on these findings, the utilization of c-view images in the clinical setting requires careful consideration, especially if considering the discontinuation of FFDM imaging. Not explicitly explored in this study is how the combination of DBT + c-view performs relative to DBT + FFDM or FFDM alone.

Signs of Asymmetry in Exploding Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hensley, Kerry

2018-03-01

Supernova explosions enrich the interstellar medium and can even briefly outshine their host galaxies. However, the mechanism behind these massive explosions still isnt fully understood. Could probing the asymmetry of supernova remnants help us better understand what drives these explosions?Hubble image of the remnant of supernova 1987A, one of the first remnants discovered to be asymmetrical. [ESA/Hubble, NASA]Stellar Send-OffsHigh-mass stars end their lives spectacularly. Each supernova explosion churns the interstellar medium and unleashes high-energy radiation and swarms of neutrinos. Supernovae also suffuse the surrounding interstellar medium with heavy elements that are incorporated into later generations of stars and the planets that form around them.The bubbles of expanding gas these explosions leave behind often appear roughly spherical, but mounting evidence suggests that many supernova remnants are asymmetrical. While asymmetry in supernova remnants can arise when the expanding material plows into the non-uniform interstellar medium, it can also be an intrinsic feature of the explosion itself.Simulation results clockwise from top left: Mass density, calcium mass fraction, oxygen mass fraction, nickel-56 mass fraction. Click to enlarge. [Adapted from Wollaeger et al. 2017]Coding ExplosionsThe presence or absence of asymmetry in a supernova remnant can hold clues as to what drove the explosion. But how can we best observe asymmetry in a supernova remnant? Modeling lets us explore different observational approaches.A team of scientists led by Ryan T. Wollaeger (Los Alamos National Laboratory) used radiative transfer and radiative hydrodynamics simulations to model the explosion of a core-collapse supernova. Wollaeger and collaborators introduced asymmetry into the explosion by creating a single-lobed, fast-moving outflow along one axis.Their simulations showed that while some chemical elements lingered near the origin of the explosion or were distributed evenly throughout the remnant, calcium was isolated to the asymmetrical region, hinting that spectral lines of calcium may be good tracersof asymmetry.Bolometric (top) and gamma-ray (bottom) synthetic light curves for the authors model for a range of simulated viewing angles. [Adapted from Wollaeger et al. 2017]Synthesizing SpectraWollaeger and collaborators then generated synthetic light curves and spectra from their models to determine which spectral features or characteristics indicated the presence of the asymmetric outflow lobe. They found that when an asymmetric outflow lobe is present, the peak luminosity of the explosion depends on the angle at which you view it; the highest luminosity occurs when the lobe is viewed from the side, while the lowest luminosity nearly40%dimmer is seen when the explosion is viewed down the barrel of the lobe. The dense outflow shades the central radioactive source from view, lowering the luminosity.This effect also plays out in the gamma-ray light curves; when viewed down the barrel, the shading of the central source by ahigh-density lobe slows the rise of the gamma-ray luminosity and changes the shape of the light curve compared to views from other vantage points.Another promising avenue for exploring asymmetry is a near-infrared band encompassing an emission line of singly-ionized calcium near 815 nm. Since calcium is confined within the outflow lobe in the simulation, its emission lines are blueshifted when the lobe points toward the observer.The authors point out that there is much more to be done in their models, such as including the effects of shock heating of circumstellar material, which can contribute strongly to the light curve, but these simulations bring us a step closer to understanding the nature of asymmetrical supernova remnants and the explosions that create them.CitationRyan T. Wollaeger et al 2017ApJ845168. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa82bd

Fast sparse recovery and coherence factor weighting in optoacoustic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Hailong; Prakash, Jaya; Buehler, Andreas; Ntziachristos, Vasilis

2017-03-01

Sparse recovery algorithms have shown great potential to reconstruct images with limited view datasets in optoacoustic tomography, with a disadvantage of being computational expensive. In this paper, we improve the fast convergent Split Augmented Lagrangian Shrinkage Algorithm (SALSA) method based on least square QR (LSQR) formulation for performing accelerated reconstructions. Further, coherence factor is calculated to weight the final reconstruction result, which can further reduce artifacts arising in limited-view scenarios and acoustically heterogeneous mediums. Several phantom and biological experiments indicate that the accelerated SALSA method with coherence factor (ASALSA-CF) can provide improved reconstructions and much faster convergence compared to existing sparse recovery methods.

Assessment of Information on Concussion Available to Adolescents on Social Media.

PubMed

Kollia, Betty; Basch, Corey H; Mouser, Christina; Deleon, Aurea J

2018-01-01

Considering how many people obtain information about their health online, the aim of this study was to describe the content of the currently most widely viewed YouTube videos related to concussions and to test the hypothesis that consumer videos would be anecdotal, while other sources would be more informational. The term "concussion" was used to search for videos with 100,000 or more views on YouTube that were posted in English or Spanish. Descriptive information about each video was recorded, as was information on whether certain content was conveyed during the video. The main outcome measures are sources of upload and content of videos. Consumer videos accounted for 48% of the videos, television based accounted for 50% of the videos, and internet based accounted for only 2% of the videos. None of the videos viewed fell into the professional category. Television based videos were viewed significantly more than consumer or internet based videos. Consumer and television based videos were equally anecdotal. Many of the videos focused on adolescents and were related to sports injuries. The majority of the videos (70.4%) addressed concussion causes, with 48% stating sports. Few videos discussed symptoms of concussion and prevention. The potential for widespread misinformation necessitates caution when obtaining information on concussion on a freely accessible and editable medium, such as YouTube.

Reactivity of phosphorus mononitride and interstellar formation of molecules containing phospazo linkage: A computational study on the reaction between HSi (X2Γ) and PN (X1Σ+)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhasi, Priya; Nhlabatsi, Zanele P.; Sitha, Sanyasi

2017-12-01

Phosphorus mononitride (PN) shows some interesting chemistry due to its low dissociation energy (compared to N2) and small dipole moment (zero dipole moment for N2). In this work, a reaction between HSi (X2Γ) and PN (X1Σ+) has been studied using various computational methods. Analysis of the doublet surface of the HSi+PN reaction indicates that the reaction is exothermic in nature leading to the formation of various products. In view of the barrierless association of the reactants and exothermic nature for the product formation, it is suggested that species like HPNSi, cyclic-SiN(H)P (these two most stable isomers have phosphazo linkage) and HSiNP (third most stable isomer has phosphdiazo linkage) can possibly be detected in the interstellar medium. In view of the potential applications of phosphazo compounds in amide synthesis and pervasive nature of amide linkages in the nature, possible interstellar prebiotic applications can be advocated for these compounds.

Effects of pH and Carbon Source on Synechococcus PCC 7002 Cultivation: Biomass and Carbohydrate Production with Different Strategies for pH Control.

PubMed

De Farias Silva, Carlos Eduardo; Sforza, Eleonora; Bertucco, Alberto

2017-02-01

Synechococcus PCC 7002 is an interesting species in view of industrial production of carbohydrates. The cultivation performances of this species are strongly affected by the pH of the medium, which also influences the carbohydrate accumulation. In this work, different methods of pH control were analyzed, in order to obtain a higher production of both Synechococcus biomass and carbohydrates. To better understand the influence of pH on growth and carbohydrate productivity, manual and automatic pH regulation in CO 2 and bicarbonate system were applied. The pH value of 8.5 resulted the best to achieve both of these goals. From an industrial point of view, an alternative way to maintain the pH practically constant during the entire period of cultivation is the exploitation of the bicarbonate-CO 2 buffer system, with the double aim to maintain the pH in the viability range and also to provide the amount of carbon required by growth. In this condition, a high concentration of biomass (6 g L -1 ) and carbohydrate content (around 60 %) were obtained, which are promising in view of a potential use for bioethanol production. The chemical equilibrium of C-N-P species was also evaluated by applying the ionic balance equations, and a relation between the sodium bicarbonate added in the medium and the equilibrium value of pH was discussed.

Do It Yourself: Examination of Self-Injury First Aid Tips on YouTube.

PubMed

Lewis, Stephen P; Knoll, Amanda K I

2015-05-01

Individuals who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) may prefer the Internet as a medium to communicate about NSSI experiences and obtain NSSI information. Recent research suggests that NSSI first aid information is shared. Yet, no research has examined the context in which this information occurs. This study examined the nature and scope of NSSI first aid tips on YouTube using a content analysis to examine 40 NSSI first aid videos. Findings indicated that videos were viewed 157,571 total times; they were typically favorably viewed. Most had a neutral purpose and neither encouraged nor discouraged NSSI. Messages encouraging NSSI help seeking were scant. Similarly, medical help seeking was not commonly encouraged, with several videos providing "safe" NSSI instructions. Overall, videos with NSSI first aid information may contribute to NSSI reinforcement and the belief that professional and medical help may not be needed for NSSI. Findings have implications for research, clinical work, and e-outreach, which are discussed.

View of portion of Western United States as seen by Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1974-01-10

SL4-139-4040 (10 Jan. 1974) --- An oblique view of a portion of the Western United States, as photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen. The camera used was a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad, with SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome film. This photograph is one of a stereo pair (the other being 4039) taken to support the hydrological studies of the changing snow patterns in several watersheds. Stereo analysis will enable snow to be distinguished from clouds quantitatively. In a qualitative sense, the clouds are the fuzzy white, whereas the snow is distinct white. The area covered is from the Colorado Springs, Colorado area at the south to (and beyond) the Black Hills, South Dakota area. The Black Forest between Colorado Springs and Denver is evident as are the mountains west of these cities. South Park, west of Colorado Springs, and the South Platte River running north and east from Denver are two other conspicuous features. Photo credit: NASA

Distracted driving on YouTube: implications for adolescents.

PubMed

Basch, Corey H; Mouser, Christina; Clark, Ashley

2017-05-18

For the first time in 50 years, traffic fatalities have increased in the United States (US). With the emergence of technology, comes the possibility, that distracted driving has contributed to a decrease in safe driving practices. The purpose of this study was to describe the content on the popular video sharing site, YouTube to ascertain the type of content conveyed in videos that are widely viewed. The 100 most widely viewed English language videos were included in this sample, with a collective number of views of over 35 million. The majority of videos were television-based and Internet-based. Pairwise comparisons indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the number of views of consumer generated videos and television-based videos (p = 0.001) and between television-based videos and Internet-based videos (p < 0.001). Compared with consumer generated videos, television-based videos were 13 times more likely to discuss cell phone use as a distractor while driving, while Internet-based videos were 6.6 times more likely to discuss cell phone use as a distractor while driving. In addition, compared with consumer generated videos, television-based videos were 3.67 times more likely to discuss texting as a distractor while driving, whereas Internet-based videos were 8.5 times more likely to discuss texting as a distractor while driving. The findings of this study indicate that the videos on YouTube related to distracted driving are popular and that this medium could prove to be a successful venue to communicate information about this emergent public health issue.

26 CFR 1.404(a)-5 - Pension and annuity plans; limitations under section 404(a)(1)(B).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... are reasonable and appropriate in view of the provisions of the plan, the funding medium, and other... 26 Internal Revenue 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Pension and annuity plans; limitations under... Plans, Etc. § 1.404(a)-5 Pension and annuity plans; limitations under section 404(a)(1)(B). (a) Subject...

Reconsidering Our Graduation Efforts: The Economic Impact of Certificates, Associate's, and Bachelor's Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyndorf, Darryl; Martin, Heather

2018-01-01

United States' education policy efforts have focused on increasing college graduation rates, with an emphasis on bachelor's degrees, with the expectation of greater economic prosperity. Most community college and university degrees differ in time to completion and should not be viewed as having the same short-term, medium-term, and long-term…

Teaching ERP Systems: A Multi-Perspective View on the ERP System Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winkelmann, Axel; Leyh, Christian

2010-01-01

In order to increase the diversity in IS education, we discuss an approach for teaching medium-sized ERP systems in university courses. Many of today's IS curricula are biased toward a few large ERP packages. Nevertheless, these ERP systems are only a part of the ERP market. Therefore, this paper describes a course outline for an additional course…

Active vs. Passive Television Viewing: A Model of the Development of Television Information Processing by Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, John C.; And Others

A conceptual model of how children process televised information was developed with the goal of identifying those parameters of the process that are both measurable and manipulable in research settings. The model presented accommodates the nature of information processing both by the child and by the presentation by the medium. Presentation is…

The Availability of Instructional Media for Teaching Mentally Retarded Students in Nyanza Region, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odero, Orao Remi

2016-01-01

Learners with mental retardation pose a unique problem to the education system, one not presented by any other exceptionality. In view of the challenges and limitations of these learners, modification of both social and educational environment is fundamental in-order to attain effective schooling for them. One of the best proven medium of teaching…

Parents' Views of the Relevance of a Violence Prevention Program in High, Medium, and Low Human Development Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durrant, Joan; Plateau, Dominique Pierre; Ateah, Christine A.; Holden, George W.; Barker, Leslie A.; Stewart-Tufescu, Ashley; Jones, Alysha D.; Ly, Gia; Ahmed, Rashid

2017-01-01

Every day, almost one billion children around the world experience violent punishment. Eliminating all violence against children is a key target of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is a monumental challenge due to the diversity of cultural, economic and social contexts in which children live. Violence-prevention…

Cross-phase-modulation-induced temporal reflection and waveguiding of optical pulses

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

Plansinis, Brent W.; Donaldson, William R.; Agrawal, Govind P.

Cross-phase modulation (XPM) is commonly viewed as a nonlinear process that chirps a probe pulse and modifies its spectrum when an intense pump pulse overlaps with it. Here we present an alternative view of XPM in which the pump pulse creates a moving refractive-index boundary that splits the probe pulse into two parts with distinct optical spectra through temporal reflection and refraction inside a dispersive nonlinear medium. The probe even undergoes a temporal version of total internal reflection for sufficiently intense pump pulses, a phenomenon that can be exploited for making temporal waveguides. In this paper we investigate the practicalmore » conditions under which XPM can be exploited for temporal reflection and waveguiding. The width and shape of pump pulses as well as the nature of medium dispersion at the pump and probe wavelength (normal versus anomalous) play important roles. A super-Gaussian shape of pump pulses is particularly helpful because of its relatively sharp edges. When the pump wavelength lies in the anomalous-dispersion regime, the pump pulse can form a soliton,whose unique properties can be exploited to advantage. We also discuss a potential application of XPM-induced temporal waveguides for compensating timing jitter.« less

Cross-phase-modulation-induced temporal reflection and waveguiding of optical pulses

DOE PAGES

Plansinis, Brent W.; Donaldson, William R.; Agrawal, Govind P.

2018-01-31

Cross-phase modulation (XPM) is commonly viewed as a nonlinear process that chirps a probe pulse and modifies its spectrum when an intense pump pulse overlaps with it. Here we present an alternative view of XPM in which the pump pulse creates a moving refractive-index boundary that splits the probe pulse into two parts with distinct optical spectra through temporal reflection and refraction inside a dispersive nonlinear medium. The probe even undergoes a temporal version of total internal reflection for sufficiently intense pump pulses, a phenomenon that can be exploited for making temporal waveguides. In this paper we investigate the practicalmore » conditions under which XPM can be exploited for temporal reflection and waveguiding. The width and shape of pump pulses as well as the nature of medium dispersion at the pump and probe wavelength (normal versus anomalous) play important roles. A super-Gaussian shape of pump pulses is particularly helpful because of its relatively sharp edges. When the pump wavelength lies in the anomalous-dispersion regime, the pump pulse can form a soliton,whose unique properties can be exploited to advantage. We also discuss a potential application of XPM-induced temporal waveguides for compensating timing jitter.« less

A simple mechanical system mimicking phase transitions in a one-dimensional medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charru, François

1997-11-01

We study a simple mechanical oscillator the bifurcations of which illustrate first- and second-order phase transitions. The phase diagram of the oscillator exhibits a coexistence curve. This curve ends at a critical point, where three critical exponents can be defined. A metronome may be used to illustrate the main results. We then consider a linear array of such oscillators with elastic coupling, which is governed by the damped Klein - Gordon equation. The classical solutions of this equation, such as fronts propagating in an unstable or in a metastable state, can be guessed at and discussed from the point of view of a mechanical model.

VHF electromagnetic wave propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gole, P.

Theoretical and experimental study of large-scale VHF propagation characteristics is presented. Certain phenomena that are difficult to model, such as the effects of ground near the antenna, are examined from a purely experimental point of view. The characteristics of electromagnetic waves over a spherical surface and through a medium having a certain refractive index, such as is the case for waves propagated over the earth's surface, are analytically described. Two mathematical models are used, one for the case of the receiver being within the radioelectric horizon of the transmitter and the other for when it is not. Propagation phenomena likely to increase the false alarm probability of an air surveillance radar are briefly considered.

The Circumgalactic Medium of Andromeda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehner, Nicolas; Project AMIGA Team

2017-03-01

Our view of galaxies has been transformed in recent years with diffuse halo gas surrounding galaxies that contains at least as many metals and baryons as their disks. While single sight lines through galaxy halos seen in absorption have provided key new constraints, they provide only average properties. Our massive neighbor, the Andromeda (M31) galaxy, provides an unique way to study its circumgalactic medium whereby we can study it using not one or two, but ~36 sightlines thanks to its proximity. With our Large HST program - Project AMIGA (Absorption Maps In the Gas of Andromeda), our goals are to determine the spatial distribution of the halo properties of a L* galaxy using 36 background targets at different radii and azimuths. In this brief paper, I discuss briefly the scientific rationale of Project AMIGA and some early science results. In particular, for the first time we have demonstrated that M31 has a gaseous halo that extends to R vir with as much as metal and baryonic masses than in its disk and has substantial change in its ionization properties with more highly ionized gas found at R ~ R vir than cooler gas found near the disk.

Radioactively contaminated electric arc furnace dust as an addition to the immobilization mortar in low- and medium-activity repositories.

PubMed

Castellote, Marta; Menéndez, Esperanza; Andrade, Carmen; Zuloaga, Pablo; Navarro, Mariano; Ordóñez, Manuel

2004-05-15

Electric arc furnace dust (EAFD), generated by the steel-making industry, is in itself an intrinsic hazardous waste; however, the case may also be that scrap used in the process is accidentally contaminated by radioactive elements such as cesium. In this case the resulting EAFD is to be handled as radioactive waste, being duly confined in low- and medium-activity repositories (LMAR). What this paper studies is the reliability of using this radioactive EAFD as an addition in the immobilization mortar of the containers of the LMAR, that is, from the point of view of the durability. Different mixes of mortar containing different percentages of EAFD have been subjected to flexural and compressive strength, initial and final setting time, XRD study, total porosity and pore size distribution, determination of the chloride diffusion coefficient, dimensional stability tests, hydration heat, workability of the fresh mix, and leaching behavior. What is deduced from the results is that for the conditions used in this research, (cement + sand) can be replaced by EAFD upto a ratio [EAFD/(cement + EAFD)] of 46% in the immobilization mortar of LMAR, apparently without any loss in the long-term durability properties of the mortar.

The effect of discovery learning and problem-based learning on middle school students’ self-regulated learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miatun, A.; Muntazhimah

2018-01-01

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of learning models on mathematics achievement viewed from student’s self-regulated learning. The learning model compared were discovery learning and problem-based learning. The population was all students at the grade VIII of Junior High School in Boyolali regency. The samples were students of SMPN 4 Boyolali, SMPN 6 Boyolali, and SMPN 4 Mojosongo. The instruments used were mathematics achievement tests and self-regulated learning questionnaire. The data were analyzed using unbalanced two-ways Anova. The conclusion was as follows: (1) discovery learning gives better achievement than problem-based learning. (2) Achievement of students who have high self-regulated learning was better than students who have medium and low self-regulated learning. (3) For discovery learning, achievement of students who have high self-regulated learning was better than students who have medium and low self-regulated learning. For problem-based learning, students who have high and medium self-regulated learning have the same achievement. (4) For students who have high self-regulated learning, discovery learning gives better achievement than problem-based learning. Students who have medium and low self-regulated learning, both learning models give the same achievement.

Visualizing medium and biodistribution in complex cell culture bioreactors using in vivo imaging.

PubMed

Ratcliffe, E; Thomas, R J; Stacey, A J

2014-01-01

There is a dearth of technology and methods to aid process characterization, control and scale-up of complex culture platforms that provide niche micro-environments for some stem cell-based products. We have demonstrated a novel use of 3d in vivo imaging systems to visualize medium flow and cell distribution within a complex culture platform (hollow fiber bioreactor) to aid characterization of potential spatial heterogeneity and identify potential routes of bioreactor failure or sources of variability. This can then aid process characterization and control of such systems with a view to scale-up. Two potential sources of variation were observed with multiple bioreactors repeatedly imaged using two different imaging systems: shortcutting of medium between adjacent inlet and outlet ports with the potential to create medium gradients within the bioreactor, and localization of bioluminescent murine 4T1-luc2 cells upon inoculation with the potential to create variable seeding densities at different points within the cell growth chamber. The ability of the imaging technique to identify these key operational bioreactor characteristics demonstrates an emerging technique in troubleshooting and engineering optimization of bioreactor performance. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Associations between family and clinician ratings of child mental health: A study of UK CAMHS assessments and outcomes.

PubMed

Terrelonge, Dion N; Fugard, Andrew Jb

2017-10-01

The rated severity of child mental health problems depends on who is doing the rating, whether child, carer or clinician. It is important to know how these ratings relate to each other. To investigate to what extent clinicians' views are associated with carers' and young people's views in routine care in the United Kingdom. Ratings of clinician and parent/child viewpoints from a large Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) sample ( ns 1773-47,299), as measured by the Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) respectively, were analysed. The parent SDQ added value score (AVS), which adjusts for regression to the mean and other non-treatment change, was also included in the analyses. Small-to-medium correlations were found between family and clinician ratings; however, ratings diverged for the lowest-function CGAS bands. Regression analyses showed that pro-social ratings from both child and parent contributed to clinician ratings. Knowing child-reported emotional problem severity made parent ratings of emotions irrelevant to clinician judgements. There was a positive association between SDQ AVS and CGAS; as hypothesised, CGAS showed more change than the SDQ AVS, suggesting that clinicians over-estimate change. This study shows the importance of multi-informant data gathering and the integration of multiple views by clinicians when monitoring outcomes.

Middle and small manufacture enterprise e-commerce application systems research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Mingqiang

2017-04-01

With the extensive application of electronic commerce in manufacturing enterprises, e-commerce the influence of operation is increasingly becoming the focus of academic and business circles on the basis, this paper probes into the influence of e-commerce on the operation of the enterprise for the manufacturing enterprises to correctly understand the performance of e-commerce to provide a little help. The article first analyses e-commerce new environment on medium manufacturing enterprise requires, current medium manufacturing enterprise achieved e-commerce has many difficult, should e-commerce correctly awareness, and full planning, and points step implementation, and e-commerce and enterprise integration, and construction features of e-commerce platform, and procurement and supply chain of collaborative management, and attention customer management, and variety e-commerce of mode mixed, and flexible effective operations, and logistics socialization, views, focus on small and medium manufacturing enterprises in e-commerce applications to be innovative in design, production and management of agile and flexible production strategies.

Fluoroscopic Sacroiliac Joint Injection: Is Oblique Angulation Really Necessary?

PubMed

Khuba, Sandeep; Agarwal, Anil; Gautam, Sujeet; Kumar, Sanjay

2016-01-01

The conventional technique for sacroiliac (SI) joint injection involves aligning the anterior and posterior aspects of the SI joint under fluoroscopic guidance and then entering the SI joint in the most caudal aspect. We wish to highlight that there is no added advantage to aligning both the anterior and posterior joint lines of the SI joint as it is time consuming, associated with additional radiation exposure, and may make the entry into the posterior SI joint technically more difficult. Observational study. Pain Clinic, Department of Anesthesiology. With the patient lying prone on fluoroscopy table, SI joint injection is performed with a 22 G, 10 cm spinal needle in a true anteroposterior (AP) view, where anterior and posterior SI joint spaces are seen as separate entities, where the medial joint space represents the posterior SI joint and the lateral joint space represents the anterior SI joint. The distal 1 cm of the medial joint space is entered under AP view. If the SI joint is seen as a straight line rather than 2 joint spaces in the AP view then the image intensifier of the fluoroscope was tilted cranially to elongate the image of the lower part of the posterior SI joint, thus facilitating entry into this part of the joint which was confirmed by administering 0.3 to 0.5 mL of radiopaque contrast medium. Sixty SI joints of 58 patients were injected under an AP fluoroscopic view. Forty-two (70%) SI joints were seen as 2 separate medial and lateral joint spaces and were entered in distal 1 cm of the medial joint space. In 18 (30%) joints seen as a straight line rather than 2 separate spaces, the image intensifier of the fluoroscope was tilted cranially to elongate the image of the lower part of the posterior SI joint and then the SI joint was entered in its distal 1 cm. Confirmation of entry into the SI joint was confirmed by with 0.3 to 0.5 mL of radiopaque contrast medium. In 4 cases the joints did not show the correct radiopaque contrast spread (3/42 and 1/18) although the needle seemed to be in the joint space. Small sample size. Aligning the anterior and posterior aspects of SI joint for fluoroscopic guided SI joint injection is not necessary for the success of the block.Key words: Sacroiliac joint, injection, anteroposterior view, oblique angulation, fluoroscopic technique.

Medium term hurricane catastrophe models: a validation experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonazzi, Alessandro; Turner, Jessica; Dobbin, Alison; Wilson, Paul; Mitas, Christos; Bellone, Enrica

2013-04-01

Climate variability is a major source of uncertainty for the insurance industry underwriting hurricane risk. Catastrophe models provide their users with a stochastic set of events that expands the scope of the historical catalogue by including synthetic events that are likely to happen in a defined time-frame. The use of these catastrophe models is widespread in the insurance industry but it is only in recent years that climate variability has been explicitly accounted for. In the insurance parlance "medium term catastrophe model" refers to products that provide an adjusted view of risk that is meant to represent hurricane activity on a 1 to 5 year horizon, as opposed to long term models that integrate across the climate variability of the longest available time series of observations. In this presentation we discuss how a simple reinsurance program can be used to assess the value of medium term catastrophe models. We elaborate on similar concepts as discussed in "Potential Economic Value of Seasonal Hurricane Forecasts" by Emanuel et al. (2012, WCAS) and provide an example based on 24 years of historical data of the Chicago Mercantile Hurricane Index (CHI), an insured loss proxy. Profit and loss volatility of a hypothetical primary insurer are used to score medium term models versus their long term counterpart. Results show that medium term catastrophe models could help a hypothetical primary insurer to improve their financial resiliency to varying climate conditions.

Tribological Behavior of Electroless Ni-P Coatings in Various Corrosive Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panja, Bikash; Das, Suman Kalyan; Sahoo, Prasanta

2016-04-01

The present paper deals with the study of tribological characteristics, viz. friction and wear, of electroless Ni-P coating in corrosive environments (brine, acidic and alkaline) by varying different coating process parameters as well as varying the tribological testing parameters, viz. applied load and speed. The optimized results of coating process parameters for minimum friction and wear performance of the coating are presented. Moreover, a detailed study of the tribological behavior of the coating is undertaken individually for the three corrosive environments. The results obtained are compared among each other and also with the dry condition test of the coating. It is found that the friction coefficient of Ni-P coating decreases with increase in load for all environments. In case of wear, the wear rate of Ni-P coating gradually increases with increase in load for all mediums but the same decreases after 40N in brine and alkaline mediums. However, for acidic solution, the wear rate shows a continuous increasing trend. It is observed that alkaline and brine environments are favorable from friction and wear point of view of the coating, respectively. Microstructure study of the coatings is also performed and the coating is found to be of cauliflower-like morphology. The coating also exhibits amorphous structure in as-deposited condition, which gradually turns crystalline with heat treatment.

Gender Differences in the Consequences of Divorce: A Study of Multiple Outcomes.

PubMed

Leopold, Thomas

2018-06-01

In this study, I examined gender differences in the consequences of divorce by tracing annual change in 20 outcome measures covering four domains: economic, housing and domestic, health and well-being, and social. I used data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) and fixed-effects panel regression models on a sample of N = 18,030 individuals initially observed in a marital union, N = 1,220 of whom divorced across the observation period (1984-2015). Three main findings emerged from the analysis. First, men were more vulnerable to short-term consequences of divorce for subjective measures of well-being, but postdivorce adaptation alleviated gender differences in these outcomes. Second, a medium-term view on multiple outcomes showed more similarity than differences between women and men. The medium-term consequences of divorce were similar in terms of subjective economic well-being; mental health, physical health, and psychological well-being; residential moves, homeownership, and satisfaction with housework; and chances of repartnering, social integration with friends and relatives, and feelings of loneliness. Third, the key domain in which large and persistent gender differences emerged were women's disproportionate losses in household income and associated increases in their risk of poverty and single parenting. Taken together, these findings suggest that men's disproportionate strain of divorce is transient, whereas women's is chronic.

A new species of Scinax from the Purus-Madeira interfluve, Brazilian Amazonia (Anura, Hylidae).

PubMed

Ferrão, Miquéias; Moravec, Jiří; de Fraga, Rafael; de Almeida, Alexandre Pinheiro; Kaefer, Igor Luis; Lima, Albertina Pimentel

2017-01-01

A new tree frog species of the genus Scinax from the interfluve between the Purus and Madeira rivers, Brazilian Amazonia, is described and illustrated. The new species is diagnosed by medium body size, snout truncate in dorsal view, ulnar and tarsal tubercles absent, nuptial pads poorly developed, skin on dorsum shagreen, dorsum light brown with dark brown spots and markings, white groin with black spots, anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs black, and iris bright orange. The advertisement call consists of a single short note, with 16-18 pulses and dominant frequency at 1572-1594 Hz. Tadpoles are characterized by body ovoid in dorsal view and triangular in lateral view, tail higher than body, oral disc located anteroventrally and laterally emarginated, dorsum of body uniformly grey-brown with dark brown eye-snout stripe in preservative, fins translucent with small to large irregular diffuse dark brown spots.

A new species of Scinax from the Purus-Madeira interfluve, Brazilian Amazonia (Anura, Hylidae)

PubMed Central

Ferrão, Miquéias; Moravec, Jiří; de Fraga, Rafael; de Almeida, Alexandre Pinheiro; Kaefer, Igor Luis; Lima, Albertina Pimentel

2017-01-01

Abstract A new tree frog species of the genus Scinax from the interfluve between the Purus and Madeira rivers, Brazilian Amazonia, is described and illustrated. The new species is diagnosed by medium body size, snout truncate in dorsal view, ulnar and tarsal tubercles absent, nuptial pads poorly developed, skin on dorsum shagreen, dorsum light brown with dark brown spots and markings, white groin with black spots, anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs black, and iris bright orange. The advertisement call consists of a single short note, with 16−18 pulses and dominant frequency at 1572−1594 Hz. Tadpoles are characterized by body ovoid in dorsal view and triangular in lateral view, tail higher than body, oral disc located anteroventrally and laterally emarginated, dorsum of body uniformly grey-brown with dark brown eye-snout stripe in preservative, fins translucent with small to large irregular diffuse dark brown spots. PMID:29118625

Visidep (TM): A Three-Dimensional Imaging System For The Unaided Eye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaurin, A. Porter; Jones, Edwin R.; Cathey, LeConte

1984-05-01

The VISIDEP process for creating images in three dimensions on flat screens is suitable for photographic, electrographic and computer generated imaging systems. Procedures for generating these images vary from medium to medium due to the specific requirements of each technology. Imaging requirements for photographic and electrographic media are more directly tied to the hardware than are computer based systems. Applications of these technologies are not limited to entertainment, but have implications for training, interactive computer/video systems, medical imaging, and inspection equipment. Through minor modification the system can provide three-dimensional images with accurately measureable relationships for robotics and adds this factor for future developments in artificial intelligence. In almost any area requiring image analysis or critical review, VISIDEP provides the added advantage of three-dimensionality. All of this is readily accomplished without aids to the human eye. The system can be viewed in full color, false-color infra-red, and monochromatic modalities from any angle and is also viewable with a single eye. Thus, the potential of application for this developing system is extensive and covers the broad spectrum of human endeavor from entertainment to scientific study.

Featured Image: Structures in the Interstellar Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-02-01

This beautiful false-color image (which covers 57 degrees2; click for the full view!) reveals structures in the hydrogen gas that makes up the diffuse atomic interstellar medium at intermediate latitudes in our galaxy. The imagewas created by representing three velocity channels with colors red for gas moving at 7.59 km/s, green for 5.12 km/s, and blue for 2.64 km/s and it shows the dramatically turbulent and filamentary structure of this gas. This image is one of many stunning, high-resolution observations that came out of the DRAO HI Intermediate Galactic Latitude Survey, a program that used the Synthesis Telescope at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in British Columbia to map faint hydrogen emission at intermediate latitudes in the Milky Way. The findings from the program were recently published in a study led by Kevin Blagrave (Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Toronto); to find out more about what they learned, check out the paper below!CitationK. Blagrave et al 2017 ApJ 834 126. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/834/2/126

How grow-and-switch gravitropism generates root coiling and root waving growth responses in Medicago truncatula.

PubMed

Tan, Tzer Han; Silverberg, Jesse L; Floss, Daniela S; Harrison, Maria J; Henley, Christopher L; Cohen, Itai

2015-10-20

Experimental studies show that plant root morphologies can vary widely from straight gravity-aligned primary roots to fractal-like root architectures. However, the opaqueness of soil makes it difficult to observe how environmental factors modulate these patterns. Here, we combine a transparent hydrogel growth medium with a custom built 3D laser scanner to directly image the morphology of Medicago truncatula primary roots. In our experiments, root growth is obstructed by an inclined plane in the growth medium. As the tilt of this rigid barrier is varied, we find Medicago transitions between randomly directed root coiling, sinusoidal root waving, and normal gravity-aligned morphologies. Although these root phenotypes appear morphologically distinct, our analysis demonstrates the divisions are less well defined, and instead, can be viewed as a 2D biased random walk that seeks the path of steepest decent along the inclined plane. Features of this growth response are remarkably similar to the widely known run-and-tumble chemotactic behavior of Escherichia coli bacteria, where biased random walks are used as optimal strategies for nutrient uptake.

Experimental study on the influence of slickwater on shale permeability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhonghua; Bai, Baojun; Zhang, Zheyu; Tang, Jing; Zeng, Shunpeng; Li, Xiaogang

2018-02-01

There are two diametrically opposite views of the influence of slickwater on shale permeability among scholars at home and abroad. We used the shale outcrops rock samples from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin. The permeability of these dry samples before and after immersion in different solution systems were tested by pulse attenuation method. The experimental results show that the impregnation of different slickwater components and standard salt solution can promote the increase of the permeability of shale samples. The stress sensitivity of shale samples after liquid immersion is medium weak to weak. The sample stress sensitivity is weak after soaked by the synergist solution and Drag reducing agent solution, and the sensitivity of the sample stress is medium weak after immersed by the standard saline solution, defoamer solution and antiswelling solution; The Ki/K0 of the shale sample after liquid immersion on σi/σ0 is consistent with the exponential stress sensitive evaluation model. With the increase of soaking time, the increase of sample permeability increases first and then decreases.

GENERAL EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING NORTHEAST, OF THE SURFACE PLANT WITH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

GENERAL EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING NORTHEAST, OF THE SURFACE PLANT WITH CONVEYORS. JIM WALTER RESOURCES INC. MINING DIVISION OPERATES FOUR UNDERGROUND COAL MINES IN THE BLUE CREEK COAL FIELD OF BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT, THREE IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY AND ONE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. TOTAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION IS 8,000,000 TONS. AT 2,300 DEEP, JIM WALTER'S BROOKWOOD MINES ARE THE DEEPEST UNDERGROUND COAL MINES IN NORTH AMERICA. THEY PRODUCE A HIGH-GRADE MEDIUM VOLATILE LOW SULPHUR METALLURGICAL COAL. THE BROOKWOOD NO. 5 MINE (PICTURED IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH) EMPLOYS THE LONGWALL MINING TECHNIQUES WITH BELTS CONVEYING COAL FROM UNDERGROUND OPERATIONS TO THE SURFACE. - JIm Walter Resources, Incorporated, Brookwood No. 5 Mine, 12972 Lock 17 Road, Brookwood, Tuscaloosa County, AL

Three-dimensional liquid flattened Luneburg lens with ultra-wide viewing angle and frequency band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Lingling; Tian, Xiaoyong; Yin, Ming; Li, Dichen; Tang, Yiping

2013-08-01

Traditional Luneburg lens is a dielectric spherical antenna. It can focus the incoming collimated electromagnetic waves on its spherical surface, which causes the incompatibility with the planar feeding and receiving devices. Furthermore, the difficulties in the fabrication process also limited its applications. In this paper, a three-dimensional flattened Luneburg lens with a field-of-view angle up to 180° has been realized based on a liquid medium approach and a 3D-printing process. The fabricated three-dimensional lens showed a broadband transmission characteristic from 12.4 GHz to 18 GHz. The performance of the proposed lens was demonstrated by simulation and experimental results.

The role of random nanostructures for the omnidirectional anti-reflection properties of the glasswing butterfly.

PubMed

Siddique, Radwanul Hasan; Gomard, Guillaume; Hölscher, Hendrik

2015-04-22

The glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) has, as its name suggests, transparent wings with remarkable low haze and reflectance over the whole visible spectral range even for large view angles of 80°. This omnidirectional anti-reflection behaviour is caused by small nanopillars covering the transparent regions of its wings. In difference to other anti-reflection coatings found in nature, these pillars are irregularly arranged and feature a random height and width distribution. Here we simulate the optical properties with the effective medium theory and transfer matrix method and show that the random height distribution of pillars significantly reduces the reflection not only for normal incidence but also for high view angles.

Vertical view of Arab Republic of Egypt from ASTP mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-07-19

AST-09-555 (19 July 1975) --- A vertical view of a portion of the Arab Republic of Egypt, as photographed from the Apollo spacecraft in Earth orbit during the joint U.S.-USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. The Nile Delta is in the most northerly corner of the picture. The City of Cairo on the Nile River is in the center of the photograph. The Gulf of Suez is in the most easterly corner of the picture. El Faiyum is south-southwest of Cairo. This picture was taken at an altitude of 223 kilometers (138 statute miles), with a 70mm Hasselblad camera using medium-speed Ektachrome QX-807 type film.

Pacific Coast of Southern California including Los Angeles and San Diego

NASA Image and Video Library

1974-02-01

SL4-142-4542 (November 1973-February 1974) --- An oblique view of the Pacific Coast of Southern California, including the Los Angeles and San Diego areas, as seen from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. This picture was taken by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen using a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad camera with a 100mm lens and SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome film. The visible coastline extends from San Diego northwesterly to Santa Barbara. The Mojave Desert occupies much of the photograph. This view also includes the Channel Islands off the coast. Note that the higher elevations of the mountains are covered with snow. Photo credit: NASA

A preliminary comparison of scanning vs nonscanning radiometer data from Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, X.; Smith, W. L.; Herman, L. D.

1986-01-01

A cross validation technique is used to simulate the radiation flux detected by the nonscanning wide FOV (WFOV) and medium FOV (MFOV) radiometers on the ERBS by integrating the top of atmosphere spectral radiance recorded with narrow FOV (NFOV) sensors. Consideration is given to both bidirectional and isotropic radiance contributions, including all shortwave and longwave components. A weighting procedure is defined to adjust for missing or inaccurate data records and a coordinate transformation is devised to account for angular discrepancies among the views of the WFOV, MFOV and NFOV sensors. Student t-test values were calculated for values generated for whole orbit average, morning, noon, evening and night subsatellite views.

Spectral ballistic imaging: a novel technique for viewing through turbid or obstructing media.

PubMed

Granot, Er'el; Sternklar, Shmuel

2003-08-01

We propose a new method for viewing through turbid or obstructing media. The medium is illuminated with a modulated cw laser and the amplitude and phase of the transmitted (or reflected) signal is measured. This process takes place for a set of wavelengths in a certain wide band. In this way we acquire the Fourier transform of the temporal output. With this information we can reconstruct the temporal shape of the transmitted signal by computing the inverse transform. The proposed method benefits from the advantages of the first-light technique: high resolution, simple algorithms, insensitivity to boundary condition, etc., without suffering from its main deficiencies: complex and expensive equipment.

The role of random nanostructures for the omnidirectional anti-reflection properties of the glasswing butterfly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddique, Radwanul Hasan; Gomard, Guillaume; Hölscher, Hendrik

2015-04-01

The glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) has, as its name suggests, transparent wings with remarkable low haze and reflectance over the whole visible spectral range even for large view angles of 80°. This omnidirectional anti-reflection behaviour is caused by small nanopillars covering the transparent regions of its wings. In difference to other anti-reflection coatings found in nature, these pillars are irregularly arranged and feature a random height and width distribution. Here we simulate the optical properties with the effective medium theory and transfer matrix method and show that the random height distribution of pillars significantly reduces the reflection not only for normal incidence but also for high view angles.

Late psychological sequelae of abortion: questions from a primary care perspective.

PubMed

Butler, C

1996-10-01

Research strongly supports the view that pregnancy termination is seldom associated with adverse psychological sequelae in the short to medium term, but experience shows that there is a small group of women who experience long and intense suffering. This is a report of the cases of two women who presented with psychological problems associated with a termination 19 and 5 years earlier.

TRAINING HEALTH SERVICE WORKERS--THE CRITICAL CHALLENGE, PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE ON JOB DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING FOR WORKERS IN HEALTH SERVICES (WASHINGTON, D.C., FEBRUARY 14-17, 1966).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KRAMER, LUCY M.

THREE HUNDRED REPRESENTATIVES OF LABOR, MANAGEMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, AND OTHER INTERESTED GROUPS ATTENDED A CONFERENCE PLANNED AS A MEDIUM TO DISCUSS ISSUES, EXCHANGE VIEWS, AND SHARE EXPERIENCES IN MATCHING PEOPLE AND JOBS. SPEECHES INCLUDE--(1) "GREETINGS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR" BY…

(Re)locating (I)dentity With(in) Politicized (Re)presentation of Fe/Male Body in Kamala Das' Poetry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sultana, Sharmin; Sarwar, Nadia

2016-01-01

This paper is going to argue that the selected poems of renowned Indian poet Kamala Das are inclined to relocate both feminine and masculine identity through the politicized representation of body. Kamala Das' representation of body in her poems has always been viewed as a medium of re-historicizing the pain, sufferings, and psychological trauma…

A Mixed-Method Program Implementation: Overcoming Obstacles Life Skills Program in a Medium-Sized Suburban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Jennifer

2016-01-01

While many educators viewed transition as a one-time event, it often proved to be more of a process than simply an occasion (Cohen & Smerdon, 2009). The researcher observed through the role as a school counselor that students with high anxiety tended to exhibit low resilience during times of transition. In order to assist students as they…

Choreographing the Frame: A Critical Investigation into How Dance for the Camera Extends the Conceptual and Artistic Boundaries of Dance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston, Hilary

2006-01-01

This essay investigates the collaboration between dance and choreographic practice and film/video medium in a contemporary context. By looking specifically at dance made for the camera and the proliferation of dance-film/video, critical issues will be explored that have surfaced in response to this burgeoning form. Presenting a view of avant-garde…

Medium-Energy Particle experiments (MEPs) for the Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasahara, S.; Yokota, S.; Mitani, T.; Asamura, K.; Hirahara, M.; Shibano, Y.; Yamamoto, K.; Takashima, T.

2017-12-01

ERG (Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace) is the geospace exploration spacecraft, which was launched on 20 December 2016. The mission goal is to unveil the physics behind the drastic radiation belt variability during space storms. One of key observations is the measurement of ions and electrons in the medium-energy range (10-200 keV), since these particles excite EMIC, magnetosonic, and whistler waves, which are theoretically suggested to play significant roles in the relativistic electron acceleration and loss. Medium-Energy Particle experiments - electron analyser (MEP-e) measures the energy and the direction of each incoming electron in the range of 7 to 87 keV. The sensor covers 2π radian disk-like field-of-view with 16 detectors, and the solid angle coverage is achieved by using spacecraft spin motion. The electron energy is independently measured by an electrostatic analyser and avalanche photodiodes, enabling the significant background reduction. Medium-Energy Particle experiments - ion mass analyzer (MEP-i) measures the energy, mass, and charge state of the direction of each incoming ion in the medium-energy range (<10 to >180 keV/q). MEP-i thus provides the velocity distribution functions of medium-energy ions (e.g., protons and oxygens), from which we can obtain significant information on local ion energization and pitch angle scattering in the inner magnetosphere. Heavy ion measurements can also play an important role to restrict global mass transport including the ionosphere and the plasmasheet. Here we show the technical approaches, data output, and highlights of initial observations.

How does C-VIEW image quality compare with conventional 2D FFDM?

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

Nelson, Jeffrey S., E-mail: nelson.jeffrey@duke.edu; Wells, Jered R.; Baker, Jay A.

Purpose: The FDA approved the use of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in 2011 as an adjunct to 2D full field digital mammography (FFDM) with the constraint that all DBT acquisitions must be paired with a 2D image to assure adequate interpretative information is provided. Recently manufacturers have developed methods to provide a synthesized 2D image generated from the DBT data with the hope of sparing patients the radiation exposure from the FFDM acquisition. While this much needed alternative effectively reduces the total radiation burden, differences in image quality must also be considered. The goal of this study was to comparemore » the intrinsic image quality of synthesized 2D C-VIEW and 2D FFDM images in terms of resolution, contrast, and noise. Methods: Two phantoms were utilized in this study: the American College of Radiology mammography accreditation phantom (ACR phantom) and a novel 3D printed anthropomorphic breast phantom. Both phantoms were imaged using a Hologic Selenia Dimensions 3D system. Analysis of the ACR phantom includes both visual inspection and objective automated analysis using in-house software. Analysis of the 3D anthropomorphic phantom includes visual assessment of resolution and Fourier analysis of the noise. Results: Using ACR-defined scoring criteria for the ACR phantom, the FFDM images scored statistically higher than C-VIEW according to both the average observer and automated scores. In addition, between 50% and 70% of C-VIEW images failed to meet the nominal minimum ACR accreditation requirements—primarily due to fiber breaks. Software analysis demonstrated that C-VIEW provided enhanced visualization of medium and large microcalcification objects; however, the benefits diminished for smaller high contrast objects and all low contrast objects. Visual analysis of the anthropomorphic phantom showed a measureable loss of resolution in the C-VIEW image (11 lp/mm FFDM, 5 lp/mm C-VIEW) and loss in detection of small microcalcification objects. Spectral analysis of the anthropomorphic phantom showed higher total noise magnitude in the FFDM image compared with C-VIEW. Whereas the FFDM image contained approximately white noise texture, the C-VIEW image exhibited marked noise reduction at midfrequency and high frequency with far less noise suppression at low frequencies resulting in a mottled noise appearance. Conclusions: Their analysis demonstrates many instances where the C-VIEW image quality differs from FFDM. Compared to FFDM, C-VIEW offers a better depiction of objects of certain size and contrast, but provides poorer overall resolution and noise properties. Based on these findings, the utilization of C-VIEW images in the clinical setting requires careful consideration, especially if considering the discontinuation of FFDM imaging. Not explicitly explored in this study is how the combination of DBT + C-VIEW performs relative to DBT + FFDM or FFDM alone.« less

Assessment and prevention of the avalanche risk on medium-high mountain from a geo-historical point of view. The Vosges range (France) as a case study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacona, Florie; Martin, Brice; David, Pierre-Marie

2010-05-01

To mention avalanche risks in the Vosges generally causes certain disbelief because of its modest height. Moreover, as far as natural risks are concerned, and especially the avalanche risk, medium-high mountains are not usually studied. The attention is more focused on the spectacular and destructive phenomena that occur in highest mountains such as the Alps or the Pyrenees. However, in January and February 2000, fifteen people were victims of avalanches and three of them died. These accidents have suddenly drawn attention to the fact that avalanche risk is underestimated. In opposition to the Alps and Pyrenees there is no study or systematic inventory of avalanches in the medium-high mountain ranges. Moreover, the many research and methodological articles dedicated to studies on avalanches in the high mountain ranges do not, unfortunately, raise any concerns about medium-high mountain ranges. So, we had to develop a new research method based on handwritten, printed, and oral sources as well as on observations. The results of this historical research exceeded all expectations. About 300 avalanche events have been reported since the end of the 18th century; they happened in about 90 avalanche paths. Spatial and temporal distributions of the avalanche events can be explained by climate, vulnerability and land use evolutions. The vulnerability has evolved since the 18th century: material vulnerability decreased whereas human vulnerability increased due to the expansion of winter sports. Finally we focus our study on the perception of the avalanche risk by the winter sports adepts in the Vosges mountains. Indeed, at the beginning of this research, we were directly confronted to a lack of knowledge, or even to an ignorance, of the avalanche risk. Several factors contribute to this situation among which the topography. Even though some places in the Vosges mountains look like the alpine topography, most of the summits are rounded. Furthermore, this mountain presents an annual and seasonal variability of snowfall and snow height. And the summits and slopes which present an avalanche risk can be easily reached in wintertime thanks to car parks close to the summits and the clearing of snow from the roads. A study is therefore being carried out in order to understand the mechanisms of perception and awareness of the avalanche risk. This is the first step towards the development of a new prevention method adapted to the recreational public in medium-high mountains.

Public views of different sources of health advice: pharmacists, social media and mobile health applications.

PubMed

Crilly, Philip; Jair, Sophia; Mahmood, Zahra; Moin Khan, Armineh; Munir, Aneesah; Osei-Bediako, Irene; Samir, Mustafa; Kayyali, Reem

2018-05-06

Investigating public perceptions of community pharmacists (CP) in public health and their use of social media (SM) and mobile health applications (MH apps) in that regard. Two surveys were created. One sought public perceptions of SM and the other of MH apps for health advice. Both included a section on perceptions of the role of CPs in public health. A convenience sampling strategy, based on proximity, was used.The study population was the public (n = 8 500 000) living in Greater London. The general public were recruited face-to-face in public spaces. A minimum sample (95% confidence interval/5% margin of error) of 385 was needed. Ethical approval was obtained from the university ethics committee. Responses were analysed in SPSS. About 820/1800 (45.6%) completed one/both surveys. Respondents seek health advice primarily from GPs, followed by digital mediums and then CPs. Under 35s use digital mediums more frequently (P = 0.039). Those who had used SM (41.7%) or MH apps (61.8%) for health information did not confirm its accuracy with a healthcare professional (HCP). Of those that did (MH apps = 39.2%; SM = 58.3%), the HCP disagreed with the information on MH apps and SM on 19.6% and 36.7% of occasions, respectively. Nevertheless, 64.5% stated that if a SM page was maintained by an HCP they would use it. The public are using digital mediums for health advice instead of speaking to an HCP. If CPs want to have an impact on public health they must start imbedding digital mediums into their services. © 2018 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Website Service Quality in Ireland: An Empirical Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, Regina

Despite the fact that service quality is a critical determinant of website success, studies show that consumers frequently view the service quality delivered through websites as unsatisfactory. This paper outlines a study that investigated the dimensions of website service excellence valued by Irish customers of a small-to-medium enterprise specialising in gifts. The E-S-QUAL measurement instrument was applied to the customers who purchase products online from this retailer, in order to determine their purchasing patterns and the dimensions of e-service quality that they value. The results of this study indicate the effectiveness of the instrument in determining gaps in e-service quality. The findings will be of benefit both to practitioners and researchers seeking to improve their understanding of the factors that contribute towards the creation and maintenance of consumer satisfaction in Irish online transactions.

Big hits on the small screen: an evaluation of concussion-related videos on YouTube.

PubMed

Williams, David; Sullivan, S John; Schneiders, Anthony G; Ahmed, Osman Hassan; Lee, Hopin; Balasundaram, Arun Prasad; McCrory, Paul R

2014-01-01

YouTube is one of the largest social networking websites, allowing users to upload and view video content that provides entertainment and conveys many messages, including those related to health conditions, such as concussion. However, little is known about the content of videos relating to concussion. To identify and classify the content of concussion-related videos available on YouTube. An observational study using content analysis. YouTube's video database was systematically searched using 10 search terms selected from MeSH and Google Adwords. The 100 videos with the largest view counts were chosen from the identified videos. These videos and their accompanying text were analysed for purpose, source and description of content by a panel of assessors who classified them into data-driven thematic categories. 434 videos met the inclusion criteria and the 100 videos with the largest view counts were chosen. The most common categories of the videos were the depiction of a sporting injury (37%) and news reports (25%). News and media organisations were the predominant source (51%) of concussion-related videos on YouTube, with very few being uploaded by professional or academic organisations. The median number of views per video was 26 191. Although a wide range of concussion-related videos were identified, there is a need for healthcare and educational organisations to explore YouTube as a medium for the dissemination of quality-controlled information on sports concussion.

Study on influence of three kinds of stress on crack propagation in butt welds of spiral coil waterwall for ultra supercritical boiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zhenrong; Si, Jun

2017-09-01

The spiral coil waterwall is the main pressure parts and the core functional components of Ultra Supercritical Boiler. In the process of operation, the spiral coil waterwall is under the combined action of welding residual stress, installation defects stress and working fluid stress, Cracks and crack propagation are easy to occur in butt welds with defects. In view of the early cracks in the butt welds of more T23 water cooled walls, in this paper, the influence of various stresses on the crack propagation in the butt welds of spiral coil waterwall was studied by numerical simulation. Firstly, the welding process of T23 water cooled wall tube was simulated, and the welding residual stress field was obtained. Then,on the basis, put the working medium load on the spiral coil waterwall, the supercoated stress distribution of the welding residual stress and the stress of the working medium is obtained. Considering the bending moment formed by stagger joint which is the most common installation defects, the stress field distribution of butt welds in T23 water-cooled wall tubes was obtained by applying bending moment on the basis of the stress field of the welding residual stress and the working medium stress. The results show that, the welding residual stress is small, the effect of T23 heat treatment after welding to improve the weld quality is not obvious; The working medium load plays a great role in the hoop stress of the water cooled wall tube, and promotes the cracks in the butt welds; The axial stress on the water cooled wall tube produced by the installation defect stress is obvious, the stagger joint, and other installation defects are the main reason of crack propagation of spiral coil waterwall. It is recommended that the control the bending moment resulting from the stagger joint not exceed 756.5 NM.

Degree of Enhancement on Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) and Lesion Type on Mammography (MG): Comparison Based on Histological Results

PubMed Central

Łuczyńska, Elżbieta; Niemiec, Joanna; Hendrick, Edward; Heinze, Sylwia; Jaszczyński, Janusz; Jakubowicz, Jerzy; Sas-Korczyńska, Beata; Rys, Janusz

2016-01-01

Background Contrast enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is a new method of breast cancer diagnosis in which an iodinated contrast agent is injected and dual-energy mammography is obtained in multiple views of the breasts. The aim of this study was to compare the degree of enhancement on CESM with lesion characteristics on mammography (MG) and lesion histology in women with suspicious breast lesions. Material/Methods The degree of enhancement on CESM (absent, weak, medium, or strong) was compared to lesion characteristics on MG (mass, mass with microcalcifications, or microcalcifications alone) and histology (infiltrating carcinoma, intraductal carcinoma, or benign) to compare sensitivity of the two modalities and to establish correlations that might improve diagnostic accuracy. Results Among 225 lesions identified with CESM and MG, histological evaluation revealed 143 carcinomas (127 infiltrating, 16 intraductal) and 82 benign lesions. This is the largest cohort investigated with CESM to date. The sensitivity of CESM was higher than that of MG (100% and 90%, respectively, p=0.010). Medium or strong enhancement on CESM and the presence of a mass on MG was the most likely indictor of malignancy (55.1% p=0.002). Among benign lesions, 60% presented as enhancement on CESM (were false-positive), and most frequently as medium or weak enhancement, together with a mass on MG (53%, p=0.047). Unfortunately, the study did not find combinations of MG findings and CESM enhancement patterns that would be helpful in defining false-positive lesions. We observed systematic overestimation of maximum lesion diameter on CESM compared to histology (mean difference: 2.29 mm). Conclusions Strong or medium enhancement on CESM and mass or mass with microcalcifications on MG were strong indicators of malignant transformation. However, we found no combination of MG and CESM characteristics helpful in defining false-positive lesions. PMID:27768681

Degree of Enhancement on Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) and Lesion Type on Mammography (MG): Comparison Based on Histological Results.

PubMed

Łuczyńska, Elżbieta; Niemiec, Joanna; Hendrick, Edward; Heinze, Sylwia; Jaszczyński, Janusz; Jakubowicz, Jerzy; Sas-Korczyńska, Beata; Rys, Janusz

2016-10-21

BACKGROUND Contrast enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is a new method of breast cancer diagnosis in which an iodinated contrast agent is injected and dual-energy mammography is obtained in multiple views of the breasts. The aim of this study was to compare the degree of enhancement on CESM with lesion characteristics on mammography (MG) and lesion histology in women with suspicious breast lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS The degree of enhancement on CESM (absent, weak, medium, or strong) was compared to lesion characteristics on MG (mass, mass with microcalcifications, or microcalcifications alone) and histology (infiltrating carcinoma, intraductal carcinoma, or benign) to compare sensitivity of the two modalities and to establish correlations that might improve diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS Among 225 lesions identified with CESM and MG, histological evaluation revealed 143 carcinomas (127 infiltrating, 16 intraductal) and 82 benign lesions. This is the largest cohort investigated with CESM to date. The sensitivity of CESM was higher than that of MG (100% and 90%, respectively, p=0.010). Medium or strong enhancement on CESM and the presence of a mass on MG was the most likely indictor of malignancy (55.1% p=0.002). Among benign lesions, 60% presented as enhancement on CESM (were false-positive), and most frequently as medium or weak enhancement, together with a mass on MG (53%, p=0.047). Unfortunately, the study did not find combinations of MG findings and CESM enhancement patterns that would be helpful in defining false-positive lesions. We observed systematic overestimation of maximum lesion diameter on CESM compared to histology (mean difference: 2.29 mm). CONCLUSIONS Strong or medium enhancement on CESM and mass or mass with microcalcifications on MG were strong indicators of malignant transformation. However, we found no combination of MG and CESM characteristics helpful in defining false-positive lesions.

High-resolution molecular line observations of active galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Burillo, S.; Combes, F.; Usero, A.; Graciá-Carpio, J.

2008-10-01

The study of the content, distribution and kinematics of interstellar gas is a key to understand the origin and maintenance of both starburst and nuclear (AGN) activity in galaxies. The processes involved in AGN fueling encompass a wide range of scales, both spatial and temporal, which have to be studied. Probing the gas flow from the outer disk down to the central engine of an AGN host, requires the use of specific tracers of the interstellar medium adapted to follow the change of phase of the gas as a function of radius. Current mm-interferometers can provide a sharp view of the distribution and kinematics of molecular gas in the circumnuclear disks of galaxies through extensive CO line mapping. As such, CO maps are an essential tool to study AGN feeding mechanisms in the local universe. This is the scientific driver of the NUclei of GAlaxies (NUGA) survey, whose latest results are here reviewed. On the other hand, the use of specific molecular tracers of the dense gas phase can probe the feedback influence of activity on the chemistry and energy balance/redistribution in the interstellar medium of nearby galaxies. Millimeter interferometers are able to unveil the strong chemical differentiation present in the molecular gas disks of nearby starbursts and AGNs. Nearby active galaxies can be used as local templates to address the study of more distant galaxies where both star formation and AGN activity are deeply embedded.

Overview of GX launch services by GALEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Koji; Kondou, Yoshirou

2006-07-01

Galaxy Express Corporation (GALEX) is a launch service company in Japan to develop a medium size rocket, GX rocket and to provide commercial launch services for medium/small low Earth orbit (LEO) and Sun synchronous orbit (SSO) payloads with a future potential for small geo-stationary transfer orbit (GTO). It is GALEX's view that small/medium LEO/SSO payloads compose of medium scaled but stable launch market due to the nature of the missions. GX rocket is a two-stage rocket of well flight proven liquid oxygen (LOX)/kerosene booster and LOX/liquid natural gas (LNG) upper stage. This LOX/LNG propulsion under development by Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is robust with comparable performance as other propulsions and have future potential for wider application such as exploration programs. GX rocket is being developed through a joint work between the industries and GX rocket is applying a business oriented approach in order to realize competitive launch services for which well flight proven hardware and necessary new technology are to be introduced as much as possible. It is GALEX's goal to offer “Easy Access to Space”, a highly reliable and user-friendly launch services with a competitive price. GX commercial launch will start in Japanese fiscal year (JFY) 2007 2008.

Multi-scale investigation of shrub encroachment in southern Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aplin, Paul; Marston, Christopher; Wilkinson, David; Field, Richard; O'Regan, Hannah

2016-04-01

There is growing speculation that savannah environments throughout Africa have been subject to shrub encroachment in recent years, whereby grassland is lost to woody vegetation cover. Changes in the relative proportions of grassland and woodland are important in the context of conservation of savannah systems, with implications for faunal distributions, environmental management and tourism. Here, we focus on southern Kruger National Park, South Africa, and investigate whether or not shrub encroachment has occurred over the last decade and a half. We use a multi-scale approach, examining the complementarity of medium (e.g. Landsat TM and OLI) and fine (e.g. QuickBird and WorldView-2) spatial resolution satellite sensor imagery, supported by intensive field survey in 2002 and 2014. We employ semi-automated land cover classification, involving a hybrid unsupervised clustering approach with manual class grouping and checking, followed by change detection post-classification comparison analysis. The results show that shrub encroachment is indeed occurring, a finding evidenced through three fine resolution replicate images plus medium resolution imagery. The results also demonstrate the complementarity of medium and fine resolution imagery, though some thematic information must be sacrificed to maintain high medium resolution classification accuracy. Finally, the findings have broader implications for issues such as vegetation seasonality, spatial transferability and management practices.

Trial of infographics in Northern Ireland (TINI): Preliminary evaluation and results of a randomized controlled trial comparing infographics with text.

PubMed

McCrorie, Alan David; Chen, Jingwen Jessica; Weller, Ross; McGlade, Kieran John; Donnelly, Conan

2018-06-01

Infographics represent a potential means of improving public knowledge about cancer. However, there is little experimental evidence of their efficacy. This preliminary study investigates whether infographics are superior to text for the communication of information about cancer risk in old age via a three armed randomized controlled trial. Trial involved allocation concealment and block randomization of 30 male participants aged over 50 to receive text information (control) or one of two infographics (interventions). Participants who viewed an infographic were more likely to know the correct association between cancer risk and old age compared with those viewing text information (risk ratio = 3.0, 95% confidence interval 0.82-10.90). Participants had limited understanding of the phrases "cancer incidence" and "cancer prevalence" but good understanding of the phrases "cancer risk factor" and "cancer stage." Possession of good numerical skills appears to be a key determinant of ability to extract meaning from statistical information provided; regardless of format. Initial results suggest icon array infographics may be more effective communication mediums than text but further study with more participants and an updated infographic is necessary to confirm this finding. ISRCTN33951209.

The impact of stereo 3D sports TV broadcasts on user's depth perception and spatial presence experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weigelt, K.; Wiemeyer, J.

2014-03-01

This work examines the impact of content and presentation parameters in 2D versus 3D on depth perception and spatial presence, and provides guidelines for stereoscopic content development for 3D sports TV broadcasts and cognate subjects. Under consideration of depth perception and spatial presence experience, a preliminary study with 8 participants (sports: soccer and boxing) and a main study with 31 participants (sports: soccer and BMX-Miniramp) were performed. The dimension (2D vs. 3D) and camera position (near vs. far) were manipulated for soccer and boxing. In addition for soccer, the field of view (small vs. large) was examined. Moreover, the direction of motion (horizontal vs. depth) was considered for BMX-Miniramp. Subjective assessments, behavioural tests and qualitative interviews were implemented. The results confirm a strong effect of 3D on both depth perception and spatial presence experience as well as selective influences of camera distance and field of view. The results can improve understanding of the perception and experience of 3D TV as a medium. Finally, recommendations are derived on how to use various 3D sports ideally as content for TV broadcasts.

Spherical Lenses and Prisms Lead to Postural Instability in Both Dyslexic and Non Dyslexic Adolescents

PubMed Central

Kapoula, Zoi; Gaertner, Chrystal; Matheron, Eric

2012-01-01

There is controversy as to whether dyslexic children present systematic postural deficiency. Clinicians use a combination of ophthalmic prisms and proprioceptive soles to improve postural performances. This study examines the effects of convergent prisms and spherical lenses on posture. Fourteen dyslexics (13–17 years-old) and 11 non dyslexics (13–16 years-old) participated in the study. Quiet stance posturography was performed with the TechnoConcept device while subjects fixated a target at eye-level from a distance of 1_m. Four conditions were run: normal viewing; viewing the target with spherical lenses of −1 diopter (ACCOM1) over each eye; viewing with −3 diopters over each eye (ACCOM3); viewing with a convergent prism of 8 diopters per eye. Relative to normal viewing, the −1 lenses increased the surface of body sway significantly whereas the −3 diopter lenses only resulted in a significant increase of antero-posterior body sway. Thus, adolescents would appear to cope more effectively with stronger conflicts rather than subtle ones. The prism condition resulted in a significant increase in both the surface and the antero-posterior body sway. Importantly, all of these effects were similar for the two groups. Wavelet analysis (time frequency domain) revealed high spectral power of antero-posterior sway for the prism condition in both groups. In the ACCOM3 condition, the spectral power of antero-posterior sway decreased for non dyslexics but increased for dyslexics suggesting that dyslexics encounter more difficulty with accommodation. The cancelling time for medium range frequency (believed to be controlled by the cerebellum), was shorter in dyslexics, suggesting fewer instances of optimal control. We conclude that dyslexics achieve similar postural performances albeit less efficiently. Prisms and lenses destabilize posture for all teenagers. Thus, contrary to adults, adolescents do not seem to use efferent, proprioceptive ocular motor signals to improve their posture, at least not immediately when confronted to convergence accommodation conflict. PMID:23144786

China Report, Agriculture.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-26

utilization of genetic theories for the cultivation of good varieties, the adoption of reproductive biology, artificial insemination and embryonic implan...100 yuan of original value of fixed assets was higher than the large cities that had a population of 500,000 to 2 million people. Some " satellite ...view, the results of some " satellite cities" are better than those of the large and medium cities. For instance, the per capita value of output of

Transport of pollutants considered from the point of view of a short and medium range-material balance

Treesearch

Michel Benaire

1976-01-01

Episodical long-range transport is the quasi-instantaneous peak event. It does not express the total dosage of pollutant carried over from the source area to some distant place. The purpose of the present paper is to obtain an average material balance of a pollutant leaving a given area. Available information from the OECD "Long Range Transport of Air Pollutants...

SPHERES experiment session

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-24

ISS014-E-17880 (24 March 2007) --- This medium close-up view shows three bowling-ball-sized free-flying satellites called Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. SPHERES were designed to test control algorithms for spacecraft by performing autonomous rendezvous and docking maneuvers inside the station. The results are important for multi-body control and in designing constellation and array spacecraft configurations.

Teaching Surgical Procedures with Movies: Tips for High-quality Video Clips.

PubMed

Jacquemart, Mathieu; Bouletreau, Pierre; Breton, Pierre; Mojallal, Ali; Sigaux, Nicolas

2016-09-01

Video must now be considered as a precious tool for learning surgery. However, the medium does present production challenges, and currently, quality movies are not always accessible. We developed a series of 7 surgical videos and made them available on a publicly accessible internet website. Our videos have been viewed by thousands of people worldwide. High-quality educational movies must respect strategic and technical points to be reliable.

Comment on Egami's concept of the evolution of nitrate respiration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rambler, M.; Margulis, L.

1976-01-01

Recent results suggest that the presence of common nitrogen salts (sodium nitrite and nitrate) in the irradiation medium can markedly protect filamentous blue-green algae from potentially lethal ultraviolet irradiation. The present results as well as general biological arguments of Egami support and extend Egami's original view that anaerobic respiratory pathways using nitrite and nitrate as terminal electron acceptors evolved prior to oxygen requiring aerobic respiratory pathways.

Consuming Ecstasy: Representations of Male and Female Orgasm in Mainstream Pornography.

PubMed

Séguin, Léa J; Rodrigue, Carl; Lavigne, Julie

2018-01-01

Social representations, which appear in a variety of media, can influence the way sexual experiences are perceived and understood. While pornography is not the only medium in which orgasm is portrayed, it is the most explicit, and it is widespread and easily accessible. As such, pornography is an ideal medium for examining representations of male and female orgasm. PornHub's 50 most viewed videos of all time were viewed and coded for the frequency of male and female orgasm, orgasm-inducing sex acts (and whether activity inducing female orgasms included some form of clitoral stimulation), and auditory (verbal, vocal) and visual (bodily) indicators of orgasm. Content analysis was used to code and analyze the data. Results were analyzed in light of sexual script theory and previous orgasm research. Only 18.3% of women, compared to 78.0% of men, were shown reaching orgasm. Sex differences in depictions of orgasm, beyond the appearance of semen, were documented. Results support the male performance script as evident in pornographic depictions of orgasm, as well as coital and orgasm imperatives. As a result, representations of male and female orgasm in mainstream pornography may serve to perpetuate unrealistic beliefs and expectations in relation to female orgasm and male sexual performance.

Optical sensors for electrical elements of a medium voltage distribution network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Maria, Letizia; Bartalesi, Daniele; Serragli, Paolo; Paladino, Domenico

2012-04-01

The aging of most of the components of the National transmission and distribution system can potentially influence the reliability of power supply in a Medium Voltage (MV) network. In order to prevent possible dangerous situations, selected diagnostic indicators on electrical parts exploiting reliable and potentially low-cost sensors are required. This paper presents results concerning two main research activities regarding the development and application of innovative optical sensors for the diagnostic of MV electrical components. The first concerns a multi-sensor prototype for the detection of pre-discharges in MV switchboards: it is the combination of three different types of sensors operating simultaneously to detect incipient failure and to reduce the occurrence of false alarms. The system is real-time controlled by an embedded computer through a LabView interface. The second activity refers to a diagnostic tool to provide significant real-time information about early aging of MV/Low Voltage (LV) transformers by means of its vibration fingerprint. A miniaturized Optical Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) based unit has been assembled for vibration measurements, wireless connected to a remote computer and controlled via LabView interface. Preliminary comparative tests were carried out with standard piezoelectric accelerometers on a conventional MV/LV test transformer under open circuit and in short-circuited configuration.

Detection and mapping the spatial distribution of bracken fern weeds using the Landsat 8 OLI new generation sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matongera, Trylee Nyasha; Mutanga, Onisimo; Dube, Timothy; Sibanda, Mbulisi

2017-05-01

Bracken fern is an invasive plant that presents serious environmental, ecological and economic problems around the world. An understanding of the spatial distribution of bracken fern weeds is therefore essential for providing appropriate management strategies at both local and regional scales. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of the freely available medium resolution Landsat 8 OLI sensor in the detection and mapping of bracken fern at the Cathedral Peak, South Africa. To achieve this objective, the results obtained from Landsat 8 OLI were compared with those derived using the costly, high spatial resolution WorldView-2 imagery. Since previous studies have already successfully mapped bracken fern using high spatial resolution WorldView-2 image, the comparison was done to investigate the magnitude of difference in accuracy between the two sensors in relation to their acquisition costs. To evaluate the performance of Landsat 8 OLI in discriminating bracken fern compared to that of Worldview-2, we tested the utility of (i) spectral bands; (ii) derived vegetation indices as well as (iii) the combination of spectral bands and vegetation indices based on discriminant analysis classification algorithm. After resampling the training and testing data and reclassifying several times (n = 100) based on the combined data sets, the overall accuracies for both Landsat 8 and WorldView-2 were tested for significant differences based on Mann-Whitney U test. The results showed that the integration of the spectral bands and derived vegetation indices yielded the best overall classification accuracy (80.08% and 87.80% for Landsat 8 OLI and WorldView-2 respectively). Additionally, the use of derived vegetation indices as a standalone data set produced the weakest overall accuracy results of 62.14% and 82.11% for both the Landsat 8 OLI and WorldView-2 images. There were significant differences {U (100) = 569.5, z = -10.8242, p < 0.01} between the classification accuracies derived based on Landsat OLI 8 and those derived using WorldView-2 sensor. Although there were significant differences between Landsat and WorldView-2 accuracies, the magnitude of variation (9%) between the two sensors was within an acceptable range. Therefore, the findings of this study demonstrated that the recently launched Landsat 8 OLI multispectral sensor provides valuable information that could aid in the long term continuous monitoring and formulation of effective bracken fern management with acceptable accuracies that are comparable to those obtained from the high resolution WorldView-2 commercial sensor.

Island of Hawaii, State of Hawaii seen from Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1974-01-08

SL4-139-3997 (8 Jan. 1974) --- A vertical view of the Island of Hawaii, State of Hawaii, as photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by a Skylab 4 crewman. The camera used was a hand-held Hasselblad camera, with SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome film. This photograph, taken on Jan. 8, 1974, is very useful in studies of volcanic areas. Prominent volcanic features such as the summit caldera on Mauna Loa, the extinct volcano Mauna Kea, the Kilauea caldera, and the pit crater at Halo mau mau within the caldera are easily identified. (Kilauea was undergoing frequent eruption during the mission). Detailed features such as the extent and delineation of historic lava flows on Mauna Loa can be determined and are important parameters in volcanic studies. Photo credit: NASA

The Interaction of Extremist Propaganda and Anger as Predictors of Violent Responses.

PubMed

Shortland, Neil; Nader, Elias; Imperillo, Nicholas; Ross, Kyrielle; Dmello, Jared

2017-12-01

In this study, and with a view to extending upon existing findings on the effects of general violent media on violent cognitions, we experimentally measured the relationship between exposure to extremist propaganda and violent cognitions. Our results countered our hypotheses and the wider findings of violent media and aggression that exposure to violent stimuli increases violent thoughts and that this effect is moderated by trait aggression. Specifically, this study found that participants with low and medium trait aggression became more pro-social after being exposed to extremist propaganda. We discuss these results with reference to theories of terror management and mortality salience, as well as the implications of these results for wider theories of the role of online extremist material in the wider "radicalization" process.

Energy density and stress: A new approach to teaching electromagnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, F.

1989-08-01

By introducing the electromagnetic field in the customary way, ideas are promoted that do not correspond to those of contemporary physics: on the one hand, ideas that stem from pre-Maxwellian times when interactions were still conceived as actions at a distance and, on the other hand, ideas that can be understood only from the point of view that the electromagnetic field is carried by a medium. A part of a course in electromagnetism is sketched in which, from the beginning, the electromagnetic field is presented as a system in its own right and the local quantities energy density and stress are put into the foreground. In this way, justice is done to the views of modern physics and, moreover, the field becomes conceptually simpler.

Optically based technique for producing merged spectra of water-leaving radiances from ocean color remote sensing.

PubMed

Mélin, Frédéric; Zibordi, Giuseppe

2007-06-20

An optically based technique is presented that produces merged spectra of normalized water-leaving radiances L(WN) by combining spectral data provided by independent satellite ocean color missions. The assessment of the merging technique is based on a four-year field data series collected by an autonomous above-water radiometer located on the Acqua Alta Oceanographic Tower in the Adriatic Sea. The uncertainties associated with the merged L(WN) obtained from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer are consistent with the validation statistics of the individual sensor products. The merging including the third mission Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer is also addressed for a reduced ensemble of matchups.

Hydrogen-deuterium substitution in solid ethanol by surface reactions at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oba, Yasuhiro; Osaka, Kazuya; Chigai, Takeshi; Kouchi, Akira; Watanabe, Naoki

2016-10-01

Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is one of the most abundant complex organic molecules in star-forming regions. Despite its detection in the gas phase only, ethanol is believed to be formed by low-temperature grain-surface reactions. Methanol, the simplest alcohol, has been a target for observational, experimental, and theoretical studies in view of its deuterium enrichment in the interstellar medium; however, the deuterium chemistry of ethanol has not yet been an area of focus. Recently, deuterated dimethyl ether, a structural isomer of ethanol, was found in star-forming regions, indicating that deuterated ethanol can also be present in those environments. In this study, we performed laboratory experiments on the deuterium fractionation of solid ethanol at low temperatures through a reaction with deuterium (D) atoms at 10 K. Hydrogen (H)-D substitution, which increases the deuteration level, was found to occur on the ethyl group but not on the hydroxyl group. In addition, when deuterated ethanol (e.g. CD3CD2OD) solid was exposed to H atoms at 10 K, D-H substitution that reduced the deuteration level occurred on the ethyl group. Based on the results, it is likely that deuterated ethanol is present even under H-atom-dominant conditions in the interstellar medium.

Frothy feedlot bloat in cattle: production of extracellular polysaccharides and development of viscosity in cultures of Streptococcus bovis.

PubMed

Cheng, K J; Hironaka, R; Jones, G A; Nicas, T; Costerton, J W

1976-04-01

Streptococcus bovis was cultured in a synthetic medium with three concentrations of sucrose. Initial viscosity of the media was 1.5 centipoise (cp). After incubation for 8 h, the viscosity of the medium with 0.5% sucrose was unchanged, that with 3% sucrose had increased to 8 cp, and that with 6% sucrose to 112 cp. Similar results were found with a rumen fluid medium. A slimy material, responsible for increased viscosity of these cultures, was digested by dextranase. The material appeared as a complex system of intercellular fibers when viewed under the electron microscope after freeze-etching. With proteins and other polymers released from lysed bacteria, this slimy material may contribute directly to increased viscosity and foam formation. In addition to these intercellular fibers, each cell was surrounded by a fibrous capsule that was not digested by dextranase. This capsule stained with lead citrate and uranyl acetate, but not with ruthenium red. The amount of capsular material produced was similar whether the media contained 0.5, 3.0, or 6% sucrose.

Effect of Supernovae on the Local Interstellar Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frisch, Priscilla; Dwarkadas, Vikram V.

A range of astronomical data indicates that ancient supernovae created the galactic environment of the Sun and sculpted the physical properties of the interstellar medium near the heliosphere. In this paper, we review the characteristics of the local interstellar medium that have been affected by supernovae. The kinematics, magnetic field, elemental abundances, and configuration of the nearest interstellar material support the view that the Sun is at the edge of the Loop I superbubble, which has merged into the low-density Local Bubble. The energy source for the higher temperature X-ray-emitting plasma pervading the Local Bubble is uncertain. Winds from massive stars and nearby supernovae, perhaps from the Sco-Cen association, may have contributed radioisotopes found in the geologic record and galactic cosmic ray population. Nested supernova shells in the Orion and Sco-Cen regions suggest spatially distinct sites of episodic star formation. The heliosphere properties vary with the pressure of the surrounding interstellar cloud. A nearby supernova would modify this pressure equilibrium and thereby severely disrupt the heliosphere as well as the local interstellar medium.

Distributed Fair Auto Rate Medium Access Control for IEEE 802.11 Based WLANs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yanfeng; Niu, Zhisheng

Much research has shown that a carefully designed auto rate medium access control can utilize the underlying physical multi-rate capability to exploit the time-variation of the channel. In this paper, we develop a simple analytical model to elucidate the rule that maximizes the throughput of RTS/CTS based multi-rate wireless local area networks. Based on the discovered rule, we propose two distributed fair auto rate medium access control schemes called FARM and FARM+ from the view-point of throughput fairness and time-share fairness, respectively. With the proposed schemes, after receiving a RTS frame, the receiver selectively returns the CTS frame to inform the transmitter the maximum feasible rate probed by the signal-to-noise ratio of the received RTS frame. The key feature of the proposed schemes is that they are capable of maintaining throughput/time-share fairness in asymmetric situation where the distribution of SNR varies with stations. Extensive simulation results show that the proposed schemes outperform the existing throughput/time-share fair auto rate schemes in time-varying channel conditions.

Patients prefer electronic medical records - fact or fiction?

PubMed

Masiza, Melissa; Mostert-Phipps, Nicky; Pottasa, Dalenca

2013-01-01

Incomplete patient medical history compromises the quality of care provided to a patient while well-kept, adequate patient medical records are central to the provision of good quality of care. According to research, patients have the right to contribute to decision-making affecting their health. Hence, the researchers investigated their views regarding a paper-based system and an electronic medical record (EMR). An explorative approach was used in conducting a survey within selected general practices in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. The majority of participants thought that the use of a paper-based system had no negative impact on their health. Participants expressed concerns relating to the confidentiality of their medical records with both storage mediums. The majority of participants indicated they prefer their GP to computerise their consultation details. The main objective of the research on which this poster is based was to investigate the storage medium of preference for patients and the reasons for their preference. Overall, 48% of the 85 participants selected EMRs as their preferred storage medium and the reasons for their preference were also uncovered.

Adsorption of non-ionic ABC triblock copolymers: Surface modification of TiO2 suspensions in aqueous and non-aqueous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerch, Jean-Philippe; Atanase, Leonard Ionut; Riess, Gérard

2017-10-01

A series of non-ionic ABC triblock copolymers, such as poly(butadiene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyrridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PB-P2VP-PEO) were synthesized by sequential anionic polymerizations. For these copolymers comprising an organo-soluble PB and a water-soluble PEO block, their P2VP middle block has been selected for its anchoring capacity on solid surfaces. The adsorption isotherms on TiO2 were obtained in heptane and in aqueous medium, as selective solvents. In both of these cases, the P2VP middle block provides the surface anchoring, whereas PB and PEO sequences are acting as stabilizing moieties in heptane and water respectively. By extension to ABC triblock copolymers of the scaling theory developed for diblock copolymers, the density of adsorbed chains could be correlated with the molecular characteristics of the PB-P2VP-PEO triblock copolymers. From a practical point a view, it could be demonstrated that these copolymers are efficient dispersing agents for the TiO2 pigments in both aqueous and non-aqueous medium.

The physical and compositional properties of dust: what do we really know?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, A.

Many things in current interstellar dust studies are taken as well understood givens by much of the community. For example, it is widely held that interstellar dust is made up of only three components, i.e., “astronomical silicates”, graphite and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and that our understanding of these is now complete and sufficient enough to interpret astronomical observations of dust in galaxies. To zeroth order this is a reasonable approximation. However, while these “three pillars” of dust modelling have been useful in advancing our understanding over the last few decades, it is now apparent that they are insufficient to explain the observed evolution of the dust properties from one region to another. Thus, it is time to abandon the “three pillars” approach and to seek more physically-realistic interstellar dust analogues. The analysis of the pre-solar grains extracted from meteorites, interplanetary dust particles and from the Stardust mission, and the interpretation of x-ray scattering and absorption observations, supports the view that our current view of the interstellar dust composition(s) is indeed too naïve. The aim of this review is to point out where our current views are rather secure and, perhaps more importantly, where they are far from secure and we must re-think our ideas. To this aim ten aspects of interstellar dust will be scrutinised and re-evaluated in terms of their validity within the current observational, experimental, modelling and theoretical constraints. It is concluded from this analysis that we really do need to re-assess many of the fundamental assumptions relating to what we think we really do ‘know’ about interstellar dust. In particular, it is clear that unravelling the nature dust evolution in the interstellar medium is perhaps the key to significantly advancing our current understanding of interstellar dust. For example, the dust in the diffuse interstellar medium, molecular clouds, photo-dissociation regions and HII regions is not exactly the same but exhibits important evolution within and between these different regions. An understanding of these evolutionary and regional variations exhibited by dust is now critical.

Rare observation of daytime whistlers at very low latitude (L = 1.08)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gokani, Sneha A.; Singh, Rajesh; Tulasi Ram, S.; Venkatesham, K.; Veenadhari, B.; Kumar, Sandeep; Selvakumaran, R.

2018-04-01

The source region and propagation mechanism of low latitude whistlers (Geomag. lat. <30°) have puzzled scientific community for last many decades. In view of recent reports, there is consensus on the source region of low latitude whistlers in the vicinity of the conjugate point. But the plausible conditions of ionospheric medium through which they travel are still uncertain. In addition to that, the whistlers in daytime are never observed at geomagnetic latitudes less than 20°. Here, for the first time, we present a rare observations of whistlers during sunlit hours from a very low-latitude station Allahabad (Geomag. Lat: 16.79°N, L = 1.08) in India on 04 February 2011. More than 90 whistlers are recorded during 1200-1300 UT during which the whole propagation path from lightning source region to whistler observation site is under sunlit. The favorable factors that facilitated the whistlers prior to the sunset are investigated in terms of source lightning characteristics, geomagnetic and background ionospheric medium conditions. The whistler activity period was found to be geomagnetically quiet. However, a significant suppression in ionospheric total electron content (TEC) compared to its quiet day average is found. This shows that background ionospheric conditions may play a key role in low latitude whistler propagation. This study reveals that whistlers can occur under sunlit hours at latitudes as low as L = 1.08 when the source lightning and ionospheric medium characteristics are optimally favorable.

Improving student learning and views of physics in a large enrollment introductory physics class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehzadeh Einabad, Omid

Introductory physics courses often serve as gatekeepers for many scientific and engineering programs and, increasingly, colleges are relying on large, lecture formats for these courses. Many students, however, leave having learned very little physics and with poor views of the subject. In interactive engagement (IE), classroom activities encourage students to engage with each other and with physics concepts and to be actively involved in their own learning. These methods have been shown to be effective in introductory physics classes with small group recitations. This study examined student learning and views of physics in a large enrollment course that included IE methods with no separate, small-group recitations. In this study, a large, lecture-based course included activities that had students explaining their reasoning both verbally and in writing, revise their ideas about physics concepts, and apply their reasoning to various problems. The questions addressed were: (a) What do students learn about physics concepts and how does student learning in this course compare to that reported in the literature for students in a traditional course?, (b) Do students' views of physics change and how do students' views of physics compare to that reported in the literature for students in a traditional course?, and (c) Which of the instructional strategies contribute to student learning in this course? Data included: pre-post administration of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI), classroom exams during the term, pre-post administration of the Colorado Learning Attitudes About Science Survey (CLASS), and student work, interviews, and open-ended surveys. The average normalized gain (=0.32) on the FCI falls within the medium-gain range as reported in the physics education literature, even though the average pre-test score was very low (30%) and this was the instructor's first implementation of IE methods. Students' views of physics remained relatively unchanged by instruction. Findings also indicate that the interaction of the instructional strategies together contributed to student learning. Based on these results, IE methods should be adopted in introductory physics classes, particularly in classes where students have low pre-test scores. It is also important to provide support for instructors new to IE strategies.

View of portion of Queensland, Australia from Skylab space station

NASA Image and Video Library

1974-02-01

SL4-136-3501 (6 Dec. 1973) --- A vertical view of a portion of the State of Queensland, Australia, as photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen. The camera used was a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad, with SO-368 medium speed Ektachrome film. The body of water is the southeastern part of the Gulf of Carpentaria. This picture was taken in support studies of the north Australian drought region. The largest island seen is Mornington. The town of Normanton can also be seen. Of interest here is the sediment-laden waters at the perimeter of the Gulf showing how rains at the end of the drought are washing the top soil into the sea after the drought killed the covering vegetation. Also noted is that the vegetation patterns tend more toward those of other arid regions (i.e. they follow topographic and hydrographic patterns) rather than those in other parts of Australia (i.e. more convenient and easier to see, rectilinear patterns which are prevalent in less arid areas). Photo credit: NASA

Phytoplankton off the West Coast of Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Just off the coast of West Africa, persistent northeasterly trade winds often churn up deep ocean water. When the nutrients in these deep waters reach the ocean's surface, they often give rise to large blooms of phytoplankton. This image of the Mauritanian coast shows swirls of phytoplankton fed by the upwelling of nutrient-rich water. The scene was acquired by the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) aboard the European Space Agency's ENVISAT. MERIS will monitor changes in phytoplankton across Earth's oceans and seas, both for the purpose of managing fisheries and conducting global change research. NASA scientists will use data from this European instrument in the Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) program. The mission of SIMBIOS is to construct a consistent long-term dataset of ocean color (phytoplankton abundance) measurements made by multiple satellite instruments, including the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). For more information about MERIS and ENVISAT, visit the ENVISAT home page. Image copyright European Space Agency

Synthesis of calcium hydrogen phosphate and hydroxyapatite coating on SS316 substrate through pulsed electrodeposition.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Rajib; Sengupta, Srijan; Saha, Partha; Das, Karabi; Das, Siddhartha

2016-12-01

The orthopaedic implants for human body are generally made of different biomaterials like stainless steels or Ti based alloys. However, it has been found that from surface properties point of view, none of these materials is attractive for fast tissue or cell growth on the surface of implant. This is one of the most important criteria to assure quick bonding between implant and body tissues vis-à-vis minimum recovery time for the patient. Keeping in view of the above facts, this work involves the pulsed electro-deposition coating of biocompatible hydroxyapatite and its group compounds from a diluted bath of calcium and phosphate salt at various current densities over the biomaterial sheet of SS316. SEM study confirms different morphologies of the coatings at different current densities. Characterization techniques like X-ray diffraction, SEM with EDX and FTIR have been used to confirm the phase and percentage quantity of hydroxyapatite compound in the depositions. This coating can serve as a medium for faster tissue growth over the metallic implants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

STUDIES ON THE NASOPHARYNGEAL SECRETIONS FROM PATIENTS WITH COMMON COLDS.

PubMed

Olitsky, P K; McCartney, J E

1923-09-30

From the foregoing experiments it appears that with the filtered nasopharyngeal secretions from early cases of typical infections common colds in the first 3 to 18 hours of the disease, a similar condition can be transmitted to man. With the unheated but not with the heated secretions from four of six such patients we have succeeded in transmitting an affection indistinguishable from common cold to four men and in two instances the condition was conveyed from the person with the experimental disease to a second individual -in all, therefore, to six supposedly normal subjects. The periods of incubation in the experimental disease varied from 8 to 48 hours. We failed to obtain these results with the filtered secretions from cases of common colds 18 and 20 hours after the onset of symptoms and from a patient with the experimental disease 20 hours after the first symptoms. It would appear that the secretions are more active in the early hours of the affection. We also failed in the two instances in which colds were caused by exposure to the elements, or chilling of the body, and not by definite contact with other cases of common colds. Intratracheal inoculations in rabbits with unfiltered and filtered nasopharyngeal washings obtained from patients with common colds induce no characteristic or distinctive effects on the tissues, from which no constant, pathogenic agent has, as yet, been recovered. In comparison, similar material from cases of epidemic influenza do, however, cause particular changes in the blood and lungs of these animals, cultures of the lungs often yielding Bacterium pneumosintes. In view of these facts and since the clinical pictures exhibited by these diseases differ, the conclusion may be drawn that infectious common colds and epidemic influenza are separate and distinct diseases. On the other hand, the negative results obtained with materials derived from common colds and from parallel series of experiments with secretions from supposedly healthy persons, serve as a control to the effects produced with the nasopharyngeal washings obtained from influenza patients. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures of the filtered nasopharyngeal washings from 40 early cases of infectious common colds have thus far yielded no constant, pathogenic agent which can be regarded as the incitant of the disease. The filtered washings of nineteen cases were studied by the combined method of Smith-Noguchi fluid medium and anaerobic blood agar plates. In these instances representatives of the three groups of anaerobic filter-passing, Gram-negative bacteria, described by Olitsky and Gates were cultured from twelve patients. The irregularity of their occurrence not only in common colds but in influenza and supposedly normal persons and their lack of pathogenicity for rabbits and man indicate that these bacteria are not peculiar to common colds. This method has opened to view a number of hitherto undescribed microorganisms which can be found in different respiratory affections and in health. Furthermore, by morphological, cultural, and serological means, the separation into distinct species of each of these groups of bacteria has again been demonstrated. It is noteworthy that Bacterium pneumosintes was not found in any of the cultures from the 40 patients. Special attention was given to the detection of elements similar to Foster's globoid bodies in the cultures derived from common colds and from the experimental disease in man, and from the lungs of inoculated rabbits. We have not been able to determine the presence of these bodies, although the precipitate which forms in fresh rabbit kidney tissue-ascitic fluid medium was illusory in such relation since it was a common experience to find this precipitate simulating the globoid bodies of poliomyelitis. Still more disturbing is the fact, that these particles could be carried over from subplant to subplant and even showed pseudo colony formation in the Noguchi semisolid medium in tubes. But when the particles were put to rigorous test for a living and multiplying organism, the tests failed to reveal multiplication. The increasing importance of the tissue-ascitic fluid medium in bacteriological technique warrants a detailed description of the requirements necessary for the determination of the living nature of formed elements in cultures in this medium, (a) No one method of staining can be relied upon, for stain precipitate in itself adds to the confusion. A specimen for examination should be stained separately by Gram's and Giemsa's methods and with another nudear dye, such as polychrome methylene blue. As a rule, microorganisms will reveal their morphological characters in more than one stain, whereas precipitate may be found in only one and not in the others. The experienced eye will discern the precipitated particles in selected parts of the stained preparation where they often occur in enormous numbers, clumped into irregular masses of varying forms from the periphery of which there is a gradual fading out to finer, more uniform structures. (b) In addition, suspected growths should be tested in the dialysate medium of Gates since by this method the precipitated material of the medium is kept from admixing with the growth, and a clear view of any microorganisms, if present, is obtained, (c) Another requirement is colony formation of the suspected culture. This is an absolute essential and can be effected by planting the material to be tested on solid plate media, incubated aerobically, and anaerobically in Brown's jar. Semisolid medium in long tubes should also be employed but care is needed to avoid mistaking small particles of precipitate for actual colonies of bacteria. To make certain of growth of microorganisms in semisolid medium, however, subplanting to a precipitate-free, dialysate medium is required. By following this method minute microorganisms which are obscured, or simulated, by precipitate in the Smith-Noguchi medium, can be identified.

Characterization and optimization of 3D-LCD module design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Berkel, Cees; Clarke, John A.

1997-05-01

Autostereoscopic displays with flat panel liquid crystal display and lenticular sheets are receiving much attention. Multiview 3D-LCD is truly autostereoscopic because no head tracking is necessary and the technology is well poised to become a mass market consumer 3D display medium as the price of liquid crystal displays continues to drop. Making the viewing experience as natural as possible is of prime importance. The main challenges are to reduce the picket fence effect of the black mask and to try to get away with as few perspective views as possible. Our solution is to 'blur' the boundaries between the views. This hides the black mask image by spreading it out and softens the transition between one view and the next, encouraging the user to perceive 'solid objects' instead of a succession of flipping views. One way to achieve this is by introducing a new pixel design in which the pixels are slanted with respect to the column direction. Another way is to place the lenticular at a small (9.46 degree) angle with respect to the LCD columns. The effect of either method is that, as the observer moves sideways in front of the display, he always 'sees' a constant amount of black mask. This renders the black mask, in effect, invisible and eliminates the picket fence effect.

JPEG vs. JPEG 2000: an objective comparison of image encoding quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimi, Farzad; Chamik, Matthieu; Winkler, Stefan

2004-11-01

This paper describes an objective comparison of the image quality of different encoders. Our approach is based on estimating the visual impact of compression artifacts on perceived quality. We present a tool that measures these artifacts in an image and uses them to compute a prediction of the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) obtained in subjective experiments. We show that the MOS predictions by our proposed tool are a better indicator of perceived image quality than PSNR, especially for highly compressed images. For the encoder comparison, we compress a set of 29 test images with two JPEG encoders (Adobe Photoshop and IrfanView) and three JPEG2000 encoders (JasPer, Kakadu, and IrfanView) at various compression ratios. We compute blockiness, blur, and MOS predictions as well as PSNR of the compressed images. Our results show that the IrfanView JPEG encoder produces consistently better images than the Adobe Photoshop JPEG encoder at the same data rate. The differences between the JPEG2000 encoders in our test are less pronounced; JasPer comes out as the best codec, closely followed by IrfanView and Kakadu. Comparing the JPEG- and JPEG2000-encoding quality of IrfanView, we find that JPEG has a slight edge at low compression ratios, while JPEG2000 is the clear winner at medium and high compression ratios.

Spectroscopic and viscometric elucidation of the interaction between a potential chloride channel blocker and calf-thymus DNA: the effect of medium ionic strength on the binding mode.

PubMed

Ganguly, Aniruddha; Ghosh, Soumen; Guchhait, Nikhil

2015-01-07

The present study demonstrates a detailed characterization of the binding interaction of a potential chloride channel blocker 9-methyl anthroate (9-MA) with calf-thymus DNA. The modulated photophysical properties of the emissive molecule within the microheterogeneous bio-assembly have been spectroscopically exploited to monitor the drug-DNA binding interaction. Experimental results based on fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy aided with DNA-melting, viscometric and circular dichroism studies unambiguously establish the binding mode between the drug and DNA to be principally intercalative. Concomitantly, a discernible dependence of the mode of binding between the concerned moieties on the ionic strength of the medium is noteworthy. A dip-and-rise characteristic of the rotational relaxation profile of the drug within the DNA environment has been argued to be originating from a substantial difference in the lifetime as well as amplitude of the free and DNA bound drug molecule. In view of the prospective biological applications of the drug, the issue of facile dissociation of the intercalated drug from the DNA helix via a simple detergent-sequestration technique has also been unveiled. The utility of the present work resides in exploring the potential applicability of the fluorescence properties of 9-MA for studying its interactions with other relevant biological or biomimicking targets.

Rock Testing Handbook (Test Standards 1993)

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

surface. ergy lost due to nonuniformity of mediums. progressive failure-formation and development of localized refusal-in grouting, when the rate of...the components of mixed grout, resulting in nonuniform across which it acts. (ISRM) proportions in the mass. shear plane-a plane along which failure of...responr, le techndcal commttee, which you may attend if you teel mt your comments have not received a lair heating you should make your views known to the

Teaching Surgical Procedures with Movies: Tips for High-quality Video Clips

PubMed Central

Jacquemart, Mathieu; Bouletreau, Pierre; Breton, Pierre; Mojallal, Ali

2016-01-01

Summary: Video must now be considered as a precious tool for learning surgery. However, the medium does present production challenges, and currently, quality movies are not always accessible. We developed a series of 7 surgical videos and made them available on a publicly accessible internet website. Our videos have been viewed by thousands of people worldwide. High-quality educational movies must respect strategic and technical points to be reliable. PMID:27757342

Manned-Unmanned Teaming of Aircraft - Literature Search

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

unmanned aircraft reconnaissance system MQ 8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing unmanned system MQ 5B Hunter medium altitude unmanned aerial...201140, and allows their crew to view sensor data from unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and send data from the helicopter’s sensors to the ground.35 No...Helicopter, AAI unmanned Aircraft Systems , and Textron Inc. It opened in December 2012 in Huntsville Alabama. It will enable “a software and

Rapid Oceanographic Data Gathering: Some Problems in Using Remote Sensing to Determine the Horizontal and Vertical Thermal Distributions in the Northeast Pacific Ocean.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

Zulu time) GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite GOSSTCOMP Global Operational Sea Surface Temperature Computation HEPAD High Energy ...Manipulation System IFOV Instantaneous Field-of-View IMP Instrument Mounting Platofrm IR Infrared 12 K Kelvin km kilometer m meter MEPED Medium Energy ...Stratospheric Sounding Unit STREX Storm Transfer and Response Experiment TEP Total Energy Detector TIP TIROS Information Processor TOVS TIROS Operational

Facebook use among early-career veterinarians in Ontario, Canada (March to May 2010).

PubMed

Weijs, Cynthia A; Coe, Jason B; Christofides, Emily; Muise, Amy; Desmarais, Serge

2013-04-15

To explore the nature and content of information publicly posted to Facebook by early-career veterinarians. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Sample-352 early-career veterinarians. Publicly accessible Facebook profiles were searched online from March to May 2010 for profiles of early-career veterinarians (graduates from 2004 through 2009) registered with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, Canada. The content of veterinarians' Facebook profiles was evaluated and then categorized as low, medium, or high exposure in terms of the information a veterinarian had publicly posted to Facebook. Through the use of content analysis, high-exposure profiles were further analyzed for publicly posted information that may have posed risks to an individual's or the profession's public image. Facebook profiles for 352 of 494 (71%) registered early-career veterinarians were located. One-quarter (25%) of profiles were categorized as low exposure (ie, high privacy), over half (54%) as medium exposure (i.e., medium privacy), and 21% as high exposure (i.e., low privacy). Content analysis of the high-exposure profiles identified publicly posted information that may pose risks to an individual's or the profession's reputation, including breaches of client confidentiality, evidence of substance abuse, and demeaning comments toward others. Almost a quarter of veterinarians' Facebook profiles viewed in the present study contained publicly available content of a questionable nature that could pose a risk to the reputation of the individual, his or her practice, or the veterinary profession. The increased use of Facebook and all types of social media points to the need for raised awareness by veterinarians of all ages of how to manage one's personal and professional identities online to minimize reputation risks for individuals and their practices and to protect the reputation and integrity of the veterinary profession.

Google Earth and Geo Applications: A Toolset for Viewing Earth's Geospatial Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuxen-Bettman, K.

2016-12-01

Earth scientists measure and derive fundamental data that can be of broad general interest to the public and policy makers. Yet, one of the challenges that has always faced the Earth science community is how to present their data and findings in an easy-to-use and compelling manner. Google's Geo Tools offer an efficient and dynamic way for scientists, educators, journalists and others to both access data and view or tell stories in a dynamic three-dimensional geospatial context. Google Earth in particular provides a dense canvas of satellite imagery on which can be viewed rich vector and raster datasets using the medium of Keyhole Markup Language (KML). Through KML, Google Earth can combine the analytical capabilities of Earth Engine, collaborative mapping of My Maps, and storytelling of Tour Builder and more to make Google's Geo Applications a coherent suite of tools for exploring our planet.https://earth.google.com/https://earthengine.google.com/https://mymaps.google.com/https://tourbuilder.withgoogle.com/https://www.google.com/streetview/

Emotions in overweight and normal-weight women immediately after eating foods differing in energy.

PubMed

Macht, Michael; Gerer, Jutta; Ellgring, Heiner

2003-11-01

Immediate effects of low-, medium-, and high-energy foods on the emotional state of normal-weight and overweight women were studied experimentally. Nineteen normal-weight (body mass index [BMI]: 19-25 kg/m2) and 19 overweight women (BMI: 26-40 kg/m2) aged 18-40 years received samples of food that differed in energy content (low vs. medium vs. high energy) and rated their emotional state immediately after eating. Perceived characteristics of the foods and associations elicited by the foods were also obtained. Negative emotions (anger, fear, shame, and sadness) and sleepiness increased, while happiness decreased with energy of foods. Emotionally negative associations were more frequent, while positive emotions were less frequent the higher the energy content of the foods. Sadness, shame, fear, and sleepiness after eating high-energy food tended to be more intense in overweight women. Additional analyses demonstrated influences of eating habits, e.g., disinhibition. The higher the energy content of a food stimulus, the more it was viewed as "unhealthy" and "dangerous." It is suggested that immediate food-induced changes of emotions can be explained by activation of associative emotion networks.

Planning the location of facilities to implement a reverse logistic system of post-consumer packaging using a location mathematical model.

PubMed

Couto, Maria Claudia Lima; Lange, Liséte Celina; Rosa, Rodrigo de Alvarenga; Couto, Paula Rogeria Lima

2017-12-01

The implementation of reverse logistics systems (RLS) for post-consumer products provides environmental and economic benefits, since it increases recycling potential. However, RLS implantation and consolidation still face problems. The main shortcomings are the high costs and the low expectation of broad implementation worldwide. This paper presents two mathematical models to decide the number and the location of screening centers (SCs) and valorization centers (VCs) to implement reverse logistics of post-consumer packages, defining the optimum territorial arrangements (OTAs), allowing the inclusion of small and medium size municipalities. The paper aims to fill a gap in the literature on RLS location facilities that not only aim at revenue optimization, but also the participation of the population, the involvement of pickers and the service universalization. The results showed that implementation of VCs can lead to revenue/cost ratio higher than 100%. The results of this study can supply companies and government agencies with a global view on the parameters that influence RLS sustainability and help them make decisions about the location of these facilities and the best reverse flows with the social inclusion of pickers and serving the population of small and medium-sized municipalities.

Does medium-term emersion cause a mass extinction of tidal flat macrobenthos? The case of the Tricolor oil pollution prevention in the Zwin nature reserve (Belgium and The Netherlands)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Colen, C.; Vincx, M.; Degraer, S.

2006-06-01

As a result of the Tricolor oil pollution in the Southern Bight of the North Sea (winter 2003) the Zwin nature reserve, consisting of tidal flats and salt marshes, was blocked from the North Sea by use of a sand barrier. Hence, macrobenthic tidal flat organisms, by nature strongly dependent on the cyclic incoming seawater, were emersed during a period of 27 days. Because the effect of medium-term emersion on the ecologically important benthic life could not be assessed beforehand, the damming was taken as an opportunity to examine these effects. This study demonstrated that: (1) no species vanished due to emersion, (2) although the emersion might have caused some mortality, a mass mortality within the macrobenthos did not occur, and (3) the supra-littoral amphipods Talitrus saltator and Orchestia gammarellus performed a strong, though ephemeral immigration into the intertidal zone during the period of emersion. In view of both its minor impacts on the macrobenthos and its effectiveness in preventing oil pollution in the Zwin nature reserve, damming as a measure against oil pollution may be considered effective protection, especially during winter.

Photophysical properties, photodegradation characteristics, and lasing action for coumarin dye C540A in polymeric media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Guilford, II; Huang, Zhennian; Pacheco, Dennis P., Jr.; Russell, Jeffrey A.

2004-07-01

Tunable solid-state dye lasers operating in the blue-green spectral region are attractive for a variety of applications. An important consideration in assessing the viability of this technology is the service life of the gain medium, which is presently limited by dye photodegradation. In this study, solid polymeric samples consisting of the coumarin dye C540A in modified PMMA were subjected to controlled photodegradation tests. The excitation laser was a flashlamp-pumped dye laser operating at 440 nm with a pulse duration of 1 μs. A complementary set of data was obtained for dye in solution phase for comparison purposes. Photophysical properties of C540A in water solution of polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) have been investigated with a view to assess the suitability of the sequestering polymer (PMAA) as an effective additive to facilitate use of a water medium for highly efficient blue-green dye lasers. Lasing action of C540A in aqueous PMAA has been realized using flashlamp-pumped laser system, yielding excellent laser efficiencies superior to that achieved in ethanolic solutions with the same dye. Laser characterization of dye in media included measurement of laser threshold, slope efficiency, pulse duration and output wavelength.

Production and properties of an exopolysaccharide synthesized by the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloterrigena turkmenica.

PubMed

Squillaci, Giuseppe; Finamore, Rosario; Diana, Paola; Restaino, Odile Francesca; Schiraldi, Chiara; Arbucci, Salvatore; Ionata, Elena; La Cara, Francesco; Morana, Alessandra

2016-01-01

We have isolated a novel exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloterrigena turkmenica. Some features, remarkable from an industrial point of view, such as emulsifying and antioxidant properties, were investigated. H. turkmenica excreted 20.68 mg of EPS per 100 ml of culture medium when grown in usual medium supplemented with glucose. The microorganism excreted the biopolymer mainly in the middle exponential growth phase and reached the maximal production in the stationary phase. Analyses by anion exchange chromatography and SEC-TDA Viscotek indicated that the EPS was composed of two main fractions of 801.7 and 206.0 kDa. It was a sulfated heteropolysaccharide containing glucose, galactose, glucosamine, galactosamine, and glucuronic acid. Studies performed utilizing the mixture of EPS anionic fractions showed that the biopolymer had emulsifying activity towards vegetable oils comparable or superior to that exhibited by the controls, moderate antioxidant power when tested with 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(·)), and moisture-retention ability higher than hyaluronic acid (HA). The EPS from H. turkmenica is the first exopolysaccharide produced by an archaea to be characterized in terms of properties that can have potential biotechnological applications.

Susceptibility of Legionella pneumophila to twenty antimicrobial agents.

PubMed Central

Edelstein, P H; Meyer, R D

1980-01-01

Thirty-three isolates of Legionella pneumophila, all except one of which were clinical isolates, were tested against 20 antimicrobial agents by using an agar dilution technique. Erythromycin, rifamp]in, and rosaramycin were the most active agents tested. Aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, and cefoxitin also inhibited the organisms at low concentrations. Other agents, including moxalactam, cefoperazone, and cephalosporins, exhibited moderate to little activity. Tetracycline, doxycycline and minocyeline were apparently inactivated by charcoal-yeast extract medium. There was slight inoculum dependence noted with most of the antimicrobials tested, particularly the beta-lactam agents. There was no consistent difference in susceptibility between Center for Disease Control-supplied stock strains and recent clinical isolates, but there were marked differences with some agents. Susceptibility testing needs to be standardized in view of the influence of inoculum size, strain variation, and the medium used. PMID:7425611

Tree crown mapping in managed woodlands (parklands) of semi-arid West Africa using WorldView-2 imagery and geographic object based image analysis.

PubMed

Karlson, Martin; Reese, Heather; Ostwald, Madelene

2014-11-28

Detailed information on tree cover structure is critical for research and monitoring programs targeting African woodlands, including agroforestry parklands. High spatial resolution satellite imagery represents a potentially effective alternative to field-based surveys, but requires the development of accurate methods to automate information extraction. This study presents a method for tree crown mapping based on Geographic Object Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) that use spectral and geometric information to detect and delineate individual tree crowns and crown clusters. The method was implemented on a WorldView-2 image acquired over the parklands of Saponé, Burkina Faso, and rigorously evaluated against field reference data. The overall detection rate was 85.4% for individual tree crowns and crown clusters, with lower accuracies in areas with high tree density and dense understory vegetation. The overall delineation error (expressed as the difference between area of delineated object and crown area measured in the field) was 45.6% for individual tree crowns and 61.5% for crown clusters. Delineation accuracies were higher for medium (35-100 m(2)) and large (≥100 m(2)) trees compared to small (<35 m(2)) trees. The results indicate potential of GEOBIA and WorldView-2 imagery for tree crown mapping in parkland landscapes and similar woodland areas.

Tree Crown Mapping in Managed Woodlands (Parklands) of Semi-Arid West Africa Using WorldView-2 Imagery and Geographic Object Based Image Analysis

PubMed Central

Karlson, Martin; Reese, Heather; Ostwald, Madelene

2014-01-01

Detailed information on tree cover structure is critical for research and monitoring programs targeting African woodlands, including agroforestry parklands. High spatial resolution satellite imagery represents a potentially effective alternative to field-based surveys, but requires the development of accurate methods to automate information extraction. This study presents a method for tree crown mapping based on Geographic Object Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) that use spectral and geometric information to detect and delineate individual tree crowns and crown clusters. The method was implemented on a WorldView-2 image acquired over the parklands of Saponé, Burkina Faso, and rigorously evaluated against field reference data. The overall detection rate was 85.4% for individual tree crowns and crown clusters, with lower accuracies in areas with high tree density and dense understory vegetation. The overall delineation error (expressed as the difference between area of delineated object and crown area measured in the field) was 45.6% for individual tree crowns and 61.5% for crown clusters. Delineation accuracies were higher for medium (35–100 m2) and large (≥100 m2) trees compared to small (<35 m2) trees. The results indicate potential of GEOBIA and WorldView-2 imagery for tree crown mapping in parkland landscapes and similar woodland areas. PMID:25460815

An exact solution for orbit view-periods from a station on a tri-axial ellipsoidal planet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tang, C. C. H.

1986-01-01

This paper presents the concise exact solution for predicting view-periods to be observed from a masked or unmasked tracking station on a tri-axial ellipsoidal surface. The new exact approach expresses the azimuth and elevation angles of a spacecraft in terms of the station-centered geodetic topocentric coordinates in an elegantly concise manner. A simple and efficient algorithm is developed to avoid costly repetitive computations in searching for neighborhoods near the rise and set times of each satellite orbit for each station. Only one search for each orbit is necessary for each station. Sample results indicate that the use of an assumed spherical earth instead of an 'actual' tri-axial ellipsoidal earth could introduce an error up to a few minutes in a view-period prediction for circular orbits of low or medium altitude. For an elliptical orbit of high eccentricity and long period, the maximum error could be even larger. The analytic treatment and the efficient algorithm are designed for geocentric orbits, but they should be applicable to interplanetary trajectories by an appropriate coordinates transformation at each view-period calculation. This analysis can be accomplished only by not using the classical orbital elements.

An exact solution for orbit view-periods from a station on a tri-axial ellipsoidal planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, C. C. H.

1986-08-01

This paper presents the concise exact solution for predicting view-periods to be observed from a masked or unmasked tracking station on a tri-axial ellipsoidal surface. The new exact approach expresses the azimuth and elevation angles of a spacecraft in terms of the station-centered geodetic topocentric coordinates in an elegantly concise manner. A simple and efficient algorithm is developed to avoid costly repetitive computations in searching for neighborhoods near the rise and set times of each satellite orbit for each station. Only one search for each orbit is necessary for each station. Sample results indicate that the use of an assumed spherical earth instead of an 'actual' tri-axial ellipsoidal earth could introduce an error up to a few minutes in a view-period prediction for circular orbits of low or medium altitude. For an elliptical orbit of high eccentricity and long period, the maximum error could be even larger. The analytic treatment and the efficient algorithm are designed for geocentric orbits, but they should be applicable to interplanetary trajectories by an appropriate coordinates transformation at each view-period calculation. This analysis can be accomplished only by not using the classical orbital elements.

Anthropomorphic cardiac ultrasound phantom.

PubMed

Smith, S W; Rinaldi, J E

1989-10-01

A new phantom is described which simulates the human cardiac anatomy for applications in ultrasound imaging, ultrasound Doppler, and color-flow Doppler imaging. The phantom consists of a polymer left ventricle which includes a prosthetic mitral and aortic valve and is connected to a mock circulatory loop. Aerated tap water serves as a blood simulating fluid and ultrasound contrast medium within the circulatory loop. The left ventricle is housed in a Lexan ultrasound visualization chamber which includes ultrasound viewing ports and acoustic absorbers. A piston pump connected to the visualization chamber by a single port pumps degassed water within the chamber which in turn pumps the left ventricle. Real-time ultrasound images and Doppler studies measure flow patterns through the valves and within the left ventricle.

DNA nanotechnology: new adventures for an old warhorse.

PubMed

Zakeri, Bijan; Lu, Timothy K

2015-10-01

As the blueprint of life, the natural exploits of DNA are admirable. However, DNA should not only be viewed within a biological context. It is an elegantly simple yet functionally complex chemical polymer with properties that make it an ideal platform for engineering new nanotechnologies. Rapidly advancing synthesis and sequencing technologies are enabling novel unnatural applications for DNA beyond the realm of genetics. Here we explore the chemical biology of DNA nanotechnology for emerging applications in communication and digital data storage. Early studies of DNA as an alternative to magnetic and optical storage mediums have not only been promising, but have demonstrated the potential of DNA to revolutionize the way we interact with digital data in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SHADOWS OF OUR FORMER COMPANIONS: HOW THE SINGLE-DEGENERATE BINARY TYPE IA SUPERNOVA SCENARIO AFFECTS REMNANTS

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

Gray, William J.; Raskin, Cody; Owen, J. Michael

2016-12-10

Here we present three-dimensional high-resolution simulations of Type Ia supernova in the presence of a non-degenerate companion. We find that the presence of a nearby companion leaves a long-lived hole in the supernova ejecta. In particular, we aim to study the long-term evolution of this hole as the supernova ejecta interacts with the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM). Using estimates for the X-ray emission, we find that the hole generated by the companion remains for many centuries after the interaction between the ejecta and the ISM. We also show that the hole is discernible over a wide range of viewing anglesmore » and companion masses.« less

DNA nanotechnology: new adventures for an old warhorse

PubMed Central

Zakeri, Bijan; Lu, Timothy K.

2016-01-01

As the blueprint of life, the natural exploits of DNA are admirable. However, DNA should not only be viewed within a biological context. It is an elegantly simple yet functionally complex chemical polymer with properties that make it an ideal platform for engineering new nanotechnologies. Rapidly advancing synthesis and sequencing technologies are enabling novel unnatural applications for DNA beyond the realm of genetics. Here we explore the chemical biology of DNA nanotechnology for emerging applications in communication and digital data storage. Early studies of DNA as an alternative to magnetic and optical storage mediums have not only been promising, but have demonstrated the potential of DNA to revolutionize the way we interact with digital data in the future. PMID:26056949

Cognitive behaviour therapy via interactive video.

PubMed

Manchanda, M; McLaren, P

1998-01-01

Interactive video has been identified as a potential delivery medium for psychotherapy. Interactive video may restrict the range of both verbal and non-verbal communication and consequently impede the development of a therapeutic relationship, thus influencing the process and outcome of therapy. A single case study explored the feasibility of the provision of congnitive behaviour therapy using interactive video with a client diagnosed as having mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. A range of outcome measures were included together with an independent psychiatric assessment prior to, and on completion of, therapy. Different levels of outcome were also examined: clinical, social, user views and administration. Outcome measures indicated a reduction in psychopathology and some modification of dysfunctional attitudes, with no apparent impairment of the working alliance.

Embryo catheter loading and embryo culture techniques: results of a worldwide Web-based survey.

PubMed

Christianson, Mindy S; Zhao, Yulian; Shoham, Gon; Granot, Irit; Safran, Anat; Khafagy, Ayatallah; Leong, Milton; Shoham, Zeev

2014-08-01

To identify trends in embryo catheter loading and embryo culture techniques performed worldwide. A retrospective evaluation using the results of a web-based survey, (IVF Worldwide ( www.IVF-worldwide.com ), was performed. Responses from 265 centers in 71 countries were obtained. Most centers (97 %) preferred a catheter with its orifice on top, with only 3 % preferring a catheter with the orifice on its side; 41 % preferred a catheter marked for clear ultrasound view. The most commonly-reported methods of embryo loading were medium-air-embryo-air-medium (42 %), medium in catheter with embryo at end (20 %) and medium-air-embryo (15 %). In 68 % of centers the final volume of the catheter was up to 0.3 ml, with only 19 % using 0.3-0.5 ml and 1 % using 0.5-0.7 ml. Using reduced oxygen concentrations for embryo culture was divided between those who used it in combination with the two-gas system (34 %) and those who did not use it at all (39 %); 24 % reported using a three-gas system. Most clinics using reduced oxygen concentrations used it throughout the entire culture period. Half of centers (51 %) reported using reduced oxygen concentrations for the entire IVF population while 6 % reserved it only for blastocyst transfer. The use of sequential media was highly dominant with 40 % reporting its use.

In view of an optimal gut antifungal therapeutic strategy: an in vitro susceptibility and toxicity study testing a novel phyto-compound.

PubMed

Metugriachuk, Yussef; Kuroi, Olivia; Pavasuthipaisit, Kanok; Tsuchiya, Junji; Minelli, Emilio; Okura, Ruichi; Fesce, Edoardo; Marotta, F

2005-01-01

In view of the raising concern for gut fungal infection, the aim of the present research was to carry out a systematic in vitro study testing the antifungal activity and possible toxicity of a polygodyal-anethole compound (Kolorex) in several strains of Candida albicans and in other fungal pathogens. The in vitro susceptibility tests were carried out on 4 strains of C. albicans (C. krusei, C. lipolytica, C. tropicalis, C. utilis), Aspergillus flavus and A. fumigatus. Cultures were also analyzed by varying medium, pH and inoculum size, and a time-course killing test was carried out. In the present study the polygodyal-anethole compound showed remarkable in vitro activity against the most common fungi, which was significantly better than polygodyal alone. Moreover, such mixture compound was shown to exert its activity against a wide spectrum of fungi, including C. lipolytica and C. tropicalis, which required significantly higher MIC of polygodyal to be unfeasible in clinical application. The activity of the polygodyal-anethole compound was significantly better than polygodyal alone with high inoculum size and low pH. Moreover, it proved to exert a significantly faster biological activity against low inoculum. This study suggests that the mixture compound Kolorex has a very good profile of antifungal activity in terms of effectiveness and spectrum of action while being devoid of any significant toxicity.

On the relationship between aerosol content and errors in telephotometer experiments.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, R. W. L.

1971-01-01

This paper presents an invariant imbedding theory of multiple scattering phenomena contributing to errors in telephotometer experiments. The theory indicates that there is a simple relationship between the magnitudes of the errors introduced by successive orders of scattering and it is shown that for all optical thicknesses each order can be represented by a coefficient which depends on the field of view of the telescope and the properties of the scattering medium. The verification of the theory and the derivation of the coefficients have been accomplished by a Monte Carlo program. Both monodisperse and polydisperse systems of Mie scatterers have been treated. The results demonstrate that for a given optical thickness the coefficients increase strongly with the mean particle size particularly for the smaller fields of view.

Developer view of the CSP evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvajal, Javier López; Barea, Jose M.; Barragan, Jose; Altmann, Thomas

2017-06-01

This paper briefly describes the history of CSP up to the present times and also gives some views about what could be expected in the near future for the industry. It also points out the relevance of the TES system as a key and gives some ideas regarding the innovations that could be expected in the coming CSP projects. Although currently, tower technology capacity under operation is less than 15% of the total CSP capacity in the world, solar tower, with molten salt most likely, might be the predominant technology in the medium run for electricity generation. In addition, other different concepts will be more commonly projected in order to increase dispatchability or renewable energy contribution in the electric system as hybridization with other technologies like PV or as part of desalination projects.

Simulations of Gamma-Ray Burst Jets in a Stratified External Medium: Dynamics, Afterglow Light Curves, Jet Breaks, and Radio Calorimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Colle, Fabio; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico; Granot, Jonathan; Lopez-Camara, Diego

2012-05-01

The dynamics of gamma-ray burst (GRB) jets during the afterglow phase is most reliably and accurately modeled using hydrodynamic simulations. All published simulations so far, however, have considered only a uniform external medium, while a stratified external medium is expected around long duration GRB progenitors. Here, we present simulations of the dynamics of GRB jets and the resulting afterglow emission for both uniform and stratified external media with ρextvpropr -k for k = 0, 1, 2. The simulations are performed in two dimensions using the special relativistic version of the Mezcal code. Common to all calculations is the initiation of the GRB jet as a conical wedge of half-opening angle θ0 = 0.2 whose radial profile is taken from the self-similar Blandford-McKee solution. The dynamics for stratified external media (k = 1, 2) are broadly similar to those derived for expansion into a uniform external medium (k = 0). The jet half-opening angle is observed to start increasing logarithmically with time (or radius) once the Lorentz factor Γ drops below θ-1 0. For larger k values, however, the lateral expansion is faster at early times (when Γ > θ-1 0) and slower at late times with the jet expansion becoming Newtonian and slowly approaching spherical symmetry over progressively longer timescales. We find that, contrary to analytic expectations, there is a reasonably sharp jet break in the light curve for k = 2 (a wind-like external medium), although the shape of the break is affected more by the viewing angle (for θobs <= θ0) than by the slope of the external density profile (for 0 <= k <= 2). Steeper density profiles (i.e., increasing k values) are found to produce more gradual jet breaks while larger viewing angles cause smoother and later appearing jet breaks. The counterjet becomes visible as it becomes sub-relativistic, and for k = 0 this results in a clear bump-like feature in the light curve. However, for larger k values the jet decelerates more gradually, causing only a mild flattening in the radio light curve that might be hard to discern when k = 2. Late-time radio calorimetry, which makes use of a spherical flow approximation near the non-relativistic transition, is likely to consistently overestimate the true energy by up to a factor of a few for k = 2, but likely to either overpredict or underpredict it by a smaller factor for k = 0, 1.

An analysis of interactions and outcomes associated with an online professional development course for science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randle, David Edward

This mixed-methods study examined the interactions and learning outcomes of science teachers in an online graduate-level course on evolutionary biology intended to improve their content knowledge and science lesson planning. Discussion posts made by the teachers in this seven-week course were analyzed for cognitive presence using the Community of Inquiry framework. Compared to other studies examining cognitive presence, high levels of Integration level cognitive activity were observed (47% of total posts). This was most likely due to the design of the discussion prompts and expectations used to frame student participation. The questions were open-ended, and students were expected to use reference materials to construct their responses. During the course, 395 student posts contained statements that could be coded for scientific accuracy. Of these, 85% were coded as scientifically accurate. This reinforces reports from previous literature that the online environment is conducive to reflective and careful contributions by participants. As the course progressed, the number of faculty posts per discussion declined, while the number of student posts remained relatively constant. Student-to-student posts increased in frequency as faculty participation dropped. The number of student posts increased towards the end of each two-week discussion period, however the frequencies of posts with scientifically accurate statements and Integration level cognitive activity remained relatively constant over this same period. The increase in total posts was due to the increase in other types of communication in the discussions. Case study analysis was used to examine patterns of online behavior in three participants who achieved different course grades. A low-performing student had a pattern of intermittent activity, made low numbers of posts in each discussion, and had low percentages of posts that contained scientific statements or indicators of Integration level cognitive activity compared to classmates. A medium-performing learner posted infrequently but was efficient in making scientifically accurate posts that demonstrated Integration. Both the medium and low performer made most of their posts near the end of each two-week discussion period and had limited interaction with other learners. The high-performing learner demonstrated high levels of engagement with the course material. She posted frequently, introduced new resources to the other learners, and had high numbers of scientifically accurate and Integration level posts. An examination of teachers' views of the Nature of Science (NOS) using a pre- and post course Views of Nature of Science -- C survey indicated that this group of teachers began the course with relatively informed views of many of the nature of science aspects. An exception was views about the nature of scientific theories and laws. At the start of the course 10 of 18 participants had naive views, five had partially informed views, and three had informed views. While scientific definitions of theories and laws were addressed in the course, there was no task that asked teachers to apply their understanding of this topic. When the course finished, six participants still had naive views, six held partially informed views, and six had informed views. Participants used course content to create teaching unit plans that indicated how they might use the course outcomes in their practice. Most of the learning objectives stated in the unit plans were grade-level appropriate when referenced to the Benchmarks for Science Literacy. The exception was the inclusion by some middle school teachers of detailed analyses of evolutionary relationships using genetic data. Although there was alignment of stated objectives to content from the online course and lesson activities, some of the teachers did not fully align assessments with their objectives. Based on these findings, it is suggested that designers of online instruction be mindful in the framing of learning tasks and use open-ended discussion prompts that require the use of reference materials if Integration level cognitive activity is the goal. The teachers in this course were generally able to utilize content from the course to create teaching applications, but more support for pedagogical applications could be an important addition for teachers who struggled with this task. This study reinforces previous research that indicates that online asynchronous discussions encourage reflection by learners. However, analysis of individuals who struggled in the course indicates that the online format may not suit all learners since consistent effort and the ability to communicate effectively in writing are important for success.

Contemporary Japanese view of life and death as depicted in the film Departures (Okuribito).

PubMed

Asai, Atsushi; Fukuyama, Miki; Kobayashi, Yasunori

2010-06-01

Through films, we can see many aspects of a country and its times: culture, morality and religion, and views on life and death. The best films can both entertain audiences and provide viewers with opportunities to think about fundamental human problems. In this article, we use Departures (Okuribito) to examine the contemporary Japanese view of life and death. All sorts of deaths are depicted and each scene provides an insight into the contemporary Japanese view of death. We use the medium of film to consider the issue of death: what death is, the relationship that exists between life and death, and how the impurity and dignity of the dead are recognised by contemporary Japanese people. The ritual of 'encoffinment' will also be discussed, and what it suggests and reveals about Japanese views on what happens to a person when they die, and what requirements exist for someone to be able to depart from this world to the afterlife. The view of death depicted in Departures is thought to accept and even hope for a worldview that postulates continuity between life and death, wherein not only the soul but also personal individuality continues on as it existed in life. The rite of encoffinment is required to relieve the family's grief as well as to wipe away the impurity of the dead. The Japanese traditional view that the 'dead are impure' seems to die hard. It is also suggested that complicated and ambivalent attitudes towards the dead exist among contemporary Japanese people.

Prospects of Applying Vibration-Resistant Pressure Gauges in the Oil and Gas Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirogov, S. P.; Cherentsov, D. A.; Gulyaev, B. A.

2016-10-01

The article presents justification for improving vibration protection of pressure gauges used in the oil and gas industry. A mathematical model of manometric tubular spring oscillations in a viscous medium is viewed. By the developed model, the authors have determined the impact of manometric spring geometric characteristics and damping fluid viscosity on oscillation attenuation parameters, as well as provided evaluation of the impact of the cross-sectional shape on the oscillation attenuation rate.

CHILI: China Lijiang IFU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Lei

2014-07-01

Wide-field IFU technology on medium-size telescope provides a unique science capability that compliments larger future facilities. Here I introduce a program to employ a VIRUS-like unit on the 2.4 meter telescope in GaoMeiGu Observatory in LiJiang, China. We name the instrument "CHILI (China Lijiang IFU)". It will be an IFU with very large field of view at 1.8'x3.6'. We discuss its science capabilities and its potential benefit to the Chinese astronomical community.

In Situ Mapping of the Organic Matter in Carbonaceous Chondrites and Mineral Relationships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clemett, Simon J.; Messenger, S.; Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; Ross, D. K.

2012-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrite organic matter represents a fossil record of reactions that occurred in a range of physically, spatially and temporally distinct environments, from the interstellar medium to asteroid parent bodies. While bulk chemical analysis has provided a detailed view of the nature and diversity of this organic matter, almost nothing is known about its spatial distribution and mineralogical relationships. Such information is nevertheless critical to deciphering its formation processes and evolutionary history.

Capillary Movement in Substrates in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bula, R. J.; Duffie, N. A.

1996-01-01

A more complete understanding of the dynamics of capillary flow through an unsaturated porous medium would be useful for a number of space and terrestrial applications. Knowledge of capillary migration of liquids in granular beds in microgravity would significantly enhance the development and understanding of how a matrix based nutrient delivery system for the growth of plants would function in a microgravity environment. Thus, such information is of interest from the theoretical as well as practical point of view.

Eye-Ball Rebuilding Using Splines with a View to Refractive Surgery Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-07-01

anterior segment of the eye and the length of the eye; the light rays are no longer focus on the retina. This is called ametropia , and is mainly of three...types; myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism. 3 Correction of ametropia 3.1 Optical equipment Glasses or lenses represent the traditional method. Glasses...of stromal ablation. In general PRK is used for correc- tion of low ametropia and LASIK for low and medium corrections. For height corrections other

Media Literacy, Social Networking, and the Web 2.0 Environment for the K-12 Educator. Minding the Media: Critical Issues for Learning and Teaching. Volume 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Abreu, Belinha S.

2011-01-01

This book, a resource for educators, uses the theme of media literacy as a lens through which to view and discuss social networking and Web 2.0 environments. There is ongoing and positive research on the participatory culture created by youth who are heavily involved in the new digital technologies, yet schools tend to avoid these mediums for fear…

Effect of the geometry of confining media on the stability and folding rate of α -helix proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Congyue; Piroozan, Nariman; Javidpour, Leili; Sahimi, Muhammad

2018-05-01

Protein folding in confined media has attracted wide attention over the past 15 years due to its importance to both in vivo and in vitro applications. It is generally believed that protein stability increases by decreasing the size of the confining medium, if the medium's walls are repulsive, and that the maximum folding temperature in confinement is in a pore whose size D0 is only slightly larger than the smallest dimension of a protein's folded state. Until recently, the stability of proteins in pores with a size very close to that of the folded state has not received the attention it deserves. In a previous paper [L. Javidpour and M. Sahimi, J. Chem. Phys. 135, 125101 (2011)], we showed that, contrary to the current theoretical predictions, the maximum folding temperature occurs in larger pores for smaller α-helices. Moreover, in very tight pores, the free energy surface becomes rough, giving rise to a new barrier for protein folding close to the unfolded state. In contrast to unbounded domains, in small nanopores proteins with an α-helical native state that contain the β structures are entropically stabilized implying that folding rates decrease notably and that the free energy surface becomes rougher. In view of the potential significance of such results to interpretation of many sets of experimental data that could not be explained by the current theories, particularly the reported anomalously low rates of folding and the importance of entropic effects on proteins' misfolded states in highly confined environments, we address the following question in the present paper: To what extent the geometry of a confined medium affects the stability and folding rates of proteins? Using millisecond-long molecular dynamics simulations, we study the problem in three types of confining media, namely, cylindrical and slit pores and spherical cavities. Most importantly, we find that the prediction of the previous theories that the dependence of the maximum folding temperature Tf on the size D of a confined medium occurs in larger media for larger proteins is correct only in spherical geometry, whereas the opposite is true in the two other geometries that we study. Also studied is the effect of the strength of the interaction between the confined media's walls and the proteins. If the walls are only weakly or moderately attractive, a complex behavior emerges that depends on the size of the confining medium.

Controversies with self-emulsifying drug delivery system from pharmacokinetic point of view.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Bappaditya; Hamed Almurisi, Samah; Ahmed Mahdi Dukhan, Ather; Mandal, Uttam Kumar; Sengupta, Pinaki

2016-11-01

Self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) is an isotropic mixture of lipid, surfactant and co-surfactant, which forms a fine emulsion when comes in contact of an aqueous medium with mild agitation. SEDDS is considered as a potential platform for oral delivery of hydrophobic drug in order to overcome their poor and irregular bioavailability challenges. In spite of fewer advantages like improved solubility of drug, bypassing lymphatic transport etc., SEDDS faces different controversial issues such as the use of appropriate terminology (self-microemulsifying drug delivery system; SMEDDS or self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system; SNEDDS), presence of high amount of surfactant, correlation of in vitro model to in vivo studies, lack of human volunteer study and effect of conversion of SEDDS to final administrable dosage form on pharmacokinetic behavior of the drug. In this review, potential issues or questions on SEDDS are identified and summarized from the pharmacokinetic point of view. Primarily this review includes the conflict between the influences of droplet size, variation in correlation between in vitro lipolysis or ex-vivo intestinal permeation and pharmacokinetic parameters, variation in in vivo results of solid and liquid SEDDS, and potential challenges or limitation of pharmacokinetic studies on human volunteers with orally administered SEDDS. In the past decades, hundreds of in vivo studies on SEDDS have been published. In the present study, only the relevant article on in vivo pharmacokinetic studies with orally administered SEDDS published in past 5-6 years are analyzed for an up to date compilation.

[Comparison of different methods for the identification of Candida species isolated from clinical specimens].

PubMed

Cetinkaya, Zafer; Altindiş, Mustafa; Aktepe, Orhan Cem; Karabiçak, Nilgün

2003-10-01

The aim of this study was to compare the different methods for the identification of Candida strains isolated from clinical specimens. The methods of germ tube examination, chlamydospore examination formed on the rice Tween-80 (RT-80) agar and evaluation of colony morphologies on the two chromogenic agars (CHROMagar Candida, Albicans ID), were compared with a reference API 20C AUX (bioMerieux, France) automated system based on the carbohydrate assimilation, for the identification of a total 255 Candida isolates. Of them, 173 (67.8%) were identified as C. albicans, 37 (14.5%) were C. glabrata, 23 (9%) were C. krusei, 9 (3.5%) were C. tropicalis, 9 (3.5%) were C. kefyr, 2 (0.8%) were C. guillermondii and 2 (0.8%) were C. parapsilosis, by API 20C AUX system. In the view of these results, 146 (84.4%) of C. albicans strains were identified by germ tube examination, 161 (93.1%) of C. albicans strains and 208 (81.5%) of total strains were identified by chlamydospore examination. 169 (97.7%) of C. albicans strains and 231 (90.6%) of total strains were identified by CHROMagar Candida method, and 168 (97.1%) of C. albicans strains were identified by Albicans ID method, correctly. In the CHROMagar Candida medium, 169 C. albicans isolates have produced bright green colored colonies, whereas 33 (89.2%) isolates which produced dark pink/purple colored colonies were identified as C. glabrata, 7 (77.8%) isolates which produced metalical blue colored colonies were identified as C. tropicalis and 22 (95.6%) isolates which produced pale pink colored colonies were identified as C. krusei. In the Albicans ID medium, four of the 172 isolates which were evaluated as C. albicans initially by producing blue colored colonies, have been identified as C. tropicalis by API 20C AUX system. The sensitivities and specificities of germ tube examination, RT-80, CHROMagar Candida and Albicans ID methods were found as follows, respectively; 84.4% and 100%, 93.1% and 100%, 97.7% and 100%, 99.4% and 95.3 percent. In conclusion, CHROMagar Candida medium seems the most favorable rapid and practical method with high sensitivity and specificity for the identification of Candida species, but its cost-effectiveness should be kept in view.

'Trick', 'manipulation' and 'farce': Albert Moll's critique of occultism.

PubMed

Wolffram, Heather

2012-04-01

In July 1925, the psychiatrist Albert Moll appeared before the district court in Berlin-Schöneberg charged with having defamed the medium Maria Vollhardt (alias Rudloff) in his 1924 book Der Spiritismus [Spiritism]. Supported by some of Berlin's most prominent occultists, the plaintiff--the medium's husband--argued that Moll's use of terms such as 'trick', 'manipulation' and 'farce' in reference to Vollhardt's phenomena had been libellous. In the three-part trial that followed, however, Moll's putative affront to the medium--of which he was eventually acquitted--was overshadowed, on the one hand, by a debate over the scientific status of parapsychology, and on the other, by the question of who--parapsychologists, occultists, psychiatrists or jurists--was entitled to claim epistemic authority over the occult. This paper will use the Rudloff-Moll trial as a means of examining Moll's critique of occultism, not only as it stood in the mid-1920s, but also as it had developed since the 1880s. It will also provide insight into the views of Germany's occultists and parapsychologists, who argued that their legitimate bid for scientific credibility was hindered by Dunkelmänner [obscurantists] such as Albert Moll.

Numerical Modeling of Electromagnetic Radiation Within a Particulate Medium.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noe Dobrea, E. Z.

2017-12-01

Numerical modeling of electromagnetic radiation with a particulate medium. Understanding the effect of particulate media and coatings on electromagnetic radiation is key to understanding the effects of multiple scattering on the spectra of geologic materials. Multiple radiative transfer theories have been developed that provide a good approximation to these effects [1,2]. However, approximations regarding particle size, distribution, shape, and other parameters need to be made and in some cases, the theory is limited to specific geometries [2]. In this work, we seek to develop an numerical radiative transfer algorithm to simulate the passage of light through a particulate medium. The code allows arbitrary particle size distributions (uniform, bimodal, trimodal, composition dependent), compositions, and viewing geometries, as well as arbitrary coating thicknesses and compositions. Here, we report on the the status of our model and present comparisons of model predictions with the spectra of well-characterize minerals and mixtures. Future work will include particle size-dependent effects of diffraction as well as particle emittance due to fluorescence and Raman excitation. [1] Hapke, B. (2012). Theory of reflectance and emittance spectroscopy. Cambridge University Press, 2nd edition, 528 p. [2] Shkuratov et al. (1999) Icarus 137

A survey of manufacturers of solar thermal energy systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, N.; Slonski, M. L.

1982-01-01

Sixty-seven firms that had received funding for development of solar thermal energy systems (STES) were surveyed. The effect of the solar thermal technology systems program in accelerating (STES) were assessed. The 54 firms still developing STES were grouped into a production typology comparing the three major technologies with three basic functions. It was discovered that large and small firms were developing primarily central receiver systems, but also typically worked on more than one technology. Most medium-sized firms worked only on distributed systems. Federal support of STES was perceived as necessary to allow producers to take otherwise unacceptable risks. Approximately half of the respondents would drop out of STES if support were terminated, including a disproportionate number of medium-sized firms. A differentiated view of the technology, taking into account differing firm sizes and the various stages of technology development, was suggested for policy and planning purposes.

Faraday effect in a short pulse propagating in a resonant medium under an ultra-strong magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, J. G.; Slavcheva, G.; Hess, O.

2008-04-01

We propose a dynamical model for description of the nonlinear Faraday rotation experienced by a short pulse propagating in a resonant medium subject to an ultra-strong static magnetic field. Under the assumptions of a sufficiently strong external magnetic field, such that the Zeeman splitting of the quantum system energy levels is large compared to the linewidth of the optical transitions involved and the bandwidth of the incident light, the light effectively interacts with a two-level system. Our numerical simulations show that the Faraday effect under these conditions is significantly distinctive from the one caused by weak to moderately strong magnetic field. Nonlinear coherent effects such as inhomogeneous polarization rotation along the pulse duration and an onset of a circularly polarized stimulated emission and coherent ringing have been demonstrated. Some views on the experimental observation of the predicted phenomena are given.

A survey of manufacturers of solar thermal energy systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levine, N.; Slonski, M. L.

1982-08-01

Sixty-seven firms that had received funding for development of solar thermal energy systems (STES) were surveyed. The effect of the solar thermal technology systems program in accelerating (STES) were assessed. The 54 firms still developing STES were grouped into a production typology comparing the three major technologies with three basic functions. It was discovered that large and small firms were developing primarily central receiver systems, but also typically worked on more than one technology. Most medium-sized firms worked only on distributed systems. Federal support of STES was perceived as necessary to allow producers to take otherwise unacceptable risks. Approximately half of the respondents would drop out of STES if support were terminated, including a disproportionate number of medium-sized firms. A differentiated view of the technology, taking into account differing firm sizes and the various stages of technology development, was suggested for policy and planning purposes.

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

Bourdon, Christopher Jay; Olsen, Michael G.; Gorby, Allen D.

The analytical model for the depth of correlation (measurement depth) of a microscopic particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV) experiment derived by Olsen and Adrian (Exp. Fluids, 29, pp. S166-S174, 2000) has been modified to be applicable to experiments using high numerical aperture optics. A series of measurements are presented that experimentally quantify the depth of correlation of micro-PIV velocity measurements which employ high numerical aperture and magnification optics. These measurements demonstrate that the modified analytical model is quite accurate in estimating the depth of correlation in micro-PIV measurements using this class of optics. Additionally, it was found that the Gaussian particlemore » approximation made in this model does not significantly affect the model's performance. It is also demonstrated that this modified analytical model easily predicts the depth of correlation when viewing into a medium of a different index of refraction than the immersion medium.« less

[Cultivation strategy and path analysis on big brand Chinese medicine for small and medium-sized enterprises].

PubMed

Wang, Yong-Yan; Yang, Hong-Jun

2014-03-01

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important components in Chinese medicine industry. However, the lack of big brand is becoming an urgent problem which is critical to the survival of SMEs. This article discusses the concept and traits of Chinese medicine of big brand, from clinical, scientific and market value three aspects. Guided by market value, highlighting clinical value, aiming at the scientific value improvement of big brand cultivation, we put forward the key points in cultivation, aiming at obtaining branded Chinese medicine with widely recognized efficacy, good quality control system and mechanism well explained and meanwhile which can bring innovation improvement to theory of Chinese medicine. According to the characters of SMEs, we hold a view that to build multidisciplinary research union could be considered as basic path, and then, from top-level design, skill upgrading and application three stages to probe the implementation strategy.

NectarCAM, a camera for the medium sized telescopes of the Cherenkov telescope array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glicenstein, J.-F.; Shayduk, M.

2017-01-01

NectarCAM is a camera proposed for the medium-sized telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) which covers the core energy range of 100 GeV to 30 TeV. It has a modular design and is based on the NECTAr chip, at the heart of which is a GHz sampling Switched Capacitor Array and 12-bit Analog to Digital converter. The camera will be equipped with 265 7-photomultiplier modules, covering a field of view of 8 degrees. Each module includes photomultiplier bases, high voltage supply, pre-amplifier, trigger, readout and Ethernet transceiver. The recorded events last between a few nanoseconds and tens of nanoseconds. The expected performance of the camera are discussed. Prototypes of NectarCAM components have been built to validate the design. Preliminary results of a 19-module mini-camera are presented, as well as future plans for building and testing a full size camera.

This meeting: A biased observer's view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heiles, Carl

1992-06-01

Letting yourself be nominated for a conference summary talk is considered by some to be a big mistake. It eliminates the possibility of making up the sleep lost at night, while partying, during the day, while sitting in the talks. It even forces you to look at all the poster papers. But at a meeting like this, with the wealth of observational data, it is definitely not a mistake: it was even worth missing some of the parties! My problem was to devise a way to be sufficiently selective so as to provide a reasonably coherent summary. I chose to emphasize the multitude of large-scale maps presented at the meeting. Many are relevant to the ``worm paradigm'' (Sec. 2), and the recent γ-ray and ROSAT results are relevant to the Hot Ionized Medium (Sec. 3). And finally, I was impressed by a number of well-crafted smaller-scale observations, which elucidate particular aspects of the interstellar medium (Sec. 4).

This meeting: A biased observer's view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heiles, Carl

Letting yourself be nominated for a conference summary talk is considered by some to be a big mistake. It eliminates the possibility of making up the sleep lost at night, while partying, during the day, while sitting in the talks. It even forces you to look at all the poster papers. But at a meeting like this, with the wealth of observational data, it is definitely not a mistake: it was even worth missing some of the parties! My problem was to devise a way to be sufficiently selective so as to provide a reasonably coherent summary. I chose to emphasize the multitude of large-scale maps presented at the meeting. Many are relevant to the ``worm paradigm'' (Sec. 2), and the recent γ-ray and ROSAT results are relevant to the Hot Ionized Medium (Sec. 3). And finally, I was impressed by a number of well-crafted smaller-scale observations, which elucidate particular aspects of the interstellar medium (Sec. 4).

Cross correlation analysis of medium energy gamma rays for the Northern Hemisphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, J.; Zanrosso, E.; Zych, A. D.; White, R. S.

1982-01-01

In the cross correlation method the observed gamma rays are compared with the expected telescope response for a discrete celestial source. The background consists of the atmospheric flux with its maximum near the horizon, the cosmic diffuse flux, and neutron induced gamma rays in the telescope. In sharp contrast to the background, a celestial source produces an asymmetric azimuthal response which varies predictably in time as the source moves through the telescope's aperture. This contrast serves as the basis of the cross correlation technique. Continuous data of 47.5 hr were obtained during a balloon flight from Palestine, TX from 0930 UT on September 30, 1978 to 2300 UT on October 1, 1978. The Crab Nebula-Anticenter region was observed on two consecutive days. A number of other medium energy source candidates also crossed the field-of-view. The obtained results are discussed.

Modelling the hydraulic conductivity of porous media using physical-statistical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usowicz, B.; Usowicz, L. B.; Lipiec, J.

2009-04-01

Soils and other porous media can be represented by a pattern (net) of more or less cylindrically interconnected channels. The capillary radius, r can represent an elementary capillary formed in between soil particles in one case, and in another case it can represent a mean hydrodynamic radius. When we view a porous medium as a net of interconnected capillaries, we can apply a statistical approach for the description of the liquid or gas flow. A soil phase is included in the porous medium and its configuration is decisive for pore distribution in this medium and hence, it conditions the course of the water retention curve of this medium. In this work method of estimating hydraulic conductivity of porous media based on physical-statistical model proposed by B. Usowicz is presented. The physical-statistical model considers the pore space as the capillary net. The net of capillary connections is represented by parallel and serial connections of hydraulic resistors in the layer and between the layers, respectively. The polynomial distribution was used in this model to determine probability of the occurrence of a given capillary configuration. The model was calibrated using measured water retention curve and two values of hydraulic conductivity saturated and unsaturated and model parameters were determined. The model was used for predicting hydraulic conductivity as a function of soil water content K(theta). The model was validated by comparing the measured and predicted K data for various soils and other porous media (e.g. sandstone). A good agreement between measured and predicted data was reasonable as indicated by values R2 (>0.9). It was also confirmed that the random variables used for the calculations and model parameters were chosen and selected correctly. The study was funded in part by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education by Grant No. N305 046 31/1707).

Assessing the Association Between E-Cigarette Use and Exposure to Social Media in College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Sawdey, Michael D; Hancock, Linda; Messner, Marcus; Prom-Wormley, Elizabeth C

2017-12-06

Social media platforms provide an indirect medium for encouraging e-cigarette use between individuals and also serve as a direct marketing tool from e-cigarette brands to potential users. E-cigarette users share information via social media that often contains product details or health-related claims. Determine whether e-cigarette use is associated with exposure to e-cigarettes on social media in college students. Data from a sample of 258 college students was obtained via a clicker-response questionnaire (90% response rate). Demographic, lifetime and current e-cigarette/cigarette use, and e-cigarette exposure via social media (peer posts or advertisements) were examined. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between lifetime and current e-cigarette use and viewing peer posts or advertisements on social media while adjusting for cigarette use and self-posting about e-cigarettes. Overall, 46% of participants reported lifetime e-cigarette use, 16% current e-cigarette use, and 7% were current dual users of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. There were positive and significant associations between lifetime e-cigarette use and viewing peer posts (aOR = 3.11; 95% CI = 1.25-7.76) as well as advertisements (aOR = 3.01; 95% CI = 1.19-7.65) on e-cigarettes via social media after adjusting for cigarette use. Current e-cigarette use was only significantly associated with viewing peer posts via social media (aOR = 7.58; 95% CI = 1.66-34.6) after adjusting for cigarette use. Conclusions/Importance: Almost half of college students view peer posts and advertisements on e-cigarettes via social media. This exposure is associated with individual e-cigarette use. Continued efforts to examine online e-cigarette content are needed to help future interventions decrease e-cigarette use.

Lunar Samples - Apollo 12

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-26

S69-60294 (26 Nov. 1969) --- One of the first views of the Apollo 12 lunar rocks is this photograph of the open sample return container. The large rock is approximately 7 1/2 inches across and is larger than any rock brought back to Earth by the crew of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. Two of the rocks in the first container are crystalline and generally lighter in color than those returned on the first lunar landing. The rocks in this box are medium charcoal brown/gray in color.

Automated, per pixel Cloud Detection from High-Resolution VNIR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varlyguin, Dmitry L.

2007-01-01

CASA is a fully automated software program for the per-pixel detection of clouds and cloud shadows from medium- (e.g., Landsat, SPOT, AWiFS) and high- (e.g., IKONOS, QuickBird, OrbView) resolution imagery without the use of thermal data. CASA is an object-based feature extraction program which utilizes a complex combination of spectral, spatial, and contextual information available in the imagery and the hierarchical self-learning logic for accurate detection of clouds and their shadows.

HiRadProp: High-Frequency Modeling and Prediction of Tropospheric Radiopropagation Parameters from Ground-Based-Multi-Channel Radiometric Measurements between Ka and W Band

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-11

new physically -based prediction models for all-weather path attenuation estimation at Ka, V and W band from multi- channel microwave radiometric data...of new physically -based prediction models for all-weather path attenuation estimation at Ka, V and W band from multi- channel microwave radiometric...the medium behavior at these frequency bands from both a physical and a statistical point of view (e.g., [5]-[7]). However, these campaigns are

Radionuclide development at BNL for nuclear medicine therapy.

PubMed

Mausner, L F; Kolsky, K L; Joshi, V; Srivastava, S C

1998-04-01

Radionuclides with medium energy beta emission and a several day half-life have often been viewed as attractive candidates for radioimmunotherapy. Among the most promising in this category are 47Sc, 67Cu, 153Sm, 188Re, and 199Au. The production of 67Cu, 153Sm, 199Au at BNL is summarized and the development of the latest candidate for this application, 47Sc, is described in detail. We also summarize the development of another important therapeutic radionuclide, 117mSn for bone pain palliation.

Digital Radiography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

System One, a digital radiography system, incorporates a reusable image medium (RIM) which retains an image. No film is needed; the RIM is read with a laser scanner, and the information is used to produce a digital image on an image processor. The image is stored on an optical disc. System allows the radiologist to "dial away" unwanted images to compare views on three screens. It is compatible with existing equipment and cost efficient. It was commercialized by a Stanford researcher from energy selective technology developed under a NASA grant.

Combined theory of reflectance and emittance spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hapke, Bruce

1995-01-01

The theory in which either or both reflected sunlight and thermally emitted radiation contribute to the power received by a detector viewing a particulate medium, such as a powder in the laboratory or a planetary regolith, is considered theoretically. This theory is of considerable interest for the interpretation of data from field or spacecraft instruments that are sensitive to the near-infrared region of the spectrum, such as NIMS (near-infrared mapping spectrometer) and VIMS (visual and infrared mapping spectrometer), as well as thermal infrared detectors.

SEDIGISM: Structure, excitation, and dynamics of the inner Galactic interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuller, F.; Csengeri, T.; Urquhart, J. S.; Duarte-Cabral, A.; Barnes, P. J.; Giannetti, A.; Hernandez, A. K.; Leurini, S.; Mattern, M.; Medina, S.-N. X.; Agurto, C.; Azagra, F.; Anderson, L. D.; Beltrán, M. T.; Beuther, H.; Bontemps, S.; Bronfman, L.; Dobbs, C. L.; Dumke, M.; Finger, R.; Ginsburg, A.; Gonzalez, E.; Henning, T.; Kauffmann, J.; Mac-Auliffe, F.; Menten, K. M.; Montenegro-Montes, F. M.; Moore, T. J. T.; Muller, E.; Parra, R.; Perez-Beaupuits, J.-P.; Pettitt, A.; Russeil, D.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Schilke, P.; Schisano, E.; Suri, S.; Testi, L.; Torstensson, K.; Venegas, P.; Wang, K.; Wienen, M.; Wyrowski, F.; Zavagno, A.

2017-05-01

Context. The origin and life-cycle of molecular clouds are still poorly constrained, despite their importance for understanding the evolution of the interstellar medium. Many large-scale surveys of the Galactic plane have been conducted recently, allowing for rapid progress in this field. Nevertheless, a sub-arcminute resolution global view of the large-scale distribution of molecular gas, from the diffuse medium to dense clouds and clumps, and of their relationshipto the spiral structure, is still missing. Aims: We have carried out a systematic, homogeneous, spectroscopic survey of the inner Galactic plane, in order to complement the many continuum Galactic surveys available with crucial distance and gas-kinematic information. Our aim is to combine this data set with recent infrared to sub-millimetre surveys at similar angular resolutions. Methods: The SEDIGISM survey covers 78 deg2 of the inner Galaxy (-60°≤ℓ≤ 18°, |b|≤ 0.5°) in the J = 2-1 rotational transition of 13CO. This isotopologue of CO is less abundant than 12CO by factors up to 100. Therefore, its emission has low to moderate optical depths, and higher critical density, making it an ideal tracer of the cold, dense interstellar medium. The data have been observed with the SHFI single-pixel instrument at APEX. The observational setup covers the 13CO(2-1) and C18O(2-1) lines, plus several transitions from other molecules. Results: The observations have been completed. Data reduction is in progress, and the final data products will be made available in the near future. Here we give a detailed description of the survey and the dedicated data reduction pipeline. To illustrate the scientific potential of this survey, preliminary results based on a science demonstration field covering -20°≤ℓ ≤ -18.5° are presented. Analysis of the 13CO(2-1) data in this field reveals compact clumps, diffuse clouds, and filamentary structures at a range of heliocentric distances. By combining our data with data in the (1-0) transition of CO isotopologues from the ThrUMMS survey, we are able to compute a 3D realization of the excitation temperature and optical depth in the interstellar medium. Ultimately, this survey will provide a detailed, global view of the inner Galactic interstellar medium at an unprecedented angular resolution of 30''. This publication is based on data acquired with the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) under programmes 092.F-9315(A) and 193.C-0584(A). APEX is a collaboration between the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, the European Southern Observatory, and the Onsala Space Observatory.Full Table 5 and Table A.1 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/601/A124

Simplifying mental math: Changing how added sugars are displayed on the nutrition facts label can improve consumer understanding.

PubMed

Khandpur, Neha; Graham, Dan J; Roberto, Christina A

2017-07-01

Proposed variations to Nutrition Facts Labels (NFL) have included the display of added sugars (AS) content, but its impact on consumer understanding is poorly understood. To examine the degree to which different formats for displaying AS influence consumer understanding, perceptions, and purchase intentions. Randomized-controlled online experiment. A sample of 2509 U.S adults. Participants were randomized to 1 of 8 conditions and viewed 10 food or beverage images with either: (1) no label (control); (2) the current NFL (without AS); (3) the proposed NFL without AS; or the proposed NFL with AS in (4) grams, (5) grams and teaspoons, (6) grams and percent Daily Value (%DV), (7) grams with high/medium/low text, or (8) grams with high/medium/low text and %DV. ANCOVAs compared scores on quizzes that assessed the accuracy of judgments about AS, overall nutrition understanding and purchase intentions. Presenting AS in grams plus high/medium/low text with and without %DV led to the highest AS understanding scores (85% and 83% correct, respectively) compared to 70% correct when AS was not on the label or was displayed in grams only (74% correct). Displaying AS in teaspoons did not significantly improve understanding beyond grams alone. Consumers were best able to determine which of two products was healthier when AS was presented as %DV (68% correct) versus displayed in grams alone (60% correct), but %DV did not differ from high/medium/low text or teaspoons. None of the labels influenced purchase intentions relative to no label. Displaying AS on the NFL in grams with high/medium/low text, %DV, or the combination of the two, improved consumer understanding more than presenting it in grams or teaspoons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FDTD-based computed terahertz wave propagation in multilayer medium structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Wan-li; Zhong, Shun-cong; Yao, Hai-zi; Shen, Yao-chun

2013-08-01

The terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum spans the frequency range of 0.1THz~10THz, which means it sandwiches between the mid-infrared (IR) and the millimeter/ microwave. With the development and commercialization of terahertz pulsed spectroscopy (TPS) and terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) systems, terahertz technologies have been widely used in the sensing and imaging fields. It allows high quality cross-sectional images from within scattering media to be obtained nondestructively. Characterizing the interaction of terahertz radiation with multilayer medium structures is critical for the development of nondestructive testing technology. Currently, there was much experimental investigation of using TPI for the characterization of terahertz radiation in materials (e.g., pharmaceutical tablet coatings), but there were few theoretical researches on propagation of terahertz radiation in multilayer medium structures. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) algorithm is a proven method for electromagnetic scattering theory, which analyzes continuous electromagnetic problems by employing finite difference and obtains electromagnetic field value at the sampling point to approach the actual continuous solutions. In the present work, we investigated the propagation of terahertz radiation in multilayer medium structures based on FDTD method. The model of multilayer medium structures under the THz frequency plane wave incidence was established, and the reflected radiation properties were recorded and analyzed. The terahertz radiation used was broad-band in the frequency up to 2 THz. A batch of single layer coated pharmaceutical tablets, whose coating thickness in the range of 40~100μm, was computed by FDTD method. We found that the simulation results on pharmaceutical tablet coatings were in good agreement with the experimental results obtained using a commercial system (TPI imaga 2000, TeraView, Cambridge, UK) , demonstrating its usefulness in simulating and analyzing terahertz responses from a multilayered sample.

View of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission towards SMPR's in the light of KANUPP performance

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

Huseini, S.D.

1985-01-01

The developing countries in general do not have grid capacities adequate enough to incorporate standard size, economic but rather large nuclear power plants for maximum advantage. Therefore, small and medium size reactors (SMPR) have been and still are, of particular interest to the developing countries in spite of certain known problems with these reactors. Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has been operating a CANDU type of a small PHWR plant since 1971 when it was connected to the local Karachi grid. This paper describes PAEC's view in the light of KANUPP performance with respect to such factors associated with SMPR'smore » as selection of suitable reactor size and type, its operation in a grid of small capacity, flexibility of operation and its role as a reliable source of electrical power.« less

HST Solar Arrays photographed by Electronic Still Camera

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-12-04

S61-E-003 (4 Dec 1993) --- This medium close-up view of one of two original Solar Arrays (SA) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was photographed with an Electronic Still Camera (ESC), and down linked to ground controllers soon afterward. This view shows the cell side of the minus V-2 panel. Endeavour's crew captured the HST on December 4, 1993 in order to service the telescope over a period of five days. Four of the crew members will work in alternating pairs outside Endeavour's shirt sleeve environment to service the giant telescope. Electronic still photography is a relatively new technology which provides the means for a handheld camera to electronically capture and digitize an image with resolution approaching film quality. The electronic still camera has flown as an experiment on several other shuttle missions.

Synchronicity in predictive modelling: a new view of data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duane, G. S.; Tribbia, J. J.; Weiss, J. B.

2006-11-01

The problem of data assimilation can be viewed as one of synchronizing two dynamical systems, one representing "truth" and the other representing "model", with a unidirectional flow of information between the two. Synchronization of truth and model defines a general view of data assimilation, as machine perception, that is reminiscent of the Jung-Pauli notion of synchronicity between matter and mind. The dynamical systems paradigm of the synchronization of a pair of loosely coupled chaotic systems is expected to be useful because quasi-2D geophysical fluid models have been shown to synchronize when only medium-scale modes are coupled. The synchronization approach is equivalent to standard approaches based on least-squares optimization, including Kalman filtering, except in highly non-linear regions of state space where observational noise links regimes with qualitatively different dynamics. The synchronization approach is used to calculate covariance inflation factors from parameters describing the bimodality of a one-dimensional system. The factors agree in overall magnitude with those used in operational practice on an ad hoc basis. The calculation is robust against the introduction of stochastic model error arising from unresolved scales.

IBEX: The Evolving Global View and Synergies with In Situ Voyager Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McComas, D. J.

2015-12-01

The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) has now returned nearly seven years of observations, which comprise 14 full sets of energy resolved all-sky maps and provide the global view of our Sun's interaction with very local part of the galaxy. With such a long baseline of observations, we are able to examine time variations in the outer heliosphere as it responds to both 11-year solar cycle variations and longer term secular evolution of the three dimensional solar wind. Now that we have collected over half a solar cycle of observations, IBEX is beginning to show us how the heliosphere - our home in the galaxy - varies in time as well as space. In this talk we present the most recent observations and review some other recent discoveries from IBEX. We also examine the synergy between the global view provided by IBEX and the in situ observations form the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. Finally, we discuss the incredible improvement in interstellar observations - and our understanding of the local interstellar medium - that the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) will provide.

Study of switching electric circuits with DC hybrid breaker, one stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niculescu, T.; Marcu, M.; Popescu, F. G.

2016-06-01

The paper presents a method of extinguishing the electric arc that occurs between the contacts of direct current breakers. The method consists of using an LC type extinguishing group to be optimally sized. From this point of view is presented a theoretical approach to the phenomena that occurs immediately after disconnecting the load and the specific diagrams are drawn. Using these, the elements extinguishing group we can choose. At the second part of the paper there is presented an analyses of the circuit switching process by decomposing the process in particular time sequences. For every time interval there was conceived a numerical simulation model in MATLAB-SIMULINK medium which integrates the characteristic differential equation and plots the capacitor voltage variation diagram and the circuit dumping current diagram.

Second generation spectrograph for the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodgate, B. E.; Boggess, A.; Gull, T. R.; Heap, S. R.; Krueger, V. L.; Maran, S. P.; Melcher, R. W.; Rebar, F. J.; Vitagliano, H. D.; Green, R. F.; Wolff, S. C.; Hutchings, J. B.; Jenkins, E. B.; Linsky, J. L.; Moos, H. W.; Roesler, F.; Shine, R. A.; Timothy, J. G.; Weistrop, D. E.; Bottema, M.; Meyer, W.

1986-01-01

The preliminary design for the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), which has been selected by NASA for definition study for future flight as a second-generation instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), is presented. STIS is a two-dimensional spectrograph that will operate from 1050 A to 11,000 A at the limiting HST resolution of 0.05 arcsec FWHM, with spectral resolutions of 100, 1200, 20,000, and 100,000 and a maximum field-of-view of 50 x 50 arcsec. Its basic operating modes include echelle model, long slit mode, slitless spectrograph mode, coronographic spectroscopy, photon time-tagging, and direct imaging. Research objectives are active galactic nuclei, the intergalactic medium, global properties of galaxies, the origin of stellar systems, stelalr spectral variability, and spectrographic mapping of solar system processes.

a National Blog as a Medium for Student Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bentley, C.

2011-12-01

Though it began as an outreach tool specifically aimed at his community college students, the author's online geology blog ("Mountain Beltway") has developed into a national-scale platform for disseminating geological information, and is now hosted by the American Geophysical Union. Survey and interview data will be presented highlighting the relationship students have with the blog, and how it influences their perception of geology as a field of study. To some students, the blog is a pathway for recruitment and engagement of a participatory or "silent observer" sort. For others the blog is extraneous to the class or an outright turn-off. Which students engage with the blog depends on online preferences, personal views on the nature of science and religion, and pre-existing interest in geology.

Artificial intelligence costs, benefits, risks for selected spacecraft ground system automation scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walter F.; Silverman, Barry G.; Kahn, Martha; Hexmoor, Henry

1988-01-01

In response to a number of high-level strategy studies in the early 1980s, expert systems and artificial intelligence (AI/ES) efforts for spacecraft ground systems have proliferated in the past several years primarily as individual small to medium scale applications. It is useful to stop and assess the impact of this technology in view of lessons learned to date, and hopefully, to determine if the overall strategies of some of the earlier studies both are being followed and still seem relevant. To achieve that end four idealized ground system automation scenarios and their attendant AI architecture are postulated and benefits, risks, and lessons learned are examined and compared. These architectures encompass: (1) no AI (baseline), (2) standalone expert systems, (3) standardized, reusable knowledge base management systems (KBMS), and (4) a futuristic unattended automation scenario. The resulting artificial intelligence lessons learned, benefits, and risks for spacecraft ground system automation scenarios are described.

Artificial intelligence costs, benefits, and risks for selected spacecraft ground system automation scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walter F.; Silverman, Barry G.; Kahn, Martha; Hexmoor, Henry

1988-01-01

In response to a number of high-level strategy studies in the early 1980s, expert systems and artificial intelligence (AI/ES) efforts for spacecraft ground systems have proliferated in the past several years primarily as individual small to medium scale applications. It is useful to stop and assess the impact of this technology in view of lessons learned to date, and hopefully, to determine if the overall strategies of some of the earlier studies both are being followed and still seem relevant. To achieve that end four idealized ground system automation scenarios and their attendant AI architecture are postulated and benefits, risks, and lessons learned are examined and compared. These architectures encompass: (1) no AI (baseline); (2) standalone expert systems; (3) standardized, reusable knowledge base management systems (KBMS); and (4) a futuristic unattended automation scenario. The resulting artificial intelligence lessons learned, benefits, and risks for spacecraft ground system automation scenarios are described.

How do employees and managers perceive depression: a worksite case study.

PubMed

Hauck, Katelyn; Chard, Gill

2009-01-01

The impact of depression in the workplace is significant. If managers and employees understood depression better they could assist those with depression to achieve optimal work performance. The case study was a medium-sized, privately owned forest products company located in western Canada. Individual interviews were used to explore the views of employees and managers about depression and its impact on work performance. Suggest that how one perceives workplace support for depression is influenced by the interaction of the following factors: a) knowledge and understanding of depression, b) roles and responsibilities within the work environment, and c) perceptions of work role boundaries. Better links are needed between employees and managers to enhance workplace collaborations and achieve optimal work performance. The implementation of mental health support programs and the vocational role of occupational therapy in addressing the impact of depression in the workplace are discussed.

An Examination of the Influence of Globalisation on Science Education in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koosimile, Anthony T.; Suping, Shanah M.

2015-09-01

This paper takes the view that the emergence of some trends and practices in science education mirrors the influence of the process of globalisation in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa. Through a literature review, an attempt is made to link science education and globalisation by answering the question: 'What influence does globalisation have on science education in countries in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa?' The findings of the study show some significant convergence of what is valued in science education in Sub-Saharan Africa in areas such as pedagogy; English language as a medium of instruction; assessment of learning; mobility of students in the region; and in the frameworks for collaborative engagements among stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa. The paper concludes with a reflective end-piece calling for more case studies to help scrutinise further the influence of globalisation on science education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

How Pregnant African-American Women View Pregnancy Weight Gain

PubMed Central

Groth, Susan W.; Morrison-Beedy, Dianne; Meng, Ying

2012-01-01

Objective To gain insight into how low-income, pregnant African-American women viewed their weight gain while pregnant and how they managed their weight during pregnancy. Design Descriptive study using three focus groups. Setting Women were recruited from urban prenatal care sites and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services in a medium-sized urban Northeastern city. Participants Twenty-six adult, low-income, pregnant African-American women, aged 18–39; the majority were within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Methods Three focus groups were conducted utilizing open-ended questions related to pregnancy weight gain. Content analysis was used to analyze the verbatim transcripts. Analysis focused on meaning, intention and context. Groups were compared and contrasted at the within and between group levels to identify themes. Results Four themes were identified that provided insight into how women viewed their pregnancy weight gain and managed weight gain during pregnancy: (a) pregnancy weight gain: no matter how much means a healthy baby; (b) weight retention: it happens; (c) there is a limit: weight gain impact on appearance; and (d) watching and waiting: plans for controlling weight. Conclusion Low-income African-American women, though cognizant of the likelihood of retention of weight following pregnancy, are not focused on limiting their gestational weight gain. The cultural acceptance of a larger body size along with the belief that gaining more weight is indicative of a healthy infant present challenges for interventions to limit excessive gestational weight gain. PMID:22789036

Teaching spirituality to student midwives: a creative approach.

PubMed

Mitchell, Mary; Hall, Jenny

2007-11-01

The nature of midwifery both as an art and a science requires methods of teaching students that will enhance this understanding. A philosophy of holistic care of women should underpin education of student midwives and these concepts should be put across to the students in meaningful ways. In the formal midwifery curriculum this has been a neglected aspect (Hall, 2001) [Hall, J., 2001. Midwifery Mind and spirit: emerging issues of care. Books for Midwives, Oxford]. We have developed a teaching session on 'Spirituality and the meaning of birth'. A creative approach, using mediums of video, music, aroma and storytelling, combined with an opportunity for the students to express their selves through art have been utilised (Cameron, 1993) [Cameron, J., 1993. The Artists Way--A course in discovering and recovering your creative self. Pan Macmillan, London]. Although creative approaches in teaching arts based disciplines is well established, these approaches have not been evaluated for their effectiveness within midwifery education. We conducted a study which aimed to develop an understanding of student's views on the meaning of birth by examining creative work produced by the student midwives. This aspect is reported elsewhere. Further exploration through open-ended questionnaires was made of the effectiveness and value of the activity as a teaching method. This paper will describe the innovative teaching methods used. In addition student's views of birth established through their art and their views of the teaching session elicited through our research will be explored.

A novel medium for the enhanced production of cyclosporin A by Tolypocladium inflatum MTCC 557 using solid state fermentation.

PubMed

Survase, Shrikant A; Shaligram, Nikhil S; Pansuriya, Ruchir C; Annapure, Uday S; Singhal, Rekha S

2009-05-01

Cyclosporin A (CyA) produced by Tolypocladium inflatum is a promising drug owing to its immunosuppressive and antifungal activities. From an industrial point of view, the necessity to obtain a suitable and economic medium for higher production of CyA was the aim of this work. The present study evaluated the effect of different fermentation parameters in solid state fermentation, such as selection of solid substrate, hydrolysis of substrates, initial moisture content, supplementation of salts, additional carbon, and nitrogen sources, as well as the inoculum age and size, on production of CyA by Tolypocladium inflatum MTCC 557. The fermentation was carried out at 25+/-2 degrees for 9 days. A combination of hydrolyzed wheat bran flour and coconut oil cake (1:1) at 70% initial moisture content supported a maximum production of 3,872+/-156 mg CyA/kg substrate as compared with 792+/-33 mg/kg substrate before optimization. Furthermore, supplementation of salts, glycerol (1%w/w), and ammonium sulfate (1%w/w) increased the production of CyA to 5,454+75 mg/kg substrate. Inoculation of 5 g of solid substrate with 6 ml of 72-h-old seed culture resulted in a maximum production of 6,480+95 mg CyA/kg substrate.

Dynamic Gratings and Other Applications of Dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, Bethany J.

This thesis contains the work of several different experiments conducted during my doctoral studies at the University of Rochester. The broad connecting thread is that each result comes about because of the dispersive response of a medium. I first show how a dynamic grating can be induced in an atomic vapor, which can be used as a rapid optical switch. The second experiment presents a Doppler remote sensing technique, at the heart of which is a liquid crystal light valve. Two beams incident on the light valve induce a grating; the output of this two-wave mixing process displays a dispersive response in the amplitude of the difference signal between the beams. The response is phase insensitive and allows the detection of a moving mirror with a displacement noise floor of twenty femtometers per square root hertz. Finally, I delve deeper into the nature of light propagating through a dispersive medium by presenting the results of a pulse imaging experiment, in which single photons scattered from a propagating pulse give a clear picture of propagation along the length of the cell. Through these three experiments, we see the power of viewing the light-matter interaction as a resonant response, and show how novel applications can arise from such fundamental concepts.

ERP system implementation in SMEs: exploring the influences of the SME context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zach, Ondrej; Munkvold, Bjørn Erik; Håkon Olsen, Dag

2014-03-01

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Compared to large enterprises, SMEs differ in a number of inherent characteristics, which are likely to impact the ERP system implementations. The purpose of this study is to explore these influences of the SME context on the ERP system implementation process. SME characteristics are synthesised from relevant literature and the influences of the contextual factors on various activities across the ERP life cycle are investigated. The study presents findings from a multiple case study of four SMEs. The ownership type of the companies and limited resources were identified as the most influential contextual factors. Among the ERP life-cycle phases, the implementation phase was affected most by the SME context. The case studies also illustrate the need for a more nuanced view on what should be considered general characteristics of SMEs; for example, regarding the level of IS knowledge, business processes, and market characteristics.

Mapping the geogenic radon potential: methodology and spatial analysis for central Hungary.

PubMed

Szabó, Katalin Zsuzsanna; Jordan, Gyozo; Horváth, Ákos; Szabó, Csaba

2014-03-01

A detailed geogenic radon potential (GRP) mapping based on field soil gas radon and soil gas permeability measurements was carried out in this study. A conventional continuous variable approach was used in this study for GRP determination and to test its applicability to the selected area of Hungary. Spatial pattern of soil gas radon concentration, soil permeability and GRP and the relationship between geological formations and these parameters were studied by performing detailed spatial analysis. Exploratory data analysis revealed that higher soil gas radon activity concentration and GRP characterizes the mountains and hills than the plains. The highest values were found in the proluvial-deluvial sediments, rock debris on the downhill slopes eroded from hills. Among the Quaternary sediments, which characterize the study area, the fluvial sediment has the highest values, which are also located in the hilly areas. The lowest values were found in the plain areas covered by drift sand, fluvioeolic sand, fluvial sand and loess. As a conclusion, radon is related to the sediment cycle in the study area. A geogenic radon risk map was created, which assists human health risk assessment and risk reduction since it indicates the potential of the source of indoor radon. The map shows that low and medium geogenic radon potential characterizes the study area in central Hungary. High risk occurs only locally. The results reveal that Quaternary sediments are inhomogeneous from a radon point of view, fluvial sediment has medium GRP, whereas the other rock formations such as drift sand, fluioeolic sand, fluvial sand and loess, found in the study area, have low GRP. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Evaluation of a grant program for improving health and safety in small and medium companies in Andalusia (Spain)].

PubMed

Carrillo Castrillo, Jesús Antonio; Onieva Giménez, Luis; Ruiz Frutos, Carlos

2012-01-01

To evaluate a grant program for the development and support of occupational safety projects in small and medium companies (SMC) in Andalusia. The analysis includes data and results of the program between 2006 and 2008. We analyzed the program characteristics in terms of budget, proposals submitted and projects financed. The views of participating companies regarding the program were evaluated through a voluntary and anonymous postal survey. Occupational injury rates in 2006 and 2007 in a subgroup of companies that had obtained a grant in 2006 were calculated. Public investment in the program (> 17 million euros) covered 44% of the investment in occupational health projects proposed by participating companies. Nearly 50% of the projects presented received grant funding. The survey was completed by 573 companies (24% of the submitted questionnaires). Among grantee companies, 89% considered the investment to have been effective and 87% considered that working conditions in the company had improved. Most of the companies (>90%) considered that lack of economic resources is an obstacle for prevention activities and that these kinds of public subsidies are necessary. Occupational injury rates decreased between 2006 and 2007 (incidence rate 0.93; 95%confidence interval, 0.78-1.11). The grant program was viewed positively by participating companies and was accompanied by a reduction of occupational injury rates among grantee companies. These programs should incorporate evaluation criteria and indicators in their design. Copyright belongs to the Societat Catalana de Seguretat i Medicina del Treball.

Spatio-temporal changes of seismic anisotropy in seismogenic zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saade, M.; Montagner, J.; Roux, P.; Paul, C.; Brenguier, F.; Enescu, B.; Shiomi, K.

2013-12-01

Seismic anisotropy plays a key role in the study of stress and strain fields in the earth. Potential temporal change of seismic anisotropy can be interpreted as change of the orientation of cracks in seismogenic zones and thus change of the stress field. Such temporal changes have been observed in seismogenic zones before and after earthquakes (Durand et al. , 2011) but are still not well understood. In this study, from a numerical point of view, we investigate the variations of the polarization of surface waves in anisotropic media. These variations are related to the elastic properties of the medium, in particular to anisotropy. The technique used is based on the calculation of the whole cross-correlation tensor (CCT) of ambient seismic noise. If the sources are randomly distributed in homogeneous medium, it allows us to reconstruct the Green's tensor between two stations continuously and to monitor the region through the use of its fluctuations. Therefore, the temporal change of the Green's cross-correlation tensor enables the monitoring of stress and strain fields. This technique is applied to synthetic seismograms computed in a transversally isotropic medium with horizontal symmetry axis (hereafter referred to an HTI medium) using a code RegSEM (Cupillard et al. , 2012) based on the spectral element method. We designed an experiment in order to investigate the influence of anisotropy on the CCT. In homogeneous, isotropic medium the off-diagonal terms of the Green's tensor are null. The CCT is computed between each pair of stations and then rotated in order to approximate the Green's tensor by minimizing the off-diagonal components. This procedure permits the calculation of the polarization angle of quasi-Rayleigh and quasi-Love waves, and to observe the azimuthal variation of their polarization. The results show that even a small variation of the azimuth of seismic anisotropy with respect to a certain pair of stations can induce, in some cases, a large variation in the horizontal polarization of surface waves along the direction of this pair of stations. It depends on the relative azimuth angle between the pair of stations and the direction of anisotropy, on the amplitude of anisotropy and the frequency band of the signal. Therefore, it is now possible to explain the large, rapid and very localized variations of surface waves horizontal polarization observed by Durand et al. (2011) during the Parkfield earthquake of 2004. Furthermore, some preliminary results about the investigation of seismic anisotropy change caused by the June 13, 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake (Mw = 6.9) will be presented.

[Preliminary study of constructing tissue-engineered cartilage with the endoskeletal scaffold of HDPE by bone marrow stromal cells].

PubMed

Zhu, Lie; Jiang, Hua; Zhou, Guang-Dong; Wu, Yu-Jia; Luo, Xu-Song

2008-09-01

To explore the feasibility of using a nonreactive, permanent endoskeletal scaffold to create the prothesis in special shape which is covered with tissue-engineered cartilage. Porcine BMSCs and articular chondrocytes were isolated and expanded respectively in vitro. Porcine BMSC of passage 1 in the concentration of 10 x 10(7)/ml were seeded onto a cylinder-shaped PGA (1 mm in thickness)/Medpor (3mm in diameter and 5mm in highness) scaffold as the experimental group. After the cell-scaffold constructs were cultured for 5 days, the primary medium, high-glucose DMEM medium with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), was replaced by chondrogenically inductive medium for 4 weeks. BMSCs and chondrocytes of the same concentration were seeded respectively onto the scaffold as the negative control group and the positive control group. After cultured in vitro for 4 weeks, the cell-scaffolds construct were implanted into subcutaneous pockets on the back of nude mice. Four and eight weeks later, the formed cartilage prosthesis were harvested and then evaluated by gross view, histology, immunohistochemistry and glycosamino-glycan (GAG) content. Cells in all groups had fine adhesion to the scaffold and could secrete extracellular matrix. All specimens in experimental group and positive control group formed mature cartilage with collagen II expression.The mature catrtilage wraped HDPE compactly and grown into the gap of HDPE. Mature lacuna structures and metachromatic matrices were also observed in these specimens. GAG contents in experimental group were (5.13 +/- 0.32) mg/g (4 weeks), (5.37 +/- 0.12) mg/g (8 weeks). In contrast, specimens in BMSC group showed mainly fibrous tissue. It indicates that it is feasible to create special shaped tissue-engineering cartilage with the permanent internal support using BMSCs as seed cell.

Pharmacological profiling of the TRPV3 channel in recombinant and native assays

PubMed Central

Grubisha, Olivera; Mogg, Adrian J; Sorge, Jessica L; Ball, Laura-Jayne; Sanger, Helen; Ruble, Cara L A; Folly, Elizabeth A; Ursu, Daniel; Broad, Lisa M

2014-01-01

Background and Purpose Transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 3 (TRPV3) is implicated in nociception and certain skin conditions. As such, it is an attractive target for pharmaceutical research. Understanding of endogenous TRPV3 function and pharmacology remains elusive as selective compounds and native preparations utilizing higher throughput methodologies are lacking. In this study, we developed medium-throughput recombinant and native cellular assays to assess the detailed pharmacological profile of human, rat and mouse TRPV3 channels. Experimental Approach Medium-throughput cellular assays were developed using a Ca2+-sensitive dye and a fluorescent imaging plate reader. Human and rat TRPV3 pharmacology was examined in recombinant cell lines, while the mouse 308 keratinocyte cell line was used to assess endogenous TRPV3 activity. Key Results A recombinant rat TRPV3 cellular assay was successfully developed after solving a discrepancy in the published rat TRPV3 protein sequence. A medium-throughput, native, mouse TRPV3 keratinocyte assay was also developed and confirmed using genetic approaches. Whereas the recombinant human and rat TRPV3 assays exhibited similar agonist and antagonist profiles, the native mouse assay showed important differences, namely, TRPV3 activity was detected only in the presence of potentiator or during agonist synergy. Furthermore, the native assay was more sensitive to block by some antagonists. Conclusions and Implications Our findings demonstrate similarities but also notable differences in TRPV3 pharmacology between recombinant and native systems. These findings offer insights into TRPV3 function and these assays should aid further research towards developing TRPV3 therapies. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on the pharmacology of TRP channels. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2014.171.issue-10 PMID:23848361

100 Million Views of Electronic Cigarette YouTube Videos and Counting: Quantification, Content Evaluation, and Engagement Levels of Videos.

PubMed

Huang, Jidong; Kornfield, Rachel; Emery, Sherry L

2016-03-18

The video-sharing website, YouTube, has become an important avenue for product marketing, including tobacco products. It may also serve as an important medium for promoting electronic cigarettes, which have rapidly increased in popularity and are heavily marketed online. While a few studies have examined a limited subset of tobacco-related videos on YouTube, none has explored e-cigarette videos' overall presence on the platform. To quantify e-cigarette-related videos on YouTube, assess their content, and characterize levels of engagement with those videos. Understanding promotion and discussion of e-cigarettes on YouTube may help clarify the platform's impact on consumer attitudes and behaviors and inform regulations. Using an automated crawling procedure and keyword rules, e-cigarette-related videos posted on YouTube and their associated metadata were collected between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013. Metadata were analyzed to describe posting and viewing time trends, number of views, comments, and ratings. Metadata were content coded for mentions of health, safety, smoking cessation, promotional offers, Web addresses, product types, top-selling brands, or names of celebrity endorsers. As of June 30, 2013, approximately 28,000 videos related to e-cigarettes were captured. Videos were posted by approximately 10,000 unique YouTube accounts, viewed more than 100 million times, rated over 380,000 times, and commented on more than 280,000 times. More than 2200 new videos were being uploaded every month by June 2013. The top 1% of most-viewed videos accounted for 44% of total views. Text fields for the majority of videos mentioned websites (70.11%); many referenced health (13.63%), safety (10.12%), smoking cessation (9.22%), or top e-cigarette brands (33.39%). The number of e-cigarette-related YouTube videos was projected to exceed 65,000 by the end of 2014, with approximately 190 million views. YouTube is a major information-sharing platform for electronic cigarettes. YouTube appears to be used unevenly for promotional purposes by e-cigarette brands, and our analyses indicated a high level of user engagement with a small subset of content. There is evidence that YouTube videos promote e-cigarettes as cigarette smoking cessation tools. Presence and reach of e-cigarette videos on YouTube warrants attention from public health professionals and policymakers.

In-flight shortwave calibrations of the active cavity radiometers using tungsten lamps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Susan; Lee, Robert B.; Gibson, Michael A.; Wilson, Robert S.; Bolden, William C.

1992-01-01

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) active cavity radiometers are used to measure the incoming solar, reflected shortwave solar, and emitted longwave radiations from the Earth and atmosphere. The radiometers are located on the NASA's Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) and the NOAA-9 and NOAA-10 spacecraft platforms. Two of the radiometers, one wide field of view (WFOV) and one medium field of view (MFOV), measure the total radiation in the spectral region of 0.2 to 50 microns and the other two radiometers (WFOV and MFOV) measure the shortwave radiation in the spectral region of 0.2 to 5.0 microns. For the in-flight calibrations, tungsten lamp and the sun are used as calibration sources for shortwave radiometers. Descriptions of the tungsten lamp and solar calibration procedures and mechanisms are presented. The tungsten lamp calibration measurements are compared with the measurements of solar calibration for ERBS and NOAA-9 instruments.

A Review of Some Superconducting Technologies for AtLAST: Parametric Amplifiers, Kinetic Inductance Detectors, and On-Chip Spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noroozian, Omid

2018-01-01

The current state of the art for some superconducting technologies will be reviewed in the context of a future single-dish submillimeter telescope called AtLAST. The technologies reviews include: 1) Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs), which have now been demonstrated in large-format kilo-pixel arrays with photon background-limited sensitivity suitable for large field of view cameras for wide-field imaging. 2) Parametric amplifiers - specifically the Traveling-Wave Kinetic Inductance (TKIP) amplifier - which has enormous potential to increase sensitivity, bandwidth, and mapping speed of heterodyne receivers, and 3) On-chip spectrometers, which combined with sensitive direct detectors such as KIDs or TESs could be used as Multi-Object Spectrometers on the AtLAST focal plane, and could provide low-medium resolution spectroscopy of 100 objects at a time in each field of view.

Carbon chain abundance in the diffuse interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, L. J.; Hudgins, D. M.; Bauschlicher, C. W. Jr; Langhoff, S. R.

1999-01-01

Thanks to the mid-IR sensitivities of the ISO and IRTS orbiting spectrometers it is now possible to search the diffuse interstellar medium for heretofore inaccessible molecular emission. In view of the recent strong case for the presence of C(7-) (Kirkwood et al. 1998, Tulej et al. 1998),and the fact that carbon chains possess prominent infrared active modes in a very clean portion of the interstellar spectrum, we have analyzed the IRTS spectrum of the diffuse interstellar medium for the infrared signatures of these species. Theoretical and experimental infrared band frequencies and absolute intensities of many different carbon chain species are presented. These include cyanopolyynes, neutral and anionic linear carbon molecules, and neutral and ionized, even-numbered, hydrogenated carbon chains. We show that--as a family--these species have abundances in the diffuse ISM on the order of 10(-10) with respect to hydrogen, values consistent with their abundances in dense molecular clouds. Assuming an average length of 10 C atoms per C-chain implies that roughly a millionth of the cosmically available carbon is in the form of carbon chains and that carbon chains can account for a few percent of the visible to near-IR diffuse interstellar band (DIB) total equivalent width (not DIB number).

Extraction of near-surface properties for a lossy layered medium using the propagator matrix

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mehta, K.; Snieder, R.; Graizer, V.

2007-01-01

Near-surface properties play an important role in advancing earthquake hazard assessment. Other areas where near-surface properties are crucial include civil engineering and detection and delineation of potable groundwater. From an exploration point of view, near-surface properties are needed for wavefield separation and correcting for the local near-receiver structure. It has been shown that these properties can be estimated for a lossless homogeneous medium using the propagator matrix. To estimate the near-surface properties, we apply deconvolution to passive borehole recordings of waves excited by an earthquake. Deconvolution of these incoherent waveforms recorded by the sensors at different depths in the borehole with the recording at the surface results in waves that propagate upwards and downwards along the array. These waves, obtained by deconvolution, can be used to estimate the P- and S-wave velocities near the surface. As opposed to waves obtained by cross-correlation that represent filtered version of the sum of causal and acausal Green's function between the two receivers, the waves obtained by deconvolution represent the elements of the propagator matrix. Finally, we show analytically the extension of the propagator matrix analysis to a lossy layered medium for a special case of normal incidence. ?? 2007 The Authors Journal compilation ?? 2007 RAS.

Relative Spatial Frequency Processing Drives Hemispheric Asymmetry in Conscious Awareness

PubMed Central

Piazza, Elise A.; Silver, Michael A.

2017-01-01

Visual stimuli with different spatial frequencies (SFs) are processed asymmetrically in the two cerebral hemispheres. Specifically, low SFs are processed relatively more efficiently in the right hemisphere than the left hemisphere, whereas high SFs show the opposite pattern. In this study, we ask whether these differences between the two hemispheres reflect a low-level division that is based on absolute SF values or a flexible comparison of the SFs in the visual environment at any given time. In a recent study, we showed that conscious awareness of SF information (i.e., visual perceptual selection from multiple SFs simultaneously present in the environment) differs between the two hemispheres. Building upon that result, here we employed binocular rivalry to test whether this hemispheric asymmetry is due to absolute or relative SF processing. In each trial, participants viewed a pair of rivalrous orthogonal gratings of different SFs, presented either to the left or right of central fixation, and continuously reported which grating they perceived. We found that the hemispheric asymmetry in perception is significantly influenced by relative processing of the SFs of the simultaneously presented stimuli. For example, when a medium SF grating and a higher SF grating were presented as a rivalry pair, subjects were more likely to report that they initially perceived the medium SF grating when the rivalry pair was presented in the left visual hemifield (right hemisphere), compared to the right hemifield. However, this same medium SF grating, when it was paired in rivalry with a lower SF grating, was more likely to be perceptually selected when it was in the right visual hemifield (left hemisphere). Thus, the visual system’s classification of a given SF as “low” or “high” (and therefore, which hemisphere preferentially processes that SF) depends on the other SFs that are present, demonstrating that relative SF processing contributes to hemispheric differences in visual perceptual selection. PMID:28469585

Medium-mediated effects increase cell killing in a human keratinocyte cell line exposed to solar-simulated radiation.

PubMed

Maguire, Alanna; Morrissey, Brian; Walsh, James E; Lyng, Fiona M

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate whether cell culture medium is a biologically relevant exposure medium that can be employed in non-ionising photobiological investigations. The effect of solar-simulated irradiation on cell culture medium and its ability to elicit cell death was studied. The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell secreted factors, and the contribution of individual components of the medium were investigated. Cell death was found to be primarily mediated through the formation of ROS via riboflavin photosensitisation and degradation in the cell culture medium. Phenol red was found to significantly reduce the cell killing ability of riboflavin. Exposures in riboflavin-free medium resulted in significantly increased cell survival compared to identical exposures in riboflavin containing medium. This study has shown that solar radiation toxicity is augmented by cell culture medium due to the presence of riboflavin. Results suggest that exposures performed in phenol red-free medium may serve to increase phototoxic effects if riboflavin is present. Riboflavin-free media is recommended for solar radiation investigations to eliminate concerns regarding riboflavin photosensitisation and nutrient deprivation.

Monitoring of oil pollution in the Arabian Gulf based on medium resolution satellite imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, J.; Ghedira, H.

2013-12-01

A large number of inland and offshore oil fields are located in the Arabian Gulf where about 25% of the world's oil is produced by the countries surrounding the Arabian Gulf region. Almost all of this oil production is shipped by sea worldwide through the Strait of Hormuz making the region vulnerable to environmental and ecological threats that might arise from accidental or intentional oil spills. Remote sensing technologies have the unique capability to detect and monitor oil pollutions over large temporal and spatial scales. Synoptic satellite imaging can date back to 1972 when Landsat-1 was launched. Landsat satellite missions provide long time series of imagery with a spatial resolution of 30 m. MODIS sensors onboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites provide a wide and frequent coverage at medium spatial resolution, i.e. 250 m and 500, twice a day. In this study, the capability of medium resolution MODIS and Landsat data in detecting and monitoring oil pollutions in the Arabian Gulf was tested. Oil spills and slicks show negative or positive contrasts in satellite derived RGB images compared with surrounding clean waters depending on the solar/viewing geometry, oil thickness and evolution, etc. Oil-contaminated areas show different spectral characteristics compared with surrounding waters. Rayleigh-corrected reflectance at the seven medium resolution bands of MODIS is lower in oil affected areas. This is caused by high light absorption of oil slicks. 30-m Landsat image indicated the occurrence of oil spill on May 26 2000 in the Arabian Gulf. The oil spill showed positive contrast and lower temperature than surrounding areas. Floating algae index (FAI) images are also used to detect oil pollution. Oil-contaminated areas were found to have lower FAI values. To track the movement of oil slicks found on October 21 2007, ocean circulations from a HYCOM model were examined and demonstrated that the oil slicks were advected toward the coastal areas of United Arab Emirates (UAE). This can help to enable an early alarm for oil pollution and minimize the potential adverse effects. Remote sensing provides an effective tool for monitoring oil pollution. Medium resolution MODIS and Landsat data have shown to be effective in detecting oil pollution over small areas. Combined with remote sensing imagery, ocean circulation models demonstrate their unique value for developing a warning and forecasting system for oil pollution management.

A Million-Second Chandra View of Cassiopeia A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwang, Una; Laming, J. Martin; Badenes, Carles; Berendse, Fred; Blondin, John; Cioffi, Denis; DeLaney, Tracey; Dewey, Daniel; Fesen, Robert; Flanagan, Kathryn A.

2004-01-01

We introduce a million-second observation of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The bipolar structure of the Si-rich ejecta (NE jet and SW counterpart) is clearly evident in the new images, and their chemical similarity is confirmed by their spectra. These are most likely due to jets of ejecta as opposed to cavities in the circumstellar medium, since we can reject simple models for the latter. The properties of these jets and the Fe-rich ejecta will provide clues to the explosion of Cas A.

Effect of the structural characteristics of binary Pt-Ru and ternary Pt-Ru-M fuel cell catalysts on the activity of ethanol electrooxidation in acid medium.

PubMed

Antolini, Ermete

2013-06-01

In view of their possible use as anode materials in acid direct ethanol fuel cells, the electrocatalytic activity of Pt-Ru and Pt-Ru-M catalysts for ethanol oxidation has been investigated. This minireview examines the effects of the structural characteristics of Pt-Ru, such as the degree of alloying and Ru oxidation state, on the electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Laboratory simulation of the astrophysical burst processes in non-uniform magnetised media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonov, V. M.; Zakharov, Yu. P.; Orishich, A. M.; Ponomarenko, A. G.; Posukh, V. G.; Snytnikov, V. N.; Stoyanovsky, V. O.

1990-08-01

Under various astrophysical conditions the dynamics of nonstationary burst processes with mass and energy release may be defined by the inhomogeneity of the surrounding medium. In the presence of external magnetic field such a problem in general case becomes a three dimensional one and very complicated both from the observable and theoretical point of view (including the computer simulation method). The application of the laboratory simulation methods in such kinds of problems therefore seems to be rather promising and is demonstrated, mainly on the example of peculiar supernova.

Beyond the spatial paradigm: time and cinematic form in holographic art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kac, Eduardo

1998-02-01

The author discusses holographic art from the point of view of the temporal properties of the medium, using examples from some of the artists who have consistently worked with film, video, digital imaging and holographic animation proper. He suggests that any consideration of this new art form must take into account its dynamic, and not only spatial, qualities. The paper is also complemented with a survey of recent and current research towards holographic film and video, evoking the unique creative potential of these emergent technologies.

Analysis and Characterization of an Acousto-Optic Beam Position Control System

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-07-01

glass or plastic. This device can be viewed as a medium where light interacts with sound yielding a diffracted light beam. Bragg cells can operate in...by “optical activity” is considered to be very small for TeO2 [2]. The birefringence is due to the fact the index of refraction in for the incident...equations describes behavior of the acousto-optic device. The acoustic velocity can be expressed as follows. azat vvv Θ+Θ= 22222 sincos For TeO2 vt=616 m

Far-ultraviolet astronomy on the Astro-1 space shuttle mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidsen, Arthur F.

1993-01-01

The Astro-1 mission obtained observations related to a wide variety of current problems in astronomy during a 9-day flight of the space shuttle Columbia. Early results from one of the instruments, the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, are reviewed here. Among these are new insights concerning the origin of the ultraviolet light from the old stellar population in elliptical galaxies, new evidence for a hot, gaseous corona surrounding the Milky Way, improved views of the physical conditions in active galactic nuclei, and a measurement of the ionization state of the local interstellar medium.

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer mission - Overview and initial results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haisch, B.; Bowyer, S.; Malina, R. F.

1993-01-01

The history of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) astronomy is briefly reviewed, and an overview of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer mission, launched into a near-earth (550 km) orbit on June 7, 1992, is presented. First, the principal objective of the mission are summarized. The instrumentation and operation of the mission are then described, with particular attention given to the sky survey instruments, the deep survey instrument, and the spectrometers. The discussion also covers the current view of the interstellar medium, early results from the mission, and future prospects for EUV astronomy.

Effectual Reasoning and Innovation among Entrepreneurial Science Teacher Leaders: a Correlational Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Anita M.; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad; Mustari, Elisa; Price, Ray

2017-06-01

This is one of the first studies to examine the educational entrepreneur in K-12 public schools and the first to present an instrument designed to measure entrepreneurial thinking among teachers using a type of reasoning, effectual reasoning, which has been proposed in the business literature on entrepreneurs. This study situates entrepreneurial thinking within the K-12 education arena and examines the relationship between high school and middle school teachers' use of effectual reasoning and their corresponding implementation of high, medium, or low levels of innovation in STEM areas within their classrooms, districts, or across districts. Our findings correlated higher use of effectual reasoning, a component of entrepreneurial thinking, with higher levels of implementation of innovations among teachers within an NSF grant, Entrepreneurial Leadership in STEM Teaching and learning, which centered on deeper content, reform-oriented pedagogies, and entrepreneurial thinking. We found that high innovators viewed uncertainty' differently than low innovators by associating it with more positive cognitive structures and that innovators at different levels hold distinct notions of what constitutes high and low risk innovations. Contrary to the common notion that entrepreneurs are high-risk takers, results reveal that the types of innovations perceived by high innovators as low risk are viewed as high risk by low innovators. Furthermore, the results are consistent with the idea that entrepreneurs do certain types of things to lower/manage the risk of innovations before and, if necessary, during the implementation of an innovation. NSF: Award 0831820

K*(892) and ϕ(1020) production and their decay into the hadronic medium at the Large Hadron Collider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapoval, V. M.; Braun-Munzinger, P.; Sinyukov, Yu. M.

2017-12-01

The production of the K* (892) strange resonance in Pb +Pb collisions at √{sNN} = 2.76 TeV LHC energy is analyzed within the integrated hydrokinetic model (iHKM) at different equations of state of superdense matter. The similar analysis is done also for the RHIC top energy √{sNN} = 200 GeV for comparison purposes. A modification of experimental K* (892)-identification is studied for different centralities in view of possible re-scattering of the decay products at the afterburner stage of the fireball evolution. We see quite intensive rescattering of the decay products as well as recombination processes for K* (892). In addition, the production of the much longer-long-lived ϕ (1020) resonance with hidden strange quark content is investigated.

Customers' expectations of complaint handling by airline service: privilege status and reasonability of demands from a social learning perspective.

PubMed

Chiou, Wen-Bin; Chang, Ming-Hsu; Yang, Chao-Chin

2009-04-01

In the airline industry, membership and cabin class are noticeable servicescape features of customers' privilege status. Customers may learn that higher privilege customers are more desired and endured by the airline. From the customers' point of view, those with higher privilege may expect their demands to be complied with when they complain. The present study employed hypothetical scenarios to investigate how the privilege status of passengers and reasonability of their demands influenced their expectations toward the compliance of airline personnel. Analysis showed that higher privilege customers were more likely to expect airline personnel to comply with their demands. Moreover, participants with medium or high levels of privilege status had greater expectations of compliance even when demands were unreasonable. In sum, customer expectations toward complaint handling reflected predictions based on social learning.

Female college student awareness of exposures to environmental toxins in personal care products and their effect on preconception health.

PubMed

Chan, Lisa M; Chalupka, Stephanie M; Barrett, Roseann

2015-02-01

This research study investigated college women's usage of personal care products and their views on health effects from exposures during the preconception period. Many personal care products and cosmetics contain chemical ingredients that have been known to disrupt human endocrine and neurological systems, and contribute to infertility and adverse birth outcomes. Seventy-two female college students from a single, medium-sized university campus completed a researcher-developed questionnaire. Findings provide insight into the daily exposures young women experience during their reproductive years. Results can inform occupational and environmental health nurses about the personal daily exposures of young women when conducting risk assessments in the workplace or at a school, and can aid in developing interventions that support the environmental health of employees or future employees. © 2015 The Author(s).

Person identification from aerial footage by a remote-controlled drone.

PubMed

Bindemann, Markus; Fysh, Matthew C; Sage, Sophie S K; Douglas, Kristina; Tummon, Hannah M

2017-10-19

Remote-controlled aerial drones (or unmanned aerial vehicles; UAVs) are employed for surveillance by the military and police, which suggests that drone-captured footage might provide sufficient information for person identification. This study demonstrates that person identification from drone-captured images is poor when targets are unfamiliar (Experiment 1), when targets are familiar and the number of possible identities is restricted by context (Experiment 2), and when moving footage is employed (Experiment 3). Person information such as sex, race and age is also difficult to access from drone-captured footage (Experiment 4). These findings suggest that such footage provides a particularly poor medium for person identification. This is likely to reflect the sub-optimal quality of such footage, which is subject to factors such as the height and velocity at which drones fly, viewing distance, unfavourable vantage points, and ambient conditions.

Biodegradation kinetics of picric acid by Rhodococcus sp.NJUST16 in batch reactors.

PubMed

Shen, Jinyou; He, Rui; Wang, Lianjun; Zhang, Jianfa; Zuo, Yi; Li, Yanchun; Sun, Xiuyun; Li, Jiansheng; Han, Weiqing

2009-08-15

Biological degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) by Rhodococcus sp.NJUST16 in mineral salt medium was investigated in shake-flask experiments at pH of 7.0 and 30 degrees C, over a wide range of initial TNP concentration (20-800 mgl(-1)). The TNP was observed to be the inhibitory compound. For the studied concentration range, Haldane's model could be fitted to the growth kinetics data well with the kinetic constants mu(max)=0.2362 h(-1), K(s)=9.9131 mgl(-1) and K(i)=362.7411 mgl(-1). Further, the variation of observed yield coefficient Y with initial TNP concentration and the decay coefficient were investigated. It is our view that the above information would be useful for modeling and designing the units treating TNP-containing wastewaters.

Induction and characterization of morphologic mutants in a natural Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain.

PubMed

Barberio, Claudia; Bianchi, Lucia; Pinzauti, Francesca; Lodi, Tiziana; Ferrero, Iliana; Polsinelli, Mario; Casalone, Enrico

2007-02-01

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a good model with which to study the effects of morphologic differentiation on the ecological behaviour of fungi. In this work, 33 morphologic mutants of a natural strain of S. cerevisiae, obtained with UV mutagenesis, were selected for their streak shape and cell shape on rich medium. Two of them, showing both high sporulation proficiency and constitutive pseudohyphal growth, were analysed from a genetic and physiologic point of view. Each mutant carries a recessive monogenic mutation, and the two mutations reside in unlinked genes. Flocculation ability and responsiveness to different stimuli distinguished the two mutants. Growth at 37 degrees C affected the cell but not the colony morphology, suggesting that these two phenotypes are regulated differently. The effect of ethidium bromide, which affects mitochondrial DNA replication, suggested a possible "retrograde action" of mitochondria in pseudohyphal growth.

The perception of spatial layout in real and virtual worlds.

PubMed

Arthur, E J; Hancock, P A; Chrysler, S T

1997-01-01

As human-machine interfaces grow more immersive and graphically-oriented, virtual environment systems become more prominent as the medium for human-machine communication. Often, virtual environments (VE) are built to provide exact metrical representations of existing or proposed physical spaces. However, it is not known how individuals develop representational models of these spaces in which they are immersed and how those models may be distorted with respect to both the virtual and real-world equivalents. To evaluate the process of model development, the present experiment examined participant's ability to reproduce a complex spatial layout of objects having experienced them previously under different viewing conditions. The layout consisted of nine common objects arranged on a flat plane. These objects could be viewed in a free binocular virtual condition, a free binocular real-world condition, and in a static monocular view of the real world. The first two allowed active exploration of the environment while the latter condition allowed the participant only a passive opportunity to observe from a single viewpoint. Viewing conditions were a between-subject variable with 10 participants randomly assigned to each condition. Performance was assessed using mapping accuracy and triadic comparisons of relative inter-object distances. Mapping results showed a significant effect of viewing condition where, interestingly, the static monocular condition was superior to both the active virtual and real binocular conditions. Results for the triadic comparisons showed a significant interaction for gender by viewing condition in which males were more accurate than females. These results suggest that the situation model resulting from interaction with a virtual environment was indistinguishable from interaction with real objects at least within the constraints of the present procedure.

DEM study of the size-induced segregation dynamics of a ternary-size granular mixture in the rolling-regime rotating drum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shiliang; Zhang, Liangqi; Luo, Kun; Chew, Jia Wei

2017-12-01

Segregation induced by size, shape, or density difference of the granular material is inevitable in both natural and industrial processes; unfortunately, the underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. In view of the ubiquitous continuous particle size distributions, this study builds on the considerable knowledge gained so far from binary-size mixtures and extends it to a ternary-size mixture to understand the impact of the presence of a third particle size in the three-dimensional rotating drum operating in the rolling flow regime. The discrete element method is employed. The evolution of segregation, the active-passive interface, and the dynamical response of the particle-scale characteristics of the different particle types in the two regions are investigated. The results reveal that the medium particles are spatially sandwiched in between the large and small particles in both the radial and axial directions and therefore exhibit behaviors intermediate to the other two particle types. Compared to the binary-size mixture, the presence of the medium particles leads to (i) higher purity of small particles in the innermost of the radial core, causing a decrease of the translational velocity of small particles; (ii) decrease and increase of the collision forces exerted on, respectively, the large and small particles in both regions; and (iii) increase in the relative ratio of the active-passive exchange rates of small to large particles. The results obtained in the current study therefore provide valuable insights regarding the size-segregation dynamics of granular mixtures with constituents of different sizes.

Holographic quantitative imaging of sample hidden by turbid medium or occluding objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianco, V.; Miccio, L.; Merola, F.; Memmolo, P.; Gennari, O.; Paturzo, Melania; Netti, P. A.; Ferraro, P.

2015-03-01

Digital Holography (DH) numerical procedures have been developed to allow imaging through turbid media. A fluid is considered turbid when dispersed particles provoke strong light scattering, thus destroying the image formation by any standard optical system. Here we show that sharp amplitude imaging and phase-contrast mapping of object hidden behind turbid medium and/or occluding objects are possible in harsh noise conditions and with a large field-of view by Multi-Look DH microscopy. In particular, it will be shown that both amplitude imaging and phase-contrast mapping of cells hidden behind a flow of Red Blood Cells can be obtained. This allows, in a noninvasive way, the quantitative evaluation of living processes in Lab on Chip platforms where conventional microscopy techniques fail. The combination of this technique with endoscopic imaging can pave the way for the holographic blood vessel inspection, e.g. to look for settled cholesterol plaques as well as blood clots for a rapid diagnostics of blood diseases.

Particle-Size-Exclusion Clogging Regimes in Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerber, G.; Rodts, S.; Aimedieu, P.; Faure, P.; Coussot, P.

2018-04-01

From observations of the progressive deposition of noncolloidal particles by geometrical exclusion effects inside a 3D model porous medium, we get a complete dynamic view of particle deposits over a full range of regimes from transport over a long distance to clogging and caking. We show that clogging essentially occurs in the form of an accumulation of elements in pore size clusters, which ultimately constitute regions avoided by the flow. The clusters are dispersed in the medium, and their concentration (number per volume) decreases with the distance from the entrance; caking is associated with the final stage of this effect (for a critical cluster concentration at the entrance). A simple probabilistic model, taking into account the impact of clogging on particle transport, allows us to quantitatively predict all these trends up to a large cluster concentration, based on a single parameter: the clogging probability, which is a function of the confinement ratio. This opens the route towards a unification of the different fields of particle transport, clogging, caking, and filtration.

Hybrid imidazole (benzimidazole)/pyridine (quinoline) derivatives and evaluation of their anticancer and antimycobacterial activity.

PubMed

Mantu, Dorina; Antoci, Vasilichia; Moldoveanu, Costel; Zbancioc, Gheorghita; Mangalagiu, Ionel I

2016-01-01

The design, synthesis, structure, and in vitro anticancer and antimycobacterial activity of new hybrid imidazole (benzimidazole)/pyridine (quinoline) derivatives are described. The strategy adopted for synthesis is straight and efficient, involving a three-step setup procedure: N-acylation, N-alkylation, and quaternization of nitrogen heterocycle. The solubility in microbiological medium and anticancer and antimycobacterial activity of a selection of new synthesized compounds were evaluated. The hybrid derivatives have an excellent solubility in microbiological medium, which make them promising from the pharmacological properties point of view. One of the hybrid compounds, 9 (with a benzimidazole and 8-aminoquinoline skeleton), exhibits a very good and selective antitumor activity against Renal Cancer A498 and Breast Cancer MDA-MB-468. Moreover, the anticancer assay suggests that the hybrid Imz (Bimz)/2-AP (8-AQ) compounds present a specific affinity to Renal Cancer A498. Concerning the antimycobacterial activity, only the hybrid compound, 9, has a significant activity. SAR correlations have been performed.

Television viewing, computer game play and book reading during meals are predictors of meal skipping in a cross-sectional sample of 12-, 14- and 16-year-olds.

PubMed

Custers, Kathleen; Van den Bulck, Jan

2010-04-01

To examine whether television viewing, computer game playing or book reading during meals predicts meal skipping with the aim of watching television, playing computer games or reading books (media meal skipping). A cross-sectional study was conducted using a standardized self-administered questionnaire. Analyses were controlled for age, gender and BMI. Data were obtained from a random sample of adolescents in Flanders, Belgium. Seven hundred and ten participants aged 12, 14 and 16 years. Of the participants, 11.8 % skipped meals to watch television, 10.5 % skipped meals to play computer games and 8.2 % skipped meals to read books. Compared with those who did not use these media during meals, the risk of skipping meals in order to watch television was significantly higher for those children who watched television during meals (2.9 times higher in those who watched television during at least one meal a day). The risk of skipping meals for computer game playing was 9.5 times higher in those who played computer games weekly or more while eating, and the risk of meal skipping in order to read books was 22.9 times higher in those who read books during meals less than weekly. The more meals the respondents ate with the entire family, the less likely they were to skip meals to watch television. The use of media during meals predicts meal skipping for using that same medium. Family meals appear to be inversely related to meal skipping for television viewing.

Can laptops be left inside passenger bags if motion imaging is used in X-ray security screening?

PubMed

Mendes, Marcia; Schwaninger, Adrian; Michel, Stefan

2013-01-01

This paper describes a study where a new X-ray machine for security screening featuring motion imaging (i.e., 5 views of a bag are shown as an image sequence) was evaluated and compared to single view imaging available on conventional X-ray screening systems. More specifically, it was investigated whether with this new technology X-ray screening of passenger bags could be enhanced to such an extent that laptops could be left inside passenger bags, without causing a significant impairment in threat detection performance. An X-ray image interpretation test was created in four different versions, manipulating the factors packing condition (laptop and bag separate vs. laptop in bag) and display condition (single vs. motion imaging). There was a highly significant and large main effect of packing condition. When laptops and bags were screened separately, threat item detection was substantially higher. For display condition, a medium effect was observed. Detection could be slightly enhanced through the application of motion imaging. There was no interaction between display and packing condition, implying that the high negative effect of leaving laptops in passenger bags could not be fully compensated by motion imaging. Additional analyses were carried out to examine effects depending on different threat categories (guns, improvised explosive devices, knives, others), the placement of the threat items (in bag vs. in laptop) and viewpoint (easy vs. difficult view). In summary, although motion imaging provides an enhancement, it is not strong enough to allow leaving laptops in bags for security screening.

Can laptops be left inside passenger bags if motion imaging is used in X-ray security screening?

PubMed Central

Mendes, Marcia; Schwaninger, Adrian; Michel, Stefan

2013-01-01

This paper describes a study where a new X-ray machine for security screening featuring motion imaging (i.e., 5 views of a bag are shown as an image sequence) was evaluated and compared to single view imaging available on conventional X-ray screening systems. More specifically, it was investigated whether with this new technology X-ray screening of passenger bags could be enhanced to such an extent that laptops could be left inside passenger bags, without causing a significant impairment in threat detection performance. An X-ray image interpretation test was created in four different versions, manipulating the factors packing condition (laptop and bag separate vs. laptop in bag) and display condition (single vs. motion imaging). There was a highly significant and large main effect of packing condition. When laptops and bags were screened separately, threat item detection was substantially higher. For display condition, a medium effect was observed. Detection could be slightly enhanced through the application of motion imaging. There was no interaction between display and packing condition, implying that the high negative effect of leaving laptops in passenger bags could not be fully compensated by motion imaging. Additional analyses were carried out to examine effects depending on different threat categories (guns, improvised explosive devices, knives, others), the placement of the threat items (in bag vs. in laptop) and viewpoint (easy vs. difficult view). In summary, although motion imaging provides an enhancement, it is not strong enough to allow leaving laptops in bags for security screening. PMID:24151457

Evaluation of the diagnostic yield of dental radiography and cone-beam computed tomography for the identification of anatomic landmarks in small to medium-sized brachycephalic dogs.

PubMed

Döring, Sophie; Arzi, Boaz; Barich, Catherine R; Hatcher, David C; Kass, Philip H; Verstraete, Frank J M

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the diagnostic yield of dental radiography (Rad method) and 3 cone-beam CT (CBCT) methods for the identification of predefined anatomic landmarks in brachycephalic dogs. ANIMALS 19 client-owned brachycephalic dogs admitted for evaluation and treatment of dental disease. PROCEDURES 26 predefined anatomic landmarks were evaluated separately by use of the RAD method and 3 CBCT software modules (serial CBCT slices and custom cross sections, tridimensional rendering, and reconstructed panoramic views). A semiquantitative scoring system was used, and mean scores were calculated for each anatomic landmark and imaging method. The Friedman test was used to evaluate values for significant differences in diagnostic yield. For values that were significant, the Wilcoxon signed rank test was used with the Bonferroni-Holm multiple comparison adjustment to determine significant differences among each of the 6 possible pairs of diagnostic methods. RESULTS Differences of diagnostic yield among the Rad and 3 CBCT methods were significant for 19 of 26 anatomic landmarks. For these landmarks, Rad scores were significantly higher than scores for reconstructed panoramic views for 4 of 19 anatomic landmarks, but Rad scores were significantly lower than scores for reconstructed panoramic views for 8 anatomic landmarks, tridimensional rendering for 18 anatomic landmarks, and serial CBCT slices and custom cross sections for all 19 anatomic landmarks. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE CBCT methods were better suited than dental radiography for the identification of anatomic landmarks in brachycephalic dogs. Results of this study can serve as a basis for CBCT evaluation of dental disorders in brachycephalic dogs.

Correlates of ideal cardiovascular health in European adolescents: The HELENA study.

PubMed

Henriksson, P; Henriksson, H; Labayen, I; Huybrechts, I; Gracia-Marco, L; Ortega, F B; España-Romero, V; Manios, Y; González-Gross, M; Marcos, A; Moreno, L A; Gutiérrez, Á; Ruiz, J R

2018-02-01

The ideal cardiovascular health (iCVH) construct consists of 4 health behaviors (smoking status, body mass index, physical activity and diet) and 3 health factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting glucose). A greater number of iCVH components in adolescence are related to better cardiovascular health, but little is known about the correlates of iCVH in adolescents. Thus, the aim of the study was to examine correlates of iCVH in European adolescents. The study comprised 637 European adolescents with complete iCVH data. Participants were part of the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study, a cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted in 9 different European countries. Correlates investigated were sex and age, family affluence scale, maternal education, geographic location, sleep time, television viewing, duration of pregnancy, birth weight and breastfeeding. Younger adolescents, those whose mothers had medium/high education or those who watched television less than 2 h per day had a greater number of iCVH components compared to those who were older, had a mother with low education or watched television 2 h or more daily (P ≤ 0.01). Since in our study older adolescents had worse iCVH than younger adolescents, early promotion of cardiovascular health may be important. Future studies may also investigate the usefulness of limiting television viewing to promote iCVH. Finally, since adolescents of mothers with low education had poorer iCVH, it may be of special interest to tailor public health promotion to adolescents from families with low socioeconomic status. Copyright © 2017 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ESDAPT - APT PROGRAMMING EDITOR AND INTERPRETER

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Premack, T.

1994-01-01

ESDAPT is a graphical programming environment for developing APT (Automatically Programmed Tool) programs for controlling numerically controlled machine tools. ESDAPT has a graphical user interface that provides the user with an APT syntax sensitive text editor and windows for displaying geometry and tool paths. APT geometry statement can also be created using menus and screen picks. ESDAPT interprets APT geometry statements and displays the results in its view windows. Tool paths are generated by batching the APT source to an APT processor (COSMIC P-APT recommended). The tool paths are then displayed in the view windows. Hardcopy output of the view windows is in color PostScript format. ESDAPT is written in C-language, yacc, lex, and XView for use on Sun4 series computers running SunOS. ESDAPT requires 4Mb of disk space, 7Mb of RAM, and MIT's X Window System, Version 11 Release 4, or OpenWindows version 3 for execution. Program documentation in PostScript format and an executable for OpenWindows version 3 are provided on the distribution media. The standard distribution medium for ESDAPT is a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge (Sun QIC-24) in UNIX tar format. This program was developed in 1992.

Predefined Redundant Dictionary for Effective Depth Maps Representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebai, Dorsaf; Chaieb, Faten; Ghorbel, Faouzi

2016-01-01

The multi-view video plus depth (MVD) video format consists of two components: texture and depth map, where a combination of these components enables a receiver to generate arbitrary virtual views. However, MVD presents a very voluminous video format that requires a compression process for storage and especially for transmission. Conventional codecs are perfectly efficient for texture images compression but not for intrinsic depth maps properties. Depth images indeed are characterized by areas of smoothly varying grey levels separated by sharp discontinuities at the position of object boundaries. Preserving these characteristics is important to enable high quality view synthesis at the receiver side. In this paper, sparse representation of depth maps is discussed. It is shown that a significant gain in sparsity is achieved when particular mixed dictionaries are used for approximating these types of images with greedy selection strategies. Experiments are conducted to confirm the effectiveness at producing sparse representations, and competitiveness, with respect to candidate state-of-art dictionaries. Finally, the resulting method is shown to be effective for depth maps compression and represents an advantage over the ongoing 3D high efficiency video coding compression standard, particularly at medium and high bitrates.

A comprehensive study on the relationship between the image quality and imaging dose in low-dose cone beam CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Hao; Cervino, Laura; Jia, Xun; Jiang, Steve B.

2012-04-01

While compressed sensing (CS)-based algorithms have been developed for the low-dose cone beam CT (CBCT) reconstruction, a clear understanding of the relationship between the image quality and imaging dose at low-dose levels is needed. In this paper, we qualitatively investigate this subject in a comprehensive manner with extensive experimental and simulation studies. The basic idea is to plot both the image quality and imaging dose together as functions of the number of projections and mAs per projection over the whole clinically relevant range. On this basis, a clear understanding of the tradeoff between the image quality and imaging dose can be achieved and optimal low-dose CBCT scan protocols can be developed to maximize the dose reduction while minimizing the image quality loss for various imaging tasks in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Main findings of this work include (1) under the CS-based reconstruction framework, image quality has little degradation over a large range of dose variation. Image quality degradation becomes evident when the imaging dose (approximated with the x-ray tube load) is decreased below 100 total mAs. An imaging dose lower than 40 total mAs leads to a dramatic image degradation, and thus should be used cautiously. Optimal low-dose CBCT scan protocols likely fall in the dose range of 40-100 total mAs, depending on the specific IGRT applications. (2) Among different scan protocols at a constant low-dose level, the super sparse-view reconstruction with the projection number less than 50 is the most challenging case, even with strong regularization. Better image quality can be acquired with low mAs protocols. (3) The optimal scan protocol is the combination of a medium number of projections and a medium level of mAs/view. This is more evident when the dose is around 72.8 total mAs or below and when the ROI is a low-contrast or high-resolution object. Based on our results, the optimal number of projections is around 90 to 120. (4) The clinically acceptable lowest imaging dose level is task dependent. In our study, 72.8 mAs is a safe dose level for visualizing low-contrast objects, while 12.2 total mAs is sufficient for detecting high-contrast objects of diameter greater than 3 mm.

Efficiency improvement of a concentrated solar receiver for water heating system using porous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasartkaew, Boonrit

2018-01-01

This experimental study aims at investigating on the performance of a high temperature solar water heating system. To approach the high temperature, a porous-medium concentrated solar collector equipped with a focused solar heliostat were proposed. The proposed system comprised of two parts: a 0.7x0.7-m2 porous medium receiver, was installed on a 3-m tower, and a focused multi-flat-mirror solar heliostat with 25-m2 aperture area. The porous medium used in this study was the metal swarf or metal waste from lathing process. To know how the system efficiency could be improved by using such porous medium, the proposed system with- and without-porous medium were tested and the comparative study was performed. The experimental results show that, using porous medium for enhancing the heat transfer mechanism, the system thermal efficiency was increased about 25%. It can be concluded that the efficiency of the proposed system can be substantially improved by using the porous medium.

Monitoring the Restored Mangrove Condition at Perancak Estuary, Jembrana, Bali, Indonesia from 2001 to 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruslisan, R.; Kamal, M.; Sidik, F.

2018-02-01

Mangrove is unique vegetation that lives in tidal areas around the tropical and subtropical coasts. It has important physical, biological, and chemical roles for balancing the ecosystem, as well as serving as carbon pool. Therefore, monitoring the mangrove condition is very important step prior to any management and conservation actions in this area. This study aims to map and monitor the condition of restored mangroves in Perancak Estuary, Jembrana, Bali, Indonesia from 2001 to 2015. We used IKONOS-2, WorldView-2 and WorldView-3 image data to map the extent and canopy cover density of mangroves using visual delineation and semi-empirical modelling through Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) as a proxy. The results show that there was a significant increase in mangrove extent from 78.08 hectares in 2001 to 122.54 hectares in 2015. In term of mangrove canopy density, the percentage of high and very-high canopy density classes has increased from 32% in 2001 to 57% in 2015. On the other hand, there were slight changes in low and medium canopy density classes during the observation period. Overall, the result figures from both area extent and canopy density indicates the successful implementation of mangrove restoration effort in Perancak Estuary during the last 14 years.

Manufacturing and alignment tolerance analysis through Montecarlo approach for PLATO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magrin, Demetrio; Ragazzoni, Roberto; Bergomi, Maria; Biondi, Federico; Chinellato, Simonetta; Dima, Marco; Farinato, Jacopo; Greggio, Davide; Gullieuszik, Marco; Marafatto, Luca; Viotto, Valentina; Munari, Matteo; Pagano, Isabella; Sicilia, Daniela; Basso, Stefano; Borsa, Francesco; Ghigo, Mauro; Spiga, Daniele; Bandy, Timothy; Brändli, Mathias; Benz, Willy; Bruno, Giordano; De Roche, Thierry; Piazza, Daniele; Rieder, Martin; Brandeker, Alexis; Klebor, Maximilian; Mogulsky, Valery; Schweitzer, Mario; Wieser, Matthias; Erikson, Anders; Rauer, Heike

2016-07-01

The project PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars (PLATO) is one of the selected medium class (M class) missions in the framework of the ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program. The main scientific goal of PLATO is the discovery and study of extrasolar planetary systems by means of planetary transits detection. According to the current baseline, the scientific payload consists of 34 all refractive telescopes having small aperture (120mm) and wide field of view (diameter greater than 37 degrees) observing over 0.5-1 micron wavelength band. The telescopes are mounted on a common optical bench and are divided in four families of eight telescopes with an overlapping line-of-sight in order to maximize the science return. Remaining two telescopes will be dedicated to support on-board star-tracking system and will be specialized on two different photometric bands for science purposes. The performance requirement, adopted as merit function during the analysis, is specified as 90% enclosed energy contained in a square having size 2 pixels over the whole field of view with a depth of focus of +/-20 micron. Given the complexity of the system, we have followed a Montecarlo analysis approach for manufacturing and alignment tolerances. We will describe here the tolerance method and the preliminary results, speculating on the assumed risks and expected performances.

C/NOFS remote sensing of ionospheric reflectance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, W. J.; Pfaff, R. F.; Martinis, C. R.; Gentile, L. C.

2016-05-01

Alfvén waves play critical roles in the electrodynamic coupling of plasmas at magnetically conjugate regions in near-Earth space. Associated electric (E*) and magnetic (δB*) field perturbations sampled by sensors on satellites in low-Earth orbits are generally superpositions of incident and reflected waves. However, lack of knowledge about ionospheric reflection coefficients (α) hinders understanding of generator outputs and load absorption of Alfvén wave energies. Here we demonstrate a new method for estimating α using satellite measurements of ambient E* and δB* then apply it to a case in which the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite flew conjugate to the field of view of a 630.0 nm all-sky imager at El Leoncito, Argentina, while medium-scale traveling ionosphere disturbances were detected in its field of view. In regions of relatively large amplitudes of E* and δB*, calculated α values ranged between 0.67 and 0.88. This implies that due to impedance mismatches, the generator ionosphere puts out significantly more electromagnetic energy than the load can absorb. Our analysis also uncovered caveats concerning the method's range of applicability in regions of low E* and δB*. The method can be validated in future satellite-based auroral studies where energetic particle precipitation fluxes can be used to make independent estimates of α.

C/NOFS Remote Sensing of Ionospheric Reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, W. J.; Pfaff, Robert F.; Martinis, C. R.; Gentile, L. C.

2016-01-01

Alfvn waves play critical roles in the electrodynamic coupling of plasmas at magnetically conjugate regions in near-Earth space. Associated electric (E*) and magnetic (dec B*) field perturbations sampled by sensors on satellites in low-Earth orbits are generally super positions of incident and reflected waves. However, lack of knowledge about ionospheric reflection coefficients (alpha) hinders understanding of generator outputs and load absorption of Alfvn wave energies. Here we demonstrate a new method for estimating using satellite measurements of ambient E* and dec B* then apply it to a case in which the Communication Navigation Outage Forecasting System (CNOFS) satellite flew conjugate to the field of view of a 630.0 nm all-sky imager at El Leoncito, Argentina, while medium-scale traveling ionosphere disturbances were detected in its field of view. In regions of relatively large amplitudes of E* and B*,calculated values ranged between 0.67 and 0.88. This implies that due to impedance mismatches, the generator ionosphere puts out significantly more electromagnetic energy than the load can absorb. Our analysis also uncovered caveats concerning the methods range of applicability in regions of low E* and B*. The method can be validated in future satellite-based auroral studies where energetic particle precipitation fluxes can be used to make independent estimates of alpha.

Feasibility of using a web-based nutrition intervention among residents of multiethnic working-class neighborhoods.

PubMed

McNeill, Lorna H; Viswanath, K; Bennett, Gary G; Puleo, Elaine; Emmons, Karen M

2007-07-01

Using the Internet to promote behavior change is becoming more desirable as Internet use continues to increase among diverse audiences. Yet we know very little about whether this medium is useful or about different strategies to encourage Internet use by various populations. This pilot study tested the usefulness of a Web-based intervention designed to deliver nutrition-related information to and increase fruit and vegetable consumption among adults from working-class neighborhoods. Participants (N = 52) had access to the Web site for 6 weeks and received three e-mail reminders encouraging them to eat fruits and vegetables. The Web site provided information about overcoming barriers to healthy eating, accessing social support for healthy eating, setting goals for healthy eating, and maintaining a healthy diet, including recipes. We collected data on participants' use of the Web site, their Internet access and use, and their fruit and vegetable consumption. The mean age of the participants was 46 years, 73% were white, 46% did not have a college degree, and 12% had household incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty index. They reported consuming an average of 3.4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. More than half of the participants owned a computer, 75% logged onto the Web site at least once, and those who visited the site averaged 3.8 visits and viewed an average of 24.5 pages. The number of log-ons per day declined over the study period; however, reminder e-mails appeared to motivate participants to return to the Web site. Roughly 74% of participants viewed information on goal setting, 72% viewed information on dietary tracking, and 56% searched for main course recipes. The results of this pilot study suggest that Internet-based health messages have the potential to reach a large percentage of adults from working-class neighborhoods who have access to the Internet.

Review: typically-developing students' views and experiences of inclusive education.

PubMed

Bates, Helen; McCafferty, Aileen; Quayle, Ethel; McKenzie, Karen

2015-01-01

The present review aimed to summarize and critique existing qualitative studies that have examined typically-developing students' views of inclusive education (i.e. the policy of teaching students with special educational needs in mainstream settings). Guidelines from the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination were followed, outlining the criteria by which journal articles were identified and critically appraised. Narrative Synthesis was used to summarize findings across studies. Fourteen studies met the review's inclusion criteria and were subjected to quality assessment. Analysis revealed that studies were of variable quality: three were of "good" methodological quality, seven of "medium" quality, and four of "poor" quality. With respect to findings, three overarching themes emerged: students expressed mostly negative attitudes towards peers with disabilities; were confused by the principles and practices of inclusive education; and made a number of recommendations for improving its future provision. A vital determinant of the success of inclusive education is the extent to which it is embraced by typically-developing students. Of concern, this review highlights that students tend not to understand inclusive education, and that this can breed hostility towards it. More qualitative research of high methodological quality is needed in this area. Implications for Rehabilitation Typically-developing students are key to the successful implementation of inclusive education. This review shows that most tend not to understand it, and can react by engaging in avoidance and/or targeted bullying of peers who receive additional support. Schools urgently need to provide teaching about inclusive education, and increase opportunities for contact between students who do and do not receive support (e.g. cooperative learning).

The role of extracellular calcium in corticotropin-stimulated steroidogenesis.

PubMed

Cheitlin, R; Buckley, D I; Ramachandran, J

1985-05-10

The role of extracellular Ca2+ in the binding of corticotropin (ACTH) to adrenocortical cell receptors as well as in the post-binding events involved in steroidogenesis were investigated. Binding studies using [125I-Tyr23,Phe2,Nle4]ACTH (1-38) peptide showed that extracellular Ca2+ is essential not only for the interaction of ACTH with its receptor, but also for continued occupancy of the receptor. In view of the requirement of Ca2+ for binding the hormone to the receptor, the role of Ca2+ in post-receptor events was investigated by covalently attaching the hormone to its receptor by photoaffinity labeling in the presence of Ca2+. Persistent activation of steroidogenesis induced by photoaffinity labeling in the presence of Ca2+ was depressed when cells were incubated in medium containing EGTA but was unaffected when the cells were merely washed and incubated in Ca2+-free medium. In the presence of EGTA, 8-Br-cAMP partially restored persistent activation of steroidogenesis. The concentration of extracellular Ca2+ required for restoring steroidogenesis was 10-fold lower than the concentration of Ca2+ needed for optimal binding of ACTH to its receptor. These results suggest that the primary role of extracellular Ca2+ in the action of ACTH is to facilitate the association of the hormone with its receptor.

Origins Space Telescope: Interstellar Medium, Milky Way, and Nearby Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battersby, Cara; Origins Space Telescope Study Team

2017-01-01

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is the mission concept for the Far-Infrared Surveyor, a study in development by NASA in preparation for the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Origins is planned to be a large aperture, actively-cooled telescope covering a wide span of the mid- to far-infrared spectrum. Its imagers and spectrographs will enable a variety of surveys of the sky that will discover and characterize the most distant galaxies, Milky-Way, exoplanets, and the outer reaches of our Solar system. Origins will enable flagship-quality general observing programs led by the astronomical community in the 2030s. The Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) would like to hear your science needs and ideas for this mission. The team can be contacted at firsurveyor_info@lists.ipac.caltech.edu.This presentation will provide a summary of the science case related to the Interstellar Medium (ISM), the Milky Way, and Nearby Galaxies. Origins will enable a comprehensive view of magnetic fields, turbulence, and the multi-phase ISM; connecting physics at all scales, from galaxies to protostellar cores. With unprecedented sensitivity, Origins will measure and characterize the mechanisms of feedback from star formation and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) over cosmic time and trace the trail of water from interstellar clouds, to protoplanetary disks, to Earth itself in order to understand the abundance and availability of water for habitable planets.

Tailoring four-dimensional cone-beam CT acquisition settings for fiducial marker-based image guidance in radiation therapy.

PubMed

Jin, Peng; van Wieringen, Niek; Hulshof, Maarten C C M; Bel, Arjan; Alderliesten, Tanja

2018-04-01

Use of four-dimensional cone-beam CT (4D-CBCT) and fiducial markers for image guidance during radiation therapy (RT) of mobile tumors is challenging due to the trade-off among image quality, imaging dose, and scanning time. This study aimed to investigate different 4D-CBCT acquisition settings for good visibility of fiducial markers in 4D-CBCT. Using these 4D-CBCTs, the feasibility of marker-based 4D registration for RT setup verification and manual respiration-induced motion quantification was investigated. For this, we applied a dynamic phantom with three different breathing motion amplitudes and included two patients with implanted markers. Irrespective of the motion amplitude, for a medium field of view (FOV), marker visibility was improved by reducing the imaging dose per projection and increasing the number of projection images; however, the scanning time was 4 to 8 min. For a small FOV, the total imaging dose and the scanning time were reduced (62.5% of the dose using a medium FOV, 2.5 min) without losing marker visibility. However, the body contour could be missing for a small FOV, which is not preferred in RT. The marker-based 4D setup verification was feasible for both the phantom and patient data. Moreover, manual marker motion quantification can achieve a high accuracy with a mean error of [Formula: see text].

The effects of nature images on pain in a simulated hospital patient room.

PubMed

Vincent, Ellen; Battisto, Dina; Grimes, Larry; McCubbin, James

2010-01-01

Views of nature have been reported to relieve stress and pain, making nature an ideal medium for use in healthcare settings. In hospitals whose design does not allow for a view of nature, virtual and surrogate views of nature may be viable therapeutic options. This study tests the effects of specific nature images, as defined by Appleton's prospect refuge theory of landscape preference, on participants experiencing pain. The hypotheses were: (1) Nature views are variable in their impact on specific psychological and physiological health status indicators; and (2) Prospect and refuge nature scenes are more therapeutic than hazard nature scenes. The research question was (1) Which nature image categories are most therapeutic as evidenced by reduced pain and positive mood? An experiment using mixed methods assessed the effects of four different nature scenes on physiological (blood pressure, heart rate) and psychological (mood) responses when a person was subjected to a pain stressor. Four groups were subjected to a specific nature image category of prospect, refuge, hazard, or mixed prospect and refuge; the fifth group viewed no image. The Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire and the Profile of Mood States survey instruments were used to assess pain and mood, respectively. Continuous physiological readings of heart rate and blood pressure were collected. Pain was induced through a cold pressor task, which required participants to immerse their nondominant hand in ice water for up to 120 seconds. The mixed prospect and refuge image treatment showed significantly lower sensory pain responses, and the no-image treatment indicated significantly higher affective pain perception responses. The hazard image treatment had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure readings during the pain treatment, but it also had significantly high total mood disturbance. Although there was no clear "most" therapeutic image, the mixed prospect and refuge image showed significant potential to reduce sensory pain. The hazard image was the most effective at distracting participants from pain, but it should not be considered a positive distraction because it also received the highest mood disturbance scores of all groups.

'That proves my point': How mediums reconstrue disconfirmation in medium-sitter interactions.

PubMed

Enoksen, Anette Einan; Dickerson, Paul

2018-04-01

Previous research has examined how the talk of mediums attends to the epistemological status of their readings. Such work has identified that mediums frequently use question-framed propositions that are typically confirmed by the sitter, thereby conferring epistemological status on the medium. This study seeks to investigate what happens when the sitter disconfirms the propositions of the medium. The study focuses on the ways in which such disconfirmation can be responded to such that it is reconstrued as evidence of the psychic nature of the medium's reading. Televised demonstrations of psychic readings involving British and US mediums and their sitters are analysed. The results suggest that mediums rework disconfirmation as proof in several ways: first, by emphasizing the different access that sitter and medium have to knowledge (e.g., about the future); second, as evidence that the medium has access to the actual voice of the deceased (and may therefore mishear what the deceased has said to them); and third, as revealing an important truth that has hitherto been concealed from the sitter. The implications of these findings are considered for cases where speakers bring different and potentially competing, epistemological resources to an interaction. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

YouTube provides poor information regarding anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction.

PubMed

Cassidy, J T; Fitzgerald, E; Cassidy, E S; Cleary, M; Byrne, D P; Devitt, B M; Baker, J F

2018-03-01

YouTube is a global medium used predominantly by young adults (aged 18-49 years). This study examined the quality of YouTube information regarding ACL injury and reconstruction. YouTube was searched on the 13th of June 2015 for "ACL" and "anterior cruciate ligament" with/without associated terms of "injury", "reconstruction", and "surgery". Videos were evaluated by two independent reviewers [EF (Reviewer 1), (Reviewer 2)] using two recognized information scoring systems (Modified DISCERN (MD) 0-5 and JAMA Benchmark 0-4) and an adaptation of a score designed for written ACL information [ACL Specific Score (ASS) 0-25]. The ASS categorized scores as very good (21-25), good (16-20), moderate (11-15), poor (6-10), and very poor (0-5). Number of views/likes/dislikes, animation, and continent of origin and source (e.g., corporate/educational) were recorded. Correlation of video characteristics with number of views was examined using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) model. Agreement between reviewers was assessed by Interclass Correlation Co-efficient (ICC). Following a filtering process of the 964,770 identified videos, 39 videos were retained. The mean MD score was 2.3 (standard deviation (SD) ±0.9) for Reviewer 1 and 2.2 (SD ±0.9) for Reviewer 2 (ICC = 0.7). The mean JAMA score was 2.5(SD ±0.7) for Reviewer 1 and 2.3 (SD ±0.7) for Reviewer 2 (ICC = 0.8). The mean ASS was 6.3 (SD ±3.5) for Reviewer 1 and 4.6 (SD ±2.9) for Reviewer 2 (ICC = 0.9). Five videos achieved moderate score (13%), while 15 (38%) and 19 (49%) scored as poor and very poor, respectively. There was no correlation between number of views and video quality/video source for any scoring system. The majority of videos viewed on YouTube regarding ACL injury and treatment are of low quality.

Choice of Scottish Gaelic-Medium and Welsh-Medium Education at the Primary and Secondary School Stages: Parent and Pupil Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Hanlon, Fiona

2015-01-01

Results are presented of a comparative study of the reasons for parental choice of Scottish Gaelic-medium and Welsh-medium primary education in the year 2000 and of the reasons for pupils' decisions to continue with Gaelic or Welsh-medium education at secondary school in 2007. Parents in both contexts cited the quality of Celtic-medium education…

Relationship between Internet use and general belief in a just world among Chinese retirees.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhen; Zhang, Jianxin; Zhu, Tingshao

2013-07-01

As an emerging medium for acquiring information, the Internet might affect how users, including older adults, view or think about the world around them. Using data from a survey of retirees aged 50 years and above (N=12,309) in China, the present study examined the relationship between Internet use for acquiring information about the world and general belief in a just world (GBJW). The results indicated that Internet use primarily for obtaining news information was negatively related to GBJW. Specifically, Internet users had lower levels of GBJW than nonusers; the more time retirees spent visiting Web sites to acquire news information, the less likely they were to believe that the world is just. In addition, compared with retirees who had acquired information about the world through other means (including books, newspapers or magazines, radio and television, and direct communication with other people), those who had acquired information primarily using the Internet showed lower levels of GBJW. The significance and limitations of the current study are discussed.

Ambient temperature thermoelectric performance of thermally evaporated p-type Bi-Sb-Te thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Sukhdeep; Singh, Janpreet; Tripathi, S. K.

2018-04-01

Bismuth antimony telluride (BST) compounds have shown a promising performance in low to medium temperature thermoelectric (TE) conversion. One such composition, Bi1.2Sb0.8Te3, was synthesized by melting elemental entities and thin films of the as-synthesized material were deposited by thermal evaporation. X-Ray Diffraction analysis was conducted to study the crystallographic phases and other structural properties. Electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements of as-prepared thin films were conducted in the temperature range from 303-363 K with a view to study ambient temperature application of the synthesized material for power generation in which an increasing trend was observed in the Seebeck coefficient. Electrical conductivity displayed a maximum value of 0.22 × 104 Sm-1 that was comparable to other Bi-Sb-Te compositions whereas power factor had its peak at 323 K. These trends observed in electrical properties indicate that synthesized material can be used for room temperature TE module fabrication.

Speckle dynamics under ergodicity breaking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sdobnov, Anton; Bykov, Alexander; Molodij, Guillaume; Kalchenko, Vyacheslav; Jarvinen, Topias; Popov, Alexey; Kordas, Krisztian; Meglinski, Igor

2018-04-01

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a well-known and versatile approach for the non-invasive visualization of flows and microcirculation localized in turbid scattering media, including biological tissues. In most conventional implementations of LSCI the ergodic regime is typically assumed valid. However, most composite turbid scattering media, especially biological tissues, are non-ergodic, containing a mixture of dynamic and static centers of light scattering. In the current study, we examined the speckle contrast in different dynamic conditions with the aim of assessing limitations in the quantitative interpretation of speckle contrast images. Based on a simple phenomenological approach, we introduced a coefficient of speckle dynamics to quantitatively assess the ratio of the dynamic part of a scattering medium to the static one. The introduced coefficient allows one to distinguish real changes in motion from the mere appearance of static components in the field of view. As examples of systems with static/dynamic transitions, thawing and heating of Intralipid samples were studied by the LSCI approach.

Similarity to the Self Affects Memory for Impressions of Others

PubMed Central

Leshikar, Eric D.; Gutchess, Angela H.

2017-01-01

The present studies investigated whether similarity to the self influenced memory for impressions of others. We predicted that similarity to the self would facilitate impression memory for others, paralleling the self-reference effect found when information is processed relative to the self. We were interested in how the initial valence of the impression, whether positive or negative, affected impression memory. Across two experiments, participants formed impressions while viewing faces paired with traits and behaviors. After recognition, participants rated the self-descriptiveness of the studied traits allowing impression memory to be sorted into high-, medium-, and low-self-similarity. For positive impressions, similar others were remembered better than dissimilar others. For negative impressions, similar others were remembered more poorly than dissimilar others. These results illustrate that similarity to the self has multifaceted effects on person memory, leading to memory enhancement in the case of people given positive impressions, but reducing memory for people associated with negative impressions. PMID:28936392

Nursing and health-care assistant experience of supervision in a medium secure psychiatric service for women: implications for service development.

PubMed

Long, C G; Harding, S; Payne, K; Collins, L

2014-03-01

In secure psychiatric services where the potential for 'burnout' by nurses is high, clinical supervision is viewed as a key to reflective practice to support staff in stressful working environments. Barriers to the uptake of clinical supervision in such service settings are personal and organizational. The study was prompted by the need to evaluate the effectiveness of supervision for registered nurses and health-care assistants (HCAs) and a desire to use survey findings to improve the quality and uptake of supervision. The study examined the perceived benefits, the best practice elements and the practical aspects of clinical supervision including how to improve practice. An approximate uptake of clinical supervision by 50% of staff confirmed previous findings; that HCAs were significantly less likely to engage in supervision and less likely to perceive benefit from it. Initiatives to address the training and managerial obstacles to the provision of formal supervision are described. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A multilayered supramolecular self-assembled structure from soybean oil by in situ polymerization and its applications.

PubMed

Kavitha, Varadharajan; Gnanamani, Arumugam

2013-05-01

The present study emphasizes in situ transformation of soybean oil to self-assembled supramolecular multilayered biopolymer material. The said polymer material was characterized and the entrapment efficacy of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties was studied. In brief, soybean oil at varying concentration was mixed with mineral medium and incubated under agitation (200 rpm) at 37 degrees C for 240 h. Physical observations were made till 240 h and the transformed biopolymer was separated and subjected to physical, chemical and functional characterization. The maximum size of the polymer material was measured as 2 cm in diameter and the cross sectional view displayed the multilayered onion rings like structures. SEM analysis illustrated the presence of multilayered honeycomb channeled structures. Thermal analysis demonstrated the thermal stability (200 degrees C) and high heat enthalpy (1999 J/g). Further, this multilayered assembly was able to entrap both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components simultaneously, suggesting the potential industrial application of this material.

[Cultivation of a permanent fish cell line in serum-free media special experiences with a cytotoxicity test for waste water samples

PubMed

Kohlpoth, Martin; Rusche, Brigitte

1997-01-01

The use of fetal calf serum (FCS) as standard medium additive for the cell cultivation must be regarded critically from the point of view of animal welfare as well as for scientific reasons and makes it necessary to look for alternatives. In the last years an in vitro cytotoxicity assay for the testing of industrial waste waters with the permanent fish cell line RTG-2 was established and pre-validated as an alternative to the fish test with the golden orfe. The application of FCS is also a special problem with regard to the testing of waste waters in a cytotoxicity test so that FCS-alternatives were tested. The RTG-2 cells were successfully adapted to the two solvents Basal Medium Supplement (BMS) and Ultroser-G (U-G) that are used to replace serum. The characterisation of these adapted cell lines showed no significant differences in growth rate, adhesion rate, viability and sensitivity to chemicals in comparison to the original RTG-2 cells. On the determination of the cytotoxicity of industrial waste waters the RTG-2 cells adapted to the BMS medium indicated a clearly higher toxicity of the waste water samples than the original RTG-2 cells. This result confirms the thesis that serum components react with waste water elements and thus change the bio-availability of toxic compounds.

Furfural and glucose can enhance conversion of xylose to xylitol by Candida magnoliae TISTR 5663.

PubMed

Wannawilai, Siwaporn; Lee, Wen-Chien; Chisti, Yusuf; Sirisansaneeyakul, Sarote

2017-01-10

Xylitol production from xylose by the yeast Candida magnoliae TISTR 5663 was enhanced by supplementing the fermentation medium with furfural (300mg/L) and glucose (3g/L with an initial mass ratio of glucose to xylose of 1:10) together under oxygen limiting conditions. In the presence of furfural and glucose, the final concentration of xylitol was unaffected relative to control cultures but the xylitol yield on xylose increased by about 5%. Supplementation of the culture medium with glucose alone at an initial concentration of 3g/L, stimulated the volumetric and specific rates of xylose consumption and the rate of xylitol production from xylose. In a culture medium containing 30g/L xylose, 300mg/L furfural and 3g/L glucose, the volumetric production rate of xylitol was 1.04g/L h and the specific production rate was 0.169g/g h. In the absence of furfural and glucose, the volumetric production rate of xylitol was ∼35% lower and the specific production rate was nearly 30% lower. In view of these results, xylose-containing lignocellulosic hydrolysates contaminated with furfural can be effectively used for producing xylitol by fermentation so long as the glucose-to-xylose mass ratio in the hydrolysate does not exceed 1:10 and the furfural concentration is ≤300mg/L. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time effect and aliquot concentration in Streptococcus mutans elimination by plasma needle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Alcantara, E.; López-Callejas, R.; Peña-Eguiluz, R.; Lagunas-Bernabé, S.; Valencia-Alvarado, R.; Mercado-Cabrera, A.; Barocio, S. R.; Muñoz-Castro, A. E.; Rodríguez-Méndez, B. G.; de la Piedad-Beneitez, A.

2012-06-01

Atmospheric plasma needle systems are being intensively studied with a view to potential applications in medicine. The aim of this in vitro study is the improved elimination of Streptococcus Mutants (S. mutans) bacteria. A 5 ml volume of Luria-Bertani culture medium has been inoculated with a test bacterial population and incubated during 24 hours, followed by ten dilutions producing aliquots at 20, 50 and 100 micro l per dilution. Each aliquot is deposited on a paper filter and then exposed to a 2 W RF room pressure helium plasma needle discharge at a 1.5 l.p.m. rate for 1, 3, 5 or 7 minutes. Each sample paper is placed in a test tube, again containing Luria-Bertani fluid, in order to develop a new bacterium colony after a 24h incubation period. The plasma needle lethality has been evaluated from absorbance studies by means of a 6305 Jeway spectrophotometer at a 600 nm wavelength, indicating a clear correlation with exposure time. These studies validate the high disinfection efficacy of the plasma needle.

Efficacy Beliefs, Job Satisfaction, Stress and Their Influence on the Occupational Commitment of English-Medium Content Teachers in the Dominican Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barouch Gilbert, Rachel; Adesope, Olusola O.; Schroeder, Noah Lee

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of efficacy, job satisfaction, job stress and their influence on the occupational commitment of English-medium content teachers. A total of 109 practicing English-medium and Spanish-medium content teachers from the Dominican Republic volunteered to participate in the study. Findings…

Plunging into the pool of death: Imagining a dangerous outcome influences distance perception

PubMed Central

Stefanucci, Jeanine K.; Gagnon, Kyle T.; Tompkins, Christopher L.; Bullock, Kendall E.

2012-01-01

The current studies examined whether manipulating the imagined consequences of falling would influence the perception of height, distance, and size. In Experiment 1, height and size perception were measured when participants stood at a short height (.89 m) or a medium height (1.91 m) above either an empty pool or a pool filled with a bed of nails. Participants who viewed the bed of nails and imagined falling into it estimated both the height as taller and the size of the bed of nails as larger than participants who imagined falling into an empty pool. In a second experiment, participants overestimated the horizontal ground distance to and across the bed of nails after being told to imagine jumping over it. Overall, these experiments suggest that costs associated with imagined actions can influence the perception of both vertical and horizontal extents that are not inherently dangerous. PMID:22611659

Application of probiotics in food products--challenges and new approaches.

PubMed

Jankovic, I; Sybesma, W; Phothirath, P; Ananta, E; Mercenier, A

2010-04-01

The probiotic research conducted over the past 20 years has resulted in a valuable source of data related to health beneficial effects of probiotics. Nevertheless, documentation of probiotic benefits remains challenging, especially in functional foods that are designed for the generally healthy population that, however, regularly experiences episodes of 'suboptimal' health. In addition, in view of today's application of probiotics in an increasing variety of food matrixes, process optimization and product design need to take into account cell viability and probiotic function altogether. To meet this challenge, medium to high-throughput bioassays - based on the identification of active compounds and their mechanism of action - have to be developed and their predictive value established. Together with validated biomarkers for health and disease, this should help rationalize probiotic product development and associated health claim substantiation in human studies. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Academic reflective writing: a study to examine its usefulness.

PubMed

Bowman, Marion; Addyman, Berni

Reflection is widely regarded as important for learning from practice in Nursing. Academic reflective writing (ARW) is increasingly being used to assess reflective practice. However, there is currently scant literature on ARW, which is extremely complex, requiring students to link their own experiences to published literature. There are also concerns in the literature about the validity of ARW as a medium of assessment. In this paper, an exploratory discussion on ARW is illustrated with reference to the views of 8 self-selected students on a course for post-registered nurses. These students found ARW extremely challenging, and highlighted a range of difficulties associated with it. In conclusion, it is argued that the student experience of ARW warrants further investigation. In addition, it is suggested that either scaffolding should be put in place to facilitate the production of successful ARW, or alternatives should be explored.

Renewable energies in electricity generation for reduction of greenhouse gases in Mexico 2025.

PubMed

Islas, Jorge; Manzini, Fabio; Martínez, Manuel

2002-02-01

This study presents 4 scenarios relating to the environmental futures of electricity generation in Mexico up to the year 2025. The first scenario emphasizes the use of oil products, particularly fuel oil, and represents the historic path of Mexico's energy policy. The second scenario prioritizes the use of natural gas, reflecting the energy consumption pattern that arose in the mid-1990s as a result of reforms in the energy sector. In the third scenario, the high participation of renewable sources of energy is considered feasible from a technical and economic point of view. The fourth scenario takes into account the present- and medium-term use of natural-gas technologies that the energy reform has produced, but after 2007 a high and feasible participation of renewable sources of energy is considered. The 4 scenarios are evaluated up to the year 2025 in terms of greenhouse gases (GHG) and acid rain precursor gases (ARPG).

Two-Phase Acto-Cytosolic Fluid Flow in a Moving Keratocyte: A 2D Continuum Model.

PubMed

Nikmaneshi, M R; Firoozabadi, B; Saidi, M S

2015-09-01

The F-actin network and cytosol in the lamellipodia of crawling cells flow in a centripetal pattern and spout-like form, respectively. We have numerically studied this two-phase flow in the realistic geometry of a moving keratocyte. Cytosol has been treated as a low viscosity Newtonian fluid flowing through the high viscosity porous medium of F-actin network. Other involved phenomena including myosin activity, adhesion friction, and interphase interaction are also discussed to provide an overall view of this problem. Adopting a two-phase coupled model by myosin concentration, we have found new accurate perspectives of acto-cytosolic flow and pressure fields, myosin distribution, as well as the distribution of effective forces across the lamellipodia of a keratocyte with stationary shape. The order of magnitude method is also used to determine the contribution of forces in the internal dynamics of lamellipodia.

Global view of the upper level outflow patterns associated with tropical cyclone intensity changes during FGGE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, L.; Gray, W. M.

1985-01-01

The characteristics of the upper tropospheric outflow patterns which occur with tropical cyclone intensification and weakening over all of the global tropical cyclone basins during the year long period of the First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) are discussed. By intensification is meant the change in the tropical cyclone's maximum wind or central pressure, not the change of the cyclone's outer 1 to 3 deg radius mean wind which we classify as cyclone strength. All the 80 tropical cyclones which existed during the FGGE year are studied. Two-hundred mb wind fields are derived from the analysis of the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) which makes extensive use of upper tropospheric satellite and aircraft winds. Corresponding satellite cloud pictures from the polar orbiting U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and other supplementary polar and geostationary satellite data are also used.

Freedom, choice, and the sense of agency

PubMed Central

Barlas, Zeynep; Obhi, Sukhvinder S.

2013-01-01

The sense of agency is an intriguing aspect of human consciousness and is commonly defined as the sense that one is the author of their own actions and their consequences. In the current study, we varied the number of action alternatives (one, three, seven) that participants could select from and determined the effects on intentional binding which is believed to index the low-level sense of agency. Participants made self-paced button presses while viewing a conventional Libet clock and reported the perceived onset time of either the button presses or consequent auditory tones. We found that the binding effect was strongest when participants had the maximum number of alternatives, intermediate when they had medium level of action choice and lowest when they had no choice. We interpret our results in relation to the potential link between agency and the freedom to choose one’s actions. PMID:24009575

Images of trauma: pain, recognition, and disavowal in the works of Frida Kahlo and Francis Bacon.

PubMed

Bose, Joerg

2005-01-01

The role of art in the encounter with trauma and destructiveness is comparatively studied in the works of Frida Kahlo and Francis Bacon as examples of a direct and a more indirect way of dealing with such experiences. A creative product may function intrapsychically as a kind of messenger between dissociated self-states and consciousness, and it may also serve as a witnessing presence in a self-supporting and self-constituting way. Artistic work may thus be used by the artist for an expressive as well as for a protective purpose, as a means of sympathetic participation in painful experience, or as a medium for a view from the outside. The act itself of finding and of making expressive forms at the time of traumatic experience is a remarkable assertion of the human capability to synthesize and to counteract fragmenting dissociative processes.

Studies of large amplitude Alfvén waves and wave-wave interactions in LAPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, T. A.; Brugman, B.; Auerbach, D. W.

2006-10-01

Electromagnetic turbulence is thought to play an important role in plasmas in astrophysical settings (e.g. the interstellar medium, accretion disks) and in the laboratory (e.g. transport in magnetic fusion devices). From a weak turbulence point of view, nonlinear interactions between shear Alfvén waves are fundamental to the turbulent energy cascade in magnetic turbulence. An overview of experiments on large amplitude shear Alfvén waves in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) will be presented. Large amplitude Alfvén waves (δB/B ˜1%) are generated either using a resonant cavity or loop antennas. Properties of Alfvén waves generated by these sources will be discussed, along with evidence of heating, background density modification and electron acceleration by the waves. An overview of experiments on wave-wave interactions will be given along with a discussion of future directions.

Bargaining for health: a case study of a collective agreement-based health program for manual workers.

PubMed

Pedersen, Morten Saaby; Arendt, Jacob Nielsen

2014-09-01

This paper examines the short- and medium-term effects of the PensionDanmark Health Scheme, the largest privately administered health program for workers in Denmark, which provides prevention and early management of work-related injuries. We use a difference-in-differences approach that exploits a natural variation in the program rollout across collective agreement areas in the construction sector and over time. The results show only little evidence of an effect on the prevention of injuries requiring medical attention in the first 3 years after the program was introduced. Despite this, we find evidence of significant positive effects on several labor market outcomes, suggesting that the program enables some work-injured individuals to maintain their work and earnings capacity. In view of its low costs, the program appears to be cost-effective overall. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inverse atmospheric radiative transfer problems - A nonlinear minimization search method of solution. [aerosol pollution monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fymat, A. L.

1976-01-01

The paper studies the inversion of the radiative transfer equation describing the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with atmospheric aerosols. The interaction can be considered as the propagation in the aerosol medium of two light beams: the direct beam in the line-of-sight attenuated by absorption and scattering, and the diffuse beam arising from scattering into the viewing direction, which propagates more or less in random fashion. The latter beam has single scattering and multiple scattering contributions. In the former case and for single scattering, the problem is reducible to first-kind Fredholm equations, while for multiple scattering it is necessary to invert partial integrodifferential equations. A nonlinear minimization search method, applicable to the solution of both types of problems has been developed, and is applied here to the problem of monitoring aerosol pollution, namely the complex refractive index and size distribution of aerosol particles.

Loving Machines: Theorizing Human and Sociable-Technology Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw-Garlock, Glenda

Today, human and sociable-technology interaction is a contested site of inquiry. Some regard social robots as an innovative medium of communication that offer new avenues for expression, communication, and interaction. Other others question the moral veracity of human-robot relationships, suggesting that such associations risk psychological impoverishment. What seems clear is that the emergence of social robots in everyday life will alter the nature of social interaction, bringing with it a need for new theories to understand the shifting terrain between humans and machines. This work provides a historical context for human and sociable robot interaction. Current research related to human-sociable-technology interaction is considered in relation to arguments that confront a humanist view that confine 'technological things' to the nonhuman side of the human/nonhuman binary relation. Finally, it recommends a theoretical approach for the study of human and sociable-technology interaction that accommodates increasingly personal relations between human and nonhuman technologies.

Managers' Understanding of Workplace Health Promotion within Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Ann; Parahoo, Kader; Fleming, Paul

2011-01-01

Objective: This study aimed at exploring managers' understanding of workplace health promotion and experiences of workplace health promotion activity within small and medium-sized enterprises. Design: A Heideggerian interpretive phenomenological methodology was adopted. Setting: This study was undertaken with small and medium-sized enterprise…

[Effect of nutritional stress on autophagy in free-living amoeba].

PubMed

Wang, Nan-Ning; Tan, Yu-Zhen; Wang, Hai-Jie

2010-12-30

To investigate the change of autophagy and morphological characteristics of the autophagic structures in free-living amoeba under nutritional stress. Free-living amoebae were incubated on the agaric solid medium which had been covered with Escherichia cdi in control group. In the experiment group, amoebae incubated on the agaric solid medium with E. coli were collected and moved to another solid medium without E. coli and incubated for 12 h. The morphological changes of free-living amoeba in the medium without E. coli were viewed with scanning electron microscope. The changes of autophagy and the structural features of the autophagosome precursors, autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes in amoeba were examined with transmission electron microscope, and the cross-section areas of the autophagic structures and cytoplasm were measured with an image analyzer. The autophagosomes in the organism were labeled with monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining and quantitated using laser scanning confocal microscope. In the control group, free-living amoebae were all in the form of trophozoite. In the experiment group, trophozoites were induced to transform to cysts gradually. In control group, amoeba was full of fragment of E. coli. There was merely little autophagy with fewer autophagic structures in amoeba. When compared with the control group, the autophagic abilities of amoeba were enhanced significantly, number of autophagic structures increased in the experiment group. In addition, the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the autophagic structures to that of the cytoplasm of amoeba was greater (P < 0.05 or 0.01). There was fragment of E. coli that was not digested in some of the amoebae. In the circumstance of nutritional stress, amoebic trophozoites were induced to transform to cysts gradually. The autophagic ability of free-living amoeba significantly enhanced.

Characterization of an extracellular lipase by Pseudomonas koreensis BK-L07 isolated from soil.

PubMed

Anbu, Periasamy

2014-01-01

Screening using spirit blue agar revealed that strain BK-L07 had the highest lipase activity. Furthermore, the isolated strain was identified as Pseudomonas sp. based on morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain BK-L07 shared a high similarity with that of Pseudomonas koreensis (99%). The nutritional conditions and physicochemical properties were influenced by P. koreensis BK-L07. The maximum lipase production was obtained in tryptic soy broth medium at pH 8.0 and a temperature of 25°C after 36 hr of incubation. In addition, the lipase activity was determined using different carbon sources and lipase inducers. The lipase production was greatest when 1% maltose was used as the carbon source and olive oil was used as the lipase inducer. The lipase production was significantly increased approximately threefold in the optimized medium when compared with the original medium. Further, the lipase was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration chromatography with a purification yield of 10.8%. The molecular mass of lipase was 45 kDa. The optimum temperature and pH were 40°C and 8.0, respectively. The enzyme was stable up to 50°C and at pH from 7 to 9. In addition, the enzyme activity was stimulated by MgSO4 and completely inhibited by ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), indicating the metalloenzyme type. The lipase activity was toward medium to long chain length of fatty acids (C10 to C18). Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Preparative Biochemistry and Biotechnology to view the supplemental file.

Fables: ways of knowing and understanding meaning in nursing.

PubMed

Milton, Constance L

2006-04-01

Fables are literary short stories intended to convey a moral maxim for some aspect of human living. Within the discipline of nursing, a fable is a medium by which stories and themes of humanly lived phenomena may be viewed in light of a particular philosophical lens of understanding. The fable offers possibilities for instruction through illuminating fictitious characters and offering notions for what a member of a discipline ought to do. In this article, the author shall present a fable and offer an interpretation from a human becoming perspective for what one ought to do in the discipline of nursing.

Cerenkov electrooptic shutter

DOEpatents

Hartemann, Frederick; Bekefi, George

1989-05-30

A system which couples Cerenkov emission with a gated electrooptic effect to allow viewing of Cerenkov radiation in sub nanosecond time-scales is disclosed. Cerenkov radiation is generated by transmitting an electron beam through a transparent medium with a high index of refraction. The Cerenkov radiation is then gated into a sample pulse of subanosecond duration by an electrooptic crystal which has an index of refraction controlled by an electric field. the electrooptic crystal is opaque to the Cerenkov radiation until receiving a 6.0 kV voltage for about 750 picoseconds, upon which a pulsed sample of Cerenkov radiation is transmitted to a display system.

High energy particles and quanta in astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, F. B. (Editor); Fichtel, C. E.

1974-01-01

The various subdisciplines of high-energy astrophysics are surveyed in a series of articles which attempt to give an overall view of the subject as a whole by emphasizing the basic physics common to all fields in which high-energy particles and quanta play a role. Successive chapters cover cosmic ray experimental observations, the abundances of nuclei in the cosmic radiation, cosmic electrons, solar modulation, solar particles (observation, relationship to the sun acceleration, interplanetary medium), radio astronomy, galactic X-ray sources, the cosmic X-ray background, and gamma ray astronomy. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Rock sample brought to earth from the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Close-up view of Apollo 12 sample 12,062 under observation in the Manned Spacecraft Center's Lunar Receiving Laboratory. This sample, collected during the second Apollo 12 extravehicular activity (EVA-2) of Astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., and Alan L. Bean, is a medium-grained rock with lath-shaped crystals of feldspar and pyroxene It contains vugs-holes-with crystals growing in them (note right side of exposed portion). An idea of the size of the rock can be gained by reference to the gauge on the bottom portion of the number meter.

Light detection and the wavelength shifter deposition in DEAP-3600

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broerman, B.; Retière, F.

2016-02-01

The Dark matter Experiment using Argon Pulse-shape discrimination (DEAP) uses liquid argon as a target medium to perform a direct-detection dark matter search. The 3600 kg liquid argon target volume is housed in a spherical acrylic vessel and viewed by a surrounding array of photomultiplier tubes. Ionizing particles in the argon volume produce scintillation light which must be wavelength shifted to be detected by the photomultiplier tubes. Argon scintillation and wavelength shifting, along with details on the application of the wavelength shifter to the inner surface of the acrylic vessel are presented.

Effects of Blowing Spanwise from the Tips of Low-Aspect Ratio Wings of Varying Taper Ratio, with Application to Improving STOL Capability of Fighter Aircraft.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

aspect ratio is relatively small. Brooks (ref. 1) worked with rectangular fins of 0.62 and 1.24 aspect ratio in a water medium and showed very large ...airflow rates. Lloyd (ref. 3) worked with an aspect ratio 2.0 rectangular wing using a very wide range of jet momentum coefficient; his results were in...D-A1i35 688 EFFECTS OF BLOWING SPANWISE FROM THE TIPS OF LOW ASPECT in, RATIO WINGS OF VA .(U) NIELSEN ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH INC MOUNTAIN VIEW CA

Pseudodeep hologram and its properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denisiuk, Iu. N.; Ganzherli, N. M.

A pseudodeep hologram is a thin, inclined hologram on which a one-dimensional line object is recorded by a sagittal beam system; at reconstruction, the object is read within the limits of the narrow line which corresponds to it. High angular and spectral selectivities have been obtained by these means. Attention is presently given to the possibility of recording and associative reading, in view of results from experiments in which the associative reading of a pseudodeep hologram was performed on the bases of fragments of the object in question by a simple graphic-reconstruction method. Components of images caused by the recording medium's nonlinearities are noted.

Predicted accommodative response from image quality in young eyes fitted with different dual-focus designs.

PubMed

Faria-Ribeiro, Miguel; Amorim-de-Sousa, Ana; González-Méijome, José M

2018-05-01

To investigate the separated and combined influences of inner zone (IZ) diameter and effective add power of dual-focus contact lenses (CL) in the image quality at distance and near viewing, in a functional accommodating model eye. Computational wave-optics methods were used to define zonal bifocal pupil functions, representing the optic zones of nine dual-focus centre-distance CLs. The dual-focus pupil functions were defined having IZ diameters of 2.10 mm, 3.36 mm and 4.00 mm, with add powers of 1.5 D, 2.0 D and 2.5 D (dioptres), for each design, that resulted in a ratio of 64%/36% between the distance and treatment zone areas, bounded by a 6 mm entrance pupil. A through-focus routine was implemented in MATLAB to simulate the changes in image quality, calculated from the Visual Strehl ratio, as the eye with the dual-focus accommodates, from 0 to -3.00 D target vergences. Accommodative responses were defined as the changes in the defocus coefficient, combined with a change in fourth and sixth order spherical aberration, which produced a peak in image quality at each target vergence. Distance viewing image quality was marginally affected by IZ diameter but not by add power. Near image quality obtained when focussing the image formed by the near optics was only higher by a small amount compared to the other two IZ diameters. The mean ± standard deviation values obtained with the three adds were 0.28 ± 0.02, 0.23 ± 0.02 and 0.22 ± 0.02, for the small, medium and larger IZ diameters, respectively. On the other hand, near image quality predicted by focussing the image formed by the distance optics was considerably lower relatively to the other two IZ diameters. The mean ± standard deviation values obtained with the three adds were 0.15 ± 0.01, 0.38 ± 0.00 and 0.54 ± 0.01, for the small, medium and larger IZ diameters, respectively. During near viewing through dual-focus CLs, image quality depends on the diameter of the most inner zone of the CL, while add power only affects the range of clear focus when focussing the image formed by the CL near optics. When only image quality gain is taken into consideration, medium and large IZ diameters designs are most likely to promote normal accommodative responses driven by the CL distance optics, while a smaller IZ diameter design is most likely to promote a reduced accommodative response driven by the dual-focus CL near optics. © 2018 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2018 The College of Optometrists.

Insulin and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor synergistically promote astrocyte survival and proliferation in serum-free medium.

PubMed

Jia, Mei; Shi, Zhongfang; Yan, Xu; Xu, Lixin; Dong, Liping; Li, Jiaxin; Wang, Yujiao; Yang, Shaohua; Yuan, Fang

2018-06-08

In vitro systems allowing maintenance and experimentation on primary astrocyte cultures have been used for decades. Astrocyte cultures are most maintained in serum-containing medium which has been found to alter the morphology and gene profiles of astrocytes. Here, we reported a new serum-free medium for astrocyte culture, which consisted of DMEM and NB media supplemented with insulin and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) (SF-I-H medium). Meanwhile FBS-containing (FBS) medium composed of DMEM medium containing 10% FBS were used for comparison study. Cerebral cortex was harvested from postnatal day 1 Wistar rats and brain cells were isolated and seeded to poly-L-lysine coated culture dishes after 15 min differential velocity adherence. Compared with FBS medium, astrocytes in SF-I-H medium are smaller and exhibited process bearing morphologies. MTT assays showed that cell density and proliferation rate were higher in SF-I-H medium than in FBS medium all the time, and flow cytometry analysis revealed that SF-I-H medium promoted cell mitosis in a manner comparable to FBS medium. Consistently, western blot analysis further revealed that insulin and HB-EGF synergistically activated the PI3K-AKT and MAPK-ERK1/2 signaling cascades as FBS. Astrocytes cultured in SF-I-H medium grow faster than FBS medium. Taken together, our results indicated that SF-I-H medium, in which cell morphology was similar with astrocytes in brain, was more effective for astrocyte survival and proliferation than FBS medium, providing a new cell model to study astrocyte functions without the interference of serum. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Conformational Heterogeneity of Unbound Proteins Enhances Recognition in Protein-Protein Encounters.

PubMed

Pallara, Chiara; Rueda, Manuel; Abagyan, Ruben; Fernández-Recio, Juan

2016-07-12

To understand cellular processes at the molecular level we need to improve our knowledge of protein-protein interactions, from a structural, mechanistic, and energetic point of view. Current theoretical studies and computational docking simulations show that protein dynamics plays a key role in protein association and support the need for including protein flexibility in modeling protein interactions. Assuming the conformational selection binding mechanism, in which the unbound state can sample bound conformers, one possible strategy to include flexibility in docking predictions would be the use of conformational ensembles originated from unbound protein structures. Here we present an exhaustive computational study about the use of precomputed unbound ensembles in the context of protein docking, performed on a set of 124 cases of the Protein-Protein Docking Benchmark 3.0. Conformational ensembles were generated by conformational optimization and refinement with MODELLER and by short molecular dynamics trajectories with AMBER. We identified those conformers providing optimal binding and investigated the role of protein conformational heterogeneity in protein-protein recognition. Our results show that a restricted conformational refinement can generate conformers with better binding properties and improve docking encounters in medium-flexible cases. For more flexible cases, a more extended conformational sampling based on Normal Mode Analysis was proven helpful. We found that successful conformers provide better energetic complementarity to the docking partners, which is compatible with recent views of binding association. In addition to the mechanistic considerations, these findings could be exploited for practical docking predictions of improved efficiency.

100 Million Views of Electronic Cigarette YouTube Videos and Counting: Quantification, Content Evaluation, and Engagement Levels of Videos

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background The video-sharing website, YouTube, has become an important avenue for product marketing, including tobacco products. It may also serve as an important medium for promoting electronic cigarettes, which have rapidly increased in popularity and are heavily marketed online. While a few studies have examined a limited subset of tobacco-related videos on YouTube, none has explored e-cigarette videos’ overall presence on the platform. Objective To quantify e-cigarette-related videos on YouTube, assess their content, and characterize levels of engagement with those videos. Understanding promotion and discussion of e-cigarettes on YouTube may help clarify the platform’s impact on consumer attitudes and behaviors and inform regulations. Methods Using an automated crawling procedure and keyword rules, e-cigarette-related videos posted on YouTube and their associated metadata were collected between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013. Metadata were analyzed to describe posting and viewing time trends, number of views, comments, and ratings. Metadata were content coded for mentions of health, safety, smoking cessation, promotional offers, Web addresses, product types, top-selling brands, or names of celebrity endorsers. Results As of June 30, 2013, approximately 28,000 videos related to e-cigarettes were captured. Videos were posted by approximately 10,000 unique YouTube accounts, viewed more than 100 million times, rated over 380,000 times, and commented on more than 280,000 times. More than 2200 new videos were being uploaded every month by June 2013. The top 1% of most-viewed videos accounted for 44% of total views. Text fields for the majority of videos mentioned websites (70.11%); many referenced health (13.63%), safety (10.12%), smoking cessation (9.22%), or top e-cigarette brands (33.39%). The number of e-cigarette-related YouTube videos was projected to exceed 65,000 by the end of 2014, with approximately 190 million views. Conclusions YouTube is a major information-sharing platform for electronic cigarettes. YouTube appears to be used unevenly for promotional purposes by e-cigarette brands, and our analyses indicated a high level of user engagement with a small subset of content. There is evidence that YouTube videos promote e-cigarettes as cigarette smoking cessation tools. Presence and reach of e-cigarette videos on YouTube warrants attention from public health professionals and policymakers. PMID:26993213

The effect of heterogeneity identifying the leakage of carbon dioxide in a shallow aquifer: an experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, S. W.; Lee, S. H.; Jeon, W. T.; Joo, Y. J.; Lee, K. K.

2014-12-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) leakage into the shallow aquifer is one of the main concerns at a CO2 sequestration site. Various hydrogeochemical parameters have been suggested to determine the leakage (i.e., pH, EC, Alkalinity, Ca and δ13C). For the practical point of view, direct and continuous measurement of the dissolved CO2 concentration at the proper location can be the most useful strategy for the CO2 leakage detection in a shallow aquifer. In order to enhance possibility of identifying leaked CO2, monitoring location should be determined with regard to the shallow aquifer heterogeneity. In this study, a series of experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of heterogeneity on the dissolved CO2 concentrations. A 2-D sand tank of homogeneous medium sands including a single heterogeneity layer was designed. Two NDIR CO2 sensors, modified for continuous measuring in aquatic system, were installed above and below the single heterogeneous layer (clay, fine and medium sand lenses). Also, temperature and water contents were measured continuously at a same position. Bromocresol purple which is one of the acid-base indicator was used to visualize CO2 migration. During the gas phase CO2 injection at the bottom of the sand tank, dissolved CO2 in the water is continuously measured. In the results, significant differences of concentrations were observed due to the presence of heterogeneity layer, even the locations were close. These results suggested that monitoring location should be determined considering vertical heterogeneity of shallow aquifer at a CO2 leakage site.

Constraining the physics of jet quenching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renk, Thorsten

2012-04-01

Hard probes in the context of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions represent a key class of observables studied to gain information about the QCD medium created in such collisions. However, in practice, the so-called jet tomography has turned out to be more difficult than expected initially. One of the major obstacles in extracting reliable tomographic information from the data is that neither the parton-medium interaction nor the medium geometry are known with great precision, and thus a difference in model assumptions in the hard perturbative Quantum Choromdynamics (pQCD) modeling can usually be compensated by a corresponding change of assumptions in the soft bulk medium sector and vice versa. The only way to overcome this problem is to study the full systematics of combinations of parton-medium interaction and bulk medium evolution models. This work presents a meta-analysis summarizing results from a number of such systematical studies and discusses in detail how certain data sets provide specific constraints for models. Combining all available information, only a small group of models exhibiting certain characteristic features consistent with a pQCD picture of parton-medium interaction is found to be viable given the data. In this picture, the dominant mechanism is medium-induced radiation combined with a surprisingly small component of elastic energy transfer into the medium.

Brain pertechnetate SPECT in perinatal asphyxia

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

Sfakianakis, G.; Curless, R.; Goldberg, R.

1984-01-01

Single photon emission computed tomography of the brain was performed in 6 patients with perinatal asphyxis aged 8-26 days. A single-head (LFOV) commercial SPECT system (Picker) was used and data were acquired 2-3 hr after an IV injection of 1-2 mCi Tc-99m-pertechnetate (360/sup 0/ rotation, 60 views, 64 x 64 matrix, 50K cts/view). Reconstruction in three planes was performed using MDS software (Hanning medium resolution filter, with or without attenuation correction using Sorenson's technique). For each clinical study, a ring type phantom source was used to identify the level of reconstruction noise in the tomographic planes. Abnormalities were found inmore » all patients studied, 3 central (moderate intensity), 2 peripheral (1 severe, 1 moderate) and 1 diffuse (mild intensity). Despite use of oral perchlorate (50 mg) in one patient the choroid plexus was visible. Since attenuation correction tended to amplify noise, the clinical studies were interpreted both with and without this correction. All 3 patients with central lesions were found abnormal on early (1-4 mo) neurologic follow-up examination, whereas the others were normal. No correlation was found between SPECT and 24 hr blood levels of CPK, ammonia, base excess, or the Apgar scores. Ct scans were reported abnormal (3 diffuse, 1 peripheral, 1 central and 1 questionable). Planar scintigrams obtained immediately after SPECT were normal (2), questionable (2) and abnormal (2). Follow-up SPECT brain scintigrams in two of the patients showed partial resolution. SPECT of the brain appears promising in perinatal asphyxia but long-term correlation with patient development is necessary.« less

Current status and future prospects of research and development operations in traditional and complementary and alternative medicine manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises: a 2014 company-based survey.

PubMed

Ahn, Miyoung; Park, Eun-Ji; Woo, Jong-Min

2017-12-01

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have played key roles in the economic growth and technical innovation of traditional and complementary and alternative medicine (T&CM). Research and development (R&D) are critical activities for industrial progress. This study aimed to characterize the current status of SME R&D activities and to explore manufacturers' perceptions of R&D expansion. Records of the distribution of T&CM SMEs and R&D resources detailed in the 2014 Statistics of Korea T&CM Industries survey, a previously conducted survey on the industrial status of the T&CM field, were reviewed. Data on the perceptions of R&D activities were investigated through a company-based survey covering 285 T&CM-manufacturing SMEs. Greater than 99% of the 13,636 T&CM manufacturers at the time of the study were SMEs employing less than 50 workers. Natural cosmetics manufacturing SMEs (NC SMEs) had the highest R&D expenditures. NC SMEs rely heavily on internal R&D operations, which may contribute to their strong need for R&D collaboration with public research institutions and expanded T&CM-promoted R&D programs. "Digestive system disorders" are the main target diseases for current herbal and dietary supplement manufacturing SMEs and herbal medicine manufacturing SMEs. These SMEs tend to view their own product-related business as a priority for future R&D investment. This study represents the first attempt to assess SME perceptions of R&D activities. The findings herein can inform the design of sustainable programs that support R&D by reducing the gaps between the perspectives of T&CM product makers and policymakers.

Advanced Ecosystem Mapping Techniques for Large Arctic Study Domains Using Calibrated High-Resolution Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macander, M. J.; Frost, G. V., Jr.

2015-12-01

Regional-scale mapping of vegetation and other ecosystem properties has traditionally relied on medium-resolution remote sensing such as Landsat (30 m) and MODIS (250 m). Yet, the burgeoning availability of high-resolution (<=2 m) imagery and ongoing advances in computing power and analysis tools raises the prospect of performing ecosystem mapping at fine spatial scales over large study domains. Here we demonstrate cutting-edge mapping approaches over a ~35,000 km² study area on Alaska's North Slope using calibrated and atmospherically-corrected mosaics of high-resolution WorldView-2 and GeoEye-1 imagery: (1) an a priori spectral approach incorporating the Satellite Imagery Automatic Mapper (SIAM) algorithms; (2) image segmentation techniques; and (3) texture metrics. The SIAM spectral approach classifies radiometrically-calibrated imagery to general vegetation density categories and non-vegetated classes. The SIAM classes were developed globally and their applicability in arctic tundra environments has not been previously evaluated. Image segmentation, or object-based image analysis, automatically partitions high-resolution imagery into homogeneous image regions that can then be analyzed based on spectral, textural, and contextual information. We applied eCognition software to delineate waterbodies and vegetation classes, in combination with other techniques. Texture metrics were evaluated to determine the feasibility of using high-resolution imagery to algorithmically characterize periglacial surface forms (e.g., ice-wedge polygons), which are an important physical characteristic of permafrost-dominated regions but which cannot be distinguished by medium-resolution remote sensing. These advanced mapping techniques provide products which can provide essential information supporting a broad range of ecosystem science and land-use planning applications in northern Alaska and elsewhere in the circumpolar Arctic.

Optimization of a chondrogenic medium through the use of factorial design of experiments.

PubMed

Enochson, Lars; Brittberg, Mats; Lindahl, Anders

2012-12-01

The standard culture system for in vitro cartilage research is based on cells in a three-dimensional micromass culture and a defined medium containing the chondrogenic key growth factor, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. The aim of this study was to optimize the medium for chondrocyte micromass culture. Human chondrocytes were cultured in different media formulations, designed with a factorial design of experiments (DoE) approach and based on the standard medium for redifferentiation. The significant factors for the redifferentiation of the chondrocytes were determined and optimized in a two-step process through the use of response surface methodology. TGF-β1, dexamethasone, and glucose were significant factors for differentiating the chondrocytes. Compared to the standard medium, TGF-β1 was increased 30%, dexamethasone reduced 50%, and glucose increased 22%. The potency of the optimized medium was validated in a comparative study against the standard medium. The optimized medium resulted in micromass cultures with increased expression of genes important for the articular chondrocyte phenotype and in cultures with increased glycosaminoglycan/DNA content. Optimizing the standard medium with the efficient DoE method, a new medium that gave better redifferentiation for articular chondrocytes was determined.

A Correlation Between Intrinsic Brightness and Average Decay Rate of Swift UVOT GRB Optical/UV Light Curves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oates, S. R.; Page, M. J.; De Pasquale, M.; Schady, P.; Breeveld, A. A.; Holland, S. T.; Kuin, N. P. M.; Marshall, F. E.

2012-01-01

We examine a sample of 48 Swift/UVOT long Gamma-ray Burst light curves and find a correlation between the logarithmic luminosity at 200s and average decay rate determined from 200s onwards, with a Spearman rank coefficient of -0.58 at a significance of 99.998% (4.2 sigma ). We discuss the causes of the log L200s - alpha (greater than) 200s correlation, finding it to be an intrinsic property of long GRBs, and not resulting from the selection criteria. We find two ways to produce the correlation. One possibility is that there is some property of the central engine, outflow or external medium that affects the rate of energy release so that the bright afterglows release their energy more quickly and decay faster than the fainter afterglows. Alternatively, the correlation may be produced by variation of the observers viewing angle, with observers at large viewing angles observing fainter and slower decaying light curves.

Surprise influences hindsight-foresight differences in temporal judgments of animated automobile accidents.

PubMed

Calvillo, Dustin P; Gomes, Dayna M

2011-04-01

The hindsight bias occurs when people view an outcome as more foreseeable than it actually was. The role of an outcome's initial surprise in the hindsight bias was examined using animations of automobile accidents. Twenty-six participants rated the initial surprise of accidents' occurring in eight animations. An additional 84 participants viewed these animations in one of two conditions: Half stopped the animations when they were certain an accident would occur (i.e., in foresight), and the other half watched the entire animations first and then stopped the animations when they thought that a naïve viewer would be certain that an accident would occur (i.e., in hindsight). When the accidents were low in initial surprise, there were no foresight-hindsight differences; when initial surprise was medium, there was a hindsight bias; and when initial surprise was high, there was a reversed hindsight bias. The results are consistent with a sense-making model of hindsight bias.

High-Resolution Imaging of the Multiphase Interstellar Thick Disk in Two Edge-On Spiral Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howk, J. Christopher; Rueff, K.

2009-01-01

We present broadband and narrow-band images, acquired from Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 and WIYN 3.5 m telescope respectively, of two edge-on spiral galaxies, NGC 4302 and NGC 4013. These high-resolution images (BVI + H-alpha) provide a detailed view of the thick disk interstellar medium (ISM) in these galaxies. Both galaxies show prominent extraplanar dust-bearing clouds viewed in absorption against the background stellar light. Individual clouds are found to z 2 kpc in each galaxy. These clouds each contain >10^4 to >10^5 solar masses of gas. Both galaxies have extraplanar diffuse ionized gas (DIG), as seen in our H-alpha images and earlier work. In addition to the DIG, discrete H II regions are found at heights up to 1 kpc from both galaxies. We compare the morphologies of the dusty clouds with the DIG in these galaxies and discuss the relationship between these components of the thick disk ISM.

State of Florida as seen from Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1974-01-10

SL4-139-4029 (10 Jan. 1974) --- An oblique view of the State of Florida, looking northward up the peninsula, as photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by one of the Skylab 4 crewman. The camera used was a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad, with SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome. This view shows almost the entire state, except the panhandle region. The Bahama Banks area appears in the southeast part of the picture as the light blue water. Andros Island in the Bahamas group is the island in the lower right corner. The Gulfstream flows between Florida and the Bahama Banks. This fast-moving, warm-water current transports energy from the tropics to the northern latitudes. The effect of the warmer Gulfstream waters on the atmosphere is seen as increased convection (caused by the warmer water heating the air from below) resulting in the fair weather cumulus seen confined primarily over the Gulfstream. A portion of Cuba is seen in the lower left corner of the picture. Photo credit: NASA

A Decade of Satellite Ocean Color Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClain, Charles R.

2009-01-01

After the successful Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS, 1978-1986), demonstration that quantitative estimations of geophysical variables such as chlorophyll a and diffuse attenuation coefficient could be derived from top of the atmosphere radiances, a number of international missions with ocean color capabilities were launched beginning in the late 1990s. Most notable were those with global data acquisition capabilities, i.e., the Ocean Color and Temperature Sensor (OCTS 1996-1997), the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS, United States, 1997-present), two Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers, (MODIS, United States, Terra/2000-present and Aqua/2002-present), the Global Imager (GLI, Japan, 2002-2003), and the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS, European Space Agency, 2002-present). These missions have provided data of exceptional quality and continuity, allowing for scientific inquiries into a wide variety of marine research topics not possible with the CZCS. This review focuses on the scientific advances made over the past decade using these data sets.

Cloudy Sounding and Cloud-Top Height Retrieval From AIRS Alone Single Field-of-View Radiance Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisz, Elisabeth; Li, Jun; Li, Jinlong; Zhou, Daniel K.; Huang, Hung-Lung; Goldberg, Mitchell D.; Yang, Ping

2007-01-01

High-spectral resolution measurements from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard the EOS (Earth Observing System) Aqua satellite provide unique information about atmospheric state, surface and cloud properties. This paper presents an AIRS alone single field-of-view (SFOV) retrieval algorithm to simultaneously retrieve temperature, humidity and ozone profiles under all weather conditions, as well as cloud top pressure (CTP) and cloud optical thickness (COT) under cloudy skies. For optically thick cloud conditions the above-cloud soundings are derived, whereas for clear skies and optically thin cloud conditions the profiles are retrieved from 0.005 hPa down to the earth's surface. Initial validation has been conducted by using the operational MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) product, ECMWF (European Center of Medium range Weather Forecasts) analysis fields and radiosonde observations (RAOBs). These inter-comparisons clearly demonstrate the potential of this algorithm to process data from 38 high-spectral infrared (IR) sounder instruments.

Retractable Visual Indicator Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hackler, George R. (Inventor); Gamboa, Ronald J. (Inventor); Dominquez, Victor (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A retractable indicator assembly may be mounted on a container which transmits air through the container and removes deleterious gases with an activated charcoal medium in the container. The assembly includes: an elongate indicator housing has a chamber therein; a male adaptor with an external threads is used for sealing engagement with the container; a plug located at the upper end of the housing; a housing that includes a transparent wall portion for viewing at least a portion of the chamber; a litmus indicator, moveable by a retractable rod from a retracted position within the container to an extended position within the chamber of the housing; and an outer housing that is secured to the upper end of the rod, and protects the indicator housing while the litmus indicator is in its normally retracted position. The assembly may be manually manipulated between its extended position wherein the litmus indicator may be viewed through the transparent wall of the indicator housing, and a retracted position wherein the outer housing encloses the indicator housing and engages the exterior of the container.