Predicting sport and occupational lower extremity injury risk through movement quality screening: a systematic review.

PubMed

Whittaker, Jackie L; Booysen, Nadine; de la Motte, Sarah; Dennett, Liz; Lewis, Cara L; Wilson, Dave; McKay, Carly; Warner, Martin; Padua, Darin; Emery, Carolyn A; Stokes, Maria

2017-04-01

Identification of risk factors for lower extremity (LE) injury in sport and military/first-responder occupations is required to inform injury prevention strategies. To determine if poor movement quality is associated with LE injury in sport and military/first-responder occupations. 5 electronic databases were systematically searched. Studies selected included original data; analytic design; movement quality outcome (qualitative rating of functional compensation, asymmetry, impairment or efficiency of movement control); LE injury sustained with sport or military/first-responder occupation. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. 2 independent authors assessed the quality (Downs and Black (DB) criteria) and level of evidence (Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine model). Of 4361 potential studies, 17 were included. The majority were low-quality cohort studies (level 4 evidence). Median DB score was 11/33 (range 3-15). Heterogeneity in methodology and injury definition precluded meta-analyses. The Functional Movement Screen was the most common outcome investigated (15/17 studies). 4 studies considered inter-relationships between risk factors, 7 reported diagnostic accuracy and none tested an intervention programme targeting individuals identified as high risk. There is inconsistent evidence that poor movement quality is associated with increased risk of LE injury in sport and military/first-responder occupations. Future research should focus on high-quality cohort studies to identify the most relevant movement quality outcomes for predicting injury risk followed by developing and evaluating preparticipation screening and LE injury prevention programmes through high-quality randomised controlled trials targeting individuals at greater risk of injury based on screening tests with validated test properties. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Restauration fonctionnelle du rachis : effet du niveau initial de douleur sur les performances des sujets lombalgiques chroniques

PubMed Central

Caby, Isabelle; Olivier, N; Mendelek, F; Kheir, R Bou; Vanvelcenaher, J; Pelayo, P

2014-01-01

HISTORIQUE : La lombalgie chronique est une douleur lombaire persistante d’origine multifactorielle. Le niveau de douleur initial reste faiblement utilisé pour analyser et comparer les réponses des patients lombalgiques au programme de reconditionnement. OBJECTIFS : Apprécier et évaluer les réponses des sujets lombalgiques chroniques très douloureux à une prise en charge dynamique et intensive. MÉTHODOLOGIE : 144 sujets atteints de lombalgie chronique ont été inclus dans un programme de restauration fonctionnelle du rachis de 5 semaines. Les sujets ont été classés en deux groupes de niveau de douleur: un groupe atteint de douleur sévère (n = 28) et un groupe atteint de douleur légère à modérée (n = 106). L’ensemble des sujets ont bénéficié d’une prise en charge identique comprenant principalement de la kinésithérapie, de l’ergothérapie, du reconditionnement musculaire et cardio-vasculaire ainsi qu’un suivi psychologique. Les paramètres physiques (flexibilité, force musculaire) et psychologiques (qualité de vie) ont été mesurés avant (T0) et après le programme (T5sem). RÉSULTATS : L’ensemble des performances physiques et fonctionnelles des sujets très douloureux sont moins bonnes et le retentissement de la lombalgie sur la qualité de vie, pour ces mêmes sujets, est majoré à T0. Toutes les différences significatives constatées à T0 entre les deux groupes s’effacent à T5sem. CONCLUSIONS : Les sujets lombalgiques chroniques très douloureux répondent favorablement au programme dynamique et intensif. L’intensité douloureuse de la lombalgie n’aurait pas d’effet sur les réponses au programme. La restauration fonctionnelle du rachis apporterait aux sujets la possibilité de mieux gérer leur douleur quel que soit son niveau. PMID:25299476

Le Programme d’enseignement décentralisé et la rétention des médecins omnipraticiens dans la région du Bas-Saint-Laurent au Québec

PubMed Central

Bustinza, Ray; Gagnon, Suzanne; Burigusa, Guillaume

2009-01-01

Résumé OBJECTIF Le but de cette étude était d’évaluer l’impact sur la rétention des médecins omnipraticiens du programme d’enseignement décentralisé, des mesures incitatives financières et de l’origine du médecin. DEVIS Nos données sont tirées de la banque du suivi des effectifs médicaux de la Régie régionale de la santé et des services sociaux du Bas-Saint-Laurent. Les questionnaires complétés par les médecins dans le cadre de cette étude ont été envoyés par la poste. MILIEU Bas-Saint-Laurent, Qué. PARTICIPANTS Des médecins omnipraticiens pratiquant depuis 1985 à août 2003 dans la région. MÉTHODOLOGIE Pour les analyses statistiques, nous avons fait appel à l’analyse multivariée, en utilisant le modèle des taux proportionnels de Cox de l’analyse de survie. RÉSULTATS La probabilité ajustée de demeurer en région, selon l’exposition aux stages de résidence en région, présente une tendance positive avec un rapport de 2,12 (P = 0,15). La probabilité de rester dans la région grimpe jusqu’à 4,5 fois plus (P < 0,01) pour un médecin originaire du Bas-Saint-Laurent. Le lien avec les mesures incitatives financières montre que la probabilité ajustée de demeurer dans le Bas-Saint-Laurent n’est pas significativement différente selon qu’ils aient ou non reçu les primes d’installation ou la bourse de la Régie de l’assurance-maladie du Québec. CONCLUSION Les facteurs les plus prometteurs pour retenir les médecins omnipraticiens en région touchent le recrutement en médecine de candidats des régions rurales et la formation décentralisée. PMID:19752242

Cirque du Monde en tant qu’intervention en santé

PubMed Central

Fournier, Cynthia; Drouin, Mélodie-Anne; Marcoux, Jérémie; Garel, Patricia; Bochud, Emmanuel; Théberge, Julie; Aubertin, Patrice; Favreau, Gil; Fleet, Richard

2014-01-01

Résumé Objectif Présenter le programme Cirque du Monde du Cirque du Soleil et son potentiel en tant qu’intervention en soins de santé de première ligne pour les médecins de famille. Sources des données Une revue de la littérature menée dans les bases de données PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, La Presse, Eureka, Google Scholar et Érudit à l’aide des mots-clés circus, social circus, Cirque du Monde et Cirque du Soleil. Une initiative à Montréal nommée Espace Transition qui s’inspire directement de Cirque du Monde. Communication personnelle avec le conseiller principal en formation en cirque social du Cirque du Soleil. Sélection d’études Les 50 premiers articles ou sites Internet répertoriés pour chaque mot-clé dans chacune des bases de données ciblées ont été révisés sur la base des titres et des résumés, s’il s’agissait d’un article, ou sur la base du titre et du contenu de la page, s’il s’agissait d’une page Internet. Ensuite, les articles et les sites Internet qui étudiaient un aspect du cirque social ou qui présentaient une intervention impliquant le cirque étaient retenus pour une révision. Aucune contrainte d’année de publication n’a été appliquée étant donné qu’on cherchait une littérature générale sur le cirque social. Synthèse Aucun article n’a été trouvé sur le cirque social en tant qu’intervention en santé. Nous avons trouvé une étude sur l’utilisation du cirque en tant qu’intervention en milieu scolaire. Cette étude a démontré une augmentation de l’estime personnelle des enfants grâce à l’intervention. Nous avons trouvé une étude sur l’utilisation du cirque en tant qu’intervention sur une réserve amérindienne. Cette étude présente des résultats qualitatifs non spécifiques au programme du cirque social. Les autres articles répertoriés n’étaient que des descriptions du cirque social. Un site web concernant l’utilisation du cirque social pour faciliter la réintégration sociale de jeunes traités en milieu hospitalier pour un trouble psychiatrique majeur a été répertorié. L’équipe du département de pédopsychiatrie du Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine responsable de ce projet nommé Espace Transition a été contactée. Des résultats préliminaires non publiés du projet pilote montrent des améliorations significatives du fonctionnement général des patients. Selon le Cirque du Soleil, plusieurs projets de recherche portant sur l’impact thérapeutique du cirque social sont en cours à travers le monde. Conclusion Cirque du Monde rejoint une clientèle marginalisée difficilement accessible par le système de santé. Ce programme revêt un potentiel thérapeutique de par sa clientèle cible, sa promotion de saines habitudes de vie et le soutien qu’il offre par l’intermédiaire du groupe et des intervenants. Compte tenu des investissements financiers importants du Cirque du Soleil dans ce projet, le manque de littérature donnant accès à des données probantes constitue un enjeu important.

Le conte Africain: L'univers de l'oralite dans le systeme de l'enseignement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belpassi, Paola

1994-05-01

According to current interpretations, the stories preserved in the African oral tradition constitute a rich source of themes for the purposes of moral education. The stories focusing on the relationship between brother and sister, for example, develop the theme of how each individual must find a balance between consanguineous and marital relationships. The author also explores other keys to the interpretation of these stories and argues that they could profitably be used within the framework of a multicultural educational programme, on account of their linguistic, narrative and thematic richness.

DRDC Mentoring Program: An Examination of Program Design and Program Outcomes

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

des connaissances propres à l’organisation dans le but de former de futurs gestionnaires. À la fin du programme, on a mené une enquête auprès...convenablement des gens qui seront en mesure d’occuper des postes de gestion au sein de l’organisation. DRDC CORA TM 2010-214 i...accroître leurs possibilités de perfectionnement professionnel. L’enquête portait sur la structure du programme et visait à déterminer si

Effets du stress familial lié au diabète sur le contrôle glycémique chez les jeunes diabétiques de type 1

PubMed Central

Tsiouli, Elina; Alexopoulos, Evangelos C.; Stefanaki, Charikleia; Darviri, Christina; Chrousos, George P.

2013-01-01

Objectif Examiner la façon dont le stress familial influence le contrôle glycémique chez les patients diabétiques de moins de 18 ans. Sources des données Une recherche des études pertinentes publiées depuis 1990 a été réalisée dans PubMed et Scopus à l'aide des mots-clés suivants en anglais: diabetes type 1, glycemic control, family stress, family conflict et family function. Sélection des études La recension initiale a permis de cerner un total de 1 478 articles. La synthèse finale portrait sur 6 études de cohortes, 3 études transversales et 1 étude qualitative dans lesquelles le stress familial était évalué à l'aide d'instruments de mesure des conflits spécifiquement reliés au diabète et le contrôle glycémique était mesuré en fonction de l'hémoglobine glycosylée. Synthèse Dans la plupart des études, il existait une corrélation négative entre le stress familial et le contrôle glycémique des patients. Le bon fonctionnement familial était fortement relié à un bon contrôle glycémique des patients, tandis que les conflits familiaux étaient associés à un mauvais contrôle glycémique. Les familles dont la situation socioéconomique était défavorisée, celles ayant des adolescents atteints de diabète et les familles monoparentales étaient plus enclines à vivre un stress relié au diabète et étaient, par conséquent, plus susceptibles de connaître un moins bon contrôle glycémique. Conclusion Les interventions psychologiques thérapeutiques et les programmes éducatifs peuvent aider à atténuer le stress familial relié au diabète et amélioreront probablement le contrôle glycémique.

Détermination assistée par ordinateur de la structure des molécules organiques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuzillard, J.-M.

1998-02-01

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy offers the unique possibility of accessing proximity relationships between atoms by means of chemical shift correlation experiments. Structure determination of small molecules has become thus much simpler. Computer programs can use directly correlation information for structure analysis. The use and operation mechanism of such a program, LSD (Logic for Structure Determination) are presented. The example compound is gibberellic acid, a natural product. La spectroscopie de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire offre un moyen unique de déterminer des relations de proximité entre atomes par le biais des expériences de corrélation. L'analyse structurale de petites molécules organiques s'en trouve extrêmement facilitée. Des programmes informatiques peuvent utiliser directement les informations de corrélation pour déduire des structures. Le fonctionnement et l'usage d'un tel programme, LSD (Logic for Structure Determination), sont détaillés sur un exemple, l'acide gibberellique.

La singularité du patient tuberculeux dans le système de santé: l'expérience du Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Zerbo, Roger

2013-01-01

La démarche pluridisciplinaire s'impose de plus en plus dans le secteur de la santé dans le contexte africain, où les parcours thérapeutiques sont pluriels et les rapports des usagers des centres de santé sont complexes et peu satisfaisants. La compréhension des représentations de la maladie est nécessaire pour offrir des soins appropriés certes, mais l'expérience individuelle des malades représente également une source de savoir. Les données ont été collectées à travers des entretiens semi-directifs, le recueil des récits de vie et des observations participantes. Cet article rend compte d'une expérience d'implication de socio-anthropologue dans la mise en œuvre d'un programme de santé publique au Burkina Faso en vue d'une amélioration de la prise en charge des malades tuberculeux. L'analyse des données à été conduite dans une visée réflexive. Les perspectives socio-anthropologiques ont révélé que l'expérience des anciens malades tuberculeux peut être mise à profit afin d'apporter des changements dans les relations thérapeutiques et l'intégration sociale des autres malades. Cette idée à été mise en application pour tenir lieu d'une traduction des analyses anthropologiques en actes pour un changement. L'article évoque la manière dont l'approche socio-anthropologique au sein d'un programme de santé, peut mettre en évidence le potentiel des malades à être des acteurs importants dans le fonctionnement des services de soins et leur propre bien-être. Dans cette situation, la démarche théorique implique la réflexivité de l'anthropologue, mais également un regard critique sur les modes d'intervention en santé publique. PMID:24009798

Programmable lithography engine (ProLE) grid-type supercomputer and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, John S.; Maslow, Mark J.; Gerold, David J.; Greenway, Robert T.

2003-06-01

There are many variables that can affect lithographic dependent device yield. Because of this, it is not enough to make optical proximity corrections (OPC) based on the mask type, wavelength, lens, illumination-type and coherence. Resist chemistry and physics along with substrate, exposure, and all post-exposure processing must be considered too. Only a holistic approach to finding imaging solutions will accelerate yield and maximize performance. Since experiments are too costly in both time and money, accomplishing this takes massive amounts of accurate simulation capability. Our solution is to create a workbench that has a set of advanced user applications that utilize best-in-class simulator engines for solving litho-related DFM problems using distributive computing. Our product, ProLE (Programmable Lithography Engine), is an integrated system that combines Petersen Advanced Lithography Inc."s (PAL"s) proprietary applications and cluster management software wrapped around commercial software engines, along with optional commercial hardware and software. It uses the most rigorous lithography simulation engines to solve deep sub-wavelength imaging problems accurately and at speeds that are several orders of magnitude faster than current methods. Specifically, ProLE uses full vector thin-mask aerial image models or when needed, full across source 3D electromagnetic field simulation to make accurate aerial image predictions along with calibrated resist models;. The ProLE workstation from Petersen Advanced Lithography, Inc., is the first commercial product that makes it possible to do these intensive calculations at a fraction of a time previously available thus significantly reducing time to market for advance technology devices. In this work, ProLE is introduced, through model comparison to show why vector imaging and rigorous resist models work better than other less rigorous models, then some applications of that use our distributive computing solution are shown. Topics covered describe why ProLE solutions are needed from an economic and technical aspect, a high level discussion of how the distributive system works, speed benchmarking, and finally, a brief survey of applications including advanced aberrations for lens sensitivity and flare studies, optical-proximity-correction for a bitcell and an application that will allow evaluation of the potential of a design to have systematic failures during fabrication.

Renaud Paulian et le programme du CNRS sur les hautes montagnes à Madagascar: étage vs domaine

PubMed Central

Guillaumet, Jean-Louis; Betsch, Jean-Marie; Callmander, Martin W.

2011-01-01

Résumé Le programme intitulé « Étude des écosystémes montagnards dans la région malgache» (RCP 225/CNRS; responsable: Recteur Renaud Paulian) avait pour ambition de dégager leurs caractères généraux, l'origine des éléments constitutifs et de tester la validité d'un Domaine malgache des Hautes Montagnes proposé par Humbert dès 1951. De 1970 à 1973, trois campagnes (Andringitra; Chaînes anosyennes et Ankaratra; Itremo, Ibity et Marojejy) ont permis une caractérisation écologique des milieux particuliers ainsi que des analyses de systématique sur certains taxa connus pour leur intérêt biogéographique. La succession altitudinale des formations végétales, définies par des critères physionomiques et structuraux, est précisée par massif. Le dernier étage caractérisé par le fourré éricoïde et ses groupements associés ne correspond pas à l'Étage des Hautes Montagnes de l'Est africain. Des groupes de la faune (invertébrés hexapodes: Collemboles et Dermaptères) indiquent une disjonction entre les massifs du Nord (Tsaratanana, Marojejy), ceux du Centre et du Sud; des éléments de la flore (Pandanaceae, Araliaceae, Asteraceae) sont en cours d'analyse dans le même sens. Le Domaine des Hautes montagnes à Madagascar est une réalité écologique mais ne peut être défini floristiquement; chaque massif montagneux est une entité phytogéographique d'étages de végétation interdépendants inclus dans les différents Sous-Domaines du Centre. Les groupes peu mobiles de la faune indiquent globalement une dépendance trophique et bioclimatique (effet tampon du climat intraforestier) vis-à-vis des étages de végétation, mais peuvent réagir à des microclimats locaux par des décalages à leurs limites. PMID:21731422

The Role of Program Structure in Software Maintenance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-29

0NFDUTC We have entered an era in which it has become increasingly important to develop humlan engineering principles which will 0 significantly...Programmers use slices when debugging. Communications of the ACM1, 25, 446-452. Winer, B. J. (1971). Statistical principles in experimental desin. New York...d dir C.VIo Lir~ 7i, LE -3 C Wi nd J ir E’r~~. ..CJ .. J 1 1Lt . * . BE I N Top Iip END; END-z FU14CiT I L44 Erpt .tALk I. JjiLE;,N; VJIuiH S-taCA DU I

Research Using In Vivo Simulation of Meta-Organizational Shared Decision-making (SDM). Task 4: Modeling of Communication and Decision Functions within a Shared Decision-making (SDM) Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale 2011, Abstract...modélisation des fonctions de communication et de prise de décision dans le cadre de la prise de décision partagée (PDP) du volet de travail « Recherche par... la simulation in-vivo sur la prise de décision partagée des méta-organisations ». Cette composante du programme

Management of Heat and Cold Stress -- Guidance to NATO Medical Personnel (Gestion des contraintes thermiques (chaleur et froid) Conseils aux personnels medicaux de I’OTAN)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

de la performance de leurs troupes; b) d’importants écarts scientifiques / de capacités existent en ce qui concerne la susceptibilité, le... La HFM/RTG-187 avait pour but de : a) comparer et évaluer les ressources techniques qui sont actuellement utilisées pour un « système de gestion des ...d’une doctrine et de programmes d’enseignement intégrés pour la gestion des risques thermiques afin de garantir le maintien

Traitements didactiques preventifs d'un type de conceptions erronees en sciences physiques chez des eleves du secondaire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blondin, Andre

Dans un contexte constructiviste, les connaissances anterieures d'un individu sont essentielles a la construction de nouvelles connaissances. Quelle qu'en soit la source (certaines de ces connaissances ont ete elaborees en classe, d'autres ont ete elaborees par interaction personnelle de l'individu avec son environnement physique et social), ces connaissances, une fois acquises, constituent les matieres premieres de l'elaboration des nouvelles conceptions de cet individu. Generalement, cette influence est consideree comme positive. Cependant, dans un milieu scolaire ou l'apprentissage de certaines conceptions enchassees dans un programme d'etudes et enterinees par l'ensemble d'une communaute est obligatoire, certaines connaissances anterieures peuvent entraver la construction des conceptions exigees par la communaute. La litterature abonde de tels exemples. Cependant, certaines connaissances anterieures, en soi tout a fait conformes a l'Heritage, peuvent aussi, parce qu'utilisees de facon non pertinente, entraver la construction d'une conception exigee par la communaute. Ici, la litterature nous donne peu d'exemples de ce type, mais nous en fournirons quelques-uns dans le cadre theorique, et ce sera un d'entre eux qui servira de base a nos propos. En effet, une grande proportion d'eleves inscrits a un cours de sciences physiques de la quatrieme secondaire, en reponse a un probleme deja solutionne durant l'annee et redonne lors d'un examen sommatif, "Pourquoi la Lune nous montre-t-elle toujours la meme face?", attribue principalement la cause de ce phenomene a la rotation de la Terre sur son axe. En tant que responsable de l'enseignement de ce programme d'etudes, plusieurs questions nous sont venues a l'esprit, entre autres, comment, dans un contexte constructiviste, est-il possible de reduire chez un eleve, l'impact de cette connaissance anterieure dans l'elaboration de la solution et ainsi prevenir la construction d'une conception erronee? Nous avons teste nos hypotheses avec la cohorte suivante d'eleves chez qui se repetaient les memes conditions d'apprentissage. Nous avons utilise le design de recherche "posttest only" de Campbell et Stanley. En mai, apres le moment prevu dans la planification du programme pour donner le probleme aux eleves, nous avons suggere deux facons differentes de reviser la solution de ce probleme. Les eleves du premier groupe experimental ont revise sans que soit activee la connaissance anterieure apprehendee de la rotation de la Terre. Les eleves du deuxieme groupe experimental ont ete confrontes, par des questions et une simulation, au fait que la rotation de la Terre n'est pas une connaissance pertinente pour resoudre le probleme. Les groupes temoins et les groupes experimentaux ont ete choisis au hasard dans le bassin des ecoles secondaires de la commission scolaire. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The relief operation in puno district, peru, after the 1986 floods of lake titicaca.

PubMed

Sztorch, L; Gicquel, V; Desenclos, J C

1989-03-01

The 1985-86 rainy season in Peru was disastrous due to very high precipitation. Because of the unusual level of floods in the Lake Titicaca area and the increasing number of affected people, the Peruvian Government established an emergency relief plan and appealed for international aid. At that time the situation was already very critical. The lack of preparedness made the implementation of the relief operation difficult. Our paper describes the intervention of a French N.G.O. (Médecins Sans Trontières), requested by the Peruvian authorities. The early phase of the relief programme and its methodology are described. Problems within this relief programme and the further long-term development action that should be undertaken are discussed. Au Pérou, la saison des pluies 85-86 a été catastrophique par l'importance des précipitations. Au cours des premiers mois de l'année 1986, devant l'ampleur inhabituelle des inondations dans la région du lac Titicaca et le nombre sans cesse croissant de sinistrés, le gouvernement pbruvien décide de mettre en route un plan national de secours d'urgence enfaisant appel à l'aide internationale. Mais la réponse est déjá tardive et le manque de mesures préventives fait que l'organisation des secours se heurte à un grand nombre de difficultés. Notre étude se situe dans le cadre de l'intervention d'une organisation non gouvernementale européenne, sollicitée par le gouvernement péruvien pour une collaboration dans la phase des premiers secours à cette population. Les problémes posés lors de cette opération et la suite à donner à l'assistance a moyen et a long terme sont discutés.

Chemical Inventory Management at NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kraft, Shirley S.; Homan, Joseph R.; Bajorek, Michael J.; Dominguez, Manuel B.; Smith, Vanessa L.

1997-01-01

The Chemical Management System (CMS) is a client/server application developed with Power Builder and Sybase for the Lewis Research Center (LeRC). Power Builder is a client-server application development tool, Sybase is a Relational Database Management System. The entire LeRC community can access the CMS from any desktop environment. The multiple functions and benefits of the CMS are addressed.

Distributed solid state programmable thermostat/power controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Dennis A. (Inventor); Alexander, Jane C. (Inventor); Howard, David E. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A self-contained power controller having a power driver switch, programmable controller, communication port, and environmental parameter measuring device coupled to a controllable device. The self-contained power controller needs only a single voltage source to power discrete devices, analog devices, and the controlled device. The programmable controller has a run mode which, when selected, upon the occurrence of a trigger event changes the state of a power driver switch and wherein the power driver switch is maintained by the programmable controller at the same state until the occurrence of a second event.

Diagnostic ultrasound imaging for lateral epicondylalgia: a case-control study.

PubMed

Heales, Luke James; Broadhurst, Nathan; Mellor, Rebecca; Hodges, Paul William; Vicenzino, Bill

2014-11-01

Lateral epicondylalgia (LE) is clinically diagnosed as pain over the lateral elbow that is provoked by gripping. Usually, LE responds well to conservative intervention; however, those who fail such treatment require further evaluation, including musculoskeletal ultrasound. Previous studies of musculoskeletal ultrasound have methodological flaws, such as lack of assessor blinding and failure to control for participant age, sex, and arm dominance. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic use of blinded ultrasound imaging in people with clinically diagnosed LE compared with that in a control group matched for age, sex, and arm dominance. Participants (30 with LE and 30 controls) underwent clinical examination as the criterion standard test. Unilateral LE was defined as pain over the lateral epicondyle, which was provoked by palpation, resisted wrist and finger extension, and gripping. Controls without symptoms were matched for age, sex, and arm dominance. Ultrasound investigations were performed by two sonographers using a standardized protocol. Grayscale images were assessed for signs of tendon pathology and rated on a four-point ordinal scale. Power Doppler was used to assess neovascularity and rated on a five-point ordinal scale. The combination of grayscale and power Doppler imaging revealed an overall sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 47%. The positive and negative likelihood ratios for combined grayscale and power Doppler imaging were 1.69 and 0.21, respectively. Although ultrasound imaging helps confirm the absence of LE, when findings are negative for tendinopathic changes, the high prevalence of tendinopathic changes in pain-free controls challenges the specificity of the measure. The validity of ultrasound imaging to confirm tendon pathology in clinically diagnosed LE requires further study with strong methodology.

Inadequate programming, insufficient communication and non-compliance with the basic principles of maternal death audits in health districts in Burkina Faso: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Congo, Boukaré; Sanon, Djénéba; Millogo, Tieba; Ouedraogo, Charlemagne Marie; Yaméogo, Wambi Maurice E; Meda, Ziemlé Clement; Kouanda, Seni

2017-09-29

Implementation of quality maternal death audits requires good programming, good communication and compliance with core principles. Studies on compliance with core principles in the conduct of maternal death audits (MDAs) exist but were conducted in urban areas, at the 2nd or 3rd level of the healthcare system, in experimental situations, or in a context of skills-building projects or technical platforms with an emphasis on the review of "near miss". This study aims to fill the gap of evidence on the implementation of MDAs in rural settings, at the first level of care and in the routine care situation in Burkina Faso. We conducted a multiple-case study, with seven cases (health districts) chosen by contrasted purposive sampling using four criteria: (i) the intra-hospital maternal mortality rates for 2013, (ii) rural versus urban location, (iii) proofs of regular conduct of maternal death audits (MDAs) as per routine health information system, and (iv) the use of district hospital versus regional hospital for reference when the first mentioned does not exist. A review of audit records and structured and semi-structured interviews with staff involved in MDAs were conducted. The survey was conducted from 27 April to 30 May of 2015. The results showed that maternal death audits (MDAs) were irregularly scheduled, mostly driven by critical events. Overall, preparing sessions, communication and the conduct of MDAs were most of the time inadequate. Confidentiality was globally respected during the clinical audit sessions. The principle of "no name, no shame, and no blame" was differently applied and anonymity was rarely preserved. Programming, communication, and compliance with the basic principles in the conduct of maternal death audits were inadequate as compared to the national standards. Identifying determinants of such shortcomings may help guide interventions to improve the quality of clinical audits. La mise en œuvre d'audits de décès maternels de qualité nécessite une bonne programmation, une bonne communication et le respect des principes fondamentaux. Des études sur le respect des principes fondamentaux existent mais ont été menées dans les zones urbaines, le 2ème ou 3ème niveau du système de santé, dans des situations expérimentales, un contexte de projets de renforcement des compétences ou de plates-formes techniques, en mettant l'accent sur la revue des «near miss». Cette étude vise à combler le manque d'information sur la programmation et le respect des principes fondamentaux concernant le milieu rural, le niveau du système de santé qui est. le district sanitaire et la situation de routine au Burkina Faso. MéTHODOLOGIE: Nous avons mené une étude de cas multiple dans 7 établissements de santé sélectionnés par échantillonnage raisonné contrasté selon 4 critères: milieu urbain ou rural, taux de mortalité maternelle dans les établissements de santé en 2013 (les données de l'année 2014 n'étant pas complètes à la rédaction du protocole), la déclaration des audits de décès maternels dans le système de surveillance nationale, le recours ou non par le district choisi à un centre hospitalier régional pour les soins complémentaires de premier niveau (normalement offerts à l'hôpital de district s'il existe). Une revue des dossiers d'audits, ainsi que des entretiens directifs, semi-directifs auprès du personnel impliqué dans les soins de maternité ont été réalisés. L'enquête s'est. déroulée du 27 Avril au 30 Mai 2015. RéSULTATS: Les résultats montrent que les revues des décès maternels ont été irrégulièrement programmées, de façon espacée et très souvent au gré des évènements. La préparation, la conduite des séances et la communication après les séances ont été défaillantes. La confidentialité au sein du groupe d'auditeurs a été respectée tandis que le niveau de respect du principe de « no name, no shame, no blame » a varié d'une structure à une autre. Enfin, l'anonymat a été le moins respecté. La programmation, la communication et le respect des principes fondamentaux ont connu des défaillances par rapport aux normes mais de façon variable d'une structure à une autre. L'identification des déterminants de ces insuffisances pourront aider à l'orientation des interventions visant l'amélioration de l'activité des audits de décès maternels au niveau district de santé.

Field Programmable Gate Array Control of Power Systems in Graduate Student Laboratories

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited FIELD PROGRAMMABLE...REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Field Programmable Gate Array Control of Power Systems in Graduate Student...Electronics curriculum track is the development of a design center that explores Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) control of power electronics

Proceedings: Pacific Northwest Council on Foreign Languages. Volume XXX, Part 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazur, Gertrud S., Ed.

The following papers of relevance to second language instruction are compiled here: (1) "Bilingual Math in a Monolingual Classroom: A Field Study," by Elizabeth M. Baricevic; (2) "Ideologie et pedagogie: reflexions sur le manuel de francais au programme de '3e annee secondaire' en Algerie," by Jeanne Adam; (3) "Pedagogic…

IFLA General Conference, 1989. Introduction to IFLA's Core Programmes; Contributed Papers; Plenary Session Papers. Booklet 00.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Federation of Library Associations, The Hague (Netherlands).

This collection contains three papers providing an introduction to the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Core Programs, four contributed papers, and two Plenary Session papers: (1) "The Universal Bibliographic Control and International MARC (Machine Readable Cataloging Formats) Program" (Winston D. Roberts); (2) "Le Programme…

Le changement comme tradition dans la recherche et la formation a la recherche en biotechnologie et en peripherie Etude de cas en sciences de la sante, sciences naturelles et genie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourque, Claude Julie

Le champ de la recherche scientifique et de la formation a la recherche est traverse depuis quelques dizaines d'annees par plusieurs courants et discours associes au changement, mais peu de travaux empiriques permettent de comprendre ce qui change concretement. C'est la contribution originale de cette these au champ de l'education, plus specifiquement a l'etude sociologique de l'enseignement superieur ou sont concentrees les activites liees a la triade thematique du programme doctoral dans lequel elle a ete produite : recherche, formation et pratique. L'enquete-terrain a ete realisee en 2009 et 2010 aupres de 808 repondants affilies a 60 etablissements au Quebec et a produit un vaste materiau de nature mixte (donnees quantitatives et qualitatives). Un portrait de la nebuleuse biotechnologique qui touche les secteurs des sciences de la sante, des sciences naturelles et du genie a ete realise. Ce domaine concerne des dizaines de disciplines et se revele de nature transdisciplinaire, mais les pratiques n'y sont pas davantage marquees par le changement que celles d'autres domaines connexes. Les dynamiques sociales ont fait l'objet d'analyses comparatives dans quatre contextes: le choix des programmes, des objets et des methodes, le financement, la diffusion et la planification de la carriere. Les resultats indiquent que les echanges entre les agents traditionnellement situes au coeur des activites de recherche dominent ces dynamiques dans tous les contextes etudies. L'etude des representations au fondement des pratiques a revele l'existence de trois ecoles de pensee qui coexistent dans le champ scientifique: academique, pragmatique et economiste. Ces ecoles permettent de categoriser les agents en fonction des zones de fractures qui marquent leurs oppositions tout en identifiant ce qu'ils ont en commun. Les representations et les pratiques liees a la formation temoignent d'un habitus plutot homogene, alors que les contradictions semblent plus souvent ancrees dans des luttes universitaires que scientifiques, concentrees sur la negociation du capital scientifique, symbolique et economique en jeu dans la formation doctorale, dans les carrieres auxquelles elle mene, et dans les qualites du titre de Ph.D. Au final, la confusion entre des logiques opposees peut etre reduite en reinterpretant le changement comme tradition du champ scientifique. Mots-cles Sociologie, education, enseignement superieur, science et technologie, biotechnologie, formation doctorale, champ scientifique, reseaux sociaux

Mise à jour sur la vaccination contre la méningococcie invasive chez les enfants et les adolescents canadiens.

PubMed

Robinson, Joan L

2018-02-01

La méningococcie invasive (MI) est une maladie grave qui est souvent à l'origine d'un sepsis fulminant ou d'une méningite. Au Canada, elle est surtout attribuable aux sérogroupes B et C. Des programmes de vaccination systématique contre le méningocoque du sérogroupe C sont prévus à l'âge de 12 mois, et dans certaines régions sociosanitaires, le calendrier comprend l'administration de doses supplémentaires aux enfants plus jeunes. Les adolescents reçoivent systématiquement une dose de rappel du vaccin contre le sérogroupe C ou d'un vaccin quadrivalent (sérogroupes A, C, W et Y). L'utilisation systématique des vaccins contre le sérogroupe B n'est pas recommandée tant qu'on n'aura pas recueilli de données supplémentaires sur l'efficacité des vaccins sur le marché et la durée de la protection qu'ils confèrent. Cependant, les enfants d'au moins deux mois qui courent un risque accru de MI devraient être vaccinés contre les sérogroupes B et C dans les plus brefs délais.

Ressources pour les personnes atteintes de démence

PubMed Central

Frank, Christopher; Feldman, Sid; Schulz, Mary

2011-01-01

Résumé Objectif Résumer les services offerts par la Société Alzheimer et discuter des autres sources de soutien et d’information à la disposition des personnes atteintes de démence. Sources de l’information On a fait une recension dans Ovid MEDLINE à l’aide des expressions dementia, Alzheimer disease, community health services utilization et caregiver stress. Message principal Il a été démontré qu’il est bénéfique aux patients et aux aidants si le diagnostic de la démence est posé tôt dans la maladie. Une consultation auprès de la Société Alzheimer peut aider dans la prise en charge non pharmacologique de la démence au moment du diagnostic et en tout temps durant l’évolution de la maladie. Parmi les services offerts, on peut mentionner des renseignements au sujet de la démence, le soutien aux aidants, la coordination des services communautaires et une grande diversité de ressources écrites à l’intention des patients et des aidants. Là où il est offert, le programme Premier lien peut aider avec l’orientation vers des services en minimisant la nécessité pour les patients ou les aidants de communiquer eux-mêmes avec les filiales locales de la Société. On discute aussi d’autres ressources, y compris les soins de répit et les approches technologiques pour prendre en charge l’errance. Conclusion La Société Alzheimer joue un rôle important dans la prise en charge de la démence et les médecins de famille devraient toujours envisager d’y référer leurs patients au moment du diagnostic, quelle que soit la gravité de l’état. Premier lien, quand il est accessible, peut faciliter le contact avec les services. Des ressources comme les soins de répit et les programmes de jour devraient toujours être considérés lorsqu’ils sont disponibles.

Etude par Imagerie à faible Niveau dans le proche Infrarouge d'une Emission de la haute Atmosphère

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pautet, Pierre-Dominique

2000-12-01

Le travail effectué a eu pour but la mise en place d'un protocole d'observation et de traitement des images, ainsi que les outils appropriés, visant à l'étude d'une émission de la haute atmosphère terrestre dans le proche infrarouge. Il existe actuellement des télescopes comme le VLT (Very Large Telescope), installé au Chili, qui permettent d'observer des astres et des galaxies distants de plusieurs millions de parsecs. A cause de l'expansion de l'Univers, des objets situés aussi loin s'éloignent très rapidement de nous. Le spectre de leur émission qui nous parvient alors est décalé vers le rouge ou l'infrarouge, du fait de l'effet Doppler. Il faut donc observer ces objets dans des longueurs d'onde appropriées. Malheureusement, l'atmosphère terrestre qui nous sépare d'eux est aussi le siège de nombreuses émissions qui peuvent venir perturber les mesures. De toutes ces émissions, la principale est due au radical OH dont les raies de rotation-vibration couvrent tout le spectre entre 0,7 et 2,5 microns. Cette émission a lieu au niveau d'une couche assez fine de la haute atmosphère appelée mésopause et située à environ 85 kilomètres d'altitude. Le travail effectué a eu pour but de mettre en évidence les principales caractéristiques de cette émission qui n'est pas uniforme et constante dans le temps. Un programme d'observations dans le proche infrarouge a été élaboré. Plusieurs algorithmes de traitement d'image ont été développés. Un programme d'inversion de perspective a été mis au point pour une utilisation en temps réel sur le terrain. Les caractéristiques des images peuvent être ensuite analysées. La première partie du mémoire comporte une description des différentes émissions lumineuses que l'on peut observer la nuit lorsque l'on regarde la voûte céleste. Ces émissions peuvent avoir deux origines: astronomique ou atmosphérique. Le problème de l'absorption atmosphérique et plus précisément les conditions requises pour de bonnes observations dans le domaine du proche infrarouge ont aussi été étudiées. Ensuite, la construction d'une station mobile de prise de vues est détaillée. Celle-ci doit permettre d'observer l'émission et d'obtenir des résultats exploitables par la suite. Trois méthodes d'observation ont été décrites: visuelle, photographique et à l'aide d'un détecteur CCD. La troisième, qui a été retenue, a été vue plus en détail. Le matériel utilisé, de la caméra à la plate-forme de prise de vues en passant par les objectifs et les filtres optiques, est ensuite décrit. Lorsque le matériel a été choisi, un protocole d'observation a été défini et mis au point. Le choix du site d'observation a été crucial. Plusieurs lieux géographiques ont été retenus et sont présentés dans le mémoire. Le déroulement d'une séance de prise de vue a été décrit afin de faciliter un futur programme d'observation. Deux séquences types d'observations ont été plus particulièrement détaillées: -la réalisation de panoramas permettant une étude des structures que fait apparaître l'émission, -la réalisation de séquences vidéos afin d'étudier la dynamique du phénomène. Dans une quatrième partie, je décris les méthodes de traitement des images qui ont été développées. Tout d'abord, des prétraitements sont appliqués aux images pour corriger les défauts (champ plat, offset,?). Ensuite, une méthode de restitution géographique permet d'obtenir une image plus exploitable de la couche émissive ; elle n'est alors plus observée à partir d'une station au sol, mais en employant une caméra virtuelle située à la verticale du site d'observation. Différents problèmes liés à cette méthode ont aussi été traités: réfraction atmosphérique proche de l'horizon, passage d'une surface atmosphérique à la surface du pixel correspondant, et effet de Van Rhijn. Plusieurs traitements ont été appliqués aux images pour faciliter leur exploitation: filtrage pour supprimer les objets parasites tels que les étoiles, amélioration du contraste, mise en évidence des structures par plusieurs méthodes. Les résultats de l'étude de ces structures sont ensuite exposés. La dernière partie du travail porte sur l'étude dynamique de l'émission. Tout d'abord, nous avons vu la variation globale de celle-ci au cours de la nuit, puis la dynamique des structures elles-mêmes ainsi que l'influence de cette émission sur les observations astronomiques. Des observations en collaboration avec l'équipe du lidar-Rayleigh de l'Observatoire de Haute-Provence ont permis d'établir une corrélation entre les variations de la densité des composés atmosphériques et les variations de l'intensité de l'émission étudiée. D'autres observations simultanées ont été effectuées avec une équipe située au Pic du Midi afin de réaliser une triangulation visant à déterminer avec précision l'altitude de la couche émissive. Les directions à suivre afin de continuer cette étude ont finalement été données. Les objectifs d'un tel programme consistant à obtenir une meilleure connaissance de la structure de la haute atmosphère terrestre et une amélioration des corrections des observations astronomiques en temps réel.

Utilisation de l'essai comete et du biomarqueur gamma-H2AX pour detecter les dommages induits a l'ADN cellulaire par le 5-bromodeoxyuridine post-irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Madeleine, Carole

Ce memoire est presente a la Faculte de medecine et des sciences de la sante de l'Universite de Sherbrooke en vue de l'obtention du grade de maitre es sciences (M.Sc.) en radiobiologie (2009). Un jury a revise les informations contenues dans ce memoire. Il etait compose de professeurs de la Faculte de medecine et des sciences de la sante soit : Darel Hunting PhD, directeur de recherche (departement de medecine nucleaire et radiobiologie), Leon Sanche PhD, directeur de recherche (departement de medecine nucleaire et radiobiologie), Richard Wagner PhD, membre du programme (departement de medecine nucleaire et radiobiologie) et Guylain Boissonneault PhD, membre exterieur au programme (departement de biochimie). Le 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), un analogue halogene de la thymidine reconnu depuis les annees 60 comme etant un excellent radiosensibilisateur. L'hypothese la plus repandue au sujet de l'effet radio sensibilisant du BrdU est qu'il augmente le nombre de cassures simple et double brin lorsqu'il est incorpore dans l'ADN de la cellule et expose aux radiations ionisantes. Toutefois, de nouvelles recherches semblent remettre en question les observations precedentes. Ces dernieres etudes ont confirme que le BrdU est un bon radiosensibilisateur, car il augmente les dommages radio-induits dans l'ADN. Mais, c'est en etant incorpore dans une region simple brin que le BrdU radiosensibilise l'ADN. Ces recherches ont egalement revele pour la premiere fois un nouveau type de dommages produits lors de l'irradiation de l'ADN contenant du BrdU : les dimeres interbrins. Le but de ces travaux de recherche est de determiner si la presence de bromodeoxyuridine dans l'ADN augmente l'induction de bris simple et / ou double brin chez les cellules irradiees en utilisant de nouvelles techniques plus sensibles et specifiques que celles utilisees auparavant. Pour ce faire, les essais cometes et la detection des foci H2AX phosphorylee pourraient permettre d'etablir les effets engendres par le BrdU au niveau cellulaire. Notre hypothese (basee sur des resultats preliminaires effectues dans notre laboratoire) est que l'irradiation de l'ADN cellulaire en presence de BrdU augmentera le nombre de bris simple brin sans toutefois augmenter le nombre de bris double brin. Les resultats presentes dans ce memoire semblent corroborer cette hypothese. Les nouvelles methodes d'analyse, soient l'essai comete et la detection des foci gamma-H2AX remettent en question ce qui a ete dit sur le BrdU au sujet de l'induction des cassures double brin depuis plusieurs annees. L'ensemble de ces nouveaux resultats effectue a l'aide de cellules ayant incorporees du BrdU sont en correlation avec de precedents resultats obtenus dans notre laboratoire sur des oligonucleotides bromes. Ils reaffirment que l'irradiation combinee au BrdU augmente l'induction de bris simple brin mais pas de bris double brin. L'investigation approfondie des mecanismes d'action non elucides du BrdU au niveau cellulaire et son utilisation a des moments strategiques pendant le traitement de radiotherapie pourraient accroitre son efficacite a des fins d'utilisation clinique. Mots cles : 5-bromodeoxyuridine, dimeres interbrins, dommage a l'ADN, essai comete, H2AX, radiosensibilisateur, radiotherapie

The Power of Continuity in Graduate Teacher Education Master's Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molseed, Timothy R.

2009-01-01

The intentional development of continuity as it applies to programme structure, themes and outcomes is examined for their power in providing a coherent circular connection between the philosophy, operation, assessment and outcomes of a graduate teacher education programme. It is argued that the intentional development of programme continuity will…

Discrimination Power Control for Adaptive Target Tracking Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2008 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense...classification. Résumé Le travail présenté dans ce rapport porte sur le problème de la capacité discriminatoire dans des applications de pistage de cibles...objectifs d’une mission. La stratégie de contrôle est basée sur deux boucles imbriquées. La boucle externe utilise des techniques de regroupement de

Mise à jour sur le nouveau vaccin 9-valent pour la prévention du virus du papillome humain

PubMed Central

Yang, David Yi; Bracken, Keyna

2016-01-01

Résumé Objectif Informer les médecins de famille quant à l’efficacité, à l’innocuité, aux effets sur la santé publique et à la rentabilité du vaccin 9-valent contre le virus du papillome humain (VPH). Qualité des données Des articles pertinents publiés dans PubMed jusqu’en mai 2015 ont été examinés et analysés. La plupart des données citées sont de niveau I (essais randomisés et contrôlés et méta-analyses) ou de niveau II (études transversales, cas-témoins et épidémiologiques). Des rapports et recommandations du gouvernement sont aussi cités en référence. Message principal Le vaccin 9-valent contre le VPH, qui offre une protection contre les types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 et 58 du VPH, est sûr et efficace et réduira encore plus l’incidence des infections à VPH, de même que les cas de cancer lié au VPH. Il peut également protéger indirectement les personnes non immunisées par l’entremise du phénomène d’immunité collective. Un programme d’immunisation efficace peut prévenir la plupart des cancers du col de l’utérus. Les analyses montrent que la rentabilité du vaccin 9-valent chez les femmes est comparable à celle du vaccin quadrivalent original contre le VPH (qui protège contre les types 6, 11, 16 et 18 du VPH) en usage à l’heure actuelle. Toutefois, il faut investiguer plus en profondeur l’utilité d’immuniser les garçons avec le vaccin 9-valent contre le VPH. Conclusion en plus d’être sûr, le vaccin 9-valent protège mieux contre le VPH que le vaccin quadrivalent. Une analyse coûtefficacité en favorise l’emploi, du moins chez les adolescentes. Ainsi, les médecins devraient recommander le vaccin 9-valent à leurs patients plutôt que le vaccin quadrivalent contre le VPH.

Formulation de cas dans la psychose débutante : Quels outils pour le travail en équipe?

PubMed Central

Elowe, Julien; Mebdouhi, Nadir; Solida, Alessandra; Conus, Philippe

2017-01-01

Nous présentons d’abord brièvement le programme TIPP et les concepts généraux de la prise en charge précoce dans la psychose débutante. Un des objectifs de l’intervention dans la phase précoce des troubles psychotiques est notamment de proposer des soins spécifiques adaptés à cette phase de la maladie. En début de prise en charge, l’équipe de soins et en particulier le gestionnaire de cas (case manager), chef d’orchestre de la prise en charge, sont confrontés à une quantité importante d’information dont il faut dégager les lignes de forces pour mettre en place une prise en charge adaptée. Cet article propose un modèle qui peut constituer un outil de travail précieux pour les équipes travaillant dans l’intervention précoce pour faire émerger une formulation de cas et synthétiser les situations cliniques des patients, en extraire une histoire qui fasse sens et ainsi faciliter la mise en place d’un projet thérapeutique. PMID:28558256

Recommandations pour le dépistage de l’hypertension chez les adultes canadiens

PubMed Central

Lindsay, Patrice; Gorber, Sarah Connor; Joffres, Michel; Birtwhistle, Richard; McKay, Donald; Cloutier, Lyne

2013-01-01

Résumé Objectif Présenter des recommandations concernant le dépistage de l’hypertension chez les adultes de 18 ans et plus qui n’ont pas reçu antérieurement de diagnostic d’hypertension. Qualité des données Les données probantes sont tirées d’une recension systématique dans MEDLINE, EMBASE et la base de données des synthèses systématiques de la Collaboration Cochrane (EBM Reviews), de janvier 1985 à septembre 2011. Les types d’études retenues se limitaient aux études randomisées contrôlées, aux synthèses systématiques et aux études observationnelles avec groupes témoins. Message principal Trois fortes recommandations se sont dégagées de données probantes de qualité modérée. Il est recommandé de mesurer la pression artérielle à toutes les consultations appropriées en soins primaires, conformément aux techniques actuelles décrites dans les recommandations du Programme éducatif canadien sur l’hypertension pour la mesure de la pression artérielle en cabinet et en soins ambulatoires. Les critères du Programme éducatif canadien sur l’hypertension pour l’évaluation et le diagnostic de l’hypertension devraient s’appliquer aux personnes chez qui on observe une pression artérielle élevée. Conclusion À la suite d’un examen des plus récentes données probantes, le Groupe d’étude canadien sur les soins de santé préventifs continue de recommander la mesure de la pression artérielle lors des consultations périodiques auprès du médecin.

Les perdus de vue en radiothérapie: expérience de l'Institut National d'Oncologie au Maroc

PubMed Central

Mezouri, Imane; Chenna, Hanane; Bellefqih, Sara; Elkacemi, Hanan; Kebdani, Tayeb; Benjaafar, Noureddine

2014-01-01

Les perdus de vue (PDV) sont toute personne incluse dans un programme et dont on est sans nouvelles depuis six mois. L'objectif de cette étude est de fournir une description objective du problème des malades PDV au service de radiothérapie à l'Institut National d'Oncologie (INO), elle permet d’étudier l'impact des facteurs socio-économiques, démographiques et ceux liés à la maladie entraînant l'abandon du traitement par le patient. Nous avons réalisé une étude rétrospective de 77 patients PDV parmi 2254 patient admis à l'INO du premier janvier au 31 décembre 2011 pour traitement par radiothérapie. La présente analyse a mis en évidence que les taux d'abandon sont associés à des facteurs liés à la maladie et qu’à la fois le patient et le médecin doivent être formés et être conscients de la façon dont les stades avancés de la maladie, le mauvais statut de performance ainsi que la combinaison des autres problèmes de santé peuvent suffisamment conduire le patient à l'abandon du traitement. PMID:25584129

Le programme "La francophonie": Une approche internationale et interdisciplinaire (The Francophony Program: An International and Interdisciplinary Approach).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bras, Monique

The origins, development, and organization of a set of instructional materials entitled "La Francophonie" at North Carolina Central University are described. The project grew out of American students' disaffection for language learning in the mid 1960's and the narrow focus of much college-level instruction. The program consists of two…

Northern Scientific Training Program: Annual Report, 1999-2000 = Programme de formation scientifique dans le Nord: Rapport annuel, 1999-2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa (Ontario).

The Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP) is managed by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development as part of its mandate to foster science and technology in the Canadian North. NSTP supports Canadian universities in providing training that gives advanced and graduate students the opportunity to gain professional experience in…

Overview and evolution of the LeRC PMAD DC test bed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soeder, James F.; Frye, Robert J.

1992-01-01

Since the beginning of the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP), the Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has been developed electrical power system test beds to support the overall design effort. Through this time, the SSFP has changed the design baseline numerous times, however, the test bed effort has endeavored to track these changes. Beginning in August 1989 with the baseline and an all DC system, a test bed was developed to support the design baseline. The LeRC power measurement and distribution (PMAD) DC test bed and the changes in the restructure are described. The changes included the size reduction of primary power channel and various power processing elements. A substantial reduction was also made in the amount of flight software with the subsequent migration of these functions to ground control centers. The impact of these changes on the design of the power hardware, the controller algorithms, the control software, and a description of their current status is presented. An overview of the testing using the test bed is described, which includes investigation of stability and source impedance, primary and secondary fault protection, and performance of a rotary utility transfer device. Finally, information is presented on the evolution of the test bed to support the verification and operational phases of the SSFP in light of these restructure scrubs.

Overview and evolution of the LeRC PMAD DC Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soeder, James F.; Frye, Robert J.

1992-01-01

Since the beginning of the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP), the Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has been developed electrical power system test beds to support the overall design effort. Through this time, the SSFP has changed the design baseline numerous times, however, the test bed effort has endeavored to track these changes. Beginning in August 1989 with the baseline and an all DC system, a test bed was developed to support the design baseline. The LeRC power measurement and distribution (PMAD) DC test bed and the changes in the restructure are described. The changes includeed the size reduction of primary power channel and various power processing elements. A substantial reduction was also made in the amount of flight software with the subsequent migration of these functions to ground control centers. The impact of these changes on the design of the power hardware, the controller algorithms, the control software, and a description of their current status is presented. An overview of the testing using the test bed is described, which includes investigation of stability and source impedance, primary and secondary fault protection, and performance of a rotary utility transfer device. Finally, information is presented on the evolution of the test bed to support the verification and operational phases of the SSFP in light of these restructure scrubs.

Development of a clinical prediction model to calculate patient life expectancy: the measure of actuarial life expectancy (MALE).

PubMed

Clarke, M G; Kennedy, K P; MacDonagh, R P

2009-01-01

To develop a clinical prediction model enabling the calculation of an individual patient's life expectancy (LE) and survival probability based on age, sex, and comorbidity for use in the joint decision-making process regarding medical treatment. A computer software program was developed with a team of 3 clinicians, 2 professional actuaries, and 2 professional computer programmers. This incorporated statistical spreadsheet and database access design methods. Data sources included life insurance industry actuarial rating factor tables (public and private domain), Government Actuary Department UK life tables, professional actuarial sources, and evidence-based medical literature. The main outcome measures were numerical and graphical display of comorbidity-adjusted LE; 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival probability; in addition to generic UK population LE. Nineteen medical conditions, which impacted significantly on LE in actuarial terms and were commonly encountered in clinical practice, were incorporated in the final model. Numerical and graphical representations of statistical predictions of LE and survival probability were successfully generated for patients with either no comorbidity or a combination of the 19 medical conditions included. Validation and testing, including actuarial peer review, confirmed consistency with the data sources utilized. The evidence-based actuarial data utilized in this computer program design represent a valuable resource for use in the clinical decision-making process, where an accurate objective assessment of patient LE can so often make the difference between patients being offered or denied medical and surgical treatment. Ongoing development to incorporate additional comorbidities and enable Web-based access will enhance its use further.

Rappels vaccinaux hors programme élargi de vaccination dans deux écoles de l’éducation de base de Yaoundé, Cameroun

PubMed Central

Vougmo Meguejio Njua, Clémence; Nguefack, Félicitée; Chelo, David; Tejiokem, Mathurin; Kago, Innocent; Kobela, Marie

2011-01-01

Introduction L'absence des rappels vaccinaux est problématique dans les pays en développement où certaines maladies évitables par la vaccination font encore des victimes chez les enfants en raison d'une immunisation incomplète. L'identification des raisons de non rappel vaccinaux permettrait de proposer des solutions adaptées afin d'améliorer le statut vaccinal des enfants au-delà de 12 mois. Méthodes Cette étude descriptive transversale avait pour objectif d’évaluer le taux de rappels vaccinaux des enfants au-delà de la cible du programme élargi de vaccination (PEV). Elle s'est déroulée de Septembre à Novembre 2009 dans deux écoles d’éducation de base de Yaoundé. L’échantillonnage était consécutif et limité aux élèves âgés de deux à sept ans possédant des carnets de vaccination. Par souci d'uniformité, nous n'avons pas analysé les rappels des vaccins contre l'hépatite B et l'haemophilus introduits tardivement au Cameroun. Résultats L’étude a porté sur 310 élèves. La tranche d’âge de 2 à 4 ans représentait 69%. Seul 223 enfants (71,9%) étaient correctement vaccinés. Quant aux rappels vaccinaux diphtérie-tétanos-coqueluche et poliomyélite, les couvertures étaient insignifiantes (2,7% et 0% respectivement pour la première et la deuxième dose). Les raisons évoquées étaient l'absence de sensibilisation des parents (50%), le prix élevé des vaccins (48,69%) et la désinformation (1,31%). Conclusion Le recyclage du personnel de santé sur la vaccination est une nécessité. Les parents doivent être informés sur le déroulement, les prix et les lieux des rappels vaccinaux. La réduction des prix de vaccins faciliterait l'accès à une large tranche de la population. PMID:22187602

The Flexible Services Development Project 1991. Interim Status Report = Le programme d'elaboration de services adaptables 1991. Rapport d'activite interimaire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, Toronto.

This document reports on 13 pilot projects of the Flexible Services Development Project (FSDP), which was initiated in Ontario, Canada, in 1988 to improve child care services for rural families, families with unusual work schedules, families facing short-term emergencies, and families with children who have short-term illnesses. The data and…

Language Teaching with the Help of Multiple Methods. Collection d'"Etudes linguistiques," No. 21.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nivette, Jos, Ed.

This book presents articles on language teaching media. Among the titles are: (1) "Il Foreign Language Teaching e l'impiego degli audio-visivi" (Foreign Language Teaching and the Use of Audio Visual Methods) by D'Agostino, (2) "Le role et la nature de l'image dans l'enseignement programme de l'anglais, langue seconde" (The Role and Nature of the…

Êtes-vous prêt pour un code bleu en cabinet?

PubMed Central

Moore, Simon

2015-01-01

Résumé Problème traité Les urgences médicales sont fréquentes dans le cabinet des médecins de famille, mais nombreux sont ceux qui ne sont pas préparés à répondre aux urgences. Une vidéo éducative en ligne traitant des urgences en cabinet pourrait améliorer la réponse des médecins et de leur personnel aux urgences. Un outil comme celui-là n’a jamais été décrit auparavant. Objectif du programme Utiliser les pratiques fondées sur les données probantes pour produire une vidéo éducative expliquant comment se préparer à parer à une urgence dans un cabinet médical, disséminer la vidéo en ligne et évaluer l’attitude des médecins et de leur personnel à l’égard de la vidéo. Description du programme Une vidéo de 6 minutes a été produite en s’appuyant sur une revue de la littérature récente et des politiques des organismes réglementaires canadiens. La vidéo décrit l’équipement d’urgence recommandé, l’amélioration de la réponse à l’urgence et la formation du personnel en cabinet. Les médecins et leur personnel ont été invités à visualiser la vidéo en ligne à www.OfficeEmergencies.ca. L’opinion de l’auditoire sur le format de la vidéo et son contenu a été évaluée par l’entremise d’un sondage (N = 275). Conclusion Les résultats du sondage indiquent que la vidéo était pertinente et bien présentée, et le format en ligne était pratique et satisfaisant. Les participants s’inscriraient à d’autres formations ayant recours à cette technologie et étaient d’accord pour dire que ce programme améliorerait les soins aux patients.

Modeling the complexity of acoustic emission during intermittent plastic deformation: Power laws and multifractal spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Jagadish; Ananthakrishna, G.

2018-01-01

Scale-invariant power-law distributions for acoustic emission signals are ubiquitous in several plastically deforming materials. However, power-law distributions for acoustic emission energies are reported in distinctly different plastically deforming situations such as hcp and fcc single and polycrystalline samples exhibiting smooth stress-strain curves and in dilute metallic alloys exhibiting discontinuous flow. This is surprising since the underlying dislocation mechanisms in these two types of deformations are very different. So far, there have been no models that predict the power-law statistics for discontinuous flow. Furthermore, the statistics of the acoustic emission signals in jerky flow is even more complex, requiring multifractal measures for a proper characterization. There has been no model that explains the complex statistics either. Here we address the problem of statistical characterization of the acoustic emission signals associated with the three types of the Portevin-Le Chatelier bands. Following our recently proposed general framework for calculating acoustic emission, we set up a wave equation for the elastic degrees of freedom with a plastic strain rate as a source term. The energy dissipated during acoustic emission is represented by the Rayleigh-dissipation function. Using the plastic strain rate obtained from the Ananthakrishna model for the Portevin-Le Chatelier effect, we compute the acoustic emission signals associated with the three Portevin-Le Chatelier bands and the Lüders-like band. The so-calculated acoustic emission signals are used for further statistical characterization. Our results show that the model predicts power-law statistics for all the acoustic emission signals associated with the three types of Portevin-Le Chatelier bands with the exponent values increasing with increasing strain rate. The calculated multifractal spectra corresponding to the acoustic emission signals associated with the three band types have a maximum spread for the type C bands and decreasing with types B and A. We further show that the acoustic emission signals associated with Lüders-like band also exhibit a power-law distribution and multifractality.

Modeling the complexity of acoustic emission during intermittent plastic deformation: Power laws and multifractal spectra.

PubMed

Kumar, Jagadish; Ananthakrishna, G

2018-01-01

Scale-invariant power-law distributions for acoustic emission signals are ubiquitous in several plastically deforming materials. However, power-law distributions for acoustic emission energies are reported in distinctly different plastically deforming situations such as hcp and fcc single and polycrystalline samples exhibiting smooth stress-strain curves and in dilute metallic alloys exhibiting discontinuous flow. This is surprising since the underlying dislocation mechanisms in these two types of deformations are very different. So far, there have been no models that predict the power-law statistics for discontinuous flow. Furthermore, the statistics of the acoustic emission signals in jerky flow is even more complex, requiring multifractal measures for a proper characterization. There has been no model that explains the complex statistics either. Here we address the problem of statistical characterization of the acoustic emission signals associated with the three types of the Portevin-Le Chatelier bands. Following our recently proposed general framework for calculating acoustic emission, we set up a wave equation for the elastic degrees of freedom with a plastic strain rate as a source term. The energy dissipated during acoustic emission is represented by the Rayleigh-dissipation function. Using the plastic strain rate obtained from the Ananthakrishna model for the Portevin-Le Chatelier effect, we compute the acoustic emission signals associated with the three Portevin-Le Chatelier bands and the Lüders-like band. The so-calculated acoustic emission signals are used for further statistical characterization. Our results show that the model predicts power-law statistics for all the acoustic emission signals associated with the three types of Portevin-Le Chatelier bands with the exponent values increasing with increasing strain rate. The calculated multifractal spectra corresponding to the acoustic emission signals associated with the three band types have a maximum spread for the type C bands and decreasing with types B and A. We further show that the acoustic emission signals associated with Lüders-like band also exhibit a power-law distribution and multifractality.

Canadian Civil-Military Relations, 1939-1941: A Case Study in Strategic Dialogue

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

second case study, and the subject of a companion Technical Memorandum, will examine the debates about military power in 1940 in the context of the...their influence in national strategic discussions. The second case study, and the subject of a companion Technical Memorandum, examines the...comprendre ce qui arrive ou devrait arriver. Un examen du rôle joué par le Général H.D.G. Crerar, le chef d’état-major général en 1940-1941, dans les

In vitro DNA SCRaMbLE.

PubMed

Wu, Yi; Zhu, Rui-Ying; Mitchell, Leslie A; Ma, Lu; Liu, Rui; Zhao, Meng; Jia, Bin; Xu, Hui; Li, Yun-Xiang; Yang, Zu-Ming; Ma, Yuan; Li, Xia; Liu, Hong; Liu, Duo; Xiao, Wen-Hai; Zhou, Xiao; Li, Bing-Zhi; Yuan, Ying-Jin; Boeke, Jef D

2018-05-22

The power of synthetic biology has enabled the expression of heterologous pathways in cells, as well as genome-scale synthesis projects. The complexity of biological networks makes rational de novo design a grand challenge. Introducing features that confer genetic flexibility is a powerful strategy for downstream engineering. Here we develop an in vitro method of DNA library construction based on structural variation to accomplish this goal. The "in vitro SCRaMbLE system" uses Cre recombinase mixed in a test tube with purified DNA encoding multiple loxPsym sites. Using a β-carotene pathway designed for expression in yeast as an example, we demonstrate top-down and bottom-up in vitro SCRaMbLE, enabling optimization of biosynthetic pathway flux via the rearrangement of relevant transcription units. We show that our system provides a straightforward way to correlate phenotype and genotype and is potentially amenable to biochemical optimization in ways that the in vivo system cannot achieve.

Power console development for NASA's electric propulsion outreach program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinero, Luis R.; Patterson, Michael J.; Satterwhite, Vincent E.

1993-01-01

NASA LeRC is developing a 30 cm diameter xenon ion thruster for auxiliary and primary propulsion applications. To maximize expectations for user-acceptance of ion propulsion technology, NASA LeRC, through their Electric Propulsion Outreach Program, is providing sectors of industry with portable power consoles for operation of 5 KW-class xenon ion thrusters. This power console provides all necessary functions to permit thruster operations over a 0.5-5 KW envelope under both manual and automated control. These functions include the following: discharge, cathode heater, neutralizer keeper, and neutralizer heater currents, screen and accelerator voltages, and a gas feed system to regulate and control propellant flow to the thruster. An electronic circuit monitors screen and accelerator currents and controls arcing events. The power console was successfully integrated with the NASA 30 cm thruster.

The Association between Peace and Life Expectancy: An Empirical Study of the World Countries.

PubMed

Yazdi Feyzabadi, Vahid; Haghdoost, Aliakbar; Mehrolhassani, Mohammad Hossein; Aminian, Zahra

2015-03-01

Although theoretically peace affects health, few published evidence for such an association was empirically available. This study aimed to explore the association between peace and life expectancy (LE) among the world countries. In an ecological study and using random effects regression model, we examined the association between peace and LE among world countries between 2007 and 2012. The LE at birth and global peace index (GPI: a score between 1 and 5, higher score means lower peace) were selected as outcome and main predictor variables, respectively. We adjusted their association for the gross national income (GNI) per capita and education index (EI). Data were obtained from the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Numbers of included countries were 158 based on the available data. GPI had a negative, considerable, and statistically significant effect on LE (standardized coefficient -0.039; 95% CI: -0.058, -0.019). This association was also significant even after the adjustment for EI (-0.019; 95% CI: -0.035, -0.003), GNI (-0.035; 95% CI: -0.055, -0.015), and both EI and GNI (-0.017; 95% CI: -0.033, -0.001). The full model showed that around 0.61 of the variation of LE among countries may be explained by the GPI, EI and GNI per capita. The contribution of peace as a global determinant of LE was empirically considerable even after the adjustment for the economic and education levels of countries. This implies that governments should make efforts to settle peace through implementing good governance based on interactions with both public and other countries.

The Association between Peace and Life Expectancy: An Empirical Study of the World Countries

PubMed Central

YAZDI FEYZABADI, Vahid; HAGHDOOST, Aliakbar; MEHROLHASSANI, Mohammad Hossein; AMINIAN, Zahra

2015-01-01

Background: Although theoretically peace affects health, few published evidence for such an association was empirically available. This study aimed to explore the association between peace and life expectancy (LE) among the world countries. Methods: In an ecological study and using random effects regression model, we examined the association between peace and LE among world countries between 2007 and 2012. The LE at birth and global peace index (GPI: a score between 1 and 5, higher score means lower peace) were selected as outcome and main predictor variables, respectively. We adjusted their association for the gross national income (GNI) per capita and education index (EI). Data were obtained from the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Numbers of included countries were 158 based on the available data. Results: GPI had a negative, considerable, and statistically significant effect on LE (standardized coefficient −0.039; 95% CI: −0.058, −0.019). This association was also significant even after the adjustment for EI (−0.019; 95% CI: −0.035, −0.003), GNI (−0.035; 95% CI: −0.055, −0.015), and both EI and GNI (−0.017; 95% CI: −0.033, −0.001). The full model showed that around 0.61 of the variation of LE among countries may be explained by the GPI, EI and GNI per capita. Conclusion: The contribution of peace as a global determinant of LE was empirically considerable even after the adjustment for the economic and education levels of countries. This implies that governments should make efforts to settle peace through implementing good governance based on interactions with both public and other countries. PMID:25905077

The effect of urban green on small-area (healthy) life expectancy.

PubMed

Jonker, M F; van Lenthe, F J; Donkers, B; Mackenbach, J P; Burdorf, A

2014-10-01

Several epidemiological studies have investigated the effect of the quantity of green space on health outcomes such as self-rated health, morbidity and mortality ratios. These studies have consistently found positive associations between the quantity of green and health. However, the impact of other aspects, such as the perceived quality and average distance to public green, and the effect of urban green on population health are still largely unknown. Linear regression models were used to investigate the impact of three different measures of urban green on small-area life expectancy (LE) and healthy life expectancy (HLE) in The Netherlands. All regressions corrected for average neighbourhood household income, accommodated spatial autocorrelation, and took measurement uncertainty of LE, HLE as well as the quality of urban green into account. Both the quantity and the perceived quality of urban green are modestly related to small-area LE and HLE: an increase of 1 SD in the percentage of urban green space is associated with a 0.1-year higher LE, and, in the case of quality of green, with an approximately 0.3-year higher LE and HLE. The average distance to the nearest public green is unrelated to population health. The quantity and particularly quality of urban green are positively associated with small-area LE and HLE. This concurs with a growing body of evidence that urban green reduces stress, stimulates physical activity, improves the microclimate and reduces ambient air pollution. Accordingly, urban green development deserves a more prominent place in urban regeneration and neighbourhood renewal programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Profitability of Qualified-Labour-Power Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldino, Roberto Ribeiro; Cabral, Tânia Cristina Baptista

2015-01-01

In Baldino and Cabral (2013) we introduced the concept of qualified labour-power as the commodity produced by the school system. In the present article we outline a quantitative model to evaluate the profit rate of educational programmes. We compare a medical school programme with a teacher education programme at a public university in Brazil,…

Telescience operations with the solar array module plasma interaction experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wald, Lawrence W.; Bibyk, Irene K.

1995-01-01

The Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) is a flight experiment that flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-62) in March 1994, as part of the OAST-2 mission. The overall objective of SAMPIE was to determine the adverse environmental interactions within the space plasma of low earth orbit (LEO) on modern solar cells and space power system materials which are artificially biased to high positive and negative direct current (DC) voltages. The two environmental interactions of interest included high voltage arcing from the samples to the space plasma and parasitic current losses. High voltage arcing can cause physical damage to power system materials and shorten expected hardware life. parasitic current losses can reduce power system efficiency because electric currents generated in a power system drain into the surrounding plasma via parasitic resistance. The flight electronics included two programmable high voltage DC power supplies to bias the experiment samples, instruments to measure the surrounding plasma environment in the STS cargo bay, and the on-board data acquisition system (DAS). The DAS provided in-flight experiment control, data storage, and communications through the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Hitchhiker flight avionics to the GSFC Payload Operations Control Center (POCC). The DAS and the SAMPIE POCC computer systems were designed for telescience operations; this paper will focus on the experiences of the SAMPIE team regarding telescience development and operations from the GSFC POCC during STS-62. The SAMPIE conceptual development, hardware design, and system verification testing were accomplished at the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). SAMPIE was developed under the In-Space Technology Experiment Program (IN-STEP), which sponsors NASA, industry, and university flight experiments designed to enable and enhance space flight technology. The IN-STEP Program is sponsored by the Office of Space Access and Technology (OSAT).

'The one with the purse makes policy': Power, problem definition, framing and maternal health policies and programmes evolution in national level institutionalised policy making processes in Ghana.

PubMed

Koduah, Augustina; Agyepong, Irene Akua; van Dijk, Han

2016-10-01

This paper seeks to advance our understanding of health policy agenda setting and formulation processes in a lower middle income country, Ghana, by exploring how and why maternal health policies and programmes appeared and evolved on the health sector programme of work agenda between 2002 and 2012. We theorized that the appearance of a policy or programme on the agenda and its fate within the programme of work is predominately influenced by how national level decision makers use their sources of power to define maternal health problems and frame their policy narratives. National level decision makers used their power sources as negotiation tools to frame maternal health issues and design maternal health policies and programmes within the framework of the national health sector programme of work. The power sources identified included legal and structural authority; access to authority by way of political influence; control over and access to resources (mainly financial); access to evidence in the form of health sector performance reviews and demographic health surveys; and knowledge of national plans such as Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy. Understanding of power sources and their use as negotiation tools in policy development should not be ignored in the pursuit of transformative change and sustained improvement in health systems in low- and middle income countries (LMIC). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Apport de la simulation numérique à la compréhension des mécanismes d'interaction de cavités dans le cadre de la modélisation de l'endommagement ductile sous sollicitation dynamique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, G.; Buy, F.; Llorca, F.

2002-12-01

L'étude présentée s'inscrit dans le cadre d'une démarche menant à la construction d'un modèle analytique ou semi analytique de comportement élasto-visco-plastique endommageable, applicable aux chargements rencontrés en configuration d'impact violent et générant de l'écaillage ductile. La prise en compte des effets de compressibilité et de micro inertie est essentielle pour modéliser la phase de croissance. Des simulations numériques globales de la structure et locales à l'échelle des hétérogénéités permettent d'évaluer les niveaux de sollicitations dans les zones susceptibles de s'endommager, dévaluer des critères analytiques de germination de l'endommagement et de comprendre les mécanismes d'interaction entre les défauts. Les effets micro inertiels et de compressibilité sont ainsi mis en évidence dans les phases de germination et de coalescence des micro défauts. II s'agit ici d'une illustration non exhaustive de travaux engagés au CEA Valduc sur le tantale, dans le cadre d'une thèse [10]. Un programme matériaux en partenariat CEA-CNRS sur la modélisation multi échelles du comportement de structures a également été initié dans ce contexte.

Quand la réadaptation blesse? Éducateurs victimes de violence

PubMed Central

Geoffrion, Steve; Ouellet, Frédéric

2014-01-01

Cette étude vise à comprendre le phénomène de la violence physique vécue par les éducateurs œuvrant dans dix Centres Jeunesse (CJ) du Québec. Pour ce faire, un sondage de victimisation a été administré à 586 éducateurs en internat. En premier lieu, la prévalence de cette problématique sera établie. Par la suite, les facteurs individuels et environnementaux prédisposant aux agressions physiques seront identifiés. Des édu-cateurs sondés, 53,9 % rapportent avoir été victimes de violence physique au cours de la dernière année. Sur le plan individuel, être affecté par les manifestations agressives des clients et la fréquence des violences psychologiques subies augmentent les risques de victimisation physique. Quant au contexte, l’âge de la clientèle et le motif de l’interven-tion (basé sur la loi justifiant le placement) auprès de l’enfant ou de l’adolescent influencent l’occurrence des actes violents dirigés contre les éducateurs. Nos analyses montrent également que les violences physiques dont sont victimes les éducateurs affectent autant l’individu que l’institution. L’identification de facteurs permettant de prédire les risques de victimisation pourrait notamment servir à orienter les programmes de prévention de la violence dans les CJ, mais aussi à cibler les éducateurs les plus à risque afin de leur fournir un soutien adapté. PMID:24976673

Space Station power system autonomy demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kish, James A.; Dolce, James L.; Weeks, David J.

1988-01-01

The Systems Autonomy Demonstration Program (SADP) represents NASA's major effort to demonstrate, through a series of complex ground experiments, the application and benefits of applying advanced automation technologies to the Space Station project. Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) will first jointly develop an autonomous power system using existing Space Station testbed facilities at each center. The subsequent 1990 power-thermal demonstration will then involve the cooperative operation of the LeRC/MSFC power system with the Johnson Space Center (JSC's) thermal control and DMS/OMS testbed facilities. The testbeds and expert systems at each of the NASA centers will be interconnected via communication links. The appropriate knowledge-based technology will be developed for each testbed and applied to problems requiring intersystem cooperation. Primary emphasis will be focused on failure detection and classification, system reconfiguration, planning and scheduling of electrical power resources, and integration of knowledge-based and conventional control system software into the design and operation of Space Station testbeds.

Tandem concentrator photovoltaic array applied to Space Station Freedom evolutionary power requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Edward M., Jr.

1991-01-01

Additional power is required to support Space Station Freedom (SSF) evolution. Boeing Defense and Space Group, LeRC, and Entech Corporation have participated in the development of efficiency gallium arsenide and gallium antimonide solar cells make up the solar array tandem cell stacks. Entech's Mini-Dome Fresnel Lens Concentrators focus solar energy onto the active area of the solar cells at 50 times one solar energy flux. Development testing for a flight array, to be launched in Nov. 1992 is under way with support from LeRC. The tandem cells, interconnect wiring, concentrator lenses, and structure were integrated into arrays subjected to environmental testing. A tandem concentrator array can provide high mass and area specific power and can provide equal power with significantly less array area and weight than the baseline array design. Alternatively, for SSF growth, an array of twice the baseline power can be designed which still has a smaller drag area than the baseline.

A low power, low noise Programmable Analog Front End (PAFE) for biopotential measurements.

PubMed

Adimulam, Mahesh Kumar; Divya, A; Tejaswi, K; Srinivas, M B

2017-07-01

A low power Programmable Analog Front End (PAFE) for biopotential measurements is presented in this paper. The PAFE circuit processes electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals with higher accuracy. It consists mainly of improved transconductance programmable gain instrumentational amplifier (PGIA), programmable high pass filter (PHPF), and second order low pass filter (SLPF). A 15-bit programmable 5-stage successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (SAR-ADC) is implemented for improving the performance, whose power consumption is reduced due to multiple stages and by OTA/Comparator sharing technique between the stages. The power consumption is further reduced by operating the analog portion of PAFE on 0.5V supply voltage and digital portion on 0.3V supply voltage generated internally through a voltage regulator. The proposed low power PAFE has been fabricated in 180nm standard CMOS process. The performance parameters of PAFE in 15-bit mode are found to be, gain of 31-70 dB, input referred noise of 1.15 μVrms, CMRR of 110 dB, PSRR of 104 dB, and signal-to-noise distortion ratio (SNDR) of 83.5dB. The power consumption of the design is 1.1 μW @ 0.5 V supply voltage and it occupies a core silicon area of 1.2 mm 2 .

Second NASA Workshop on Wiring for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This document contains the proceedings of the Second NASA Workshop on Wiring for Space Applications held at NASA LeRC in Cleveland, OH, 6-7 Oct. 1993. The workshop was sponsored by NASA Headquarters Code QW Office of Safety and Mission Quality, Technical Standards Division and hosted by NASA LeRC, Power Technology Division, Electrical Components and Systems Branch. The workshop addressed key technology issues in the field of electrical power wiring for space applications. Speakers from government, industry, and academia presented and discussed topics on arc tracking phenomena, wiring system design, insulation constructions, and system protection. Presentation materials provided by the various speakers are included in this document.

Scheduling from the perspective of the application

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

Berman, F.; Wolski, R.

1996-12-31

Metacomputing is the aggregation of distributed and high-performance resources on coordinated networks. With careful scheduling, resource-intensive applications can be implemented efficiently on metacomputing systems at the sizes of interest to developers and users. In this paper we focus on the problem of scheduling applications on metacomputing systems. We introduce the concept of application-centric scheduling in which everything about the system is evaluated in terms of its impact on the application. Application-centric scheduling is used by virtually all metacomputer programmers to achieve performance on metacomputing systems. We describe two successful metacomputing applications to illustrate this approach, and describe AppLeS scheduling agentsmore » which generalize the application-centric scheduling approach. Finally, we show preliminary results which compare AppLeS-derived schedules with conventional strip and blocked schedules for a two-dimensional Jacobi code.« less

Le programme de sciences de la nature. Avis a la ministre de l'enseignement superieur et de la science (The Natural Sciences Program. Advisory to the Minister of Higher Education and Science).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conseil des Colleges, Quebec (Quebec).

A series of recommendations developed by the Council of Colleges of the Colleges of General and Professional Education (CEGEP) in Quebec (Canada) are presented in this report to the Ministry of Higher Education and Science for redesigning the CEGEP's natural sciences curriculum. The proposed reforms are designed to meet legislative requirements…

L'Afrique. Niveau VI. Base sur le programme scolaire de sciences sociales de Montgomery County Public Schools (Africa. Grade 6. Based on the Social Studies Curriculum of the Montgomery County Public Schools).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rouhol-Amin, Irandokht

The grade 6 social studies curriculum on Africa for French immersion is outlined. The syllabus consists of seven units. Each contains an instructional objective (in English); a number of specific performance objectives; and for each performance objective, required and optional vocabulary, a list of related activities, and exercises for classroom…

IFLA General Conference, 1991. Division of Management and Technology: Section of Conservation; Section of Information Technology; Section of Library Buildings and Equipment; Section of Statistics; Management of Library Associations. Booklet 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, The Hague (Netherlands).

The eight papers in this collection were presented at five sections of the Division of Management and Technology: (1) "The State Conservation Programme (Concept Approach)" (Tamara Burtseva and Zinaida Dvoriashina, USSR); (2) "La communication a distance de banques d'images pour le grand public (Public Access to Image Databases via…

Fluid or fuel? The context of consuming a beverage is important for satiety.

PubMed

McCrickerd, Keri; Chambers, Lucy; Yeomans, Martin R

2014-01-01

Energy-containing beverages have a weak effect on satiety, limited by their fluid characteristics and perhaps because they are not considered 'food'. This study investigated whether the context of consuming a beverage can influence the satiating power of its nutrients. Eighty participants consumed a lower- (LE, 75 kcal) and higher-energy (HE, 272 kcal) version of a beverage (covertly manipulated within-groups) on two test days, in one of four beverage contexts (between-groups): thin versions of the test-drinks were consumed as a thirst-quenching drink (n = 20), a filling snack (n = 20), or without additional information (n = 20). A fourth group consumed subtly thicker versions of the beverages without additional information (n = 20). Lunch intake 60 minutes later depended on the beverage context and energy content (p = 0.030): participants who consumed the thin beverages without additional information ate a similar amount of lunch after the LE and HE versions (LE = 475 kcal, HE = 464 kcal; p = 0.690) as did those participants who believed the beverages were designed to quench-thirst (LE = 442 kcal, HE = 402 kcal; p = 0.213), despite consuming an additional 197 kcal in the HE beverage. Consuming the beverage as a filling snack led participants to consume less at lunch after the HE beverage compared to the LE version (LE = 506 kcal, HE = 437 kcal; p = 0.025). This effect was also seen when the beverages were subtly thicker, with participants in this group displaying the largest response to the beverage's energy content, consuming less at lunch after the HE version (LE = 552 kcal, HE = 415 kcal; p<0.001). These data indicate that beliefs about the consequences of consuming a beverage can affect the impact of its nutrients on appetite regulation and provide further evidence that a beverage's sensory characteristics can limit its satiating power.

Hémophilie: état des lieux dans un service de pédiatrie dans la région de l'oriental du Maroc

PubMed Central

Benajiba, Noufissa; Boussaadni, Yousra EL; Aljabri, Mohammed; Bentata, Yassamine; Amrani, Rim; Rkain, Maria

2014-01-01

Pour les pays en voie de développement, l'hémophilie continue d’être une maladie de conséquence médicale et sociale désastreuse. Le but de ce travail est d'analyser le suivi d'une cohorte de patients hémophiles. Patients et méthodes: étude prospective étalée sur deux années et menée au centre référent d'hémophilie dans la région de l'orient du Maroc. Ont été inclus tous les patients présentant une hémophilie confirmée et âgé de moins de 18 ans. Résultats: sur 16 hémophiles, Quinze patients présentait une hémophilie A, l’âge moyen des patients était de 6,18 ans, la forme sévère, représentait 20,7%, la forme modérée: 33,3% et la forme mineure: 40%. Les circonstances de découverte étaient post circoncisionnelle chez 53,3% des patients, 20,7% post traumatique, 20% à l’âge de la marche; la durée d’évolution variait entre 2 mois et 10 ans. L'hémarthrose a été décrite au niveau des genoux, coudes et chevilles, avec une moyenne allant de 2 à 5 fois par an; l'arthropathie a été remarquée dans 33,3%. Le bilan immunologique a révélé des facteurs circulant inhibant chez deux patients. Le traitement était à base d'antalgiques, de plasma frais congelé. L'administration de facteurs VIII recombinés a été instaurée chez 40,6% des patients (plus de 90% des formes modérées et graves), grâce au programme national de prise en charge des hémophiles. Le décès était noté dans un seul cas lié à une hémorragie cérébrale. Conclusion: Nous insistons sur l'intérêt du programme national de prise en charge des hémophiles dernièrement instauré qui pourrait améliorer les conditions de vie de ces enfants. PMID:25404986

Démarche pour la mise à niveau d’un secteur de soins pharmaceutiques : le cas de l’hémato-oncologie pédiatrique

PubMed Central

Bussières, Jean-François; Robelet, Antoine; Therrien, Roxane; Touzin, Karine

2010-01-01

Contexte : Bien que le concept de pharmacie clinique ait été développé dans les années soixante, il existe une grande variété de programmes et une grande disparité entre les programmes en clinique externe et en hospitalisation, bénéficiant de la présence d’un pharmacien dans un secteur de soins. Objectif: Éprouver une méthode de mise à niveau des secteurs de soins pharmaceutiques en établissement de santé. Méthode : Il s’agit d’une étude descriptive se déroulant au Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, un établissement mère-enfant de 500 lits. Le secteur de soins pharmaceutiques ciblé pour illustrer la méthode de mise à niveau est l’hématologie-oncologie pédiatrique. La méthode comporte trois étapes, soit une revue de la documentation scientifique, un profil du secteur et une mise à jour du niveau de pratique selon un profil des activités pharmaceutiques dans le secteur avant et après la mise à niveau. Résultats : Au total, 108 articles ont été recensés et 22 ont été retenus à partir d’une recherche dans PubMed. Après une recherche manuelle complémentaire, 36 articles ont finalement été évalués. Parmi les articles retenus, on compte trois lignes directrices, 11 études de développement, une revue de la littérature scientifique, six études pré- et post-interventions et 15 études quasi expérimentales. Bien que les patients de ce secteur ne comptent que pour 5 % des admissions de l’hôpital, la complexité des cas est élevée tant sur le plan de la codification de l’épisode de soins que du potentiel d’intervention pharmaceutique par admission. Conclusion : Il existe peu de données illustrant une démarche de mise à niveau de la pratique dans un secteur de soins pharmaceutiques. Cette étude a éprouvé une méthode de mise à niveau dans un service d’hématologie-oncologie pédiatrique et comporte une revue de la documentation scientifique, un profil du secteur et une description des tâches des pharmaciens de ce secteur avant et après la mise à niveau. PMID:22478967

Demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with disparity in wheelchair customizability among people with traumatic spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Hunt, Peter Cody; Boninger, Michael L; Cooper, Rory A; Zafonte, Ross D; Fitzgerald, Shirley G; Schmeler, Mark R

2004-11-01

To determine if a standard of care for wheelchair provision exists within the participating centers and if there is disparity in wheelchair customizability among the study sample. Convenience sample survey. Thirteen Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems that provide comprehensive rehabilitation for people with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and that are part of the national database funded through the US Department of Education. A total of 412 people with SCI who use wheelchairs over 40 hours a week. Survey information was obtained from subjects via telephone and in-person interviews and from the national database. Collected information included age, race, education, level of injury, and wheelchair funding source. Number and type (manual or power) of wheelchairs. Wheelchair customizability as defined by design features (eg, adjustable axle position, programmable controls). Ninety-seven percent of manual wheelchair users and 54% of power wheelchair users had customizable wheelchairs. No power wheelchair user received a wheelchair without programmable controls. Minorities with low socioeconomic backgrounds (low income, Medicaid/Medicare recipients, less educated) were more likely to have standard manual and standard programmable power wheelchairs. Older subjects were also more likely to have standard programmable power wheelchairs. The standard of care for manual wheelchair users with SCI is a lightweight and customizable wheelchair. The standard of care for power wheelchairs users has programmable controls. Unfortunately, socioeconomically disadvantaged people were less likely to receive customizable wheelchairs.

Breeding racehorses: what price good genes?

PubMed

Wilson, Alastair J; Rambaut, Andrew

2008-04-23

Horse racing is a multi-million pound industry, in which genetic information is increasingly used to optimize breeding programmes. To maximize the probability of producing a successful offspring, the owner of a mare should mate her with a high-quality stallion. However, stallions with big reputations command higher stud fees and paying these is only a sensible strategy if, (i) there is a genetic variation for success on the racecourse and (ii) stud fees are an honest signal of a stallion's genetic quality. Using data on thoroughbred racehorses, and lifetime earnings from prize money (LE) as a measure of success, we performed quantitative genetic analyses within an animal model framework to test these two conditions. Although LE is heritable (VA=0.299+/-0.108, Pr=0.002), there is no genetic variance for stud fee and the genetic correlation between traits is therefore zero. This result is supported by an absence of any relationship between stud fees for currently active stallions and the predicted LE for their (hypothetical) offspring. Thus, while there are good genes to be bought, a stallion's fees are not an honest signal of his genetic quality and are a poor predictor of a foal's prize winning potential.

Think-Tank: The Present and Future of University Adult Education Programs in Quebec. Proceedings = Journee d'etude: le present et l'avenior des programmes universitaires en andragogie au Quebec. Rapport (Montreal, Quebec, April 26, 1988).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Pierre; Heft, Riva

These proceedings, presented in English and French, summarize a seminar on the present and future of adult education programs in Quebec. Six Quebec universities were represented. The conference was opened by Dr. Pierre Simon, who introduced the theme and rationale of the day-long workshop. Dr. Charles Bertrand welcomed the participants,…

Analyse des besoins et etablissement d'un programme pour un stage professionnel dans le cadre de l'Overseas Development Administration (O.D.A.) (Analysis of Needs and Development of a Program for O.D.A. Graduate Scholarship Recipients)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkey, R.; And Others

1981-01-01

Describes an English language program for foreign professionals expected to attend graduate courses at British universities under the auspices of the Overseas Development Administration. Explains how this intensive program was based on an analysis of students' communication needs, and uses a teaching approach covering, in turn, academic and…

South Africa and the 21st Century Power Partnership: Paving the Way to a Clean, Reliable, and Resilient Power System

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

2017-05-09

The 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP) serves as an open, collaborative platform for sharing policy and regulatory best practices in the service of power system transformation. Established in 2012, the 21CPP South Africa Programme is a global initiative that connects South African stakeholders with an international community of expertise. This fact sheet details the 21CPP South Africa Programme.

A programmable power processor for high power space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanier, J. R., Jr.; Graves, J. R.; Kapustka, R. E.; Bush, J. R., Jr.

1982-01-01

A Programmable Power Processor (P3) has been developed for application in future large space power systems. The P3 is capable of operation over a wide range of input voltage (26 to 375 Vdc) and output voltage (24 to 180 Vdc). The peak output power capability is 18 kW (180 V at 100 A). The output characteristics of the P3 can be programmed to any voltage and/or current level within the limits of the processor and may be controlled as a function of internal or external parameters. Seven breadboard P3s and one 'flight-type' engineering model P3 have been built and tested both individually and in electrical power systems. The programmable feature allows the P3 to be used in a variety of applications by changing the output characteristics. Test results, including efficiency at various input/output combinations, transient response, and output impedance, are presented.

Evaluation d’une grille de supervision des laboratoires des leishmanioses cutanées au Maroc

PubMed Central

El Mansouri, Bouchra; Amarir, Fatima; Hajli, Yamina; Fellah, Hajiba; Sebti, Faiza; Delouane, Bouchra; Sadak, Abderrahim; Adlaoui, El Bachir; Rhajaoui, Mohammed

2017-01-01

Introduction Afin d’évaluer une grille de contrôle standardisée de laboratoire de diagnostic des leishmanioses, comme nouveau outil de supervision. Méthodes Un essai pilote a été pratiqué sur sept laboratoires provinciaux, appartenant à quatre provinces au Maroc, en suivant l’évolution de leurs performances tous les deux ans, entre l’année 2006 et 2014. Cette étude détaille la situation des laboratoires provinciaux avant et après la mise en œuvre de la grille de supervision. Au total vingt et une grille sont analysées. Résultats En 2006, les résultats ont montré clairement une insuffisance des performances des laboratoires: besoin en formation (41.6%), personnel pratiquant le prélèvement cutané (25%), pénurie en matériels et réactifs (65%), gestions documentaire et local non conformes (85%). Différentes actions correctives ont été menées par le Laboratoire National de Référence des Leishmanioses (LNRL) durant la période d’étude. En 2014, le LNRL a enregistré une nette amélioration des performances des laboratoires. Les besoins en matière de formation, qualité du prélèvement, dotation en matériels et réactifs ont été comblés et une coordination efficace s’est établie entre le LNRL et les laboratoires provinciaux. Conclusion Ceci montre l'efficacité de la grille comme outil de supervision de grande qualité, et comme pierre angulaire de tout progrès qui doit être obtenu dans les programmes de lutte contre les leishmanioses. PMID:29187922

Reducing the cognitive workload - Trouble managing power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manner, David B.; Liberman, Eugene M.; Dolce, James L.; Mellor, Pamela A.

1993-01-01

The complexity of space-based systems makes monitoring them and diagnosing their faults taxing for human beings. When a problem arises, immediate attention and quick resolution is mandatory. To aid humans in these endeavors we have developed an automated advisory system. Our advisory expert system, Trouble, incorporates the knowledge of the power system designers for Space Station Freedom. Trouble is designed to be a ground-based advisor for the mission controllers in the Control Center Complex at Johnson Space Center (JSC). It has been developed at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and tested in conjunction with prototype flight hardware contained in the Power Management and Distribution testbed and the Engineering Support Center, ESC, at LeRC. Our work will culminate with the adoption of these techniques by the mission controllers at JSC. This paper elucidates how we have captured power system failure knowledge, how we have built and tested our expert system, and what we believe its potential uses are.

Syndromes drépanocytaires majeurs et infections associées chez l ’enfant au Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Douamba, Sonia; Nagalo, Kisito; Tamini, Laure; Traoré, Ismaël; Kam, Madibèlè; Kouéta, Fla; Yé, Diarra

2017-01-01

Introduction Le but de cette étude était d’étudier les infections chez les enfants présentant un syndrome drépanocytaire majeur. Méthodes Étude hospitalière monocentrique, rétrospective descriptive sur dix années menée à Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Étaient inclus tous les enfants porteurs d'un syndrome drépanocytaire majeur (homozygote SS et double hétérozygote SC, SDPunjab, Sβ thalassémique, SOArab et SE) hospitalisés pour une infection bactérienne confirmée à la microbiologie. Résultats Cent trente trois patients répondaient à nos critères d’inclusion. Le phénotype SS représentait 63,2% des cas et le SC 36,8%. La fréquence des infections était de 21,8%. Celles-ci touchaient dans 45,9% des cas les enfants âgés de 0 à 5 ans. Les signes les plus fréquents étaient les douleurs ostéoarticulaires (42,1%), la toux (25,7%), les douleurs abdominales (23,3%), la pâleur (43,6%). Les broncho-pneumopathies (31,6%), le paludisme (16,5%), les ostéomyélites (12,8%) et les septicémies (10,5%) étaient les principaux diagnostics trouvés. Les agents pathogènes isolés étaient Streptococcus pneumoniae (35,5%) et Salmonella sp (33,3%). Les céphalosporines de 3e génération étaient les antibiotiques les plus fréquemment prescrits. Le taux brut de mortalité était de 7,5%. Conclusion Les infections bactériennes et le paludisme dominent le tableau des infections chez l'enfant drépanocytaire majeur au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Pédiatrique Charles De Gaulle. Les auteurs recommandent la mise en place d’un programme national de prise en charge de la drépanocytose, ce qui permettrait de prévenir voire réduire la survenue des infections chez les enfants drépanocytaires. PMID:28450986

Retour vers le futur: l'expérience des patients et le lien avec la qualité, la sécurité et le rendement financier.

PubMed

Cochrane, Bonnie S; Hagins, Mitch; King, John A; Picciano, Gino; McCafferty, Maureen M; Nelson, Brian

2015-11-01

Au Canada, l'amélioration de l'expérience des patients est devenue une priorité des politiques de santé. Le perfectionnement et la normalisation des outils et systèmes pour surveiller les mesures de l'expérience des patients augmentent, tandis que la tendance vers une plus grande reddition de compte sur des améliorations durables et abordables se confirme. Pour de nombreux professionnels de la santé, ce phénomène fait foi d'un intérêt renouvelé pour les besoins et priorités fondamentaux des patients, après des décennies où les changements structurels et technologiques ont dominé les programmes de santé. Pour les leaders en santé canadiens, l'amélioration de l'expérience des patients comporte actuellement de grands défis et de belles possibilités. À cet égard, l'expérience des organisations partenaires du groupe Studer au Canada est à la fois pertinente et instructive. Ces organisations ont adopté un modèle, du nom de Evidence-Based Leadership (EBL, ou leadership fondé sur des données probantes), qui favorise et soutient l'harmonisation de l'ensemble des activités et des comportements, conformément à des objectifs organisationnels précis, y compris des améliorations mesurables de l'expérience des patients. Le présent article expose des études de cas d'organisations qui ont adopté l'EBL. Ces organisations ont réalisé des progrès rapides en matière d'indicateurs de l'expérience des patients, ainsi que dans des secteurs essentiels comme les résultats cliniques, la sécurité et le rendement financier. Les données émergentes sur les facteurs et processus qui sous-tendent ces améliorations sont également abordées. © 2015 Collège canadien des leaders en santé

The NASA research and technology program on batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, Gary L.

1990-01-01

The NASA research and technology program on batteries is being carried out within the Propulsion, Power and Energy Division (Code RP) of NASA's Office of Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology (OAET). The program includes development of high-performance, long-life, cost-effective primary and secondary (rechargeable) batteries. The NASA OAET battery program is being carried out at Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). LeRC is focusing primarily on nickel-hydrogen batteries (both individual pressure vessel or IPV and bipolar). LeRC is also involved in a planned flight experiment to test a sodium-sulfur battery design. JPL is focusing primarily on lithium rechargeable batteries, having successfully transferred its lithium primary battery technology to the U.S. Air Force for use on the Centaur upper stage. Both LeRC and JPL are studying advanced battery concepts that offer even higher specific energies. The long-term goal is to achieve 100 Wh/kg.

Evaluation du traitement antirétroviral chez les femmes enceintes VIH-1 positif, sur la transmission de l'infection de la mère à l'enfant: cas du Centre Médical Saint Camille de Ouagadougou, au Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Soubeiga, Serge Theophile; Compaore, Rebecca; Djigma, Florencia; Zagre, Nicaise; Assengone, Elsa; Traore, Lassina; Diarra, Birama; Bisseye, Cyrille; Ouermi, Djeneba; Sagna, Tani; Karou, Simplice; Pietra, Virginio; Simpore, Jacques

2015-01-01

Introduction L'infection au VIH chez les nouveau-nés par leur mère peut être réduite grâce à des programmes de prévention de transmission mère-enfant du VIH (PTME). L'objectif dans cette étude était d’évaluer le traitement antirétroviral chez les femmes enceintes VIH-1 positif sur la transmission mère-enfant de l'infection au Centre Médical Saint Camille de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Méthodes Des échantillons de spot de sang total ont été collectés chez 160 enfants âgés de 6 semaines, nés de mères VIH-1 positif et chez 40 enfants âgés de 2 à 13 mois provenant d'orphelinats et dont les mères étaient inconnues. Ces échantillons ont été testés avec le kit Abbott Real Time HIV-1 Qualitative. Un questionnaire a permis de connaitre les âges et les fonctions des femmes enceintes. Résultats Les femmes enceintes avaient un âge moyen global de 29,50±5,19 ans. Au total, 50,5% (101/200) ont été mises sous combinaison AZT/3TC/NVP et 29,5% (59/200) étaient sous prophylaxie (AZT/3TC). Le taux de transmission verticale du VIH-1 était de 0,0% (0/160) (p < 0,001) chez les enfants dont les mères étaient sous combinaison AZT/3TC/NVP ou sous prophylaxie AZT/3TC et de 15,0% (6/40) chez les enfants orphelins qui n’étaient pas inclus dans le protocole de la PTME. Conclusion Selon les résultats, le protocole de la PTME est efficace et réduit très significativement le risque de transmission du VIH-1 de la mère à l'enfant. De plus, le dépistage par PCR, des enfants orphelins infectés verticalement par le VIH, permet leur prise en charge thérapeutique précoce. PMID:26301003

Private Observatories in South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rijsdijk, C.

2016-12-01

Descriptions of private observatories in South Africa, written by their owners. Positions, equipment descriptions and observing programmes are given. Included are: Klein Karoo Observatory (B. Monard), Cederberg Observatory (various), Centurion Planetary and Lunar Observatory (C. Foster), Le Marischel Observatory (L. Ferreira), Sterkastaaing Observatory (M. Streicher), Henley on Klip (B. Fraser), Archer Observatory (B. Dumas), Overbeek Observatory (A. Overbeek), Overberg Observatory (A. van Staden), St Cyprian's School Observatory, Fisherhaven Small Telescope Observatory (J. Retief), COSPAR 0433 (G. Roberts), COSPAR 0434 (I. Roberts), Weltevreden Karoo Observatory (D. Bullis), Winobs (M. Shafer)

Report of the National Sub-Committee to the Interprovincial Standards Program Coordinating Committee on the Interprovincial Computerized Examination Management System=Rapport du Sous-Comite National presente au Comite de Coordination du Programme de Normes Interprovincials sur le systeme de gestion des examens informatises interprovinciaux.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Brunswick Dept. of Advanced Education and Training, Fredericton. Interprovincial Standards Program Coordinating Committee.

In January 1985, Employment and Immigration Canada funded a pilot project in New Brunswick for the development and testing of an Interprovincial Computerized Examination Management (ICEM) System. The resulting system is comprised of a dual interprovincial and provincial item bank facility, a software component offering the option of computerized…

[The affinity between Le family of Tong Ren Tang and acu-moxibustion as viewed from Mian xue tang zhen jiu ji cheng (Mian Xuetang's Synthetic Work of Acu-moxibustion)].

PubMed

Huang, L X

2017-11-28

This compilation process of Mian xue tang zhen jiu ji cheng ( Mian Xuetang ' s Synthetic Work of Acu - moxibustion )was quite mysterious, the book's advent coincidentally met with several major historical events which made its value of decoding its historical functions far beyond its academic value. The editor of this book is Le Xianyang, the founder of Tong Ren Tang. While compiling this book, he also made a replica of Ming-Dynasty's Zhengtong bronze statue. More than 200 years later, Le Jingyu, the 12th generation of the Le family revised Ming Tang Tu inherited from his ancestors and engraved Ming Tang Tu on the stone for its standardization. This great achievement of Le family was no less than the recasting of the Tiansheng bronze statue and the reengraving Tong ren shu xue zhen jiu tu jing ( Illustrated Manual of Acupuncture Points of the Bronze Figure ) by support of state power for building the Beijing Imperial Hospital in the eighth year of the Zhengtong reign (1443).

Le modèle stochastique SIS pour une épidémie dans un environnement aléatoire.

PubMed

Bacaër, Nicolas

2016-10-01

The stochastic SIS epidemic model in a random environment. In a random environment that is a two-state continuous-time Markov chain, the mean time to extinction of the stochastic SIS epidemic model grows in the supercritical case exponentially with respect to the population size if the two states are favorable, and like a power law if one state is favorable while the other is unfavorable.

Le surpoids, l’obésité et le contrôle glycémique chez les diabétiques du centre de référence provincial de diabète (CRD), Kénitra, Maroc

PubMed Central

Lotfi, Zeghari; Aboussaleh, Youssef; Sbaibi, Rachid; Achouri, Imane; Benguedour, Rachid

2017-01-01

Introduction Le diabète est définit comme un trouble de l'assimilation, de l'utilisation et du stockage des sucres apportés par l'alimentation, sa prise en charge est assurée par le suivi du surpoids et l'obésité et le contrôle glycémique régulier. L'objectif de ce travail était l'étude du surpoids, l'obésité et le contrôle glycémique chez 2227 diabétiques de différent type (type 1, 2 et gestationnel), consultants le centre de référence provincial de diabète (CRD), Kénitra-Maroc. Méthodes L'étude s'est déroulée sur une période d'une année du mois janvier au mois décembre 2015, L'évaluation du surpoids et l'obésité a été effectuée par le calcul de l'Indice de Masse Corporelle (IMC=Poids/Taille2 (Kg/m2)), elles sont définit respectivement par IMC > 25 Kg/m2, et IMC > 30 Kg/m2, le poids et la taille ont été mesurés selon les recommandations de l'organisation mondiale de santé (OMS), Le contrôle glycémique a été effectué par l'analyse sanguine de l'Hémoglobine glycosylée et de la Glycémie à jeun. Les normes sont 7% pour l'Hémoglobine glycosylée et 0,70g/l à 1,10g/l pour la Glycémie à jeun. Résultats L'intervalle d'âges des patients est compris entre 8 mois et 80 ans, avec une dominance des diabétiques provenant du milieu urbain (74%) par rapport à ceux provenant du milieu rural (26%). Le surpoids touche l'ensemble de cette population. L'IMC moyen des femmes tends vers l'obésité (IMC≈30): (29,21 Kg/m2 ± 3,1) pour le diabète gestationnel et (29,15 Kg/m2 ± 3,2) pour le diabète de type 2. Les valeurs du contrôle glycémique sont supérieures aux normes: avec 8,5% ± 2,6 > 7% pour l'hémoglobine glycosylée et 1,5 g/l ± 1,3 > 1,10g/l pour la Glycémie à jeun. La différence entre les valeurs de l'hémoglobine glycosylée entre les hommes (8,5 7% ± 2,6) et les femmes (8,1% ± 2,3) n'est pas significative (P > 0,05), même chose pour la Glycémie capillaire à jeun: pour les hommes (1,44 g/l ± 1,1) et les femmes (1,43 g/l ± 1,2). Les coefficients de corrélation de Pearson sont hautement significatifs (P<0,005); d'une part entre IMC et la Glycémie à jeun (r = 0,5) et d'autre part entre IMC et les valeurs de l'Hémoglobine glycosylée (r = 0,4). Conclusion L'ensemble des diabétiques présente des valeurs de l'IMC et du contrôle glycémique, supérieures aux normes. Des recherches approfondies sont nécessaires sur ces diabétiques afin de dresser un programme urgent de remédiation. PMID:28904714

The Relative Importance of Low Significance Level and High Power in Multiple Tests of Significance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westermann, Rainer; Hager, Willi

1983-01-01

Two psychological experiments--Anderson and Shanteau (1970), Berkowitz and LePage (1967)--are reanalyzed to present the problem of the relative importance of low Type 1 error probability and high power when answering a research question by testing several statistical hypotheses. (Author/PN)

Programmable, automated transistor test system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truong, L. V.; Sundburg, G. R.

1986-01-01

A programmable, automated transistor test system was built to supply experimental data on new and advanced power semiconductors. The data will be used for analytical models and by engineers in designing space and aircraft electric power systems. A pulsed power technique was used at low duty cycles in a nondestructive test to examine the dynamic switching characteristic curves of power transistors in the 500 to 1000 V, 10 to 100 A range. Data collection, manipulation, storage, and output are operator interactive but are guided and controlled by the system software.

Characterization of the antioxidant properties of hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts of Jute (Corchorus olitorius) leaf.

PubMed

Oboh, G; Raddatz, H; Henle, T

2009-01-01

Corchorus olitorius (jute) is a native plant of tropical Africa and Asia, and has since spread to Australia, South America and some parts of Europe. Its leafy vegetable is popularly used in soup preparation and folk medicine for the treatment of fever, chronic cystitis, cold and tumours. A comparative study of the antioxidant properties of hydrophilic extract (HE) and lipophilic extract (LE) constituents of the leafy vegetable has been assessed. HE and LE of the leaf were prepared using water and hexane, respectively and their antioxidant properties were determined. HE had a significantly higher (P<0.05) 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging ability (aqueous, 9.6-84.4%; hexane, 2.0-20.4%), reducing power (aqueous, 0.67 mmol ascorbic acid equivalent/g; hexane, 0.49 mmol ascorbic acid equivalent/g) and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (aqueous, 2.3 mmol/g; hexane, 1.1 mmol/g) than LE; conversely, LE had a significantly higher (P<0.05) OH. scavenging activity (44.5-46.2%) than HE (11.6-32.3%), while there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in their Fe(II) chelating ability (HE, 57.7-66.7%; LE, 56.4-61.1%). The higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging ability, reducing power and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity of the hydrophilic extract may be due to its significantly higher (P<0.05) total phenol (630.8 mg/100 g), total flavonoid (227.8 mg/100 g) and non-flavonoid polyphenols (403.0 mg/100 g), and its high ascorbic acid content (32.6 mg/100 g). While the higher OH. scavenging ability of LE may be due to its high total carotenoid content (42.5 mg/100 g). Therefore, the additive/synergistic antioxidant activities of the hydrophilic and lipophilic constituents may contribute to the medicinal properties of C. olitorius leaf.

Global health diplomacy, 'smart power', and the new world order.

PubMed

Kevany, Sebastian

2014-01-01

Both the theory and practice of foreign policy and diplomacy, including systems of hard and soft power, are undergoing paradigm shifts, with an increasing number of innovative actors and strategies contributing to international relations outcomes in the 'New World Order'. Concurrently, global health programmes continue to ascend the political spectrum in scale, scope and influence. This concatenation of circumstances has demanded a re-examination of the existing and potential effectiveness of global health programmes in the 'smart power' context, based on adherence to a range of design, implementation and assessment criteria, which may simultaneously optimise their humanitarian, foreign policy and diplomatic effectiveness. A synthesis of contemporary characteristics of 'global health diplomacy' and 'global health as foreign policy', grouped by common themes and generated in the context of related field experiences, are presented in the form of 'Top Ten' criteria lists for optimising both diplomatic and foreign policy effectiveness of global health programmes, and criteria are presented in concert with an examination of implications for programme design and delivery. Key criteria for global health programmes that are sensitised to both diplomatic and foreign policy goals include visibility, sustainability, geostrategic considerations, accountability, effectiveness and alignment with broader policy objectives. Though diplomacy is a component of foreign policy, criteria for 'diplomatically-sensitised' versus 'foreign policy-sensitised' global health programmes were not always consistent, and were occasionally in conflict, with each other. The desirability of making diplomatic and foreign policy criteria explicit, rather than implicit, in the context of global health programme design, delivery and evaluation are reflected in the identified implications for (1) international security, (2) programme evaluation, (3) funding and resource allocation decisions, (4) approval systems and (5) training. On this basis, global health programmes are shown to provide a valuable, yet underutilised, tool for diplomacy and foreign policy purposes, including their role in the pursuit of benign international influence. A corresponding alignment of resources between 'hard' and 'smart' power options is encouraged.

A programmable transformer coupled converter for high-power space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kapustka, R. E.; Bush, J. R., Jr.; Graves, J. R.; Lanier, J. R., Jr.

1986-01-01

A programmable transformer coupled converter (PTCC) is being developed by NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center for application in future large space power systems. The PTCC uses an internal microprocessor to control the output characteristics of its three Cuk integrated magnetics type power stages which have a combined capability of 5.4 kW (30 V at 180 A). Details of design trade-offs and test results are presented.

Numerical investigation of laminar forced convection in Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows in eccentric annuli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Pingping

1998-12-01

An extended numerical investigation of fully developed, forced convective laminar flows with heat transfer in eccentric annuli has been carried out. Both Newtonian and non-Newtonian (power-law or Ostwald-de Waele) fluids are studied, representing typical applications in petrochemical, bio-chemical, personal care products, polymer/plastic extrusion and food industries. For the heat transfer problem, with an insulated outer surface, two types of thermal boundary conditions have been considered: Constant wall temperature (T), and uniform axial heat flux with constant peripheral temperature (H1) on the inner surface of the annulus. The governing differential equations for momentum and energy conservation are solved by finite-difference methods. Velocity and temperature distributions in the flow cross section, the wall shear-stress distribution, and isothermal f Re, Nu i,T and Nu i,H1 values for different eccentric annuli (0/leɛ/*/le0.6,/ 0.2/le r/sp/*/le0.8) are presented. In Newtonian flows, the eccentricity is found to have a very strong influence on the flow and temperature fields. In an annulus with relatively large inner cylinder eccentricity, the flow tends to stagnate in the narrow section and has higher peak velocities in the wide section of the annulus. There is considerable flow maldistribution in the azimuthal direction, which in turn produces greater nonuniformity in the temperature field and a consequent degradation in the average heat transfer. Also, the H1 wall condition sustains higher heat transfer coefficients relative to the T boundary condition on the inner surface. For viscous, power-law type non-Newtonian flows, both shear thinning (n<1) and shear thickening (n>1) fluids are considered. Here, the non-linear shear behavior of the fluid is found to further aggravate the flow and temperature maldistribution, and once again the eccentricity is seen to exhibit a very strong influence on the friction and heat transfer behavior. Finally, the hydrodynamic characteristics of fully developed axial laminar flow of Newtonian fluids in eccentric annuli with a rotating inner cylinder are investigated. These are of significant importance to the design and operation of oil and gas drilling wells. Using finite-difference method to solve the governing flow equations in bipolar coordinates, computational results for a wide range of annulus geometry (0/le r/sp/*/le1,/ 0/le/varepsilon/sp/*/le0.8), and rotational Reynolds number (0/le Rer/le150) are presented, where the rotational speeds are restricted to the sub-critical Taylor number regime. The results delineate the effects of annuli r/sp/* and ɛsp/*, and inner cylinder rotation speed on the flow structure and frictional losses.

A programmable power processor for a 25-kW power module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanier, R., Jr.; Kapustka, R. E.; Bush, J. R., Jr.

1979-01-01

A discussion of the power processor for an electrical power system for a 25-kW Power Module that could support the Space Shuttle program during the 1980's and 1990's and which could be a stepping stone to future large space power systems is presented. Trades that led to the selection of a microprocessor-controlled power processor are briefly discussed. Emphasis is given to the power processing equipment that uses a microprocessor to provide versatility that allows multiple use and to provide for future growth by reprogramming output voltage to a higher level (to 120 V from 30 V). Efficiency data from a breadboard programmable power processor are presented, and component selection and design considerations are also discussed.

Test Review: LeBuffe, P. A., & Naglieri, J. A. (1999). The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment. Lewisville, NC: Kaplan Press: LeBuffe, P. A., & Naglieri, J. A. (2003). Devereux Early Childhood Assessment Clinical Form (DECA-C). Lewisville, NC: Kaplan Press

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Linda

2007-01-01

Based on the seminal work of Emmy Werner (1990), practitioners have recognized the powerful role protective and risk factors play in the development of children's emotional and behavioral adjustment. Researchers have concluded that differences in children's reactions to difficult events are influenced by the type and level of protective factors in…

Lymphocytic Esophagitis in Non-Achalasia Primary Esophageal Motility Disorders: Improved Criteria, Prevalence, Strength of Association and Natural History

PubMed Central

Putra, Juan; Muller, Kristen E.; Hussain, Zilla H.; Parker, Siddhartha; Gabbard, Scott; Brickley, Elizabeth B.; Lacy, Brian E.; Rothstein, Richard; Lisovsky, Mikhail

2017-01-01

Lymphocytic esophagitis (LE) is a histologic pattern with no established clinical correlates in the majority of patients. The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between non-achalasia primary esophageal motility disorders (PMED) and LE. Sixty-nine patients with PMED and esophageal biopsies, including 22 with nutcracker esophagus, 33 with ineffective motility and 14 with diffuse spasm, constituted the study group. The control group consisted of 70 patients with severe dysmotility-negative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) requiring referral for Nissen fundoplication. To improve the criteria for LE, a lymphocyte reference range at different esophageal levels was first established in 17 healthy volunteers. The cutoffs for normal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), defined as lymphocyte levels not exceeding mean level + 2 standard deviations, were set at 62, 46, and 41 lymphocytes per high power field at 0 to 2 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm above the gastroesophageal junction, respectively. Predominantly focal peripapillary LE was observed in approximately 40% of patients with nutcracker esophagus or diffuse spasm and 20% of patients with ineffective motility, in comparison to 4% of patients with dysmotility-negative GERD (P < 0.035 versus any subtype of PMED). Overall, LE was strongly associated with PMED in multivariate analysis (adjusted odds ratio, 7.93; 95% CI: 2.26, 27.9; P=0.001). LE had a chronic course in 56% of the patients with follow-up biopsies. In conclusion, LE has a strong association with PMED, suggesting utility of LE in raising the possibility of PMED. PMID:27526295

Caught between conduct and free choice--a field study of an empowering programme in lifestyle change for obese patients.

PubMed

Knutsen, Ingrid Ruud; Foss, Christina

2011-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate understandings and strategies of empowerment in Learning and Mastery Centres, in a course in lifestyle change for morbidly obese patients. A field study was conducted with nonparticipant observation, and data analysis was inspired by foucauldian discourse analysis. The analysis revealed powerful discourses underlying the course, and the analysis showed how different discourses were set at play within the teaching strategies in the course. The course leaders balanced powerful aspects that involved directing the participants towards strategies promoting their autonomy. The analysis revealed how strategies to reduce the impression of direction and conduct are powerful actions. From a foucauldian perspective of power, this analysis demonstrates how power is everywhere as a productive force. When creating programmes to empower patients to help them deal with their health, it seems vital that health professionals examine power. By accepting the presence of power, professionals can examine the truth motivation underlying an empowerment programme. © 2010 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2010 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Anatomical noise in contrast-enhanced digital mammography. Part II. Dual-energy imaging

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

Hill, Melissa L.; Yaffe, Martin J.; Mainprize, James G.

2013-08-15

Purpose: Dual-energy (DE) contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) uses an iodinated contrast agent in combination with digital mammography (DM) to evaluate lesions on the basis of tumor angiogenesis. In DE imaging, low-energy (LE) and high-energy (HE) images are acquired after contrast administration and their logarithms are subtracted to cancel the appearance of normal breast tissue. Often there is incomplete signal cancellation in the subtracted images, creating a background “clutter” that can impair lesion detection. This is the second component of a two-part report on anatomical noise in CEDM. In Part I the authors characterized the anatomical noise for single-energy (SE) temporalmore » subtraction CEDM by a power law, with model parameters α and β. In this work the authors quantify the anatomical noise in DE CEDM clinical images and compare this with the noise in SE CEDM. The influence on the anatomical noise of the presence of iodine in the breast, the timing of imaging postcontrast administration, and the x-ray energy used for acquisition are each evaluated.Methods: The power law parameters, α and β, were measured from unprocessed LE and HE images and from DE subtracted images to quantify the anatomical noise. A total of 98 DE CEDM cases acquired in a previous clinical pilot study were assessed. Conventional DM images from 75 of the women were evaluated for comparison with DE CEDM. The influence of the imaging technique on anatomical noise was determined from an analysis of differences between the power law parameters as measured in DM, LE, HE, and DE subtracted images for each subject.Results: In DE CEDM, weighted image subtraction lowers β to about 1.1 from 3.2 and 3.1 in LE and HE unprocessed images, respectively. The presence of iodine has a small but significant effect in LE images, reducing β by about 0.07 compared to DM, with α unchanged. Increasing the x-ray energy, from that typical in DM to a HE beam, significantly decreases α by about 2 × 10{sup −5} mm{sup 2}, and lowers β by about 0.14 compared to LE images. A comparison of SE and DE CEDM at 4 min postcontrast shows equivalent power law parameters in unprocessed images, and lower α and β by about 3 × 10{sup −5} mm{sup 2} and 0.50, respectively, in DE versus SE subtracted images.Conclusions: Image subtraction in both SE and DE CEDM reduces β by over a factor of 2, while maintaining α below that in DM. Given the equivalent α between SE and DE unprocessed CEDM images, and the smaller anatomical noise in the DE subtracted images, the DE approach may have an advantage over SE CEDM. It will be necessary to test this potential advantage in future lesion detectability experiments, which account for realistic lesion signals. The authors' results suggest that LE images could be used in place of DM images in CEDM exam interpretation.« less

A versatile modular vector system for rapid combinatorial mammalian genetics.

PubMed

Albers, Joachim; Danzer, Claudia; Rechsteiner, Markus; Lehmann, Holger; Brandt, Laura P; Hejhal, Tomas; Catalano, Antonella; Busenhart, Philipp; Gonçalves, Ana Filipa; Brandt, Simone; Bode, Peter K; Bode-Lesniewska, Beata; Wild, Peter J; Frew, Ian J

2015-04-01

Here, we describe the multiple lentiviral expression (MuLE) system that allows multiple genetic alterations to be introduced simultaneously into mammalian cells. We created a toolbox of MuLE vectors that constitute a flexible, modular system for the rapid engineering of complex polycistronic lentiviruses, allowing combinatorial gene overexpression, gene knockdown, Cre-mediated gene deletion, or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated (where CRISPR indicates clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) gene mutation, together with expression of fluorescent or enzymatic reporters for cellular assays and animal imaging. Examples of tumor engineering were used to illustrate the speed and versatility of performing combinatorial genetics using the MuLE system. By transducing cultured primary mouse cells with single MuLE lentiviruses, we engineered tumors containing up to 5 different genetic alterations, identified genetic dependencies of molecularly defined tumors, conducted genetic interaction screens, and induced the simultaneous CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of 3 tumor-suppressor genes. Intramuscular injection of MuLE viruses expressing oncogenic H-RasG12V together with combinations of knockdowns of the tumor suppressors cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (Cdkn2a), transformation-related protein 53 (Trp53), and phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten) allowed the generation of 3 murine sarcoma models, demonstrating that genetically defined autochthonous tumors can be rapidly generated and quantitatively monitored via direct injection of polycistronic MuLE lentiviruses into mouse tissues. Together, our results demonstrate that the MuLE system provides genetic power for the systematic investigation of the molecular mechanisms that underlie human diseases.

Biophysical and medical safety basis of laser emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paltsev, Yu.; Levina, A.

1996-01-01

Laser equipment may inflict serious losses to human health if safety norms established by relevant standards and other documentation are not properly observed. It is explained by physical properties of laser emission (LE) which differs from general light sources by quantitative behavior of such parameters as the degrees of coherence, monochromaticity, brightness, polarization. Thus, biological effects due to laser emission, as a rule, are more expressed comparing with other types of emission from other spontaneous light sources. LE effects biological tissues through the density of energy flow and impulse duration. It is common knowledge nowadays that LE biological action is assessed by two criteria: physical parameters and absorptive properties of tissues exposed to rays. LE causes the greatest danger to the eyes due to their specific structure. The next target organ vulnerable to LE is skin. Pathological changes of skin depend on the LE power, time of exposure, wave length, and the extent of skin pigmentation. Along with different kinds of damage directly in the tissues exposed to rays, LE may cause changes in organs and body systems subject to indirect exposure. It is important that these changes may develop due to low intensity levels of LE that do not cause local damage. National and international standards on LE safety are based on maximum allowable levels (MAL) of exposure. It has been generally accepted that the main MAL criterion is LE threshold minimal exposure which causes damage to retina, eyes, and skin. As distinct from foreign safety standards, hygienic norms and regulations are in force in the Russian Federation where additional co-efficients along with standard generally accepted MAL values have been introduced for the persons who are subject to occupational regular exposure to lasers. This approach has been chosen after the results of follow-up and health studies of these occupational contingents have been analyzed, and experiments on laboratory animals assessed.

Hydrogeology of a fractured shale (Opalinus Clay): Implications for deep geological disposal of radioactive wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautschi, Andreas

2001-01-01

As part of the Swiss programme for high-level radioactive-waste disposal, a Jurassic shale (Opalinus Clay) is being investigated as a potential host rock. Observations in clay pits and the results of a German research programme focusing on hazardous waste disposal have demonstrated that, at depths of 10-30 m, the permeability of the Opalinus Clay decreases by several orders of magnitude. Hydraulic tests in deeper boreholes (test intervals below 300 m) yielded hydraulic conductivities <10-12 m/s, even though joints and faults were included in some of the test intervals. These measurements are consistent with hydrogeological data from Opalinus Clay sections in ten tunnels in the Folded Jura of northern Switzerland. Despite extensive faulting, only a few indications of minor water inflow were encountered in more than 6,600 m of tunnel. All inflows were in tunnel sections where the overburden is less than 200 m. The hydraulic data are consistent with clay pore-water hydrochemical and isotopic data. The extensive hydrogeological data base - part of which derives from particularly unfavourable geological environments - provides arguments that advective transport through faults and joints is not a critical issue for the suitability of Opalinus Clay as a host rock for deep geological waste disposal. Résumé. Dans le cadre du programme suisse de stockage de déchets hautement radioactifs, une formation argileuse du Jurassique, l'argile à Opalinus, a été étudiée en tant que roche hôte potentielle. Des observations dans des cavités dans l'argile et les résultats du programme de recherche allemand consacré au stockage de déchets à risques ont démontré que, à des profondeur de 10 à 30 m, la perméabilité des argiles à Opalinus décroît de plusieurs ordres de grandeur. Des essais hydrauliques dans des forages plus profonds (intervalles de test á une profondeur de plus de 300 m) ont donné des conductivités hydrauliques inférieures à 10-12 m/s, même lorsque des fractures et des failles existaient dans certains des intervalles d'essais. Ces mesures sont conformes aux données hydrogéologiques tirées du recoupement des argiles à Opalinus par dix tunnels du Jura plissé du nord de la Suisse. Malgré une tectonique intense, peu de manifestations de faibles venues d'eau ont été rencontrées dans plus de 6600 m de tunnel. Toutes les venues d'eau se sont produites dans des sections de tunnel où le recouvrement est inférieur à 200 m. Les données hydrauliques sont en bon accord avec les données hydrochimiques et isotopiques de l'eau porale des argiles. En se basant sur le grand nombre de données hydrogéologiques, qui portent en partie sur les environnements géologiques particulièrement peu propices, on peut avancer que le transport advectif le long des failles et des fractures n'est pas un facteur susceptible de remettre en question le choix de l'argile à Opalinus comme roche hôte pour le stockage de déchets radioactifs en formation géologique profonde. Resúmen. Dentro del programa suizo de eliminación de residuos radiactivos de alta actividad, se está investigando la posibilidad de utilizar unos esquistos Jurásicos (Arcilla Opalina) como depósito geológico. Las observaciones efectuadas en pozos en arcilla y los resultados de un programa de estudio alemán sobre eliminación de residuos peligrosos han demostrado que, a profundidades de entre 10 y 30 m, la permeabilidad de la Arcilla Opalina decrece en varios órdenes de magnitud. Los ensayos hidráulicos realizados en sondeos más profundos (en intervalos situados a más de 300 m) proporcionaron conductividades hidráulicas inferiores a 10-12 m/s, pese a que algunos de los intervalos interceptaban juntas y fallas. Estas medidas son coherentes con los datos hidrogeológicos de las secciones de Arcilla Opalina existentes en 10 túneles del Jurásico Plegado, al norte de Suiza. A pesar de las fallas extensivas, apenas se hallaron indicios de entrada de agua en los más de 6.600 m de túnel. Todos los flujos tenían lugar en secciones del túnel que soportan sobrecargas inferiores a 200 m. Los datos hidráulicos son coherentes con los datos hidroquímicos e isotópicos del agua intersticial de las arcillas. Los abundantes datos hidrogeológicos -parte de los cuales proceden de medios particularmente desfavorables desde el punto de vista geológico- proporcionan argumentos de que el transporte advectivo a través de fallas y juntas no es un aspecto crítico en lo que respecta a la idoneidad de la Arcilla Opalina como almacenamiento geológico profundo de residuos.

Implementation en VHDl/FPGA d'afficheur video numerique (AVN) pour des applications aerospatiales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelletier, Sebastien

L'objectif de ce projet est de developper un controleur video en langage VHDL afin de remplacer la composante specialisee presentement utilisee chez CMC Electronique. Une recherche approfondie des tendances et de ce qui se fait actuellement dans le domaine des controleurs video est effectuee afin de definir les specifications du systeme. Les techniques d'entreposage et d'affichage des images sont expliquees afin de mener ce projet a terme. Le nouveau controleur est developpe sur une plateforme electronique possedant un FPGA, un port VGA et de la memoire pour emmagasiner les donnees. Il est programmable et prend peu d'espace dans un FPGA, ce qui lui permet de s'inserer dans n'importe quelle nouvelle technologie de masse a faible cout. Il s'adapte rapidement a toutes les resolutions d'affichage puisqu'il est modulaire et configurable. A court terme, ce projet permettra un controle ameliore des specifications et des normes de qualite liees aux contraintes de l'avionique.

Déterminants de l'utilisation des méthodes contraceptives dans la zone de santé Mumbunda à Lubumbashi, République Démocratique du Congo

PubMed Central

Matungulu, Charles Matungulu; Kandolo, Simon Ilunga; Mukengeshayi, Abel Ntambue; Nkola, Angèle Musau; Mpoyi, Dorcas Ilunga; Mumba, Sylvie Katanga; Kabamba, Julie Ndayi; Cowgill, Karen; Kaj, Françoise Malonga

2015-01-01

Introduction Augmenter la prévalence contraceptive s'incarne dans les objectifs des tous les acteurs des programmes qui visent de réduire la mortalité maternelle et infantile, d'améliorer la santé reproductive des adolescents, de lutter contre le VIH/SIDA et les infections sexuellement transmissible (IST), de promouvoir le bien-être familial et de ralentir la croissance démographique. L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer la prévalence contraceptive moderne et identifier les facteurs qui sont liés à l'utilisation des méthodes contraceptives dans la zone de santé de Mumbunda. Méthodes Une étude transversale à visé analytique a été effectuée auprès des femmes âgées de 15 à 49 ans en union maritale, de Mai à Juin 2014. Grâce à un questionnaire pré testé et validé, nous avons récolté les données par interview sur les caractéristiques sociodémographiques, obstétricales ainsi que sur la pratique contraceptive. Le logiciel SPSS version 21 nous a permis d'analyser les données. Résultats Au total 500 femmes ont été incluses dans cette étude dont l’âge moyen était de 27,9±6,1 ans. La prévalence contraceptive moderne était de 27,6%. L'attitude (ORa= 4,79; IC95%: 1,59-14,43; p<0,001), le niveau de connaissance des méthodes contraceptives (ORa=1,87; IC95%: 1,22-2,87; p<0,001), le soutien du conjoint (ORa=1,87; IC95%: 1,22-2,87; p<0,001) étaient significativement associés à l'utilisation des méthodes contraceptives modernes. Conclusion Tout effort d'augmentation de la prévalence contraceptive devrait cibler l'attitude, le niveau de connaissance de méthodes et le soutien du conjoint afin d'optimiser l'utilisation de la contraception moderne dans la zone de santé (ZS) Mumbunda. PMID:26977237

International study of medical school learning environments and their relationship with student well-being and empathy.

PubMed

Tackett, Sean; Wright, Scott; Lubin, Robert; Li, Jianing; Pan, Hui

2017-03-01

To assess whether favourable perceptions of the learning environment (LE) were associated with better quality of life, less burnout and more empathy across three undergraduate medical education programmes in Israel, Malaysia and China. Cross-sectional surveys were administered at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year at three medical schools: Technion American Medical Students Program (TAMS) in Israel, Perdana University-Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland School of Medicine (PURCSI) in Malaysia and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) in China. LE perceptions were assessed using the Johns Hopkins Learning Environment Scale (JHLES). Well-being was assessed using validated items for quality of life and the depersonalisation and emotional exhaustion domains of burnout. The 20-item Jefferson Empathy Scale assessed empathy. Statistical analyses included bivariate regressions and multivariate regressions that adjusted for gender, school, class year and perceived academic rank. Overall, 400/622 (64.3%) students responded, with the following rates by site: TAMS 92/121 (76.0%), PURCSI 160/198 (80.1%) and PUMC 148/303 (48.8%). In multivariate models, favourable overall LE perceptions were associated with higher odds of good quality of life (odds ratio [OR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-5.8; p < 0.001) and lower odds of emotional exhaustion (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.24-0.50; p < 0.001) and depersonaliation (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.24-0.37; p = 0.001). 'Community of Peers', one of seven factors in the JHLES, was the only one to be independently associated with better quality of life and less emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. After adjusting for covariates, there was not a statistically significant association between overall LE and empathy (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.91-2.2; p = 0.12). Students' LE perceptions are closely associated with their well-being, and fostering peer community may hold promise for enhancing quality of life and protecting against burnout. Across these three settings, LE and empathy were not closely related, suggesting that any influence of learning environment on empathy would be modest. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Survie au cancer du sein à Rabat (Maroc) 2005-2008

PubMed Central

Mechita, Nada Bennani; Tazi, Mohammed Adnane; Er-Raki, Abdelouahed; Mrabet, Mustapha; Saadi, Asma; Benjaafar, Noureddine; Razine, Rachid

2016-01-01

Introduction Le cancer du sein représente un problème de santé publique au Maroc. L’objectif de ce travail était d’estimer le taux de survie au cancer du sein chez les patientes habitant la ville de Rabat. Méthodes Etude pronostique réalisée chez les patientes diagnostiquées pour cancer du sein de 2005 à 2008, habitant la ville de Rabat et enregistrées au registre des cancers de Rabat. La date d’inclusion dans l’étude correspondait à la date de confirmation histologique du cancer. L’estimation de la survie a été réalisée par la méthode de Kaplan Meier, et la comparaison entre les différentes classes d’une variable a été réalisée par le test de log rank. L’étude des facteurs associés à la survie a été effectuée par le modèle de Cox. Résultats Durant la période d’étude 628 cas de cancer du sein ont été collectés. Le pourcentage de décès était de 19,9%. La survie globale à un an était de 97,1%, elle était de 89,2% à 3 ans et de 80,6 % à 5 ans. En analyse multivariée la survie au cancer du sein était statistiquement moins bonne chez les patientes âgées de plus de 70 ans (p<0,001), ayantune grande taille de tumeur (p<0,001), un stade avancé d’adénopathies (p=0,007), présentant des métastases (p<0,001) et non traitées par hormonothérapie (p=0,002). Conclusion Une grande taille de la tumeur et la présence de métastases sont des facteurs de mauvais pronostic du cancer du sein d’où la nécessité de renforcer les programmes de dépistage. PMID:28292106

Approche structurée en pratique familiale pour les patients ayant des problèmes de mémoire

PubMed Central

Lee, Linda; Weston, W. Wayne; Heckman, George; Gagnon, Micheline; Lee, F. Joseph; Sloka, Scott

2013-01-01

Résumé Objectif Présenter aux médecins de famille une approche structurée pour les patients qui présentent des problèmes de mémoire. Sources des données Cette approche se fonde sur un programme agréé de formation clinique sur la mémoire, élaboré par le Centre for Family Medicine Memory Clinic en partenariat avec le Collège des médecins de famille de l’Ontario. Message principal Le recours à une approche structurée de raisonnement clinique peut aider les médecins à poser un diagnostic exact chez des patients qui présentent des problèmes de mémoire. Le délirium, la dépression et les causes réversibles doivent être exclus, pour ensuite faire une différenciation entre le vieillissement cognitif normal, la déficience cognitive légère et la démence. Il est essentiel de procéder à une anamnèse collatérale et à une évaluation fonctionnelle exacte. Les formes courantes de la démence peuvent être cliniquement différenciées par la séquence dans laquelle les symptômes apparaissent et par la façon dont les déficits cognitifs évoluent avec le temps. Habituellement, les signes précoces de la démence d’Alzheimer comportent une déficience de la mémoire épisodique, tandis que la démence due principalement à des causes vasculaires peut se présenter par une perte précoce de la fonction exécutive et de la fonction visuospatiale, ainsi que des caractéristiques cliniques particulières. Conclusion Une approche de raisonnement clinique peut aider les médecins à poser des diagnostics précoces et exacts qui peuvent orienter une prise en charge appropriée et améliorer les soins aux patients qui ont des problèmes de mémoire.

Collective Political Violence in Easton’s Political Systems Model (La Violence Politique Collective dans le Modele de Systeme Politique d’Easton)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

opérationnelle) [ novembre 2010], note publiée pendant la première phase du projet, soit l’élaboration conceptuelle du programme de recherche. DRDC Toronto...Kirkpatrick, D. & Sanger, D. (2011). A Tunisian-Egyptian link that shook Arab history. The New York Times, 13 February 2011. Martin, J. (1986). The...body of abstract and indexing annotation must be entered when the overall document is classified) 13 . ABSTRACT (A brief and factual summary of the

Emulation Aid System II (EASY II) System Programmer’s Guide.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

DISK-SAVE, PASSWD =SSSS .MTUINIT= 17 ,MTF IILE=99,D)SKUNIT=7. RESTORE-DISK, PASSWD =SSSS,,MTt!NI=I 7,MTF [LE--=99,DSKtJNIT=7. where PASSWD - a system disk...DISK-SAVE, PASSWD =SSSS ,MTUNIT=17,MTFILE=99,DSKtJNIT=7. SAVE A DISK FILE ON TAPE HELP ,O,O,O. DSKSV. EDIT. CR’r BASED EDITOR (COMM ANDS EXPLAINED AS...BE EXPLICITLY TURNED ON QCNTRL ,LOCKED. RDTAPE,UNIT= 17. READING TAPE FOR USE WITH 6000 AND PRINT. 0. RDTAPE. RESTORE-DISK, PASSWD =SSSS ,MTUNIT= 17

Ammunition Resupply Model. Volume 2. Programmer’s Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-01

I @ FAILURE COUNTER 3- 81 RETURN 2END 3-8 hh. SUBROUTINE PIJTEVT SUBROUTINE PUTEVT(IEVTY ITHY ITSP ICHECK ) C C PUTEVT PLACES AN EVENT RECORD IN THE...NONE, RETURN ICHECK = 2048 - NEMPTY IFfNEMPTY.LE.0) GOTO 400 @ RETURN ICHECK =O LSAYE=JFORE (JEMPTY) C PUT EVENT RECORD IEVT IN IEVS DO 20 IN c 1Y5 IEVS...3600) C ICHECK -- 0, PUTEVT RETURNED NORMALLY. ’,!Op ABtNORMAL. C DIMENSION IFARM(5) IPARM(5)=ITYPE CALL LOOKEV (ITYPE+09 IPARM, TIME+O.y 0) ITH = TIME

Progress in Military Airlift: The Flight Mechanics Panel Symposium Held in Lisbon, Portugal on 28-31 May 1990 (Les Progres Realises dans le Domaine du Transport Aerien Militaire)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

maintenue lora des operations militaires futures. iusqu’ici, en raison des contraintes 6cononsiques, les technologies entrant dans la construction des ...transport qui sont en service & l’eure actuelie sont vicillissantes, techniquernent demodees et de momns en momns aptes a repondre aux exigences de ...combustibles, lea L . ~propulseurs et [a conception a6rodynarnique, ainai qsuun r~sumi des programmes en cours et prevu. 4 Flight Mechanics Panel

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, I. S.; Azlee Hamid, Fazrena

2017-08-01

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

Des ballons pour demain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Régipa, R.

A partir d'une théorie sur la détermination des formes et des contraintes globales d'un ballon de révolution, ou s'en rapprochant, une nouvelle famille de ballons a été définie. Les ballons actuels, dits de ``forme naturelle'', sont calculés en général pour une tension circonférencielle nulle. Ainsi, pour une mission donnée, la tension longitudinale et la forme de l'enveloppe sont strictement imposées. Les ballons de la nouvelle génération sont globalement cylindriques et leurs pôles sont réunis par un câble axial, chargé de transmettre une partie des efforts depuis le crochet (pôle inférieur), directement au pôle supérieur. De plus, la zone latérale cylindrique est soumise à un faible champ de tensions circonférencielles. Ainsi, deux paramètres permettent de faire évoluer la distribution des tensions et la forme de l'enveloppe: - la tension du câble de liaison entre pôles (ou la longueur de ce câble) - la tension circonférencielle moyenne désirée (ou le rayon du ballon). On peut donc calculer et réaliser: - soit des ballons de forme adaptée, comme les ballons à fond plat pour le bon fonctionnement des montgolfières infrarouge (projet MIR); - soit des ballons optimisés pour une bonne répartition des contraintes et une meilleure utilisation des matériaux d'enveloppe, pour l'ensemble des programmes stratosphériques. Il s'ensuit une économie sensible des coûts de fabrication, une fiabilité accrue du fonctionnement de ces ballons et une rendement opérationnel bien supérieur, permettant entre autres, d'envisager des vols à très haute altitude en matériaux très légers.

Developing Positive Attitudes for Life in the Twenty-First Century: The 'Thought Power' Programme used with Teenage Students in Hong Kong.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Judy; Winter, Sam

2000-01-01

A version of Chapman's Thought Power Programme, which focuses on stress identification, emotional versus physical pain, and problem solving, was administered to Hong Kong secondary school students. Data on harmful thoughts; helpful thoughts; general well being; and locus of control all revealed positive benefits of the program. Findings suggest a…

Air Power for Patton’s Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

TROYES 04-T7S•9LIE MANS - .. IoY-35 oA-39 • ORLEANS OY4 NIANTES TOURS IRE uOWs *SOURSES gYg9 OY-50 PIEVERS OY-4 LE GREU30T ,LA EI.LE F R A N C E 50 0 50...moving forward rapidly against Melun, Louviers, and Troyes , they anticipated the highly mobile campaign would soon move beyond Paris to the German...while the XX Corps reached Melun and the XI1 Corps captured Troyes . In the increasingly distant west, VIII Corps as promised, launched its long-awaited

Education relative a l'environnement (ERE): Une etude des representations sociales et des pratiques educatives d'enseignants de science et technologie du secondaire en contexte de formation continue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collard-Fortin, Ugo

Le developpement des sciences/technologie a tres clairement contribue a ce que ce dernier domaine de savoirs jouisse d'une place de choix au sein de notre societe. Au-dela des progres de notre civilisation inherents a ce dernier developpement, cette croissance amena avec elle un lot d'ineluctables dommages collateraux, contribuant en corollaire a l'emergence de diverses problematiques environnementales inquietantes pour lesquelles les valeurs ainsi que le mode de fonctionnement de la societe occidentale contemporaine sont largement tributaires. C'est entre autres en reponse a cet etat de fait que la recente vague de reforme de l'Education conduisit a l'integration, dans les curricula de sciences/technologie, de contenus relavant d'education relative a l'environnement (ERE). Face au changement, les enseignants de sciences ont du s'approprier ce nouveau programme afm de l'enseigner a leurs eleves. Toutefois, l'analyse de la situation montre que les prescriptions du programme en matiere d'ERE ne se sont pas toujours traduites en de reelles actions dans la pratique. Le contexte de notre etude s'est interesse aux pratiques educatives de l'ERE ainsi qu'a la representation sociale qui en decoule. Notre recherche aborde plus specifiquement la problematique de la modification de ces derniers objets chez les enseignants de sciences et technologie du deuxieme cycle du secondaire. Pour y arriver, nous avons propose a un groupe de trois praticiens de participer a une activite, en communaute de pratique, de formation continue orientee autour de thematiques ERE. Cette recherche developpement, s'inscrivant dans un paradigme qualitatif/interpretatif, s'est appuyee sur une cueillette de donnees effectuee a partir d'entrevues semi-dirigees, d'observations en situation et d'un groupe de discussion, au debut et a la fm de la formation continue. Les donnees brutes ont ete soumises a une demarche d'analyse inductive et ont genere diverses categories etayant nos objets de recherche. Grosso modo , l'intention de cette formation continue a suivi la piste de la modification des representations sociales ainsi que des pratiques educatives en ERE. Nous avons cherche a savoir si elles se modifieraient ou non pendant la periode de recherche. Les resultats montrent que des elements de modification ont pu etre observes a posteriori, tant dans le discours que dans la pratique. On constate que les enseignants ont, soit bonifie, soit consolide leur representation et leurs pratiques a l'egard de l'ERE.

Aerospace Test Facilities at NASA LeRC Plumbrook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

An overview of the facilities and research being conducted at LeRC's Plumbrook field station is given. The video highlights four main structures and explains their uses. The Space Power Facility is the world's largest space environment simulation chamber, where spacebound hardware is tested in simulations of the vacuum and extreme heat and cold of the space plasma environment. This facility was used to prepare Atlas 1 rockets to ferry CRRES into orbit; it will also be used to test space nuclear electric power generation systems. The Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility allows rocket vehicles to be hot fired in a simulated space environment. In the Cryogenic Propellant Tank Facility, researchers are developing technology for storing and transferring liquid hydrogen in space. There is also a Hypersonic Wind Tunnel which can perform flow tests with winds up to Mach 7.

High-power diode laser in the circumvestibular incision for Le Fort I osteotomy in orthognathic surgery: a prospective case series study.

PubMed

Jaeger, Filipe; Chiavaioli, Gustavo Marques; de Toledo, Guilherme Lacerda; Freire-Maia, Belini; Amaral, Marcio Bruno Figueiredo; Mesquita, Ricardo Alves

2018-01-01

The incisions during orthognathic surgery are classically performed with conventional scalpel or electrocautery. Considering that the high-power diode laser surgery may provide advantages when compared to conventional incision techniques, the current study aimed to present a prospective case series of patients submitted to circumvestibular incision for Le Fort I osteotomy. Ten patients with dentofacial deformities who underwent to rapid assisted maxillary expansion or bimaxillary orthognathic surgery were enrolled in the study. All incisions were performed by a single surgeon using an 808-nm diode laser, with an optical fiber of 600 μm, at a power of 2.5 W, in a continuous-wave mode. The performance of the incision was evaluated by incision velocity, bleeding, edema, secondary infection, clinical healing, and pain. The velocity of the incision ranged from 0.10 to 0.20 mm/s (mean 0.13 ± 0.03 mm/s). Considering bleeding during the soft tissue incision, all surgeries were classified as absent bleeding. All patients presented a clinical healing of the surgical wound in a period that range from 3 to 5 weeks and experienced swelling during the follow-up period. On average, approximately 50% of the swelling had resolved after the third postoperative week, and 28.8% of swelling remained after 2 months after the surgery. The pain decreased after 2 and 3 days, and 90.0% of the patients reported no pain after 7 postoperative days. High-power diode laser is effective and safety during circumvestibular incisions for Le Fort I osteotomy in orthognathic surgery decreasing bleeding, surgery time, pain, and edema after orthognathic surgery.

Atmospheric emissions of Cu and Zn from coal combustion in China: Spatio-temporal distribution, human health effects, and short-term prediction.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Li, Junlin; Cui, Lulu; Wu, Yu; Fu, Hongbo; Chen, Jianmin; Chen, Mindong

2017-10-01

China has become the largest coal consumer and important emitter of trace metals in the world. A multiple-year inventory of atmospheric copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) emissions from coal combustion in 30 provinces of China and 4 economic sectors (power plant, industry sector, residential sector, and others) for the period of 1995-2014 has been calculated. The results indicated that the total emissions of Cu and Zn increased from 5137.70 t and 11484.16 t in 1995-7099.24 t and 14536.61 t in 2014, at an annual average growth rate of 1.90% and 1.33%, respectively. The industrial sector ranked as the leading source, followed by power plants, the residential use, and other sectors. The emissions of Cu and Zn were predominantly concentrated in the northern and eastern regions of China due to the enormous consumption of coal by the industrial and the power sectors. The emissions of Cu and Zn were closely associated with mortality and life expectancy (LE) on the basis of multiple regression analysis. Spatial econometric models suggested that Cu and Zn emissions displayed significantly positive relevance with mortality, while they exhibited negative correlation with LE. The influence of the Cu emission peaked in the north of China for both mortality and LE, while the impacts of the Zn emission on mortality and LE reached a maximum value in Xinjiang Province. The results of the grey prediction model suggested that the Cu emission would decrease to 5424.73 t, whereas the Zn emissions could reach 17402.13 t in 2020. Analysis of more specific data are imperative in order to estimate the emissions of both metals, to assess their human health effects, and then to adopt effective measures to prevent environmental pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced development of a programmable power processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lukens, F. E.; Lanier, J. R., Jr.; Kapustka, R. E.; Graves, J.

1980-01-01

The need for the development of a multipurpose flexible programmable power processor (PPP) has increased significantly in recent years to reduce ever rising development costs. One of the program requirements the PPP specification will cover is the 25 kW power module power conversion needs. The 25 kW power module could support the Space Shuttle program during the 1980s and 1990s and could be the stepping stone to future large space programs. Trades that led to selection of a microprocessor controlled power processor are briefly discussed. Emphasis is given to the power processing equipment that uses a microprocessor to provide versatility that allows multiple use and to provide for future growth by reprogramming output voltage to a higher level (to 120 V from 30 V). Component selection and design considerations are also discussed.

Urea and lipid extraction treatment effects on δ(15)N and δ(13)C values in pelagic sharks.

PubMed

Li, Yunkai; Zhang, Yuying; Hussey, Nigel E; Dai, Xiaojie

2016-01-15

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) provides a powerful tool to investigate diverse ecological questions for marine species, but standardized values are required for comparative assessments. For elasmobranchs, their unique osmoregulatory strategy involves retention of (15)N-depleted urea in body tissues and this may bias δ(15)N values. This may be a particular problem for large predatory species, where δ(15)N discrimination between predator and consumed prey can be small. We evaluated three treatments (deionized water rinsing [DW], chloroform/methanol [LE] and combined chloroform/methanol and deionized water rinsing [LE+DW]) applied to white muscle tissue of 125 individuals from seven pelagic shark species to (i) assess urea and lipid effects on stable isotope values determined by IRMS and (ii) investigate mathematical normalization of these values. For all species examined, the δ(15)N values and C:N ratios increased significantly following all three treatments, identifying that urea removal is required prior to SIA of pelagic sharks. The more marked change in δ(15)N values following DW (1.3 ± 0.4‰) and LE+DW (1.2 ± 0.6‰) than following LE alone (0.7 ± 0.4‰) indicated that water rinsing was more effective at removing urea. The DW and LE+DW treatments lowered the %N values, resulting in an increase in C:N ratios from the unexpected low values of <2.6 in bulk samples to ~3.1 ± 0.1, the expected value of protein. The δ(13)C values of all species also increased significantly following LE and LE+DW treatments. Given the mean change in δ(15)N(1.2 ± 0.6‰) and δ(13)C values (0.7 ± 0.4‰) across pelagic shark species, it is recommended that muscle tissue samples be treated with LE+DW to efficiently extract both urea and lipids to standardize isotopic values. Mathematical normalization of urea and lipid-extracted δ(15)N(LE+DW) and δ(13)C(LE+DW) values using the lipid-extracted δ(15)N(LE) and δ(13)C(LE) data were established for all pelagic shark species. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The photovoltaic pilot projects of the European Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnell, W.

The Commission of the European Communities has started in 1980 a programme for the design and construction of a series of photovoltaic pilot projects in the range of 30-300 kWp. Virtually all important industries and other development organisations in Europe working on photovoltaic cells and systems are involved in this programme. The different technologies which are being developed concern the modules, the cabling of the array, structure design, storage strategy and power conditioning. The various applications include powering of an island, villages, recreation centres, water desalination and disinfection, powering of radio transmitters, emergency power plants, dairy farm, training school, cooling, water pumping, powering of a solar heated swimming pool and last but not least, hydrogen production.

Beyond ITER: neutral beams for a demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO) (invited).

PubMed

McAdams, R

2014-02-01

In the development of magnetically confined fusion as an economically sustainable power source, International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER) is currently under construction. Beyond ITER is the demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO) programme in which the physics and engineering aspects of a future fusion power plant will be demonstrated. DEMO will produce net electrical power. The DEMO programme will be outlined and the role of neutral beams for heating and current drive will be described. In particular, the importance of the efficiency of neutral beam systems in terms of injected neutral beam power compared to wallplug power will be discussed. Options for improving this efficiency including advanced neutralisers and energy recovery are discussed.

Reducing the cognitive workload: Trouble managing power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manner, David B.; Liberman, Eugene M.; Dolce, James L.; Mellor, Pamela A.

1993-01-01

The complexity of space-based systems makes monitoring them and diagnosing their faults taxing for human beings. Mission control operators are well-trained experts but they can not afford to have their attention diverted by extraneous information. During normal operating conditions monitoring the status of the components of a complex system alone is a big task. When a problem arises, immediate attention and quick resolution is mandatory. To aid humans in these endeavors we have developed an automated advisory system. Our advisory expert system, Trouble, incorporates the knowledge of the power system designers for Space Station Freedom. Trouble is designed to be a ground-based advisor for the mission controllers in the Control Center Complex at Johnson Space Center (JSC). It has been developed at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and tested in conjunction with prototype flight hardware contained in the Power Management and Distribution testbed and the Engineering Support Center, ESC, at LeRC. Our work will culminate with the adoption of these techniques by the mission controllers at JSC. This paper elucidates how we have captured power system failure knowledge, how we have built and tested our expert system, and what we believe are its potential uses.

Wingate Anaerobic Test Peak Power and Anaerobic Capacity Classification for Men and Women Intercollegiate Athletes

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

Dawson, LH, Wile , AL, Payn, TL, and Hannon, ME. Wingate Anaerobic Test peak power and anaerobic capacity classifications for men and women...139,2007. 6. Chromiah JA, Smedley, B, Carpenter, W, Brown , R, Koh, YS, Lamberth, JG, Joe, LA, Abadie, BR, and Altorfer, G. Effect of 10- week strength...Bnt J Sport Med 38: 784-789,2004. 8. Findley, BW, Brown , LE, and Whitehurst, M. Anaerobic power performance ofincumbent female firefrghters. J

Mars power system concept definition study. Volume 2: Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littman, Franklin D.

1994-01-01

This report documents the work performed by Rockwell International's Rocketdyne Division on NASA Contract No. NAS3-25808 (Task Order No. 16) entitled 'Mars Power System Definition Study'. This work was performed for NASA's Lewis Research Center (LeRC). The report is divided into two volumes as follows: Volume 1 - Study Results; and Volume 2 - Appendices. The results of the power system characterization studies, operations studies, and technology evaluations are summarized in Volume 1. The appendices include complete, standalone technology development plans for each candidate power system that was investigated.

AC power system breadboard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wappes, Loran J.; Sundberg, R.; Mildice, J.; Peterson, D.; Hushing, S.

1987-01-01

The object of this program was to design, build, test, and deliver a high-frequency (20-kHz) Power System Breadboard which would electrically approximate a pair of dual redundant power channels of an IOC Space Station. This report describes that program, including the technical background, and discusses the results, showing that the major assumptions about the characteristics of this class of hardware (size, mass, efficiency, control, etc.) were substantially correct. This testbed equipment has been completed and delivered to LeRC, where it is operating as a part of the Space Station Power System Test Facility.

Estimating the global public health implications of electricity and coal consumption.

PubMed

Gohlke, Julia M; Thomas, Reuben; Woodward, Alistair; Campbell-Lendrum, Diarmid; Prüss-Üstün, Annette; Hales, Simon; Portier, Christopher J

2011-06-01

The growing health risks associated with greenhouse gas emissions highlight the need for new energy policies that emphasize efficiency and low-carbon energy intensity. We assessed the relationships among electricity use, coal consumption, and health outcomes. Using time-series data sets from 41 countries with varying development trajectories between 1965 and 2005, we developed an autoregressive model of life expectancy (LE) and infant mortality (IM) based on electricity consumption, coal consumption, and previous year's LE or IM. Prediction of health impacts from the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) integrated air pollution emissions health impact model for coal-fired power plants was compared with the time-series model results. The time-series model predicted that increased electricity consumption was associated with reduced IM for countries that started with relatively high IM (> 100/1,000 live births) and low LE (< 57 years) in 1965, whereas LE was not significantly associated with electricity consumption regardless of IM and LE in 1965. Increasing coal consumption was associated with increased IM and reduced LE after accounting for electricity consumption. These results are consistent with results based on the GAINS model and previously published estimates of disease burdens attributable to energy-related environmental factors, including indoor and outdoor air pollution and water and sanitation. Increased electricity consumption in countries with IM < 100/1,000 live births does not lead to greater health benefits, whereas coal consumption has significant detrimental health impacts.

Estimating the Global Public Health Implications of Electricity and Coal Consumption

PubMed Central

Thomas, Reuben; Woodward, Alistair; Campbell-Lendrum, Diarmid; Prüss-üstün, Annette; Hales, Simon; Portier, Christopher J.

2011-01-01

Background: The growing health risks associated with greenhouse gas emissions highlight the need for new energy policies that emphasize efficiency and low-carbon energy intensity. Objectives: We assessed the relationships among electricity use, coal consumption, and health outcomes. Methods: Using time-series data sets from 41 countries with varying development trajectories between 1965 and 2005, we developed an autoregressive model of life expectancy (LE) and infant mortality (IM) based on electricity consumption, coal consumption, and previous year’s LE or IM. Prediction of health impacts from the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) integrated air pollution emissions health impact model for coal-fired power plants was compared with the time-series model results. Results: The time-series model predicted that increased electricity consumption was associated with reduced IM for countries that started with relatively high IM (> 100/1,000 live births) and low LE (< 57 years) in 1965, whereas LE was not significantly associated with electricity consumption regardless of IM and LE in 1965. Increasing coal consumption was associated with increased IM and reduced LE after accounting for electricity consumption. These results are consistent with results based on the GAINS model and previously published estimates of disease burdens attributable to energy-related environmental factors, including indoor and outdoor air pollution and water and sanitation. Conclusions: Increased electricity consumption in countries with IM < 100/1,000 live births does not lead to greater health benefits, whereas coal consumption has significant detrimental health impacts. PMID:21339091

Programmable neural processing on a smartdust for brain-computer interfaces.

PubMed

Yuwen Sun; Shimeng Huang; Oresko, Joseph J; Cheng, Allen C

2010-10-01

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) offer tremendous promise for improving the quality of life for disabled individuals. BCIs use spike sorting to identify the source of each neural firing. To date, spike sorting has been performed by either using off-chip analysis, which requires a wired connection penetrating the skull to a bulky external power/processing unit, or via custom application-specific integrated circuits that lack the programmability to perform different algorithms and upgrades. In this research, we propose and test the feasibility of performing on-chip, real-time spike sorting on a programmable smartdust, including feature extraction, classification, compression, and wireless transmission. A detailed power/performance tradeoff analysis using DVFS is presented. Our experimental results show that the execution time and power density meet the requirements to perform real-time spike sorting and wireless transmission on a single neural channel.

Quasi-solid state electrolyte for semi-transparent bifacial dye-sensitized solar cell with over 10% power conversion efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Dae-Kue; Nam, Jung Eun; Jo, Hyo Jeong; Sung, Shi-Joon

2017-09-01

In traditional dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the liquid electrolyte (LE) presents a problem for long-term stability. Herein, we demonstrate a bifacial DSSC by combining a new metal-free organic dye and a quasi-solid state electrolyte (QSSE) that contains poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP)-based polymer gel. The incident light irradiates the front side of the DSSC, and the transmitted light is reused after reflection on the back side. Owing to the semi-transparent DSSC electrode, the reflected light can penetrate and be absorbed by the dye molecules in the DSSC, thereby enhancing the short-circuit current density and thus the overall power conversion efficiency (PCE). The PCE for the DSSC device with QSSE from bifacial irradiation is 10.37%, a value that is comparable to that obtained with LE-based DSSC (9.89%). The stability of the device is enhanced when the polymer gel containing PVdF-HFP is mixed with the LE, and the effectiveness of PVdF-HFP as a gelator is attributed to its interaction with the Li+ ions. Based on our preliminary results, this architecture can lead to more stable bifacial QSSE-based DSSCs without sacrificing the photovoltaic performance.

The development of test beds to support the definition and evolution of the Space Station Freedom power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soeder, James F.; Frye, Robert J.; Phillips, Rudy L.

1991-01-01

Since the beginning of the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP), the Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International have had extensive efforts underway to develop test beds to support the definition of the detailed electrical power system design. Because of the extensive redirections that have taken place in the Space Station Freedom Program in the past several years, the test bed effort was forced to accommodate a large number of changes. A short history of these program changes and their impact on the LeRC test beds is presented to understand how the current test bed configuration has evolved. The current test objectives and the development approach for the current DC Test Bed are discussed. A description of the test bed configuration, along with its power and controller hardware and its software components, is presented. Next, the uses of the test bed during the mature design and verification phase of SSFP are examined. Finally, the uses of the test bed in operation and evolution of the SSF are addressed.

The development of test beds to support the definition and evolution of the Space Station Freedom power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soeder, James F.; Frye, Robert J.; Phillips, Rudy L.

1991-01-01

Since the beginning of the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP), the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International have had extensive efforts underway to develop testbeds to support the definition of the detailed electrical power system design. Because of the extensive redirections that have taken place in the Space Station Freedom Program in the past several years, the test bed effort was forced to accommodate a large number of changes. A short history of these program changes and their impact on the LeRC test beds is presented to understand how the current test bed configuration has evolved. The current test objectives and the development approach for the current DC test bed are discussed. A description of the test bed configuration, along with its power and controller hardware and its software components, is presented. Next, the uses of the test bed during the mature design and verification phase of SSFP are examined. Finally, the uses of the test bed in the operation and evolution of the SSF are addressed.

Knowledge, attitude, and experience of cervical cancer and screening among Sub-saharan African female students in a UK University.

PubMed

Ogbonna, Faith Sopuruchukwu

2017-01-01

Cervical cancer is one of the major diseases that affect women of child bearing age. Its main cause is the human papilloma virus; although, other associated factors have been evidenced to increase its risk. Pap-smear screening and vaccination which has been shown to be successful in reducing the incidence and prevalence of the disease in developed countries, has been neglected in developing countries due to lack of knowledge, misconceptions, and cultural beliefs. A cross-sectional study involving only female Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) students in a UK university setting. One hundred and eighty-six (42%) African female students were recruited from the 442 SSA students attending one of the major Universities in the UK. Seventy-one (38.2%) of the students were aware of cervical screening, but only 20 (10.8%) reported having knowledge of cervical cancer. A small percentage of about 26.9% (50 Students) were already part of this screening program; although, 81 (43.5%) showed willingness to participate in future screening programs. More so, it was evident that student's perception was dependent on their experience of the disease (P = 000) just as their participation in screening program was dependent on their awareness level (P ≤ 0.01). Female African students from the SSA region have poor knowledge of the disease which influenced their attitude toward screening. More needs to be carried out to increase awareness and uptake of screening within the school environment as university setting provides a viable platform to promote healthy behavior. Résumé Contexte: Le cancer du col de l'utérus est l'une des principales maladies qui touchent les femmes en âge de procréer. Sa principale cause est le virus du papillome humain; Bien que, d'autres facteurs associés ont été mis en évidence pour augmenter son risque. Le dépistage du Pap et la vaccination, qui s'est avéré efficace pour réduire l'incidence et la prévalence de la maladie dans les pays développés, a été négligé dans les pays en développement en raison du manque de connaissances, d'idées fausses et de croyances culturelles. Matériel et Méthodes: Une étude transversale impliquant seulement des étudiantes d'Afrique subsaharienne (SSA) dans un université britannique. Résultats: Cent quatre-vingt-six (42%) étudiantes africaines ont été recrutées parmi les 442 étudiants SSA fréquentant l'une des plus grandes universités du Royaume-Uni. Soixante et onze (38,2%) des étudiants étaient au courant du dépistage du cancer du col, mais seulement 20 (10,8%) ont déclaré avoir une connaissance du cancer du col de l'utérus. Un faible pourcentage d'environ 26,9% (50 étudiants)Font déjà partie de ce programme de dépistage; 81 (43,5%) se sont montrés disposés à participer à de futurs programmes de dépistage. De plus, il était évident que la perception des étudiants dépendait de leur expérience de la maladie (P = 000), tout comme leur participation au programme de dépistage dépendait de leur niveau de sensibilisation (P ≤ 0,01). Les étudiantes africaines de la région de l'Afrique subsaharienne connaissent mal la maladie et ont influencé leur attitude envers le dépistage. Davantage de mesures doivent être prises pour accroître la sensibilisation et l'adoption du dépistage dans l'environnement scolaire, car le cadre universitaire constitue une plate-forme viable pour promouvoir un comportement sain.

78 FR 23542 - Procurement List; Proposed Additions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-19

..., Programmable Flicker Pattern, Red LED, 8in Diameter, AA Battery Operated. NSN: 6230-00-NIB-0034--Kit, Safety Flare, Programmable Flicker Pattern, Red LED, 8in Diameter, Rechargeable Power Unit. Coverage: B-List...

Ka-band MMIC array system for ACTS aeronautical terminal experiment (Aero-X)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raquet, Charles A.; Zakrajsek, Robert J.; Lee, Richard Q.; Andro, Monty; Turtle, John P.

1995-01-01

During the summer of 1994, the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) Aeronautical Terminal Experiment (Aero-X) was successfully completed by the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). 4.8 and 9.6 Kbps duplex voice links were established between the LeRC Learjet and the ACTS Link Evaluation Terminal (LET) in Cleveland, Ohio, via the ACTS. The antenna system used in this demonstration was developed by LeRC and featured LeRC and US Air Force experimental arrays using GaAs MMIC devices at each radiating element for electronic beam steering and distributed power amplification. The antenna system consisted of three arrays mounted inside the LeRC Learjet, pointing out through the windows. An open loop tracking controller developed by LeRC used information from the aircraft position and attitude sensors to automatically steer the arrays toward ACTS during flight JPL ACTS Mobile Terminal (AMT) system hardware was used as transceivers both on the aircraft and at the LET. The single 32 element MMIC transmit array developed by NASA/LeRC and Texas Instruments has an EIRP of 23.4 dBW at boresight. The two 20 GHz MMIC receive arrays were developed in a cooperative effort with the USAF Rome Laboratory/Electronic System Center, taking advantage of existing USAF array development contracts with Boeing and Martin Marietta. The Boeing array has 23 elements and a G/T of 16/6 db/degK at boresight. The Martin Marietta array has 16 elements and a G/T of 16.1 db/degK at boresight. The three proof-of-concept arrays, the array control system and their integration and operation in the Learjet for Aero-X are described.

The Japanese Space Program (Le Programme Spatial Japonais),

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-04-22

three-axis stabilization, study of vertical * structure of the earth); --series of probes for exploration of the moon and the planets. Future Missions...in foreground and 7 rr IArk j I, I *151 Fig. 9. Structural detail of the MU 3S (rear skirt) Fi. 1. St u tu a de ai of MU 3S..’’ ’ -, t r-’ ,’ s:,ru...ture) The total l t of te M I is 2-8. 2 m, - . The Fig. i. Structural detail of tU S (ri er sit)ctre 1.65 mthiamr. ach bfotitaniu wll have a

Design, characterization and control of the Unique Mobility Corporation robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velasco, Virgilio B., Jr.; Newman, Wyatt S.; Steinetz, Bruce; Kopf, Carlo; Malik, John

1994-01-01

Space and mass are at a premium on any space mission, and thus any machinery designed for space use should be lightweight and compact, without sacrificing strength. It is for this reason that NASA/LeRC contracted Unique Mobility Corporation to exploit their novel actuator designs to build a robot that would advance the present state of technology with respect to these requirements. Custom-designed motors are the key feature of this robot. They are compact, high-performance dc brushless servo motors with a high pole count and low inductance, thus permitting high torque generation and rapid phase commutation. Using a custom-designed digital signal processor-based controller board, the pulse width modulation power amplifiers regulate the fast dynamics of the motor currents. In addition, the programmable digital signal processor (DSP) controller permits implementation of nonlinear compensation algorithms to account for motoring vs. regeneration, torque ripple, and back-EMF. As a result, the motors produce a high torque relative to their size and weight, and can do so with good torque regulation and acceptably high velocity saturation limits. This paper presents the Unique Mobility Corporation robot prototype: its actuators, its kinematic design, its control system, and its experimental characterization. Performance results, including saturation torques, saturation velocities and tracking accuracy tests are included.

2 kWe Solar Dynamic Ground Test Demonstration Project. Volume 3; Fabrication and Test Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, Dennis

1997-01-01

The Solar Dynamic Ground Test Demonstration (SDGTD) project has successfully designed and fabricated a complete solar-powered closed Brayton electrical power generation system and tested it in a relevant thermal vacuum facility at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). In addition to completing technical objectives, the project was completed 3-l/2 months early, and under budget.

Power Recycled Weak Value Based Metrology

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-29

PAGE The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing...cavity, one is able to more efficiently use the input laser power by increasing the total power inside the interferometer. In the context of these weak...EV I EW LE T T ER S week ending 1 MAY 2015 0031-9007=15=114(17)=170801(5) 170801-1 © 2015 American Physical Society We consider a continuous wave laser

Final Report on Contract N00014-85-C-0078 (IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

beam was TIME(psec) sent through the sodium cell; its peak input power was Fig. 3. Observed polarization beats (solid curves) compared 350 W, and the...that describe a new and powerful method of are obtained by ombining these two methods, L~e., by sending measuring 4)(t) and thereby obtaining the...first application of this powerful combi- frequency-swept pulse is passed through a resonant vapornation was by Shank et al.,6 who compressed 90.fsec

Association of prospective lower extremity musculoskeletal injury and musculoskeletal, balance, and physiological characteristics in Special Operations Forces.

PubMed

Keenan, Karen A; Wohleber, Meleesa F; Perlsweig, Katherine A; Baldwin, Thomas M; Caviston, Michael; Lovalekar, Mita; Connaboy, Christopher; Nindl, Bradley C; Beals, Kim

2017-11-01

Previous research has examined lower extremity (LE) musculoskeletal injury (MSI) patterns and risk factors in Special Operations Forces (SOF) trainees, conventional military personnel, and athletes; however, it is unclear if SOF have the same patterns/risk factors. This study aimed to determine the association of musculoskeletal, balance, and physiological characteristics with LE MSI in SOF. Cohort study. A total of 726 Air Force (N=140), Navy Sea, Air, and Land (N=301), and Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen (N=285) SOF (age=25.72±4.77years, height=178.34±6.63cm, weight=84.28±9.03kg) participated in laboratory testing, including: LE muscular strength and flexibility; balance; body composition; anaerobic power/capacity; and aerobic capacity. Medical charts were reviewed for LE MSI 365days following laboratory testing. Participants were assigned by injury status and laboratory data stratified by tertile. Chi-square statistics were calculated to determine the frequency of LE MSI across tertiles for each characteristic. There was a significant association between LE MSI and: ankle inversion strength (weaker side: Χ(2)=17.703; stronger side: Χ(2)=18.911; p≤0.001); ankle eversion/inversion strength ratio (lower side: Χ(2)=13.456; higher side: Χ(2)=16.885; p≤0.001); hamstring flexibility (less flexible: Χ(2)=19.930; more flexible Χ(2)=15.185; p≤0.001); gastrocnemius-soleus flexibility (less flexible: Χ(2)=7.889, p=0.019); dynamic balance asymmetry (Χ(2)=7.444, p=0.024); Vestibular and Preference ratios (Χ(2)=9.124, p=0.010 and Χ(2)=6.572, p=0.037, respectively); and aerobic capacity (Χ(2)=13.935, p=0.001). Characteristics associated with LE MSI are unique in SOF. Human performance program initiatives should include efforts to optimize ankle strength and flexibility, maintain moderate hamstring flexibility, expand dynamic balance strategies, and maximize aerobic capacity to reduce LE MSI risk. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

76 FR 49782 - Notice of Issuance of Final Determination Concerning Certain Digital Projectors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-11

... from an electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM). The firmware detects the power..., Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States), the programming of a foreign PROM (Programmable Read-Only...

A Low-Cost CMOS Programmable Temperature Switch

PubMed Central

Li, Yunlong; Wu, Nanjian

2008-01-01

A novel uncalibrated CMOS programmable temperature switch with high temperature accuracy is presented. Its threshold temperature Tth can be programmed by adjusting the ratios of width and length of the transistors. The operating principles of the temperature switch circuit is theoretically explained. A floating gate neural MOS circuit is designed to compensate automatically the threshold temperature Tth variation that results form the process tolerance. The switch circuit is implemented in a standard 0.35 μm CMOS process. The temperature switch can be programmed to perform the switch operation at 16 different threshold temperature Tths from 45—120°C with a 5°C increment. The measurement shows a good consistency in the threshold temperatures. The chip core area is 0.04 mm2 and power consumption is 3.1 μA at 3.3V power supply. The advantages of the temperature switch are low power consumption, the programmable threshold temperature and the controllable hysteresis. PMID:27879871

Diagnostic et prévalence du syndrome métabolique chez les diabétiques suivis dans un contexte de ressources limitées: cas du Burkina-Faso

PubMed Central

Marceline, Yaméogo Téné; Issiaka, Sombié; Gilberte, Kyélem Carole; Nadège, Rouamba; Macaire, Ouédraogo Sampawindé; Arsène, Yaméogo Aimé; Djingri, Lankoandé; Apollinaire, Sawadogo; Joseph, Drabo Youssouf

2014-01-01

Introduction Les conséquences du syndrome métabolique impliquent son diagnostic effectif pour une prise en charge globale des comorbidités dépistées. Objectif: Déterminer la capacité à diagnostiquer le syndrome métabolique en routine, sa prévalence chez les diabétiques, leurs connaissances et pratiques vis-à-vis du risque cardio-métabolique. Méthodes Il s'est agi d'une étude transversale auprès de 388 diabétiques au CHU de Bobo-Dioulasso. Les critères de la fédération internationale du diabète (2009) ont été utilisés. Résultats l’âge moyen était de 53,5±13,5 ans, le sex ratio de 0,7. L'obésité abdominale était présente dans 61,9% des cas; L'HTA l’était dans 56,4% des cas. La prescription du bilan lipidique a été documentée dans 55,4% des cas pour le HDL et 56,2% pour les triglycérides pour un taux de réalisation de 49,3% et 62,9%. Le taux de dépistage des critères lipidiques était de 26,8%. Un taux de HDL bas a été noté dans 46 cas (43,4%) et une hypertriglycéridémie dans 24 cas (17,6%). In fine, la prévalence du syndrome métabolique était de 48,9% (n = 190). Seuls 27,4% savaient que d'autres facteurs de risque cardiovasculaire pouvaient être associés au diabète et seulement 6,7% pratiquaient une activité physique régulière. Conclusion Malgré la faible contribution du laboratoire, le syndrome métabolique est fréquent parmi nos diabétiques. Les patients sont peu sensibilisés sur le risque vasculaire et la pratique d'une activité physique régulière reste faible. Un programme d’éducation adaptée contribuerait à un meilleur dépistage et à une prise en charge optimale des cas. PMID:25932077

Diagnostiquer l’hypertension artérielle

PubMed Central

Gelfer, Mark; Dawes, Martin; Kaczorowski, Janusz; Padwal, Raj; Cloutier, Lyne

2015-01-01

Résumé Objectif Mettre en lumière les recommandations 2015 du Programme éducatif canadien sur l’hypertension (PECH) sur le diagnostic et l’évaluation de l’hypertension artérielle (HTA). Qualité des données Une recherche systématique remontant à août 2014 a été effectuée par un bibliothécaire de la Collaboration Cochrane dans les banques de données MEDLINE et PubMed. Les résultats de la recherche ont fait l’objet d’une évaluation critique par le sous-comité du PECH sur la mesure de la pression artérielle (PA) et le diagnostic d’HTA, et les recommandations fondées sur les données probantes ont été soumises au Comité central d’examen du PECH aux fins d’examen indépendant et de classement. Finalement, les résultats et recommandations ont été présentés au Groupe de travail sur les recommandations aux fins de discussion, de débat, d’approbation et de vote. Les principales recommandations reposent sur des données probantes de niveau II. Message principal Selon les données probantes les plus récentes, le PECH a formulé 4 nouvelles recommandations classées dans 2 vastes catégories pour améliorer la mesure de la PA et la façon dont l’HTA est diagnostiquée en 2015. Il est fortement recommandé de mesurer la PA à l’aide d’appareils électroniques en clinique plutôt que par auscultation. Chez les patients dont les mesures en clinique sont élevées, le PECH recommande de se tourner précocement vers les mesures ambulatoires, préférablement le monitorage ambulatoire de la PA, afin d’identifier rapidement les patients atteints du syndrome du sarrau blanc. Conclusion Il est crucial d’améliorer la justesse diagnostique afin d’optimiser la prise en charge de l’HTA au Canada. Les mises à jour annuelles du PECH veillent à ce que les praticiens disposent de renseignements fondés sur les données probantes à jour pour éclairer leur pratique.

Evaluation experimentale et theorique du comportement a la flexion de nouveaux poteaux en materiaux composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metiche, Slimane

La demande croissante en poteaux pour les differents reseaux d'electricite et de telecommunications a rendu necessaire l'utilisation de materiaux innovants, qui preservent l'environnement. La majorite des poteaux electriques existants au Canada ainsi qu'a travers le monde, sont fabriques a partir de materiaux traditionnels tel que le bois, le beton ou l'acier. Les motivations des industriels et des chercheurs a penser a d'autres solutions sont diverses, citons entre autre: La limitation en longueur des poteaux en bois ainsi que la vulnerabilite des poteaux fabriques en beton ou en acier aux agressions climatiques. Les nouveaux poteaux en materiaux composites se presentent comme de bons candidats a cet effet, cependant; leur comportement structural n'est pas connu et des etudes theoriques et experimentales approfondies sont necessaires avant leur mise en marche a grande echelle. Un programme de recherche intensif comportant plusieurs projets experimentaux, analytiques et numeriques est en cours a l'Universite de Sherbrooke afin d'evaluer le comportement a court et a long termes de ces nouveaux poteaux en Polymeres Renforces de Fibres (PRF). C'est dans ce contexte que s'inscrit la presente these, et notre recherche vise a evaluer le comportement a la flexion de nouveaux poteaux tubulaires coniques fabriques en materiaux composites par enroulement filamentaire et ce, a travers une etude theorique, ainsi qu'a travers une serie d'essais de flexion en "grandeur reelle" afin de comprendre le comportement structural de ces poteaux, d'optimiser la conception et de proposer une procedure de dimensionnement pour les utilisateurs. Les poteaux en Polymeres Renforces de Fibres (PRF) etudies dans cette these sont fabriques avec une resine epoxyde renforcee de fibres de verre type E. Chaque type poteaux est constitue principalement de trois zones ou les proprietes geometriques (epaisseur, diametre) et les proprietes mecaniques sont differentes d'une zone a l'autre. La difference entre ces proprietes est due au nombre de couches utilisees dans chaque zone ainsi qu'a l'orientation des fibres de chaque couche. Un total de vingt-trois prototypes de dimensions differentes; ont ete testes en flexion jusqu'a la rupture. Deux types de fibres de verre de masses lineaires differentes, ont ete utilisees afin d'evaluer l'effet du type de fibres sur le comportement a la flexion. Un nouveau montage experimental permettant de tester tous les types de poteaux en PRF a ete dimensionne et fabrique selon les recommandations decrites dans les normes ASTM D 4923-01 et ANSI C 136.20-2005. Un modele analytique base sur la theorie des poutres en elasticite lineaire est propose dans cette these. Ce modele predit avec une bonne precision le comportement experimental charge---deflexion ainsi que la deflexion maximale au sommet des poteaux en PRF; constitues de plusieurs zones de caracteristiques geometriques et mecaniques differentes. Une procedure de dimensionnement des poteaux en PRF, basee sur les resultats experimentaux obtenus dans le cadre de la presente these, est egalement proposee. Les resultats obtenus dans le cadre de la presente these permettront le developpement et l'amelioration des regles de conception utiles et pratiques a l'usage des concepteurs et des industriels du domaine des poteaux en PRF. Les retombees de cette recherche sont a la fois economiques et technologiques, car les resultats obtenus constitueront une banque de donnees qui contribueront au developpement des normes de calcul, et par consequent a l'optimisation des materiaux utilises, et serviront a valider de futurs resultats et modeles theoriques.

Ostéogenèse imparfaite type III de découverte tardive: à propos d'un cas

PubMed Central

Rachidi, Wafae; Nassar, Kawtar; Janani, Saadia; Mkinsi, Ouafa

2015-01-01

Patient âgé de 52 ans, était admis dans notre établissement pour des polyarthralgies chroniques, plutôt mécaniques, touchant spécialement les articulations du membre inférieur. L'interrogatoire retrouvait l'antécédent de fractures répétées depuis l'enfance, pour des traumatismes minimes, suite à des chutes par glissement. Les signes cliniques et radiologiques, notamment, les fractures récurrentes, sclérotiques bleues, hyperlaxité ligamentaire, dentinogenèse imparfaite, syndrome dysmorphique, ostéoporose densitométrique importante, plaidaient tous en faveur d'une ostéogénèse imparfaite type III. Le patient a initié le traitement, par prise régulière du calcium (1g/jour), supplémentation en vitamine D, et il est programmé pour perfusion de Bisphosphonate (Pamidronate 60mg). Ce cas illustre une forme rare de découverte tardive d'ostéogénèse imparfaite type III. PMID:25995811

Alphabétisation à travers l'Initiative LIFE et le suivi de CONFINTEA VI au Maghreb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissami, Mohamed Abdellatif

2011-08-01

Literacy education through the LIFE Initiative and follow-up of CONFINTEA VI in the Maghreb - Illiteracy is seriously compromising the economic and social development of the Maghreb countries. In Morocco and Mauritania, for instance, national strategies and literacy programmes have been implemented. These efforts ought to be assessed so that lessons can be learned from them and the contribution of the national and international initiatives implemented in recent years can be evaluated. The Sixth International Conference on Adult Education provided an opportunity to launch a Maghreb-wide literacy cooperation process. Drawing on the experience of two high-priority countries (Morocco and Mauritania), the countries of the Maghreb created a mechanism for ongoing exchange within the framework of the Forum on Literacy for the Maghreb Region. The second meeting of this Forum, which was held in May 2010 in Nouakchott, was devoted to monitoring the implementation of the Belém Framework for Action and resulted in the creation of a joint cooperation programme in this domain.

A Reflection on the Broader, Systemic Impacts of Youth Volunteer Abroad Programmes: A Canadian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pluim, Gary W. J.; Jorgenson, Shelane R.

2012-01-01

Despite the increasing popularity and appeal of youth volunteer abroad (YVA) programmes, powerful critiques are emerging. While these programmes tend to promise much in the way of global ethics and global citizenship in youth participants, they often neglect to seriously interrogate the one-way movement of people from the centre to the periphery…

The acute effects of a caffeine-containing supplement on strength, muscular endurance, and anaerobic capabilities.

PubMed

Beck, Travis W; Housh, Terry J; Schmidt, Richard J; Johnson, Glen O; Housh, Dona J; Coburn, Jared W; Malek, Moh H

2006-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of a caffeine-containing supplement on upper- and lower-body strength and muscular endurance as well as anaerobic capabilities. Thirty-seven resistance-trained men (mean +/- SD, age: 21 +/- 2 years) volunteered to participate in this study. On the first laboratory visit, the subjects performed 2 Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnTs) to determine peak power (PP) and mean power (MP), as well as tests for 1 repetition maximum (1RM), dynamic constant external resistance strength, and muscular endurance (TOTV; total volume of weight lifted during an endurance test with 80% of the 1RM) on the bilateral leg extension (LE) and free-weight bench press (BP) exercises. Following a minimum of 48 hours of rest, the subjects returned to the laboratory for the second testing session and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: a supplement group (SUPP; n = 17), which ingested a caffeine-containing supplement, or a placebo group (PLAC; n = 20), which ingested a cellulose placebo. One hour after ingesting either the caffeine-containing supplement or the placebo, the subjects performed 2 WAnTs and were tested for 1RM strength and muscular endurance on the LE and BP exercises. The results indicated that there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in BP 1RM for the SUPP group, but not for the PLAC group. The caffeine-containing supplement had no effect, however, on LE 1RM, LE TOTV, BP TOTV, PP, and MP. Thus, the caffeine-containing supplement may be an effective supplement for increasing upper-body strength and, therefore, could be useful for competitive and recreational athletes who perform resistance training.

The ERDA/LeRC photovoltaic systems test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forestieri, A. F.

1977-01-01

A test facility was designed, and built to provide a place where photovoltaic systems may be assembled and electrically configured, to evaluate system performance and characteristics. The facility consists of a solar cell array of an initial 10-kW peak power rating, test hardware for several alternate methods of power conditioning, a variety of loads, an electrical energy storage system, and an instrumentation and data acquisition system.

Global mental health: transformative capacity building in Nicaragua

PubMed Central

Sapag, Jaime C.; Herrera, Andrés; Trainor, Ruth; Caldera, Trinidad; Khenti, Akwatu

2013-01-01

Background Mental health is increasingly recognised as integral to good public health, but this area continues to lack sufficient planning, resources, and global strategy. It is a pressing concern in Latin America, where social determinants of health aggravate existing inequities in access to health services. Nicaragua faces serious mental health needs and challenges. One key strategy for addressing gaps in mental health services is building capacity at the primary healthcare and system levels. Objective Using the framework of best practice literature, this article analyses the four-year collaborative process between the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in León (UNAN-León) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Canada, which is aimed at improving mental healthcare in Nicaragua. Design Based on a critical analysis of evaluation reports, key documents, and discussion among partners, the central steps of the collaboration are analysed and main successes and challenges identified. Results A participatory needs assessment identified local strengths and weaknesses, expected outcomes regarding competencies, and possible methodologies and recommendations for the development of a comprehensive capacity-building programme. The partners delivered two international workshops on mental health and addiction with an emphasis on primary healthcare. More recently, an innovative Diploma and Master programme was launched to foster interprofessional leadership and effective action to address mental health and addiction needs. Collaborative activities have taken place in Nicaragua and Canada. Discussion To date, international collaboration between Nicaragua and CAMH has been successful in achieving the jointly defined goals. The process has led to mutual knowledge sharing, strong networking, and extensive educational opportunities. Evidence of effective and respectful global health capacity building is provided. Lessons learned and implications for global health action are identified and discussed. PMID:24088364

PubMed

Guillaumet, Jean-Louis; Betsch, Jean-Marie; Callmander, Martin W

2008-01-01

Le programme intitulé « Étude des écosystémes montagnards dans la région malgache» (RCP 225/CNRS; responsable: Recteur Renaud Paulian) avait pour ambition de dégager leurs caractères généraux, l'origine des éléments constitutifs et de tester la validité d'un Domaine malgache des Hautes Montagnes proposé par Humbert dès 1951. De 1970 à 1973, trois campagnes (Andringitra; Chaînes anosyennes et Ankaratra; Itremo, Ibity et Marojejy) ont permis une caractérisation écologique des milieux particuliers ainsi que des analyses de systématique sur certains taxa connus pour leur intérêt biogéographique. La succession altitudinale des formations végétales, définies par des critères physionomiques et structuraux, est précisée par massif. Le dernier étage caractérisé par le fourré éricoïde et ses groupements associés ne correspond pas à l'Étage des Hautes Montagnes de l'Est africain. Des groupes de la faune (invertébrés hexapodes: Collemboles et Dermaptères) indiquent une disjonction entre les massifs du Nord (Tsaratanana, Marojejy), ceux du Centre et du Sud; des éléments de la flore (Pandanaceae, Araliaceae, Asteraceae) sont en cours d'analyse dans le même sens. Le Domaine des Hautes montagnes à Madagascar est une réalité écologique mais ne peut être défini floristiquement; chaque massif montagneux est une entité phytogéographique d'étages de végétation interdépendants inclus dans les différents Sous-Domaines du Centre. Les groupes peu mobiles de la faune indiquent globalement une dépendance trophique et bioclimatique (effet tampon du climat intraforestier) vis-à-vis des étages de végétation, mais peuvent réagir à des microclimats locaux par des décalages à leurs limites.

Optimisation de fonctionnements de pompe à chaleur chimique : synchronisation et commande du procédé

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassou, T.; Amouroux, M.; Labat, P.

1995-04-01

We present the mathematical modelling of a chemical heat pump and the associated simulator. This simulator is able to determine the influence of different parameters (which would be associated to the heat exchanges or to the chemical kinetics), but also to simulate the main operating modes. An optimal management of process represents the objective to reach; we materialize it by a continuous and steady production of the power delivered by the machine. Nous présentons le modèle mathématique d'un pilote de pompe à chaleur chimique et le simulateur numérique correspondant. Ce simulateur est capable de déterminer l'influence de divers paramètres (qu'ils soient liés aux échanges de chaleur ou à la cinétique chimique), mais aussi de simuler les principaux modes de fonctionnement. Une gestion optimale du procédé représente le but à atteindre: une conduite optimisée du système permet, par une gestion des différentes phases, une production continue et stable de la puissance délivrée par la machine.

Krachtvoer: Process Evaluation of a Dutch Programme for Lower Vocational Schools to Promote Healthful Diet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martens, Marloes; van Assema, Patricia; Paulussen, Theo; Schaalma, Herman; Brug, Johannes

2006-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the fidelity and completeness of the implementation of a school-based healthful diet promotion programme called "Krachtvoer" (we use the Dutch title of the programme throughout this article. A possible translation is Power Food, but this does not reflect the play on words in the Dutch title), aimed at…

Formation et évolution des Galaxies : le rôle de leur environnement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boselli, Alessandro

2016-08-01

The new panoramic detectors on large telescopes as well as the most performing space missions allowed us to complete large surveys of the Universe at different wavelengths and thus study the relationships between the different galaxy components at various epochs. At the same time, the increasing computing power allowed us to simulate the evolution of galaxies since their formation at an angular resolution never reached so far. In this article I will briefly describe how the comparison between the most recent observations and the predictions of models and simulations changed our view on the process of galaxy formation and evolution.

Women's Support, Women's Work: Child Care in an Era of Deficit Reduction, Devolution, Downsizing and Deregulation = Le soutien aux femmes, le travail des femmes et la garde d'enfants a l'ere de la reduction du deficit, du transfert des responsabilites, de la reduction de la taille de l'Etat et de la dereglementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doherty, Gillian; Friendly, Martha; Oloman, Mab

Among the multiplicity of objectives that high quality child care can meet is the pivotal goal of promoting equality for women. Child care has consequences for women both as mothers and as providers of care for other people's children. Thus, women have a powerful stake in child care policy. Canada has no national child care policy, and its child…

Development of gallium arsenide high-speed, low-power serial parallel interface modules: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Final report to NASA LeRC on the development of gallium arsenide (GaAS) high-speed, low power serial/parallel interface modules. The report discusses the development and test of a family of 16, 32 and 64 bit parallel to serial and serial to parallel integrated circuits using a self aligned gate MESFET technology developed at the Honeywell Sensors and Signal Processing Laboratory. Lab testing demonstrated 1.3 GHz clock rates at a power of 300 mW. This work was accomplished under contract number NAS3-24676.

Dynamically reconfigurable photovoltaic system

DOEpatents

Okandan, Murat; Nielson, Gregory N.

2016-05-31

A PV system composed of sub-arrays, each having a group of PV cells that are electrically connected to each other. A power management circuit for each sub-array has a communications interface and serves to connect or disconnect the sub-array to a programmable power grid. The power grid has bus rows and bus columns. A bus management circuit is positioned at a respective junction of a bus column and a bus row and is programmable through its communication interface to connect or disconnect a power path in the grid. As a result, selected sub-arrays are connected by selected power paths to be in parallel so as to produce a low system voltage, and, alternately in series so as to produce a high system voltage that is greater than the low voltage by at least a factor of ten.

Dynamically reconfigurable photovoltaic system

DOEpatents

Okandan, Murat; Nielson, Gregory N.

2016-12-27

A PV system composed of sub-arrays, each having a group of PV cells that are electrically connected to each other. A power management circuit for each sub-array has a communications interface and serves to connect or disconnect the sub-array to a programmable power grid. The power grid has bus rows and bus columns. A bus management circuit is positioned at a respective junction of a bus column and a bus row and is programmable through its communication interface to connect or disconnect a power path in the grid. As a result, selected sub-arrays are connected by selected power paths to be in parallel so as to produce a low system voltage, and, alternately in series so as to produce a high system voltage that is greater than the low voltage by at least a factor of ten.

Unreliable Yet Still Replicable: A Comment on LeBel and Paunonen (2011)

PubMed Central

De Schryver, Maarten; Hughes, Sean; Rosseel, Yves; De Houwer, Jan

2016-01-01

Lebel and Paunonen (2011) highlight that despite their importance and popularity in both theoretical and applied research, many implicit measures continue to be plagued by a persistent and troublesome issue—low reliability. In their paper, they offer a conceptual analysis of the relationship between reliability, power and replicability, and then provide a series of recommendations for researchers interested in using implicit measures in an experimental setting. At the core of their account is the idea that reliability can be equated with statistical power, such that “lower levels of reliability are associated with decreasing probabilities of detecting a statistically significant effect, given one exists in the population” (p. 573). They also take the additional step of equating reliability and replicability. In our commentary, we draw attention to the fact that there is no direct, fixed or one-to-one relation between reliability and power or replicability. More specifically, we argue that when adopting an experimental (rather than a correlational) approach, researchers strive to minimize inter-individual variation, which has a direct impact on sample based reliability estimates. We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the LeBel and Paunonen's recommendations and refine them where appropriate. PMID:26793150

Development of an E-Prime Based Computer Simulation of an Interactive Human Rights Violation Negotiation Script (Developpement d’un Programme de Simulation par Ordinateur Fonde sur le Logiciel E Prime pour la Negociation Interactive en cas de Violation des Droits de la Personne)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

Base ( CFB ) Kingston. The computer simulation developed in this project is intended to be used for future research and as a possible training platform...DRDC Toronto No. CR 2010-055 Development of an E-Prime based computer simulation of an interactive Human Rights Violation negotiation script...Abstract This report describes the method of developing an E-Prime computer simulation of an interactive Human Rights Violation (HRV) negotiation. An

Amelioration de l'efficacite energetique du procede d'electrolyse de l'aluminium conception d'un nouveau bloc cathodique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blais, Mathieu

Au Quebec, les alumineries sont de grandes consommatrices d'energie electrique, soit pres de 14 % de la puissance installee d'Hydro-Quebec. Dans ce contexte, des petits gains en efficacite energetique des cuves d'electrolyse pourraient avoir un impact important sur la reduction globale de la consommation d'electricite. Le projet de maitrise decrit dans cette etude repond a la problematique suivante : comment l'optimisation de la geometrie d'un bloc cathodique en vue d'uniformiser la densite de courant peut augmenter l'efficacite energetique et la duree de vie de la cuve d'aluminium? Le but premier du projet est de modifier la geometrie en vue d'ameliorer le comportement thermoelectrique des blocs cathodiques et d'accroitre par le fait meme l'efficacite energetique du procede de production d'aluminium. La mauvaise distribution de la densite de courant dans la cuve est responsable de certains problemes energetiques ayant des impacts negatifs sur l'economie et l'environnement. Cette non-uniformite de la distribution du courant induit une usure prematuree de la surface de la cathode et contribue a reduire la stabilite magnetohydrodynamique de la nappe de metal liquide. Afin de quantifier les impacts que peut avoir l'uniformisation de la densite de courant a travers le bloc cathodique, un modele d'un bloc cathodique d'une cuve de la technologie AP-30 a ete concu et analyse par elements finis. A partir de son comportement thermoelectrique et de donnees experimentales d'une cuve AP-30 tirees de la litterature, une correlation entre le profil de densite de courant a la surface du bloc et le taux d'erosion local au meme endroit a ete creee. Cette relation correspond au modele predictif de la duree de vie de tout bloc du meme materiau a partir de son profil de densite de courant. Ensuite, une programmation a ete faite incorporant dans une meme fonction cout les impacts economiques de la duree de vie, de la chute de voltage cathodique et de l'utilisation de nouveaux materiaux. Ceci a permis d'evaluer les benefices faits a partir d'un bloc modifie par rapport au bloc de reference. Plusieurs parametres geometriques du bloc sont variables sur un domaine realiste et l'integration d'un composant en materiau plus conducteur y a egalement ete etudiee. Utilisant des outils mathematiques d'optimisation, un design de bloc optimal a pu etre trouve. Les resultats demontrent qu'il est possible de generer des economies a partir de la modification du bloc. Il est egalement prouve que l'uniformisation de la densite de courant a travers le bloc peut apporter de grands avantages economiques et environnementaux dans le procede d'electrolyse de l'aluminium. Les resultats de cette etude serviront d'arguments pour les chercheurs dans l'industrie a savoir s'il vaut la peine d'investir ou non dans la fabrication d'un prototype experimental souvent tres couteux. Mots-cles : Efficacite energetique, electrolyse de l'aluminium, cathode, simulation thermoelectrique, uniformisation de la densite de courant, optimisation.

Millimeter wave coherent synchrotron radiation in a compact electron storage ring

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

Murphy, J.B.; Blum, E.; Heese, R.

1998-01-01

Installation of a 2,856 MHz RF system into the XLS compact electron storage ring would allow the generation of millimeter wave coherent synchrotron radiation. Operating at 150 MeV, one could produce bunches containing on the order of 2 {times} 10{sup 7} electrons with a bunch length {sigma}{sub L0} = 0.3 mm, resulting in coherent emission at wavelengths above 0.8 mm. The characteristics of the source and the emitted radiation are discussed. In the case of 100 mrad horizontal collection angle, the average power radiated in the wavelength band 1 mm {le} {lambda} {le} 2 mm is 0.3 mW for singlemore » bunch operation and 24 mW for 80 bunch operation. The peak power in a single pulse of a few picosecond duration is on the order of one watt. By reducing the momentum compaction, the bunch length could be reduced to {sigma}{sub L0} = 0.15 mm, resulting in coherent synchrotron radiation down to 500 {micro}m.« less

A Theory for Self-consistent Acceleration of Energetic Charged Particles by Dynamic Small-scale Flux Ropes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

le Roux, J. A.; Zank, G. P.; Khabarova, O.; Webb, G. M.

2016-12-01

Simulations of charged particle acceleration in turbulent plasma regions with numerous small-scale contracting and merging (reconnecting) magnetic islands/flux ropes emphasize the key role of temporary particle trapping in these structures for efficient acceleration that can result in power-law spectra. In response, a comprehensive kinetic transport theory framework was developed by Zank et al. and le Roux et al. to capture the essential physics of energetic particle acceleration in solar wind regions containing numerous dynamic small-scale flux ropes. Examples of test particle solutions exhibiting hard power-law spectra for energetic particles were presented in recent publications by both Zank et al. and le Roux et al.. However, the considerable pressure in the accelerated particles suggests the need for expanding the kinetic transport theory to enable a self-consistent description of energy exchange between energetic particles and small-scale flux ropes. We plan to present the equations of an expanded kinetic transport theory framework that will enable such a self-consistent description.

A Low-Power High-Speed Smart Sensor Design for Space Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fang, Wai-Chi

1997-01-01

A low-power high-speed smart sensor system based on a large format active pixel sensor (APS) integrated with a programmable neural processor for space exploration missions is presented. The concept of building an advanced smart sensing system is demonstrated by a system-level microchip design that is composed with an APS sensor, a programmable neural processor, and an embedded microprocessor in a SOI CMOS technology. This ultra-fast smart sensor system-on-a-chip design mimics what is inherent in biological vision systems. Moreover, it is programmable and capable of performing ultra-fast machine vision processing in all levels such as image acquisition, image fusion, image analysis, scene interpretation, and control functions. The system provides about one tera-operation-per-second computing power which is a two order-of-magnitude increase over that of state-of-the-art microcomputers. Its high performance is due to massively parallel computing structures, high data throughput rates, fast learning capabilities, and advanced VLSI system-on-a-chip implementation.

The Design of the 4-Megawatt Induction Heating Power Supply at AEDC

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-04-01

AEDC-TR-76-26 p ’ t . ~ F i , .~ r),’, • #, THE DESIGN OF THE 4-MEGAWATT INDUCTION HEATING POWER SUPPLY AT AEDC PROPULSION WIND TUNNEL...NUMBER ]2 GOVT ACCESSION NO. [ AEDC-TR-76-26 4. T I T L E ( ~ d 5ubll l le) THE DESIGN OF THE 4-MEGAWATT INDUCTION HEATING POWER SUPPLY AT AEDC 7...e m and the supply of e l e c t r i c a l power to the o s c i l l a t o r were des igned by J. B. Carson , ARO, Inc. Ashley Bock, who was r

Design of resolution/power controllable Asynchronous Sigma-Delta Modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshmukh, Anita Arvind; Deshmukh, Raghvendra B.

2016-12-01

This paper presents the design of a Programmable Asynchronous Modulator (PAM) with field control of resolution and power. A novel variable hysteresis Schmitt Trigger (ST) is used for external programmability. Asynchronous Sigma-Delta Modulator (ASDM) implementation with external control voltages is proposed to supervise the resolution and power. This architecture with reduced circuit complexity considerably improves the earlier realizations by eliminating multiple current sources as well switched capacitor circuits and results in power saving up to 87 %. Proposed PAM design demonstrates an improved SNDR of 115 dB, DR of 96 dB, and power consumption below 280 μW. It illustrates Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) to 18.81 and Figure of Merit (FoM) to 0.15 fJ/conversion step. Modulator is implemented in Cadence UMC Hspice 0.18 μm CMOS analog technology. Off-chip PAM control for resolution/power performance has potential applications in battery operated ultra low power applications like IoT; where ADC is one of the major power consuming components. It offers the promise for an efficient performance with power saving.

Une étude rétrospective sur l'incidence de l'insuffisance rénale chronique dans le service de Médecine Interne et Néphrologie du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Antananarivo

PubMed Central

Ramilitiana, Benja; Ranivoharisoa, Eliane Mikkelsen; Dodo, Mihary; Razafimandimby, Evanirina; Randriamarotia, Willy Franck

2016-01-01

L'insuffisance rénale chronique est un problème de santé publique au niveau mondial. Dans les pays développés, cette affection survient essentiellement chez les sujets âgés, mais en Afrique, elle s'installe plutôt chez les sujets jeunes actifs. C'est une affection de lourde prise en charge dans un pays à faible revenu à cause de ses coûts. Notre but est de décrire les aspects épidémiologiques des nouveaux cas d'insuffisance rénale chronique à Madagascar. Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective descriptive de 3 ans partant du 1er janvier 2007 au 31 décembre 2009 dans le service de Médecine Interne et Néphrologie du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Antananarivo portant sur 239 patients diagnostiqués comme une insuffisance rénale chronique. L'incidence était de 8,51% parmi les patients hospitalisés dans le service. L’âge moyen des patients était de 45,4 ans avec des extrêmes de 16 et 82 ans et un sex-ratio de 1,46. Le principal antécédent était l'hypertension artérielle (59,8%). L'insuffisance rénale chronique était terminale dans 75,31% des cas (n=180). Les causes de l'insuffisance rénale chronique étaient dominées par la glomérulonéphrite chronique (40,1%), la néphroangiosclérose (35,5%). L'hémodialyse était réalisée chez 3 patients (1,26%), aucun patient n’était pas programmé pour une greffe rénale. Le taux de mortalité dans le service était de 28,87%. L'insuffisance rénale chronique est une maladie de pronostic redoutable et handicapante qui affecte les sujets jeunes à Madagascar. Son traitement reste inaccessible dans la majorité des patients. L'accent doit donc être mis principalement sur la prévention notamment une bonne prise en charge précoce des infections, de l'hypertension artérielle et du diabète pour réduire ses impacts négatifs sur la santé communautaire et publique. Le projet de la transplantation rénale - donneur vivant, traitement efficace et moins coûteux par rapport à l'hémodialyse pourrait être aussi une bonne solution chez ces sujets jeunes malgaches. PMID:27279966

MMIC Phased Array Demonstrations with ACTS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raquet, Charles A. (Compiler); Martzaklis, Konstantinos (Compiler); Zakrajsek, Robert J. (Compiler); Andro, Monty (Compiler); Turtle, John P.

1996-01-01

Over a one year period from May 1994 to May 1995, a number of demonstrations were conducted by the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) in which voice, data, and/or video links were established via NASA's advanced communications technology satellite (ACTS) between the ACTS link evaluation terminal (LET) in Cleveland, OH, and aeronautical and mobile or fixed Earth terminals having monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) phased array antenna systems. This paper describes four of these. In one, a duplex voice link between an aeronautical terminal on the LeRC Learjet and the ACTS was achieved. Two others demonstrated duplex voice (and in one case video as well) links between the ACTS and an Army vehicle. The fourth demonstrated a high data rate downlink from ACTS to a fixed terminal. Array antenna systems used in these demonstrations were developed by LeRC and featured LeRC and Air Force experimental arrays using gallium arsenide MMIC devices at each radiating element for electronic beam steering and distributed power amplification. The single 30 GHz transmit array was developed by NASA/LeRC and Texas Instruments. The three 20 GHz receive arrays were developed in a cooperative effort with the Air Force Rome Laboratory, taking advantage of existing Air Force array development contracts with Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The paper describes the four proof-of-concept arrays and the array control system. The system configured for each of the demonstrations is described, and results are discussed.

Airfoil noise reductions through leading edge serrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanan, S.; Chaitanya, P.; Haeri, S.; Joseph, P.; Kim, J. W.; Polacsek, C.

2015-02-01

This paper provides an experimental investigation into the use of leading edge (LE) serrations as a means of reducing the broadband noise generated due to the interaction between the aerofoil's LE and impinging turbulence. Experiments are performed on a flat plate in an open jet wind tunnel. Grids are used to generate isotropic homogeneous turbulence. The leading edge serrations are in the form of sinusoidal profiles of wavelengths, λ, and amplitudes, 2h. The frequency and amplitude characteristics are studied in detail in order to understand the effect of LE serrations on noise reduction characteristics and are compared with straight edge baseline flat plates. Noise reductions are found to be insignificant at low frequencies but significant in the mid frequency range (500 Hz-8 kHz) for all the cases studied. The flat plate results are also compared to the noise reductions obtained on a serrated NACA-65 aerofoil with the same serration profile. Noise reductions are found to be significantly higher for the flat plates with a maximum noise reduction of around 9 dB compared with about 7 dB for the aerofoil. In general, it is observed that the sound power reduction level (ΔPWL) is sensitive to the amplitude, 2h of the LE serrations but less sensitive to the serration wavelength, λ. Thus, this paper sufficiently demonstrates that the LE amplitude acts as a key parameter for enhancing the noise reduction levels in flat plates and aerofoils.

A low power flash-FPGA based brain implant micro-system of PID control.

PubMed

Lijuan Xia; Fattah, Nabeel; Soltan, Ahmed; Jackson, Andrew; Chester, Graeme; Degenaar, Patrick

2017-07-01

In this paper, we demonstrate that a low power flash FPGA based micro-system can provide a low power programmable interface for closed-loop brain implant inter- faces. The proposed micro-system receives recording local field potential (LFP) signals from an implanted probe, performs closed-loop control using a first order control system, then converts the signal into an optogenetic control stimulus pattern. Stimulus can be implemented through optoelectronic probes. The long term target is for both fundamental neuroscience applications and for clinical use in treating epilepsy. Utilizing our device, closed-loop processing consumes only 14nJ of power per PID cycle compared to 1.52μJ per cycle for a micro-controller implementation. Compared to an application specific digital integrated circuit, flash FPGA's are inherently programmable.

The challenge of linguistic and cultural diversity: Does length of experience affect South African speech-language therapists' management of children with language impairment?

PubMed

Southwood, Frenette; Van Dulm, Ondene

2015-02-10

South African speech-language therapists (SLTs) currently do not reflect the country's linguistic and cultural diversity. The question arises as to who might be better equipped currently to provide services to multilingual populations: SLTs with more clinical experience in such contexts, or recently trained SLTs who are themselves linguistically and culturally diverse and whose training programmes deliberately focused on multilingualism and multiculturalism? To investigate whether length of clinical experience influenced: number of bilingual children treated, languages spoken by these children, languages in which assessment and remediation can be offered, assessment instrument(s) favoured, and languages in which therapy material is required. From questionnaires completed by 243 Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)-registered SLTs who treat children with language problems, two groups were drawn:71 more experienced (ME) respondents (20+ years of experience) and 79 less experienced (LE) respondents (maximum 5 years of experience). The groups did not differ significantly with regard to (1) number of children(monolingual or bilingual) with language difficulties seen, (2) number of respondents seeing child clients who have Afrikaans or an African language as home language, (3) number of respondents who can offer intervention in Afrikaans or English and (4) number of respondents who reported needing therapy material in Afrikaans or English. However, significantly more ME than LE respondents reported seeing first language child speakers of English, whereas significantly more LE than ME respondents could provide services, and required therapy material, in African languages. More LE than ME SLTs could offer remediation in an African language, but there were few other significant differences between the two groups. There is still an absence of appropriate assessment and remediation material for Afrikaans and African languages, but the increased number of African language speakers entering the profession may contribute to better service delivery to the diverse South African population.

The challenge of linguistic and cultural diversity: Does length of experience affect South African speech-language therapists’ management of children with language impairment?

PubMed Central

Southwood, Frenette; van Dulm, Ondene

2015-01-01

Background South African speech-language therapists (SLTs) currently do not reflect the country's linguistic and cultural diversity. The question arises as to who might be better equipped currently to provide services to multilingual populations: SLTs with more clinical experience in such contexts, or recently trained SLTs who are themselves linguistically and culturally diverse and whose training programmes deliberately focused on multilingualism and multiculturalism? Aims To investigate whether length of clinical experience influenced: number of bilingual children treated, languages spoken by these children, languages in which assessment and remediation can be offered, assessment instrument(s) favoured, and languages in which therapy material is required. Method From questionnaires completed by 243 Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)-registered SLTs who treat children with language problems, two groups were drawn: 71 more experienced (ME) respondents (20+ years of experience) and 79 less experienced (LE) respondents (maximum 5 years of experience). Results The groups did not differ significantly with regard to (1) number of children (monolingual or bilingual) with language difficulties seen, (2) number of respondents seeing child clients who have Afrikaans or an African language as home language, (3) number of respondents who can offer intervention in Afrikaans or English and (4) number of respondents who reported needing therapy material in Afrikaans or English. However, significantly more ME than LE respondents reported seeing first language child speakers of English, whereas significantly more LE than ME respondents could provide services, and required therapy material, in African languages. Conclusion More LE than ME SLTs could offer remediation in an African language, but there were few other significant differences between the two groups. There is still an absence of appropriate assessment and remediation material for Afrikaans and African languages, but the increased number of African language speakers entering the profession may contribute to better service delivery to the diverse South African population. PMID:26304212

World heritage site - Bien du Patrimoine Mondial - Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek

USGS Publications Warehouse

Labay, Keith A.; Wilson, Frederic H.

2004-01-01

The four parks depicted on this map make up a single World Heritage Site that covers 24.3 million acres. Together, they comprise the largest internationally protected land-based ecosystem on the planet. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established the World Heritage Program in 1972 for the identification and protection of the world?s irreplaceable natural and cultural resources. World Heritage Sites are important as storehouses of memory and evolution, as anchors for sustainable tourism and community, and as laboratories for the study and understanding of the earth and culture. This World Heritage Site protects the prominent mountain ranges of Kluane, Wrangell, Saint Elias, and Chugach. It includes many of the tallest peaks on the continent, the world's largest non-polar icefield, extensive glaciers, vital watersheds, and expanses of dramatic wilderness. [Les quatre parcs figurant sur cette carte ne constituent qu?un seul site du patrimoine mondial recouvrant plus de 99 millions de km2, ce qui en fait le plus grand ecosysteme terrestre protege par loi internationale. En 1972, L?UNESCO (l?organisation des Nations Unies pour les sciences, l'education et la culture) a etabli le programme du patrimoine mondial afin d?identifier et de proteger les ressources naturelles et culturelles irremplacables de notre plan?te. Si les sites du patrimoine mondial sont si importants c'est parce qu'ils representent a la fois des livres ouverts sur l?histoire de la Terre, le point de depart du tourisme durable et du developpement des collectivites, des laboratoires pour etudier et comprendre la nature et la culture. Ce site du patrimoine mondial assure la protection des chaines de montagnes de Kluane, Wrangell, Saint Elias, et Chugach. On y trouve plusieurs des plus hauts sommets du continent, le plus grand champ de glace non-polaire du monde, d?immenses glaciers, des bassins hydrologiques essentiels, et de la nature sauvage a perte de vue.

Lignes directrices sur l’aiguillage des cas soupçonnés de cancer du poumon par un médecin de famille ou autre professionnel des soins primaires

PubMed Central

Del Giudice, M. Elisabeth; Young, Sheila-Mae; Vella, Emily T.; Ash, Marla; Bansal, Praveen; Robinson, Andrew; Skrastins, Roland; Ung, Yee; Zeldin, Robert; Levitt, Cheryl

2014-01-01

Résumé Objectif Les présentes lignes directrices visent à aider les médecins de famille et autres généralistes à reconnaître les manifestations cliniques devant éveiller les soupçons quant à la présence d’un cancer du poumon chez les patients. Composition du comité Les membres du comité ont été choisis parmi les leaders régionaux en soins primaires du Réseau provincial des soins primaires et de la lutte contre le cancer d’Action Cancer Ontario et parmi les membres du Groupe sur le siège de la maladie, Cancer du poumon d’Action Cancer Ontario. Méthodes Les présentes lignes directrices sont le fruit d’une revue systématique des données probantes, d’une synthèse des données et d’un examen externe formel effectué par des intervenants canadiens qui ont validé la pertinence des recommandations. Rapport Ces lignes directrices fondées sur des données probantes ont été formulées pour améliorer la prise en charge en contexte canadien des patients qui présentent des manifestations cliniques du cancer du poumon. Conclusion Le dépistage et l’aiguillage précoces des patients atteints de cancer du poumon pourraient en fin de compte aider à réduire les morbidités et mortalités liées au cancer. Ces lignes directrices pourraient aussi s’avérer utiles dans la mise sur pied de programmes de diagnostic du cancer du poumon et pour aider les décideurs à veiller à ce que les ressources appropriées soient en place.

MEASUREMENTS OF SUB-DEGREE B -MODE POLARIZATION IN THE COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND FROM 100 SQUARE DEGREES OF SPTPOL DATA

DOE PAGES

Keisler, R.; Hoover, S.; Harrington, N.; ...

2015-07-09

We present a measurement of themore » $B$-mode polarization power spectrum (the $BB$ spectrum) from 100 $$\\mathrm{deg}^2$$ of sky observed with SPTpol, a polarization-sensitive receiver currently installed on the South Pole Telescope. The observations used in this work were taken during 2012 and early 2013 and include data in spectral bands centered at 95 and 150 GHz. We report the $BB$ spectrum in five bins in multipole space, spanning the range $$300 \\le \\ell \\le 2300$$, and for three spectral combinations: 95 GHz $$\\times$$ 95 GHz, 95 GHz $$\\times$$ 150 GHz, and 150 GHz $$\\times$$ 150 GHz. We subtract small ($$< 0.5 \\sigma$$ in units of statistical uncertainty) biases from these spectra and account for the uncertainty in those biases. The resulting power spectra are inconsistent with zero power but consistent with predictions for the $BB$ spectrum arising from the gravitational lensing of $E$-mode polarization. If we assume no other source of $BB$ power besides lensed $B$ modes, we determine a preference for lensed $B$ modes of $$4.9 \\sigma$$. After marginalizing over tensor power and foregrounds, namely polarized emission from galactic dust and extragalactic sources, this significance is $$4.3 \\sigma$$. Fitting for a single parameter, $$A_\\mathrm{lens}$$, that multiplies the predicted lensed $B$-mode spectrum, and marginalizing over tensor power and foregrounds, we find $$A_\\mathrm{lens} = 1.08 \\pm 0.26$$, indicating that our measured spectra are consistent with the signal expected from gravitational lensing. The data presented here provide the best measurement to date of the $B$-mode power spectrum on these angular scales.« less

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

Potts, C.; Faber, M.; Gunderson, G.

The as-built lattice of the Rapid-Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) had two sets of correction sextupoles and two sets of quadrupoles energized by dc power supplies to control the tune and the tune tilt. With this method of powering these magnets, adjustment of tune conditions during the accelerating cycle as needed was not possible. A set of dynamically programmable power supplies has been built and operated to provide the required chromaticity adjustment. The short accelerating time (16.7 ms) of the RCS and the inductance of the magnets dictated large transistor amplifier power supplies. The required time resolution and waveform flexibility indicated themore » desirability of computer control. Both the amplifiers and controls are described, along with resulting improvements in the beam performance. A set of octupole magnets and programmable power supplies with similar dynamic qualities have been constructed and installed to control the anticipated high-intensity transverse instability. This system will be operational in the spring of 1981.« less

Heat pipe cooled heat rejection subsystem modelling for nuclear electric propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moriarty, Michael P.

1993-11-01

NASA LeRC is currently developing a FORTRAN based computer model of a complete nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle that can be used for piloted and cargo missions to the Moon or Mars. Proposed designs feature either a Brayton or a K-Rankine power conversion cycle to drive a turbine coupled with rotary alternators. Both ion and magnetoplasmodynamic (MPD) thrusters will be considered in the model. In support of the NEP model, Rocketdyne is developing power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution (PMAD) subroutines. The subroutines will be incorporated into the NEP vehicle model which will be written by NASA LeRC. The purpose is to document the heat pipe cooled heat rejection subsystem model and its supporting subroutines. The heat pipe cooled heat rejection subsystem model is designed to provide estimate of the mass and performance of the equipment used to reject heat from Brayton and Rankine cycle power conversion systems. The subroutine models the ductwork and heat pipe cooled manifold for a gas cooled Brayton; the heat sink heat exchanger, liquid loop piping, expansion compensator, pump and manifold for a liquid loop cooled Brayton; and a shear flow condenser for a K-Rankine system. In each case, the final heat rejection is made by way of a heat pipe radiator. The radiator is sized to reject the amount of heat necessary.

Heat pipe cooled heat rejection subsystem modelling for nuclear electric propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moriarty, Michael P.

1993-01-01

NASA LeRC is currently developing a FORTRAN based computer model of a complete nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle that can be used for piloted and cargo missions to the Moon or Mars. Proposed designs feature either a Brayton or a K-Rankine power conversion cycle to drive a turbine coupled with rotary alternators. Both ion and magnetoplasmodynamic (MPD) thrusters will be considered in the model. In support of the NEP model, Rocketdyne is developing power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution (PMAD) subroutines. The subroutines will be incorporated into the NEP vehicle model which will be written by NASA LeRC. The purpose is to document the heat pipe cooled heat rejection subsystem model and its supporting subroutines. The heat pipe cooled heat rejection subsystem model is designed to provide estimate of the mass and performance of the equipment used to reject heat from Brayton and Rankine cycle power conversion systems. The subroutine models the ductwork and heat pipe cooled manifold for a gas cooled Brayton; the heat sink heat exchanger, liquid loop piping, expansion compensator, pump and manifold for a liquid loop cooled Brayton; and a shear flow condenser for a K-Rankine system. In each case, the final heat rejection is made by way of a heat pipe radiator. The radiator is sized to reject the amount of heat necessary.

Programmable Low-Power Low-Noise Capacitance to Voltage Converter for MEMS Accelerometers

PubMed Central

Royo, Guillermo; Sánchez-Azqueta, Carlos; Gimeno, Cecilia; Aldea, Concepción; Celma, Santiago

2016-01-01

In this work, we present a capacitance-to-voltage converter (CVC) for capacitive accelerometers based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Based on a fully-differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA), it features a 34-dB transimpedance gain control and over one decade programmable bandwidth, from 75 kHz to 1.2 MHz. The TIA is aimed for low-cost low-power capacitive sensor applications. It has been designed in a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology and its power consumption is only 54 μW. At the maximum transimpedance configuration, the TIA shows an equivalent input noise of 42 fA/Hz at 50 kHz, which corresponds to 100 μg/Hz. PMID:28042830

Programmable Low-Power Low-Noise Capacitance to Voltage Converter for MEMS Accelerometers.

PubMed

Royo, Guillermo; Sánchez-Azqueta, Carlos; Gimeno, Cecilia; Aldea, Concepción; Celma, Santiago

2016-12-30

In this work, we present a capacitance-to-voltage converter (CVC) for capacitive accelerometers based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Based on a fully-differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA), it features a 34-dB transimpedance gain control and over one decade programmable bandwidth, from 75 kHz to 1.2 MHz. The TIA is aimed for low-cost low-power capacitive sensor applications. It has been designed in a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology and its power consumption is only 54 μW. At the maximum transimpedance configuration, the TIA shows an equivalent input noise of 42 fA/ Hz at 50 kHz, which corresponds to 100 μg/ Hz .

Effect of interval training on cognitive functioning and cerebral oxygenation in obese patients: a pilot study.

PubMed

Drigny, Joffrey; Gremeaux, Vincent; Dupuy, Olivier; Gayda, Mathieu; Bherer, Louis; Juneau, Martin; Nigam, Anil

2014-11-01

To assess the effect of a 4-month high-intensity interval training programme on cognitive functioning, cerebral oxygenation, central haemodynamic and cardiometabolic parameters and aerobic capacity in obese patients. Cognitive functioning, cerebral oxygenation, central haemodynamic, cardiometabolic and exercise para-meters were measured before and after a 4-month high-intensity interval training programme in 6 obese patients (mean age 49 years (standard deviation 8), fat mass percentage 31 ± 7%). Body composition (body mass, total and trunk fat mass, waist circumference) and fasting insulin were improved after the programme (p < 0.05). V. O2 and power output at ventilatory threshold and peak power output were improved after the programme (p < 0.05). Cognitive functioning, including short-term and verbal memory, attention and processing speed, was significantly improved after training (p < 0.05). Cerebral oxygen extraction was also improved after training (p < 0.05). These preliminary results indicate that a 4-month high-intensity interval training programme in obese patients improved both cognitive functioning and cere-bral oxygen extraction, in association with improved exercise capacity and body composition.

Powered Wheels in the Turned Mode Operating on Yielding Soils

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-09-01

CONTINUE 345n 16 CONTINUE 3475C REAR TIRE FORCES IN CLAY 3480 DO 17 J=1,2 3490 XNEOW=XNUMC2 J )e(l.-2.26oA8S( ALPR )"*1.5) 3500 IF(XNEOW.LE.4o)XNEOW:4...34;FrA,AIPf, 4125 & ALPR 413n 678 FORMAT(lX,"STEERING ANC,Fp nFnREFS w.,F5,I,/, 4140 & "VER4IrLE SPEEFD, METRF/SEC =11,15.1o/o 4150 A YAW VELOCITY# RAD...J1) 3788 198 CONTINUE 3790 210 CONTINUE 3800 220 CONTINUE 3815C REAR TIRE FORCES IN SAND 3830 Do 230 Jxi,? 3840 DIMALP=ABS( ALPR ) 3850 CALL PWSAN(XNUM

Microgrids | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

algorithms for microgrid integration Controller hardware-in-the-loop testing, where the physical controller interacts with a model of the microgrid and associated power devices Power hardware-in-the-loop testing of operation was validated in a power hardware-in-the-loop experiment using a programmable DC power supply to

The path to fusion power†

PubMed Central

Smith, Chris Llewellyn; Cowley, Steve

2010-01-01

The promise, status and challenges of developing fusion power are outlined. The key physics and engineering principles are described and recent progress quantified. As the successful demonstration of 16 MW of fusion in 1997 in the Joint European Torus showed, fusion works. The central issue is therefore to make it work reliably and economically on the scale of a power station. We argue that to meet this challenge in 30 years we must follow the aggressive programme known as the ‘Fast Track to Fusion’. This programme is described in some detail. PMID:20123748

Reframing HIV care: putting people at the centre of antiretroviral delivery

PubMed Central

Duncombe, Chris; Rosenblum, Scott; Hellmann, Nicholas; Holmes, Charles; Wilkinson, Lynne; Biot, Marc; Bygrave, Helen; Hoos, David; Garnett, Geoff

2015-01-01

The delivery of HIV care in the initial rapid scale-up of HIV care and treatment was based on existing clinic-based models, which are common in highly resourced settings and largely undifferentiated for individual needs. A new framework for treatment based on variable intensities of care tailored to the specific needs of different groups of individuals across the cascade of care is proposed here. Service intensity is characterised by four delivery components: (i) types of services delivered, (ii) location of service delivery, (iii) provider of health services and (iv) frequency of health services. How these components are developed into a service delivery framework will vary across countries and populations, with the intention being to improve acceptability and care outcomes. The goal of getting more people on treatment before they become ill will necessitate innovative models of delivering both testing and care. As HIV programmes expand treatment eligibility, many people entering care will not be ‘patients’ but healthy, active and productive members of society 1. To take the framework to scale, it will be important to: (i) define which individuals can be served by an alternative delivery framework; (ii) strengthen health systems that support decentralisation, integration and task shifting; (iii) make the supply chain more robust; and (iv) invest in data systems for patient tracking and for programme monitoring and evaluation. La délivrance des soins du VIH dans le déploiement initial rapide des soins et du traitement du VIH a été basée sur des modèles existants dans les cliniques, qui sont courants dans les régions bénéficiant d’importantes ressources et largement indifférenciées pour les besoins individuels. Un nouveau cadre est proposé ici pour le traitement basé selon les intensités variables de soins, adaptés aux besoins spécifiques des différents groupes de personnes à travers la cascade de soins. L’intensité des services est caractérisée par quatre éléments de délivrance: (1) les types de services délivrés, (2) l’emplacement de la délivrance des services, (3) Les prestataires des services de santé et (4) la fréquence des services de santé. La façon dont ces éléments sont développés dans un cadre de prestation de services peut varier selon les pays et les populations, l’intention étant d’améliorer les résultats d’acceptabilité et des soins. Le but d’obtenir plus de personnes sous traitement avant qu’ils ne tombent malades nécessitera des modèles innovateurs de prestation à la fois pour dépistage et pour les soins. Comme les programmes VIH étendent l’éligibilité au traitement, beaucoup de gens qui entrent dans les soins ne seront pas des “malades- mais des éléments sains de la société, actifs et productifs. Afin de tenir le cadre à l’échelle, il sera important de: (1) définir les individus qui peuvent être traités par un cadre alternatif de prestation, (2) renforcer les systèmes de santé qui soutiennent la décentralisation, l’intégration et le transfert des tâches; (3) rendre la chaîne d’approvisionnement plus robuste et (4) investir dans des systèmes de données pour le suivi des patients et pour le suivi et l’évaluation du programme. Los servicios de atención del VIH durante el inicio de la primera etapa de rápida expansión del tratamiento y cuidados del VIH estaban basados en modelos clínicos existentes, comunes en lugares con abundancia de recursos y poco diferenciados en cuanto a necesidades individuales. Aquí se propone un nuevo marco para el tratamiento basado en intensidades variables de cuidados, hecho a medida según las necesidades específicas de los diferentes grupos de individuos a lo largo del tratamiento. La intensidad del servicio se caracteriza por cuatro componentes de entrega: (1) tipología de los servicios ofrecidos, (2) lugar de entrega de los servicios, (3) proveedor de los servicios sanitarios, y (4) frecuencia de los servicios sanitarios. El cómo estos componentes conforman un marco de entrega de servicios variará según el país y la población, con la intención de mejorar la aceptabilidad y los resultados de los cuidados. El objetivo de conseguir que más personas reciban tratamiento antes de que enfermen requerirá de modelos innovadores en la oferta tanto de pruebas para detección como de los cuidados. A medida que los programas para el VIH expandan los criterios de elegibilidad para el tratamiento, muchas de las personas que comiencen a recibir cuidados no serán “pacientes- sino miembros sanos, activos y productivos de la sociedad. Con el fin de expandir la escala de esta estructura, sería importante: (1) definir cuales individuos pueden ser atendidos dentro de un marco de entrega de servicios alternativo; (2) fortalecer los sistemas sanitarios que apoyan la descentralización, integración y delegación de funciones; (3) robustecer la cadena de proveedores; e (4) invertir en sistemas de datos para el seguimiento de pacientes y para la monitorización y evaluación de programas. PMID:25583302

Solar Power

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

Le Prof. Broda, Prof. de Biochimie, Physique et Radiochimie à l'Université de Vienne, ville où il est né et où il a étudié, fait une brillante carrière accadémique et nous parle de l'énergie solaire.

Validation of ethnopharmacology of ayurvedic sarasvata ghrita and comparative evaluation of its neuroprotective effect with modern alcoholic and lipid based extracts in β-amyloid induced memory impairment.

PubMed

Shelar, Madhuri; Nanaware, Sadhana; Arulmozhi, S; Lohidasan, Sathiyanarayanan; Mahadik, Kakasaheb

2018-06-12

Sarasvata ghrita (SG), a polyherbal formulation from ayurveda, an ancient medicinal system of India, has been used to improve intelligence and memory, treat speech delay, speaking difficulties and low digestion power in children. Study aimed to validate the ethno use of SG in memory enhancement through systematic scientific protocol. The effect of SG and modern extracts of ingredients of SG was compared on cognitive function and neuroprotection in amyloid-β peptide 25-35(Aβ25-35) induced memory impairment in wistar rats. Further the underlying mechanism for neuroprotective activity was investigated. SG was prepared as per traditional method, ethanolic extract (EE) was prepared by conventional method and lipid based extract was prepared by modern extraction method. All extracts were standardised by newly developed HPLC method with respect to marker compounds. SG, EE and LE were administered orally to male Wistar rats at doses of 100,200 and 400 mg/kg Body Weight by feeding needle for a period of 21 days after the intracerebroventricular administration of Aβ25-35 bilaterally. Spatial memory of rats was tested using Morris water maze (MWM) and Radial arm maze (RAM) test. The possible underlying mechanisms for the cognitive improvement exhibited by SG, EE and LE was investigated through ex-vivo brain antioxidant effect, monoamine level estimation, acetylcholine esterase (AchE) inhibitory effect and Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) levels estimation. SG, EE and LE were analyzed by HPLC method, results showed that EE extract has high percent of selected phytoconstituents as compared with SG and LE. SG and LE decrease escape latency and searching distance in a dose dependant manner during MWM test. In case of RAM significant decrease in number of errors and increase in number of correct choices indicate an elevation in retention and recall aspects of learning and memory after administration of SG an LE. SG and LE extract can efficiently prevent accumulation of β-amyloid plaque in hippocampus region. There was increase in SOD, GSH, CAT and NO level and decrease in MDA levels in SG and LE administered animals. SG and LE have found to exhibit AchE inhibitiory activity and significant dose-dependant increase in BDNF level in the plasma. SG and LE significantly increased the levels of noradrenaline, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain. The study validated the neuroprotective activity of SG. The study concludes the extraction efficiency of SG for selected phytoconstituents is less than modern methods. However the neuroprotective activity of SG and LE was found to be greater than EE. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Controlling sediment collection with data loggers

Treesearch

Rand E. Eads

1991-01-01

Abstract - The proliferation of commercial non-programmable data loggers in the past five years has done little to increase sediment sampling efficiency in remote locations. Recent advances in microelectronics have encouraged the development of commercial, low-power, programmable data loggers at reasonable cost. Although some facets of hydrologic data collection may...

Smart house-based optimal operation of thermal unit commitment for a smart grid considering transmission constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howlader, Harun Or Rashid; Matayoshi, Hidehito; Noorzad, Ahmad Samim; Muarapaz, Cirio Celestino; Senjyu, Tomonobu

2018-05-01

This paper presents a smart house-based power system for thermal unit commitment programme. The proposed power system consists of smart houses, renewable energy plants and conventional thermal units. The transmission constraints are considered for the proposed system. The generated power of the large capacity renewable energy plant leads to the violated transmission constraints in the thermal unit commitment programme, therefore, the transmission constraint should be considered. This paper focuses on the optimal operation of the thermal units incorporated with controllable loads such as Electrical Vehicle and Heat Pump water heater of the smart houses. The proposed method is compared with the power flow in thermal units operation without controllable loads and the optimal operation without the transmission constraints. Simulation results show the validation of the proposed method.

Transputer parallel processing at NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Graham K.

1989-01-01

The transputer parallel processing lab at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) consists of 69 processors (transputers) that can be connected into various networks for use in general purpose concurrent processing applications. The main goal of the lab is to develop concurrent scientific and engineering application programs that will take advantage of the computational speed increases available on a parallel processor over the traditional sequential processor. Current research involves the development of basic programming tools. These tools will help standardize program interfaces to specific hardware by providing a set of common libraries for applications programmers. The thrust of the current effort is in developing a set of tools for graphics rendering/animation. The applications programmer currently has two options for on-screen plotting. One option can be used for static graphics displays and the other can be used for animated motion. The option for static display involves the use of 2-D graphics primitives that can be called from within an application program. These routines perform the standard 2-D geometric graphics operations in real-coordinate space as well as allowing multiple windows on a single screen.

Status of DOE and AID stand-alone photovoltaic system field tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bifano, W. J.; Delombard, R.; Ratajczak, A. F.; Scudder, L. R.

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) is managing stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID). The DOE project includes village PV power demonstration projects in Gabon (four sites) and the Marshall Islands, and PV-powered vaccine refrigerator systems in six countries. The AID project includes a large village power system, a farmhouse system and two water pumping-irrigation systems in Tunisia, a water pumping/grain grinding system in Upper Volta, five medical clinic systems in four countries, PV-powered vaccine refrigerator systems in 18 countries and a PV-powered remote earth station in Indonesia. This paper reviews these PV projects and summarizes significant findings to date.

Status of DOE and AID stand-alone photovoltaic system field tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bifano, W. J.; Delombard, R.; Ratajczak, A. F.; Scudder, L. R.

1984-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) is managing stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID). The DOE project includes village PV power demonstration projects in Gabon (four sites) and the Marshall Islands, and PV-powered vaccine refrigerator systems in six countries. The AID project includes a large village power system, a farmhouse system and two water pumping-irrigation systems in Tunisia, a water pumping/grain grinding system in Upper Volta, five medical clinic systems in four countries, PV-powered vaccine refrigerator systems in 18 countries and a PV-powered remote earth station in Indonesia. This paper reviews these PV projects and summarizes significant findings to date.

Postflight reconditioning for European Astronauts - A case report of recovery after six months in space.

PubMed

Petersen, Nora; Lambrecht, Gunda; Scott, Jonathan; Hirsch, Natalie; Stokes, Maria; Mester, Joachim

2017-01-01

Postflight reconditioning of astronauts is understudied. Despite a rigorous, daily inflight exercise countermeasures programme during six months in microgravity (μG) on-board the International Space Station (ISS), physiological impairments occur and postflight reconditioning is still required on return to Earth. Such postflight programmes are implemented by space agency reconditioning specialists. Case Description and Assessments: A 38 year old male European Space Agency (ESA) crewmember's pre- and postflight (at six and 21 days after landing) physical performance from a six-month mission to ISS are described. muscle strength (squat and bench press 1 Repetition Maximum) and power (vertical jump), core muscle endurance and hip flexibility (Sit and Reach, Thomas Test). In-flight, the astronaut undertook a rigorous daily (2-h) exercise programme. The 21 day postflight reconditioning exercise concept focused on motor control and functional training, and was delivered in close co-ordination by the ESA physiotherapist and exercise specialist to provide the crewmember with comprehensive reconditioning support. Despite an intensive inflight exercise programme for this highly motivated crewmember, postflight performance showed impairments at R+6 for most parameters, all of which recovered by R+21 except muscular power (jump tests). Regardless of intense inflight exercise countermeasures and excellent compliance to postflight reconditioning, postflight performance showed impairments at R+6 for most parameters. Complex powerful performance tasks took longer to return to preflight values. Research is needed to develop optimal inflight and postflight exercise programmes to overcome the negative effects of microgravity and return the astronaut to preflight status as rapidly as possible. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division Technical Digest. Detection Systems and Technology, September 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

time and energy resources of a radar radar-power tubes are impracticab)le. The best are overwhelmed. A radar alone may not be power-combining networks ...on individual Currently known facts and matched rule in- platforms. This information permits operators to stances are maintained in a network data...represents an elabo- ESTAR’s rule set is specified in Figure 6, and its ration of Forgy’s approach,2 in which only con- corresponding network is

Nine-channel mid-power bipolar pulse generator based on a field programmable gate array

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

Haylock, Ben, E-mail: benjamin.haylock2@griffithuni.edu.au; Lenzini, Francesco; Kasture, Sachin

Many channel arbitrary pulse sequence generation is required for the electro-optic reconfiguration of optical waveguide networks in Lithium Niobate. Here we describe a scalable solution to the requirement for mid-power bipolar parallel outputs, based on pulse patterns generated by an externally clocked field programmable gate array. Positive and negative pulses can be generated at repetition rates up to 80 MHz with pulse width adjustable in increments of 1.6 ns across nine independent outputs. Each channel can provide 1.5 W of RF power and can be synchronised with the operation of other components in an optical network such as light sourcesmore » and detectors through an external clock with adjustable delay.« less

Le syndrome d’alcoolisme foetal

PubMed Central

2002-01-01

L’alcool est un tératogène physique et comportemental. Le syndrome d’alcoolisme foetal (SAF) est un trouble courant mais encore sous-diagnostiqué découlant de la consommation d’alcool par la mère pendant la grossesse. Bien qu’il puisse être prévenu, le SAF est également invalidant. Même si le SAF est présent dans tous les groupes socioéconomiques du Canada, sa prévalence est élevée dans certaines communautés inuites et des Premières nations du Canada. Le présent énoncé porte sur la prévention, le diagnostic, le dépistage précoce et la prise en charge du SAF par les professionnels de la santé. La prévention du SAF doit s’effectuer à deux échelons. La prévention primaire consiste à éliminer le SAF par une formation en classe ou dans la collectivité et à inciter les femmes à éviter de consommer de l’alcool avant la conception et pendant la grossesse. La prévention secondaire consiste à repérer les femmes qui boivent pendant leur grossesse et à réduire leur consommation. Le présent énoncé décrit plusieurs stratégies de dépistage, dont la stratégie T-ACE (tolérance-agacement, réduction, éveil). Les dispensateurs de soins devraient recommander l’abstinence dès la première visite prénatale. Un envoi rapide en consultation en vue de traiter l’alcoolisme est recommandé pour les femmes enceintes incapables d’arrêter de boire. Le présent énoncé décrit le diagnostic de SAF, de SAF partiel ou atypique, d’anomalies congénitales et de troubles neurodéveloppementaux reliés à l’alcool. En cas d’exposition à l’alcool in utero, un diagnostic de SAF devrait être envisagé en présence d’un retard de croissance courant ou antérieur, de certaines anomalies faciales touchant la lèvre supérieure et les yeux et d’anomalies neurodéveloppementales. Ces caractéristiques sont mieux quantifiées au moyen d’une méthode diagnostique à quatre chiffres. Des stratégies de dépistage précoce des anomalies pouvant être reliées à l’alcool sont soulignées. L’intervention est axée sur l’optimisation du développement, la prise en charge des troubles de comportement et la prestation d’un programme scolaire convenable. Il est capital d’intervenir le plus tôt possible pour prévenir les incapacités secondaires susceptibles de découler d’un délai causé par l’attente d’un diagnostic définitif de SAF. Ce n’est que depuis 1973, lorsque Jones et Smith (1) ont donné des descriptions classiques des malformations reliées à l’exposition du foetus à l’alcool, qu’on a compris toute l’étendue de la dévastation provoquée par la consommation d’alcool pendant la grossesse. Un diagnostic de syndrome d’alcoolisme foetal (SAF) dépend d’un historique de consommation prénatale d’alcool par la mère, combiné à un ensemble de caractéristiques chez le nourrisson : croissance médiocre, traits caractéristiques du visage et anomalies neurodéveloppementales. À l’origine, l’effet de l’alcool sur le foetus (SAF atypique) était décrit comme une exposition à l’alcool accompagnée d’un schéma incomplet de manifestations physiques et psychologiques non spécifiques. Cette nomenclature a largement été remplacée par un système de classification qui précise si les effets sont physiques (anomalies congénitales reliées à l’alcool [ACRA]) ou reliés au développement du système nerveux ou du cerveau (anomalies neurodéveloppementales reliées à l’alcool [ANRA]) (2). Bien que les ACRA et les ANRA n’accompagnent pas nécessairement le SAF complet, leurs effets peuvent être tout aussi graves (3). Récemment, Astley et Clarren (4) ont suggéré de limiter la nomenclature aux termes SAF et SAF atypique.

Les perceptions des femmes tunisiennes selon le modèle des croyances liées à la santé et leurs pratiques relativement à l'ostéoporose

PubMed Central

Belgacem, Amina; Nouira, Amel; Soussi, Sonia

2016-01-01

Introduction L'étude a pour objectif de décrire les croyances des femmes et leurs pratiques liées à la santé et à l'ostéoporose, afin d'élaborer des interventions efficaces et ciblées pour la prévention de cette maladie dans le contexte tunisien. Méthodes Une étude descriptive transversale a été effectuée auprès de 100 femmes tunisiennes, âgées de 45 ans et plus, qui consultent au centre de santé de base d'une zone périurbaine de la région de Sousse (Tunisie). La collecte de l'information a été réalisée à l'aide de « l'échelle des croyances relatives à la santé sur l'ostéoporose» développée par Kim et ses collègues traduit en arabe et validé en Tunisie et le questionnaire de «Calcul des apports calciques quotidiens» développé par Fardellone Patrice. L'interprétation des résultants s'est basée sur le «Health Belief Model ». Résultats La perception des participantes pourrait être considérée comme au dessus de la moyenne pour la vulnérabilité de l'ostéoporose (58%), la gravité de la maladie, les avantages de la pratique de l'activité physique, les avantages de l'apport en calcium et la motivation à la santé; par contre, elle pourrait être considérée comme modérée concernant les obstacles à la prévention. Cependant, les pratiques exposant au risque de la maladie sont relativement fréquentes et ceci essentiellement en rapport avec des facteurs socio-économiques et culturels. Conclusion Les programmes de promotion doivent viser la création d'un environnement physique et social favorable à l'adoption des comportements à moindre risque et viser l'éducation ciblée de la population. PMID:27217868

Evaluation du niveau de connaissance des patients sur la gestion du traitement par les antis vitamines K dans le service de cardiologie de Ouagadougou

PubMed Central

Samadoulougou, André; Temoua Naibe, Dangwé; Mandi, Germain; Yameogo, Relwendé Aristide; Kabore, Elisé; Millogo, Georges; Yameogo, Nobila Valentin; Kologo, Jonas Koudougou; Thiam/Tall, Anna; Toguyeni, Boubacar Jean Yves; Zabsonre, Patrice

2014-01-01

Introduction Les antivitamines K (AVK), traitement anticoagulant oral le plus largement prescrit, posent un réel problème de santé publique du fait de leur risque iatrogène. L'objectif de cette étude était de préciser le niveau de connaissance des patients sur la gestion de leur traitement par les AVK. Méthodes Il s'est agi d'une enquête transversale descriptive réalisée au CHU-Yalgado Ouédraogo, sur une période de 03 mois : du 1er mars au 31 mai 2012. Un questionnaire a été administré aux patients bénéficiant d'un traitement AVK depuis au moins un mois. Résultats Soixante-dix patients ont été inclus dans l'étude dont 30 hommes. L'âge moyen était de 49 ans ± 16 ans. Les cardiopathies et la maladie thromboembolique veineuse justifiant l'institution du traitement AVK étaient retrouvées respectivement dans 58,6% et 41,4% des cas. Le nom de l'AVK et la raison exacte du traitement étaient connus respectivement dans 91,4% et 67,1% des cas. Plus de la moitié des patients (68,6%) savaient que les AVK rendaient le sang plus fluide. Quarante-six patients (65,7%) citaient l'INR comme examen biologique de surveillance du traitement et seulement 28 patients (40%) connaissaient les valeurs cibles. La majorité des patients ne connaissait pas les risques encourus en cas de surdosage (72,8%) et de sous-dosage (71,4%). Une automédication par anti-inflammatoire non stéroïdien était signalée par 18 patients (25,7%). Les choux (74,3%) et la laitue (62,9%), aliments à consommer avec modération, étaient les plus cités. Conclusion Les connaissances des patients sur la gestion des AVK étaient fragmentaires et insuffisantes pour assurer la sécurité et l'efficacité du traitement. La création d'un programme d'éducation thérapeutique sur les AVK s'avère alors nécessaire. PMID:25870741

Power increase at first ProCure21 project.

PubMed

2007-06-01

Throughout the UK, hospitals are embarking on new-build programmes to meet the needs of growing communities. However, site acreage and accommodation are often already under pressure, as Dale Power Solutions found when it was commissioned to increase standby power availability at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

Premier League Reading STARS 2013/14. Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pabion, Clémence

2015-01-01

The National Literacy Trust's Premier League Reading Stars programme (PLRS) is a reading intervention for children aged 8 to 13 that captures the motivational power of football to inspire children and young people to read more and to improve their literacy skills. PLRS is delivered by teachers and librarians. The programme delivers statutory…

Tackling the Knowledge: Action Gap in Sustainable Consumption--Insights from a Participatory School Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barth, Matthias; Fischer, Daniel; Michelsen, Gerd; Nemnich, Claudia; Rode, Horst

2012-01-01

In the international policy discourse on sustainable consumption and production, education is acknowledged to be a powerful tool in changing unsustainable patterns of consumption. Current educational policies and programmes have responded to the consumption challenge mainly by including and addressing consumption issues in formal tuition in…

"Tidy, Toned and Fit": Locating Healthism within Elite Athlete Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Seth

2017-01-01

Coaches and athletes have been increasingly inundated with power related "truths" about their bodies, health and performance as they construct their subjectivities. Over the last couple of decades in New Zealand, schools have initiated elite athlete programmes (EAPs) for a select few students based primarily on their athletic ability and…

Throughput and latency programmable optical transceiver by using DSP and FEC control.

PubMed

Tanimura, Takahito; Hoshida, Takeshi; Kato, Tomoyuki; Watanabe, Shigeki; Suzuki, Makoto; Morikawa, Hiroyuki

2017-05-15

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a proof-of-concept of a programmable optical transceiver that enables simultaneous optimization of multiple programmable parameters (modulation format, symbol rate, power allocation, and FEC) for satisfying throughput, signal quality, and latency requirements. The proposed optical transceiver also accommodates multiple sub-channels that can transport different optical signals with different requirements. Multi-degree-of-freedom of the parameters often leads to difficulty in finding the optimum combination among the parameters due to an explosion of the number of combinations. The proposed optical transceiver reduces the number of combinations and finds feasible sets of programmable parameters by using constraints of the parameters combined with a precise analytical model. For precise BER prediction with the specified set of parameters, we model the sub-channel BER as a function of OSNR, modulation formats, symbol rates, and power difference between sub-channels. Next, we formulate simple constraints of the parameters and combine the constraints with the analytical model to seek feasible sets of programmable parameters. Finally, we experimentally demonstrate the end-to-end operation of the proposed optical transceiver with offline manner including low-density parity-check (LDPC) FEC encoding and decoding under a specific use case with latency-sensitive application and 40-km transmission.

Field Programmable Gate Array for Implementation of Redundant Advanced Digital Feedback Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, K. D.

2003-01-01

The goal of this effort was to develop a digital motor controller using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). This is a more rugged approach than a conventional microprocessor digital controller. FPGAs typically have higher radiation (rad) tolerance than both the microprocessor and memory required for a conventional digital controller. Furthermore, FPGAs can typically operate at higher speeds. (While speed is usually not an issue for motor controllers, it can be for other system controllers.) Other than motor power, only a 3.3-V digital power supply was used in the controller; no analog bias supplies were used. Since most of the circuit was implemented in the FPGA, no additional parts were needed other than the power transistors to drive the motor. The benefits that FPGAs provide over conventional designs-lower power and fewer parts-allow for smaller packaging and reduced weight and cost.

DOE and AID stand-alone photovoltaic activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bifano, W. J.; Ratajczak, A. F.

1983-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) is managing stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system activities sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID). The DOE project includes village PV power demonstration projects in Gabon (four sites) and the Marshall Islands, PV-powered medical refrigerators in six countries, PV system microprocessor control development activities and PV-hybrid system assessments. The AID project includes a large village system in Tunisia, a water pumping/grain grinding project in Upper Volta, five medical clinics in four countries, PV-powered remote earth station application. These PV activities and summarizes significant findings to data are reviewed.

Potassium-Rankine Power Conversion Subsystem Modeling for Nuclear Electric Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Gregory A.

1993-01-01

A potassium-Rankine power conversion system model was developed under Contract No. NAS3-25808 for the NASA-LeRC. This model predicts potassium-Rankine performance for turbine inlet temperatures (TIT) from 1200 - 1600 K, TIT to condenser temperature ratios from 1.25-1.6, power levels from 100 to 10,000 kWe, and lifetimes from 2-10 years. The model is for a Rankine cycle with reheat for turbine stage moisture control. The model assumes heat is supplied from a lithium heat transport loop. The model does not include a heat source or a condenser/heat rejection system model. These must be supplied by the user.

Dangers associated with civil nuclear power programmes: weaponization and nuclear waste.

PubMed

Boulton, Frank

2015-07-24

The number of nuclear power plants in the world rose exponentially to 420 by 1990 and peaked at 438 in 2002; but by 2014, as closed plants were not replaced, there were just 388. In spite of using more renewable energy, the world still relies on fossil fuels, but some countries plan to develop new nuclear programmes. Spent nuclear fuel, one of the most dangerous and toxic materials known, can be reprocessed into fresh fuel or into weapons-grade materials, and generates large amounts of highly active waste. This article reviews available literature on government and industry websites and from independent analysts on world energy production, the aspirations of the 'new nuclear build' programmes in China and the UK, and the difficulties in keeping the environment safe over an immense timescale while minimizing adverse health impacts and production of greenhouse gases, and preventing weaponization by non-nuclear-weapons states acquiring civil nuclear technology.

Power, community mobilization, and condom use practices among female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Blankenship, Kim M; West, Brooke S; Kershaw, Trace S; Biradavolu, Monica R

2008-12-01

We used a structural interventions framework to analyse the associations between power and condom use among a sample of female sex workers (FSW), and how exposure to a local community mobilization intervention (CMI) affects these associations. Data came from a cross-sectional survey of 812 FSW in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India, recruited through respondent-driven sampling. We identified three types of power - collective power, control over work, and economic power, and three dimensions of collective power - collective identity, efficacy, and agency. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the relationship of these three types of power and exposure to a CMI with consistent condom use with clients. A total of 803 respondents exchanged sex with an occasional or regular client in the 7 days before the interview. Multivariate logistic regression shows that control over both the type of sex [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-2.34] and the amount charged (AOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.12-2.16), and economic dependence (AOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35-0.83) are associated with consistent condom use as is programme exposure (AOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.48-2.94). The interaction between programme exposure and collective agency was also significant (chi-square 6.62, P = 0.01). Among respondents who reported both programme exposure and high levels of collective agency, the odds ratio of consistent condom use was 2.5 times that of other FSW. A structural interventions framework is useful for understanding HIV risk among FSW. More needs to be done to promote FSW control over work and access to economic resources.

Left Ventricular Geometry and Blood Pressure as Predictors of Adverse Progression of Fabry Cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Krämer, Johannes; Bijnens, Bart; Störk, Stefan; Ritter, Christian O; Liu, Dan; Ertl, Georg; Wanner, Christoph; Weidemann, Frank

2015-01-01

In spite of several research studies help to describe the heart in Fabry disease (FD), the cardiomyopathy is not entirely understood. In addition, the impact of blood pressure and alterations in geometry have not been systematically evaluated. In 74 FD patients (mean age 36±12 years; 45 females) the extent of myocardial fibrosis and its progression were quantified using cardiac magnetic-resonance-imaging with late enhancement technique (LE). Results were compared to standard echocardiography complemented by 2D-speckle-tracking, 3D-sphericity-index (SI) and standardized blood pressure measurement. At baseline, no patient received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). After 51±24 months, a follow-up examination was performed. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher in patients with vs. without LE: 123±17 mmHg vs. 115±13 mmHg; P = 0.04. A positive correlation was found between SI and the amount of LE-positive myocardium (r = 0.51; P<0.001) indicating an association of higher SI in more advanced stages of the cardiomyopathy. SI at baseline was positively associated with the increase of LE-positive myocardium during follow-up. The highest SBP (125±19 mmHg) and also the highest SI (0.32±0.05) was found in the subgroup with a rapidly increasing LE (ie, ≥0.2% per year; n = 16; P = 0.04). Multivariate logistic regression analysis including SI, SBP, EF, left ventricular volumes, wall thickness and NT-proBNP adjusted for age and sex showed SI as the most powerful parameter to detect rapid progression of LE (AUC = 0.785; P<0.05). LV geometry as assessed by the sphericity index is altered in relation to the stage of the Fabry cardiomyopathy. Although patients with FD are not hypertensive, the SBP has a clear impact on the progression of the cardiomyopathy.

Left Ventricular Geometry and Blood Pressure as Predictors of Adverse Progression of Fabry Cardiomyopathy

PubMed Central

Krämer, Johannes; Bijnens, Bart; Störk, Stefan; Ritter, Christian O.; Liu, Dan; Ertl, Georg; Wanner, Christoph; Weidemann, Frank

2015-01-01

Background In spite of several research studies help to describe the heart in Fabry disease (FD), the cardiomyopathy is not entirely understood. In addition, the impact of blood pressure and alterations in geometry have not been systematically evaluated. Methods In 74 FD patients (mean age 36±12 years; 45 females) the extent of myocardial fibrosis and its progression were quantified using cardiac magnetic-resonance-imaging with late enhancement technique (LE). Results were compared to standard echocardiography complemented by 2D-speckle-tracking, 3D-sphericity-index (SI) and standardized blood pressure measurement. At baseline, no patient received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). After 51±24 months, a follow-up examination was performed. Results Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher in patients with vs. without LE: 123±17 mmHg vs. 115±13 mmHg; P = 0.04. A positive correlation was found between SI and the amount of LE-positive myocardium (r = 0.51; P<0.001) indicating an association of higher SI in more advanced stages of the cardiomyopathy. SI at baseline was positively associated with the increase of LE-positive myocardium during follow-up. The highest SBP (125±19 mmHg) and also the highest SI (0.32±0.05) was found in the subgroup with a rapidly increasing LE (ie, ≥0.2% per year; n = 16; P = 0.04). Multivariate logistic regression analysis including SI, SBP, EF, left ventricular volumes, wall thickness and NT-proBNP adjusted for age and sex showed SI as the most powerful parameter to detect rapid progression of LE (AUC = 0.785; P<0.05). Conclusions LV geometry as assessed by the sphericity index is altered in relation to the stage of the Fabry cardiomyopathy. Although patients with FD are not hypertensive, the SBP has a clear impact on the progression of the cardiomyopathy. PMID:26600044

USE Efficiency: an innovative educational programme for energy efficiency in buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulos, Theofilos A.; Christoforidis, Georgios C.; Papagiannis, Grigoris K.

2017-10-01

Power engineers are expected to play a pivotal role in transforming buildings into smart and energy-efficient structures, which is necessary since buildings are responsible for a considerable amount of the total energy consumption. To fulfil this role, a holistic approach in education is required, tackling subjects traditionally related to other engineering disciplines. In this context, USE Efficiency is an inter-institutional and interdisciplinary educational programme implemented in nine European Universities targeting energy efficiency in buildings. The educational programme effectively links professors, students, engineers and industry experts, creating a unique learning environment. The scope of the paper is to present the methodology and the general framework followed in the USE Efficiency programme. The proposed methodology can be adopted for the design and implementation of educational programmes on energy efficiency and sustainable development in higher education. End-of-course survey results showed positive feedback from the participating students, indicating the success of the programme.

Le transfert de connaissances entre les mathematiques et les sciences. Une etude exploratoire aupres d'eleves de 4e secondaire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samson, Ghislain

2003-06-01

Au moment ou dans plusieurs pays on travaille a refondre les programmes d'etudes, tant au primaire qu'au secondaire, l'interet pour le transfert renait. Un des concepts fondamentaux en apprentissage consiste en l'habilete a reutiliser de facon consciente et efficace un acquis d'une situation a une autre situation. Cette recherche emane de preoccupations professionnelles au moment ou le chercheur etait enseignant au secondaire. Au cours de ces annees, il lui a ete possible de constater que plusieurs eleves percevaient difficilement les liens presents entre les disciplines mathematiques et scientifiques. Des travaux en psychologie cognitive et plus particulierement selon une perspective du traitement de l'information ont servi de cadre de reference pour evaluer et analyser les capacites de transfert aupres d'eleves de 4e secondaire. Ce cadre de reference permet de formuler le principal objectif qui est de mieux comprendre le processus de transfert chez des eleves en situation de resolution de problemes scientifiques. Cette these s'interesse donc au transfert en tant que phenomene important du processus d'apprentissage au sens de l'integration. La methode de recherche choisie, de nature qualitative, est principalement axee sur l'evaluation de la capacite a transferer des connaissances lors d'une epreuve et d'un entretien. Pour evaluer ce potentiel de transfert, nous avons elabore deux outils: une epreuve en mathematiques et en sciences et un guide d'entretien. Pour la passation de l'epreuve, le chercheur a pu compter sur la collaboration de 130 sujets provenant de deux ecoles. L'entretien complete la prise de donnees avec 13 sujets ayant accepte de poursuivre l'etude. Les donnees recueillies par ces instruments font ensuite l'objet d'une analyse de contenu. En premier lieu, les verbatims de l'epreuve et de l'entretien ont ete transcrits, puis codifies. La correction des reponses fournies pour les problemes resolus s'est faite a partir d'une grille d'analyse qualitative et adaptee de la litterature (Thouin, 1995). Une seconde serie d'analyses permettant de categoriser les reponses selon la typologie des connaissances declaratives, procedurales et conditionnelles complete la prise de donnees. Nos resultats indiquent que les sujets sont tres influences par des elements de surface, principalement lorsqu'il s'agit de problemes auxquels ils ne sont pas habitues. En l'absence de connaissances de base, plusieurs sujets vont tendre vers des propositions de solution "pratico-pratique" provenant de leur vecu: cela nous apparait d'importance d'un point de vue didactique et en matiere de transfert. Lors des entretiens realises un mois plus tard, les sujets ont eprouve de la difficulte a se rappeler le contenu de l'epreuve. Et lorsqu'il y avait un rappel, celui-ci etait superficiel et surtout axe sur le contenu ou le contexte d'un probleme. La plupart des sujets ne pouvait nommer que deux ou trois elements (des problemes en mathematiques, en sciences physiques, le probleme de la fenetre, le probleme du laser, etc.). Nos resultats confirment ce que plusieurs chercheurs (Julo, 1995, Jonnaert et Vander Borght, 1999; Richard et al., 1990) qui s'interessent aux questions de l'apprentissage admettent aujourd'hui: l'eleve ne travaille jamais sur la situation proposee par l'enseignant, mais bien sur la representation qu'il s'en est construite. Au plan methodologique, cette recherche est interessante par la variete des sources de collecte de donnees utilisees, par l'application d'outils methodologiques et d'analyses originaux tires de la recherche et de la pratique. Du cote theorique, il resulte de cette etude une meilleure comprehension du processus de transfert des connaissances mathematiques vers les sciences physiques. Finalement, aux plans didactique et pedagogique, cette recherche alimente la reflexion sur l'apprentissage et l'enseignement des sciences au secondaire. Elle fait ressortir que les mathematiques sont importantes dans la mobilisation de certaines connaissances scientifiques et que l'enseignant peut et devrait jouer un role pour favoriser le transfert.

The Influence of Supranational Organizations on Educational Programme Planning in the Least Developed Countries: The Case of Nepal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regmi, Kapil Dev

2015-01-01

Amidst growing criticisms of global financial institutions, primarily the World Bank, this article explores their influence on educational programme planning in some of the impoverished nations known as the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The domination of these institutions originates not only from their monetary power but also from the…

L’évaluation du syndrome du Burnout chez les médecins en formation au CHU Ibn Rochd de Casablanca

PubMed Central

El Kettani, Assiya; Serhier, Zineb; Othmani, Mohammed Bennani; Agoub, Mohamed; Battas, Omar

2017-01-01

Introduction Le Burnout est très répandu en milieu hospitalier et sa gravité est encore plus accrue chez les jeunes médecins. L'objectif est de déterminer la prévalence du burnout parmi les médecins en formation (internes et résidents) au CHU Ibn Rochd de Casablanca et chercher les facteurs associés. Méthodes Étude transversale descriptive menée en 2013- 2014 auprès d'un échantillon de 300 médecins à l'aide d'un questionnaire auto-administré; le burnout était évalué par la version française du Maslash Burnout Inventory (MBI). Résultats Un total de191 médecins a participé à l'étude (taux de réponse à 63,7%) avec une prédominance féminine à 79,1% et une moyenne d'âge de 26,7ans (ET = 3). Les scores moyens des sous-dimensions du MBI: l'épuisement émotionnel, la dépersonnalisation et l'accomplissement personnel étaient respectivement de (33,7 ± 10,7), (12,2 ± 6,5) et (30,6 ± 8,3). Le burnout sévère touchait 31,8% des participants. Il était associé aux problèmes de communication au sein de l'équipe soignante (p < 0,01), l'accompagnement insuffisant (p < 0,05), l'insatisfaction des séniors (p = 0,01), la crainte de faire des erreurs médicales (p < 0,05), le recours à un psychothérapeute (p < 0,001), la consommation de psychotropes (p = 0,001), les troubles anxieux (p < 0,01), la dépression (p < 0,01) et les idées suicidaires (p < 0,05). Les facteurs protecteurs étaient représentés par: le sentiment d'équité au sein de l'équipe soignante (p < 0,01) et la pratique de loisirs (p < 0,05). Le changement d'orientation de carrière était associé au burnout sévère (p < 0,05). Conclusion Ces résultats rejoignent ceux des études précédentes et justifient l'intérêt d'un programme de prévention à différents niveaux. Introduction Burnout is very widespread in the hospital setting and it becomes much more severe in young physicians. The objective of this study aims to evaluate the prevalence of burnout among doctors in training (internal and residents) at the Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca and to identify factors associated with it. PMID:28979644

Description and status of NASA-LeRC/DOE photovoltaic applications systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratajczak, A. F.

1978-01-01

Designed, fabricated and installed were 16 geographically dispersed photovoltaic systems. These systems are powering a refrigerator, highway warning sign, forest lookout towers, remote weather stations, a water chiller at a visitor center, and insect survey traps. Each of these systems is described in terms of load requirements, solar array and battery size, and instrumentation and controls. Operational experience is described and present status is given for each system. The P/V power systems have proven to be highly reliable with almost no problems with modules and very few problems overall.

Low Cost Expendable TWT Amplifier for ECM.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-08-01

Figure Tit le Page 4 1 43 Proposed Low Cost TWT 90 44 “T” Shaped Tapered Helix 91 45 Coupled Helix Input 92 46 SImulated Helix by L—C Circuit 94 47...asylTuietric mode even if the helices are syninetrical in phase and amplitude at the input. In a broadband TWT , this l eads to power holes in the f...The 1-Shaped helix was fi rst descri bed by L. Winslow , as an alternative to notching support rods in high power TWT ’ s to Increase interactive

Experimental investigation of an ejector-powered free-jet facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, Mary JO

1992-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center's (LeRC) newly developed Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR) is a large free-jet test facility powered by an ejector system. In order to assess the pumping performance of this ejector concept and determine its sensitivity to various design parameters, a 1/5-scale model of the NATR was built and tested prior to the operation of the actual facility. This paper discusses the results of the 1/5-scale model tests and compares them with the findings from the full-scale tests.

Programmable, secondary frequency standard based infrared synthesizer using tunable lead-salt diode lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freed, C.; Bielinski, J. W.; Lo, W.

1983-01-01

Quantum phase noise limited Lorentzian power spectral densities were achieved with tunable lead-salt diode lasers. Linewidths as narrow as 22 kHz were observed. A truly programmable infrared synthesizer was produced by frequency-offset-locking the tunable diode lasers to the combination of a stable CO2 (or CO) reference laser and a programmable microwave frequency synthesizer. Absolute frequency accuracy and reproducibility of about + or - 30 kHz (0.000001 kaysers) relative to the primary Cs frequency standard may now be obtained with this technique.

Relay Protection and Automation Systems Based on Programmable Logic Integrated Circuits

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

Lashin, A. V., E-mail: LashinAV@lhp.ru; Kozyrev, A. V.

One of the most promising forms of developing the apparatus part of relay protection and automation devices is considered. The advantages of choosing programmable logic integrated circuits to obtain adaptive technological algorithms in power system protection and control systems are pointed out. The technical difficulties in the problems which today stand in the way of using relay protection and automation systems are indicated and a new technology for solving these problems is presented. Particular attention is devoted to the possibility of reconfiguring the logic of these devices, using programmable logic integrated circuits.

Proceedings, 15th Annual Meeting, Aquatic Plant Control Research Planning and Operations Review, held 17-20 November 1980, Savannah, Georgia.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

transmitter/ receiver (the AGNAV guidance system), a TI - 59 programmable calculator with a TI PC-1O0 thermal printer and direct current (DC) to alternating...the TI - 59 programmable calculator mounted on the TI PC-100 thermal printer and the 12-v DC to 120-v AC inverter. Power for both the mobile and...dropped, the new A2 B2 distances are keyed into the calculator, and * Magnetic cards, readable on a TI - 59 programmable calculator , with all programs

Ideological Alchemy: The Transmutation of South African Didactics (and Fundamental Pedagogics) into "Apartheid Education"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yonge, George D.

2008-01-01

In his response to Kruger, Le Grange claims that: (1) the South African discourse of fundamental pedagogics was closely allied with Christian National Education and functioned as a powerful educational doctrine in the service of the South African policy of apartheid education; (2) fundamental pedagogics bracketed political discourse; (3) the…

Multi-Mission Power Analysis Tool (MMPAT) Version 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Eric G.; Chang, George W.; Chen, Fannie C.

2012-01-01

The Multi-Mission Power Analysis Tool (MMPAT) simulates a spacecraft power subsystem including the power source (solar array and/or radioisotope thermoelectric generator), bus-voltage control, secondary battery (lithium-ion or nickel-hydrogen), thermostatic heaters, and power-consuming equipment. It handles multiple mission types including heliocentric orbiters, planetary orbiters, and surface operations. Being parametrically driven along with its user-programmable features can reduce or even eliminate any need for software modifications when configuring it for a particular spacecraft. It provides multiple levels of fidelity, thereby fulfilling the vast majority of a project s power simulation needs throughout the lifecycle. It can operate in a stand-alone mode with a graphical user interface, in batch mode, or as a library linked with other tools. This software can simulate all major aspects of a spacecraft power subsystem. It is parametrically driven to reduce or eliminate the need for a programmer. Added flexibility is provided through user-designed state models and table-driven parameters. MMPAT is designed to be used by a variety of users, such as power subsystem engineers for sizing power subsystem components; mission planners for adjusting mission scenarios using power profiles generated by the model; system engineers for performing system- level trade studies using the results of the model during the early design phases of a spacecraft; and operations personnel for high-fidelity modeling of the essential power aspect of the planning picture.

Les séquelles de brûlures cervicales: aspects épidémiologique, clinique et thérapeutique au Maroc

PubMed Central

Rafik, Amine; Chabak, Hakim; Diouri, Mounia; Bahechar, Naïma; Chlihi, Abdessamad

2015-01-01

Les séquelles de brûlures cervicales représentent une entité fréquente des séquelles de brûlure, elles affectent la fonction, l'esthétique et l’état psychologique des patients et peuvent être de traitement difficile. Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective étalée sur 5 ans de Mars 2009 au Octobre2014, réalisée au centre national des brûlés et de chirurgie plastique au CHU Ibn Rochd Casablanca. Nous avons analysé les caractéristiques épidémiologiqueset cliniques ainsi que les indications et les résultats thérapeutiques chez 300 patients présentant des rétractions cervicales post-brûlure, suivis dans notre formation. Les jeunes femmes étaient le plus souvent touchées (56%). la brûlure thermique par flamme de butane dans le cadre d'accident domestique était l’étiologie la plus fréquente (91%).75% des patients ont été pris en charge dans un délai de 18 mois après avoir présenté une incapacité fonctionnelle. Les brides cervicales modérées et sévères sont les plus fréquentes et représentent respectivement 60% et 16% des cas. Le traitement chirurgical a fait appel aux greffes cutanées dans 67%des cas, aux plasties locales dans 24%des cas et aux lambeaux dans 24% des cas, les résultats sont jugés bons dans 75%des cas et moyens dans 18% des cas, tandis que les cas restants (7%) ont nécessité une reprise chirurgicale. Le traitement des brides cervicales doit être associé à un programme de rééducation adapté, afin d'assurer la pérennité des résultats fonctionnels et esthétiques. PMID:26301017

Conduite automobile et démence

PubMed Central

Lee, Linda; Molnar, Frank

2017-01-01

Résumé Objectif Fournir aux médecins de première ligne une approche relative aux préoccupations de sécurité au volant lorsque les personnes âgées présentent des troubles de mémoire. Sources d’information L’approche est fondée sur un programme de formation agréé des cliniques de la mémoire, élaboré par la clinique de la mémoire du Centre for Family Medicine. Message principal L’un des aspects les plus difficiles des soins aux personnes atteintes de démence est l’évaluation de la sécurité au volant. Les conducteurs atteints de démence présentent un risque plus élevé de collisions, quoique de nombreux conducteurs dont l’atteinte est légère soient aptes à conduire pendant encore plusieurs années. Puisque l’aptitude à conduire dépend de multiples compétences cognitives et fonctionnelles, de nombreux facteurs entrent en jeu lorsque les cliniciens déterminent si les sujets de préoccupation en matière de cognition se répercutent sur l’aptitude à conduire. Les observations spécifiques tirées de l’anamnèse corroborée et des tests cognitifs effectués en cabinet pourraient aider le médecin à décider s’il doit recommander le patient à un examen pratique complet et aviser les autorités provinciales du transport, conformément aux exigences en matière de déclarations. La communication doit être axée sur le patient et menée avec tact. Conclusion Les médecins de première ligne doivent tenir compte de plusieurs facteurs lorsqu’ils déterminent si les sujets de leurs préoccupations en matière de cognition pourraient se répercuter sur l’aptitude des conducteurs âgés à prendre le volant. PMID:28115452

Lymphatic filariasis patient identification in a large urban area of Tanzania: An application of a community-led mHealth system.

PubMed

Mwingira, Upendo; Chikawe, Maria; Mandara, Wilfred Lazarus; Mableson, Hayley E; Uisso, Cecilia; Mremi, Irene; Malishee, Alpha; Malecela, Mwele; Mackenzie, Charles D; Kelly-Hope, Louise A; Stanton, Michelle C

2017-07-01

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is best known for the disabling and disfiguring clinical conditions that infected patients can develop; providing care for these individuals is a major goal of the Global Programme to Eliminate LF. Methods of locating these patients, knowing their true number and thus providing care for them, remains a challenge for national medical systems, particularly when the endemic zone is a large urban area. A health community-led door-to-door survey approach using the SMS reporting tool MeasureSMS-Morbidity was used to rapidly collate and monitor data on LF patients in real-time (location, sex, age, clinical condition) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Each stage of the phased study carried out in the three urban districts of city consisted of a training period, a patient identification and reporting period, and a data verification period, with refinements to the system being made after each phase. A total of 6889 patients were reported (133.6 per 100,000 population), of which 4169 were reported to have hydrocoele (80.9 per 100,000), 2251 lymphoedema-elephantiasis (LE) (43.7 per 100,000) and 469 with both conditions (9.1 per 100,000). Kinondoni had the highest number of reported patients in absolute terms (2846, 138.9 per 100,000), followed by Temeke (2550, 157.3 per 100,000) and Ilala (1493, 100.5 per 100,000). The number of hydrocoele patients was almost twice that of LE in all three districts. Severe LE patients accounted for approximately a quarter (26.9%) of those reported, with the number of acute attacks increasing with reported LE severity (1.34 in mild cases, 1.78 in moderate cases, 2.52 in severe). Verification checks supported these findings. This system of identifying, recording and mapping patients affected by LF greatly assists in planning, locating and prioritising, as well as initiating, appropriate morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) activities. The approach is a feasible framework that could be used in other large urban environments in the LF endemic areas.

The Power of the Drum and Other Stories = Isigubhu sezimanga nezinye izindaba.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyster, Elda, Ed.; Dlamini, Bongiwe, Ed.

This book, written in English and Zulu, presents stories written by older people from the Muthande Society for the Aged Literacy Programme in South Africa. It is suitable for people learning to read for the first time or for people learning to read in a second language. In the Muthande Society for the Aged Literacy Programme, both teachers and…

Moving Elite Athletes Forward: Examining the Status of Secondary School Elite Athlete Programmes and Available Post-School Options

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Seth

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study focused specifically on examining the status of and the promotion of two elite athlete programmes (EAPs), the students/elite athlete selection process and available post-school options. The research was guided by Michel Foucault's work in understanding the relationship between power and knowledge. Participants,…

Why Offer the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme? A Comparison between Schools in Asia-Pacific and Other Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Ewan; Lee, Moosung; Tang, Hayes; Chak Pong Tsui, Gordon

2016-01-01

The International Baccalaureate (IB) has become a powerful educational brand by developing a reputation for combining progressive approaches with academic rigour. This can be identified by the growing number of schools adopting IB programmes globally and especially in the IB Asia-Pacific region. As part of this trend, the IB Middle Years Programme…

The effect of two different interval-training programmes on physiological and performance indices.

PubMed

Sindiani, Mahmood; Eliakim, Alon; Segev, Daria; Meckel, Yoav

2017-08-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of an increasing-distance, interval-training programme and a decreasing-distance, interval-training programme, matched for total distance, on aerobic and anaerobic physiological indices. Forty physical education students were randomly assigned to either the increasing- or decreasing-distance, interval-training group (ITG and DTG), and completed two similar relevant sets of tests before and after six weeks of training. One training programme consisted of increasing-distance interval-training (100-200-300-400-500 m) and the other decreasing-distance interval training (500-400-300-200-100 m). While both training programmes led to a significant improvement in VO 2 max (ES = 0.83-1.25), the improvement in the DTG was significantly greater than in the ITG (14.5 ± 3.6 vs. 7.8 ± 3.2%, p < .05). In addition, while both training programmes led to a significant improvement in all anaerobic indices (ES = 0.83-1.63), the improvements in peak power (15.7 ± 7.8 vs. 8.9 ± 4.7), mean power (10.6 ± 5.4 vs. 6.8 ± 4.4), and fatigue index (18.2 ± 10.9 vs. 7.0 ± 14.2) were significantly greater in the DTG compared to the ITG (p < .05). The main finding of the present study was that beyond the significant positive effects of both training programmes on aerobic and anaerobic fitness, the DTG showed significant superiority over the ITG in improving aerobic and anaerobic performance capabilities. Coaches and athletes should therefore be aware that, in spite of identical total work, an interval-training programme might induce different physiological impacts if the order of intervals is not identical.

Etude exploratoire des conceptions de la circulation sanguine aupres d'eleves de l'ordre collegial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robitaille, Jean-Marc

Il existe peu d'etudes sur les conceptions touchant les domaines de la biologie, notamment sur les conceptions de la circulation sanguine Nous avons observe egalement l'absence de recherche menee aupres d'eleves de l'ordre collegial sur cette question. Nous avons voulu combler une lacune en menant une recherche sur les conceptions de la circulation sanguine aupres d'eleves de l'ordre collegial. Pour mener cette recherche nous nous sommes inspires d'une methode developpee par Treagust (1988). Le premier niveau de formulation didactique etablit l'architecture du systeme et la fonction nutritive de la circulation. Le second niveau de formulation didactique decrit et relie les parametres de la dynamique de la circulation et leur relation: Pression, Debit et Resistance. Le troisieme niveau de formulation didactique s'interesse au controle de la circulation du sang dans un contexte d'homeostasie qui implique la regulation de la pression arterielle. Nous avons construit un questionnaire en nous guidant sur les niveaux de formulation didactique et l'analyse des entrevues menees aupres de dix-huit eleves, representatifs de la population cible. Ce questionnaire fut administre a un echantillon de 2300 eleves disperses dans six colleges de la region de Montreal. Notre echantillon comprend des eleves inscrits a des programmes de l'ordre collegial en Sciences de la nature et en Techniques de la sante et qui n'ont pas suivi le cours sur la circulation sanguine. Notre analyse des reponses des eleves de notre echantillon aux questions sur le premier niveau de formulation didactique revele que la majorite des eleves considerent que le systeme circulatoire relie les organes les uns aux autres dans un circuit en serie. Notre analyse revele egalement que la majorite des eleves estiment que les nutriments sont extraits du sang par les organes selon un processus de selection base sur les besoins determines par la fonction de l'organe. Ces besoins sont differents selon les organes qui ne prelevent que les nutriments necessaires. Au second niveau les reponses des eleves de la population indiquent une conception de la dynamique cardio-vasculaire axee d'abord sur le coeur, laissant aux vaisseaux un role passif de canaux. Ces reponses indiquent egalement que la dynamique circulatoire est reduite a une sequence d'etapes ponctuelles sans relation les unes avec les autres. Au troisieme niveau les reponses des eleves de la population font etat d'une conception du controle qui privilegie la satisfaction de besoins locaux, sans relation systemique. Nos resultats suggerent que les eleves de notre echantillon affichent une plus grande concordance avec l'expert pour les questions du premier niveau (70%) que pour les niveaux II (54%) et III (50%). Notre analyse des donnees revele que l'accord avec l'expert est eleve lorsque la questions touchent la description des structures et la definition de leurs roles et plus faible lorsque les questions touchent la dynamique et le controle. Il existerait donc un niveau de formulation qui correspond a la description de structures et un autre niveau qui recoupe toute la dynamique de la circulation et son controle. Du point de vue didactique lanalyse des donnees suggere que nous ne retrouvons pas une correspondance entre les niveaux de formulation didactique et les conceptions des eleves. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Progress in preliminary studies at Ottana Solar Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demontis, V.; Camerada, M.; Cau, G.; Cocco, D.; Damiano, A.; Melis, T.; Musio, M.

2016-05-01

The fast increasing share of distributed generation from non-programmable renewable energy sources, such as the strong penetration of photovoltaic technology in the distribution networks, has generated several problems for the management and security of the whole power grid. In order to meet the challenge of a significant share of solar energy in the electricity mix, several actions aimed at increasing the grid flexibility and its hosting capacity, as well as at improving the generation programmability, need to be investigated. This paper focuses on the ongoing preliminary studies at the Ottana Solar Facility, a new experimental power plant located in Sardinia (Italy) currently under construction, which will offer the possibility to progress in the study of solar plants integration in the power grid. The facility integrates a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant, including a thermal energy storage system and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) unit, with a concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) plant and an electrical energy storage system. The facility has the main goal to assess in real operating conditions the small scale concentrating solar power technology and to study the integration of the two technologies and the storage systems to produce programmable and controllable power profiles. A model for the CSP plant yield was developed to assess different operational strategies that significantly influence the plant yearly yield and its global economic effectiveness. In particular, precise assumptions for the ORC module start-up operation behavior, based on discussions with the manufacturers and technical datasheets, will be described. Finally, the results of the analysis of the: "solar driven", "weather forecasts" and "combined storage state of charge (SOC)/ weather forecasts" operational strategies will be presented.

Space Station Freedom electrical performance model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hojnicki, Jeffrey S.; Green, Robert D.; Kerslake, Thomas W.; Mckissock, David B.; Trudell, Jeffrey J.

1993-01-01

The baseline Space Station Freedom electric power system (EPS) employs photovoltaic (PV) arrays and nickel hydrogen (NiH2) batteries to supply power to housekeeping and user electrical loads via a direct current (dc) distribution system. The EPS was originally designed for an operating life of 30 years through orbital replacement of components. As the design and development of the EPS continues, accurate EPS performance predictions are needed to assess design options, operating scenarios, and resource allocations. To meet these needs, NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has, over a 10 year period, developed SPACE (Station Power Analysis for Capability Evaluation), a computer code designed to predict EPS performance. This paper describes SPACE, its functionality, and its capabilities.

Effets potentiels d’un modèle rationnel de prescription sur les dépenses nationales en santé

PubMed Central

Littman, Jordan; Halil, Roland

2016-01-01

Résumé Objectif Estimer les économies que pourrait engendrer la mise en œuvre d’un modèle rationnel de prescription pour des classes de médicaments équivalents sur les plans de l’efficacité, de la toxicité et de la commodité. Conception L’Institut canadien d’information sur la santé a fourni des renseignements sur les 10 principales classes de médicaments en fonction des dépenses annuelles qui leur sont attribuables. Ces classes ont été examinées en vue de leur inclusion potentielle dans l’étude selon qu’il était possible de comparer les médicaments à l’intérieur d’une même classe. Lorsqu’à la suite d’une recherche documentaire, une équivalence a été établie en fonction de l’efficacité, de la toxicité et de la commodité des médicaments, les données annuelles sur les prescriptions ont été recueillies à partir de la base de données du Système national d’information sur l’utilisation des médicaments prescrits. Les économies potentielles de coûts ont ensuite été calculées en comparant les parts de marché actuelles avec les parts potentielles futures de ce marché. Contexte Le Canada. Principaux paramètres à l’étude Les différences estimées dans les dépenses que produirait un modèle rationnel de prescription. Résultats Une équivalence a été établie sur les plans de l’efficacité, de la toxicité et de la commodité dans les classes de statines, d’inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons, d’inhibiteurs de l’enzyme de conversion de l’angiotensine et d’inhibiteurs sélectifs du recaptage de l’angiotensine. Les dépenses annuelles totales dans ces classes se situent à 856 millions $ dans les programmes publics de médicaments et à 1,97 milliard $ environ à l’échelle nationale. Grâce à des prescriptions rationnelles, on estime que les économies annuelles pourraient atteindre 222 millions $ pour les programmes publics et 521 millions $ à l’échelle nationale. Conclusion La majorité des économies potentielles seraient attribuables à l’abandon des médicaments les plus récents protégés par un brevet dans chaque classe. En évitant de prescrire les plus récents médicaments intraclasses, en particulier en l’absence de recherche établissant leur supériorité dans les résultats cliniques pertinents, on pourrait réaliser des économies considérables dans les dépenses en santé et inciter l’industrie pharmaceutique à innover plutôt qu’à imiter.

Design and Development of High Voltage Direct Current (DC) Sources for the Solar Array Module Plasma Interaction Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bibyk, Irene K.; Wald, Lawrence W.

1995-01-01

Two programmable, high voltage DC power supplies were developed as part of the flight electronics for the Solar Array Module Plasma Interaction Experiment (SAMPIE). SAMPIE's primary objectives were to study and characterize the high voltage arcing and parasitic current losses of various solar cells and metal samples within the space plasma of low earth orbit (LEO). High voltage arcing can cause large discontinuous changes in spacecraft potential which lead to damage of the power system materials and significant Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). Parasitic currents cause a change in floating potential which lead to reduced power efficiency. These primary SAMPIE objectives were accomplished by applying artificial biases across test samples over a voltage range from -600 VDC to +300 VDC. This paper chronicles the design, final development, and test of the two programmable high voltage sources for SAMPIE. The technical challenges to the design for these power supplies included vacuum, space plasma effects, thermal protection, Shuttle vibrations and accelerations.

An All-Digital Fast Tracking Switching Converter with a Programmable Order Loop Controller for Envelope Tracking RF Power Amplifiers

PubMed Central

Anabtawi, Nijad; Ferzli, Rony; Harmanani, Haidar M.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a step down, switched mode power converter for use in multi-standard envelope tracking radio frequency power amplifiers (RFPA). The converter is based on a programmable order sigma delta modulator that can be configured to operate with either 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th order loop filters, eliminating the need for a bulky passive output filter. Output ripple, sideband noise and spectral emission requirements of different wireless standards can be met by configuring the modulator’s filter order and converter’s sampling frequency. The proposed converter is entirely digital and is implemented in 14nm bulk CMOS process for post layout verification. For an input voltage of 3.3V, the converter’s output can be regulated to any voltage level from 0.5V to 2.5V, at a nominal switching frequency of 150MHz. It achieves a maximum efficiency of 94% at 1.5 W output power. PMID:28919657

Smart Power Supply for Battery-Powered Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krasowski, Michael J.; Greer, Lawrence; Prokop, Norman F.; Flatico, Joseph M.

2010-01-01

A power supply for battery-powered systems has been designed with an embedded controller that is capable of monitoring and maintaining batteries, charging hardware, while maintaining output power. The power supply is primarily designed for rovers and other remote science and engineering vehicles, but it can be used in any battery alone, or battery and charging source applications. The supply can function autonomously, or can be connected to a host processor through a serial communications link. It can be programmed a priori or on the fly to return current and voltage readings to a host. It has two output power busses: a constant 24-V direct current nominal bus, and a programmable bus for output from approximately 24 up to approximately 50 V. The programmable bus voltage level, and its output power limit, can be changed on the fly as well. The power supply also offers options to reduce the programmable bus to 24 V when the set power limit is reached, limiting output power in the case of a system fault detected in the system. The smart power supply is based on an embedded 8051-type single-chip microcontroller. This choice was made in that a credible progression to flight (radiation hard, high reliability) can be assumed as many 8051 processors or gate arrays capable of accepting 8051-type core presently exist and will continue to do so for some time. To solve the problem of centralized control, this innovation moves an embedded microcontroller to the power supply and assigns it the task of overseeing the operation and charging of the power supply assets. This embedded processor is connected to the application central processor via a serial data link such that the central processor can request updates of various parameters within the supply, such as battery current, bus voltage, remaining power in battery estimations, etc. This supply has a direct connection to the battery bus for common (quiescent) power application. Because components from multiple vendors may have differing power needs, this supply also has a secondary power bus, which can be programmed a priori or on-the-fly to boost the primary battery voltage level from 24 to 50 V to accommodate various loads as they are brought on line. Through voltage and current monitoring, the device can also shield the charging source from overloads, keep it within safe operating modes, and can meter available power to the application and maintain safe operations.

Lewis Research Center R and D Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) defines and develops advanced technology for high priority national needs. The work of the Center is directed toward new propulsion, power, and communications technologies for application to aeronautics and space, so that U.S. leadership in these areas is ensured. The end product is knowledge, usually in a report, that is made fully available to potential users--the aircraft engine industry, the energy industry, the automotive industry, the space industry, and other NASA centers. In addition to offices and laboratories for almost every kind of physical research in such fields as fluid mechanics, physics, materials, fuels, combustion, thermodynamics, lubrication, heat transfer, and electronics, LeRC has a variety of engineering test cells for experiments with components such as compressors, pumps, conductors, turbines, nozzles, and controls. A number of large facilities can simulate the operating environment for a complete system: altitude chambers for aircraft engines; large supersonic wind tunnels for advanced airframes and propulsion systems; space simulation chambers for electric rockets or spacecraft; and a 420-foot-deep zero-gravity facility for microgravity experiments. Some problems are amenable to detection and solution only in the complete system and at essentially full scale. By combining basic research in pertinent disciplines and generic technologies with applied research on components and complete systems, LeRC has become one of the most productive centers in its field in the world. This brochure describes a number of the facilities that provide LeRC with its exceptional capabilities.

Thermoelectric power of high-pressure synthesized CuBa{sub 2}Ca{sub 3}Cu{sub 4}O{sub 11{minus}{delta}}

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

Liu, C.; Jin, C.; Yamauchi, H.

We report measurements of thermoelectric power (TEP) for high-pressure synthesized CuBa{sub 2}Ca{sub 3}Cu{sub 4}O{sub 11{minus}{delta}} superconductors. The magnitude of TEP for the sample with {ital T}{sub {ital c},zero}=115.9 K is very small and shows a sign crossover at {approximately}160 K. The TEP shows a peak behavior and displays an approximately linear temperature dependence with a negative slope {minus}0.033 {mu}V/K{sup 2} for 120{le}{ital T}{le}240 K. These features resemble those for other known high-{ital T}{sub {ital c}} cuprate superconductors, in particular {ital S}{sub {ital a}} in the {ital a} direction for an untwinned YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} single crystal and polycrystalline Tl-2201more » samples. A brief discussion is given on the TEP behavior in comparison with CuBa{sub 2}YCu{sub 2}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} cuprate superconductors by considering their similar structure of building blocks and type of charge reservoir. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}« less

Evaluation d'un scenario d'apprentissage favorisant la mobilisation des habiletes reliees au processus d'enquete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanchard, Samuel F. J.

Les resultats au Programme international pour le suivi des acquis des eleves (PISA) demontrent que les jeunes neobrunswickois francophones se classent b un niveau significativement inferieur comparaiivement aux eleves anglophones du Nouveau-Brunswick, aux eleves des autres provinces canadiennes et se classent sous la moyenne internationale de tous les pays participants quant b la culture scientifique. L'evaluation de cette culture scientifique est basee sur une serie de savoirs, de savoir-faire et de savoir-etre reliee au processus d'enquete scolaire. Le processus d'enquete scolaire est une approche b l'apprentissage ou les eleves effectuent des recherches d'informations, discutent d'idees et entreprennent des investigations pour augmenter leur comprehension d'un probleme ou d'un sujet. Les recherches demontrent que le processus d'enquete scolaire est rarement une composante pedagogique importante de la salle de classe et les recherches portant sur l'implantation du processus d'enquete scolaire recommandent de rendre ce dernier plus accessible aux enseignantes et aux enseignants. Afin de rendre le processus d'enquete plus accessible aux enseignantes et aux enseignants, notre recherche porte sur l'evaluation de la valeur pedagogique d'un scenario d'apprentissage (PhaRoboS) concu specialement pour creer un environnement dans lequel les eleves auront plusieurs occasions a mobiliser les habiletes reliees au processus d'enquete. Les retombees de cette evaluation nous permettront d'offrir des pistes de remediations afin d'aider plus d'enseignantes et d'enseignants b creer un environnement dans lequel les eleves auront plusieurs occasions b mobiliser les habiletes reliees au processus d'enquete. Cette evaluation s'est faite a partir d'une methodologie inspiree de l'evaluation pour fin d'amelioration d'un objet pedagogique. L'analyse des donnees qualitatives recueillies aupres des eleves et de leur enseignante d'une ecole francophone du Nouveau-Brunswick semble montrer que le scenario d'apprentissage a cree un environnement dans lequel les eleves ont eu plusieurs occasions b mobiliser les habiletes reliees aux processus d'enquete. Entres autres, les eleves ont emis et ont confronte des hypotheses, ont choisi des strategies de resolutions de probleme, ont communique leurs observations et ont analyse et interprete des donnees lors de leur investigation. Cependant, comme suite a cette analyse, quelques petites ameliorations seront apportees a une version subsequente du scenario d'apprentissage PhaRoboS afin de favoriser davantage la mobilisation des habiletes reliees au processus d'enquete.

Study of a programmable high speed processor for use on-board satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degavre, J. Cl.; Okkes, R.; Gaillat, G.

The availability of VLSI programmable devices will significantly enhance satellite on-board data processing capabilities. A case study is presented which indicates that computation-intensive processing applications requiring the execution of 100 megainstructions/sec are within the CD power constraints of satellites. It is noted that the current progress in semicustom design technique development and in achievable gate array densities, together with the recent announcement of improved monochip processors, are encouraging the development of an on-board programmable processor architecture able to associate the devices that will appear in communication and military markets.

Through Kazan ASPERA to Modern Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusev, Alexander; Kitiashvili, Irina; Petrova, Natasha

Now the European Union form the Sixth Framework Programme. One of its the objects of the EU Programme is opening national researches and training programmes. The Russian PhD students and young astronomers have business and financial difficulties in access to modern databases and astronomical projects and so they has not been included in European overview of priorities. Modern requirements to the organization of observant projects on powerful telescopes assumes painstaking scientific computer preparation of the application. A rigid competition for observation time assume preliminary computer modeling of target object for success of the application. Kazan AstroGeoPhysics Partnership

Pre-Service Teachers' Belief Sources about Learning and Teaching: An Exploration with the Consideration of the Educational Programme Nature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debreli, Emre

2016-01-01

It is often said that beliefs determine the ways teachers think and act in classrooms. There is now strong evidence that teachers' beliefs are formed during their previous education as students, and that they exert a powerful influence throughout their careers. However, only little has yet been done on the teacher education programmes' influence…

Installation package for integrated programmable electronic controller and hydronic subsystem - solar heating and cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

A description is given of the Installation, Operation, and Maintenance Manual and information on the power panel and programmable microprocessor, a hydronic solar pump system and a hydronic heating hot water pumping system. These systems are integrated into various configurations for usages in solar energy management, control and monitoring, lighting control, data logging and other solar related applications.

Transforming a municipal school sports programme through a critical communicative methodology: The role of the of advisory committee.

PubMed

Jiménez-Herranz, Borja; Manrique-Arribas, Juan C; López-Pastor, Víctor M; García-Bengoechea, Enrique

2016-10-01

This research applies a communicative methodology (CM) to the transformation and improvement of the Municipal Comprehensive School Sports Programme in Segovia, Spain (MCSSP), using egalitarian dialogue, based on validity rather than power claims to achieve intersubjectivity and arrive at consensus between all of the Programme's stakeholders through the intervention of an advisory committee (AC). The AC is a body comprising representatives of all stakeholder groups involved in the programme. During the 2013-2014 academic year the programme's AC met four times, operating as a communicative focus group (CFG). The meetings focused on: (1) excluding dimensions (barriers preventing transformation) and transforming dimensions (ways of overcoming barriers), (2) the programme's strengths, (3) the programme's weaknesses and specific actions to remedy them, and (4) the resulting conclusions which were then incorporated into the subsequent programme contract signed between the University and the Segovia Local Authority for 2014-2018. The key conclusions were: (1) the recommendations of the AC widen the range of perspectives and help the research team to make key decisions and (2) the use of CM to fully evaluate the programme and to reach a consensus on how to improve it proved very valuable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposed modification of the criterion for the region of validity of the inverse-power expansion in diatomic long-range potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Bing; Tsai, Chin-Chun; Stwalley, William C.

1995-04-01

A modified internuclear distance criterion, RLR- m, as the lower bound for the region of validity of the inverse-power expansion of the diatomic long-range potential is proposed. This new criterion takes into account the spatial orientation of the atomic orbitals while retaining the simplicity of the traditional Le Roy radius, RLR for the interaction of S state atoms. Recent experimental and theoretical results for various excited states in Na 2 suggest that this proposed RLR- m is an appropriate generalization of RLR.

Effects of high-intensity power-frequency electric fields on implanted modern multiprogrammable cardiac pacemakers.

PubMed

Butrous, G S; Meldrum, S J; Barton, D G; Male, J C; Bonnell, J A; Camm, A J

1982-05-01

The effect on an implanted, multiprogrammable pacemaker of power-frequency (50 Hz) electric fields up to an intensity (unperturbed value measured at 1.7 m) of 20 kV/m were assessed in ten paced patients. Radiotelemetric monitoring of the electrocardiogram allowed supervision of the electrocardiogram throughout exposure to the alternating electric field. Displacement body currents of up to 300μA were achieved depending on the position and height of the patient. None of the pacemakers was inhibited, triggered or reverted to fixed rate operation during the exposure. The programmable functions, programmability or output characteristics were not affected. Small changes in cardiac rate and rhythm elicited the correct pacemaker responses. Unlike earlier models of pacemaker, this modern implanted pacemaker, which represents `the state of the art', is not affected by 50 Hz electric fields likely to be encountered when standing underneath power lines.

Comparative analysis of the conceptual design studies of potential early commercial MHD power plants (CSPEC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovie, R. J.; Winter, J. M.; Juhasz, A. J.; Berg, R. D.

1982-01-01

A conceptual design study of the MHD/steam plant that incorporates the use of oxygen enriched air preheated in a metallic heat exchanger as the combustor oxidant showed that this plant is the most attractive for early commercial applications. The variation of performance and cost was investigated as a function of plant size. The contractors' results for the overall efficiencies are in reasonable agreement considering the slight differences in their plant designs. NASA LeRC is reviewing cost and performance results for consistency with those of previous studies, including studies of conventional steam plants. LeRC in house efforts show that there are still many tradeoffs to be considered for these oxygen enriched plants and considerable variations can be made in channel length and level of oxygen enrichment with little change in overall plant efficiency.

The effect of musical experience on emotional self-reports and psychophysiological responses to dissonance.

PubMed

Dellacherie, Delphine; Roy, Mathieu; Hugueville, Laurent; Peretz, Isabelle; Samson, Séverine

2011-03-01

To study the influence of musical education on emotional reactions to dissonance, we examined self-reports and physiological responses to dissonant and consonant musical excerpts in listeners with low (LE: n=15) and high (HE: n=13) musical experience. The results show that dissonance induces more unpleasant feelings and stronger physiological responses in HE than in LE participants, suggesting that musical education reinforces aversion to dissonance. Skin conductance (SCR) and electromyographic (EMG) signals were analyzed according to a defense cascade model, which takes into account two successive time windows corresponding to orienting and defense responses. These analyses suggest that musical experience can influence the defense response to dissonance and demonstrate a powerful role of musical experience not only in autonomic but also in expressive responses to music. Copyright © 2010 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Incipient fault detection and power system protection for spaceborne systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, B. Don; Hackler, Irene M.

1987-01-01

A program was initiated to study the feasibility of using advanced terrestrial power system protection techniques for spacecraft power systems. It was designed to enhance and automate spacecraft power distribution systems in the areas of safety, reliability and maintenance. The proposed power management/distribution system is described as well as security assessment and control, incipient and low current fault detection, and the proposed spaceborne protection system. It is noted that the intelligent remote power controller permits the implementation of digital relaying algorithms with both adaptive and programmable characteristics.

Préface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulus, Werner; Meinnel, Jean

2003-02-01

En 1994, l'attribution du prix Nobel à Cliff Shull et Bert Brockhouse pour leurs travaux de pionniers pendant les années 50, concernant tant la diffusion élastique des neutrons que la diffusion inélastique, a été la reconnaissance éclatante de l'importance de la diffusion neutronique pour toute la communauté scientifique.Le grand intérêt du neutron pour la recherche s'appuie principalement sur ses propriétés physiques particulières :- les neutrons utilisés pour la caractérisation de la matière (et fournis en relativement grandes quantités par les réacteurs ou les sources à spallation) disposent de longueurs d'onde et d'énergies correspondant directement aux distances interatomiques et aux énergies d'agitation de la matière. Ainsi, par diffusion neutronique, on peut étudier en même temps la structure et le comportement dynamique de la matière ;- le fait que le neutron soit doué d'un moment magnétique lui permet d'interagir avec tout atome porteur d'un moment magnétique. Ceci permet de caractériser intimement le comportement magnétique de la matière à l'échelle microscopique ;- la possibilité de pouvoir varier facilement le contraste d'un même élément en utilisant ses différents isotopes fait du neutron un outil irremplaçable en chimie et physique du solide ainsi qu'en biologie et matière molle ;- enfin, n'ayant pas de charge électrique, les neutrons peuvent pénétrer la matière sans être absorbés significativement, ce qui rend possible une caractérisation non destructive des contraintes et textures sur de grosses pièces des matériaux.Toutes les qualités des neutrons mentionnées ci-dessus permettent de comprendre l'importance de la diffusion neutronique pour des domaines très nombreux et très différents à la fois en recherche fondamentale mais aussi pour des applications industrielles. L'utilisation de l'outil-neutron demande toutefois non seulement une bonne connaissance des différents mécanismes d'interaction entre le neutron et la matière, mais également une haute spécificité dans la conception et l'utilisation des diffractomètres et spectromètres neutroniques. Pour ces raisons, l'accès aux neutrons est souvent limité, sinon réservé à des spécialistes, ce qui freine tout naturellement l'utilisation par des chercheurs non familiarisés à ce domaine.Pour combattre ce déficit d'information et cet état de fait, en accord avec de nombreux collègues Rennais, nous avons proposé à la Société Française de Neutronique d'organiser une École d'été qui s'adresse plus spécialement à de non-spécialistes de la diffusion neutronique. Le public visé concernait donc à la fois les chercheurs confirmés mais peu familiarisés avec le domaine neutronique, mais aussi les jeunes chercheurs dès le niveau doctorant. En effet pour ces derniers, l'utilisation des “grands instruments" s'avère nécessaire pour qu'ils soient à la hauteur de leur sujet de thèse. Pour cette raison, il était évident d'intégrer cette École d'été dans le programme de l'École Doctorale “Sciences des Matériaux" de l'Université de Rennes 1 qui rassemble chimistes, physiciens et géologues. Dans le même contexte, notre intérêt était de proposer un large spectre de cours couvrant la diversité des applications de la diffusion neutronique dans les différents domaines de recherche en chimie et physique des matériaux, en sciences de la terre ainsi qu'en sciences pour l'ingénieur. Un deuxième but était de montrer de plus la complémentarité des neutrons et des rayons X et plus spécifiquement des X produits par rayonnement synchrotron.Dans l'avenir, nous sommes persuadés que la diffusion neutronique va jouer un rôle clé pour le développement de nouveaux matériaux et de leur caractérisation. Dans cette optique, des efforts considérables ont été déjà engagés aux États-Unis ainsi qu'au Japon où deux nouvelles sources de neutrons sont en cours de construction. Du point de vue européen, si les sources de l'ILL et d'ISIS peuvent encore être considérées comme des leaders au point de vue mondial, il est évidemment souhaitable que la nouvelle source neutronique à spallation (European Spallation Source : ESS) soit rapidement réalisée. Aujourd'hui ce projet est bien avancé, cette source devrait dépasser le flux des sources actuelles par près de deux ordres de grandeur et ainsi de maintenir au meilleur niveau les compétences Européennes. Il est évident qu'une utilisation efficace et intelligente des sources existantes, mais aussi de celles de la nouvelle génération, implique une certaine infrastructure nationale tant au niveau de la conception, de la réalisation que du fonctionnement des différents spectromètres. Ceci implique un très fort engagement des universités dans les différents projets de recherche. Le devoir des universités qui en résulte est donc d'intégrer l'utilisation des “grands instruments" dans leur programme d'enseignement. Dans ce sens, nous souhaitons que ce cours, entièrement rédigé en français, contribue à la fois à aider les chercheurs “non spécialistes” à accéder plus facilement au domaine neutronique, mais aussi à servir de base aux enseignants pour l'organisation et la préparation de leurs cours.Nous tenons à remercier tous les collègues qui ont accepté de rédiger de façon détaillée les cours qu'ils avaient présentés oralement dans la grande salle du VVF de Trégastel, ainsi que toutes les personnes qui ont contribué à la réussite du séjour ou à la réalisation de ce fascicule. Nous gardons un excellent souvenir de l'atmosphère de l'École qui a eu lieu à Trégastel, en plein centre de la côte de granite rose en Bretagne, en mai 2001 et était jumelée avec les Journées de la diffusion neutronique, elles aussi organisées sous l'égide de la SFN.Nous souhaitons que la lecture de cet ouvrage soit utile à un maximum de chercheurs.

Solar Power from Space - Validation of Options for Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summerer, L.; Ongaro, F.

2004-12-01

Solar power plants are among promising long-term energy options of the 21st century, covering humanities ever increasing energy need in a sustainable way free of greenhouse gas emission. Terrestrial solar power is one of the fastest growing energy sectors with high growth rates sustained over more than a decade and very promising forecasts. Since 30 years the idea of a large solar power plant in Earth orbit, transmitting energy to Earth-bound receiver sites enjoys periodic attention from energy and space entities. All studies concluded the principal technical feasibility of the concepts and gradually improved their power to mass ratio. No substantial development efforts were undertaken however since with current technology space generated electricity costs would still be too high, upfront costs prohibitive and the launcher sector not mature enough to reduce e/kg to orbit costs by the required order of magnitude. In the past space concepts were mainly compared to traditional energy systems. Based on this background, the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) at the European Space Agency started a three-phased programme in 2003. The first phase of the programme, the Validation Phase, focussed on a comparison of space solar power plant with comparable terrestrial solutions on the one hand and the assessment of the potential of SPS for space exploration and space application on the other. The focus was mainly on Europe and should give an independent technical answer to the seemingly primitive question: "Why put power plants into space when there is so much sun in southern Europe and especially in the close-by North-African Sahara desert?". Space concepts were compared to terrestrial solutions based on equally advanced technology and equal economic conditions for the timeframe 2020/30 in terms of energy payback times, final e/kWh generation costs, adaptability to different energy scenarios, reliability and risk. Key words: ESA SPS Programme Plan; Strategy.

Preventing deaths and injuries from house fires: an outcome evaluation of a community-based smoke alarm installation programme.

PubMed

Istre, Gregory R; McCoy, Mary A; Moore, Billy J; Roper, Carey; Stephens-Stidham, Shelli; Barnard, Jeffrey J; Carlin, Debra K; Stowe, Martha; Anderson, Ron J

2014-04-01

Few studies have examined the impact of community-based smoke alarm (SA) distribution programmes on the occurrence of house fire-related deaths and injuries (HF-D/I). To determine whether the rate of HF-D/I differed for programme houses that had a SA installed through a community-based programme called Operation Installation, versus non-programme houses in the same census tracts that had not received such a SA. Teams of volunteers and firefighters canvassed houses in 36 high-risk target census tracts in Dallas, TX, between April 2001 and April 2011, and installed lithium-powered SAs in houses where residents were present and gave permission. We then followed incidence of HF-D/I among residents of the 8134 programme houses versus the 24 346 non-programme houses. After a mean of 5.2 years of follow-up, the unadjusted HF-D/I rate was 68% lower among residents of programme houses versus non-programme houses (3.1 vs 9.6 per 100 000 population, respectively; rate ratio, 0.32; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.84). Multivariate analysis including several demographic variables showed that the adjusted HF-D/I rate in programme houses was 63% lower than non-programme houses. The programme was most effective in the first 5 years after SA installation, with declining difference in rates after the 6th year, probably due to SAs becoming non-functional during that time. This collaborative, community-based SA installation programme was effective at preventing deaths and injuries from house fires, but the duration of effectiveness was less than 10 years.

The TACIS Nuclear Programme: Assistance in Upgrading Russian Nuclear Power Stations - An Overview of the Individual Projects in the Internet

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

Bieth, Michel; Schoels, Hubert

2006-07-01

The European Union' TACIS1 programme has been established for the New Independent States (NIS), among them in the Russian Federation since 1991. One priority of TACIS funding is Nuclear Safety. The European Commission has made available a total of 944 Million Euros for nuclear safety programmes covering the period 1991-2003. The TACIS nuclear safety programme is devoted to the improvement of the safety of Soviet designed nuclear installations in providing technology and safety culture transfer. JRC is carrying out works in the following areas: On-Site Assistance for TACIS operating Nuclear Power Plants; Design Safety and Dissemination of TACIS results; Reactormore » Pressure Vessel Embrittlement for VVER; Regulatory Assistance; Industrial Waste Management; Nuclear Safeguards; All TACIS projects, dealing with these areas of activity are now available in so called Project Description Sheets (PDS) or Project Results Sheets (PRS) in the Internet for everybody. JRC has created in the Internet an easy to open and to browse database which contains the result of works in relation to the above mentioned nuclear activities. This presentation gives an on-line overview of the app. 430 projects which have been implemented so far since the outset of the TACIS Nuclear Programme in the Russian Federation, which is representative to the other CIS countries, benefiting from the TACIS. The presentation will mainly consist of an on-line-demonstration of the TACIS Nuclear WEB Page, created by JRC. (authors)« less

Materials technology for Stirling space power converters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baggenstoss, William; Mittendorf, Donald

1992-01-01

This program was conducted in support of the NASA LeRC development of the Stirling power converter (SPC) for space power applications. The objectives of this contract were: (1) to perform a technology review and analyses to support the evaluation of materials issues for the SPC; (2) to evaluate liquid metal compatibility issues of the SPC; (3) to evaluate and define a transient liquid phase diffusion bonding (TLPDB) process for the SPC joints to the Udimet 720 heater head; and (4) to evaluate alternative (to the TLPDB) joining techniques. In the technology review, several aspects of the current Stirling design were examined including the power converter assembly process, materials joining, gas bearings, and heat exchangers. The supporting analyses included GLIMPS power converter simulation in support of the materials studies, and system level analysis in support of the technology review. The liquid metal compatibility study evaluated process parameters for use in the Stirling power converter. The alternative joining techniques study looked at the applicability of various joining techniques to the Stirling power converter requirements.

Etude de la transmission sonore a travers un protecteur de type "coquilles" : modelisation numerique et validation experimentale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, Sylvain

On estime que sur les 3,7 millions des travailleurs au Quebec, plus de 500 000 sont exposes quotidiennement a des niveaux de bruits pouvant causer des lesions de l'appareil auditif. Lorsqu'il n'est pas possible de diminuer le niveau de bruit environnant, en modifiant les sources de bruits, ou en limitant la propagation du son, le port de protecteurs auditifs individualises, telles que les coquilles, demeure l'ultime solution. Bien que vue comme une solution a court terme, elle est communement employee, du fait de son caractere peu dispendieux, de sa facilite d'implantation et de son adaptabilite a la plupart des operations en environnement bruyant. Cependant les protecteurs auditifs peuvent etre a la fois inadaptes aux travailleurs et a leur environnement et inconfortables ce qui limite leur temps de port, reduisant leur protection effective. Afin de palier a ces difficultes, un projet de recherche sur la protection auditive intitule : " Developpement d'outils et de methodes pour ameliorer et mieux evaluer la protection auditive individuelle des travailleur ", a ete mis sur pied en 2010, associant l'Ecole de technologie superieure (ETS) et l'Institut de recherche Robert-Sauve en sante et en securite du travail (IRSST). S'inscrivant dans ce programme de recherche, le present travail de doctorat s'interesse specifiquement a la protection auditive au moyen de protecteurs auditifs " passifs " de type coquille, dont l'usage presente trois problematiques specifiques presentees dans les paragraphes suivants. La premiere problematique specifique concerne l'inconfort cause par exemple par la pression statique induite par la force de serrage de l'arceau, qui peut reduire le temps de port recommande pour limiter l'exposition au bruit. Il convient alors de pouvoir donner a l'utilisateur un protecteur confortable, adapte a son environnement de travail et a son activite. La seconde problematique specifique est l'evaluation de la protection reelle apportee par le protecteur. La methode des seuils auditifs REAT (Real Ear Attenuation Threshold) aussi vu comme un "golden standard" est utilise pour quantifier la reduction du bruit mais surestime generalement la performance des protecteurs. Les techniques de mesure terrains, telles que la F-MIRE (Field Measurement in Real Ear) peuvent etre a l'avenir de meilleurs outils pour evaluer l'attenuation individuelle. Si ces techniques existent pour des bouchons d'oreilles, elles doivent etre adaptees et ameliorees pour le cas des coquilles, en determinant l'emplacement optimal des capteurs acoustiques et les facteurs de compensation individuels qui lient la mesure microphonique a la mesure qui aurait ete prise au tympan. La troisieme problematique specifique est l'optimisation de l'attenuation des coquilles pour les adapter a l'individu et a son environnement de travail. En effet, le design des coquilles est generalement base sur des concepts empiriques et des methodes essais/erreurs sur des prototypes. La piste des outils predictifs a ete tres peu etudiee jusqu'a present et meriterait d'etre approfondie. L'utilisation du prototypage virtuel, permettrait a la fois d'optimiser le design avant production, d'accelerer la phase de developpement produit et d'en reduire les couts. L'objectif general de cette these est de repondre a ces differentes problematiques par le developpement d'un modele de l'attenuation sonore d'un protecteur auditif de type coquille. A cause de la complexite de la geometrie de ces protecteurs, la methode principale de modelisation retenue a priori est la methode des elements finis (FEM). Pour atteindre cet objectif general, trois objectifs specifiques ont ete etablis et sont presentes dans les trois paragraphes suivants. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Understanding the Impact of Organizational Power on Evaluation Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hanbyul; Cervero, Ronald M.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine how power relations among stakeholders, especially between the human resource development (HRD) practitioners and others, affect evaluation outcomes. Using a qualitative case study design, a managerial leadership development programme in a Korean company is analysed. This study shows that the HRD…

Analysis of Voltage and Current Signal Processing in a Li-ion Battery Management System

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

SUBJECT TERMS Pulsed Power, Charger, Buck Converter, Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Lithium - ion Batteries 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY...Congressional Research Service. July 31, 2000. [3] F. E. Filler, “A Pulsed Power System Design Using Lithium - ion Batteries and One Charger per Battery

Assessing the impact of a targeted plyometric training on changes in selected kinematic parameters of the swimming start.

PubMed

Rejman, Marek; Bilewski, Marek; Szczepan, Stefan; Klarowicz, Andrzej; Rudnik, Daria; Maćkała, Krzysztof

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse changes taking place within selected kinematic parameters of the swimming start, after completing a six-week plyometric training, assuming that the take-off power training improves its effectiveness. The experiment included nine male swimmers. In the pre-test the swimmers performed three starts focusing on the best performance. Next, a plyometric training programme, adapted from sprint running, was introduced in order to increase a power of the lower extremities. The programme entailed 75 minute sessions conducted twice a week. Afterwards, a post-test was performed, analogous to the pre-test. Spatio-temporal structure data of the swimming start were gathered from video recordings of the swimmer above and under water. Impulses triggered by the plyometric training contributed to a shorter start time (the main measure of start effectiveness) and glide time as well as increasing average take-off, flight and glide velocities including take-off, entry and glide instantaneous velocities. The glide angle decreased. The changes in selected parameters of the swimming start and its confirmed diagnostic values, showed the areas to be susceptible to plyometric training and suggested that applied plyometric training programme aimed at increasing take-off power enhances the effectiveness of the swimming start.

Empowering Women for Development through Community-Driven Sustainable Programmes: A Response to Traditional Patriarchal Power in the Southern African Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braimoh, Dele; Lekoko, Rebecca; Alade, Eunice B.

2004-01-01

In the Southern Africa region, the act of prejudice against women mostly occurs where patriarchal power reigns. This type of power is felt in areas such as inheritance right, division of labour, access to political and economic resources and legal and social matters. Other areas of discrimination against women include access to educational and…

Temperature programmable microfabricated gas chromatography column

DOEpatents

Manginell, Ronald P.; Frye-Mason, Gregory C.

2003-12-23

A temperature programmable microfabricated gas chromatography column enables more efficient chemical separation of chemical analytes in a gas mixture by the integration of a resistive heating element and temperature sensing on the microfabricated column. Additionally, means are provided to thermally isolate the heated column from their surroundings. The small heat capacity and thermal isolation of the microfabricated column improves the thermal time response and power consumption, both important factors for portable microanalytical systems.

Criminal thinking shifts among male prisoners participating in a cognitive-based education programme.

PubMed

Warner, Cody; Conley, Timothy; Murphy, Riley

2018-04-01

Many prisoners rationalise criminal behaviour, and this type of thinking has been linked to recidivism. Correctional programmes for modifying criminal thinking can reshape how offenders view themselves and their circumstances. Our aim was to test whether participation in a cognitive-based curriculum called Steps to Economic and Personal Success (STEPS) was associated with changes in criminal thinking. The STEPS curriculum is delivered in 15 video-based facilitated classes. A pre-intervention/post-intervention survey design was applied to 128 adult male prisoners who completed the programme. Criminal thinking was measured by the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scale, a self-report instrument with the six domains: entitlement, justification, power orientation, cold heartedness, criminal rationalisation and personal irresponsibility. Participants had lower scores in most of the criminal thinking domains after the intervention than before, with largest reductions in justification and power orientation. Findings provide evidence that attitudes to crime can be changed in a correctional setting, and the programme under study shows promise as an effective intervention for changing these attitudes among prisoners. Future research should build on these findings to examine whether and how such changes are related to desistance from offending behaviours. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

South African CSP projects under the REIPPP programme - Requirements, challenges and opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Relancio, Javier; Cuellar, Alberto; Walker, Gregg; Ettmayr, Chris

2016-05-01

Thus far seven Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) projects have been awarded under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), totalling 600MW: one project is in operation, four under construction and two on their way to financial close. This provides an excellent opportunity for analysis of key features of the projects that have contributed to or detracted from the programme's success. The paper draws from Mott MacDonald's involvement as Technical Advisor on the seven CSP projects that have been successful under the REIPPPP to date as well as other global CSP developments. It presents how various programme requirements have affected the implementation of projects, such as the technical requirements, time of day tariff structure, economic development requirements and the renewable energy grid code. The increasingly competitive tariffs offered have encouraged developers to investigate efficiency maximising project configurations and cost saving mechanisms, as well as featuring state of the art technology in their proposals. The paper assesses the role of the project participants (developers, lenders and government) with regards to these innovative technologies and solutions. In our paper we discuss the status of projects and the SA market, analysing the main challenges and opportunities that in turn have influenced various aspects such as technology choice, operational regimes and supply chain arrangements.

Innovative project management on the basis of programme-and-target approach for energy saving in the construction complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mottaeva, Angela

2017-10-01

Article is devoted to the consideration of the existing approaches to energy saving. According to the author’s opinion,the system approach is not enough for the achievement of the goal of the increase in energy efficiency and economy of energy, which is quite relevant for the world scientific community today, when the mankind has reached the certain power and ecological threshold. The author reasons the need of programme-and-target approach to energy saving and the increase in energy efficiency of buildings. The problems of the energy saving in current conditions are revealed. The provisional algorithm of the programme-and-target approach to energy efficiency. The expected results from introduction of the programme-and-target approach are presented in the article.

Focusing Resources on Effective School Health: A FRESH Start to Enhancing the Quality and Equity of Education. World Education Forum 2000. Final Report = Accorder la priorite a un programme efficace de sante scolaire: Une maniere FRAICHE (FRESH) d'aneliorer la qualite et d'accroitre l'equite dans le domaine de l'education. Forum mondial 2000 sur l'education. Rapport final = Recursos efectivos en salud escolar: Un enfogue NUEVO para mejorar la calidad y la equidad educativa. Foro Mundial par la educacion 2000. Informe final.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

This booklet, written in English, Spanish, and French, describes the foundation and reasoning behind the partnership to Focus on Resources on Effective School Health (FRESH), making the case that an effective school health program: responds to the greater number of school-age children and the greater proportion of those children attending school;…

"Le Cochon", a Washed up Mermaid, and Soldier's Bread: Three Generations of Acadian Women at the Intersection of Museums and Fiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taber, Nancy

2018-01-01

In this autoethnographic narrative article, I apply a feminist antimilitarist lens to discuss how the critical learning that museums can facilitate can provide a powerful pedagogic lens into the past and present, particularly when connected to self. These sites can illuminate the strength of women as they encounter/ed individual and societal…

Active Control of Engine Dynamics (Le controle actif pour la dynamique des moteurs)

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-11-01

optimum operating conditions, avoiding, for example, inadvertent operation when the pulsations can cause unacceptable rates of surface heat transfer or...such as shipboard incineration, and power and heat generation in the field. Because the practical problem of suppressing combustion instabilities has...aforementioned physical processes are essentially completed prior to entering the combustor. One consequence of fuel-air premixing is that the heat

[Impact of dissemination of a diet and physical activity pamphlet to 8th grade students in France].

PubMed

Mathiot, Hélène; Nugier, Angélique; Nguyen-Thanh, Viêt

"J'aime manger, j'aime bouger, le guide nutrition pour les adolescents", ("I love to eat and move, the nutrition pamphlet for teenagers"), which is one of the eight information guides of the French Nutritional and Health Programme, is distributed annually by Santé publique France, the national public health agency, to 8th grade students by their biology teachers. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of this dissemination plan and the way 8th grade students and biology teachers perceive the pamphlet. Teenagers' knowledge of the French Nutritional and Health Programme's recommendations was also assessed. This study was based on a mixed method and was conducted in 2015 on 432 8th grade students by face-to-face interviews at home and 20 8th grade biology teachers interviewed individually or during focus groups. The pamphlet obtained a recognition score of 40% among young people, who mostly saw it during a course at high school. 30% of teenagers reported having read or only skimmed through it and more than three-quarters reported that they liked the pamphlet. Teenagers and teachers found the pamphlet clear and accessible and globally appreciated the content, but they considered that it could be modernized. Systematic distribution of the guide to students of a specific school grade is an efficient strategy to reach a maximum number of young people. It should be continued in the future. Modernization of the guide and improved support to teachers to distribute the guide could improve the performance of the programme.

[Rehabilitation in COPD].

PubMed

Villiger, B

1999-03-01

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an important tool in the treatment of COPD patients. It is now clearly established that PR improves exercise capacity, reduces symptoms and improves quality of life in COPD patients. There is further evidence that the programmes also improve survival and reduce medical consumption. Pulmonary rehabilitation programmes are multidisziplinary and consist of exercise training (endurance, power), chest physiotherapie, education, psychosocial and nutritional support. Patients with poor exercise capacity, peripheral muscle weakness, severe complaints and poor quality of life seem to profit most from in- and outpatients rehab programmes. The type of rehabilitation depends on the severity of symptoms, the competence of the rehab-team and the local possibilities.

Interventions to reduce the use of seclusion and restraint in inpatient psychiatric settings: what we know so far a review of the literature.

PubMed

Scanlan, Justin Newton

2010-07-01

In recent times, much attention has been focused on the reduction of seclusion and restraint in psychiatric settings. This paper analyzes evidence available from evaluations of single seclusion and/or restraint reduction programmes. A total of 29 papers were included in the review. Seven key strategy types emerged from the analysis: (i) policy change/leadership; (ii) external review/debriefing; (iii) data use; (iv) training; (v) consumer/family involvement; (vi) increase in staff ratio/crisis response teams; and (vii) programme elements/changes. Outcomes indicate that a range of reduction programmes are successful in reducing the frequency and duration of seclusion and restraint use, while at the same time maintaining a safe environment. The development of new seclusion and restraint reduction programmes should include strong leadership from local management; external seclusion and restraint review committees or post-incident debriefing and analysis; broad-based staff training and programme changes at a local level. Behavioural and cognitive-behavioural programmes appear to be very useful in child and adolescent services. Further systematic research should be conducted to more fully understand which elements of successful programmes are the most powerful in reducing incidents of seclusion and restraint.

Programmable masks for optical information processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goebel, J. H.; Matsumoto, T.; Mina, C.; Welch, J.

1984-01-01

Research in progress at NASA Ames Research Center on programmable masks is discussed in this paper. One type is a large area format liquid crystal mask intended for binary optical computation problems. To date, an on-off contrast ratio of 500:1 has been achieved at a switching rate of 1 Hz. With a 32 x 32 format, a ratio 10 to the 4th power:1 is desirable. The switching contrast is entirely dependent on the polarized quality; therefore, it is believed that 10 to the 4th power:1 in transmission is possible. Larger format masks are under development. An application to Hadamard transform polarized imagery at wavelengths of 1.0 to 2.0 micrometers, which is competitive with the best monolithic infrared detector arrays, is discussed.

A programmable palm-size gas analyzer for use in micro-autonomous systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordenker, Robert J. M.; Wise, Kensall D.

2012-06-01

Gas analysis systems having small size, low power, and high selectivity are badly needed for defense (detection of explosives and chemical warfare agents), homeland security, health care, and environmental applications. This paper presents a palm-size gas chromatography system having analysis times of 5-50sec, detection limits less than 1ppb, and an average power dissipation less than one watt. It uses no consumables. The three-chip fluidic system consists of a preconcentrator, a 25cm-3m separation column, and a chemi-resistive detector and is supported by a microcomputer and circuitry for programmable temperature control. The entire system, including the mini-pump and battery, occupies less than 200cc and is configured for use on autonomous robotic vehicles.

Poly(ethylene oxide)-co-poly(propylene oxide)-based gel electrolyte with high ionic conductivity and mechanical integrity for lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Wang, Shih-Hong; Hou, Sheng-Shu; Kuo, Ping-Lin; Teng, Hsisheng

2013-09-11

Using gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) for lithium-ion batteries usually encounters the drawback of poor mechanical integrity of the GPEs. This study demonstrates the outstanding performance of a GPE consisting of a commercial membrane (Celgard) incorporated with a poly(ethylene oxide)-co-poly(propylene oxide) copolymer (P(EO-co-PO)) swelled by a liquid electrolyte (LE) of 1 M LiPF6 in carbonate solvents. The proposed GPE stably holds LE with an amount that is three times that of the Celgard-P(EO-co-PO) composite. This GPE has a higher ionic conductivity (2.8×10(-3) and 5.1×10(-4) S cm(-1) at 30 and -20 °C, respectively) and a wider electrochemical voltage range (5.1 V) than the LE-swelled Celgard because of the strong ion-solvation power of P(EO-co-PO). The active ion-solvation role of P(EO-co-PO) also suppresses the formation of the solid-electrolyte interphase layer. When assembling the GPE in a Li/LiFePO4 battery, the P(EO-co-PO) network hinders anionic transport, producing a high Li+ transference number of 0.5 and decreased the polarization overpotential. The Li/GPE/LiFePO4 battery delivers a discharge capacity of 156-135 mAh g(-1) between 0.1 and 1 C-rates, which is approximately 5% higher than that of the Li/LE/LiFePO4 battery. The IR drop of the Li/GPE/LiFePO4 battery was 44% smaller than that of the Li/LE/LiFePO4. The Li/GPE/LiFePO4 battery is more stable, with only a 1.2% capacity decay for 150 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles. The advantages of the proposed GPE are its high stability, conductivity, Li+ transference number, and mechanical integrity, which allow for the assembly of GPE-based batteries readily scalable to industrial levels.

Promoting the health of Aboriginal Australians through empowerment: eliciting the components of the family well-being empowerment and leadership programme.

PubMed

Laliberté, Arlene; Haswell, Melissa; Tsey, Komla

2012-12-01

Most policies addressing Aboriginal health in Australia promote initiatives that are based on empowerment principles. Articulated programme components are necessary to support personal and group empowerment and to assist individuals in gaining the sense of control and purposefulness needed to exert their political and personal power in the face of the severe stress and powerlessness faced by the Australian Aboriginal people. This paper aims to provide a detailed description of the mechanisms underpinning a 'bottom-up' empowerment initiative, the Family well-being empowerment and leadership programme (FWB), and to analyze how the programme supports empowerment. The five stages of FWB were described and the validity of this model was assessed through the combination of participatory observation, documentation analysis, literature review, semi-structured interviews and iterative feedback with different analytical perspectives. Our study results articulated four distinct programme components: the setting plus inter-relational, educational and experiential actions. FWB is an example of the promotion of both outcome and process pathways towards empowerment. Potential applications of the programme are discussed.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Licorice and Roasted Licorice Extracts on TPA-Induced Acute Inflammation and Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice

PubMed Central

Kim, Ki Rim; Jeong, Chan-Kwon; Park, Kwang-Kyun; Choi, Jong-Hoon; Park, Jung Han Yoon; Lim, Soon Sung; Chung, Won-Yoon

2010-01-01

The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice (LE) and roated licorice (rLE) extracts determined in the murine phorbol ester-induced acute inflammation model and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model of human rheumatoid arthritis. rLE possessed greater activity than LE in inhibiting phorbol ester-induced ear edema. Oral administration of LE or rLE reduced clinical arthritis score, paw swelling, and histopathological changes in a murine CIA. LE and rLE decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in serum and matrix metalloproteinase-3 expression in the joints. Cell proliferation and cytokine secretion in response to type II collagen or lipopolysaccharide stimulation were suppressed in spleen cells from LE or rLE-treated CIA mice. Furthermore, LE and rLE treatment prevented oxidative damages in liver and kidney tissues of CIA mice. Taken together, LE and rLE have benefits in protecting against both acute inflammation and chronic inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis. rLE may inhibit the acute inflammation more potently than LE. PMID:20300198

Equitable Partnerships for Mutual Learning or Perpetuator of North-South Power Imbalances? Ireland-South Africa School Links

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallwey, Susan Kresky; Wilgus, Gay

2014-01-01

This study examines how various components of a school-linking programme between Ireland and South Africa either support Development Education's goal of sustainable, equitable partnerships that enable mutual learning between Northern and Southern countries or, instead, promote power imbalances that reify stereotypic images of weak, needy…

South Africa and the 21st Century Power Partnership: Paving the Way to a Clean, Reliable, and Resilient Power System

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

None, None

Established in 2012, the 21CPP South Africa Programme is a global initiative that connects South African stakeholders with an international communityof expertise. The overall goal of this program is to support South Africa's power system transformation by accelerating the transition to a reliable, financially robust, and low-carbon power system. 21CPP activities focus on achieving positive outcomes for all participants, especially addressing critical questions and challenges facing system planners, regulators, and operators.

A 4 μW/Ch analog front-end module with moderate inversion and power-scalable sampling operation for 3-D neural microsystems.

PubMed

Al-Ashmouny, Khaled M; Chang, Sun-Il; Yoon, Euisik

2012-10-01

We report an analog front-end prototype designed in 0.25 μm CMOS process for hybrid integration into 3-D neural recording microsystems. For scaling towards massive parallel neural recording, the prototype has investigated some critical circuit challenges in power, area, interface, and modularity. We achieved extremely low power consumption of 4 μW/channel, optimized energy efficiency using moderate inversion in low-noise amplifiers (K of 5.98 × 10⁸ or NEF of 2.9), and minimized asynchronous interface (only 2 per 16 channels) for command and data capturing. We also implemented adaptable operations including programmable-gain amplification, power-scalable sampling (up to 50 kS/s/channel), wide configuration range (9-bit) for programmable gain and bandwidth, and 5-bit site selection capability (selecting 16 out of 128 sites). The implemented front-end module has achieved a reduction in noise-energy-area product by a factor of 5-25 times as compared to the state-of-the-art analog front-end approaches reported to date.

Fully-elastic multi-granular network with space/frequency/time switching using multi-core fibres and programmable optical nodes.

PubMed

Amaya, N; Irfan, M; Zervas, G; Nejabati, R; Simeonidou, D; Sakaguchi, J; Klaus, W; Puttnam, B J; Miyazawa, T; Awaji, Y; Wada, N; Henning, I

2013-04-08

We present the first elastic, space division multiplexing, and multi-granular network based on two 7-core MCF links and four programmable optical nodes able to switch traffic utilising the space, frequency and time dimensions with over 6000-fold bandwidth granularity. Results show good end-to-end performance on all channels with power penalties between 0.75 dB and 3.7 dB.

A leadership programme for critical care.

PubMed

Crofts, Linda

2006-08-01

This paper describes the genesis, design and implementation of a leadership programme for critical care. This was an initiative funded by the National Health Service (NHS) Nursing Leadership Project and had at the core of its design flexibility to meet the needs of the individual hospitals, which took part in it. Participation was from the multi-disciplinary critical care team. Six NHS hospitals took part in the programme which was of 20 days duration and took place on hospital sites. The programme used the leadership model of as its template and had a number of distinct components; a baseline assessment, personal development, principles of leadership and critical case reviews. The programme was underpinned by three themes; working effectively in multi-professional teams to provide patient focussed care, managing change through effective leadership and developing the virtual critical care service. Each group set objectives pertinent to their own organisation's needs. The programme was evaluated by a self-reporting questionnaire; group feedback and feedback from stakeholders. Programme evaluation was positive from all the hospitals but it was clear that the impact of the programme varied considerably between the groups who took part. It was noted that there was some correlation between the success of the programme and organisational 'buy in' as well as the organisational culture within which the participants operated. A key feature of the programme success was the critical case reviews, which were considered to be a powerful learning tool and medium for group learning and change management.

Plan for a groundwater monitoring network in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Shiang-Kueen

In Taiwan, rapid economic growth, rising standards of living, and an altered societal structure have in recent years put severe demands on water supplies. Because of its stable quantity and quality, groundwater has long been a reliable source of water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial users, but the establishment of a management program that integrates groundwater and surface-water use has been hampered by the lack of groundwater data. In 1992, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) initiated a program entitled "Groundwater Monitoring Network Plan in Taiwan." Under this program, basic groundwater data, including water-level and water-quality data, are being collected, and a reliable database is being established for the purpose of managing total water resources. This paper introduces the goals, implementation stages, and scope of that plan. The plan calls for constructing 517 hydrogeologic survey stations and 990 groundwater monitoring wells within 17 years. Under this program, water-level fluctuations are continuously monitored, whereas water-quality samples are taken for analysis only at the initial drilling stage and, subsequently, at the time when a monitoring well is being serviced. In 1996, the DWR and the Water Resources Planning Commission were merged to form today's Water Resources Bureau. Résumé A Taïwan, l'expansion économique rapide, l'amélioration des conditions de vie et la transformation de la structure sociale ont provoqué, ces dernières années, une très forte demande en eau. Du fait de sa constance en qualité et en quantité, l'eau souterraine a longtemps été considérée comme une ressource en eau sûre pour les usages domestiques, agricoles et industriels. Mais la mise en place d'un programme de gestion intégrant les utilisations d'eaux souterraines et de surface a été gênée par l'absence de données sur les eaux souterraines. En 1992, le Département des Ressources en Eau a lancé le programme "Plan pour un réseau de suivi des eaux souterraines à Taïwan". D'après ce programme, les données de base concernant les eaux souterraines, comprenant les mesures de niveau et les données de qualité, ont été acquises ; une base de données sûre est en cours d'élaboration, dans le but de gérer l'ensemble des ressources en eau. Cet article présente les buts, les stades de développement et une vue d'ensemble de ce plan. Le plan impose la mise en place de 517 stations de mesures hydrogéologiques et de 990 piézomètres en 17 ans. Selon ce programme, les variations du niveau des nappes doivent être suivies en continu, tandis que des échantillons pour la qualité de l'eau seront prélevés pour analyses uniquement au cours de la phase de foration, puis au moment de la mise en service des piézomètres. En 1996, le Département des Ressources en Eau et la Commission de Planification des Ressources en Eau ont été réunis pour former l'actuel Bureau des Ressources en Eau. Resumen En Taiwan, el rápido crecimiento económico, el aumento en el nivel de vida y los cambios sociales en los últimos años han resultado en un aumento en la demanda de agua. Por su estabilidad en términos de cantidad y calidad, las aguas subterráneas han sido durante años la fuente de agua para usos domésticos, agrícolas e industriales. En los últimos años, sin embargo, el establecimiento de un programa de gestión conjunta de aguas superficiales y subterráneas se ha visto comprometido por la falta de datos correspondientes a estas últimas. En 1992, el Departamento de Recursos de Agua (DWR) inició un programa titulado "Plan de Red de Control de Aguas Subterráneas en Taiwan". Bajo este programa, se están recogiendo datos básicos, incluyendo niveles piezométricos y datos de calidad, y se está construyendo una base de datos con el propósito de gestionar los recursos de agua totales. Este artículo presenta el marco, los objetivos y el estado de implantación del plan, que pretende la construcción de 517 estaciones de medida hidrogeológicas y 990 pozos de observación durante un periodo de 17 años. Bajo este programa, los niveles de agua se miden continuamente, mientras que las muestras para análisis de calidad se toman sólo durante la perforación y cuando el pozo está en servicio. En 1996, el DWR y la Comisión de Planificación de los Recursos de Agua se unieron para formar la actual Oficina de Recursos de Agua.5

The Effectiveness of Incorporating a Play-based Intervention to Improve Functional Mobility for a Child with Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia: A Case Report.

PubMed

Vercher, Paula; Hung, You-Jou; Ko, Mansoo

2016-12-01

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is one of the most common forms of cancer seen in children, accounting for one-fourth of all childhood cancers. These children typically present with decreased functional mobility, weakened lower extremity muscle strength and reduced exercise endurance and interests because of disease progressions and chemotherapy treatments. The purpose of this case report was to examine the effectiveness of incorporating a play-based physical therapy (PT) intervention programme to improve functional mobility for an inpatient with relapsed ALL undergoing chemotherapy. The patient was a 3-year-old male admitted to the hospital for relapsed ALL. He was diagnosed approximately 1 year earlier for which he had undergone chemotherapy and was later considered in remission at that time. When the patient relapsed, he underwent another round of chemotherapy and was waiting for a bone marrow transplant during his treatment during the course of this case report. For PT intervention, therapeutic exercises were incorporated into play to strengthen his lower extremity strength and muscle endurance. Functional activities were also incorporated into play to improve his aerobic capacity and overall quality of life. Multi-attribute health status classification system (HUI3) utility scores, 6-minute walk test distance (6MWT), lower extremity (LE) strength, transfer and tolerated treatment time were assessed to identify the effect of a PT intervention. Despite experiencing fatigue, the patient completed most of the treatments incorporated into play. After 5 weeks of PT intervention, the participant improved on HUI3 (pre: 0.72 and post: 0.92), 6MWT (pre: 156 ft and post: 489 ft), LE strength (squat), transfer (sit to stand) and tolerated treatment time (pre: 16 minutes and post: 44 minutes). This case report suggests that incorporating a play-based PT intervention programme could be physically tolerable and functionally beneficial for a young child with relapsed ALL undergoing inpatient chemotherapy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Design and simulation of programmable relational optoelectronic time-pulse coded processors as base elements for sorting neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasilenko, Vladimir G.; Nikolsky, Alexander I.; Lazarev, Alexander A.; Lazareva, Maria V.

2010-05-01

In the paper we show that the biologically motivated conception of time-pulse encoding usage gives a set of advantages (single methodological basis, universality, tuning simplicity, learning and programming et al) at creation and design of sensor systems with parallel input-output and processing for 2D structures hybrid and next generations neuro-fuzzy neurocomputers. We show design principles of programmable relational optoelectronic time-pulse encoded processors on the base of continuous logic, order logic and temporal waves processes. We consider a structure that execute analog signal extraction, analog and time-pulse coded variables sorting. We offer optoelectronic realization of such base relational order logic element, that consists of time-pulse coded photoconverters (pulse-width and pulse-phase modulators) with direct and complementary outputs, sorting network on logical elements and programmable commutation blocks. We make technical parameters estimations of devices and processors on such base elements by simulation and experimental research: optical input signals power 0.2 - 20 uW, processing time 1 - 10 us, supply voltage 1 - 3 V, consumption power 10 - 100 uW, extended functional possibilities, learning possibilities. We discuss some aspects of possible rules and principles of learning and programmable tuning on required function, relational operation and realization of hardware blocks for modifications of such processors. We show that it is possible to create sorting machines, neural networks and hybrid data-processing systems with untraditional numerical systems and pictures operands on the basis of such quasiuniversal hardware simple blocks with flexible programmable tuning.

Effects of gravitational acceleration on high pressure combustion of methanol droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chauveau, C.; Vieille, B.; Gökalp, I.; Segawa, D.; Kadota, T.; Nakainkyo, A.

1999-06-01

A Franco-Japanese cooperative research program on microgravity combustion has been initiated. One of the studies is devoted to the experimental investigation of high pressure combustion of methanol droplets, under normal and reduced gravity conditions, which are obtained in a drop tower and during the parabolic flight of an airplane. A methanol droplet is suspended at the center of a high-pressure combustion chamber, and is ignited with an electrically heated kanthal wire. A high-speed video camera is used to obtain the time histories of the squared droplet diameter, which are used to determine the droplet burning rate. The results show that the d-square law is valid for all the conditions of the present experiments. The droplet burning rate increases with ambient pressure and does not show a maximum around the critical pressure of methanol. Experiments also show that the droplet burning rate decreases with the reduction of gravitational acceleration. Un programme de collaboration franco-japonais sur la combustion en microgravité a été initié. Une des études est consacrée à l'investigation expérimentale de la combustion de gouttelettes de métha nol sous haute pression, dans des conditions de gravité terrestre et aussi de gravité réduite obtenues par l'utilisation d'une tour de chute libre et par les vols paraboliques d'un avion-laboratoire. Une goutte de méthanol est suspendue au centre d'une chambre à haute pression et est enflammée par un filament électrique porté à haute température. Une caméra vidéo rapide permet le suivi temporel de l'évolution du diamètre de la goutte qui est utilisé pour déterminer le taux de combustion. Les résultats montrent que la loi en D2 est valide pour toutes les conditions explorées dans la présente étude. Le taux de combustion augmente avec l'augmentation de la pression ambiante et ne démontre pas l'existence d'un maximum à la pression critique du méthanol. Le taux de combustion décroît de manière évidente avec la diminution de l'accélération gravitationnelle.

Evaluation d’un enseignement par les étudiants appliquée au module « aide à la rédaction de thèse»: destiné aux internes des hôpitaux des Armées au Centre d’épidémiologie et de Santé Publique des Armées, Marseille

PubMed Central

Kasouati, Jalal; Velut, Guillaume; Deparis, Xavier; Touloune, Farida

2016-01-01

Introduction En éducation, l'évaluation concerne les institutions de formation, les programmes, les enseignants ou les étudiants. Elle peut être prédictive, sommative ou formative. L'Evaluation d'un Enseignement par les Etudiants (EEE) est l'un des outils de ce dernier type. Objectif Évaluer l'enseignement de la première partie de la formation « aide à la rédaction de thèse ». Méthodes C'est une étude transversale classée dans le cadre « EEE » qui a porté sur le module « aide à la rédaction de thèse » dispensée au CESPA au profit de 27 participants préparant leur projet de fin d'étude. Résultats Le taux de réponse des participants présents était de 100%. D'un sexe ratio F/M de 2 et de une moyenne d'âge de 25,5 ans +/- 2,7 ans, les questionnés étaient majoritairement des internes de médecine générale. Plus de 85% affirmait n'avoir bénéficié d'aucune formation au préalable dans les domaines traités. Les participants avaient des attentes qui rejoignaient sommairement les objectifs de la formation. A part le rythme jugé non adapté par plus de la moitié, 80% des participants ont été satisfaits des autres aspects évalués et 95,8% parmi eux prévoyaient d'assister à la deuxième partie de la formation Pour tout les participants, la formation a permis d'amélioré de façon significative leur connaissance et aurais certainement un impact positif sur leurs travaux de recherche. Conclusion Notre travail était un moyen d'installer une certaine complicité entre les étudiants et les enseignants pour atteindre un objectif commun: « AMELIORER LA FORMATION ». PMID:27800091

High Power Short Wavelength Laser Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-11-01

CO o •:’ ■ r LiJj ---’ D NORTHROP Research and Technology Center DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT Ä Approved for public le^easo; I/lstnbution...Contract N00014-76-C-1100 DISTP.irUTi Äpp’ : f, 1 Sponsored By ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY ARPA Order No. 3125 Monitored By OiTFICE OF NAVAL... RESEARCH NORTHROP CORPORATION ’ Northrop Research and Technology Center 3401 West Broadway Hawthorne, California 90250 Telephone

India-United States Security Cooperation: Past, Present, and Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-16

IOR Indian Ocean Region ISI Inter-Services Intelligence JeM Jaish-e-Mohammad ix JTG Joint Technical Group LCA Light Combat Aircraft LeT...community’s senior expert who has written and consulted on issues ranging from terrorism to nuclear policy, political stability, and foreign relations... resulted in the happy situation of simultaneous expansion of relations with all the major powers, growing weight in Asia and the Indian Ocean regions

The French Defense and Foreign Policies: Rwanda Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-25

Charbonneau , Bruno. France and the New Imperialism: Security Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008. Chipman, John. French Power in Africa... Charbonneau , France and the New Imperialism: Security Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa. (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2008), 125. 16 Le Monde, 1...Petitville, 583-585. 23 Charbonneau , 61-62. 24 Intentionally, the author does not use the American designation as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff due

EMCS Installation Follow-Up Study. Volume 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-01

softwaLe is currently being developed by Power;. 4. The system includc;s an equation processor which p~ovi,.’ arithmetic, logicaL, and timing...packages are actually written using the equation processor. 5. The system colorgraphics capability was demonstrated. The system can be operated...extremely important. The AsteroAI drawings were reviewed by the Navy only on a cursory basis. This proved to be inad- equate . 15. The specifications

Military Leadership as an Element of National Power

DTIC Science & Technology

1966-04-08

security, regularity, and specificity of work operations. In a remarkable book entitled Dialogues sur le Commandcment, Andre Maurois has created a... Maurois , Andre . Captains and Kings. New York: Appleton, 1925. (A series of dialogues on command between "The Lieutenant" and "The Philosopher. This...work deserves to be better known by students of the military mind.) 66. Maurois , Andre . Marshal Lyautey. London; Bodley Head, 1931. (The standard

Engine Throat/Nozzle Optics for Plume Spectroscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-01

independent of the external plume characteristics so operation can be achieved on diffuser test stands and with the engine exhausting to a variable... combustion chamber operates at 205 atmospheres during 109% power conditions with a mixture ratio of 6:1. The engine is overexpanded at sea level and...LeRC/500-219. 16. Abstract The throat and combustion chamber of an operating rocket engine provide a preferred signal source for optical spectroscopy

Soviet Military Power 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

leadership coupled the US and the West, In arms control, difficult issues a massive and sustained arms buildup with assertive remain, including questions...announced journal : unilateral reductions, the le’cl o1t their forces will still outnumber those l’ any other country in the world, and Security in the...strategic conventional offensive could pr,- economic, The economic costs of building and sustain - emptively deny NATO any incentive to initiate nuclear ing

Description and status of NASA-LeRC/DOE photovoltaic applications systems experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratajczak, A. F.

1978-01-01

In its role of supporting the DOE Photovoltaic Program, the NASA-Lewis Research Center has designed, fabricated and installed 16 geographically dispersed photovoltaic systems. These systems are powering a refrigerator, highway warning sign, forest lookout towers, remote weather stations, a water chiller at a visitor center, and insect survey traps. Each of these systems is described in terms of load requirements, solar array and battery size, and instrumentation and controls. Operational experience is described and present status is given for each system. The P/V power systems have proven to be highly reliable with almost no problems with modules and very few problems overall

Etude de pratiques d'enseignement relatives a la modelisation en sciences et technologies avec des enseignants du secondaire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aurousseau, Emmanuelle

Les modeles sont des outils amplement utilises en sciences et technologies (S&T) afin de representer et d’expliquer un phenomene difficilement accessible, voire abstrait. La demarche de modelisation est presentee de maniere explicite dans le programme de formation de l’ecole quebecoise (PFEQ), notamment au 2eme cycle du secondaire (Quebec. Ministere de l'Education du Loisir et du Sport, 2007a). Elle fait ainsi partie des sept demarches auxquelles eleves et enseignants sont censes recourir. Cependant, de nombreuses recherches mettent en avant la difficulte des enseignants a structurer leurs pratiques d’enseignement autour des modeles et de la demarche de modelisation qui sont pourtant reconnus comme indispensables. En effet, les modeles favorisent la conciliation des champs concrets et abstraits entre lesquels le scientifique, meme en herbe, effectue des allers-retours afin de concilier le champ experimental de reference qu’il manipule et observe au champ theorique relie qu’il construit. L’objectif de cette recherche est donc de comprendre comment les modeles et la demarche de modelisation contribuent a faciliter l’articulation du concret et de l’abstrait dans l’enseignement des sciences et des technologies (S&T) au 2eme cycle du secondaire. Pour repondre a cette question, nous avons travaille avec les enseignants dans une perspective collaborative lors de groupes focalises et d’observation en classe. Ces dispositifs ont permis d’examiner les pratiques d’enseignement que quatre enseignants mettent en oeuvre en utilisant des modeles et des demarches de modelisation. L’analyse des pratiques d’enseignement et des ajustements que les enseignants envisagent dans leur pratique nous permet de degager des connaissances a la fois pour la recherche et pour la pratique des enseignants, au regard de l’utilisation des modeles et de la demarche de modelisation en S&T au secondaire.

Ultra Low Power Datalogger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holik, Michael

2010-01-01

The article describes a design and the test of the datalogger unit. Main demands on the datalogger were to achieve the power consumption as low as possible and the ability to capture short-time events. The datalogger is based on a programmable logic device FPGA. VHDL language is used to design the architecture fitted into the FPGA. The results of the test confirmed low power consumption feature of the device as well as proper functionality of the unit.

The Black-Scholes option pricing problem in mathematical finance: generalization and extensions for a large class of stochastic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchaud, Jean-Philippe; Sornette, Didier

1994-06-01

The ability to price risks and devise optimal investment strategies in thé présence of an uncertain "random" market is thé cornerstone of modern finance theory. We first consider thé simplest such problem of a so-called "European call option" initially solved by Black and Scholes using Ito stochastic calculus for markets modelled by a log-Brownien stochastic process. A simple and powerful formalism is presented which allows us to generalize thé analysis to a large class of stochastic processes, such as ARCH, jump or Lévy processes. We also address thé case of correlated Gaussian processes, which is shown to be a good description of three différent market indices (MATIF, CAC40, FTSE100). Our main result is thé introduction of thé concept of an optimal strategy in the sense of (functional) minimization of the risk with respect to the portfolio. If the risk may be made to vanish for particular continuous uncorrelated 'quasiGaussian' stochastic processes (including Black and Scholes model), this is no longer the case for more general stochastic processes. The value of the residual risk is obtained and suggests the concept of risk-corrected option prices. In the presence of very large deviations such as in Lévy processes, new criteria for rational fixing of the option prices are discussed. We also apply our method to other types of options, `Asian', `American', and discuss new possibilities (`doubledecker'...). The inclusion of transaction costs leads to the appearance of a natural characteristic trading time scale. L'aptitude à quantifier le coût du risque et à définir une stratégie optimale de gestion de portefeuille dans un marché aléatoire constitue la base de la théorie moderne de la finance. Nous considérons d'abord le problème le plus simple de ce type, à savoir celui de l'option d'achat `européenne', qui a été résolu par Black et Scholes à l'aide du calcul stochastique d'Ito appliqué aux marchés modélisés par un processus Log-Brownien. Nous présentons un formalisme simple et puissant qui permet de généraliser l'analyse à une grande classe de processus stochastiques, tels que les processus ARCH, de Lévy et ceux à sauts. Nous étudions également le cas des processus Gaussiens corrélés, dont nous montrons qu'ils donnent une bonne description de trois indices boursiers (MATIF, CAC40, FTSE100). Notre résultat principal consiste en l'introduction du concept de stratégie optimale dans le sens d'une minimisation (fonctionnelle) du risque en fonction du portefeuille d'actions. Si le risque peut être annulé pour les processus `quasi-Gaussien' non-corrélés, dont le modèle de Black et Scholes est un exemple, cela n'est plus vrai dans le cas général, le risque résiduel permettant de proposer des coûts d'options "corrigés". En présence de très grandes fluctuations du marché telles que décrites par les processus de Lévy, de nouveaux critères pour fixer rationnellement le prix des options sont nécessaires et sont discutés. Nous appliquons notre méthode à d'autres types d'options, telles que `asiatiques', `américaines', et à de nouvelles options que nous introduisons comme les `options à deux étages'... L'inclusion des frais de transaction dans le formalisme conduit à l'introduction naturelle d'un temps caractéristique de transaction.

Overview of free-piston Stirling SP-100 activities at the NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slaby, J. G.

1986-01-01

An overview of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center (LeRC) SP-100 free-piston Stirling engine activities is presented. These activities are being conducted in support of the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), and NASA. The space-power technology effort, under SP-100, addresses the status of the 25 kWe Space Power Demonstrator Engine (SPDE). Another facet of the SP-100 project covers the status of an endurance test. Dynamic balancing of the SPDE engine is discussed along with a summary covering the parametric results of a study showing the relationship between power-converter specific weight and efficiency both as a function of Stirling engine heater to cooler temperature ratio. Design parameters and conceptual design features are presented for a 25 kWe, single-cylinder free-piston Stirling space-power converter. And finally, a description of a hydrodynamic gas bearing concept is presented.

A review of the Thermoelectronic Laser Energy Converter /TELEC/ Program at Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alger, D. L.; Manista, E. J.; Thompson, R. W.

1978-01-01

The investigation of the Thermoelectronic Laser Energy Converter (TELEC) concept at the Lewis Research Center (LeRC) began with a feasibility study of a 1 megawatt sized TELEC system. The TELEC was to use either cesium vapor or hydrogen as the plasma medium. The cesium vapor TELEC appears to be the more practical device studied with an overall calculated conversion efficiency of greater than 48%. Following this study, a small TELEC cell was fabricated which demonstrated the conversion of a small amount of laser power to electrical power. The cell developed a short circuit current of 0.7 amperes and an open circuit voltage, as extrapolated from volt-ampere curves, of about 1.5 volts. Work is now in progress to construct and test a cesium vapor TELEC capable of absorbing 20% of an incident 10 kW, 10.6 micrometer beam, and converting 35% of this power to electrical power.

Myocardial Fibrosis in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Volumetric Assessment of Late Enhancement Provided by Cardiac Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Langer, Christoph; Schaefer, Philipp; Lutz, Matthias; Eden, Matthias; Hohnhorst, Mirko; Harders, Hauke; Faber, Lothar; Jansen, Olav; Both, Marcus; Frey, Norbert

2015-01-01

With subgroups of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) confers a 4% to 5% risk for adverse prognosis. Besides left-ventricular muscle mass (LV-MM) myocardial fibrosis (MF) assessable by late gadolinium enhancement in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) has been related to that. Myocardial fibrosis can also be demonstrated by late enhancement (LE) in late-enhanced multislice computed tomography (leMDCT). This analysis investigates leMDCT whether to enable quantification of LE load in terms of LE mass by percent LV-MM in HCM. In a prospective validation study, we included 30 consecutive patients with HCM who underwent leMDCT (64 slice) and LGE-CMR (1.5 T). The leMDCT scan was performed 7 minutes after injection of iodine contrast (Iopromid). Endocardial and epicardial planimetry served for the assessment of LV-MM. Visually detectable LE was quantified using the manual quantification method resulting in LE by percent LV-MM (%LE). The LGE-CMR data served for validation. Mean (SD) age was 64.1 (13.9) years. Myocardial fibrosis prevalence was 63.3% (19/30 patients indentified by both leMDCT and LGE-CMR). In leMDCT, tissue density in LE areas compared with normal myocardium was higher (138.2 [23.9] HU vs 98.4 [16.5] HU, P < 0.001) but lower than in the LV cavity (138.2 [23.9] HU vs 169.2 [35.9] HU, P < 0.001). Late enhancement mass in leMDCT seemed to be 7.9 (8.5) g LE versus 8.6 [11] g LGE in CMR (P = 0.497, r = 0.95) resulting in a leMDCT/LGE-CMR relation of 1.2. Referring LE mass to LV-MM gave an LE proportion measured by leMDCT of 4 (3.9) %LE versus 3.9 (4.1) %LGE in LGE-CMR (r = 0.88, P = 0.75). Intraobserver/interobserver reliability of LE mass assessment showed an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.99 and 0.97. In patients with HCM, leMDCT provides volumetric assessment of LE mass-absolutely and by percent LV-MM.

Programmable Logic Controllers for Research on the Cyber Security of Industrial Power Plants

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-12

group . 15. SUBJECT TERMS Industrial control systems, cyber security 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS...currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (00-MM-YYYY) ,2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED...From- To) 12/02/2017 Final 15 August 2015 - 12 February 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Sa. CONTRACT NUMBER Programmable Logic Controllers for Research

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

"rsed" is an R package that contains tools for stream editing: manipulating text files by making insertions, replacements, deletions, substitutions, or commenting. It hails from the powerful Unix command, "sed". While the "rsed" package is not nearly as powerful as "see", it is much simpler to use. R programmers often write scripts that may require simple manipulation of text files. "rsed" addresses that need.

Description of a MIL-STD-1553B Data Bus Ada Driver for the LeRC EPS Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackin, Michael A.

1995-01-01

This document describes the software designed to provide communication between control computers in the NASA Lewis Research Center Electrical Power System Testbed using MIL-STD-1553B. The software drivers are coded in the Ada programming language and were developed on a MSDOS-based computer workstation. The Electrical Power System (EPS) Testbed is a reduced-scale prototype space station electrical power system. The power system manages and distributes electrical power from the sources (batteries or photovoltaic arrays) to the end-user loads. The electrical system primary operates at 120 volts DC, and the secondary system operates at 28 volts DC. The devices which direct the flow of electrical power are controlled by a network of six control computers. Data and control messages are passed between the computers using the MIL-STD-1553B network. One of the computers, the Power Management Controller (PMC), controls the primary power distribution and another, the Load Management Controller (LMC), controls the secondary power distribution. Each of these computers communicates with two other computers which act as subsidiary controllers. These subsidiary controllers are, in turn, connected to the devices which directly control the flow of electrical power.

LeEix1 functions as a decoy receptor to attenuate LeEix2 signaling.

PubMed

Bar, Maya; Sharfman, Miya; Avni, Adi

2011-03-01

The receptors for the fungal elicitor EIX (LeEix1 and LeEix2) belong to a class of leucine-rich repeat cell-surface glycoproteins with a signal for receptor-mediated endocytosis. Both receptors are able to bind the EIX elicitor while only the LeEix2 receptor mediates defense responses. We show that LeEix1 acts as a decoy receptor and attenuates EIX induced internalization and signaling of the LeEix2 receptor. We demonstrate that BAK1 binds LeEix1 but not LeEix2. In plants where BAK1 was silenced, LeEix1 was no longer able to attenuate plant responses to EIX, indicating that BAK1 is required for this attenuation. We suggest that LeEix1 functions as a decoy receptor for LeEix2, a function which requires the kinase activity of BAK1.

Neovascularity in patellar tendinopathy and the response to eccentric training: a case report using Power Doppler ultrasound.

PubMed

McCreesh, Karen M; Riley, Sara J; Crotty, James M

2013-12-01

This report describes the case of an amateur soccer player with chronic patellar tendinopathy who underwent ultrasound imaging before and after engaging in an 8-week programme of eccentric exercise. On initial assessment, greyscale ultrasound imaging demonstrated tendon thickening and reduced echogenicity, while Power Doppler imaging demonstrated a large amount of neovascularity. After 8 weeks of an eccentric loading programme, the patient reported significantly improved symptoms and functional scores, while follow-up imaging demonstrated improvement in the echo appearance of the tendon and complete resolution of the neovascularity. The association between neovascularity and symptoms in tendinopathy research is conflicting, with a paucity of research in the area of patellar tendinopathy. While further research is needed to clarify the significance of greyscale and Power Doppler ultrasound changes in relation to symptoms in patellar tendinopathy, ultrasound imaging was shown to be a useful adjunct to diagnosis and outcome assessment in this case. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CRTs – Cluster Randomized Trials or “Courting Real Troubles”

PubMed Central

Ranson, M. Kent; Sinha, Tara; Morris, Saul S.; Mills, Anne J.

2006-01-01

This paper addresses the logistical challenges of implementing public health interventions in the setting of cluster randomized trials (CRTs), drawing on the experience of carrying out a CRT within a community-based health insurance (CBHI) scheme in rural India. Our CRT is seeking to improve the equity impact – i.e., reduce the differential in claims submission for hospitalization between poor and less poor – of this CBHI in rural areas. Five main challenges are identified and discussed: 1) assigning control clusters, 2) blinding, 3) implementing interventions simultaneously, 4) minimizing leakage, and 5) piggy-backing on a changing scheme. These challenges are not likely to be unique to low-income settings, although the fifth challenge is particularly likely when working with relatively small and resource-constrained programs. While compromises to methodological best-practice may reduce internal validity, they make the intervention more ‘real’, and potentially more applicable, to other programs and settings. Further, careful documentation of compromises allows them to be considered in the final analysis. RÉSUMÉ Cet article traite des difficultés logistiques rencontrées dans la mise en oeuvre d'interventions de santé publique dans le cadre d'essais contrôlés randomisés par grappes. Il tire les enseignements d'une expérience menée au sein d'un système d'assurance-santé communautaire dans une région rurale de l'Inde. Il s'agit d'une intervention randomisée par grappes qui a pour but d'améliorer l'équité du système, à savoir réduire l'écart entre les demandes de remboursement des frais d'hospitalisation soumises par les populations pauvres et moins pauvres. Cinq grandes difficultés sont présentées et discutées dans l'article : 1) la mise en place des groupes de contrôle, 2) la création des conditions d'un test en aveugle, 3) la simultanéité des interventions, 4) le risque de contamination entre les groupes et 5) l'implantation sur un dispositif connaissant des modifications. Ces problèmes ne sont pas propres au contexte des pays en développement, bien que le dernier soit plus courant dans le cas de petits programmes aux ressources limitées. Les concessions faites par rapport aux canons méthodologiques sont susceptibles de réduire la validité interne de l'étude, mais elles rendent l'intervention plus réaliste et potentiellement plus applicable à d'autres contextes. En outre, une documentation précise de ces compromis nous permet de les prendre en compte à la fin de l'analyse. PMID:16512334

Contributions à l'Interférométrie spatiale. Astrométrie globale et Détection de Planètes extra-solaires.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Eric

2000-03-01

En 1992, L'Agence Spatiale Européenne chargeait un comité d'experts d'établir les priorités scientifiques de ses futures grandes missions spatiales. En réponse, ce comité recommandait à l'ESA l'initiation d'un programme en interférométrie avec deux objectifs. Le premier est la réalisation d'observations astrométriques avec des précisions de l'ordre de 10 micro-secondes d'arc et le second, la détection de planètes extra-solaires en interférométrie infrarouge. Dans ce mémoire, après un rappel des grands principes de l'interférométrie, je présente les études de concepts d'interféromètres adaptés à chacun des types de mission identifiés précédemment. Dans une première partie, plusieurs configurations d'interféromètres sont présentées, compatibles avec la mission d'astrométrie globale GAIA et permettant la détection directe des franges dans un plan image. Ces configurations font l'objet d'une analyse comparative, suivie d'une proposition d'architecture pour la configuration retenue. Dans une deuxième partie, je présente l'étude, dans la cadre de la mission DARWIN de l'ESA, d'un concept d'interféromètre dédié à la détection de planètes extra-solaires dans le domaine spectral de l'infrarouge thermique. Les principes de l'interférométrie à frange noire sont rappelés, et les performances en termes de temps d'intégration du concept retenu, composé de 6 télescopes collecteurs de 1.5 m de diamètre en orbite à 1 u.a. du Soleil, sont estimées. La dernière partie de ce mémoire est consacrée à l'étude de l'implantation d'un mode imagerie sur le concept d'instrument identifié pour le mode détection de planètes de la mission DARWIN. L'utilisation d'un seul banc de recombinaison des faisceaux pour réaliser les deux missions est proposée, en ayant rajouté les fonctionnalités propres à l'imagerie par synthèse d'ouverture. Cette partie est complétée par une estimation des performances de la mission imagerie.

Approches pour la reduction de l'impact de defaut dans le transport d'energie du parc eolien offshore via VSC-HVDC =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benadja, Mounir

Dans ce travail est presente un systeme de generation d'energie d'un parc eolien offshore et un systeme de transport utilisant les stations VSC-HVDC connectees au reseau principal AC onshore. Trois configurations ont ete etudiees, modelisees et validees par simulation. Dans chacune des configurations, des contributions ameliorant les cotes techniques et economiques sont decrites ci-dessous : La premiere contribution concerne un nouvel algorithme MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) utilise pour l'extraction de la puissance maximale disponible dans les eoliennes des parcs offshores. Cette technique d'extraction du MPPT ameliore le rendement energetique de la chaine de conversion des energies renouvelables notamment l'energie eolienne a petite et a grande echelles (parc eolien offshore) qui constitue un probleme pour les constructeurs qui se trouvent confrontes a developper des dispositifs MPPT simples, moins couteux, robustes, fiables et capable d'obtenir un rendement energetique maximal. La deuxieme contribution concerne la reduction de la taille, du cout et de l'impact des defauts electriques (AC et DC) dans le systeme construit pour transporter l'energie d'un parc eolien offshore (OWF) vers le reseau principal AC onshore via deux stations 3L-NPC VSCHVDC. La solution developpee utilise des observateurs non-lineaires bases sur le filtre de Kalman etendu (EKF). Ce filtre permet d'estimer la vitesse de rotation et la position du rotor de chacune des generatrices du parc eolien offshore et de la tension du bus DC de l'onduleur DC-AC offshore et des deux stations 3L-NPC-VSC-HVDC (offshore et onshore). De plus, ce developpement du filtre de Kalman etendu a permis de reduire l'impact des defauts AC et DC. Deux commandes ont ete utilisees, l'une (commande indirect dans le plan abc) avec EKF integre destinee pour controler le convertisseur DC-AC offshore et l'autre (commande d-q) avec EKF integre pour controler les convertisseurs des deux stations AC-DC et DC-AC tout en tenant compte des entrees de chacune des stations. L'integration des observateurs non-lineaires (EKF) dans le controle des convertisseurs permet de resoudre le probleme des incertitudes de mesure, des incertitudes dans la modelisation, en cas du dysfonctionnement ou de panne des capteurs de mesure ainsi que le probleme de l'impact des defauts (AC et DC) sur la qualite d'energie dans les systemes de transmission. Ces estimations contribuent a rendre le cout global du systeme moins cher et sa taille moins encombrante ainsi que la reduction de l'impact des defauts (AC et DC) sur le systeme. La troisieme contribution concerne la reduction de la taille, du cout et de l'impact des defauts electriques (AC et DC) dans le systeme construit pour transporter l'energie d'un parc eolien offshore (OWF) vers le reseau principal AC onshore via deux stations VSC-HVDC. La solution developpee utilise des observateurs non-lineaires bases sur le filtre de Kalman etendu (EKF). Ce filtre permet d'estimer la vitesse de rotation et la position du rotor de chacune des generatrices du parc eolien et de la tension du bus DC de l'onduleur DC-AC offshore. La contribution porte surtout sur le developpement des deux commandes des deux stations. La premiere, la commande non-lineaire modifiee pour controler le premier convertisseur de la station VSC-HVDC offshore assurant le transfert de la puissance generee par le parc eolien vers la station VSC-HVDC onshore. La deuxieme commande non-lineaire modifiee avec integration de la regulation de la tension du bus DC et de la commande a modele de reference adaptative (MRAC) pour la compensation des surintensites et surtensions durant les defauts AC et DC. On peut constater que lors d'un defaut AC au PCC (Point of Common Coupling) du cote reseau onshore, la profondeur de l'impact du defaut AC sur l'amplitude des courants du reseau principal AC onshore qui etait reduit a 60% par les travaux de recherche (Erlich, Feltes et Shewarega, 2014), comparativement a la nouvelle commande proposee MRAC qui reduit la profondeur de l'impact a 35%. Lors de l'apparition des defauts AC et DC, une reduction de l'impact des defauts sur l'amplitude des courants de reseau AC terrestre et du temps de reponse a ete observee et la stabilite du systeme a ete renforcee par l'utilisation de la commande adaptative basee sur le modele de reference MRAC. La quatrieme contribution concerne une nouvelle commande basee sur le mode de glissement (SM) appliquee pour la station VSC-HVDC qui relie le parc eolien offshore (OWF) au reseau principal AC. Ce parc est compose de dix eoliennes basees sur des generatrices synchrones a aimant permanent (VSWT/PMSGs) connectees en parallele et chacune est controlee par son propre convertisseur DC-DC. Une comparaison des performances entre la commande SM et de la commande non-lineaire avec des controleurs PI pour les deux conditions (presence et absence de defaut DC) a ete analysee et montre la superiorite de la commande par SM. Un prototype du systeme etudie a echelle reduite a ete realise et teste au laboratoire GREPCI en utilisant la carte dSPACE-DS1104 pour la validation experimentale. L'analyse et la simulation des systemes etudies sont developpees sous l'environnement Matlab/Simulink/Simpowersystem. Les resultats obtenus a partir des configurations developpees sont valides par simulation et par experimentation. Les performances sont tres satisfaisantes du point de vue reponse dynamique, reponse en regime permanent, stabilite du systeme et qualite de l'energie.

Cutaneous manifestations of lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Parodi, A; Cozzani, E

2014-10-01

Cutaneous involvement in case of lupus erythematosus (LE) is very frequent and can present both specific or non-specific manifestations. LE specific lesions can be classified in acute, subacute and chronic cutaneous LE lesions. All of them can be localized and generalized. The LE non specific lesions are not exclusive to LE disease but are often seen in patients with active systemic LE. All the cutaneous lesions are often induced or aggravated by ultraviolet light, in fact they are usually localized in sun-exposed areas. Acute cutaneous LE is associated with systemic disease, subacute cutaneous LE has been considered a subset of its own since 1979 when it was first described, chronic cutaneous LE is the most common subtype of LE. Although less frequently also the chronic cutaneous lesions can be an aspect of systemic LE (25%).

Programmable controlled mode-locked fiber laser using a digital micromirror device.

PubMed

Liu, Wu; Fan, Jintao; Xie, Chen; Song, Youjian; Gu, Chenlin; Chai, Lu; Wang, Chingyue; Hu, Minglie

2017-05-15

A digital micromirror device (DMD)-based arbitrary spectrum amplitude shaper is incorporated into a large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber laser cavity. The shaper acts as an in-cavity programmable filter and provides large tunable dispersion from normal to anomalous. As a result, mode-locking is achieved in different dispersion regimes with watt-level high output power. By programming different filter profiles on the DMD, the laser generates femtosecond pulse with a tunable central wavelength and controllable bandwidth. Under conditions of suitable cavity dispersion and pump power, design-shaped spectra are directly obtained by varying the amplitude transfer function of the filter. The results show the versatility of the DMD-based in-cavity filter for flexible control of the pulse dynamics in a mode-locked fiber laser.

Transient and Steady-state Tests of the Space Power Research Engine with Resistive and Motor Loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rauch, Jeffrey S.; Kankam, M. David

1995-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has been testing free-piston Stirling engine/linear alternators (FPSE/LA) to develop advanced power convertors for space-based electrical power generation. Tests reported herein were performed to evaluate the interaction and transient behavior of FPSE/LA-based power systems with typical user loads. Both resistive and small induction motor loads were tested with the space power research engine (SPRE) power system. Tests showed that the control system could maintain constant long term voltage and stable periodic operation over a large range of engine operating parameters and loads. Modest resistive load changes were shown to cause relatively large voltage and, therefore, piston and displacer amplitude excursions. Starting a typical small induction motor was shown to cause large and, in some cases, deleterious voltage transients. The tests identified the need for more effective controls, if FPSE/LAs are to be used for stand-alone power systems. The tests also generated a large body of transient dynamic data useful for analysis code validation.

Transient and steady-state tests of the space power research engine with resistive and motor loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauch, Jeffrey S.; Kankam, M. David

1995-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has been testing free-piston Stirling engine/linear alternators (FPSE/LA) to develop advanced power convertors for space-based electrical power generation. Tests reported herein were performed to evaluate the interaction and transient behavior of FPSE/LA-based power systems with typical user loads. Both resistive and small induction motor loads were tested with the space power research engine (SPRE) power system. Tests showed that the control system could maintain constant long term voltage and stable periodic operation over a large range of engine operating parameters and loads. Modest resistive load changes were shown to cause relatively large voltage and, therefore, piston and displacer amplitude excursions. Starting a typical small induction motor was shown to cause large and, in some cases, deleterious voltage transients. The tests identified the need for more effective controls, if FPSE/LAs are to be used for stand-alone power systems. The tests also generated a large body of transient dynamic data useful for analysis code validation.

Lunar electric power systems utilizing the SP-100 reactor coupled to dynamic conversion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harty, Richard B.; Durand, Richard E.

1993-01-01

An integration study was performed by Rocketdyne under contract to NASA-LeRC. The study was concerned with coupling an SP-0100 reactor to either a Brayton or Stirling power conversion system. The application was for a surface power system to supply power requirements to a lunar base. A power level of 550 kWe was selected based on the NASA Space Exploration Initiative 90-day study. Reliability studies were initially performed to determine optimum power conversion redundancy. This study resulted in selecting three operating engines and one stand-by unit. Integration design studies indicated that either the Brayton or Stirling power conversion systems could be integrated with the PS-100 reactor. The Stirling system had an integration advantage because of smaller piping size and fewer components. The Stirling engine, however, is more complex and heavier than the Brayton rotating unit, which tends to off-set the Stirling integration advantage. From a performance consideration, the Brayton had a 9 percent mass advantage, and the Stirling had a 50 percent radiator advantage.

Editorial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinescu, Maria; D'Addato, Sergio; Giapintzakis, Ioannis (John); Wójcik, Marek

2017-02-01

The symposium V entitled "Stress, structure and stoichiometry effects on the properties of nanomaterials" was organized for the third time during the European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting 2015 in Warsaw, following the previous two successful symposia held in 2011 and 2013. Four sessions were jointly organized with the symposium W entitled "Nanoscale separations in spintronic materials, superconductors, and other systems". Both symposia (V and W) were co-organized by the EU 7-th Framework Programme under the project REGPOT-CT-2013-316014 (EAgLE). Overall, more than 70 scientists attended the symposium V, as they presented 10 invited talks, 26 oral contributions and 28 posters, covering many different and new subjects in nanostructures, thin films and interfaces. Representative articles are published in this proceedings volume. We would like to thank the participants who submitted high quality articles and the referees who helped us with excellent and timely reports.

In-training assessment: qualitative study of effects on supervision and feedback in an undergraduate clinical rotation.

PubMed

Daelmans, H E M; Overmeer, R M; van der Hem-Stokroos, H H; Scherpbier, A J J A; Stehouwer, C D A; van der Vleuten, C P M

2006-01-01

Supervision and feedback are essential factors that contribute to the learning environment in the context of workplace learning and their frequency and quality can be improved. Assessment is a powerful tool with which to influence students' learning and supervisors' teaching and thus the learning environment. To investigate an in-training assessment (ITA) programme in action and to explore its effects on supervision and feedback. A qualitative study using individual, semistructured interviews. Eight students and 17 assessors (9 members of staff and 8 residents) in the internal medicine undergraduate clerkship at Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The ITA programme in action differed from the intended programme. Assessors provided hardly any follow-up on supervision and feedback given during assessments. Although students wanted more supervision and feedback, they rarely asked for it. Students and assessors failed to integrate the whole range of competencies included in the ITA programme into their respective learning and supervision and feedback. When giving feedback, assessors rarely gave borderline or fail judgements. If an ITA programme in action is to be congruent with the intended programme, the implementation of the programme must be monitored. It is also necessary to provide full information about the programme and to ensure this information is given repeatedly. Introducing an ITA programme that includes the assessment of several competencies does not automatically lead to more attention being paid to these competencies in terms of supervision and feedback. Measures that facilitate change in the learning environment seem to be a prerequisite for enabling the assessment programme to steer the learning environment.

Cartographie T

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cote, Jean-Charles

Les cartographies T1 par séquences d'échos stimulés et Look- Locker sont les plus communément utilisées pour mesurer les temps de relaxation T 1 en imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM). Elles ont des performances d'usage clinique, ne prenant que quelques minutes pour produire une carte des valeurs de T1. Ces séquences demeurent cependant très sensibles à la précision des pulses radiofréquences (RF) qui réorientent l'aimantation pour produire les signaux mesurés. Les pulses RF rectangulaires régulièrement utilisés en IRM produisent un basculement de l'aimantation directement proportionnel à l'intensité du champ magnétique B 1 produit par l'antenne émettrice. Les antennes cliniques ont des distributions de champs B1 qui fluctuent énormément. En exemple, l'antenne servant à produire des images de la tête possède un champ B1 qui est distribué dans son volume utile sur une plage allant de 0,5 à 1,2 relativement à son centre. Cette variation spatiale de B1 entraîne des erreurs systématiques sur les valeurs ajustées de T1 dépassant les 50%. Le développement d'un nouveau concept d'excitation RF à approche tangentielle ayant des propriétés adiabatiques pouvant remplacer les demi-passages adiabatiques (AHP) et son utilisation sous la forme d'un BIR-4-S2 (B1-Insensitive Rotation-4 AHP-Sequentialized 2 steps) dans les séquences de cartographie T1 a permis de réduire à moins de 10% les erreurs systématiques dans le cas mesuré par échos stimulés compensés et à moins de 5% pour le Look-Locker. Le BIR-4-S2 possède une imprécision sur l'angle de basculement de moins de 5° sur une plage relative allant de 0,75 à 1,75 autour d'un champ de référence B1 ref, pour un choix de basculement sur 360°. Et, contrairement aux pulses adiabatiques, il demeure un pulse RF tridimentionnel (3D) à faible puissance pouvant être utilisé à répétition cliniquement sans risque d'échauffement dangereux pour les patients. La séquence d'échos stimulés compensés dont nous avons parlé ci-haut utilise un autre de nos développements: la compensation. Le signal produit par une séquence traditionnelle d'échos stimulés tend vers zéro en suivant la relaxation T1 dans le temps. Parfois ceci cause des problèmes lorsque le signal des derniers échos commence à être influencé par le bruit. La compensation a pour effet de modifier la décroissance exponentielle du signal. Ce changement s'opère en tenant compte de la relaxation T1 lors du calcul des angles de basculement nécessaire à la séquence. La compensation transfère une partie de la demande du volume de signal des premiers échos vers les derniers. On peut compenser entièrement et ainsi programmer une séquence qui produira des signaux égaux entre tous les échos ou compenser partiellement pour soutenir les signaux des derniers échos en conservant un maximum de signal total.

pH-programmable DNA logic arrays powered by modular DNAzyme libraries.

PubMed

Elbaz, Johann; Wang, Fuan; Remacle, Francoise; Willner, Itamar

2012-12-12

Nature performs complex information processing circuits, such the programmed transformations of versatile stem cells into targeted functional cells. Man-made molecular circuits are, however, unable to mimic such sophisticated biomachineries. To reach these goals, it is essential to construct programmable modular components that can be triggered by environmental stimuli to perform different logic circuits. We report on the unprecedented design of artificial pH-programmable DNA logic arrays, constructed by modular libraries of Mg(2+)- and UO(2)(2+)-dependent DNAzyme subunits and their substrates. By the appropriate modular design of the DNA computation units, pH-programmable logic arrays of various complexities are realized, and the arrays can be erased, reused, and/or reprogrammed. Such systems may be implemented in the near future for nanomedical applications by pH-controlled regulation of cellular functions or may be used to control biotransformations stimulated by bacteria.

Success of non-traditional students in an undergraduate occupational therapy programme.

PubMed

Wheeler, NEIL

2001-01-01

An exit survey designed to examine the experiences of occupational therapy undergraduates was administered to 365 students in a four-year honours programme. The survey had a response rate of 51% (186). The survey was informed and supplemented by focus groups with international students and computer-mediated conferencing with community leaders from relevant ethnic minorities. Results showed that older students and those with non-traditional entry qualifications in this sample were as successful as school-leaver entrants (those with UK A Level qualifications). There were no significant differences between the support needs of the groups and previous experience did not have a beneficial or significant effect on support needs. Having to maintain part-time employment significantly increased the likelihood that students would consider withdrawing from the programme. For those who considered withdrawing but who went on to successful completion, the desire to practise occupational therapy following their successful experiences in the programme was a powerful motivator.

Primary and secondary electrical space power based on advanced PEM systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderborgh, N. E.; Hedstrom, J. C.; Stroh, K. R.; Huff, J. R.

1993-01-01

For new space ventures, power continues to be a pacing function for mission planning and experiment endurance. Although electrochemical power is a well demonstrated space power technology, current hardware limitations impact future mission viability. In order to document and augment electrochemical technology, a series of experiments for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center (NASA LeRC) are underway at the Los Alamos National Laboratory that define operational parameters on contemporary proton exchange membrane (PEM) hardware operating with hydrogen and oxygen reactants. Because of the high efficiency possible for water electrolysis, this hardware is also thought part of a secondary battery design built around stored reactants - the so-called regenerative fuel cell. An overview of stack testing at Los Alamos and of analyses related to regenerative fuel cell systems are provided in this paper. Finally, this paper describes work looking at innovative concepts that remove complexity from stack hardware with the specific intent of higher system reliability. This new concept offers the potential for unprecedented electrochemical power system energy densities.

Transgenic studies reveal the positive role of LeEIL-1 in regulating shikonin biosynthesis in Lithospermum erythrorhizon hairy roots.

PubMed

Fang, Rongjun; Zou, Ailan; Zhao, Hua; Wu, Fengyao; Zhu, Yu; Zhao, Hu; Liao, Yonghui; Tang, Ren-Jie; Pang, Yanjun; Yang, Rongwu; Wang, Xiaoming; Qi, Jinliang; Lu, Guihua; Yang, Yonghua

2016-05-26

The phytohormone ethylene (ET) is a key signaling molecule for inducing the biosynthesis of shikonin and its derivatives, which are secondary metabolites in Lithospermum erythrorhizon. Although ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3)/EIN3-like proteins (EILs) are crucial transcription factors in ET signal transduction pathway, the possible function of EIN3/EIL1 in shikonin biosynthesis remains unknown. In this study, by targeting LeEIL-1 (L. erythrorhizon EIN3-like protein gene 1) at the expression level, we revealed the positive regulatory effect of LeEIL-1 on shikonin formation. The mRNA level of LeEIL-1 was significantly up-regulated and down-regulated in the LeEIL-1-overexpressing hairy root lines and LeEIL-1-RNAi hairy root lines, respectively. Specifically, LeEIL-1 overexpression resulted in increased transcript levels of the downstream gene of ET signal transduction pathway (LeERF-1) and a subset of genes for shikonin formation, excretion and/or transportation (LePAL, LeC4H-2, Le4CL-1, HMGR, LePGT-1, LeDI-2, and LePS-2), which was consistent with the enhanced shikonin contents in the LeEIL-1-overexpressing hairy root lines. Conversely, LeEIL-1-RNAi dramatically repressed the expression of the above genes and significantly reduced shikonin production. The results revealed that LeEIL-1 is a positive regulator of the biosynthesis of shikonin and its derivatives in L. erythrorhizon hairy roots. Our findings gave new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanism of ET in shikonin biosynthesis. LeEIL-1 could be a crucial target gene for the genetic engineering of shikonin biosynthesis.

Parallelizing Compiler Framework and API for Power Reduction and Software Productivity of Real-Time Heterogeneous Multicores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Akihiro; Wada, Yasutaka; Watanabe, Takeshi; Sekiguchi, Takeshi; Mase, Masayoshi; Shirako, Jun; Kimura, Keiji; Kasahara, Hironori

Heterogeneous multicores have been attracting much attention to attain high performance keeping power consumption low in wide spread of areas. However, heterogeneous multicores force programmers very difficult programming. The long application program development period lowers product competitiveness. In order to overcome such a situation, this paper proposes a compilation framework which bridges a gap between programmers and heterogeneous multicores. In particular, this paper describes the compilation framework based on OSCAR compiler. It realizes coarse grain task parallel processing, data transfer using a DMA controller, power reduction control from user programs with DVFS and clock gating on various heterogeneous multicores from different vendors. This paper also evaluates processing performance and the power reduction by the proposed framework on a newly developed 15 core heterogeneous multicore chip named RP-X integrating 8 general purpose processor cores and 3 types of accelerator cores which was developed by Renesas Electronics, Hitachi, Tokyo Institute of Technology and Waseda University. The framework attains speedups up to 32x for an optical flow program with eight general purpose processor cores and four DRP(Dynamically Reconfigurable Processor) accelerator cores against sequential execution by a single processor core and 80% of power reduction for the real-time AAC encoding.

Novel Programmable Shape Memory Polystyrene Film: A Thermally Induced Beam-power Splitter.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Han, Yu; Wang, Wenxin; Liu, Yanju; Jin, Peng; Leng, Jinsong

2017-03-09

Micro/nanophotonic structures that are capable of optical wave-front shaping are implemented in optical waveguides and passive optical devices to alter the phase of the light propagating through them. The beam division directions and beam power distribution depend on the design of the micro/nanostructures. The ultimate potential of advanced micro/nanophotonic structures is limited by their structurally rigid, functional singleness and not tunable against external impact. Here, we propose a thermally induced optical beam-power splitter concept based on a shape memory polystyrene film with programmable micropatterns. The smooth film exhibits excellent transparency with a transmittance of 95% in the visible spectrum and optical stability during a continuous heating process up to 90 °C. By patterning double sided shape memory polystyrene film into erasable and switchable micro-groove gratings, the transmission light switches from one designed light divided directions and beam-power distribution to another because of the optical diffraction effect of the shape changing micro gratings during the whole thermal activated recovery process. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrate a proof-of-principle of the beam-power splitter. Our results can be adapted to further extend the applications of micro/nanophotonic devices and implement new features in the nanophotonics.

Novel Programmable Shape Memory Polystyrene Film: A Thermally Induced Beam-power Splitter

PubMed Central

Li, Peng; Han, Yu; Wang, Wenxin; Liu, Yanju; Jin, Peng; Leng, Jinsong

2017-01-01

Micro/nanophotonic structures that are capable of optical wave-front shaping are implemented in optical waveguides and passive optical devices to alter the phase of the light propagating through them. The beam division directions and beam power distribution depend on the design of the micro/nanostructures. The ultimate potential of advanced micro/nanophotonic structures is limited by their structurally rigid, functional singleness and not tunable against external impact. Here, we propose a thermally induced optical beam-power splitter concept based on a shape memory polystyrene film with programmable micropatterns. The smooth film exhibits excellent transparency with a transmittance of 95% in the visible spectrum and optical stability during a continuous heating process up to 90 °C. By patterning double sided shape memory polystyrene film into erasable and switchable micro-groove gratings, the transmission light switches from one designed light divided directions and beam-power distribution to another because of the optical diffraction effect of the shape changing micro gratings during the whole thermal activated recovery process. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrate a proof-of-principle of the beam-power splitter. Our results can be adapted to further extend the applications of micro/nanophotonic devices and implement new features in the nanophotonics. PMID:28276500

The effect of exercise repetition on the frequency characteristics of motor output force: implications for Achilles tendinopathy rehabilitation.

PubMed

Grigg, Nicole L; Wearing, Scott C; O'Toole, John M; Smeathers, James E

2014-01-01

To investigate the frequency characteristics of the ground reaction force (GRF) recorded throughout the eccentric Achilles tendon rehabilitation programme described by Alfredson. Controlled laboratory study, longitudinal. Nine healthy adult males performed six sets (15 repetitions per set) of eccentric ankle exercise. Ground reaction force was recorded throughout the exercise protocol. For each exercise repetition the frequency power spectrum of the resultant ground reaction force was calculated and normalised to total power. The magnitude of peak relative power within the 8-12 Hz bandwidth and the frequency at which this peak occurred was determined. The magnitude of peak relative power within the 8-12 Hz bandwidth increased with each successive exercise set and following the 4th set (60 repetitions) of exercise the frequency at which peak relative power occurred shifted from 9 to 10 Hz. The increase in magnitude and frequency of ground reaction force vibrations with an increasing number of exercise repetitions is likely connected to changes in muscle activation with fatigue and tendon conditioning. This research illustrates the potential for the number of exercise repetitions performed to influence the tendons' mechanical environment, with implications for tendon remodelling and the clinical efficacy of eccentric rehabilitation programmes for Achilles tendinopathy. Copyright © 2013 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel Programmable Shape Memory Polystyrene Film: A Thermally Induced Beam-power Splitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Peng; Han, Yu; Wang, Wenxin; Liu, Yanju; Jin, Peng; Leng, Jinsong

2017-03-01

Micro/nanophotonic structures that are capable of optical wave-front shaping are implemented in optical waveguides and passive optical devices to alter the phase of the light propagating through them. The beam division directions and beam power distribution depend on the design of the micro/nanostructures. The ultimate potential of advanced micro/nanophotonic structures is limited by their structurally rigid, functional singleness and not tunable against external impact. Here, we propose a thermally induced optical beam-power splitter concept based on a shape memory polystyrene film with programmable micropatterns. The smooth film exhibits excellent transparency with a transmittance of 95% in the visible spectrum and optical stability during a continuous heating process up to 90 °C. By patterning double sided shape memory polystyrene film into erasable and switchable micro-groove gratings, the transmission light switches from one designed light divided directions and beam-power distribution to another because of the optical diffraction effect of the shape changing micro gratings during the whole thermal activated recovery process. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrate a proof-of-principle of the beam-power splitter. Our results can be adapted to further extend the applications of micro/nanophotonic devices and implement new features in the nanophotonics.

Low Power S-Box Architecture for AES Algorithm using Programmable Second Order Reversible Cellular Automata: An Application to WBAN.

PubMed

Gangadari, Bhoopal Rao; Ahamed, Shaik Rafi

2016-12-01

In this paper, we presented a novel approach of low energy consumption architecture of S-Box used in Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm using programmable second order reversible cellular automata (RCA 2 ). The architecture entails a low power implementation with minimal delay overhead and the performance of proposed RCA 2 based S-Box in terms of security is evaluated using the cryptographic properties such as nonlinearity, correlation immunity bias, strict avalanche criteria, entropy and also found that the proposed architecture is secure enough for cryptographic applications. Moreover, the proposed AES algorithm architecture simulation studies show that energy consumption of 68.726 nJ, power dissipation of 3.856 mW for 0.18- μm at 13.69 MHz and energy consumption of 29.408 nJ, power dissipation of 1.65 mW for 0.13- μm at 13.69 MHz. The proposed AES algorithm with RCA 2 based S-Box shows a reduction power consumption by 50 % and energy consumption by 5 % compared to best classical S-Box and composite field arithmetic based AES algorithm. Apart from that, it is also shown that RCA 2 based S-Boxes are dynamic in nature, invertible, low power dissipation compared to that of LUT based S-Box and hence suitable for Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) applications.

Effects of Different Cell-Detaching Methods on the Viability and Cell Surface Antigen Expression of Synovial Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

PubMed

Tsuji, Kunikazu; Ojima, Miyoko; Otabe, Koji; Horie, Masafumi; Koga, Hideyuki; Sekiya, Ichiro; Muneta, Takeshi

2017-06-09

Flow cytometric analysis of cell surface antigens is a powerful tool for the isolation and characterization of stem cells residing in adult tissues. In contrast to the collection of hematopoietic stem cells, the process of enzymatic digestion is usually necessary to prepare mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) suspensions, which can influence the expression of cell surface markers. In this study, we examined the effects of various cell-detaching reagents and digestion times on the expression of stem cell-related surface antigens and MSC functions. Human MSCs were detached from dishes using four different reagents: trypsin, TrypLE, collagenase, and a nonenzymatic cell dissociation reagent (C5789; Sigma-Aldrich). Following dissociation reagent incubations ranging from 5 to 120 min, cell surface markers were analyzed by flow cytometry. Trypsin and TrypLE quickly dissociated the cells within 5 min, while collagenase and C5789 required 60 min to obtain maximum cell yields. C5789 significantly decreased cell viability at 120 min. Trypsin treatment significantly reduced CD44+, CD55+, CD73+, CD105+, CD140a+, CD140b+, and CD201+ cell numbers within 30 min. Collagenase treatment reduced CD140a expression by 30 min. In contrast, TrypLE treatment did not affect the expression of any cell surface antigens tested by 30 min. Despite the significant loss of surface antigen expression after 60 min of treatment with trypsin, adverse effects of enzymatic digestion on multipotency of MSCs were limited. Overall, our data indicated that TrypLE is advantageous over other cell dissociation reagents tested for the rapid preparation of viable MSC suspensions.

Photoluminescence probing of interface evolution with annealing in InGa(N)As/GaAs single quantum wells

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

Shao, Jun, E-mail: jshao@mail.sitp.ac.cn; Qi, Zhen; Zhu, Liang

The effects of thermal annealing on the interfaces of InGa(N)As/GaAs single quantum wells (SQWs) are investigated by excitation-, temperature-, and magnetic field-dependent photoluminescence (PL). The annealing at 750 °C results in more significant blueshift and narrowing to the PL peak than that at 600 °C. Each of the PL spectra can be reproduced with two PL components: (i) the low-energy component (LE) keeps energetically unchanged, while the high-energy component (HE) moves up with excitation and shows at higher energy for the In{sub 0.375}Ga{sub 0.625}As/GaAs but crosses over with the LE at a medium excitation power for the In{sub 0.375}Ga{sub 0.625}N{sub 0.012}As{sub 0.988}/GaAsmore » SQWs. The HE is broader than the corresponding LE, the annealing at 750 °C narrows the LE and HE and shrinks their energetic separation; (ii) the PL components are excitonic, and the InGaNAs shows slightly enhanced excitonic effects relative to the InGaAs SQW; (iii) no typical S-shape evolution of PL energy with temperature is detectable, and similar blueshift and narrowing are identified for the same annealing. The phenomena are mainly from the interfacial processes. Annealing improves the intralayer quality, enhances the interfacial In-Ga interdiffusion, and reduces the interfacial fluctuation. The interfacial interdiffusion does not change obviously by the small N content and hence similar PL-component narrowing and blueshift are observed for the SQWs after a nominally identical annealing. Comparison with previous studies is made and the PL measurements under different conditions are shown to be effective for probing the interfacial evolution in QWs.« less

Neoadjuvant therapy versus upfront surgical strategies in resectable pancreatic cancer: A Markov decision analysis.

PubMed

de Geus, S W L; Evans, D B; Bliss, L A; Eskander, M F; Smith, J K; Wolff, R A; Miksad, R A; Weinstein, M C; Tseng, J F

2016-10-01

Neoadjuvant therapy is gaining acceptance as a valid treatment option for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer; however, its value for clearly resectable pancreatic cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study was to use a Markov decision analysis model, in the absence of adequately powered randomized trials, to compare the life expectancy (LE) and quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) of neoadjuvant therapy to conventional upfront surgical strategies in resectable pancreatic cancer patients. A Markov decision model was created to compare two strategies: attempted pancreatic resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by restaging with, if appropriate, attempted pancreatic resection. Data obtained through a comprehensive systematic search in PUBMED of the literature from 2000 to 2015 were used to estimate the probabilities used in the model. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Of the 786 potentially eligible studies identified, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria and were used to extract the probabilities used in the model. Base case analyses of the model showed a higher LE (32.2 vs. 26.7 months) and QALE (25.5 vs. 20.8 quality-adjusted life months) for patients in the neoadjuvant therapy arm compared to upfront surgery. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses for LE and QALE revealed that neoadjuvant therapy is favorable in 59% and 60% of the cases respectively. Although conceptual, these data suggest that neoadjuvant therapy offers substantial benefit in LE and QALE for resectable pancreatic cancer patients. These findings highlight the value of further prospective randomized trials comparing neoadjuvant therapy to conventional upfront surgical strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

Strong-coupling analysis of two-dimensional O({ital N}) {sigma} models with {ital N}{le}2 on square, triangular, and honeycomb lattices

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

Campostrini, M.; Pelissetto, A.; Rossi, P.

1996-09-01

The critical behavior of two-dimensional (2D) O({ital N}) {sigma} models with {ital N}{le}2 on square, triangular, and honeycomb lattices is investigated by an analysis of the strong-coupling expansion of the two-point fundamental Green{close_quote}s function {ital G}({ital x}), calculated up to 21st order on the square lattice, 15th order on the triangular lattice, and 30th order on the honeycomb lattice. For {ital N}{lt}2 the critical behavior is of power-law type, and the exponents {gamma} and {nu} extracted from our strong-coupling analysis confirm exact results derived assuming universality with solvable solid-on-solid models. At {ital N}=2, i.e., for the 2D {ital XY} model,more » the results from all lattices considered are consistent with the Kosterlitz-Thouless exponential approach to criticality, characterized by an exponent {sigma}=1/2, and with universality. The value {sigma}=1/2 is confirmed within an uncertainty of few percent. The prediction {eta}=1/4 is also roughly verified. For various values of {ital N}{le}2, we determine some ratios of amplitudes concerning the two-point function {ital G}({ital x}) in the critical limit of the symmetric phase. This analysis shows that the low-momentum behavior of {ital G}({ital x}) in the critical region is essentially Gaussian at all values of {ital N}{le}2. Exact results for the long-distance behavior of {ital G}({ital x}) when {ital N}=1 (Ising model in the strong-coupling phase) confirm this statement. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}« less

An Analysis of Chinese Communist Economic Power

DTIC Science & Technology

1966-04-08

figures, the Govern- ment initiated a birth control program. Birth control was first advocated in the National People’s Congress in 1954 by Shao Li-tze...and was vigorously encouraged in 1955-56, with a full-scale campaign for encouragement of birth control methods being instituted in late 1956. The...Minister of Health, Mrs. Li Le-chuan, stated that without effective birth control , China could not free itself from poverty and become prosperous

Experimental Comparison of Two Quantum Computing Architectures

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-28

IN A U G U RA L A RT IC LE CO M PU TE R SC IE N CE S Experimental comparison of two quantum computing architectures Norbert M. Linkea,b,1, Dmitri...the vast computing power a universal quantumcomputer could offer, several candidate systems are being explored. They have allowed experimental ...existing systems and the role of architecture in quantum computer design . These will be crucial for the realization of more advanced future incarna

Air Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-03-01

genus as its predecessor of pre-war days. It would, however, be erroneous to conclude from this that the military value of each new development was...the paucity of communications, its conduct, when acting alone, has of necessity to be somewhat stereotyped in nature, and to con- form to a pre...the air, the attack commander, provided his command be equipped with defensive air power, has a rôle to perform which is simple and stereotyped in

JPRS Report West Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

least; but my partners will have to respect the points I value. [LE SOIR] You once compared Martens to Caligula , and here you are working side by...side with him! [Louis Tobback] I even said that Martens was worse than Caligula . But I was not comparing people, and those who only remember...to ratify a special powers act and then demanded it be ratified because the Council of State said so. Caligula once made the Roman Senate appoint

Prevailing Lexical-Stylistic Features in Emirati Language Learners' Digital Discourse (Caractéristiques lexicales stylistiques dominantes dans le discours numérique des apprenants en langue émirienne)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigoryan, Tsoghik

2015-01-01

Today's language classroom is undergoing an irreversible hyperbole and one of the most powerful drivers of this transformation is ICT. Digital classroom not only exposes the learners to grammatical language of linguistics, but rather the everyday life of the language in use (Thurlow & Mroczek, 2011). The aim of this study was to explore the…

The value of confirmatory testing in early infant HIV diagnosis programmes in South Africa: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Dunning, Lorna; Francke, Jordan A; Mallampati, Divya; MacLean, Rachel L; Penazzato, Martina; Hou, Taige; Myer, Landon; Abrams, Elaine J; Walensky, Rochelle P; Leroy, Valériane; Freedberg, Kenneth A; Ciaranello, Andrea

2017-11-01

The specificity of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) used for early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV infection is <100%, leading some HIV-uninfected infants to be incorrectly identified as HIV-infected. The World Health Organization recommends that infants undergo a second NAAT to confirm any positive test result, but implementation is limited. Our objective was to determine the impact and cost-effectiveness of confirmatory HIV testing for EID programmes in South Africa. Using the Cost-effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications (CEPAC)-Pediatric model, we simulated EID testing at age 6 weeks for HIV-exposed infants without and with confirmatory testing. We assumed a NAAT cost of US$25, NAAT specificity of 99.6%, NAAT sensitivity of 100% for infants infected in pregnancy or at least 4 weeks prior to testing, and a mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate at 12 months of 4.9%; we simulated guideline-concordant rates of testing uptake, result return, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation (100%). After diagnosis, infants were linked to and retained in care for 10 years (false-positive) or lifelong (true-positive). All parameters were varied widely in sensitivity analyses. Outcomes included number of infants with false-positive diagnoses linked to ART per 1,000 ART initiations, life expectancy (LE, in years) and per-person lifetime HIV-related healthcare costs. Both without and with confirmatory testing, LE was 26.2 years for HIV-infected infants and 61.4 years for all HIV-exposed infants; clinical outcomes for truly infected infants did not differ by strategy. Without confirmatory testing, 128/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses; with confirmatory testing, 1/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses. Because confirmatory testing averted costly HIV care and ART in truly HIV-uninfected infants, it was cost-saving: total cost US$1,790/infant tested, compared to US$1,830/infant tested without confirmatory testing. Confirmatory testing remained cost-saving unless NAAT cost exceeded US$400 or the HIV-uninfected status of infants incorrectly identified as infected was ascertained and ART stopped within 3 months of starting. Limitations include uncertainty in the data used in the model, which we examined with sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. We also excluded clinical harms to HIV-uninfected infants incorrectly treated with ART after false-positive diagnosis (e.g., medication toxicities); including these outcomes would further increase the value of confirmatory testing. Without confirmatory testing, in settings with MTCT rates similar to that of South Africa, more than 10% of infants who initiate ART may reflect false-positive diagnoses. Confirmatory testing prevents inappropriate HIV diagnosis, is cost-saving, and should be adopted in all EID programmes.

Starting Circuit For Erasable Programmable Logic Device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Steven W.

1990-01-01

Voltage regulator bypassed to supply starting current. Starting or "pullup" circuit supplies large inrush of current required by erasable programmable logic device (EPLD) while being turned on. Operates only during such intervals of high demand for current and has little effect any other time. Performs needed bypass, acting as current-dependent shunt connecting battery or other source of power more nearly directly to EPLD. Input capacitor of regulator removed when starting circuit installed, reducing probability of damage to transistor in event of short circuit in or across load.

Optically-programmable nonlinear photonic component for dielectric-loaded plasmonic circuitry.

PubMed

Krasavin, Alexey V; Randhawa, Sukanya; Bouillard, Jean-Sebastien; Renger, Jan; Quidant, Romain; Zayats, Anatoly V

2011-12-05

We demonstrate both experimentally and numerically a compact and efficient, optically tuneable plasmonic component utilizing a surface plasmon polariton ring resonator with nonlinearity based on trans-cis isomerization in a polymer material. We observe more than 3-fold change between high and low transmission states of the device at milliwatt control powers (∼100 W/cm² by intensity), with the performance limited by switching speed of the material. Such plasmonic components can be employed in optically programmable and reconfigurable integrated photonic circuitry.

Profil anatomopathologique du cancer du sein dans le cap bon tunisien

PubMed Central

Sahraoui, Ghada; Khanchel, Fatma; Chelbi, Emna

2017-01-01

Le cancer du sein est le cancer le plus fréquent de la femme en Tunisie et dans le monde. Dans le Cap Bon tunisien, les particularités anatomopathologiques de ce cancer n'ont pas été précisées auparavant. Leur connaissance est nécessaire pour l'adaptation des systèmes de prévention et de soins dans la région. Le but de notre étude était de déterminer le profil anatomopathologique des carcinomes mammaires dans l'unique laboratoire d'anatomie pathologique publique de la région. Il s'agissait d'une étude descriptive rétrospective des carcinomes mammaires diagnostiqués chez 116 malades dans notre laboratoire sur une période de 5 ans de Juillet 2010 à Juillet 2015. Notre étude a inclus 116 patientes. L'âge moyen était de 51 ans. La taille tumorale histologique moyenne était de 31 mm. Le diagnostic initial était posé sur pièce de tumorectomie dans 83% des cas. Le carcinome infiltrant de type non spécifique était le type histologique le plus fréquent. Le grade SBR III était majoritaire. L'invasion lympho-vasculaire était présente dans 33% des cas. Le curage axillaire était positif dans 72% des cas. Les récepteurs hormonaux étaient positifs dans 73% des cas. Les récepteurs de l'Her2-Neu étaient surexprimés dans 19% des cas. Le ki67 était ≥ 14% dans 38%. Le sous-type moléculaire le plus fréquent était le luminal A. Le carcinome mammaire dans la région du Cap Bon se caractérise par sa survenue à un âge jeune, son importante taille tumorale et la fréquence de facteurs histopronostiques péjoratifs. PMID:28450990

Smoking is highly associated with discoid lupus erythematosus and lupus erythematosus tumidus: analysis of 405 patients.

PubMed

Böckle, B C; Sepp, N T

2015-06-01

Environmental factors appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of lupus erythematosus (LE). To determine the association between cigarette smoking and various types of cutaneous LE. Retrospective descriptive study at a dermatology clinic of a tertiary referral hospital. All patients diagnosed with cutaneous and/or systemic LE from January 2000 to December 2012 at the outpatient clinic for dermatological autoimmune diseases were analyzed. 405 patients were diagnosed with LE. Smokers were more common among patients with cutaneous LE, especially those with LE tumidus or discoid LE. The frequency of cigarette smokers was not significantly higher among patients with other LE-specific skin lesions and patients with systemic LE compared to the general population. Smoking at the onset of disease was associated with LE tumidus (odds ratio OR 4.5), discoid LE (OR 2.05), the male gender (OR 3.31), age < 50 years (OR 1.03), and photosensitivity (OR 2.07). A retrospective descriptive study at a tertiary referral hospital. Smoking is highly associated with cutaneous LE, but not systemic LE. Various risk factors appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous and systemic LE. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Fluid or Fuel? The Context of Consuming a Beverage Is Important for Satiety

PubMed Central

McCrickerd, Keri; Chambers, Lucy; Yeomans, Martin R.

2014-01-01

Energy-containing beverages have a weak effect on satiety, limited by their fluid characteristics and perhaps because they are not considered ‘food’. This study investigated whether the context of consuming a beverage can influence the satiating power of its nutrients. Eighty participants consumed a lower- (LE, 75 kcal) and higher-energy (HE, 272 kcal) version of a beverage (covertly manipulated within-groups) on two test days, in one of four beverage contexts (between-groups): thin versions of the test-drinks were consumed as a thirst-quenching drink (n = 20), a filling snack (n = 20), or without additional information (n = 20). A fourth group consumed subtly thicker versions of the beverages without additional information (n = 20). Lunch intake 60 minutes later depended on the beverage context and energy content (p = 0.030): participants who consumed the thin beverages without additional information ate a similar amount of lunch after the LE and HE versions (LE = 475 kcal, HE = 464 kcal; p = 0.690) as did those participants who believed the beverages were designed to quench-thirst (LE = 442 kcal, HE = 402 kcal; p = 0.213), despite consuming an additional 197 kcal in the HE beverage. Consuming the beverage as a filling snack led participants to consume less at lunch after the HE beverage compared to the LE version (LE = 506 kcal, HE = 437 kcal; p = 0.025). This effect was also seen when the beverages were subtly thicker, with participants in this group displaying the largest response to the beverage’s energy content, consuming less at lunch after the HE version (LE = 552 kcal, HE = 415 kcal; p<0.001). These data indicate that beliefs about the consequences of consuming a beverage can affect the impact of its nutrients on appetite regulation and provide further evidence that a beverage’s sensory characteristics can limit its satiating power. PMID:24945526

Program manual for the Shuttle Electric Power System analysis computer program (SEPS), volume 1 of program documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bains, R. W.; Herwig, H. A.; Luedeman, J. K.; Torina, E. M.

1974-01-01

The Shuttle Electric Power System (SEPS) computer program is considered in terms of the program manual, programmer guide, and program utilization. The main objective is to provide the information necessary to interpret and use the routines comprising the SEPS program. Subroutine descriptions including the name, purpose, method, variable definitions, and logic flow are presented.

The Power, and Dilemma, of Honesty: Action Learning for Social Entrepreneurs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstein, Krystyna

2005-01-01

This is an account of one particular set meeting during a year long programme for social entrepreneurs. It triggered a number of questions and insights for me about the amazing value of honesty, and its power. It released a great deal of energy, ownership and "control". I realized how important it was to highlight, discuss and reflect on…

Robust media processing on programmable power-constrained systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McVeigh, Jeff

2005-03-01

To achieve consumer-level quality, media systems must process continuous streams of audio and video data while maintaining exacting tolerances on sampling rate, jitter, synchronization, and latency. While it is relatively straightforward to design fixed-function hardware implementations to satisfy worst-case conditions, there is a growing trend to utilize programmable multi-tasking solutions for media applications. The flexibility of these systems enables support for multiple current and future media formats, which can reduce design costs and time-to-market. This paper provides practical engineering solutions to achieve robust media processing on such systems, with specific attention given to power-constrained platforms. The techniques covered in this article utilize the fundamental concepts of algorithm and software optimization, software/hardware partitioning, stream buffering, hierarchical prioritization, and system resource and power management. A novel enhancement to dynamically adjust processor voltage and frequency based on buffer fullness to reduce system power consumption is examined in detail. The application of these techniques is provided in a case study of a portable video player implementation based on a general-purpose processor running a non real-time operating system that achieves robust playback of synchronized H.264 video and MP3 audio from local storage and streaming over 802.11.

Effects of a salsa dance training on balance and strength performance in older adults.

PubMed

Granacher, Urs; Muehlbauer, Thomas; Bridenbaugh, Stephanie A; Wolf, Madeleine; Roth, Ralf; Gschwind, Yves; Wolf, Irene; Mata, Rui; Kressig, Reto W

2012-01-01

Deficits in static and particularly dynamic postural control and force production have frequently been associated with an increased risk of falling in older adults. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of salsa dancing on measures of static/dynamic postural control and leg extensor power in seniors. Twenty-eight healthy older adults were randomly assigned to an intervention group (INT, n = 14, age 71.6 ± 5.3 years) to conduct an 8-week progressive salsa dancing programme or a control group (CON, n = 14, age 68.9 ± 4.7 years). Static postural control was measured during one-legged stance on a balance platform and dynamic postural control was obtained while walking on an instrumented walkway. Leg extensor power was assessed during a countermovement jump on a force plate. Programme compliance was excellent with participants of the INT group completing 92.5% of the dancing sessions. A tendency towards an improvement in the selected measures of static postural control was observed in the INT group as compared to the CON group. Significant group × test interactions were found for stride velocity, length and time. Post hoc analyses revealed significant increases in stride velocity and length, and concomitant decreases in stride time. However, salsa dancing did not have significant effects on various measures of gait variability and leg extensor power. Salsa proved to be a safe and feasible exercise programme for older adults accompanied with a high adherence rate. Age-related deficits in measures of static and particularly dynamic postural control can be mitigated by salsa dancing in older adults. High physical activity and fitness/mobility levels of our participants could be responsible for the nonsignificant findings in gait variability and leg extensor power. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Advanced Data Acquisition Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perotti, J.

2003-01-01

Current and future requirements of the aerospace sensors and transducers field make it necessary for the design and development of new data acquisition devices and instrumentation systems. New designs are sought to incorporate self-health, self-calibrating, self-repair capabilities, allowing greater measurement reliability and extended calibration cycles. With the addition of power management schemes, state-of-the-art data acquisition systems allow data to be processed and presented to the users with increased efficiency and accuracy. The design architecture presented in this paper displays an innovative approach to data acquisition systems. The design incorporates: electronic health self-check, device/system self-calibration, electronics and function self-repair, failure detection and prediction, and power management (reduced power consumption). These requirements are driven by the aerospace industry need to reduce operations and maintenance costs, to accelerate processing time and to provide reliable hardware with minimum costs. The project's design architecture incorporates some commercially available components identified during the market research investigation like: Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) Programmable Analog Integrated Circuits (PAC IC) and Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAA); Digital Signal Processing (DSP) electronic/system control and investigation of specific characteristics found in technologies like: Electronic Component Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF); and Radiation Hardened Component Availability. There are three main sections discussed in the design architecture presented in this document. They are the following: (a) Analog Signal Module Section, (b) Digital Signal/Control Module Section and (c) Power Management Module Section. These sections are discussed in detail in the following pages. This approach to data acquisition systems has resulted in the assignment of patent rights to Kennedy Space Center under U.S. patent # 6,462,684. Furthermore, NASA KSC commercialization office has issued licensing rights to Circuit Avenue Netrepreneurs, LLC , a minority-owned business founded in 1999 located in Camden, NJ.

Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion - a basic Tool for the manned Exploration of the Solar System

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

Frischauf, Norbert; Hamilton, Booz Allen

2004-07-01

Humanity has started to explore space more than 40 years ago. Numerous spacecraft have left the Earth in this endeavour, but while unmanned spacecraft were already sent out on missions, where they would eventually reach the outer limits of the Solar System, manned exploration has always been confined to the tiny bubble of the Earth's gravitational well, stretching out at maximum to our closest celestial companion - the Moon - during the era of the Apollo programme in the late 60's and early 70's. When mankind made its giant leap, the exploration of our cosmic neighbour was seen as themore » initial step for the manned exploration of the whole Solar System. Consequently ambitious research and development programmes were undertaken at that time to enable what seemed to be the next logical steps: the establishment of a permanent settled base on the Moon and the first manned mission to Mars in the 80's. Nuclear space power and propulsion played an important role in these entire future scenarios, hence ambitious development programmes were undertaken to make these technologies available. Unfortunately the 70's-paradigm shift in space policies did not only bring an end to the Apollo programme, but it also brought a complete halt to all of these technology programmes and confined the human presence in space to a tiny bubble including nothing more than the Earth's sphere and a mere shell of a few hundred kilometres of altitude, too small to even include the Moon. Today, after more than three decades, manned exploration of the Solar System has become an issue again and so are missions to Moon and Mars. However, studies and analyses show that all of these future plans are hampered by today's available propulsion systems and by the problematic of solar power generation at distances at and beyond of Mars, a problem, however, that can readily be solved by the utilisation of space nuclear reactors and propulsion systems. This paper intends to provide an overview on the various fission- and fusion-based Nuclear Power and Propulsion system concepts and tries to compare these systems' different working principles and technical implementations with each other. The overview and comparison will be complemented by a closer look at ongoing activities related to research and development in this area and by an outlook on what kind of systems might be employed to carry the first astronauts to Mars and beyond. (autho0008.« less

Programmable Logic Application Notes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard

2000-01-01

This column will be provided each quarter as a source for reliability, radiation results, NASA capabilities, and other information on programmable logic devices and related applications. This quarter will continue a series of notes concentrating on analysis techniques with this issue's section discussing: Digital Timing Analysis Tools and Techniques. Articles in this issue include: SX and SX-A Series Devices Power Sequencing; JTAG and SXISX-AISX-S Series Devices; Analysis Techniques (i.e., notes on digital timing analysis tools and techniques); Status of the Radiation Hard reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Array Program, Input Transition Times; Apollo Guidance Computer Logic Study; RT54SX32S Prototype Data Sets; A54SX32A - 0.22 micron/UMC Test Results; Ramtron FM1608 FRAM; and Analysis of VHDL Code and Synthesizer Output.

Internal Blast in a Compartment-type Vessel. Part 1: Finite Element Modeling Investigation

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

données expérimentales devraient aussi être utilisées pour valider le modèle. DRDC Valcartier TM 2012-222 iii Executive summary Internal...pour simuler adéquatement le souffle d’explosion, incluant le choc et ses réflexions, à l’intérieur d’une large structure et le besoin de remédier à...terme, le développement et la validation d’un ‘raytracer’ et son couplage avec LS-DYNA seront étudiés pour modéliser le choc dans le compartiment

Progress update of NASA's free-piston Stirling space power converter technology project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudenhoefer, James E.; Winter, Jerry M.; Alger, Donald

1992-01-01

A progress update is presented of the NASA LeRC Free-Piston Stirling Space Power Converter Technology Project. This work is being conducted under NASA's Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The goal of the CSTI High Capacity Power Element is to develop the technology base needed to meet the long duration, high capacity power requirements for future NASA space initiatives. Efforts are focused upon increasing system power output and system thermal and electric energy conversion efficiency at least five fold over current SP-100 technology, and on achieving systems that are compatible with space nuclear reactors. This paper will discuss progress toward 1050 K Stirling Space Power Converters. Fabrication is nearly completed for the 1050 K Component Test Power Converter (CTPC); results of motoring tests of the cold end (525 K), are presented. The success of these and future designs is dependent upon supporting research and technology efforts including heat pipes, bearings, superalloy joining technologies, high efficiency alternators, life and reliability testing, and predictive methodologies. This paper will compare progress in significant areas of component development from the start of the program with the Space Power Development Engine (SPDE) to the present work on CTPC.

Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Ada (Trademark) Technology (2nd) Held at Hampton, Virginia on March 27, 28, 1984.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-01

evaluation of powerful support environments are essential if we are to maximize Lanauage Definition the productivity of programmers. CENVTACS provided...quality Policy and Objectives Ada support environment which includes a rich set of powerful tools (in addition to a compiler) The DOD has established Ada...to be easy to learn and easy to use. It will be powerful , efficient, and The MAPSE Command Language (MCL) friendly. This paper describes how these

A reconfigurable medically cohesive biomedical front-end with ΣΔ ADC in 0.18µm CMOS.

PubMed

Jha, Pankaj; Patra, Pravanjan; Naik, Jairaj; Acharya, Amit; Rajalakshmi, P; Singh, Shiv Govind; Dutta, Ashudeb

2015-08-01

This paper presents a generic programmable analog front-end (AFE) for acquisition and digitization of various biopotential signals. This includes a lead-off detection circuit, an ultra-low current capacitively coupled signal conditioning stage with programmable gain and bandwidth, a new mixed signal automatic gain control (AGC) mechanism and a medically cohesive reconfigurable ΣΔ ADC. The full system is designed in UMC 0.18μm CMOS. The AFE achieves an overall linearity of more 10 bits with 0.47μW power consumption. The ADC provides 2(nd) order noise-shaping while using single integrator and an ENOB of ~11 bits with 5μW power consumption. The system was successfully verified for various ECG signals from PTB database. This system is intended for portable batteryless u-Healthcare devices.

New Insights into the Management of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk with Angiotensin Receptor Blockers: Observational Studies Help Us?

PubMed Central

Goudev, Assen

2014-01-01

Post-marketing observational studies are valuable for establishing the real-world effectiveness of treatment regimens in routine clinical practice as they typically monitor a diverse population of patients over many months. This article reviews recent observational studies of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) for the management of hypertension: the 6-month eprosartan POWER study (n~29,400), the 3-month valsartan translational research programme (n~19,500), the 9-month irbesartan Treat to Target study (n=14,200), the 6-month irbesartan DO-IT survey (n~3300) and the 12-week candesartan CHILI survey programme (n=4600). Reduction in blood pressure with ARBs reported across these studies appears to be comparable for the different agents, although direct comparisons between studies cannot be made owing to different treatment durations and baseline patient demographics. Of these studies, the eprosartan POWER study, 2 of the 7 studies in the valsartan translational research programme, and the candesartan CHILI Triple T study measured total cardiovascular risk, as recommended in the 2013 European Society of Cardiology-European Society of Hypertension guidelines. The POWER study confirmed the value of the Systemic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) to accurately assess total cardiovascular risk. With the advent of new healthcare practices, such as the use of electronic health records (EHRs), observational studies in larger patient populations will become possible. In the future, algorithms embedded in EHR systems could evolve as decision support tools to inform on patient care. PMID:24847388

Sustainable groundwater resources, Heretaunga Plains, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, L. J.; Dravid, P. N.; Hudson, N. A.; Taylor, C. B.

The Heretaunga Plains, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, is underlain by Quaternary fluvial, estuarine-lagoonal, and marine deposits infilling a subsiding syncline. Within the depositional sequence, river-channel gravels form one of the most important aquifer systems in New Zealand. An interconnected unconfined-confined aquifer system contains groundwater recharged from the Ngaruroro River bed at the inland margin of the plain, 20km from the coast. At the coast, gravel aquifers extend to a depth of 250m. In 1994-95, 66Mm3 of high quality groundwater was ed for city and rural water supply, agriculture, industry, and horticulture. Use of groundwater, particularly for irrigation, has increased in the last 5years. Concern as to the sustainability of the groundwater resource led to a research programme (1991-96). This paper presents the results and recommends specific monitoring and research work to refine the groundwater balance, and define and maintain the sustainable yield of the aquifer system. Three critical management factors are identified. These are (1) to ensure maintenance of consistent, unimpeded groundwater recharge from the Ngaruroro River; (2) to specifically monitor groundwater levels and quality at the margins of the aquifer system, where transmissivity is <5000m2/d and summer groundwater levels indicate that ion exceeds recharge; (3) to review groundwater-quality programs to ensure that areas where contamination vulnerability is identified as being highest are covered by regular monitoring. Résumé Les plaines d'Heretaunga, dans la baie d'Hawke (Nouvelle-Zélande), sont occupées par des dépôts quaternaires fluviaux, estuariens lagunaires et marins remplissant un synclinal subsident. Dans cette séquence de dépôts, des graviers de chenaux fluviatiles forment l'un des plus importants systèmes aquifères de Nouvelle-Zélande. Un système aquifère interconnecté libre et captif contient de l'eau souterraine dont la recharge est assurée à partir du lit de la rivière Ngaruroro sur la marge intérieure de la plaine, à 20km de la côte. Sur la côte, les aquifères des graviers existent à 250m de profondeur. En 1994-95, 66hm3 d'eau souterraine d'excellente qualité ont été extraits pour l'eau potable de villes et de villages, pour l'agriculture, pour l'industrie et pour l'horticulture. L'utilisation de l'eau souterraine, en particulier pour l'irrigation, s'est accrue au cours des 5 dernières années. La prise de conscience du développement durable de la ressource en eau souterraine a conduit à un programme de recherche (1991-96). Cet article présente les résultats de ce programme et recommande les contrôles spécifiques et les travaux de recherche pour affiner le bilan d'eau souterraine, et pour définir et maintenir un rendement durable du système aquifère. Trois facteurs de gestion critique ont été identifiés. Ce sont (1) l'assurance de maintenir une recharge de la nappe conséquente et sans entrave à partir de la rivière Ngaruroro, (2) le suivi spécifique des niveaux de la nappe et de la qualité aux marges du système aquifère, où la transmissivité est inférieure à 5000 m2/j et où les niveaux de la nappe en été indiquent que les prélèvements sont supérieurs à la recharge; et (3) le ré-examen des programmes de qualité de l'eau souterraine pour s'assurer que les zones où la vulnérabilité aux contaminations est identifiée comme étant la plus élevée sont couvertes par une surveillance régulière.

Le consentement libre et éclairé aux soins en psychiatrie

PubMed Central

Neilson, Grainne; Chaimowitz, Gary

2015-01-01

Résumé Le patient a le droit d’être informé sur les soins de santé qui lui sont proposés et de participer activement à la prise de décisions relativement à ces soins. Le respect de la dignité et de l’autonomie de la personne passe par le respect de son droit de prendre des décisions à propos de ses soins psychiatriques, notamment de refuser un traitement, pour autant qu’elle soit apte à prendre des décisions. Il importe que le psychiatre connaisse les fondements éthiques du consentement libre et éclairé et les exigences prévues par le droit en cette matière, y compris la jurisprudence. Le consentement n’est pas immuable, pouvant changer avec le temps, au fil de l’évolution des conditions et des circonstances. Par conséquent, le consentement doit être un processus continu.

A tangled weave: Tracing outcomes of education in rural women's lives in North India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghose, Malini; Mullick, Disha

2015-06-01

This paper is based on the findings of a research study which traced 56 rural women learners 15 years after they had participated in an empowerment and education programme in North India. It attempts to understand, from the perspectives of women from marginalised communities, the ways in which participating in the programme had been empowering for them, or not. While most of the women were indeed able to transform several areas in their lives, this study illustrates that empowering outcomes cannot be assumed or articulated in categorical terms and that bringing about change requires the negotiation of power at various levels. The women's narratives stand in contrast to the prevalent discourses around women's literacy and empowerment, which highlight the importance of literacy only in terms of its positive impact on attaining development goals. Despite the vigorously discussed de-politicisation of the concept of empowerment, the authors show in this paper that empowerment, when informed by a critical feminist understanding, continues to provide a useful framework to analyse women's experiences related to education, as a process enabling women to understand and negotiate structures of power - which are neither static nor wholly dominating - and to find spaces to exercise agency. There are few longitudinal studies which trace the long-term impact of educational programmes on adult women, and most studies are in the nature of impact assessments of programmes. Through this paper the authors argue for the need to analyse the complexities around the relationship between women's education and empowerment.

A Low Power Linear Phase Programmable Long Delay Circuit.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Villegas, Esther; Logesparan, Lojini; Casson, Alexander J

2014-06-01

A novel linear phase programmable delay is being proposed and implemented in a 0.35 μm CMOS process. The delay line consists of N cascaded cells, each of which delays the input signal by Td/N, where Td is the total line delay. The delay generated by each cell is programmable by changing a clock frequency and is also fully independent of the frequency of the input signal. The total delay hence depends only on the chosen clock frequency and the total number of cascaded cells. The minimum clock frequency is limited by the maximum time a voltage signal can effectively be held by an individual cell. The maximum number of cascaded cells will be limited by the effects of accumulated offset due to transistor mismatch, which eventually will affect the operating mode of the individual transistors in a cell. This latter limitation has however been dealt with in the topology by having an offset compensation mechanism that makes possible having a large number of cascaded cells and hence a long resulting delay. The delay line has been designed for scalp-based neural activity analysis that is predominantly in the sub-100 Hz frequency range. For these signals, the delay generated by a 31-cell cascade has been demonstrated to be programmable from 30 ms to 3 s. Measurement results demonstrate a 31 stage, 50 Hz bandwidth, 0.3 s delay that operates from a 1.1 V supply with power consumption of 270 nW.

South Africa and the 21st Century Power Partnership (Fact Sheet). 21st Century Power Partnership; 21st Century Power Partnership

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

None

Established in 2012, the 21CPP South Africa Programme is a global initiative that connects South African stakeholders with an international community of expertise. The overall goal of this program is to support South Africa’s power system transformation by accelerating the transition to a reliable, financially robust, and low-carbon power system. 21CPP activities focus on achieving positive outcomes for all participants, especially addressing critical questions and challenges facing system planners, regulators, and operators. In support of this goal, 21CPP taps into deep networks of expertise among leading industry practitioners.

Y2K: effects on pacemaker and implantable defibrillator programmers.

PubMed

Flynn, D P; Daubert, J P; Huang, D T; Ocampo, C M; O'Gorman, E

1999-01-01

All permanent pacemakers and implantable defibrillators (PPM/ICDs) will continue to function as programmed without regard to the date in the year 2000 (Y2K). All manufacturers contacted reassured us that some of these devices incorporate a day/year clock in the circuitry; however, these are not involved in sensing or delivering programmed therapy. Some manufacturers' device programmers will roll over to the year 2000 without any problems at all, whereas others may have difficulty with date and time stamping on printed reports. We tested 14 different types of PPM/ICD programmers for Y2K compliance using 8 tests. Five of the 14 models passed each test and were labeled at our institution with a green "Y2K" sticker to identify them as Y2K compatible and needing no special attention after December 31, 1999. The most common test failed was the ability to roll the date forward from December 31, 1999, with the programmer power off. Organizations should consider testing and replacing noncompliant device programmers or placing a red sticker with "Y2K" crossed out on noncompliant pieces. The red sticker alerts the advanced practice nurse or physician to the need to confirm the appropriate date and time in the programmer after startup in the year 2000 and before interrogating or programming any PPM/ICD, to avoid inappropriate date and time stamping on printed reports from that programmer.

Louder than words: power and conflict in interprofessional education articles, 1954–2013

PubMed Central

Paradis, Elise; Whitehead, Cynthia R

2015-01-01

Context Interprofessional education (IPE) aspires to enable collaborative practice. Current IPE offerings, although rapidly proliferating, lack evidence of efficacy and theoretical grounding. Objectives Our research aimed to explore the historical emergence of the field of IPE and to analyse the positioning of this academic field of inquiry. In particular, we sought to investigate the extent to which power and conflict – elements central to interprofessional care – figure in the IPE literature. Methods We used a combination of deductive and inductive automated coding and manual coding to explore the contents of 2191 articles in the IPE literature published between 1954 and 2013. Inductive coding focused on the presence and use of the sociological (rather than statistical) version of power, which refers to hierarchies and asymmetries among the professions. Articles found to be centrally about power were then analysed using content analysis. Results Publications on IPE have grown exponentially in the past decade. Deductive coding of identified articles showed an emphasis on students, learning, programmes and practice. Automated inductive coding of titles and abstracts identified 129 articles potentially about power, but manual coding found that only six articles put power and conflict at the centre. Content analysis of these six articles revealed that two provided tentative explorations of power dynamics, one skirted around this issue, and three explicitly theorised and integrated power and conflict. Conclusions The lack of attention to power and conflict in the IPE literature suggests that many educators do not foreground these issues. Education programmes are expected to transform individuals into effective collaborators, without heed to structural, organisational and institutional factors. In so doing, current constructions of IPE veil the problems that IPE attempts to solve. PMID:25800300

Louder than words: power and conflict in interprofessional education articles, 1954-2013.

PubMed

Paradis, Elise; Whitehead, Cynthia R

2015-04-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) aspires to enable collaborative practice. Current IPE offerings, although rapidly proliferating, lack evidence of efficacy and theoretical grounding. Our research aimed to explore the historical emergence of the field of IPE and to analyse the positioning of this academic field of inquiry. In particular, we sought to investigate the extent to which power and conflict - elements central to interprofessional care - figure in the IPE literature. We used a combination of deductive and inductive automated coding and manual coding to explore the contents of 2191 articles in the IPE literature published between 1954 and 2013. Inductive coding focused on the presence and use of the sociological (rather than statistical) version of power, which refers to hierarchies and asymmetries among the professions. Articles found to be centrally about power were then analysed using content analysis. Publications on IPE have grown exponentially in the past decade. Deductive coding of identified articles showed an emphasis on students, learning, programmes and practice. Automated inductive coding of titles and abstracts identified 129 articles potentially about power, but manual coding found that only six articles put power and conflict at the centre. Content analysis of these six articles revealed that two provided tentative explorations of power dynamics, one skirted around this issue, and three explicitly theorised and integrated power and conflict. The lack of attention to power and conflict in the IPE literature suggests that many educators do not foreground these issues. Education programmes are expected to transform individuals into effective collaborators, without heed to structural, organisational and institutional factors. In so doing, current constructions of IPE veil the problems that IPE attempts to solve. © 2015 The Authors Medical Education Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Art of Peace

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

States Army Se ni or S er vi ce C ol le ge F el lo w sh ip Ci vi lia n Re se ar ch P ro je ct DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for...author. 22 Gaugamela Staff Ride power point hand out with field notes taken by the author. 23 Piatt, Walter, Bronco 6 Guidance, Iraq, May 2009 24...placed the wrong people into positions of significant responsibility. 31 Piatt, Walter, Bronco Six Guidance, May 2009 32 Piatt, Walter, Bronco

Anisotropy in the Microwave Sky at 90 GHz: Results from Python III

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Platt, S. R.; Kovac, J.; Dragovan, M.; Peterson, J. B.; Ruhl, J. E.

1997-01-01

The third year of observations with the Python microwave background experiment densely samples a 5.5d × 22° region of sky that includes the fields measured during the first 2 years of observations with this instrument. The sky is sampled in two multipole bands centered at l ~ 87 and l ~ 170. These two data sets are analyzed to place limits on fluctuations in the microwave sky at 90 GHz. Interpreting the observed fluctuations as anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background, we find flat-band power estimates of δTl ≡ [l(l + 1)Cl/(2π)]1/2 = 60+15-13 μK at l = 87+18-38 and δTl = 66+17-16 μK at l = 170+69-50. Combining the entire 3 year set of Python observations, we find that the angular power spectrum of fluctuations has a spectral index m = 0.16+.20-.18 and an amplitude δTle = 63+15-14 μK at le = 139+99-34 for the functional form δTl = δTle(l/le)m. The stated uncertainties in the amplitudes and spectral index represent 1 σ confidence intervals in the likelihood added in quadrature with a 20% calibration uncertainty and an estimate of the effects of a +/-0.05d uncertainty in the measured beamwidths. The limits of l are determined from the half-maximum points of the window functions.

Step-by-Step Design of an FPGA-Based Digital Compensator for DC/DC Converters Oriented to an Introductory Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zumel, P.; Fernandez, C.; Sanz, M.; Lazaro, A.; Barrado, A.

2011-01-01

In this paper, a short introductory course to introduce field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based digital control of dc/dc switching power converters is presented. Digital control based on specific hardware has been at the leading edge of low-medium power dc/dc switching converters in recent years. Besides industry's interest in this topic, from…

Electronics for a focal plane crystal spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goeke, R. F.

1978-01-01

The HEAO-B program forced the usual constraints upon the spacecraft experiment electronics: high reliability, low power consumption, and tight packaging at reasonable cost. The programmable high voltage power supplies were unique in both application and simplicity of manufacture. The hybridized measurement chain is a modification of that used on the SAS-C program; the charge amplifier design in particular shows definite improvement in performance over previous work.

Power system monitoring and source control of the Space Station Freedom DC power system testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimnach, Greg L.; Baez, Anastacio N.

1992-01-01

Unlike a terrestrial electric utility which can purchase power from a neighboring utility, the Space Station Freedom (SSF) has strictly limited energy resources; as a result, source control, system monitoring, system protection, and load management are essential to the safe and efficient operation of the SSF Electric Power System (EPS). These functions are being evaluated in the DC Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) Testbed which NASA LeRC has developed at the Power System Facility (PSF) located in Cleveland, Ohio. The testbed is an ideal platform to develop, integrate, and verify power system monitoring and control algorithms. State Estimation (SE) is a monitoring tool used extensively in terrestrial electric utilities to ensure safe power system operation. It uses redundant system information to calculate the actual state of the EPS, to isolate faulty sensors, to determine source operating points, to verify faults detected by subsidiary controllers, and to identify high impedance faults. Source control and monitoring safeguard the power generation and storage subsystems and ensure that the power system operates within safe limits while satisfying user demands with minimal interruptions. System monitoring functions, in coordination with hardware implemented schemes, provide for a complete fault protection system. The objective of this paper is to overview the development and integration of the state estimator and the source control algorithms.

Power system monitoring and source control of the Space Station Freedom dc-power system testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimnach, Greg L.; Baez, Anastacio N.

1992-01-01

Unlike a terrestrial electric utility which can purchase power from a neighboring utility, the Space Station Freedom (SSF) has strictly limited energy resources; as a result, source control, system monitoring, system protection, and load management are essential to the safe and efficient operation of the SSF Electric Power System (EPS). These functions are being evaluated in the dc Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) Testbed which NASA LeRC has developed at the Power System Facility (PSF) located in Cleveland, Ohio. The testbed is an ideal platform to develop, integrate, and verify power system monitoring and control algorithms. State Estimation (SE) is a monitoring tool used extensively in terrestrial electric utilities to ensure safe power system operation. It uses redundant system information to calculate the actual state of the EPS, to isolate faulty sensors, to determine source operating points, to verify faults detected by subsidiary controllers, and to identify high impedance faults. Source control and monitoring safeguard the power generation and storage subsystems and ensure that the power system operates within safe limits while satisfying user demands with minimal interruptions. System monitoring functions, in coordination with hardware implemented schemes, provide for a complete fault protection system. The objective of this paper is to overview the development and integration of the state estimator and the source control algorithms.

High performance digital read out integrated circuit (DROIC) for infrared imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuno, Genki; Olah, Robert; Oduor, Patrick; Dutta, Achyut K.; Dhar, Nibir K.

2016-05-01

Banpil Photonics has developed a high-performance Digital Read-Out Integrated Circuit (DROIC) for image sensors and camera systems targeting various military, industrial and commercial Infrared (IR) imaging applications. The on-chip digitization of the pixel output eliminates the necessity for an external analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which not only cuts costs, but also enables miniaturization of packaging to achieve SWaP-C camera systems. In addition, the DROIC offers new opportunities for greater on-chip processing intelligence that are not possible in conventional analog ROICs prevalent today. Conventional ROICs, which typically can enhance only one high performance attribute such as frame rate, power consumption or noise level, fail when simultaneously targeting the most aggressive performance requirements demanded in imaging applications today. Additionally, scaling analog readout circuits to meet such requirements leads to expensive, high-power consumption with large and complex systems that are untenable in the trend towards SWaP-C. We present the implementation of a VGA format (640x512 pixels 15μm pitch) capacitivetransimpedance amplifier (CTIA) DROIC architecture that incorporates a 12-bit ADC at the pixel level. The CTIA pixel input circuitry has two gain modes with programmable full-well capacity values of 100K e- and 500K e-. The DROIC has been developed with a system-on-chip architecture in mind, where all the timing and biasing are generated internally without requiring any critical external inputs. The chip is configurable with many parameters programmable through a serial programmable interface (SPI). It features a global shutter, low power, and high frame rates programmable from 30 up 500 frames per second in full VGA format supported through 24 LVDS outputs. This DROIC, suitable for hybridization with focal plane arrays (FPA) is ideal for high-performance uncooled camera applications ranging from near IR (NIR) and shortwave IR (SWIR) to mid-wave IR (MWIR) and long-wave IR (LWIR) spectral bands.

Implementation of health promotion programmes in schools: an approach to understand the influence of contextual factors on the process?

PubMed

Darlington, Emily Joan; Violon, Nolwenn; Jourdan, Didier

2018-01-22

Implementing complex and multi-level public health programmes is challenging in school settings. Discrepancies between expected and actual programme outcomes are often reported. Such discrepancies are due to complex interactions between contextual factors. Contextual factors relate to the setting, the community, in which implementation occurs, the stakeholders involved, and the characteristics of the programme itself. This work uses realist evaluation to understand how contextual factors influence the implementation process, to result in variable programme outcomes. This study focuses on identifying contextual factors, pinpointing combinations of contextual factors, and understanding interactions and effects of such factors and combinations on programme outcomes on different levels of the implementation process. Schools which had participated in a school-based health promotion programme between 2012 and 2015 were included. Two sets of qualitative data were collected: semi-structured interviews with school staff and programme coordinators; and written documents about the actions implemented in a selection of four schools. Quantitative data included 1553 questionnaires targeting pupils aged 8 to 11 in 14 schools to describe the different school contexts. The comparison between what was expected from the programme (programme theory) and the outcomes identified in the field data, showed that some of the mechanisms expected to support the implementation of the programme, did not operate as anticipated (e.g. inclusion of training, initiation by decision-maker). Key factors which influenced the implementation process included, amongst other factors, the mode of introduction of the programme, home/school relationship, leadership of the management team, and the level of delegated power. Five types of interactions between contextual factors were put forward: enabling, hindering, neutral, counterbalancing and moderating effects. Recurrent combinations of factors were identified. Implementation was more challenging in vulnerable schools where school climate was poor. A single programme cannot be suited or introduced in the same manner in every context. However, key recurrent combinations of contextual factors could contribute to the design of implementation patterns, which could provide guidelines and recommendation for grass-root programme implementation.

La reconstruction du sourcil par greffon composite du cuir chevelu: une astuce pour faciliter la technique

PubMed Central

El Omari, Mounia; El Mazouz, Samir; Gharib, Noureddine; EL Abbassi, Abdallah

2015-01-01

Les sourcils jouent un rôle important dans l’équilibre esthétique du visage. Leur reconstruction ou ophriopoïése, après séquelle de brûlure fait partie intégrante du programme de réhabilitation de la face brûlée. Plusieurs techniques ont été décrites. Nous insistons ici sur l'intérêt d'une technique simple, à la portée de tous les chirurgiens, et dont la méthode et les résultats peuvent être améliorés par un dessin bien planifié des zones donneuse et receveuse: la greffe composite prélevée au niveau du cuir chevelu dessinée à l'aide d'un calque du sourcil controlatéral. PMID:26401195

Simultaneous transgenic suppression of LePG and LeExp1 influences fruit texture and juice viscosity in a fresh market tomato variety.

PubMed

Powell, Ann L T; Kalamaki, Mary S; Kurien, Philip A; Gurrieri, Sergio; Bennett, Alan B

2003-12-03

Tomatoes are grown for fresh consumption or for processing of the fruit. Some ripening-associated processes of the fruit can either contribute to or degrade attributes associated with both fresh and processing quality. For example, cell wall disassembly is associated with loss of fresh fruit firmness as well as with loss of processed tomato product viscosity. Several enzymes contribute to cell wall polysaccharide disassembly. Polygalacturonase (PG, poly[1,4-alpha-d-galactouronide] glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.15) is among the most abundant polysaccharide hydrolases in ripening tomato fruit and is the major contributor to pectin depolymerization. Expansin (LeExp1) is also abundant in ripening fruit and is proposed to contribute to cell wall disassembly by nonhydrolytic activity, possibly by increasing substrate accessibility to other enzymes. Suppression of either LePG or LeExp1 expression alone results in altered softening and/or shelf life characteristics. To test whether simultaneous suppression of both LePG and LeExp1 expression influences fruit texture in additive or synergistic ways, transgenic Lycopersicon esculentum var. Ailsa Craig lines with reduced expression of either LePG or LeExp1 were crossed. Fruits from the third generation of progeny, homozygous for both transgenic constructs, were analyzed for firmness and other quality traits during ripening on or off the vine. In field-grown transgenic tomato fruit, suppression of LeExp1 or LePG alone did not significantly increase fruit firmness. However, fruits suppressed for both LePG and LeExp1 expression were significantly firmer throughout ripening and were less susceptible to deterioration during long-term storage. Juice prepared from the transgenic tomato fruit with reduced LePG and LeExp1 expression was more viscous than juice prepared from control fruit.

A distributed control system for the lower-hybrid current drive system on the Tokamak de Varennes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagdoo, J.; Guay, J. M.; Chaudron, G.-A.; Decoste, R.; Demers, Y.; Hubbard, A.

1990-08-01

An rf current drive system with an output power of 1 MW at 3.7 GHz is under development for the Tokamak de Varennes. The control system is based on an Ethernet local-area network of programmable logic controllers as front end, personal computers as consoles, and CAMAC-based DSP processors. The DSP processors ensure the PID control of the phase and rf power of each klystron, and the fast protection of high-power rf hardware, all within a 40 μs loop. Slower control and protection, event sequencing and the run-time database are provided by the programmable logic controllers, which communicate, via the LAN, with the consoles. The latter run a commercial process-control console software. The LAN protocol respects the first four layers of the ISO/OSI 802.3 standard. Synchronization with the tokamak control system is provided by commercially available CAMAC timing modules which trigger shot-related events and reference waveform generators. A detailed description of each subsystem and a performance evaluation of the system will be presented.

Caracterisation de la cohesion de l'interface AMF/polymere dans une structure deformable adaptative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer-Rousseau, Charles

Les structures déformables adaptatives (SDA) sont appelées à jouer un rôle important en aéronautique entre autres. Les alliages à mémoire de forme (AMF) sont un des candidats les plus prometteurs. Beaucoup de travail reste toutefois à faire avant que ces structures rencontrent les exigences élevées reliées à leur intégration dans un contexte aéronautique. Des travaux de recherche ont montré que la résistance à la décohésion de l’interface AMF/polymère peut être un élément limitant dans la performance des SDA. Dans ce travail, l’effet sur la résistance à la décohésion de l’interface AMF/polymère de divers traitements de surface, géométries de fil et types de polymère est évalué. La géométrie du fil est modifiée par une combinaison spécifique de laminage à froid et de recuit postdéformation qui maintient les propriétés de mémoire de forme tout en permettant de réduire l’aire de la section transversale du fil. Le traitement thermomécanique le plus prometteur est proposé. Une nouvelle méthode d’évaluation de la résistance à la décohésion est développée. Plutôt que de tester les fils en arrachement et de mesurer la force maximale, les tests en contraction sont basés sur la capacité des fils d’AMF à se contracter s’ils ont été encastrés dans un état tiré et qu’ils sont chauffés par effet Joule. L’hypothèse qu’on pose est que ces tests sont une meilleure approximation des conditions rencontrées dans une SDA, où les fils se contractent plutôt qu’ils sont arrachés par une force externe à la structure. Bien qu’une décohésion partielle ait été observée pour tous les échantillons, l’aire de la surface où il y a décohésion tait plus grande pour les échantillons avec une pré-déformation plus grande. Le front de décohésion a semblé cesser de progresser après les cycles de chauffage initiaux lorsque la vitesse de chauffage était faible. Un modèle numérique simulant la réponse thermique transitoire du polymère et du fil d’AMF lors d’un chauffage par effet Joule est programmé à l’aide du logiciel ANSYS. Le comportement du modèle est validé avec des résultats expérimentaux où des thermocouples encastrés dans l’échantillon permettent des mesures locales de la température. Les résultats calculés sont en accord avec les résultats expérimentaux d’un point de vue qualitatif, mais accusent des différences significatives d’un point de vue quantitatif. La mesure du champ de déformation à l’interface du fil et du polymère dans une SDA permettrait de développer et valider un modèle numérique prenant en compte l’effet mémoire de forme d’un fil encastré dans une matrice polymère. Dans ce but, une machine de traction miniature permettant l’analyse par microspectrométrie Raman in situ est présentée. Elle a une capacité de 1 kN et un déplacement maximal de 20 mm dans une enveloppe de conception totale de 160 mm de diamètre. La machine est conçue pour que le milieu de l’échantillon soit immobile grâce au fait que le mouvement des deux extrémités soit symétrique. Les résultats montrent que du travail supplémentaire est nécessaire avant de pouvoir encastrer des fils d’AMF dans une structure déformable adaptative. Mots-clés: décohésion, structure active, alliage à mémoire de forme, AMF, tests d’arrachement.

Improving participant selection in disease management programmes: insights gained from propensity score stratification.

PubMed

Linden, Ariel; Adams, John L

2008-10-01

While the randomized controlled trial (RCT) remains the gold-standard study design for evaluating treatment effect, outcomes researchers turn to powerful quasi-experimental designs when only observational studies can be conducted. Within these designs, propensity score matching is one of the most popular to evaluate disease management (DM) programme effectiveness. Given that DM programmes generally have a much smaller number of participants than non-participants in the population, propensity score matching will typically result in all or nearly all participants finding successful matches, while most of the non-participants in the population remain unmatched and thereby excluded from the analysis. By excluding data from the unmatched population, the effect of non-treatment in the remaining population with the disease is not captured. In the present study, we examine changes in hospitalization rates stratified by propensity score quintiles across the entire population allowing us to gain insight as to how well the programme chose its participants, or if the programme could have been effective on those individuals not explicitly targeted for the intervention. These data indicate the presence of regression to the mean, and suggest that the DM programme may be overly limited to only the highest strata when there is evidence of a potential benefit for those in all the lower strata as well.

Co-operation, participation and conflicts faced in public health--lessons learned from a long-term prevention programme in Sweden.

PubMed

Brännström, I; Emmelin, M; Dahlgren, L; Johansson, M; Wall, S

1994-09-01

A comprehensive community-based programme for prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes was established in 1985 in a small municipality in northern Sweden. A cross-sectional survey to the general public was performed and semi-structured open-ended interviews were taken of actors at different levels. Notes from official records were also included in the study. The aim was to describe and discuss some factors that promote or constrain community participation in health programmes. The results generally confirmed that the right of definition concerning the health programme mainly remained with the health professionals. Community participation was mainly defined by the actors based on the medical and health planning approach and, thereby, as a means to transform health policy plans into reality by transmitting health knowledge and increasing consciousness among the citizens of the need for changing lifestyles. However, participation as a means of identifying problems and demonstrating power relationships and as elements in promoting local democracy was hardly represented among the actors at all. Overall, the CVD health programme was characterized by consensus between the actors. Despite this, debates and arguments about interpretations, social interests, personal conflicts and ideological constraints were observed. However, a majority of the public wanted the CVD preventive programme to continue.

A programmable, multichannel power supply for SIPMs with temperature compensation loop and Ethernet interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Querol, M.; Rodríguez, J.; Toledo, J.; Esteve, R.; Álvarez, V.; Herrero, V.

2016-12-01

Among the different techniques available, the SiPM power supply described in this paper uses output voltage and sensor temperature feedback. A high-resolution ADC digitizes both the output voltage and an analog signal proportional to the SiPM temperature for each of its 16 independent outputs. The appropriate change in the bias voltage is computed in a micro-controller and this correction is applied via a high resolution DAC to the control input of a DC/DC module that produces the output voltage. This method allows a reduction in gain variations from typically 30% to only 0.5% in a 10 °C range. The power supply is housed in a 3U-height aluminum box. A 2.8'' touch screen on the front panel provides local access to the configuration and monitoring functions using a graphical interface. The unit has an Ethernet interface on its rear side to provide remote operation and integration in slow control systems using the encrypted and secure SSH protocol. A LabVIEW application with SSH interface has been designed to operate the power supply from a remote computer. The power supply has good characteristics, such as 85 V output range with 1 mV resolution and stability better than 2 mVP, excellent output load regulation and programmable rise and fall voltage ramps. Commercial power supplies from well-known manufacturers can show far better specifications though can also result in an over featured and over costly solution for typical applications.

La Recherche du Quark Top dans le Canal $e$ + Jets a D0 (in French)

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

Lebrat, Jean-Francois

1996-05-01

Le travail de thèse qui est résumé ici a débuté en 1993, alors que l'existence du quark top n'avait pas encore été mise en évidence expérimentalement. Il se concentre sur la recherche du top dans l'un de ses modes de désintégration, le canal e + jets, et utilise l'ensemble des outils d'identication des particules et d'analyse développés par la collaboration DØ. L'analyse présentée ici est la première à utiliser le TRD (le Détecteur à Rayonnement de Transition, qui a été mis au point et fabriqué à Saclay) pour une meilleure identication de l'électron.Nous présenterons tout d'abord le quark top, enmore » décrivant la place qu'il occupe dans le modèle utilisé par les physiciens des particules, le Modèle Standard. Nous montrerons ainsi que l'existence du quark top était prédite par le modèle bien avant sa découverte, et indiquerons ainsi les raisons qui ont motivé notre analyse....« less

Sub-to super-ambient temperature programmable microfabricated gas chromatography column

DOEpatents

Robinson, Alex L.; Anderson, Lawrence F.

2004-03-16

A sub- to super-ambient temperature programmable microfabricated gas chromatography column enables more efficient chemical separation of chemical analytes in a gas mixture by combining a thermoelectric cooler and temperature sensing on the microfabricated column. Sub-ambient temperature programming enables the efficient separation of volatile organic compounds and super-ambient temperature programming enables the elution of less volatile analytes within a reasonable time. The small heat capacity and thermal isolation of the microfabricated column improves the thermal time response and power consumption, both important factors for portable microanalytical systems.

Automatic classification of spectral units in the Aristarchus plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erard, S.; Le Mouelic, S.; Langevin, Y.

1999-09-01

A reduction scheme has been recently proposed for the NIR images of Clementine (Le Mouelic et al, JGR 1999). This reduction has been used to build an integrated UVvis-NIR image cube of the Aristarchus region, from which compositional and maturity variations can be studied (Pinet et al, LPSC 1999). We will present an analysis of this image cube, providing a classification in spectral types and spectral units. The image cube is processed with Gmode analysis using three different data sets: Normalized spectra provide a classification based mainly on spectral slope variations (ie. maturity and volcanic glasses). This analysis discriminates between craters plus ejecta, mare basalts, and DMD. Olivine-rich areas and Aristarchus central peak are also recognized. Continuum-removed spectra provide a classification more related to compositional variations, which correctly identifies olivine and pyroxenes-rich areas (in Aristarchus, Krieger, Schiaparelli\\ldots). A third analysis uses spectral parameters related to maturity and Fe composition (reflectance, 1 mu m band depth, and spectral slope) rather than intensities. It provides the most spatially consistent picture, but fails in detecting Vallis Schroeteri and DMDs. A supplementary unit, younger and rich in pyroxene, is found on Aristarchus south rim. In conclusion, Gmode analysis can discriminate between different spectral types already identified with more classic methods (PCA, linear mixing\\ldots). No previous assumption is made on the data structure, such as endmembers number and nature, or linear relationship between input variables. The variability of the spectral types is intrinsically accounted for, so that the level of analysis is always restricted to meaningful limits. A complete classification should integrate several analyses based on different sets of parameters. Gmode is therefore a powerful light toll to perform first look analysis of spectral imaging data. This research has been partly founded by the French Programme National de Planetologie.

Alternative lipid emulsions versus pure soy oil based lipid emulsions for parenterally fed preterm infants.

PubMed

Kapoor, Vishal; Glover, Rebecca; Malviya, Manoj N

2015-12-02

The pure soybean oil based lipid emulsions (S-LE) conventionally used for parenteral nutrition (PN) in preterm infants have high polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content. The newer lipid emulsions (LE) from alternative lipid sources with reduced PUFA content may improve clinical outcomes in preterm infants. To determine the safety and efficacy of the newer alternative LE compared with the conventional S-LE for PN in preterm infants. We used the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group (CNRG) to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; Issue 7), MEDLINE (1946 to 31 July 2015), EMBASE (1947 to 31 July 2015), CINAHL (1982 to 31 July 2015), Web of Science (31 July 2015), conference proceedings, trial registries (clinicaltrials.gov, controlled-trials.com, WHO's ICTRP), and the reference lists of retrieved articles for randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised trials. Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials in preterm infants (< 37 weeks), comparing newer alternative LE with S-LE. Data collection and analysis conformed to the methods of the CNRG. We assessed the quality of evidence for important outcomes using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, in addition to reporting the conventional statistical significance of results. Fifteen studies (N = 979 infants) are included in this review. Alternative LE including medium chain triglycerides/long chain triglycerides (MCT/LCT) LE (3 studies; n = 108), MCT-olive-fish-soy oil-LE (MOFS-LE; 7 studies; n = 469), MCT-fish-soy oil-LE (MFS-LE; 1 study; n = 60), olive-soy oil-LE (OS-LE; 7 studies; n = 406), and borage-soy oil-LE (BS-LE; 1 study; n = 34) were compared with S-LE. The different LE were also considered together to compare 'all fish oil containing-LE' versus S-LE (7 studies; n = 499) and 'all alternative LE' versus S-LE (15 studies; n = 979). Some studies had multiple intervention arms and were included in more than one comparison. No study compared pure fish oil-LE or structured-LE to S-LE.The GRADE quality of evidence (GRADE QoE) ranged from 'low' to 'very low.' Evidence came mostly from small single centre studies, many focusing on biochemical aspects as their primary outcomes, with optimal information size not achieved for the important clinical outcomes in any comparison.In the primary outcomes of the review there was a pooled effect towards decreased bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in OS-LE vs S-LE (4 studies, n = 261) not reaching statistical significance (typical risk ratio (RR) 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46 to 1.04, I² = 32%; typical risk difference (RD) -0.08, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.00, I² = 76%; GRADE QoE: 'very low'). No difference in BPD was observed in any other comparison. There were no statistically significant differences in the primary outcomes of death, growth rate (g/kg/day) or days to regain birth weight in any comparison.Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) stage 1-2 was reported to be statistically significantly lower in one single centre study (n = 80) in the MOFS-LE group compared with the S-LE group (1/40 vs 12/40, respectively; RR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.61; RD -0.27, 95% CI -0.43 to -0.12; number needed to benefit (NNTB) 4, 95% CI 2 to 8). However there were no statistically significant differences in the secondary outcome of ROP ≥ stage 3 in any of the individual studies or in any comparison (GRADE QoE: 'low' to 'very low'). No other study reported on ROP stages 1 and 2 separately.There were no statistically significant differences in the secondary outcomes of sepsis, PN associated liver disease (PNALD)/cholestasis, ventilation duration, necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) ≥ stage 2, jaundice requiring treatment, intraventricular haemorrhage grade III-IV, periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), hypertriglyceridaemia, and hyperglycaemia in any comparison.No study reported on neurodevelopmental outcomes or essential fatty acid deficiency. All lipid emulsions in this review appeared to be safe and were well tolerated in preterm infants. Compared with the pure soy oil based LE, use of MOFS-LE was associated with a decrease in the early stages (1-2) of ROP in one study. However there were no statistically significant differences in clinically important outcomes including death, growth, BPD, sepsis, ROP ≥ stage 3, and PNALD with the use of newer alternative LE versus the conventional pure soy oil based LE (GRADE QoE ranged from 'low' to 'very low'). Currently there is insufficient evidence to recommend any alternative LE over S-LE or vice versa in preterm infants.Larger randomised studies focusing on important clinical outcomes, targeting specific 'at risk' population subgroups (e.g. extreme prematurity, long term PN, etc), and exploring the effect of different proportions of lipid constituents are required to evaluate the effectiveness of newer lipid emulsions compared with the conventional pure soy based LE in preterm infants.

Programmable diffractive lens for ophthalmic application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millán, María S.; Pérez-Cabré, Elisabet; Romero, Lenny A.; Ramírez, Natalia

2014-06-01

Pixelated liquid crystal displays have been widely used as spatial light modulators to implement programmable diffractive optical elements, particularly diffractive lenses. Many different applications of such components have been developed in information optics and optical processors that take advantage of their properties of great flexibility, easy and fast refreshment, and multiplexing capability in comparison with equivalent conventional refractive lenses. We explore the application of programmable diffractive lenses displayed on the pixelated screen of a liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator to ophthalmic optics. In particular, we consider the use of programmable diffractive lenses for the visual compensation of refractive errors (myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism) and presbyopia. The principles of compensation are described and sketched using geometrical optics and paraxial ray tracing. For the proof of concept, a series of experiments with artificial eye in optical bench are conducted. We analyze the compensation precision in terms of optical power and compare the results with those obtained by means of conventional ophthalmic lenses. Practical considerations oriented to feasible applications are provided.

Ophthalmic compensation of visual ametropia based on a programmable diffractive lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millán, Maria S.; Pérez-Cabré, Elisabet; Romero, Lenny A.; Ramírez, Natalia

2013-11-01

Pixelated liquid crystal displays have been widely used as spatial light modulators to implement programmable diffractive optical elements (DOEs), particularly diffractive lenses. Many different applications of such components have been developed in information optics and optical processors that take advantage of their properties of great flexibility, easy and fast refreshment, and multiplexing capability in comparison with equivalent conventional refractive lenses. In this paper, we explore the application of programmable diffractive lenses displayed on the pixelated screen of a liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator (LCoS-SLM) to ophthalmic optics. In particular, we consider the use of programmable diffractive lenses for the visual compensation of some refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia). The theoretical principles of compensation are described and sketched using geometrical optics and paraxial ray tracing. A series of experiments with artificial eye in optical bench are conducted to analyze the compensation accuracy in terms of optical power and to compare the results with those obtained by means of conventional ophthalmic lenses. Practical considerations oriented to feasible applications are provided.

Brayton Power Conversion System Parametric Design Modelling for Nuclear Electric Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashe, Thomas L.; Otting, William D.

1993-01-01

The parametrically based closed Brayton cycle (CBC) computer design model was developed for inclusion into the NASA LeRC overall Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) end-to-end systems model. The code is intended to provide greater depth to the NEP system modeling which is required to more accurately predict the impact of specific technology on system performance. The CBC model is parametrically based to allow for conducting detailed optimization studies and to provide for easy integration into an overall optimizer driver routine. The power conversion model includes the modeling of the turbines, alternators, compressors, ducting, and heat exchangers (hot-side heat exchanger and recuperator). The code predicts performance to significant detail. The system characteristics determined include estimates of mass, efficiency, and the characteristic dimensions of the major power conversion system components. These characteristics are parametrically modeled as a function of input parameters such as the aerodynamic configuration (axial or radial), turbine inlet temperature, cycle temperature ratio, power level, lifetime, materials, and redundancy.

Impact of Balance Of System (BOS) costs on photovoltaic power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hein, G. F.; Cusick, J. P.; Poley, W. A.

1978-01-01

The Department of Energy has developed a program to effect a large reduction in the price of photovoltaic modules, with significant progress already achieved toward the 1986 goal of 50 cents/watt (1975 dollars). Remaining elements of a P/V power system (structure, battery storage, regulation, control, and wiring) are also significant cost items. The costs of these remaining elements are commonly referred to as Balance-of-System (BOS) costs. The BOS costs are less well defined and documented than module costs. The Lewis Research Center (LeRC) in 1976/77 and with two village power experiments that will be installed in 1978. The costs were divided into five categories and analyzed. A regression analysis was performed to determine correlations of BOS Costs per peak watt, with power size for these photovoltaic systems. The statistical relationship may be used for flat-plate, DC systems ranging from 100 to 4,000 peak watts. A survey of suppliers was conducted for comparison with the predicted BOS cost relationship.

Personnel

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

None

2006-10-13

Le président du conseil M.Doran explique la décision que le conseil du Cern vient de prendre sur la 4.étape du régime complémentaire des pensions. Le président du comité des finances le Dr.Andersen ainsi que le Prof.Connor(?) prennent aussi la parole

Coexistence of tumid lupus erythematosus with systemic lupus erythematosus and discoid lupus erythematosus: a report of two cases of tumid lupus.

PubMed

Stead, Jennifer; Headley, Catherine; Ioffreda, Michael; Kovarik, Carrie; Werth, Victoria

2008-12-01

Tumid lupus erythematosus (LE) is a rare variant of chronic cutaneous LE that is characterized clinically by smooth, nonscarring, pink to violaceous papules or plaques without evidence of surface change. Histopathologic features include superficial and deep lymphocytic infiltration in a perivascular and periadnexal distribution, with dermal interstitial mucin deposition and focal or absent dermoepidermal junction involvement. These clinical and histopathologic features can be challenging to differentiate from other cutaneous diseases. This is particularly true because patients with tumid LE usually do not have other manifestations of systemic LE or cutaneous LE. We present 2 cases of tumid LE, one associated with concomitant systemic LE and the other occurring concurrently with discoid LE. Furthermore, we demonstrate the rare occurrence of a patient with tumid LE occurring below the waist at a photo-protected site.

Involvement of LeMDR, an ATP-binding cassette protein gene, in shikonin transport and biosynthesis in Lithospermum erythrorhizon.

PubMed

Zhu, Yu; Lu, Gui-Hua; Bian, Zhuo-Wu; Wu, Feng-Yao; Pang, Yan-Jun; Wang, Xiao-Ming; Yang, Rong-Wu; Tang, Cheng-Yi; Qi, Jin-Liang; Yang, Yong-Hua

2017-11-13

Shikonin is a naphthoquinone secondary metabolite with important medicinal value and is found in Lithospermum erythrorhizon. Considering the limited knowledge on the membrane transport mechanism of shikonin, this study investigated such molecular mechanism. We successfully isolated an ATP-binding cassette protein gene, LeMDR, from L. erythrorhizon. LeMDR is predominantly expressed in L. erythrorhizon roots, where shikonin accumulated. Functional analysis of LeMDR by using the yeast cell expression system revealed that LeMDR is possibly involved in the shikonin efflux transport. The accumulation of shikonin is lower in yeast cells transformed with LeMDR-overexpressing vector than that with empty vector. The transgenic hairy roots of L. erythrorhizon overexpressing LeMDR (MDRO) significantly enhanced shikonin production, whereas the RNA interference of LeMDR (MDRi) displayed a reverse trend. Moreover, the mRNA expression level of LeMDR was up-regulated by treatment with shikonin and shikonin-positive regulators, methyl jasmonate and indole-3-acetic acid. There might be a relationship of mutual regulation between the expression level of LeMDR and shikonin biosynthesis. Our findings demonstrated the important role of LeMDR in transmembrane transport and biosynthesis of shikonin.

Lupus enteritis: clinical characteristics and predictive factors for recurrence.

PubMed

Koo, B S; Hong, S; Kim, Y J; Kim, Y-G; Lee, C-K; Yoo, B

2015-05-01

To compare the clinical characteristics of lupus enteritis (LE) and non-enteric lupus (non-LE) patients and identify predictors of LE recurrence. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 62 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in a tertiary hospital who experienced enteric symptoms and underwent abdominal computed tomography scanning between January 1997 and December 2013. We compared the clinical characteristics between LE and non-LE patients and between recurrent LE and non-recurrent LE cases. Out of 62 SLE patients with enteric symptoms, 46 cases (74%) were compatible with LE based on computed tomography findings. The C4 level was decreased in the LE group compared with the non-LE group (9.0 ± 5.6 vs. 12.3 ± 6.2, p = 0.032). Recurrence of LE was observed in 14 patients (28%). Initial involvement at the colon (79% vs. 41%, p = 0.026) and bladder with/without the ureter was more common in the recurrent group (57% vs. 25%, p = 0.048). By multivariate analysis, the hazard ratios of variables associated with recurrence were 4.689 for colon involvement (95% confidence interval: 1.245-17.659, p = 0.0220] and 5.468 for cystitis with/without ureteritis (95% confidence interval: 1.629-18.360, p = 0.006). Colon and urinary tract involvement in LE patients may be associated with the recurrence of LE. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

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

Jin, Zheming; Yoshii, Kazutomo; Finkel, Hal

Open Computing Language (OpenCL) is a high-level language that enables software programmers to explore Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) for application acceleration. The Intel FPGA software development kit (SDK) for OpenCL allows a user to specify applications at a high level and explore the performance of low-level hardware acceleration. In this report, we present the FPGA performance and power consumption results of the single-precision floating-point vector add OpenCL kernel using the Intel FPGA SDK for OpenCL on the Nallatech 385A FPGA board. The board features an Arria 10 FPGA. We evaluate the FPGA implementations using the compute unit duplication andmore » kernel vectorization optimization techniques. On the Nallatech 385A FPGA board, the maximum compute kernel bandwidth we achieve is 25.8 GB/s, approximately 76% of the peak memory bandwidth. The power consumption of the FPGA device when running the kernels ranges from 29W to 42W.« less

An FPGA-Based Test-Bed for Reliability and Endurance Characterization of Non-Volatile Memory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, Vikram; Patel, Jagdish; Patel, Janak; Namkung, Jeffrey

2001-01-01

Memory technologies are divided into two categories. The first category, nonvolatile memories, are traditionally used in read-only or read-mostly applications because of limited write endurance and slow write speed. These memories are derivatives of read only memory (ROM) technology, which includes erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically-erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), Flash, and more recent ferroelectric non-volatile memory technology. Nonvolatile memories are able to retain data in the absence of power. The second category, volatile memories, are random access memory (RAM) devices including SRAM and DRAM. Writing to these memories is fast and write endurance is unlimited, so they are most often used to store data that change frequently, but they cannot store data in the absence of power. Nonvolatile memory technologies with better future potential are FRAM, Chalcogenide, GMRAM, Tunneling MRAM, and Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (SONOS) EEPROM.

How can community health programmes build enabling environments for transformative communication? Experiences from India and South Africa.

PubMed

Campbell, Catherine; Cornish, Flora

2012-05-01

Much research has examined how to empower the poor to articulate demands for health-enabling living conditions. Less is known about creating receptive social environments where the powerful heed the voices of the poor. We explore the potential for 'transformative communication' between the poor and the powerful, through comparing two well-documented case studies of HIV/AIDS management. The Entabeni Project in South Africa sought to empower impoverished women to deliver home-based nursing to people with AIDS. It successfully provided short-term welfare, but did not achieve local leadership or sustainability. The Sonagachi Project in India, an HIV-prevention programme targeting female sex workers, became locally led and sustainable. We highlight the strategies through which Sonagachi, but not Entabeni, altered the material, symbolic and relational contexts of participants' lives, enabling transformative communication and opportunities for sexual health-enabling social change.

Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koper, Rob

In 2003 we started a new research programme at the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (CELSTEC) that was aiming to help people to further develop their professional competences by using the innovative powers of new media, mobile devices, and modern Internet services. The idea behind the programme was to contribute to one of the bigger challenges in our society: how to deal with the growing complexity, the growing quantity and the permanent changes in knowledge and technologies. For companies this question relates to the core of their business: how to become innovative and stay competitive. For the employees, the ‘professionals’, this question relates directly to their jobs: how to become and stay employable. In this book we will concentrate on the last group, the professionals and their question how to stay employable, how to keep up-to-date and how to develop professional competence during their careers. The professionals represent the human capital, the knowledge, the innovative power in our economy.

Software systems for modeling articulated figures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Cary B.

1989-01-01

Research in computer animation and simulation of human task performance requires sophisticated geometric modeling and user interface tools. The software for a research environment should present the programmer with a powerful but flexible substrate of facilities for displaying and manipulating geometric objects, yet insure that future tools have a consistent and friendly user interface. Jack is a system which provides a flexible and extensible programmer and user interface for displaying and manipulating complex geometric figures, particularly human figures in a 3D working environment. It is a basic software framework for high-performance Silicon Graphics IRIS workstations for modeling and manipulating geometric objects in a general but powerful way. It provides a consistent and user-friendly interface across various applications in computer animation and simulation of human task performance. Currently, Jack provides input and control for applications including lighting specification and image rendering, anthropometric modeling, figure positioning, inverse kinematics, dynamic simulation, and keyframe animation.

[Cognitive enrichment in farm animals--the impact of social rank and social environment on learning behaviour of dwarf goats].

PubMed

Baymann, Ulrike; Langbein, Jan; Siebert, Katrin; Nürnberg, Gerd; Manteuffel, Gerhard; Mohr, Elmar

2007-01-01

The influence of social rank and social environment on visual discrimination learning of small groups of Nigerian dwarf goats (Capra hircus, n = 79) was studied using a computer-controlled learning device integrated in the animals' home pen. The experiment was divided into three sections (LE1, LE1 u, LE2; each 14d). In LE1 the goats learned a discrimination task in a socially stable environment. In LE1u animals were mixed and relocated to another pen and given the same task as in LE1. In LE2 the animals were mixed and relocated again and given a new discrimination task. We used drinking water as a primary reinforcer. The rank category of the goats were analysed as alpha, omega or middle ranking for each section of the experiment. The rank category had an influence on daily learning success (percentage of successful trials per day) only in LE1 u. Daily learning success decreased after mixing and relocation of the animals in LE1 u and LE2 compared to LE1. That resulted in an undersupply of drinking water on the first day of both these tasks. We discuss social stress induced by agonistic interactions after mixing as a reason for that decline. The absolute learning performance (trials to reach the learning criterion) of the omega animals was lower in LE2 compared to the other rank categories. Furthermore, their absolute learning performance was lower in LE2 compared to LE1. For future application of similar automated learning devices in animal husbandry, we recommend against the combination of management routines like mixing and relocation with changes in the learning task because of the negative effects on learning performance, particularly of the omega animals.

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

Huskey, A.; Bowen, A.; Jager, D.

This test was conducted as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Independent Testing project. This project was established to help reduce the barriers to wind energy expansion by providing independent testing results for small wind turbines (SWT). In total, five turbines were tested at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) as a part of this project. Safety and function testing is one of up to five tests performed on the turbines, including power performance, duration, noise, and power-quality tests. NWTC testing results provide manufacturers with reports that may be used to meet part of small wind turbine certificationmore » requirements. The test equipment includes a Mariah Windspire wind turbine mounted on a monopole tower. L&E Machine manufactured the turbine in the United States. The inverter was manufactured separately by Technology Driven Products in the United States. The system was installed by the NWTC site operations group with guidance and assistance from Mariah Power.« less

Long-term effect of the combined use of powered toothbrush and triclosan dentifrice in periodontal maintenance patients.

PubMed

Bogren, Anna; Teles, Ricardo P; Torresyap, Gay; Haffajee, Anne D; Socransky, Sigmund S; Jönsson, Kerstin; Wennström, Jan L

2008-02-01

To test the hypothesis of a superior clinical and microbiological effect of the combined use of powered toothbrush+triclosan-containing dentifrice compared with manual toothbrush+regular fluoride-containing dentifrice in periodontal maintenance patients. A total of 128 periodontitis subjects involved in recall programmes were randomized to use either powered toothbrush with triclosan-dentifrice (test) or manual toothbrush and standard dentifrice (control). Supportive periodontal treatment was provided at baseline and every 6 months. Plaque, bleeding on probing (BoP), probing pocket depth (PPD) and relative attachment level (RAL) were scored at baseline, 1, 2 and 3 years. Subgingival plaque samples were taken and analysed for their content of 40 bacterial species at each examination interval. All analyses were performed by "intention-to-treat" protocol. Both groups showed significant reduction in BoP, PPD and in mean total counts of the 40 bacterial species between baseline and 3 years, while plaque score and RAL remained almost unchanged. No significant differences between the two prevention programmes were found for any of the clinical outcome variables or in mean counts of the various bacterial species. The study failed to demonstrate superior clinical and microbiological effects of powered toothbrush+triclosan dentifrice compared with manual toothbrush+standard fluoride-dentifrice in periodontitis-susceptible patients on regular maintenance therapy.

Field application of smart SHM using field programmable gate array technology to monitor an RC bridge in New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azarbayejani, M.; Jalalpour, M.; El-Osery, A. I.; Reda Taha, M. M.

2011-08-01

In this paper, an innovative field application of a structural health monitoring (SHM) system using field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology and wireless communication is presented. The new SHM system was installed to monitor a reinforced concrete (RC) bridge on Interstate 40 (I-40) in Tucumcari, New Mexico. This newly installed system allows continuous remote monitoring of this bridge using solar power. Details of the SHM component design and installation are discussed. The integration of FPGA and solar power technologies make it possible to remotely monitor infrastructure with limited access to power. Furthermore, the use of FPGA technology enables smart monitoring where data communication takes place on-need (when damage warning signs are met) and on-demand for periodic monitoring of the bridge. Such a system enables a significant cut in communication cost and power demands which are two challenges during SHM operation. Finally, a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model of the bridge was developed and calibrated using a static loading field test. This model is then used for simulating damage occurrence on the bridge. Using the proposed automation process for SHM will reduce human intervention significantly and can save millions of dollars currently spent on prescheduled inspection of critical infrastructure worldwide.

Nuclear Power: Is It a New Clear Choice for Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besar, Idris B.

2008-05-01

Energy is essential for socio-economic development. Any nation's standard of living is closely related to its access to energy. To put into perspective, the per capita electricity consumptions in developed countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is currently estimated at 8600 kilowatts-hour per year as compared to the consumption rates in Malaysia and some African countries of 3300 and 50 kilowatts-hour per year, respectively. Energy is therefore an important pre-requisite for achieving the Malaysian vision of becoming a developed nation by the year 2020, in that it is needed not only for industrialization programme but also in maintaining quality of life. In Malaysia, the main concern currently is still on the supply in term of adequacy, reliability and quality; and moving slowly but steadily towards security, sustainability, environmentally friendly and contribution to climate change. With this new dimension, nuclear power emerged as a good match to a possible alternative in the comprehensive national energy policy. Many studies presented the positive aspects of nuclear power while others indicated the bad sides and potential risks. This paper will highlight some of those pros and cons as well as the potential risks beside a discussion on relevant requirements for a nuclear power programme in particular those of interest to the professionals in the physical sciences.

Cadmium recovery by coupling double microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Choi, Chansoo; Hu, Naixu; Lim, Bongsu

2014-10-01

Cr(VI)-MFC of the double microbial fuel cell (d-MFC) arrangement could successfully complement the insufficient voltage and power needed to recover cadmium metal from Cd(II)-MFC, which operated as a redox-flow battery. It was also possible to drain electrical energy from the d-MFC by an additional passage. The highest maximum utilization power density (22.5Wm(-2)) of Cr(VI)-MFC, with the cathode optimized with sulfate buffer, was 11.3times higher than the highest power density directly supplied to Cd(II)-MFC (2.0Wm(-2)). Cr(VI)-MFC could generate 3times higher power with the additional passage than without it; and the current density for the former was 4.2times higher than the latter at the same maximum power point (38.0Am(-2) vs. 9.0Am(-2)). This boosting phenomenon could be explained by the Le Chatelier's principle, which addresses the rate of electron-hole pair formation that can be accelerated by quickly removing electrons generated by microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Restartable High Power Gas Generator.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED DTIC AERO PROPULSION LABORATORY " D T-C ) AIR FORCE WRIGHT AERONAUTICAL LABORATORIES AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND APR 2 3 133 C...INIFRV 4umat OVT CCESIONNO. 3 .PERCORMNG’ CAORGO NUMER 14. ATLE(ad S.##* CTPOfRCTOR GR N OERED M. G. Gants F33615-79-C-2004 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION...Assembly 11 3 Injector Internal Confiquration 12 4 Injector Assembly 15 5 Injector Housing le 6 Pintle 17 7 Core 18 8 Fuel Injection Rina iS 9 Fuel

The Effect and Safety of Short-Term Creatine Supplementation on Performance of Push-Ups

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

MILITARY MEDICI’lE. 172. 3:312. 2007 The Effect and Safety of Short-Term Creatine Supplementation on Performance of Push-Ups Guarantor: LT Matthew...effects of short-term oral creatine (Cr) supplementation on exercise performance and on blood pressure and renal function were assessed. Thirty-five...before to after supplementation (p 0.437; power 0.98). The Cr group demonstrated a sig- nificant increase in serum creatinine levels (p 0.001), com

Bibliography of In-House and Contract Reports. Supplement 16

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-01

Differences from ETL-71-CR-10 1971 Grav,t% and Gravity Gradients 54 TiLE REPORT NO. YEAR Determination of Level Sensitivity (Field ETL-RN-74-4 1974...Data Base Study, Phase II ETL-0360 1984 High Resolution Optical Power Spectrum Analyzer ETL-0127 1978 High Resolution Orthophoto Output Table (HIROOT...AD 856 731L 1969 High Resolution Orthophoto Output Table ETL-ETR-72-3 1972 High Speed Disc Memory and a Color Image AD 878 975L 1970 Display for a

NEP technology: FY 1992 milestones (NASA LeRC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovey, Jim

1993-01-01

A discussion of Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) thrusters and facilities is presented in vugraph form. The NEP thrusters are discussed in the context of the following three items: (1) establishing a 100 H test capability for 100-kW magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters; (2) demonstrating a lightweight 20-kW krypton ion thruster; and (3) the optimization of the design of low-mass power processor transformers. The primary accomplishment at NEP facilities was the completion of the Electric Propulsion Laboratory's (EPL's) tank 5 cryopump upgrade.

Proceedings of the Special Meeting on the Physics of Detectors Held at U.S. Naval Training Device Center, Orlando, Florida, on 15 March 1972

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-08-01

manufacture. The bias is well within the power rating of the device. -le havo also seer. similar noise in lead- sulphide detectors. The noiie shown xeseibles...University Syracuse, New York ABSTRACT (Unclassified) The recombination cross section for mercury -doped germanium has been measured between 4-40 K, irt...in the mercury -doped samples was accounted for by quantitatively determining the density of these centers from carrier concentration and mobility

Coordinated Research Program in Pulsed Power Physics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-27

storage element and the spark gap sectional area at the injected beam) which helps reduce elec- are both contained within the high pressure vessel of a...ns At the present time the continued research is aimed at duration of the first region corresponds closely to the FWHM answering various unresolved...10-ns e-beam has been used to trigger a spark gap pressurized to 3 atm of N2 . The gap voltage is close to self-breakdown voltage (Le., 0.95 Vb

Computing Services and Assured Computing

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

fighters’ ability to execute the mission.” Computing Services 4 We run IT Systems that: provide medical care pay the warfighters manage maintenance...users • 1,400 applications • 18 facilities • 180 software vendors • 18,000+ copies of executive software products • Virtually every type of mainframe and... chocs electriques, de branchez les deux cordons d’al imentation avant de faire le depannage P R IM A R Y SD A S B 1 2 PowerHub 7000 RST U L 00- 00

Soviet Introduction of New Technology: A Depiction of the Process

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-01-01

serious problem , however, is the appropriate rate of conver- sion to use between foreign- exchange rubles (in which foreign trade data are presented) and...purchasing-power rates between domestic rubles and foreign- exchange rubles, see A. Woroniak, "Le probleme de la conversion du rouble en dollar...Institute. b. Reports that present the results of research related to a t;ingle phase or factor of a research problem or are a draft RM or Fina.l leport. l0

Le sevrage de l’allaitement

PubMed Central

Grueger, Barbara

2013-01-01

RÉSUMÉ L’allaitement exclusif assure une alimentation optimale aux nourrissons jusqu’à l’âge de six mois. Par la suite, les nourrissons ont besoin d’aliments complémentaires pour répondre à leurs besoins nutritionnels. C’est alors que le sevrage commence. Le sevrage désigne le processus graduel d’introduction d’aliments complémentaires au régime du nourrisson, tout en poursuivant l’allaitement. Il n’y a pas de moment universellement accepté ou scientifiquement démontré pour mettre un terme à l’allaitement. Le moment et le processus de sevrage doivent être adaptés par la mère et l’enfant. Le sevrage peut être soudain ou graduel, prendre plusieurs semaines ou plusieurs mois, être dirigé par l’enfant ou par la mère. Les médecins doivent orienter et soutenir les mères tout au long du processus de sevrage. Le présent document remplace le document de principes sur le sevrage qu’a publié la Société canadienne de pédiatrie en 2004.

"Falsifiability is not optional": Correction to LeBel et al. (2017).

PubMed

2017-11-01

Reports an error in "Falsifiability is not optional" by Etienne P. LeBel, Derek Berger, Lorne Campbell and Timothy J. Loving ( Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 2017[Aug], Vol 113[2], 254-261). In the reply, there were two errors in the References list. The publishing year for the 14th and 21st articles was cited incorrectly as 2016. The in-text acronym associated with these citations should read instead as FER2017 and LCL2017. The correct References list citations should read as follows, respectively: Finkel, E. J., Eastwick, P. W., & Reis, H. T. (2017). Replicability and other features of a high-quality science: Toward a balanced and empirical approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 113, 244-253. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000075 LeBel, E. P., Campbell, L., & Loving, T. J. (2017). Benefits of open and high-powered research outweigh costs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 113, 230-243. http://dx.doi.org/10 .1037/pspi0000049. The online version of this article has been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2017-30567-003.) Finkel, Eastwick, and Reis (2016; FER2016) argued the post-2011 methodological reform movement has focused narrowly on replicability, neglecting other essential goals of research. We agree multiple scientific goals are essential, but argue, however, a more fine-grained language, conceptualization, and approach to replication is needed to accomplish these goals. Replication is the general empirical mechanism for testing and falsifying theory. Sufficiently methodologically similar replications, also known as direct replications, test the basic existence of phenomena and ensure cumulative progress is possible a priori. In contrast, increasingly methodologically dissimilar replications, also known as conceptual replications, test the relevance of auxiliary hypotheses (e.g., manipulation and measurement issues, contextual factors) required to productively investigate validity and generalizability. Without prioritizing replicability, a field is not empirically falsifiable. We also disagree with FER2016's position that "bigger samples are generally better, but . . . that very large samples could have the downside of commandeering resources that would have been better invested in other studies" (abstract). We identify problematic assumptions involved in FER2016's modifications of our original research-economic model, and present an improved model that quantifies when (and whether) it is reasonable to worry that increasing statistical power will engender potential trade-offs. Sufficiently powering studies (i.e., >80%) maximizes both research efficiency and confidence in the literature (research quality). Given that we are in agreement with FER2016 on all key open science points, we are eager to start seeing the accelerated rate of cumulative knowledge development of social psychological phenomena such a sufficiently transparent, powered, and falsifiable approach will generate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

System for energy harvesting and/or generation, storage, and delivery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeGreeff, Jenniffer Leigh (Inventor); Trainor, John T. (Inventor); Fleig, Patrick Franz (Inventor); Lakeman, Charles D. E. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A device and method for harvesting, generating, storing, and delivering energy to a load, particularly for remote or inaccessible applications. The device preferably comprises one or more energy sources, at least one supercapacitor, at least one rechargeable battery, and a controller. The charging of the energy storage devices and the delivery of power to the load is preferably dynamically varied to maximize efficiency. A low power consumption charge pump circuit is preferably employed to collect power from low power energy sources while also enabling the delivery of higher voltage power to the load. The charging voltage is preferably programmable, enabling one device to be used for a wide range of specific applications.

System for energy harvesting and/or generation, storage, and delivery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeGreeff, Jenniffer Leigh (Inventor); Trainor, John T. (Inventor); Fleig, Patrick Franz (Inventor); Lakeman, Charles D. E. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A device and method for harvesting, generating, storing, and delivering energy to a load, particularly for remote or inaccessible applications. The device preferably comprises one or more energy sources, at least one supercapacitor, at least one rechargeable battery, and a controller. The charging of the energy storage devices and the delivery of power to the load is preferably dynamically varied to maximize efficiency. A low power consumption charge pump circuit is preferably employed to collect power from low power energy sources while also enabling the delivery of higher voltage power to the load. The charging voltage is preferably programmable, enabling one device to be used for a wide range of specific applications.

XRF inductive bead fusion and PLC based control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jin-hong; Wang, Ying-jie; Shi, Hong-xin; Chen, Qing-ling; Chen, Yu-xi

2009-03-01

In order to ensure high-quality X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) analysis, an inductive bead fusion machine was developed. The prototype consists of super-audio IGBT induction heating power supply, rotation and swing mechanisms, and programmable logic controller (PLC). The system can realize sequence control, mechanical movement control, output current and temperature control. Experimental results show that the power supply can operate at an ideal quasi-resonant state, in which the expected power output and the required temperature can be achieved for rapid heating and the uniform formation of glass beads respectively.

Development of a sharp interface model that simulates coastal aquifer flow with the coupled use of GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gemitzi, Alexandra; Tolikas, Demetrios

A simulation program, which works seamlessly with GIS and simulates flows in coastal aquifers, is presented in the present paper. The model is based on the Galerkin finite element discretization scheme and it simulates both steady and transient freshwater and saltwater flow, assuming that the two fluids are separated by a sharp interface. The model has been verified in simple cases where analytical solutions exist. The simulation program works as a tool of the GIS program, which is the main database that stores and manages all the necessary data. The combined use of the simulation and the GIS program forms an integrated management tool offering a simpler way of simulating and studying saline intrusion in coastal aquifers. Application of the model to the Yermasogia aquifer illustrates the coupled use of modeling and GIS techniques for the examination of regional coastal aquifer systems. Pour étudier un système aquifère côtier, nous avons développé un modèle aux éléments finis en quasi 3-D qui simule les écoulements d'eau douce et d'eau salée en régime aussi bien permanent que transitoire. Les équations qui les régissent sont discrétisées par un schéma de discrétisation de Garlekin aux éléments finis. Le modèle a été vérifié dans des cas simples où il existe des solutions analytiques. Toutes les données nécessaires sont introduites et gérées grâce à un logiciel de gestion de SIG. Le programme de simulation est utilisé comme un outil du logiciel de SIG, constituant ainsi un outil de gestion intégrée dont le but est de simuler et d'étudier l'intrusion saline dans les aquifères côtiers. L'application du modèle à l'aquifère de Yermasogia illustre l'utilisation couplée de la modélisation et des techniques de SIG pour l'étude des systèmes aquifères côtiers régionaux. Se ha desarrollado un modelo casi tridimensional de elementos finitos para simular el flujo de agua dulce y salada, tanto en régimen estacionario como en transitorio, en sistemas acuíferos costeros, bajo la hipótesis de separación por medio de una interfaz abrupta. Las ecuaciones del modelo han sido discretizadas mediante un esquema de Galerkin de discretización en elementos finitos. El modelo ha sido verificado en casos sencillos para los que existe solución analítica. Todos los datos necesarios se introducen y gestionan con un Sistema de Información Geográfica [SIG] por ordenador. El programa de simulación forma parte del programa de SIG, constituyendo una herramienta integrada de gestión para estudiar la intrusión salina en acuíferos costeros. La aplicación del modelo al acuífero de Yermasogia ilustra el uso acoplado de las técnicas de modelación y de SIG con el fin de examinar sistemas acuíferos costeros a escala regional.

Performance, optimization, and latest development of the SRI family of rotary cryocoolers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dovrtel, Klemen; Megušar, Franc

2017-05-01

In this paper the SRI family of Le-tehnika rotary cryocoolers is presented (SRI401, SRI423/SRI421 and SRI474). The Stirling coolers cooling power range starts from 0.25W to 0.75W at 77K with available temperature range from 60K to 150K and are fitted to typical dewar detector sizes and powers supply voltages. The DDCA performance optimizing procedure is presented. The procedure includes cooler steady state performance mapping and optimization and cooldown optimization. The current cryogenic performance status and reliability evaluation method and figures are presented on the existing and new units. The latest improved SRI401 demonstrated MTTF close to 25'000 hours and the test is still on going.

GaAs/Ge Solar Powered Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Scheiman, David A.; Brinker, David J.

1998-01-01

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are being proposed for many applications for many applications including surveillance, mapping and atmospheric studies. These applications require a lightweight, low speed, medium to long duration aircraft. Due to the weight, speed, and altitude constraints imposed on such an aircraft, solar array generated electric power can be a viable alternative to air-breathing engines for certain missions. Development of such an aircraft is currently being funded under the Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) program. NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has built a Solar Electric Airplane to demonstrate UAV technology. This aircraft utilizes high efficiency Applied Solar Energy Corporation (ASEC) GaAs/Ge space solar cells. The cells have been provided by the Air Force through the ManTech Office.

La Vie Politique sous la Restauration a Travers ’Le Rouge et le Noir’ de Stendahl (The Political Life during the Restauration as Depicted in Le Rouge et le Noir by Stendahl)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

de la classe dirigeante est le clerg6. M. le vicaire de Frilair est le bras droit de l ’&veque dle Besangon et...sympathique effort de recherche ;la documentation contribue bien A 6clairer lanalyse. INTERPRETATION: L 𔄀tude des aspects de la vie politique sous la...References Ouvrages consultes AXccesion For NTIS CRA&I DTIC TA9 El Unanno ’-,’ 1 : By 442.-. - L -- A, _ojes Aof -d/or * A- Dans l’L*tude des

Analog Module Architecture for Space-Qualified Field-Programmable Mixed-Signal Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, R. Timothy; Strohbehn, Kim; Jaskulek, Steven E.; Katz, Richard

1999-01-01

Spacecraft require all manner of both digital and analog circuits. Onboard digital systems are constructed almost exclusively from field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuits providing numerous advantages over discrete design including high integration density, high reliability, fast turn-around design cycle time, lower mass, volume, and power consumption, and lower parts acquisition and flight qualification costs. Analog and mixed-signal circuits perform tasks ranging from housekeeping to signal conditioning and processing. These circuits are painstakingly designed and built using discrete components due to a lack of options for field-programmability. FPAA (Field-Programmable Analog Array) and FPMA (Field-Programmable Mixed-signal Array) parts exist but not in radiation-tolerant technology and not necessarily in an architecture optimal for the design of analog circuits for spaceflight applications. This paper outlines an architecture proposed for an FPAA fabricated in an existing commercial digital CMOS process used to make radiation-tolerant antifuse-based FPGA devices. The primary concerns are the impact of the technology and the overall array architecture on the flexibility of programming, the bandwidth available for high-speed analog circuits, and the accuracy of the components for high-performance applications.

How Radiation Oncologists Evaluate and Incorporate Life Expectancy Estimates Into the Treatment of Palliative Cancer Patients: A Survey-Based Study

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

Tseng, Yolanda D., E-mail: ydtseng@partners.org; Krishnan, Monica S.; Sullivan, Adam J.

2013-11-01

Purpose: We surveyed how radiation oncologists think about and incorporate a palliative cancer patient’s life expectancy (LE) into their treatment recommendations. Methods and Materials: A 41-item survey was e-mailed to 113 radiation oncology attending physicians and residents at radiation oncology centers within the Boston area. Physicians estimated how frequently they assessed the LE of their palliative cancer patients and rated the importance of 18 factors in formulating LE estimates. For 3 common palliative case scenarios, physicians estimated LE and reported whether they had an LE threshold below which they would modify their treatment recommendation. LE estimates were considered accurate whenmore » within the 95% confidence interval of median survival estimates from an established prognostic model. Results: Among 92 respondents (81%), the majority were male (62%), from an academic practice (75%), and an attending physician (70%). Physicians reported assessing LE in 91% of their evaluations and most frequently rated performance status (92%), overall metastatic burden (90%), presence of central nervous system metastases (75%), and primary cancer site (73%) as “very important” in assessing LE. Across the 3 cases, most (88%-97%) had LE thresholds that would alter treatment recommendations. Overall, physicians’ LE estimates were 22% accurate with 67% over the range predicted by the prognostic model. Conclusions: Physicians often incorporate LE estimates into palliative cancer care and identify important prognostic factors. Most have LE thresholds that guide their treatment recommendations. However, physicians overestimated patient survival times in most cases. Future studies focused on improving LE assessment are needed.« less

Far-red light-mediated programmable anti-cancer gene delivery in cooperation with photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Wang, Jinhui; He, Hua; Xu, Xin; Wang, Xiao; Chen, Yongbing; Yin, Lichen

2018-07-01

Effective anti-cancer therapy is hurdled by the complicated extracellular and intracellular barriers, and thus a smart gene vector that can enable programmable gene delivery is highly demanded. Photo-manipulation of gene delivery processes features spatial and temporal precision, while majority of current strategies utilizes short-wavelength UV/visible light with poor tissue penetration or high-power-density near-infrared (NIR) light that would cause undesired heat damage. Herein, an ROS-degradable polycation was designed and co-delivered with a photosensitizer (PS), thus realizing photo-programmable gene delivery using far-red light (661 nm) at low optical power density (down to 5 mW cm -2 ). Thioketal-crosslinked polyethylenimine (TK-PEI) was synthesized to condense p53 gene to form nanocomplexes (NCs), and hyaluronic acid (HA) modified with pheophytin a (Pha) was coated onto NCs to enhance their colloidal stability and enable cancer cell targeting. Short-time (8-min) light irradiation produced non-lethal amount of ROS to disrupt the endosomal membranes and facilitate p53 gene release via degradation of TK-PEI, which collectively enhanced p53 expression levels toward anti-cancer gene therapy. Long-time (30-min) light irradiation at the post-transfection state generated lethal amount of ROS, which cooperatively killed cancer cells to strengthen p53 gene therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first example of an "one stone, three birds" approach to realize cooperative anti-cancer gene therapy using low-power-density, long-wavelength visible light as a single stimulus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical and Moral Courage: An Essential Personal Attribute of a Successful Theater Strategic Commander

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-31

Emerson. Mission With LeMay. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1965: 13-14. 37 Feltus , Pamela. "Great Warrior Leaders/Thinkers: LeMay, Curtis E." Air...77 Feltus , "Great Warrior Leaders/Thinkers: LeMay, Curtis E." Air University Library. 78 Anders, Fighting Airmen, 247. 79 Ibid. 80 LeMay, Mission...With LeMay, 231. 81 Feltus , "Great Warrior Leaders/Thinkers: LeMay, Curtis E." Air University Library. 82 Anders, Fighting Airmen, 253. 83 Johnson

Frequency Assignment, Sharing and Conservation in Systems (Aerospace). (l’Attribution, le partage et la conservation des frequences pour les systemes aeronautiques et spatiales)

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

que pour les installations et le personnel mis ä sa disposition. T- l Technical Evaluation Report of the RTO...radiocommunications sur le radar, on peut mettre en oeuvre des techniques de Formation de Faisceau par le Calcul qui permettent d’augmenter encore le niveau...plus 6loign6s pouvant fonctionner sur les mSmes canaux de frequence que le radar sans g£ne mutuelle1. equipements de radiocommunication

L-Band High Power Amplifiers for CEBAF Linac

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

Fugitt, Jock; Killion, Richard; Nelson, Richard

1990-09-01

The high power portion of the CEBAF RF system utilizes 340 5kW klystrons providing 339 separately controlled outputs. Modulating anodes have been included in the klystron design to provide for economically efficient operation. The design includes shunt regulator-type modulating anode power supplies running from the cathode power supply, and switching filament power supplies. Remotely programmable filament voltage allows maximum cathode life to be realized. Klystron operating setpoint and fast klystron protection logic are provided by individual external CEBAF RF control modules. A single cathode power supply powers a block of eight klystrons. The design includes circulators and custom extrusion andmore » hybrid waveguide components which have allowed reduced physical size and lower cost in the design of the WR-650 waveguide transmission system.« less

Le(x) glycan mediates homotypic adhesion of embryonal cells independently from E-cadherin: a preliminary note.

PubMed

Handa, Kazuko; Takatani-Nakase, Tomoka; Larue, Lionel; Stemmler, Marc P; Kemler, Rolf; Hakomori, Sen-itiroh

2007-06-22

Le(x) glycan and E-cadherin (Ecad) are co-expressed at embryonal stem (ES) cells and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. While the structure and function of Ecad mediating homotypic adhesion of these cells have been well established, evidence that Le(x) glycan also mediates such adhesion is weak, despite the fact that Le(x) oligosaccharide inhibits the compaction process. To provide stronger evidence, we knocked out Ecad gene in EC and ES cells to establish F9 Ecad (-/-) and D3M Ecad (-/-) cells, which highly express Le(x) glycan but do not express Ecad at all. Both F9 Ecad (-/-) and D3M Ecad (-/-) cells displayed strong autoaggregation in the presence of Ca(2+), while PYS-2 cells, which express trace amount of Ecad and undetectable level of Le(x) glycan, did not display autoaggregation. In addition, F9 Ecad (-/-) and D3M Ecad (-/-) cells displayed strong adhesion to plates coated with Le(x) glycosphingolipid (III(3)FucnLc4Cer), in dose-dependent manner, in the presence of Ca(2+). Thus, ES or EC cells display autoaggregation and strong adhesion to Le(x)-coated plates in the absence of Ecad, further supporting the notion of Le(x) self-recognition (i.e., Le(x)-to-Le(x) interaction) in cell adhesion.

Tomato linalool synthase is induced in trichomes by jasmonic acid

PubMed Central

van Schie, Chris C. N.; Haring, Michel A.

2007-01-01

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants emit a blend of volatile organic compounds, which mainly consists of terpenes. Upon herbivory or wounding, the emission of several terpenes increases. We have identified and characterized the first two tomato monoterpene synthases, LeMTS1 and LeMTS2. Although these proteins were highly homologous, recombinant LeMTS1 protein produced (R)-linalool from geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and (E)-nerolidol from farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), while recombinant LeMTS2 produced β-phellandrene, β-myrcene, and sabinene from GPP. In addition, these genes were expressed in different tissues: LeMTS1 was expressed in flowers, young leaves, stems, and petioles, while LeMTS2 was strongest expressed in stems and roots. LeMTS1 expression in leaves was induced by spider mite-infestation, wounding and jasmonic acid (JA)-treatment, while LeMTS2 did not respond to these stimuli. The expression of LeMTS1 in stems and petioles was predominantly detected in trichomes and could be induced by JA. Because JA treatment strongly induced emission of linalool and overexpression of LeMTS1 in tomato resulted in increased production of linalool, we propose that LeMTS1 is a genuine linalool synthase. Our results underline the importance of trichomes in JA-induced terpene emission in tomato. PMID:17440821

EC 92: Implications for United States Trade Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-09

38. 8. Veronique Maurus, "Le Maroc : le Nouveau Dragon aux Portes d’Europe," Le Monde (Paris), 03 November 1989, p. 9. 9. Carl Hamilton...Marx, Bernard. "What 1992 Has in Store for Europe." World Marxist Review, Vol. 32, January 1989, pp. 78-82. 33. Maurus, Veronique. "Le Maroc : le Nouveau

Personnel

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

Le président du conseil M.Doran explique la décision que le conseil du Cern vient de prendre sur la 4.étape du régime complémentaire des pensions. Le président du comité des finances le Dr.Andersen ainsi que le Prof.Connor(?) prennent aussi la parole

Programmable Ultra-Lightweight System Adaptable Radio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Werkheiser, Arthur

2015-01-01

The programmable ultra-lightweight system adaptable radio (PULSAR) is a NASA Marshall Space Flight Center transceiver designed for the CubeSat market, but has the potential for other markets. The PULSAR project aims to reduce size, weight, and power while increasing telemetry data rate. The current version of the PULSAR has a mass of 2.2 kg and a footprint of 10.8 cm2. The height depends on the specific configuration. The PULSAR S-Band Communications Subsystem is an S- and X-band transponder system comprised of a receiver/detector (receiver) element, a transmitter element(s), and related power distribution, command, control, and telemetry element for operation and information interfaces. It is capable of receiving commands, encoding and transmitting telemetry, as well as providing tracking data in a manner compatible with Earthbased ground stations, near Earth network, and deep space network station resources. The software-defined radio's (SDR's) data format characteristics can be defined and reconfigured during spaceflight or prior to launch. The PULSAR team continues to evolve the SDR to improve the performance and form factor to meet the requirements that the CubeSat market space requires. One of the unique features is that the actual radio design can change (somewhat), but not require any hardware modifications due to the use of field programmable gate arrays.

Scheduling lessons learned from the Autonomous Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringer, Mark J.

1992-01-01

The Autonomous Power System (APS) project at NASA LeRC is designed to demonstrate the applications of integrated intelligent diagnosis, control, and scheduling techniques to space power distribution systems. The project consists of three elements: the Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) for Fault Diagnosis, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR); the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler (AIPS) to efficiently assign activities start times and resources; and power hardware (Brassboard) to emulate a space-based power system. The AIPS scheduler was tested within the APS system. This scheduler is able to efficiently assign available power to the requesting activities and share this information with other software agents within the APS system in order to implement the generated schedule. The AIPS scheduler is also able to cooperatively recover from fault situations by rescheduling the affected loads on the Brassboard in conjunction with the APEX FDIR system. AIPS served as a learning tool and an initial scheduling testbed for the integration of FDIR and automated scheduling systems. Many lessons were learned from the AIPS scheduler and are now being integrated into a new scheduler called SCRAP (Scheduler for Continuous Resource Allocation and Planning). This paper will service three purposes: an overview of the AIPS implementation, lessons learned from the AIPS scheduler, and a brief section on how these lessons are being applied to the new SCRAP scheduler.

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

Pluquet, Alain

Cette théetudie les techniques d'identication de l'electron dans l'experience D0 au laboratoire Fermi pres de Chicago Le premier chapitre rappelle quelques unes des motivations physiques de l'experience physique des jets physique electrofaible physique du quark top Le detecteur D0 est decrit en details dans le second chapitre Le troisieme cha pitre etudie les algorithmes didentication de lelectron trigger reconstruction ltres et leurs performances Le quatrieme chapitre est consacre au detecteur a radiation de transition TRD construit par le Departement dAstrophysique Physique des Particules Physique Nucleaire et dInstrumentation Associee de Saclay il presente son principe sa calibration et ses performances Ennmore » le dernier chapitre decrit la methode mise au point pour lanalyse des donnees avec le TRD et illustre son emploi sur quelques exemples jets simulant des electrons recherche du quark top« less

Cytochrome P450-Dependent Metabolism of Oxylipins in Tomato. Cloning and Expression of Allene Oxide Synthase and Fatty Acid Hydroperoxide Lyase1

PubMed Central

Howe, Gregg A.; Lee, Gyu In; Itoh, Aya; Li, Lei; DeRocher, Amy E.

2000-01-01

Allene oxide synthase (AOS) and fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) are plant-specific cytochrome P450s that commit fatty acid hydroperoxides to different branches of oxylipin metabolism. Here we report the cloning and characterization of AOS (LeAOS) and HPL (LeHPL) cDNAs from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Functional expression of the cDNAs in Escherichia coli showed that LeAOS and LeHPL encode enzymes that metabolize 13- but not 9-hydroperoxide derivatives of C18 fatty acids. LeAOS was active against both 13S-hydroperoxy-9(Z),11(E),15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid (13-HPOT) and 13S-hydroperoxy-9(Z),11(E)-octadecadienoic acid, whereas LeHPL showed a strong preference for 13-HPOT. These results suggest a role for LeAOS and LeHPL in the metabolism of 13-HPOT to jasmonic acid and hexenal/traumatin, respectively. LeAOS expression was detected in all organs of the plant. In contrast, LeHPL expression was predominant in leaves and flowers. Damage inflicted to leaves by chewing insect larvae led to an increase in the local and systemic expression of both genes, with LeAOS showing the strongest induction. Wound-induced expression of LeAOS also occurred in the def-1 mutant that is deficient in octadecanoid-based signaling of defensive proteinase inhibitor genes. These results demonstrate that tomato uses genetically distinct signaling pathways for the regulation of different classes of wound responsive genes. PMID:10859201

Remotely Powered Reconfigurable Receiver for Extreme Environment Sensing Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, Douglas J.

2012-01-01

Wireless sensors connected in a local network offer revolutionary exploration capabilities, but the current solutions do not work in extreme environments of low temperatures (200K) and low to moderate radiation levels (<50 krad). These sensors (temperature, radiation, infrared, etc.) would need to operate outside the spacecraft/ lander and be totally independent of power from the spacecraft/lander. Flash memory field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are being used as the main signal processing and protocol generation platform in a new receiver. Flash-based FPGAs have been shown to have at least 100 reduced standby power and 10 reduction operating power when compared to normal SRAM-based FPGA technology.

Concept report: Microprocessor control of electrical power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, E.

1977-01-01

An electrical power system which uses a microprocessor for systems control and monitoring is described. The microprocessor controlled system permits real time modification of system parameters for optimizing a system configuration, especially in the event of an anomaly. By reducing the components count, the assembling and testing of the unit is simplified, and reliability is increased. A resuable modular power conversion system capable of satisfying a large percentage of space applications requirements is examined along with the programmable power processor. The PC global controller which handles systems control and external communication is analyzed, and a software description is given. A systems application summary is also included.

La violence sur les réseaux canadiens de télévision

PubMed Central

Paquette, Guy

2003-01-01

La question des effets de la violence à la télévision occupe une place très importante dans l’opinion publique depuis les vingt dernières années, et des centaines d’études y ont été consacrées. Plusieurs chercheurs concluent à une influence négative de cette violence sur le comportement. Le public, les diffuseurs et les autorités politiques ont tous endossé l’idée de réduire la quantité totale de violence présentée au petit écran – en particulier dans les émissions accessibles aux enfants. Nous avons analysé un millier d’émissions de fiction présentées entre 1993 et 2001 sur les principaux réseaux généralistes de télévision au Canada : TVA et TQS ainsi que CTV et Global pour les réseaux privés français et anglais, ainsi que Radio-Canada français et anglais pour les réseaux publics. La méthodologie utilisée est l’analyse de contenu classique, où l’acte de violence constitue l’unité d’analyse. Les données recueillies démontrent que la quantité de violence a augmenté régulièrement depuis 1993, malgré la volonté affirmée des télédiffuseurs de présenter une programmation moins violente. C’est le cas du nombre brut d’actes et du nombre d’actes à l’heure, qui est lui aussi en forte croissance. Les réseaux privés véhiculent trois fois plus de violence que les réseaux publics. On constate également qu’une très forte proportion d’actes de violence figure dans des émissions qui commencent avant 21 h, et que de nombreux enfants y sont probablement exposés. Nous signalons finalement la place de plus en plus importante occupée par la violence psychologique. PMID:20020031

Lupus erythematosus

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

Tuffanelli, D.L.

1981-02-01

Lupus erythematosus (LE) is a multisystem disease. Genetic predisposition, altered immunity, hormones, drugs, viruses, and ultraviolet light all may play a role in etiology. A wide range of cutaneous lesions occur, and variants such as subacute cutaneous LE, complement-deficient LE, and neonatal LE have recently been emphasized. Management of the LE patient, including appropriate diagnostic studies and therapy relevant to the dermatologist, is discussed in the review.

Power conditioning system modelling for nuclear electric propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metcalf, Kenneth J.

1993-11-01

NASA LeRC is currently developing a Fortran based model of a complete nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle that would be used for piloted and cargo missions to the Moon or Mars. The proposed vehicle design will use either a Brayton or K-Rankine power conversion cycle to drive a turbine coupled with a rotary alternator. Two thruster types are also being studied, ion and magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD). In support of this NEP model, Rocketdyne developed a power management and distribution (PMAD) subroutine that provides parametric outputs for selected alternator operating voltages and frequencies, thruster types, system power levels, and electronics coldplate temperatures. The end-to-end PMAD model described is based on the direct use of the alternator voltage and frequency for transmitting power to either ion or MPD thrusters. This low frequency transmission approach was compared with dc and high frequency ac designs, and determined to have the lowest mass, highest efficiency, highest reliability and lowest development costs. While its power quality is not as good as that provided by a high frequency system, it was considered adequate for both ion and MPD engine applications. The low frequency architecture will be used as the reference in future NEP PMAD studies.

Power Conditioning System Modelling for Nuclear Electric Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metcalf, Kenneth J.

1993-01-01

NASA LeRC is currently developing a Fortran based model of a complete nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle that would be used for piloted and cargo missions to the Moon or Mars. The proposed vehicle design will use either a Brayton or K-Rankine power conversion cycle to drive a turbine coupled with a rotary alternator. Two thruster types are also being studied, ion and magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD). In support of this NEP model, Rocketdyne developed a power management and distribution (PMAD) subroutine that provides parametric outputs for selected alternator operating voltages and frequencies, thruster types, system power levels, and electronics coldplate temperatures. The end-to-end PMAD model described is based on the direct use of the alternator voltage and frequency for transmitting power to either ion or MPD thrusters. This low frequency transmission approach was compared with dc and high frequency ac designs, and determined to have the lowest mass, highest efficiency, highest reliability and lowest development costs. While its power quality is not as good as that provided by a high frequency system, it was considered adequate for both ion and MPD engine applications. The low frequency architecture will be used as the reference in future NEP PMAD studies.

Trends in Longevity in the Americas: Disparities in Life Expectancy in Women and Men, 1965-2010

PubMed Central

Hambleton, Ian R.; Howitt, Christina; Jeyaseelan, Selvi; Murphy, Madhuvanti M.; Hennis, Anselm J; Wilks, Rainford; Harris, E. Nigel; MacLeish, Marlene; Sullivan, Louis

2015-01-01

Objective We describe trends in life expectancy at birth (LE) and between-country LE disparities since 1965, in Latin America and the Caribbean. Methods & Findings LE trends since 1965 are described for three geographical sub-regions: the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. LE disparities are explored using a suite of absolute and relative disparity metrics, with measurement consensus providing confidence to observed differences. LE has increased throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Compared to the Caribbean, LE has increased by an additional 6.6 years in Central America and 4.1 years in South America. Since 1965, average reductions in between-country LE disparities were 14% (absolute disparity) and 23% (relative disparity) in the Caribbean, 55% and 51% in Central America, 55% and 52% in South America. Conclusions LE in Latin America and the Caribbean is exceeding ‘minimum standard’ international targets, and is improving relative to the world region with the highest human longevity. The Caribbean, which had the highest LE and the lowest between-country LE disparities in Latin America and the Caribbean in 1965-70, had the lowest LE and the highest LE disparities by 2005-10. Caribbean Governments have championed a collaborative solution to the growing burden of non-communicable disease, with 15 territories signing on to the Declaration of Port of Spain, signalling regional commitment to a coordinated public-health response. The persistent LE inequity between Caribbean countries suggests that public health interventions should be tailored to individual countries to be most effective. Between- and within-country disparity monitoring for a range of health metrics should be a priority, first to guide country-level policy initiatives, then to contribute to the assessment of policy success. PMID:26091090

Myocardial Scar Imaging by Standard Single-Energy and Dual-Energy Late Enhancement Computed Tomography: Comparison to Pathology and Electroanatomical Map in an Experimental Chronic Infarct Porcine Model

PubMed Central

Truong, Quynh A.; Thai, Wai-ee; Wai, Bryan; Cordaro, Kevin; Cheng, Teresa; Beaudoin, Jonathan; Xiong, Guanglei; Cheung, Jim W.; Altman, Robert; Min, James K.; Singh, Jagmeet P.; Barrett, Conor D.; Danik, Stephan

2015-01-01

Background Myocardial scar is a substrate for ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death. Late enhancement computed tomography (CT) imaging can detect scar, but it remains unclear whether newer late enhancement dual-energy (LE-DECT) acquisition has benefit over standard single-energy late enhancement (LE-CT). Objective We aim to compare late enhancement CT using newer LE-DECT acquisition and single-energy LE-CT acquisitions to pathology and electroanatomical map (EAM) in an experimental chronic myocardial infarction (MI) porcine study. Methods In 8 chronic MI pigs (59±5 kg), we performed dual-source CT, EAM, and pathology. For CT imaging, we performed 3 acquisitions at 10 minutes post-contrast: LE-CT 80 kV, LE-CT 100 kV, and LE-DECT with two post-processing software settings. Results Of the sequences, LE-CT 100 kV provided the best contrast-to-noise ratio (all p≤0.03) and correlation to pathology for scar (ρ=0.88). While LE-DECT overestimated scar (both p=0.02), LE-CT images did not (both p=0.08). On a segment basis (n=136), all CT sequences had high specificity (87–93%) and modest sensitivity (50–67%), with LE-CT 100 kV having the highest specificity of 93% for scar detection compared to pathology and agreement with EAM (κ 0.69). Conclusions Standard single-energy LE-CT, particularly 100kV, matched better to pathology and EAM than dual-energy LE-DECT for scar detection. Larger human trials as well as more technical-based studies that optimize varying different energies with newer hardware and software are warranted. PMID:25977115

Trends in Longevity in the Americas: Disparities in Life Expectancy in Women and Men, 1965-2010.

PubMed

Hambleton, Ian R; Howitt, Christina; Jeyaseelan, Selvi; Murphy, Madhuvanti M; Hennis, Anselm J; Wilks, Rainford; Harris, E Nigel; MacLeish, Marlene; Sullivan, Louis

2015-01-01

We describe trends in life expectancy at birth (LE) and between-country LE disparities since 1965, in Latin America and the Caribbean. LE trends since 1965 are described for three geographical sub-regions: the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. LE disparities are explored using a suite of absolute and relative disparity metrics, with measurement consensus providing confidence to observed differences. LE has increased throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Compared to the Caribbean, LE has increased by an additional 6.6 years in Central America and 4.1 years in South America. Since 1965, average reductions in between-country LE disparities were 14% (absolute disparity) and 23% (relative disparity) in the Caribbean, 55% and 51% in Central America, 55% and 52% in South America. LE in Latin America and the Caribbean is exceeding 'minimum standard' international targets, and is improving relative to the world region with the highest human longevity. The Caribbean, which had the highest LE and the lowest between-country LE disparities in Latin America and the Caribbean in 1965-70, had the lowest LE and the highest LE disparities by 2005-10. Caribbean Governments have championed a collaborative solution to the growing burden of non-communicable disease, with 15 territories signing on to the Declaration of Port of Spain, signalling regional commitment to a coordinated public-health response. The persistent LE inequity between Caribbean countries suggests that public health interventions should be tailored to individual countries to be most effective. Between- and within-country disparity monitoring for a range of health metrics should be a priority, first to guide country-level policy initiatives, then to contribute to the assessment of policy success.

Appareillage automatisé de mesure simultanée du pouvoir thermoélectrique et de la conductivité électrique. Application à l'étude de couches polymères semi-conductrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moliton, A.; Ratier, B.; Moreau, C.; Froyer, G.

1991-05-01

In this paper, we present an automatized system for simultaneous measurement of conductivity σ, and thermoelectric power S : measurements are allowed for temperatures ranging from 130 K to 360 K on brittle semiconductor layers. As an example of the application, results obtained in the case of polymer (PPP) layers implanted with Na ions are presented : with high energy implantation (E = 250 keV) we observe only a defect semiconduction of p type while at low energy (30 keV) an electronic n type conduction appears. Nous présentons dans cet article un système de mesure simultanée de la conductivité σ, et du pouvoir thermoélectrique S : il permet des mesures en fonction de la température (entre 130 K et 360 K) dans le cas de couches semi-conductrices relativement fragiles. A titre d'application, nous indiquons les résultats que nous avons obtenus dans le cas de couches polymères (PPP) implantées avec des ions sodium: alors que seule une semi-conduction par défaut est générée par de fortes énergies d'implantation (E = 250 keV ), il apparaît une semiconduction induite par le dopage n lors d'implantations à basse énergie (E = 30 keV ).

What Next After Ho Chi Minh?

DTIC Science & Technology

1966-04-08

Propagands Department; Nguyen Chi Thanh, protege of Truong Chinh ; Nguyen Duy Trinh; and Le Duc Thoo The pro-Soviet faction consists of Pham Van Dong...Communist" "Pro-Soviet" Ho Chi Minh Le Duan Truong Chinh Pham Van Dong Pham Hung General Giap Le Duc Tho Nguyen Chi Thanh Nguyen Duy Trinh Le Thanh Nghi...0 o . 15 The contenders. 0 . . . .0.0 28 4a THE LINE-UP 0 * a 0 * * 0 0 31 The lessor three - Hoang Van Hoan, Le Duc Tho, Le Thanh Nghi o .* 0 * * 0

The Diabetes Manual trial protocol – a cluster randomized controlled trial of a self-management intervention for type 2 diabetes [ISRCTN06315411

PubMed Central

Sturt, Jackie; Hearnshaw, Hilary; Farmer, Andrew; Dale, Jeremy; Eldridge, Sandra

2006-01-01

Background The Diabetes Manual is a type 2 diabetes self-management programme based upon the clinically effective 'Heart Manual'. The 12 week programme is a complex intervention theoretically underpinned by self-efficacy theory. It is a one to one intervention meeting United Kingdom requirements for structured diabetes-education and is delivered within routine primary care. Methods/design In a two-group cluster randomized controlled trial, GP practices are allocated by computer minimisation to an intervention group or a six-month deferred intervention group. We aim to recruit 250 participants from 50 practices across central England. Eligibility criteria are adults able to undertake the programme with type 2 diabetes, not taking insulin, with HbA1c over 8% (first 12 months) and following an agreed protocol change over 7% (months 13 to 18). Following randomisation, intervention nurses receive two-day training and delivered the Diabetes Manual programme to participants. Deferred intervention nurses receive the training following six-month follow-up. Primary outcome is HbA1c with total and HDL cholesterol; blood pressure, body mass index; self-efficacy and quality of life as additional outcomes. Primary analysis is between-group HbA1c differences at 6 months powered to give 80% power to detect a difference in HbA1c of 0.6%. A 12 month cohort analysis will assess maintenance of effect and assess relationship between self-efficacy and outcomes, and a qualitative study is running alongside. Discussion This trial incorporates educational and psychological diabetes interventions into a single programme and assesses both clinical and psychosocial outcomes. The trial will increase our understanding of intervention transferability between conditions, those diabetes related health behaviours that are more or less susceptible to change through efficacy enhancing mechanisms and how this impacts on clinical outcomes. PMID:16846517

The Diabetes Manual trial protocol - a cluster randomized controlled trial of a self-management intervention for type 2 diabetes [ISRCTN06315411].

PubMed

Sturt, Jackie; Hearnshaw, Hilary; Farmer, Andrew; Dale, Jeremy; Eldridge, Sandra

2006-07-17

The Diabetes Manual is a type 2 diabetes self-management programme based upon the clinically effective 'Heart Manual'. The 12 week programme is a complex intervention theoretically underpinned by self-efficacy theory. It is a one to one intervention meeting United Kingdom requirements for structured diabetes-education and is delivered within routine primary care. In a two-group cluster randomized controlled trial, GP practices are allocated by computer minimisation to an intervention group or a six-month deferred intervention group. We aim to recruit 250 participants from 50 practices across central England. Eligibility criteria are adults able to undertake the programme with type 2 diabetes, not taking insulin, with HbA1c over 8% (first 12 months) and following an agreed protocol change over 7% (months 13 to 18). Following randomisation, intervention nurses receive two-day training and delivered the Diabetes Manual programme to participants. Deferred intervention nurses receive the training following six-month follow-up. Primary outcome is HbA1c with total and HDL cholesterol; blood pressure, body mass index; self-efficacy and quality of life as additional outcomes. Primary analysis is between-group HbA1c differences at 6 months powered to give 80% power to detect a difference in HbA1c of 0.6%. A 12 month cohort analysis will assess maintenance of effect and assess relationship between self-efficacy and outcomes, and a qualitative study is running alongside. This trial incorporates educational and psychological diabetes interventions into a single programme and assesses both clinical and psychosocial outcomes. The trial will increase our understanding of intervention transferability between conditions, those diabetes related health behaviours that are more or less susceptible to change through efficacy enhancing mechanisms and how this impacts on clinical outcomes.

Microwave metamaterials—from passive to digital and programmable controls of electromagnetic waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Tie Jun

2017-08-01

Since 2004, my group at Southeast University has been carrying out research into microwave metamaterials, which are classified into three catagories: metamaterials based on the effective medium model, plasmonic metamaterials for spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), and coding and programmable metamaterials. For effective-medium metamaterials, we have developed a general theory to accurately describe effective permittivity and permeability in semi-analytical forms, from which we have designed and realized a three dimensional (3D) wideband ground-plane invisibility cloak, a free-space electrostatic invisibility cloak, an electromagnetic black hole, optical/radar illusions, and radially anisotropic zero-index metamaterial for omni-directional radiation and a nearly perfect power combination of source array, etc. We have also considered the engineering applications of microwave metamaterials, such as a broadband and low-loss 3D transformation-optics lens for wide-angle scanning, a 3D planar gradient-index lens for high-gain radiations, and a random metasurface for reducing radar cross sections. In the area of plasmonic metamaterials, we proposed an ultrathin, narrow, and flexible corrugated metallic strip to guide SPPs with a small bending loss and radiation loss, from which we designed and realized a series of SPP passive devices (e.g. power divider, coupler, filter, and resonator) and active devices (e.g. amplifier and duplexer). We also showed a significant feature of the ultrathin SPP waveguide in overcoming the challenge of signal integrity in traditional integrated circuits, which will help build a high-performance SPP wireless communication system. In the area of coding and programmable metamaterials, we proposed a new measure to describe a metamaterial from the viewpoint of information theory. We have illustrated theoretically and experimentally that coding metamaterials composed of digital units can be controlled by coding sequences, leading to different functions. We realised that when the digital state of a coding unit is controlled by a field programmable gate array, the programmable metamaterial, which is capable of manipulating electromagnetic waves in real time, can generate many different functions.

Programmable differential capacitance-to-voltage converter for MEMS accelerometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royo, G.; Sánchez-Azqueta, C.; Gimeno, C.; Aldea, C.; Celma, S.

2017-05-01

Capacitive MEMS sensors exhibit an excellent noise performance, high sensitivity and low power consumption. They offer a huge range of applications, being the accelerometer one of its main uses. In this work, we present the design of a capacitance-to-voltage converter in CMOS technology to measure the acceleration from the capacitance variations. It is based on a low-power, fully-differential transimpedance amplifier with low input impedance and a very low input noise.

Solar Power Satellites - A Review of the Space Transportation Options.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

already exists with such systems, gained mainly through liquid-metal breeder reactor programmes. 0 For example, inlet temperatures of 970 C can be handled...alternatives exist. In addition, there would be extreme reluctance on the part of most governments to allow large C- reactors , producing gigawatts of power, to...antenna. The reactors employed are high-temperature gas- cooled breeders , which convert U238 into fissile plutonium. Each of the modules includes a

Recent progress in research on tungsten materials for nuclear fusion applications in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rieth, M.; Dudarev, S. L.; Gonzalez de Vicente, S. M.; Aktaa, J.; Ahlgren, T.; Antusch, S.; Armstrong, D. E. J.; Balden, M.; Baluc, N.; Barthe, M.-F.; Basuki, W. W.; Battabyal, M.; Becquart, C. S.; Blagoeva, D.; Boldyryeva, H.; Brinkmann, J.; Celino, M.; Ciupinski, L.; Correia, J. B.; De Backer, A.; Domain, C.; Gaganidze, E.; García-Rosales, C.; Gibson, J.; Gilbert, M. R.; Giusepponi, S.; Gludovatz, B.; Greuner, H.; Heinola, K.; Höschen, T.; Hoffmann, A.; Holstein, N.; Koch, F.; Krauss, W.; Li, H.; Lindig, S.; Linke, J.; Linsmeier, Ch.; López-Ruiz, P.; Maier, H.; Matejicek, J.; Mishra, T. P.; Muhammed, M.; Muñoz, A.; Muzyk, M.; Nordlund, K.; Nguyen-Manh, D.; Opschoor, J.; Ordás, N.; Palacios, T.; Pintsuk, G.; Pippan, R.; Reiser, J.; Riesch, J.; Roberts, S. G.; Romaner, L.; Rosiński, M.; Sanchez, M.; Schulmeyer, W.; Traxler, H.; Ureña, A.; van der Laan, J. G.; Veleva, L.; Wahlberg, S.; Walter, M.; Weber, T.; Weitkamp, T.; Wurster, S.; Yar, M. A.; You, J. H.; Zivelonghi, A.

2013-01-01

The current magnetic confinement nuclear fusion power reactor concepts going beyond ITER are based on assumptions about the availability of materials with extreme mechanical, heat, and neutron load capacity. In Europe, the development of such structural and armour materials together with the necessary production, machining, and fabrication technologies is pursued within the EFDA long-term fusion materials programme. This paper reviews the progress of work within the programme in the area of tungsten and tungsten alloys. Results, conclusions, and future projections are summarized for each of the programme's main subtopics, which are: (1) fabrication, (2) structural W materials, (3) W armour materials, and (4) materials science and modelling. It gives a detailed overview of the latest results on materials research, fabrication processes, joining options, high heat flux testing, plasticity studies, modelling, and validation experiments.

Reseaux Neuronaux Optiques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergeron, Alain

Cette recherche vise a la mise en oeuvre optique de reseaux neuronaux. Deux architectures differentes sont proposees. La premiere est la memoire associative permettant d'associer a un objet quelconque une sortie arbitraire tout en preservant l'information sur sa position. La seconde architecture, le classificateur neuronal pour le controle robotique, permet l'identification d'une entree et son classement selon differentes categories. La sortie est compatible avec les systemes numeriques standard. Pour realiser ces architectures, une approche modulaire est privilegiee. Le correlateur constitue le module de base des realisations. Differents modules sont de plus introduits pour realiser convenablement les operations neuronales. Le premier de ces modules est le seuil optoelectronique permettant de realiser une fonction non lineaire, element essentiel des reseaux neuronaux. Le second module a etre introduit est l'encodeur optonumerique, utile au classement des objets. Le probleme de l'enregistrement de la memoire est aborde a l'aide du codage iteratif global.

Study in a UHF electromagnetic resonant cavity of a bubble field induced by ultrasonic cavitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labouret, S.; Frohly, J.

2000-06-01

A method founded on the follow-up of an electromagnetic cavity resonant frequency working round 390 MHz has been carried out in order to measure the void rates of bubble field induced by a 308 kHz ultrasonic cavitation in liquids. This method can detect void rates as low as 2× 10^{-5}. The experimental set up permits to study the influence of some experimental parameters on the void rate, such as the acoustic power, the acoustic irradiation duration, and the dissolved gas concentration in the liquid. Moreover, an estimation of the bubble size distribution is obtained. The extension of the method to open resonators and the possibility to observe the fast evolutions of the void rate are considered. Une méthode basée sur le suivi de la fréquence de résonance d'une cavité électromagnétique fonctionnant autour de 390 MHz a été mise au point et appliquée à la mesure du taux de vide créé dans un liquide par cavitation ultrasonore à 308 kHz. Cette méthode permet de détecter des taux de vide de l'ordre de 2× 10^{-5}. Le dispositif expérimental construit permet d'étudier l'influence de plusieurs paramètres : pression acoustique, durée d'irradiation acoustique, concentration en gaz dans le liquide. De plus, une estimation de la distribution en tailles des bulles est obtenue lorsque le liquide est saturé en gaz. L'adaptation de cette méthode à des résonateurs ouverts est abordée, et les possibilités d'observer des variations très rapides du taux de vide avec une résolution temporelle bien inférieure à la microseconde sont envisagées.

STIL, a peculiar molecule from styles, specifically dephosphorylates the pollen receptor kinase LePRK2 and stimulates pollen tube growth in vitro

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

BACKGROUND: LePRK1 and LePRK2 are two pollen receptor kinases localized to the plasma membrane, where they are present in a high molecular weight complex (LePRK complex). LePRK2 is phosphorylated in mature and germinated pollen, but is dephosphorylated when pollen membranes are incubated with tomato...

Transport de paires EPR dans des structures mesoscopiques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupont, Emilie

Dans cette these, nous nous sommes particulierement interesses a la propagation de paires EPR1 delocalisees et localisees, et a l'influence d'un supraconducteur sur le transport de ces paires. Apres une introduction de cette etude, ainsi que du cadre scientifique qu'est l'informatique quantique dans lequel elle s'inscrit, nous allons dans le chapitre 1 faire un rappel sur le systeme constitue de deux points quantiques normaux entoures de deux fils supraconducteurs. Cela nous permettra d'introduire une methode de calcul qui sera reutilisee par la suite, et de trouver egalement le courant Josephson produit par ce systeme transforme en SQUID-dc par l'ajout d'une jonction auxiliaire. Le SQUID permet de mesurer l'etat de spin (singulet ou triplet), et peut etre forme a partir d'autres systemes que nous etudierons ensuite. Dans le chapitre 2, nous rappellerons l'etude detaillee d'un intricateur d'Andreev faite par un groupe de Bale. La matrice T, permettant d'obtenir le courant dans les cas ou les electrons sont separes spatialement ou non, sera etudiee en detail afin d'en faire usage au chapitre suivant. Le chapitre 3 est consacre a l'etude de l'influence du bruit sur le fonctionnement de l'intricateur d'Andreev. Ce bruit modifie la forme du courant jusqu'a aboutir a d'autres conditions de fonctionnement de l'intricateur. En effet, le bruit present sur les points quantiques peut perturber le transport des paires EPR par l'intermediaire des degres de liberte. Nous montrerons que, du fait de l'"intrication" entre la charge de la paire et le bruit, la paire est detruite pour des temps longs. Cependant, le resultat le plus important sera que le bruit perturbe plus le transport des paires delocalisees, qui implique une resonance de Breit-Wigner a deux particules. Le transport parasite n'implique pour sa part qu'une resonance de Breit-Wigner a une particule. Dans le chapitre 4, nous reviendrons au systeme constitue de deux points quantiques entoures de deux fils supraconducteurs, mais ici, les deux points quantiques seront aussi supraconducteurs. On obtiendra alors l'hamiltonien effectif de la meme maniere que precedemment ainsi que la forme du courant. Dans le cas ou la tension entre les deux fils est nulle, nous ferons une comparaison avec l'experience et nous verrons que les resultats obtenus sont plus en accord avec celle-ci si on fait l'hypothese de la presence d'un bain, qui va modeliser le bruit sur l'un des fils. Enfin, dans le dernier chapitre, nous utiliserons a la fois un qubit de charge et un qubit de spin entoures par deux fils supraconducteurs. Nous pourrons alors mesurer l'influence du supraconducteur et voir s'il est possible de creer ici des paires d'electrons intriques et d'aboutir a un pendule quantique. 1Il existe des systemes qui produisent des paires de particules ejectees simultanement dans des directions opposees et qui permettent de tester le paradoxe d' Einstein, Podolsky, Rosen. Chaque particule de la paire est dans un etat indetermine. Si on mesure les etats respectifs des deux particules, on obtient systematiquement des resultats complementaires, soit de facon aleatoire: 0-1 ou 1-0. La mecanique quantique explique que les deux particules ainsi produites constituent un seul systeme, une paire EPR.

New Generation Power System for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Loren; Carr, Greg; Deligiannis, Frank; Lam, Barbara; Nelson, Ron; Pantaleon, Jose; Ruiz, Ian; Treicler, John; Wester, Gene; Sauers, Jim;

LeMYC2 acts as a negative regulator of blue light mediated photomorphogenic growth, and promotes the growth of adult tomato plants

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Arabidopsis ZBF1/MYC2bHLH transcription factor is a repressor of photomorphogenesis, and acts as a point of cross talk in light, abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways. MYC2 also functions as a positive regulator of lateral root development and flowering time under long day conditions. However, the function of MYC2 in growth and development remains unknown in crop plants. Results Here, we report the functional analyses of LeMYC2 in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The amino acid sequence of LeMYC2 showed extensive homology with Arabidopsis MYC2, containing the conserved bHLH domain. To study the function of LeMYC2 in tomato, overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi) LeMYC2 tomato transgenic plants were generated. Examination of seedling morphology, physiological responses and light regulated gene expression has revealed that LeMYC2 works as a negative regulator of blue light mediated photomorphogenesis. Furthermore, LeMYC2 specifically binds to the G-box of LeRBCS-3A promoter. Overexpression of LeMYC2 has led to increased root length with more number of lateral roots. The tomato plants overexpressing LeMYC2 have reduced internode distance with more branches, and display the opposite morphology to RNAi transgenic lines. Furthermore, this study shows that LeMYC2 promotes ABA and JA responsiveness. Conclusions Collectively, this study highlights that working in light, ABA and JA signaling pathways LeMYC2 works as an important regulator for growth and development in tomato plants. PMID:24483714

Practice patterns and long-term survival for early-stage rectal cancer.

PubMed

Stitzenberg, Karyn B; Sanoff, Hanna K; Penn, Dolly C; Meyers, Michael O; Tepper, Joel E

2013-12-01

Standard of care treatment for most stage I rectal cancers is total mesorectal excision (TME). Given the morbidity associated with TME, local excision (LE) for early-stage rectal cancer has been explored. This study examines practice patterns and overall survival (OS) for early-stage rectal cancer. All patients in the National Cancer Data Base diagnosed with rectal cancer from 1998 to 2010 were initially included. Use of LE versus proctectomy and use of adjuvant radiation therapy were compared over time. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare OS based on treatment. LE was used to treat 46.5% of patients with T1 and 16.8% with T2 tumors. Use of LE increased steadily over time (P < .001). LE was most commonly used for women, black patients, very old patients, those without private health insurance, those with well-differentiated tumors, and those with T1 tumors. Proctectomy was associated with higher rates of tumor-free surgical margins compared with LE (95% v 76%; P < .001). Adjuvant radiation therapy use decreased over time independent of surgical procedure or T stage. For T2N0 disease, patients treated with LE alone had significantly poorer adjusted OS than those treated with proctectomy alone or multimodality therapy. Guideline-concordant adoption of LE for treatment of low-risk stage I rectal cancer is increasing. However, use of LE is also increasing for higher-risk rectal cancers that do not meet guideline criteria for LE. Treatment with LE alone is associated with poorer long-term OS. Additional studies are warranted to understand the factors driving increased use of LE.

BXSB/long-lived is a recombinant inbred strain containing powerful disease suppressor loci.

PubMed

Haywood, Michelle E K; Gabriel, Luisa; Rose, S Jane; Rogers, Nicola J; Izui, Shozo; Morley, Bernard J

2007-08-15

The BXSB strain of recombinant inbred mice develops a spontaneous pathology that closely resembles the human disease systemic lupus erythematosus. Six non-MHC loci, Yaa, Bxs1-4, and Bxs6, have been linked to the development of aspects of the disease while a further locus, Bxs5, may be a BXSB-derived disease suppressor. Disease development is delayed in a substrain of BXSB, BXSB/MpJScr-long-lived (BXSB/ll). We compared the genetic derivation of BXSB/ll mice to the original strain, BXSB/MpJ, using microsatellite markers and single nucleotide polymorphisms across the genome. These differences were clustered and included two regions known to be important in the disease-susceptibility of these mice, Bxs5 and 6, as well as regions on chromosomes 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, and 13. We compared BXSB/ll to >20 strains including the BXSB parental SB/Le and C57BL/6 strains. This revealed that BXSB/ll is a separate recombinant inbred line derived from SB/Le and C57BL/6, but distinctly different from BXSB, that most likely arose due to residual heterozygosity in the BXSB stock. Despite the continued presence of the powerful disease-susceptibility locus Bxs3, BXSB/ll mice do not develop disease. We propose that the disappearance of the disease phenotype in the BXSB/ll mice is due to the inheritance of one or more suppressor loci in the differentially inherited intervals between the BXSB/ll and BXSB strains.

Caractérisation aérodynamique d'un rotor éolien en site naturel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabre, B.; Coudeville, H.

1991-03-01

The C_p/V_s curve (aerodynamic power coefficient versus tip-speed ratio) may be obtained in the field, therefore with different windspeeds, and to varying rotor speed, whithout selection of measures by steady state criterion. Experimentation is made on a small windmill with a straight blades Darrieus turbine and an eddy current converter. It allows us to display the conditions for a satisfying characterisation. So, the histogram of tip-speed ratio's instantaneous values must be as flat as it is possible, this on both sides of the tip-speed ratio's value for which the power coefficient is maximum. La courbe du coefficient de puissance aérodynamique (C_p) en fonction de la vitesse spécifique (V_s) peut être obtenue en champ libre, à vitesse de rotation variable et sans sélection des mesures par des critères de stabilité. L'expérimentation sur un système éolien composé d'un rotor Darrieus à pales droites associé à un convertisseur mécano-thermique nous a permis de mettre en évidence les conditions d'une caractérisation correcte. Notamment, l'histogramme des valeurs instantanées, acquises et traitées, de la vitesse spécifique doit être le plus plat possibie sur une large zone de part et d'autre de la valeur donnant le coefficient de puissance maximal.

Worthy test programmes and developments of smart electromechanical actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annaz, Fawaz Yahya

2007-02-01

Early aircraft flight control systems were totally manually operated, that is, the force required to move flight control surfaces was generated by the pilot and transmitted by cables and rods. As aerodynamics and airframe technology developed and speeds increased, the forces required to move control surfaces increased, as did the number of surfaces. In order to provide the extra power required, hydraulic technology was introduced. To date, the common element in the development of flight control systems has been, mainly, restricted to this type of technology. This is because of its proven reliability and the lack of alternative technologies. However, the technology to build electromechanically actuated primary flight control systems is now available. Motors developing the required power at the required frequencies are now possible (with the use of high energy permanent magnetic materials and compact high speed electronic circuits). It is this particular development which may make the concept of an 'all electric aircraft' realizable in the near future. The purpose of the all electric aircraft concept is the consolidation of all secondary power systems into electric power. The elimination of hydraulic and pneumatic secondary power systems will improve maintainability, flight readiness and use of energy. This paper will present the development of multi-lane smart electric actuators and offer an insight into other subsequent fields of study. The key areas of study may be categorized as follows. State of the art hydraulic actuators. Electromechanical actuator system test programmes. Development of electromechanical actuators. Modelling of electromechanical actuators.

Start Up Application Concerns with Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard B.

1999-01-01

This note is being published to improve the visibility of this subject, as we continue to see problems surface in designs, as well as to add additional information to the previously published note for design engineers. The original application note focused on designing systems with no single point failures using Actel Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) for critical applications. Included in that note were the basic principles of operation of the Actel FPGA and a discussion of potential single-point failures. The note also discussed the issue of startup transients for that class of device. It is unfortunate that we continue to see some design problems using these devices. This note will focus on the startup properties of certain electronic components, in general, and current Actel FPGAs, in particular. Devices that are "power-on friendly" are currently being developed by Actel, as a variant of the new SX series of FPGAs. In the ideal world, electronic components would behave much differently than they do in the real world, The chain, of course, starts with the power supply. Ideally, the voltage will immediately rise to a stable V(sub cc) level, of course, it does not. Aside from practical design considerations, inrush current limits of certain capacitors must be observed and the power supply's output may be intentionally slew rate limited to prevent a large current spike on the system power bus. In any event, power supply rise time may range from less than I msec to 100 msec or more.

A control system based on field programmable gate array for papermaking sewage treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zi Sheng; Xie, Chang; Qing Xiong, Yan; Liu, Zhi Qiang; Li, Qing

2013-03-01

A sewage treatment control system is designed to improve the efficiency of papermaking wastewater treatment system. The automation control system is based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), coded with Very-High-Speed Integrate Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL), compiled and simulated with Quartus. In order to ensure the stability of the data used in FPGA, the data is collected through temperature sensors, water level sensor and online PH measurement system. The automatic control system is more sensitive, and both the treatment efficiency and processing power are increased. This work provides a new method for sewage treatment control.

Helicobacter pylori Strains from Duodenal Ulcer Patients Exhibit Mixed babA/B Genotypes with Low Levels of BabA Adhesin and Lewis b Binding.

PubMed

Saberi, Samaneh; Schmidt, Alexej; Eybpoosh, Sana; Esmaili, Maryam; Talebkhan, Yeganeh; Mohajerani, Nazanin; Oghalaie, Akbar; Eshagh Hosseini, Mahmoud; Mohagheghi, Mohammad Ali; Bugaytova, Jeanna; Borén, Thomas; Mohammadi, Marjan

2016-10-01

BabA is a Helicobacter pylori cell surface adhesin, which binds to the ABO/Le(b) histo-blood group antigens (Le(b)) and serves as a virulence factor. H. pylori single colonies were isolated from 156 [non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) = 97, duodenal ulcer (DU) = 34, gastric cancer (GC) = 25)] patients. babA and babB genes were evaluated by gene/locus-specific PCR. BabA protein expression and Le(b) binding activity were determined by immunoblotting and ELISA, respectively. The combined categorization of H. pylori strains based on high, low or no levels of BabA expression and Le(b) binding, produced 4 groups: (I) BabA-high/Le(b)-high (36 %), (II) BabA-low/Le(b)-low (26 %), (III) BabA-neg/Le(b)-low (30 %) and (IV) BabA-neg/Le(b)-neg (8 %) strains. The majority (63 %) of the BabA-low/Le(b)-low strains exhibited mixed babA/B genotypes as compared to merely 18 % of the BabA-high/Le(b)-high, 15 % of the BabA-neg/Le(b)-neg and 11 % of the BabA-neg/Le(b)-low (P = 0.0001) strains. In contrast to NUD strains, the great majority (70 %) of DU strains were BabA-low/Le(b)-low (11 %, P = 0.0001), which compared to NUD strains, enhanced the risk of DU by 18.8-fold. In parallel, infection with babA/B mixed genotype strains amplified the risk of DU by 3.6-fold (vs. babA-positive: P = 0.01) to 6.9-fold (vs. babA-negative: P = 0.007). Here, we show higher prevalence of mixed babA/B genotypes among BabA-low/Le(b)-low clinical strains. Recombination of babA and babB genes across their loci may yield lower BabA expression and lower Le(b) binding activity. We conclude that H. pylori strains with lower Le(b) binding activity are better adapted for colonization of the gastric metaplastic patches in the duodenum and enhance the risk of duodenal ulcers.

City of Freeport, Florida, State Road 20 Water Main Installation, Final Environmental Assessment, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

tracked Species, Eglin AFB Scientific Name Common Name Status State Federal Fish Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi Gulf Sturgeon LS LT Awaous banana River...West’s Flax LE - Litsea aestivalis Pondspice LE - Lupinus westianus Gulfcoast Lupine LT - Macranthera flammea Hummingbird Flower LE - Magnolia ashei...Pinguicula primuliflora Primrose- Flowered Butterwort LE - Platanthera integra Southern Yellow Fringeless Orchid LE - Polygonella macrophylla Large-Leaved

Understanding and Assessing Risk of Intrastate Conflict: Human Development Theory and Practice

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-04-01

R es ou rc es O pp or tu ni ty S ec ur ity V io le nc e Le ve l To ta l R is k R es...ou rc es O pp or tu ni ty S ec ur ity V io le nc e Le ve l To ta l R is k R es ou rc es O pp or tu ni ty S ec ur ity V io le nc e Le ve...l To ta l R is k R es ou rc es O pp or

Signature CERN-URSS

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

Le DG W.Jentschke souhaite la bienvenue à l'assemblée et aux invités pour la signature du protocole entre le Cern et l'URSS qui est un événement important. C'est en 1955 que 55 visiteurs soviétiques ont visité le Cern pour la première fois. Le premier DG au Cern, F.Bloch, et Mons.Amaldi sont aussi présents. Tandis que le discours anglais de W.Jentschke est traduit en russe, le discours russe de Mons.Morozov est traduit en anglais.

Helicopter Maritime Environment Trainer: Software Product Specification

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

d’entraîner les pilotes d’hélicoptère à l’atterrissage sur le pont d’envol d’une frégate canadienne de patrouille dans un environnement virtuel. Le...d’entraîner les pilotes d’hélicoptère à l’atterrissage sur le pont d’envol d’une frégate canadienne de patrouille dans un environnement virtuel. Le...d’entraîner les pilotes d’hélicoptère à l’atterrissage sur le pont d’envol d’une frégate canadienne de patrouille dans un environnement virtuel. Le système

Characterization of LeMir, a Root-Knot Nematode-Induced Gene in Tomato with an Encoded Product Secreted from the Root1

PubMed Central

Brenner, Eric D.; Lambert, Kris N.; Kaloshian, Isgouhi; Williamson, Valerie M.

1998-01-01

A tomato gene that is induced early after infection of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) with root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne javanica) encodes a protein with 54% amino acid identity to miraculin, a flavorless protein that causes sour substances to be perceived as sweet. This gene was therefore named LeMir (L. esculentum miraculin). Sequence similarity places the encoded protein in the soybean trypsin-inhibitor family (Kunitz). LeMir mRNA is found in root, hypocotyl, and flower tissues, with the highest expression in the root. Rapid induction of expression upon nematode infection is localized to root tips. In situ hybridization shows that LeMir is expressed constitutively in the root-cap and root-tip epidermis. The LeMir protein product (LeMir) was produced in the yeast Pichia pastoris for generation of antibodies. Western-blot analysis showed that LeMir expression is up-regulated by nematode infection and by wounding. LeMir is also expressed in tomato callus tissue. Immunoprint analysis revealed that LeMir is expressed throughout the seedling root, but that levels are highest at the root/shoot junction. Analysis of seedling root exudates revealed that LeMir is secreted from the root into the surrounding environment, suggesting that it may interact with soil-borne microorganisms. PMID:9733543

New Curculionoidea (Coleoptera) records for Quebec, Canada

PubMed Central

de Tonnancour, Pierre; Anderson, Robert S.; Bouchard, Patrice; Chantal, Claude; Dumont, Stéphane; Vigneault, Robert

2017-01-01

Abstract The following species of Curculionoidea are newly recorded from the Canadian province of Quebec: Coelocephalapion emaciipes (Fall, 1898); Ischnopterapion virens (Herbst, 1797); Omphalapion hookerorum (Kirby, 1808); Perapion punctinasum (J.B. Smith, 1884) (all Brentidae); Anthonomus robustulus LeConte, 1876; Pseudanthonomus helvolus (Boheman, 1843); Bagous magister LeConte, 1876; Bagous tanneri O’Brien, 1979; Buchananius striatus (LeConte, 1876); Ceutorhynchus bolteri Dietz, 1896; Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus (Marsham, 1802); Ceutorhynchus pauxillus Dietz, 1896; Conotrachelus buchanani Schoof, 1942; Conotrachelus pusillus LeConte, 1878; Conotrachelus recessus (Casey, 1910); Curculio rubidus (Gyllenhal, 1835); Cylindrocopturus longulus (LeConte, 1876); Hadroplontus litura (Fabricius, 1775); Hypera rumicis (Linnaeus, 1758); Lixus terminalis LeConte, 1876; Myosides seriehispidus Roelofs, 1873; Phloeotribus dentifrons (Blackman, 1921); Plocamus echidna (LeConte, 1876); Scolytus muticus Say, 1824; Sirocalodes sericans (LeConte, 1876); Smicronyx sculpticollis Casey, 1892 (all Curculionidae). Among these, Buchananius striatus, Conotrachelus buchanani, Conotrachelus pusillus, and Curculio rubidus (all Curculionidae) are also recorded from Canada for the first time. The latter is also newly reported from Ontario. Collecting data are provided for Lixus punctinasus LeConte, 1876, previously reported to occur in Canada without any further information, and for Choragus sayi LeConte, 1876 (Anthribidae) and Rhyssomatus aequalis Horn, 1873 (Curculionidae), both previously recorded from Quebec, also without further details. PMID:28769721

Conception, fabrication et validation d'une presse a injection basse pression pour le procede des poudres metalliques =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamarre, Simon G.

Le moulage par injection a basse pression de poudre metallique est une technique de mise en forme de pieces de formes complexes. La poudre metallique est melangee avec des polymeres basse viscosite (ex. : cire) pour former un melange homogene a une temperature superieure a la temperature de fusion des polymeres. Pour faciliter l'injection dans la cavite du moule, la composition des melanges est ajustee pour diminuer la viscosite. D'une part, les melanges peu visqueux possedent une bonne moulabilite. D'autre part, le phenomene de la segregation se manifeste rapidement avec les melanges peu visqueux. Les machines commerciales sont munies d'un canal d'injection et d'une valve qui relient le reservoir de melange et la cavite du moule. Le melange reste stationnaire dans ces composantes entre deux sequences d'injection, ce qui le rend propice a la segregation. Plusieurs brevets tentent de resoudre ce probleme en utilisant des pompes et des canaux de recirculation. Ces composantes sont difficiles a nettoyer en raison de leur complexite. Une machine a injection basse pression a ete concue et fabriquee pour l'etude de l'aptitude au moulage des melanges de tres faible viscosite (ex. : 0.1 Pa˙s), qui tient compte du phenomene de segregation et des contraintes de nettoyage. Un piston d'injection puise le volume desire d'un reservoir. Ensuite, un mouvement lateral cisaille le melange a l'intersection entre le reservoir et le cylindre et bouche l'orifice de sortie du reservoir. Le cylindre est degage et peut recevoir le moule. A la suite de l'injection, le piston retourne a la position du reservoir et entre dans son orifice de sortie. Le melange residuel est retourne dans le reservoir, melange et desaere a nouveau. L'appareil a ete valide par des essais d'injectabilite avec un melange de poudre d'acier inoxydable et de liants a basse viscosite. Des essais d'injection ont montre que le melange contenant l'acide stearique a parcouru la plus grande distance dans le moule de forme spirale, suivi du melange contenant l'acide stearique et l'ethylene vinyle acetate et finalement du melange contenant seulement la cire de paraffine. Des essais de rheologie ont correle ces resultats pour une viscosite associee a un faible taux de cisaillement. Un essai de segregation a montre qu'un temps d'attente de moins d'une minute devait etre respecte avant de mesurer une segregation importante. De plus, le fonctionnement du systeme de vacuum a ete valide par des analyses radiographiques. Un temps de melange sous vacuum de 30 min est suffisant pour eliminer completement la presence de bulles d'air dans la piece injectee.

Centella asiatica modulates cancer cachexia associated inflammatory cytokines and cell death in leukaemic THP-1 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC's).

PubMed

Naidoo, Dhaneshree Bestinee; Chuturgoon, Anil Amichund; Phulukdaree, Alisa; Guruprasad, Kanive Parashiva; Satyamoorthy, Kapaettu; Sewram, Vikash

2017-08-01

Cancer cachexia is associated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Centella asiatica (C. asiatica) possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour potential. We investigated the modulation of antioxidants, cytokines and cell death by C. asiatica ethanolic leaf extract (C LE ) in leukaemic THP-1 cells and normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC's). Cytotoxcity of C LE was determined at 24 and 72 h (h). Oxidant scavenging activity of C LE was evaluated using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Glutathione (GSH) levels, caspase (-8, -9, -3/7) activities and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels (Luminometry) were then assayed. The levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and IL-10 were also assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. C LE decreased PBMC viability between 33.25-74.55% (24 h: 0.2-0.8 mg/ml C LE and 72 h: 0.4-0.8 mg/ml C LE ) and THP-1 viability by 28.404% (72 h: 0.8 mg/ml C LE ) (p < 0.0001). Oxidant scavenging activity was increased by C LE (0.05-0.8 mg/ml) (p < 0.0001). PBMC TNF-α and IL-10 levels were decreased by C LE (0.05-0.8 mg/ml) (p < 0.0001). However, PBMC IL-6 and IL-1β concentrations were increased at 0.05-0.2 mg/ml C LE but decreased at 0.4 mg/ml C LE (p < 0.0001). In THP-1 cells, C LE (0.2-0.8 mg/ml) decreased IL-1β and IL-6 whereas increased IL-10 levels (p < 0.0001). In both cell lines, C LE (0.05-0.2 mg/ml, 24 and 72 h) increased GSH concentrations (p < 0.0001). At 24 h, caspase (-9, -3/7) activities was increased by C LE (0.05-0.8 mg/ml) in PBMC's whereas decreased by C LE (0.2-0.4 mg/ml) in THP-1 cells (p < 0.0001). At 72 h, C LE (0.05-0.8 mg/ml) decreased caspase (-9, -3/7) activities and ATP levels in both cell lines (p < 0.0001). In PBMC's and THP-1 cells, C LE proved to effectively modulate antioxidant activity, inflammatory cytokines and cell death. In THP-1 cells, C LE decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels whereas it increased anti-inflammatory cytokine levels which may alleviate cancer cachexia.

A programmable and self-adjusting class E amplifier for efficient wireless powering of biomedical implants.

PubMed

Stoecklin, S; Volk, T; Yousaf, A; Reindl, L

2015-01-01

In this paper, an enhanced approach of a class E amplifier being insensitive to coil impedance variations is presented. While state of the art class E amplifiers widely being used to supply implanted systems show a strong degradation of efficiency when powering distance, coil orientation or the implant current consumption deviate from the nominal design, the presented concept is able to detect these deviations on-line and to reconfigure the amplifier automatically. The concept is facilitated by a new approach of sensing the load impedance without interruption of the power supply to the implant, while the main components of the class E amplifier are programmable by software. Therefore, the device is able to perform dynamic impedance matching. Besides presenting the operational principle and the design equations, we show an adaptive prototype reader system which achieves a drain efficiency of up to 92% for a wide range of reflected coil impedances from 1 to 40 Ω. The integrated communication concept allows downlink data rates of up to 500 kBit/s, while the load modulation based uplink from implant to reader was verified of providing up to 1.35 MBit/s.

Emulating DC constant power load: a robust sliding mode control approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Suresh; Fulwani, Deepak; Kumar, Vinod

2017-09-01

This article presents emulation of a programmable power electronic, constant power load (CPL) using a dc/dc step-up (boost) converter. The converter is controlled by a robust sliding mode controller (SMC). A novel switching surface is proposed to ensure a required power sunk by the converter. The proposed dc CPL is simple in design, has fast dynamic response and high accuracy, and offers an inexpensive alternative to study converters for cascaded dc distribution power system applications. Furthermore, the proposed CPL is sufficiently robust against the input voltage variations. A laboratory prototype of the proposed dc CPL has been developed and validated with SMC realised through OPAL-RT platform. The capability of the proposed dc CPL is confirmed via experimentations in varied scenarios.

The effects of training with loads that maximise power output and individualised repetitions vs. traditional power training

PubMed Central

Moya-Ramón, M.; Hernández-Davó, J. L.; Fernandez-Fernandez, J.; Sabido, R.

2017-01-01

Background It has been suggested that strength training effects (i.e. neural or structural) vary, depending on the total repetitions performed and velocity loss in each training set. Purpose The aim of this study is to compare the effects of two training programmes (i.e. one with loads that maximise power output and individualised repetitions, and the other following traditional power training). Methods Twenty-five males were divided into three groups (optimum power [OP = 10], traditional training [TT = 9] and control group [CG = 6]). The training load used for OP was individualised using loads that maximised power output (41.7% ± 5.8 of one repetition maximum [1RM]) and repetitions at maximum power (4 to 9 repetitions, or ‘reps’). Volume (sets x repetitions) was the same for both experimental groups, while intensity for TT was that needed to perform only 50% of the maximum number of possible repetitions (i.e. 61.1%–66.6% of 1RM). The training programme ran over 11 weeks (2 sessions per week; 4–5 sets per session; 3-minute rests between sets), with pre-, intermediate and post-tests which included: anthropometry, 1RM, peak power output (PPO) with 30%, 40% and 50% of 1RM in the bench press throw, and salivary testosterone (ST) and cortisol (SC) concentrations. Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and power output were recorded in all sessions. Results Following the intermediate test, PPO was increased in the OP group for each load (10.9%–13.2%). Following the post-test, both experimental groups had increased 1RM (11.8%–13.8%) and PPO for each load (14.1%–19.6%). Significant decreases in PPO were found for the TT group during all sets (4.9%–15.4%), along with significantly higher RPE (37%). Conclusion OP appears to be a more efficient method of training, with less neuromuscular fatigue and lower RPE. PMID:29053725

Practice Patterns and Long-Term Survival for Early-Stage Rectal Cancer

PubMed Central

Stitzenberg, Karyn B.; Sanoff, Hanna K.; Penn, Dolly C.; Meyers, Michael O.; Tepper, Joel E.

2013-01-01

Purpose Standard of care treatment for most stage I rectal cancers is total mesorectal excision (TME). Given the morbidity associated with TME, local excision (LE) for early-stage rectal cancer has been explored. This study examines practice patterns and overall survival (OS) for early-stage rectal cancer. Methods All patients in the National Cancer Data Base diagnosed with rectal cancer from 1998 to 2010 were initially included. Use of LE versus proctectomy and use of adjuvant radiation therapy were compared over time. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare OS based on treatment. Results LE was used to treat 46.5% of patients with T1 and 16.8% with T2 tumors. Use of LE increased steadily over time (P < .001). LE was most commonly used for women, black patients, very old patients, those without private health insurance, those with well-differentiated tumors, and those with T1 tumors. Proctectomy was associated with higher rates of tumor-free surgical margins compared with LE (95% v 76%; P < .001). Adjuvant radiation therapy use decreased over time independent of surgical procedure or T stage. For T2N0 disease, patients treated with LE alone had significantly poorer adjusted OS than those treated with proctectomy alone or multimodality therapy. Conclusion Guideline-concordant adoption of LE for treatment of low-risk stage I rectal cancer is increasing. However, use of LE is also increasing for higher-risk rectal cancers that do not meet guideline criteria for LE. Treatment with LE alone is associated with poorer long-term OS. Additional studies are warranted to understand the factors driving increased use of LE. PMID:24166526

Effects of letrozole in combination with low-dose intramuscular injection of human menopausal gonadotropin on ovulation and pregnancy of 156 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Chen, Zhihua; Zhang, Mengzhen; Qiao, Yuhuan; Yang, Junjuan

2016-01-01

To explore the effects of letrozole (LE) in combination with low-dose intramuscular injection of human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) on the ovulation induction and pregnancy of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A total of 156 patients with PCOS infertility were randomly divided into an LE group, a clomiphene citrate (CC) group and an LE + HMG group (n= 52). LE and CC were orally taken according to the prescribed dosage on the 3rd-5th days of menstruation respectively, and 75 IU HMG was given through intramuscular injection. The ovulation induction parameters and pregnancy outcomes were observed. The number of ovulation cycle of LE + HMG group was significantly higher than that of LE group (χ 2 =8.451, P<0.001). After injection of human chorionic gonadotropin, both endometrial thickness and number of mature follicles of LE + HMG group were significantly higher than those of other two groups (P<0.001), and the daily estradiol (E2) level was also higher (q=4.531, P<0.05). The pregnancy rate of LE + HMG group was 55.7%, which exceeded those of other two groups (compared to LE group, χ 2 =4.012, P<0.05). In LE + HMG group, the average medication cycle of clinically pregnant patients was (2.9 ± 0.3) weeks, which was significantly shorter than those of CC and LE groups (F=17.241, P<0.001). The regimen using LE in combination with low-dose intramuscular injection of HMG has satisfactory therapeutic effects on ovulation induction, short medication cycle and high clinical pregnancy rate, which is promising for treating patients with PCOS infertility.

Tomato Prenylated RAB Acceptor Protein 1 Modulates Trafficking and Degradation of the Pattern Recognition Receptor LeEIX2, Affecting the Innate Immune Response

PubMed Central

Pizarro, Lorena; Leibman-Markus, Meirav; Schuster, Silvia; Bar, Maya; Meltz, Tal; Avni, Adi

2018-01-01

Plants recognize microbial/pathogen associated molecular patterns (MAMP/PAMP) through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) triggering an immune response against pathogen progression. MAMP/PAMP triggered immune response requires PRR endocytosis and trafficking for proper deployment. LeEIX2 is a well-known Solanum lycopersicum RLP-PRR, able to recognize and respond to the fungal MAMP/PAMP ethylene-inducing xylanase (EIX), and its function is highly dependent on intracellular trafficking. Identifying protein machinery components regulating LeEIX2 intracellular trafficking is crucial to our understanding of LeEIX2 mediated immune responses. In this work, we identified a novel trafficking protein, SlPRA1A, a predicted regulator of RAB, as an interactor of LeEIX2. Overexpression of SlPRA1A strongly decreases LeEIX2 endosomal localization, as well as LeEIX2 protein levels. Accordingly, the innate immune responses to EIX are markedly reduced by SlPRA1A overexpression, presumably due to a decreased LeEIX2 availability. Studies into the role of SlPRA1A in LeEIX2 trafficking revealed that LeEIX2 localization in multivesicular bodies/late endosomes is augmented by SlPRA1A. Furthermore, inhibiting vacuolar function prevents the LeEIX2 protein level reduction mediated by SlPRA1A, suggesting that SlPRA1A may redirect LeEIX2 trafficking to the vacuole for degradation. Interestingly, SlPRA1A overexpression reduces the amount of several RLP-PRRs, but does not affect the protein level of receptor-like kinase PRRs, suggesting a specific role of SlPRA1A in RLP-PRR trafficking and degradation. PMID:29545816

A randomized clinical trial of oral hygiene care programmes during stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Dai, Ruoxi; Lam, Otto L T; Lo, Edward C M; Li, Leonard S W; McGrath, Colman

2017-06-01

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of an advanced oral hygiene care programme (AOHCP) and a conventional oral hygiene care programme (COHCP) in improving oral hygiene, and reducing gingival bleeding among patients with stroke during outpatient rehabilitation. Subjects were randomized to receive (i) the COHCP comprising a manual toothbrush, toothpaste, and oral hygiene instruction, or (ii) the AOHCP comprising a powered toothbrush, 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthrinse, toothpaste, and oral hygiene instruction. Dental plaque, gingival bleeding, and other clinical oral health outcomes were assessed at baseline, the end of the clinical trial, and the end of observation period. Development of infectious complications was also monitored. Participants of both programmes had a significant reduction in the percentages of sites with moderate to abundant dental plaque (p<0.001) and with gingival bleeding (p<0.05). Those in the AOHCP had significantly less plaque and gingival bleeding than those in the COHCP controlling for other factors at the end of the clinical trial period (both p<0.001) and the observational period (plaque: p<0.05, gingival bleeding: p<0.01). Although both oral hygiene care programmes were effective in terms of plaque and gingival bleeding control, the AOHCP was more effective than the COHCP in reducing dental plaque and gingival bleeding. This study highlighted the value of oral hygiene programmes within stroke outpatient rehabilitation and provides evidence to advocate for the inclusion of oral hygiene care programmes within stroke outpatient rehabilitation for patients with normal cognitive abilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SDVS Verification of a Stage 3 Ada Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-30

testpblsort\\pc) 22 post: (<adatr while i < s - 1 1 i+ 1 end loop;>)], I orail p (0 le p & p it #j - 1 -- > *x[pJ le # xrp + 1]), I orall q (#j le q & q it #s...x) = 0) comod: (all) mod: (testctrsort\\pc,x) post: (forall p (0 le p & p lt .n - 1 42 -- #record(x[pl,b) le #record( xrp +4- ,)) forali q (.n I 1 t q

Impact of school based oral health education programmes in India: a systematic review.

PubMed

Gambhir, Ramandeep Singh; Sohi, Ramandeep Kaur; Nanda, Tarun; Sawhney, Gurjashan Singh; Setia, Saniya

2013-12-01

The teaching of Oral Health Education aims at preventing the dental disease and promoting dental health at early stages. Schools are powerful places to shape the health, education and well-being of our children. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of school dental health education programmes conducted in various parts of India. A systematic review from available literature was carried out. The study examined papers relating to oral health interventions which were published between 1992 and 2012. Ten articles were selected and included in the review. All the studies were found to contain the required information on the outcomes of school dental health programmes in India. Different methods were used to deliver oral health education. All the studies reported significant improvement in oral hygiene of school children after imparting dental health education. In some studies, school teachers were also trained to impart oral health education. Decreased level of awareness was found in children coming from low income families. Longer duration studies are needed to improve the results. School dental education programmes should be more focused on north-eastern Indian population.

Transitions de phase dans le oxyde de yttrium vanadium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberge, Benoit

Dans le mémoire qui suit, les ordres structural, magnétiques et orbital dans le YVO3 sont étudiés avec l'aide de la diffraction des rayons X,de la spectroscopie Raman et de la technique de la cavité résonnante hyperfréquence. L'objectif premier consiste à observer l'évolution de ces ordres en fonction de la température. Le mémoire met ensuite en évidence le couplage entre les différents ordres cohabitants dans le YVO3 . Les mesures effectuées par la diffraction des rayons X permettent de mesurer le caractère polycrystallin des échantillons du YVO 3. Une comparaison de nos mesures avec des mesures de diffraction des rayons X faites sur la poudre de YVO3 indique la faible présence de maclage. Les mesures effectuées avec la technique de résonnance hyperfréquence permettent de suivre l'évolution de la constante diélectrique en fonction de la température. Les changements impliquant l'ordre orbital se manifestent de manière évidente dans la constante diélectrique à 200 K et à 77 K. La transition diélectrique détectée à 77 K est une transition de premier ordre. Un couplage entre les propriétés diélectriques et magnétiques est observable à la température de Néel à 114 K. L'effet d'un champ magnétique fixe sur la température de transition de l'ordre orbital survenant à 77 K est également remarquable. Cela indique un couplage magnétodiélectrique démontrant ainsi le caractère multiferroïque du YVO 3. Finalement, l'observation d'un mécanisme de relaxation pouvant être modélisé par le modèle d'Havriliak-Negami est observé en dessous de 77 K. En utilisant le modèle d'Arrhénius et le modèle d'Havriliak-Negami, on peut caractériser le mécanisme avec son énergie d'activation et son temps de relaxation. Les mesures effectuées en spectroscopie Raman permettent de suivre l'évolution de la structure du YVO3 en fonction de la température. Les deux changements structuraux survenant à 200 K et 77 K sont observés. Le couplage entre le réseau et l'ordre orbital se manifeste par une augmentation de l'anharmonicité qui se traduit par une augmentation de l'intensité des processus de deuxième et troisième ordres. Les différentes théories expliquant comment l'ordre orbital interagit avec le réseau cristallin seront abordées en mettant l'accent sur la théorie de Van den Brink ['] qui réflète le mieux la réalité. Une comparaison de nos mesures avec d'autres travaux en spectroscopie Raman effectués sur le YVO3 sera également effectuée. Le couplage entre le réseau et l'ordre magnétique s'observe par la présence d'excitations magnétiques dans les spectres Raman et par la présence d'un ramollissement/durcissement survenant à la température de Néel. La théorie de Granado expliquant le phénomène de durcissement/ramollissement sera discutée.

[Optimal Ovulation Induction in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Resistant to Clomiphene Citrate or Letrozole.

PubMed

Chen, Ying; Zhang, Dan

2016-11-01

To investigate the optimal ovulation induction with the combination of combining letrozole(LE),clomiphene citrate (CC),and human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) in polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) patients resistant to CC or LE. Two hundreds nine PCOS patients (209 cycles) resistant to CC or LE were randomly divided into three groups: CC+HMG group (59 cycles),LE+HMG group (72 cycles) and LE+CC group (78 cycles).The patients in LE+CC group unable to form the dominant follicle after 54 cycles were enrolled into LE+CC+HMG group.Maximum follicle diameter (MFD),endometrial thickness,number of follicles (diameter>1.4 cm),the level of serum estradiol (E2) were measured on the day of HMG administration.Also these results were observed and compared including the duration of treatment,dosage of HMG,number of ovulated follicles,clinical pregnancy rate,biochemical pregnancy rate,early abortion rate,twinning rate,and ectopic pregnancy rate. The ovulation rate was significantly lower in LE+CC group (30.77%) ( P <0.05),but similar in the other three groups.The number of >1.4 cm follicles and ovulated follicles,ovulation duration and E2 concentration in LE+CC group were also at a lower level ( P <0.05).The patients in LE+CC+HMG group showed higher E2 level and more HMG consumption ( P <0.05).There was no statistical difference in endometrial thickness,MFD,clinical pregnancy rate,biochemical pregnancy rate,early abortion rate and twinning rate among these groups ( P >0.05).No severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) or luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) occurred. Combintion of LE with CC could achieve 1/3 ovulation induction in PCOS resistant to CC or LE alone.When both combined with HMG,the induction of ovulation could be significantly higher than LE+HMG and CC+HMG,while the risk of multiple pregnancy and OHSS was reduced.

Synthesis and Functional Characterization of Novel Sialyl LewisX Mimic-Decorated Liposomes for E-selectin-Mediated Targeting to Inflamed Endothelial Cells.

PubMed

Chantarasrivong, Chanikarn; Ueki, Akiharu; Ohyama, Ryutaro; Unga, Johan; Nakamura, Shinya; Nakanishi, Isao; Higuchi, Yuriko; Kawakami, Shigeru; Ando, Hiromune; Imamura, Akihiro; Ishida, Hideharu; Yamashita, Fumiyoshi; Kiso, Makoto; Hashida, Mitsuru

2017-05-01

Sialyl LewisX (sLeX) is a natural ligand of E-selectin that is overexpressed by inflamed and tumor endothelium. Although sLeX is a potential ligand for drug targeting, synthesis of the tetrasaccharide is complicated with many reaction steps. In this study, structurally simplified novel sLeX analogues were designed and linked with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-polyethylene glycol-2000 (DSPE-PEG) for E-selectin-mediated liposomal delivery. The sLeX structural simplification strategies include (1) replacement of the Gal-GlcNAc disaccharide unit with lactose to reduce many initial steps and (2) substitution of neuraminic acid with a negatively charged group, i.e., 3'-sulfo, 3'-carboxymethyl (3'-CM), or 3'-(1-carboxy)ethyl (3'-CE). While all the liposomes developed were similar in particle size and charge, the 3'-CE sLeX mimic liposome demonstrated the highest uptake in inflammatory cytokine-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), being even more potent than native sLeX-decorated liposomes. Inhibition studies using antiselectin antibodies revealed that their uptake was mediated primarily by overexpressed E-selectin on inflamed HUVECs. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to gain mechanistic insight into the E-selectin binding differences among native and mimic sLeX. The terminally branched methyl group of the 3'-CE sLeX mimic oriented and faced the bulk hydrophilic solution during E-selectin binding. Since this state is entropically unfavorable, the 3'-CE sLeX mimic molecule might be pushed toward the binding pocket of E-selectin by a hydrophobic effect, leading to a higher probability of hydrogen-bond formation than native sLeX and the 3'-CM sLeX mimic. This corresponded with the fact that the 3'-CE sLeX mimic liposome exhibited much greater uptake than the 3'-CM sLeX mimic liposome.

Hydrogen sensor

DOEpatents

Duan, Yixiang; Jia, Quanxi; Cao, Wenqing

2010-11-23

A hydrogen sensor for detecting/quantitating hydrogen and hydrogen isotopes includes a sampling line and a microplasma generator that excites hydrogen from a gas sample and produces light emission from excited hydrogen. A power supply provides power to the microplasma generator, and a spectrometer generates an emission spectrum from the light emission. A programmable computer is adapted for determining whether or not the gas sample includes hydrogen, and for quantitating the amount of hydrogen and/or hydrogen isotopes are present in the gas sample.

Journal of the Royal Naval Scientific Service. Volume 29, Number 6, November 1974

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-11-01

Haigh 74 Exposure from Nuclear Power 39 Exposure Trials Station 8 F Fault Finding 265 Formac 222 Fraser, D. SPATS 146...L. R. Hinkley Defence Research Information Centre Mr. R. V. Aired Head, Resources and Programmes A Mr. D. J. Strong Staff of Scientific...greater, the level of the third order product to be at least 120 dB below the level of either signal. (k) Power handling The antenna to be capable of

Impact de la varicocèle sur le volume testiculaire et les paramètres spermatiques

PubMed Central

Benazzouz, Mohamed Hicham; Essatara, Younes; El Sayegh, Hachem; Iken, Ali; Benslimane, Lounis; Nouini, Yassine

2014-01-01

Introduction La varicocèle est une pathologie masculine fréquente dont l'incidence est encore plus importante dans dans la population des hommes infertiles. Si ses mécanismes sont à ce jour incomplètement expliqués il semble acquis que la varicocèle peut être associée a une dysfonction testiculaire avec diminution du volume testiculaire et de la concentration en spermatozoïde de l’éjaculat. Méthodes Dans un premier temps nous exposons les résultats d'une étude rétrospective sur 5 ans (de Mars 2009 à Mars 2014), réalisée au service d'urologie A de l'hôpital Ibn Sina de Rabat et ayant comme objectif d’évaluer l'impact de la varicocèle palpable sur le volume testiculaire et les paramètres spermatiques. Tous les patients inclus dans notre étude avaient une varicocèle palpable. Dans un deuxième temps, et à travers une revue de la littérature nous discutons l'impact du traitement de la varicocèle sur la fertilité. Résultats 39 patients ont été inclus dans notre étude. L’âge moyen était de 29,71 ans et la varicocèle siégeait dans 89,74% des cas du coté gauche. Une atrophie testiculaire homolatérale à la varicocèle était retrouvée dans 7% des cas alors que des anomalies du spermogramme se voyaient dans 69,23% des cas. Conclusion L'impact de la varicocèle sur l'altération des paramètres spermatiques a été clairement établi bien que sa physio pathogénie ne soit pas bien élucidée. Le traitement chirurgical de la varicocèle semble indiqué chez les hommes infertiles présentant une varicocèle clinique et une altération significative du sperme. PMID:25918574