Method and apparatus for animal positioning in imaging systems

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

Hadjioannou, Arion-Xenofon; Stout, David B.; Silverman, Robert W.

An apparatus for imaging an animal includes a first mounting surface, a bed sized to support the animal and releasably secured to or integral with the first mounting surface. The apparatus also includes a plurality of straps, each having a first end in a fixed position relative to the bed and a second end for tightening around a limb of the animal. A method for in-vivo imaging of an animal includes providing an animal that has limbs, providing a first mounting surface, and providing a bed removably secured to or integral with the mounting surface and sized to support themore » animal as well as being coupled to a plurality of straps. The method also includes placing the animal on the bed between the plurality of straps and tightening at least two of the plurality of straps around at least two of the limbs such that the animal is substantially secured in place relative to the bed.« less

Monitoring of Dermanyssus gallinae in free-range poultry farms.

PubMed

Zenner, L; Bon, G; Chauve, C; Nemoz, C; Lubac, S

2009-06-01

Various methods for monitoring Dermanyssus gallinae infestations within free-range egg production units were compared. The study was carried out in five egg-producing free-range poultry buildings infested with D. gallinae. Each farm was divided into six zones (each zone including nest boxes, perches and duckboard) for placing two types of traps (corrugated cardboard and thick card traps) or examining dried droppings for presence of mites. Traps were removed 24 h later, placed into bags and mites were counted at the laboratory using binocular magnification. Droppings were also inspected by eye and mite numbers were estimated. All the methods used allowed us to detect mites although their efficacy differed. The number of mites collected was independent of the type of trap used. Examination of the droppings did not differentiate between buildings with differing mite populations. Placing traps in the nest boxes is a less reliable indicator than placing them on the perches. It appears that the most coherent method for evaluating the D. gallinae population within a free-range flock is to place thick card traps throughout the building, on perches favoured by birds.

Visual probes and methods for placing visual probes into subsurface areas

DOEpatents

Clark, Don T.; Erickson, Eugene E.; Casper, William L.; Everett, David M.

2004-11-23

Visual probes and methods for placing visual probes into subsurface areas in either contaminated or non-contaminated sites are described. In one implementation, the method includes driving at least a portion of a visual probe into the ground using direct push, sonic drilling, or a combination of direct push and sonic drilling. Such is accomplished without providing an open pathway for contaminants or fugitive gases to reach the surface. According to one implementation, the invention includes an entry segment configured for insertion into the ground or through difficult materials (e.g., concrete, steel, asphalt, metals, or items associated with waste), at least one extension segment configured to selectively couple with the entry segment, at least one push rod, and a pressure cap. Additional implementations are contemplated.

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF METHODS TO ASSESS HUMAN EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES

EPA Science Inventory

Note: this task is schedule to end September 2003. Two tasks will take its place: method development for emerging pesticides including chiral chemistry applications, and in-house laboratory operations. Field sampling methods are covered under a new task proposed this year.
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Assembly for collecting samples for purposes of identification or analysis and method of use

DOEpatents

Thompson, Cyril V [Knoxville, TN; Smith, Rob R [Knoxville, TN

2010-02-02

An assembly and an associated method for collecting a sample of material desired to be characterized with diagnostic equipment includes or utilizes an elongated member having a proximal end with which the assembly is manipulated by a user and a distal end. In addition, a collection tip which is capable of being placed into contact with the material to be characterized is supported upon the distal end. The collection tip includes a body of chemically-inert porous material for binding a sample of material when the tip is placed into contact with the material and thereby holds the sample of material for subsequent introduction to the diagnostic equipment.

Maritime Search and Rescue via Multiple Coordinated UAS

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

partitioning method uses the underlying probability distribution assumptions to place that probability near the geometric center of the partitions. There...During partitioning the known locations are accommodated, but the unaccounted for objects are placed into geometrically unfavorable conditions. The...Zeitlin, A.D.: UAS Sence and Avoid Develop- ment - the Challenges of Technology, Standards, and Certification. Aerospace Sciences Meeting including

System and process for the production of syngas and fuel gasses

DOEpatents

Bingham, Dennis N.; Kllingler, Kerry M.; Turner, Terry D.; Wilding, Bruce M.; Benefiel, Bradley C.

2014-04-01

The production of gasses and, more particularly, to systems and methods for the production of syngas and fuel gasses including the production of hydrogen are set forth. In one embodiment system and method includes a reactor having a molten pool of a material comprising sodium carbonate. A supply of conditioned water is in communication with the reactor. A supply of carbon containing material is also in communication with the reactor. In one particular embodiment, the carbon containing material may include vacuum residuum (VR). The water and VR may be kept at desired temperatures and pressures compatible with the process that is to take place in the reactor. When introduced into the reactor, the water, the VR and the molten pool may be homogenously mixed in an environment in which chemical reactions take place including the production of hydrogen and other gasses.

System and process for the production of syngas and fuel gasses

DOEpatents

Bingham, Dennis N; Klingler, Kerry M; Turner, Terry D; Wilding, Bruce M; Benefiel, Bradley C

2015-04-21

The production of gasses and, more particularly, to systems and methods for the production of syngas and fuel gasses including the production of hydrogen are set forth. In one embodiment system and method includes a reactor having a molten pool of a material comprising sodium carbonate. A supply of conditioned water is in communication with the reactor. A supply of carbon containing material is also in communication with the reactor. In one particular embodiment, the carbon containing material may include vacuum residuum (VR). The water and VR may be kept at desired temperatures and pressures compatible with the process that is to take place in the reactor. When introduced into the reactor, the water, the VR and the molten pool may be homogenously mixed in an environment in which chemical reactions take place including the production of hydrogen and other gasses.

Methods For Improving Polymeric Materials For Use In Solar Cell Applications

DOEpatents

Hanoka, Jack I.

2003-07-01

A method of manufacturing a solar cell module includes the use of low cost polymeric materials with improved mechanical properties. A transparent encapsulant layer is placed adjacent a rear surface of a front support layer. Interconnected solar cells are positioned adjacent a rear surface of the transparent encapsulant layer to form a solar cell assembly. A backskin layer is placed adjacent a rear surface of the solar cell assembly. At least one of the transparent encapsulant layer and the backskin layer are predisposed to electron beam radiation.

Methods For Improving Polymeric Materials For Use In Solar Cell Applications

DOEpatents

Hanoka, Jack I.

2001-11-20

A method of manufacturing a solar cell module includes the use of low cost polymeric materials with improved mechanical properties. A transparent encapsulant layer is placed adjacent a rear surface of a front support layer. Interconnected solar cells are positioned adjacent a rear surface of the transparent encapsulant layer to form a solar cell assembly. A backskin layer is placed adjacent a rear surface of the solar cell assembly. At least one of the transparent encapsulant layer and the backskin layer are predisposed to electron beam radiation.

Method and structure for cache aware transposition via rectangular subsections

DOEpatents

Gustavson, Fred Gehrung; Gunnels, John A

2014-02-04

A method and structure for transposing a rectangular matrix A in a computer includes subdividing the rectangular matrix A into one or more square submatrices and executing an in-place transposition for each of the square submatrices A.sub.ij.

Method of making tantalum capacitors

DOEpatents

McMillan, April D.; Clausing, Robert E.; Vierow, William F.

1998-01-01

A method for manufacturing tantalum capacitors includes preparing a tantalum compact by cold pressing tantalum powder, placing the compact, along with loose refractory metal powder, in a microwave-transparent casket to form an assembly, and heating the assembly for a time sufficient to effect at least partial sintering of the compact and the product made by the method.

Lively Discussions vs. Discussions of Substance: Making the Case for Guided Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woloshin/Lerman, Phyllis

1996-01-01

Discusses the history and purpose of the case study method used to stimulate in-class discussion. Advocates the use of the guided case study method to ensure that substantive discussions take place and provides nine steps for using the method. Includes a sample case study worksheet. (11 citations) (BCY)

Method of electroplating a conversion electron emitting source on implant

DOEpatents

Srivastava, Suresh C [Setauket, NY; Gonzales, Gilbert R [New York, NY; Adzic, Radoslav [East Setauket, NY; Meinken, George E [Middle Island, NY

2012-02-14

Methods for preparing an implant coated with a conversion electron emitting source (CEES) are disclosed. The typical method includes cleaning the surface of the implant; placing the implant in an activating solution comprising hydrochloric acid to activate the surface; reducing the surface by H.sub.2 evolution in H.sub.2SO.sub.4 solution; and placing the implant in an electroplating solution that includes ions of the CEES, HCl, H.sub.2SO.sub.4, and resorcinol, gelatin, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, before tin plating, a seed layer is formed on the surface. The electroplated CEES coating can be further protected and stabilized by annealing in a heated oven, by passivation, or by being covered with a protective film. The invention also relates to a holding device for holding an implant, wherein the device selectively prevents electrodeposition on the portions of the implant contacting the device.

Liquid-cooling technology for gas turbines - Review and status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Fossen, G. J., Jr.; Stepka, F. S.

1978-01-01

After a brief review of past efforts involving the forced-convection cooling of gas turbines, the paper surveys the state of the art of the liquid cooling of gas turbines. Emphasis is placed on thermosyphon methods of cooling, including those utilizing closed, open, and closed-loop thermosyphons; other methods, including sweat, spray and stator cooling, are also discussed. The more significant research efforts, design data, correlations, and analytical methods are mentioned and voids in technology are summarized.

Method for testing the strength and structural integrity of nuclear fuel particles

DOEpatents

Lessing, P.A.

1995-10-17

An accurate method for testing the strength of nuclear fuel particles is disclosed. Each particle includes an upper and lower portion, and is placed within a testing apparatus having upper and lower compression members. The upper compression member includes a depression therein which is circular and sized to receive only part of the upper portion of the particle. The lower compression member also includes a similar depression. The compression members are parallel to each other with the depressions therein being axially aligned. The fuel particle is then placed between the compression members and engaged within the depressions. The particle is then compressed between the compression members until it fractures. The amount of force needed to fracture the particle is thereafter recorded. This technique allows a broader distribution of forces and provides more accurate results compared with systems which distribute forces at singular points on the particle. 13 figs.

Method for testing the strength and structural integrity of nuclear fuel particles

DOEpatents

Lessing, Paul A.

1995-01-01

An accurate method for testing the strength of nuclear fuel particles. Each particle includes an upper and lower portion, and is placed within a testing apparatus having upper and lower compression members. The upper compression member includes a depression therein which is circular and sized to receive only part of the upper portion of the particle. The lower compression member also includes a similar depression. The compression members are parallel to each other with the depressions therein being axially aligned. The fuel particle is then placed between the compression members and engaged within the depressions. The particle is then compressed between the compression members until it fractures. The amount of force needed to fracture the particle is thereafter recorded. This technique allows a broader distribution of forces and provides more accurate results compared with systems which distribute forces at singular points on the particle.

Learning in and about Rural Places: Connections and Tensions between Students' Everyday Experiences and Environmental Quality Issues in Their Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

2017-01-01

Guided by sociocultural perspectives on the importance of place as a resource for learning, we investigated 14- and 15-year old students' understandings of their community and water quality during a school-based watershed unit. Methods included a theory-driven thematic analysis of field notes and video transcripts from four biology classrooms, a…

Cryopreservation on a cryo-plate of Arundina graminifolia protocorms, dehydrated with silica gel and drying beads.

PubMed

Cordova, L B; Thammasiri, K

2016-01-01

There are various methods for the cryopreservation of plant material, with each biological specimen potentially requiring protocol optimization to maximize success. The aim of this study is to compare droplet-vitrification, encapsulation-dehydration, and the cryo-plate method for cryopreservation of protocorms of the orchid Arundina graminifolia, using silica gel and drying beads as the desiccation materials. The cryo-plate method included preculture of protocorms, developed from seeds, placed on aluminium cryo-plates and embedded in alginate gel. Cryo-plates were surface dried using sterile filter paper, placed in Petri dishes containing 50 g silica gel or 30 g drying beads in a laminar air-flow cabinet. Specimens on cryo-plates were dehydrated to 25 % moisture content, placed into 2 mL cryotubes and plunged directly into liquid nitrogen for 1 d. For cryopreservation, the cryo-plate method, involving dehydration with 30 g drying beads gave the highest regrowth (77 %), followed by the encapsulation-dehydration method with 30 g drying beads (64 % regrowth) and the droplet-vitrification method, following exposure to PVS2 solution for 20 min (33 % regrowth). Regrowth of cryopreserved protocorms using the cryo-plate method was rapid with the highest survival and regrowth.

Inductive coupler for downhole components and method for making same

DOEpatents

Hall, David R.; Hall, Jr., H. Tracy; Pixton, David S.; Dahlgren, Scott; Briscoe, Michael A.; Sneddon, Cameron; Fox, Joe

2006-05-09

The present invention includes a method of making an inductive coupler for downhole components. The method includes providing an annular housing, preferably made of steel, the housing having a recess. A conductor, preferably an insulated wire, is also provided along with a plurality of generally U-shaped magnetically conducting, electrically insulating (MCEI) segments. Preferably, the MCEI segments comprise ferrite. An assembly is formed by placing the plurality of MCEI segments within the recess in the annular housing. The segments are aligned to form a generally circular trough. A first portion of the conductor is placed within the circular trough. This assembly is consolidated with a meltable polymer which fills spaces between the segments, annular housing and the first portion of the conductor. The invention also includes an inductive coupler including an annular housing having a recess defined by a bottom portion and two opposing side wall portions. At least one side wall portion includes a lip extending toward but not reaching the other side wall portion. A plurality of generally U-shaped MCEI segments, preferably comprised of ferrite, are disposed in the recess and aligned so as to form a circular trough. The coupler further includes a conductor disposed within the circular trough and a polymer filling spaces between the segments, the annular housing and the conductor.

Diagnostic monitor for carbon fiber processing

DOEpatents

Paulauskas, Felix L.; Bigelow, Timothy S.; Meek, Thomas T.

2002-01-01

A method for monitoring characteristics of materials includes placing a material in an application zone, measuring a change in at least one property value of the application zone caused by placing the material in the application zone and relating changes in the property value of the application zone caused by the material to at least one characteristic of the material An apparatus for monitoring characteristics of a material includes a measuring device for measuring a property value resulting from applying a frequency signal to the application zone after placing a material in the application zone and a processor for relating changes in the property value caused by placement of the material in the application zone to at least one desired characteristic of the material. The application zone is preferably a resonant cavity.

Methods of making metal oxide nanostructures and methods of controlling morphology of same

DOEpatents

Wong, Stanislaus S; Hongjun, Zhou

2012-11-27

The present invention includes a method of producing a crystalline metal oxide nanostructure. The method comprises providing a metal salt solution and providing a basic solution; placing a porous membrane between the metal salt solution and the basic solution, wherein metal cations of the metal salt solution and hydroxide ions of the basic solution react, thereby producing a crystalline metal oxide nanostructure.

The relationship of age and place of delivery with postpartum contraception prior to discharge in Mexico: A retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Darney, Blair G; Sosa-Rubi, Sandra G; Servan-Mori, Edson; Rodriguez, Maria I; Walker, Dilys; Lozano, Rafael

2016-06-01

To test the association of age (adolescents vs. older women) and place of delivery with receipt of immediate postpartum contraception in Mexico. Retrospective cohort study, Mexico, nationally representative sample of women 12-39years old at last delivery. We used multivariable logistic regression to test the association of self-reported receipt of postpartum contraception prior to discharge with age and place of delivery (public, employment based, private, or out of facility). We included individual and household-level confounders and calculated relative and absolute multivariable estimates of association. Our analytic sample included 7022 women (population, N=9,881,470). Twenty percent of the population was 12-19years old at last birth, 55% aged 20-29 and 25% 30-39years old. Overall, 43% of women reported no postpartum contraceptive method. Age was not significantly associated with receipt of a method, controlling for covariates. Women delivering in public facilities had lower odds of receipt of a method (Odds Ratio=0.52; 95% Confidence Interval (CI)=0.40-0.68) compared with employment-based insurance facilities. We estimated 76% (95% CI=74-78%) of adolescents (12-19years) who deliver in employment-based insurance facilities leave with a method compared with 59% (95% CI=56-62%) who deliver in public facilities. Both adolescents and women ages 20-39 receive postpartum contraception, but nearly half of all women receive no method. Place of delivery is correlated with receipt of postpartum contraception, with lower rates in the public sector. Lessons learned from Mexico are relevant to other countries seeking to improve adolescent health through reducing unintended pregnancy. Adolescents receive postpartum contraception as often as older women in Mexico, but half of all women receive no method. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Street furniture concept in Pasar Buah and Bukit Gundaling Based on place identity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginting, Nurlisa; Vinky Rahman, N.; Delianur Nasution, Achmad; Nawawiy Loebis, M.; Sinaga, Fitri A.

2018-03-01

Tourism is one of the largest sources of the foreign exchange for a country, that encourage many developers to develop it. Karo District located in the province of North Sumatera, Indonesia, which has many tourist destinations with natural and cultural resources, including Pasar Buah and Bukit Gundaling. To develop Tourism, one of way is with increasing place identity in tourist destinations. Unfortunately, place identity in Pasar Buah and Bukit Gundaling are still lacking, so it needs improvement, one of that is the Street furniture in Pasar Buah and Bukit Gundaling. This study aims to design the concept of the Street furniture planning in Pasar Buah and Bukit Gundaling. The method used is a qualitative method, that is design street furniture using five groups elements of street furniture: decorative element, service furniture, trade furniture, signaling furniture, and advertisement furniture. The result of this study is the concept of the design street furniture of Pasar Buah and Bukit Gundaling, which can use to improve place identity in tourism of Karo District.

Tracking the movement of Hawaiian volcanoes; Global Positioning System (GPS) measurement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dvorak, J.J.

1992-01-01

At some well-studied volcanoes, surface movements of at least several centimeters take place out to distances of about 10 km from the summit of the volcano. Widespread deformation of this type is relatively easy to monitor, because the necessary survey stations can be placed at favorable sites some distance from the summit of the volcano. Examples of deformation of this type include Kilauea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii, Krafla in Iceland, Long Valley in California, Camp Flegrei in Italy, and Sakurajima in Japan. In contrast, surface movement at some other volcanoes, usually volcanoes with steep slopes, is restricted to places within about 1 km of their summits. Examples of this class of volcanoes include Mount St. Helens in Washington, Etna in Italy, and Tangkuban Parahu in Indonesia. Local movement on remote, rugged volcanoes of this type is difficult to observe using conventional methods of measuring ground movement, which generally require a clear line-of-sight between points of interest. However, a revolutionary new technique, called the Global Positional System (GPS), provides a very efficient, alternative method of making such measurements. GPS, which uses satellites and ground-based receivers to accurately record slight crustal movements, is rapidly becoming the method of choice to measure deformation at volcanoes. 

Methodological review: measured and reported congruence between preferred and actual place of death.

PubMed

Bell, C L; Somogyi-Zalud, E; Masaki, K H

2009-09-01

Congruence between preferred and actual place of death is an important palliative care outcome reported in the literature. We examined methods of measuring and reporting congruence to highlight variations impairing cross-study comparisons. Medline, PsychInfo, CINAHL, and Web of Science were systematically searched for clinical research studies examining patient preference and congruence as an outcome. Data were extracted into a matrix, including purpose, reported congruence, and method for eliciting preference. Studies were graded for quality. Using tables of preferred versus actual places of death, an overall congruence (total met preferences out of total preferences) and a kappa statistic of agreement were determined for each study. Twelve studies were identified. Percentage of congruence was reported using four different definitions. Ten studies provided a table or partial table of preferred versus actual deaths for each place. Three studies provided kappa statistics. No study achieved better than moderate agreement when analysed using kappa statistics. A study which elicited ideal preference reported the lowest agreement, while longitudinal studies reporting final preferred place of death yielded the highest agreement (moderate agreement). Two other studies of select populations also yielded moderate agreement. There is marked variation in methods of eliciting and reporting congruence, even among studies focused on congruence as an outcome. Cross-study comparison would be enhanced by the use of similar questions to elicit preference, tables of preferred versus actual places of death, and kappa statistics of agreement.

Methods and apparatuses for reagent delivery, reactive barrier formation, and pest control

DOEpatents

Gilmore, Tyler [Pasco, WA; Kaplan, Daniel I [Aiken, SC; Last, George [Richland, WA

2002-07-09

A reagent delivery method includes positioning reagent delivery tubes in contact with soil. The tubes can include a wall that is permeable to a soil-modifying reagent. The method further includes supplying the reagent in the tubes, diffusing the reagent through the permeable wall and into the soil, and chemically modifying a selected component of the soil using the reagent. The tubes can be in subsurface contact with soil, including groundwater, and can be placed with directional drilling equipment independent of groundwater well casings. The soil-modifying reagent includes a variety of gases, liquids, colloids, and adsorbents that may be reactive or non-reactive with soil components. The method may be used inter alia to form reactive barriers, control pests, and enhance soil nutrients for microbes and plants.

Single Cell Spectroscopy: Noninvasive Measures of Small-Scale Structure and Function

PubMed Central

Mousoulis, Charilaos; Xu, Xin; Reiter, David A.; Neu, Corey P.

2013-01-01

The advancement of spectroscopy methods attained through increases in sensitivity, and often with the coupling of complementary techniques, has enabled real-time structure and function measurements of single cells. The purpose of this review is to illustrate, in light of advances, the strengths and the weaknesses of these methods. Included also is an assessment of the impact of the experimental setup and conditions of each method on cellular function and integrity. A particular emphasis is placed on noninvasive and nondestructive techniques for achieving single cell detection, including nuclear magnetic resonance, in addition to physical, optical, and vibrational methods. PMID:23886910

Fluxing agent for metal cast joining

DOEpatents

Gunkel, Ronald W.; Podey, Larry L.; Meyer, Thomas N.

2002-11-05

A method of joining an aluminum cast member to an aluminum component. The method includes the steps of coating a surface of an aluminum component with flux comprising cesium fluoride, placing the flux coated component in a mold, filling the mold with molten aluminum alloy, and allowing the molten aluminum alloy to solidify thereby joining a cast member to the aluminum component. The flux preferably includes aluminum fluoride and alumina. A particularly preferred flux includes about 60 wt. % CsF, about 30 wt. % AlF.sub.3, and about 10 wt. % Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Production of single-walled carbon nanotube grids

DOEpatents

Hauge, Robert H; Xu, Ya-Qiong; Pheasant, Sean

2013-12-03

A method of forming a nanotube grid includes placing a plurality of catalyst nanoparticles on a grid framework, contacting the catalyst nanoparticles with a gas mixture that includes hydrogen and a carbon source in a reaction chamber, forming an activated gas from the gas mixture, heating the grid framework and activated gas, and controlling a growth time to generate a single-wall carbon nanotube array radially about the grid framework. A filter membrane may be produced by this method.

Place-pitch manipulations with cochlear implants

PubMed Central

Macherey, Olivier; Carlyon, Robert P.

2012-01-01

Pitch can be conveyed to cochlear implant (CI) listeners via both place of excitation and temporal cues. The transmission of place cues may be hampered by several factors including limitations on the insertion depth and number of implanted electrodes, and the broad current spread produced by monopolar stimulation. The following series of experiments investigate several methods to partially overcome these limitations. Experiment 1 compares two recently published techniques that aim to activate more apical fibers than produced by monopolar or bipolar stimulation of the most apical contacts. The first technique (phantom stimulation) manipulates the current spread by simultaneously stimulating two electrodes with opposite-polarity pulses of different amplitudes. The second technique manipulates the neural spread of excitation by using asymmetric pulses and exploiting the polarity-sensitive properties of auditory nerve fibers. The two techniques yielded similar results and were shown to produce lower place pitch percepts than stimulation of monopolar and bipolar symmetric pulses. Furthermore, combining these two techniques may be advantageous in a clinical setting. Experiment 2 proposes a novel method to create place pitches intermediate to those produced by physical electrodes by using charge-balanced asymmetric pulses in bipolar mode with different degrees of asymmetry. PMID:22423718

40 CFR 141.203 - Tier 2 Public Notice-Form, manner, and frequency of notice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... students, nursing home patients, prison inmates, etc.). Other methods may include: Publication in a local... others (e.g., apartment building owners or large private employers); posting in public places served by...

40 CFR 141.203 - Tier 2 Public Notice-Form, manner, and frequency of notice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... students, nursing home patients, prison inmates, etc.). Other methods may include: Publication in a local... others (e.g., apartment building owners or large private employers); posting in public places served by...

"Total Physical Response": Un apprentissage non conventionnel ("Total Physical Response": An Unconventional Way to Learn).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lafayette, R. C.

1991-01-01

A discussion of the Total Physical Response method of second language instruction places the concept within the context of other unconventional language learning methods, reviews the rationale behind the approach, and outlines the classroom procedures used. A sampling of useful commands for classroom use is included. (19 references) (MSE)

Optimization of Sensor Monitoring Strategies for Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klise, K. A.; Laird, C. D.; Downey, N.; Baker Hebert, L.; Blewitt, D.; Smith, G. R.

2016-12-01

Continuous or regularly scheduled monitoring has the potential to quickly identify changes in air quality. However, even with low-cost sensors, only a limited number of sensors can be placed to monitor airborne pollutants. The physical placement of these sensors and the sensor technology used can have a large impact on the performance of a monitoring strategy. Furthermore, sensors can be placed for different objectives, including maximum coverage, minimum time to detection or exposure, or to quantify emissions. Different objectives may require different monitoring strategies, which need to be evaluated by stakeholders before sensors are placed in the field. In this presentation, we outline methods to enhance ambient detection programs through optimal design of the monitoring strategy. These methods integrate atmospheric transport models with sensor characteristics, including fixed and mobile sensors, sensor cost and failure rate. The methods use site specific pre-computed scenarios which capture differences in meteorology, terrain, concentration averaging times, gas concentration, and emission characteristics. The pre-computed scenarios become input to a mixed-integer, stochastic programming problem that solves for sensor locations and types that maximize the effectiveness of the detection program. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Plane-Wave DFT Methods for Chemistry

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

Bylaska, Eric J.

A detailed description of modern plane-wave DFT methods and software (contained in the NWChem package) are described that allow for both geometry optimization and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Significant emphasis is placed on aspects of these methods that are of interest to computational chemists and useful for simulating chemistry, including techniques for calculating charged systems, exact exchange (i.e. hybrid DFT methods), and highly efficient AIMD/MM methods. Sample applications on the structure of the goethite+water interface and the hydrolysis of nitroaromatic molecules are described.

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

Gluskin, Efim; Trakhtenberg, Emil; Xu, Joseph Z.

A method and apparatus for implementing dynamic compensation of magnetic forces for undulators are provided. An undulator includes a respective set of magnet arrays, each attached to a strongback, and placed on horizontal slides and positioned parallel relative to each other with a predetermined gap. Magnetic forces are compensated by a set of compensation springs placed along the strongback. The compensation springs are conical springs having exponential-force characteristics that substantially match undulator magnetic forces independently of the predetermined gap. The conical springs are positioned along the length of the magnets.

Method and apparatus for assembling permanent magnet rotors

DOEpatents

Hsu, J.S.; Adams, D.J.

1999-06-22

A permanent magnet assembly for assembly in large permanent magnet motors and generators includes a two-piece carrier that can be slid into a slot in the rotor and then secured in place using a set screw. The invention also provides an auxiliary carrier device with guide rails that line up with the teeth of the rotor, so that a permanent magnet assembly can be pushed first into a slot, and then down the slot to its proper location. An auxiliary tool is provided to move the permanent magnet assembly into position in the slot before it is secured in place. Methods of assembling and disassembling the magnet assemblies in the rotor are also disclosed. 2 figs.

Assessment of In-Place Oil Shale Resources of the Green River Formation, Piceance Basin, Western Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Ronald C.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Pantea, Michael P.; Self, Jesse G.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed a reassessment of in-place oil shale resources, regardless of richness, in the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin, western Colorado. A considerable amount of oil-yield data has been collected after previous in-place assessments were published, and these data were incorporated into this new assessment. About twice as many oil-yield data points were used, and several additional oil shale intervals were included that were not assessed previously for lack of data. Oil yields are measured using the Fischer assay method. The Fischer assay method is a standardized laboratory test for determining the oil yield from oil shale that has been almost universally used to determine oil yields for Green River Formation oil shales. Fischer assay does not necessarily measure the maximum amount of oil that an oil shale can produce, and there are retorting methods that yield more than the Fischer assay yield. However, the oil yields achieved by other technologies are typically reported as a percentage of the Fischer assay oil yield, and thus Fischer assay is still considered the standard by which other methods are compared.

Method and system for processing optical elements using magnetorheological finishing

DOEpatents

Menapace, Joseph Arthur; Schaffers, Kathleen Irene; Bayramian, Andrew James; Molander, William A

2012-09-18

A method of finishing an optical element includes mounting the optical element in an optical mount having a plurality of fiducials overlapping with the optical element and obtaining a first metrology map for the optical element and the plurality of fiducials. The method also includes obtaining a second metrology map for the optical element without the plurality of fiducials, forming a difference map between the first metrology map and the second metrology map, and aligning the first metrology map and the second metrology map. The method further includes placing mathematical fiducials onto the second metrology map using the difference map to form a third metrology map and associating the third metrology map to the optical element. Moreover, the method includes mounting the optical element in the fixture in an MRF tool, positioning the optical element in the fixture; removing the plurality of fiducials, and finishing the optical element.

Selective Sorbents For Purification Of Hydrocarbons

DOEpatents

Yang, Ralph T.; Yang, Frances H.; Takahashi, Akira; Hernandez-Maldonado, Arturo J.

2006-04-18

A method for removing thiophene and thiophene compounds from liquid fuel includes contacting the liquid fuel with an adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs the thiophene and thiophene compounds. The adsorption takes place at a selected temperature and pressure, thereby producing a non-adsorbed component and a thiophene/thiophene compound-rich adsorbed component. The adsorbent includes either a metal or a metal ion that is adapted to form p-complexation bonds with the thiophene and/or thiophene compounds, and the preferential adsorption occurs by p-complexation. A further method includes selective removal of aromatic compounds from a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic compounds.

Selective sorbents for purification of hydrocarbons

DOEpatents

Yang, Ralph T.; Hernandez-Maldonado, Arturo J.; Yang, Frances H.; Takahashi, Akira

2006-08-22

A method for removing thiophene and thiophene compounds from liquid fuel includes contacting the liquid fuel with an adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs the thiophene and thiophene compounds. The adsorption takes place at a selected temperature and pressure, thereby producing a non-adsorbed component and a thiophene/thiophene compound-rich adsorbed component. The adsorbent includes either a metal or a metal cation that is adapted to form .pi.-complexation bonds with the thiophene and/or thiophene compounds, and the preferential adsorption occurs by .pi.-complexation. A further method includes selective removal of aromatic compounds from a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic compounds.

Selective sorbents for purification of hydrocarbons

DOEpatents

Yang, Ralph T.; Yang, Frances H.; Takahashi, Akira; Hernandez-Maldonado, Arturo J.

2006-05-30

A method for removing thiophene and thiophene compounds from liquid fuel includes contacting the liquid fuel with an adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs the thiophene and thiophene compounds. The adsorption takes place at a selected temperature and pressure, thereby producing a non-adsorbed component and a thiophene/thiophene compound-rich adsorbed component. The adsorbent includes either a metal or a metal cation that is adapted to form .pi.-complexation bonds with the thiophene and/or thiophene compounds, and the preferential adsorption occurs by .pi.-complexation. A further method includes selective removal of aromatic compounds from a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic compounds.

Selective sorbents for purification of hydrocartons

DOEpatents

Yang, Ralph T.; Yang, Frances H.; Takahashi, Akira; Hermandez-Maldonado, Arturo J.

2006-12-12

A method for removing thiophene and thiophene compounds from liquid fuel includes contacting the liquid fuel with an adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs the thiophene and thiophene compounds. The adsorption takes place at a selected temperature and pressure, thereby producing a non-adsorbed component and a thiophene/thiophene compound-rich adsorbed component. The adsorbent includes either a metal or a metal ion that is adapted to form .pi.-complexation bonds with the thiophene and/or thiophene compounds, and the preferential adsorption occurs by .pi.-complexation. A further method includes selective removal of aromatic compounds from a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic compounds.

Dynamic radioactive particle source

DOEpatents

Moore, Murray E; Gauss, Adam Benjamin; Justus, Alan Lawrence

2012-06-26

A method and apparatus for providing a timed, synchronized dynamic alpha or beta particle source for testing the response of continuous air monitors (CAMs) for airborne alpha or beta emitters is provided. The method includes providing a radioactive source; placing the radioactive source inside the detection volume of a CAM; and introducing an alpha or beta-emitting isotope while the CAM is in a normal functioning mode.

Valuation of Drug Abuse: A Review of Current Methodologies and Implications for Policy Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schori, Maayan

2011-01-01

This article reviews the use of several valuation methods as they relate to drug abuse and places them within the context of U.S. policy. First, cost-of-illness (COI) studies are reviewed and their limitations discussed. Second, three additional economic methods of valuing drug abuse are reviewed, including cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA),…

Nondestructive structural evaluation of wood floor systems with a vibration technique.

Treesearch

Xiping Wang; Robert J. Ross; Lawrence Andrew Soltis

2002-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine if transverse vibration methods could be used to effectively assess the structural integrity of wood floors as component systems. A total of 10 wood floor systems, including 3 laboratory-built floor sections and 7 in-place floors in historic buildings, were tested. A forced vibration method was applied to the floor systems...

Influence of Mentoring on African American and Hispanic Males in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jacqueline A.

2016-01-01

The mixed method research study was designed to evaluate the effects on a mentoring initiative on 40 African American and Hispanic males in an urban high school. The study took place over a three-month period in a traditional public school with 2,000 students. Data collection methods used included individual interview with student mentees, surveys…

Method and apparatus for producing co-current fluid contact

DOEpatents

Trutna, William R.

1997-01-01

An improved packing system and method are disclosed wherein a packing section includes a liquid distributor and a separator placed above the distributor so that gas rising through the liquid distributor contacts liquid in the distributor, forming a gas-liquid combination which rises in co-current flow to the separator. Liquid is collected in the separator, from which gas rises.

Method and apparatus for producing co-current fluid contact

DOEpatents

Trutna, W.R.

1997-12-09

An improved packing system and method are disclosed wherein a packing section includes a liquid distributor and a separator placed above the distributor so that gas rising through the liquid distributor contacts liquid in the distributor, forming a gas-liquid combination which rises in co-current flow to the separator. Liquid is collected in the separator, from which gas rises. 13 figs.

Hybrid diversity method utilizing adaptive diversity function for recovering unknown aberrations in an optical system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, Bruce H. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A method of recovering unknown aberrations in an optical system includes collecting intensity data produced by the optical system, generating an initial estimate of a phase of the optical system, iteratively performing a phase retrieval on the intensity data to generate a phase estimate using an initial diversity function corresponding to the intensity data, generating a phase map from the phase retrieval phase estimate, decomposing the phase map to generate a decomposition vector, generating an updated diversity function by combining the initial diversity function with the decomposition vector, generating an updated estimate of the phase of the optical system by removing the initial diversity function from the phase map. The method may further include repeating the process beginning with iteratively performing a phase retrieval on the intensity data using the updated estimate of the phase of the optical system in place of the initial estimate of the phase of the optical system, and using the updated diversity function in place of the initial diversity function, until a predetermined convergence is achieved.

Destined to die in hospital? Systematic review and meta-analysis of place of death in haematological malignancy

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Haematological malignancies are a common, heterogeneous and complex group of diseases that are often associated with poor outcomes despite intensive treatment. Research surrounding end-of-life issues, and particularly place of death, is therefore of paramount importance, yet place of death has not been formally reviewed in these patients. Methods A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was undertaken using PubMed to identify all studies published between 1966 and 2010. Studies examining place of death in adult haematology patients, using routinely compiled morbidity and mortality data and providing results specific to this disease were included. 21 studies were identified with descriptive and/or risk-estimate data; 17 were included in a meta-analysis. Results Compared to other cancer deaths, haematology patients were more than twice as likely to die in hospital (Odds Ratio 2.25 [95% Confidence Intervals, 2.07-2.44]). Conclusion Home is generally considered the preferred place of death but haematology patients usually die in hospital. This has implications for patients who may not be dying where they wish, and also health commissioners who may be funding costly end-of-life care in inappropriate acute hospital settings. More research is needed about preferred place of care for haematology patients, reasons for hospital deaths, and how these can be avoided if home death is preferred. PMID:20515452

Initiation disruptor systems and methods of initiation disruption

DOEpatents

Baum, Dennis W

2014-09-23

A system that may be used as an initiation disruption system (IDS) according to one embodiment includes an explosive charge; a plurality of particles in a layer at least partially surrounding the explosive charge; and a fire suppressant adjacent the plurality of particles. A method for disabling an object according to one embodiment includes placing the system as recited above near an object; and causing the explosive charge to initiate, thereby applying mechanical loading to the object such that the object becomes disabled. Additional systems and methods are also presented. A device according to another embodiment includes a plurality of particles bound by a binder thereby defining a sidewall having an interior for receiving an explosive; and a fire suppressant adjacent the plurality of particles and binder. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

MoS2 thin films prepared by sulfurization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sojková, M.; Chromik, Å.; Rosová, A.; Dobročka, E.; Hutár, P.; Machajdík, D.; Kobzev, A. P.; Hulman, M.

2017-08-01

Sulfurization of a Mo layer is one of the most used methods for preparation of thin MoS2 films. In the method, a sulfur powder and Mo covered substrate are placed in different positions within a furnace, and heated separately. This requires a furnace having at least two zones. Here, we present a simplified version of the method where a one-zone tube furnace was used. A molybdenum film on a substrate and a sulfur powder were placed in the center of the furnace and heated at temperatures above 800°C. Mo films transform into MoS2 in vapors of sulphur at high temperatures. As-prepared films were characterized by number of techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman, Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It appears that one-zone sulfurization, with just one annealing temperature used, is a suitable method for fabrication of MoS2 thin films. This method is fast, cheap and easy to scale up.

Method of depositing an electrically conductive oxide buffer layer on a textured substrate and articles formed therefrom

DOEpatents

Paranthaman, M. Parans; Aytug, Tolga; Christen, David K.

2005-10-18

An article with an improved buffer layer architecture includes a substrate having a textured metal surface, and an electrically conductive lanthanum metal oxide epitaxial buffer layer on the surface of the substrate. The article can also include an epitaxial superconducting layer deposited on the epitaxial buffer layer. An epitaxial capping layer can be placed between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer. A method for preparing an epitaxial article includes providing a substrate with a metal surface and depositing on the metal surface a lanthanum metal oxide epitaxial buffer layer. The method can further include depositing a superconducting layer on the epitaxial buffer layer, and depositing an epitaxial capping layer between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer.

Method of depositing an electrically conductive oxide buffer layer on a textured substrate and articles formed therefrom

DOEpatents

Paranthaman, M. Parans; Aytug, Tolga; Christen, David K.

2003-09-09

An article with an improved buffer layer architecture includes a substrate having a textured metal surface, and an electrically conductive lanthanum metal oxide epitaxial buffer layer on the surface of the substrate. The article can also include an epitaxial superconducting layer deposited on the epitaxial buffer layer. An epitaxial capping layer can be placed between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer. A method for preparing an epitaxial article includes providing a substrate with a metal surface and depositing on the metal surface a lanthanum metal oxide epitaxial buffer layer. The method can further include depositing a superconducting layer on the epitaxial buffer layer, and depositing an epitaxial capping layer between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer.

[Pathogenesis and management of Grave's ophthalmopathy].

PubMed

Wierzbowska, Joanna; Stankiewicz, Andrzej

2002-01-01

The most recent hypothesis on pathogenesis of Graves' Ophthalmopathy (GO) and short characteristics of the disease was presented. Emphasis was placed on the necessity of coordinated treatment of the thyroid dysfunction and ophthalmopathy. Management of hyperthyroidism and Graves' ophthalmopathy, including the latest methods was described.

Careers in Online: Want Ads in the Online Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Donna R.; Hoffman, Laura J.

1984-01-01

Describes sources of job listings in online industry including "New York Times,""Boston Globe,""Washington Post,""Los Angeles Times,""Wall Street Journal,""National Business Employment Weekly," and hints on methods for reading and responding to ads and placing them. Sample advertisements…

Infrared thermal integrity testing quality assurance test method to detect drilled shaft defects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-01

Thermal integrity profiling uses the measured temperature generated in curing concrete to assess the quality of cast in place concrete foundations (i.e. drilled shafts or ACIP piles) which can include effective shaft size (diameter and length), anoma...

Method for Making Measurements of the Post-Combustion Residence Time in a Gas Turbine Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, Jeffrey H (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A system and method of measuring a residence time in a gas-turbine engine is provided, whereby the method includes placing pressure sensors at a combustor entrance and at a turbine exit of the gas-turbine engine and measuring a combustor pressure at the combustor entrance and a turbine exit pressure at the turbine exit. The method further includes computing cross-spectrum functions between a combustor pressure sensor signal from the measured combustor pressure and a turbine exit pressure sensor signal from the measured turbine exit pressure, applying a linear curve fit to the cross-spectrum functions, and computing a post-combustion residence time from the linear curve fit.

Method for rapid, controllable growth and thickness, of epitaxial silicon films

DOEpatents

Wang, Qi [Littleton, CO; Stradins, Paul [Golden, CO; Teplin, Charles [Boulder, CO; Branz, Howard M [Boulder, CO

2009-10-13

A method of producing epitaxial silicon films on a c-Si wafer substrate using hot wire chemical vapor deposition by controlling the rate of silicon deposition in a temperature range that spans the transition from a monohydride to a hydrogen free silicon surface in a vacuum, to obtain phase-pure epitaxial silicon film of increased thickness is disclosed. The method includes placing a c-Si substrate in a HWCVD reactor chamber. The method also includes supplying a gas containing silicon at a sufficient rate into the reaction chamber to interact with the substrate to deposit a layer containing silicon thereon at a predefined growth rate to obtain phase-pure epitaxial silicon film of increased thickness.

Method for production of an isotopically enriched compound

DOEpatents

Watrous, Matthew G.

2012-12-11

A method is presented for producing and isolating an isotopically enriched compound of a desired isotope from a parent radionuclide. The method includes forming, or placing, a precipitate containing a parent radionuclide of the desired daughter isotope in a first reaction zone and allowing sufficient time for the parent to decay into the desired gaseous daughter radioisotope. The method further contemplates collecting the desired daughter isotope as a solid in a second reaction zone through the application of temperatures below the freezing point of the desired isotope to a second reaction zone that is connected to the first reaction zone. Specifically, a method is presented for producing isotopically enriched compounds of xenon, including the radioactive isotope Xe-131m and the stable isotope Xe-131.

Microfluidic structures and methods for integrating a functional component into a microfluidic device

DOEpatents

Simmons, Blake [San Francisco, CA; Domeier, Linda [Danville, CA; Woo, Noble [San Gabriet, CA; Shepodd, Timothy [Livermore, CA; Renzi, Ronald F [Tracy, CA

2008-04-01

Injection molding is used to form microfluidic devices with integrated functional components. One or more functional components are placed in a mold cavity which is then closed. Molten thermoplastic resin is injected into the mold and then cooled, thereby forming a solid substrate including the functional component(s). The solid substrate including the functional component(s) is then bonded to a second substrate which may include microchannels or other features.

Methods for integrating a functional component into a microfluidic device

DOEpatents

Simmons, Blake; Domeier, Linda; Woo, Noble; Shepodd, Timothy; Renzi, Ronald F.

2014-08-19

Injection molding is used to form microfluidic devices with integrated functional components. One or more functional components are placed in a mold cavity, which is then closed. Molten thermoplastic resin is injected into the mold and then cooled, thereby forming a solid substrate including the functional component(s). The solid substrate including the functional component(s) is then bonded to a second substrate, which may include microchannels or other features.

Nanocomposite and method of making thereof

DOEpatents

Tangirala, Ravisubhash; Milliron, Delia J.; Llordes, Anna

2016-03-15

An embodiment of an inorganic nanocomposite includes a nanoparticle phase and a matrix phase. The nanoparticle phase includes nanoparticles that are arranged in a repeating structure. In an embodiment, the nanoparticles have a spherical or pseudo-spherical shape and are incompatible with hydrazine. In another embodiment, the nanoparticles have neither a spherical nor pseudo-spherical shape. The matrix phase lies between the nanoparticles of the nanoparticle phase. An embodiment of a method of making an inorganic nanocomposite of the present invention includes forming a nanoparticle superlattice on a substrate. The nanoparticle superlattice includes nanoparticles. Each nanoparticle has organic ligands attached to a surface of the nanoparticle. The organic ligands separate adjacent nanoparticles within the nanoparticle superlattice. The method also includes forming a solution that includes an inorganic precursor. The nanoparticle superlattice is placed in the solution for a sufficient time for the inorganic precursor to replace the organic ligands.

The Chlorination Quandary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Josephson, Julian

1978-01-01

Current use of chlorination technology to disinfect water supplies can cause the production of undesirable products, among them chloroform and chlorobenzene. Alternatives to this methodology include the use of ozone, chlorine dioxide, and bromine chloride in place of chlorine. Presently, the methods are feasible in developed countries only. (MA)

The telecommunications and data acquisition report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Renzetti, N. A. (Editor)

1981-01-01

Developments in Earth-based ratio technology as applied to the Deep Space Network are reported. Topics include ratio astronomy and spacecraft tracking networks. Telemetric methods and instrumentation are described. Station control and system technology for space communication is discussed. Special emphasis is placed on network data processing.

Exotensioned structural members with energy-absorbing effects

DOEpatents

Brockwell, Michael Ian

2014-01-07

Structural members having enhanced load bearing capacity per unit mass include a skeleton structure formed from strips of material. Notches may be placed on the strips and a weave of tensile material placed in the notches and woven around the skeleton structure. At least one pair of structural members can be jointed together to provide very strong joints due to a weave patterns of tensile material, such as Kevlar, that distributes stress throughout the structure, preventing stress from concentrating in one area. Methods of manufacturing such structural members include molding material into skeletons of desired cross section using a matrix of molding segments. Total catastrophic failures in composite materials are substantially avoided and the strength to weight ratio of structures can be increased.

Exotensioned structural members with energy-absorbing effects

DOEpatents

Brockwell, Michael Ian

2017-08-22

Structural members having enhanced load bearing capacity per unit mass include a skeleton structure formed from strips of material. Notches may be placed on the strips and a weave of tensile material placed in the notches and woven around the skeleton structure. At least one pair of structural members can be jointed together to provide very strong joints due to a weave patterns of tensile material, such as Kevlar, that distributes stress throughout the structure, preventing stress from concentrating in one area. Methods of manufacturing such structural members include molding material into skeletons of desired cross section using a matrix of molding segments. Total catastrophic failures in composite materials are substantially avoided and the strength to weight ratio of structures can be increased.

Exotensioned structural members with energy-absorbing effects

DOEpatents

Brockwell, Michael Ian

2015-08-11

Structural members having enhanced load bearing capacity per unit mass include a skeleton structure formed from strips of material. Notches may be placed on the strips and a weave of tensile material placed in the notches and woven around the skeleton structure. At least one pair of structural members can be jointed together to provide very strong joints due to a weave patterns of tensile material, such as Kevlar, that distributes stress throughout the structure, preventing stress from concentrating in one area. Methods of manufacturing such structural members include molding material into skeletons of desired cross section using a matrix of molding segments. Total catastrophic failures in composite materials are substantially avoided and the strength to weight ratio of structures can be increased.

Determination of antennae patterns and radar reflection characteristics of aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bothe, H.; MacDonald, D.; Pool, A.

1986-05-01

The different types of aircraft antennas, their radiation characteristics and their preferred siting on the airframe are described. Emphasis is placed on the various methods for determining aircraft antenna radiation patterns (ARP) and advantages, disadvantages and limitations of each method are indicated. Mathematical modelling, model measurements and in-flight measurements in conjunction with the applied flight test techniques are included. Examples of practical results are given. Methods of determining aircraft radar characteristics are also described, indicating advantages, disadvantages and limitations of each method. Relevant fundamentals of radar theory are included only as necessary to appreciation of the real meaning of radar cross section (RCS) and angular glint. The measuring methods included are dynamic full-scale, static full-scale, sub-scale optical, ultrasonic and radio modelling. References are made to RCS measuring facilities in the USA and Europe and the UK Radio Modelling Facility is used extensively to exemplify the sub scale technique.

Method for imaging with low frequency electromagnetic fields

DOEpatents

Lee, Ki H.; Xie, Gan Q.

1994-01-01

A method for imaging with low frequency electromagnetic fields, and for interpreting the electromagnetic data using ray tomography, in order to determine the earth conductivity with high accuracy and resolution. The imaging method includes the steps of placing one or more transmitters, at various positions in a plurality of transmitter holes, and placing a plurality of receivers in a plurality of receiver holes. The transmitters generate electromagnetic signals which diffuse through a medium, such as earth, toward the receivers. The measured diffusion field data H is then transformed into wavefield data U. The traveltimes corresponding to the wavefield data U, are then obtained, by charting the wavefield data U, using a different regularization parameter .alpha. for each transform. The desired property of the medium, such as conductivity, is then derived from the velocity, which in turn is constructed from the wavefield data U using ray tomography.

Method for imaging with low frequency electromagnetic fields

DOEpatents

Lee, K.H.; Xie, G.Q.

1994-12-13

A method is described for imaging with low frequency electromagnetic fields, and for interpreting the electromagnetic data using ray tomography, in order to determine the earth conductivity with high accuracy and resolution. The imaging method includes the steps of placing one or more transmitters, at various positions in a plurality of transmitter holes, and placing a plurality of receivers in a plurality of receiver holes. The transmitters generate electromagnetic signals which diffuse through a medium, such as earth, toward the receivers. The measured diffusion field data H is then transformed into wavefield data U. The travel times corresponding to the wavefield data U, are then obtained, by charting the wavefield data U, using a different regularization parameter [alpha] for each transform. The desired property of the medium, such as conductivity, is then derived from the velocity, which in turn is constructed from the wavefield data U using ray tomography. 13 figures.

Viewing Ice Crystals Using Polarized Light.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinsman, E. M.

1992-01-01

Describes a method for identifying and examining single ice crystals by photographing a thin sheet of ice placed between two inexpensive polarizing filters. Suggests various natural and prepared sources for ice that promote students' insight into crystal structures, and yield colorful optical displays. Includes directions, precautions, and sample…

Graphene device and method of using graphene device

DOEpatents

Bouchiat, Vincent; Girit, Caglar; Kessler, Brian; Zettl, Alexander K.

2015-08-11

An embodiment of a graphene device includes a layered structure, first and second electrodes, and a dopant island. The layered structure includes a conductive layer, an insulating layer, and a graphene layer. The electrodes are coupled to the graphene layer. The dopant island is coupled to an exposed surface of the graphene layer between the electrodes. An embodiment of a method of using a graphene device includes providing the graphene device. A voltage is applied to the conductive layer of the graphene device. Another embodiment of a method of using a graphene device includes providing the graphene device without the dopant island. A dopant island is placed on an exposed surface of the graphene layer between the electrodes. A voltage is applied to the conductive layer of the graphene device. A response of the dopant island to the voltage is observed.

Cryogenic method for measuring nuclides and fission gases

DOEpatents

Perdue, P.T.; Haywood, F.F.

1980-05-02

A cryogenic method is provided for determining airborne gases and particulates from which gamma rays are emitted. A special dewar counting vessel is filled with the contents of the sampling flask which is immersed in liquid nitrogen. A vertically placed sodium-iodide or germanium-lithium gamma-ray detector is used. The device and method are of particular use in measuring and identifying the radioactive noble gases including emissions from coal-fired power plants, as well as fission gases released or escaping from nuclear power plants.

Method and apparatus for tritiated water separation

DOEpatents

Nelson, David A.; Duncan, James B.; Jensen, George A.

1995-01-01

The present invention is a membrane method and apparatus for separating isotopic water constituents from light water. The method involves providing a supported membrane of an aromatic polyphosphazene and pressurizing the water on one side of the membrane thereby forcing the light water through the supported membrane while isotopic water constituents are retained or vice versa. The apparatus of the present invention includes an aromatic polyphosphazene placed on a porous support and means for pressurizing water through the membrane while certain isotopic water constituents are retained.

Method and apparatus for tritiated water separation

DOEpatents

Nelson, D.A.; Duncan, J.B.; Jensen, G.A.

1995-09-19

The present invention is a membrane method and apparatus for separating isotopic water constituents from light water. The method involves providing a supported membrane of an aromatic polyphosphazene and pressurizing the water on one side of the membrane thereby forcing the light water through the supported membrane while isotopic water constituents are retained or vice versa. The apparatus of the present invention includes an aromatic polyphosphazene placed on a porous support and means for pressurizing water through the membrane while certain isotopic water constituents are retained. 1 fig.

Pyrochemical and Dry Processing Methods Program. A selected bibliography

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

McDuffie, H.F.; Smith, D.H.; Owen, P.T.

1979-03-01

This selected bibliography with abstracts was compiled to provide information support to the Pyrochemical and Dry Processing Methods (PDPM) Program sponsored by DOE and administered by the Argonne National Laboratory. Objectives of the PDPM Program are to evaluate nonaqueous methods of reprocessing spent fuel as a route to the development of proliferation-resistant and diversion-resistant methods for widespread use in the nuclear industry. Emphasis was placed on the literature indexed in the ERDA--DOE Energy Data Base (EDB). The bibliography includes indexes to authors, subject descriptors, EDB subject categories, and titles.

DEVELOPMENT OF IN-PLACE DENSITY METHOD FOR COLD IN-PLACE RECYCLING

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-01-01

This report presents the results of a research study funded by the Nevada DOT and the SOLARIS University Transportation Center. The research developed a method for measuring the in-place density of the cold in-place recycled (CIR) layer immediately a...

Method and apparatus for assembling permanent magnet rotors

DOEpatents

Hsu, John S.; Adams, Donald J.

1999-01-01

A permanent magnet assembly (22) for assembly in large permanent magnet (PM) motors and generators includes a two-piece carrier (23, 24) that can be slid into a slot (13) in the rotor (10) and then secured in place using a set screw (37). The invention also provides an auxiliary carrier device (50) with guide rails (51) that line up with the teeth (12) of the rotor, so that a permanent magnet assembly (22) can be pushed first into a slot (13), and then down the slot (13) to its proper location. An auxiliary tool (50) is provided to move the permanent magnet assembly (22) into position in the slot (13) before it is secured in place. Methods of assembling and disassembling the magnet assemblies (22) in the rotor (10) are also disclosed.

Method for pulse control in a laser including a stimulated brillouin scattering mirror system

DOEpatents

Dane, C. Brent; Hackel, Lloyd; Harris, Fritz B.

2007-10-23

A laser system, such as a master oscillator/power amplifier system, comprises a gain medium and a stimulated Brillouin scattering SBS mirror system. The SBS mirror system includes an in situ filtered SBS medium that comprises a compound having a small negative non-linear index of refraction, such as a perfluoro compound. An SBS relay telescope having a telescope focal point includes a baffle at the telescope focal point which blocks off angle beams. A beam splitter is placed between the SBS mirror system and the SBS relay telescope, directing a fraction of the beam to an alternate beam path for an alignment fiducial. The SBS mirror system has a collimated SBS cell and a focused SBS cell. An adjustable attenuator is placed between the collimated SBS cell and the focused SBS cell, by which pulse width of the reflected beam can be adjusted.

Drug Abuse in Southeast Asia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scorzelli, James F.

This report examines the incidence of drug abuse and the methods of treatment and prevention of drug abuse used in Southeast Asia. Countries studied include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Because of Malaysia's intensive effort to eliminate its drug abuse problem, emphasis is placed on this country's treatment and…

Laboratory simulation of processes of evaporation, condensation, and sputtering taking place on the surface of the moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nusinov, M. D.; Kochnev, V. A.; Chernyak, Y. B.; Kuznetsov, A. V.; Kosolapov, A. I.; Yakovlev, O. I.

1974-01-01

Study of evaporation, condensation and sputtering on the moon can provide information on the same processes on other planets, and reveal details of the formation of the lunar regolith. Simulation methods include vacuum evaporation, laser evaporation, and bubbling gas through melts.

Working towards Skills: Perspectives on Workforce Development in SMEs. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Maria; Keddie, Vince; Webb, Peter; Corney, Mark

Research into workforce development (WD) considered the relationship between corporate assessments of workers' development needs and WD strategies; how learning at work takes place; and what learning methods are used and their effectiveness. Focus was on practice in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Methodology included a literature…

Indian Terms of the Americas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Lotsee; Snodgrass, Mary Ellen

This book defines a variety of terms from Native American history and represents a compendium of vocabulary, people, places, and events. The alphabetized, illustrated text includes names for Indian objects such as pirogues, prayer sticks, kayaks, dumas, and medicine bundles; methods of doing things, such as stone boiling, diapering babies, healing…

New DEA rules expand options for controlled substance disposal.

PubMed

Peterson, David M

2015-03-01

Prescription drug abuse and overdose are rapidly growing problems in the United States. The United States federal Disposal of Controlled Substances Rule became effective 9 October 2014, implementing the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 (Disposal Act). These regulations target escalating prescription drug misuse by reducing accumulation of unused controlled substances that may be abused, diverted or accidentally ingested. Clinical areas that can now participate in collecting unused controlled substances include retail pharmacies, hospitals or clinics with an onsite pharmacy, and narcotic treatment programs. Collection methods include placing a controlled substance collection receptacle or instituting a mail-back program. Because prompt onsite destruction of collected items is required of mail-back programs, collection receptacles are more likely to be used in clinical areas. Retail pharmacies and hospitals or clinics with an onsite pharmacy may also place and maintain collection receptacles at long-term care facilities. The Act and Rule are intended to increase controlled substance disposal methods and expand local involvement in collection of unused controlled substances. Potential barriers to participating in controlled substance collection include acquisition of suitable collection receptacles and liners, lack of available space meeting the necessary criteria, lack of employee time for verification and inventory requirements, and program costs.

Prediction of unsteady separated flows on oscillating airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccroskey, W. J.

1978-01-01

Techniques for calculating high Reynolds number flow around an airfoil undergoing dynamic stall are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on predicting the values of lift, drag, and pitching moments. Methods discussed include: the discrete potential vortex method; thin boundary layer method; strong interaction between inviscid and viscous flows; and solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations. Empirical methods for estimating unsteady airloads on oscillating airfoils are also described. These methods correlate force and moment data from wind tunnel tests to indicate the effects of various parameters, such as airfoil shape, Mach number, amplitude and frequency of sinosoidal oscillations, mean angle, and type of motion.

Primary incisor restoration using resin-veneered stainless steel crowns.

PubMed

Croll, T P

1998-01-01

The restoration of primary incisors with extensive caries lesions is a clinical challenge of severe dimensions. Not only are these teeth difficult to restore, but the patient's behavior can affect the treatment negatively. Requirements for an acceptable restoration include natural color; durability; adhesive cementation that is biocompatible with the pulp; easily and rapidly placed; requires only one treatment visit. Compared to other options, stainless steel crowns are the easiest to place. The most attractive restoration for these cases today is the adhesively bonded resin-composite crown, made by using acetate crown-form matrices, but this is being surpassed by the stainless steel crown forms (3M Unitek) that can be preveneered. This article describes a step-by-step method of placing preveneered stainless steel crowns for primary incisors.

System and method for optimal load and source scheduling in context aware homes

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

Shetty, Pradeep; Foslien Graber, Wendy; Mangsuli, Purnaprajna R.

A controller for controlling energy consumption in a home includes a constraints engine to define variables for multiple appliances in the home corresponding to various home modes and persona of an occupant of the home. A modeling engine models multiple paths of energy utilization of the multiple appliances to place the home into a desired state from a current context. An optimal scheduler receives the multiple paths of energy utilization and generates a schedule as a function of the multiple paths and a selected persona to place the home in a desired state.

The evaluation of the abuse liability of drugs.

PubMed

Johanson, C E

1990-01-01

In order to place appropriate restrictions upon the availability of certain therapeutic agents to limit their abuse, it is important to assess abuse liability, an important aspect of drug safety evaluation. However, the negative consequences of restriction must also be considered. Drugs most likely to be tested are psychoactive compounds with therapeutic indications similar to known drugs of abuse. Methods include assays of pharmacological profile, drug discrimination procedures, self-administration procedures, and measures of drug-induced toxicity including evaluations of tolerance and physical dependence. Furthermore, the evaluation of toxicity using behavioural end-points is an important component of the assessment, and it is generally believed that the most valid procedure in this evaluation is the measurement of drug self-administration. However, even this method rarely predicts the extent of abuse of a specific drug. Although methods are available which appear to measure relative abuse liability, these procedures are not validated for all drug classes. Thus, additional strategies, including abuse liability studies in humans, modelled after those used with animals, must be used in order to make a more informed prediction. Although there is pressure to place restrictions on new drugs at the time of marketing, in light of the difficulty of predicting relative abuse potential, a better strategy might be to market a drug without restrictions, but require postmarketing surveillance in order to obtain more accurate information on which to base a final decision.

Automatic insertion of simulated microcalcification clusters in a software breast phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shankla, Varsha; Pokrajac, David D.; Weinstein, Susan P.; DeLeo, Michael; Tuite, Catherine; Roth, Robyn; Conant, Emily F.; Maidment, Andrew D.; Bakic, Predrag R.

2014-03-01

An automated method has been developed to insert realistic clusters of simulated microcalcifications (MCs) into computer models of breast anatomy. This algorithm has been developed as part of a virtual clinical trial (VCT) software pipeline, which includes the simulation of breast anatomy, mechanical compression, image acquisition, image processing, display and interpretation. An automated insertion method has value in VCTs involving large numbers of images. The insertion method was designed to support various insertion placement strategies, governed by probability distribution functions (pdf). The pdf can be predicated on histological or biological models of tumor growth, or estimated from the locations of actual calcification clusters. To validate the automated insertion method, a 2-AFC observer study was designed to compare two placement strategies, undirected and directed. The undirected strategy could place a MC cluster anywhere within the phantom volume. The directed strategy placed MC clusters within fibroglandular tissue on the assumption that calcifications originate from epithelial breast tissue. Three radiologists were asked to select between two simulated phantom images, one from each placement strategy. Furthermore, questions were posed to probe the rationale behind the observer's selection. The radiologists found the resulting cluster placement to be realistic in 92% of cases, validating the automated insertion method. There was a significant preference for the cluster to be positioned on a background of adipose or mixed adipose/fibroglandular tissues. Based upon these results, this automated lesion placement method will be included in our VCT simulation pipeline.

Methods for magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

DOEpatents

Hu, Jian Zhi [Richland, WA; Wind, Robert A [Kennewick, WA; Minard, Kevin R [Kennewick, WA; Majors, Paul D [Kennewick, WA

2011-11-22

Methods of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object are disclosed that include placing the object in a main magnetic field (that has a static field direction) and in a radio frequency field; rotating the object at a frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a phase-corrected magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. In particular embodiments the method includes pulsing the radio frequency to provide at least two of a spatially selective read pulse, a spatially selective phase pulse, and a spatially selective storage pulse. Further disclosed methods provide pulse sequences that provide extended imaging capabilities, such as chemical shift imaging or multiple-voxel data acquisition.

Method of texturing a superconductive oxide precursor

DOEpatents

DeMoranville, Kenneth L.; Li, Qi; Antaya, Peter D.; Christopherson, Craig J.; Riley, Jr., Gilbert N.; Seuntjens, Jeffrey M.

1999-01-01

A method of forming a textured superconductor wire includes constraining an elongated superconductor precursor between two constraining elongated members placed in contact therewith on opposite sides of the superconductor precursor, and passing the superconductor precursor with the two constraining members through flat rolls to form the textured superconductor wire. The method includes selecting desired cross-sectional shape and size constraining members to control the width of the formed superconductor wire. A textured superconductor wire formed by the method of the invention has regular-shaped, curved sides and is free of flashing. A rolling assembly for single-pass rolling of the elongated precursor superconductor includes two rolls, two constraining members, and a fixture for feeding the precursor superconductor and the constraining members between the rolls. In alternate embodiments of the invention, the rolls can have machined regions which will contact only the elongated constraining members and affect the lateral deformation and movement of those members during the rolling process.

Can This Patient Be Discharged Home? Factors Associated With At-Home Death Among Patients With Cancer

PubMed Central

Alonso-Babarro, Alberto; Bruera, Eduardo; Varela-Cerdeira, María; Boya-Cristia, María Jesús; Madero, Rosario; Torres-Vigil, Isabel; De Castro, Javier; González-Barón, Manuel

2011-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with at-home death among patients with advanced cancer and create a decision-making model for discharging patients from an acute-care hospital. Patients and Methods We conducted an observational cohort study to identify the association between place of death and the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with advanced cancer who received care from a palliative home care team (PHCT) and of their primary caregivers. We used logistic regression analysis to identify the predictors of at-home death. Results We identified 380 patients who met the study inclusion criteria; of these, 245 patients (64%) died at home, 72 (19%) died in an acute-care hospital, 60 (16%) died in a palliative care unit, and three (1%) died in a nursing home. Median follow-up was 48 days. We included the 16 variables that were significant in univariate analysis in our decision-making model. Five variables predictive of at-home death were retained in the multivariate analysis: caregiver's preferred place of death, patients' preferred place of death, caregiver's perceived social support, number of hospital admission days, and number of PHCT visits. A subsequent reduced model including only those variables that were known at the time of discharge (caregivers' preferred place of death, patients' preferred place of death, and caregivers' perceived social support) had a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 81% in predicting place of death. Conclusion Asking a few simple patient- and family-centered questions may help to inform the decision regarding the best place for end-of-life care and death. PMID:21343566

Device and method for treatment of openings in vascular and septal walls

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

Singhal, Pooja; Wilson, Thomas S.; Cosgriff-Hernandez, Elizabeth

A device, system and method for treatment of an opening in vascular and/or septal walls including patent foramen ovale. The device has wings/stops on either end, an axis core covered in a shape memory foam and is deliverable via a catheter to the affected opening, finally expanding into a vascular or septal opening where it is held in place by the expandable shape memory stops or wings.

Review of available synchronization and time distribution techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, R. G.; Lieberman, T. N.; Stone, R. R.

1974-01-01

The methods of synchronizing precision clocks will be reviewed placing particular attention to the simpler techniques, their accuracies, and the approximate cost of equipment. The more exotic methods of synchronization are discussed in lesser detail. The synchronization techniques that will be covered will include satellite dissemination, communication and navigation transmissions via VLF, LF, HF, UHF and microwave as well as commercial and armed forces television. Portable clock trips will also be discussed.

Method for bonding a transmission line to a downhole tool

DOEpatents

Hall, David R.; Fox, Joe

2007-11-06

An apparatus for bonding a transmission line to the central bore of a downhole tool includes a pre-formed interface for bonding a transmission line to the inside diameter of a downhole tool. The pre-formed interface includes a first surface that substantially conforms to the outside contour of a transmission line and a second surface that substantially conforms to the inside diameter of a downhole tool. In another aspect of the invention, a method for bonding a transmission line to the inside diameter of a downhole tool includes positioning a transmission line near the inside wall of a downhole tool and placing a mold near the transmission line and the inside wall. The method further includes injecting a bonding material into the mold and curing the bonding material such that the bonding material bonds the transmission line to the inside wall.

Leveraging constraints and biotelemetry data to pinpoint repetitively used spatial features

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brost, Brian M.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Small, Robert J.

2016-01-01

Satellite telemetry devices collect valuable information concerning the sites visited by animals, including the location of central places like dens, nests, rookeries, or haul‐outs. Existing methods for estimating the location of central places from telemetry data require user‐specified thresholds and ignore common nuances like measurement error. We present a fully model‐based approach for locating central places from telemetry data that accounts for multiple sources of uncertainty and uses all of the available locational data. Our general framework consists of an observation model to account for large telemetry measurement error and animal movement, and a highly flexible mixture model specified using a Dirichlet process to identify the location of central places. We also quantify temporal patterns in central place use by incorporating ancillary behavioral data into the model; however, our framework is also suitable when no such behavioral data exist. We apply the model to a simulated data set as proof of concept. We then illustrate our framework by analyzing an Argos satellite telemetry data set on harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Gulf of Alaska, a species that exhibits fidelity to terrestrial haul‐out sites.

The transect of happiness and community’s capability in urbanizing Yogyakarta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramono, RWD

2018-03-01

The idea of this paper is that happy-friendly city is it that able to support capability. In addition to factors affixed to an individual, an important element determining someone’s happiness is the quality of a place. This research tries to explain the role of quality of place formed by urbanization process by taking Yogyakarta case as the sample. The importance of variation of particular area caused by urbanization is revealed using transect method. This method showed the shifting gradation from the very center of the city that first experienced urbanization up to the peripheral that experienced it last. The initial result of this clustered-multistage random sampling shows a gradation in capability. It also describes the similar tendency regarding self-evaluation against happiness although not very clear. Further analysis is conducted to define influencing factors. They consist of 40 capability assets that belong to Individual Tangible Asset, Public Tangible Asset, Individual Intangible Asset, Social Institutional Asset, and Economic Institutional Asset. However, the focus of analysis will be on variables included in Public Tangible Asset, Social Institutional Asset, and Economic Institutional Asset called as place-attached assets.

Strategies for protecting Western Burrowing Owls (Speotyto cunicularia hypugaea) from human activities

Treesearch

Lynne A. Trulio

1997-01-01

Practitioners have been using numerous methods to protect Burrowing Owls (Speotyto cunicularia hypugaea) affected by human activities. Primary approaches include protecting birds and burrows in place, allowing birds to relocate within their nesting territory, allowing birds to colonize new patches, moving birds within the geographic region and moving...

Conventions of Courtship: Gender and Race Differences in the Significance of Dating Rituals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Pamela Braboy; Kleiner, Sibyl; Geist, Claudia; Cebulko, Kara

2011-01-01

Dating rituals include dating--courtship methods that are regularly enacted. This study explores gender and race differences in the relative importance placed on certain symbolic activities previously identified by the dating literature as constituting such rituals. Using information collected from a racially diverse sample of college students (N…

A Comparison of Linking and Concurrent Calibration under the Graded Response Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Seock-Ho; Cohen, Allan S.

Applications of item response theory to practical testing problems including equating, differential item functioning, and computerized adaptive testing, require that item parameter estimates be placed onto a common metric. In this study, two methods for developing a common metric for the graded response model under item response theory were…

45 CFR 234.130 - Assistance in the form of institutional services in intermediate care facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... the intermediate care facility. (3) Provide methods of administration that include: (i) Placing of... intermediate care facility, whether the services actually rendered are adequate and responsive to the... intermediate care facility services under the medical assistance program, title XIX of the Act, but not later...

Teaching and Learning. An Introduction to New Methods and Resources in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKenzie, Norman; And Others

Proceeding at a different rate in each country, a world movement toward mass higher education is taking place. For this reason, attention should be given to the teaching-learning process in universities and to media innovations. The latter include television, language laboratories, teaching machines, electronic response systems, reprographic…

7 CFR 1205.202 - Agencies through which a referendum shall be conducted.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... expense, available media of public information (including, but not being limited to, press and radio facilities) to announce the dates, places, or methods of voting, and other pertinent information, and (ii) by... be used in the referendum to FSA. The ballots: (i) shall provide for recording essential information...

Apparatus and method for hydrogen and oxygen mass spectrometry of the terrestrial magnetosphere

DOEpatents

Funsten, Herbert O [Los Alamos, NM; Dors, Eric E [Los Alamos, NM; Harper, Ronnie W [Los Alamos, NM; Reisenfeld, Daniel B [Stevensville, MT

2007-05-15

A detector element for mass spectrometry of a flux of heavy and light ions, that includes: a first detector to detect light ions that transit through a foil operatively placed in front of the first detector, and a second detector that detects the flux of heavy and light ions.

Reasons for Placement of Restorations on Previously Unrestored Tooth Surfaces by Dental PBRN Dentists

PubMed Central

Nascimento, Marcelle M.; Gordan, Valeria V.; Qvist, Vibeke; Litaker, Mark S.; Rindal, D. Brad; Williams, O.D.; Fellows, Jeffrey L.; Ritchie, Lloyd K.; Mjör, Ivar A.; McClelland, Jocelyn; Gilbert, Gregg H.

2010-01-01

Objective To identify and quantify the reasons for placing restorations on unrestored permanent tooth surfaces and the dental materials used by Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN; www.DentalPBRN.org) dentists. Methods A total of 229 DPBRN practitioner-investigators collected data on 9,890 consecutive restorations from 5,810 patients. Information included: (1) reasons for restoring; (2) tooth and surfaces restored; and (3) restorative materials employed. Results Primary caries (85%) and non-carious defects (15%), which included abrasion/ abfraction/ erosion lesions and tooth fracture, were the main reasons for placement of restorations. Restorations due to caries were frequently placed on occlusal surfaces (49%), followed by distal, mesial, buccal/facial, lingual/palatal, and incisal surfaces. Amalgam was used for 46% of the molar and 45% of the premolar restorations. Directly placed resin-based composite (RBC) was used for 48% of the molar, 49% of the premolar, and 92% of the anterior restorations. Conclusion Dental caries on occlusal and proximal surfaces of molar teeth are the main reasons for placing restorations on previously unrestored tooth surfaces by DPBRN practitioner-investigators. RBC is the material most commonly used for occlusal and anterior restorations. Amalgam remains the material of choice to restore proximal caries in posterior teeth, although there are significant differences by DPBRN region. PMID:20354094

Method for fusing bone

DOEpatents

Mourant, Judith R.; Anderson, Gerhard D.; Bigio, Irving J.; Johnson, Tamara M.

1996-01-01

Method for fusing bone. The present invention is a method for joining hard tissue which includes chemically removing the mineral matrix from a thin layer of the surfaces to be joined, placing the two bones together, and heating the joint using electromagnetic radiation. The goal of the method is not to produce a full-strength weld of, for example, a cortical bone of the tibia, but rather to produce a weld of sufficient strength to hold the bone halves in registration while either external fixative devices are applied to stabilize the bone segments, or normal healing processes restore full strength to the tibia.

Low-Temperature Catalytic Process To Produce Hydrocarbons From Sugars

DOEpatents

Cortright, Randy D.; Dumesic, James A.

2005-11-15

Disclosed is a method of producing hydrogen from oxygenated hydrocarbon reactants, such as methanol, glycerol, sugars (e.g. glucose and xylose), or sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol). The method takes place in the condensed liquid phase. The method includes the steps of reacting water and a water-soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon in the presence of a metal-containing catalyst. The catalyst contains a metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIIIB transitional metals, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof. The disclosed method can be run at lower temperatures than those used in the conventional steam reforming of alkanes.

Precision heat forming of tetrafluoroethylene tubing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruiz, W. V.; Thatcher, C. S. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

An invention that provides a method of altering the size of tetrafluoroethylene tubing which is only available in limited combination of wall thicknesses and diameter are discussed. The method includes the steps of sliding the tetrafluoroethylene tubing onto an aluminum mandrel and clamping the ends of the tubing to the mandrel by means of clamps. The tetrafluorethylene tubing and mandrel are then placed in a supporting coil which with the mandrel and tetrafluorethylene tubing are then positioned in a insulated steel pipe which is normally covered with a fiber glass insulator to smooth out temperature distribution therein. The entire structure is then placed in an event which heats the tetrafluorethylene tubing which is then shrunk by the heat to the outer dimension of the aluminum mandrel. After cooling the aluminum mandrel is removed from the newly sized tetrafluorethylene tubing by a conventional chemical milling process.

Networks and tuberculosis: an undetected community outbreak involving public places.

PubMed

Klovdahl, A S; Graviss, E A; Yaganehdoost, A; Ross, M W; Wanger, A; Adams, G J; Musser, J M

2001-03-01

After decades of decline in developed countries, there was a resurgence of tuberculosis in the mid-1980s accompanied by increased recognition that this infectious disease has long remained a major public health problem at the global level. New methods from molecular biology, in particular DNA 'fingerprinting' (of Mycobacterium tuberculosis), made it clear that current transmission and recent infection (in contrast to reactivation of earlier, latent infection) were much more significant than previously believed. Studies of tuberculosis outbreaks using these new tools pointed to complex networks through which infection was spreading and highlighted the need for new approaches to outbreak investigation and disease control. In the study reported here a new approach--combining methods from molecular biology, epidemiology and network analysis--was used to examine an outbreak of tuberculosis in Houston, Texas. Initial investigation using conventional strategies revealed few contacts among 37 patients with identical (six-band) DNA (IS6110-based) fingerprints but subsequent research uncovered over 40 places (including many gay bars) to which patients in this outbreak could be linked. Network methods were used to reconstruct an outbreak network and to quantify the relative importance (here, 'betweenness' centrality) of different actors (persons and places) playing a role in the outbreak. The multidisciplinary work provides the basis for a new approach to outbreak investigation and disease control.

Method for fusing bone

DOEpatents

Mourant, J.R.; Anderson, G.D.; Bigio, I.J.; Johnson, T.M.

1996-03-12

The present invention is a method for joining hard tissue which includes chemically removing the mineral matrix from a thin layer of the surfaces to be joined, placing the two bones together, and heating the joint using electromagnetic radiation. The goal of the method is not to produce a full-strength weld of, for example, a cortical bone of the tibia, but rather to produce a weld of sufficient strength to hold the bone halves in registration while either external fixative devices are applied to stabilize the bone segments, or normal healing processes restore full strength to the tibia.

Method and apparatus for producing high purity silicon

DOEpatents

Olson, Jerry M.

1984-01-01

A method for producing high purity silicon includes forming a copper silie alloy and positioning the alloy within an enclosure. A filament member is also placed within the enclosure opposite the alloy. The enclosure is then filled with a chemical vapor transport gas adapted for transporting silicon. Finally, both the filament member and the alloy are heated to temperatures sufficient to cause the gas to react with silicon at the alloy surface and deposit the reacted silicon on the filament member. In addition, an apparatus for carrying out this method is also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for producing high purity silicon

DOEpatents

Olson, J.M.

1983-05-27

A method for producing high purity silicon includes forming a copper silicide alloy and positioning the alloy within an enclosure. A filament member is also placed within the enclosure opposite the alloy. The enclosure is then filled with a chemical vapor transport gas adapted for transporting silicon. Finally, both the filament member and the alloy are heated to temperatures sufficient to cause the gas to react with silicon at the alloy surface and deposit the reacted silicon on the filament member. In addition, an apparatus for carrying out this method is also disclosed.

Entry Debris Field Estimation Methods and Application to Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Disposal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mrozinski, Richard B.

2001-01-01

For public safety reasons, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) was intentionally deorbited on June 4, 2000. This deorbit was NASA's first intentional controlled deorbit of a satellite, and more will come including the eventual deorbit of the International Space Station. To maximize public safety, satellite deorbit planning requires conservative estimates of the debris footprint size and location. These estimates are needed to properly design a deorbit sequence that places the debris footprint over unpopulated areas, including protection for deorbit contingencies. This paper details a method for estimating the length (range), width (crossrange), and location of entry and breakup debris footprints. This method utilizes a three degree-of-freedom Monte Carlo simulation incorporating uncertainties in all aspects of the problem, including vehicle and environment uncertainties. The method incorporates a range of debris characteristics based on historical data in addition to any vehicle-specific debris catalog information. This paper describes the method in detail, and presents results of its application as used in planning the deorbit of the CGRO.

An Evaluation of an Ada Implementation of the Rete Algorithm for Embedded Flight Processors

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

computers was desired. The VAX VMS operating system has many built-in methods for determining program performance (including VAX PCA), but these methods... overviev , of the target environment-- the MIL-STD-1750A VHSIC Avionic Modular Processor ( VA.IP, running under the Ada Avionics Real-Time Software (AARTS... computers . Mil-STD-1750A, the Air Force’s standard flight computer architecture, however, places severe constraints on applications software processing

Internal combustion engine for natural gas compressor operation

DOEpatents

Hagen, Christopher; Babbitt, Guy

2016-12-27

This application concerns systems and methods for compressing natural gas with an internal combustion engine. In a representative embodiment, a method is featured which includes placing a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine in a compressor mode, and compressing a gas within the first cylinder, using the cylinder as a reciprocating compressor. In some embodiments a compression check valve system is used to regulate pressure and flow within cylinders of the engine during a compression process.

Method for Production of Powders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoltzfus, Joel M. (Inventor); Sircar, Subhasish (Inventor)

1997-01-01

Apparatus and method are disclosed for producing oxides of metals and of metal alloys. The metal or alloy is placed in an oxygen atmosphere in a combustion chamber and ignited. Products of the combustion include one or more oxides of the metal or alloy in powdered form. In one embodiment of the invention a feeder is provided whereby material to be oxidized by combustion can be achieved into a combustion chamber continuously. A product remover receives the powder product of the combustion.

Application of Fourier transforms for microwave radiometric inversions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, J. J.; Balanis, C. A.; Truman, W. M.

1975-01-01

Existing microwave radiometer technology now provides a suitable method for remote determination of the ocean surface's absolute brightness temperature. To extract the brightness temperature of the water from the antenna temperature, an unstable Fredholm integral equation of the first kind is solved. Fourier transform techniques are used to invert the integral after it is placed into a cross correlation form. Application and verification of the methods to a two-dimensional modeling of a laboratory wave tank system are included. The instability of the ill-posed Fredholm equation is examined and a restoration procedure is included which smooths the resulting oscillations. With the recent availability and advances of fast Fourier transform (FFT) techniques, the method presented becomes very attractive in the evaluation of large quantities of data.

Chemotactic selection of pollutant degrading soil bacteria

DOEpatents

Hazen, T.C.

1991-03-04

A method is described for identifying soil microbial strains which may be bacterial degraders of pollutants. This method includes: Placing a concentration of a pollutant in a substantially closed container; placing the container in a sample of soil for a period of time ranging from one minute to several hours; retrieving the container and collecting its contents; microscopically determining the identity of the bacteria present. Different concentrations of the pollutant can be used to determine which bacteria respond to each concentration. The method can be used for characterizing a polluted site or for looking for naturally occurring biological degraders of the pollutant. Then bacteria identified as degraders of the pollutant and as chemotactically attracted to the pollutant are used to innoculate contaminated soil. To enhance the effect of the bacteria on the pollutant, nutrients are cyclicly provided to the bacteria then withheld to alternately build up the size of the bacterial colony or community and then allow it to degrade the pollutant.

Peculiarities of organizing the construction of nuclear medicine facilities and the transportation of radionuclide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telichenko, Valeriy; Malykha, Galina; Dorogan, Igor

2017-10-01

The article is devoted to the organization of construction of nuclear medicine facilities in Russia. The article describes the main methods of nuclear medical diagnostics, as well as the peculiarities of nuclear medicine facilities that determine the need for application of specific methods for organizing and managing the construction, methods of requirements management in the organization of construction of nuclear medicine facilities. Sustainable development of the transport of radioactive isotopes from the place of production to places of consumption is very important for the safety of the population. The requirements management system is an important and necessary component in organizing the construction of complex facilities, such as nuclear medicine facilities. The author developed and proposed a requirements management system for the design, construction and operation of a nuclear medicine facility, which provides for a cyclic sequence of actions. This system allows reducing the consumption of resources including material and energy during construction and operation of complex objects.

Sharing is caring: The potential of the sharing economy to support aging in place.

PubMed

Miller, Julie; Ward, Carley; Lee, Chaiwoo; D'Ambrosio, Lisa; Coughlin, Joseph

2018-01-24

This article explores innovative applications of sharing economy services that have the potential to support a population aging in place, especially the "oldest old," aged 85 and older, and their caregivers. A mixed-methods study conducted by the MIT AgeLab examined perceptions of and experiences with sharing economy services, ultimately finding opportunities and barriers to use. Thus, although sharing economy services have potential to support aging in place, to do so successfully will require reconstructing how older adults, family caregivers, aging service professionals, gerontology educators, and gerontology students conceptualize and deliver care to an aging population. We suggest examples for gerontology educators to integrate into their classrooms to further cultivate an appreciation among students of multiple approaches to intervention, including those that leverage sharing economy and technology-enabled platforms to support older adults and their caregivers.

Old Books Bring New Life to the Brick and Mortar Library

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

ancient astronomy books, including Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton, we have abundant resources. The presentation will highlight the varied...library. One method was to rotate rare book displays each month. As the library holds a fabulous collection of ancient astronomy books, including Copernicus...800 and a ticket to Europe to purchase important astronomy books. It is a sanctuary for some. For me, it is a lonely place and I wanted more people to

Development of a physical activity monitoring tool for Thai medical schools: a protocol for a mixed methods study

PubMed Central

Wattanapisit, Apichai; Vijitpongjinda, Surasak; Saengow, Udomsak; Amaek, Waluka; Thanamee, Sanhapan; Petchuay, Prachyapan

2017-01-01

Introduction Physical activity (PA) is important in promoting health, as well as in the treatment and prevention of diseases. However, insufficient PA is still a global health problem and it is also a problem in medical schools. PA training in medical curricula is still sparse or non-existent. There is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the extent of PA in medical schools through several indicators, including people, places and policies. This study includes a survey of the PA prevalence in a medical school and development of a tool, the Medical School Physical Activity Report Card (MSPARC), which will contain concise and understandable infographics and information for exploring, monitoring and reporting information relating to PA prevalence. Methods and analysis This mixed methods study will run from January to September 2017. We will involve the School of Medicine, Walailak University, Thailand, and its medical students (n=285). Data collection will consist of both primary and secondary data, divided into four parts: general information, people, places and policies. We will investigate the PA metrics about (1) people: the prevalence of PA and sedentary behaviours; (2) place: the quality and accessibility of walkable neighbourhoods, bicycle facilities and recreational areas; and (3) policy: PA promotion programmes for medical students, education metrics and investments related to PA. The MSPARC will be developed using simple symbols, infographics and short texts to evaluate the PA metrics of the medical school. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Walailak University (protocol number: WUEC-16-005-01). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national or international conferences. The MSPARC and full report will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders, policymakers, staff and clients. PMID:28963299

Connecting Coastal Communities with Ocean Science: A Look at Ocean Sense and the Inclusion of Place-based Indigenous Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLean, M. A.; Brown, J.; Hoeberechts, M.

2016-02-01

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), an initiative of the University of Victoria, develops, operates, and maintains cabled ocean observatory systems. Technologies developed on the world-leading NEPTUNE and VENUS observatories have been adapted for small coastal installations called "community observatories," which enable community members to directly monitor conditions in the local ocean environment. In 2014, ONC pioneered an innovative educational program, Ocean Sense: Local observations, global connections, which introduces students and teachers to the technologies installed on community observatories. The program introduces middle and high school students to research methods in biology, oceanography and ocean engineering through hands-on activities. Ocean Sense includes a variety of resources and opportunities to excite students and spark curiosity about the ocean environment. The program encourages students to connect their local observations to global ocean processes and the observations of students in other geographic regions. The connection to place and local relevance of the program is further enhanced through an emphasis on Indigenous and place-based knowledge. ONC is working with coastal Indigenous communities in a collaborative process to include local knowledge, culture, and language in Ocean Sense materials. For this process to meaningful and culturally appropriate, ONC is relying on the guidance and oversight of Indigenous community educators and knowledge holders. Ocean Sense also includes opportunities for Indigenous youth and teachers in remote communities to connect in person, including an annual Ocean Science Symposium and professional development events for teachers. Building a program which embraces multiple perspectives is effective both in making ocean science more relevant to Indigenous students and in linking Indigenous knowledge and place-based knowledge to ocean science.

Analyzing the Thai State Policy on Private Tutoring: The Prevalence of the Market Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lao, Rattana

2014-01-01

Private tutoring in academic subjects, which is provided for a fee and which takes place outside standard school hours, has become a global phenomenon. It is also very visible in Thailand. This paper draws on qualitative method including documentary analyses and semi-structured interviews with Thai policy elites, to understand the Thai state…

Latent Learning in the Work Place: The Placement Experiences of Student-Coaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomes, Rúben; Jones, Robyn L.; Batista, Paula; Mesquita, Isabel

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the work-based internship experiences of eight student-coaches. This was particularly in terms of what precisely such coaches learned within the practical context, and how they engaged with unexpected situational events. The methods employed within the project included focus group interviews and participant…

78 FR 11589 - National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan; National Priorities List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

... Docket ID no. EPA-HQ- SFUND-1990-0011, by one of the following methods: http://www.regulations.gov... received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at http... is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic...

Capital Middle Schools Science Department, Preliminary List of Behavioral/Performance Objectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Del Mod System, Dover, DE.

This monograph provides basic behavioral objectives designed for a middle school science curriculum. Emphasis is placed on the study of the living environment for students in grade five. This includes the study of plants, animals, the human body, and the use of the microscope, classification and the scientific method. Objectives for grade six are…

27 CFR 70.148 - Place for filing notice; form.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... of an electronic or magnetic medium the term “TTB Form 5651.2” includes an TTB Form 5651.2 filed by the use of any electronic or magnetic medium permitted by that State. An TTB Form 5651.2 must identify... of the method used to file the notice of Federal tax lien. (26 U.S.C. 6323) ...

Piperazine-based nucleic acid analogs

DOEpatents

Schmidt, Jurgen; Silks, Louis A.; Michalczyk, Ryszard

2005-01-11

A novel nucleoside analog is disclosed which comprises a piperazine ring in the place of the ring ribose or deoxyribose sugar. Monomers utilizing a broad variety of nucleobases are disclosed, as well as oligomers comprising the monomers disclosed herein linked by a variety of linkages, including amide, phosphonamide, and sulfonamide linkages. A method of synthesizing the nucleoside analogs is also disclosed.

Air Cargo Marketing Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kersey, J. W.

1972-01-01

The factors involved in developing a market for air cargo services are discussed. A comparison is made between the passenger traffic problems and those of cargo traffic. Emphasis is placed on distribution analyses which isolates total distribution cost, including logistical costs such as transportation, inventory, materials handling, packaging, and processing. Specific examples of methods for reducing air cargo costs are presented.

Racing in the Marathon or Traveling to a Mysterious Place: Prospective Primary Teachers' Conceptions of Experienced and Ideal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saban, Ahmet; Koçbeker-Eid, Beyhan Nazli; Saban, Aslihan

2014-01-01

In this study, Turkish primary teacher candidates' experienced and ideal conceptions of learning were examined through metaphors. The participants of this phenomenological study included 193 sophomores taking the "Principles and Methods of Teaching" course at Ahmet Kelesoglu Education Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, in the fall of…

Transonic Symposium: Theory, Application, and Experiment, volume 1, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foughner, Jerome T., Jr. (Compiler)

1989-01-01

In order to assess the state of the art in transonic flow disciplines and to glimpse at future directions, NASA-Langley held a Transonic Symposium. Emphasis was placed on steady, three dimensional external, transonic flow and its simulation, both numerically and experimentally. The symposium included technical sessions on wind tunnel and flight experiments; computational fluid dynamic applications; inviscid methods and grid generation; viscous methods and boundary layer stability; and wind tunnel techniques and wall interference. This, being volume 1, is unclassified.

Estimation of ovular fiber production in cotton

DOEpatents

Van't Hof, Jack

1998-09-01

The present invention is a method for rendering cotton fiber cells that are post-anthesis and pre-harvest available for analysis of their physical properties. The method includes the steps of hydrolyzing cotton fiber cells and separating cotton fiber cells from cotton ovules thereby rendering the cells available for analysis. The analysis of the fiber cells is through any suitable means, e.g., visual inspection. Visual inspection of the cells can be accomplished by placing the cells under an instrument for detection, such as microscope or other means.

Method and apparatus for production of powders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolzfus, Joel M. (Inventor); Sircar, Subhasish (Inventor)

1995-01-01

Apparatus and method are disclosed for producing oxides of metals and of metal alloys. The metal or alloy is placed in an oxygen atmosphere in a combustion chamber and ignited. Products of the combustion include one or more oxides of the metal or alloy in powdered form. In one embodiment of the invention a feeder is provided whereby material to be oxidized by combustion can be advanced into a combustion chamber continuously. A product remover receives the powder product of the combustion.

Apparatus and method for fluid analysis

DOEpatents

Wilson, Bary W.; Peters, Timothy J.; Shepard, Chester L.; Reeves, James H.

2004-11-02

The present invention is an apparatus and method for analyzing a fluid used in a machine or in an industrial process line. The apparatus has at least one meter placed proximate the machine or process line and in contact with the machine or process fluid for measuring at least one parameter related to the fluid. The at least one parameter is a standard laboratory analysis parameter. The at least one meter includes but is not limited to viscometer, element meter, optical meter, particulate meter, and combinations thereof.

A study of methods to predict and measure the transmission of sound through the walls of light aircraft. A survey of techniques for visualization of noise fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, S. E.; Bernhard, R.

1984-01-01

A survey of the most widely used methods for visualizing acoustic phenomena is presented. Emphasis is placed on acoustic processes in the audible frequencies. Many visual problems are analyzed on computer graphic systems. A brief description of the current technology in computer graphics is included. The visualization technique survey will serve as basis for recommending an optimum scheme for displaying acoustic fields on computer graphic systems.

University role in astronaut life support systems: Portable thermal control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ephrath, A. R.

1971-01-01

One of the most vital life support systems is that used to provide the astronaut with an adequate thermal environment. State-of-the-art techniques are reviewed for collecting and rejecting excess heat loads from the suited astronaut. Emphasis is placed on problem areas which exist and which may be suitable topics for university research. Areas covered include thermal control requirements and restrictions, methods of heat absorption and rejection or storage, and comparison between existing methods and possible future techniques.

Rapid detection and identification of energetic materials with surface enhanced raman spectrometry (SERS)

DOEpatents

Han, Thomas Yong-Jin; Valdez, Carlos A; Olson, Tammy Y; Kim, Sung Ho; Satcher, Jr., Joe H

2015-04-21

In one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of metal nanoparticles functionalized with a plurality of organic molecules tethered thereto, wherein the plurality of organic molecules preferentially interact with one or more analytes when placed in proximity therewith. According to another embodiment, a method for detecting analytes includes contacting a fluid having one or more analytes of interest therein with a plurality of metal nanoparticles, each metal nanoparticle having a plurality of organic molecules tethered thereto, and detecting Raman scattering from an analyte of interest from the fluid, the analyte interacting with one or more of the plurality of organic molecules. In another embodiment, a method includes chemically modifying a plurality of cyclodextrin molecules at a primary hydroxyl moiety to create a chemical handle, and tethering the plurality of cyclodextrin molecules to a metal nanoparticle using the chemical handle. Other systems and methods for detecting analytes are also described.

Typography and layout of technical reports - Survey of current practices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, T. E.; Cordle, V. M.; Mccullough, R.

1985-01-01

As part of a review of the NASA Langley Research Center scientific and technical information program, 50 technical reports from industry, research institutions, and government agencies were systematically examined and analyzed to determine current usage and practice in regard to (1) typography, including composition method, type style, type size, and margin treatment; (2) graphic design, including layout and imposition of material on the page; and (3) physical media, including paper, ink, and binding methods. The results indicate that approximately 50 percent of the reports were typeset, 70 percent used Roman (serif) type, 80 percent used 10- or 11-point type for text, 60 percent used a ragged right-hand margin, slightly more than half used paragraph indentation, 75 percent used a single-column layout, 65 percent had one or more figures or tables placed perpendicular to (not aligned with) the text, and perfect binding was the most frequently used binding method.

A study of navigation in virtual space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darken, Rudy; Sibert, John L.; Shumaker, Randy

1994-01-01

In the physical world, man has developed efficient methods for navigation and orientation. These methods are dependent on the high-fidelity stimuli presented by the environment. When placed in a virtual world which cannot offer stimuli of the same quality due to computing constraints and immature technology, tasks requiring the maintenance of position and orientation knowledge become laborious. In this paper, we present a representative set of techniques based on principles of navigation derived from real world analogs including human and avian navigation behavior and cartography. A preliminary classification of virtual worlds is presented based on the size of the world, the density of objects in the world, and the level of activity taking place in the world. We also summarize an informal study we performed to determine how the tools influenced the subjects' navigation strategies and behavior. We conclude that principles extracted from real world navigation aids such as maps can be seen to apply in virtual environments.

Graphene-based structure, method of suspending graphene membrane, and method of depositing material onto graphene membrane

DOEpatents

Zettl, Alexander K.; Meyer, Jannik Christian

2013-04-02

An embodiment of a method of suspending a graphene membrane across a gap in a support structure includes attaching graphene to a substrate. A pre-fabricated support structure having the gap is attached to the graphene. The graphene and the pre-fabricated support structure are then separated from the substrate which leaves the graphene membrane suspended across the gap in the pre-fabricated support structure. An embodiment of a method of depositing material includes placing a support structure having a graphene membrane suspended across a gap under vacuum. A precursor is adsorbed to a surface of the graphene membrane. A portion of the graphene membrane is exposed to a focused electron beam which deposits a material from the precursor onto the graphene membrane. An embodiment of a graphene-based structure includes a support structure having a gap, a graphene membrane suspended across the gap, and a material deposited in a pattern on the graphene membrane.

Laser And Nonlinear Optical Materials For Laser Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Norman P.

2005-01-01

NASA remote sensing missions involving laser systems and their economic impact are outlined. Potential remote sensing missions include: green house gasses, tropospheric winds, ozone, water vapor, and ice cap thickness. Systems to perform these measurements use lanthanide series lasers and nonlinear devices including second harmonic generators and parametric oscillators. Demands these missions place on the laser and nonlinear optical materials are discussed from a materials point of view. Methods of designing new laser and nonlinear optical materials to meet these demands are presented.

Gas reservoir and a method to supply gas to plasma tubes

DOEpatents

Stautner, Ernst Wolfgang; Michael, Joseph Darryl

2017-01-31

A reservoir for storing and supplying a portion of a reservoir gas into a gas-filled tube is presented. The reservoir includes a first vessel having a thermally conductive surface, a meshed vessel having a lid, and placed inside the first vessel to form a cavity between the meshed vessel and the first vessel, at least one tray placed inside the meshed vessel to divide an inner space of the meshed vessel into a plurality of compartments, a sorbent material placed inside the plurality of compartments in the meshed vessel, a temperature control device positioned such that a first portion of the temperature control device is in physical contact with at least a portion of the thermally conductive surface, and a change in the temperature of the temperature control device changes the temperature of the sorbent material, wherein the reservoir gas is retained by the sorbent material at the storage temperature.

Place-based pedagogy in the era of accountability: An action research study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saracino, Peter C.

Today's most common method of teaching biology---driven by calls for standardization and high-stakes testing---relies on a standards-based, de-contextualized approach to education. This results in "one size fits all" curriculums that ignore local contexts relevant to students' lives, discourage student engagement and ultimately work against a deep and lasting understanding of content. In contrast, place-based education---a pedagogical paradigm grounded in situated cognition and the progressive education tradition of John Dewey---utilizes the community as an integrating context for learning. It encourages the growth of school-community partnerships with an eye towards raising student achievement while also drawing students into the economic, political, social and ecological life of their communities. Such an approach seeks to provide students with learning experiences that are both academically significant and valuable to their communities. This study explores how high school science teachers can capitalize on the rich affordances offered by a place-based approach despite the constraints imposed by a state-mandated curriculum and high-stakes testing. Using action research, I designed, implemented, evaluated and refined an intervention that grounded a portion of a Living Environment high school course I teach in a place-based experience. This experience served as a unique anchoring event to contextualize students' learning of other required core topics. The overarching question framing this study is: How can science teachers capitalize on the rich affordances offered by a place-based approach despite the constraints imposed by a state-mandated curriculum and high-stakes testing? The following more specific questions were explored within the context of the intervention: (1) Which elements of the place-based paradigm could I effectively integrate into a Living Environment course? (2) In what ways would this integration impact students' interest? (3) In what ways would this integration impact students' perceived academic performance? (4) What are the costs of implementing this approach on the teacher? Data sources included my teacher log, writings from students' reflective journals, student answers to survey questions and student responses to focus group interviews. Using qualitative research methods, I triangulated the data from these multiple sources in an attempt to address each of the research questions. This process included identifying key analytic and explanatory themes that guided my subsequent readings and interpretations of the data. The patterns that emerged guided the search for other connections and interrelationships and formed the basis of my final analysis. This study demonstrates that I was able to successfully integrate selected elements of place-based education into my Living Environment course at least to some degree. As such, it confirms the feasibility of effectively incorporating key elements of the place-based paradigm into a high-stakes high school science course. My findings also support the literature's claim that embracing a place-based approach can pique students' interest in significant ways and therefore generate a higher level of student engagement that allows students to feel more confident about their learning. Findings also confirm literature articulating the beneficial use of artifacts while broadening such use to include ecology classes. Lastly, the study suggests the gains achieved in integrating a place-based approach more than outweigh the inevitable costs and challenges associated with its implementation.

Promoting active transportation as a partnership between urban planning and public health: the columbus healthy places program.

PubMed

Green, Christine Godward; Klein, Elizabeth G

2011-01-01

Active transportation has been considered as one method to address the American obesity epidemic. To address obesity prevention through built-environment change, the local public health department in Columbus, Ohio, established the Columbus Healthy Places (CHP) program to formally promote active transportation in numerous aspects of community design for the city. In this article, we present a case study of the CHP program and discuss the review of city development rezoning applications as a successful strategy to link public health to urban planning. Prior to the CHP review, 7% of development applications in Columbus included active transportation components; in 2009, 64% of development applications adopted active transportation components specifically recommended by the CHP review. Active transportation recommendations generally included adding bike racks, widening or adding sidewalks, and providing sidewalk connectivity. Recommendations and lessons learned from CHP are provided.

Stimulated Brillouin scattering mirror system, high power laser and laser peening method and system using same

DOEpatents

Dane, C Brent [Livermore, CA; Hackel, Lloyd [Livermore, CA; Harris, Fritz B [Rocklin, CA

2007-04-24

A laser system, such as a master oscillator/power amplifier system, comprises a gain medium and a stimulated Brillouin scattering SBS mirror system. The SBS mirror system includes an in situ filtered SBS medium that comprises a compound having a small negative non-linear index of refraction, such as a perfluoro compound. An SBS relay telescope having a telescope focal point includes a baffle at the telescope focal point which blocks off angle beams. A beam splitter is placed between the SBS mirror system and the SBS relay telescope, directing a fraction of the beam to an alternate beam path for an alignment fiducial. The SBS mirror system has a collimated SBS cell and a focused SBS cell. An adjustable attenuator is placed between the collimated SBS cell and the focused SBS cell, by which pulse width of the reflected beam can be adjusted.

Promoting Active Transportation as a Partnership Between Urban Planning and Public Health: The Columbus Healthy Places Program

PubMed Central

Green, Christine Godward; Klein, Elizabeth G.

2011-01-01

Active transportation has been considered as one method to address the American obesity epidemic. To address obesity prevention through built-environment change, the local public health department in Columbus, Ohio, established the Columbus Healthy Places (CHP) program to formally promote active transportation in numerous aspects of community design for the city. In this article, we present a case study of the CHP program and discuss the review of city development rezoning applications as a successful strategy to link public health to urban planning. Prior to the CHP review, 7% of development applications in Columbus included active transportation components; in 2009, 64% of development applications adopted active transportation components specifically recommended by the CHP review. Active transportation recommendations generally included adding bike racks, widening or adding sidewalks, and providing sidewalk connectivity. Recommendations and lessons learned from CHP are provided. PMID:21563711

Resource-assessment perspectives for unconventional gas systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmoker, J.W.

2002-01-01

Concepts are described for assessing those unconventional gas systems that can also be defined as continous accumulations. Continuous gas accumulations exist more or less independently of the water column and do not owe their existence directly to the bouyancy of gas in water. They cannot be represented in terms of individual, countable fields or pools delineated by downdip water contacts. For these reasons, traditional resource-assessment methods based on estimating the sizes and numbers of undiscovered discrete fields cannot not be applied to continuous accumulations. Specialized assessment methods are required. Unconventional gas systems that are also continous accumulations include coalbed methane, basin-centered gas, so-called tight gas, fractured shale (and chalk) gas, and gas hydrates. Deep-basin and bacterial gas systems may or may not be continuous accumulations, depending on their geologic setting. Two basic resource-assessment approaches have been employed for continous accumulations. The first approach is based on estimates of gas in place. A volumetric estimate of total gas in place is commonly coupled with an overall recovery factor to narrow the assessment scope from a treatment of gas volumes residing in sedimentary strata to a prediction of potential additions to reserves. The second approach is based on the production performance of continous gas reservoirs, as shown empirically by wells and reservoir-simulation models. In these methods, production characteristics (as opposed to gas in place) are the foundation for forecasts of potential additions to reserves.

Method for forming materials

DOEpatents

Tolle, Charles R [Idaho Falls, ID; Clark, Denis E [Idaho Falls, ID; Smartt, Herschel B [Idaho Falls, ID; Miller, Karen S [Idaho Falls, ID

2009-10-06

A material-forming tool and a method for forming a material are described including a shank portion; a shoulder portion that releasably engages the shank portion; a pin that releasably engages the shoulder portion, wherein the pin defines a passageway; and a source of a material coupled in material flowing relation relative to the pin and wherein the material-forming tool is utilized in methodology that includes providing a first material; providing a second material, and placing the second material into contact with the first material; and locally plastically deforming the first material with the material-forming tool so as mix the first material and second material together to form a resulting material having characteristics different from the respective first and second materials.

HEALTH GeoJunction: place-time-concept browsing of health publications.

PubMed

MacEachren, Alan M; Stryker, Michael S; Turton, Ian J; Pezanowski, Scott

2010-05-18

The volume of health science publications is escalating rapidly. Thus, keeping up with developments is becoming harder as is the task of finding important cross-domain connections. When geographic location is a relevant component of research reported in publications, these tasks are more difficult because standard search and indexing facilities have limited or no ability to identify geographic foci in documents. This paper introduces HEALTH GeoJunction, a web application that supports researchers in the task of quickly finding scientific publications that are relevant geographically and temporally as well as thematically. HEALTH GeoJunction is a geovisual analytics-enabled web application providing: (a) web services using computational reasoning methods to extract place-time-concept information from bibliographic data for documents and (b) visually-enabled place-time-concept query, filtering, and contextualizing tools that apply to both the documents and their extracted content. This paper focuses specifically on strategies for visually-enabled, iterative, facet-like, place-time-concept filtering that allows analysts to quickly drill down to scientific findings of interest in PubMed abstracts and to explore relations among abstracts and extracted concepts in place and time. The approach enables analysts to: find publications without knowing all relevant query parameters, recognize unanticipated geographic relations within and among documents in multiple health domains, identify the thematic emphasis of research targeting particular places, notice changes in concepts over time, and notice changes in places where concepts are emphasized. PubMed is a database of over 19 million biomedical abstracts and citations maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information; achieving quick filtering is an important contribution due to the database size. Including geography in filters is important due to rapidly escalating attention to geographic factors in public health. The implementation of mechanisms for iterative place-time-concept filtering makes it possible to narrow searches efficiently and quickly from thousands of documents to a small subset that meet place-time-concept constraints. Support for a more-like-this query creates the potential to identify unexpected connections across diverse areas of research. Multi-view visualization methods support understanding of the place, time, and concept components of document collections and enable comparison of filtered query results to the full set of publications.

Using Systematic Item Selection Methods to Improve Universal Design of Assessments. Policy Directions. Number 18

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnstone, Christopher; Thurlow, Martha; Moore, Michael; Altman, Jason

2006-01-01

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and other recent changes in federal legislation have placed greater emphasis on accountability in large-scale testing. Included in this emphasis are regulations that require assessments to be accessible. States are accountable for the success of all students, and tests should be designed in a way that…

Beyond Methods: Components of Second Language Teacher Education. The McGraw-Hill Second Language Professional Series. Directions in Second Language Learning and Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardovi-Harlig, Kathleen, Ed.; Hartford, Beverly, Ed.

This collection of essays gives an overview of the different disciplines that inform language teaching and language teacher education. They include the following titles: "The Case for Psycholinguistics" (Bill VanPatten); "The Place of Second Language Acquisition Theory in Language Teacher Preparation" (Kathleen Bardovi-Harlig); "Why Syntactic…

[Contemporary place of the electroconvulsive therapy. Part 2. Clinical aspect].

PubMed

Zyssi, Tomasz; Rachel, Wojciech; Datka, Wojciech; Hese, Robert T; Gorczyca, Piotr; Szwajca, Krzysztof; Piekoszewski, Wojciech; Zięba, Andrzej

2015-01-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an important method of biological treatment in serious psychic disturbances. Similarly to drug therapy it is marked by a determined schematics of applying including the list of indications, contraindications, procedures of the performance, as well as the list of adverse invents. Applying defined schemas allows for minimizing the risk and influences the final effectiveness of therapy.

Reframing Notions of Identity, Learning, and Culture through the Use of Performing and Visual Arts within a Detention Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Sean Gregory

2013-01-01

This study examines a multimodal arts-based inquiry that took place within a secure detention center. The inquiry was inclusive of design, rehearsal, and production activities that culminated into a final theatre production. The methods for this study included pulling from multiple disciplines to develop multiple perspectives towards the data as…

Ten Things New Teachers Need To Succeed. A SkyLight Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogarty, Robin

This guide for novice teachers includes ten sections: (1) "A Knowing Colleague as Counsel...About the Policies, Practices, and Politics!" (proactively seek a mentor); (2) "A Place Called 'My Room' for Students To Grow, To Groom, and To Zoom!" (create a climate that fosters growth and pride); (3) "A Method for Managing 1,500 Decisions: On Your…

The Place of Assisted Living in Long-Term Care and Related Service Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Robyn I.; Reinhard, Susan C.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe how assisted living (AL) fits with other long-term-care services. Design and Methods: We analyzed the evolution of AL, including the populations served, the services offered, and federal and state policies that create various incentives or disincentives for using AL to replace other forms of care…

What Influences Where They Give Birth? Determinants of Place of Delivery among Women in Rural Ghana.

PubMed

Dickson, Kwamena Sekyi; Adde, Kenneth Setorwu; Amu, Hubert

2016-01-01

Background . There is a paucity of empirical literature in Ghana on rural areas and their utilisation of health facilities. The study examined the effects of the sociodemographics of rural women on place of delivery in the country. Methods . The paper made use of data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Women from rural areas who had given birth within five years prior to the survey were included in the analysis. Descriptive analyses and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the data. Results . Wealth, maternal education, ecological zone, getting money for treatment, ethnicity, partner's education, parity, and distance to a health facility were found as the determinants of place of delivery among women in rural Ghana. Women in the richest wealth quintile were three times (OR = 3.04, 95% CI = 0.35-26.4) more likely to deliver at a health facility than the poorest women. Conclusions . It behoves the relevant stakeholders including the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health to pay attention to the wealth status, maternal education, ecological zone, ethnicity, partner's education, parity, and distance in their planning regarding delivery care in rural Ghana.

On-line algorithms for forecasting hourly loads of an electric utility

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

Vemuri, S.; Huang, W.L.; Nelson, D.J.

A method that lends itself to on-line forecasting of hourly electric loads is presented, and the results of its use are compared to models developed using the Box-Jenkins method. The method consits of processing the historical hourly loads with a sequential least-squares estimator to identify a finite-order autoregressive model which, in turn, is used to obtain a parsimonious autoregressive-moving average model. The method presented has several advantages in comparison with the Box-Jenkins method including much-less human intervention, improved model identification, and better results. The method is also more robust in that greater confidence can be placed in the accuracy ofmore » models based upon the various measures available at the identification stage.« less

Methods for producing silicon carbide architectural preforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DiCarlo, James A. (Inventor); Yun, Hee (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Methods are disclosed for producing architectural preforms and high-temperature composite structures containing high-strength ceramic fibers with reduced preforming stresses within each fiber, with an in-situ grown coating on each fiber surface, with reduced boron within the bulk of each fiber, and with improved tensile creep and rupture resistance properties for each fiber. The methods include the steps of preparing an original sample of a preform formed from a pre-selected high-strength silicon carbide ceramic fiber type, placing the original sample in a processing furnace under a pre-selected preforming stress state and thermally treating the sample in the processing furnace at a pre-selected processing temperature and hold time in a processing gas having a pre-selected composition, pressure, and flow rate. For the high-temperature composite structures, the method includes additional steps of depositing a thin interphase coating on the surface of each fiber and forming a ceramic or carbon-based matrix within the sample.

Application and sensitivity investigation of Fourier transforms for microwave radiometric inversions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, J. J.; Balanis, C. A.

1974-01-01

Existing microwave radiometer technology now provides a suitable method for remote determination of the ocean surface's absolute brightness temperature. To extract the brightness temperature of the water from the antenna temperature equation, an unstable Fredholm integral equation of the first kind was solved. Fast Fourier Transform techniques were used to invert the integral after it is placed into a cross-correlation form. Application and verification of the methods to a two-dimensional modeling of a laboratory wave tank system were included. The instability of the Fredholm equation was then demonstrated and a restoration procedure was included which smooths the resulting oscillations. With the recent availability and advances of Fast Fourier Transform techniques, the method presented becomes very attractive in the evaluation of large quantities of data. Actual radiometric measurements of sea water are inverted using the restoration method, incorporating the advantages of the Fast Fourier Transform algorithm for computations.

ADS: A FORTRAN program for automated design synthesis: Version 1.10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderplaats, G. N.

1985-01-01

A new general-purpose optimization program for engineering design is described. ADS (Automated Design Synthesis - Version 1.10) is a FORTRAN program for solution of nonlinear constrained optimization problems. The program is segmented into three levels: strategy, optimizer, and one-dimensional search. At each level, several options are available so that a total of over 100 possible combinations can be created. Examples of available strategies are sequential unconstrained minimization, the Augmented Lagrange Multiplier method, and Sequential Linear Programming. Available optimizers include variable metric methods and the Method of Feasible Directions as examples, and one-dimensional search options include polynomial interpolation and the Golden Section method as examples. Emphasis is placed on ease of use of the program. All information is transferred via a single parameter list. Default values are provided for all internal program parameters such as convergence criteria, and the user is given a simple means to over-ride these, if desired.

Towards Plasma-Based Water Purification: Challenges and Prospects for the Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, John

2016-10-01

Freshwater scarcity derived from climate change, pollution, and over-development has led to serious consideration for water reuse. Advanced water treatment technologies will be required to process wastewater slated for reuse. One new and emerging technology that could potentially address the removal micropollutants in both drinking water as well as wastewater slated for reuse is plasma-based water purification. Plasma in contact with liquid water generates reactive species that attack and ultimately mineralize organic contaminants in solution. This interaction takes place in a boundary layer centered at the plasma-liquid interface. An understanding of the physical processes taking place at this interface, though poorly understood, is key to the optimization of plasma water purifiers. High electric field conditions, large density gradients, plasma-driven chemistries, and fluid dynamic effects prevail in this multiphase region. The region is also the source function for longer-lived reactive species that ultimately treat the water. Here, we review the need for advanced water treatment methods and in the process, make the case for plasma-based methods. Additionally, we survey the basic methods of interacting plasma with liquid water (including a discussion of breakdown processes in water), the current state of understanding of the physical processes taking place at the plasma-liquid interface, and the role that these processes play in water purification. The development of diagnostics usable in this multiphase environment along modeling efforts aimed at elucidating physical processes taking place at the interface are also detailed. Key experiments that demonstrate the capability of plasma-based water treatment are also reviewed. The technical challenges to the implementation of plasma-based water reactors are also discussed. NSF CBET 1336375 and DOE DE-SC0001939.

A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words: Engaging Youth in CBPR Using the Creative Arts

PubMed Central

Yonas, Michael A.; Burke, Jessica G.; Rak, Kimberly; Bennett, Antoine; Kelly, Vera; Gielen, Andrea C.

2010-01-01

Background Engaging youth and incorporating their unique expertise into the research process is important when addressing issues related to their health. Visual Voices is an arts-based participatory data collection method designed to work together with young people and communities to collaboratively elicit, examine, and celebrate the perspectives of youth. Objectives To present a process for using the creative arts with young people as a participatory data collection method and to give examples of their perspectives on safety and violence. Methods Using the creative arts, this study examined and illustrates the perspectives of how community factors influence safety and violence. Visual Voices was conducted with a total of 22 African-American youth in two urban neighborhoods. This method included creative arts-based writing, drawing, and painting activities designed to yield culturally relevant data generated and explored by youth. Qualitative data were captured through the creative content of writings, drawings, and paintings created by the youths as well as transcripts from audio recorded group discussion. Data was analyzed for thematic content and triangulated across traditional and nontraditional mediums. Findings were interpreted with participants and shared publicly for further reflection and utilization. Conclusion The youth participants identified a range of issues related to community factors, community safety, and violence. Such topics included the role of schools and social networks within the community as safe places and corner stores and abandoned houses as unsafe places. Visual Voices is a creative research method that provides a unique opportunity for youth to generate a range of ideas through access to the multiple creative methods provided. It is an innovative process that generates rich and valuable data about topics of interest and the lived experiences of young community members. PMID:20097996

Reinstating the 'Queen': understanding philosophical inquiry in nursing.

PubMed

Pesut, Barbara; Johnson, Joy

2008-01-01

This paper is an introduction to the characteristics of philosophical inquiry. Despite over a century of philosophical thinking in nursing, philosophical inquiry has yet to be positioned as contributing substantially to the field of nursing's inquiry. There is a need to articulate the nature and characteristics of philosophical inquiry for researchers new to this perspective. We begin by addressing a common question that surfaces when one begins a work that is philosophical in nature, how does one differentiate between nursing philosophy and nursing theory? We then address the nature and characteristics of philosophical inquiry. We conclude by considering the question of whether philosophical inquiry might be considered a form of qualitative inquiry. Unlike science, which relies upon investigative methods, philosophical inquiry relies upon the capacities to think and reason. Problems characteristic of philosophical inquiry include conceptual clarification, analysis of arguments and problems related to the ontology, epistemology and ethics of nursing. Although methodological approaches to philosophical inquiry are diverse, common tools include assumptions and the intellectual processes of conceptualizing, judging and reasoning within a context of wonder. Some have argued that to neglect philosophy in nursing is to place the discipline at risk. However, there is little guidance available to researchers new to this method of inquiry. By providing a beginning roadmap, our hope is that philosophical inquiry will take its place alongside scientific methods of inquiry with the goal of constructing robust knowledge for the discipline of nursing.

Transient liquid phase ceramic bonding

DOEpatents

Glaeser, Andreas M.

1994-01-01

Ceramics are joined to themselves or to metals using a transient liquid phase method employing three layers, one of which is a refractory metal, ceramic or alloy. The refractory layer is placed between two metal layers, each of which has a lower melting point than the refractory layer. The three layers are pressed between the two articles to be bonded to form an assembly. The assembly is heated to a bonding temperature at which the refractory layer remains solid, but the two metal layers melt to form a liquid. The refractory layer reacts with the surrounding liquid and a single solid bonding layer is eventually formed. The layers may be designed to react completely with each other and form refractory intermetallic bonding layers. Impurities incorporated into the refractory metal may react with the metal layers to form refractory compounds. Another method for joining ceramic articles employs a ceramic interlayer sandwiched between two metal layers. In alternative embodiments, the metal layers may include sublayers. A method is also provided for joining two ceramic articles using a single interlayer. An alternate bonding method provides a refractory-metal oxide interlayer placed adjacent to a strong oxide former. Aluminum or aluminum alloys are joined together using metal interlayers.

Dealing food: Female drug users’ narratives about food in a prison place and implications for their health

PubMed Central

Smoyer, Amy B.; Blankenship, Kim M.

2015-01-01

Background Prison is a major “place” for drug users in the US, yet remarkably little is known about the lived experience of incarceration. More information about prison life is needed to improve health outcomes for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. Methods Thirty (30) formerly incarcerated women were interviewed about prison food. All interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. Qualitative data analysis software was used to code and organize the data using thematic analysis. Results As described in these participants’ narratives, prison food systems contributed to the construction of boundaries that distinguished the prison place from places and life outside the institution's walls. Participants also described boundaries within the prison that resulted in a patchwork of interior places, each with their own unique structure, meaning, and food system. These places, constructed by physical location, movement, and power, or lack thereof, included various micro-geographies that further defined women's individual prison experience. The boundaries that separated these places were not fixed: Women shifted and diminished internal and external borders by resisting food policies and reproducing their outside lives inside. Conclusion These findings call for public policy officials and prison administrators to reexamine the prison place in order to facilitate healthier eating behaviors and lay the groundwork for more positive communication between inmates and correctional staff and administration. More research is needed to measure how these types of changes to the prison food environment impact nutritional, mental health, substance abuse, and criminal justice outcomes. PMID:24412007

Patients' and carers' perspectives of palliative care in general practice: A systematic review with narrative synthesis.

PubMed

Green, Emilie; Knight, Selena; Gott, Merryn; Barclay, Stephen; White, Patrick

2018-04-01

General practitioners have overall responsibility for community care, including towards end of life. Current policy places generalists at the centre of palliative care provision. However, little is known about how patients and carers understand the general practitioner's role. To explore patient and carer perspectives of (1) the role of the general practitioner in providing palliative care to adult patients and (2) the facilitators and barriers to the general practitioner's capacity to fulfil this perceived role. Systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, BNI, CINAHL, Cochrane and HMIC) were searched from inception to May 2017. Two reviewers independently screened papers at title, abstract and full-text stages. Grey literature, guideline, hand searches of five journals and reference list/citation searches of included papers were undertaken. Data were extracted, tabulated and synthesised using narrative, thematic analysis. A total of 25 studies were included: 14 employed qualitative methods, 8 quantitative survey methods and 3 mixed-methods. Five key themes were identified: continuity of care, communication between primary and secondary care, contact and accessibility, communication between general practitioner and patient, and knowledge and competence. Although the terminology and context of general practice vary internationally, themes relating to the perceived role of general practitioners were consistent. General practitioners are considered well placed to provide palliative care due to their breadth of clinical responsibility, ongoing relationships with patients and families, and duty to visit patients at home and coordinate healthcare resources. These factors, valued by service users, should influence future practice and policy development.

The Determinants of Place of Death: An Evidence-Based Analysis

PubMed Central

Costa, V

2014-01-01

Background According to a conceptual model described in this analysis, place of death is determined by an interplay of factors associated with the illness, the individual, and the environment. Objectives Our objective was to evaluate the determinants of place of death for adult patients who have been diagnosed with an advanced, life-limiting condition and are not expected to stabilize or improve. Data Sources A literature search was performed using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid Embase, EBSCO Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and EBM Reviews, for studies published from January 1, 2004, to September 24, 2013. Review Methods Different places of death are considered in this analysis—home, nursing home, inpatient hospice, and inpatient palliative care unit, compared with hospital. We selected factors to evaluate from a list of possible predictors—i.e., determinants—of death. We extracted the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of each determinant, performed a meta-analysis if appropriate, and conducted a stratified analysis if substantial heterogeneity was observed. Results From a literature search yielding 5,899 citations, we included 2 systematic reviews and 29 observational studies. Factors that increased the likelihood of home death included multidisciplinary home palliative care, patient preference, having an informal caregiver, and the caregiver's ability to cope. Factors increasing the likelihood of a nursing home death included the availability of palliative care in the nursing home and the existence of advance directives. A cancer diagnosis and the involvement of home care services increased the likelihood of dying in an inpatient palliative care unit. A cancer diagnosis and a longer time between referral to palliative care and death increased the likelihood of inpatient hospice death. The quality of the evidence was considered low. Limitations Our results are based on those of retrospective observational studies. Conclusions The results obtained were consistent with previously published systematic reviews. The analysis identified several factors that are associated with place of death. PMID:26351550

An Energy Model of Place Cell Network in Three Dimensional Space.

PubMed

Wang, Yihong; Xu, Xuying; Wang, Rubin

2018-01-01

Place cells are important elements in the spatial representation system of the brain. A considerable amount of experimental data and classical models are achieved in this area. However, an important question has not been addressed, which is how the three dimensional space is represented by the place cells. This question is preliminarily surveyed by energy coding method in this research. Energy coding method argues that neural information can be expressed by neural energy and it is convenient to model and compute for neural systems due to the global and linearly addable properties of neural energy. Nevertheless, the models of functional neural networks based on energy coding method have not been established. In this work, we construct a place cell network model to represent three dimensional space on an energy level. Then we define the place field and place field center and test the locating performance in three dimensional space. The results imply that the model successfully simulates the basic properties of place cells. The individual place cell obtains unique spatial selectivity. The place fields in three dimensional space vary in size and energy consumption. Furthermore, the locating error is limited to a certain level and the simulated place field agrees to the experimental results. In conclusion, this is an effective model to represent three dimensional space by energy method. The research verifies the energy efficiency principle of the brain during the neural coding for three dimensional spatial information. It is the first step to complete the three dimensional spatial representing system of the brain, and helps us further understand how the energy efficiency principle directs the locating, navigating, and path planning function of the brain.

Method of nitriding niobium to form a superconducting surface

DOEpatents

Kelley, Michael J.; Klopf, John Michael; Singaravelu, Senthilaraja

2014-08-19

A method of forming a delta niobium nitride .delta.-NbN layer on the surface of a niobium object including cleaning the surface of the niobium object; providing a treatment chamber; placing the niobium object in the treatment chamber; evacuating the chamber; passing pure nitrogen into the treatment chamber; focusing a laser spot on the niobium object; delivering laser fluences at the laser spot until the surface of the niobium object reaches above its boiling temperature; and rastering the laser spot over the surface of the niobium object.

Estimation of ovular fiber production in cotton

DOEpatents

Van`t Hof, J.

1998-09-01

The present invention is a method for rendering cotton fiber cells that are post-anthesis and pre-harvest available for analysis of their physical properties. The method includes the steps of hydrolyzing cotton fiber cells and separating cotton fiber cells from cotton ovules thereby rendering the cells available for analysis. The analysis of the fiber cells is through any suitable means, e.g., visual inspection. Visual inspection of the cells can be accomplished by placing the cells under an instrument for detection, such as microscope or other means. 4 figs.

Estimation of ovular fiber production in cotton

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

Van`t Hof, J.

The present invention is a method for rendering cotton fiber cells that are post-anthesis and pre-harvest available for analysis of their physical properties. The method includes the steps of hydrolyzing cotton fiber cells and separating cotton fiber cells from cotton ovules thereby rendering the cells available for analysis. The analysis of the fiber cells is through any suitable means, e.g., visual inspection. Visual inspection of the cells can be accomplished by placing the cells under an instrument for detection, such as microscope or other means. 4 figs.

Field matric potential sensor

DOEpatents

Hubbell, Joel M.; Sisson, James B.

2001-01-01

A method of determining matric potential of a sample, the method comprising placing the sample in a container, the container having an opening; and contacting the sample with a tensiometer via the opening. An apparatus for determining matric potential of a sample, the apparatus comprising a housing configured to receive a sample; a portable matric potential sensing device extending into the housing and having a porous member; and a wall closing the housing to insulate the sample and at least a portion of the matric potential sensing device including the porous member.

Being in a safe and thus secure place, the core of early labour: A secondary analysis in a Swedish context

PubMed Central

Carlsson, Ing-Marie

2016-01-01

Background Early labour is the very first phase of the labour process and is considered to be a period of time when no professional attendance is needed. However there is a high frequency of women who seek care at the delivery wards during this phase. When a woman is admitted to the delivery ward, one role for midwives is to determine whether the woman is in established labour or not. If the woman is assessed as being in early labour she will probably then be advised to return home. This recommendation is made due to past research that found that the longer a woman is in hospital the higher the risk for complications for her and her child. Women have described how this situation leaves them in a vulnerable situation where their preferences are not always met and where they are not always included in the decision-making process. Aim The aim of this study was to generate a theory based on where a woman chooses to be during the early labour process and to increase our understanding about how experiences can differ from place to place. Methods The method was a secondary analysis with grounded theory. The data used in the analysis was from two qualitative interview studies and 37 transcripts. Conclusion The findings revealed a substantive theory that women needed to be in a safe and thus secure place during early labour. This theory also describes the interplay between how women ascribed their meaning of childbirth as either a natural live event or a medical one, how this influenced where they wanted to be during early labour, and how that chosen place influenced their experiences of labour and birth. PMID:27172510

Method for high resolution magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

DOEpatents

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2003-12-30

A method of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object that includes placing the object in a main magnetic field (that has a static field direction) and in a radio frequency field; rotating the object at a frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a phase-corrected magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. The object may be reoriented about the magic angle axis between three predetermined positions that are related to each other by 120.degree.. The main magnetic field may be rotated mechanically or electronically. Methods for magnetic resonance imaging of the object are also described.

Method for high resolution magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

DOEpatents

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2004-12-28

A method of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object that includes placing the object in a main magnetic field (that has a static field direction) and in a radio frequency field; rotating the object at a frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a phase-corrected magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. The object may be reoriented about the magic angle axis between three predetermined positions that are related to each other by 120.degree.. The main magnetic field may be rotated mechanically or electronically. Methods for magnetic resonance imaging of the object are also described.

Hydroxide-catalyzed bonding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gwo, Dz-Hung (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A method of bonding substrates by hydroxide-catalyzed hydration/dehydration involves applying a bonding material to at least one surface to be bonded, and placing the at least one surface sufficiently close to another surface such that a bonding interface is formed between them. A bonding material of the invention comprises a source of hydroxide ions, and may optionally include a silicate component, a particulate filling material, and a property-modifying component. Bonding methods of the invention reliably and reproducibly provide bonds which are strong and precise, and which may be tailored according to a wide range of possible applications. Possible applications for bonding materials of the invention include: forming composite materials, coating substrates, forming laminate structures, assembly of precision optical components, and preparing objects of defined geometry and composition. Bonding materials and methods of preparing the same are also disclosed.

26 CFR 7.48-2 - Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... investment credit for movie and television films placed in service in a taxable year beginning before January... Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films placed in... the Tax Reform Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 1595), taxpayers who placed movie or television films (here...

26 CFR 7.48-2 - Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... investment credit for movie and television films placed in service in a taxable year beginning before January... Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films placed in... the Tax Reform Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 1595), taxpayers who placed movie or television films (here...

26 CFR 7.48-2 - Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... investment credit for movie and television films placed in service in a taxable year beginning before January... Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films placed in... the Tax Reform Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 1595), taxpayers who placed movie or television films (here...

26 CFR 7.48-2 - Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... investment credit for movie and television films placed in service in a taxable year beginning before January... Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films placed in... the Tax Reform Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 1595), taxpayers who placed movie or television films (here...

26 CFR 7.48-2 - Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... investment credit for movie and television films placed in service in a taxable year beginning before January... Election of forty-percent method of determining investment credit for movie and television films placed in... the Tax Reform Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 1595), taxpayers who placed movie or television films (here...

Place Matters: A Mixed Methods Case Study of Institutional Place-Building in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykes, Jeffrey Stuart

2017-01-01

Colleges and universities are being increasingly recognized as key contributors to the well-being of the places in which they are located. However, in spite of the promise and potential of place-based engagement, there is little agreement about what place and place-building means or how these concepts can be operationalized in within the context…

Practical optimal flight control system design for helicopter aircraft. Volume 1: Technical Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofmann, L. G.; Riedel, S. A.; Mcruer, D.

1980-01-01

A method by which modern and classical theory techniques may be integrated in a synergistic fashion and used in the design of practical flight control systems is presented. A general procedure is developed, and several illustrative examples are included. Emphasis is placed not only on the synthesis of the design, but on the assessment of the results as well.

Wild cats of the Sky Islands: a summary of monitoring efforts using noninvasive techniques

Treesearch

Lisa Haynes; Zoe Hackl; Melanie Culver

2005-01-01

A variety of efforts are taking place to detect, inventory, and monitor the wild felids (pumas, bobcats, jaguars, and ocelots) of the Madrean Archipelago. Researchers are using a suite of noninvasive methods, including infrared-triggered photography, DNA analysis of scat and hair (collected from “hair snares”), and old-fashioned tracking and sign searches. These...

Potential of a nitrogen tetroxide spill or emission during movement from supplier to user

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watje, W. F.

1978-01-01

The type of equipment used to transport nitrogen tetroxide is described along with various methods of shipping utilized. Emphasis is placed on reduction of accident rate. Potential areas for leaks, emissions, or spills discussed include: accidental spills, transfer operations, sampling, and the so-called 'empty' trailer. Corrective actions taken to reduce the occurrence of these problems are briefly discussed.

Preliminary candidate advanced avionics system for general aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccalla, T. M.; Grismore, F. L.; Greatline, S. E.; Birkhead, L. M.

1977-01-01

An integrated avionics system design was carried out to the level which indicates subsystem function, and the methods of overall system integration. Sufficient detail was included to allow identification of possible system component technologies, and to perform reliability, modularity, maintainability, cost, and risk analysis upon the system design. Retrofit to older aircraft, availability of this system to the single engine two place aircraft, was considered.

Iridium Interfacial Stack (IRIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spry, David James (Inventor)

2015-01-01

An iridium interfacial stack ("IrIS") and a method for producing the same are provided. The IrIS may include ordered layers of TaSi.sub.2, platinum, iridium, and platinum, and may be placed on top of a titanium layer and a silicon carbide layer. The IrIS may prevent, reduce, or mitigate against diffusion of elements such as oxygen, platinum, and gold through at least some of its layers.

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

Pintauro, Peter N.; Ballengee, Jason; Brodt, Matthew

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a fuel cell membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) having an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a membrane disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, includes fabricating each of the anode electrode, the cathode electrode, and the membrane separately by electrospinning; and placing the membrane between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, and pressing then together to form the fuel cell MEA.

An Analytical Investigation of Three General Methods of Calculating Chemical-Equilibrium Compositions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeleznik, Frank J.; Gordon, Sanford

1960-01-01

The Brinkley, Huff, and White methods for chemical-equilibrium calculations were modified and extended in order to permit an analytical comparison. The extended forms of these methods permit condensed species as reaction products, include temperature as a variable in the iteration, and permit arbitrary estimates for the variables. It is analytically shown that the three extended methods can be placed in a form that is independent of components. In this form the Brinkley iteration is identical computationally to the White method, while the modified Huff method differs only'slightly from these two. The convergence rates of the modified Brinkley and White methods are identical; and, further, all three methods are guaranteed to converge and will ultimately converge quadratically. It is concluded that no one of the three methods offers any significant computational advantages over the other two.

Cocaine locomotor activation, sensitization and place preference in six inbred strains of mice

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The expanding set of genomics tools available for inbred mouse strains has renewed interest in phenotyping larger sets of strains. The present study aims to explore phenotypic variability among six commonly-used inbred mouse strains to both the rewarding and locomotor stimulating effects of cocaine in a place conditioning task, including several strains or substrains that have not yet been characterized for some or all of these behaviors. Methods C57BL/6J (B6), BALB/cJ (BALB), C3H/HeJ (C3H), DBA/2J (D2), FVB/NJ (FVB) and 129S1/SvImJ (129) mice were tested for conditioned place preference to 20 mg/kg cocaine. Results Place preference was observed in most strains with the exception of D2 and 129. All strains showed a marked increase in locomotor activity in response to cocaine. In BALB mice, however, locomotor activation was context-dependent. Locomotor sensitization to repeated exposure to cocaine was most significant in 129 and D2 mice but was absent in FVB mice. Conclusions Genetic correlations suggest that no significant correlation between conditioned place preference, acute locomotor activation, and locomotor sensitization exists among these strains indicating that separate mechanisms underlie the psychomotor and rewarding effects of cocaine. PMID:21806802

Spiking Neurons in a Hierarchical Self-Organizing Map Model Can Learn to Develop Spatial and Temporal Properties of Entorhinal Grid Cells and Hippocampal Place Cells

PubMed Central

Pilly, Praveen K.; Grossberg, Stephen

2013-01-01

Medial entorhinal grid cells and hippocampal place cells provide neural correlates of spatial representation in the brain. A place cell typically fires whenever an animal is present in one or more spatial regions, or places, of an environment. A grid cell typically fires in multiple spatial regions that form a regular hexagonal grid structure extending throughout the environment. Different grid and place cells prefer spatially offset regions, with their firing fields increasing in size along the dorsoventral axes of the medial entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. The spacing between neighboring fields for a grid cell also increases along the dorsoventral axis. This article presents a neural model whose spiking neurons operate in a hierarchy of self-organizing maps, each obeying the same laws. This spiking GridPlaceMap model simulates how grid cells and place cells may develop. It responds to realistic rat navigational trajectories by learning grid cells with hexagonal grid firing fields of multiple spatial scales and place cells with one or more firing fields that match neurophysiological data about these cells and their development in juvenile rats. The place cells represent much larger spaces than the grid cells, which enable them to support navigational behaviors. Both self-organizing maps amplify and learn to categorize the most frequent and energetic co-occurrences of their inputs. The current results build upon a previous rate-based model of grid and place cell learning, and thus illustrate a general method for converting rate-based adaptive neural models, without the loss of any of their analog properties, into models whose cells obey spiking dynamics. New properties of the spiking GridPlaceMap model include the appearance of theta band modulation. The spiking model also opens a path for implementation in brain-emulating nanochips comprised of networks of noisy spiking neurons with multiple-level adaptive weights for controlling autonomous adaptive robots capable of spatial navigation. PMID:23577130

Defining the most probable location of the parahippocampal place area using cortex-based alignment and cross-validation.

PubMed

Weiner, Kevin S; Barnett, Michael A; Witthoft, Nathan; Golarai, Golijeh; Stigliani, Anthony; Kay, Kendrick N; Gomez, Jesse; Natu, Vaidehi S; Amunts, Katrin; Zilles, Karl; Grill-Spector, Kalanit

2018-04-15

The parahippocampal place area (PPA) is a widely studied high-level visual region in the human brain involved in place and scene processing. The goal of the present study was to identify the most probable location of place-selective voxels in medial ventral temporal cortex. To achieve this goal, we first used cortex-based alignment (CBA) to create a probabilistic place-selective region of interest (ROI) from one group of 12 participants. We then tested how well this ROI could predict place selectivity in each hemisphere within a new group of 12 participants. Our results reveal that a probabilistic ROI (pROI) generated from one group of 12 participants accurately predicts the location and functional selectivity in individual brains from a new group of 12 participants, despite between subject variability in the exact location of place-selective voxels relative to the folding of parahippocampal cortex. Additionally, the prediction accuracy of our pROI is significantly higher than that achieved by volume-based Talairach alignment. Comparing the location of the pROI of the PPA relative to published data from over 500 participants, including data from the Human Connectome Project, shows a striking convergence of the predicted location of the PPA and the cortical location of voxels exhibiting the highest place selectivity across studies using various methods and stimuli. Specifically, the most predictive anatomical location of voxels exhibiting the highest place selectivity in medial ventral temporal cortex is the junction of the collateral and anterior lingual sulci. Methodologically, we make this pROI freely available (vpnl.stanford.edu/PlaceSelectivity), which provides a means to accurately identify a functional region from anatomical MRI data when fMRI data are not available (for example, in patient populations). Theoretically, we consider different anatomical and functional factors that may contribute to the consistent anatomical location of place selectivity relative to the folding of high-level visual cortex. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A numerical similarity approach for using retired Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for electronic phenotyping in the Scalable Collaborative Infrastructure for a Learning Health System (SCILHS).

PubMed

Klann, Jeffrey G; Phillips, Lori C; Turchin, Alexander; Weiler, Sarah; Mandl, Kenneth D; Murphy, Shawn N

2015-12-11

Interoperable phenotyping algorithms, needed to identify patient cohorts meeting eligibility criteria for observational studies or clinical trials, require medical data in a consistent structured, coded format. Data heterogeneity limits such algorithms' applicability. Existing approaches are often: not widely interoperable; or, have low sensitivity due to reliance on the lowest common denominator (ICD-9 diagnoses). In the Scalable Collaborative Infrastructure for a Learning Healthcare System (SCILHS) we endeavor to use the widely-available Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) procedure codes with ICD-9. Unfortunately, CPT changes drastically year-to-year - codes are retired/replaced. Longitudinal analysis requires grouping retired and current codes. BioPortal provides a navigable CPT hierarchy, which we imported into the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) data warehouse and analytics platform. However, this hierarchy does not include retired codes. We compared BioPortal's 2014AA CPT hierarchy with Partners Healthcare's SCILHS datamart, comprising three-million patients' data over 15 years. 573 CPT codes were not present in 2014AA (6.5 million occurrences). No existing terminology provided hierarchical linkages for these missing codes, so we developed a method that automatically places missing codes in the most specific "grouper" category, using the numerical similarity of CPT codes. Two informaticians reviewed the results. We incorporated the final table into our i2b2 SCILHS/PCORnet ontology, deployed it at seven sites, and performed a gap analysis and an evaluation against several phenotyping algorithms. The reviewers found the method placed the code correctly with 97 % precision when considering only miscategorizations ("correctness precision") and 52 % precision using a gold-standard of optimal placement ("optimality precision"). High correctness precision meant that codes were placed in a reasonable hierarchal position that a reviewer can quickly validate. Lower optimality precision meant that codes were not often placed in the optimal hierarchical subfolder. The seven sites encountered few occurrences of codes outside our ontology, 93 % of which comprised just four codes. Our hierarchical approach correctly grouped retired and non-retired codes in most cases and extended the temporal reach of several important phenotyping algorithms. We developed a simple, easily-validated, automated method to place retired CPT codes into the BioPortal CPT hierarchy. This complements existing hierarchical terminologies, which do not include retired codes. The approach's utility is confirmed by the high correctness precision and successful grouping of retired with non-retired codes.

Femtosecond laser-induced formation of submicrometer spikes on a semiconductor substrate

DOEpatents

Mazur, Eric [Concord, MA; Shen, Mengyan [Arlington, MA

2008-10-28

The present invention generally provides semiconductor substrates having submicron-sized surface features generated by irradiating the surface with ultra short laser pulses. In one aspect, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed that includes placing at least a portion of a surface of the substrate in contact with a fluid, and exposing that surface portion to one or more femtosecond pulses so as to modify the topography of that portion. The modification can include, e.g., generating a plurality of submicron-sized spikes in an upper layer of the surface.

Femtosecond laser-induced formation of submicrometer spikes on a semiconductor substrate

DOEpatents

Mazur, Eric; Shen, Mengyan

2015-09-15

The present invention generally provides semiconductor substrates having submicronsized surface features generated by irradiating the surface with ultra short laser pulses. In one aspect, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed that includes placing at least a portion of a surface of the substrate in contact with a fluid, and exposing that surface portion to one or more femtosecond pulses so as to modify the topography of that portion. The modification can include, e.g., generating a plurality of submicron-sized spikes in an upper layer of the surface.

Femtosecond laser-induced formation of submicrometer spikes on a semiconductor substrate

DOEpatents

Mazur, Eric , Shen; Mengyan, [Belmont, MA

2011-02-08

The present invention generally provides semiconductor substrates having submicron-sized surface features generated by irradiating the surface with ultra short laser pulses. In one aspect, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed that includes placing at least a portion of a surface of the substrate in contact with a fluid, and exposing that surface portion to one or more femtosecond pulses so as to modify the topography of that portion. The modification can include, e.g., generating a plurality of submicron-sized spikes in an upper layer of the surface.

Method for high resolution magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

DOEpatents

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2003-11-25

A method of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object that includes placing the biological object in a main magnetic field and in a radio frequency field, the main magnetic field having a static field direction; rotating the biological object at a rotational frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. According to another embodiment, the radio frequency is pulsed to provide a sequence capable of producing a spectrum that is substantially free of spinning sideband peaks.

Method of detecting defects in ion exchange membranes of electrochemical cells by chemochromic sensors

DOEpatents

Brooker, Robert Paul; Mohajeri, Nahid

2016-01-05

A method of detecting defects in membranes such as ion exchange membranes of electrochemical cells. The electrochemical cell includes an assembly having an anode side and a cathode side with the ion exchange membrane in between. In a configuration step a chemochromic sensor is placed above the cathode and flow isolation hardware lateral to the ion exchange membrane which prevents a flow of hydrogen (H.sub.2) between the cathode and anode side. The anode side is exposed to a first reactant fluid including hydrogen. The chemochromic sensor is examined after the exposing for a color change. A color change evidences the ion exchange membrane has at least one defect that permits H.sub.2 transmission therethrough.

Investigation of sorption interactions between oil shale principal mineral phases and organic compounds

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

Bowen, J.M.

1988-09-01

The interactions between minerals representative of the bulk composition of oil shales and organic compounds that have been found in oil shale leachates were investigated. The method used to directly determine the type of interactions that could take place between organic compounds and oil shale mineral phases was Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) using several advanced detection methods, including diffuse reflectance (DRIFT) and photoacoustics (PAS). The minerals that were investigated include quartz, calcite, and dolomite, which are known to figure significantly in the composition of processed oil shales. The organic chemical compounds used were chosen from a list of compoundsmore » identified in spent oil shale leachates, and they include pyridine, phenol, p-cresol, and acetone. The sorption interactions for the study were prepared by exposing each of the minerals to the organic compounds by three different methods. These were vapor deposition, direct application, and immersion in an aqueous solution at pH 12. 41 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.« less

A Place Pedagogy for "Global Contemporaneity"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Somerville, Margaret J.

2010-01-01

Around the globe people are confronted daily with intransigent problems of space and place. Educators have historically called for place-based or place-conscious education to introduce pedagogies that will address such questions as how to develop sustainable communities and places. These calls for place-conscious education have included liberal…

[Bayesian approach for the cost-effectiveness evaluation of healthcare technologies].

PubMed

Berchialla, Paola; Gregori, Dario; Brunello, Franco; Veltri, Andrea; Petrinco, Michele; Pagano, Eva

2009-01-01

The development of Bayesian statistical methods for the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of health care technologies is reviewed. Although many studies adopt a frequentist approach, several authors have advocated the use of Bayesian methods in health economics. Emphasis has been placed on the advantages of the Bayesian approach, which include: (i) the ability to make more intuitive and meaningful inferences; (ii) the ability to tackle complex problems, such as allowing for the inclusion of patients who generate no cost, thanks to the availability of powerful computational algorithms; (iii) the importance of a full use of quantitative and structural prior information to produce realistic inferences. Much literature comparing the cost-effectiveness of two treatments is based on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. However, new methods are arising with the purpose of decision making. These methods are based on a net benefits approach. In the present context, the cost-effectiveness acceptability curves have been pointed out to be intrinsically Bayesian in their formulation. They plot the probability of a positive net benefit against the threshold cost of a unit increase in efficacy.A case study is presented in order to illustrate the Bayesian statistics in the cost-effectiveness analysis. Emphasis is placed on the cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Advantages and disadvantages of the method described in this paper have been compared to frequentist methods and discussed.

Method for manufacturing solid-state thermal neutron detectors with simultaneous high thermal neutron detection efficiency (>50%) and neutron to gamma discrimination (>1.0E4)

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

Nikolic, Rebecca J.; Conway, Adam M.; Heineck, Daniel

2013-10-15

Methods for manufacturing solid-state thermal neutron detectors with simultaneous high thermal neutron detection efficiency (>50%) and neutron to gamma discrimination (>10.sup.4) are provided. A structure is provided that includes a p+ region on a first side of an intrinsic region and an n+ region on a second side of the intrinsic region. The thickness of the intrinsic region is minimized to achieve a desired gamma discrimination factor of at least 1.0E+04. Material is removed from one of the p+ region or the n+ region and into the intrinsic layer to produce pillars with open space between each pillar. The openmore » space is filed with a neutron sensitive material. An electrode is placed in contact with the pillars and another electrode is placed in contact with the side that is opposite of the intrinsic layer with respect to the first electrode.« less

A picture's worth a thousand words: engaging youth in CBPR using the creative arts.

PubMed

Yonas, Michael A; Burke, Jessica G; Rak, Kimberly; Bennett, Antoine; Kelly, Vera; Gielen, Andrea C

2009-01-01

Engaging youth and incorporating their unique expertise into the research process is important when addressing issues related to their health. Visual Voices is an arts-based participatory data collection method designed to work together with young people and communities to collaboratively elicit, examine, and celebrate the perspectives of youth. To present a process for using the creative arts with young people as a participatory data collection method and to give examples of their perspectives on safety and violence. Using the creative arts, this study examined and illustrates the perspectives of how community factors influence safety and violence. Visual Voices was conducted with a total of 22 African-American youth in two urban neighborhoods. This method included creative arts-based writing, drawing, and painting activities designed to yield culturally relevant data generated and explored by youth. Qualitative data were captured through the creative content of writings, drawings, and paintings created by the youths as well as transcripts from audio recorded group discussion. Data was analyzed for thematic content and triangulated across traditional and nontraditional mediums. Findings were interpreted with participants and shared publicly for further reflection and utilization. The youth participants identified a range of issues related to community factors, community safety, and violence. Such topics included the role of schools and social networks within the community as safe places and corner stores and abandoned houses as unsafe places. Visual Voices is a creative research method that provides a unique opportunity for youth to generate a range of ideas through access to the multiple creative methods provided. It is an innovative process that generates rich and valuable data about topics of interest and the lived experiences of young community members.

Communicating Climate Change through Place Based Engagement: Methods, Research, and Applications to Parks and Protected Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Shawn Kyle

2014-01-01

This research explored the connections between place attachment and resident perceptions of tourism. Aspects of place attachment such as place identity and place dependence were tested against tourism dependence for strength of correlation and relationship to perceived impacts of tourism. Survey data were collected from residents of eight…

Place-based planning: innovations and applications from four western forests.

Treesearch

Jennifer O. Farnum; Linda E. Kruger

2008-01-01

Place-based planning is an emergent method of public lands planning that aims to redefine the scale at which planning occurs, using place meanings and place values to guide planning processes. Despite the approach's growing popularity, there exist few published accounts of place-based approaches. To provide practitioners and researchers with such examples, the...

Robotic retroperitoneal partial nephrectomy: a step-by-step guide.

PubMed

Ghani, Khurshid R; Porter, James; Menon, Mani; Rogers, Craig

2014-08-01

To describe a step-by-step guide for successful implementation of the retroperitoneal approach to robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patient is placed in the flank position and the table fully flexed to increase the space between the 12th rib and iliac crest. Access to the retroperitoneal space is obtained using a balloon-dilating device. Ports include a 12-mm camera port, two 8-mm robotic ports and a 12-mm assistant port placed in the anterior axillary line cephalad to the anterior superior iliac spine, and 7-8 cm caudal to the ipsilateral robotic port. Positioning and port placement strategies for successful technique include: (i) Docking robot directly over the patient's head parallel to the spine; (ii) incision for camera port ≈1.9 cm (1 fingerbreadth) above the iliac crest, lateral to the triangle of Petit; (iii) Seldinger technique insertion of kidney-shaped balloon dilator into retroperitoneal space; (iv) Maximising distance between all ports; (v) Ensuring camera arm is placed in the outer part of the 'sweet spot'. The retroperitoneal approach to RPN permits direct access to the renal hilum, no need for bowel mobilisation and excellent visualisation of posteriorly located tumours. © 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.

Enhanced Precision Geolocation in 4G Wireless Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

years has implemented a National Emergency Warning System using text messages delivered to cell phones [5]. The November 1999 FCC E911 regulations...statistical theory of passive geolocation of emitters may be found in [18]. Papers that survey methods of geolocation applied to cell phones include [4...where to put the tower % n: which tower to place %randomTowers(obj,dispersion, seperation ): generates % random towers for the network % obj: the network

Multi-step heater deployment in a subsurface formation

DOEpatents

Mason, Stanley Leroy [Allen, TX

2012-04-03

A method for installing a horizontal or inclined subsurface heater includes placing a heating section of a heater in a horizontal or inclined section of a wellbore with an installation tool. The tool is uncoupled from the heating section. A lead in section is mechanically and electrically coupled to the heating section of the heater. The lead-in section is located in an angled or vertical section of the wellbore.

Multi-clad black display panel

DOEpatents

Veligdan, James T.; Biscardi, Cyrus; Brewster, Calvin

2002-01-01

A multi-clad black display panel, and a method of making a multi-clad black display panel, are disclosed, wherein a plurality of waveguides, each of which includes a light-transmissive core placed between an opposing pair of transparent cladding layers and a black layer disposed between transparent cladding layers, are stacked together and sawed at an angle to produce a wedge-shaped optical panel having an inlet face and an outlet face.

Liquid propellant gas generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The design of gas generators intended to provide hot gases for turbine drive is discussed. Emphasis is placed on the design and operation of bipropellant gas generators because of their wider use. Problems and limitations involved in turbine operation due to temperature effects are analyzed. Methods of temperature control of gas turbines and combustion products are examined. Drawings of critical sections of gas turbines to show their operation and areas of stress are included.

[Induced abortion in The Netherlands in the twentieth century; from taboo to revolutionary change].

PubMed

Treffers, P E

2006-03-11

Between 1890 and 1945 the number of induced (criminal) abortions increased in Amsterdam; from 1945 up until the 1960s the number decreased slightly. In 1965 the number of induced abortions that took place in Amsterdam was estimated at more than 2000. Complications were frequent and included infections, septicaemia, damage caused by injected soap and sometimes air embolism. Women in Amsterdam often used primitive methods of contraception, but effective methods, such as condoms and diaphragms, were also used to some degree. Oral contraception was introduced in The Netherlands in 1962. Its use increased rapidly and consequently many doctors were confronted with problems surrounding contraception, including failures and abortion requests. After a television programme on abortion in 1967, requests for abortion surged. Hospitals set up multidisciplinary abortion committees to assess the requests, but soon it became evident that the women themselves were better able to judge whether they should undergo the procedure. Abortion clinics were established outside hospitals. Support from the feminist movement played a role after changes were already underway. The nationwide number of abortions increased to 21,000 in 1972 and to about 25,000 in the 1990s. The number remained stable, even among teenagers, because caregivers placed a great deal of emphasis on adequate contraception.

A comparison of respondent-driven and venue-based sampling of female sex workers in Liuzhou, China

PubMed Central

Weir, Sharon S; Merli, M Giovanna; Li, Jing; Gandhi, Anisha D; Neely, William W; Edwards, Jessie K; Suchindran, Chirayath M; Henderson, Gail E; Chen, Xiang-Sheng

2012-01-01

Objectives To compare two methods for sampling female sex workers (FSWs) for bio-behavioural surveillance. We compared the populations of sex workers recruited by the venue-based Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) method and a concurrently implemented network-based sampling method, respondent-driven sampling (RDS), in Liuzhou, China. Methods For the PLACE protocol, all female workers at a stratified random sample of venues identified as places where people meet new sexual partners were interviewed and tested for syphilis. Female workers who reported sex work in the past 4 weeks were categorised as FSWs. RDS used peer recruitment and chain referral to obtain a sample of FSWs. Data were collected between October 2009 and January 2010. We compared the socio-demographic characteristics and the percentage with a positive syphilis test of FSWs recruited by PLACE and RDS. Results The prevalence of a positive syphilis test was 24% among FSWs recruited by PLACE and 8.5% among those recruited by RDS and tested (prevalence ratio 3.3; 95% CI 1.5 to 7.2). Socio-demographic characteristics (age, residence and monthly income) also varied by sampling method. PLACE recruited fewer FSWs than RDS (161 vs 583), was more labour-intensive and had difficulty gaining access to some venues. RDS was more likely to recruit from areas near the RDS office and from large low prevalence entertainment venues. Conclusions Surveillance protocols using different sampling methods can obtain different estimates of prevalence and population characteristics. Venue-based and network-based methods each have strengths and limitations reflecting differences in design and assumptions. We recommend that more research be conducted on measuring bias in bio-behavioural surveillance. PMID:23172350

Differences Among Patients That Make Their Tinnitus Worse or Better

PubMed Central

Tyler, Richard S.; Ji, Haihong; Coelho, Claudia; Gogel, Stephanie A.

2015-01-01

Purpose Our objective was to identify activities that influence tinnitus and to determine if conditional probabilities exist among such variables. Method Two hundred fifty-eight patients were asked the following two questions: “When you have your tinnitus, which of the following makes it worse?” and “Which of the following reduces your tinnitus?” Results Things that made tinnitus better included noise (31%) and relaxation (15%). Things that made tinnitus worse included being in a quiet place (48%), stress (36%), being in a noisy place (32%), and lack of sleep (27%). Almost 6% of patients suggested coffee/tea and 4% said certain foods made their tinnitus worse. Conditional probabilities indicated that for those whose tinnitus is not worse in quiet, it is usually not reduced by noise. For those whose tinnitus is not worse in noise, it is usually not reduced in quiet. Conclusion There are dramatic differences among patients. Such differences need to be considered in planning treatments. PMID:26649850

Activity recognition with smartphone support.

PubMed

Guiry, John J; van de Ven, Pepijn; Nelson, John; Warmerdam, Lisanne; Riper, Heleen

2014-06-01

In this paper, the authors describe a method of accurately detecting human activity using a smartphone accelerometer paired with a dedicated chest sensor. The design, implementation, testing and validation of a custom mobility classifier are also presented. Offline analysis was carried out to compare this custom classifier to de-facto machine learning algorithms, including C4.5, CART, SVM, Multi-Layer Perceptrons, and Naïve Bayes. A series of trials were carried out in Ireland, initially involving N=6 individuals to test the feasibility of the system, before a final trial with N=24 subjects took place in the Netherlands. The protocol used and analysis of 1165min of recorded activities from these trials are described in detail in this paper. Analysis of collected data indicate that accelerometers placed in these locations, are capable of recognizing activities including sitting, standing, lying, walking, running and cycling with accuracies as high as 98%. Copyright © 2014 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Closure Report (CR) for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 91: Area 3 U-3fi Injection Well with Errata Sheet and Certification, Revision 0

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

Navarro Nevada Environmental Services

The closure report for CAU 91 has no Use Restriction Form or drawing/map included in the document to describe the use restricted area, however, Section 3.3.3 states that the site will be fenced and signage placed indicating the area as a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Unit. The drawing that was placed in the FFACO indicating the use restricted area lists the coordinates for the RCRA Unit in Nevada State Plan Coordinates - North American Datum of 1983. In the ensuing years the reporting of coordinates has been standardized so that all coordinates are reported in the same manner,more » which is: NAD 27 UTM Zone 11 N, meters. This Errata Sheet updates the coordinate reporting to the currently accepted method and includes an aerial photo showing the RCRA Unit with the coordinates listed showing the use restricted area.« less

Modern temporal network theory: a colloquium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holme, Petter

2015-09-01

The power of any kind of network approach lies in the ability to simplify a complex system so that one can better understand its function as a whole. Sometimes it is beneficial, however, to include more information than in a simple graph of only nodes and links. Adding information about times of interactions can make predictions and mechanistic understanding more accurate. The drawback, however, is that there are not so many methods available, partly because temporal networks is a relatively young field, partly because it is more difficult to develop such methods compared to for static networks. In this colloquium, we review the methods to analyze and model temporal networks and processes taking place on them, focusing mainly on the last three years. This includes the spreading of infectious disease, opinions, rumors, in social networks; information packets in computer networks; various types of signaling in biology, and more. We also discuss future directions.

Matrix Assisted Ionization Vacuum (MAIV), a New Ionization Method for Biological Materials Analysis Using Mass Spectrometry*

PubMed Central

Inutan, Ellen D.; Trimpin, Sarah

2013-01-01

The introduction of electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) for the mass spectrometric analysis of peptides and proteins had a dramatic impact on biological science. We now report that a wide variety of compounds, including peptides, proteins, and protein complexes, are transported directly from a solid-state small molecule matrix to gas-phase ions when placed into the vacuum of a mass spectrometer without the use of high voltage, a laser, or added heat. This ionization process produces ions having charge states similar to ESI, making the method applicable for high performance mass spectrometers designed for atmospheric pressure ionization. We demonstrate highly sensitive ionization using intermediate pressure MALDI and modified ESI sources. This matrix and vacuum assisted soft ionization method is suitable for the direct surface analysis of biological materials, including tissue, via mass spectrometry. PMID:23242551

Greenhouse gas emissions from alternative water supply processes in southern California, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, A.; Townsend-Small, A.

2012-12-01

Burgeoning population centers and declining hydrological resources have encouraged the development of alternative water treatment systems, including desalination and wastewater recycling. These processes currently provide potable water for millions of people and assist in satisfying agricultural and landscaping irrigation demands. There are a variety of alternative water production methods in place, and while they help to reduce the demands placed on aquifers, during their operation they are also significant sources of greenhouse gases. The environmental advantages of these alternative water production methods need to be carefully weighed against their energy footprints and greenhouse gas emissions profiles. This study measured the greenhouse gas emissions of a wastewater treatment and recycling facility in Orange County, California to get a more complete picture of the carbon footprint of the plant. We measured atmospheric emissions of CO2, CH4, and N2O throughout the water recycling process and at various times of the day and week. This allowed us to assemble a thorough, cross-sectional profile of greenhouse gas emissions from the facility. We then compared the measured emissions of the treatment plant to the modeled emissions of desalination plants in order to assess the relative carbon footprints of the two water production methods. Other water supply alternatives, including regional water importation, were also included in the comparison in order to provide a more complete understanding of the potential greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, we assessed the significance of wastewater treatment as an urban greenhouse gas source when compared to other known emissions in the region. This research offers a valuable tool for sustainable urban and regional development by providing planners with a quantified comparison of the carbon footprints of several water production options.

The Measurement of Unsteady Surface Pressure Using a Remote Microphone Probe.

PubMed

Guan, Yaoyi; Berntsen, Carl R; Bilka, Michael J; Morris, Scott C

2016-12-03

Microphones are widely applied to measure pressure fluctuations at the walls of solid bodies immersed in turbulent flows. Turbulent motions with various characteristic length scales can result in pressure fluctuations over a wide frequency range. This property of turbulence requires sensing devices to have sufficient sensitivity over a wide range of frequencies. Furthermore, the small characteristic length scales of turbulent structures require small sensing areas and the ability to place the sensors in very close proximity to each other. The complex geometries of the solid bodies, often including large surface curvatures or discontinuities, require the probe to have the ability to be set up in very limited spaces. The development of a remote microphone probe, which is inexpensive, consistent, and repeatable, is described in the present communication. It allows for the measurement of pressure fluctuations with high spatial resolution and dynamic response over a wide range of frequencies. The probe is small enough to be placed within the interior of typical wind tunnel models. The remote microphone probe includes a small, rigid, and hollow tube that penetrates the model surface to form the sensing area. This tube is connected to a standard microphone, at some distance away from the surface, using a "T" junction. An experimental method is introduced to determine the dynamic response of the remote microphone probe. In addition, an analytical method for determining the dynamic response is described. The analytical method can be applied in the design stage to determine the dimensions and properties of the RMP components.

Electron beam control for barely separated beams

DOEpatents

Douglas, David R.; Ament, Lucas J. P.

2017-04-18

A method for achieving independent control of multiple beams in close proximity to one another, such as in a multi-pass accelerator where coaxial beams are at different energies, but moving on a common axis, and need to be split into spatially separated beams for efficient recirculation transport. The method for independent control includes placing a magnet arrangement in the path of the barely separated beams with the magnet arrangement including at least two multipole magnets spaced closely together and having a multipole distribution including at least one odd multipole and one even multipole. The magnetic fields are then tuned to cancel out for a first of the barely separated beams to allow independent control of the second beam with common magnets. The magnetic fields may be tuned to cancel out either the dipole component or tuned to cancel out the quadrupole component in order to independently control the separate beams.

Play as Place: A Safe Space for Young Children to Learn about the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitecki, Elena; Chung, Mi-Hyun

2016-01-01

This theoretical discussion frames play as a "place" consistent with the tenets of place-based education. We adopt a broad definition of place-based education to include both the environment around the child and the place within the child, their "world of play." We will apply theories of place-based education to demonstrate…

Beyond Self-Report: Emerging Methods for Capturing Individual Differences in Decision-Making Process

PubMed Central

Connors, Brenda L.; Rende, Richard; Colton, Timothy J.

2016-01-01

People vary in the way in which they approach decision-making, which impacts real-world behavior. There has been a surge of interest in moving beyond reliance on self-report measures to capture such individual differences. Particular emphasis has been placed on devising and applying a range of methodologies that include experimental, neuroscience, and observational paradigms. This paper provides a selective review of recent studies that illustrate the methods and yield of these approaches in terms of generating a deeper understanding of decision-making style and the notable differences that can be found across individuals. PMID:26973589

Beyond Self-Report: Emerging Methods for Capturing Individual Differences in Decision-Making Process.

PubMed

Connors, Brenda L; Rende, Richard; Colton, Timothy J

2016-01-01

People vary in the way in which they approach decision-making, which impacts real-world behavior. There has been a surge of interest in moving beyond reliance on self-report measures to capture such individual differences. Particular emphasis has been placed on devising and applying a range of methodologies that include experimental, neuroscience, and observational paradigms. This paper provides a selective review of recent studies that illustrate the methods and yield of these approaches in terms of generating a deeper understanding of decision-making style and the notable differences that can be found across individuals.

Method for measuring lead concentrations in blood

DOEpatents

Nogar, Nicholas S.

2001-01-01

Method for measuring lead concentrations in blood. The present invention includes the use of resonant laser ablation to analyze .ltoreq.1 .mu.L (or equivalent mass) samples of blood for lead content. A typical finger prick, for example, yields about 10 .mu.L. Solid samples may also readily be analyzed by resonant laser ablation. The sample is placed on a lead-free, electrically conducting substrate and irradiated with a single, focused laser beam which simultaneously vaporizes, atomizes, and resonantly ionizes an analyte of interest in a sample. The ions are then sorted, collected and detected using a mass spectrometer.

Packed bed carburization of tantalum and tantalum alloy

DOEpatents

Lopez, Peter C.; Rodriguez, Patrick J.; Pereyra, Ramiro A.

1999-01-01

Packed bed carburization of a tantalum or tantalum alloy object. A method for producing corrosion-resistant tantalum or tantalum alloy objects is described. The method includes the steps of placing the object in contact with a carburizing pack, heating the packed object in vacuum furnace to a temperature whereby carbon from the pack diffuses into the object forming grains with tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries, and etching the surface of the carburized object. This latter step removes tantalum carbides from the surface of the carburized tantalum object while leaving the tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries.

Packed bed carburization of tantalum and tantalum alloy

DOEpatents

Lopez, P.C.; Rodriguez, P.J.; Pereyra, R.A.

1999-06-29

Packed bed carburization of a tantalum or tantalum alloy object is disclosed. A method for producing corrosion-resistant tantalum or tantalum alloy objects is described. The method includes the steps of placing the object in contact with a carburizing pack, heating the packed object in vacuum furnace to a temperature whereby carbon from the pack diffuses into the object forming grains with tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries, and etching the surface of the carburized object. This latter step removes tantalum carbides from the surface of the carburized tantalum object while leaving the tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries. 4 figs.

Methods for Producing High-Performance Silicon Carbide Fibers, Architectural Preforms, and High-Temperature Composite Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yun, Hee-Mann (Inventor); DiCarlo, James A. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

Methods are disclosed for producing architectural preforms and high-temperature composite structures containing high-strength ceramic fibers with reduced preforming stresses within each fiber, with an in-situ grown coating on each fiber surface, with reduced boron within the bulk of each fiber, and with improved tensile creep and rupture resistance properties tier each fiber. The methods include the steps of preparing an original sample of a preform formed from a pre-selected high-strength silicon carbide ceramic fiber type, placing the original sample in a processing furnace under a pre-selected preforming stress state and thermally treating the sample in the processing furnace at a pre-selected processing temperature and hold time in a processing gas having a pre-selected composition, pressure, and flow rate. For the high-temperature composite structures, the method includes additional steps of depositing a thin interphase coating on the surface of each fiber and forming a ceramic or carbon-based matrix within the sample.

Household energy management strategies in Bulgaria's transitioning energy sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carper, Mark Daniel Lynn

Recent transition literature of post-socialist states has addressed the shortcomings of a rapid blanket implementation of neo-liberal policies and practices placed upon a landscape barren of the needed institutions and experiences. Included in these observations are the policy-making oversight of spatial socioeconomic variations and their individual and diverse methods of coping with their individual challenges. Of such literature addressing the case of Bulgaria, a good portion deals with the spatial consequences of restructuring as well as with embedded disputes over access to and control of resources. With few exceptions, studies of Bulgaria's changing energy sector have largely been at the state level and have not been placed within the context of spatial disparities of socioeconomic response. By exploring the variations of household energy management strategies across space, my dissertation places this resource within such a theoretical context and offers analysis based on respective levels of economic and human development, inherited material infrastructures, the organization and activities of institutions, and fuel and technological availability. A closed survey was distributed to explore six investigational themes across four geographic realms. The investigational themes include materials of housing construction, methods of household heating, use of electrical appliances, energy conservation strategies, awareness and use of energy conservation technologies, and attitudes toward the transitioning energy sector. The geographic realms include countrywide results, the urban-rural divide, regional variations, and urban divisions of the capital city, Sofia. Results conclude that, indeed, energy management strategies at the household level have been shaped by multiple variables, many of which differ across space. These variables include price sensitivity, degree of dependence on remnant technologies, fuel and substitute availability, and level of human and socioeconomic development. Thus far, the state has taken a very limited role in improving residential energy efficiency despite the increased energy expenditure burdens that most households face. Yet lacking are affordable technologies, educational campaigns, and individual financing mechanisms or incentives. As shown, where there is an informed, active, and financially capable population, improved household efficiency is more likely to be the winning strategy for both the goals of the individual as well as of the state.

Pressurized heat treatment of glass ceramic

DOEpatents

Kramer, D.P.

1984-04-19

A method of producing a glass-ceramic having a specified thermal expansion value is disclosed. The method includes the step of pressurizing the parent glass material to a predetermined pressure during heat treatment so that the glass-ceramic produced has a specified thermal expansion value. Preferably, the glass-ceramic material is isostatically pressed. A method for forming a strong glass-ceramic to metal seal is also disclosed in which the glass-ceramic is fabricated to have a thermal expansion value equal to that of the metal. The determination of the thermal expansion value of a parent glass material placed in a high-temperature environment is also used to determine the pressure in the environment.

Method of assembling an electric power

DOEpatents

Rinehart, Lawrence E [Lake Oswego, OR; Romero, Guillermo L [Phoenix, AZ

2007-05-03

A method of assembling and providing an electric power apparatus. The method uses a heat resistant housing having a structure adapted to accommodate and retain a power circuit card and also including a bracket adapted to accommodate and constrain a rigid conductive member. A power circuit card having an electrical terminal is placed into the housing and a rigid conductive member into the bracket. The rigid conductive member is flow soldered to the electrical terminal, thereby exposing the heat resistant housing to heat and creating a solder bond. Finally, the rigid conductive member is affirmatively connected to the housing. The bracket constrains the rigid conductive member so that the act of affirmatively connecting does not weaken the solder bond.

3D printed optical phantoms and deep tissue imaging for in vivo applications including oral surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bentz, Brian Z.; Costas, Alfonso; Gaind, Vaibhav; Garcia, Jose M.; Webb, Kevin J.

2017-03-01

Progress in developing optical imaging for biomedical applications requires customizable and often complex objects known as "phantoms" for testing, evaluation, and calibration. This work demonstrates that 3D printing is an ideal method for fabricating such objects, allowing intricate inhomogeneities to be placed at exact locations in complex or anatomically realistic geometries, a process that is difficult or impossible using molds. We show printed mouse phantoms we have fabricated for developing deep tissue fluorescence imaging methods, and measurements of both their optical and mechanical properties. Additionally, we present a printed phantom of the human mouth that we use to develop an artery localization method to assist in oral surgery.

Pressurized heat treatment of glass-ceramic to control thermal expansion

DOEpatents

Kramer, Daniel P.

1985-01-01

A method of producing a glass-ceramic having a specified thermal expansion value is disclosed. The method includes the step of pressurizing the parent glass material to a predetermined pressure during heat treatment so that the glass-ceramic produced has a specified thermal expansion value. Preferably, the glass-ceramic material is isostatically pressed. A method for forming a strong glass-ceramic to metal seal is also disclosed in which the glass-ceramic is fabricated to have a thermal expansion value equal to that of the metal. The determination of the thermal expansion value of a parent glass material placed in a high-temperature environment is also used to determine the pressure in the environment.

Paracoccidioidomycosis: Current Perspectives from Brazil

PubMed Central

Mendes, Rinaldo Poncio; Cavalcante, Ricardo de Souza; Marques, Sílvio Alencar; Marques, Mariângela Esther Alencar; Venturini, James; Sylvestre, Tatiane Fernanda; Paniago, Anamaria Mello Miranda; Pereira, Ana Carla; da Silva, Julhiany de Fátima; Fabro, Alexandre Todorovic; Bosco, Sandra de Moraes Gimenes; Bagagli, Eduardo; Hahn, Rosane Christine; Levorato, Adriele Dandara

2017-01-01

Background: This review article summarizes and updates the knowledge on paracoccidioidomycosis. P lutzii and the cryptic species of P. brasiliensis and their geographical distribution in Latin America, explaining the difficulties observed in the serological diagnosis. Objectives: Emphasis has been placed on some genetic factors as predisposing condition for paracoccidioidomycosis. Veterinary aspects were focused, showing the wide distribution of infection among animals. The cell-mediated immunity was better characterized, incorporating the recent findings. Methods: Serological methods for diagnosis were also compared for their parameters of accuracy, including the analysis of relapse. Results: Clinical forms have been better classified in order to include the pictures less frequently observesiod. Conclusion: Itraconazole and the trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole combination was compared regarding efficacy, effectiveness and safety, demonstrating that azole should be the first choice in the treatment of paracoccidioidomycosis. PMID:29204222

Factors influencing acceptance of technology for aging in place: a systematic review.

PubMed

Peek, Sebastiaan T M; Wouters, Eveline J M; van Hoof, Joost; Luijkx, Katrien G; Boeije, Hennie R; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2014-04-01

To provide an overview of factors influencing the acceptance of electronic technologies that support aging in place by community-dwelling older adults. Since technology acceptance factors fluctuate over time, a distinction was made between factors in the pre-implementation stage and factors in the post-implementation stage. A systematic review of mixed studies. Seven major scientific databases (including MEDLINE, Scopus and CINAHL) were searched. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) original and peer-reviewed research, (2) qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods research, (3) research in which participants are community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older, and (4) research aimed at investigating factors that influence the intention to use or the actual use of electronic technology for aging in place. Three researchers each read the articles and extracted factors. Sixteen out of 2841 articles were included. Most articles investigated acceptance of technology that enhances safety or provides social interaction. The majority of data was based on qualitative research investigating factors in the pre-implementation stage. Acceptance in this stage is influenced by 27 factors, divided into six themes: concerns regarding technology (e.g., high cost, privacy implications and usability factors); expected benefits of technology (e.g., increased safety and perceived usefulness); need for technology (e.g., perceived need and subjective health status); alternatives to technology (e.g., help by family or spouse), social influence (e.g., influence of family, friends and professional caregivers); and characteristics of older adults (e.g., desire to age in place). When comparing these results to qualitative results on post-implementation acceptance, our analysis showed that some factors are persistent while new factors also emerge. Quantitative results showed that a small number of variables have a significant influence in the pre-implementation stage. Fourteen out of the sixteen included articles did not use an existing technology acceptance framework or model. Acceptance of technology in the pre-implementation stage is influenced by multiple factors. However, post-implementation research on technology acceptance by community-dwelling older adults is scarce and most of the factors in this review have not been tested by using quantitative methods. Further research is needed to determine if and how the factors in this review are interrelated, and how they relate to existing models of technology acceptance. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mindful Place-Based Education: Mapping the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deringer, S. Anthony

2017-01-01

Place-based education and mindfulness are not new concepts, but the idea of combining the two bodies of work to explore what mindful place-based education might look like may provide a useful new perspective. The purpose of the literature review is to take place-based pedagogical methods and examine how mindfulness might influence the experience…

Place attachment of the public space in Krueng Cunda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novianti, Yenny; Ginting, Nurlisa; Marpaung, B. O. Y.

2018-03-01

Attachment to place will have an impact on the design a city, especially the public space. Part of important from place attachment can the great benefit in from a city. One of the result is influence to quality of life from urban society. That is not only, but forming of identity a city, dependence and sense of place. That is all measureable when the people have activity to place. Place attachment is connection human to place involve a psychological process. As for the issue in reservoir area and the river of Krueng Cunda. The main purpose in this study is find interaction individuals or urban society to public space. This study have use mixed method are combination with quantitave and qualitative. The quantitative method make use of questionnaires and qualitative with observations. The results of this study indicate that psychological process is more dominant than attachment to the place or human. At finally is this research show attachment to the psychological process feel better than to community because can fulfill a sense, comfortable, safety, lifestyle and goal needs of life to the public space.

Technologies for Clinical Diagnosis Using Expired Human Breath Analysis

PubMed Central

Mathew, Thalakkotur Lazar; Pownraj, Prabhahari; Abdulla, Sukhananazerin; Pullithadathil, Biji

2015-01-01

This review elucidates the technologies in the field of exhaled breath analysis. Exhaled breath gas analysis offers an inexpensive, noninvasive and rapid method for detecting a large number of compounds under various conditions for health and disease states. There are various techniques to analyze some exhaled breath gases, including spectrometry, gas chromatography and spectroscopy. This review places emphasis on some of the critical biomarkers present in exhaled human breath, and its related effects. Additionally, various medical monitoring techniques used for breath analysis have been discussed. It also includes the current scenario of breath analysis with nanotechnology-oriented techniques. PMID:26854142

Femtosecond laser-induced formation of submicrometer spikes on a semiconductor substrate

DOEpatents

Mazur, Eric; Shen, Mengyan

2013-12-03

The present invention generally provides a semiconductor substrates having submicron-sized surface features generated by irradiating the surface with ultra short laser pulses. In one aspect, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed that includes placing at least a portion of a surface of the substrate in contact with a fluid, and exposing that surface portion to one or more femtosecond pulses so as to modify the topography of that portion. The modification can include, e.g., generating a plurality of submicron-sized spikes in an upper layer of the surface.

Efficiency of nonstandard and high contact ratio involute spur gears

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, N. E.; Loewenthal, S. H.

1984-01-01

A power loss prediction was extended to include involute spur gears of nonstandard proportions. The method is used to analyze the effects of modified addendum, tooth thickness, and gear center distance in addition to the parameters previously considered which included gear diameter, pitch, pressure angle, face width, oil viscosity, speed, and torque. Particular emphasis was placed on high contact ratio gearing (contact ratios greater than two). Despite their higher sliding velocities, high contact ratio gears are designed to levels of efficiency comparable to those of conventional gears while retaining their advantages through proper selection of gear geometry.

Efficiency of nonstandard and high contact ratio involute spur gears

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, N. E.; Loewenthal, S. H.

1986-01-01

A power loss prediction was extended to include involute spur gears of nonstandard proportions. The method is used to analyze the effects of modified addendum, tooth thickness, and gear center distance in addition to the parameters previously considered which included gear diameter, pitch, pressure angle, face width, oil viscosity, speed, and torque. Particular emphasis was placed on high contact ratio gearing (contact ratios greater than two). Despite their higher sliding velocities, high contact ratio gears are designed to levels of efficiency comparable to those of conventional gears while retaining their advantages through proper selection of gear geometry.

Target isolation system, high power laser and laser peening method and system using same

DOEpatents

Dane, C. Brent; Hackel, Lloyd A.; Harris, Fritz

2007-11-06

A system for applying a laser beam to work pieces, includes a laser system producing a high power output beam. Target delivery optics are arranged to deliver the output beam to a target work piece. A relay telescope having a telescope focal point is placed in the beam path between the laser system and the target delivery optics. The relay telescope relays an image between an image location near the output of the laser system and an image location near the target delivery optics. A baffle is placed at the telescope focal point between the target delivery optics and the laser system to block reflections from the target in the target delivery optics from returning to the laser system and causing damage.

Neurostimulation of the Gastrointestinal Tract: Review of Recent Developments

PubMed Central

Abell, Thomas L.; Chen, Jiande; Emmanuel, Anton; Jolley, Christopher; Sarela, Abeezar I.; Törnblom, Hans

2015-01-01

Neurostimulation is one manifestation of neuromodulation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This manuscript reviews the history of neurostimulation of the GI tract with emphasis on current methods of stimulation. Upper GI disorders can be modulated with both temporary (placed endoscopically or surgically) or permanent (placed surgically) gastric electrical stimulation (GES) devices. The current gastrointestinal (GI) neurostimulation of stomach (GES) devices have been used in both children and adults and some patients have been followed in excess of 15 years with good long-term results. Similar GES devices have also been used for a variety of lower GI disorders, including constipation and fecal incontinence, for a number of years. Based on these recent developments, the future uses of neurostimulation in the GI tract are discussed with an emphasis on new applications and innovations. PMID:25581846

Origin of band gaps in graphene on hexagonal boron nitride

PubMed Central

Jung, Jeil; DaSilva, Ashley M.; MacDonald, Allan H.; Adam, Shaffique

2015-01-01

Recent progress in preparing well-controlled two-dimensional van der Waals heterojunctions has opened up a new frontier in materials physics. Here we address the intriguing energy gaps that are sometimes observed when a graphene sheet is placed on a hexagonal boron nitride substrate, demonstrating that they are produced by an interesting interplay between structural and electronic properties, including electronic many-body exchange interactions. Our theory is able to explain the observed gap behaviour by accounting first for the structural relaxation of graphene’s carbon atoms when placed on a boron nitride substrate, and then for the influence of the substrate on low-energy π-electrons located at relaxed carbon atom sites. The methods we employ can be applied to many other van der Waals heterojunctions. PMID:25695638

[Association between evacuation condition and habitual physical activity in Great East Japan Earthquake evacuees: The Fukushima Health Management Survey].

PubMed

Nagai, Masato; Ohira, Tetsuya; Yasumura, Seiji; Takahashi, Hideto; Yuki, Michiko; Nakano, Hironori; Wen, Zhang; Yabe, Hirooki; Ohtsuru, Akira; Maeda, Masaharu; Takase, Kanae

2016-01-01

Objectives: Prevalence of life-style disease has increased dramatically in evacuees due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. One reason may be that physical activity level decreased from life environment changes due to evacuation. However, associations between evacuation condition and habitual physical activity have not been studied. We examined this association in Fukushima residents who participated in the Fukushima Health Management Survey. Methods: In this study, 37,843 evacuees from 13 municipal evacuation zones from the nuclear-power accident caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, born before April 1, 1995, were included in the analysis. Evacuation condition was defined by disaster living place (13 zones), evacuation place (inside or outside the prefecture), and current living status (evacuation shelter or temporary housing, rental housing/ apartment, and relative's home or own home). Habitual physical activity was defined from self-administered questionnaires as participants who responded "almost every day" and "2-4 times/week" of regular exercise. In the analysis, habitual physical activity prevalence was aggregated by gender and variables (living place in the disaster, evacuation place, and current living status). Prevalence was adjusted for age, disaster living place, evacuation place, and current living status by standard analysis of covariance methods. Results: Adjusted prevalences of habitual physical activity were: men, 27.9-46.5%; women, 27.0-43.7% in each disaster living place. The differences were 18.6% point in men and 16.7% point in women. For evacuation place, physical activity outside the prefecture for men (37.7%) and inside the prefecture for women (32.1%) were higher, but those differences were only 2.2% point and 1.8% point in men and women, respectively. For current living status, physical activity of those in rental housing/ apartment was the lowest; evacuation shelter or temporary housing was the highest in both genders (men: 38.9%, women: 36.7%). Compared with residents in evacuation shelter or temporary housing, those in rental housing/apartment were 5.4% point and 7.1% point lower and those in relative's home or own home were 2.0% point and 4.2% point lower in men and women. Conclusion: Habitual physical activity in residents who lived in 13 municipal evacuation zone differed by disaster living place and current living status, while it was similar regardless of placement in the prefecture. In particular, prevalence was the lowest in participants who lived in rental housing/ apartment. We need to plan and perform additional life-style disease prevention strategies for participants who become isolated.

On the Determination of the Orbits of Comets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Englefield, Henry

2013-06-01

Preface; 1. General view of the method; 2. On the motion of the point of intersection of the radius vector and cord; 3. On the comparison of the parabolic cord with the space which answers to the mean velocity of the earth in the same time; 4. Of the reduction of the second longitude of the comet; 5. On the proportion of the three curtate distances of the comet from the earth; 6. Of the graphical declination of the orbit of the earth; 7. Of the numerical quantities to be prepared for the construction or computation of the comet's orbit; 8. Determination of the distances of the comet from the earth and the sun; 9. Determination of the elements of the orbit from the determined distances; 10. Determination of the place of the comet from the earth and sun; 11. Determination of the distances of the comet from the earth and sun; 12. Determination of the comet's orbit; 13. Determination of the place of the comet; 14. Application of the graphical method to the comet of 1769; 15. Application of the distances found; 16. Determination of the place of the comet, for another given time; 17. Application of the trigonometrical method to the comet of 1769; 18. Determination of the elements of the orbit of the comet of 1769; Example of the graphical operation for the orbit of the comet of 1769; Example of the trigonometrical operation for the orbit of the comet of 1769; Conclusion; La Place's general method for determining the orbits of comets; Determination of the two elements of the orbit; Application of La Place's method of finding the approximate perihelion distance; Application of La Place's method for correcting the orbit of a comet, to the comet of 1769; Explanation and use of the tables; Tables; Appendix; Plates.

Nanoscopic electrode molecular probes

DOEpatents

Krstic, Predrag S [Knoxville, TN; Meunier, Vincent [Knoxville, TN

2012-05-22

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for enhancing the electron transport property measurements of a molecule when the molecule is placed between chemically functionalized carbon-based nanoscopic electrodes to which a suitable voltage bias is applied. The invention includes selecting a dopant atom for the nanoscopic electrodes, the dopant atoms being chemically similar to atoms present in the molecule, and functionalizing the outer surface and terminations of the electrodes with the dopant atoms.

Continuity and Flexibility in Agricultural Training Courses With Special Attention on "Dairy and Extension" Courses. Center for International Agricultural Development Cooperation (CINADCO) Evaluation Report #4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blum, Abraham; Azencot, Moshe

An evaluation was made of the international cooperative training programs for developing countries that have been in place in Israel for about 30 years. Of special interest were the dairy courses for English- and Spanish-speaking students. Methods used in the research included study of the course records, interviews with all people involved in the…

Detector Design Considerations in High-Dimensional Artificial Immune Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

a method known as randomized RNS [15]. In this approach, Monte Carlo integration is used to determine the size of self and non-self within the given...feature space, then a number of randomly placed detectors are chosen according to Monte Carlo integration calculations. Simulated annealing is then...detector is only counted once). This value is termed ‘actual content’ because it does not including overlapping content, but only that content that is

Effectiveness of Item Response Theory (IRT) Proficiency Estimation Methods under Adaptive Multistage Testing. Research Report. ETS RR-15-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sooyeon; Moses, Tim; Yoo, Hanwook Henry

2015-01-01

The purpose of this inquiry was to investigate the effectiveness of item response theory (IRT) proficiency estimators in terms of estimation bias and error under multistage testing (MST). We chose a 2-stage MST design in which 1 adaptation to the examinees' ability levels takes place. It includes 4 modules (1 at Stage 1, 3 at Stage 2) and 3 paths…

Hybrid Cryogenic Tank Construction and Method of Manufacture Therefor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLay, Thomas K. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A lightweight, high-pressure cryogenic tank construction includes an inner layer comprising a matrix of fiber and resin suitable for cryogenic use. An outer layer in intimate contact with the inner layer provides support of the inner layer, and is made of resin composite. The tank is made by placing a fiber preform on a mandrel and infusing the preform with the resin. The infused preform is then encapsulated within the outer layer.

X-ray focal spot locating apparatus and method

DOEpatents

Gilbert, Hubert W.

1985-07-30

An X-ray beam finder for locating a focal spot of an X-ray tube includes a mass of X-ray opaque material having first and second axially-aligned, parallel-opposed faces connected by a plurality of substantially identical parallel holes perpendicular to the faces and a film holder for holding X-ray sensitive film tightly against one face while the other face is placed in contact with the window of an X-ray head.

Influence of Implant Shape (Tapered vs Cylindrical) on the Survival of Dental Implants Placed in the Posterior Maxilla: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Alshehri, Mohammed; Alshehri, Fahad

2016-12-01

The aim of this review was to assess the effect of implant shape (tapered vs cylindrical) on the survival of dental implants placed in the posterior maxilla. Databases were searched from 1977 up to and including February 2015 using various key words. Only original clinical studies were included. Experimental studies, letters to the editor, review articles, case reports, and unpublished literature were excluded. The pattern of the present review was customized to mainly summarize the relevant information. Five studies were included. The number of patients included ranged between 4 and 29 participants. In total, 7 to 72 implants were placed in the posterior maxilla. Tapered and cylindrical shaped implants were placed in 1 and 1 study, respectively. In 1 study, both 41 tapered and cylindrical implant were placed. In all studies, rough-surfaced and threaded implants were used. Three studies reported the diameter and lengths of implants placed, which ranged between 3.75 to 4 mm and 10 to 20 mm, respectively. The mean follow-up period and survival rate of implants ranged between 19 and 96 months and 84.2% to 100%, respectively. In 1 study, implants were placed subcrestally in the posterior maxilla. Guided bone regeneration was performed in none of the studies. In all studies, participants were nonsmokers and were systemically healthy. There is no influence of implant shape on the survival of implants placed in the posterior maxilla.

Adjustable permanent magnet assembly for NMR and MRI

DOEpatents

Pines, Alexander; Paulsen, Jeffrey; Bouchard, Louis S; Blumich, Bernhard

2013-10-29

System and methods for designing and using single-sided magnet assemblies for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are disclosed. The single-sided magnet assemblies can include an array of permanent magnets disposed at selected positions. At least one of the permanent magnets can be configured to rotate about an axis of rotation in the range of at least +/-10 degrees and can include a magnetization having a vector component perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The single-sided magnet assemblies can further include a magnet frame that is configured to hold the permanent magnets in place while allowing the at least one of the permanent magnets to rotate about the axis of rotation.

Cancer and Tobacco Use

MedlinePlus

... all indoor public places and worksites, including all restaurants, bars, and casinos. Top of Page Tobacco use ... all indoor public places and worksites, including all restaurants, bars, and casinos. Healthcare providers can Ask all ...

The difference biocultural "place" makes to community efforts towards sustainable development: Youth participatory action research in a marine protected area of Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McRuer, Jennifer; Zethelius, Margarita

2017-12-01

The Latin American concept of "(collective) biocultural heritage" arose from Indigenous knowledge and practices with respect to local natural resources and environment, including the food being hunted, the crops being grown, and the landscapes being created. The term is now used more widely to describe community practices, goals and priorities that are determined, maintained and managed by diverse cultural relationships with "place". The study presented in this article investigated biocultural place relationships in connection with well-being and sustainability. In the context of learning and action for sustainability in Isla Grande, an island in a marine protected area of Colombia, this study targeted the significance of place to the everyday lives of Afro-Colombian youth - from their perspective. Beyond aiming to merely observe and collect data, the methodology included a research design which actively involved local youth and incorporated the aspect of place. The authors describe and reflect on the processes, learning and action that emerged throughout the research, as well as the study's limitations. They discuss broad implications in terms of how place relationships influence research, and how research influences place relationships. Local implications include supporting the voice of youth in community efforts to re-imagine and transform place relationships in response to critical place issues such as climate change, top-down resource management, privatisation, commodification and growing environmental injustice.

Numerical methods for stochastic differential equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kloeden, Peter; Platen, Eckhard

1991-06-01

The numerical analysis of stochastic differential equations differs significantly from that of ordinary differential equations due to the peculiarities of stochastic calculus. This book provides an introduction to stochastic calculus and stochastic differential equations, both theory and applications. The main emphasise is placed on the numerical methods needed to solve such equations. It assumes an undergraduate background in mathematical methods typical of engineers and physicists, through many chapters begin with a descriptive summary which may be accessible to others who only require numerical recipes. To help the reader develop an intuitive understanding of the underlying mathematicals and hand-on numerical skills exercises and over 100 PC Exercises (PC-personal computer) are included. The stochastic Taylor expansion provides the key tool for the systematic derivation and investigation of discrete time numerical methods for stochastic differential equations. The book presents many new results on higher order methods for strong sample path approximations and for weak functional approximations, including implicit, predictor-corrector, extrapolation and variance-reduction methods. Besides serving as a basic text on such methods. the book offers the reader ready access to a large number of potential research problems in a field that is just beginning to expand rapidly and is widely applicable.

Participatory mapping in low-resource settings: Three novel methods used to engage Kenyan youth and other community members in community-based HIV prevention research

PubMed Central

Green, Eric P.; Warren, Virginia Rieck; Broverman, Sherryl; Ogwang, Benson; Puffer, Eve S.

2017-01-01

Understanding the link between health and place can strengthen the design of health interventions, particularly in the context of HIV prevention. Individuals who might one day participate in such interventions—including youth—may further improve the design if engaged in a meaningful way in the formative research process. Increasingly, participatory mapping methods are being used to achieve both aims. We describe the development of three innovative mapping methods for engaging youth in formative community-based research: ‘dot map’ focus groups, geocaching games, and satellite imagery assisted daily activity logs. We demonstrate that these methods are feasible and acceptable in a low-resource, rural African setting. The discussion outlines the merits of each method and considers possible limitations. PMID:27064073

Apparatus and methods for purifying lead

DOEpatents

Tunison, Harmon M.

2016-01-12

Disclosed is an exemplary method of purifying lead which includes the steps of placing lead and a fluoride salt blend in a container; forming a first fluid of molten lead at a first temperature; forming a second fluid of the molten fluoride salt blend at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; mixing the first fluid and the second fluid together; separating the two fluids; solidifying the molten fluoride salt blend at a temperature above a melting point of the lead; and removing the molten lead from the container. In certain exemplary methods the molten lead is removed from the container by decanting. In still other exemplary methods the molten salt blend is a Lewis base fluoride eutectic salt blend, and in yet other exemplary methods the molten salt blend contains sodium fluoride, lithium fluoride, and potassium fluoride.

Factors affecting the outcomes of modified tension band wiring techniques in transverse patellar fractures.

PubMed

Hsu, Kai-Lan; Chang, Wei-Lun; Yang, Chyun-Yu; Yeh, Ming-Long; Chang, Chih-Wei

2017-12-01

Modified tension band wiring has been widely used to treat transverse patellar fractures. However, few studies have evaluated the clinical outcomes using different methods of Kirschner wire bending, location of the tension band, and depths of Kirschner wires. Thus, we tried to clarify these factors according to our clinical outcomes. This retrospective cohort study recruited consecutive patients underwent surgical fixation for patellar fractures using modified tension band technique between January 2010 and December 2015. Different factors in this procedure, including the bending manner of the Kirschner wires, their depth, and location of the tension band with respect to the superior and inferior border of the patella were recorded and analysed. The primary outcome was early loss of fixation. The secondary outcomes were minor loss of reduction, implant breakage, deep infection, and the need for implant removal. This study included 170 patients with patellar fractures. Regarding the bending method, similar results were obtained with bilaterally or proximally bent Kirschner wires. Regarding length, the tension band was placed closely (within 25% of the patella length) in 124 patients and distantly in 46 patients. The rates of loss of reduction and implant breakage were significantly higher in the distantly placed tension bands. Regarding depth, 37 patellar fractures were fixed with the Kirschner wires at the superficial one third of the patellae while the K- wires at the middle layer of patella were used in the remaining 133 patellar fractures. A significantly higher rate of minor loss of reduction was obtained using the superficial Kirschner wires. The modified tension band technique for transverse patella fractures provides favourable clinical outcomes, with low failure (5%) and infection (2%) rates. Implant irritation is the major complication, and almost half of cases require implant removal. The location of the tension band with respect to the superior and inferior border of the patella plays an important role in clinical outcomes. Placing the wire close to the patella may prevent major loss of reduction and implant breakage. Superficially placed Kirschner wires also affect clinical outcomes by increasing the rate of minor loss of reduction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nocturnal Video Assessment of Infant Sleep Environments

PubMed Central

Batra, Erich K.; Teti, Douglas M.; Schaefer, Eric W.; Neumann, Brooke A.; Meek, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Reports describing factors associated with sleep-related infant death rely on caregiver report or postmortem findings. We sought to determine the frequency of environmental risk factors by using nocturnal sleep videos of infants. METHODS: Healthy, term newborns were recruited for a parent study examining the role of parenting in the development of nighttime infant sleep patterns. For 1 night at ages 1, 3, and 6 months, video recordings were conducted within family homes. Videos were coded for sudden infant death syndrome risk factors in post hoc secondary analyses after the parent study was completed. RESULTS: Among 160 one-month-olds, initially 21% were placed to sleep on nonrecommended sleep surfaces and 14% were placed nonsupine; 91% had loose/nonapproved items on their sleep surface, including bedding, bumper pads, pillows, stuffed animals, and sleep positioners. Among 151 three-month-olds, 10% were initially placed on a nonrecommended sleep surface, 18% were placed nonsupine, and 87% had potentially hazardous items on their sleep surface. By 6 months, 12% of the 147 infants initially slept on a nonrecommended surface, 33% were placed to bed nonsupine, and 93% had loose/nonrecommended items on their surface. At 1, 3, and 6 months, 28%, 18%, and 12% changed sleep locations overnight, respectively, with an increased likelihood of bed-sharing and nonsupine position at the second location at each time point. CONCLUSIONS: Most parents, even when aware of being recorded, placed their infants in sleep environments with established risk factors. If infants were moved overnight, the second sleep environment generally had more hazards. PMID:27527797

Place-based Pedagogy and Culturally Responsive Assessment in Hawai`i: Transforming Curriculum Development and Assessment by Intersecting Hawaiian and Western STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinn, P. W. U.

2016-12-01

Context/Purpose: The Hawaiian Islands span 1500 miles. Age, size, altitude and isolation produced diverse topographies, weather patterns, and unique ecosystems. Around 500 C.E. Polynesians arrived and developed sustainable social ecosystems, ahupua`a, extending from mountain-top to reef. Place-based ecological knowledge was key to personal identity and resource management that sustained 700,000 people at western contact. But Native Hawaiian students are persistently underrepresented in science. This two-year mixed methods study asks if professional development (PD) can transform teaching in ways that support K12 Native Hawaiian students' engagement and learning in STEM. Methods: Place-based PD informed by theories of structure and agency (Sewell, 1992) and cultural funds of knowledge (Moll, Amanti, Neff, & Gonzalez, 1992) explicitly intersected Hawaiian and western STEM knowledge and practices. NGSS and Nā Hopena A`o, general learner outcomes that reflect Hawaiian culture and values provided teachers with new schemas for designing curriculum and assessment through the lens of culture and place. Data sources include surveys, teacher and student documents, photographs. Results: Teachers' lessons on invasive species, water, soils, Hawaiian STEM, and sustainability and student work showed they learned key Hawaiian terms, understood the impact of invasive species on native plants and animals, felt stronger senses of responsibility, belonging, and place, and preferred outdoor learning. Survey results of 21 4th graders showed Native Hawaiian students (n=6) were more interested in taking STEM and Hawaiian culture/language courses, more concerned about invasive species and culturally important plant and animals, but less able to connect school and family activities than non-Hawaiian peers (n=15). Teacher agency is seen in their interest in collaborating across schools to develop ahupua`a based K12 STEM curricula. Interpretation and Conclusion: Findings suggest PD explicitly integrating Western and Hawaiian STEM systems contributes to teacher agency and place-based expertise. Future research with a new cohort of teachers will expand grades and numbers of students surveyed to validate first year findings and guide future PD oriented to STEM equity for Native Hawaiian students.

Influenza vaccination of health care personnel: Experiences with the first year of a national data collection effort.

PubMed

Kalayil, Elizabeth J; Dolan, Samantha B; Lindley, Megan C; Ahmed, Faruque

2015-11-01

The purpose of this project was to evaluate a standardized measure of health care personnel (HCP) influenza vaccination during the first year of implementation. The measure requires acute care hospitals to gather vaccination status data from employees, licensed independent practitioners (LIPs), and adult students/trainees and volunteers. The evaluation included a hospital sampling frame stratified by 4 United States Census Bureau Regions and hospital bed count. The hospitals were selected within strata using simple random sampling and the probability proportional to size method, without replacement. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted. Two qualitative data analysts independently coded each interview, and data were synthesized using a thematic analysis. This evaluation took place at hospitals reporting HCP influenza vaccination data as part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program. Participants included the staff at 46 hospitals who were knowledgeable about data collection to fulfill IQR program requirements. Facilitators of data collection included having a small number of HCP, having a data collection system already in place, and providing HCP with advance notice of data collection. Major challenges included the absence of an established tracking process and monitoring HCP not regularly working in the facility, particularly LIPs. More than half of the facilities noted the time- and/or resource-intensive nature of data collection. Most facilities used data collected to meet other reporting requirements beyond the IQR Program. Hospitals implemented a range of data collection methods to comply with reporting requirements. Lessons learned from the first year of measure implementation can be used to enhance data collection practices across HCP groups for future influenza seasons. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

From sense of place to visualization of place: examining people-place relationships for insight on developing geovisualizations.

PubMed

Newell, Robert; Canessa, Rosaline

2018-02-01

Effective resource planning incorporates people-place relationships, allowing these efforts to be inclusive of the different local beliefs, interests, activities and needs. 'Geovisualizations' can serve as potentially powerful tools for facilitating 'place-conscious' resource planning, as they can be developed with high degrees of realism and accuracy, allowing people to recognize and relate to them as 'real places'. However, little research has been done on this potential, and the place-based applications of these visual tools are poorly understood. This study takes steps toward addressing this gap by exploring the relationship between sense of place and 'visualization of place'. Residents of the Capital Regional District of BC, Canada, were surveyed about their relationship with local coastal places, concerns for the coast, and how they mentally visualize these places. Factor analysis identified four sense of place dimensions - nature protection values, community and economic well-being values, place identity and place dependence, and four coastal concerns dimensions - ecological, private opportunities, public space and boating impacts. Visualization data were coded and treated as dependent variables in a series of logistic regressions that used sense of place and coastal concerns dimensions as predictors. Results indicated that different aspects of sense of place and (to a lesser degree) concerns for places influence the types of elements people include in their mental visualization of place. In addition, sense of place influenced the position and perspective people assume in these visualizations. These findings suggest that key visual elements and perspectives speak to different place relationships, which has implications for developing and using geovisualizations in terms of what elements should be included in tools and (if appropriate) depicted as affected by potential management or development scenarios.

Qualitative Analysis of Surveyed Emergency Responders and the Identified Factors That Affect First Stage of Primary Triage Decision-Making of Mass Casualty Incidents

PubMed Central

Klein, Kelly R.; Burkle Jr., Frederick M.; Swienton, Raymond; King, Richard V.; Lehman, Thomas; North, Carol S.

2016-01-01

Introduction: After all large-scale disasters multiple papers are published describing the shortcomings of the triage methods utilized. This paper uses medical provider input to help describe attributes and patient characteristics that impact triage decisions. Methods: A survey distributed electronically to medical providers with and without disaster experience. Questions asked included what disaster experiences they had, and to rank six attributes in order of importance regarding triage. Results: 403 unique completed surveys were analyzed. 92% practiced a structural triage approach with the rest reporting they used “gestalt”.(gut feeling) Twelve per cent were identified as having placed patients in an expectant category during triage. Respiratory status, ability to speak, perfusion/pulse were all ranked in the top three. Gut feeling regardless of statistical analysis was fourth. Supplies were ranked in the top four when analyzed for those who had placed patients in the expectant category. Conclusion: Primary triage decisions in a mass casualty scenario are multifactorial and encompass patient mobility, life saving interventions, situational instincts, and logistics. PMID:27651979

Fostering sustainability: A qualitative interview study exploring how educators work to cultivate nature awareness in young children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Rebecca A.

The purpose of this study is to examine how educators are working to foster sustainability through cultivating nature awareness in young children. Data were collected in the form of qualitative semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using descriptive and deductive coding methods. Findings were viewed through the lens of critical pedagogy and the methods and models of teaching for nature awareness, which included ecological literacy, place based education, and education for sustainable development. There were five major themes and findings that emerged from the interviews with the participants in this study: terms and definitions used, personal stories, strategies for teaching nature awareness and sustainability, barriers, and current issues. This study may benefit those wishing to begin or continue to foster sustainability through teaching nature awareness. The literature review presented in the study aims to address the gap between the practice and pedagogy in teaching for nature awareness and sustainability. Keywords: teaching, nature awareness, sustainability, educators, young children, elementary, preschool, school, natural world, ecological literacy, place-based education, education for sustainable development, critical pedagogy

Isobaric groundwater well

DOEpatents

Hubbell, Joel M.; Sisson, James B.

1999-01-01

A method of measuring a parameter in a well, under isobaric conditions, including such parameters as hydraulic gradient, pressure, water level, soil moisture content and/or aquifer properties the method as presented comprising providing a casing having first and second opposite ends, and a length between the ends, the casing supporting a transducer having a reference port; placing the casing lengthwise into the well, second end first, with the reference port vented above the water table in the well; and sealing the first end. A system is presented for measuring a parameter in a well, the system comprising a casing having first and second opposite ends, and a length between the ends and being configured to be placed lengthwise into a well second end first; a transducer, the transducer having a reference port, the reference port being vented in the well above the water table, the casing being screened across and above the water table; and a sealing member sealing the first end. In one embodiment, the transducer is a tensiometer transducer and in other described embodiments, another type transducer is used in addition to a tensiometer.

Family learning with mobile devices in the outdoors: Designing an e-Trailguide to facilitate families' joint engagement with the natural world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClain, Lucy R.

This study describes the implementation of a self-guiding mobile learning tool designed to support families' engagements with the natural world as they explored the flora and fauna along one nature trail at an environmental center. Thirty-one family groups (n = 105 individuals) participated in this study during the summer season and used an iPad-based e-Trailguide during their nature walk. Design-based research methods guided this study's design, which focused on the third iteration of the e-Trailguide. Data included evaluation of families' content knowledge gains related to the local biodiversity as revealed through post-hike interviews, while videorecords of each family's nature walk experience were also collected. Qualitative analyses focused on the design features within the e-Trailguide that supported the families' technology-mediated engagements with nature and their interactions with each other at one Discovery Spot along the nature trail. Findings include: (a) open-ended interviews after the e-Trailguide experience provided a descriptive understanding of the families' conceptual knowledge gains; (b) four place-based design features within the e-Trailguide enabled and supported families' observational, pointing, and tactile investigation engagements with the natural world; (c) parents took on teacher-like roles for their children by connecting information from the e-Trailguide to the natural objects nearby as evidenced through their frequency of pointing gestures; and (d) the development of an analytical framework related to joint observation strategies used between family members to support science-related sense making. Design recommendations for the future implementation of e-Trailguides in outdoor settings include the incorporation of place-based observational questions, place-based textual prompts for focusing observations, drawing activities to record observations, and place-based images to support identification of wildlife. Key words: family learning, engagement, mobile-based learning, outdoor learning, observation, environmental education, informal science learning.

The place of punishment: Variation in the provision of inmate services staff across the punitive turn

PubMed Central

Phelps, Michelle S.

2013-01-01

Despite the growing literature on the punitive turn, knowledge of how the experience of American imprisonment varied across time and place remain limited. This article begins to fill that gap, providing a more nuanced portrayal of rehabilitation during the punitive turn. Purpose To examine how one aspect of the rehabilitative ideal in practice—the provision of staff dedicated to inmate services—varied across time and place over the past 30 years. Methods The article presents statistics on the inmate-to-staff ratios for inmate services staff (including teachers, counselors, doctors, etc.) between the years 1979 and 2005 for all 50 U.S. states. Results The analyses reveal that, while there was a substantial decline in the services staff ratio during the 1990s and 2000s, this shift across time paled in comparison to variation across place. Northeastern prison systems, for example, maintained higher inmate services staff ratios in 2005 than Southern states in any year. In addition, results suggest state variation is related to differences in prison crowding, inmates’ racial composition, and political cultures. Conclusions The findings suggest the punitive turn was more variegated and partial than is often assumed and highlight the importance of exploring state variation in penal practices. PMID:23794764

The quality of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) cultured in various Polish regions.

PubMed

Tkaczewska, Joanna; Migdał, Władysław; Kulawik, Piotr

2014-11-01

Although environmental factors greatly affect the quality of carp meat, no regulations impose labelling the place of cultivation of freshwater fish. That is why the purpose of this study was to determine the quality of carp meat cultivated in several regions of Poland as well as to assess the necessity of implementing such regulations. The influence of the cultivation region on colour, nutrition value, health safety and sensory quality of carp meat was assessed. The analysis included colour measurement, determination of fatty acid profile and sensory evaluation of carp muscle. Moreover, microbiological analysis of the fish surface was performed. The results show that the place of cultivation does not influence the lightness (L*) of fillet, but has an impact on other colour parameters (a*, b*). The microbiological quality of fish from all studied farms was satisfactory, since no pathogenic microorganisms were observed on the fish surface. The fatty acid profile was fairly varied (P < 0.01), depending on the place of cultivation. Since final results seem ambiguous, further analyses of quality features of carp from various regions and cultures should be performed, before any recommendation for the necessity of labelling the place and method of cultivation should be suggested. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identifying diabetes knowledge network nodes as sites for a diabetes prevention program.

PubMed

Gesler, Wilbert M; Arcury, Thomas A; Skelly, Anne H; Nash, Sally; Soward, April; Dougherty, Molly

2006-12-01

This paper reports on the methods used and results of a study that identified specific places within a community that have the potential to be sites for a diabetes prevention program. These sites, termed diabetes knowledge network nodes (DKNNs), are based on the concept of socio-spatial knowledge networks (SSKNs), the web of social relationships within which people obtain knowledge about type 2 diabetes. The target population for the study was working poor African Americans, Latinos, and European Americans of both sexes in a small rural southern town who had not been diagnosed with diabetes. Information was collected from a sample of 121 respondents on the places they visited in carrying out their daily activities. Data on number of visits to specific sites, degree of familiarity with these sites, and ratings of sites as places to receive diabetes information were used to develop three categories of DKNNs for six subgroups based on ethnicity and sex. Primary potential sites of importance to one or more subgroups included churches, grocery stores, drugstores, the local library, a beauty salon, laundromats, a community service agency, and a branch of the County Health Department. Secondary potential sites included gas stations, restaurants, banks, and post offices. Latent potential sites included three medical facilities. Most of the DKNNs were located either in the downtown area or in one of two shopping areas along the most used highway that passed through the town. The procedures used in this study can be generalized to other communities and prevention programs for other chronic diseases.

The meaning of home at the end of life: A video-reflexive ethnography study.

PubMed

Collier, Aileen; Phillips, Jane L; Iedema, Rick

2015-09-01

While 'home' is cited most frequently as being the preferred place of death, most people will die in institutions. Yet, the meaning and significance of home for people nearing the end of life has not been fully explored. The aim of this article is to critically examine the meaning of home for dying patients and their families. The qualitative study used video-reflexive ethnography methods. Data were collected and analysed over an 18-month period. Participants were recruited from two Australian sites: a palliative care day hospital and an acute hospital. Participants included patients with a prognosis of 6 months or less (n = 29), their nominated family member(s) (n = 5) and clinicians (n = 36) caring for them. Patients and families were 'followed' through care settings including the palliative care unit and into their own homes. Whether or not participants deemed space(s) safe or unsafe was closely related to the notion of home. Six themes emerged concerning this relationship: 'No place like home'; 'Safety, home and the hospital'; 'Hospital "becomes" home'; 'Home "becomes" hospital'; 'Hospital and "connections with home"'; and 'The built environment'. Home is a dynamic concept for people nearing the end of life and is concerned with expression of social and cultural identity including symbolic and affective connections, as opposed to being merely a physical dwelling place or street address. Clinicians caring for people nearing the end of life can foster linkages with home by facilitating connections with loved ones and meaningful artefacts. © The Author(s) 2015.

Immunochemical Investigations of Cell Surface Antigens of Anaerobic Bacteria

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-01-15

sterile cecal contents were included in all inocula, our data indicates * that cecal contents from germ free rats can be used in place of sterile cecal...The void volume of the column was estimated with blue dextran. Molecular size of the un- digested Pool 1 material was estimated using a PM-30 membrane...51) using bovine serum albumin as a standard. Total sugars were measured by the phenol-sulfuric acid method (52) using glucose as a standards

Validation of Objective Based Measures and Development of a Performance-Based Ranking Method for Load Carriage Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-05-01

Shoulder Discomfort, March Thermal Comfort z * Front Mobility, Overhead Mobility, March Thermal Comfort r Moment (Amp, Nm/kg) x * Torsional Mobility...0 Fit El Manoeuverability U Acceptability M Integration 0 Mobility 0 Physical Comfort 0 Thermal Comfort Figure 3. Overall Ratings for Four Systems. A... Thermal Comfort ) Total 71.1 % Factor 1 described the balance and general ability to move with the pack in place. Variables included lateral bending

11th Annual CMMI Technology Conference and User Group

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-17

Examples of triggers may include: – Cost performance – Schedule performance – Results of management reviews – Occurrence of the risk • as a...Analysis (PHA) – Method 3 – Through bottom- up analysis of design data (e.g., flow diagrams, Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA...of formal reviews and the setting up of delta or follow- up reviews can be used to give the organization more places to look at the products as they

Method and apparatus for quantum information processing using entangled neutral-atom qubits

DOEpatents

Jau, Yuan Yu; Biedermann, Grant; Deutsch, Ivan

2018-04-03

A method for preparing an entangled quantum state of an atomic ensemble is provided. The method includes loading each atom of the atomic ensemble into a respective optical trap; placing each atom of the atomic ensemble into a same first atomic quantum state by impingement of pump radiation; approaching the atoms of the atomic ensemble to within a dipole-dipole interaction length of each other; Rydberg-dressing the atomic ensemble; during the Rydberg-dressing operation, exciting the atomic ensemble with a Raman pulse tuned to stimulate a ground-state hyperfine transition from the first atomic quantum state to a second atomic quantum state; and separating the atoms of the atomic ensemble by more than a dipole-dipole interaction length.

Mastitis detection: current trends and future perspectives.

PubMed

Viguier, Caroline; Arora, Sushrut; Gilmartin, Niamh; Welbeck, Katherine; O'Kennedy, Richard

2009-08-01

Bovine mastitis, the most significant disease of dairy herds, has huge effects on farm economics due to reduction in milk production and treatment costs. Traditionally, methods of detection have included estimation of somatic cell counts, an indication of inflammation, measurement of biomarkers associated with the onset of the disease (e.g. the enzymes N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and lactate dehydrogenase) and identification of the causative microorganisms, which often involves culturing methods. These methods have their limitations and there is a need for new rapid, sensitive and reliable assays. Recently, significant advances in the identification of nucleic acid markers and other novel biomarkers and the development of sensor-based platforms have taken place. These novel strategies have shown promise, and their advantages over the conventional tests are discussed.

Acoustic particle separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmatz, M. B.; Stoneburner, J. D.; Jacobi, N.; Wang, T. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A method is described which uses acoustic energy to separate particles of different sizes, densities, or the like. The method includes applying acoustic energy resonant to a chamber containing a liquid of gaseous medium to set up a standing wave pattern that includes a force potential well wherein particles within the well are urged towards the center, or position of minimum force potential. A group of particles to be separated is placed in the chamber, while a non-acoustic force such as gravity is applied, so that the particles separate with the larger or denser particles moving away from the center of the well to a position near its edge and progressively smaller lighter particles moving progressively closer to the center of the well. Particles are removed from different positions within the well, so that particles are separated according to the positions they occupy in the well.

Acoustic method of damage sensing in composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Workman, Gary L.; Walker, James; Lansing, Matthew

1994-01-01

The use of acoustic emission and acousto-ultrasonics to characterize impact damage in composite structures is being performed on both graphite epoxy and kevlar bottles. Further development of the acoustic emission methodology to include neural net analysis and/or other multivariate techniques will enhance the capability of the technique to identify failure mechanisms during fracture. The acousto-ultrasonics technique will be investigated to determine its ability to predict regions prone to failure prior to the burst tests. The combination of the two methods will allow for simple nondestructive tests to be capable of predicting the performance of a composite structure prior to being placed in service and during service.

Thermal expansion of composites: Methods and results. [large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowles, D. E.; Tenney, D. R.

1981-01-01

The factors controlling the dimensional stability of various components of large space structures were investigated. Cyclic, thermal and mechanical loading were identified as the primary controlling factors of the dimensional stability of cables. For organic matrix composites, such as graphite-epoxy, it was found that these factors include moisture desorption in the space environment, thermal expansion as the structure moves from the sunlight to shadow in its orbit, mechanical loading, and microyielding of the material caused by microcracking of the matrix material. The major focus was placed on the thermal expansion of composites and in particular the development and testing of a method for its measurement.

Polarized Light Reflected and Transmitted by Thick Rayleigh Scattering Atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natraj, Vijay; Hovenier, J. W.

2012-03-01

Accurate values for the intensity and polarization of light reflected and transmitted by optically thick Rayleigh scattering atmospheres with a Lambert surface underneath are presented. A recently reported new method for solving integral equations describing Chandrasekhar's X- and Y-functions is used. The results have been validated using various tests and techniques, including the doubling-adding method, and are accurate to within one unit in the eighth decimal place. Tables are stored electronically and expected to be useful as benchmark results for the (exo)planetary science and astrophysics communities. Asymptotic expressions to obtain Stokes parameters for a thick layer from those of a semi-infinite atmosphere are also provided.

Review of investigations performed in the USSR on close approaches of comets to Jupiter and the evolution of cometary orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kazimirchak-Polonskaya, E. I.

1976-01-01

Methods are reviewed for calculating the evolution of cometary orbits with emphasis on the orbital changes that take place when comets pass within the spheres of action of giant planets. Topics discussed include: differences and difficulties in methods used for the calculation of large perturbations by Jupiter; the construction of numerical theories of motion covering the whole period of observations of each comet, allowing for planetary perturbations and the effects of nongravitational forces; and investigations of the evolution of cometary orbits over the 400 year interval 1660-2060. The classical theory of cometary capture is briefly discussed.

Energetic composites and method of providing chemical energy

DOEpatents

Danen, Wayne C.; Martin, Joe A.

1997-01-01

A method for providing chemical energy and energetic compositions of matter consisting of thin layers of substances which will exothermically react with one another. The layers of reactive substances are separated by thin layers of a buffer material which prevents the reactions from taking place until the desired time. The reactions are triggered by an external agent, such as mechanical stress or an electric spark. The compositions are known as metastable interstitial composites (MICs). This class of compositions includes materials which have not previously been capable of use as energetic materials. The speed and products of the reactions can be varied to suit the application.

Energetic composites and method of providing chemical energy

DOEpatents

Danen, W.C.; Martin, J.A.

1997-02-25

A method is described for providing chemical energy and energetic compositions of matter consisting of thin layers of substances which will exothermically react with one another. The layers of reactive substances are separated by thin layers of a buffer material which prevents the reactions from taking place until the desired time. The reactions are triggered by an external agent, such as mechanical stress or an electric spark. The compositions are known as metastable interstitial composites (MICs). This class of compositions includes materials which have not previously been capable of use as energetic materials. The speed and products of the reactions can be varied to suit the application. 3 figs.

Voltera's Solution of the Wave Equation as Applied to Three-Dimensional Supersonic Airfoil Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heslet, Max A; Lomax, Harvard; Jones, Arthur L

1947-01-01

A surface integral is developed which yields solutions of the linearized partial differential equation for supersonic flow. These solutions satisfy boundary conditions arising in wing theory. Particular applications of this general method are made, using acceleration potentials, to flat surfaces and to uniformly loaded lifting surfaces. Rectangular and trapezoidal plan forms are considered along with triangular forms adaptable to swept-forward and swept-back wings. The case of the triangular plan form in sideslip is also included. Emphasis is placed on the systematic application of the method to the lifting surfaces considered and on the possibility of further application.

A selective array activation method for the generation of a focused source considering listening position.

PubMed

Song, Min-Ho; Choi, Jung-Woo; Kim, Yang-Hann

2012-02-01

A focused source can provide an auditory illusion of a virtual source placed between the loudspeaker array and the listener. When a focused source is generated by time-reversed acoustic focusing solution, its use as a virtual source is limited due to artifacts caused by convergent waves traveling towards the focusing point. This paper proposes an array activation method to reduce the artifacts for a selected listening point inside an array of arbitrary shape. Results show that energy of convergent waves can be reduced up to 60 dB for a large region including the selected listening point. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

Design and manufacturing methods for the integral field unit of the nirspec instrument on JWST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobb, Dan; Robertson, David

2017-11-01

An integral field unit, to be used with the near-IR spectrometer instrument of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is currently under development by SSTL and CfAI. Special problems in design and manufacture of the optical system are outlined, and manufacturing methods for critical optical elements are discussed. The optical system is complex, requiring a total of 95 mirrors to produce 30 output channels. Emphasis is placed on the advantages of free-form machining in aluminium. These include: resistance to launch stress, insensitivity to temperature variations from ambient to cryogenic, and the possibility of relatively complex mirror surface shapes.

Investigating formation of ‘place attachment’ at pasar lama communities, Kota Tangerang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syahrida, O.; Sumabrata, J.

2018-03-01

Place attachment as bonding between people-meaningful places) has been researched quite broadly. Part of this interest stems from the awareness that people–place bonds have become fragile as urbanization, increased mobility, and encroaching environmental problems threaten the existence of/and the connections to, places influences sense of attachment in Pasar Lama, Kota Tangerang. Despite its stauts as a Chinatown, the amount of Chinese inhabitant in Pasar Lama is only 1/5 compared to then total number of Native. Therefore an investigation is needed whether the advances of Kota Tangerang and increasing number of people affecting the formation of place attachment at Pasar Lama Communities. The analysis were conducted through eight factors, such as: physical, social, cultural, personal, memories and experiences, place satisfaction, interaction and activity features, and time factor. Qualitative method (ethnography approach) participatory observation and in-depth interview used as the method of research. The informant of this research are the local figure, local citizen, and local authority. Research concludes that the rapid development of Kota Tangerang and the number of citizens do not significantly affect the formation of place attachment, since both communities in Pasar Lama are considered having high attachment. The other factor is, Place Attachment is valued in contribution, a qualitative value instead sheer number of population. These contributions can be seen in the social, cultural and religious aspect based on factors on Place Attachment.

Key Spatial Relations-based Focused Crawling (KSRs-FC) for Borderlands Situation Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, D. Y.; Wu, H.; Chen, J.; Li, R.

2013-11-01

Place names play an important role in Borderlands Situation topics, while current focused crawling methods treat them in the same way as other common keywords, which may lead to the omission of many useful web pages. In the paper, place names in web pages and their spatial relations were firstly discussed. Then, a focused crawling method named KSRs-FC was proposed to deal with the collection of situation information about borderlands. In this method, place names and common keywords were represented separately, and some of the spatial relations related to web pages crawling were used in the relevance calculation between the given topic and web pages. Furthermore, an information collection system for borderlands situation analysis was developed based on KSRs-FC. Finally, F-Score method was adopted to quantitatively evaluate this method by comparing with traditional method. Experimental results showed that the F-Score value of the proposed method increased by 11% compared to traditional method with the same sample data. Obviously, KSRs-FC method can effectively reduce the misjudgement of relevant webpages.

Women's birth place preferences in the United Kingdom: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the quantitative literature.

PubMed

Hollowell, Jennifer; Li, Yangmei; Malouf, Reem; Buchanan, James

2016-08-08

Current clinical guidelines and national policy in England support offering 'low risk' women a choice of birth setting, but despite an increase in provison of midwifery units in England the vast majority of women still give birth in obstetric units and there is uncertainty around how best to configure services. There is therefore a need to better understand women's birth place preferences. The aim of this review was to summarise the recent quantitative evidence on UK women's birth place preferences with a focus on identifying the service attributes that 'low risk' women prefer and on identifying which attributes women prioritise when choosing their intended maternity unit or birth setting. We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index, Social Science Index, CINAHL and ASSIA to identify quantitative studies published in scientific journals since 1992 and designed to describe and explore women's preferences in relation to place of birth. We included experimental stated preference studies, surveys and mixed-methods studies containing relevant quantitative data, where participants were 'low risk' or 'unselected' groups of women with experience of UK maternity services. We included five experimental stated preference studies and four observational surveys, including a total of 4201 respondents. Most studies were old with only three conducted since 2000. Methodological quality was generally poor. The attributes and preferences most commonly explored related to pain relief, continuity of midwife, involvement/availability of medical staff, 'homely' environment/atmosphere, decision-making style, distance/travel time and need for transfer. Service attributes that were almost universally valued by women included local services, being attended by a known midwife and a preference for a degree of control and involvement in decision-making. A substantial proportion of women had a strong preference for care in a hospital setting where medical staff are not necessarily involved in their care, but are readily available. The majority of women appear to value some service attributes while preferences differ for others. Policy makers, commissioners and service providers might usefully consider how to extend the availability of services that most women value while offering a choice of options that enable women to access services that best fit their needs and preferences.

Vortex methods for separated flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalart, Philippe R.

1988-01-01

The numerical solution of the Euler or Navier-Stokes equations by Lagrangian vortex methods is discussed. The mathematical background is presented in an elementary fashion and includes the relationship with traditional point-vortex studies, the convergence to smooth solutions of the Euler equations, and the essential differences between two- and three-dimensional cases. The difficulties in extending the method to viscous or compressible flows are explained. The overlap with the excellent review articles available is kept to a minimum and more emphasis is placed on the area of expertise, namely two-dimensional flows around bluff bodies. When solid walls are present, complete mathematical models are not available and a more heuristic attitude must be adopted. The imposition of inviscid and viscous boundary conditions without conformal mappings or image vortices and the creation of vorticity along solid walls are examined in detail. Methods for boundary-layer treatment and the question of the Kutta condition are discussed. Practical aspects and tips helpful in creating a method that really works are explained. The topics include the robustness of the method and the assessment of accuracy, vortex-core profiles, timemarching schemes, numerical dissipation, and efficient programming. Calculations of flows past streamlined or bluff bodies are used as examples when appropriate.

How They (Should Have) Built the Pyramids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, Gregory; West, Joseph; Waters, Kevin

2014-03-01

A novel ``polygon method'' is proposed for moving large stone blocks. The method is implemented by the attachment of rods of analytically chosen radii to the block by means of rope. The chosen rods are placed on each side of the square-prism block in order to transform the square prism into a prism of higher order polygon, i.e. octagon, dodecagon etc. Experimental results are presented and compared to other methods proposed by the authors, including a dragging method and a rail method which includes the idea of dragging the block on rails made from arbitrarily chosen rod-shaped ``tracks,'' and to independent work by another group which utilized wooden attachments providing a cylindrical shape. It is found that the polygon method when used on small scale stone blocks across level open ground has an equivalent of a coefficient of friction order of 0.1. For full scale pyramid blocks, the wooden ``rods'' would need to be of order 30 cm in diameter, certainly within reason, given the diameter of wooden masts used on ships in that region during the relevant time period in Egypt. This project also inspired a ``spin-off'' project in which the behavior or rolling polygons is investigated and preliminary data is presented.

Lightweight diesel aircraft engines for general aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berenyi, S. G.; Brouwers, A. P.

1980-01-01

A methodical design study was conducted to arrive at new diesel engine configurations and applicable advanced technologies. Two engines are discussed and the description of each engine includes concept drawings. A performance analysis, stress and weight prediction, and a cost study were also conducted. This information was then applied to two airplane concepts, a six-place twin and a four-place single engine aircraft. The aircraft study consisted of installation drawings, computer generated performance data, aircraft operating costs and drawings of the resulting airplanes. The performance data shows a vast improvement over current gasoline-powered aircraft. At the completion of this basic study, the program was expanded to evaluate a third engine configuration. This third engine incorporates the best features of the original two, and its design is currently in progress. Preliminary information on this engine is presented.

Multilevel library instruction for emerging nursing roles.

PubMed

Francis, B W; Fisher, C C

1995-10-01

As new nursing roles emerge that involve greater decision making than in the past, added responsibility for outcomes and cost control, and increased emphasis on primary care, the information-seeking skills needed by nurses change. A search of library and nursing literature indicates that there is little comprehensive library instruction covering all levels of nursing programs: undergraduate, returning registered nurses, and graduate students. The University of Florida is one of the few places that has such a multilevel, course-integrated curriculum in place for all entrants into the nursing program. Objectives have been developed for each stage of learning. The courses include instruction in the use of the online public access catalog, printed resources, and electronic databases. A library classroom equipped with the latest technology enables student interaction with electronic databases. This paper discusses the program and several methods used to evaluate it.

Teaching Geoscience in Place for Local Diversity and Sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semken, S.

2008-12-01

Globalization, careerism, media, thoughtless consumption, standardized education and assessment, and even well-meaning advocacy for far-flung environments and people all divert our attention from meaningful interaction with our own surroundings. Meanwhile, many young Americans prefer virtual realities over personal intimacy with nature. Many have lost sight of the pedagogical power of places: localities imbued with meaning by human experience. To lack a sense of local places is to be oblivious to their environmental, cultural, and aesthetic importance, and to risk acceding to their degradation. The geosciences, born and rooted in exploration of environments, have much to lose from this trend but can be pivotal in helping to reverse it. Place-based teaching is situated in local physical and cultural environments and blends experiential learning, transdisciplinary and multicultural content, and service to the community. It is advocated for its relevance and potential to engage diverse students. Authentically place-based education is informed not only by scientific knowledge of places but also by the humanistic meanings and attachments affixed to them. Leveraging and enriching the senses of place of students, teachers, and the community is a defining and desirable learning outcome. We have researched and piloted several place-based approaches to geoscience teaching at various places in the Southwest USA: at a rural Tribal College, a large urban university, and a teacher in-service program at an underserved, minority-majority rural school district. Curricula are situated in complexly evolved, ruggedly beautiful desert-mountain physical landscapes coincident with multicultural, deeply historic, but rapidly changing cultural landscapes. The organizing theme is a cyclical path of inquiry through Earth and Sky, derived from Indigenous ethnogeology; syllabi integrate geology, hydrology, climate, environmental quality, and cultural geography and are situated in real places within the Greater Southwest. Field studies are included as often as possible. Students review and discuss the geoscientific context and social implications of selected regional issues such as mining and water management. Courses are open to all and promoted to in-service and pre-service K-12 teachers. Front-end, formative, and summative evaluations use mixed methods based in theories of place attachment and experiential learning. Psychometric surveys of the diverse participants reveal variable prior senses of place and limited correlation with expected predictors such as ethnicity, but pre- and post-surveys show significant relative increases in sense of place. From these data and our qualitative findings (coded from participant observations, analysis of student products, and semi-structured exit interviews) we infer that students' knowledge of and attachments to Southwest places were enhanced by the place-based approach to teaching.

Automatic load forecasting. Final report

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

Nelson, D.J.; Vemuri, S.

A method which lends itself to on-line forecasting of hourly electric loads is presented and the results of its use are compared to models developed using the Box-Jenkins method. The method consists of processing the historical hourly loads with a sequential least-squares estimator to identify a finite order autoregressive model which in turn is used to obtain a parsimonious autoregressive-moving average model. A procedure is also defined for incorporating temperature as a variable to improve forecasts where loads are temperature dependent. The method presented has several advantages in comparison to the Box-Jenkins method including much less human intervention and improvedmore » model identification. The method has been tested using three-hourly data from the Lincoln Electric System, Lincoln, Nebraska. In the exhaustive analyses performed on this data base this method produced significantly better results than the Box-Jenkins method. The method also proved to be more robust in that greater confidence could be placed in the accuracy of models based upon the various measures available at the identification stage.« less

Integrated circuit amplifiers for multi-electrode intracortical recording.

PubMed

Jochum, Thomas; Denison, Timothy; Wolf, Patrick

2009-02-01

Significant progress has been made in systems that interpret the electrical signals of the brain in order to control an actuator. One version of these systems senses neuronal extracellular action potentials with an array of up to 100 miniature probes inserted into the cortex. The impedance of each probe is high, so environmental electrical noise is readily coupled to the neuronal signal. To minimize this noise, an amplifier is placed close to each probe. Thus, the need has arisen for many amplifiers to be placed near the cortex. Commercially available integrated circuits do not satisfy the area, power and noise requirements of this application, so researchers have designed custom integrated-circuit amplifiers. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the neural amplifiers described in publications prior to 2008. Methods to achieve high input impedance, low noise and a large time-constant high-pass filter are reviewed. A tutorial on the biological, electrochemical, mechanical and electromagnetic phenomena that influence amplifier design is provided. Areas for additional research, including sub-nanoampere electrolysis and chronic cortical heating, are discussed. Unresolved design concerns, including teraohm circuitry, electrical overstress and component failure, are identified.

Evaluation of a wireless activity monitoring system to quantify locomotor activity in horses in experimental settings.

PubMed

Fries, M; Montavon, S; Spadavecchia, C; Levionnois, O L

2017-03-01

Methods of evaluating locomotor activity can be useful in efforts to quantify behavioural activity in horses objectively. To evaluate whether an accelerometric device would be adequate to quantify locomotor activity and step frequency in horses, and to distinguish between different levels of activity and different gaits. Observational study in an experimental setting. Dual-mode (activity and step count) piezo-electric accelerometric devices were placed at each of 4 locations (head, withers, forelimb and hindlimb) in each of 6 horses performing different controlled activities including grazing, walking at different speeds, trotting and cantering. Both the activity count and step count were recorded and compared by the various activities. Statistical analyses included analysis of variance for repeated measures, receiver operating characteristic curves, Bland-Altman analysis and linear regression. The accelerometric device was able to quantify locomotor activity at each of the 4 locations investigated and to distinguish between gaits and speeds. The activity count recorded by the accelerometer placed on the hindlimb was the most accurate, displaying a clear discrimination between the different levels of activity and a linear correlation to speed. The accelerometer placed on the head was the only one to distinguish specifically grazing behaviour from standing. The accelerometer placed on the withers was unable to differentiate different gaits and activity levels. The step count function measured at the hindlimb was reliable but the count was doubled at the walk. The dual-mode accelerometric device was sufficiently accurate to quantify and compare locomotor activity in horses moving at different speeds and gaits. Positioning the device on the hindlimb allowed for the most accurate results. The step count function can be useful but must be manually corrected, especially at the walk. © 2016 EVJ Ltd.

28 CFR 26.3 - Date, time, place, and method of execution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... intravenous injection of a lethal substance or substances in a quantity sufficient to cause death, such... execution. 26.3 Section 26.3 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DEATH SENTENCES PROCEDURES Implementation of Death Sentences in Federal Cases § 26.3 Date, time, place, and method of execution. (a) Except...

MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A VACUUM

DOEpatents

Otavka, M.A.

1960-08-01

A new method is given for starting the operation of evapor-ion vacuum pumps. Ordinarily this type of pump is started by inducing an electric field with the vacuum chamber; however, by placing such an electric field in the chamber at the outset, a glow discharge may be initiated which is harmful to the pump. The procedure consists of using a negative electric field during which time only gettering action takes place; subsequently when the field reverses after a sufficient reduction of the number of gaseous particles in the chamber both gettering and ionizing takes place.

A usability evaluation of Lazada mobile application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.; Jamaludin, Nur Hafiza; Moh, Somia T. L.

2017-10-01

This paper reports on a usability evaluation of Lazada mobile application, an online shopping app for mobile devices. The evaluation was conducted using 12 users of ages 18 to 24. Seven (7) were expert users and the other 5 were novice users. The study objectives were to evaluate the perceived effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the mobile application. The result provides a positive feedback and shows that the mobile shopping app is effective, efficient, and satisfying as perceived by the study participants. However, there are some observed usability issues with the main menu and the payment method that necessitates improvements to increase the application's effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction. The suggested improvements include: 1) the main menu should be capitalized and place on the left side of mobile app and 2) payment method tutorial should be included as a hyperlink in the payment method page. This observation will be helpful to the owners of the application in future version development of the app.

Semiautomated Method for Microbiological Vitamin Assays

PubMed Central

Berg, T. M.; Behagel, H. A.

1972-01-01

A semiautomated method for microbiological vitamin assays is described, which includes separate automated systems for the preparation of the cultures and for the measurement of turbidity. In the dilution and dosage unit based on the continuous-flow principle, vitamin samples were diluted to two different dose levels at a rate of 40 per hr, mixed with the inoculated test broth, and dispensed into culture tubes. After incubation, racks with culture tubes were placed on the sampler of an automatic turbidimeter. This unit, based on the discrete-sample system, measured the turbidity and printed the extinction values at a rate of 300 per hr. Calculations were computerized and the results, including statistical data, are presented in an easily readable form. The automated method is in routine use for the assays of thiamine, riboflavine, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin, calcium pantothenate, nicotinic acid, pantothenol, and folic acid. Identical vitamin solutions assayed on different days gave variation coefficients for the various vitamin assays of less than 10%. Images PMID:4553802

The Inclusion of In-Plane Stresses in Delamination Criteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vizzini, Anthony J.; Fenske, Matthew T.

1998-01-01

A study of delamination is performed including strength of materials and fracture mechanics approaches with emphasis placed on methods of delamination prediction. Evidence is presented which supports the inclusion of the in-plane stresses in addition to the inter-laminar stress terms in delamination criteria. The delamination can be modeled as a resin rich region in between ply sets. The entire six component stress state in this resin layer is calculated through a finite element analysis and inputted into a new Modified Von Mises Delamination Criterion. This criterion builds onto previous criteria by including all six stress components. The MVMDC shows improved correlation to experimental data.

Neurostimulation in the treatment of primary headaches

PubMed Central

Miller, Sarah; Sinclair, Alex J; Davies, Brendan; Matharu, Manjit

2016-01-01

There is increasing interest in using neurostimulation to treat headache disorders. There are now several non-invasive and invasive stimulation devices available with some open-label series and small controlled trial studies that support their use. Non-invasive stimulation options include supraorbital stimulation (Cefaly), vagus nerve stimulation (gammaCore) and single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (SpringTMS). Invasive procedures include occipital nerve stimulation, sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation and ventral tegmental area deep brain stimulation. These stimulation devices may find a place in the treatment pathway of headache disorders. Here, we explore the basic principles of neurostimulation for headache and overview the available methods of neurostimulation. PMID:27152027

Hippocratic obligation to shareholder profit? Medical treatment patents and the Australian High Court in Apotex Pty Ltd v Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 50.

PubMed

Vines, Tim

2014-06-01

The method of treatment of suffering in patients, including through surgery and the administration of therapeutic drugs, are essential features of medical professionalism. Few, if any practitioners committed to developing the core professional virtue of loyalty to relief of patient suffering through consistently implementing the basic principles of medical ethics, would consider that such beneficial methods of practice are, or should be, the subject of a patent--requiring the practitioner utilising them to pay a royalty or risk infringement proceedings. Indeed a formal opinion of the American Medical Association declares "the use of patents, trade secrets, confidentiality agreements, or other means to limit the availability of medical procedures places significant limitation on the dissemination of medical knowledge, and is therefore unethical". Yet this could be the direction in which Australian patent law is heading. The decision of the High Court of Australia in Apotex Pty Ltd v Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 50, upholding a patent over a method of using a known drug to prevent or treat psoriasis, may ultimately force practitioners to re-consider whether their basic ethical obligations to patients are secondary to a requirement to maximise profit for shareholders in companies holding medical patents. This column reviews this decision and its possible implications for health practitioners. It places it in context of other recent court decisions that have expanded the intrusion of corporate-owned intellectual property monopolies into Australian medical practices, and how legislative restrictions upon them in the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) places practitioners and patients at risk of more costly, ineffective or restricted health care. This column concludes by cautioning that Australia's scope to address policy problems caused by this case may be limited should it sign up to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, particularly if that preferential trade and investment deal includes an Investor-State Dispute Settlement clause that creates a mechanism for multinational corporations to challenge offshore, Australian federal and state policy decisions they perceive undercut their investments.

Clean-in-Place and Reliability Testing of a Commercial 12.5-cm Annular Centrifugal Contactor at the INL

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

N. R. Mann; T. G. Garn; D. H. Meikrantz

2007-09-01

The renewed interest in advancing nuclear energy has spawned the research of advanced technologies for recycling nuclear fuel. A significant portion of the advanced fuel cycle includes the recovery of selected actinides by solvent extraction methods utilizing centrifugal contactors. Although the use of centrifugal contactors for solvent extraction is widely known, their operation is not without challenges. Solutions generated from spent fuel dissolution contain unknown quantities of undissolved solids. A majority of these solids will be removed via various methods of filtration. However, smaller particles are expected to carry through to downstream solvent extraction processes and equipment. In addition, solids/precipitatesmore » brought about by mechanical or chemical upsets are another potential area of concern. During processing, particulate captured in the rotor assembly by high centrifugal forces eventually forms a cake-like structure on the inner wall introducing balance problems and negatively affecting phase separations. One of the features recently developed for larger engineering scale Annular Centrifugal Contactors (ACCs) is the Clean-In-Place (CIP) capability. Engineered spray nozzles were installed into the hollow central rotor shaft in all four quadrants of the rotor assembly. This arrangement allows for a very convenient and effective method of solids removal from within the rotor assembly.« less

Clean-in-Place and Reliability Testing of a Commercial 12.5 cm Annular Centrifugal Contactor at the INL

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

N. R. Mann; T. G. Garn; D. H. Meikrantz

2007-09-01

The renewed interest in advancing nuclear energy has spawned the research of advanced technologies for recycling nuclear fuel. A significant portion of the advanced fuel cycle includes the recovery of selected actinides by solvent extraction methods utilizing centrifugal contactors. Although the use of centrifugal contactors for solvent extraction is widely known, their operation is not without challenges. Solutions generated from spent fuel dissolution contain unknown quantities of undissolved solids. A majority of these solids will be removed via various methods of filtration. However, smaller particles are expected to carry through to downstream solvent extraction processes and equipment. In addition, solids/precipitatesmore » brought about by mechanical or chemical upsets are another potential area of concern. During processing, particulate captured in the rotor assembly by high centrifugal forces eventually forms a cake-like structure on the inner wall introducing balance problems and negatively affecting phase separations. One of the features recently developed for larger engineering scale Annular Centrifugal Contactors (ACCs) is the Clean-In-Place (CIP) capability. Engineered spray nozzles were installed into the hollow central rotor shaft in all four quadrants of the rotor assembly. This arrangement allows for a very convenient and effective method of solids removal from within the rotor assembly.« less

Characteristics of the Footprints of Field Lines for Variable Location of Plate for a Single-Null Divertor Tokamak with the Effects of Dipole Coil Using Method of Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burton, Joni; Ali, Halima; Punjabi, Alkesh

1996-11-01

We determine the properties of the footprint of the magnetic field lines from the stochastic scrape-off layer of a single-null divertor tokamak including the effects of an externally placed dipole coil as the location of the divertor plate is varied. We use the Method of Maps (Punjabi A, Verma A and Boozer A, Phys Rev Lett), 69, 3322 (1992) and J Plasma Phys, 52, 91 (1994) for this investigation. The unperturbed magnetic topology is represented by the Symmetric Simple Map (Ali H, Watson M, Mayer C, Punjabi A and Boozer A, Bull Am Phys Soc), 40, 1855 (1995). The effects of the dipole coil are repesented by the Dipole Map (Ali H, Watson M, Punjabi A and Boozer A, Sherwood Mtg), paper 1C20 (1996). A single dipole coil is placed across from the X-point below the last good surface. The area of the footprint is calculated using the method of fractal dimesion. This work is supported by US DOE OFES. Joni Burton is an undergraduate mathematics major at Hampton University. She is a Ronald E. McNair Scholar at HU supported by R. E. McNair Foundation.

Impact of Ultrasound on Short Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Placement on Vein Thrombosis Risk.

PubMed

Holder, Max R; Stutzman, Sonja E; Olson, DaiWai M

Approximately 90% of hospitalized patients have a short peripheral intravenous catheter (SPC) placed. Methods of inserting the catheter have evolved over time and now include the use of ultrasound (US)-guided procedures for placement. Little is known about the impact that US-guided procedures have on the vein. This study compared the rate of venous thrombosis in patients with and without US-guided catheter placement. This prospective, single-blind, observational study assessed for venous thrombosis in 153 veins from 135 patients. Veins were evaluated by a research nurse blinded to the method of placement between 48 and 72 hours after the SPC was placed. The Fisher exact test showed a significant difference between vessel compressibility and catheter insertion method (P = .0012). The proportion of noncompressible veins was significantly greater when US was used in comparison with freehand SPC insertion. The Mantel-Haenszel chi-square value of 10.34 (P = .0013) showed that US insertion technique is associated with a higher likelihood of noncompressible veins. This pilot study provides compelling evidence that the use of US to assist with catheter placement is associated with a higher rate of noncompressible veins at day 2 or 3. Further studies are needed with a larger sample to determine the generalizability of the results from this pilot study.

Estimation of viscoelastic surface wave parameters using a low cost optical deflection method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brum, J.; Balay, G.; Arzúa, A.; Núñez, I.; Negreira, C.

2010-01-01

In this work an optical deflection method was used to study surface vibrations created by a low frequency source placed on the sample's surface. The optical method consists in placing a laser beam perpendicularly the sample's surface (gelatine based phantom). A beam-splitter is placed between the laser and the sample to project the reflected beam into a screen. As the surface moves due to the action of the low frequency source the laser beam on the screen also moves. Recording this movement with a digital camera allow us to reconstruct de surface motion using the light reflection law. If the scattering of the surface is very strong (such the one in biological tissue) a lens is placed between the surface and the beam-splitter to collect the scattered light. As validation method the surface movement was measured using a 10 MHz ultrasonic transducer placed normal to the surface in pulse-eco mode. The optical measurements were in complete agreement with the acoustical measurements. The optical measurement has the following advantages over the acoustic: 2-dimensional motion could be recorded and it is low cost. Since the acquisition was synchronized and the source-laser beam distance is known, measuring the time of flight an estimation of the surface wave velocity is obtained in order to measure the elasticity of the sample. The authors conclude that a reliable optical, low cost method for obtaining surface wave parameters of biological tissue was developed and successfully validate.

Experimental Demonstration of In-Place Calibration for Time Domain Microwave Imaging System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, S.; Son, S.; Lee, K.

2018-04-01

In this study, the experimental demonstration of in-place calibration was conducted using the developed time domain measurement system. Experiments were conducted using three calibration methods—in-place calibration and two existing calibrations, that is, array rotation and differential calibration. The in-place calibration uses dual receivers located at an equal distance from the transmitter. The received signals at the dual receivers contain similar unwanted signals, that is, the directly received signal and antenna coupling. In contrast to the simulations, the antennas are not perfectly matched and there might be unexpected environmental errors. Thus, we experimented with the developed experimental system to demonstrate the proposed method. The possible problems with low signal-to-noise ratio and clock jitter, which may exist in time domain systems, were rectified by averaging repeatedly measured signals. The tumor was successfully detected using the three calibration methods according to the experimental results. The cross correlation was calculated using the reconstructed image of the ideal differential calibration for a quantitative comparison between the existing rotation calibration and the proposed in-place calibration. The mean value of cross correlation between the in-place calibration and ideal differential calibration was 0.80, and the mean value of cross correlation of the rotation calibration was 0.55. Furthermore, the results of simulation were compared with the experimental results to verify the in-place calibration method. A quantitative analysis was also performed, and the experimental results show a tendency similar to the simulation.

Including Historic Places in the Social Studies Curriculum. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Marilyn

"Teaching with Historic Places" is a program administered by the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places that identifies ways teachers can share the stories that historic places have to tell. The program creates classroom-ready educational materials based on properties that are listed in the National Register of…

Life prediction technologies for aeronautical propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgaw, Michael A.

1987-01-01

Fatigue and fracture problems continue to occur in aeronautical gas turbine engines. Components whose useful life is limited by these failure modes include turbine hot-section blades, vanes and disks. Safety considerations dictate that catastrophic failures be avoided, while economic considerations dictate that noncatastrophic failures occur as infrequently as possible. The design decision is therefore in making the tradeoff between engine performance and durability. The NASA Lewis Research Center has contributed to the aeropropulsion industry in the areas of life prediction technology for 30 years, developing creep and fatigue life prediction methodologies for hot-section materials. Emphasis is placed on the development of methods capable of handling both thermal and mechanical fatigue under severe environments. Recent accomplishments include the development of more accurate creep-fatigue life prediction methods such as the total strain version of Lewis' Strainrange Partitioning (SRP) and the HOST-developed Cyclic Damage Accumulation (CDA) model. Other examples include the Double Damage Curve Approach (DDCA), which provides greatly improved accuracy for cumulative fatigue design rules.

Microwave sintering of multiple articles

DOEpatents

Blake, Rodger D.; Katz, Joel D.

1993-01-01

Apparatus and method for producing articles of alumina and of alumina and silicon carbide in which the articles are sintered at high temperatures using microwave radiation. The articles are placed in a sintering container which is placed in a microwave cavity for heating. The rates at which heating and cooling take place is controlled.

A Sense of Place in the Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Membiela, Pedro; DePalma, Renee; Pazos, Mercedes Suarez

2011-01-01

Place-based science education engages with the laboratories of complex reality where natural processes combine with social practice, going beyond the physical world, to encompass the meanings and sense of attachment local residents feel for places. This brief report describes how a university science methods class in a primary teacher training…

[Advances of studies on new technology and method for identifying traditional Chinese medicinal materials].

PubMed

Chen, Shilin; Guo, Baolin; Zhang, Guijun; Yan, Zhuyun; Luo, Guangming; Sun, Suqin; Wu, Hezhen; Huang, Linfang; Pang, Xiaohui; Chen, Jianbo

2012-04-01

In this review, the authors summarized the new technologies and methods for identifying traditional Chinese medicinal materials, including molecular identification, chemical identification, morphological identification, microscopic identification and identification based on biological effects. The authors introduced the principle, characteristics, application and prospect on each new technology or method and compared their advantages and disadvantages. In general, new methods make the result more objective and accurate. DNA barcoding technique and spectroscopy identification have their owner obvious strongpoint in universality and digitalization. In the near future, the two techniques are promising to be the main trend for identifying traditional Chinese medicinal materials. The identification techniques based on microscopy, liquid chromatography, PCR, biological effects and DNA chip will be indispensable supplements. However, the bionic identification technology is just placed in the developing stage at present.

Summary of nondestructive testing theory and practice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meister, R. P.; Randall, M. D.; Mitchell, D. K.; Williams, L. P.; Pattee, H. E.

1972-01-01

The ability to fabricate design critical and man-rated aerospace structures using materials near the limits of their capabilities requires a comprehensive and dependable assurance program. The quality assurance program must rely heavily on nondestructive testing methods for thorough inspection to assess properties and quality of hardware items. A survey of nondestructive testing methods is presented to provide space program managers, supervisors and engineers who are unfamiliar with this technical area with appropriate insight into the commonly accepted nondestructive testing methods available, their interrelationships, used, advantages and limitations. Primary emphasis is placed on the most common methods: liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, radiography, ultrasonics and eddy current. A number of the newer test techniques including thermal, acoustic emission, holography, microwaves, eddy-sonic and exo-electron emission, which are beginning to be used in applications of interest to NASA, are also discussed briefly.

The development of Tobacco Harm Prevention Law in Vietnam: stakeholder tensions over tobacco control legislation in a state owned industry

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Building on its National Tobacco Control Policy initiated in 2000, Vietnam is currently considering introducing a comprehensive law to strengthen the implementation of tobacco control policy. This study analyses the positions of key stakeholders in the development of tobacco control legislation in the context of a largely state-owned industry, and discusses their implications for the policy process. Methods Several qualitative methods were employed for the study including: literature review and documentary analysis; key informant interview; focus groups discussion; and key stakeholders survey. Findings The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Ministry of Finance are key players in the tobacco control policy and legislation, representing competing bureaucratic interests over health, macro-economy and revenue. High-ranking officials, including the Communist Party and National Assembly members, take a rather relaxed position reflecting the low political stakes placed on tobacco issues. The state-owned tobacco industry is regarded as an important contributor to the government revenue and gross domestic product, and the relative weight on health and socioeconomic issues placed by stakeholders determine their positions on tobacco control. Overall, short-term economic interests have more immediate influence in setting policy directions, with the consequences of health gains perceived as relegated to a distant future. This was reflected in the position of tobacco control advocates, including MOH, that presented with reluctance in insisting on some tobacco control strategies revealing a mixture attitude of concessions to the socioeconomic uncertainties and a sense of bargaining to win the strategies that are more likely to be accepted. Conclusion The state-ownership of tobacco industry poses a major paradox within the government that benefits from manufacturing of tobacco products and is also responsible for controlling tobacco consumption. The perceptions of negative implications on government revenue and the macro-economy, coupled with the reluctance to challenge these issues from health perspective too directly, means that tobacco control has yet to secure itself a place on the priority policy agenda. The overall policy environment will shift in favour of tobacco control only if the economic framing can be challenged. PMID:21923945

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

Schlenker, R.A.

This paper presents aspects of current and recent work on the distribution of radium and plutonium near the surfaces of human bone and applications of the data. Included are sections on methods, surface deposit thickness, radium distribution near the endosteal surface, the use of alpha spectrometry in conjunction with autoradiography, radium distribution in the mastoid, and factors affecting plutonium specific activity. Emphasis is placed on the alpha spectrometry technique because of its usefulness and its recent application to problems of local dosimetry. 19 references, 14 figures, 6 tables.

Little meteorological workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poler Čanić, K. Å.; Rasol, D.

2010-09-01

Little meteorological workshop (LMW) is a project the main goal of which is promotion and popularisation of meteorology in Croatia. The project has been taking place at the Science Festival in Zagreb since 2007 where the audience includes the general public. Since 2009 the project has been introduced as an extracurricular school activity in some primary schools where the main audience are children and teachers. Here, the methods used in the LMWs will be presented. Furthermore, the evaluation results of the LMWs that were held in schools will be shown.

Emergent Intelligent Behavior through Integrated Investigation of Embodied Natural Language, Reasoning, Learning, Computer Vision, and Robotic Manipulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-11

developed a method for determining the structure (component logs and their 3D place- ment) of a LINCOLN LOG assembly from a single image from an uncalibrated...small a class of components. Moreover, we focus on determining the precise pose and structure of an assembly, including the 3D pose of each...medial axes are parallel to the work surface. Thus valid structures Fig. 1. The 3D geometric shape parameters of LINCOLN LOGS. have logs on

Hybrid matrix fiber composites

DOEpatents

Deteresa, Steven J.; Lyon, Richard E.; Groves, Scott E.

2003-07-15

Hybrid matrix fiber composites having enhanced compressive performance as well as enhanced stiffness, toughness and durability suitable for compression-critical applications. The methods for producing the fiber composites using matrix hybridization. The hybrid matrix fiber composites include two chemically or physically bonded matrix materials, whereas the first matrix materials are used to impregnate multi-filament fibers formed into ribbons and the second matrix material is placed around and between the fiber ribbons that are impregnated with the first matrix material and both matrix materials are cured and solidified.

Flexible heating head for induction heating apparatus and method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coultrip, Robert H.; Copeland, Carl E.; Fox, Robert L.; Johnson, Samuel D., Jr.; Phillips, W. Morris; Buckley, John D.

1991-10-01

An induction heating head includes: a length of wire having first and second opposite ends and being wound in a flat spiral shape to form an induction coil; a capacitor connected to the first and second ends of the wire, the induction coil and capacitor defining a tank circuit; and a flexible, elastomeric body molded to encase the induction coil. When a susceptor is placed in juxtaposition to the body, and the tank circuit is powered, the susceptor is inductively heated.

Flexible heating head for induction heating apparatus and method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, Robert L.; Johnson, Samuel D.; Coultrip, Robert H.; Phillips, W. Morris

1991-10-01

An induction heating head includes a length of wire having first and second opposite ends and being wound in a flat spiral shape to form an induction coil, a capacitor connected to the first and second ends of the wire, the induction coil and capacitor defining a tank circuit, and a flexible, elastomeric body molded to encase the induction coil. When a susceptor is placed in juxtaposition to the body, and the tank circuit is powered, the susceptor is inductively heated.

Approaches to leadership and managing change in the NHS.

PubMed

Lumbers, Melanie

2018-05-24

The NHS is continually changing as research evidence leads to new practices and technology transforms the workplace. Resistance to some changes may occur because of staff fears about adapting to and coping with new methods. This is where change models and leadership are important. This article discusses changes taking place in the NHS, and some theoretical models of change. Leadership styles are also discussed, including those most useful for the nurse to use when leading a team and implementing change.

[From microdosimetry to nanodosimetry--the link between radiobiology and radiation physics].

PubMed

Fu, Yuchuan; Li, Ping

2014-06-01

The link between micro- and macro-parameters for radiation interactions that take place in living biological systems is described in this paper. Meanwhile recent progress and development in microdosimetry and nanodosimetry are introduced, including the methods to measure and calculate these micro- or nano-parameters. The relationship between radiobiology and physical quantities in microdosimetry and nanodosimetry was presented. Both the current problems on their applications in radiation protection and radiotherapy and the future development direction are proposed.

Frailty and Organization of Health and Social Care.

PubMed

Clegg, Andrew; Young, John

2015-01-01

In this chapter, we consider how health and social care can best be organized for older people with frailty. We will consider the merits of routine frailty identification, including risk stratification methods, to inform the provision of evidence-based treatment and holistic, goal-oriented care. We will also consider how best to place older people with frailty at the heart of health and social care systems so that the complex challenges associated with this vulnerable group are addressed. 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Study of advanced techniques for determining the long-term performance of components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A study was conducted of techniques having the capability of determining the performance and reliability of components for spacecraft liquid propulsion applications for long term missions. The study utilized two major approaches; improvement in the existing technology, and the evolution of new technology. The criteria established and methods evolved are applicable to valve components. Primary emphasis was placed on the propellants oxygen difluoride and diborane combination. The investigation included analysis, fabrication, and tests of experimental equipment to provide data and performance criteria.

Place of death of pediatric cancer patients in a single institute during 7 years.

PubMed

Yanai, Tomoko; Hirase, Satoshi; Matsunoshita, Natsuki; Yamamoto, Nobuyuki; Ninchoji, Takeshi; Kubokawa, Ikuko; Mori, Takeshi; Hayakawa, Akira; Takeshima, Yasuhiro; Iijima, Kazumoto; Matsuo, Masafumi

2012-06-27

Place of death is an important issue at the end-of-life. It is poorly understood in pediatric cancer patients in Japan. This study aimed to clarify place of death of children with cancer as well as variables associated with place of death. Study population was pediatric cancer patients who died in the Department of Pediatrics at Kobe University Hospital during the last 7 years. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed regardless of cause of death to derive data relating to patients' characteristics and disease. 18 patients were included. Median age at death was 12.2 years old. 6 patients including 5 children in complete remission had hematological disease and 12 patients suffered from solid tumors. 4 patients (22.2%) died at home, whereas 14 patients (77.8%) died in the hospital including 6 ICU deaths. No one died in hospices. Preference of patients was unavailable due to the lack of inquiry. Factors influencing place of death (home, ICU, non-ICU) were disease (hematological disease vs. solid tumor, p=0.010, brain tumor vs. non-brain tumor, p=0.023), disease status (complete remission vs. non-complete remission, p=0.0014) and preference of families (p=0.029). Among 6 families who expressed preference, no disparity was observed between actual and preferred place of death. This is the first English publication of place of death of pediatric cancer patients in Japan. The low percentage of home death, factors influencing place of death and the lack of disparity between actual and preferred place of death were indicated. Further studies are required to better understand place of death.

Integrating Art into Places in Transition - Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston as a Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rembeza, Magdalena

2017-10-01

Among the many projects realized in public spaces, some are truly unique - and these are the ones that build the identity of a place. The aim of this paper is to examine how integrating art and cultural strategies into public space can enhance and reinforce the sense of a place. Particular attention is devoted to urban spaces that we call “places in transition”, where public art improves the city’s imaginative capacity, enlivens neighbourhoods, and sparks civic exchange. Research methods include multidisciplinary literature studies and a detailed case study of the Rose Kennedy Greenway (RKG) - a contemporary urban park in Boston, USA, intended to stitch together the various neighbourhoods surrounding downtown. The Greenway is also a place in transition, to which the Conservancy introduces innovative and contemporary art through temporary exhibitions, engaging people in experiences, interactions and dialogue with art. The five-year Public Art Strategy was supported by Fund for the Arts, a public art program of the New England Foundation for the Arts. The main vision of the project is to amplify the Greenway’s unique characteristic through art that is connective, innovative, and celebratory. There are the two main types of projects within the Public Art Strategy for the RKG: short-term projects called “Platforms” and long-term projects called “Magnets”. The particular conceptual framework is being developed to guide proposals: connection, interactivity, civic dialogue, ecology, and the environment. The article examines the case and analyses the important issues related to implementing art into a public space such as re-imagining places, short-term and long-term artistic interventions, arts and cultural programming.

"All is well": professionals' documentation of social determinants of health in Swedish Child Health Services health records concerning maltreated children - a mixed method approach.

PubMed

Köhler, Marie; Rosvall, Maria; Emmelin, Maria

2016-08-15

Knowledge about social determinants of health has influenced global health strategies, including early childhood interventions. Some psychosocial circumstances - such as poverty, parental mental health problems, abuse and partner violence - increase the risk of child maltreatment and neglect. Healthcare professionals' awareness of psychosocial issues is of special interest, since they both have the possibility and the obligation to identify vulnerable children. Child Health Services health records of 100 children in Malmö, Sweden, who had been placed in, or were to be placed in family foster care, were compared with health records of a matched comparison group of 100 children who were not placed in care. A mixed-method approach integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis was applied. The documentation about the foster care group was more voluminous than for the comparison group. The content was problem-oriented and dominated by severe parental health and social problems, while the child's own experiences were neglected. The professionals documented interaction with healthcare and social functions, but very few reports to the Social Services were noted. For both groups, notes about social structures were almost absent. Child Health Service professionals facing vulnerable children document parental health issues and interaction with healthcare, but they fail to document living conditions thereby making social structures invisible in the health records. The child perspective is insufficiently integrated in the documentation and serious child protection needs remain unmet, if professionals avoid reporting to Social Services.

Fluoroscopic Placement of Double-Pigtail Ureteral Stents

PubMed Central

Chen, Gregory L.

2001-01-01

Purpose: Double-pigtail ureteral stent is placed cystoscopically after ureteroscopy. We describe a technique for fluoroscopic placement of ureteral stents and demonstrate its use in a non-randomized prospective study. Materials and methods: Double-pigtail stents were placed either fluoroscopically or cystoscopically in 121 consecutive patients. In the fluoroscopic method, the stent was placed over a guide wire using a stent pusher without the use of cystoscopy. Conversely, stents were placed through the working channel of the cystoscope under vision. The procedure, stent length, width, type, method, ureteral dilation, and use of a retrieval string were noted. Results: A wide range of stent sizes were used. The success with fluoroscopic placement of double-pigtail ureteral stents was 100% (89 of 89 cases). No stents migrated or required replacement. Stents were placed after ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy (53/89) and ureteroscopic tumor treatment (22/89). Cystoscopic visualization was used in 32 additional procedures requiring precise control (15 ureteral strictures and nine retrograde endopyelotomy). Conclusions: The fluoroscopic placement of ureteral stents is a safe and simple technique with a very high success rate. We have used cystoscopic placement only after incisional procedures such as retrograde endopyelotomy, stricture or ureterotomy. PMID:18493562

Pre-release plastic packaging of MEMS and IMEMS devices

DOEpatents

Peterson, Kenneth A.; Conley, William R.

2002-01-01

A method is disclosed for pre-release plastic packaging of MEMS and IMEMS devices. The method can include encapsulating the MEMS device in a transfer molded plastic package. Next, a perforation can be made in the package to provide access to the MEMS elements. The non-ablative material removal process can include wet etching, dry etching, mechanical machining, water jet cutting, and ultrasonic machining, or any combination thereof. Finally, the MEMS elements can be released by using either a wet etching or dry plasma etching process. The MEMS elements can be protected with a parylene protective coating. After releasing the MEMS elements, an anti-stiction coating can be applied. The perforating step can be applied to both sides of the device or package. A cover lid can be attached to the face of the package after releasing any MEMS elements. The cover lid can include a window for providing optical access. The method can be applied to any plastic packaged microelectronic device that requires access to the environment, including chemical, pressure, or temperature-sensitive microsensors; CCD chips, photocells, laser diodes, VCSEL's, and UV-EPROMS. The present method places the high-risk packaging steps ahead of the release of the fragile portions of the device. It also provides protection for the die in shipment between the molding house and the house that will release the MEMS elements and subsequently treat the surfaces.

Application of multiattribute decision-making methods for the determination of relative significance factor of impact categories.

PubMed

Noh, Jaesung; Lee, Kun Mo

2003-05-01

A relative significance factor (f(i)) of an impact category is the external weight of the impact category. The objective of this study is to propose a systematic and easy-to-use method for the determination of f(i). Multiattribute decision-making (MADM) methods including the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the rank-order centroid method, and the fuzzy method were evaluated for this purpose. The results and practical aspects of using the three methods are compared. Each method shows the same trend, with minor differences in the value of f(i). Thus, all three methods can be applied to the determination of f(i). The rank order centroid method reduces the number of pairwise comparisons by placing the alternatives in order, although it has inherent weakness over the fuzzy method in expressing the degree of vagueness associated with assigning weights to criteria and alternatives. The rank order centroid method is considered a practical method for the determination of f(i) because it is easier and simpler to use compared to the AHP and the fuzzy method.

Creation of smart composites using an embroidery machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torii, Nobuhiro; Oka, Kosuke; Ikeda, Tadashige

2016-04-01

A smart composite with functional fibers and reinforcement fibers optimally placed with an embroidery machine was created. Fiber orientation affects mechanical properties of composite laminates significantly. Accordingly, if the fibers can be placed along a desired curved path, fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) structures can be designed more lightly and more sophisticatedly. To this end a tailored fiber placement method using the embroidery machine have been studied. To add functions to the FRP structures, shape memory alloy (SMA) wires were placed as functional fibers. First, for a certain purpose the paths of the reinforcement fibers and the SMA wires were simultaneously optimized in analysis. Next, the reinforcement fibers and tubes with the SMA wires were placed on fabrics by using the embroidery machine and this fabric was impregnated with resin by using the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding method. This smart composite was activated by applying voltage to the SMA wires. Fundamental properties of the smart composite were examined and the feasibility of the proposed creation method was shown.

Slab edge insulating form system and methods

DOEpatents

Lee, Brain E [Corral de Tierra, CA; Barsun, Stephan K [Davis, CA; Bourne, Richard C [Davis, CA; Hoeschele, Marc A [Davis, CA; Springer, David A [Winters, CA

2009-10-06

A method of forming an insulated concrete foundation is provided comprising constructing a foundation frame, the frame comprising an insulating form having an opening, inserting a pocket former into the opening; placing concrete inside the foundation frame; and removing the pocket former after the placed concrete has set, wherein the concrete forms a pocket in the placed concrete that is accessible through the opening. The method may further comprise sealing the opening by placing a sealing plug or sealing material in the opening. A system for forming an insulated concrete foundation is provided comprising a plurality of interconnected insulating forms, the insulating forms having a rigid outer member protecting and encasing an insulating material, and at least one gripping lip extending outwardly from the outer member to provide a pest barrier. At least one insulating form has an opening into which a removable pocket former is inserted. The system may also provide a tension anchor positioned in the pocket former and a tendon connected to the tension anchor.

Rural mental health: neither romanticism nor despair.

PubMed

Wainer, J; Chesters, J

2000-06-01

This paper explores the relationship between rural places and mental health. It begins with a definition of mental health and an outline of the data that have led to the current concern with promoting positive mental health. We then consider aspects of rural life and place that contribute to positive mental health or increase the likelihood of mental health problems. Issues identified include environment, place, gender identity, violence and dispossession and the influence of the effects of structural changes in rural communities. The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the determinants of resilience in rural places, including social connectedness, valuing diversity and economic participation.

Sense of Place and Health in Hamilton, Ontario: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Allison; Kitchen, Peter

2012-01-01

The concept of sense of place has received considerable attention by social scientists in recent years. Research has indicated that a person's sense of place is influenced by a number of factors including the built environment, socio-economic status (SES), well-being and health. Relatively few studies have examined sense of place at the…

Using PlacesOnline in Instructional Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longan, Michael W.; Owusu, Francis; Roseman, Curtis C.

2008-01-01

PlacesOnLine.org is a Web portal that provides easy access to high quality Web sites that focus on places from around the world. It is intended for use by a wide range of people, including professional geographers, teachers and students at all levels, and the general public. This article explores the potential uses of PlacesOnLine as an…

Eliminating health disparities in unintended pregnancy with long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).

PubMed

Parks, Caitlin; Peipert, Jeffrey F

2016-06-01

Significant public health disparities exist surrounding teen and unplanned pregnancy in the United States. Women of color and those with lower education and socioeconomic status are at much greater risk of unplanned pregnancy and the resulting adverse outcomes. Unplanned pregnancies reduce educational and career opportunities and may contribute to socioeconomic deprivation and widening income disparities. Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), including intrauterine devices and implants, offer the opportunity to change the default from drifting into parenthood to planned conception. LARC methods are forgettable; once placed, they offer highly effective, long-term pregnancy prevention. Increasing evidence in the medical literature demonstrates the population benefits of use of these methods. However, barriers to more widespread use of LARC methods persist and include educational, access, and cost barriers. With increasing insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act and more widespread, no-cost coverage of methods, more and more women are choosing intrauterine devices and the contraceptive implant. Increasing the use of highly effective contraceptive methods may provide one solution to the persistent problem of the health disparities of unplanned and teen pregnancies in the United States and improve women's and children's health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Method of Making Lightweight, Single Crystal Mirror

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bly, Vincent T. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A method of making a mirror from a single crystal blank may include fine grinding top and bottom surfaces of the blank to be parallel. The blank may then be heat treated to near its melting temperature. An optical surface may be created on an optical side of the blank. A protector may be bonded to the optical surface. With the protector in place, the blank may be light weighted by grinding a non-optical surface of the blank using computer controlled grinding. The light weighting may include creating a structure having a substantially minimum mass necessary to maintain distortion of the mirror within a preset limit. A damaged layer of the non-optical surface caused by light weighting may be removed with an isotropic etch and/or repaired by heat treatment. If an oxide layer is present, the entire blank may then be etched using, for example, hydrofluoric acid. A reflecting coating may be deposited on the optical surface.

Methods and systems for detecting gas flow by photoacoustic signal generation

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

Choudhury, Niloy; Challener, William Albert

A method for the detection of a gas flowing from a location in a structure is described. A hollow-core optical fiber is placed in a position adjacent the structure. The fiber includes a sound-conductive cladding layer; and further includes at least one aperture extending into its cross-sectional diameter. A beam of pulsed, optical is transmitted into the fiber with a tunable laser. The optical energy is characterized by a wavelength that can be absorbed by the gas that flows into the fiber through the aperture. This causes a temperature fluctuation in the region of gas absorption, which in turn generatesmore » an acoustic wave in the absorption region. The acoustic wave travels through the cladding layer, and can be detected with a microphone, so as to provide the location of gas flow, based on the recorded position and movement of the acoustic wave. A related system is also described.« less

Teaching thoughtful practice: narrative pedagogy in addictions education.

PubMed

Vandermause, Roxanne K; Townsend, Ryan P

2010-07-01

Preparing practitioners for this rapidly changing and demanding health care environment is challenging. A surge in knowledge development and scientific advancement has placed a priority on technical skill and a focus on content driven educational processes that prepare students for evidence-based practice. However, the most difficult health care scenarios require thinking-in-action and thoughtfulness as well as didactic knowledge. It is our contention that interpretive educational methods, like narrative pedagogy, will promote judgment-based practice that includes use of evidence and delivery of thoughtful care. In this article, we describe and interpret a narrative approach to addictions content and teaching thoughtful practice. We present our pedagogical process, including observations and field notes, to show how interpretive pedagogies can be introduced into nursing curricula. By presenting this process, the reader is invited to consider interpretive methods as a way to inspire and habituate thoughtful practice and judgment-based care. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-temperature strain cell for tomographic imaging

DOEpatents

MacDowell, Alastair A.; Nasiatka, James; Haboub, Abdel; Ritchie, Robert O.; Bale, Hrishikesh A.

2015-06-16

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to the high temperature mechanical testing of materials. In one aspect, a method includes providing an apparatus. The apparatus may include a chamber. The chamber may comprise a top portion and a bottom portion, with the top portion and the bottom portion each joined to a window material. A first cooled fixture and a second cooled fixture may be mounted to the chamber and configured to hold the sample in the chamber. A plurality of heating lamps may be mounted to the chamber and positioned to heat the sample. The sample may be placed in the first and the second cooled fixtures. The sample may be heated to a specific temperature using the heating lamps. Radiation may be directed though the window material, the radiation thereafter interacting with the sample and exiting the chamber through the window material.

Systems and methods for harvesting and storing materials produced in a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Heinold, Mark R.; Dayal, Yogeshwar; Brittingham, Martin W.

2016-04-05

Systems produce desired isotopes through irradiation in nuclear reactor instrumentation tubes and deposit the same in a robust facility for immediate shipping, handling, and/or consumption. Irradiation targets are inserted and removed through inaccessible areas without plant shutdown and placed in the harvesting facility, such as a plurality of sealable and shipping-safe casks and/or canisters. Systems may connect various structures in a sealed manner to avoid release of dangerous or unwanted matter throughout the nuclear plant, and/or systems may also automatically decontaminate materials to be released. Useable casks or canisters can include plural barriers for containment that are temporarily and selectively removable with specially-configured paths inserted therein. Penetrations in the facilities may limit waste or pneumatic gas escape and allow the same to be removed from the systems without over-pressurization or leakage. Methods include processing irradiation targets through such systems and securely delivering them in such harvesting facilities.

Microwave sintering of single plate-shaped articles

DOEpatents

Katz, Joel D.; Blake, Rodger D.

1995-01-01

Apparatus and method for high temperature sintering of plate-shaped articles of alumina, magnesia, silica, yttria, zirconia, and mixtures thereof using microwave radiation. An article is placed within a sintering structure located within a sintering container which is placed in a microwave cavity for heating. The rates at which heating and cooling take place is controlled.

Whole-Number Place-Value Understanding of Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thouless, Helen R.

2014-01-01

Place-value is an essential concept that is foundational for understanding our number system and for developing procedures for multidigit operations, but there has been limited research into the place-value understanding of students with learning disabilities. This research is a two-part mixed-methods study that links basic research to…

Impact of a Place-Based Education Curriculum on Indigenous Teacher and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sianturi, Murni; Chiang, Chia-Ling; Au Hurit, Andreas

2018-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a place-based education curriculum (PBE) on the indigenous teacher empowerment and improvement of indigenous students' learning achievement. This study applied mixed method research particularly concurrent triangulation design. The study took place in a remote indigenous elementary school in Papua,…

Preservice Elementary School Teachers' Conceptual Understanding of Place Value within a Constructivist Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murawska, Jaclyn Marie

2013-01-01

This research study examined the development of 43 preservice elementary school teachers' conceptual understanding of place value after participating in a research-based constructivist unit of instruction in place value. The preservice teachers were enrolled in one of three terms of an elementary mathematics methods course in a private midwestern…

Method For Characterizing Residual Stress In Metals

DOEpatents

Jacobson, Loren A.; Michel, David J.; Wyatt, Jeffrey R.

2002-12-03

A method is provided for measuring the residual stress in metals. The method includes the steps of drilling one or more holes in a metal workpiece to a preselected depth and mounting one or more acoustic sensors on the metal workpiece and connecting the sensors to an electronic detecting and recording device. A liquid metal capable of penetrating into the metal workpiece placed at the bottom of the hole or holes. A recording is made over a period of time (typically within about two hours) of the magnitude and number of noise events which occur as the liquid metal penetrates into the metal workpiece. The magnitude and number of noise events are then correlated to the internal stress in the region of the workpiece at the bottom of the hole.

Tunable lasers and their application in analytical chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinfeld, J. I.

1975-01-01

The impact that laser techniques might have in chemical analysis is examined. Absorption, scattering, and heterodyne detection is considered. Particular emphasis is placed on the advantages of using frequency-tunable sources, and dye solution lasers are regarded as the outstanding example of this type of laser. Types of spectroscopy that can be carried out with lasers are discussed along with the ultimate sensitivity or minimum detectable concentration of molecules that can be achieved with each method. Analytical applications include laser microprobe analysis, remote sensing and instrumental methods such as laser-Raman spectroscopy, atomic absorption/fluorescence spectrometry, fluorescence assay techniques, optoacoustic spectroscopy, and polarization measurements. The application of lasers to spectroscopic methods of analysis would seem to be a rewarding field both for research in analytical chemistry and for investments in instrument manufacturing.

A guide to missing data for the pediatric nephrologist.

PubMed

Larkins, Nicholas G; Craig, Jonathan C; Teixeira-Pinto, Armando

2018-03-13

Missing data is an important and common source of bias in clinical research. Readers should be alert to and consider the impact of missing data when reading studies. Beyond preventing missing data in the first place, through good study design and conduct, there are different strategies available to handle data containing missing observations. Complete case analysis is often biased unless data are missing completely at random. Better methods of handling missing data include multiple imputation and models using likelihood-based estimation. With advancing computing power and modern statistical software, these methods are within the reach of clinician-researchers under guidance of a biostatistician. As clinicians reading papers, we need to continue to update our understanding of statistical methods, so that we understand the limitations of these techniques and can critically interpret literature.

Force Evaluation in the Lattice Boltzmann Method Involving Curved Geometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mei, Renwei; Yu, Dazhi; Shyy, Wei; Luo, Li-Shi; Bushnell, Dennis M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The present work investigates two approaches for force evaluation in the lattice Boltzmann equation: the momentum- exchange method and the stress-integration method on the surface of a body. The boundary condition for the particle distribution functions on curved geometries is handled with second order accuracy based on our recent works. The stress-integration method is computationally laborious for two-dimensional flows and in general difficult to implement for three-dimensional flows, while the momentum-exchange method is reliable, accurate, and easy to implement for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional flows. Several test cases are selected to evaluate the present methods, including: (i) two-dimensional pressure-driven channel flow; (ii) two-dimensional uniform flow past a column of cylinders; (iii) two-dimensional flow past a cylinder asymmetrically placed in a channel (with vortex shedding); (iv) three-dimensional pressure-driven flow in a circular pipe; and (v) three-dimensional flow past a sphere. The drag evaluated by using the momentum-exchange method agrees well with the exact or other published results.

An improved UHPLC-UV method for separation and quantification of carotenoids in vegetable crops.

PubMed

Maurer, Megan M; Mein, Jonathan R; Chaudhuri, Swapan K; Constant, Howard L

2014-12-15

Carotenoid identification and quantitation is critical for the development of improved nutrition plant varieties. Industrial analysis of carotenoids is typically carried out on multiple crops with potentially thousands of samples per crop, placing critical needs on speed and broad utility of the analytical methods. Current chromatographic methods for carotenoid analysis have had limited industrial application due to their low throughput, requiring up to 60 min for complete separation of all compounds. We have developed an improved UHPLC-UV method that resolves all major carotenoids found in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica), carrot (Daucus carota), corn (Zea mays), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The chromatographic method is completed in 13.5 min allowing for the resolution of the 11 carotenoids of interest, including the structural isomers lutein/zeaxanthin and α-/β-carotene. Additional minor carotenoids have also been separated and identified with this method, demonstrating the utility of this method across major commercial food crops. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The efficacy of preservation methods to inactivate foodborne viruses.

PubMed

Baert, L; Debevere, J; Uyttendaele, M

2009-05-31

During the last decade an increased incidence of infections and outbreaks attributed to foodborne viruses, in particular noroviruses (NoV), was observed world wide. The awareness of the presence of viruses on food emphasized the need to acquire knowledge regarding the effect of preservation methods upon viruses. Most foodborne viruses cannot be cultured in the laboratory, which hinders studies of their stability in food. Cultivable surrogate viruses, genetically related to the human infecting strains, are taken as a substitute to define inactivation rates. The last years, the number of survival and inactivation studies using various surrogate viruses increased. In this review, state-of-the-art information regarding the efficacy of preservation methods to reduce the level of viruses on food is compiled. In the first place, the effect of preservation methods establishing microbial growth inhibition (chilling, freezing, acidification, reduced water activity and modified atmosphere packaging) upon foodborne viruses is described. Secondly, the use of preservation methods establishing microbial inactivation such as heat treatment, high hydrostatic pressure processing and irradiation to eliminate viruses is discussed. In the third place, the efficacy of decontamination methods on fresh produce and purification procedures applied on live bivalve shellfish to reduce the viral load is included. These studies indicate that viruses persist well on chilled, acidified, frozen foods and foods packed under modified atmosphere or in dried conditions. Intervention strategies inducing microbial inactivation are required to achieve a 3 log reduction of the level of viruses. Decontamination of fresh produce reduces viruses with a maximum of 1 to 2 log while purification of live bivalves is not adequate to prevent viral outbreaks. It was noted that the effect of a particular food preservation method is dependent upon the virus tested and type of food.

Stratospheric Aerosols for Solar Radiation Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kravitz, Ben

SRM in the context of this entry involves placing a large amount of aerosols in the stratosphere to reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching the surface, thereby cooling the surface and counteracting some of the warming from anthropogenic greenhouse gases. The way this is accomplished depends on the specific aerosol used, but the basic mechanism involves backscattering and absorbing certain amounts of solar radiation aloft. Since warming from greenhouse gases is due to longwave (thermal) emission, compensating for this warming by reduction of shortwave (solar) energy is inherently imperfect, meaning SRM will have climate effects that are different from the effects of climate change. This will likely manifest in the form of regional inequalities, in that, similarly to climate change, some regions will benefit from SRM, while some will be adversely affected, viewed both in the context of present climate and a climate with high CO2 concentrations. These effects are highly dependent upon the means of SRM, including the type of aerosol to be used, the particle size and other microphysical concerns, and the methods by which the aerosol is placed in the stratosphere. SRM has never been performed, nor has deployment been tested, so the research up to this point has serious gaps. The amount of aerosols required is large enough that SRM would require a major engineering endeavor, although SRM is potentially cheap enough that it could be conducted unilaterally. Methods of governance must be in place before deployment is attempted, should deployment even be desired. Research in public policy, ethics, and economics, as well as many other disciplines, will be essential to the decision-making process. SRM is only a palliative treatment for climate change, and it is best viewed as part of a portfolio of responses, including mitigation, adaptation, and possibly CDR. At most, SRM is insurance against dangerous consequences that are directly due to increased surface air temperatures.

Development of a physical activity monitoring tool for Thai medical schools: a protocol for a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Wattanapisit, Apichai; Vijitpongjinda, Surasak; Saengow, Udomsak; Amaek, Waluka; Thanamee, Sanhapan; Petchuay, Prachyapan

2017-09-27

Physical activity (PA) is important in promoting health, as well as in the treatment and prevention of diseases. However, insufficient PA is still a global health problem and it is also a problem in medical schools. PA training in medical curricula is still sparse or non-existent. There is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the extent of PA in medical schools through several indicators, including people, places and policies. This study includes a survey of the PA prevalence in a medical school and development of a tool, the Medical School Physical Activity Report Card (MSPARC), which will contain concise and understandable infographics and information for exploring, monitoring and reporting information relating to PA prevalence. This mixed methods study will run from January to September 2017. We will involve the School of Medicine, Walailak University, Thailand, and its medical students (n=285). Data collection will consist of both primary and secondary data, divided into four parts: general information, people, places and policies. We will investigate the PA metrics about (1) people: the prevalence of PA and sedentary behaviours; (2) place: the quality and accessibility of walkable neighbourhoods, bicycle facilities and recreational areas; and (3) policy: PA promotion programmes for medical students, education metrics and investments related to PA. The MSPARC will be developed using simple symbols, infographics and short texts to evaluate the PA metrics of the medical school. This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Walailak University (protocol number: WUEC-16-005-01). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national or international conferences. The MSPARC and full report will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders, policymakers, staff and clients. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Community-level policy responses to state marijuana legalization in Washington State

PubMed Central

Dilley, Julia A.; Hitchcock, Laura; McGroder, Nancy; Greto, Lindsey A.; Richardson, Susan M.

2017-01-01

Background Washington State (WA) legalized a recreational marijuana market -- including growing, processing and retail sales -- through voter initiative 502 in November 2012. Legalized recreational marijuana retail sales began in July 2014. In response to state legalization of recreational marijuana, some cities and counties within the state have passed local ordinances that either further regulated marijuana markets, or banned them completely. The purpose of this study is to describe local-level marijuana regulations on recreational retail sales within the context of a state that had legalized a recreational marijuana market. Methods Marijuana-related ordinances were collected from all 142 cities in the state with more than 3,000 residents and from all 39 counties. Policies that were in place as of June 30, 2016 - two years after the state’s recreational market opening - to regulate recreational marijuana retail sales within communities were systematically coded. Results A total of 125 cities and 30 counties had passed local ordinances to address recreational marijuana retail sales. Multiple communities implemented retail market bans, including some temporary bans (moratoria) while studying whether to pursue other policy options. As of June 30, 2016, 30% of the state population lived in places that had temporarily or permanently banned retail sales. Communities most frequently enacted zoning policies explicitly regulating where marijuana businesses could be established. Other policies included in ordinances placed limits on business hours and distance requirements (buffers) between marijuana businesses and youth-related land use types or other sensitive areas. Conclusions State legalization does not necessarily result in uniform community environments that regulate recreational marijuana markets. Local ordinances vary among communities within Washington following statewide legalization. Further study is needed to describe how such local policies affect variation in public health and social outcomes. PMID:28365192

VibeComm: radio-free wireless communication for smart devices using vibration.

PubMed

Hwang, Inhwan; Cho, Jungchan; Oh, Songhwai

2014-11-10

This paper proposes VibeComm, a novel communication method for smart devices using a built-in vibrator and accelerometer. The proposed approach is ideal for low-rate off-line communication, and its communication medium is an object on which smart devices are placed, such as tables and desks. When more than two smart devices are placed on an object and one device wants to transmit a message to the other devices, the transmitting device generates a sequence of vibrations. The vibrations are propagated through the object on which the devices are placed. The receiving devices analyze their accelerometer readings to decode incoming messages. The proposed method can be the alternative communication method when general types of radio communication methods are not available. VibeComm is implemented on Android smartphones, and a comprehensive set of experiments is conducted to show its feasibility.

3D sensor placement strategy using the full-range pheromone ant colony system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuo, Feng; Jingqing, Jia

2016-07-01

An optimized sensor placement strategy will be extremely beneficial to ensure the safety and cost reduction considerations of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. The sensors must be placed such that important dynamic information is obtained and the number of sensors is minimized. The practice is to select individual sensor directions by several 1D sensor methods and the triaxial sensors are placed in these directions for monitoring. However, this may lead to non-optimal placement of many triaxial sensors. In this paper, a new method, called FRPACS, is proposed based on the ant colony system (ACS) to solve the optimal placement of triaxial sensors. The triaxial sensors are placed as single units in an optimal fashion. And then the new method is compared with other algorithms using Dalian North Bridge. The computational precision and iteration efficiency of the FRPACS has been greatly improved compared with the original ACS and EFI method.

Large-scale fabrication of vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays

DOEpatents

Wang, Zhong L; Das, Suman; Xu, Sheng; Yuan, Dajun; Guo, Rui; Wei, Yaguang; Wu, Wenzhuo

2013-02-05

In a method for growing a nanowire array, a photoresist layer is placed onto a nanowire growth layer configured for growing nanowires therefrom. The photoresist layer is exposed to a coherent light interference pattern that includes periodically alternately spaced dark bands and light bands along a first orientation. The photoresist layer exposed to the coherent light interference pattern along a second orientation, transverse to the first orientation. The photoresist layer developed so as to remove photoresist from areas corresponding to areas of intersection of the dark bands of the interference pattern along the first orientation and the dark bands of the interference pattern along the second orientation, thereby leaving an ordered array of holes passing through the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer and the nanowire growth layer are placed into a nanowire growth environment, thereby growing nanowires from the nanowire growth layer through the array of holes.

Method for vacuum pressing electrochemical cell components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, Craig C. (Inventor); Murphy, Oliver J. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

Assembling electrochemical cell components using a bonding agent comprising aligning components of the electrochemical cell, applying a bonding agent between the components to bond the components together, placing the components within a container that is essentially a pliable bag, and drawing a vacuum within the bag, wherein the bag conforms to the shape of the components from the pressure outside the bag, thereby holding the components securely in place. The vacuum is passively maintained until the adhesive has cured and the components are securely bonded. The bonding agent used to bond the components of the electrochemical cell may be distributed to the bonding surface from distribution channels in the components. To prevent contamination with bonding agent, some areas may be treated to produce regions of preferred adhesive distribution and protected regions. Treatments may include polishing, etching, coating and providing protective grooves between the bonding surfaces and the protected regions.

Effects of combustibles on internal quasi-static loads

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

Sandoval, N.R.; Hokanson, J.C.; Esparza, E.D.

1984-08-01

The phenomenon of quasi-static pressure enhancement produced when combustible materials are placed near HE sources has been recently discovered. The effects of placing solid and liquid combustible materials near detonating explosives on internal blast loading was measured during tests conducted in a one-eighth scale model of a containment structure. In many cases, dramatic increases in gas pressures resulted. Principal conclusions of this study are: combustible materials near explosives can markedly increase gas pressures in enclosed structures; there is a lack of data on HE-combustible combinations; quasi-static loading calculations should include estimates of contributions from the burning of combustible materials whenevermore » such materials are expected to be in intimate contact with HE sources; and effects of combustibles should be investigated further to determine methods for prediction. Variations in charge to combustible mass, charge type, structure volume, degree of venting and degree of contact between HE and combustible sbould be studied.« less

Starbugs: focal plane fiber positioning technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwin, Michael; Heijmans, Jeroen; Saunders, Ian; Brzeski, Jurek; Saunders, Will; Muller, Rolf; Haynes, Roger; Gilbert, James

2010-07-01

We report on the technological achievements of our latest Starbug prototypes and their implications for smart focal plane fiber positioning applications for wide-field astronomy. The Starbugs are innovative self-motile miniature robotic devices that can simultaneously and independently position fibers or payloads over a field plate located at the telescope's focal plane. The Starbugs concept overcomes many of the limitations associated with the traditional 'pick and place' positioners where a robot places fixed buttons onto the field plate. The new Starbug prototypes use piezoelectric actuators and have the following features: (i) new 'lift-and-step' method (discrete step) for accurate positioning over different surfaces; and (ii) operate in an inverted hanging position underneath a transparent field plate, removing the need for fibercable retractors. In this paper, we present aspects of the Starbug prototypes, including the theoretical model, mechanical design, experimental setup, algorithms, performance and applications for astronomical instrumentation.

No place, new places: death and its rituals in urban Asia.

PubMed

Kong, Lily

2012-01-01

In many land-scarce Asian cities, planning agencies have sought to reduce space for the dead to release land for the living, encouraging conversion from burial to cremation over several decades. This has caused secular principles privileging efficient land use to conflict with symbolic values invested in burial spaces. Over time, not only has cremation become more accepted, even columbaria have become overcrowded, and new forms of burials (sea and woodland burials) have emerged. As burial methods change, so too do commemorative rituals, including new on-line and mobile phone rituals. This paper traces the ways in which physical spaces for the dead in several east Asian cities have diminished and changed over time, the growth of virtual space for them, the accompanying discourses that influence these dynamics and the new rituals that emerge concomitantly with the contraction of land space.

Conventions of Courtship: Gender and Race Differences in the Significance of Dating Rituals

PubMed Central

Jackson, Pamela Braboy; Kleiner, Sibyl; Geist, Claudia; Cebulko, Kara

2012-01-01

Dating rituals include dating-courtship methods that are regularly enacted. We explored gender and race differences in the relative importance placed on certain symbolic activities previously identified by the dating literature as constituting such rituals. Using information collected from a racially diverse sample of college students (N = 680), we find that some traditional gender differences persist, but that these are also cross-cut by racial contrasts. Men, overall, place more emphasis on gifting, as well as sexual activity. Gender differences, however, are significantly greater among African Americans1 as compared to Whites in our sample. African American respondents are also significantly more likely than White respondents to associate meeting the family with a more serious dating relationship. Our findings highlight the need for greater efforts to uncover and account for racial differences in dating, relationships, and courtship. PMID:23049154

The effect of ordinances requiring smoke-free restaurants and bars on revenues: a follow-up.

PubMed Central

Glantz, S A; Smith, L R

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to extend an earlier evaluation of the economic effects of ordinances requiring smoke-free restaurants and bars. METHODS: Sales tax data for 15 cities with smoke-free restaurant ordinances, 5 cities and 2 counties with smoke-free bar ordinances, and matched comparison locations were analyzed by multiple regression, including time and a dummy variable for the ordinance. RESULTS: Ordinances had no significant effect on the fraction of total retail sales that went to eating and drinking places or on the ratio between sales in communities with ordinances and sales in comparison communities. Ordinances requiring smoke-free bars had no significant effect on the fraction of revenues going to eating and drinking places that serve all types of liquor. CONCLUSIONS: Smoke-free ordinances do not adversely affect either restaurant or bar sales. PMID:9357356

Electrolyzer assembly method and system

DOEpatents

Swala, Dana Ray; Bourgeois, Richard Scott; Paraszczak, Steven; Buckley, Donald Joseph

2017-05-23

The present techniques provide a novel electrolyzer and methods for welding components of such electrolyzers. The techniques may use conductors, such as resistance wires, placed in paths around the internal structural features and edges of the components. The conductors may be incorporated into the components during manufacture by injection molding, or other molding techniques, or may be tacked or otherwise applied to the surface of the components after manufacture. When current, a field or other excitation is applied to the conductors, the plastic surrounding the wire is melted. If this plastic is in direct contact with an adjoining component, a strong, hermetic seal may be formed between the two components, including the internal structural features.

Comparison of the measured and predicted response of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment active cavity radiometer during solar observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahan, J. R.; Tira, N. E.; Lee, Robert B., III; Keynton, R. J.

1989-01-01

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment consists of an array of radiometric instruments placed in earth orbit by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to monitor the longwave and visible components of the earth's radiation budget. Presented is a dynamic electrothermal model of the active cavity radiometer used to measure the earth's total radiative exitance. Radiative exchange is modeled using the Monte Carlo method and transient conduction is treated using the finite element method. Also included is the feedback circuit which controls electrical substitution heating of the cavity. The model is shown to accurately predict the dynamic response of the instrument during solar calibration.

Ultrasonic Apparatus and Method to Assess Compartment Syndrome

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, William T. (Inventor); Ueno, Toshiaki (Inventor); Hargens, Alan R. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A process and apparatus for measuring pressure buildup in a body compartment that encases muscular tissue. The method includes assessing the body compartment configuration and identifying the effect of pulsatible components on compartment dimensions and muscle tissue characteristics. This process is used in preventing tissue necrosis, and in decisions of whether to perform surgery on the body compartment for prevention of Compartment Syndrome. An apparatus is used for measuring pressure build-up in the body compartment having components for imparting ultrasonic waves such as a transducer, placing the transducer to impart the ultrasonic waves, capturing the imparted ultrasonic waves, mathematically manipulating the captured ultrasonic waves and categorizing pressure build-up in the body compartment from the mathematical manipulations.

Analysis of Discontinuities in a Rectangular Waveguide Using Dyadic Green's Function Approach in Conjunction with Method of Moments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshpande, M. D.

1997-01-01

The dyadic Green's function for an electric current source placed in a rectangular waveguide is derived using a magnetic vector potential approach. A complete solution for the electric and magnetic fields including the source location is obtained by simple differentiation of the vector potential around the source location. The simple differentiation approach which gives electric and magnetic fields identical to an earlier derivation is overlooked by the earlier workers in the derivation of the dyadic Green's function particularly around the source location. Numerical results obtained using the Green's function approach are compared with the results obtained using the Finite Element Method (FEM).

Methods for making radially anisotropic thin-film magnetic torroidal cores

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

Qiu, Jizheng; Sullivan, Charles R.

2017-05-23

A method of forming a radially anisotropic toroidal magnetic core includes providing apparatus having a first magnet for providing a radial magnetic field extending across a cavity from an axial spindle to a surrounding second magnetic element, placing a substrate in the cavity, the substrate having a hole fitting around the head of the spindle; and sputter-depositing a film of ferromagnetic material onto the substrate. In an embodiment, the spindle is magnetically coupled to a first pole of the first magnet, the second magnetic element is coupled to a second pole of the first magnet, and a thermally conductive, nonmagnetic,more » insert separates the spindle and the second magnetic element.« less

Seismic refraction analysis: the path forward

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haines, Seth S.; Zelt, Colin; Doll, William

2012-01-01

Seismic Refraction Methods: Unleashing the Potential and Understanding the Limitations; Tucson, Arizona, 29 March 2012 A workshop focused on seismic refraction methods took place on 29 May 2012, associated with the 2012 Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems. This workshop was convened to assess the current state of the science and discuss paths forward, with a primary focus on near-surface problems but with an eye on all applications. The agenda included talks on these topics from a number of experts interspersed with discussion and a dedicated discussion period to finish the day. Discussion proved lively at times, and workshop participants delved into many topics central to seismic refraction work.

Contributions of cochlea-scaled entropy and consonant-vowel boundaries to prediction of speech intelligibility in noise

PubMed Central

Chen, Fei; Loizou, Philipos C.

2012-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that spectral change, as measured by cochlea-scaled entropy (CSE), predicts speech intelligibility better than the information carried by vowels or consonants in sentences. Motivated by this finding, the present study investigates whether intelligibility indices implemented to include segments marked with significant spectral change better predict speech intelligibility in noise than measures that include all phonetic segments paying no attention to vowels/consonants or spectral change. The prediction of two intelligibility measures [normalized covariance measure (NCM), coherence-based speech intelligibility index (CSII)] is investigated using three sentence-segmentation methods: relative root-mean-square (RMS) levels, CSE, and traditional phonetic segmentation of obstruents and sonorants. While the CSE method makes no distinction between spectral changes occurring within vowels/consonants, the RMS-level segmentation method places more emphasis on the vowel-consonant boundaries wherein the spectral change is often most prominent, and perhaps most robust, in the presence of noise. Higher correlation with intelligibility scores was obtained when including sentence segments containing a large number of consonant-vowel boundaries than when including segments with highest entropy or segments based on obstruent/sonorant classification. These data suggest that in the context of intelligibility measures the type of spectral change captured by the measure is important. PMID:22559382

Learning in and about rural places: Connections and tensions between students' everyday experiences and environmental quality issues in their community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

2017-03-01

Guided by sociocultural perspectives on the importance of place as a resource for learning, we investigated 14- and 15-year old students' understandings of their community and water quality during a school-based watershed unit. Methods included a theory-driven thematic analysis of field notes and video transcripts from four biology classrooms, a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 67 pairs of matched pre- and post-intervention mindmaps, and a content analysis of 73 student reflections. As they learned about water quality, learners recognized the relevance of the watershed's health to the health of their community. Students acknowledged the impacts of local economically driven activities (e.g., natural gas wells, application of agrichemicals) and leisure activities (e.g., boating, fishing) on the watershed's environmental health. As students learned in and about their watershed, they experienced both connections and tensions between their everyday experiences and the environmental problems in their community. The students suggested individual sustainability actions needed to address water quality issues; however, the students struggled to understand how to act collectively. Implications of rural experiences as assets to future environmental sciences learning are discussed as well as the implications of educational experiences that do not include an advocacy component when students uncover environmental health issues. We suggest further consideration is needed on how to help young people develop action-oriented science knowledge, not just inert knowledge of environmental problems, during place-based education units.

Junior doctors' guide to portfolio learning and building.

PubMed

Kitchen, Mark

2012-10-01

A portfolio is a collection of evidence supporting an individual's achievement of competencies and learning outcomes. The material included in the portfolio must be reflected upon, as reflection provides the evidence that learning has taken place. Portfolio learning is important for two principal reasons: assessment of the trainee, and for lifelong learning and reflection. The ability of a portfolio to be used for both summative and formative assessment makes it a flexible and robust assessment method. A portfolio also demonstrates reflection and lifelong learning abilities. Reflective learning is key to postgraduate medical education: it is part of both the Foundation Programme curriculum and General Medical Council guidance on best practice. To ensure correct learning outcomes are identified and evidenced, the curriculum programme must be referred to and an educational supervisor should be consulted. Once identified, it is necessary to: identify how these outcomes can be met (learning needs); decide what needs to be done to meet these needs; reflect on what has been done; and evidence what has been done in the portfolio. Evidence could include written feedback, certificates of course completion, online learning modules, etc. A learning portfolio is a necessary tool for every postgraduate medical trainee. The portfolio serves to record and evidence all learning that has taken place, and thereon acts as a guide for future learning needs. The key process to portfolio building and learning is the provision of evidence by reflecting upon the learning that has taken place. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

The Selection and Placement Method of Materialized Views on Big Data Platform of Equipment Condition Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yan; Yao, Jinxia; Gu, Chao; Chen, Yufeng; Yang, Yi; Zou, Lida

2017-05-01

With the formation of electric big data environment, more and more big data analyses emerge. In the complicated data analysis on equipment condition assessment, there exist many join operations, which are time-consuming. In order to save time, the approach of materialized view is usually used. It places part of common and critical join results on external storage and avoids the frequent join operation. In the paper we propose the methods of selecting and placing materialized views to reduce the query time of electric transmission and transformation equipment, and make the profits of service providers maximal. In selection method we design a computation way for the value of non-leaf node based on MVPP structure chart. In placement method we use relevance weights to place the selected materialized views, which help reduce the network transmission time. Our experiments show that the proposed selection and placement methods have a high throughput and good optimization ability of query time for electric transmission and transformation equipment.

Informing HIV prevention efforts targeting Liberian youth: a study using the PLACE method in Liberia

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Preventing HIV infection among young people is a priority for the Liberian government. Data on the young people in Liberia are scarce but needed to guide HIV programming efforts. Methods We used the Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) method to gather information on risk behaviors that young people (ages 14 to 24) engage in or are exposed to that increase their vulnerability for HIV infection. Community informants identified 240 unique venues of which 150 were visited and verified by research staff. 89 of the 150 venues comprised our sampling frame and 571 females and 548 males were interviewed in 50 venues using a behavioral survey. Results Ninety-one percent of females and 86% of males reported being sexually active. 56% of females and 47% of males reported they initiated sexual activity before the age of 15. Among the sexually active females, 71% reported they had received money or a gift for sex and 56% of males reported they had given money or goods for sex. 20% of females and 6% males reported that their first sexual encounter was forced and 15% of females and 6% of males reported they had been forced to have sex in the past year. Multiple partnerships were common among both sexes with 81% females and 76% males reporting one or more sex partners in the past four weeks. Less than 1% reported having experiences with injecting drugs and only 1% of males reporting have sex with men. While knowledge of HIV/AIDS was high, prevention behaviors including HIV testing and condom use were low. Conclusion Youth-focused HIV efforts in Liberia need to address transactional sex and multiple and concurrent partnerships. HIV prevention interventions should include efforts to meet the economic needs of youth. PMID:24107301

Barriers and facilitators in the provision of post-abortion care at district level in central Uganda – a qualitative study focusing on task sharing between physicians and midwives

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Abortion is restricted in Uganda, and poor access to contraceptive methods result in unwanted pregnancies. This leaves women no other choice than unsafe abortion, thus placing a great burden on the Ugandan health system and making unsafe abortion one of the major contributors to maternal mortality and morbidity in Uganda. The existing sexual and reproductive health policy in Uganda supports the sharing of tasks in post-abortion care. This task sharing is taking place as a pragmatic response to the increased workload. This study aims to explore physicians’ and midwives’ perception of post-abortion care with regard to professional competences, methods, contraceptive counselling and task shifting/sharing in post-abortion care. Methods In-depth interviews (n = 27) with health care providers of post-abortion care were conducted in seven health facilities in the Central Region of Uganda. The data were organized using thematic analysis with an inductive approach. Results Post-abortion care was perceived as necessary, albeit controversial and sometimes difficult to provide. Together with poor conditions post-abortion care provoked frustration especially among midwives. Task sharing was generally taking place and midwives were identified as the main providers, although they would rarely have the proper training in post-abortion care. Additionally, midwives were sometimes forced to provide services outside their defined task area, due to the absence of doctors. Different uterine evacuation skills were recognized although few providers knew of misoprostol as a method for post-abortion care. An overall need for further training in post-abortion care was identified. Conclusions Task sharing is taking place, but providers lack the relevant skills for the provision of quality care. For post-abortion care to improve, task sharing needs to be scaled up and in-service training for both doctors and midwives needs to be provided. Post-abortion care should further be included in the educational curricula of nurses and midwives. Scaled-up task sharing in post-abortion care, along with misoprostol use for uterine evacuation would provide a systematic approach to improving the quality of care and accessibility of services, with the aim of reducing abortion-related mortality and morbidity in Uganda. PMID:24447321

"It's gym, like g-y-m not J-i-m": Exploring the role of place in the gendering of physical activity.

PubMed

Coen, Stephanie E; Rosenberg, Mark W; Davidson, Joyce

2018-01-01

Physical activity is a highly gendered health behaviour, with women less likely than men to meet internationally accepted physical activity guidelines. In this article, we take up recent arguments on the potential of indoor spaces to illuminate processes shaping health, together with social theories of gender, to conceptualize the place of the gym as a window into understanding and intervening in wider gender disparities in physical activity. Using a triangulated strategy of qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, drawing, and journaling with men and women in a mid-sized Canadian city, we examine how gender influences exercise practices and mobilities in gym environments. Results of our thematic analysis reveal three socio-spatial processes implicated in the gendering of physical activity: 1) embodying gender ideals, 2) policing gender performance, and 3) spatializing gender relations. A fourth theme illustrates the situated agency some individuals enact to disrupt gendered divisions. Although women were unduly disadvantaged, both women and men experienced significant limitations on their gym participation due to the presiding gendered social context of the gym. Gender-transformative interventions that go beyond engaging women to comprehensively contend with the place-based gender relations that sustain gender hegemony are needed. While gyms are potentially sites for health promotion, they are also places where gendered inequities in health opportunities emerge. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Light Redirective Display Panel And A Method Of Making A Light Redirective Display Panel

DOEpatents

Veligdan, James T.

2005-07-26

An optical display panel which provides improved light intensity at a viewing angle by redirecting light emitting from the viewing screen, and a method of making a light redirective display panel, are disclosed. The panel includes an inlet face at one end for receiving light, and an outlet screen at an opposite end for displaying the light. The inlet face is defined at one end of a transparent body, which body may be formed by a plurality of waveguides, and the outlet screen is defined at an opposite end of the body. The screen includes light redirective elements at the outlet screen for re-directing light emitting from the outlet screen. The method includes stacking a plurality of glass sheets, with a layer of adhesive or epoxy between each sheet, curing the adhesive to form a stack, placing the stack against a saw and cutting the stack at two opposite ends to form a wedge-shaped panel having an inlet face and an outlet face, and forming at the outlet face a plurality of light redirective elements which direct light incident on the outlet face into a controlled light cone.

Light redirective display panel and a method of making a light redirective display panel

DOEpatents

Veligdan, James T.

2002-01-01

An optical display panel which provides improved light intensity at a viewing angle by redirecting light emitting from the viewing screen, and a method of making a light redirective display panel, are disclosed. The panel includes an inlet face at one end for receiving light, and an outlet screen at an opposite end for displaying the light. The inlet face is defined at one end of a transparent body, which body may be formed by a plurality of waveguides, and the outlet screen is defined at an opposite end of the body. The screen includes light redirective elements at the outlet screen for re-directing light emitting from the outlet screen. The method includes stacking a plurality of glass sheets, with a layer of adhesive or epoxy between each sheet, curing the adhesive to form a stack, placing the stack against a saw and cutting the stack at two opposite ends to form a wedge-shaped panel having an inlet face and an outlet face, and forming at the outlet face a plurality of light redirective elements which direct light incident on the outlet face into a controlled light cone.

A checklist to assess the quality of reports on spa therapy and balneotherapy trials was developed using the Delphi consensus method: the SPAC checklist.

PubMed

Kamioka, Hiroharu; Kawamura, Yoichi; Tsutani, Kiichiro; Maeda, Masaharu; Hayasaka, Shinya; Okuizum, Hiroyasu; Okada, Shinpei; Honda, Takuya; Iijima, Yuichi

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a checklist of items that describes and measures the quality of reports of interventional trials assessing spa therapy. The Delphi consensus method was used to select the number of items in the checklist. A total of eight individuals participated, including an epidemiologist, a clinical research methodologist, clinical researchers, a medical journalist, and a health fitness programmer. Participants ranked on a 9-point Likert scale whether an item should be included in the checklist. Three rounds of the Delphi method were conducted to achieve consensus. The final checklist contained 19 items, with items related to title, place of implementation (specificity of spa), care provider influence, and additional measures to minimize the potential bias from withdrawals, loss to follow-up, and low treatment adherence. This checklist is simple and quick to complete, and should help clinicians and researchers critically appraise the medical and healthcare literature, reviewers assess the quality of reports included in systematic reviews, and researchers plan interventional trials of spa therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A resorbable and rapid method for maxillomandibular fixation in pediatric mandible fractures.

PubMed

Eppley, B L

2000-05-01

Maxillomandibular immobilization in pediatric mandible fractures is accomplished through a resorbable screw placed into the zygomatic body to which is attached a large, monofilament, circummandibular suture. Although the screw must be placed intraoperatively, this method of jaw immobilization is rapid, secure, does not damage the teeth, and can be removed in the office in the older child.

Repairing Foam Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corbin, J.; Buras, D.

1986-01-01

Large holes in polyurethane foam insulation repaired reliably by simple method. Little skill needed to apply method, used for overhead repairs as well as for those in other orientations. Plug positioned in hole to be filled and held in place with mounting fixture. Fresh liquid foam injected through plug to bond it in place. As foam cures and expands, it displaces plug outward. Protrusion later removed.

Applications of numerical methods to simulate the movement of contaminants in groundwater.

PubMed Central

Sun, N Z

1989-01-01

This paper reviews mathematical models and numerical methods that have been extensively used to simulate the movement of contaminants through the subsurface. The major emphasis is placed on the numerical methods of advection-dominated transport problems and inverse problems. Several mathematical models that are commonly used in field problems are listed. A variety of numerical solutions for three-dimensional models are introduced, including the multiple cell balance method that can be considered a variation of the finite element method. The multiple cell balance method is easy to understand and convenient for solving field problems. When the advection transport dominates the dispersion transport, two kinds of numerical difficulties, overshoot and numerical dispersion, are always involved in solving standard, finite difference methods and finite element methods. To overcome these numerical difficulties, various numerical techniques are developed, such as upstream weighting methods and moving point methods. A complete review of these methods is given and we also mention the problems of parameter identification, reliability analysis, and optimal-experiment design that are absolutely necessary for constructing a practical model. PMID:2695327

Psychiatric Brain Banking: Three Perspectives on Current Trends and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Deep-Soboslay, Amy; Benes, Francine M.; Haroutunian, Vahram; Ellis, Justin K.; Kleinman, Joel E.; Hyde, Thomas M.

2011-01-01

Introduction The study of postmortem human brain tissue is central to the advancement of the neurobiological studies of psychiatric illness, particularly for the study of brain-specific isoforms and molecules. Methods The state-of-the-art methods and recommendations for maintaining a successful brain bank for psychiatric disorders are discussed, using the convergence of viewpoints from three brain collections, the National Institute of Mental Health Brain Collection (NIMH), the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center (HBTRC), and the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine Brain Bank (MSSM-BB), with diverse research interests and divergent approaches to tissue acquisition. Results While the NIMH obtains donations from medical examiners for its collection, and places particular emphasis on clinical diagnosis, toxicology, and building lifespan control cohorts, the HBTRC is uniquely designed as a repository whose sole purpose is to collect large-volume, high quality brain tissue from community-based donors based on relationships across an expansive nationwide network, and places emphasis on the accessibility of its bank in disseminating tissue and related data to research groups worldwide. The MSSM-BB collection has shown that, with dedication, prospective recruitment is a successful approach to tissue donation, and places particular emphasis on rigorous clinical diagnosis through antemortem contact with donors. The MSSM-BB places great importance on stereological tissue sampling methods for neuroanatomical studies, and frozen tissue sampling approaches that enable multiple assessments (RNA, DNA, protein, enzyme activity, binding, etc.) of the same tissue block. Promising scientific approaches for elucidating the molecular and cellular pathways in brain that may contribute to schizophrenia and/or bipolar disorder, such as cell culture techniques and microarray-based gene expression and genotyping studies are briefly discussed. Conclusions Despite unique perspectives from three established brain collections, there is a consensus that (1) diverse strategies for tissue acquisition, (2) rigor in tissue and diagnostic characterization, (3) the importance of sample accessibility, and (4) continual application of innovative scientific approaches to the study of brain tissue are all integral to the success and future of psychiatric brain banking. The future of neuropsychiatric research depends upon in the availability of high quality brain specimens from large numbers of subjects, including non-psychiatric controls. PMID:20673875

American Indians, Place Meanings and the Old/New West

Treesearch

Leo McAvoy

2002-01-01

The American West includes millions of acres of national parks, forests and other protected lands. These landscapes are often associated with sense of place and place meanings for those who live there and for people who go there for recreation and tourism. American Indian place meanings regarding national parks and protected areas are often very different from those of...

Evaluation of “The Space Place,” a NASA Integrated, Multi-mission Education and Public Outreach Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Diane K.; Leon, N. J.

2006-12-01

The Space Place is an integrated NASA education and public outreach program, so far representing over 40 different NASA missions. It combines Web-based, printed, and externally published media to reach underserved audiences across the nation. Its primary mission is to develop and provide a highly desirable suite of attractive and educational products designed to appeal to and immerse the general public in space exploration. Its primary target audience is elementary school age kids. The program has developed an extensive network of partnerships with museums and libraries in rural areas, English and Spanish language newspapers, astronomy societies, rocketry clubs, and national youth organizations. Materials are distributed monthly through all these channels. Originally a New Millennium Program (NMP) outreach effort only, it is open to all NASA missions. NMP (a NASA-level program managed out of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory) continues to provide the base of support to build and maintain the outreach program’s infrastructure. Obtaining independent evaluation and reporting of the effectiveness of the program is one of NASA’s requirements for education and public outreach efforts. The Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, was retained to perform this service for The Space Place. PERG is also evaluating education and public outreach programs for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. PERG recently delivered a report evaluating The Space Place program. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, PERG surveyed representative samples of Space Place partner museums, astronomy clubs, and newspapers. The survey included questions about all the products the program provides. The report concludes that The Space Place fills a niche by serving small institutions, giving them a personal alliance with NASA that they would otherwise not have. By providing free, quality materials, The Space Place program provides these under-served populations access to space and science as only NASA can.

Place of residence as a factor differentiating physical activity in the life style of Ukrainian students.

PubMed

Bergier, Józef; Bergier, Barbara; Tsos, Anatolii

2016-12-23

Determining the state of physical activity of societies as an important component of a health promoting life style is a very up-to-date problem. Studies of physical activity among students, the future elites in their environments, become of increasing importance. An important problem is the recognition of factors differentiating this activity on the example of place of residence. For this purpose, the study covered 2,125 students (60.8% females and 39.2% males) from the National Institute in Lutsk, Ukraine, aged 17-22 (mean age: 20.4). The method of a diagnostic survey was applied which included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The following measures of physical activity according to the place of residence (rural area, small town with a population up to 100,000; medium-size town - 100,000-200,000 inhabitants; large city - over 200,000) were taken into consideration: level of physical activity, self-reported physical fitness, sports disciplines practiced by the respondents, and those which they would like to practice, and the BMI, and leisure time possessed. The study showed that the place of residence positively differentiated physical activity among students from medium-size towns and rural areas, compared to their contemporaries from small towns and large cities. Significant differences were also found with respect to the BMI, which was significantly less favourable among respondents from the rural environment. However, no differences were observed between the place of residence for leisure time, self-reported physical activity, and forms of physical activity practiced, and those which the respondents would like to practice.

Addressing People and Place Microenvironments in Weight Loss Disparities (APP-Me): Design of a randomized controlled trial testing timely messages for weight loss behavior in low income black and white women

PubMed Central

Clark, Daniel O.; Srinivas, Preethi; Bodke, Kunal; Keith, NiCole; Hood, Sula; Tu, Wanzhu

2018-01-01

Background Behavioral interventions for weight loss have been less effective in lower income and black women. These poorer outcomes may in part be related to these women having more frequent exposures to social and physical situations that are obesogenic, i.e., eating and sedentary cues or situations. Objectives Working with obese, lower income black and white women, Addressing People and Place Microenvironments (APP-Me) was designed to create awareness of self-behavior at times and places of frequent eating and sedentary behavior. Design APP-Me is being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial with 240 participants recruited from federally qualified health centers located in a single Midwestern city. All participants complete four weeks of ecological momentary assessments (EMA) of situations and behavior. At the end of the four weeks, participants are randomized to enhanced usual care (UC) or UC plus APP-Me. Methods APP-Me is an automated short messaging system (SMS). Messages are text, image, audio, or a combination, and are delivered to participants’ mobile devices with the intent of creating awareness at the times and places of frequent eating or sedentary behavior. Summary This project aims to create and test timely awareness messages in a subpopulation that has not responded well to traditional behavioral interventions for weight loss. Novel aspects of the study include the involvement of a low income population, the use of data on time and place of obesogenic behavior, and message delivery time tailored to an individual’s behavioral patterns. PMID:29357313

Volumetric calculations in an oil field: The basis method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olea, R.A.; Pawlowsky, V.; Davis, J.C.

1993-01-01

The basis method for estimating oil reserves in place is compared to a traditional procedure that uses ordinary kriging. In the basis method, auxiliary variables that sum to the net thickness of pay are estimated by cokriging. In theory, the procedure should be more powerful because it makes full use of the cross-correlation between variables and forces the original variables to honor interval constraints. However, at least in our case study, the practical advantages of cokriging for estimating oil in place are marginal. ?? 1993.

Microwave sintering of single plate-shaped articles

DOEpatents

Katz, J.D.; Blake, R.D.

1995-07-11

Apparatus and method are disclosed for high temperature sintering of plate-shaped articles of alumina, magnesia, silica, yttria, zirconia, and mixtures thereof using microwave radiation. An article is placed within a sintering structure located within a sintering container which is placed in a microwave cavity for heating. The rates at which heating and cooling take place is controlled. 2 figs.

Improving Evaluation of Dental Hygiene Students' Cultural Competence with a Mixed-Methods Approach.

PubMed

Flynn, Priscilla; Sarkarati, Nassim

2018-02-01

Most dental hygiene educational programs include cultural competence education, but may not evaluate student outcomes. The aim of this study was to design and implement a mixed-methods evaluation to measure dental hygiene students' progression toward cultural competence. Two cohorts consisting of consecutive classes in one U.S. dental hygiene program participated in the study. A total of 47 dental hygiene students (100% response rate) completed self-assessments to measure their attitudes and knowledge at three time points between 2014 and 2016. Mean scores were calculated for three domains: Physical Environment, Communication, and Values. Qualitative analysis of the students' cultural diversity papers was also conducted to further evaluate students' knowledge and skills. Bennett's five-level conceptual framework was used to code phrases or sentences to place students in the general categories of ethnocentric or ethno-relative. The quantitative and qualitative results yielded different outcomes for Cohort 1, but not for Cohort 2. The Cohort 1 students assessed themselves statistically significantly lower over time in one of the three measured domains. However, the Cohort 2 students assessed themselves as statistically significantly more culturally competent in all three domains. Qualitative results placed 72% of Cohort 1 students and 83% of Cohort 2 students in the more desirable ethno-relative category. Since quantitative methods consisting of student self-assessments may not adequately measure students' cultural competence, adding qualitative methods to measure skills specific to patient care in this study added a robust dimension to evaluating this complex dental hygiene student competence.

Thermal insulation testing method and apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Augustynowicz, Stanislaw D. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A test apparatus and method of its use for evaluating various performance aspects of a test specimen is disclosed. A chamber within a housing contains a cold mass tank with a contact surface in contact with a first surface of a test specimen. The first surface of the test specimen is spaced from the second surface of the test specimen by a thickness. The second surface of the test specimen is maintained at a desired warm temperature. The first surface is maintained at a constant temperature by a liquid disposed within the cold mass tank. A boil-off flow rate of the gas is monitored and provided to a processor along with the temperature of the first and second surfaces of the test specimen. The processor calculates thermal insulation values of the test specimen including comparative values for heat flux and apparent thermal conductivity (k-value). The test specimen may be placed in any vacuum pressure level ranging from about 0.01 millitorr to 1,000,000 millitorr with different residual gases as desired. The test specimen may be placed under a mechanical load with the cold mass tank and another factors may be imposed upon the test specimen so as to simulate the actual use conditions.

Thermal Insulation Testing Method and Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Augustynowicz, Stanislaw D. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A test apparatus and method of its use for evaluating various performance aspects of a test specimen is disclosed. A chamber within a housing contains a cold mass tank with a contact surface in contact with a first surface of a test specimen. The first surface of the test specimen is spaced from the second surface of the test specimen by a thickness. The second surface of the test specimen is maintained at a a constant temperature by a liquid disposed within the cold mass tank. A boil-off flow rate of the gas is monitored and provided to a processor along with the temperature of the first and second surfaces of the test specimen. The processor calculates thermal insulation values of the test specimen including comparative values for heat flux and apparent thermal conductivity k-value). The test specimen may be placed in any vacuum pressure level ranging from about 0.01 millitorr to 1,000,000 millitorr with different residual gases as desired. The test specimen may be placed under a mechanical load with the cold mass tank and another factors may be imposed upon the test specimen so as to simulate the actual use conditions.

The Radiated Field Generated by a Monopole Source in a Short, Rigid, Rectangular Duct. Degree awarded by George Washington Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lakota, Barbara Anne

1998-01-01

This thesis develops a method to model the acoustic field generated by a monopole source placed in a moving rectangular duct. The walls of the duct are assumed to be infinitesimally thin and the source is placed at the center of the duct. The total acoustic pressure is written in terms of the free-space pressure, or incident pressure, and the scattered pressure. The scattered pressure is the augmentation to the incident pressure due to the presence of the duct. It satisfies a homogeneous wave equation and is discontinuous across the duct walls. Utilizing an integral representation of the scattered pressure, a set of singular boundary integral equations governing the unknown jump in scattered pressure is derived. This equation is solved by the method of collocation after representing the jump in pressure as a double series of shape functions. The solution obtained is then substituted back into the integral representation to determine the scattered pressure, and the total acoustic pressure at any point in the field. A few examples are included to illustrate the influence of various geometric and kinematic parameters on the radiated sound field.

EFFECTIVE REMOVAL METHOD OF ILLEGAL PARKING BICYCLES BASED ON THE QUANTITATIVE CHANGE AFTER REMOVAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toi, Satoshi; Kajita, Yoshitaka; Nishikawa, Shuichirou

This study aims to find an effective removal method of illegal parking bicycles based on the analysis on the numerical change of illegal bicycles. And then, we built the time and space quantitative distribution model of illegal parking bicycles after removal, considering the logistic increase of illegal parking bicycles, several behaviors concerning of direct return or indirect return to the original parking place and avoidance of the original parking place, based on the investigation of real condition of illegal bicycle parking at TENJIN area in FUKUOKA city. Moreover, we built the simulation model including above-mentioned model, and calculated the number of illegal parking bicycles when we change the removal frequency and the number of removal at one time. The next interesting four results were obtained. (1) Recovery speed from removal the illegal parking bicycles differs by each zone. (2) Thorough removal is effective to keep the number of illegal parking bicycles lower level. (3) Removal at one zone causes the increase of bicycles at other zones where the level of illegal parking is lower. (4) The relationship between effects and costs of removing the illegal parking bicycles was clarified.

Three-stage sorption type cryogenic refrigeration systems and methods employing heat regeneration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bard, Steven (Inventor); Jones, Jack A. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A three-stage sorption type cryogenic refrigeration system, each stage containing a fluid having a respectively different boiling point, is presented. Each stage includes a compressor in which a respective fluid is heated to be placed in a high pressure gaseous state. The compressor for that fluid which is heated to the highest temperature is enclosed by the other two compressors to permit heat to be transferred from the inner compressor to the surrounding compressors. The system may include two sets of compressors, each having the structure described above, with the interior compressors of the two sets coupled together to permit selective heat transfer therebetween, resulting in more efficient utilization of input power.

Computer-aided dental prostheses construction using reverse engineering.

PubMed

Solaberrieta, E; Minguez, R; Barrenetxea, L; Sierra, E; Etxaniz, O

2014-01-01

The implementation of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems with virtual articulators, which take into account the kinematics, constitutes a breakthrough in the construction of customised dental prostheses. This paper presents a multidisciplinary protocol involving CAM techniques to produce dental prostheses. This protocol includes a step-by-step procedure using innovative reverse engineering technologies to transform completely virtual design processes into customised prostheses. A special emphasis is placed on a novel method that permits a virtual location of the models. The complete workflow includes the optical scanning of the patient, the use of reverse engineering software and, if necessary, the use of rapid prototyping to produce CAD temporary prostheses.

Lightweight high-performance 1-4 meter class spaceborne mirrors: emerging technology for demanding spaceborne requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Tony; Hartmann, Peter; Clarkson, Andrew R.; Barentine, John M.; Jedamzik, Ralf; Westerhoff, Thomas

2010-07-01

Pending critical spaceborne requirements, including coronagraphic detection of exoplanets, require exceptionally smooth mirror surfaces, aggressive lightweighting, and low-risk cost-effective optical manufacturing methods. Simultaneous development at Schott for production of aggressively lightweighted (>90%) Zerodur® mirror blanks, and at L-3 Brashear for producing ultra-smooth surfaces on Zerodur®, will be described. New L-3 techniques for large-mirror optical fabrication include Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing (CCOS) pioneered at L-3 Tinsley, and the world's largest MRF machine in place at L-3 Brashear. We propose that exceptional mirrors for the most critical spaceborne applications can now be produced with the technologies described.

Ultra-thin microporous/hybrid materials

DOEpatents

Jiang, Ying-Bing [Albuquerque, NM; Cecchi, Joseph L [Albuquerque, NM; Brinker, C Jeffrey [Albuquerque, NM

2012-05-29

Ultra-thin hybrid and/or microporous materials and methods for their fabrication are provided. In one embodiment, the exemplary hybrid membranes can be formed including successive surface activation and reaction steps on a porous support that is patterned or non-patterned. The surface activation can be performed using remote plasma exposure to locally activate the exterior surfaces of porous support. Organic/inorganic hybrid precursors such as organometallic silane precursors can be condensed on the locally activated exterior surfaces, whereby ALD reactions can then take place between the condensed hybrid precursors and a reactant. Various embodiments can also include an intermittent replacement of ALD precursors during the membrane formation so as to enhance the hybrid molecular network of the membranes.

Comparison between the use of an ultrasonic tip and a microhead handpiece in periradicular surgery: a prospective randomised trial.

PubMed

Shearer, Jane; McManners, Joseph

2009-07-01

Innovations in periradicular surgery for failed treatment of orthograde root canal disease have been well-documented. We know of no prospective studies that have compared success rates of conventional methods with these presumed advances. In this prospective randomised trial we compare the use of an ultrasonic retrotip with a microhead bur in the preparation of a retrograde cavity. Outcome was estimated clinically by estimation of pain, swelling, and sinus, and radiographically by looking at infill of bone and retrograde root filling 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Both methods used other surgical techniques including microinstruments to place the retrograde root filling. The success rate of the ultrasonic method was higher (all patients, n=26) than that of the microhead method (n=19 of 21). A larger study with longer follow up is required to consolidate this evidence.

Source Distribution Method for Unsteady One-Dimensional Flows With Small Mass, Momentum, and Heat Addition and Small Area Variation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mirels, Harold

1959-01-01

A source distribution method is presented for obtaining flow perturbations due to small unsteady area variations, mass, momentum, and heat additions in a basic uniform (or piecewise uniform) one-dimensional flow. First, the perturbations due to an elemental area variation, mass, momentum, and heat addition are found. The general solution is then represented by a spatial and temporal distribution of these elemental (source) solutions. Emphasis is placed on discussing the physical nature of the flow phenomena. The method is illustrated by several examples. These include the determination of perturbations in basic flows consisting of (1) a shock propagating through a nonuniform tube, (2) a constant-velocity piston driving a shock, (3) ideal shock-tube flows, and (4) deflagrations initiated at a closed end. The method is particularly applicable for finding the perturbations due to relatively thin wall boundary layers.

Through evolution's eyes: extracting mate preferences by linking visual attention to adaptive design.

PubMed

Krupp, Daniel Brian

2008-02-01

Information is crucial to decision-making, including mate choice decisions. Perceptual systems, such as attention, evolved in part to forage for reproductive information; consequently, these systems can be used to reveal mate preferences. Here, I consider the place of visual information in human mate choice and provide a rationale for pressing into service methods drawn from the attention literature for the study of mate choice decisions. Because visual attention is allocated automatically and selectively, it may be used to complement common methods of mate preference assessment, such as self-report questionnaires and measures of genital arousal, while avoiding some of the pitfalls of these methods. Beyond the utility of increasing confidence in extant research findings by employing relatively unobtrusive methods, visual attention paradigms can also allow researchers to explore a variety of questions that are rarely asked, such as those concerned with signal efficiency and tradeoffs in the assessment of mate value.

Anatomical Remodeling of Buccal Bone Plate in 35 Premaxillary Post-Extraction Immediately Restored Single TPS Implants: 10-Year Radiographic Investigation.

PubMed

Quaranta, Alessandro; Perrotti, Vittoria; Putignano, Angelo; Malchiodi, Luciano; Vozza, Iole; Calvo Guirado, José Luis

2016-04-01

The anatomical remodeling technique (ART) was proposed to place postextraction implants with the aid of specific osteotomes. This study is a clinical and radiographic evaluation with 10-year follow-up of anterior postextraction single implants placed with the ART and immediately restored. Thirty-five patients, with a hopeless tooth in the anterior maxilla, were included in the study and 35 implants were inserted according to the ART. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed at baseline (T0), after 6 (T1) and 14 months (T2), 4 years after surgery (T3) and every other year up to the 10-year follow-up (T4, T5, and T6). Implant success, survival, and failure rates were evaluated according to the International Congress of Oral Implantologists Pisa Consensus Conference criteria. Twenty-nine patients and 29 implants were available for the 10-year data analysis. After 10 years, the accumulated mean marginal bone loss was 2.69 ± 0.42 mm. The cumulative survival rate of the implants was 100%. Immediately loaded postextractive implants, placed according to the ART, have been proved to be a predictable method to rehabilitate single tooth in the anterior maxilla.

Factors associated with peritoneal dialysis catheter complications in children.

PubMed

Stewart, Camille L; Acker, Shannon N; Pyle, Laura L; Kulungowski, Ann; Cadnapaphornchai, Melissa; Bruny, Jennifer L; Karrer, Frederick

2016-01-01

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a common method of renal replacement therapy for children. However, placement of PD catheters has risk, and some are never used. We conducted a retrospective chart review of children with a PD catheter placed between 2000 and 2014. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify covariates associated with complications. We identified 175 children with PD catheters. 110 complications developed in 80 children (45.7%). Complications including unexpected return to the operating room and peritonitis increased as the length of time a catheter was in place increased. Children who weighed <12.4 kg had 3.2 times greater odds of developing a leak (95% CI 1.21-8.63, p=0.02). Twelve children never used their PD catheters, 9 with acute kidney injury (AKI) who recovered from their disease more quickly than expected. No covariate was associated with nonuse. Complications with PD catheters are common and increase the longer catheters are in place. Lower weight children are at greater risk of PD catheter leak. Decreased initial volumes of dialysate in smaller children may mitigate this risk. Nonuse may be reduced if dialysis is permitted the day of placement for children with AKI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Multi-Year Program Developing an Explicit Reflective Pedagogy for Teaching Pre-service Teachers the Nature of Science by Ostention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Mike U.; Scharmann, Lawrence

2008-02-01

This investigation delineates a multi-year action research agenda designed to develop an instructional model for teaching the nature of science (NOS) to preservice science teachers. Our past research strongly supports the use of explicit reflective instructional methods, which includes Thomas Kuhn’s notion of learning by ostention and treating science as a continuum (i.e., comparing fields of study to one another for relative placement as less to more scientific). Instruction based on conceptual change precepts, however, also exhibits promise. Thus, the investigators sought to ascertain the degree to which conceptual change took place among students (n = 15) participating in the NOS instructional model. Three case studies are presented to illustrate successful conceptual changes that took place as a result of the NOS instructional model. All three cases represent students who claim a very conservative Christian heritage and for whom evolution was not considered a legitimate scientific theory prior to participating in the NOS instructional model. All three case study individuals, along with their twelve classmates, placed evolution as most scientific when compared to intelligent design and a fictional field of study called “Umbrellaology.”

What is knowledge and when should it be implemented?

PubMed

O'Grady, Laura

2012-10-01

A primary purpose of research is to generate new knowledge. Scientific advances have progressively identified optimal ways to achieve this purpose. Included in this evolution are the notions of evidence-based medicine, decision aids, shared decision making, measurement and evaluation as well as implementation. The importance of including qualitative and quantitative methods in our research is now understood. We have debated the meaning of evidence and how to implement it. However, we have yet to consider how to include in our study findings other types of information such as tacit and experiential knowledge. This key consideration needs to take place before we translate new findings or 'knowledge' into clinical practice. This article critiques assumptions regarding the nature of knowledge and suggests a framework for implementing research findings into practice. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A biomechanical comparison of four different fixation methods for midshaft clavicle fractures.

PubMed

Chen, Yang; Yang, Yang; Ma, Xinlong; Xu, Weiguo; Ma, Jianxiong; Zhu, Shaowen; Ma, Baoyi; Xing, Dan

2016-01-01

Clavicle fractures may occur in all age groups, and 70%-80% of clavicle fractures occur in the midshaft. Many methods for treating midshaft clavicular fractures have been reported and remain controversial. To provide some guidance for clinical treatment, 30 artificial polymethyl methacrylate models of the clavicle were sewn obliquely at the midshaft to simulate the most common type of clavicular fractures, and the fracture models were divided into five groups randomly and were fixed as follows: the reconstruction plates were placed at the superior position of the fracture model (R-S group), the reconstruction plates were placed at the anteroinferior position of the fracture model (R-AI group), the locking plates were placed at the superior position (L-S group), the locking plates were placed at the anteroinferior position (L-AI group); and the control models were unfixed (control group). The strain gauges were attached to the bone surface near the fracture fragments, and then, the biomechanical properties of the specimens were measured using the compression test, torsion test and three-point bending test. The results showed that plate fixation can provide a stable construct to help with fracture healing and is the preferred method in the treatment of clavicle fractures. The locking plate provides the best biomechanical stability when placed at the anteroinferior position, and this surgical method can reduce the operation time and postoperative complications; thus, it would be a better choice in clinical practice. © IMechE 2015.

Sequence walkers: a graphical method to display how binding proteins interact with DNA or RNA sequences | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

A graphical method is presented for displaying how binding proteins and other macromolecules interact with individual bases of nucleotide sequences. Characters representing the sequence are either oriented normally and placed above a line indicating favorable contact, or upside-down and placed below the line indicating unfavorable contact. The positive or negative height of

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

Lucconi, G; Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Bentefour, E

Purpose: The clinical commissioning of a workflow for pre-treatment range verification/adjustment for the head treatment of pediatric medulloblastoma patients, including dose monitoring during treatment. Methods: An array of Si-diodes (DIODES Incorporated) is placed on the patient skin on the opposite side to the beam entrance. A “scout” SOBP beam, with a longer beam range to cover the diodes in its plateau, is delivered; the measured signal is analyzed and the extracted water equivalent path lengths (WEPL) are compared to the expected values, revealing if a range correction is needed. Diodes stay in place during treatment to measure dose. The workflowmore » was tested in solid water and head phantoms and validated against independent WEPL measurements. Both measured WEPL and skin doses were compared to computed values from the TPS (XiO); a Markus chamber was used for reference dose measurements. Results: The WEPL accuracy of the method was verified by comparing it with the dose extinction method. It resulted, for both solid water and head phantom, in the sub-millimeter range, with a deviation less than 1% to the value extracted from the TPS. The accuracy of dose measurements in the fall-off part of the dose profile was validated against the Markus chamber. The entire range verification workflow was successfully tested for the mock-treatment of head phantom with the standard delivery of 90 cGy per field per fraction. The WEPL measurement revealed no need for range correction. The dose measurements agreed to better than 4% with the prescription dose. The robustness of the method and workflow, including detector array, hardware set and software functions, was successfully stress-tested with multiple repetitions. Conclusion: The performance of the in-vivo range verification system and related workflow meet the clinical requirements in terms of the needed WEPL accuracy for pretreatment range verification with acceptable dose to the patient.« less

A level-set method for pathology segmentation in fluorescein angiograms and en face retinal images of patients with age-related macular degeneration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammad, Fatimah; Ansari, Rashid; Shahidi, Mahnaz

2013-03-01

The visibility and continuity of the inner segment outer segment (ISOS) junction layer of the photoreceptors on spectral domain optical coherence tomography images is known to be related to visual acuity in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Automatic detection and segmentation of lesions and pathologies in retinal images is crucial for the screening, diagnosis, and follow-up of patients with retinal diseases. One of the challenges of using the classical level-set algorithms for segmentation involves the placement of the initial contour. Manually defining the contour or randomly placing it in the image may lead to segmentation of erroneous structures. It is important to be able to automatically define the contour by using information provided by image features. We explored a level-set method which is based on the classical Chan-Vese model and which utilizes image feature information for automatic contour placement for the segmentation of pathologies in fluorescein angiograms and en face retinal images of the ISOS layer. This was accomplished by exploiting a priori knowledge of the shape and intensity distribution allowing the use of projection profiles to detect the presence of pathologies that are characterized by intensity differences with surrounding areas in retinal images. We first tested our method by applying it to fluorescein angiograms. We then applied our method to en face retinal images of patients with AMD. The experimental results included demonstrate that the proposed method provided a quick and improved outcome as compared to the classical Chan-Vese method in which the initial contour is randomly placed, thus indicating the potential to provide a more accurate and detailed view of changes in pathologies due to disease progression and treatment.

Large-scale online semantic indexing of biomedical articles via an ensemble of multi-label classification models.

PubMed

Papanikolaou, Yannis; Tsoumakas, Grigorios; Laliotis, Manos; Markantonatos, Nikos; Vlahavas, Ioannis

2017-09-22

In this paper we present the approach that we employed to deal with large scale multi-label semantic indexing of biomedical papers. This work was mainly implemented within the context of the BioASQ challenge (2013-2017), a challenge concerned with biomedical semantic indexing and question answering. Our main contribution is a MUlti-Label Ensemble method (MULE) that incorporates a McNemar statistical significance test in order to validate the combination of the constituent machine learning algorithms. Some secondary contributions include a study on the temporal aspects of the BioASQ corpus (observations apply also to the BioASQ's super-set, the PubMed articles collection) and the proper parametrization of the algorithms used to deal with this challenging classification task. The ensemble method that we developed is compared to other approaches in experimental scenarios with subsets of the BioASQ corpus giving positive results. In our participation in the BioASQ challenge we obtained the first place in 2013 and the second place in the four following years, steadily outperforming MTI, the indexing system of the National Library of Medicine (NLM). The results of our experimental comparisons, suggest that employing a statistical significance test to validate the ensemble method's choices, is the optimal approach for ensembling multi-label classifiers, especially in contexts with many rare labels.

Orthodontic extrusion of Ellis Class VIII fracture of maxillary lateral incisor - The sling shot method.

PubMed

Felicita, A Sumathi

2018-07-01

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy of forced extrusion using the sling shot elastic. A 21 year adult patient reported with an Ellis Class VIII fracture of the maxillary right lateral incisor. Root canal treatment followed by a fiber reinforced composite post was placed and core build up was done. A metal button was bonded to the tooth. Begg brackets were placed from the second premolar on one side to the second premolar on the opposite side. 0.016″ × 0.025″ stainless steel was placed in ribbon mode. The ligature wire was placed as a sling shot from the button on the fractured tooth to the two adjacent teeth. 4 mm of extrusion was achieved and there was no evidence of root resorption. Forced extrusion was achieved in four months. The sling shot method is a very effective method of ligation. Light forces are delivered over a long duration with definitive results as compared to the inconsistent force delivery with conventional extrusion mechanics.

Have Maryland local health departments effectively put in place the information technology relevant to emergency preparedness?

PubMed

Nguh, Jonas

2013-01-01

Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the federal government has increased funding for emergency preparedness. However, the literature continues to document several areas of weaknesses in public health emergency management by local health departments (LHD). This lack of preparedness affects the entire public. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not Maryland LHDs have effectively put in place the information technology (IT) that is relevant for emergency preparedness. Base Firm-wide IT Infrastructure Services and the Feeny/Willcocks Framework for Core IS Capabilities are the two conceptual frameworks used in this study. This qualitative study used the survey method and the data were analyzed through content analysis. The results revealed that utilization, practice, and performance of IT by Maryland LHDs are not efficient or effective. Recommendations included the development of "best practices," increased funding for IT infrastructure and the establishment of strategic management framework for IT initiatives. Implications for positive social change include the development of recommendations to enhance emergency preparedness practice, and advancement of knowledge so as to facilitate the functions, and duties of health departments in emergency preparedness operations.

Optimization of Actuating Origami Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buskohl, Philip; Fuchi, Kazuko; Bazzan, Giorgio; Joo, James; Gregory, Reich; Vaia, Richard

2015-03-01

Origami structures morph between 2D and 3D conformations along predetermined fold lines that efficiently program the form, function and mobility of the structure. By leveraging design concepts from action origami, a subset of origami art focused on kinematic mechanisms, reversible folding patterns for applications such as solar array packaging, tunable antennae, and deployable sensing platforms may be designed. However, the enormity of the design space and the need to identify the requisite actuation forces within the structure places a severe limitation on design strategies based on intuition and geometry alone. The present work proposes a topology optimization method, using truss and frame element analysis, to distribute foldline mechanical properties within a reference crease pattern. Known actuating patterns are placed within a reference grid and the optimizer adjusts the fold stiffness of the network to optimally connect them. Design objectives may include a target motion, stress level, or mechanical energy distribution. Results include the validation of known action origami structures and their optimal connectivity within a larger network. This design suite offers an important step toward systematic incorporation of origami design concepts into new, novel and reconfigurable engineering devices. This research is supported under the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) funding, LRIR 13RQ02COR.

Application of the phase shifting diffraction interferometer for measuring convex mirrors and negative lenses

DOEpatents

Sommargren, Gary E.; Campbell, Eugene W.

2004-03-09

To measure a convex mirror, a reference beam and a measurement beam are both provided through a single optical fiber. A positive auxiliary lens is placed in the system to give a converging wavefront onto the convex mirror under test. A measurement is taken that includes the aberrations of the convex mirror as well as the errors due to two transmissions through the positive auxiliary lens. A second, measurement provides the information to eliminate this error. A negative lens can also be measured in a similar way. Again, there are two measurement set-ups. A reference beam is provided from a first optical fiber and a measurement beam is provided from a second optical fiber. A positive auxiliary lens is placed in the system to provide a converging wavefront from the reference beam onto the negative lens under test. The measurement beam is combined with the reference wavefront and is analyzed by standard methods. This measurement includes the aberrations of the negative lens, as well as the errors due to a single transmission through the positive auxiliary lens. A second measurement provides the information to eliminate this error.

Application Of The Phase Shifting Diffraction Interferometer For Measuring Convex Mirrors And Negative Lenses

DOEpatents

Sommargren, Gary E.; Campbell, Eugene W.

2005-06-21

To measure a convex mirror, a reference beam and a measurement beam are both provided through a single optical fiber. A positive auxiliary lens is placed in the system to give a converging wavefront onto the convex mirror under test. A measurement is taken that includes the aberrations of the convex mirror as well as the errors due to two transmissions through the positive auxiliary lens. A second measurement provides the information to eliminate this error. A negative lens can also be measured in a similar way. Again, there are two measurement set-ups. A reference beam is provided from a first optical fiber and a measurement beam is provided from a second optical fiber. A positive auxiliary lens is placed in the system to provide a converging wavefront from the reference beam onto the negative lens under test. The measurement beam is combined with the reference wavefront and is analyzed by standard methods. This measurement includes the aberrations of the negative lens, as well as the errors due to a single transmission through the positive auxiliary lens. A second measurement provides the information to eliminate this error.

Object-Based Image Analysis Beyond Remote Sensing - the Human Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaschke, T.; Lang, S.; Tiede, D.; Papadakis, M.; Györi, A.

2016-06-01

We introduce a prototypical methodological framework for a place-based GIS-RS system for the spatial delineation of place while incorporating spatial analysis and mapping techniques using methods from different fields such as environmental psychology, geography, and computer science. The methodological lynchpin for this to happen - when aiming to delineate place in terms of objects - is object-based image analysis (OBIA).

22 CFR 5.2 - Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the methods whereby the public may secure information, make... ORGANIZATION § 5.2 Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

22 CFR 5.2 - Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the methods whereby the public may secure information, make... ORGANIZATION § 5.2 Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

22 CFR 5.2 - Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the methods whereby the public may secure information, make... ORGANIZATION § 5.2 Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

22 CFR 5.2 - Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the methods whereby the public may secure information, make... ORGANIZATION § 5.2 Central and field organization, established places at which, the officers from whom, and the...

Residential environments, alcohol advertising, and initiation and continuation of alcohol consumption among adolescents in urban Taiwan: A prospective multilevel study.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Tyng; Cooper, Hannah L F; Windle, Michael; Haardörfer, Regine; Crawford, Natalie D; Chen, Wei J; Chen, Chuan-Yu

2016-12-01

Research indicates that place characteristics and the media environment are important contextual determinants of underage drinking behaviors in Western countries, but it is unknown whether these exposures influence adolescent alcohol consumption outside Western contexts, including in Asia׳s emerging global alcohol markets. Guided by the social ecological framework, we prospectively investigated the influences of place characteristics and alcohol advertising on initiation and continuation of alcohol consumption among adolescents in Taipei, Taiwan. Data on individual-level characteristics, including alcohol use behaviors and perceived exposure to alcohol advertising, were obtained from two waves of a longitudinal school-based study through a stratified probability sampling method in 2010 (Grade 7/Grade 8, aged 13-14 years old) and 2011-2012 (Grade 9, aged 15 years old) from 1795 adolescents residing in 22 of 41 districts in Taipei. Data on district-level characteristics were drawn from administrative sources and Google Street View virtual audit to describe districts where adolescents lived at baseline. Hierarchical generalized linear models tested hypotheses about the associations of place characteristics and perceived alcohol advertising with underage drinking, with stratification by baseline lifetime alcohol consumption. Among alcohol-naïve adolescents, lower district-level economic disadvantage, a higher proportion of betel nut kiosks (a relatively unregulated alcohol source) compared to off-premises alcohol outlets, and exposure to television-based alcohol advertising predicted increased likelihood of alcohol initiation at one-year follow-up. Among alcohol-experienced adolescents, greater spatial access to off-premises alcohol outlets, and lower access to metro rapid transportation (MRT) and to temples were found to predict a subsequent increased likelihood of continued alcohol use. Parental drinking moderated the relationship between district-level violent crime and initiation of alcohol consumption. These findings suggest that local social economic status, alcohol access, and institutional resource and individual media exposure affect underage drinking behaviors in Taiwan. We discuss potential public health implications for place-based interventions. Future research on place, media, and adolescent alcohol consumption in Asian contexts is warranted.

Creating Sacred Places for Children in Grades 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Sandra J.

This guide attempts to help teachers of American Indian children in grades 4-6 provide a culturally relevant education that takes place in the regular classroom, includes content related to Indian students' lives, makes students proud, expands to other experiences, and enhances learning. Creating sacred places means responding appropriately to…

Creating Sacred Places for Students in Grades 7&8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Sandra J.

This guide attempts to help teachers of American Indian students in grades 7-8 provide a culturally relevant education that takes place in the regular classroom, includes content related to Indian students' lives, makes students proud, expands to other experiences, and enhances learning. Creating sacred places means responding appropriately to…

Creating Sacred Places for Students in Grades 9-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Sandra J.

This guide attempts to help teachers of American Indian students in grades 9-12 provide a culturally relevant education that takes place in the regular classroom, includes content related to Indian students' lives, makes students proud, expands to other experiences, and enhances learning. Creating sacred places means responding appropriately to…

Method and apparatus to assess compartment syndrome

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hargens, Alan R. (Inventor); Yost, William T. (Inventor); Ueno, Toshiaki (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A method and apparatus for measuring pressure buildup in a body compartment that encases muscular tissue. The method includes assessing the body compartment configuration and identifying the effect of pulsatile components on at least one compartment dimension. This process is used in preventing tissue necrosis, and in decisions of whether to perform surgery on the body compartment for prevention of Compartment Syndrome. An apparatus is used for measuring excess pressure in the body compartment having components for imparting ultrasonic waves such as a transducer, placing the transducer to impart the ultrasonic waves, capturing the reflected imparted ultrasonic waves, and converting them to electrical signals, a pulsed phase-locked loop device for assessing a body compartment configuration and producing an output signal, and means for mathematically manipulating the output signal to thereby categorize pressure build-up in the body compartment from the mathematical manipulations.

Using Co-Design to Develop a Collective Leadership Intervention for Healthcare Teams to Improve Safety Culture.

PubMed

Ward, Marie E; De Brún, Aoife; Beirne, Deirdre; Conway, Clare; Cunningham, Una; English, Alan; Fitzsimons, John; Furlong, Eileen; Kane, Yvonne; Kelly, Alan; McDonnell, Sinéad; McGinley, Sinead; Monaghan, Brenda; Myler, Ann; Nolan, Emer; O'Donovan, Róisín; O'Shea, Marie; Shuhaiber, Arwa; McAuliffe, Eilish

2018-06-05

While co-design methods are becoming more popular in healthcare; there is a gap within the peer-reviewed literature on how to do co-design in practice. This paper addresses this gap by delineating the approach taken in the co-design of a collective leadership intervention to improve healthcare team performance and patient safety culture. Over the course of six workshops healthcare staff, patient representatives and advocates, and health systems researchers collaboratively co-designed the intervention. The inputs to the process, exercises and activities that took place during the workshops and the outputs of the workshops are described. The co-design method, while challenging at times, had many benefits including grounding the intervention in the real-world experiences of healthcare teams. Implications of the method for health systems research are discussed.

Fabrication of a novel carbon nanotube & graphene based device for gas detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosravi, Yusef; Abdi, Yaser; Arzi, Ezatollah

2018-06-01

We present a novel, simple method for gas detection using a nano-device fabricated on a silicon substrate. The proposed method is based on changing the density of state (DOS) of a graphene sheet during the gas absorption. Fabrication of the carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene based device for gas detection includes silicon micro machining and the growth of vertically aligned CNTs. Field emission between the as-grown CNTs and the graphene sheet which is placed on top of the CNTs is measured at a liquid nitrogen temperature to obtain the DOS of the structure in different gas environments. The measured local DOS of the structure using the fabricated device showed that each gas had its own signatory spectrum. We believe that this method will open up a new and simple way of fabricating a portable gas spectroscope.

Lost opportunities in HIV prevention: programmes miss places where exposures are highest

PubMed Central

Sandøy, Ingvild F; Siziya, Seter; Fylkesnes, Knut

2008-01-01

Background Efforts at HIV prevention that focus on high risk places might be more effective and less stigmatizing than those targeting high risk groups. The objective of the present study was to assess risk behaviour patterns, signs of current preventive interventions and apparent gaps in places where the risk of HIV transmission is high and in communities with high HIV prevalence. Methods The PLACE method was used to collect data. Inhabitants of selected communities in Lusaka and Livingstone were interviewed about where people met new sexual partners. Signs of HIV preventive activities in these places were recorded. At selected venues, people were interviewed about their sexual behaviour. Peer educators and staff of NGOs were also interviewed. Results The places identified were mostly bars, restaurants or sherbeens, and fewer than 20% reported any HIV preventive activity such as meetings, pamphlets or posters. In 43% of places in Livingstone and 26% in Lusaka, condoms were never available. There were few active peer educators. Among the 432 persons in Lusaka and 676 in Livingstone who were invited for interview about sexual behaviour, consistent condom use was relatively high in Lusaka (77%) but low in Livingstone (44% of men and 34% of women). Having no condom available was the most common reason for not using one. Condom use in Livingstone was higher among individuals socializing in places where condoms always were available. Conclusion In the places studied we found a high prevalence of behaviours with a high potential for HIV transmission but few signs of HIV preventive interventions. Covering the gaps in prevention in these high exposure places should be given the highest priority. PMID:18218124

Iterative Methods to Solve Linear RF Fields in Hot Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spencer, Joseph; Svidzinski, Vladimir; Evstatiev, Evstati; Galkin, Sergei; Kim, Jin-Soo

2014-10-01

Most magnetic plasma confinement devices use radio frequency (RF) waves for current drive and/or heating. Numerical modeling of RF fields is an important part of performance analysis of such devices and a predictive tool aiding design and development of future devices. Prior attempts at this modeling have mostly used direct solvers to solve the formulated linear equations. Full wave modeling of RF fields in hot plasma with 3D nonuniformities is mostly prohibited, with memory demands of a direct solver placing a significant limitation on spatial resolution. Iterative methods can significantly increase spatial resolution. We explore the feasibility of using iterative methods in 3D full wave modeling. The linear wave equation is formulated using two approaches: for cold plasmas the local cold plasma dielectric tensor is used (resolving resonances by particle collisions), while for hot plasmas the conductivity kernel (which includes a nonlocal dielectric response) is calculated by integrating along test particle orbits. The wave equation is discretized using a finite difference approach. The initial guess is important in iterative methods, and we examine different initial guesses including the solution to the cold plasma wave equation. Work is supported by the U.S. DOE SBIR program.

Networking—a statistical physics perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeung, Chi Ho; Saad, David

2013-03-01

Networking encompasses a variety of tasks related to the communication of information on networks; it has a substantial economic and societal impact on a broad range of areas including transportation systems, wired and wireless communications and a range of Internet applications. As transportation and communication networks become increasingly more complex, the ever increasing demand for congestion control, higher traffic capacity, quality of service, robustness and reduced energy consumption requires new tools and methods to meet these conflicting requirements. The new methodology should serve for gaining better understanding of the properties of networking systems at the macroscopic level, as well as for the development of new principled optimization and management algorithms at the microscopic level. Methods of statistical physics seem best placed to provide new approaches as they have been developed specifically to deal with nonlinear large-scale systems. This review aims at presenting an overview of tools and methods that have been developed within the statistical physics community and that can be readily applied to address the emerging problems in networking. These include diffusion processes, methods from disordered systems and polymer physics, probabilistic inference, which have direct relevance to network routing, file and frequency distribution, the exploration of network structures and vulnerability, and various other practical networking applications.

PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF AFFINITY CHROMATOGRAPHY: RECENT TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS

PubMed Central

Hage, David S.; Anguizola, Jeanethe A.; Bi, Cong; Li, Rong; Matsuda, Ryan; Papastavros, Efthimia; Pfaunmiller, Erika; Vargas, John; Zheng, Xiwei

2012-01-01

Affinity chromatography is a separation technique that has become increasingly important in work with biological samples and pharmaceutical agents. This method is based on the use of a biologically-related agent as a stationary phase to selectively retain analytes or to study biological interactions. This review discusses the basic principles behind affinity chromatography and examines recent developments that have occurred in the use of this method for biomedical and pharmaceutical analysis. Techniques based on traditional affinity supports are discussed, but an emphasis is placed on methods in which affinity columns are used as part of HPLC systems or in combination with other analytical methods. General formats for affinity chromatography that are considered include step elution schemes, weak affinity chromatography, affinity extraction and affinity depletion. Specific separation techniques that are examined include lectin affinity chromatography, boronate affinity chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography, and immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. Approaches for the study of biological interactions by affinity chromatography are also presented, such as the measurement of equilibrium constants, rate constants, or competition and displacement effects. In addition, related developments in the use of immobilized enzyme reactors, molecularly imprinted polymers, dye ligands and aptamers are briefly considered. PMID:22305083

Advances in phage display technology for drug discovery.

PubMed

Omidfar, Kobra; Daneshpour, Maryam

2015-06-01

Over the past decade, several library-based methods have been developed to discover ligands with strong binding affinities for their targets. These methods mimic the natural evolution for screening and identifying ligand-target interactions with specific functional properties. Phage display technology is a well-established method that has been applied to many technological challenges including novel drug discovery. This review describes the recent advances in the use of phage display technology for discovering novel bioactive compounds. Furthermore, it discusses the application of this technology to produce proteins and peptides as well as minimize the use of antibodies, such as antigen-binding fragment, single-chain fragment variable or single-domain antibody fragments like VHHs. Advances in screening, manufacturing and humanization technologies demonstrate that phage display derived products can play a significant role in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The effects of this technology are inevitable in the development pipeline for bringing therapeutics into the market, and this number is expected to rise significantly in the future as new advances continue to take place in display methods. Furthermore, a widespread application of this methodology is predicted in different medical technological areas, including biosensing, monitoring, molecular imaging, gene therapy, vaccine development and nanotechnology.

Improved Discrete Approximation of Laplacian of Gaussian

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuler, Robert L., Jr.

2004-01-01

An improved method of computing a discrete approximation of the Laplacian of a Gaussian convolution of an image has been devised. The primary advantage of the method is that without substantially degrading the accuracy of the end result, it reduces the amount of information that must be processed and thus reduces the amount of circuitry needed to perform the Laplacian-of- Gaussian (LOG) operation. Some background information is necessary to place the method in context. The method is intended for application to the LOG part of a process of real-time digital filtering of digitized video data that represent brightnesses in pixels in a square array. The particular filtering process of interest is one that converts pixel brightnesses to binary form, thereby reducing the amount of information that must be performed in subsequent correlation processing (e.g., correlations between images in a stereoscopic pair for determining distances or correlations between successive frames of the same image for detecting motions). The Laplacian is often included in the filtering process because it emphasizes edges and textures, while the Gaussian is often included because it smooths out noise that might not be consistent between left and right images or between successive frames of the same image.

Rethinking knowledge and pedagogy in dental education.

PubMed

Whipp, J L; Ferguson, D J; Wells, L M; Iacopino, A M

2000-12-01

Dentistry as a profession has often been considered both art and science. Traditional dental education has attempted to address both; however, in many places only the science of dentistry is emphasized. The move toward competency-based curricula in dental education requires an expansion of what constitutes meaningful knowledge in the curriculum and what pedagogies best support that curriculum. The scientific and technical knowledge considered foundational to clinical practice is not sufficient to teach competencies associated with the art of dentistry. Habermas, a social scientist, offers a way of looking beyond technical knowledge to consider two other forms of knowledge: practical and emancipatory. Pedagogy that supports development of practical and emancipatory knowledge includes problem-based learning and case methods, heuristics, reflective practica, journals, storytelling, and performance-based assessment methods. These important teaching strategies are being integrated into various dental curricula including a new competency-based dental curriculum at Marquette University's School of Dentistry. It will be critical for dental educators to continue developing these methods to provide efficient and effective education for future practitioners in both the art and science of dentistry.

DNA Nucleotides Detection via capacitance properties of Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khadempar, Nahid; Berahman, Masoud; Yazdanpanah, Arash

2016-05-01

In the present paper a new method is suggested to detect the DNA nucleotides on a first-principles calculation of the electronic features of DNA bases which chemisorbed to a graphene sheet placed between two gold electrodes in a contact-channel-contact system. The capacitance properties of graphene in the channel are surveyed using non-equilibrium Green's function coupled with the Density Functional Theory. Thus, the capacitance properties of graphene are theoretically investigated in a biological environment, and, using a novel method, the effect of the chemisorbed DNA nucleotides on electrical charges on the surface of graphene is deciphered. Several parameters in this method are also extracted including Electrostatic energy, Induced density, induced electrostatic potential, Electron difference potential and Electron difference density. The qualitative and quantitative differences among these parameters can be used to identify DNA nucleotides. Some of the advantages of this approach include its ease and high accuracy. What distinguishes the current research is that it is the first experiment to investigate the capacitance properties of gaphene changes in the biological environment and the effect of chemisorbed DNA nucleotides on the surface of graphene on the charge.

Will isomalto-oligosaccharides, a well-established functional food in Asia, break through the European and American market? The status of knowledge on these prebiotics.

PubMed

Goffin, Dorothee; Delzenne, Nathalie; Blecker, Christophe; Hanon, Emilien; Deroanne, Claude; Paquot, Michel

2011-05-01

This critical review article presents the current state of knowledge on isomalto-oligosaccharides, some well known functional oligosaccharides in Asia, to evaluate their potential as emergent prebiotics in the American and European functional food market. It includes first a unique inventory of the different families of compounds which have been considered as IMOs and their specific structure. A description has been given of the different production methods including the involved enzymes and their specific activities, the substrates, and the types of IMOs produced. Considering the structural complexity of IMO products, specific characterization methods are described, as well as purification methods which enable the body to get rid of digestible oligosaccharides. Finally, an extensive review of their techno-functional and nutritional properties enables placing IMOs inside the growing prebiotic market. This review is of particular interest considering that IMO commercialization in America and Europe is a topical subject due to the recent submission by Bioneutra Inc. (Canada) of a novel food file to the UK Food Standards Agency, as well as several patents for IMO production.

Accelerating functional verification of an integrated circuit

DOEpatents

Deindl, Michael; Ruedinger, Jeffrey Joseph; Zoellin, Christian G.

2015-10-27

Illustrative embodiments include a method, system, and computer program product for accelerating functional verification in simulation testing of an integrated circuit (IC). Using a processor and a memory, a serial operation is replaced with a direct register access operation, wherein the serial operation is configured to perform bit shifting operation using a register in a simulation of the IC. The serial operation is blocked from manipulating the register in the simulation of the IC. Using the register in the simulation of the IC, the direct register access operation is performed in place of the serial operation.

WiZard - an experiment to measure the cosmic rays including anti-protons, positrons, nuclei and to conduct a search for primordial antimatter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golden, R. L.

1990-03-01

The WiZard experiment will utilize the Astromag magnet facility onboard Space Station Freedom to explore the composition and energy spectra of low-Z cosmic rays. Particular emphasis will be placed on a search for primordial antimatter and measurement of antiproton and positron fluxes at energies up to 400 GeV. This paper presents the scientific goals and rationale; the experimental method is described and the present status of the WiZard project is summarized.

Enhanced spot preparation for liquid extractive sampling and analysis

DOEpatents

Van Berkel, Gary J.; King, Richard C.

2015-09-22

A method for performing surface sampling of an analyte, includes the step of placing the analyte on a stage with a material in molar excess to the analyte, such that analyte-analyte interactions are prevented and the analyte can be solubilized for further analysis. The material can be a matrix material that is mixed with the analyte. The material can be provided on a sample support. The analyte can then be contacted with a solvent to extract the analyte for further processing, such as by electrospray mass spectrometry.

Energy: A continuing bibliography with indexes, February 1975. [solar energy, energy conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system from July 1, 1974 through September 30, 1974 are cited. Regional, national, and international energy systems; research and development on fuels and other sources of energy; energy conversion, transport, transmission, distribution, and storage, with emphasis on the use of hydrogen and solar energy are included along with methods of locating or using new energy resources. Emphasis is placed on energy for heating, lighting, and powering aircraft, surface vehicles, or other machinery.

Advanced rotorcraft technology: Task force report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The technological needs and opportunities related to future civil and military rotorcraft were determined and a program plan for NASA research which was responsive to the needs and opportunities was prepared. In general, the program plan places the primary emphasis on design methodology where the development and verification of analytical methods is built upon a sound data base. The four advanced rotorcraft technology elements identified are aerodynamics and structures, flight control and avionic systems, propulsion, and vehicle configurations. Estimates of the total funding levels that would be required to support the proposed program plan are included.

Supported microporous ceramic membranes

DOEpatents

Webster, Elizabeth; Anderson, Marc

1993-01-01

A method for permformation of microporous ceramic membranes onto a porous support includes placing a colloidal suspension of metal or metal oxide particles on one side of the porous support and exposing the other side of the porous support to a drying stream of gas or a reactive gas stream so that the particles are deposited on the drying side of the support as a gel. The gel so deposited can be sintered to form a supported ceramic membrane useful for ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, or molecular sieving having mean pore sizes less than 100 Angstroms.

Metal oxide membranes for gas separation

DOEpatents

Anderson, Marc A.; Webster, Elizabeth T.; Xu, Qunyin

1994-01-01

A method for permformation of a microporous ceramic membrane onto a porous support includes placing a colloidal suspension of metal oxide particles on one side of the porous support and exposing the other side of the porous support to a drying stream of gas or a reactive gas stream so that the particles are deposited on the drying side of the support as a gel. The gel so deposited can be sintered to form a supported ceramic membrane having mean pore sizes less than 30 Angstroms and useful for ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, or gas separation.

Supported microporous ceramic membranes

DOEpatents

Webster, E.; Anderson, M.

1993-12-14

A method for the formation of microporous ceramic membranes onto a porous support includes placing a colloidal suspension of metal or metal oxide particles on one side of the porous support and exposing the other side of the porous support to a drying stream of gas or a reactive gas stream so that the particles are deposited on the drying side of the support as a gel. The gel so deposited can be sintered to form a supported ceramic membrane useful for ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, or molecular sieving having mean pore sizes less than 100 Angstroms. 4 figures.

Metal oxide membranes for gas separation

DOEpatents

Anderson, M.A.; Webster, E.T.; Xu, Q.

1994-08-30

A method for formation of a microporous ceramic membrane onto a porous support includes placing a colloidal suspension of metal oxide particles on one side of the porous support and exposing the other side of the porous support to a drying stream of gas or a reactive gas stream so that the particles are deposited on the drying side of the support as a gel. The gel so deposited can be sintered to form a supported ceramic membrane having mean pore sizes less than 30 Angstroms and useful for ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, or gas separation. 4 figs.

Traffic pollution and countermeasures of urban traffic environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yuhong; Zheng, Chaocheng

2018-01-01

Background: Traffic environment has become a serious social problem in China currently, therefore, urban traffic environment governance is the requirement to solve this issue because as an important place in people's social life, urban traffic environment shows a strong city's energy. Objective: Based on analysis on social function of city traffic environment and its influence of traffic on urban environment in this paper, the goal to establish a healthy urban traffic environment must be included under the aim of sustainable development eternally and feasible measures were put forward afterwards. Method, result, conclusion and possible applications.

Early development of an enterprise health data warehouse.

PubMed

Househ, Mowafa Said; Al-Tuwaijri, Majid

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe early development challenges of an enterprise data warehouse within a Saudi Arabian academic healthcare facility. An action case research method was selected for this paper. The study took place between December 2009 and February 2010. Data collection included interviews, meeting observations, and meeting minutes. Early development challenges centered on the development of clear contracts with vendors; development of a clear project plan; a need to fast-track bureaucracy; and educate clinicians and staff about the project; and lack of data standardization.

Summarizing health inequalities in a Balanced Scorecard. Methodological considerations.

PubMed

Auger, Nathalie; Raynault, Marie-France

2006-01-01

The association between social determinants and health inequalities is well recognized. What are now needed are tools to assist in disseminating such information. This article describes how the Balanced Scorecard may be used for summarizing data on health inequalities. The process begins by selecting appropriate social groups and indicators, and is followed by the measurement of differences across person, place, or time. The next step is to decide whether to focus on absolute versus relative inequality. The last step is to determine the scoring method, including whether to address issues of depth of inequality.

Automated Absorber Attachment for X-ray Microcalorimeter Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moseley, S.; Allen, Christine; Kilbourne, Caroline; Miller, Timothy M.; Costen, Nick; Schulte, Eric; Moseley, Samuel J.

2007-01-01

Our goal is to develop a method for the automated attachment of large numbers of absorber tiles to large format detector arrays. This development includes the fabrication of high quality, closely spaced HgTe absorber tiles that are properly positioned for pick-and-place by our FC150 flip chip bonder. The FC150 also transfers the appropriate minute amount of epoxy to the detectors for permanent attachment of the absorbers. The success of this development will replace an arduous, risky and highly manual task with a reliable, high-precision automated process.

Method of manufacturing carbon nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benavides, Jeanette M. (Inventor); Leidecker, Henning W. (Inventor); Frazier, Jeffrey (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A process for manufacturing carbon nanotubes, including a step of inducing electrical current through a carbon anode and a carbon cathode under conditions effective to produce the carbon nanotubes, wherein the carbon cathode is larger than the carbon anode. Preferably, a welder is used to induce the electrical current via an arc welding process. Preferably, an exhaust hood is placed on the anode, and the process does not require a closed or pressurized chamber. The process provides high-quality, single-walled carbon nanotubes, while eliminating the need for a metal catalyst.

MR guided breast interventions: role in biopsy targeting and lumpectomies

PubMed Central

Jagadeesan, Jayender; Richman, Danielle M; Kacher, Daniel F

2015-01-01

Synopsis Contrast enhanced breast MRI is increasingly being used to diagnose breast cancer and to perform biopsy procedures. The American Cancer Society has advised women at high risk for breast cancer to have breast MRI screening as an adjunct to screening mammography. This article places special emphasis on biopsy and operative planning involving MRI and reviews utility of breast MRI in monitoring response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We describe peer-reviewed data on currently accepted MR-guided therapeutic methods for addressing benign and malignant breast diseases, including intraoperative imaging. PMID:26499274

Direct current sputtering of boron from boron/coron mixtures

DOEpatents

Timberlake, John R.; Manos, Dennis; Nartowitz, Ed

1994-01-01

A method for coating a substrate with boron by sputtering includes lowering the electrical resistance of a boron-containing rod to allow electrical conduction in the rod; placing the boron-containing rod inside a vacuum chamber containing substrate material to be coated; applying an electrical potential between the boron target material and the vacuum chamber; countering a current avalanche that commences when the conduction heating rate exceeds the cooling rate, and until a steady equilibrium heating current is reached; and, coating the substrate material with boron by sputtering from the boron-containing rod.

The role of artificial intelligence techniques in scheduling systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geoffroy, Amy L.; Britt, Daniel L.; Gohring, John R.

1990-01-01

Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques provide good solutions for many of the problems which are characteristic of scheduling applications. However, scheduling is a large, complex heterogeneous problem. Different applications will require different solutions. Any individual application will require the use of a variety of techniques, including both AI and conventional software methods. The operational context of the scheduling system will also play a large role in design considerations. The key is to identify those places where a specific AI technique is in fact the preferable solution, and to integrate that technique into the overall architecture.

Breather cloth for vacuum curing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, M. W.

1979-01-01

Finely-woven nylon cloth that has been treated with Teflon improves vacuum adhesive bonding of coatings to substrates. Cloth is placed over coating; entire assembly, including substrate, coating, and cloth, is placed in plastic vacuum bag for curing. Cloth allows coating to "breathe" when bag is evacuated. Applications include bonding film coatings to solar concentrators and collectors.

A Comparative Case Study of Music Interactions between Mothers and Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrn, Michelle D.; Hourigan, Ryan

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the music interactions between mothers and young infants. Research questions included: (1) What type of musical interactions took place in the mother/infant relationship? and (2) What importance did mothers place on musical interactions within the family structure? Data included interviews, observations,…

More on the alleged 1970 geomagnetic jerk

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alldredge, L.R.

1985-01-01

French and United Kingdom workers have published reports describing a sudden change in the secular acceleration, called an impulse or a jerk, which took place around 1970. They claim that this change took place in a period of a year or two and that the sources of the alleged jerk are internal. An earlier paper by this author questioned their method of analysis pointing out that their method of piecemeal fitting of parabolas to the data will always create a discontinuity in the secular acceleration where the parabolas join and that the place where the parabolas join is an a priori assumption and not a result of the analysis. This paper gives a very brief summary of this first paper and then adds additional reasons for questioning the allegation that there was a worldwide sudden jerk in the magnetic field of internal origin around 1970. These new reasons are based largely on new field models which give cubic approximations of the field right through the 1970 timeframe and therefore have no discontinuities in the second derivative (jerk) around 1970. Some recent Japanese work shows several sudden changes in the secular variation pattern which cover limited areas and do not seem to be closely related to each other or to the irregularity noted in the European area near 1970. The secular variation picture which seems to be emerging is one with many local or limited-regional secular variation changes which appear to be almost unrelated to each other in time or space. A worldwide spherical harmonic model including coefficients up to degree 13 could never properly depict such a situation. ?? 1985.

The revised NEUROGES-ELAN system: An objective and reliable interdisciplinary analysis tool for nonverbal behavior and gesture.

PubMed

Lausberg, Hedda; Sloetjes, Han

2016-09-01

As visual media spread to all domains of public and scientific life, nonverbal behavior is taking its place as an important form of communication alongside the written and spoken word. An objective and reliable method of analysis for hand movement behavior and gesture is therefore currently required in various scientific disciplines, including psychology, medicine, linguistics, anthropology, sociology, and computer science. However, no adequate common methodological standards have been developed thus far. Many behavioral gesture-coding systems lack objectivity and reliability, and automated methods that register specific movement parameters often fail to show validity with regard to psychological and social functions. To address these deficits, we have combined two methods, an elaborated behavioral coding system and an annotation tool for video and audio data. The NEUROGES-ELAN system is an effective and user-friendly research tool for the analysis of hand movement behavior, including gesture, self-touch, shifts, and actions. Since its first publication in 2009 in Behavior Research Methods, the tool has been used in interdisciplinary research projects to analyze a total of 467 individuals from different cultures, including subjects with mental disease and brain damage. Partly on the basis of new insights from these studies, the system has been revised methodologically and conceptually. The article presents the revised version of the system, including a detailed study of reliability. The improved reproducibility of the revised version makes NEUROGES-ELAN a suitable system for basic empirical research into the relation between hand movement behavior and gesture and cognitive, emotional, and interactive processes and for the development of automated movement behavior recognition methods.

Comparison of Methane Control Methods in Polish and Vietnamese Coal Mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borowski, Marek; Kuczera, Zbigniew

2018-03-01

Methane hazard often occurs in hard coal mines and causes very serious accidents and can be the reason of methane or methane and coal dust explosions. History of coal mining shows that methane released from the rock mass to the longwall area was responsible for numerous mining disasters. The main source of methane are coal deposits because it is autochthonous gas and is closely related with carbonification and forming of coal deposits. Degree of methane saturation in coal deposits depends on numerous factors; mainly on presence or lack of insulating layers in cover deposit that allow or do not on degasification and easily methane outflow into surroundings. Hence in coal mining there are coal deposits that contain only low degree of methane saturation in places where is lack of insulating layers till high in methane coal deposits occurring in insulating claystones or in shales. Conducting mining works in coal deposits of high methane hazard without using of special measures to combat (ventilation, methane drainage) could be impossible. Control of methane hazard depends also on other co-occuring natural dangers for which used preventive actions eliminate methane hazard. Safety in mines excavating coal deposits saturated with methane depends on the correct estimation of methane hazard, drawn up forecasts, conducted observations, hazard control as well as undertaken prevention measures. Methane risk prevention includes identification and control methods of methane hazards as well as means of combating the explosive accumulation of methane in longwall workings. The main preventive actions in underground coal mines are: effective ventilation that prevents forming of methane fuses or placed methane accumulation in headings ventilated by airflow created by main fans and in headings with auxiliary ventilation, methane drainage using drain holes that are drilled from underground headings or from the surface, methanometry control of methane concentration in the air; location of the sensors is defined by law, additional ventilation equipment used in places of lower intensity of ventilation and places where methane is concentrated.

Sexualized and Dangerous Relationships: Listening to the Voices of Low-Income African American Girls Placed at Risk for Sexual Exploitation

PubMed Central

Harper, Erin; Harris, Patricia; Sanders, DeShelle; Levin, Kerry; Meyers, Joel

2013-01-01

Introduction: Youth from low-income, urban backgrounds face significant challenges to maintaining a positive developmental trajectory. Dangerous neighborhoods and stressed relationships are common in these settings and threaten adaptation by weakening the natural assets that undergird resilience. African American girls in these contexts face specific, multiple risks, including gender stereotyping, violence, and sexual exploitation. The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a multibillion-dollar industry victimizing over 1 million children around the globe. The typical victim in 1 city in the southeastern United States is an African American girl 12–14 years old. There has been little research investigating the characteristics of girls placed at risk for CSEC and even less research on the personal perspectives of these girls. Methods: Over 3 school terms we provided preventive intervention groups for 36 African American middle school girls who were placed at risk because they lived in neighborhoods with high rates of interpersonal violence and CSEC. Two group leaders and a process recorder took detailed notes on each group session. Our focus on group conversations over a period of weeks increased the probability of recording spontaneous, open comments by the children and is a promising method with this population. The data were analyzed qualitatively and resulted in an account of the girls' own views of the environmental challenges and personal experiences that may influence their development. Results: The girls' language during the group sessions contained 4 themes: difficulty forming trusting relationships, frequent peer aggression, familiarity with adult prostitution, and sexuality as a commodity. Conclusion: Our research shows how girls placed at risk for CSEC view their own lives. These children described violence and sexual exploitation and cited limited supports to protect them from these risks. Understanding the perspectives of these girls should generate future research and intervention strategies to support their coping and resilience. PMID:23930151

Fuzzy Hungarian Method for Solving Intuitionistic Fuzzy Travelling Salesman Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabakaran, K.; Ganesan, K.

2018-04-01

The travelling salesman problem is to identify the shortest route that the salesman journey all the places and return the starting place with minimum cost. We develop a fuzzy version of Hungarian algorithm for the solution of intuitionistic fuzzy travelling salesman problem using triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers without changing them to classical travelling salesman problem. The purposed method is easy to empathize and to implement for finding solution of intuitionistic travelling salesman problem happening in real life situations. To illustrate the proposed method numerical example are provided.

Barriers to asymptomatic screening and other STD services for adolescents and young adults: focus group discussions

PubMed Central

Tilson, Elizabeth C; Sanchez, Victoria; Ford, Chandra L; Smurzynski, Marlene; Leone, Peter A; Fox, Kimberley K; Irwin, Kathleen; Miller, William C

2004-01-01

Background Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major public health problem among young people and can lead to the spread of HIV. Previous studies have primarily addressed barriers to STD care for symptomatic patients. The purpose of our study was to identify perceptions about existing barriers to and ideal services for STDs, especially asymptomatic screening, among young people in a southeastern community. Methods Eight focus group discussions including 53 White, African American, and Latino youth (age 14–24) were conducted. Results Perceived barriers to care included lack of knowledge of STDs and available services, cost, shame associated with seeking services, long clinic waiting times, discrimination, and urethral specimen collection methods. Perceived features of ideal STD services included locations close to familiar places, extended hours, and urine-based screening. Television was perceived as the most effective route of disseminating STD information. Conclusions Further research is warranted to evaluate improving convenience, efficiency, and privacy of existing services; adding urine-based screening and new services closer to neighborhoods; and using mass media to disseminate STD information as strategies to increase STD screening. PMID:15189565

Method of coating a substrate with a calcium phosphate compound

DOEpatents

Gao, Yufei; Campbell, Allison A.

2000-01-01

The present invention is a method of coating a substrate with a calcium phosphate compound using plasma enhanced MOCVD. The substrate is a solid material that may be porous or non-porous, including but not limited to metal, ceramic, glass and combinations thereof. The coated substrate is preferably used as an implant, including but not limited to orthopaedic, dental and combinations thereof. Calcium phosphate compound includes but is not limited to tricalcium phosphate (TCP), hydroxyapatite (HA) and combinations thereof. TCP is preferred on a titanium implant when implant resorbability is desired. HA is preferred when the bone bonding of new bone tissue into the structure of the implant is desired. Either or both of TCP and/or HA coated implants may be placed into a solution with an agent selected from the group of protein, antibiotic, antimicrobial, growth factor and combinations thereof that can be adsorbed into the coating before implantation. Once implanted, the release of TCP will also release the agent to improve growth of new bone tissues and/or to prevent infection.

Energy harvesting: an integrated view of materials, devices and applications.

PubMed

Radousky, H B; Liang, H

2012-12-21

Energy harvesting refers to the set of processes by which useful energy is captured from waste, environmental, or mechanical sources and is converted into a usable form. The discipline of energy harvesting is a broad topic that includes established methods and materials such as photovoltaics and thermoelectrics, as well as more recent technologies that convert mechanical energy, magnetic energy and waste heat to electricity. This article will review various state-of-the-art materials and devices for direct energy conversion and in particular will include multistep energy conversion approaches. The article will highlight the nano-materials science underlying energy harvesting principles and devices, but also include more traditional bulk processes and devices as appropriate and synergistic. Emphasis is placed on device-design innovations that lead to higher efficiency energy harvesting or conversion technologies ranging from the cm/mm-scale down to MEMS/NEMS (micro- and nano-electromechanical systems) devices. Theoretical studies are reviewed, which address transport properties, crystal chemistry, thermodynamic analysis, energy transfer, system efficiency and device operation. New developments in experimental methods; device design and fabrication; nanostructured materials fabrication; materials properties; and device performance measurement techniques are discussed.

Energy harvesting: an integrated view of materials, devices and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radousky, H. B.; Liang, H.

2012-12-01

Energy harvesting refers to the set of processes by which useful energy is captured from waste, environmental, or mechanical sources and is converted into a usable form. The discipline of energy harvesting is a broad topic that includes established methods and materials such as photovoltaics and thermoelectrics, as well as more recent technologies that convert mechanical energy, magnetic energy and waste heat to electricity. This article will review various state-of-the-art materials and devices for direct energy conversion and in particular will include multistep energy conversion approaches. The article will highlight the nano-materials science underlying energy harvesting principles and devices, but also include more traditional bulk processes and devices as appropriate and synergistic. Emphasis is placed on device-design innovations that lead to higher efficiency energy harvesting or conversion technologies ranging from the cm/mm-scale down to MEMS/NEMS (micro- and nano-electromechanical systems) devices. Theoretical studies are reviewed, which address transport properties, crystal chemistry, thermodynamic analysis, energy transfer, system efficiency and device operation. New developments in experimental methods; device design and fabrication; nanostructured materials fabrication; materials properties; and device performance measurement techniques are discussed.

Guidelines for the Detection of Babesia and Theileria Parasites.

PubMed

Lempereur, Laetitia; Beck, Relja; Fonseca, Isabel; Marques, Cátia; Duarte, Ana; Santos, Marcos; Zúquete, Sara; Gomes, Jacinto; Walder, Gernot; Domingos, Ana; Antunes, Sandra; Baneth, Gad; Silaghi, Cornelia; Holman, Patricia; Zintl, Annetta

2017-01-01

The genera Babesia and Theileria (phylum Apicomplexa, order Piroplasmida) are mainly transmitted by Ixodid ticks in which the sexual part of their life cycle followed by sporogony takes place. They include protozoan parasites that infect erythrocytes of a variety of vertebrate hosts, including domestic and wild animals, with some Babesia spp. also infecting humans. Babesia sporozoites transmitted in the tick's saliva during the bloodmeal directly infect erythrocytes, where they asexually multiply to produce pear-shaped merozoites in the process of merogony; whereas a pre-erythrocytic schizogonic life stage in leukocytes is found in Theileria and precedes merogony in the erythrocytes. The wide spectrum of Babesia and Theileria species and their dissimilar characteristics with relation to disease severity, transmission, epidemiology, and drug susceptibility stress the importance of accurate detection of babesiosis and theileriosis and their causative agents. These guidelines review the main methods currently used for the detection of Babesia and Theileria spp. for diagnostic purposes as well as epidemiological studies involving their vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors. Serological methods were not included once they did not indicate current infection but rather exposure.

Mathematical Model and Simulation of Particle Flow around Choanoflagellates Using the Method of Regularized Stokeslets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nararidh, Niti

2013-11-01

Choanoflagellates are unicellular organisms whose intriguing morphology includes a set of collars/microvilli emanating from the cell body, surrounding the beating flagellum. We investigated the role of the microvilli in the feeding and swimming behavior of the organism using a three-dimensional model based on the method of regularized Stokeslets. This model allows us to examine the velocity generated around the feeding organism tethered in place, as well as to predict the paths of surrounding free flowing particles. In particular, we can depict the effective capture of nutritional particles and bacteria in the fluid, showing the hydrodynamic cooperation between the cell, flagellum, and microvilli of the organism. Funding Source: Murchison Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Methods for determination of optic nerve blood flow.

PubMed Central

Glazer, L. C.

1988-01-01

A variety of studies have been conducted over the past two decades to determine if decreased optic nerve blood flow has a role in the etiology of glaucomatous nerve damage. Five basic methods have been employed in examining blood flow. Invasive studies, utilizing electrodes placed in the optic nerve head, represent one of the first attempts to measure blood flow. More recently, the methodologies have included axoplasmic flow analysis, microspheres, radioactive tracers such as iodoantipyrine, and laser doppler measurements. The results of these studies are inconclusive and frequently contradictory. When the studies are grouped by methodology, only the iodoantipyrine data are consistent. While each of the experimental techniques has limitations, iodoantipyrine appears to have better resolution than either invasive studies or microspheres. PMID:3284212

Nuclear medicine and imaging research: Quantitative studies in radiopharmaceutical science

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

Copper, M.; Beck, R.N.

1991-06-01

During the past three years the program has undergone a substantial revitalization. There has been no significant change in the scientific direction of this grant, in which emphasis continues to be placed on developing new or improved methods of obtaining quantitative data from radiotracer imaging studies. However, considerable scientific progress has been made in the three areas of interest: Radiochemistry, Quantitative Methodologies, and Experimental Methods and Feasibility Studies, resulting in a sharper focus of perspective and improved integration of the overall scientific effort. Changes in Faculty and staff, including development of new collaborations, have contributed to this, as has acquisitionmore » of additional and new equipment and renovations and expansion of the core facilities. 121 refs., 30 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Methods for constraining fine structure constant evolution with OH microwave transitions.

PubMed

Darling, Jeremy

2003-07-04

We investigate the constraints that OH microwave transitions in megamasers and molecular absorbers at cosmological distances may place on the evolution of the fine structure constant alpha=e(2)/ variant Planck's over 2pi c. The centimeter OH transitions are a combination of hyperfine splitting and lambda doubling that can constrain the cosmic evolution of alpha from a single species, avoiding systematic errors in alpha measurements from multiple species which may have relative velocity offsets. The most promising method compares the 18 and 6 cm OH lines, includes a calibration of systematic errors, and offers multiple determinations of alpha in a single object. Comparisons of OH lines to the HI 21 cm line and CO rotational transitions also show promise.

Laboratory Diagnosis of Parasites from the Gastrointestinal Tract.

PubMed

Garcia, Lynne S; Arrowood, Michael; Kokoskin, Evelyne; Paltridge, Graeme P; Pillai, Dylan R; Procop, Gary W; Ryan, Norbert; Shimizu, Robyn Y; Visvesvara, Govinda

2018-01-01

This Practical Guidance for Clinical Microbiology document on the laboratory diagnosis of parasites from the gastrointestinal tract provides practical information for the recovery and identification of relevant human parasites. The document is based on a comprehensive literature review and expert consensus on relevant diagnostic methods. However, it does not include didactic information on human parasite life cycles, organism morphology, clinical disease, pathogenesis, treatment, or epidemiology and prevention. As greater emphasis is placed on neglected tropical diseases, it becomes highly probable that patients with gastrointestinal parasitic infections will become more widely recognized in areas where parasites are endemic and not endemic. Generally, these methods are nonautomated and require extensive bench experience for accurate performance and interpretation. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

A Review of Astronomy Education Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, Janelle M.; Slater, Timothy F.

The field of astronomy education is rapidly growing beyond merely sharing effective activities or curriculum ideas. This paper categorizes and summarizes the literature in astronomy education research and contains more than 100 references to articles, books, and Web-based materials. Research into student understanding on a variety of topics now occupies a large part of the literature. Topics include the shape of Earth and gravity, lunar phases, seasons, astrobiology, and cosmology. The effectiveness of instructional methods is now being tested systematically, taking data beyond the anecdotal with powerful research designs and statistical analyses. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches have found their places in the researcher's toolbox. In all cases, the connection between the research performed and its effect on classroom instruction is largely lacking.

Placing cryptic, recently extinct, or hypothesized taxa into an ultrametric phylogeny using continuous character data: a case study with the lizard Anolis roosevelti.

PubMed

Revell, Liam J; Mahler, D Luke; Reynolds, R Graham; Slater, Graham J

2015-04-01

In recent years, enormous effort and investment has been put into assembling the tree of life: a phylogenetic history for all species on Earth. Overwhelmingly, this progress toward building an ever increasingly complete phylogeny of living things has been accomplished through sophisticated analysis of molecular data. In the modern genomic age, molecular genetic data have become very easy and inexpensive to obtain for many species. However, some lineages are poorly represented in or absent from tissue collections, or are unavailable for molecular analysis for other reasons such as restrictive biological sample export laws. Other species went extinct recently and are only available in formalin museum preparations or perhaps even as subfossils. In this brief communication we present a new method for placing cryptic, recently extinct, or hypothesized taxa into an ultrametric phylogeny of extant taxa using continuous character data. This method is based on a relatively simple modification of an established maximum likelihood (ML) method for phylogeny inference from continuous traits. We show that the method works well on simulated trees and data. We then apply it to the case of placing the Culebra Island Giant Anole (Anolis roosevelti) into a phylogeny of Caribbean anoles. Anolis roosevelti is a "crown-giant" ecomorph anole hypothesized to have once been found throughout the Spanish, United States, and British Virgin Islands, but that has not been encountered or collected since the 1930s. Although this species is widely thought to be closely related to the Puerto Rican giant anole, A. cuvieri, our ML method actually places A. roosevelti in a different part of the tree and closely related to a clade of morphologically similar species. We are unable, however, to reject a phylogenetic position for A. roosevelti that places it as sister taxon to A. cuvieri; although close relationship with the remainder of Puerto Rican anole species is strongly rejected by our method. © 2015 The Author(s).

A multiscale quantum mechanics/electromagnetics method for device simulations.

PubMed

Yam, ChiYung; Meng, Lingyi; Zhang, Yu; Chen, GuanHua

2015-04-07

Multiscale modeling has become a popular tool for research applying to different areas including materials science, microelectronics, biology, chemistry, etc. In this tutorial review, we describe a newly developed multiscale computational method, incorporating quantum mechanics into electronic device modeling with the electromagnetic environment included through classical electrodynamics. In the quantum mechanics/electromagnetics (QM/EM) method, the regions of the system where active electron scattering processes take place are treated quantum mechanically, while the surroundings are described by Maxwell's equations and a semiclassical drift-diffusion model. The QM model and the EM model are solved, respectively, in different regions of the system in a self-consistent manner. Potential distributions and current densities at the interface between QM and EM regions are employed as the boundary conditions for the quantum mechanical and electromagnetic simulations, respectively. The method is illustrated in the simulation of several realistic systems. In the case of junctionless field-effect transistors, transfer characteristics are obtained and a good agreement between experiments and simulations is achieved. Optical properties of a tandem photovoltaic cell are studied and the simulations demonstrate that multiple QM regions are coupled through the classical EM model. Finally, the study of a carbon nanotube-based molecular device shows the accuracy and efficiency of the QM/EM method.