EXTENSION EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM: reinventing extension as a resource--what does the future hold?

PubMed

Mirando, M A; Bewley, J M; Blue, J; Amaral-Phillips, D M; Corriher, V A; Whittet, K M; Arthur, N; Patterson, D J

2012-10-01

The mission of the Cooperative Extension Service, as a component of the land-grant university system, is to disseminate new knowledge and to foster its application and use. Opportunities and challenges facing animal agriculture in the United States have changed dramatically over the past few decades and require the use of new approaches and emerging technologies that are available to extension professionals. Increased federal competitive grant funding for extension, the creation of eXtension, the development of smartphone and related electronic technologies, and the rapidly increasing popularity of social media created new opportunities for extension educators to disseminate knowledge to a variety of audiences and engage these audiences in electronic discussions. Competitive grant funding opportunities for extension efforts to advance animal agriculture became available from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and have increased dramatically in recent years. The majority of NIFA funding opportunities require extension efforts to be integrated with research, and NIFA encourages the use of eXtension and other cutting-edge approaches to extend research to traditional clientele and nontraditional audiences. A case study is presented to illustrate how research and extension were integrated to improve the adoption of AI by beef producers. Those in agriculture are increasingly resorting to the use of social media venues such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter to access information required to support their enterprises. Use of these various approaches by extension educators requires appreciation of the technology and an understanding of how the target audiences access information available on social media. Technology to deliver information is changing rapidly, and Cooperative Extension Service professionals will need to continuously evaluate digital technology and social media tools to appropriately integrate them into learning and educational opportunities.

Grandmothering and cognitive resources are required for the emergence of menopause and extensive post-reproductive lifespan.

PubMed

Aimé, Carla; André, Jean-Baptiste; Raymond, Michel

2017-07-01

Menopause, the permanent cessation of ovulation, occurs in humans well before the end of the expected lifespan, leading to an extensive post-reproductive period which remains a puzzle for evolutionary biologists. All human populations display this particularity; thus, it is difficult to empirically evaluate the conditions for its emergence. In this study, we used artificial neural networks to model the emergence and evolution of allocation decisions related to reproduction in simulated populations. When allocation decisions were allowed to freely evolve, both menopause and extensive post-reproductive life-span emerged under some ecological conditions. This result allowed us to test various hypotheses about the required conditions for the emergence of menopause and extensive post-reproductive life-span. Our findings did not support the Maternal Hypothesis (menopause has evolved to avoid the risk of dying in childbirth, which is higher in older women). In contrast, results supported a shared prediction from the Grandmother Hypothesis and the Embodied Capital Model. Indeed, we found that extensive post-reproductive lifespan allows resource reallocation to increase fertility of the children and survival of the grandchildren. Furthermore, neural capital development and the skill intensiveness of the foraging niche, rather than strength, played a major role in shaping the age profile of somatic and cognitive senescence in our simulated populations. This result supports the Embodied Capital Model rather than the Grand-Mother Hypothesis. Finally, in simulated populations where menopause had already evolved, we found that reduced post-reproductive lifespan lead to reduced children's fertility and grandchildren's survival. The results are discussed in the context of the evolutionary emergence of menopause and extensive post-reproductive life-span.

The Generic Resolution Advisor and Conflict Evaluator (GRACE) for Detect-And-Avoid Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abramson, Michael; Refai, Mohamad; Santiago, Confesor

2017-01-01

Java Architecture for Detect-And-Avoid (DAA) Extensibility and Modeling (JADEM) was developed at NASA Ames Research Center as a research and modeling tool for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS). UAS will be required to have DAA systems in order to fulfill the regulatory requirement to remain well clear'' of other traffic. JADEM supports research on technological requirements and Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for UAS DAA systems by providing a flexible and extensible software platform that includes models and algorithms for all major DAA functions. This paper describes one of these algorithms, the Generic Resolution Advisor and Conflict Evaluator (GRACE). GRACE supports two core DAA functions: threat evaluation and guidance. GRACE is generic in the sense that it is designed to work with any aircraft or sensor type (both cooperative and non-cooperative), and to be used in various applications and DAA guidance concepts, thus supporting evolving MOPS requirements and research. GRACE combines flexibility, robustness, and computational efficiency. It has modest memory requirements and can handle multiple cooperative and noncooperative intruders. GRACE has been used as a core JADEM component in several real-time and fast-time experiments, including human-in-the-loop simulations and live flight tests.

Nonmaterialized Relations and the Support of Information Retrieval Applications by Relational Database Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Clifford A.

1991-01-01

Describes several aspects of the problem of supporting information retrieval system query requirements in the relational database management system (RDBMS) environment and proposes an extension to query processing called nonmaterialized relations. User interactions with information retrieval systems are discussed, and nonmaterialized relations are…

Support for Self-Regulation in Learning Complex Topics from Multimedia Explanations: Do Learners Need Extensive or Minimal Support?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodicio, Hector Garcia; Sanchez, Emilio; Acuna, Santiago R.

2013-01-01

Acquiring complex conceptual knowledge requires learners to self-regulate their learning by planning, monitoring, and adjusting the process but they find it difficult to do so. In one experiment, we examined whether learners need broad systems of support for self-regulation or whether they are also able to learn with more economical support…

A Strategic Approach for Supporting the Future of Civil Engineering Education in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angelides, Demos C.; Loukogeorgaki, Eva

2005-01-01

A new strategic vision of the extensively debated European higher education is proposed with focus on civil engineering. Civil engineering education for the future is considered with relevance to potential world-wide trends and anticipated societal requirements and, therefore, required employee qualifications of the construction-related providers…

Design of a composite wing extension for a general aviation aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adney, P. S.; Horn, W. J.

1984-01-01

A composite wing extension was designed for a typical general aviation aircraft to improve lift curve slope, dihedral effect, and lift to drag ratio. Advanced composite materials were used in the design to evaluate their use as primary structural components in general aviation aircraft. Extensive wind tunnel tests were used to evaluate six extension shapes. The extension shape chosen as the best choice was 28 inches long with a total area of 17 square feet. Subsequent flight tests showed the wing extension's predicted aerodynamic improvements to be correct. The structural design of the wing extension consisted of a hybrid laminate carbon core with outer layers of Kevlar - layed up over a foam interior which acted as an internal support. The laminate skin of the wing extension was designed from strength requirements, and the foam core was included to prevent buckling. A joint lap was recommended to attach the wing extension to the main wing structure.

An MBSE Approach to Space Suit Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cordova, Lauren; Kovich, Christine; Sargusingh, Miriam

2012-01-01

The EVA/Space Suit Development Office (ESSD) Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) team has utilized MBSE in multiple programs. After developing operational and architectural models, the MBSE framework was expanded to link the requirements space to the system models through functional analysis and interfaces definitions. By documenting all the connections within the technical baseline, ESSD experienced significant efficiency improvements in analysis and identification of change impacts. One of the biggest challenges presented to the MBSE structure was a program transition and restructuring effort, which was completed successfully in 4 months culminating in the approval of a new EVA Technical Baseline. During this time three requirements sets spanning multiple DRMs were streamlined into one NASA-owned Systems Requirement Document (SRD) that successfully identified requirements relevant to the current hardware development effort while remaining extensible to support future hardware developments. A capability-based hierarchy was established to provide a more flexible framework for future space suit development that can support multiple programs with minimal rework of basic EVA/Space Suit requirements. This MBSE approach was most recently applied for generation of an EMU Demonstrator technical baseline being developed for an ISS DTO. The relatively quick turnaround of operational concepts, architecture definition, and requirements for this new suit development has allowed us to test and evolve the MBSE process and framework in an extremely different setting while still offering extensibility and traceability throughout ESSD projects. The ESSD MBSE framework continues to be evolved in order to support integration of all products associated with the SE&I engine.

Hypersonic Research Vehicle (HRV) real-time flight test support feasibility and requirements study. Part 1: Real-time flight experiment support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rediess, Herman A.; Ramnath, Rudrapatna V.; Vrable, Daniel L.; Hirvo, David H.; Mcmillen, Lowell D.; Osofsky, Irving B.

1991-01-01

The results are presented of a study to identify potential real time remote computational applications to support monitoring HRV flight test experiments along with definitions of preliminary requirements. A major expansion of the support capability available at Ames-Dryden was considered. The focus is on the use of extensive computation and data bases together with real time flight data to generate and present high level information to those monitoring the flight. Six examples were considered: (1) boundary layer transition location; (2) shock wave position estimation; (3) performance estimation; (4) surface temperature estimation; (5) critical structural stress estimation; and (6) stability estimation.

Inter-Module Ventilation Changes to the International Space Station Vehicle to Support Integration of the International Docking Adapter and Commercial Crew Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Link, Dwight E., Jr.; Balistreri, Steven F., Jr.

2015-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is continuing to evolve in the post-Space Shuttle era. The ISS vehicle configuration that is in operation was designed for docking of a Space Shuttle vehicle, and designs currently under development for commercial crew vehicles require different interfaces. The ECLSS Temperature and Humidity Control Subsystem (THC) Inter-Module Ventilation (IMV) must be modified in order to support two docking interfaces at the forward end of ISS, to provide the required air exchange. Development of a new higher-speed IMV fan and extensive ducting modifications are underway to support the new Commercial Crew Vehicle interfaces. This paper will review the new ECLSS IMV development requirements, component design and hardware status, subsystem analysis and testing performed to date, and implementation plan to support Commercial Crew Vehicle docking.

Modular space station, phase B extension. Program operations plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

An organized approach is defined for establishing the most significant requirements pertaining to mission operations, information management, and computer program design and development for the modular space station program. The operations plan pertains to the space station and experiment module program elements and to the ground elements required for mission management and mission support operations.

75 FR 47804 - Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-574); Comment Request; Extension

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-09

... Commission; and (d) that such State Commission is exercising that jurisdiction. The data required to be filed... in support of its mission. These costs apply to activities which benefit the whole organization...

Extensible Adaptable Simulation Systems: Supporting Multiple Fidelity Simulations in a Common Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McLaughlin, Brian J.; Barrett, Larry K.

2012-01-01

Common practice in the development of simulation systems is meeting all user requirements within a single instantiation. The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) presents a unique challenge to establish a simulation environment that meets the needs of a diverse user community while also spanning a multi-mission environment over decades of operation. In response, the JPSS Flight Vehicle Test Suite (FVTS) is architected with an extensible infrastructure that supports the operation of multiple observatory simulations for a single mission and multiple mission within a common system perimeter. For the JPSS-1 satellite, multiple fidelity flight observatory simulations are necessary to support the distinct user communities consisting of the Common Ground System development team, the Common Ground System Integration & Test team, and the Mission Rehearsal Team/Mission Operations Team. These key requirements present several challenges to FVTS development. First, the FVTS must ensure all critical user requirements are satisfied by at least one fidelity instance of the observatory simulation. Second, the FVTS must allow for tailoring of the system instances to function in diverse operational environments from the High-security operations environment at NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF) to the ground system factory floor. Finally, the FVTS must provide the ability to execute sustaining engineering activities on a subset of the system without impacting system availability to parallel users. The FVTS approach of allowing for multiple fidelity copies of observatory simulations represents a unique concept in simulator capability development and corresponds to the JPSS Ground System goals of establishing a capability that is flexible, extensible, and adaptable.

Extension of research data repository system to support direct compute access to biomedical datasets: enhancing Dataverse to support large datasets.

PubMed

McKinney, Bill; Meyer, Peter A; Crosas, Mercè; Sliz, Piotr

2017-01-01

Access to experimental X-ray diffraction image data is important for validation and reproduction of macromolecular models and indispensable for the development of structural biology processing methods. In response to the evolving needs of the structural biology community, we recently established a diffraction data publication system, the Structural Biology Data Grid (SBDG, data.sbgrid.org), to preserve primary experimental datasets supporting scientific publications. All datasets published through the SBDG are freely available to the research community under a public domain dedication license, with metadata compliant with the DataCite Schema (schema.datacite.org). A proof-of-concept study demonstrated community interest and utility. Publication of large datasets is a challenge shared by several fields, and the SBDG has begun collaborating with the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University to extend the Dataverse (dataverse.org) open-source data repository system to structural biology datasets. Several extensions are necessary to support the size and metadata requirements for structural biology datasets. In this paper, we describe one such extension-functionality supporting preservation of file system structure within Dataverse-which is essential for both in-place computation and supporting non-HTTP data transfers. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

Heat-mediated activation of affinity-immobilized Taq DNA polymerase.

PubMed

Nilsson, J; Bosnes, M; Larsen, F; Nygren, P A; Uhlén, M; Lundeberg, J

1997-04-01

A novel strategy for heat-mediated activation of recombinant Taq DNA polymerase is described. A serum albumin binding protein tag is used to affinity-immobilize an E. coli-expressed Taq DNA polymerase fusion protein onto a solid support coated with human serum albumin (HSA). Analysis of heat-mediated elution showed that elevated temperatures (> 70 degrees C) were required to significantly release the fusion protein from the solid support. A primer-extension assay showed that immobilization of the fusion protein resulted in little or no extension product. In contrast, fusion protein released from the HSA ligand by heat showed high polymerase activity. Thus, a heat-mediated release and reactivation of the Taq DNA polymerase fusion protein from the solid support can be obtained to allow for hot-start PCR with improved amplification performance.

The Intuitive Principal: A Guide to Leadership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyer, Karen M.; Carothers, Jacqueline

Professional demands on school administrators continue to multiply exponentially. Effective administrators require solid preparation programs, continuing professional development, extensive experience, mentoring, and the support of supervisor and school colleagues. Chapter 1, "Intuitive Ways of Knowing," references research on intuition,…

Early Program Development

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-01-01

This 1970 artist's concept shows the Nuclear Shuttle and Space Tug operating in conjunction with other spacecraft to support lunar exploration. Marshall Space Flight Center plans during the late 1960s for lunar orbital and surface bases required extensive logistics operations in lunar orbit.

Women who receive continuous support during labour have reduced risk of caesarean, instrumental delivery or need for analgesia compared to usual care.

PubMed

McDonald, Susan

2013-04-01

Models of care supporting continuous support during labour were shown to be more likely to result in a spontaneous vaginal birth. Women receiving continuous support required less analgesia and were less likely to report negative feelings about the birth experience. Women receiving continuous support experienced shorter labours and their babies were less likely to have low 5-min Agpar scores. Therefore, such models of care should be considered for more extensive implementation in clinical practice settings.

Profiles in Excellence: Wyoming. How a Foundation Launched a Statewide Collaboration to Improve Teaching through National Board Certification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 2010

2010-01-01

Creating a statewide initiative to increase the number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in Wyoming, a vast state with just over a half-million people, required many things-- private-public partnerships, the development of an extensive support network for candidates, and a statewide coalition of stakeholders. It also required a…

The evaluation and extension of TAE in the development of a user interface management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burkhart, Brenda; Sugar, Ross

1986-01-01

The development of a user interface management system (UIMS) for an information gathering and display system is discussed. The system interface requirements are outlined along with the UIMS functional characteristics. Those systems requirements which are supported by the current Transportable Applications Executive (TAE) are listed and necessary modifications to the TAE are described.

Modular space station phase B extension integrated ground operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Selegue, D. F.

1971-01-01

Requirements for development test, manufacturing, facilities, GSE, training, logistics support, and launch operations are described. The prime integrating requirement is the early establishment of a common data base and its use throughout the design, development, and operational life of the station. The common data base is defined, and the concept of its use is presented. Development requirements for the station modules and subsystems are outlined along with a master development phasing chart.

Report of Workshop on Methodology for Evaluating Potential Lunar Resources Sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, R. J.; Hubbard, N.

1981-01-01

The type and quantity of lunar materials needed to support a space power satellite program was used to define the type and quality of geological information required to certify a site for exploitation. The existing geological, geochemical, and geophysical data are summarized. The difference between these data and the required data for exploitation is used to define program requirements. Most of these requirements involve linear extensions of existing capabilities, fuller utilization of existing data, or expanded use of automated systems.

User interface support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Clayton; Wilde, Nick

1989-01-01

Space construction will require heavy investment in the development of a wide variety of user interfaces for the computer-based tools that will be involved at every stage of construction operations. Using today's technology, user interface development is very expensive for two reasons: (1) specialized and scarce programming skills are required to implement the necessary graphical representations and complex control regimes for high-quality interfaces; (2) iteration on prototypes is required to meet user and task requirements, since these are difficult to anticipate with current (and foreseeable) design knowledge. We are attacking this problem by building a user interface development tool based on extensions to the spreadsheet model of computation. The tool provides high-level support for graphical user interfaces and permits dynamic modification of interfaces, without requiring conventional programming concepts and skills.

Regional Sustainability: The San Luis Basin Metrics Project

EPA Science Inventory

There are a number of established, scientifically supported metrics of sustainability. Many of the metrics are data intensive and require extensive effort to collect data and compute. Moreover, individual metrics may not capture all aspects of a system that are relevant to sust...

Development of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Access Sustainability

EPA Science Inventory

There are a number of established, scientifically supported metrics of sustainability. Many of the metrics are data intensive and require extensive effort to collect data and compute the metrics. Moreover, individual metrics do not capture all aspects of a system that are relevan...

Social Protocols for Agile Virtual Teams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picard, Willy

Despite many works on collaborative networked organizations (CNOs), CSCW, groupware, workflow systems and social networks, computer support for virtual teams is still insufficient, especially support for agility, i.e. the capability of virtual team members to rapidly and cost efficiently adapt the way they interact to changes. In this paper, requirements for computer support for agile virtual teams are presented. Next, an extension of the concept of social protocol is proposed as a novel model supporting agile interactions within virtual teams. The extended concept of social protocol consists of an extended social network and a workflow model.

Interoperability Across the Stewardship Spectrum in the DataONE Repository Federation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, M. B.; Vieglais, D.; Wilson, B. E.

2016-12-01

Thousands of earth and environmental science repositories serve many researchers and communities, each with their own community and legal mandates, sustainability models, and historical infrastructure. These repositories span the stewardship spectrum from highly curated collections that employ large numbers of staff members to review and improve data, to small, minimal budget repositories that accept data caveat emptor and where all responsibility for quality lies with the submitter. Each repository fills a niche, providing services that meet the stewardship tradeoffs of one or more communities. We have reviewed these stewardship tradeoffs for several DataONE member repositories ranging from minimally (KNB) to highly curated (Arctic Data Center), as well as general purpose (Dryad) to highly discipline or project specific (NEON). The rationale behind different levels of stewardship reflect resolution of these tradeoffs. Some repositories aim to encourage extensive uptake by keeping processes simple and minimizing the amount of information collected, but this limits the long-term utility of the data and the search, discovery, and integration systems that are possible. Other repositories require extensive metadata input, review, and assessment, allowing for excellent preservation, discovery, and integration but at the cost of significant time for submitters and expense for curatorial staff. DataONE recognizes these different levels of curation, and attempts to embrace them to create a federation that is useful across the stewardship spectrum. DataONE provides a tiered model for repositories with growing utility of DataONE services at higher tiers of curation. The lowest tier supports read-only access to data and requires little more than title and contact metadata. Repositories can gradually phase in support for higher levels of metadata and services as needed. These tiered capabilities are possible through flexible support for multiple metadata standards and services, where repositories can incrementally increase their requirements as they want to satisfy more use cases. Within DataONE, metadata search services support minimal metadata models, but significantly expanded precision and recall become possible when repositories provide more extensively curated metadata.

Skylab food system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, T. R.; Sanford, J. D.

1974-01-01

A review of the Skylab food system requirements, package designs, and launch configurations was presented. In-flight anomalies were discussed, and between-mission changes in design were described. A discussion of support for Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 mission extensions and of new items launched on these missions is included.

Regional sustainable environmental management: sustainability metrics research for decision makers

EPA Science Inventory

There are a number of established, scientifically supported metrics of sustainability. Many of the metrics are data intensive and require extensive effort to collect data and compute. Moreover, individual metrics may not capture all aspects of a system that are relevant to sust...

Development of a multidisciplinary approach to assess regional sustainability

EPA Science Inventory

There are a number of established, scientifically supported metrics of sustainability. Many of the metrics are data intensive and require extensive effort to collect data and compute the metrics. Moreover, individual metrics do not capture all aspects of a system that are relev...

The Global Emergency Observation and Warning System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bukley, Angelia P.; Mulqueen, John A.

1994-01-01

Based on an extensive characterization of natural hazards, and an evaluation of their impacts on humanity, a set of functional technical requirements for a global warning and relief system was developed. Since no technological breakthroughs are required to implement a global system capable of performing the functions required to provide sufficient information for prevention, preparedness, warning, and relief from natural disaster effects, a system is proposed which would combine the elements of remote sensing, data processing, information distribution, and communications support on a global scale for disaster mitigation.

Space Operations Center system analysis study extension. Volume 4, book 2: SOC system analysis report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Space Operations Center (SOC) orbital space station research missions integration, crew requirements, SOC operations, and configurations are analyzed. Potential research and applications missions and their requirements are described. The capabilities of SOC are compared with user requirements. The SOC/space shuttle and shuttle-derived vehicle flight support operations and SOC orbital operations are described. Module configurations and systems options, SOC/external tank configurations, and configurations for geostationary orbits are described. Crew and systems safety configurations are summarized.

What reassurances do the community need regarding life extension? Evidence from studies of community attitudes and an analysis of film portrayals.

PubMed

Underwood, Mair

2014-04-01

It is increasingly recognized that community attitudes impact on the research trajectory, entry, and reception of new biotechnologies. Yet biogerontologists have generally been dismissive of public concerns about life extension. There is some evidence that biogerontological research agendas have not been communicated effectively, with studies finding that most community members have little or no knowledge of life extension research. In the absence of knowledge, community members' attitudes may well be shaped by issues raised in popular portrayals of life extension (e.g., in movies). To investigate how popular portrayals of life extension may influence community attitudes, I conducted an analysis of 19 films depicting human life extension across different genres. I focussed on how the pursuit of life extension was depicted, how life extension was achieved, the levels of interest in life extension shown by characters in the films, and the experiences of extended life depicted both at an individual and societal level. This paper compares the results of this analysis with the literature on community attitudes to life extension and makes recommendations about the issues in which the public may require reassurance if they are to support and accept life extension technologies.

Providing end-to-end QoS for multimedia applications in 3G wireless networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Katherine; Rangarajan, Samapth; Siddiqui, M. A.; Paul, Sanjoy

2003-11-01

As the usage of wireless packet data services increases, wireless carriers today are faced with the challenge of offering multimedia applications with QoS requirements within current 3G data networks. End-to-end QoS requires support at the application, network, link and medium access control (MAC) layers. We discuss existing CDMA2000 network architecture and show its shortcomings that prevent supporting multiple classes of traffic at the Radio Access Network (RAN). We then propose changes in RAN within the standards framework that enable support for multiple traffic classes. In addition, we discuss how Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) can be augmented with QoS signaling for supporting end-to-end QoS. We also review state of the art scheduling algorithms at the base station and provide possible extensions to these algorithms to support different classes of traffic as well as different classes of users.

Benchmarking DoD Use of Additive Manufacturing and Quantifying Costs

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

46 VI. Cost Benefit ...developing a cost model. The US Army Logistics Innovation Agency published a study called “Additive Manufacturing Cost - Benefit Analysis”. This...to over fifteen thousand dollars on GSA Advantage. Desktop printers do not require extensive support equipment. 47    VI. Cost Benefit

Literature-Based Instruction: Reshaping the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raphael, Taffy E., Ed.; Au, Kathryn H., Ed.

Making a case for the value of literature-based instruction, this book presents an overview of the extensive knowledge base supporting literature-based approaches to literacy instruction. It notes that literature-based instruction goes beyond simply changing the kinds of texts children read--also required in literature-based instruction are an…

Customising Microsoft Office to Develop a Tutorial Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deacon, Andrew; Jaftha, Jacob; Horwitz, David

2004-01-01

Powerful applications such as Microsoft Office's Excel and Word are widely used to perform common tasks in the workplace and in education. Scripting within these applications allows unanticipated user requirements to be addressed. We show that such extensibility, intended to support office automation-type applications, is well suited to the…

A Systematic Review of Function-Based Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenna, John William; Flower, Andrea; Kyung Kim, Min; Ciullo, Stephen; Haring, Christa

2015-01-01

Students with learning disabilities (LD) experience pervasive academic deficits requiring extensive academic intervention; however, they may also engage in problem behaviors that adversely affect teaching and learning, thus lessening the potential impact of specialized instruction and supports. The learning deficits of students with LD are…

Toward a Framework for Dynamic Service Binding in E-Procurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashoori, Maryam; Eze, Benjamin; Benyoucef, Morad; Peyton, Liam

In an online environment, an E-Procurement process should be able to react and adapt in near real-time to changes in suppliers, requirements, and regulations. WS-BPEL is an emerging standard for process automation, but is oriented towards design-time binding of services. This missing issue can be resolved through designing an extension to WS-BPEL to support automation of flexible e-Procurement processes. Our proposed framework will support dynamic acquisition of procurement services from different suppliers dealing with changing procurement requirements. The proposed framework is illustrated by applying it to health care where different health insurance providers could be involved to procure the medication for patients.

Designing for human presence in space: An introduction to environmental control and life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieland, Paul

1994-01-01

Human exploration and utilization of space requires habitats to provide appropriate conditions for working and living. These conditions are provided by environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) that ensure appropriate atmosphere composition, pressure, and temperature; manage and distribute water, process waste matter, provide fire detection and suppression; and other functions as necessary. The functions that are performed by ECLSS are described and basic information necessary to design an ECLSS is provided. Technical and programmatic aspects of designing and developing ECLSS for space habitats are described including descriptions of technologies, analysis methods, test requirements, program organization, documentation requirements, and the requirements imposed by medical, mission, safety, and system needs. The design and development process is described from initial trade studies through system-level analyses to support operation. ECLSS needs for future space habitats are also described. Extensive listings of references and related works provide sources for more detailed information on each aspect of ECLSS design and development.

A primer for effective organization of professional conferences.

PubMed

Werner, Susan E; Kenefick, Colleen

2005-01-01

The challenge of organizing a successful conference is a tremendous commitment requiring extensive preparation and teamwork. It is tempting but dangerous to underestimate the details needed to coordinate an outstanding event. Conferences follow a natural life cycle from proposal, gaining administrative support, planning, implementing, and then finally evaluating outcomes. These guidelines identify the tasks and areas of responsibilities required including setting objectives, budgeting, selecting a venue, publicity, programming, and working with vendors.

Developing Ultra Reliable Life Support for the Moon and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.

2009-01-01

Recycling life support systems can achieve ultra reliability by using spares to replace failed components. The added mass for spares is approximately equal to the original system mass, provided the original system reliability is not very low. Acceptable reliability can be achieved for the space shuttle and space station by preventive maintenance and by replacing failed units, However, this maintenance and repair depends on a logistics supply chain that provides the needed spares. The Mars mission must take all the needed spares at launch. The Mars mission also must achieve ultra reliability, a very low failure rate per hour, since it requires years rather than weeks and cannot be cut short if a failure occurs. Also, the Mars mission has a much higher mass launch cost per kilogram than shuttle or station. Achieving ultra reliable space life support with acceptable mass will require a well-planned and extensive development effort. Analysis must define the reliability requirement and allocate it to subsystems and components. Technologies, components, and materials must be designed and selected for high reliability. Extensive testing is needed to ascertain very low failure rates. Systems design should segregate the failure causes in the smallest, most easily replaceable parts. The systems must be designed, produced, integrated, and tested without impairing system reliability. Maintenance and failed unit replacement should not introduce any additional probability of failure. The overall system must be tested sufficiently to identify any design errors. A program to develop ultra reliable space life support systems with acceptable mass must start soon if it is to produce timely results for the moon and Mars.

Supporting large scale applications on networks of workstations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Robert; Birman, Kenneth P.

1989-01-01

Distributed applications on networks of workstations are an increasingly common way to satisfy computing needs. However, existing mechanisms for distributed programming exhibit poor performance and reliability as application size increases. Extension of the ISIS distributed programming system to support large scale distributed applications by providing hierarchical process groups is discussed. Incorporation of hierarchy in the program structure and exploitation of this to limit the communication and storage required in any one component of the distributed system is examined.

Lunar resource recovery: A definition of requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elsworth, D.; Kohler, J. L.; Alexander, S. S.

1992-01-01

The capability to locate, mine, and process the natural resources of the Moon will be an essential requirement for lunar base development and operation. The list of materials that will be necessary is extensive and ranges from oxygen and hydrogen for fuel and life support to process tailings for emplacement over habitats. Despite the resources need, little is known about methodologies that might be suitable for utilizing lunar resources. This paper examines some of the requirements and constraints for resource recovery and identifies key areas of research needed to locate, mine, and process extraterrestrial natural resources.

Event DAS-444Ø6-6 soybean grown in Brazil is compositionally equivalent to non-transgenic soybean.

PubMed

Fast, Brandon J; Galan, Maria P; Schafer, Ariane C

2016-04-02

Soybean event DAS-444Ø6-6 is tolerant to the herbicides 2,4-D, glyphosate, and glufosinate. An investigation of potential unintended adverse compositional changes in a genetically modified crop is required to meet government regulatory requirements in various geographies. A study to meet these requirements in Brazil was completed demonstrating compositional equivalency between DAS-444Ø6-6 and non-transgenic soybean. This study supplements the extensive literature supporting transgenesis as less disruptive of crop composition compared with traditional breeding methods.

Extension of research data repository system to support direct compute access to biomedical datasets: enhancing Dataverse to support large datasets

PubMed Central

McKinney, Bill; Meyer, Peter A.; Crosas, Mercè; Sliz, Piotr

2016-01-01

Access to experimental X-ray diffraction image data is important for validation and reproduction of macromolecular models and indispensable for the development of structural biology processing methods. In response to the evolving needs of the structural biology community, we recently established a diffraction data publication system, the Structural Biology Data Grid (SBDG, data.sbgrid.org), to preserve primary experimental datasets supporting scientific publications. All datasets published through the SBDG are freely available to the research community under a public domain dedication license, with metadata compliant with the DataCite Schema (schema.datacite.org). A proof-of-concept study demonstrated community interest and utility. Publication of large datasets is a challenge shared by several fields, and the SBDG has begun collaborating with the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University to extend the Dataverse (dataverse.org) open-source data repository system to structural biology datasets. Several extensions are necessary to support the size and metadata requirements for structural biology datasets. In this paper, we describe one such extension—functionality supporting preservation of filesystem structure within Dataverse—which is essential for both in-place computation and supporting non-http data transfers. PMID:27862010

77 FR 72815 - Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-06

... support of the program for 7 CFR part 1951, subpart F, ``Analyzing Credit Needs and Graduation of... 1951, subpart F, ``Analyzing Credit Needs and Graduation of Borrowers''. OMB Number: 0575-0093... so. Graduation is required because the Government loans are not to be extended beyond a borrower's...

Student Career Preferences: In Support of a New Learning Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atamian, Rubik; Mansouri, Hossein

2013-01-01

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, throughout their careers, college graduates change multiple jobs and several careers, often remotely related to one another or to their major field of study. Experts project that the majority of newly created jobs requiring college education would involve extensive and prolonged on-the-job training of…

Tank vapor mitigation requirements for Hanford Tank Farms

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

Rakestraw, L.D.

1994-11-15

Westinghouse Hanford Company has contracted Los Alamos Technical Associates to listing of vapors and aerosols that are or may be emitted from the High Level Waste (HLW) tanks at Hanford. Mitigation requirements under Federal and State law, as well as DOE Orders, are included in the listing. The lists will be used to support permitting activities relative to tank farm ventilation system up-grades. This task is designated Task 108 under MJB-SWV-312057 and is an extension of efforts begun under Task 53 of Purchase Order MPB-SVV-03291 5 for Mechanical Engineering Support. The results of that task, which covered only thirty-nine tanks,more » are repeated here to provide a single source document for vapor mitigation requirements for all 177 HLW tanks.« less

Fall 2012 Graduate Engineering Internship Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehrlich, Joshua

2013-01-01

In the fall of 2012, I participated in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Pathways Intern Employment Program at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. This was my second internship opportunity with NASA, a consecutive extension from a summer 2012 internship. During my four-month tenure, I gained valuable knowledge and extensive hands-on experience with payload design and testing as well as composite fabrication for repair design on future space vehicle structures. As a systems engineer, I supported the systems engineering and integration team with the testing of scientific payloads such as the Vegetable Production System (Veggie). Verification and validation (V&V) of the Veggie was carried out prior to qualification testing of the payload, which incorporated a lengthy process of confirming design requirements that were integrated through one or more validatjon methods: inspection, analysis, demonstration, and testing. Additionally, I provided assistance in verifying design requirements outlined in the V&V plan with the requirements outlined by the scientists in the Science Requirements Envelope Document (SRED). The purpose of the SRED was to define experiment requirements intended for the payload to meet and carry out.

CSM digital autopilot testing in support of ASTP experiments control requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rue, D. L.

1975-01-01

Results are presented of CSM digital autopilot (DAP) testing. The testing was performed to demonstrate and evaluate control modes which are currently planned or could be considered for use in support of experiments on the ASTP mission. The testing was performed on the Lockheed Guidance, Navigation, and Control System Functional Simulator (GNCFS). This simulator, which was designed to test the Apollo and Skylab DAP control system, has been used extensively and is a proven tool for CSM DAP analysis.

Requirements and design aspects of a data model for a data dictionary in paediatric oncology.

PubMed

Merzweiler, A; Knaup, P; Creutzig, U; Ehlerding, H; Haux, R; Mludek, V; Schilling, F H; Weber, R; Wiedemann, T

2000-01-01

German children suffering from cancer are mostly treated within the framework of multicentre clinical trials. An important task of conducting these trials is an extensive information and knowledge exchange, which has to be based on a standardised documentation. To support this effort, it is the aim of a nationwide project to define a standardised terminology that should be used by clinical trials for therapy documentation. In order to support terminology maintenance we are currently developing a data dictionary. In this paper we describe requirements and design aspects of the data model used for the data dictionary as first results of our research. We compare it with other terminology systems.

Device Oriented Project Controller

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

Dalesio, Leo; Kraimer, Martin

2013-11-20

This proposal is directed at the issue of developing control systems for very large HEP projects. A de-facto standard in accelerator control is the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS), which has been applied successfully to many physics projects. EPICS is a channel based system that requires that each channel of each device be configured and controlled. In Phase I, the feasibility of a device oriented extension to the distributed channel database was demonstrated by prototyping a device aware version of an EPICS I/O controller that functions with the current version of the channel access communication protocol. Extensions havemore » been made to the grammar to define the database. Only a multi-stage position controller with limit switches was developed in the demonstration, but the grammar should support a full range of functional record types. In phase II, a full set of record types will be developed to support all existing record types, a set of process control functions for closed loop control, and support for experimental beam line control. A tool to configure these records will be developed. A communication protocol will be developed or extensions will be made to Channel Access to support introspection of components of a device. Performance bench marks will be made on both communication protocol and the database. After these records and performance tests are under way, a second of the grammar will be undertaken.« less

Ballistic movements of jumping legs implemented as variable components of cricket behaviour.

PubMed

Hustert, R; Baldus, M

2010-12-01

Ballistic accelerations of a limb or the whole body require special joint mechanisms in many animals. Specialized joints can be moved by stereotypic or variable motor control during motor patterns with and without ballistic components. As a model of variable motor control, the specialized femur-tibia (knee) joints of cricket (Acheta domesticus) hindlegs were studied during ballistic kicking, jumping and swimming and in non-ballistic walking. In this joint the tendons of the antagonistic flexor and the extensor muscles attach at different distances from the pivot and the opposed lever arms form an angle of 120 deg. A 10:1 ratio of their effective lever arms at full knee flexion helps to prepare for most ballistic extensions: the tension of the extensor can reach its peak while it is restrained by flexor co-contraction. In kicks, preparatory flexion is rapid and the co-contraction terminates just before knee extensions. Therefore, mainly the stored tension of the extensor muscle accelerates the small mass of the tibia. Jumps are prepared with slower extensor-flexor co-contractions that flex both knees simultaneously and then halt to rotate both legs outward to a near horizontal level. From there, catapult extension of both knees accelerates the body, supported by continued high frequency motor activity to their tibia extensor muscles during the ongoing push-off from the substrate. Premature extension of one knee instantly takes load from the lagging leg that extends and catches up, which finally results in a straight jump. In swimming, synchronous ballistic power strokes of both hindlegs drive the tibiae on a ventral-to-posterior trajectory through the water, well coordinated with the swimming patterns of all legs. In walking, running and climbing the steps of the hindlegs range between 45 deg flexion and 125 deg extension and use non-ballistic, alternating activity of knee flexor and extensor muscles. Steep climbing requires longer bursts from the extensor tibiae muscles when they support the extended hindlegs against gravity forces when the body hangs over. All ballistic movements of cricket knees are elicited by a basic but variable motor pattern: knee flexions by co-contraction of the antagonists prepare catapult extensions with speeds and forces as required in the different behaviours.

Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) engine study. Phase A: Extension

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobin, A. J.

1980-01-01

The current Phase A-Extension of the OTV engine study program aims to provide additional expander and staged combustion cycle data that will lead to design definition of the OTV engine. The proposed program effort seeks to optimize the expander cycle engine concept (consistent with identified OTV engine requirements), investigate the feasibility of kitting the staged combustion cycle engine to provide extended thrust operation, and conduct in-depth analysis of development risk, crew safety, and reliability for both cycles. Additional tasks address the costing of a 10/K thrust expander cycle engine and support of OTV systems study contractors.

Exercise Countermeasure Hardware Evolution on ISS: The First Decade.

PubMed

Korth, Deborah W

2015-12-01

The hardware systems necessary to support exercise countermeasures to the deconditioning associated with microgravity exposure have evolved and improved significantly during the first decade of the International Space Station (ISS), resulting in both new types of hardware and enhanced performance capabilities for initial hardware items. The original suite of countermeasure hardware supported the first crews to arrive on the ISS and the improved countermeasure system delivered in later missions continues to serve the astronauts today with increased efficacy. Due to aggressive hardware development schedules and constrained budgets, the initial approach was to identify existing spaceflight-certified exercise countermeasure equipment, when available, and modify it for use on the ISS. Program management encouraged the use of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, or hardware previously developed (heritage hardware) for the Space Shuttle Program. However, in many cases the resultant hardware did not meet the additional requirements necessary to support crew health maintenance during long-duration missions (3 to 12 mo) and anticipated future utilization activities in support of biomedical research. Hardware development was further complicated by performance requirements that were not fully defined at the outset and tended to evolve over the course of design and fabrication. Modifications, ranging from simple to extensive, were necessary to meet these evolving requirements in each case where heritage hardware was proposed. Heritage hardware was anticipated to be inherently reliable without the need for extensive ground testing, due to its prior positive history during operational spaceflight utilization. As a result, developmental budgets were typically insufficient and schedules were too constrained to permit long-term evaluation of dedicated ground-test units ("fleet leader" type testing) to identify reliability issues when applied to long-duration use. In most cases, the exercise unit with the most operational history was the unit installed on the ISS.

Biology as a Key Technological Foundation for Settlement Beyond Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothschild, L. J.; Navarrete, J.; Kent, R. E.; McCutcheon, G.; Pless, E.; Paulino-Lima, I. G.

2017-01-01

Moving materials beyond Earth, whether spacecraft, living organisms, or both, is limited by mass constraints. Yet human survival requires an extensive infrastructure, from environmental regulation to life support. In practice this means habitats, food, oxygen, waste recycling, medicine and so on. Thus, there is a mismatch between what will be required in transit and at destination to fulfill dreams of human settlements and what can realistically moved there. Further, settlement off planet with current transportation systems requires the ability to operate independently of the Earth for prolonged periods of time, requiring long-term storage of supplies and the flexibilityto satisfy new needs.

Process Extension from Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Motor Neurons through Synthetic Extracellular Matrix Mimics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinnon, Daniel Devaud

This thesis focuses on studying the extension of motor axons through synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) PEG hydrogels that have been modified with biochemical functionalities to render them more biologically relevant. Specifically, the research strategy is to encapsulate embryonic stem cell-derived motor neurons (ESMNs) in synthetic PEG hydrogels crosslinked through three different chemistries providing three mechanisms for dynamically tuning material properties. First, a covalently crosslinked, enzymatically degradable hydrogel is developed and exploited to study the biophysical dynamics of axon extension and matrix remodeling. It is demonstrated that dispersed motor neurons require a battery of adhesive peptides and growth factors to maintain viability and extend axons while those in contact with supportive neuroglial cells do not. Additionally, cell-degradable crosslinker peptides and a soft modulus mimicking that of the spinal cord are requirements for axon extension. However, because local degradation of the hydrogel results in a cellular environment significantly different than that of the bulk, enzymatically degradable peptide crosslinkers were replaced with reversible covalent hydrazone bonds to study the effect of hydrogel modulus on axon extension. This material is characterized in detail and used to measure forces involved in axon extension. Finally, a hydrogel with photocleavable linkers incorporated into the network structure is exploited to explore motor axon response to physical channels. This system is used to direct the growth of motor axons towards co-cultured myotubes, resulting in the formation of an in vitro neural circuit.

ASC FY17 Implementation Plan, Rev. 1

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

Hamilton, P. G.

The Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) is an integrated technical program for maintaining the safety, surety, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The SSP uses nuclear test data, computational modeling and simulation, and experimental facilities to advance understanding of nuclear weapons. It includes stockpile surveillance, experimental research, development and engineering programs, and an appropriately scaled production capability to support stockpile requirements. This integrated national program requires the continued use of experimental facilities and programs, and the computational capabilities to support these programs. The Advanced Simulation and Computing Program (ASC) is a cornerstone of the SSP, providing simulation capabilities and computationalmore » resources that support annual stockpile assessment and certification, study advanced nuclear weapons design and manufacturing processes, analyze accident scenarios and weapons aging, and provide the tools to enable stockpile Life Extension Programs (LEPs) and the resolution of Significant Finding Investigations (SFIs). This requires a balance of resources, including technical staff, hardware, simulation software, and computer science solutions.« less

The Database Query Support Processor (QSP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The number and diversity of databases available to users continues to increase dramatically. Currently, the trend is towards decentralized, client server architectures that (on the surface) are less expensive to acquire, operate, and maintain than information architectures based on centralized, monolithic mainframes. The database query support processor (QSP) effort evaluates the performance of a network level, heterogeneous database access capability. Air Force Material Command's Rome Laboratory has developed an approach, based on ANSI standard X3.138 - 1988, 'The Information Resource Dictionary System (IRDS)' to seamless access to heterogeneous databases based on extensions to data dictionary technology. To successfully query a decentralized information system, users must know what data are available from which source, or have the knowledge and system privileges necessary to find out this information. Privacy and security considerations prohibit free and open access to every information system in every network. Even in completely open systems, time required to locate relevant data (in systems of any appreciable size) would be better spent analyzing the data, assuming the original question was not forgotten. Extensions to data dictionary technology have the potential to more fully automate the search and retrieval for relevant data in a decentralized environment. Substantial amounts of time and money could be saved by not having to teach users what data resides in which systems and how to access each of those systems. Information describing data and how to get it could be removed from the application and placed in a dedicated repository where it belongs. The result simplified applications that are less brittle and less expensive to build and maintain. Software technology providing the required functionality is off the shelf. The key difficulty is in defining the metadata required to support the process. The database query support processor effort will provide quantitative data on the amount of effort required to implement an extended data dictionary at the network level, add new systems, adapt to changing user needs, and provide sound estimates on operations and maintenance costs and savings.

Extending SQL to Support Privacy Policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazinour, Kambiz; Pun, Sampson; Majedi, Maryam; Chinaci, Amir H.; Barker, Ken

Increasing concerns over Internet applications that violate user privacy by exploiting (back-end) database vulnerabilities must be addressed to protect both customer privacy and to ensure corporate strategic assets remain trustworthy. This chapter describes an extension onto database catalogues and Structured Query Language (SQL) for supporting privacy in Internet applications, such as in social networks, e-health, e-governmcnt, etc. The idea is to introduce new predicates to SQL commands to capture common privacy requirements, such as purpose, visibility, generalization, and retention for both mandatory and discretionary access control policies. The contribution is that corporations, when creating the underlying databases, will be able to define what their mandatory privacy policies arc with which all application users have to comply. Furthermore, each application user, when providing their own data, will be able to define their own privacy policies with which other users have to comply. The extension is supported with underlying catalogues and algorithms. The experiments demonstrate a very reasonable overhead for the extension. The result is a low-cost mechanism to create new systems that arc privacy aware and also to transform legacy databases to their privacy-preserving equivalents. Although the examples arc from social networks, one can apply the results to data security and user privacy of other enterprises as well.

A gas flow indicator for portable life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bass, R. L., III; Schroeder, E. C.

1975-01-01

A three-part program was conducted to develop a gas flow indicator (GFI) to monitor ventilation flow in a portable life support system. The first program phase identified concepts which could potentially meet the GFI requirements. In the second phase, a working breadboard GFI, based on the concept of a pressure sensing diaphragm-aneroid assembly connected to a venturi, was constructed and tested. Extensive testing of the breadboard GFI indicated that the design would meet all NASA requirements including eliminating problems experienced with the ventilation flow sensor used in the Apollo program. In the third program phase, an optimized GFI was designed by utilizing test data obtained on the breadboard unit. A prototype unit was constructed using prototype materials and fabrication techniques, and performance tests indicated that the prototype GFI met or exceeded all requirements.

The Medical Imaging Interaction Toolkit: challenges and advances : 10 years of open-source development.

PubMed

Nolden, Marco; Zelzer, Sascha; Seitel, Alexander; Wald, Diana; Müller, Michael; Franz, Alfred M; Maleike, Daniel; Fangerau, Markus; Baumhauer, Matthias; Maier-Hein, Lena; Maier-Hein, Klaus H; Meinzer, Hans-Peter; Wolf, Ivo

2013-07-01

The Medical Imaging Interaction Toolkit (MITK) has been available as open-source software for almost 10 years now. In this period the requirements of software systems in the medical image processing domain have become increasingly complex. The aim of this paper is to show how MITK evolved into a software system that is able to cover all steps of a clinical workflow including data retrieval, image analysis, diagnosis, treatment planning, intervention support, and treatment control. MITK provides modularization and extensibility on different levels. In addition to the original toolkit, a module system, micro services for small, system-wide features, a service-oriented architecture based on the Open Services Gateway initiative (OSGi) standard, and an extensible and configurable application framework allow MITK to be used, extended and deployed as needed. A refined software process was implemented to deliver high-quality software, ease the fulfillment of regulatory requirements, and enable teamwork in mixed-competence teams. MITK has been applied by a worldwide community and integrated into a variety of solutions, either at the toolkit level or as an application framework with custom extensions. The MITK Workbench has been released as a highly extensible and customizable end-user application. Optional support for tool tracking, image-guided therapy, diffusion imaging as well as various external packages (e.g. CTK, DCMTK, OpenCV, SOFA, Python) is available. MITK has also been used in several FDA/CE-certified applications, which demonstrates the high-quality software and rigorous development process. MITK provides a versatile platform with a high degree of modularization and interoperability and is well suited to meet the challenging tasks of today's and tomorrow's clinically motivated research.

ATTDES: An Expert System for Satellite Attitude Determination and Control. 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackison, Donald L.; Gifford, Kevin

1996-01-01

The design, analysis, and flight operations of satellite attitude determintion and attitude control systems require extensive mathematical formulations, optimization studies, and computer simulation. This is best done by an analyst with extensive education and experience. The development of programs such as ATTDES permit the use of advanced techniques by those with less experience. Typical tasks include the mission analysis to select stabilization and damping schemes, attitude determination sensors and algorithms, and control system designs to meet program requirements. ATTDES is a system that includes all of these activities, including high fidelity orbit environment models that can be used for preliminary analysis, parameter selection, stabilization schemes, the development of estimators covariance analyses, and optimization, and can support ongoing orbit activities. The modification of existing simulations to model new configurations for these purposes can be an expensive, time consuming activity that becomes a pacing item in the development and operation of such new systems. The use of an integrated tool such as ATTDES significantly reduces the effort and time required for these tasks.

Instant messaging at the hospital: supporting articulation work?

PubMed

Iversen, Tobias Buschmann; Melby, Line; Toussaint, Pieter

2013-09-01

Clinical work is increasingly fragmented and requires extensive articulation and coordination. Computer systems may support such work. In this study, we investigate how instant messaging functions as a tool for supporting articulation work at the hospital. This paper aims to describe the characteristics of instant messaging communication in terms of number and length of messages, distribution over time, and the number of participants included in conversations. We also aim to determine what kind of articulation work is supported by analysing message content. Analysis of one month's worth of instant messages sent through the perioperative coordination and communication system at a Danish hospital. Instant messaging was found to be used extensively for articulation work, mostly through short, simple conversational exchanges. It is used particularly often for communication concerning the patient, specifically, the coordination and logistics of patient care. Instant messaging is used by all actors involved in the perioperative domain. Articulation work and clinical work are hard to separate in a real clinical setting. Predefined messages and strict workflow design do not suffice when supporting communication in the context of collaborative clinical work. Flexibility is of vital importance, and this needs to be reflected in the design of supportive communication systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vision and the representation of the surroundings in spatial memory

PubMed Central

Tatler, Benjamin W.; Land, Michael F.

2011-01-01

One of the paradoxes of vision is that the world as it appears to us and the image on the retina at any moment are not much like each other. The visual world seems to be extensive and continuous across time. However, the manner in which we sample the visual environment is neither extensive nor continuous. How does the brain reconcile these differences? Here, we consider existing evidence from both static and dynamic viewing paradigms together with the logical requirements of any representational scheme that would be able to support active behaviour. While static scene viewing paradigms favour extensive, but perhaps abstracted, memory representations, dynamic settings suggest sparser and task-selective representation. We suggest that in dynamic settings where movement within extended environments is required to complete a task, the combination of visual input, egocentric and allocentric representations work together to allow efficient behaviour. The egocentric model serves as a coding scheme in which actions can be planned, but also offers a potential means of providing the perceptual stability that we experience. PMID:21242146

Technology advancement of the static feed water electrolysis process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, F. H.; Wynveen, R. A.

1977-01-01

A program to advance the technology of oxygen- and hydrogen-generating subsystems based on water electrolysis was studied. Major emphasis was placed on static feed water electrolysis, a concept characterized by low power consumption and high intrinsic reliability. The static feed based oxygen generation subsystem consists basically of three subassemblies: (1) a combined water electrolysis and product gas dehumidifier module; (2) a product gas pressure controller and; (3) a cyclically filled water feed tank. Development activities were completed at the subsystem as well as at the component level. An extensive test program including single cell, subsystem and integrated system testing was completed with the required test support accessories designed, fabricated, and assembled. Mini-product assurance activities were included throughout all phases of program activities. An extensive number of supporting technology studies were conducted to advance the technology base of the static feed water electrolysis process and to resolve problems.

Anatomy and histochemistry of spread-wing posture in birds. 2. Gliding flight in the California gull, Larus californicus: a paradox of fast fibers and posture.

PubMed

Meyers, R A; Mathias, E

1997-09-01

Gliding flight is a postural activity which requires the wings to be held in a horizontal position to support the weight of the body. Postural behaviors typically utilize isometric contractions in which no change in length takes place. Due to longer actin-myosin interactions, slow contracting muscle fibers represent an economical means for this type of contraction. In specialized soaring birds, such as vultures and pelicans, a deep layer of the pectoralis muscle, composed entirely of slow fibers, is believed to perform this function. Muscles involved in gliding posture were examined in California gulls (Larus californicus) and tested for the presence of slow fibers using myosin ATPase histochemistry and antibodies. Surprisingly small numbers of slow fibers were found in the M. extensor metacarpi radialis, M. coracobrachialis cranialis, and M. coracobrachialis caudalis, which function in wrist extension, wing protraction, and body support, respectively. The low number of slow fibers in these muscles and the absence of slow fibers in muscles associated with wing extension and primary body support suggest that gulls do not require slow fibers for their postural behaviors. Gulls also lack the deep belly to the pectoralis found in other gliding birds. Since bird muscle is highly oxidative, we hypothesize that fast muscle fibers may function to maintain wing position during gliding flight in California gulls.

Supporting Educational Games in Higher Education: The Creation and Implementation of Custom Game Engine for a University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Gi Woong; Pursel, Barton K.; Stubbs, Chris

2017-01-01

Interest towards implementing educational gaming into courses within higher education continues to increase, but it requires extensive amounts of resources to create individual games for each course. This paper is a description of a university's effort to create a custom educational game engine to streamline the game development process within the…

The Impact of Comer's School Development Program's Student Staff Support Team Process on High-Incidence Special Education Referrals in One Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson-Robinson, Joi

2010-01-01

This study examines whether the Comer (1996) placement model process reduces the overrepresentation of certain student groups into high-incidence disabilities programs. High-incidence disabilities are those disabilities which require an extensive degree of "professional judgment" by the teacher in determining whether or not a disability exists…

A Modular and Extensible Architecture Integrating Sensors, Dynamic Displays of Anatomy and Physiology, and Automated Instruction for Innovations in Clinical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Douglas Allen, Jr.

2017-01-01

Adoption of simulation in healthcare education has increased tremendously over the past two decades. However, the resources necessary to perform simulation are immense. Simulators are large capital investments and require specialized training for both instructors and simulation support staff to develop curriculum using the simulator and to use the…

Supported metal catalysts for alcohol/sugar alcohol steam reforming

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

Davidson, Stephen; Zhang, He; Sun, Junming

Despite extensive studies on hydrogen production via steam reforming of alcohols and sugar alcohols, catalysts typically suffer a variety of issues from poor hydrogen selectivity to rapid deactivation. Here, we summarize recent advances in fundamental understanding of functionality and structure of catalysts for alcohol/sugar alcohol steam reforming, and provide perspectives on further development required to design highly efficient steam reforming catalysts.

RT 24 - Architecture, Modeling & Simulation, and Software Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

focus on tool extensions (UPDM, SysML, SoaML, BPMN ) Leverage “best of breed” architecture methodologies Provide tooling to support the methodology DoDAF...Capability 10 Example: BPMN 11 DoDAF 2.0 MetaModel BPMN MetaModel Mapping SysML to DoDAF 2.0 12 DoDAF V2.0 Models OV-2 SysML Diagrams Requirement

[Psychosocial support after school shootings--what was learned from the Kauhajoki case].

PubMed

Kähärä, Kirsti; Ala-aho, Sirkka; Hakala, Asta-Leena; Toivonen, Tarja; Turunen, Tuija

2010-01-01

On September 29, 2008 in Kauhajoki, a student killed ten persons and committed suicide. Many people in the region were subjected to an extensive sensation of threat and experienced mental effects of the tragedy. Aftercare of the tragedy has been coordinated by the Kauhajoki project. The project has aimed at ensuring that persons and communities traumatized by the event in their life and functioning will receive the required psychosocial support and appropriate treatment. The goal is to restore the mental balance and to maintain the ability to work and function.

Data reduction analysis and application technique development for atmospheric trace gas constituents derived from remote sensors on satellite or airborne platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casas, J. C.; Campbell, S. A.

1981-01-01

The applicability of the gas filter correlation radiometer (GFCR) to the measurement of tropospheric carbon monoxide gas was investigated. An assessment of the GFRC measurement system to a regional measurement program was conducted through extensive aircraft flight-testing of several versions of the GFRC. Investigative work in the following areas is described: flight test planning and coordination, acquisition of verifying CO measurements, determination and acquisition of supporting meteorological data requirements, and development of supporting computational software.

Fifteen-foot diameter modular space station Kennedy Space Center launch site support definition (space station program Phase B extension definition)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bjorn, L. C.; Martin, M. L.; Murphy, C. W.; Niebla, J. F., V

1971-01-01

This document defines the facilities, equipment, and operational plans required to support the MSS Program at KSC. Included is an analysis of KSC operations, a definition of flow plans, facility utilization and modifications, test plans and concepts, activation, and tradeoff studies. Existing GSE and facilities that have a potential utilization are identified, and new items are defined where possible. The study concludes that the existing facilities are suitable for use in the space station program without major modification from the Saturn-Apollo configuration.

Space Station Freedom ECLSS: A step toward autonomous regenerative life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewberry, Brandon S.

1990-01-01

The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is a Freedom Station distributed system with inherent applicability to extensive automation primarily due to its comparatively long control system latencies. These allow longer contemplation times in which to form a more intelligent control strategy and to prevent and diagnose faults. The regenerative nature of the Space Station Freedom ECLSS will contribute closed loop complexities never before encountered in life support systems. A study to determine ECLSS automation approaches has been completed. The ECLSS baseline software and system processes could be augmented with more advanced fault management and regenerative control systems for a more autonomous evolutionary system, as well as serving as a firm foundation for future regenerative life support systems. Emerging advanced software technology and tools can be successfully applied to fault management, but a fully automated life support system will require research and development of regenerative control systems and models. The baseline Environmental Control and Life Support System utilizes ground tests in development of batch chemical and microbial control processes. Long duration regenerative life support systems will require more active chemical and microbial feedback control systems which, in turn, will require advancements in regenerative life support models and tools. These models can be verified using ground and on orbit life support test and operational data, and used in the engineering analysis of proposed intelligent instrumentation feedback and flexible process control technologies for future autonomous regenerative life support systems, including the evolutionary Space Station Freedom ECLSS.

Hydrogel Design for Supporting Neurite Outgrowth and Promoting Gene Delivery to Maximize Neurite Extension

PubMed Central

Shepard, Jaclyn A.; Stevans, Alyson C.; Holland, Samantha; Wang, Christine E.; Shikanov, Ariella; Shea, Lonnie D.

2012-01-01

Hydrogels capable of gene delivery provide a combinatorial approach for nerve regeneration, with the hydrogel supporting neurite outgrowth and gene delivery inducing the expression of inductive factors. This report investigates the design of hydrogels that balance the requirements for supporting neurite growth with those requirements for promoting gene delivery. Enzymatically-degradable PEG hydrogels encapsulating dorsal root ganglia explants, fibroblasts, and lipoplexes encoding nerve growth factor were gelled within channels that can physically guide neurite outgrowth. Transfection of fibroblasts increased with increasing concentration of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) cell adhesion sites and decreasing PEG content. The neurite length increased with increasing RGD concentration within 10% PEG hydrogels, yet was maximal within 7.5% PEG hydrogels at intermediate RGD levels. Delivering lipoplexes within the gel produced longer neurites than culture in NGF-supplemented media or co-culture with cells exposed to DNA prior to encapsulation. Hydrogels designed to support neurite outgrowth and deliver gene therapy vectors locally may ultimately be employed to address multiple barriers that limit regeneration. PMID:22038654

Experiences in Interagency and International Interfaces for Mission Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dell, G. T.; Mitchell, W. J.; Thompson, T. W.; Cappellari, J. O., Jr.; Flores-Amaya, F.

1996-01-01

The Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GFSC) provides extensive support and products for Space Shuttle missions, expendable launch vehicle launches, and routine on-orbit operations for a variety of spacecraft. A major challenge in providing support for these missions is defining and generating the products required for mission support and developing the method by which these products are exchanged between supporting agencies. As interagency and international cooperation has increased in the space community, the FDD customer base has grown and with it the number and variety of external interfaces and product definitions. Currently, the FDD has working interfaces with the NASA Space and Ground Networks, the Johnson Space Center, the White Sands Complex, the Jet propulsion Laboratory (including the Deep Space Network), the United States Air Force, the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, the German Spaceflight Operations Center, the European Space Agency, and the National Space Development Agency of Japan. With the increasing spectrum of possible data product definitions and delivery methods, the FDD is using its extensive interagency experience to improve its support of established customers and to provide leadership in adapting/developing new interfaces. This paper describes the evolution of the interfaces between the FDD and its customers, discusses many of the joint activities ith these customers, and summarizes key lessons learned that can be applied to current and future support.

A study of diverse clinical decision support rule authoring environments and requirements for integration

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Efficient rule authoring tools are critical to allow clinical Knowledge Engineers (KEs), Software Engineers (SEs), and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to convert medical knowledge into machine executable clinical decision support rules. The goal of this analysis was to identify the critical success factors and challenges of a fully functioning Rule Authoring Environment (RAE) in order to define requirements for a scalable, comprehensive tool to manage enterprise level rules. Methods The authors evaluated RAEs in active use across Partners Healthcare, including enterprise wide, ambulatory only, and system specific tools, with a focus on rule editors for reminder and medication rules. We conducted meetings with users of these RAEs to discuss their general experience and perceived advantages and limitations of these tools. Results While the overall rule authoring process is similar across the 10 separate RAEs, the system capabilities and architecture vary widely. Most current RAEs limit the ability of the clinical decision support (CDS) interventions to be standardized, sharable, interoperable, and extensible. No existing system meets all requirements defined by knowledge management users. Conclusions A successful, scalable, integrated rule authoring environment will need to support a number of key requirements and functions in the areas of knowledge representation, metadata, terminology, authoring collaboration, user interface, integration with electronic health record (EHR) systems, testing, and reporting. PMID:23145874

Culture, science and the changing nature of fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Wolfe, Frederick; Walitt, Brian

2013-12-01

Fibromyalgia is a common but contested illness. Its definition and content have changed repeatedly in the 110 years of its existence. The most important change was the requirement for multiple tender points and extensive pain that arose in the 1980s, features that were not required previously. By 2010, a second shift occurred that excluded tender points, allowed less extensive pain, and placed reliance on patient-reported somatic symptoms and cognitive difficulties ('fibro fog') that had never been part of past definitions or content. Fibromyalgia is closely allied with and often indistinguishable from neurasthenia, a disorder of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that lost favour when it was perceived as being a psychological illness. Fibromyalgia's status as a 'real disease', rather than a psychocultural illness, is buttressed by social forces that include support from official criteria, patient and professional organizations, pharmaceutical companies, disability access, and the legal and academic communities.

FDA-Required Tobacco Product Inserts & Onserts–and the First Amendment.

PubMed

Lindblom, Eric N; Berman, Micah L; Thrasher, James F

In 2012, a federal court of appeals struck down an FDA rule requiring graphic health warnings on cigarettes as violating First Amendment commercial speech protections. Tobacco product inserts and onserts can more readily avoid First Amendment constraints while delivering more extensive information to tobacco users, and can work effectively to support and encourage smoking cessation. This paper examines FDA’s authority to require effective inserts and onserts and shows how FDA could design and support them to avoid First Amendment problems. Through this process, the paper offers helpful insights regarding how key Tobacco Control Act provisions can and should be interpreted and applied to follow and promote the statute’s purposes and objectives. The paper’s rigorous analysis of existing First Amendment case law relating to compelled commercial speech also provides useful guidance for any government efforts either to compel product disclosures or to require government messaging in or on commercial products or their advertising, whether done for remedial, purely informational, or behavior modification purposes.

NASA requirements and applications environments for electrical power wiring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stavnes, Mark W.; Hammoud, Ahmad N.

1992-01-01

Serious problems can occur from insulation failures in the wiring harnesses of aerospace vehicles. In most recorded incidents, the failures have been identified to be the result of arc tracking, the propagation of an arc along wiring bundles through degradation of insulation. Propagation of the arc can lead to the loss of the entire wiring harness and the functions which it supports. While an extensive database of testing for arc track resistant wire insulations has been developed for aircraft applications, the counterpart requirements for spacecraft are very limited. The electrical, thermal, mechanical, chemical, and operational requirements for specification and testing of candidate wiring systems for spacecraft applications is presented.

M&S Journal. Volume 8, Issue 2, Summer 2013

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Modeling Notation ( BPMN ) [White and Miers, 2008], and the integration of the modeling notation with executable simulation engines [Anupindi 2005...activities and the supporting IT in BPMN and use that to compute MOE for a mission instance. Requirements for Modeling Missions To understand the...representation versus impact computation tradeoffs we selected BPMN , along with some proposed extensions to represent information dependencies, as the

Telephone helplines as a source of support for eating disorders: Service user, carer, and health professional perspectives.

PubMed

Prior, Amie-Louise; Woodward, Debbie; Hoefkens, Toni; Clayton, Debbie; Thirlaway, Katie; Limbert, Caroline

2018-01-01

Access to care for eating disorders can be problematic for numerous reasons including lack of understanding and delays with treatment referrals. Previous research has highlighted the benefits of telephone helplines as an accessible source of support for those who may not wish to access face-to-face support or to fill a gap for those waiting for treatment. This study aimed to gain an insight into the perspectives of those who may use or refer others to a telephone helpline in order to identify the requirements of such a service. Triangulation of service user, carer and health professionals' perspectives resulted in identification of themes relating to the type of support, delivery and practicalities of a helpline. The findings indicated that telephone helplines may offer numerous benefits for individuals with an eating disorder, whether accessed as a first step, alongside treatment or as an extension of this support when in recovery. Additionally helplines may provide an opportunity for carers to access information and discuss their own experiences, while supporting their loved one. Raising awareness of these services is important to encourage those affected by an eating disorder to access and make the most of this type of support. These findings offer an insight into the key requirements for new and existing service development with regard to both the type of support and the method of communication required by individuals with eating disorders.

Integrating the visualization concept of the medical imaging interaction toolkit (MITK) into the XIP-Builder visual programming environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Ivo; Nolden, Marco; Schwarz, Tobias; Meinzer, Hans-Peter

2010-02-01

The Medical Imaging Interaction Toolkit (MITK) and the eXtensible Imaging Platform (XIP) both aim at facilitating the development of medical imaging applications, but provide support on different levels. MITK offers support from the toolkit level, whereas XIP comes with a visual programming environment. XIP is strongly based on Open Inventor. Open Inventor with its scene graph-based rendering paradigm was not specifically designed for medical imaging, but focuses on creating dedicated visualizations. MITK has a visualization concept with a model-view-controller like design that assists in implementing multiple, consistent views on the same data, which is typically required in medical imaging. In addition, MITK defines a unified means of describing position, orientation, bounds, and (if required) local deformation of data and views, supporting e.g. images acquired with gantry tilt and curved reformations. The actual rendering is largely delegated to the Visualization Toolkit (VTK). This paper presents an approach of how to integrate the visualization concept of MITK with XIP, especially into the XIP-Builder. This is a first step of combining the advantages of both platforms. It enables experimenting with algorithms in the XIP visual programming environment without requiring a detailed understanding of Open Inventor. Using MITK-based add-ons to XIP, any number of data objects (images, surfaces, etc.) produced by algorithms can simply be added to an MITK DataStorage object and rendered into any number of slice-based (2D) or 3D views. Both MITK and XIP are open-source C++ platforms. The extensions presented in this paper will be available from www.mitk.org.

Using Best Practices to Extract, Organize, and Reuse Embedded Decision Support Content Knowledge Rules from Mature Clinical Systems.

PubMed

DesAutels, Spencer J; Fox, Zachary E; Giuse, Dario A; Williams, Annette M; Kou, Qing-Hua; Weitkamp, Asli; Neal R, Patel; Bettinsoli Giuse, Nunzia

2016-01-01

Clinical decision support (CDS) knowledge, embedded over time in mature medical systems, presents an interesting and complex opportunity for information organization, maintenance, and reuse. To have a holistic view of all decision support requires an in-depth understanding of each clinical system as well as expert knowledge of the latest evidence. This approach to clinical decision support presents an opportunity to unify and externalize the knowledge within rules-based decision support. Driven by an institutional need to prioritize decision support content for migration to new clinical systems, the Center for Knowledge Management and Health Information Technology teams applied their unique expertise to extract content from individual systems, organize it through a single extensible schema, and present it for discovery and reuse through a newly created Clinical Support Knowledge Acquisition and Archival Tool (CS-KAAT). CS-KAAT can build and maintain the underlying knowledge infrastructure needed by clinical systems.

MPI-Defrost: Extension of Defrost to MPI-based Cluster Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, Mustafa A.; Easther, Richard; Finkel, Hal

2011-06-01

MPI-Defrost extends Frolov’s Defrost to an MPI-based cluster environment. This version has been restricted to a single field. Restoring two-field support should be straightforward, but will require some code changes. Some output options may also not be fully supported under MPI. This code was produced to support our own work, and has been made available for the benefit of anyone interested in either oscillon simulations or an MPI capable version of Defrost, and it is provided on an "as-is" basis. Andrei Frolov is the primary developer of Defrost and we thank him for placing his work under the GPL (GNU Public License), and thus allowing us to distribute this modified version.

37 CFR 1.730 - Applicant for extension of patent term; signature requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Applicant for extension of patent term; signature requirements. 1.730 Section 1.730 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED... for extension of patent term; signature requirements. (a) Any application for extension of a patent...

Classification of adults with problematic internet experiences: linking internet and conventional problems from a clinical perspective.

PubMed

Mitchell, Kimberly J; Finkelhor, David; Becker-Blease, Kathryn A

2007-06-01

This article utilizes data from clinical reports of 929 adults to examine whether various problematic Internet experiences are distinctly different from or extensions of conventional problems. A TwoStep Cluster Analysis identified three mutually exclusive groups of adults, those with (1) online relationship problems and victimization; (2) online and offline problems; and (3) marital discord. Results suggest some initial support for the idea that problematic Internet experiences are often extensions of experiences and behaviors that pre-date the Internet. However, the Internet may be introducing some qualitatively new dimensions-such as an increased severity, an increased frequency, or unique dynamics-that require new responses or interventions.

A Self-Tuning Kalman Filter for Autonomous Navigation Using the Global Positioning System (GPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truong, Son H.

1999-01-01

Most navigation systems currently operated by NASA are ground-based, and require extensive support to produce accurate results. Recently developed systems that use Kalman filter and GPS (Global Positioning Systems) data for orbit determination greatly reduce dependency on ground support, and have potential to provide significant economies for NASA spacecraft navigation. These systems, however, still rely on manual tuning from analysts. A sophisticated neuro-fuzzy component fully integrated with the flight navigation system can perform the self-tuning capability for the Kalman filter and help the navigation system recover from estimation errors in real time.

A Self-Tuning Kalman Filter for Autonomous Navigation using the Global Positioning System (GPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truong, S. H.

1999-01-01

Most navigation systems currently operated by NASA are ground-based, and require extensive support to produce accurate results. Recently developed systems that use Kalman filter and GPS data for orbit determination greatly reduce dependency on ground support, and have potential to provide significant economies for NASA spacecraft navigation. These systems, however, still rely on manual tuning from analysts. A sophisticated neuro-fuzzy component fully integrated with the flight navigation system can perform the self-tuning capability for the Kalman filter and help the navigation system recover from estimation errors in real time.

An object-oriented, knowledge-based system for cardiovascular rehabilitation--phase II.

PubMed Central

Ryder, R. M.; Inamdar, B.

1995-01-01

The Heart Monitor is an object-oriented, knowledge-based system designed to support the clinical activities of cardiovascular (CV) rehabilitation. The original concept was developed as part of graduate research completed in 1992. This paper describes the second generation system which is being implemented in collaboration with a local heart rehabilitation program. The PC UNIX-based system supports an extensive patient database organized by clinical areas. In addition, a knowledge base is employed to monitor patient status. Rule-based automated reasoning is employed to assess risk factors contraindicative to exercise therapy and to monitor administrative and statutory requirements. PMID:8563285

Hospital Based Customization of a Medical Information System

PubMed Central

Rath, Marilyn A.; Ferguson, Julie C.

1983-01-01

A Medical Information System must be current if it is to be a viable adjunct to patient care within a hospital setting. Hospital-based customization provides a means of achieving this timeliness with maximum user satisfaction. It, however, requires a major commitment in personnel time as well as additional software and training expenses. The enhanced control of system modifications and overall flexibility in planning the change process result in enthusiastic support of this approach by many hospitals. The key factors for success include careful selection of local personnel with adequate vendor support, extensive QA control, thorough auditing/validation and direct user involvement.

Sustaining “Meaningful Use” of Health Information Technology in Low-Resource Practices

PubMed Central

Green, Lee A.; Potworowski, Georges; Day, Anya; May-Gentile, Rachelle; Vibbert, Danielle; Maki, Bruce; Kiesel, Leslie

2015-01-01

PURPOSE The implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) has been extensively studied, but their maintenance once implemented has not. The Regional Extension Center (REC) program provides implementation assistance to priority practices—those with limited financial, technical, and organizational resources—but the assistance is time limited. Our objective was to identify potential barriers to maintenance of meaningful use of EHRs in priority primary care practices using a qualitative observational study for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and priority practices in Michigan. METHODS We conducted cognitive task analysis (CTA) interviews and direct observations of health information technology implementation in FQHCs. In addition, we conducted semistructured interviews with implementation specialists serving priority practices to detect emergent themes relevant to maintenance. RESULTS Maintaining EHR technology will require ongoing expert technical support indefinitely beyond implementation to address upgrades and security needs. Maintaining meaningful use for quality improvement will require ongoing support for leadership and change management. Priority practices not associated with larger systems lack access to the necessary technical expertise, financial resources, and leverage with vendors to continue alone. Rural priority practices are particularly challenged, because expertise is often not available locally. CONCLUSIONS Priority practices, especially in rural areas, are at high risk for falling on the wrong side of a “digital divide” as payers and regulators enact increasing expectations for EHR use and information management. For those without affiliation to maintain the necessary expert staff, ongoing support will be needed for those practices to remain viable. PMID:25583887

Sustaining "meaningful use" of health information technology in low-resource practices.

PubMed

Green, Lee A; Potworowski, Georges; Day, Anya; May-Gentile, Rachelle; Vibbert, Danielle; Maki, Bruce; Kiesel, Leslie

2015-01-01

The implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) has been extensively studied, but their maintenance once implemented has not. The Regional Extension Center (REC) program provides implementation assistance to priority practices-those with limited financial, technical, and organizational resources-but the assistance is time limited. Our objective was to identify potential barriers to maintenance of meaningful use of EHRs in priority primary care practices using a qualitative observational study for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and priority practices in Michigan. We conducted cognitive task analysis (CTA) interviews and direct observations of health information technology implementation in FQHCs. In addition, we conducted semistructured interviews with implementation specialists serving priority practices to detect emergent themes relevant to maintenance. Maintaining EHR technology will require ongoing expert technical support indefinitely beyond implementation to address upgrades and security needs. Maintaining meaningful use for quality improvement will require ongoing support for leadership and change management. Priority practices not associated with larger systems lack access to the necessary technical expertise, financial resources, and leverage with vendors to continue alone. Rural priority practices are particularly challenged, because expertise is often not available locally. Priority practices, especially in rural areas, are at high risk for falling on the wrong side of a "digital divide" as payers and regulators enact increasing expectations for EHR use and information management. For those without affiliation to maintain the necessary expert staff, ongoing support will be needed for those practices to remain viable. © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Taking Innovation To Scale In Primary Care Practices: The Functions Of Health Care Extension.

PubMed

Ono, Sarah S; Crabtree, Benjamin F; Hemler, Jennifer R; Balasubramanian, Bijal A; Edwards, Samuel T; Green, Larry A; Kaufman, Arthur; Solberg, Leif I; Miller, William L; Woodson, Tanisha Tate; Sweeney, Shannon M; Cohen, Deborah J

2018-02-01

Health care extension is an approach to providing external support to primary care practices with the aim of diffusing innovation. EvidenceNOW was launched to rapidly disseminate and implement evidence-based guidelines for cardiovascular preventive care in the primary care setting. Seven regional grantee cooperatives provided the foundational elements of health care extension-technological and quality improvement support, practice capacity building, and linking with community resources-to more than two hundred primary care practices in each region. This article describes how the cooperatives varied in their approaches to extension and provides early empirical evidence that health care extension is a feasible and potentially useful approach for providing quality improvement support to primary care practices. With investment, health care extension may be an effective platform for federal and state quality improvement efforts to create economies of scale and provide practices with more robust and coordinated support services.

Cognition and procedure representational requirements for predictive human performance models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corker, K.

1992-01-01

Models and modeling environments for human performance are becoming significant contributors to early system design and analysis procedures. Issues of levels of automation, physical environment, informational environment, and manning requirements are being addressed by such man/machine analysis systems. The research reported here investigates the close interaction between models of human cognition and models that described procedural performance. We describe a methodology for the decomposition of aircrew procedures that supports interaction with models of cognition on the basis of procedures observed; that serves to identify cockpit/avionics information sources and crew information requirements; and that provides the structure to support methods for function allocation among crew and aiding systems. Our approach is to develop an object-oriented, modular, executable software representation of the aircrew, the aircraft, and the procedures necessary to satisfy flight-phase goals. We then encode in a time-based language, taxonomies of the conceptual, relational, and procedural constraints among the cockpit avionics and control system and the aircrew. We have designed and implemented a goals/procedures hierarchic representation sufficient to describe procedural flow in the cockpit. We then execute the procedural representation in simulation software and calculate the values of the flight instruments, aircraft state variables and crew resources using the constraints available from the relationship taxonomies. The system provides a flexible, extensible, manipulative and executable representation of aircrew and procedures that is generally applicable to crew/procedure task-analysis. The representation supports developed methods of intent inference, and is extensible to include issues of information requirements and functional allocation. We are attempting to link the procedural representation to models of cognitive functions to establish several intent inference methods including procedural backtracking with concurrent search, temporal reasoning, and constraint checking for partial ordering of procedures. Finally, the representation is being linked to models of human decision making processes that include heuristic, propositional and prescriptive judgement models that are sensitive to the procedural content in which the valuative functions are being performed.

Experimental model: dye penetration of extensive interim restorations used during endodontic treatment while under load in a multiple axis chewing simulator.

PubMed

Jensen, Arna-Lee; Abbott, Paul V

2007-10-01

The purpose of this study was to design an experimental model that allowed extensive endodontic interim restorations to be tested for dye penetration while under simulated masticatory load. Extracted premolar teeth had standardized mesio-occluso-distal cavities prepared, and the root canals were instrumented. A cotton wool pellet was placed in the pulp chamber, and the cavities were restored with Cavit, IRM, Ketac-Fil Plus, Ketac-Silver, or composite resin (Z100). They were subjected to the equivalent of 3 months of clinical load while exposed to methylene blue dye. Results of this study could not support IRM as a suitable interim endodontic restorative material to use in extensive cavities. The dye penetration in the Ketac-Fil Plus and Ketac-Silver specimens was not predictable, and the results suggested Cavit and Z100 composite resin require further investigations as potentially useful materials for this purpose.

Recycling and source reduction for long duration space habitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hightower, T. M.

1992-01-01

A direct mathematical approach has been established for characterizing the performance of closed-loop life support systems. The understanding that this approach gives clearly illustrates the options available for increasing the performance of a life support system by changing various parameters. New terms are defined and utilized, such as Segregation Factor, Resource Recovery Efficiency, Overall Reclamation Efficiency, Resupply Reduction Factor, and Life Support Extension Factor. The effects of increases in expendable system supplies required due to increases in life support system complexity are shown. Minimizing resupply through increased recycling and source reduction is illustrated. The effects of recycling upon resupply launch cost is also shown. Finally, material balance analyses have been performed based on quantity and composition data for both supplies and wastes, to illustrate the use of this approach by comparing ten different closed-loop life support system cases.

Study of aerospace technology utilization in the civilian biomedical field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The treatment of patients with acute pulmonary or cardiovascular diseases is used to demonstrate the benefits to be derived from a more extensive application of NASA technology in public health care. Significant and rather universal problems faced by the medical profession and supporting services are identified. The required technology and specifications for its development and evaluation are delineated. Institutional relationships and collaboration needed to accomplish technology transfer are developed.

Cultural Momentum: The Impact of Agency on Foreign Area Officer Support to the Geographic Combatant Commands

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

extensive and highly successful military careers started in this personal and professional relationship, directly contributing to the humanitarian aid and...The Navy program, started in 2005, follows the Army’s single-track model for language- enabled officers. The Marine Corps’ program pre-dates the...adheres to its institutional personality against minimalist Joint FAO Program requirements. Before delving into the cases

Dipyridamole and paracetamol overdose resulting in multi-organ failure.

PubMed

Cullis, P S; Watson, D; Cameron, A; McKee, R F

2013-08-01

Dipyridamole intoxication is rare and few reports exist amongst the current literature. A case of dipyridamole and paracetamol overdose is described in a previously healthy 58-year-old woman, which resulted in multi-organ failure requiring dialysis, inotropic support, ventilation and extensive surgical intervention for small bowel ischaemia. This case highlights the dangers of an unusually large overdose of a commonly prescribed drug, and reviews current knowledge of dipyridamole intoxication.

Ethical aspects of aging research.

PubMed

Seppet, Enn; Pääsuke, Mati; Conte, Maria; Capri, Miriam; Franceschi, Claudio

2011-12-01

During the last 50-60 years, due to development of medical care and hygienically safe living conditions, the average life span of European citizens has substantially increased, with a rapid growth of the population older than 65 years. This trend places ever-growing medical and economical burden on society, as many of the older subjects suffer from age-related diseases and frailty. Coping with these problems requires not only appropriate medical treatment and social support but also extensive research in many fields of aging-from biology to sociology, with involvement of older people as the research subjects. This work anticipates development and application of ethical standards suited to dynamic advances in aging research. The aim of this review is to update the knowledge in ethical requirements toward recruitment of older research subjects, obtaining of informed consent, collection of biological samples, and use of stem cells in preclinical and clinical settings. It is concluded that application of adequate ethical platform markedly facilitates recruitment of older persons for participation in research. Currently, the basic ethical concepts are subjected to extensive discussion, with participation of all interested parties, in order to guarantee successful research on problems of human aging, protect older people from undesired interference, and afford their benefits through supporting innovations in research, therapy, and care.

Natural environment support guidelines for space shuttle tests and operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, E. A.; Brown, S. C.

1974-01-01

All space shuttle events from launch through solid rocket booster recovery and orbiter landing are considered in terms of constraints placed on those operations by the natural environment. Thunderstorm activity is discussed as an example of a possible hazard. The activities most likely to require advanced detection and monitoring techniques are identified as those from deorbit decision to Orbiter landing. The inflexible flight plan will require the transmission of real time wind profile information below 24 km and warnings of thunderstorms or turbulence in the Orbiter flight path. Extensive aerial reconnaissance and communication facilities and procedures to permit immediate transmission of aircraft reports to the mission control authority and to the Orbiter will also be required.

Habitat and logistic support requirements for the initiation of a space manufacturing enterprise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vajk, J. P.; Engel, J. H.; Shettler, J. A.

1979-01-01

A detailed scenario for the initiation of a space manufacturing enterprise using lunar materials to construct solar power satellites (SPS) was developed, with particular attention to habitat design and logistic support requirements. If SPS's can be constructed exclusively from lunar materials, the entire enterprise can be initiated in a 7 year period of launch activity (beginning as early as 1985) using the Space Shuttle and a low-cost, Shuttle-derived heavy lift vehicle. If additional chemical feedstocks must be imported from earth in significant quantities, it may be necessary to bring the next-generation launch vehicle (single-stage-to-orbit) into operation by 1991. The scenario presented features use of the mass-driver reaction engine for orbit-to-orbit transfer of cargos and makes extensive use of the expendable Shuttle external propellant tanks.

Organizing and Typing Persistent Objects Within an Object-Oriented Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madany, Peter W.; Campbell, Roy H.

1991-01-01

Conventional operating systems provide little or no direct support for the services required for an efficient persistent object system implementation. We have built a persistent object scheme using a customization and extension of an object-oriented operating system called Choices. Choices includes a framework for the storage of persistent data that is suited to the construction of both conventional file system and persistent object system. In this paper we describe three areas in which persistent object support differs from file system support: storage organization, storage management, and typing. Persistent object systems must support various sizes of objects efficiently. Customizable containers, which are themselves persistent objects and can be nested, support a wide range of object sizes in Choices. Collections of persistent objects that are accessed as an aggregate and collections of light-weight persistent objects can be clustered in containers that are nested within containers for larger objects. Automated garbage collection schemes are added to storage management and have a major impact on persistent object applications. The Choices persistent object store provides extensible sets of persistent object types. The store contains not only the data for persistent objects but also the names of the classes to which they belong and the code for the operation of the classes. Besides presenting persistent object storage organization, storage management, and typing, this paper discusses how persistent objects are named and used within the Choices persistent data/file system framework.

E-ELT requirements management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneller, D.

2014-08-01

The E-ELT has completed its design phase and is now entering construction. ESO is acting as prime contractor and usually procures subsystems, including their design, from industry. This, in turn, leads to a large number of requirements, whose validity, consistency and conformity with user needs requires extensive management. Therefore E-ELT Systems Engineering has chosen to follow a systematic approach, based on a reasoned requirement architecture that follows the product breakdown structure of the observatory. The challenge ahead is the controlled flow-down of science user needs into engineering requirements, requirement specifications and system design documents. This paper shows how the E-ELT project manages this. The project has adopted IBM DOORTM as a supporting requirements management tool. This paper deals with emerging problems and pictures potential solutions. It shows trade-offs made to reach a proper balance between the effort put in this activity and potential overheads, and the benefit for the project.

Conceptual study of on orbit production of cryogenic propellants by water electrolysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moran, Matthew E.

1991-01-01

The feasibility is assessed of producing cryogenic propellants on orbit by water electrolysis in support of NASA's proposed Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) missions. Using this method, water launched into low earth orbit (LEO) would be split into gaseous hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis in an orbiting propellant processor spacecraft. The resulting gases would then be liquified and stored in cryogenic tanks. Supplying liquid hydrogen and oxygen fuel to space vehicles by this technique has some possible advantages over conventional methods. The potential benefits are derived from the characteristics of water as a payload, and include reduced ground handling and launch risk, denser packaging, and reduced tankage and piping requirements. A conceptual design of a water processor was generated based on related previous studies, and contemporary or near term technologies required. Extensive development efforts would be required to adapt the various subsystems needed for the propellant processor for use in space. Based on the cumulative results, propellant production by on orbit water electrolysis for support of SEI missions is not recommended.

Logistics Modeling for Lunar Exploration Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andraschko, Mark R.; Merrill, R. Gabe; Earle, Kevin D.

2008-01-01

The extensive logistics required to support extended crewed operations in space make effective modeling of logistics requirements and deployment critical to predicting the behavior of human lunar exploration systems. This paper discusses the software that has been developed as part of the Campaign Manifest Analysis Tool in support of strategic analysis activities under the Constellation Architecture Team - Lunar. The described logistics module enables definition of logistics requirements across multiple surface locations and allows for the transfer of logistics between those locations. A key feature of the module is the loading algorithm that is used to efficiently load logistics by type into carriers and then onto landers. Attention is given to the capabilities and limitations of this loading algorithm, particularly with regard to surface transfers. These capabilities are described within the context of the object-oriented software implementation, with details provided on the applicability of using this approach to model other human exploration scenarios. Some challenges of incorporating probabilistics into this type of logistics analysis model are discussed at a high level.

A requirements specification for a software design support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noonan, Robert E.

1988-01-01

Most existing software design systems (SDSS) support the use of only a single design methodology. A good SDSS should support a wide variety of design methods and languages including structured design, object-oriented design, and finite state machines. It might seem that a multiparadigm SDSS would be expensive in both time and money to construct. However, it is proposed that instead an extensible SDSS that directly implements only minimal database and graphical facilities be constructed. In particular, it should not directly implement tools to faciliate language definition and analysis. It is believed that such a system could be rapidly developed and put into limited production use, with the experience gained used to refine and evolve the systems over time.

Farmer Experience of Pluralistic Agricultural Extension, Malawi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowa, Clodina; Garforth, Chris; Cardey, Sarah

2013-01-01

Purpose: Malawi's current extension policy supports pluralism and advocates responsiveness to farmer demand. We investigate whether smallholder farmers' experience supports the assumption that access to multiple service providers leads to extension and advisory services that respond to the needs of farmers. Design/methodology/approach: Within a…

Functional impairment in patients with sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis.

PubMed

Dunlap, Heather V; Macneil, Lauren G; Tarnopolsky, Mark A

2014-03-01

We conducted a retrospective chart review of 53 patients diagnosed with sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis (sIBM) who have been followed at the McMaster Neuromuscular Clinic since 1996. We reviewed patient medical histories in order to compare our findings with similar cohorts, and analyzed quantitative strength data to determine functionality in guiding decisions related to gait assistive devices. Patient information was acquired through retrospective clinic chart review. Our study found knee extension strength decreased significantly as patients transitioned to using more supportive gait assistive devices (P < 0.05). A decline to below 30 Nm was particularly indicative of the need for a preliminary device (i.e. cane)(P < 0.05). Falls and fear of falling poses a significant threat to patient physical well-being. The prevalence of dysphagia increased as patients required more supportive gait devices, and finally a significant negative correlation was found between time after onset and creatine kinase (CK) levels (P < 0.01). This study supports that knee extension strength may be a useful tool in advising patients concerning ambulatory assistance. Further investigations concerning gait assistive device use and patient history of falling would be beneficial in preventing future falls and improving long-term patient outcomes.

Arcjet thruster research and technology, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yano, Steve E.

1991-01-01

The principle objective of Phase 2 was to produce an engineering model N2H4 arcjet system which met typical performance, lifetime, environmental, and interface specifications required to support a 10-year N-S stationkeeping mission for a communications spacecraft. The system includes an N2H4 arcjet thruster, power conditioning unit (PCU), and the interconnecting power cable assembly. This objective was met with the successful conclusion of an extensive system test series.

Analytical Approaches to Guide SLS Fault Management (FM) Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Jonathan D.

2012-01-01

Extensive analysis is needed to determine the right set of FM capabilities to provide the most coverage without significantly increasing the cost, reliability (FP/FN), and complexity of the overall vehicle systems. Strong collaboration with the stakeholders is required to support the determination of the best triggers and response options. The SLS Fault Management process has been documented in the Space Launch System Program (SLSP) Fault Management Plan (SLS-PLAN-085).

A New Method to Measure Crack Extension in Nuclear Graphite Based on Digital Image Correlation

DOE PAGES

Lai, Shigang; Shi, Li; Fok, Alex; ...

2017-01-01

Graphite components, used as moderators, reflectors, and core-support structures in a High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor, play an important role in the safety of the reactor. Specifically, they provide channels for the fuel elements, control rods, and coolant flow. Fracture is the main failure mode for graphite, and breaching of the above channels by crack extension will seriously threaten the safety of a reactor. In this paper, a new method based on digital image correlation (DIC) is introduced for measuring crack extension in brittle materials. Cross-correlation of the displacements measured by DIC with a step function was employed to identify the advancingmore » crack tip in a graphite beam specimen under three-point bending. The load-crack extension curve, which is required for analyzing the R-curve and tension softening behaviors, was obtained for this material. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of the threshold value employed for the cross-correlation parameter in the crack identification process was conducted. Finally, the results were verified using the finite element method.« less

A New Method to Measure Crack Extension in Nuclear Graphite Based on Digital Image Correlation

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

Lai, Shigang; Shi, Li; Fok, Alex

Graphite components, used as moderators, reflectors, and core-support structures in a High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor, play an important role in the safety of the reactor. Specifically, they provide channels for the fuel elements, control rods, and coolant flow. Fracture is the main failure mode for graphite, and breaching of the above channels by crack extension will seriously threaten the safety of a reactor. In this paper, a new method based on digital image correlation (DIC) is introduced for measuring crack extension in brittle materials. Cross-correlation of the displacements measured by DIC with a step function was employed to identify the advancingmore » crack tip in a graphite beam specimen under three-point bending. The load-crack extension curve, which is required for analyzing the R-curve and tension softening behaviors, was obtained for this material. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of the threshold value employed for the cross-correlation parameter in the crack identification process was conducted. Finally, the results were verified using the finite element method.« less

Support of Multidimensional Parallelism in the OpenMP Programming Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele

2003-01-01

OpenMP is the current standard for shared-memory programming. While providing ease of parallel programming, the OpenMP programming model also has limitations which often effect the scalability of applications. Examples for these limitations are work distribution and point-to-point synchronization among threads. We propose extensions to the OpenMP programming model which allow the user to easily distribute the work in multiple dimensions and synchronize the workflow among the threads. The proposed extensions include four new constructs and the associated runtime library. They do not require changes to the source code and can be implemented based on the existing OpenMP standard. We illustrate the concept in a prototype translator and test with benchmark codes and a cloud modeling code.

ICESat-2 laser technology development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Ryan; Sawruk, Nick W.; Hovis, Floyd E.; Burns, Patrick; Wysocki, Theodore; Rudd, Joe; Walters, Brooke; Fakhoury, Elias; Prisciandaro, Vincent

2013-09-01

A number of ICESat-2 system requirements drove the technology evolution and the system architecture for the laser transmitter Fibertek has developed for the mission.. These requirements include the laser wall plug efficiency, laser reliability, high PRF (10kHz), short-pulse (<1.5ns), relatively narrow spectral line-width, and wave length tunability. In response to these requirements Fibertek developed a frequency-doubled, master oscillator/power amplifier (MOPA) laser that incorporates direct pumped diode pumped Nd:YVO4 as the gain media, Another guiding force in the system design has been extensive hardware life testing that Fibertek has completed. This ongoing hardware testing and development evolved the system from the original baseline brass board design to the more robust flight laser system. The final design meets or exceeds all NASA requirements and is scalable to support future mission requirements.

Autonomous Operations Planner: A Flexible Platform for Research in Flight-Deck Support for Airborne Self-Separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karr, David A.; Vivona, Robert A.; DePascale, Stephen M.; Wing, David J.

2012-01-01

The Autonomous Operations Planner (AOP), developed by NASA, is a flexible and powerful prototype of a flight-deck automation system to support self-separation of aircraft. The AOP incorporates a variety of algorithms to detect and resolve conflicts between the trajectories of its own aircraft and traffic aircraft while meeting route constraints such as required times of arrival and avoiding airspace hazards such as convective weather and restricted airspace. This integrated suite of algorithms provides flight crew support for strategic and tactical conflict resolutions and conflict-free trajectory planning while en route. The AOP has supported an extensive set of experiments covering various conditions and variations on the self-separation concept, yielding insight into the system s design and resolving various challenges encountered in the exploration of the concept. The design of the AOP will enable it to continue to evolve and support experimentation as the self-separation concept is refined.

A Data-Based Console Logger for Mission Operations Team Coordination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thronesbery, Carroll; Malin, Jane T.; Jenks, Kenneth; Overland, David; Oliver, Patrick; Zhang, Jiajie; Gong, Yang; Zhang, Tao

2005-01-01

Concepts and prototypes1,2 are discussed for a data-based console logger (D-Logger) to meet new challenges for coordination among flight controllers arising from new exploration mission concepts. The challenges include communication delays, increased crew autonomy, multiple concurrent missions, reduced-size flight support teams that include multidisciplinary flight controllers during quiescent periods, and migrating some flight support activities to flight controller offices. A spiral development approach has been adopted, making simple, but useful functions available early and adding more extensive support later. Evaluations have guided the development of the D-Logger from the beginning and continue to provide valuable user influence about upcoming requirements. D-Logger is part of a suite of tools designed to support future operations personnel and crew. While these tools can be used independently, when used together, they provide yet another level of support by interacting with one another. Recommendations are offered for the development of similar projects.

Calculating Trajectories And Orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alderson, Daniel J.; Brady, Franklyn H.; Breckheimer, Peter J.; Campbell, James K.; Christensen, Carl S.; Collier, James B.; Ekelund, John E.; Ellis, Jordan; Goltz, Gene L.; Hintz, Gerarld R.;

Taking Innovation To Scale In Primary Care Practices: The Functions Of Health Care Extension

PubMed Central

Ono, Sarah S.; Crabtree, Benjamin F.; Hemler, Jennifer R.; Balasubramanian, Bijal A.; Edwards, Samuel T.; Green, Larry A.; Kaufman, Arthur; Solberg, Leif I.; Miller, William L.; Woodson, Tanisha Tate; Sweeney, Shannon M.; Cohen, Deborah J.

2018-01-01

Health care extension is an approach to providing external support to primary care practices with the aim of diffusing innovation. EvidenceNOW was launched to rapidly disseminate and implement evidence-based guidelines for cardiovascular preventive care in the primary care setting. Seven regional grantee cooperatives provided the foundational elements of health care extension—technological and quality improvement support, practice capacity building, and linking with community resources—to more than two hundred primary care practices in each region. This article describes how the cooperatives varied in their approaches to extension and provides early empirical evidence that health care extension is a feasible and potentially useful approach for providing quality improvement support to primary care practices. With investment, health care extension may be an effective platform for federal and state quality improvement efforts to create economies of scale and provide practices with more robust and coordinated support services. PMID:29401016

Using Best Practices to Extract, Organize, and Reuse Embedded Decision Support Content Knowledge Rules from Mature Clinical Systems

PubMed Central

DesAutels, Spencer J.; Fox, Zachary E.; Giuse, Dario A.; Williams, Annette M.; Kou, Qing-hua; Weitkamp, Asli; Neal R, Patel; Bettinsoli Giuse, Nunzia

2016-01-01

Clinical decision support (CDS) knowledge, embedded over time in mature medical systems, presents an interesting and complex opportunity for information organization, maintenance, and reuse. To have a holistic view of all decision support requires an in-depth understanding of each clinical system as well as expert knowledge of the latest evidence. This approach to clinical decision support presents an opportunity to unify and externalize the knowledge within rules-based decision support. Driven by an institutional need to prioritize decision support content for migration to new clinical systems, the Center for Knowledge Management and Health Information Technology teams applied their unique expertise to extract content from individual systems, organize it through a single extensible schema, and present it for discovery and reuse through a newly created Clinical Support Knowledge Acquisition and Archival Tool (CS-KAAT). CS-KAAT can build and maintain the underlying knowledge infrastructure needed by clinical systems. PMID:28269846

Transcallosal Projections Require Glycoprotein M6-Dependent Neurite Growth and Guidance.

PubMed

Mita, Sakura; de Monasterio-Schrader, Patricia; Fünfschilling, Ursula; Kawasaki, Takahiko; Mizuno, Hidenobu; Iwasato, Takuji; Nave, Klaus-Armin; Werner, Hauke B; Hirata, Tatsumi

2015-11-01

The function of mature neurons critically relies on the developmental outgrowth and projection of their cellular processes. It has long been postulated that the neuronal glycoproteins M6a and M6b are involved in axon growth because these four-transmembrane domain-proteins of the proteolipid protein family are highly enriched on growth cones, but in vivo evidence has been lacking. Here, we report that the function of M6 proteins is required for normal axonal extension and guidance in vivo. In mice lacking both M6a and M6b, a severe hypoplasia of axon tracts was manifested. Most strikingly, the corpus callosum was reduced in thickness despite normal densities of cortical projection neurons. In single neuron tracing, many axons appeared shorter and disorganized in the double-mutant cortex, and some of them were even misdirected laterally toward the subcortex. Probst bundles were not observed. Upon culturing, double-mutant cortical and cerebellar neurons displayed impaired neurite outgrowth, indicating a cell-intrinsic function of M6 proteins. A rescue experiment showed that the intracellular loop of M6a is essential for the support of neurite extension. We propose that M6 proteins are required for proper extension and guidance of callosal axons that follow one of the most complex trajectories in the mammalian nervous system. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dietary restriction involves NAD⁺ -dependent mechanisms and a shift toward oxidative metabolism.

PubMed

Moroz, Natalie; Carmona, Juan J; Anderson, Edward; Hart, Anne C; Sinclair, David A; Blackwell, T Keith

2014-12-01

Interventions that slow aging and prevent chronic disease may come from an understanding of how dietary restriction (DR) increases lifespan. Mechanisms proposed to mediate DR longevity include reduced mTOR signaling, activation of the NAD⁺ -dependent deacylases known as sirtuins, and increases in NAD⁺ that derive from higher levels of respiration. Here, we explored these hypotheses in Caenorhabditis elegans using a new liquid feeding protocol. DR lifespan extension depended upon a group of regulators that are involved in stress responses and mTOR signaling, and have been implicated in DR by some other regimens [DAF-16 (FOXO), SKN-1 (Nrf1/2/3), PHA-4 (FOXA), AAK-2 (AMPK)]. Complete DR lifespan extension required the sirtuin SIR-2.1 (SIRT1), the involvement of which in DR has been debated. The nicotinamidase PNC-1, a key NAD⁺ salvage pathway component, was largely required for DR to increase lifespan but not two healthspan indicators: movement and stress resistance. Independently of pnc-1, DR increased the proportion of respiration that is coupled to ATP production but, surprisingly, reduced overall oxygen consumption. We conclude that stress response and NAD⁺ -dependent mechanisms are each critical for DR lifespan extension, although some healthspan benefits do not require NAD⁺ salvage. Under DR conditions, NAD⁺ -dependent processes may be supported by a DR-induced shift toward oxidative metabolism rather than an increase in total respiration. © 2014 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The conceptual foundation of environmental decision support.

PubMed

Reichert, Peter; Langhans, Simone D; Lienert, Judit; Schuwirth, Nele

2015-05-01

Environmental decision support intends to use the best available scientific knowledge to help decision makers find and evaluate management alternatives. The goal of this process is to achieve the best fulfillment of societal objectives. This requires a careful analysis of (i) how scientific knowledge can be represented and quantified, (ii) how societal preferences can be described and elicited, and (iii) how these concepts can best be used to support communication with authorities, politicians, and the public in environmental management. The goal of this paper is to discuss key requirements for a conceptual framework to address these issues and to suggest how these can best be met. We argue that a combination of probability theory and scenario planning with multi-attribute utility theory fulfills these requirements, and discuss adaptations and extensions of these theories to improve their application for supporting environmental decision making. With respect to (i) we suggest the use of intersubjective probabilities, if required extended to imprecise probabilities, to describe the current state of scientific knowledge. To address (ii), we emphasize the importance of value functions, in addition to utilities, to support decisions under risk. We discuss the need for testing "non-standard" value aggregation techniques, the usefulness of flexibility of value functions regarding attribute data availability, the elicitation of value functions for sub-objectives from experts, and the consideration of uncertainty in value and utility elicitation. With respect to (iii), we outline a well-structured procedure for transparent environmental decision support that is based on a clear separation of scientific prediction and societal valuation. We illustrate aspects of the suggested methodology by its application to river management in general and with a small, didactical case study on spatial river rehabilitation prioritization. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Continuation of research in software for space operations support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collier, Mark D.

1989-01-01

Software technologies relevant to workstation executives are discussed. Evaluations of problems, potential or otherwise, seen with IBM's Workstation Executive (WEX) 2.5 preliminary design and applicable portions of the 2.5 critical design are presented. Diverse graphics requirements of the Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center Upgrade (MCCU) are also discussed. The key is to use tools that are portable, compatible with the X window system, and best suited to the requirements of the associated application. This will include a User Interface Language (UIL), an interactive display builder, and a graphic plotting/modeling system. Work sheets are provided for POSIX 1003.4 real-time extensions and the requirements for the Center's automated information systems security plan, referred to as POSIX 1003.6, are discussed.

Designing berthing mechanisms for international compatibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winch, John; Gonzalez-Vallejo, Juan J.

1991-01-01

The paper examines the technological issues regarding common berthing interfaces for the Space Station Freedom and pressurized modules from U.S., European, and Japanese space programs. The development of the common berthing mechanism (CBM) is based on common requirements concerning specifications, launch environments, and the unique requirements of ESA's Man-Tended Free Flyer. The berthing mechanism is composed of an active and a passive half, a remote manipulator system, 4 capture-latch assemblies, 16 structural bolts, and a pressure gage to verify equalization. Extensive graphic and verbal descriptions of each element are presented emphasizing the capture-latch motion and powered-bolt operation. The support systems to complete the interface are listed, and the manufacturing requirements for consistent fabrication are discussed to ensure effective international development.

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

Arion is a library and tool set that enables researchers to holistically define test system models. To define a complex system for testing an algorithm or control requires expertise across multiple domains. Simulating a complex system requires the integration of multiple simulators and test hardware, each with their own specification languages and concepts. This requires extensive set of knowledge and capabilities. Arion was developed to alleviate this challenge. Arion is a library of Java libraries that abstracts the concepts from supported simulators into a cohesive model language that allows someone to build models to their needed level of fidelity andmore » expertise. Arion is also a software tool that translates the users model back into the specification languages of the simulators and test hardware needed for execution.« less

Cdc42 controls primary mesenchyme cell morphogenesis in the sea urchin embryo.

PubMed

Sepúlveda-Ramírez, Silvia P; Toledo-Jacobo, Leslie; Henson, John H; Shuster, Charles B

2018-05-15

In the sea urchin embryo, gastrulation is characterized by the ingression and directed cell migration of primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs), as well as the primary invagination and convergent extension of the endomesoderm. Like all cell shape changes, individual and collective cell motility is orchestrated by Rho family GTPases and their modulation of the actomyosin cytoskeleton. And while endomesoderm specification has been intensively studied in echinoids, much less is known about the proximate regulators driving cell motility. Toward these ends, we employed anti-sense morpholinos, mutant alleles and pharmacological inhibitors to assess the role of Cdc42 during sea urchin gastrulation. While inhibition of Cdc42 expression or activity had only mild effects on PMC ingression, PMC migration, alignment and skeletogenesis were disrupted in the absence of Cdc42, as well as elongation of the archenteron. PMC migration and patterning of the larval skeleton relies on the extension of filopodia, and Cdc42 was required for filopodia in vivo as well as in cultured PMCs. Lastly, filopodial extension required both Arp2/3 and formin actin-nucleating factors, supporting models of filopodial nucleation observed in other systems. Together, these results suggest that Cdc42 plays essential roles during PMC cell motility and organogenesis. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of the forearm support band on wrist extensor muscle fatigue.

PubMed

Knebel, P T; Avery, D W; Gebhardt, T L; Koppenhaver, S L; Allison, S C; Bryan, J M; Kelly, A

1999-11-01

A crossover experimental design with repeated measures. To determine whether the forearm support band alters wrist extensor muscle fatigue. Fatigue of the wrist extensor muscles is thought to be a contributing factor in the development of lateral epicondylitis. The forearm support band is purported to reduce or prevent symptoms of lateral epicondylitis but the mechanism of action is unknown. Fifty unimpaired subjects (36 men, 14 women; mean age = 29 +/- 6 years) were tested with and without a forearm support band before and after a fatiguing bout of exercise. Peak wrist extension isometric force, peak isometric grip force, and median power spectral frequency for wrist extensor electromyographic activity were measured before and after exercise and with and without the forearm support band. A 2 x 2 repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the data, followed by univariate analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple comparison tests. Peak wrist extension isometric force, peak grip isometric force, and median power spectral frequency were all reduced after exercise. However, there was a significant reduction in peak grip isometric force and peak wrist extension isometric force values for the with-forearm support band condition (grip force 28%, wrist extension force 26%) compared to the without-forearm support band condition (grip force 18%, wrist extension force 15%). Wearing the forearm support band increased the rate of fatigue in unimpaired individuals. Our findings do not support the premise that wearing the forearm support band reduces muscle fatigue in the wrist extensors.

Human subjects concerns in ground based ECLSS testing - Managing uncertainty in closely recycled systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crump, William J.; Janik, Daniel S.; Thomas, L. Dale

1990-01-01

U.S. space missions have to this point used water either made on board or carried from earth and discarded after use. For Space Station Freedom, long duration life support will include air and water recycling using a series of physical-chemical subsystems. The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) designed for this application must be tested extensively at all stages of hardware maturity. Human test subjects are required to conduct some of these tests, and the risks associated with the use of development hardware must be addressed. Federal guidelines for protection of human subjects require careful consideration of risks and potential benefits by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before and during testing. This paper reviews the ethical principles guiding this consideration, details the problems and uncertainties inherent in current hardware testing, and presents an incremental approach to risk assessment for ECLSS testing.

Reducing costs of managing and accessing navigation and ancillary data by relying on the extensive capabilities of NASA's spice system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Semenov, Boris V.; Acton, Charles H., Jr.; Bachman, Nathaniel J.; Elson, Lee S.; Wright, Edward D.

2005-01-01

The SPICE system of navigation and ancillary data possesses a number of traits that make its use in modern space missions of all types highly cost efficient. The core of the system is a software library providing API interfaces for storing and retrieving such data as trajectories, orientations, time conversions, and instrument geometry parameters. Applications used at any stage of a mission life cycle can call SPICE APIs to access this data and compute geometric quantities required for observation planning, engineering assessment and science data analysis. SPICE is implemented in three different languages, supported on 20+ computer environments, and distributed with complete source code and documentation. It includes capabilities that are extensively tested by everyday use in many active projects and are applicable to all types of space missions - flyby, orbiters, observatories, landers and rovers. While a customer's initial SPICE adaptation for the first mission or experiment requires a modest effort, this initial effort pays off because adaptation for subsequent missions/experiments is just a small fraction of the initial investment, with the majority of tools based on SPICE requiring no or very minor changes.

On the Perception of Speech Sounds as Biologically Significant Signals1,2

PubMed Central

Pisoni, David B.

2012-01-01

This paper reviews some of the major evidence and arguments currently available to support the view that human speech perception may require the use of specialized neural mechanisms for perceptual analysis. Experiments using synthetically produced speech signals with adults are briefly summarized and extensions of these results to infants and other organisms are reviewed with an emphasis towards detailing those aspects of speech perception that may require some need for specialized species-specific processors. Finally, some comments on the role of early experience in perceptual development are provided as an attempt to identify promising areas of new research in speech perception. PMID:399200

Gender-Sensitive Approaches to Extension Programme Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jafry, Tahseen; Sulaiman, V. Rasheed

2013-01-01

Purpose: Though women are engaged in farming and play a major role in almost every agricultural operation, they continue to receive very limited extension support. While several interventions have been made to address this "gender" bias in extension delivery, there continues to be a shortfall between the kind of support that is provided…

Extension Professionals' Perspectives on Supporting Feedstock Production for Biofuels: Concerns, Challenges, and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsend, Patricia A.; Haider, Nora M.; Asah, Stanley T.; Zobrist, Kevin W.

2016-01-01

The development of successful bioenergy programs will depend on informed and prepared Extension professionals who are willing and equipped to provide technical support. A survey of Extension professionals in the Pacific Northwest revealed barriers to program development, including limits on time and knowledge and concerns about economic returns…

The New FARM Program: A Model for Supporting Diverse Emerging Farmers and Early-Career Extension Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirrine, J. R.; Eschbach, Cheryl L.; Lizotte, Erin; Rothwell, N. L.

2016-01-01

As early-career Extension educators challenged by societal, structural, agricultural, and fiscal trends, we designed a multiyear educational program to support the diverse needs of emerging specialty crop producers in northwest Michigan. This article presents outcomes of that program. We explore how Extension professionals can develop impactful…

The Development of a Portable Modular Component Building System for the Armed Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-11-08

environment and provide optimum thermal comfort and energy performance throughout a wide climatic range. Finally, such a system would provide optimum user...I I I I I l i 56. ind thermal comfort . The low humidity of the atmosphere allows temperatures to fal. deeply at night so buildings constructed of hig...site topographies. Extensive support equipment is also required for their transport, erection and sustained thermal comfort for the occupants. Off the

Extension of a Computer Assisted Decision Support (CADS) Study to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 DM Treated by Primary Care Providers. Addendum

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

Type 2 diabetes (7-8). Hypertension is one of the most common co-morbidities associated with DM and substantially contributes to the macrovascular...challenged when attempting to upload their glucose data. Access to the patient portal , Diabetes Mellitus Everywhere (DME) in CDMP required installation of...antihypertensive treatment on cardiovascular disease risk in older diabetic patients with isolated systolic hypertension . Systolic hypertension in

The Pacific experience: supporting small island countries and territories to meet their 2012 International Health Regulations (2005) commitments.

PubMed

Craig, Adam; Kool, Jacob; Nilles, Eric

2013-01-01

By 15 June 2012, States Parties to the International Health Regulations (2005), or IHR (2005), were required to have established the core capacities required to implement Annex 1 of IHR (2005). The Pacific is home to 10 million people spread over 21 Pacific island countries and territories. Seven of those have populations of less than 25 000 people; 14 of the 21 Pacific island countries and territories are States Parties to the IHR (2005). The World Health Organization Division of the South Pacific embarked on an initiative to support Pacific Island States Parties meet their 15 June 2012 IHR obligations. We adapted the 2012 IHR Monitoring Questionnaire (IHRMQ) to assist Pacific island countries and territories determine if they had met the capacities required to implement Annex 1 of the IHR (2005). If a Pacific island country or territory determined that it had not yet met the requirements, it could use the assessment outcome to develop a plan to address identified gaps. Direct support was provided to 19 of 21 (91%) Pacific island countries and territories including 13 of 14 (93%) States Parties. Twelve of 14 (86%) fulfilled their requirements by 15 June 2012; those that had not yet met the requirements requested extensions and submitted plans describing how the IHR core capacities would be met. Adapting the 2012 IHRMQ for this purpose provided an efficient tool for assessing national capacity to implement Annex 1 of IHR (2005) and provided clear indication of what capacities required strengthening.

Modular space station Phase B extension preliminary performance specification. Volume 2: Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The four systems of the modular space station project are described, and the interfaces between this project and the shuttle project, the tracking and data relay satellite project, and an arbitrarily defined experiment project are defined. The experiment project was synthesized from internal experiments, detached research and application modules, and attached research and application modules to derive a set of interface requirements which will support multiple combinations of these elements expected during the modular space station mission. The modular space station project element defines a 6-man orbital program capable of growth to a 12-man orbital program capability. The modular space station project element specification defines the modular space station system, the premission operations support system, the mission operations support system, and the cargo module system and their interfaces.

75 FR 48921 - Administrative Guidance for Multistate Extension Activities and Integrated Research and Extension...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-12

.... Section 105 of AREERA amended the Smith-Lever Act to require that a specified amount of agricultural... Hatch Act and Smith-Lever Act to require that a specified amount of agricultural research and extension... Smith- Lever Act funds on multistate extension activities and 25 percent on integrated research and...

Towards an internal model in pilot training.

PubMed

Braune, R J; Trollip, S R

1982-10-01

Optimal decision making requires an information seeking behavior which reflects the comprehension of the overall system dynamics. Research in the area of human monitors in man-machine systems supports the notion of an internal model with built-in expectancies. It is doubtful that the current approach to pilot training helps develop this internal model in the most efficient way. But this is crucial since the role of the pilot is changing to a systems' manager and decision maker. An extension of the behavioral framework of pilot training might help to prepare the pilot better for the increasingly complex flight environment. This extension is based on the theoretical model of schema theory, which evolved out of psychological research. The technological advances in aircraft simulators and in-flight performance measurement devices allow investigation of the still-unresolved issues.

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

Holcomb, R.T.; Moore, J.G.; Lipman, P.W.

The GLORIA long-range sonar imaging system has revealed fields of large lava flows in the Hawaiian Trough east and south of Hawaii in water as deep as 5.5 km. Flows in the most extensive field (110 km long) have erupted from the deep submarine segment of Kilauea's east rift zone. Other flows have been erupted from Loihi and Mauna Loa. This discovery confirms a suspicion, long held from subaerial studies, that voluminous submarine flows are erupted from Hawaiian volcanoes, and it supports an inference that summit calderas repeatedly collapse and fill at intervals of centuries to millenia owing to voluminousmore » eruptions. These extensive flows differ greatly in form from pillow lavas found previously along shallower segments of the rift zones; therefore, revision of concepts of volcano stratigraphy and structure may be required.« less

Z-2 Suit Support Stand and MKIII Suit Center of Gravity Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Tuan Q.

2014-01-01

NASA's next generation spacesuits are the Z-Series suits, made for a range of possible exploration missions in the near future. The prototype Z-1 suit has been developed and assembled to incorporate new technologies that has never been utilized before in the Apollo suits and the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). NASA engineers tested the Z-1 suit extensively in order to developed design requirements for the new Z-2 suit. At the end of 2014, NASA will be receiving the new Z-2 suit to perform more testing and to further develop the new technologies of the suit. In order to do so, a suit support stand will be designed and fabricated to support the Z-2 suit during maintenance, sizing, and structural leakage testing. The Z-2 Suit Support Stand (Z2SSS) will be utilized for these purposes in the early testing stages of the Z-2 suit.

Surface profile control of FeNiPt/Pt core/shell nanowires for oxygen reduction reaction

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Huiyuan; Zhang, Sen; Su, Dong; ...

2015-03-18

The ever-increasing energy demand requires renewable energy schemes with low environmental impacts. Electrochemical energy conversion devices, such as fuel cells, combine fuel oxidization and oxygen reduction reactions and have been studied extensively for renewable energy applications. However, their energy conversion efficiency is often limited by kinetically sluggish chemical conversion reactions, especially oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). [1-5] To date, extensive efforts have been put into developing efficient ORR catalysts with controls on catalyst sizes, compositions, shapes and structures. [6-12] Recently, Pt-based catalysts with core/shell and one-dimensional nanowire (NW) morphologies were found to be promising to further enhance ORR catalysis.more » With the core/shell structure, the ORR catalysis of a nanoparticle (NP) catalyst can be tuned by both electronic and geometric effects at the core/shell interface. [10,13,14] With the NW structure, the catalyst interaction with the conductive support can be enhanced to facilitate electron transfer between the support and the NW catalyst and to promote ORR. [11,15,16]« less

Effects of inclusion on the academic achievement and adaptive behaviour of children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Dessemontet, R Sermier; Bless, G; Morin, D

2012-06-01

While an extensive body of research has examined the outcomes of inclusion for pupils with special needs, in particular learning disabilities, its effects on the development of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) have been less explored. As inclusive practices tend to be more common for this group of children, it is important to acquire more knowledge on this issue. A comparative study with an experimental group of 34 children with ID fully included in general education classrooms with support, and a control group of 34 comparable children in special schools has been conducted. The progress accomplished by these two groups in their academic achievement and adaptive behaviour has been compared over two school years. Included children made slightly more progress in literacy skills than children attending special schools. No differences were found between the progress of the two groups in mathematics and adaptive behaviour. Inclusive education is an appropriate educational option for primary pupils with ID who require extensive support in school. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Extensions to the Dynamic Aerospace Vehicle Exchange Markup Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brian, Geoffrey J.; Jackson, E. Bruce

2011-01-01

The Dynamic Aerospace Vehicle Exchange Markup Language (DAVE-ML) is a syntactical language for exchanging flight vehicle dynamic model data. It provides a framework for encoding entire flight vehicle dynamic model data packages for exchange and/or long-term archiving. Version 2.0.1 of DAVE-ML provides much of the functionality envisioned for exchanging aerospace vehicle data; however, it is limited in only supporting scalar time-independent data. Additional functionality is required to support vector and matrix data, abstracting sub-system models, detailing dynamics system models (both discrete and continuous), and defining a dynamic data format (such as time sequenced data) for validation of dynamics system models and vehicle simulation packages. Extensions to DAVE-ML have been proposed to manage data as vectors and n-dimensional matrices, and record dynamic data in a compatible form. These capabilities will improve the clarity of data being exchanged, simplify the naming of parameters, and permit static and dynamic data to be stored using a common syntax within a single file; thereby enhancing the framework provided by DAVE-ML for exchanging entire flight vehicle dynamic simulation models.

SPMBR: a scalable algorithm for mining sequential patterns based on bitmaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiwei; Zhang, Changhai

2013-12-01

Now some sequential patterns mining algorithms generate too many candidate sequences, and increase the processing cost of support counting. Therefore, we present an effective and scalable algorithm called SPMBR (Sequential Patterns Mining based on Bitmap Representation) to solve the problem of mining the sequential patterns for large databases. Our method differs from previous related works of mining sequential patterns. The main difference is that the database of sequential patterns is represented by bitmaps, and a simplified bitmap structure is presented firstly. In this paper, First the algorithm generate candidate sequences by SE(Sequence Extension) and IE(Item Extension), and then obtain all frequent sequences by comparing the original bitmap and the extended item bitmap .This method could simplify the problem of mining the sequential patterns and avoid the high processing cost of support counting. Both theories and experiments indicate that the performance of SPMBR is predominant for large transaction databases, the required memory size for storing temporal data is much less during mining process, and all sequential patterns can be mined with feasibility.

Disease model curation improvements at Mouse Genome Informatics

PubMed Central

Bello, Susan M.; Richardson, Joel E.; Davis, Allan P.; Wiegers, Thomas C.; Mattingly, Carolyn J.; Dolan, Mary E.; Smith, Cynthia L.; Blake, Judith A.; Eppig, Janan T.

2012-01-01

Optimal curation of human diseases requires an ontology or structured vocabulary that contains terms familiar to end users, is robust enough to support multiple levels of annotation granularity, is limited to disease terms and is stable enough to avoid extensive reannotation following updates. At Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI), we currently use disease terms from Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) to curate mouse models of human disease. While OMIM provides highly detailed disease records that are familiar to many in the medical community, it lacks structure to support multilevel annotation. To improve disease annotation at MGI, we evaluated the merged Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and OMIM disease vocabulary created by the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) project. Overlaying MeSH onto OMIM provides hierarchical access to broad disease terms, a feature missing from the OMIM. We created an extended version of the vocabulary to meet the genetic disease-specific curation needs at MGI. Here we describe our evaluation of the CTD application, the extensions made by MGI and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. Database URL: http://www.informatics.jax.org/ PMID:22434831

A model-driven privacy compliance decision support for medical data sharing in Europe.

PubMed

Boussi Rahmouni, H; Solomonides, T; Casassa Mont, M; Shiu, S; Rahmouni, M

2011-01-01

Clinical practitioners and medical researchers often have to share health data with other colleagues across Europe. Privacy compliance in this context is very important but challenging. Automated privacy guidelines are a practical way of increasing users' awareness of privacy obligations and help eliminating unintentional breaches of privacy. In this paper we present an ontology-plus-rules based approach to privacy decision support for the sharing of patient data across European platforms. We use ontologies to model the required domain and context information about data sharing and privacy requirements. In addition, we use a set of Semantic Web Rule Language rules to reason about legal privacy requirements that are applicable to a specific context of data disclosure. We make the complete set invocable through the use of a semantic web application acting as an interactive privacy guideline system can then invoke the full model in order to provide decision support. When asked, the system will generate privacy reports applicable to a specific case of data disclosure described by the user. Also reports showing guidelines per Member State may be obtained. The advantage of this approach lies in the expressiveness and extensibility of the modelling and inference languages adopted and the ability they confer to reason with complex requirements interpreted from high level regulations. However, the system cannot at this stage fully simulate the role of an ethics committee or review board.

The Yellowstone ‘hot spot’ track results from migrating Basin Range extension

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foulger, Gillian R.; Christiansen, Robert L.; Anderson, Don L.; Foulger, Gillian R.; Lustrino, Michele; King, Scott D.

2015-01-01

Whether the volcanism of the Columbia River Plateau, eastern Snake River Plain, and Yellowstone (western U.S.) is related to a mantle plume or to plate tectonic processes is a long-standing controversy. There are many geological mismatches with the basic plume model as well as logical flaws, such as citing data postulated to require a deep-mantle origin in support of an “upper-mantle plume” model. USArray has recently yielded abundant new seismological results, but despite this, seismic analyses have still not resolved the disparity of opinion. This suggests that seismology may be unable to resolve the plume question for Yellowstone, and perhaps elsewhere. USArray data have inspired many new models that relate western U.S. volcanism to shallow mantle convection associated with subduction zone processes. Many of these models assume that the principal requirement for surface volcanism is melt in the mantle and that the lithosphere is essentially passive. In this paper we propose a pure plate model in which melt is commonplace in the mantle, and its inherent buoyancy is not what causes surface eruptions. Instead, it is extension of the lithosphere that permits melt to escape to the surface and eruptions to occur—the mere presence of underlying melt is not a sufficient condition. The time-progressive chain of rhyolitic calderas in the eastern Snake River Plain–Yellowstone zone that has formed since basin-range extension began at ca. 17 Ma results from laterally migrating lithospheric extension and thinning that has permitted basaltic magma to rise from the upper mantle and melt the lower crust. We propose that this migration formed part of the systematic eastward migration of the axis of most intense basin-range extension. The bimodal rhyolite-basalt volcanism followed migration of the locus of most rapid extension, not vice versa. This model does not depend on seismology to test it but instead on surface geological observations.

A repository based on a dynamically extensible data model supporting multidisciplinary research in neuroscience.

PubMed

Corradi, Luca; Porro, Ivan; Schenone, Andrea; Momeni, Parastoo; Ferrari, Raffaele; Nobili, Flavio; Ferrara, Michela; Arnulfo, Gabriele; Fato, Marco M

2012-10-08

Robust, extensible and distributed databases integrating clinical, imaging and molecular data represent a substantial challenge for modern neuroscience. It is even more difficult to provide extensible software environments able to effectively target the rapidly changing data requirements and structures of research experiments. There is an increasing request from the neuroscience community for software tools addressing technical challenges about: (i) supporting researchers in the medical field to carry out data analysis using integrated bioinformatics services and tools; (ii) handling multimodal/multiscale data and metadata, enabling the injection of several different data types according to structured schemas; (iii) providing high extensibility, in order to address different requirements deriving from a large variety of applications simply through a user runtime configuration. A dynamically extensible data structure supporting collaborative multidisciplinary research projects in neuroscience has been defined and implemented. We have considered extensibility issues from two different points of view. First, the improvement of data flexibility has been taken into account. This has been done through the development of a methodology for the dynamic creation and use of data types and related metadata, based on the definition of "meta" data model. This way, users are not constrainted to a set of predefined data and the model can be easily extensible and applicable to different contexts. Second, users have been enabled to easily customize and extend the experimental procedures in order to track each step of acquisition or analysis. This has been achieved through a process-event data structure, a multipurpose taxonomic schema composed by two generic main objects: events and processes. Then, a repository has been built based on such data model and structure, and deployed on distributed resources thanks to a Grid-based approach. Finally, data integration aspects have been addressed by providing the repository application with an efficient dynamic interface designed to enable the user to both easily query the data depending on defined datatypes and view all the data of every patient in an integrated and simple way. The results of our work have been twofold. First, a dynamically extensible data model has been implemented and tested based on a "meta" data-model enabling users to define their own data types independently from the application context. This data model has allowed users to dynamically include additional data types without the need of rebuilding the underlying database. Then a complex process-event data structure has been built, based on this data model, describing patient-centered diagnostic processes and merging information from data and metadata. Second, a repository implementing such a data structure has been deployed on a distributed Data Grid in order to provide scalability both in terms of data input and data storage and to exploit distributed data and computational approaches in order to share resources more efficiently. Moreover, data managing has been made possible through a friendly web interface. The driving principle of not being forced to preconfigured data types has been satisfied. It is up to users to dynamically configure the data model for the given experiment or data acquisition program, thus making it potentially suitable for customized applications. Based on such repository, data managing has been made possible through a friendly web interface. The driving principle of not being forced to preconfigured data types has been satisfied. It is up to users to dynamically configure the data model for the given experiment or data acquisition program, thus making it potentially suitable for customized applications.

A repository based on a dynamically extensible data model supporting multidisciplinary research in neuroscience

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Robust, extensible and distributed databases integrating clinical, imaging and molecular data represent a substantial challenge for modern neuroscience. It is even more difficult to provide extensible software environments able to effectively target the rapidly changing data requirements and structures of research experiments. There is an increasing request from the neuroscience community for software tools addressing technical challenges about: (i) supporting researchers in the medical field to carry out data analysis using integrated bioinformatics services and tools; (ii) handling multimodal/multiscale data and metadata, enabling the injection of several different data types according to structured schemas; (iii) providing high extensibility, in order to address different requirements deriving from a large variety of applications simply through a user runtime configuration. Methods A dynamically extensible data structure supporting collaborative multidisciplinary research projects in neuroscience has been defined and implemented. We have considered extensibility issues from two different points of view. First, the improvement of data flexibility has been taken into account. This has been done through the development of a methodology for the dynamic creation and use of data types and related metadata, based on the definition of “meta” data model. This way, users are not constrainted to a set of predefined data and the model can be easily extensible and applicable to different contexts. Second, users have been enabled to easily customize and extend the experimental procedures in order to track each step of acquisition or analysis. This has been achieved through a process-event data structure, a multipurpose taxonomic schema composed by two generic main objects: events and processes. Then, a repository has been built based on such data model and structure, and deployed on distributed resources thanks to a Grid-based approach. Finally, data integration aspects have been addressed by providing the repository application with an efficient dynamic interface designed to enable the user to both easily query the data depending on defined datatypes and view all the data of every patient in an integrated and simple way. Results The results of our work have been twofold. First, a dynamically extensible data model has been implemented and tested based on a “meta” data-model enabling users to define their own data types independently from the application context. This data model has allowed users to dynamically include additional data types without the need of rebuilding the underlying database. Then a complex process-event data structure has been built, based on this data model, describing patient-centered diagnostic processes and merging information from data and metadata. Second, a repository implementing such a data structure has been deployed on a distributed Data Grid in order to provide scalability both in terms of data input and data storage and to exploit distributed data and computational approaches in order to share resources more efficiently. Moreover, data managing has been made possible through a friendly web interface. The driving principle of not being forced to preconfigured data types has been satisfied. It is up to users to dynamically configure the data model for the given experiment or data acquisition program, thus making it potentially suitable for customized applications. Conclusions Based on such repository, data managing has been made possible through a friendly web interface. The driving principle of not being forced to preconfigured data types has been satisfied. It is up to users to dynamically configure the data model for the given experiment or data acquisition program, thus making it potentially suitable for customized applications. PMID:23043673

NSI conference support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aaron, Susan

1991-01-01

One of the many services NSI provides as an extension of customer/user support is to attend major scientific conferences. The conference effort provides NASA/OSSA scientists with many benefits: (1) scientist get to see NSI in action; they utilize the network to read email, and have recently begun to demonstrate their scientific research to their colleagues; (2) scientist get an opportunity to meet and interact with NSI Staff, which gives scientists a chance to get status on their requirements, ask about network status, get acquainted with our procedures, and learn about services; and (3) scientists are exposed to networking in a larger sense; particularly by knowing about other NASA groups who provide valuable scientific resources over the Internet.

ERMHAN: A Context-Aware Service Platform to Support Continuous Care Networks for Home-Based Assistance

PubMed Central

Paganelli, Federica; Spinicci, Emilio; Giuli, Dino

2008-01-01

Continuous care models for chronic diseases pose several technology-oriented challenges for home-based continuous care, where assistance services rely on a close collaboration among different stakeholders such as health operators, patient relatives, and social community members. Here we describe Emilia Romagna Mobile Health Assistance Network (ERMHAN) a multichannel context-aware service platform designed to support care networks in cooperating and sharing information with the goal of improving patient quality of life. In order to meet extensibility and flexibility requirements, this platform has been developed through ontology-based context-aware computing and a service oriented approach. We also provide some preliminary results of performance analysis and user survey activity. PMID:18695739

A Fast Algorithm for the Convolution of Functions with Compact Support Using Fourier Extensions

DOE PAGES

Xu, Kuan; Austin, Anthony P.; Wei, Ke

2017-12-21

In this paper, we present a new algorithm for computing the convolution of two compactly supported functions. The algorithm approximates the functions to be convolved using Fourier extensions and then uses the fast Fourier transform to efficiently compute Fourier extension approximations to the pieces of the result. Finally, the complexity of the algorithm is O(N(log N) 2), where N is the number of degrees of freedom used in each of the Fourier extensions.

A Fast Algorithm for the Convolution of Functions with Compact Support Using Fourier Extensions

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

Xu, Kuan; Austin, Anthony P.; Wei, Ke

In this paper, we present a new algorithm for computing the convolution of two compactly supported functions. The algorithm approximates the functions to be convolved using Fourier extensions and then uses the fast Fourier transform to efficiently compute Fourier extension approximations to the pieces of the result. Finally, the complexity of the algorithm is O(N(log N) 2), where N is the number of degrees of freedom used in each of the Fourier extensions.

Developing an electronic health record (EHR) for methadone treatment recording and decision support

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In this paper, we give an overview of methadone treatment in Ireland and outline the rationale for designing an electronic health record (EHR) with extensibility, interoperability and decision support functionality. Incorporating several international standards, a conceptual model applying a problem orientated approach in a hierarchical structure has been proposed for building the EHR. Methods A set of archetypes has been designed in line with the current best practice and clinical guidelines which guide the information-gathering process. A web-based data entry system has been implemented, incorporating elements of the paper-based prescription form, while at the same time facilitating the decision support function. Results The use of archetypes was found to capture the ever changing requirements in the healthcare domain and externalises them in constrained data structures. The solution is extensible enabling the EHR to cover medicine management in general as per the programme of the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research. Conclusions The data collected via this Irish system can be aggregated into a larger dataset, if necessary, for analysis and evidence-gathering, since we adopted the openEHR standard. It will be later extended to include the functionalities of prescribing drugs other than methadone along with the research agenda at the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research in Ireland. PMID:21284849

Development of a Power Electronics Controller for the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leland, Douglas K.; Priest, Joel F.; Keiter, Douglas E.; Schreiber, Jeffrey G.

2008-01-01

Under a U.S. Department of Energy program for radioisotope power systems, Lockheed Martin is developing an Engineering Unit of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). This is an advanced version of the previously reported SRG110 generator. The ASRG uses Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs) developed by Sunpower Incorporated under a NASA Research Announcement contract. The ASRG makes use of a Stirling controller based on power electronics that eliminates the tuning capacitors. The power electronics controller synchronizes dual-opposed convertors and maintains a fixed frequency operating point. The controller is single-fault tolerant and uses high-frequency pulse width modulation to create the sinusoidal currents that are nearly in phase with the piston velocity, eliminating the need for large series tuning capacitors. Sunpower supports this effort through an extension of their controller development intended for other applications. Glenn Research Center (GRC) supports this effort through system dynamic modeling, analysis and test support. The ASRG design arrived at a new baseline based on a system-level trade study and extensive feedback from mission planners on the necessity of single-fault tolerance. This paper presents the baseline design with an emphasis on the power electronics controller detailed design concept that will meet space mission requirements including single fault tolerance.

Space Applications of Automation, Robotics and Machine Intelligence Systems (ARAMIS), phase 2. Volume 2: Telepresence project applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akin, D. L.; Minsky, M. L.; Thiel, E. D.; Kurtzman, C. R.

1983-01-01

The field of telepresence is defined and overviews of those capabilities that are now available, and those that will be required to support a NASA telepresence effort are provided. Investigation of NASA' plans and goals with regard to telepresence, extensive literature search for materials relating to relevant technologies, a description of these technologies and their state of the art, and projections for advances in these technologies over the next decade are included.

Modular space station phase B extension, preliminary system design. Volume 4: Subsystems analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antell, R. W.

1972-01-01

The subsystems tradeoffs, analyses, and preliminary design results are summarized. Analyses were made of the structural and mechanical, environmental control and life support, electrical power, guidance and control, reaction control, information, and crew habitability subsystems. For each subsystem a summary description is presented including subsystem requirements, subsystem description, and subsystem characteristics definition (physical, performance, and interface). The major preliminary design data and tradeoffs or analyses are described in detail at each of the assembly levels.

Interleaved concatenated codes: new perspectives on approaching the Shannon limit.

PubMed

Viterbi, A J; Viterbi, A M; Sindhushayana, N T

1997-09-02

The last few years have witnessed a significant decrease in the gap between the Shannon channel capacity limit and what is practically achievable. Progress has resulted from novel extensions of previously known coding techniques involving interleaved concatenated codes. A considerable body of simulation results is now available, supported by an important but limited theoretical basis. This paper presents a computational technique which further ties simulation results to the known theory and reveals a considerable reduction in the complexity required to approach the Shannon limit.

The Double Star Orbit Initial Value Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hensley, Hagan

2018-04-01

Many precise algorithms exist to find a best-fit orbital solution for a double star system given a good enough initial value. Desmos is an online graphing calculator tool with extensive capabilities to support animations and defining functions. It can provide a useful visual means of analyzing double star data to arrive at a best guess approximation of the orbital solution. This is a necessary requirement before using a gradient-descent algorithm to find the best-fit orbital solution for a binary system.

Accommodating complexity and human behaviors in decision analysis.

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

Backus, George A.; Siirola, John Daniel; Schoenwald, David Alan

2007-11-01

This is the final report for a LDRD effort to address human behavior in decision support systems. One sister LDRD effort reports the extension of this work to include actual human choices and additional simulation analyses. Another provides the background for this effort and the programmatic directions for future work. This specific effort considered the feasibility of five aspects of model development required for analysis viability. To avoid the use of classified information, healthcare decisions and the system embedding them became the illustrative example for assessment.

Maximization of the Supportable Number of Sensors in QoS-Aware Cluster-Based Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thi-Tham; Van Le, Duc; Yoon, Seokhoon

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a practical low-complexity MAC (medium access control) scheme for quality of service (QoS)-aware and cluster-based underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASN), in which the provision of differentiated QoS is required. In such a network, underwater sensors (U-sensor) in a cluster are divided into several classes, each of which has a different QoS requirement. The major problem considered in this paper is the maximization of the number of nodes that a cluster can accommodate while still providing the required QoS for each class in terms of the PDR (packet delivery ratio). In order to address the problem, we first estimate the packet delivery probability (PDP) and use it to formulate an optimization problem to determine the optimal value of the maximum packet retransmissions for each QoS class. The custom greedy and interior-point algorithms are used to find the optimal solutions, which are verified by extensive simulations. The simulation results show that, by solving the proposed optimization problem, the supportable number of underwater sensor nodes can be maximized while satisfying the QoS requirements for each class. PMID:24608009

Maximization of the supportable number of sensors in QoS-aware cluster-based underwater acoustic sensor networks.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thi-Tham; Le, Duc Van; Yoon, Seokhoon

2014-03-07

This paper proposes a practical low-complexity MAC (medium access control) scheme for quality of service (QoS)-aware and cluster-based underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASN), in which the provision of differentiated QoS is required. In such a network, underwater sensors (U-sensor) in a cluster are divided into several classes, each of which has a different QoS requirement. The major problem considered in this paper is the maximization of the number of nodes that a cluster can accommodate while still providing the required QoS for each class in terms of the PDR (packet delivery ratio). In order to address the problem, we first estimate the packet delivery probability (PDP) and use it to formulate an optimization problem to determine the optimal value of the maximum packet retransmissions for each QoS class. The custom greedy and interior-point algorithms are used to find the optimal solutions, which are verified by extensive simulations. The simulation results show that, by solving the proposed optimization problem, the supportable number of underwater sensor nodes can be maximized while satisfying the QoS requirements for each class.

Subscale Carbon-Carbon Nozzle Extension Development and Hot Fire Testing in Support of Upper Stage Liquid Rocket Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gradl, Paul; Valentine, Peter; Crisanti, Matthew; Greene, Sandy Elam

2016-01-01

Upper stage and in-space liquid rocket engines are optimized for performance through the use of high area ratio nozzles to fully expand combustion gases to low exit pressures increasing exhaust velocities. Due to the large size of such nozzles and the related engine performance requirements, carbon-carbon (C/C) composite nozzle extensions are being considered for use in order to reduce weight impacts. NASA and industry partner Carbon-Carbon Advanced Technologies (C-CAT) are working towards advancing the technology readiness level of large-scale, domestically-fabricated, C/C nozzle extensions. These C/C extensions have the ability to reduce the overall costs of extensions relative to heritage metallic and composite extensions and to decrease weight by 50%. Material process and coating developments have advanced over the last several years, but hot fire testing to fully evaluate C/C nozzle extensions in relevant environments has been very limited. NASA and C-CAT have designed, fabricated and hot fire tested multiple subscale nozzle extension test articles of various C/C material systems, with the goal of assessing and advancing the manufacturability of these domestically producible materials as well as characterizing their performance when subjected to the typical environments found in a variety of liquid rocket and scramjet engines. Testing at the MSFC Test Stand 115 evaluated heritage and state-of-the-art C/C materials and coatings, demonstrating the capabilities of the high temperature materials and their fabrication methods. This paper discusses the design and fabrication of the 1.2k-lbf sized carbon-carbon nozzle extensions, provides an overview of the test campaign, presents results of the hot fire testing, and discusses potential follow-on development work.

7 CFR 3419.3 - Determination of non-Federal sources of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FORMULA FUNDS AT 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING TUSKEGEE... agricultural research, extension, and qualified educational activity to meet the matching requirements of...

Autophagy and leucine promote chronological longevity and respiration proficiency during calorie restriction in yeast.

PubMed

Aris, John P; Alvers, Ashley L; Ferraiuolo, Roy A; Fishwick, Laura K; Hanvivatpong, Amanda; Hu, Doreen; Kirlew, Christine; Leonard, Michael T; Losin, Kyle J; Marraffini, Michelle; Seo, Arnold Y; Swanberg, Veronica; Westcott, Jennifer L; Wood, Michael S; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Dunn, William A

2013-10-01

We have previously shown that autophagy is required for chronological longevity in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we examine the requirements for autophagy during extension of chronological life span (CLS) by calorie restriction (CR). We find that autophagy is upregulated by two CR interventions that extend CLS: water wash CR and low glucose CR. Autophagy is required for full extension of CLS during water wash CR under all growth conditions tested. In contrast, autophagy was not uniformly required for full extension of CLS during low glucose CR, depending on the atg allele and strain genetic background. Leucine status influenced CLS during CR. Eliminating the leucine requirement in yeast strains or adding supplemental leucine to growth media extended CLS during CR. In addition, we observed that both water wash and low glucose CR promote mitochondrial respiration proficiency during aging of autophagy-deficient yeast. In general, the extension of CLS by water wash or low glucose CR was inversely related to respiration deficiency in autophagy-deficient cells. Also, autophagy is required for full extension of CLS under non-CR conditions in buffered media, suggesting that extension of CLS during CR is not solely due to reduced medium acidity. Thus, our findings show that autophagy is: (1) induced by CR, (2) required for full extension of CLS by CR in most cases (depending on atg allele, strain, and leucine availability) and, (3) promotes mitochondrial respiration proficiency during aging under CR conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autophagy and leucine promote chronological longevity and respiration proficiency during calorie restriction in yeast

PubMed Central

Aris, John P.; Alvers, Ashley L.; Ferraiuolo, Roy A.; Fishwick, Laura K.; Hanvivatpong, Amanda; Hu, Doreen; Kirlew, Christine; Leonard, Michael T.; Losin, Kyle J.; Marraffini, Michelle; Seo, Arnold Y.; Swanberg, Veronica; Westcott, Jennifer L.; Wood, Michael S.; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Dunn, William A.

2013-01-01

We have previously shown that autophagy is required for chronological longevity in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we examine the requirements for autophagy during extension of chronological life span (CLS) by calorie restriction (CR). We find that autophagy is upregulated by two CR interventions that extend CLS: water wash CR and low glucose CR. Autophagy is required for full extension of CLS during water wash CR under all growth conditions tested. In contrast, autophagy was not uniformly required for full extension of CLS during low glucose CR, depending on the atg allele and strain genetic background. Leucine status influenced CLS during CR. Eliminating the leucine requirement in yeast strains or adding supplemental leucine to growth media extended CLS during CR. In addition, we observed that both water wash and low glucose CR promote mitochondrial respiration proficiency during aging of autophagy-deficient yeast. In general, the extension of CLS by water wash or low glucose CR was inversely related to respiration deficiency in autophagy-deficient cells. Also, autophagy is required for full extension of CLS under non-CR conditions in buffered media, suggesting that extension of CLS during CR is not solely due to reduced medium acidity. Thus, our findings show that autophagy is: (1) induced by CR, (2) required for full extension of CLS by CR in most cases (depending on atg allele, strain, and leucine availability) and, (3) promotes mitochondrial respiration proficiency during aging under CR conditions. PMID:23337777

Nuclear reactor pressure vessel support system

DOEpatents

Sepelak, George R.

1978-01-01

A support system for nuclear reactor pressure vessels which can withstand all possible combinations of stresses caused by a postulated core disrupting accident during reactor operation. The nuclear reactor pressure vessel is provided with a flange around the upper periphery thereof, and the flange includes an annular vertical extension formed integral therewith. A support ring is positioned atop of the support ledge and the flange vertical extension, and is bolted to both members. The plug riser is secured to the flange vertical extension and to the top of a radially outwardly extension of the rotatable plug. This system eliminates one joint through which fluids contained in the vessel could escape by making the fluid flow path through the joint between the flange and the support ring follow the same path through which fluid could escape through the plug risers. In this manner, the sealing means to prohibit the escape of contained fluids through the plug risers can also prohibit the escape of contained fluid through the securing joint.

Surgical model-view-controller simulation software framework for local and collaborative applications

PubMed Central

Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Halic, Tansel; Arikatla, Venkata Sreekanth; Lu, Zhonghua; De, Suvranu

2010-01-01

Purpose Surgical simulations require haptic interactions and collaboration in a shared virtual environment. A software framework for decoupled surgical simulation based on a multi-controller and multi-viewer model-view-controller (MVC) pattern was developed and tested. Methods A software framework for multimodal virtual environments was designed, supporting both visual interactions and haptic feedback while providing developers with an integration tool for heterogeneous architectures maintaining high performance, simplicity of implementation, and straightforward extension. The framework uses decoupled simulation with updates of over 1,000 Hz for haptics and accommodates networked simulation with delays of over 1,000 ms without performance penalty. Results The simulation software framework was implemented and was used to support the design of virtual reality-based surgery simulation systems. The framework supports the high level of complexity of such applications and the fast response required for interaction with haptics. The efficacy of the framework was tested by implementation of a minimally invasive surgery simulator. Conclusion A decoupled simulation approach can be implemented as a framework to handle simultaneous processes of the system at the various frame rates each process requires. The framework was successfully used to develop collaborative virtual environments (VEs) involving geographically distributed users connected through a network, with the results comparable to VEs for local users. PMID:20714933

Surgical model-view-controller simulation software framework for local and collaborative applications.

PubMed

Maciel, Anderson; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Halic, Tansel; Arikatla, Venkata Sreekanth; Lu, Zhonghua; De, Suvranu

2011-07-01

Surgical simulations require haptic interactions and collaboration in a shared virtual environment. A software framework for decoupled surgical simulation based on a multi-controller and multi-viewer model-view-controller (MVC) pattern was developed and tested. A software framework for multimodal virtual environments was designed, supporting both visual interactions and haptic feedback while providing developers with an integration tool for heterogeneous architectures maintaining high performance, simplicity of implementation, and straightforward extension. The framework uses decoupled simulation with updates of over 1,000 Hz for haptics and accommodates networked simulation with delays of over 1,000 ms without performance penalty. The simulation software framework was implemented and was used to support the design of virtual reality-based surgery simulation systems. The framework supports the high level of complexity of such applications and the fast response required for interaction with haptics. The efficacy of the framework was tested by implementation of a minimally invasive surgery simulator. A decoupled simulation approach can be implemented as a framework to handle simultaneous processes of the system at the various frame rates each process requires. The framework was successfully used to develop collaborative virtual environments (VEs) involving geographically distributed users connected through a network, with the results comparable to VEs for local users.

Cell migration, intercalation and growth regulate mammalian cochlear extension.

PubMed

Driver, Elizabeth Carroll; Northrop, Amy; Kelley, Matthew W

2017-10-15

Developmental remodeling of the sensory epithelium of the cochlea is required for the formation of an elongated, tonotopically organized auditory organ, but the cellular processes that mediate these events are largely unknown. We used both morphological assessments of cellular rearrangements and time-lapse imaging to visualize cochlear remodeling in mouse. Analysis of cell redistribution showed that the cochlea extends through a combination of radial intercalation and cell growth. Live imaging demonstrated that concomitant cellular intercalation results in a brief period of epithelial convergence, although subsequent changes in cell size lead to medial-lateral spreading. Supporting cells, which retain contact with the basement membrane, exhibit biased protrusive activity and directed movement along the axis of extension. By contrast, hair cells lose contact with the basement membrane, but contribute to continued outgrowth through increased cell size. Regulation of cellular protrusions, movement and intercalation within the cochlea all require myosin II. These results establish, for the first time, many of the cellular processes that drive the distribution of sensory cells along the tonotopic axis of the cochlea. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Space shuttle propulsion systems on-board checkout and monitoring system development study (extension). Volume 2: Guidelines for for incorporation of the onboard checkout and monitoring function on the space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Guidelines are presented for incorporation of the onboard checkout and monitoring function (OCMF) into the designs of the space shuttle propulsion systems. The guidelines consist of and identify supporting documentation; requirements for formulation, implementation, and integration of OCMF; associated compliance verification techniques and requirements; and OCMF terminology and nomenclature. The guidelines are directly applicable to the incorporation of OCMF into the design of space shuttle propulsion systems and the equipment with which the propulsion systems interface. The techniques and general approach, however, are also generally applicable to OCMF incorporation into the design of other space shuttle systems.

Coverage and control of constellations of elliptical inclined frozen lunar orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ely, Todd A.

2005-01-01

A great deal of scientific interest exists regarding the permanently shadowed craters near the poles of the Moon where there may be frozen volatiles. These regions, particularly the Moon's South Pole, have been proposed for extensive robotic and human exploration. Unfortunately, they are typically not in view of Earth, and would require some form of communication relay to facilitate exploration via robotic and/or human missions. One solution for such a relay is a long-lived constellation of lunar telecommunication orbiters providing focused coverage at the pole of interest. Robust support requires this coverage to be continuous, redundant, and, in order to minimize costs, this constellation should consist of 3 satellites or fewer.

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

McCoy, Michel; Archer, Bill; Hendrickson, Bruce

The Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) is an integrated technical program for maintaining the safety, surety, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The SSP uses nuclear test data, computational modeling and simulation, and experimental facilities to advance understanding of nuclear weapons. It includes stockpile surveillance, experimental research, development and engineering programs, and an appropriately scaled production capability to support stockpile requirements. This integrated national program requires the continued use of experimental facilities and programs, and the computational capabilities to support these programs. The Advanced Simulation and Computing Program (ASC) is a cornerstone of the SSP, providing simulation capabilities and computationalmore » resources that support annual stockpile assessment and certification, study advanced nuclear weapons design and manufacturing processes, analyze accident scenarios and weapons aging, and provide the tools to enable stockpile Life Extension Programs (LEPs) and the resolution of Significant Finding Investigations (SFIs). This requires a balance of resource, including technical staff, hardware, simulation software, and computer science solutions. ASC is now focused on increasing predictive capabilities in a three-dimensional (3D) simulation environment while maintaining support to the SSP. The program continues to improve its unique tools for solving progressively more difficult stockpile problems (sufficient resolution, dimensionality, and scientific details), and quantifying critical margins and uncertainties. Resolving each issue requires increasingly difficult analyses because the aging process has progressively moved the stockpile further away from the original test base. Where possible, the program also enables the use of high performance computing (HPC) and simulation tools to address broader national security needs, such as foreign nuclear weapon assessments and counter nuclear terrorism.« less

Adaptations Required for Mitochondrial Import following Mitochondrial to Nucleus Gene Transfer of Ribosomal Protein S101[w

PubMed Central

Murcha, Monika W.; Rudhe, Charlotta; Elhafez, Dina; Adams, Keith L.; Daley, Daniel O.; Whelan, James

2005-01-01

The minimal requirements to support protein import into mitochondria were investigated in the context of the phenomenon of ongoing gene transfer from the mitochondrion to the nucleus in plants. Ribosomal protein 10 of the small subunit is encoded in the mitochondrion in soybean and many other angiosperms, whereas in several other species it is nuclear encoded and thus must be imported into the mitochondrial matrix to function. When encoded by the nuclear genome, it has adopted different strategies for mitochondrial targeting and import. In lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and carrot (Daucus carota), Rps10 independently gained different N-terminal extensions from other genes, following transfer to the nucleus. (The designation of Rps10 follows the following convention. The gene is indicated in italics. If encoded in the mitochondrion, it is rps10; if encoded in the nucleus, it is Rps10.) Here, we show that the N-terminal extensions of Rps10 in lettuce and carrot are both essential for mitochondrial import. In maize (Zea mays), Rps10 has not acquired an extension upon transfer but can be readily imported into mitochondria. Deletion analysis located the mitochondrial targeting region to the first 20 amino acids. Using site directed mutagenesis, we changed residues in the first 20 amino acids of the mitochondrial encoded soybean (Glycine max) rps10 to the corresponding amino acids in the nuclear encoded maize Rps10 until import was achieved. Changes were required that altered charge, hydrophobicity, predicted ability to form an amphiphatic α-helix, and generation of a binding motif for the outer mitochondrial membrane receptor, translocase of the outer membrane 20. In addition to defining the changes required to achieve mitochondrial localization, the results demonstrate that even proteins that do not present barriers to import can require substantial changes to acquire a mitochondrial targeting signal. PMID:16040655

TOSCA-based orchestration of complex clusters at the IaaS level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caballer, M.; Donvito, G.; Moltó, G.; Rocha, R.; Velten, M.

2017-10-01

This paper describes the adoption and extension of the TOSCA standard by the INDIGO-DataCloud project for the definition and deployment of complex computing clusters together with the required support in both OpenStack and OpenNebula, carried out in close collaboration with industry partners such as IBM. Two examples of these clusters are described in this paper, the definition of an elastic computing cluster to support the Galaxy bioinformatics application where the nodes are dynamically added and removed from the cluster to adapt to the workload, and the definition of an scalable Apache Mesos cluster for the execution of batch jobs and support for long-running services. The coupling of TOSCA with Ansible Roles to perform automated installation has resulted in the definition of high-level, deterministic templates to provision complex computing clusters across different Cloud sites.

Sequencing intractable DNA to close microbial genomes.

PubMed

Hurt, Richard A; Brown, Steven D; Podar, Mircea; Palumbo, Anthony V; Elias, Dwayne A

2012-01-01

Advancement in high throughput DNA sequencing technologies has supported a rapid proliferation of microbial genome sequencing projects, providing the genetic blueprint for in-depth studies. Oftentimes, difficult to sequence regions in microbial genomes are ruled "intractable" resulting in a growing number of genomes with sequence gaps deposited in databases. A procedure was developed to sequence such problematic regions in the "non-contiguous finished" Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132 genome (6 intractable gaps) and the Desulfovibrio africanus genome (1 intractable gap). The polynucleotides surrounding each gap formed GC rich secondary structures making the regions refractory to amplification and sequencing. Strand-displacing DNA polymerases used in concert with a novel ramped PCR extension cycle supported amplification and closure of all gap regions in both genomes. The developed procedures support accurate gene annotation, and provide a step-wise method that reduces the effort required for genome finishing.

A Fortran-90 Based Multiprecision System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, David H.; Lasinski, T. A. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The author has developed a new version of his Fortran multiprecision computation system that is based on the Fortran-90 language. With this new approach, a translator program is not required - translation of Fortran code for multiprecision is accomplished by merely utilizing advanced features of Fortran-90, such as derived data types and operator extensions. This approach results in more reliable translation and also permits programmers of multiprecision applications to utilize the full power of the Fortran-90 language. Three multiprecision datatypes are supported in this system: multiprecision integer. real and complex. All the usual Fortran conventions for mixed mode operations are supported, and many of the Fortran intrinsics, such as SIN, EXP and MOD, are supported with multiprecision arguments. This paper also briefly describes an interesting application of this software, wherein new number-theoretic identities have been discovered by means of multiprecision computations.

Complications with computer-aided designed/computer-assisted manufactured titanium and soldered gold bars for mandibular implant-overdentures: short-term observations.

PubMed

Katsoulis, Joannis; Wälchli, Julia; Kobel, Simone; Gholami, Hadi; Mericske-Stern, Regina

2015-01-01

Implant-overdentures supported by rigid bars provide stability in the edentulous atrophic mandible. However, fractures of solder joints and matrices, and loosening of screws and matrices were observed with soldered gold bars (G-bars). Computer-aided designed/computer-assisted manufactured (CAD/CAM) titanium bars (Ti-bars) may reduce technical complications due to enhanced material quality. To compare prosthetic-technical maintenance service of mandibular implant-overdentures supported by CAD/CAM Ti-bar and soldered G-bar. Edentulous patients were consecutively admitted for implant-prosthodontic treatment with a maxillary complete denture and a mandibular implant-overdenture connected to a rigid G-bar or Ti-bar. Maintenance service and problems with the implant-retention device complex and the prosthesis were recorded during minimally 3-4 years. Annual peri-implant crestal bone level changes (ΔBIC) were radiographically assessed. Data of 213 edentulous patients (mean age 68 ± 10 years), who had received a total of 477 tapered implants, were available. Ti-bar and G-bar comprised 101 and 112 patients with 231 and 246 implants, respectively. Ti-bar mostly exhibited distal bar extensions (96%) compared to 34% of G-bar (p < .001). Fracture rate of bars extensions (4.7% vs 14.8%, p < .001) and matrices (1% vs 13%, p < .001) was lower for Ti-bar. Matrices activation was required 2.4× less often in Ti-bar. ΔBIC remained stable for both groups. Implant overdentures supported by soldered gold bars or milled CAD/CAM Ti-bars are a successful treatment modality but require regular maintenance service. These short-term observations support the hypothesis that CAD/CAM Ti-bars reduce technical complications. Fracture location indicated that the titanium thickness around the screw-access hole should be increased. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Engineering and fabrication cost considerations for cryogenic wind tunnel models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boykin, R. M., Jr.; Davenport, J. B., Jr.

1983-01-01

Design and fabrication cost drivers for cryogenic transonic wind tunnel models are defined. The major cost factors for wind tunnel models are model complexity, tolerances, surface finishes, materials, material validation, and model inspection. The cryogenic temperatures require the use of materials with relatively high fracture toughness but at the same time high strength. Some of these materials are very difficult to machine, requiring extensive machine hours which can add significantly to the manufacturing costs. Some additional engineering costs are incurred to certify the materials through mechanical tests and nondestructive evaluation techniques, which are not normally required with conventional models. When instrumentation such as accelerometers and electronically scanned pressure modules is required, temperature control of these devices needs to be incorporated into the design, which requires added effort. Additional thermal analyses and subsystem tests may be necessary, which also adds to the design costs. The largest driver to the design costs is potentially the additional static and dynamic analyses required to insure structural integrity of the model and support system.

Generic functional requirements for a NASA general-purpose data base management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lohman, G. M.

1981-01-01

Generic functional requirements for a general-purpose, multi-mission data base management system (DBMS) for application to remotely sensed scientific data bases are detailed. The motivation for utilizing DBMS technology in this environment is explained. The major requirements include: (1) a DBMS for scientific observational data; (2) a multi-mission capability; (3) user-friendly; (4) extensive and integrated information about data; (5) robust languages for defining data structures and formats; (6) scientific data types and structures; (7) flexible physical access mechanisms; (8) ways of representing spatial relationships; (9) a high level nonprocedural interactive query and data manipulation language; (10) data base maintenance utilities; (11) high rate input/output and large data volume storage; and adaptability to a distributed data base and/or data base machine configuration. Detailed functions are specified in a top-down hierarchic fashion. Implementation, performance, and support requirements are also given.

Decision support for evidence-based integration of disease control: A proof of concept for malaria and schistosomiasis

PubMed Central

Graeden, Ellie; Kerr, Justin; Sorrell, Erin M.; Katz, Rebecca

2018-01-01

Managing infectious disease requires rapid and effective response to support decision making. The decisions are complex and require understanding of the diseases, disease intervention and control measures, and the disease-relevant characteristics of the local community. Though disease modeling frameworks have been developed to address these questions, the complexity of current models presents a significant barrier to community-level decision makers in using the outputs of the most scientifically robust methods to support pragmatic decisions about implementing a public health response effort, even for endemic diseases with which they are already familiar. Here, we describe the development of an application available on the internet, including from mobile devices, with a simple user interface, to support on-the-ground decision-making for integrating disease control programs, given local conditions and practical constraints. The model upon which the tool is built provides predictive analysis for the effectiveness of integration of schistosomiasis and malaria control, two diseases with extensive geographical and epidemiological overlap, and which result in significant morbidity and mortality in affected regions. Working with data from countries across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, we present a proof-of-principle method and corresponding prototype tool to provide guidance on how to optimize integration of vertical disease control programs. This method and tool demonstrate significant progress in effectively translating the best available scientific models to support practical decision making on the ground with the potential to significantly increase the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of disease control. Author summary Designing and implementing effective programs for infectious disease control requires complex decision-making, informed by an understanding of the diseases, the types of disease interventions and control measures available, and the disease-relevant characteristics of the local community. Though disease modeling frameworks have been developed to address these questions and support decision-making, the complexity of current models presents a significant barrier to on-the-ground end users. The picture is further complicated when considering approaches for integration of different disease control programs, where co-infection dynamics, treatment interactions, and other variables must also be taken into account. Here, we describe the development of an application available on the internet with a simple user interface, to support on-the-ground decision-making for integrating disease control, given local conditions and practical constraints. The model upon which the tool is built provides predictive analysis for the effectiveness of integration of schistosomiasis and malaria control, two diseases with extensive geographical and epidemiological overlap. This proof-of-concept method and tool demonstrate significant progress in effectively translating the best available scientific models to support pragmatic decision-making on the ground, with the potential to significantly increase the impact and cost-effectiveness of disease control. PMID:29649260

Poincare inequalities, uniform domains and extension properties for Newton-Sobolev functions in metric spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bjorn, Jana; Shanmugalingam, Nageswari

2007-08-01

In the setting of metric measure spaces equipped with a doubling measure supporting a weak p-Poincare inequality with 1[less-than-or-equals, slant]p<[infinity], we show that any uniform domain [Omega] is an extension domain for the Newtonian space N1,p([Omega]) and that [Omega], together with the metric and the measure inherited from X, supports a weak p-Poincare inequality. For p>1, we obtain a near characterization of N1,p-extension domains with local estimates for the extension operator.

Space Shuttle power extension package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loftus, J. P., Jr.; Craig, J. W.

1980-01-01

A modification kit for the Space Transportation System (STS) Orbiter is proposed to provide more power and mission duration for payloads. The power extension package (PEP), a flexible-substrate solar array deployed on the Space Shuttle Orbiter remote manipulator system, can provide as much as 29 kW total power for durations of 10 to 48 days. The kit is installed only for those flights which require enhanced power or duration. The PEP is made possible by development of the flexible-substrate array technology and, in itself, contributes to the technology base for the use of large area solar cells. Modifications to the Orbiter thermal control and life support systems to improve heat balance and to reduce consumables are proposed. The changes consist of repositioning the Orbiter forward radiators and replacing the lithium hydroxide scrubber with a regenerable solid amine.

Orbital transfer vehicle concept definition and system analysis study, 1986. Volume 9: Study extension results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kofal, Allen E.

1987-01-01

The purpose of this extension to the OTV Concept Definition and Systems Analysis Study was to improve the definition of the OTV Program that will be most beneficial to the nation in the 1995 to 2010 timeframe. The implications of the defined mission and defined launch vehicle are investigated. The key mission requirements identified for the Space Transportation Architecture Study (STAS) were established and reflect a need for early capability and more ambitious capability growth. The key technical objectives and related issues addressed are summarized. The analyses of selected areas including aerobrake design, proximity operations, and the balance of EVA and IVA operations used in the support of the OTV at the space-base were enhanced. Sensitivity studies were conducted to establish how the OTV program should be tailored to meet changing circumstances.

Microwave integrated circuits for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonard, Regis F.; Romanofsky, Robert R.

1991-01-01

Monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC), which incorporate all the elements of a microwave circuit on a single semiconductor substrate, offer the potential for drastic reductions in circuit weight and volume and increased reliability, all of which make many new concepts in electronic circuitry for space applications feasible, including phased array antennas. NASA has undertaken an extensive program aimed at development of MMICs for space applications. The first such circuits targeted for development were an extension of work in hybrid (discrete component) technology in support of the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS). It focused on power amplifiers, receivers, and switches at ACTS frequencies. More recent work, however, focused on frequencies appropriate for other NASA programs and emphasizes advanced materials in an effort to enhance efficiency, power handling capability, and frequency of operation or noise figure to meet the requirements of space systems.

[School-Based UV-B Monitoring Project in Support of EOS-CHEM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, David R.

2005-01-01

This grant is an extension of Grant NAG5-8929 (Drexel Project Number 230026), resulting from extensions necessary to meet changing science objectives as described in the final report for NAG5-8929, a copy of which is attached. The instrument configuration resulting from NAG54929 has remained basically intact. Cosine response measurements conducted by James Slusser s group at Fort Collins, Colorado, in support of the proposal for Aura ground validation mentioned in the final report for NAG5-8929, indicated that there was significant light leakage to the detector through the sides of the nylon housing. This was easily remedied by machining a removable opaque collar (made from the dark same grey rigid plastic plumbing tubing as the collimating tube) that fits around the detector collar. Also during this grant period, data logging procedures were established for the UV-A instrument, to record irradiance before, during, and after an Aura overflight. This is required in order to compare spatial and temporal variability as required for ground validation of data products derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). Standalone 12-bit loggers from Onset Computer Corporation (the U12 series), which were not available at the start of these projects, makes possible relatively inexpensive logging for these instruments at a usable resolution. configuration and disposition of these instruments, including the final version of a GLOBE protocol for using the instruments, currently depend on action taken on the Aura ground validation proposal submitted in 2004. A copy of that proposal is attached.

75 FR 22844 - Construction Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices and Training Requirements; Extension...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

...] Construction Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices and Training Requirements; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements AGENCY... requirements contained in the construction standards on Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices (29 CFR...

Enhancing the economic viability of pastoralism: the need to balance interventions.

PubMed

Rueff, H; Rahim, I

2016-11-01

Extensive mobile pastoral systems do not follow conventional marketing optimisation models, since they must deal with the factors of mobility, erratic environments, dependency on natural resources, seasonality, and distance to markets. While pastoralist systems contribute substantially to national economies, government investment to support pastoralism remains limited or non-existent. Pastoralists are becoming increasingly integrated into larger market systems and therefore need investment and specially adapted policies to supply a growing demand for livestock products and to support their livelihoods. In this paper, the authors show that investment and technology can support and empower pastoralist marketing strategies in supplying higher-value and more stable livestock products. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that pastoralists also supply services, broadening the marketing landscape within which they operate to include more players and trading options. Pastoralists are undeniably the custodians of rangelands and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. These new market prospects nevertheless require structuring (e.g. regulation, infrastructure) and adjustments in the trading environment of stakeholders all along the value chain. There is, however, an inherent risk in intervening in pastoral marketing and production processes. Too many or ill-adapted interventions can have severe effects on these systems, resulting in over-intensification and reduced mobility. Finding the right level of intervention to support extensive pastoral systems is important when developing policy, since it is about the only form of land use that can keep a third of the world's land surface in food production without additional inputs.

Incision extension is the optimal method of difficult gallbladder extraction at laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PubMed

Bordelon, B M; Hobday, K A; Hunter, J G

1992-01-01

An unsolved problem of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the optimal method of removing the gallbladder with thick walls and a large stone burden. Proposed solutions include fascial dilatation, stone crushing, and ultrasonic, high-speed rotary, or laser lithotripsy. Our observation was that extension of the fascial incision to remove the impacted gallbladder was time efficient and did not increase postoperative pain. We reviewed the narcotic requirements of 107 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Fifty-two patients required extension of the umbilical incision, and 55 patients did not have their fascial incision enlarged. Parenteral meperidine use was 39.5 +/- 63.6 mg in the patients requiring fascial incision extension and 66.3 +/- 79.2 mg in those not requiring fascial incision extension (mean +/- standard deviation). Oral narcotic requirements were 1.1 +/- 1.5 doses vs 1.3 +/- 1.7 doses in patients with and without incision extension, respectively. The wide range of narcotic use in both groups makes these apparent differences not statistically significant. We conclude that protracted attempts at stone crushing or expensive stone fragmentation devices are unnecessary for the extraction of a difficult gallbladder during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Practices to enable the geophysical research spectrum: from fundamentals to applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, S.; Cockett, R.; Heagy, L. J.; Oldenburg, D.

2016-12-01

In a geophysical survey, a source injects energy into the earth and a response is measured. These physical systems are governed by partial differential equations and their numerical solutions are obtained by discretizing the earth. Geophysical simulations and inversions are tools for understanding physical responses and constructing models of the subsurface given a finite amount of data. SimPEG (http://simpeg.xyz) is our effort to synthesize geophysical forward and inverse methodologies into a consistent framework. The primary focus of our initial development has been on the electromagnetics (EM) package, with recent extensions to magnetotelluric, direct current (DC), and induced polarization. Across these methods, and applied geophysics in general, we require tools to explore and build an understanding of the physics (behaviour of fields, fluxes), and work with data to produce models through reproducible inversions. If we consider DC or EM experiments, with the aim of understanding responses from subsurface conductors, we require resources that provide multiple "entry points" into the geophysical problem. To understand the physical responses and measured data, we must simulate the physical system and visualize electric fields, currents, and charges. Performing an inversion requires that many moving pieces be brought together: simulation, physics, linear algebra, data processing, optimization, etc. Each component must be trusted, accessible to interrogation and manipulation, and readily combined in order to enable investigation into inversion methodologies. To support such research, we not only require "entry points" into the software, but also extensibility to new situations. In our development of SimPEG, we have sought to use leading practices in software development with the aim of supporting and promoting collaborations across a spectrum of geophysical research: from fundamentals to applications. Designing software to enable this spectrum puts unique constraints on both the architecture of the codebase as well as the development practices that are employed. In this presentation, we will share some lessons learned and, in particular, how our prioritization of testing, documentation, and refactoring has impacted our own research and fostered collaborations.

LEVERAGING AGING MATERIALS DATA TO SUPPORT EXTENSION OF TRANSPORTATION SHIPPING PACKAGES SERVICE LIFE

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

Dunn, K.; Bellamy, S.; Daugherty, W.

Nuclear material inventories are increasingly being transferred to interim storage locations where they may reside for extended periods of time. Use of a shipping package to store nuclear materials after the transfer has become more common for a variety of reasons. Shipping packages are robust and have a qualified pedigree for performance in normal operation and accident conditions but are only certified over an approved transportation window. The continued use of shipping packages to contain nuclear material during interim storage will result in reduced overall costs and reduced exposure to workers. However, the shipping package materials of construction must maintainmore » integrity as specified by the safety basis of the storage facility throughout the storage period, which is typically well beyond the certified transportation window. In many ways, the certification processes required for interim storage of nuclear materials in shipping packages is similar to life extension programs required for dry cask storage systems for commercial nuclear fuels. The storage of spent nuclear fuel in dry cask storage systems is federally-regulated, and over 1500 individual dry casks have been in successful service up to 20 years in the US. The uncertainty in final disposition will likely require extended storage of this fuel well beyond initial license periods and perhaps multiple re-licenses may be needed. Thus, both the shipping packages and the dry cask storage systems require materials integrity assessments and assurance of continued satisfactory materials performance over times not considered in the original evaluation processes. Test programs for the shipping packages have been established to obtain aging data on materials of construction to demonstrate continued system integrity. The collective data may be coupled with similar data for the dry cask storage systems and used to support extending the service life of shipping packages in both transportation and storage.« less

Bird communities of natural and modified habitats in Panama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petit, L.J.; Petit, D.R.; Christian, D.G.; Powell, Hugo D.W.

1999-01-01

Only a small proportion of land can realistically be protected as nature reserves and thus conservation efforts also must focus on the ecological value of agroecosystems and developed areas surrounding nature reserves. In this study, avian communities were surveyed in 11 habitat types in central Panama, across a gradient from extensive forest to intensive agricultural land uses, to examine patterns of species richness and abundance and community composition. Wooded habitats, including extensive and fragmented forests, shade coffee plantations, and residential areas supported the most species and individuals. Nearctic-Neotropical migratory species were most numerous in lowland forest fragments, shade coffee, and residential areas. Introduced Pinus caribbea and sugar cane plantations supported the fewest species compared to all other habitats. Cattle pastures left fallow for less than two years supported more than twice as many total species as actively grazed pastures, such that species richness in fallow pastures was similar to that found in wooded habitats. Community similarities were relatively low among all habitat types (none exceeding the observed 65% similarity between extensive and fragmented lowland forests), but communities in shade coffee and residential areas were 43% and 54% similar to lowland forest fragments, respectively. Fallow pastures and residential areas shared 60% of their species. Bird communities in shade coffee and residential areas were characterized by higher proportions of frugivorous and nectarivorous species than in native forests. These same guilds also were better represented in fallow than in grazed pastures. Raptors and piscivorous species were most prevalent in cattle pastures and rice fields. These results, though based upon only species richness and abundance, demonstrate that many human-altered habitats have potential ecological value for birds, and conservation efforts in tropical areas should focus greater attention on enhancement of agricultural and developed lands as wildlife habitat. To understand the true conservation value of these modified lands will require examination not only of numbers but also of the types of species supported by these habitats, their reproductive output and survival rates.

A federated design for a neurobiological simulation engine: the CBI federated software architecture.

PubMed

Cornelis, Hugo; Coop, Allan D; Bower, James M

2012-01-01

Simulator interoperability and extensibility has become a growing requirement in computational biology. To address this, we have developed a federated software architecture. It is federated by its union of independent disparate systems under a single cohesive view, provides interoperability through its capability to communicate, execute programs, or transfer data among different independent applications, and supports extensibility by enabling simulator expansion or enhancement without the need for major changes to system infrastructure. Historically, simulator interoperability has relied on development of declarative markup languages such as the neuron modeling language NeuroML, while simulator extension typically occurred through modification of existing functionality. The software architecture we describe here allows for both these approaches. However, it is designed to support alternative paradigms of interoperability and extensibility through the provision of logical relationships and defined application programming interfaces. They allow any appropriately configured component or software application to be incorporated into a simulator. The architecture defines independent functional modules that run stand-alone. They are arranged in logical layers that naturally correspond to the occurrence of high-level data (biological concepts) versus low-level data (numerical values) and distinguish data from control functions. The modular nature of the architecture and its independence from a given technology facilitates communication about similar concepts and functions for both users and developers. It provides several advantages for multiple independent contributions to software development. Importantly, these include: (1) Reduction in complexity of individual simulator components when compared to the complexity of a complete simulator, (2) Documentation of individual components in terms of their inputs and outputs, (3) Easy removal or replacement of unnecessary or obsoleted components, (4) Stand-alone testing of components, and (5) Clear delineation of the development scope of new components.

The Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics as a Community of Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, L.; Kellogg, L. H.

2016-12-01

Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics (CIG), geodynamics.org, originated in 2005 out of community recognition that the efforts of individual or small groups of researchers to develop scientifically-sound software is impossible to sustain, duplicates effort, and makes it difficult for scientists to adopt state-of-the art computational methods that promote new discovery. As a community of practice, participants in CIG share an interest in computational modeling in geodynamics and work together on open source software to build the capacity to support complex, extensible, scalable, interoperable, reliable, and reusable software in an effort to increase the return on investment in scientific software development and increase the quality of the resulting software. The group interacts regularly to learn from each other and better their practices formally through webinar series, workshops, and tutorials and informally through listservs and hackathons. Over the past decade, we have learned that successful scientific software development requires at a minimum: collaboration between domain-expert researchers, software developers and computational scientists; clearly identified and committed lead developer(s); well-defined scientific and computational goals that are regularly evaluated and updated; well-defined benchmarks and testing throughout development; attention throughout development to usability and extensibility; understanding and evaluation of the complexity of dependent libraries; and managed user expectations through education, training, and support. CIG's code donation standards provide the basis for recently formalized best practices in software development (geodynamics.org/cig/dev/best-practices/). Best practices include use of version control; widely used, open source software libraries; extensive test suites; portable configuration and build systems; extensive documentation internal and external to the code; and structured, human readable input formats.

A Federated Design for a Neurobiological Simulation Engine: The CBI Federated Software Architecture

PubMed Central

Cornelis, Hugo; Coop, Allan D.; Bower, James M.

2012-01-01

Simulator interoperability and extensibility has become a growing requirement in computational biology. To address this, we have developed a federated software architecture. It is federated by its union of independent disparate systems under a single cohesive view, provides interoperability through its capability to communicate, execute programs, or transfer data among different independent applications, and supports extensibility by enabling simulator expansion or enhancement without the need for major changes to system infrastructure. Historically, simulator interoperability has relied on development of declarative markup languages such as the neuron modeling language NeuroML, while simulator extension typically occurred through modification of existing functionality. The software architecture we describe here allows for both these approaches. However, it is designed to support alternative paradigms of interoperability and extensibility through the provision of logical relationships and defined application programming interfaces. They allow any appropriately configured component or software application to be incorporated into a simulator. The architecture defines independent functional modules that run stand-alone. They are arranged in logical layers that naturally correspond to the occurrence of high-level data (biological concepts) versus low-level data (numerical values) and distinguish data from control functions. The modular nature of the architecture and its independence from a given technology facilitates communication about similar concepts and functions for both users and developers. It provides several advantages for multiple independent contributions to software development. Importantly, these include: (1) Reduction in complexity of individual simulator components when compared to the complexity of a complete simulator, (2) Documentation of individual components in terms of their inputs and outputs, (3) Easy removal or replacement of unnecessary or obsoleted components, (4) Stand-alone testing of components, and (5) Clear delineation of the development scope of new components. PMID:22242154

Stimulus bill implementation: expanding meaningful use of health IT.

PubMed

Cunningham, Rob

2009-08-25

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act authorizes an estimated $38 billion in incentives and supports for health information technology (IT) from 2009 to 2019. After years of sluggish HIT adoption, this crisis-driven investment of public funds creates a unique opportunity for rapid diffusion of a technology that is widely expected to improve care, save money, and facilitate transformation of the troubled U.S. health system. Achieving maximal effect from the stimulus funds is nevertheless a difficult challenge. The Recovery Act strengthens the federal government's leadership role in promoting HIT. But successful adoption and utilization across the health system will also require development of a supportive infrastructure and broad-based efforts by providers, vendors, state-based agencies, and other health system stakeholders. Optimal use of IT for health care may require extensive reengineering of medical practice and of existing systems of payment. The future course of HIT adoption will also be subject to the effects of any health care reform legislation and of technological innovation in the fast-changing world of electronic communications

Medical care delivery in the US space program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Donald F.

1991-01-01

The stated goal of this meeting is to examine the use of telemedicine in disaster management, public health, and remote health care. NASA has a vested interest in providing health care to crews in remote environments. NASA has unique requirements for telemedicine support, in that our flight crews conduct their job in the most remote of all work environments. Compounding the degree of remoteness are other environmental concerns, including confinement, lack of atmosphere, spaceflight physiological deconditioning, and radiation exposure, to name a few. In-flight medical care is a key component in the overall support for missions, which also includes extensive medical screening during selection, preventive medical programs for astronauts, and in-flight medical monitoring and consultation. This latter element constitutes the telemedicine aspect of crew health care. The level of in-flight resources dedicated to medical care is determined by the perceived risk of a given mission, which in turn is related to mission duration, planned crew activities, and length of time required for return to definitive medical care facilities.

PIVOT: platform for interactive analysis and visualization of transcriptomics data.

PubMed

Zhu, Qin; Fisher, Stephen A; Dueck, Hannah; Middleton, Sarah; Khaladkar, Mugdha; Kim, Junhyong

2018-01-05

Many R packages have been developed for transcriptome analysis but their use often requires familiarity with R and integrating results of different packages requires scripts to wrangle the datatypes. Furthermore, exploratory data analyses often generate multiple derived datasets such as data subsets or data transformations, which can be difficult to track. Here we present PIVOT, an R-based platform that wraps open source transcriptome analysis packages with a uniform user interface and graphical data management that allows non-programmers to interactively explore transcriptomics data. PIVOT supports more than 40 popular open source packages for transcriptome analysis and provides an extensive set of tools for statistical data manipulations. A graph-based visual interface is used to represent the links between derived datasets, allowing easy tracking of data versions. PIVOT further supports automatic report generation, publication-quality plots, and program/data state saving, such that all analysis can be saved, shared and reproduced. PIVOT will allow researchers with broad background to easily access sophisticated transcriptome analysis tools and interactively explore transcriptome datasets.

Space ecosynthesis: An approach to the design of closed ecosystems for use in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macelroy, R. D.; Averner, M. M.

1978-01-01

The use of closed ecological systems for the regeneration of wastes, air, and water is discussed. It is concluded that such systems, if they are to be used for the support of humans in space, will require extensive mechanical and physico-chemical support. The reason for this is that the buffering capacity available in small systems is inadequate, and that natural biological and physical regulatory mechanisms rapidly become inoperative. It is proposed that mathematical models of the dynamics of a closed ecological system may provide the best means of studying the initial problems of ecosystem closure. A conceptual and mathematical model of a closed ecosystem is described which treats the biological components as a farm, calculates the rates of flow of elements through the system by mass-balance techniques and control theory postulates, and can evaluate the requirements for mechanical buffering activities. It is suggested that study of the closure of ecosystems can significantly aid in the establishment of general principles of ecological systems.

Influence of Abutment Angle on Implant Strain When Supporting a Distal Extension Removable Partial Dental Prosthesis: An In Vitro Study.

PubMed

Hirata, Kiyotaka; Takahashi, Toshihito; Tomita, Akiko; Gonda, Tomoya; Maeda, Yoshinobu

This study evaluated the impact of angled abutments on strain in implants supporting a distal extension removable partial denture. An in vitro model of an implant supporting a distal extension removable partial denture was developed. The implant was positioned with a 17- or 30-degree mesial inclination, with either a healing abutment or a corrective multiunit abutment. Levels of strain under load were compared, and the results were compared using t test (P = .05). Correcting angulation with a multiunit angled abutment significantly decreased strain (P < .05) when compared with a healing abutment. An angled abutment decreased the strain on an inclined implant significantly more than a healing abutment when loaded under a distal extension removable partial denture.

Automatic Multilevel Parallelization Using OpenMP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele; Yan, Jerry; Ayguade, Eduard; Gonzalez, Marc; Martorell, Xavier; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe the extension of the CAPO parallelization support tool to support multilevel parallelism based on OpenMP directives. CAPO generates OpenMP directives with extensions supported by the NanosCompiler to allow for directive nesting and definition of thread groups. We report first results for several benchmark codes and one full application that have been parallelized using our system.

Solar array technology evaluation program for SEPS (Solar Electrical Propulsion Stage)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

An evaluation of the technology and the development of a preliminary design for a 25 kilowatt solar array system for solar electric propulsion are discussed. The solar array has a power to weight ratio of 65 watts per kilogram. The solar array system is composed of two wings. Each wing consists of a solar array blanket, a blanket launch storage container, an extension/retraction mast assembly, a blanket tensioning system, an array electrical harness, and hardware for supporting the system for launch and in the operating position. The technology evaluation was performed to assess the applicable solar array state-of-the-art and to define supporting research necessary to achieve technology readiness for meeting the solar electric propulsion system solar array design requirements.

Development of a precision, six-axis laboratory dynamometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Champagne, P. J.; Cordova, S. A.; Jacoby, M. S.; Lorell, K. R.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the design, fabrication, test, and operation of a unique six axis force/torque dynamometer The specimen table used to hold components under test is supported in a full six axis kinematic mount. Support struts fabricated from high strength steel with special integral two axis flexures link the specimen table to the load cell transducers. Realtime force/torque coordinate transform, root mean squared calculation, and data averaging, and color six axis display with controllable scaling are provided by a specially programmed desktop computer. The extensive structural analysis and design optimization required to obtain a stiff, well damped, lightweight structure is described in detail. Geometric optimization of the kinematic mount and fabrication details of the struts are also described.

An Assessment of Gigabit Ethernet Technology and Its Applications at the NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bakes, Catherine Murphy; Kim, Chan M.; Ramos, Calvin T.

2000-01-01

This paper describes Gigabit Ethernet and its role in supporting R&D programs at NASA Glenn. These programs require an advanced high-speed network capable of transporting multimedia traffic, including real-time visualization, high- resolution graphics, and scientific data. GigE is a 1 Gbps extension to 10 and 100 Mbps Ethernet. The IEEE 802.3z and 802.3ab standards define the MAC layer and 1000BASE-X and 1000BASE-T physical layer specifications for GigE. GigE switches and buffered distributors support IEEE 802.3x flow control. The paper also compares GigE with ATM in terms of quality of service, data rate, throughput, scalability, interoperability, network management, and cost of ownership.

Prevention of distal extension cantilever fracture in mandibular overdentures.

PubMed

Quirynen, Thomas; Quirynen, Marc; Duyck, Joke

2015-09-01

Fractures of distal bar extensions, supporting a mandibular overdenture, do occur with significant functional and economic consequences for the patient. This study therefore aims to evaluate the effect of different bar cross-sectional shapes and surfaces, bar extension lengths and the placement of a support rib under the distal bar extension on fracture resistance. The 2nd moment area and static strength were calculated for 11 frequently used bar designs using finite element analysis (FEA). For two specific designs (Ackermann round Ø 1.8mm and Dolder-Y macro, the former with and without a support rib) additional physical static and fatigue strength tests were included. The FEA static strength data corresponded well to the 2nd moment area (a similar ranking when maximum allowed force was considered). The application of a rib support (Ackermann Ø 1.8mm) and limitations of the bar extension length (6mm for the Ackermann Ø 1.8mm, 8mm for the Dolder-Y macro) allowed the bars to exceed 5 × 10(6) cycles of 120 and 250N, respectively, before fracture. The region of highest stresses in FEA corresponded well with the locations of the fractures observed in static- and fatigue-testing. With some simple guidelines/modifications, the number of bar extension fractures can be reduced significantly. This study focusses on distal bar extensions which improve the positioning of an implant supported overdenture. By combining laboratory testing and finite element simulations we aim to: (1) explain why fractures occur (dependent on physical characteristics of the bar), and (2) give clinical guidelines on how to prevent such fractures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chromosomal phylogeny of Robertsonian races of the house mouse on the island of Madeira: testing between alternative mutational processes.

PubMed

Britton-Davidian, Janice; Catalan, Josette; da Graça Ramalhinho, Maria; Auffray, Jean-Christophe; Claudia Nunes, Ana; Gazave, Elodie; Searle, Jeremy B; da Luz Mathias, Maria

2005-12-01

The ancestral karyotype of the house mouse (Mus musculus) consists of 40 acrocentric chromosomes, but numerous races exist within the domesticus subspecies characterized by different metacentric chromosomes formed by the joining at the centromere of two acrocentrics. An exemplary case is present on the island of Madeira where six highly divergent chromosomal races have accumulated different combinations of 20 metacentrics in 500-1000 years. Chromosomal cladistic phylogenies were performed to test the relative performance of Robertsonian (Rb) fusions, Rb fissions and whole-arm reciprocal translocations (WARTs) in resolving relationships between the chromosomal races. The different trees yielded roughly similar topologies, but varied in the number of steps and branch support. The analyses using Rb fusions/fissions as characters resulted in poorly supported trees requiring six to eight homoplasious events. Allowance for WARTs considerably increased nodal support and yielded the most parsimonious trees since homoplasy was reduced to a single event. The WART-based trees required five to nine WARTs and 12 to 16 Rb fusions. These analyses provide support for the role of WARTs in generating the extensive chromosomal diversification observed in house mice. The repeated occurrence of Rb fusions and WARTs highlights the contribution of centromere-related rearrangements to accelerated rates of chromosomal change in the house mouse.

Evolving the NASA Near Earth Network for the Next Generation of Human Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Christopher J.; Carter, David L.; Hudiburg, John J.; Tye, Robert N.; Celeste, Peter B.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the planned development and evolution of the NASA Near Earth Network (NEN) launch communications services in support of the next generation of human space flight programs. Following the final space shuttle mission in 2011, the two NEN launch communications stations were decommissioned. Today, NASA is developing the next generation of human space flight systems focused on exploration missions beyond low-earth orbit, and supporting the emerging market for commercial crew and cargo human space flight services. The NEN is leading a major initiative to develop a modern high data rate launch communications ground architecture with support from the Kennedy Space Center Ground Systems Development and Operations Program and in partnership with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Eastern Range. This initiative, the NEN Launch Communications Stations (LCS) development project, successfully completed its System Requirements Review in November 2013. This paper provides an overview of the LCS project and a summary of its progress. The LCS ground architecture, concept of operations, and driving requirements to support the new heavy-lift Space Launch System and Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle for Exploration Mission-1 are presented. Finally, potential future extensions to the ground architecture beyond EM-1 are discussed.

Observations of the Earth's magnetic field from the shuttle: Using the Spartan carrier as a magnetic survey tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webster, W. J., Jr.

1986-01-01

The shuttle-deployed and recovered Spartan shows promise as an inexpensive and simple support module for potential field measurements. The results of a preliminary engineering study on the applications of the Spartan carrier to magnetic measurements shows: (1) Extension of the mission duration to as long as 7 days is feasible but requires more reconfiguration of the internal systems; (2) On-board recording of Global Positioning System signals will provide position determination with an accuracy consistent with the most severe requirements; and (3) Making Spartan a magnetically clean spacecraft is straight forward but requires labor-intensive modifications to both the data and power systems. As a magnetic survey tool, Spartan would allow surveys at regularly spaced intervals and could make quick-reaction surveys at times of instability in the secular variation.

Building an Agricultural Extension Services System Supported by ICTs in Tanzania: Progress Made, Challenges Remain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanga, C.; Kalungwizi, V. J.; Msuya, C. P.

2013-01-01

The conventional agricultural extension service in Tanzania is mainly provided by extension officers visiting farmers to provide agricultural advisory service. This system of extension service provision faces a number of challenges including the few number of extension officers and limited resources. This article assesses the effectiveness of an…

Survey of veterinary extension in the United States.

PubMed

Sischo, W M; Floyd, J G; McKean, J D; Hueston, W D

1999-11-15

To assess veterinary extension in the United States as perceived by veterinary extension personnel. Cross-sectional survey. Extension veterinarians in the United States. 2 surveys were designed and mailed to extension veterinarians listed by the USDA and the American Association of Extension Veterinarians. 34 states had > or = 1 extension veterinarian. The majority (> 60%) of extension veterinarians did not commit time to resident education and were not involved in research activities. Paradoxically, 23% of responding extension veterinarians did not report extension work. Programs for food animal producers, horse owners, and companion animal owners were provided by 100, 63, and 37% of states, respectively. Continuing education (CE) programs were provided for food animal veterinarians, equine veterinarians, and companion animal veterinarians by 96, 63, and 52% of states, respectively. Challenges facing veterinary extension included limited recognition of veterinary extension activities by universities, lack of university personnel to support CE programs, and decreased support for companion animal extension programs. Extension veterinarians need to identify and clearly articulate the mission of veterinary extension, develop more collaborative programs across regions, and continue to serve as catalysts to bring diverse constituents together. Extension veterinarians must distinguish their mission not solely as information transfer, which can be accomplished in a variety of ways outside of extension, but as a coherent and consistent program of education and policy developed on a national level and distributed locally.

Support for smoking cessation interventions in physician organizations: results from a national study.

PubMed

McMenamin, Sara B; Schauffler, Helen Halpin; Shortell, Stephen M; Rundall, Thomas G; Gillies, Robin R

2003-12-01

To document the extent to which physician organizations, defined as medical groups and independent practice associations, are providing support for smoking cessation interventions and to identify external incentives and organizational characteristics associated with this support. This research uses data from the National Study of Physician Organizations and the Management of Chronic Illness, conducted by the University of California at Berkeley, to document the extent to which physician organizations provide support for smoking cessation interventions. Of 1587 physician organizations nationally with 20 or more physicians, 1104 participated, for a response rate of 70%. Overall, 70% of physician organizations offered some support for smoking cessation interventions. Specifically, 17% require physicians to provide interventions, 15% evaluate interventions, 39% of physician organizations offer smoking health promotion programs, 25% provide nicotine replacement therapy starter kits, and materials are provided on pharmacotherapy (39%), counseling (37%), and self-help (58%). Factors positively associated with organizational support include income or public recognition for quality measures, financial incentives to promote smoking cessation interventions, requirements to report HEDIS (Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set) scores, awareness of the 1996 Clinical Practice Guideline on Smoking Cessation, being a medical group, organizational size, percentage of primary care physicians, and hospital/HMO ownership of the organization. Physician organizations are providing support for smoking cessation interventions, yet the level of support might be improved with more extensive use of external incentives. Financial incentives targeted specifically at promoting smoking cessation interventions need to be explored further. Additionally, emphasis on quality measures should continue, including an expansion of HEDIS smoking cessation measures.

Upper Stage Engine Composite Nozzle Extensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valentine, Peter G.; Allen, Lee R.; Gradl, Paul R.; Greene, Sandra E.; Sullivan, Brian J.; Weller, Leslie J.; Koenig, John R.; Cuneo, Jacques C.; Thompson, James; Brown, Aaron;

78 FR 21159 - Additional Requirements for Special Dipping and Coating Operations (Dip Tanks); Extension of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-09

...] Additional Requirements for Special Dipping and Coating Operations (Dip Tanks); Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's Approval of the Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirement AGENCY: Occupational... requirement specified in its Standard on Dipping and Coating Operations (Dip Tanks) (29 CFR 1910.126(g)(4...

Evaluation of the Dawson College Shooting Psychological Intervention: Moving Toward a Multimodal Extensive Plan

PubMed Central

Séguin, Monique; Chawky, Nadia; Lesage, Alain; Boyer, Richard; Guay, Stéphane; Bleau, Pierre; Miquelon, Paule; Szkrumelak, Nadia; Steiner, Warren; Roy, Denise

2013-01-01

In 2006, following the shooting at Dawson College, the authorities implemented an intervention plan. This provided an opportunity to analyze the responses to services offered, and afforded a learning opportunity, which led to the proposal of an extensive multimodal short- and long-term psychological plan for future needs. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered 18 months after the event, involving the participation of 948 students and staff. Mental health problems and the perception of services offered after the shooting were investigated, using standardized measures. Second, focus groups and individual interviews were conducted among a subgroup of participants (support team members; teachers and employees; students and parents) and permitted to gather data on services received and services required. Individual report of events, the extent of psychological impact and services offered and received were analyzed in terms of the following dimensions: intervention philosophy, training, ongoing offer of services and finally, detection and outreach. A significant incidence of disorders and a high rate of exacerbation of preexisting mental disorders were observed within the 18 months following the shooting. Postimmediate and short-term intervention appeared adequate, but the long-term collective vision toward community support and availability of mental health services were lacking. Lessons learned from this evaluation and other school shootings suggest that preparedness and long-term community responses are often overlooked. A multimodal extensive plan is proposed based on a theoretical model from which interventions strategies could be drawn. PMID:24795790

Interleaved concatenated codes: New perspectives on approaching the Shannon limit

PubMed Central

Viterbi, A. J.; Viterbi, A. M.; Sindhushayana, N. T.

1997-01-01

The last few years have witnessed a significant decrease in the gap between the Shannon channel capacity limit and what is practically achievable. Progress has resulted from novel extensions of previously known coding techniques involving interleaved concatenated codes. A considerable body of simulation results is now available, supported by an important but limited theoretical basis. This paper presents a computational technique which further ties simulation results to the known theory and reveals a considerable reduction in the complexity required to approach the Shannon limit. PMID:11038568

Evaluation of RxNorm for Medication Clinical Decision Support.

PubMed

Freimuth, Robert R; Wix, Kelly; Zhu, Qian; Siska, Mark; Chute, Christopher G

2014-01-01

We evaluated the potential use of RxNorm to provide standardized representations of generic drug name and route of administration to facilitate management of drug lists for clinical decision support (CDS) rules. We found a clear representation of generic drug name but not route of administration. We identified several issues related to data quality, including erroneous or missing defined relationships, and the use of different concept hierarchies to represent the same drug. More importantly, we found extensive semantic precoordination of orthogonal concepts related to route and dose form, which would complicate the use of RxNorm for drug-based CDS. This study demonstrated that while RxNorm is a valuable resource for the standardization of medications used in clinical practice, additional work is required to enhance the terminology so that it can support expanded use cases, such as managing drug lists for CDS.

Evaluation of RxNorm for Medication Clinical Decision Support

PubMed Central

Freimuth, Robert R.; Wix, Kelly; Zhu, Qian; Siska, Mark; Chute, Christopher G.

2014-01-01

We evaluated the potential use of RxNorm to provide standardized representations of generic drug name and route of administration to facilitate management of drug lists for clinical decision support (CDS) rules. We found a clear representation of generic drug name but not route of administration. We identified several issues related to data quality, including erroneous or missing defined relationships, and the use of different concept hierarchies to represent the same drug. More importantly, we found extensive semantic precoordination of orthogonal concepts related to route and dose form, which would complicate the use of RxNorm for drug-based CDS. This study demonstrated that while RxNorm is a valuable resource for the standardization of medications used in clinical practice, additional work is required to enhance the terminology so that it can support expanded use cases, such as managing drug lists for CDS. PMID:25954360

Containerless Processing on ISS: Ground Support Program for EML

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diefenbach, Angelika; Schneider, Stephan; Willnecker, Rainer

2012-01-01

EML is an electromagnetic levitation facility planned for the ISS aiming at processing and investigating liquid metals or semiconductors by using electromagnetic levitation technique under microgravity with reduced electromagnetic fields and convection conditions. Its diagnostics and processing methods allow to measure thermophysical properties in the liquid state over an extended temperature range and to investigate solidification phenomena in undercooled melts. The EML project is a common effort of The European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Space Agency DLR. The Microgravity User Support Centre MUSC at Cologne, Germany, has been assigned the responsibility for EML operations. For the EML experiment preparation an extensive scientific ground support program is established at MUSC, providing scientific and technical services in the preparation, performance and evaluation of the experiments. Its final output is the transcription of the scientific goals and requirements into validated facility control parameters for the experiment execution onboard the ISS.

XML Based Scientific Data Management Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehrotra, Piyush; Zubair, M.; Ziebartt, John (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The World Wide Web consortium has developed an Extensible Markup Language (XML) to support the building of better information management infrastructures. The scientific computing community realizing the benefits of HTML has designed markup languages for scientific data. In this paper, we propose a XML based scientific data management facility, XDMF. The project is motivated by the fact that even though a lot of scientific data is being generated, it is not being shared because of lack of standards and infrastructure support for discovering and transforming the data. The proposed data management facility can be used to discover the scientific data itself, the transformation functions, and also for applying the required transformations. We have built a prototype system of the proposed data management facility that can work on different platforms. We have implemented the system using Java, and Apache XSLT engine Xalan. To support remote data and transformation functions, we had to extend the XSLT specification and the Xalan package.

XML Based Scientific Data Management Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehrotra, P.; Zubair, M.; Bushnell, Dennis M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The World Wide Web consortium has developed an Extensible Markup Language (XML) to support the building of better information management infrastructures. The scientific computing community realizing the benefits of XML has designed markup languages for scientific data. In this paper, we propose a XML based scientific data management ,facility, XDMF. The project is motivated by the fact that even though a lot of scientific data is being generated, it is not being shared because of lack of standards and infrastructure support for discovering and transforming the data. The proposed data management facility can be used to discover the scientific data itself, the transformation functions, and also for applying the required transformations. We have built a prototype system of the proposed data management facility that can work on different platforms. We have implemented the system using Java, and Apache XSLT engine Xalan. To support remote data and transformation functions, we had to extend the XSLT specification and the Xalan package.

A Concept for Airborne Precision Spacing for Dependent Parallel Approaches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmore, Bryan E.; Baxley, Brian T.; Abbott, Terence S.; Capron, William R.; Smith, Colin L.; Shay, Richard F.; Hubbs, Clay

2012-01-01

The Airborne Precision Spacing concept of operations has been previously developed to support the precise delivery of aircraft landing successively on the same runway. The high-precision and consistent delivery of inter-aircraft spacing allows for increased runway throughput and the use of energy-efficient arrivals routes such as Continuous Descent Arrivals and Optimized Profile Descents. This paper describes an extension to the Airborne Precision Spacing concept to enable dependent parallel approach operations where the spacing aircraft must manage their in-trail spacing from a leading aircraft on approach to the same runway and spacing from an aircraft on approach to a parallel runway. Functionality for supporting automation is discussed as well as procedures for pilots and controllers. An analysis is performed to identify the required information and a new ADS-B report is proposed to support these information needs. Finally, several scenarios are described in detail.

Career Profile: Flight Operations Engineer (Airborne Science) Robert Rivera

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-14

Operations engineers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center help to advance science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration by managing operational aspects of a flight research project. They serve as the governing authority on airworthiness related to the modification, operation, or maintenance of specialized research or support aircraft so those aircraft can be flown safely without jeopardizing the pilots, persons on the ground or the flight test project. With extensive aircraft modifications often required to support new research and technology development efforts, operations engineers are key leaders from technical concept to flight to ensure flight safety and mission success. Other responsibilities of an operations engineer include configuration management, performing systems design and integration, system safety analysis, coordinating flight readiness activities, and providing real-time flight support. This video highlights the responsibilities and daily activities of NASA Armstrong operations engineer Robert Rivera during the preparation and execution of the Global Hawk airborne missions under NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

GeoNotebook: Browser based Interactive analysis and visualization workflow for very large climate and geospatial datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozturk, D.; Chaudhary, A.; Votava, P.; Kotfila, C.

2016-12-01

Jointly developed by Kitware and NASA Ames, GeoNotebook is an open source tool designed to give the maximum amount of flexibility to analysts, while dramatically simplifying the process of exploring geospatially indexed datasets. Packages like Fiona (backed by GDAL), Shapely, Descartes, Geopandas, and PySAL provide a stack of technologies for reading, transforming, and analyzing geospatial data. Combined with the Jupyter notebook and libraries like matplotlib/Basemap it is possible to generate detailed geospatial visualizations. Unfortunately, visualizations generated is either static or does not perform well for very large datasets. Also, this setup requires a great deal of boilerplate code to create and maintain. Other extensions exist to remedy these problems, but they provide a separate map for each input cell and do not support map interactions that feed back into the python environment. To support interactive data exploration and visualization on large datasets we have developed an extension to the Jupyter notebook that provides a single dynamic map that can be managed from the Python environment, and that can communicate back with a server which can perform operations like data subsetting on a cloud-based cluster.

NASA's Earth Science Gateway: A Platform for Interoperable Services in Support of the GEOSS Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alameh, N.; Bambacus, M.; Cole, M.

2006-12-01

Nasa's Earth Science as well as interdisciplinary research and applications activities require access to earth observations, analytical models and specialized tools and services, from diverse distributed sources. Interoperability and open standards for geospatial data access and processing greatly facilitate such access among the information and processing compo¬nents related to space¬craft, airborne, and in situ sensors; predictive models; and decision support tools. To support this mission, NASA's Geosciences Interoperability Office (GIO) has been developing the Earth Science Gateway (ESG; online at http://esg.gsfc.nasa.gov) by adapting and deploying a standards-based commercial product. Thanks to extensive use of open standards, ESG can tap into a wide array of online data services, serve a variety of audiences and purposes, and adapt to technology and business changes. Most importantly, the use of open standards allow ESG to function as a platform within a larger context of distributed geoscience processing, such as the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). ESG shares the goals of GEOSS to ensure that observations and products shared by users will be accessible, comparable, and understandable by relying on common standards and adaptation to user needs. By maximizing interoperability, modularity, extensibility and scalability, ESG's architecture fully supports the stated goals of GEOSS. As such, ESG's role extends beyond that of a gateway to NASA science data to become a shared platform that can be leveraged by GEOSS via: A modular and extensible architecture Consensus and community-based standards (e.g. ISO and OGC standards) A variety of clients and visualization techniques, including WorldWind and Google Earth A variety of services (including catalogs) with standard interfaces Data integration and interoperability Mechanisms for user involvement and collaboration Mechanisms for supporting interdisciplinary and domain-specific applications ESG has played a key role in recent GEOSS Service Network (GSN) demos and workshops, acting not only as a service and data catalog and discovery client, but also as a portrayal and visualization client to distributed data.

A lunar polar expedition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dowling, Richard; Staehle, Robert L.; Svitek, Tomas

1992-01-01

Advanced exploration and development in harsh environments require mastery of basic human survival skill. Expeditions into the lethal climates of Earth's polar regions offer useful lessons for tommorrow's lunar pioneers. In Arctic and Antarctic exploration, 'wintering over' was a crucial milestone. The ability to establish a supply base and survive months of polar cold and darkness made extensive travel and exploration possible. Because of the possibility of near-constant solar illumination, the lunar polar regions, unlike Earth's may offer the most hospitable site for habitation. The World Space Foundation is examining a scenario for establishing a five-person expeditionary team on the lunar north pole for one year. This paper is a status report on a point design addressing site selection, transportation, power, and life support requirements.

Operations planning simulation model extension study. Volume 1: Long duration exposure facility ST-01-A automated payload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marks, D. A.; Gendiellee, R. E.; Kelly, T. M.; Giovannello, M. A.

1974-01-01

Ground processing and operation activities for selected automated and sortie payloads are evaluated. Functional flow activities are expanded to identify payload launch site facility and support requirements. Payload definitions are analyzed from the launch site ground processing viewpoint and then processed through the expanded functional flow activities. The requirements generated from the evaluation are compared with those contained in the data sheets. The following payloads were included in the evaluation: Long Duration Exposure Facility; Life Sciences Shuttle Laboratory; Biomedical Experiments Scientific Satellite; Dedicated Solar Sortie Mission; Magnetic Spectrometer; and Mariner Jupiter Orbiter. The expanded functional flow activities and descriptions for the automated and sortie payloads at the launch site are presented.

OpenMM 7: Rapid development of high performance algorithms for molecular dynamics

PubMed Central

Swails, Jason; Zhao, Yutong; Beauchamp, Kyle A.; Wang, Lee-Ping; Stern, Chaya D.; Brooks, Bernard R.; Pande, Vijay S.

2017-01-01

OpenMM is a molecular dynamics simulation toolkit with a unique focus on extensibility. It allows users to easily add new features, including forces with novel functional forms, new integration algorithms, and new simulation protocols. Those features automatically work on all supported hardware types (including both CPUs and GPUs) and perform well on all of them. In many cases they require minimal coding, just a mathematical description of the desired function. They also require no modification to OpenMM itself and can be distributed independently of OpenMM. This makes it an ideal tool for researchers developing new simulation methods, and also allows those new methods to be immediately available to the larger community. PMID:28746339

Wnt signaling maintains the notochord fate for progenitor cells and supports the posterior extension of the notochord.

PubMed

Ukita, Kanako; Hirahara, Shino; Oshima, Naoko; Imuta, Yu; Yoshimoto, Aki; Jang, Chuan-Wei; Oginuma, Masayuki; Saga, Yumiko; Behringer, Richard R; Kondoh, Hisato; Sasaki, Hiroshi

2009-10-01

The notochord develops from notochord progenitor cells (NPCs) and functions as a major signaling center to regulate trunk and tail development. NPCs are initially specified in the node by Wnt and Nodal signals at the gastrula stage. However, the underlying mechanism that maintains the NPCs throughout embryogenesis to contribute to the posterior extension of the notochord remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that Wnt signaling in the NPCs is essential for posterior extension of the notochord. Genetic labeling revealed that the Noto-expressing cells in the ventral node contribute the NPCs that reside in the tail bud. Robust Wnt signaling in the NPCs was observed during posterior notochord extension. Genetic attenuation of the Wnt signal via notochord-specific beta-catenin gene ablation resulted in posterior truncation of the notochord. In the NPCs of such mutant embryos, the expression of notochord-specific genes was down-regulated, and an endodermal marker, E-cadherin, was observed. No significant alteration of cell proliferation or apoptosis of the NPCs was detected. Taken together, our data indicate that the NPCs are derived from Noto-positive node cells, and are not fully committed to a notochordal fate. Sustained Wnt signaling is required to maintain the NPCs' notochordal fate.

A Collaborative Extensible User Environment for Simulation and Knowledge Management

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

Freedman, Vicky L.; Lansing, Carina S.; Porter, Ellen A.

2015-06-01

In scientific simulation, scientists use measured data to create numerical models, execute simulations and analyze results from advanced simulators executing on high performance computing platforms. This process usually requires a team of scientists collaborating on data collection, model creation and analysis, and on authorship of publications and data. This paper shows that scientific teams can benefit from a user environment called Akuna that permits subsurface scientists in disparate locations to collaborate on numerical modeling and analysis projects. The Akuna user environment is built on the Velo framework that provides both a rich client environment for conducting and analyzing simulations andmore » a Web environment for data sharing and annotation. Akuna is an extensible toolset that integrates with Velo, and is designed to support any type of simulator. This is achieved through data-driven user interface generation, use of a customizable knowledge management platform, and an extensible framework for simulation execution, monitoring and analysis. This paper describes how the customized Velo content management system and the Akuna toolset are used to integrate and enhance an effective collaborative research and application environment. The extensible architecture of Akuna is also described and demonstrates its usage for creation and execution of a 3D subsurface simulation.« less

Ultra Reliable Closed Loop Life Support for Long Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.; Ewert, Michael K.

2010-01-01

Spacecraft human life support systems can achieve ultra reliability by providing sufficient spares to replace all failed components. The additional mass of spares for ultra reliability is approximately equal to the original system mass, provided that the original system reliability is not too low. Acceptable reliability can be achieved for the Space Shuttle and Space Station by preventive maintenance and by replacing failed units. However, on-demand maintenance and repair requires a logistics supply chain in place to provide the needed spares. In contrast, a Mars or other long space mission must take along all the needed spares, since resupply is not possible. Long missions must achieve ultra reliability, a very low failure rate per hour, since they will take years rather than weeks and cannot be cut short if a failure occurs. Also, distant missions have a much higher mass launch cost per kilogram than near-Earth missions. Achieving ultra reliable spacecraft life support systems with acceptable mass will require a well-planned and extensive development effort. Analysis must determine the reliability requirement and allocate it to subsystems and components. Ultra reliability requires reducing the intrinsic failure causes, providing spares to replace failed components and having "graceful" failure modes. Technologies, components, and materials must be selected and designed for high reliability. Long duration testing is needed to confirm very low failure rates. Systems design should segregate the failure causes in the smallest, most easily replaceable parts. The system must be designed, developed, integrated, and tested with system reliability in mind. Maintenance and reparability of failed units must not add to the probability of failure. The overall system must be tested sufficiently to identify any design errors. A program to develop ultra reliable space life support systems with acceptable mass should start soon since it must be a long term effort.

Advanced Simulation and Computing Fiscal Year 14 Implementation Plan, Rev. 0.5

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

Meisner, Robert; McCoy, Michel; Archer, Bill

2013-09-11

The Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) is a single, highly integrated technical program for maintaining the surety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The SSP uses nuclear test data, computational modeling and simulation, and experimental facilities to advance understanding of nuclear weapons. It includes stockpile surveillance, experimental research, development and engineering programs, and an appropriately scaled production capability to support stockpile requirements. This integrated national program requires the continued use of experimental facilities and programs, and the computational enhancements to support these programs. The Advanced Simulation and Computing Program (ASC) is a cornerstone of the SSP, providing simulation capabilities andmore » computational resources that support annual stockpile assessment and certification, study advanced nuclear weapons design and manufacturing processes, analyze accident scenarios and weapons aging, and provide the tools to enable stockpile Life Extension Programs (LEPs) and the resolution of Significant Finding Investigations (SFIs). This requires a balanced resource, including technical staff, hardware, simulation software, and computer science solutions. In its first decade, the ASC strategy focused on demonstrating simulation capabilities of unprecedented scale in three spatial dimensions. In its second decade, ASC is now focused on increasing predictive capabilities in a three-dimensional (3D) simulation environment while maintaining support to the SSP. The program continues to improve its unique tools for solving progressively more difficult stockpile problems (sufficient resolution, dimensionality, and scientific details), quantify critical margins and uncertainties, and resolve increasingly difficult analyses needed for the SSP. Moreover, ASC’s business model is integrated and focused on requirements-driven products that address long-standing technical questions related to enhanced predictive capability in the simulation tools.« less

Examining eXtension: Diffusion, Disruption, and Adoption among Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Cayla; Miller, Greg

2016-01-01

As eXtension unveils its new membership model, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach must determine how best to support professionals and clientele using the technology. This article reports on a study that used the diffusion of innovations and disruptive innovation theories to assess Iowa Extension professionals' adoption and perceptions…

Revising the Lubben Social Network Scale for use in residential long-term care settings.

PubMed

Munn, Jean; Radey, Melissa; Brown, Kristin; Kim, Hyejin

2018-04-19

We revised the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS) to develop a measure of social support specific to residential long-term care (LTC) settings, the LSNS-LTC with five domains (i.e., family, friends, residents, volunteers, and staff). The authors modified the LSNS-18 to capture sources of social support specific to LTC, specifically relationships with residents, volunteers, and staff. We piloted the resultant 28-item measure with 64 LTC residents. Fifty-four respondents provided adequate information for analyses that included descriptive statistics and reliability coefficients. Twenty of the items performed well (had correlations >0.3, overall α = 0.85) and were retained. Three items required modification. The five items related to volunteers were eliminated due to extensive (>15%) missing data resulting in a proposed 23-item measure. We identified, and to some degree quantified, supportive relationships within the LTC environment, while developing a self-report tool to measure social support in these settings.

Career Profile: Flight Operations Engineer (Airborne Science) Matthew Berry

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-11-05

Operations engineers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center help to advance science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration by managing operational aspects of a flight research project. They serve as the governing authority on airworthiness related to the modification, operation, or maintenance of specialized research or support aircraft so those aircraft can be flown safely without jeopardizing the pilots, persons on the ground or the flight test project. With extensive aircraft modifications often required to support new research and technology development efforts, operations engineers are key leaders from technical concept to flight to ensure flight safety and mission success. Other responsibilities of an operations engineer include configuration management, performing systems design and integration, system safety analysis, coordinating flight readiness activities, and providing real-time flight support. This video highlights the responsibilities and daily activities of NASA Armstrong operations engineer Matthew Berry during the preparation and execution of flight tests in support of aeronautics research. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/home/ http://www.nasa.gov/

Career Profile: Flight Operations Engineer (Aeronautics) Brian Griffin

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-10-17

Operations engineers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center help to advance science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration by managing operational aspects of a flight research project. They serve as the governing authority on airworthiness related to the modification, operation, or maintenance of specialized research or support aircraft so those aircraft can be flown safely without jeopardizing the pilots, persons on the ground or the flight test project. With extensive aircraft modifications often required to support new research and technology development efforts, operations engineers are key leaders from technical concept to flight to ensure flight safety and mission success. Other responsibilities of an operations engineer include configuration management, performing systems design and integration, system safety analysis, coordinating flight readiness activities, and providing real-time flight support. This video highlights the responsibilities and daily activities of NASA Armstrong operations engineer Brian Griffin during the preparation and execution of flight tests in support of aeronautics research. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/home/ http://www.nasa.gov/

Multi-Agent Diagnosis and Control of an Air Revitalization System for Life Support in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Kowing, Jeffrey; Nieten, Joseph; Graham, Jeffrey s.; Schreckenghost, Debra; Bonasso, Pete; Fleming, Land D.; MacMahon, Matt; Thronesbery, Carroll

2000-01-01

An architecture of interoperating agents has been developed to provide control and fault management for advanced life support systems in space. In this adjustable autonomy architecture, software agents coordinate with human agents and provide support in novel fault management situations. This architecture combines the Livingstone model-based mode identification and reconfiguration (MIR) system with the 3T architecture for autonomous flexible command and control. The MIR software agent performs model-based state identification and diagnosis. MIR identifies novel recovery configurations and the set of commands required for the recovery. The AZT procedural executive and the human operator use the diagnoses and recovery recommendations, and provide command sequencing. User interface extensions have been developed to support human monitoring of both AZT and MIR data and activities. This architecture has been demonstrated performing control and fault management for an oxygen production system for air revitalization in space. The software operates in a dynamic simulation testbed.

Promoting Reflective Physics Teaching Through the Use of Collaborative Learning Annotation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milner-Bolotin, Marina

2018-05-01

Effective physics teaching requires extensive knowledge of physics, relevant pedagogies, and modern educational technologies that can support student learning. Acquiring this knowledge is a challenging task, considering how fast modern technologies and expectations of student learning outcomes and of teaching practices are changing Therefore 21st-century physics teachers should be supported in developing a different way of thinking about technology-enhanced physics teaching and learning. We call it Deliberate Pedagogical Thinking with Technology, and base it on the original Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge frameworks. However, unlike the two aforementioned frameworks, the Deliberate Pedagogical Thinking with Technology emphasizes not only teachers' knowledge, but also their attitudes and dispositions about using digital tools in order to support student learning. This paper examines how an online system that allows an ongoing discussion of videos uploaded on it by the students can support reflection in physics teacher education. Examples of using such a system in physics teacher education and teacher-candidates' feedback on their experiences with it are also discussed.

Field Guide for Designing Human Interaction with Intelligent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Thronesbery, Carroll G.

1998-01-01

The characteristics of this Field Guide approach address the problems of designing innovative software to support user tasks. The requirements for novel software are difficult to specify a priori, because there is not sufficient understanding of how the users' tasks should be supported, and there are not obvious pre-existing design solutions. When the design team is in unfamiliar territory, care must be taken to avoid rushing into detailed design, requirements specification, or implementation of the wrong product. The challenge is to get the right design and requirements in an efficient, cost-effective manner. This document's purpose is to describe the methods we are using to design human interactions with intelligent systems which support Space Shuttle flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at NASA/Johnson Space Center. Although these software systems usually have some intelligent features, the design challenges arise primarily from the innovation needed in the software design. While these methods are tailored to our specific context, they should be extensible, and helpful to designers of human interaction with other types of automated systems. We review the unique features of this context so that you can determine how to apply these methods to your project Throughout this Field Guide, goals of the design methods are discussed. This should help designers understand how a specific method might need to be adapted to the project at hand.

76 FR 3062 - Extension of Comment Period on Change to the Reporting Date for Certain Data Elements Required...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-19

...-9252-4] Extension of Comment Period on Change to the Reporting Date for Certain Data Elements Required... Change to the Reporting Date for Certain Data Elements Required Under the Mandatory Reporting of... the Reporting Date for Certain Data Elements Required Under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse...

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels: Database Extension Task 3.0 and Impact Damage Effects Control Task 8.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beeson, Harold D.; Davis, Dennis D.; Ross, William L., Sr.; Tapphorn, Ralph M.

2002-01-01

This document represents efforts accomplished at the NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) in support of the Enhanced Technology for Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV) Program, a joint research and technology effort among the U.S. Air Force, NASA, and the Aerospace Corporation. WSTF performed testing for several facets of the program. Testing that contributed to the Task 3.0 COPV database extension objective included baseline structural strength, failure mode and safe-life, impact damage tolerance, sustained load/impact effect, and materials compatibility. WSTF was also responsible for establishing impact protection and control requirements under Task 8.0 of the program. This included developing a methodology for establishing an impact control plan. Seven test reports detail the work done at WSTF. As such, this document contributes to the database of information regarding COPV behavior that will ensure performance benefits and safety are maintained throughout vessel service life.

Orthology detection combining clustering and synteny for very large datasets.

PubMed

Lechner, Marcus; Hernandez-Rosales, Maribel; Doerr, Daniel; Wieseke, Nicolas; Thévenin, Annelyse; Stoye, Jens; Hartmann, Roland K; Prohaska, Sonja J; Stadler, Peter F

2014-01-01

The elucidation of orthology relationships is an important step both in gene function prediction as well as towards understanding patterns of sequence evolution. Orthology assignments are usually derived directly from sequence similarities for large data because more exact approaches exhibit too high computational costs. Here we present PoFF, an extension for the standalone tool Proteinortho, which enhances orthology detection by combining clustering, sequence similarity, and synteny. In the course of this work, FFAdj-MCS, a heuristic that assesses pairwise gene order using adjacencies (a similarity measure related to the breakpoint distance) was adapted to support multiple linear chromosomes and extended to detect duplicated regions. PoFF largely reduces the number of false positives and enables more fine-grained predictions than purely similarity-based approaches. The extension maintains the low memory requirements and the efficient concurrency options of its basis Proteinortho, making the software applicable to very large datasets.

Orthology Detection Combining Clustering and Synteny for Very Large Datasets

PubMed Central

Lechner, Marcus; Hernandez-Rosales, Maribel; Doerr, Daniel; Wieseke, Nicolas; Thévenin, Annelyse; Stoye, Jens; Hartmann, Roland K.; Prohaska, Sonja J.; Stadler, Peter F.

2014-01-01

The elucidation of orthology relationships is an important step both in gene function prediction as well as towards understanding patterns of sequence evolution. Orthology assignments are usually derived directly from sequence similarities for large data because more exact approaches exhibit too high computational costs. Here we present PoFF, an extension for the standalone tool Proteinortho, which enhances orthology detection by combining clustering, sequence similarity, and synteny. In the course of this work, FFAdj-MCS, a heuristic that assesses pairwise gene order using adjacencies (a similarity measure related to the breakpoint distance) was adapted to support multiple linear chromosomes and extended to detect duplicated regions. PoFF largely reduces the number of false positives and enables more fine-grained predictions than purely similarity-based approaches. The extension maintains the low memory requirements and the efficient concurrency options of its basis Proteinortho, making the software applicable to very large datasets. PMID:25137074

Remote Attitude Measurement Sensor (RAMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, H. W.

1989-01-01

Remote attitude measurement sensor (RAMS) offers a low-cost, low-risk, proven design concept that is based on mature, demonstrated space sensor technology. The electronic design concepts and interpolation algorithms were tested and proven in space hardware like th Retroreflector Field Tracker and various star trackers. The RAMS concept is versatile and has broad applicability to both ground testing and spacecraft needs. It is ideal for use as a precision laboratory sensor for structural dynamics testing. It requires very little set-up or preparation time and the output data is immediately usable without integration or extensive analysis efforts. For on-orbit use, RAMS rivals any other type of dynamic structural sensor (accelerometer, lidar, photogrammetric techniques, etc.) for overall performance, reliability, suitability, and cost. Widespread acceptance and extensive usage of RAMS will occur only after some interested agency, such as OAST, adopts the RAMS concept and provides the funding support necessary for further development and implementation of RAMS for a specific program.

The Potential of RFID Technology in the Textile and Clothing Industry: Opportunities, Requirements and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legnani, Elena; Cavalieri, Sergio; Pinto, Roberto; Dotti, Stefano

In the current competitive environment, companies need to extensively exploit the use of advanced technologies in order to develop a sustainable advantage, enhance their operational efficiency and better serve customers. In this context, RFID technology has emerged as a valid support for the company progress and its value is becoming more and more apparent. In particular, the textile and clothing industry, characterised by short life-cycles , quick response production , fast distribution, erratic customer preferences and impulsive purchasing, is one of the sectors which can extensively benefit from the RFID technology. However, actual applications are still very limited, especially in the upstream side of the supply network. This chapter provides an insight into the main benefits and potentials of this technology and highlights the main issues which are currently inhibiting its large scale development in the textile and clothing industry. The experience of two industry-academia projects and the relative fallouts are reported.

29 CFR 9.4 - Exclusions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... purchase orders at issue and would require extensive training to learn new technology or processes that... require extensive training to learn new technology or processes that would not be required of a new...) Managerial and supervisory employees. This part does not apply to employees who are managerial or supervisory...

29 CFR 9.4 - Exclusions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... purchase orders at issue and would require extensive training to learn new technology or processes that... require extensive training to learn new technology or processes that would not be required of a new...) Managerial and supervisory employees. This part does not apply to employees who are managerial or supervisory...

29 CFR 9.4 - Exclusions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... purchase orders at issue and would require extensive training to learn new technology or processes that... require extensive training to learn new technology or processes that would not be required of a new...) Managerial and supervisory employees. This part does not apply to employees who are managerial or supervisory...

Tea Time: Raising Awareness and Support for Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franz, Nancy K.; Fahey, Chris

2012-01-01

In a time of reliance on electronic media for information, chaotic programming environments, and declining public resources, Extension workers need to find unique ways to connect with stakeholders to maintain and increase support for programming. To address this need, we developed, conducted, and evaluated a series of stakeholder teas. We found…

Use of Prezi Software to Support and Expand Extension Outreach and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elnakib, Sara

2018-01-01

Working with innovative technologies helps Extension professionals promote, enhance, and expand outreach. Innovative software, for example, can support educators in creating presentations that better accommodate various types of learners and appeal to new audiences. This article highlights one such technology: Prezi. Prezi is a free software…

Best Management Practices for Beginning Farmer Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ochterski, Jim; Frenay, Erica

2010-01-01

Many beginning farmers have little previous contact with Extension, yet they will comprise an important part of our future base of support. We present those educational activities directed toward beginning farmers that represent high impact, outcome-based Extension programming, given an educator's time limitations. This checklist of insights will…

Automatic Multilevel Parallelization Using OpenMP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele; Yan, Jerry; Ayguade, Eduard; Gonzalez, Marc; Martorell, Xavier; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe the extension of the CAPO (CAPtools (Computer Aided Parallelization Toolkit) OpenMP) parallelization support tool to support multilevel parallelism based on OpenMP directives. CAPO generates OpenMP directives with extensions supported by the NanosCompiler to allow for directive nesting and definition of thread groups. We report some results for several benchmark codes and one full application that have been parallelized using our system.

Effects of leg dominance on performance of ballet turns (pirouettes) by experienced and novice dancers.

PubMed

Lin, Chia-Wei; Su, Fong-Chin; Wu, Hong-Wen; Lin, Cheng-Feng

2013-01-01

Turns (pirouettes) are an important movement in ballet and may be affected by "lateral bias". This study investigated physiological differences exhibited by experienced and novice dancers, respectively, when performing pirouette with dominant and non-dominant leg supports, respectively. Thirteen novice and 13 experienced dancers performed turns on dominant or non-dominant legs. The maximum ankle plantarflexion, knee extension and hip extension were measured during the single-leg support phase. The inclination angle of rotation axis is the angle between instantaneous rotation axis and global vertical axis in the early single-leg support phase. Both groups exhibited a greater hip extension, knee extension, and ankle plantarflexion when performing a turn on the non-dominant leg. For experienced dancers, the inclination angle of rotation axis during the pre-swing phase was generally smaller for dominant leg support than non-dominant leg. However, no significant difference was found in inclination angle of rotation axis of novice dancers. For experienced dancers, an improved performance is obtained when using the dominant leg for support. By contrast, for novice dancers, the performance is independent of choice of support leg. The significant lateral bias in experienced dancers indicates the possible influence of training. That is, repetitive rehearsal on the preferred leg strengthens the impact of side dominance in experienced dancers.

2016 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series - eXtension

Science.gov Websites

Urban Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Clemson Cooperative Extension. Series / NIFA This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, New Technologies Internationalizing Extension Network Literacy Program Evaluation Volunteer Administration Women in Agriculture

Exploring Extension Involvement in Farm to School Program Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Matthew C.

2014-01-01

The study reported here examined Extension professionals' involvement in farm-to-school program activities. Results of an online survey distributed to eight state Extension systems indicate that on average, Extension professionals are involved with one farm to school program activity, with most supporting school or community garden programs.…

A collaborative exercise on DNA methylation based body fluid typing.

PubMed

Jung, Sang-Eun; Cho, Sohee; Antunes, Joana; Gomes, Iva; Uchimoto, Mari L; Oh, Yu Na; Di Giacomo, Lisa; Schneider, Peter M; Park, Min Sun; van der Meer, Dieudonne; Williams, Graham; McCord, Bruce; Ahn, Hee-Jung; Choi, Dong Ho; Lee, Yang Han; Lee, Soong Deok; Lee, Hwan Young

2016-10-01

A collaborative exercise on DNA methylation based body fluid identification was conducted by seven laboratories. For this project, a multiplex methylation SNaPshot reaction composed of seven CpG markers was used for the identification of four body fluids, including blood, saliva, semen, and vaginal fluid. A total of 30 specimens were prepared and distributed to participating laboratories after thorough testing. The required experiments included four increasingly complex tasks: (1) CE of a purified single-base extension reaction product, (2) multiplex PCR and multiplex single-base extension reaction of bisulfite-modified DNA, (3) bisulfite conversion of genomic DNA, and (4) extraction of genomic DNA from body fluid samples. In tasks 2, 3 and 4, one or more mixtures were analyzed, and specimens containing both known and unknown body fluid sources were used. Six of the laboratories generated consistent body fluid typing results for specimens of bisulfite-converted DNA and genomic DNA. One laboratory failed to set up appropriate conditions for capillary analysis of reference single-base extension products. In general, variation in the values obtained for DNA methylation analysis between laboratories increased with the complexity of the required experiments. However, all laboratories concurred on the interpretation of the DNA methylation profiles produced. Although the establishment of interpretational guidelines on DNA methylation based body fluid identification has yet to be performed, this study supports the addition of DNA methylation profiling to forensic body fluid typing. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Wildlife-friendly farming benefits rare birds, bees and plants.

PubMed

Pywell, Richard F; Heard, Matthew S; Bradbury, Richard B; Hinsley, Shelley; Nowakowski, Marek; Walker, Kevin J; Bullock, James M

2012-10-23

Agricultural intensification is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss, especially for threatened and near-threatened species. One widely implemented response is 'wildlife-friendly farming', involving the close integration of conservation and extensive farming practices within agricultural landscapes. However, the putative benefits from this controversial policy are currently either unknown or thought unlikely to extend to rare and declining species. Here, we show that new, evidence-based approaches to habitat creation on intensively managed farmland in England can achieve large increases in plant, bee and bird species. In particular, we found that habitat enhancement methods designed to provide the requirements of sensitive target biota consistently increased the richness and abundance of both rare and common species, with 10-fold to greater than 100-fold more rare species per sample area than generalized conventional conservation measures. Furthermore, targeting landscapes of high species richness amplified beneficial effects on the least mobile taxa: plants and bees. Our results provide the first unequivocal support for a national wildlife-friendly farming policy and suggest that this approach should be implemented much more extensively to address global biodiversity loss. However, to be effective, these conservation measures must be evidence-based, and developed using sound knowledge of the ecological requirements of key species.

Network Performance Measurements for NASA's Earth Observation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loiacono, Joe; Gormain, Andy; Smith, Jeff

2004-01-01

NASA's Earth Observation System (EOS) Project studies all aspects of planet Earth from space, including climate change, and ocean, ice, land, and vegetation characteristics. It consists of about 20 satellite missions over a period of about a decade. Extensive collaboration is used, both with other US. agencies (e.g., National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOA), United States Geological Survey (USGS), Department of Defense (DoD), and international agencies (e.g., European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)), to improve cost effectiveness and obtain otherwise unavailable data. Scientific researchers are located at research institutions worldwide, primarily government research facilities and research universities. The EOS project makes extensive use of networks to support data acquisition, data production, and data distribution. Many of these functions impose requirements on the networks, including throughput and availability. In order to verify that these requirements are being met, and be pro-active in recognizing problems, NASA conducts on-going performance measurements. The purpose of this paper is to examine techniques used by NASA to measure the performance of the networks used by EOSDIS (EOS Data and Information System) and to indicate how this performance information is used.

A finite element evaluation of mechanical function for 3 distal extension partial dental prosthesis designs with a 3-dimensional nonlinear method for modeling soft tissue.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yoshinori; Kanbara, Ryo; Ochiai, Kent T; Tanaka, Yoshinobu

2014-10-01

The mechanical evaluation of the function of partial removable dental prostheses with 3-dimensional finite element modeling requires the accurate assessment and incorporation of soft tissue behavior. The differential behaviors of the residual ridge mucosa and periodontal ligament tissues have been shown to exhibit nonlinear displacement. The mathematic incorporation of known values simulating nonlinear soft tissue behavior has not been investigated previously via 3-dimensional finite element modeling evaluation to demonstrate the effect of prosthesis design on the supporting tissues. The purpose of this comparative study was to evaluate the functional differences of 3 different partial removable dental prosthesis designs with 3-dimensional finite element analysis modeling and a simulated patient model incorporating known viscoelastic, nonlinear soft tissue properties. Three different designs of distal extension removable partial dental prostheses were analyzed. The stress distributions to the supporting abutments and soft tissue displacements of the designs tested were calculated and mechanically compared. Among the 3 dental designs evaluated, the RPI prosthesis demonstrated the lowest stress concentrations on the tissue supporting the tooth abutment and also provided wide mucosa-borne areas of support, thereby demonstrating a mechanical advantage and efficacy over the other designs evaluated. The data and results obtained from this study confirmed that the functional behavior of partial dental prostheses with supporting abutments and soft tissues are consistent with the conventional theories of design and clinical experience. The validity and usefulness of this testing method for future applications and testing protocols are shown. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knee contact forces and lower extremity support moments during running in young individuals post-partial meniscectomy.

PubMed

Willy, R W; Bigelow, M A; Kolesar, A; Willson, J D; Thomas, J S

2017-01-01

While partial meniscectomy results in a compromised tibiofemoral joint, little is known regarding tibiofemoral joint loading during running in individuals who are post-partial meniscectomy. It was hypothesized that individuals post-partial meniscectomy would run with a greater hip support moment, yielding reduced peak knee extension moments and reduced tibiofemoral joint contact forces. 3-D Treadmill running mechanics were evaluated in 23 athletic individuals post-partial meniscectomy (37.5 ± 19.0 months post-partial meniscectomy) and 23 matched controls. Bilateral hip, knee and ankle contributions to the total support moment and the peak knee extension moment were calculated. A musculoskeletal model estimated peak and impulse tibiofemoral joint contact forces. Knee function was quantified with the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). During running, the partial meniscectomy group had a greater hip support moment (p = 0.002) and a reduced knee support moment (p < 0.001) relative to the total support moment. This movement pattern was associated with a 14.5 % reduction (p = 0.019) in the peak knee extension moment. Despite these differences, there were no significant group differences in peak or impulse tibiofemoral joint contact forces. Lower KOOS Quality of Life scores were associated with greater hip support moment (p = 0.004, r = -0.58), reduced knee support moment (p = 0.006, r = 0.55) and reduced peak knee extension moment (p = 0.01, r = 0.52). Disordered running mechanics are present long term post-partial meniscectomy. A coordination strategy that shifts a proportion of the total support moment away from the knee to the hip reduces the peak knee extension moment, but does not equate to reduced tibiofemoral joint contact forces during running in individuals post-partial meniscectomy. III.

The Text Encoding Initiative: Flexible and Extensible Document Encoding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnard, David T.; Ide, Nancy M.

1997-01-01

The Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), an international collaboration aimed at producing a common encoding scheme for complex texts, examines the requirement for generality versus the requirement to handle specialized text types. Discusses how documents and users tax the limits of fixed schemes requiring flexible extensible encoding to support…

Stance control knee mechanism for lower-limb support in hybrid neuroprosthesis

PubMed Central

To, Curtis S.; Kobetic, Rudi; Bulea, Thomas C.; Audu, Musa L.; Schnellenberger, John R.; Pinault, Gilles; Triolo, Ronald J.

2014-01-01

A hydraulic stance control knee mechanism (SCKM) was developed to fully support the knee against flexion during stance and allow uninhibited motion during swing for individuals with paraplegia using functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) for gait assistance. The SCKM was optimized for maximum locking torque for body-weight support and minimum resistance when allowing for free knee motion. Ipsilateral and contralateral position and force feedback were used to control the SCKM. Through bench and nondisabled testing, the SCKM was shown to be capable of supporting up to 70 N-m, require no more than 13% of the torque achievable with FNS to facilitate free motion, and responsively and repeatedly unlock under an applied flexion knee torque of up to 49 N-m. Preliminary tests of the SCKM with an individual with paraplegia demonstrated that it could support the body and maintain knee extension during stance without the stimulation of the knee extensor muscles. This was achieved without adversely affecting gait, and knee stability was comparable to gait assisted by knee extensor stimulation during stance. PMID:21938668

Vanadium(V) Reduction by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 Requires Menaquinone and Cytochromes from the Cytoplasmic and Outer Membranes

PubMed Central

Myers, Judith M.; Antholine, William E.; Myers, Charles R.

2004-01-01

The metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 displays remarkable anaerobic respiratory plasticity, which is reflected in the extensive number of electron transport components encoded in its genome. In these studies, several cell components required for the reduction of vanadium(V) were determined. V(V) reduction is mediated by an electron transport chain which includes cytoplasmic membrane components (menaquinone and the tetraheme cytochrome CymA) and the outer membrane (OM) cytochrome OmcB. A partial role for the OM cytochrome OmcA was evident. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy demonstrated that V(V) was reduced to V(IV). V(V) reduction did not support anaerobic growth. This is the first report delineating specific electron transport components that are required for V(V) reduction and of a role for OM cytochromes in the reduction of a soluble metal species. PMID:15006760

Display/control requirements for automated VTOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, W. C.; Kleinman, D. L.; Young, L. R.

1976-01-01

A systematic design methodology for pilot displays in advanced commercial VTOL aircraft was developed and refined. The analyst is provided with a step-by-step procedure for conducting conceptual display/control configurations evaluations for simultaneous monitoring and control pilot tasks. The approach consists of three phases: formulation of information requirements, configuration evaluation, and system selection. Both the monitoring and control performance models are based upon the optimal control model of the human operator. Extensions to the conventional optimal control model required in the display design methodology include explicit optimization of control/monitoring attention; simultaneous monitoring and control performance predictions; and indifference threshold effects. The methodology was applied to NASA's experimental CH-47 helicopter in support of the VALT program. The CH-47 application examined the system performance of six flight conditions. Four candidate configurations are suggested for evaluation in pilot-in-the-loop simulations and eventual flight tests.

Information-based approach to performance estimation and requirements allocation in multisensor fusion for target recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harney, Robert C.

1997-03-01

A novel methodology offering the potential for resolving two of the significant problems of implementing multisensor target recognition systems, i.e., the rational selection of a specific sensor suite and optimal allocation of requirements among sensors, is presented. Based on a sequence of conjectures (and their supporting arguments) concerning the relationship of extractable information content to recognition performance of a sensor system, a set of heuristics (essentially a reformulation of Johnson's criteria applicable to all sensor and data types) is developed. An approach to quantifying the information content of sensor data is described. Coupling this approach with the widely accepted Johnson's criteria for target recognition capabilities results in a quantitative method for comparing the target recognition ability of diverse sensors (imagers, nonimagers, active, passive, electromagnetic, acoustic, etc.). Extension to describing the performance of multiple sensors is straightforward. The application of the technique to sensor selection and requirements allocation is discussed.

Achieving reutilization of scheduling software through abstraction and generalization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, George J.; Monteleone, Richard A.; Weinstein, Stuart M.; Mohler, Michael G.; Zoch, David R.; Tong, G. Michael

1995-01-01

Reutilization of software is a difficult goal to achieve particularly in complex environments that require advanced software systems. The Request-Oriented Scheduling Engine (ROSE) was developed to create a reusable scheduling system for the diverse scheduling needs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ROSE is a data-driven scheduler that accepts inputs such as user activities, available resources, timing contraints, and user-defined events, and then produces a conflict-free schedule. To support reutilization, ROSE is designed to be flexible, extensible, and portable. With these design features, applying ROSE to a new scheduling application does not require changing the core scheduling engine, even if the new application requires significantly larger or smaller data sets, customized scheduling algorithms, or software portability. This paper includes a ROSE scheduling system description emphasizing its general-purpose features, reutilization techniques, and tasks for which ROSE reuse provided a low-risk solution with significant cost savings and reduced software development time.

Destructive tension: mathematics versus experience--the progress and control of the 2001 foot and mouth disease epidemic in Great Britain.

PubMed

Mansley, L M; Donaldson, A I; Thrusfield, M V; Honhold, N

2011-08-01

The 2001 foot and mouth disease epidemic in Great Britain was characterised by control using both traditional and novel methods, some resulting from conclusions of mathematical models. Seven days before the implementation of the novel controversial automatic pre-emptive culling of all susceptible livestock on premises adjacent to infected premises (the 'contiguous cull'), the spread of infection had already been controlled by a combination of the traditional stamping out policy with a national movement ban on livestock. A second controversial novel policy requiring the slaughter of sheep within 3 km of premises on which disease had been confirmed (the 3-km cull) also commenced after the peak of infection spread, was untargeted and took several weeks to complete; serosurveillance of culled sheep detected infection in only one flock, suggesting that cryptic infection of sheep was not propagating the epidemic. Extensive post-epidemic serological surveillance of sheep found only a small number of seropositive animals in a very few flocks, suggesting that foot and mouth disease may self-limit in extensive sheep populations. The epidemic was finally brought to an end following the introduction of enhanced agricultural movement restrictions and biosecurity measures. A welfare culling scheme of unaffected animals was required to support the prolonged national livestock movement ban. The models that supported the contiguous culling policy were severely flawed, being based on data from dissimilar epidemics; used inaccurate background population data, and contained highly improbable biological assumptions about the temporal and quantitative parameters of infection and virus emission in infected herds and flocks.

Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism

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

Buddemeier, B R; Dillon, M B

Despite hundreds of above-ground nuclear tests and data gathered from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the effects of a ground-level, low-yield nuclear detonation in a modern urban environment are still the subject of considerable scientific debate. Extensive review of nuclear weapon effects studies and discussions with nuclear weapon effects experts from various federal agencies, national laboratories, and technical organizations have identified key issues and bounded some of the unknowns required to support response planning for a low-yield, ground-level nuclear detonation in a modern U.S. city. This study, which is focused primarily upon the hazards posed by radioactive fallout, used detailed fallout predictionsmore » from the advanced suite of three-dimensional (3-D) meteorology and plume/fallout models developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), including extensive global Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism geographical and real-time meteorological databases to support model calculations. This 3-D modeling system provides detailed simulations that account for complex meteorology and terrain effects. The results of initial modeling and analysis were presented to federal, state, and local working groups to obtain critical, broad-based review and feedback on strategy and messaging. This effort involved a diverse set of communities, including New York City, National Capitol Regions, Charlotte, Houston, Portland, and Los Angeles. The largest potential for reducing casualties during the post-detonation response phase comes from reducing exposure to fallout radiation. This can be accomplished through early, adequate sheltering followed by informed, delayed evacuation.B The response challenges to a nuclear detonation must be solved through multiple approaches of public education, planning, and rapid response actions. Because the successful response will require extensive coordination of a large number of organizations, supplemented by appropriate responses by local responders and the general population within the hazard zones, regional planning is essential to success. The remainder of this Executive Summary provides summary guidance for response planning in three areas: (1) Public Protection Strategy details the importance of early, adequate shelter followed by informed evacuation. (2) Responder Priorities identify how to protect response personnel, perform regional situational assessment, and support public safety. (3) Key Planning Considerations refute common myths and provide important information on planning how to respond in the aftermath of nuclear terrorism.« less

Two different mechanisms support selective attention at different phases of training.

PubMed

Itthipuripat, Sirawaj; Cha, Kexin; Byers, Anna; Serences, John T

2017-06-01

Selective attention supports the prioritized processing of relevant sensory information to facilitate goal-directed behavior. Studies in human subjects demonstrate that attentional gain of cortical responses can sufficiently account for attention-related improvements in behavior. On the other hand, studies using highly trained nonhuman primates suggest that reductions in neural noise can better explain attentional facilitation of behavior. Given the importance of selective information processing in nearly all domains of cognition, we sought to reconcile these competing accounts by testing the hypothesis that extensive behavioral training alters the neural mechanisms that support selective attention. We tested this hypothesis using electroencephalography (EEG) to measure stimulus-evoked visual responses from human subjects while they performed a selective spatial attention task over the course of ~1 month. Early in training, spatial attention led to an increase in the gain of stimulus-evoked visual responses. Gain was apparent within ~100 ms of stimulus onset, and a quantitative model based on signal detection theory (SDT) successfully linked the magnitude of this gain modulation to attention-related improvements in behavior. However, after extensive training, this early attentional gain was eliminated even though there were still substantial attention-related improvements in behavior. Accordingly, the SDT-based model required noise reduction to account for the link between the stimulus-evoked visual responses and attentional modulations of behavior. These findings suggest that training can lead to fundamental changes in the way attention alters the early cortical responses that support selective information processing. Moreover, these data facilitate the translation of results across different species and across experimental procedures that employ different behavioral training regimes.

Navigating Return to Work and Breastfeeding in a Hospital with a Comprehensive Employee Lactation Program.

PubMed

Froh, Elizabeth B; Spatz, Diane L

2016-11-01

The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding details the need for comprehensive employer lactation support programs. Our institution has an extensive employee lactation program, and our breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates are statistically significantly higher than state and national data, with more than 20% of our employees breastfeeding for more than 1 year. The objective of this research was complete secondary data analysis of qualitative data collected as part of a larger study on breastfeeding outcomes. In the larger study, 545 women who returned to work full or part time completed an online survey with the ability to provide free text qualitative data and feedback regarding their experiences with breastfeeding after return to work. Qualitative data were pulled from the online survey platform. The responses to these questions were analyzed using conventional content analysis by the research team (2 PhD-prepared nurse researchers trained and experienced in qualitative methodologies and 1 research assistant) in order to complete a thematic analysis of the survey data. Analysis of the data yielded 5 major themes: (1) positive reflections, (2) nonsupportive environment/work culture, (3) supportive environment/work culture, (4) accessibility of resources, and (5) internal barriers. The themes that emerged from this research clearly indicate that even in a hospital with an extensive employee lactation program, women have varied experiences-some more positive than others. Returning to work while breastfeeding requires time and commitment of the mother, and a supportive employee lactation program may ease that transition of return to work.

Two different mechanisms support selective attention at different phases of training

PubMed Central

Cha, Kexin; Byers, Anna; Serences, John T.

2017-01-01

Selective attention supports the prioritized processing of relevant sensory information to facilitate goal-directed behavior. Studies in human subjects demonstrate that attentional gain of cortical responses can sufficiently account for attention-related improvements in behavior. On the other hand, studies using highly trained nonhuman primates suggest that reductions in neural noise can better explain attentional facilitation of behavior. Given the importance of selective information processing in nearly all domains of cognition, we sought to reconcile these competing accounts by testing the hypothesis that extensive behavioral training alters the neural mechanisms that support selective attention. We tested this hypothesis using electroencephalography (EEG) to measure stimulus-evoked visual responses from human subjects while they performed a selective spatial attention task over the course of ~1 month. Early in training, spatial attention led to an increase in the gain of stimulus-evoked visual responses. Gain was apparent within ~100 ms of stimulus onset, and a quantitative model based on signal detection theory (SDT) successfully linked the magnitude of this gain modulation to attention-related improvements in behavior. However, after extensive training, this early attentional gain was eliminated even though there were still substantial attention-related improvements in behavior. Accordingly, the SDT-based model required noise reduction to account for the link between the stimulus-evoked visual responses and attentional modulations of behavior. These findings suggest that training can lead to fundamental changes in the way attention alters the early cortical responses that support selective information processing. Moreover, these data facilitate the translation of results across different species and across experimental procedures that employ different behavioral training regimes. PMID:28654635

Reforming funding for chronic illness: Medicare-CDM.

PubMed

Swerissen, Hal; Taylor, Michael J

2008-02-01

Chronic diseases are a major challenge for the Australian health care system in terms of both the provision of quality care and expenditure, and these challenges will only increase in the future. Various programs have been instituted under the Medicare system to provide increased funding for chronic care, but essentially these programs still follow the traditional fee-for-service model. This paper proposes a realignment and extension of current Medicare chronic disease management programs into a framework that provides general practitioners and other health professionals with the necessary "tools" for high quality care planning and ongoing management, and incorporating international models of outcome-linked funding. The integration of social support services with the Medicare system is also a necessary step in providing high quality care for patients with complex needs requiring additional support.

Advanced Simulation & Computing FY15 Implementation Plan Volume 2, Rev. 0.5

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

McCoy, Michel; Archer, Bill; Matzen, M. Keith

2014-09-16

The Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) is a single, highly integrated technical program for maintaining the surety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The SSP uses nuclear test data, computational modeling and simulation, and experimental facilities to advance understanding of nuclear weapons. It includes stockpile surveillance, experimental research, development and engineering programs, and an appropriately scaled production capability to support stockpile requirements. This integrated national program requires the continued use of experimental facilities and programs, and the computational enhancements to support these programs. The Advanced Simulation and Computing Program (ASC) is a cornerstone of the SSP, providing simulation capabilities andmore » computational resources that support annual stockpile assessment and certification, study advanced nuclear weapons design and manufacturing processes, analyze accident scenarios and weapons aging, and provide the tools to enable stockpile Life Extension Programs (LEPs) and the resolution of Significant Finding Investigations (SFIs). This requires a balance of resource, including technical staff, hardware, simulation software, and computer science solutions. As the program approaches the end of its second decade, ASC is intently focused on increasing predictive capabilities in a three-dimensional (3D) simulation environment while maintaining support to the SSP. The program continues to improve its unique tools for solving progressively more difficult stockpile problems (sufficient resolution, dimensionality, and scientific details), quantify critical margins and uncertainties, and resolve increasingly difficult analyses needed for the SSP. Where possible, the program also enables the use of high-performance simulation and computing tools to address broader national security needs, such as foreign nuclear weapon assessments and counternuclear terrorism.« less

Scholarly Mentor Program: Supporting Faculty in the Writing and Publication Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Diane K.; Martinez, AnaMaria Diaz; Lanigan, Jane; Wells-Moses, Kayla; Koehler, Christian

2018-01-01

The WSU Extension Scholarly Writing Group (ESWG) is a one-year faculty development mentoring program designed to support faculty on tenure or promotion track. The ESWG was created in response to increased expectations for Extension county-based faculty to contribute to the scientific literature within their fields through peer-reviewed…

Assessing Nature-Based Recreation to Support Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability Extension Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borisova, Tatiana; Bi, Xiang; Larkin, Sherry; Longanecker, James

2016-01-01

In support of community development, natural resource, and other Extension programs, the research reported here aimed to identify current and potential outdoor recreational opportunities in the St. Johns River Basin, an inland area in northeastern Florida. We identify the characteristics of the visitors participating in the recreational activities…

Applying Coaching Strategies to Support Youth- and Family-Focused Extension Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Jonathan R.; Hawkey, Kyle R.; Smith, Burgess; Perkins, Daniel F.; Borden, Lynne M.

2016-01-01

In this article, we describe how a peer-coaching model has been applied to support community-based Extension programming through the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) initiative. We describe the general approaches to coaching that have been used to help with CYFAR program implementation, evaluation, and sustainability efforts; we…

Automated space processing payloads study. Volume 2, book 1: Technical report. [instrument packages and space shuttles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The extent was investigated to which experiment hardware and operational requirements can be met by automatic control and material handling devices; payload and system concepts that make extensive use of automation technology are defined. Hardware requirements for each experiment were established and tabulated, and investigations of applicable existing hardware were documented. The capabilities and characteristics of industrial automation equipment, controls, and techniques are presented in the form of a summary of applicable equipment characteristics in three basic mutually-supporting formats. Facilities for performing groups of experiments are defined along with four levitation groups and three furnace groups; major hardware elements required to implement them were identified. A conceptual design definition of ten different automated processing facilities is presented along with the specific equipment to implement each facility and the design layouts of the different units. Constraints and packaging, weight, and power requirements for six payloads postulated for shuttle missions in the 1979 to 1982 time period were examined.

Orbit determination support of the Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon operational orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schanzle, A. F.; Rovnak, J. E.; Bolvin, D. T.; Doll, C. E.

1993-01-01

The Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX/Poseidon) mission is designed to determine the topography of the Earth's sea surface over a 3-year period, beginning shortly after launch in July 1992. TOPEX/Poseidon is a joint venture between the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the French Centre Nationale d'Etudes Spatiales. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is NASA's TOPEX/Poseidon project center. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) will nominally be used to support the day-to-day orbit determination aspects of the mission. Due to its extensive experience with TDRSS tracking data, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF) will receive and process TDRSS observational data. To fulfill the scientific goals of the mission, it is necessary to achieve and maintain a very precise orbit. The most stringent accuracy requirements are associated with planning and evaluating orbit maneuvers, which will place the spacecraft in its mission orbit and maintain the required ground track. To determine if the FDF can meet the TOPEX/Poseidon maneuver accuracy requirements, covariance analysis was undertaken with the Orbit Determination Error Analysis System (ODEAS). The covariance analysis addressed many aspects of TOPEX/Poseidon orbit determination, including arc length, force models, and other processing options. The most recent analysis has focused on determining the size of the geopotential field necessary to meet the maneuver support requirements. Analysis was undertaken with the full 50 x 50 Goddard Earth Model (GEM) T3 field as well as smaller representations of this model.

IITET and shadow TT: an innovative approach to training at the point of need

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, Andrew; Lopez, Favio; Dirkse, James; Anderson, Darran; Berglie, Stephen; May, Christopher; Harkrider, Susan

2014-06-01

The Image Intensification and Thermal Equipment Training (IITET) project is a joint effort between Night Vision and Electronics Sensors Directorate (NVESD) Modeling and Simulation Division (MSD) and the Army Research Institute (ARI) Fort Benning Research Unit. The IITET effort develops a reusable and extensible training architecture that supports the Army Learning Model and trains Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) concepts to Shadow Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) payload operators. The training challenge of MUM-T during aviation operations is that UAS payload operators traditionally learn few of the scout-reconnaissance skills and coordination appropriate to MUM-T at the schoolhouse. The IITET effort leveraged the simulation experience and capabilities at NVESD and ARI's research to develop a novel payload operator training approach consistent with the Army Learning Model. Based on the training and system requirements, the team researched and identified candidate capabilities in several distinct technology areas. The training capability will support a variety of training missions as well as a full campaign. Data from these missions will be captured in a fully integrated AAR capability, which will provide objective feedback to the user in near-real-time. IITET will be delivered via a combination of browser and video streaming technologies, eliminating the requirement for a client download and reducing user computer system requirements. The result is a novel UAS Payload Operator training capability, nested within an architecture capable of supporting a wide variety of training needs for air and ground tactical platforms and sensors, and potentially several other areas requiring vignette-based serious games training.

76 FR 48181 - Proposed Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-08

... employee during the prior week.'' This requirement is implemented by 29 CFR 3.3 and 3.4 and the standard... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Wage and Hour Division Proposed Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements AGENCY: Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The...

47 CFR 1.549 - Requests for extension of authority to operate without required monitors, indicating instruments...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Requests for extension of authority to operate without required monitors, indicating instruments, and EBS Attention Signal devices. 1.549 Section 1.549... required monitors, indicating instruments, and EBS Attention Signal devices. See § 73.3549. ...

Mixed Criticality Scheduling for Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Jin, Xi; Xia, Changqing; Xu, Huiting; Wang, Jintao; Zeng, Peng

2016-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been widely used in industrial systems. Their real-time performance and reliability are fundamental to industrial production. Many works have studied the two aspects, but only focus on single criticality WSNs. Mixed criticality requirements exist in many advanced applications in which different data flows have different levels of importance (or criticality). In this paper, first, we propose a scheduling algorithm, which guarantees the real-time performance and reliability requirements of data flows with different levels of criticality. The algorithm supports centralized optimization and adaptive adjustment. It is able to improve both the scheduling performance and flexibility. Then, we provide the schedulability test through rigorous theoretical analysis. We conduct extensive simulations, and the results demonstrate that the proposed scheduling algorithm and analysis significantly outperform existing ones. PMID:27589741

Space applications of Automation, Robotics And Machine Intelligence Systems (ARAMIS). Volume 3, phase 2: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akin, D. L.; Minsky, M. L.; Thiel, E. D.; Kurtzman, C. R.

1983-01-01

The field of telepresence is defined, and overviews of those capabilities that are now available, and those that will be required to support a NASA telepresence effort are provided. Investigation of NASA's plans and goals with regard to telepresence, extensive literature search for materials relating to relevant technologies, a description of these technologies and their state of the art, and projections for advances in these technologies are included. Several space projects are examined in detail to determine what capabilities are required of a telepresence system in order to accomplish various tasks, such as servicing and assembly. The key operational and technological areas are identified, conclusions and recommendations are made for further research, and an example developmental program leading to an operational telepresence servicer is presented.

Implications of Operational Pressure on CSSE PGS Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Ryan

2008-01-01

The Constellation Spacesuit Element (CSSE) was required to support crew survival (CS); launch, entry, and abort (LEA) scenarios; zero gravity (0-g) extravehicular activity (EVA) (both unscheduled and contingency); and planetary EVA. Operation of the CSSE in all of these capacities required a pressure garment subsystem (PGS) that would operate efficiently through various pressure profiles. The PGS team initiated a study to determine the appropriate operational pressure profile of the CSSE and how this selection would affect the design of the CSSE PGS. This study included an extensive review of historical PGS operational pressure selection and the operational effects of those pressures, the presentation of four possible pressure paradigm options for use by the CSSE, the risks and design impacts of these options, and the down-selected pressure option.

A Reusable Design for Precision Lunar Landing Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuhrman, Linda; Brand, Timothy; Fill, Tom; Norris, Lee; Paschall, Steve

2005-01-01

The top-level architecture to accomplish NASA's Vision for Space Exploration is to use Lunar missions and systems not just as an end in themselves, but also as testbeds for the more ambitious goals of Human Mars Exploration (HME). This approach means that Lunar missions and systems are most likely going to be targeted for (Lunar) polar missions, and also for long-duration (months) surface stays. This overacting theme creates basic top-level requirements for any next-generation lander system: 1) Long duration stays: a) Multiple landers in close proximity; b) Pinpoint landings for "surface rendezvous"; c) Autonomous landing of pre-positioned assets; and d) Autonomous Hazard Detection and Avoidance. 2) Polar and deep-crater landings (dark); 3) Common/extensible systems for Moon and Mars, crew and cargo. These requirements pose challenging technology and capability needs. Compare and contrast: 4) Apollo: a) 1 km landing accuracy; b) Lunar near-side (well imaged and direct-to-Earth com. possible); c) Lunar equatorial (landing trajectories offer best navigation support from Earth); d) Limited lighting conditions; e) Significant ground-in-the-loop operations; 5) Lunar Access: a) 10-100m landing precision; b) "Anywhere" access includes polar (potentially poor nav. support from Earth) and far side (poor gravity and imaging; no direct-to-Earth com); c) "Anytime" access includes any lighting condition (including dark); d) Full autonomous landing capability; e) Extensible design for tele-operation or operator-in-the-loop; and f) Minimal ground support to reduce operations costs. The Lunar Access program objectives, therefore, are to: a) Develop a baseline Lunar Precision Landing System (PLS) design to enable pinpoint "anywhere, anytime" landings; b) landing precision 10m-100m; c) Any LAT, LON; and d) Any lighting condition; This paper will characterize basic features of the next generation Lunar landing system, including trajectory types, sensor suite options and a reference system architecture.

New Strategy and Innovative Projects at the National Biosurveillance Integration Center

PubMed Central

Bennett, Steven; Quitugua, Teresa

2013-01-01

Objective Enhance knowledge of the vision, mission, strategic goals, and objectives of the National Biosurveillance Integration Center (NBIC). Learn about innovative biosurveillance projects ongoing in NBIC. Introduction For a number of years, the federal government has provided biosurveillance in various domains within different departments and agencies. Congress recognized the need for a means of integrating these separate information sources into a more useable resource by chartering NBIC within the Department of Homeland Security. Methods NBIC engaged the biosurveillance community within and beyond the federal government through a series of extensive discussions, workshops, and symposia to define a strategy for future development of integrated biosurveillance activities grounded in legislative and presidential direction. The NBIC Strategic Plan was extensively reviewed by the twelve federal Departments that comprise the National Biosurveillance Integration System (NBIS) as well as the White House Office of Management and Budget. The NBIC Strategic Plan is currently being revised for release of a public version. The NBIC also engaged partners in the development of projects designed to develop and test new approaches to biosurveillance. Results The NBIC Strategic Plan was delivered to Congress in August, 2012. The plan explains the Center’s approach, why it is needed, and how it seeks to execute the mission of integrating national biosurveillance information to provide relevant and timely information that effectively supports decision making. Projects are underway involving text analyses of emergency medical system data, changes to poison control center data collection and analysis, and the application of machine learning to social media analyses. A sub-working group of the NBIS has been established to guide selection of future pilot project areas to address prioritized requirements for integrated biosurveillance. Conclusions NBIC has increased flexibility in its commitment to collaboration and coordination, engaged in bold new approaches, and is defining requirements that will encourage buy-in and support of the users across the levels of government and the private sector. With success in its mission, NBIC will support its partners’ missions and provide relevant and timely information that effectively supports decision making.

Research-Practice Linkages in Extension Leadership Development Programs: Focus on Community Leadership Development Programs. A Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandenberg, Lela; And Others

The Research-Practice Linkages Project sought to identify the knowledge base supporting community leadership development (CLD) programs of the Cooperative Extension Service and to determine linkages between Extension programs and CLD research. A mail questionnaire was completed by 492 Extension staff involved in CLD programs in 18 states and 42…

Development of an e-Learning Program for Extensive Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okazaki, Hironobu; Hashimoto, Shinichi; Fukuda, Eri; Nitta, Haruhiko; Kido, Kazuhiko

2012-01-01

As extensive reading becomes more commonplace in the EFL/ESL classroom, there is a rise in the number of instructors and administrators who are looking for cost-effective and space-saving methods to carry out extensive reading activities. Two extensive reading systems to respond to such concerns were developed with the support of a Grant-in-Aid…

Integrated Science and Logistical Planning to Support Big Questions in Antarctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, D. G.; Stockings, T. M.

2015-12-01

Each year, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) supports an extensive programme of science at five Antarctic and sub-Antarctic stations, ranging from the tiny Bird Island Research Station at 54°S in the South Atlantic, to the massive, and fully re-locatable, Halley Research Station on Brunt Ice Shelf at 75°S. The BAS logistics hub, Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula supports deployment of deep-field and airborne field campaigns through much of the Antarctic continent, and an innovative new UK polar research vessel is under design, and planned to enter service in the Southern Ocean in 2019. BAS's core science programme covering all aspects of physical, biological and geological science is delivered by our own science teams, but every year many other UK scientists and overseas collaborators also access BAS's Antarctic logistics to support their own programmes. As an integrated science and logistics provider, BAS is continuously reviewing its capabilities and operational procedures to ensure that the future long-term requirements of science are optimally supported. Current trends are towards providing the capacity for heavier remote operations and larger-scale field camps, increasing use of autonomous ocean and airborne platforms, and increasing opportunities to provide turnkey solutions for low-cost experimental deployments. This talk will review of expected trends in Antarctic science and the opportunities to conduct science in Antarctica. It will outline the anticipated logistic developments required to support future stakeholder-led and strategically-directed science programmes, and the long-term ambitions of our science communities indentified in several recent horizon-scanning activities.

The eXtensible ontology development (XOD) principles and tool implementation to support ontology interoperability.

PubMed

He, Yongqun; Xiang, Zuoshuang; Zheng, Jie; Lin, Yu; Overton, James A; Ong, Edison

2018-01-12

Ontologies are critical to data/metadata and knowledge standardization, sharing, and analysis. With hundreds of biological and biomedical ontologies developed, it has become critical to ensure ontology interoperability and the usage of interoperable ontologies for standardized data representation and integration. The suite of web-based Ontoanimal tools (e.g., Ontofox, Ontorat, and Ontobee) support different aspects of extensible ontology development. By summarizing the common features of Ontoanimal and other similar tools, we identified and proposed an "eXtensible Ontology Development" (XOD) strategy and its associated four principles. These XOD principles reuse existing terms and semantic relations from reliable ontologies, develop and apply well-established ontology design patterns (ODPs), and involve community efforts to support new ontology development, promoting standardized and interoperable data and knowledge representation and integration. The adoption of the XOD strategy, together with robust XOD tool development, will greatly support ontology interoperability and robust ontology applications to support data to be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (i.e., FAIR).

Retrospectives on Factors Influencing Inclusive Opportunities for College Students with Extensive Support Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orlando, Ann-Marie; Klinepeter, Elizabeth; Foster, Megan

2016-01-01

Current U.S. legislation calls for students with disabilities to be involved and make progress in general education curriculum. Despite the legislation, students with extensive support needs continue to be segregated from their peers and post-school outcomes remain dismal for this population of students. The purpose of this retrospective study was…

Visual management support system

Treesearch

Lee Anderson; Jerry Mosier; Geoffrey Chandler

1979-01-01

The Visual Management Support System (VMSS) is an extension of an existing computer program called VIEWIT, which has been extensively used by the U. S. Forest Service. The capabilities of this program lie in the rapid manipulation of large amounts of data, specifically opera-ting as a tool to overlay or merge one set of data with another. VMSS was conceived to...

77 FR 33749 - Notice of a Noncompetitive Supplement and a 7-Month Extension of the Period of Support for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Notice of a Noncompetitive Supplement and a 7-Month Extension of the Period of Support for the Frontier Extended Stay Clinic... Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Notice of a...

An Electron/Photon/Relaxation Data Library for MCNP6

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

Hughes, III, H. Grady

The capabilities of the MCNP6 Monte Carlo code in simulation of electron transport, photon transport, and atomic relaxation have recently been significantly expanded. The enhancements include not only the extension of existing data and methods to lower energies, but also the introduction of new categories of data and methods. Support of these new capabilities has required major additions to and redesign of the associated data tables. In this paper we present the first complete documentation of the contents and format of the new electron-photon-relaxation data library now available with the initial production release of MCNP6.

UFO (UnFold Operator) default data format

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

Kissel, L.; Biggs, F.; Marking, T.R.

The default format for the storage of x,y data for use with the UFO code is described. The format assumes that the data stored in a file is a matrix of values; two columns of this matrix are selected to define a function of the form y = f(x). This format is specifically designed to allow for easy importation of data obtained from other sources, or easy entry of data using a text editor, with a minimum of reformatting. This format is flexible and extensible through the use of inline directives stored in the optional header of the file. Amore » special extension of the format implements encoded data which significantly reduces the storage required as compared wth the unencoded form. UFO supports several extensions to the file specification that implement execute-time operations, such as, transformation of the x and/or y values, selection of specific columns of the matrix for association with the x and y values, input of data directly from other formats (e.g., DAMP and PFF), and a simple type of library-structured file format. Several examples of the use of the format are given.« less

Architecture of security management unit for safe hosting of multiple agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmont, Tanguy; Legat, Jean-Didier; Quisquater, Jean-Jacques

1999-04-01

In such growing areas as remote applications in large public networks, electronic commerce, digital signature, intellectual property and copyright protection, and even operating system extensibility, the hardware security level offered by existing processors is insufficient. They lack protection mechanisms that prevent the user from tampering critical data owned by those applications. Some devices make exception, but have not enough processing power nor enough memory to stand up to such applications (e.g. smart cards). This paper proposes an architecture of secure processor, in which the classical memory management unit is extended into a new security management unit. It allows ciphered code execution and ciphered data processing. An internal permanent memory can store cipher keys and critical data for several client agents simultaneously. The ordinary supervisor privilege scheme is replaced by a privilege inheritance mechanism that is more suited to operating system extensibility. The result is a secure processor that has hardware support for extensible multitask operating systems, and can be used for both general applications and critical applications needing strong protection. The security management unit and the internal permanent memory can be added to an existing CPU core without loss of performance, and do not require it to be modified.

Vacuum chamber translation/positioning mechanism and welding power supply controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, James E., Jr.; Cashon, John L.

1992-01-01

Welding in the vacuum of space represents an important and fundamental problem for space exploration. Repairs or connection of metal components on orbit or during travel to the moon or distant planets may be required. Cracks or holes in spacecraft skin or supporting structures external to the pressurized section will require some type of repair that must be permanently made to the skin or support by welding. The development of a translation/positioning system that will permit research into welding of metal samples in a small vacuum chamber located at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is addressed. The system and associated software was tested to the extent possible without the availability of the welder power supply or control computer that must be supplied by MSFC. Software has been developed for straight line welding. More extensive and varied translations are possible with simple alterations to the operating software to use the full capabilities of this three axes system. The source code 'VW.BAS' has been provided to serve as an example for further development of the vacuum welder translation system.

Cooperative Extension as a Framework for Health Extension: The Michigan State University Model.

PubMed

Dwyer, Jeffrey W; Contreras, Dawn; Eschbach, Cheryl L; Tiret, Holly; Newkirk, Cathy; Carter, Erin; Cronk, Linda

2017-10-01

The Affordable Care Act charged the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to create the Primary Care Extension Program, but did not fund this effort. The idea to work through health extension agents to support health care delivery systems was based on the nationally known Cooperative Extension System (CES). Instead of creating new infrastructure in health care, the CES is an ideal vehicle for increasing health-related research and primary care delivery. The CES, a long-standing component of the land-grant university system, features a sustained infrastructure for providing education to communities. The Michigan State University (MSU) Model of Health Extension offers another means of developing a National Primary Care Extension Program that is replicable in part because of the presence of the CES throughout the United States. A partnership between the MSU College of Human Medicine and MSU Extension formed in 2014, emphasizing the promotion and support of human health research. The MSU Model of Health Extension includes the following strategies: building partnerships, preparing MSU Extension educators for participation in research, increasing primary care patient referrals and enrollment in health programs, and exploring innovative funding. Since the formation of the MSU Model of Health Extension, researchers and extension professionals have made 200+ connections, and grants have afforded savings in salary costs. The MSU College of Human Medicine and MSU Extension partnership can serve as a model to promote health partnerships nationwide between CES services within land-grant universities and academic health centers or community-based medical schools.

Spontaneous rotation of the monorail-type guide extension support catheter during advancement of a curved guiding catheter: the potential hazard of twisting with the coronary guidewire.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Sho; Takahashi, Akihiko; Yamada, Takeshi; Mizuguchi, Yukio; Taniguchi, Norimasa; Hata, Tetsuya; Nakajima, Shunsuke

2017-11-20

The extension support guiding catheter has been used to perform complex percutaneous coronary intervention to increase back-up support for the guiding catheter or to ensure deep intubation for device delivery. However, because of its monorail design, advancement of the stent into the distal extension tubing segment is sometimes problematic. Although this problem is considered due to simple collision of the stent, operators have observed tangling between a monorail extension catheter and coronary guidewire in some patients. To examine movement of the collar of the extension guide catheter during advancement of the guiding catheter, we set up an in vitro model in which the guiding catheter had two curves. Rotation of the extension guide catheter was examined by both fluoroscopic imaging and movement of the hub of the proximal end of the catheter. During advancement in the first curve, the collar moved toward the outer side of the curve of the guiding catheter as the operator pushed the shaft of the extension guiding catheter, which overrode the guidewire. After crossing the first curve, the collar moved again to the outer side of the second curve (the inner side of the first curve) of the mother catheter, and then, another clockwise rotation was observed in the proximal hub. Consequently, the collar and tubing portion of the extension guide catheter rotated 360° around the coronary guidewire, and the monorail extension catheter and guidewire became tangled. There is a potential risk of unintentional twisting with the guidewire during advancement into the curved guiding catheter because of its monorail design.

A New Generation of Electrical Power Supply for Telecom Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouhours, Gilles; Asplanato, Remi; Rebuffel, Christophe; Pasquet, Jean-Marie; Bardin, Bertrand; Deplus, Nicolas; Lempereur, Vincent

2014-08-01

This paper presents the main features of the new power subsystem generation for the Thales Alenia Space (TAS) Spacebus platforms.All its components (Solar Array, Solar Array Drive Mechanism, Power Conditioning Unit and Lithium-Ion batteries) have been upgraded, taking advantage of the latest available technologies. The modularity has been improved to perfectly match the sizing of each unit to the satellite power level requirement. These two improvements lead to optimal mass and cost over the whole power range.In addition, the customer benefits from a fully automatic operation of the subsystem, including redundancy, making the ground station workload negligible, even during eclipse periods. Finally, the capability to support any type of payload has been further improved, in terms of overall power level and operating modes. Payload pulsed operation capability has been especially increased to support all anticipated mission requirements. In parallel to the PCU hardware, a detailed electrical model has also been developed and correlated to analyse the regulation performance in any nominal or degraded mode. An extensive set of tests provides a verification of performances and interfaces, hardware as well as software.This paper will first describe the main requirements considered in this development. Then, the architecture will be detailed, showing how the requirements have been fulfilled. The design of each unit will be shortly presented, and finally the correlation between the regulation analysis model and the EQM measurements will be illustrated.

Inclusion of service robots in the daily lives of frail older users: A step-by-step definition procedure on users' requirements.

PubMed

García-Soler, Álvaro; Facal, David; Díaz-Orueta, Unai; Pigini, Lucia; Blasi, Lorenzo; Qiu, Renxi

2018-01-01

The implications for the inclusion of robots in the daily lives of frail older adults, especially in relation to these population needs, have not been extensively studied. The "Multi-Role Shadow Robotic System for Independent Living" (SRS) project has developed a remotely-controlled, semi-autonomous robotic system to be used in domestic environments. The objective of this paper is to document the iterative procedure used to identify, select and prioritize user requirements. Seventy-four requirements were identified by means of focus groups, individual interviews and scenario-based interviews. The list of user requirements, ordered according to impact, number and transnational criteria, revealed a high number of requirements related to basic and instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive and social support and monitorization, and also involving privacy, safety and adaptation issues. Analysing and understanding older users' perceptions and needs when interacting with technological devices adds value to assistive technology and ensures that the systems address currently unmet needs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laryngotracheal reconstruction with resorbable microplate buttressing.

PubMed

Javia, Luv R; Zur, Karen B

2012-04-01

In patients undergoing laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR), malacic segments of trachea can pose challenges to successful reconstruction. Malacic segments may inadequately support cartilage grafts used in augmentation surgery, sometimes requiring cricotracheal or tracheal resections. We describe a novel technique of LTR with resorbable microplate buttressing of malacic lateral tracheal segments. Retrospective case series. Review of technique, treatment outcomes, and complications of seven children with subglottic stenosis and tracheomalacia requiring a microplate-augmented LTR technique. Seven infants ranging from 26 months to 9 years of age successfully underwent LTR for subglottic stenosis. Six children had a grade III subglottic stenosis. The seventh child had grade II subglottic stenosis, bilateral vocal fold paralysis, an elliptical cricoid, and an obstructing giant suprastomal fibroma. Five children underwent a double-stage LTR with resorbable microplates sutured bilaterally to support severely malacic lateral tracheal segments. A cricotracheal resection would not have been feasible in one child due to the resection length and inadequate tracheal mobilization. Two children underwent a single-stage LTR with unilateral application of a microplate. Six children were decannulated within 3 months and continue without airway symptoms or complications. One child, who is just over 2 months from reconstructive surgery, is being setup for decannulation. No complications were encountered. LTR with resorbable microplate buttressing of malacic lateral tracheal segments is technically feasible, safe, and can avoid more extensive surgery requiring tracheal resection. Further experience may support the use of this technique in challenging airway reconstructions. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Anaesthetic management of obese parturients: what is the evidence supporting practice guidelines?

PubMed

Eley, V A; van Zundert, A A J; Lipman, J; Callaway, L K

2016-09-01

Increasing rates of obesity in western populations present management difficulties for clinicians caring for obese pregnant women. Various governing bodies have published clinical guidelines for the care of obese parturients. These guidelines refer to two components of anaesthetic care: anaesthetic consultation in the antenatal period for women with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m 2 and the provision of early epidural analgesia in labour. These recommendations are based on the increased incidence of obstetric complications and the predicted risks and difficulties in providing anaesthetic care. The concept behind early epidural analgesia is logical-site the epidural early, use it for surgical anaesthesia and avoid general anaesthesia if surgery is required. Experts support this recommendation, but there is weak supporting evidence. It is known that the management of labour epidurals in obese women is complicated and that women with extreme obesity require higher rates of general anaesthesia. Anecdotally, anaesthetists view and apply the early epidural recommendation inconsistently and the acceptability of early epidural analgesia to pregnant women is variable. In this topic review, we critically appraise these two practice recommendations. The elements required for effective implementation in multidisciplinary maternity care are considered. We identify gaps in the current literature and suggest areas for future research. While prospective cohort studies addressing epidural extension ('top-up') in obese parturients would help inform practice, audit of local practice may better answer the question "is early epidural analgesia beneficial to obese women in my practice?".

EMAAS: An extensible grid-based Rich Internet Application for microarray data analysis and management

PubMed Central

Barton, G; Abbott, J; Chiba, N; Huang, DW; Huang, Y; Krznaric, M; Mack-Smith, J; Saleem, A; Sherman, BT; Tiwari, B; Tomlinson, C; Aitman, T; Darlington, J; Game, L; Sternberg, MJE; Butcher, SA

2008-01-01

Background Microarray experimentation requires the application of complex analysis methods as well as the use of non-trivial computer technologies to manage the resultant large data sets. This, together with the proliferation of tools and techniques for microarray data analysis, makes it very challenging for a laboratory scientist to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in this field. Our aim was to develop a distributed e-support system for microarray data analysis and management. Results EMAAS (Extensible MicroArray Analysis System) is a multi-user rich internet application (RIA) providing simple, robust access to up-to-date resources for microarray data storage and analysis, combined with integrated tools to optimise real time user support and training. The system leverages the power of distributed computing to perform microarray analyses, and provides seamless access to resources located at various remote facilities. The EMAAS framework allows users to import microarray data from several sources to an underlying database, to pre-process, quality assess and analyse the data, to perform functional analyses, and to track data analysis steps, all through a single easy to use web portal. This interface offers distance support to users both in the form of video tutorials and via live screen feeds using the web conferencing tool EVO. A number of analysis packages, including R-Bioconductor and Affymetrix Power Tools have been integrated on the server side and are available programmatically through the Postgres-PLR library or on grid compute clusters. Integrated distributed resources include the functional annotation tool DAVID, GeneCards and the microarray data repositories GEO, CELSIUS and MiMiR. EMAAS currently supports analysis of Affymetrix 3' and Exon expression arrays, and the system is extensible to cater for other microarray and transcriptomic platforms. Conclusion EMAAS enables users to track and perform microarray data management and analysis tasks through a single easy-to-use web application. The system architecture is flexible and scalable to allow new array types, analysis algorithms and tools to be added with relative ease and to cope with large increases in data volume. PMID:19032776

Advanced Life Support System Value Metric

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.; Arnold, James O. (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

The NASA Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program is required to provide a performance metric to measure its progress in system development. Extensive discussions within the ALS program have reached a consensus. The Equivalent System Mass (ESM) metric has been traditionally used and provides a good summary of the weight, size, and power cost factors of space life support equipment. But ESM assumes that all the systems being traded off exactly meet a fixed performance requirement, so that the value and benefit (readiness, performance, safety, etc.) of all the different systems designs are exactly equal. This is too simplistic. Actual system design concepts are selected using many cost and benefit factors and the system specification is then set accordingly. The ALS program needs a multi-parameter metric including both the ESM and a System Value Metric (SVM). The SVM would include safety, maintainability, reliability, performance, use of cross cutting technology, and commercialization potential. Another major factor in system selection is technology readiness level (TRL), a familiar metric in ALS. The overall ALS system metric that is suggested is a benefit/cost ratio, [SVM + TRL]/ESM, with appropriate weighting and scaling. The total value is the sum of SVM and TRL. Cost is represented by ESM. The paper provides a detailed description and example application of the suggested System Value Metric.

Air-fluidized therapy: physical properties and clinical uses.

PubMed

VanGilder, Catherine; Lachenbruch, Charlie A

2010-09-01

Since the late 1960s, air-fluidized therapy (AFT) has been effectively used to treat patients with pressure ulcers, burns, and many other clinical problems. Much of the demonstrated efficacy is believed to be associated with the unique fluid environment provided by AFT that is fundamentally different from the support provided by surfaces made up of conventional solid materials. Fluid support maximizes the envelopment of the body while significantly reducing shear, friction, and pressure, and mechanical stress applied to the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Additionally, the variable temperature airflow allows the microclimate to be controlled according to needs for both therapy and patient comfort. Clinical benefits of AFT include faster and more cost-effective healing of pressure ulcers, a decreased rate of hospitalizations and emergency room visits for long-term care pressure ulcer patients, decreased mortality of patients with extensive burns and inhalation injury and rapid healing and increased comfort in burn patients. The fluid support also results in a substantial decrease in the amount of caregiver effort required for repositioning patients and increased patient comfort in patients with multiple trauma and external fixation devices or deformities that require a conforming bed, and patients with cancer and bony metastasis. This article seeks to evaluate the physical differences in AFT over other mattress types and to review the published literature for this therapy modality.

Advanced Space Suit Portable Life Support Subsystem Packaging Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howe, Robert; Diep, Chuong; Barnett, Bob; Thomas, Gretchen; Rouen, Michael; Kobus, Jack

2006-01-01

This paper discusses the Portable Life Support Subsystem (PLSS) packaging design work done by the NASA and Hamilton Sundstrand in support of the 3 future space missions; Lunar, Mars and zero-g. The goal is to seek ways to reduce the weight of PLSS packaging, and at the same time, develop a packaging scheme that would make PLSS technology changes less costly than the current packaging methods. This study builds on the results of NASA s in-house 1998 study, which resulted in the "Flex PLSS" concept. For this study the present EMU schematic (low earth orbit) was used so that the work team could concentrate on the packaging. The Flex PLSS packaging is required to: protect, connect, and hold the PLSS and its components together internally and externally while providing access to PLSS components internally for maintenance and for technology change without extensive redesign impact. The goal of this study was two fold: 1. Bring the advanced space suit integrated Flex PLSS concept from its current state of development to a preliminary design level and build a proof of concept mockup of the proposed design, and; 2. "Design" a Design Process, which accommodates both the initial Flex PLSS design and the package modifications, required to accommodate new technology.

Automating the SMAP Ground Data System to Support Lights-Out Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Antonio

2014-01-01

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission is a first tier mission in NASA's Earth Science Decadal Survey. SMAP will provide a global mapping of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw states. This mapping will be used to enhance the understanding of processes that link the terrestrial water, energy, and carbon cycles, and to enhance weather and forecast capabilities. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been selected as the lead center for the development and operation of SMAP. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has an extensive history of successful deep space exploration. JPL missions have typically been large scale Class A missions with significant budget and staffing. SMAP represents a new area of JPL focus towards low cost Earth science missions. Success in this new area requires changes to the way that JPL has traditionally provided the Mission Operations System (MOS)/Ground Data System (GDS) functions. The operation of SMAP requires more routine operations activities and support for higher data rates and data volumes than have been achieved in the past. These activities must be addressed by a reduced operations team and support staff. To meet this challenge, the SMAP ground data system provides automation that will perform unattended operations, including automated commanding of the SMAP spacecraft.

Extended preoperative patient education using a multimedia DVD-impact on patients receiving a laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Wilhelm, D; Gillen, S; Wirnhier, H; Kranzfelder, M; Schneider, A; Schmidt, A; Friess, H; Feussner, H

2009-03-01

The informed consent is a legal requirement prior to surgery and should be based on an extensive preoperative interview. Multimedia productions can therefore be utilised as supporting tool. In a prospective randomised trial, we evaluated the impact of an extended education on patients undergoing cholecystectomy. For extended patient information, a professionally built DVD was used. After randomisation to either the DVD or the control group, patients were informed with or without additional presentation of the DVD. The quality of education was evaluated using a purpose-built questionnaire. One hundred fourteen patients were included in the DVD and 98 in the control group. Patient characteristics did not differ significantly despite a higher educational level in the DVD group. The score of correctly answered questions was higher in the DVD group (19.88 vs. 17.58 points, p < 0.001). As subgroup analysis revealed, particular patient characteristics additionally impacted on results. Patients should be informed the most extensively prior to any surgical procedure. Multimedia productions therefore offer a suitable instrument. In the presented study, we could prove the positive impact of an information DVD on patients knowledge. Nevertheless, multimedia tools cannot replace personal interaction and should only be used to support daily work.

Remediation in Canadian medical residency programs: Established and emerging best practices.

PubMed

Shearer, Cindy; Bosma, Mark; Bergin, Fiona; Sargeant, Joan; Warren, Andrew

2018-02-23

Policies to guide remediation in postgraduate medical education exist in all Canadian medical schools. This study examines concordance between these policies and processes, and published "best practices" in remediation. We conducted a literature review to identify best practices in the area of remediation. We then reviewed remediation policies from all 13 English medical schools in Canada other than our own and conducted interviews with key informants from each institution. Each policy and interview transcript pair was then reviewed for evidence of pre-defined "best practices." Team members also noted additional potential policy or process enablers of successful remediation. Most policies and processes aligned with some but not all published best practices. For instance, all participating schools tailored remediation strategies to individual resident needs, and a majority encouraged faculty-student relationships during remediation. Conversely, few required the teaching of goal-setting, strategic planning, self-monitoring, and self-awareness. In addition, we identified avoidance of automatic training extension and the use of an educational review board to support the remediation process as enablers for success. Remediation policies and practices in Canada align well with published best practices in this area. Based on key informant opinions, flexibility to avoid training extension and use of an educational review board may also support optimal remediation outcomes.

International Space Station Aeromedical Support in Star City, Russia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Richard; Chamberlin, Blake; Dowell, Gene; Castleberry, Tarah; Savage, Scott

2010-01-01

The Space Medicine Division at Johnson Space Center works with the International Space Station s international partners (IP) to accomplish assigned health care tasks. Each IP may assign a flight surgeon to support their assigned crewmembers during all phases of training, in-flight operations, and postflight activities. Because of the extensive amount of astronaut training conducted in Star City; NASA, in collaboration with its IPs, has elected to keep a flight surgeon assigned to NASA s Star City office to provide support to the U.S., Canadian, Japanese, and European astronauts during hazardous training activities and provide support for any contingency landings of Soyuz spacecraft in Kazakhstan. The physician also provides support as necessary to the Mission Control Center in Moscow for non-Russian crew-related activities. In addition, the physician in Star City provides ambulatory medical care to the non-Russian-assigned personnel in Star City and visiting dependents. Additional work involves all medical supplies, administration, and inventory. The Star City physician assists in medical evacuation and/or in obtaining support from western clinics in Moscow when required care exceeds local resources. Overall, the Russians are responsible for operations and the medical care of the entire crew when training in Star City and during launch/landing operations. However, they allow international partner flight surgeons to care for their crewmembers as agreed to in the ISS Medical Operations Requirements Document. Medical support focuses on pressurized, monitored, and other hazardous training activities. One of the most important jobs is to act as a medical advocate for the astronauts and to reduce the threat that these hazardous activities pose. Although the Russians have a robust medical system, evacuation may be needed to facilitate ongoing medical care. There are several international medical evacuation companies that provide this care.

Cooperative Extension Training Impact on Military Youth and 4-H Youth: The Case of Speak Out for Military Kids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwin, James; McKinley, Steve; Talbert, B. Allen

2010-01-01

Extension needs new venues to promote their programming skills to unfamiliar audiences. One new audience Extension is currently reaching is military children. By partnering with Operation: Military Kids to offer a Speak Out for Military Kids training, Extension supports military children and document changes in the behavior of this audience.…

The control of mono-articular muscles in multijoint leg extensions in man.

PubMed Central

van Ingen Schenau, G J; Dorssers, W M; Welter, T G; Beelen, A; de Groot, G; Jacobs, R

1995-01-01

1. Movements often require control of direction and a magnitude of force exerted externally on the environment. Bi-articular upper leg muscles appear to play a unique role in the regulation of the net torques about the hip and knee joints, necessary for the control of this external force. 2. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the mono-articular muscles act as work generators in powerful dynamic leg extensions, which means that they should be activated primarily in the phases during which they can contribute to work, irrespective of the net joint torques required to control the external force. 3. Cycling movements of six trained subjects were analysed by means of inverse dynamics, yielding net joint torques as well as activity patterns and shortening velocities of four mono- and four bi-articular leg muscles. 4. The results show that the mono-articular muscles exert force only in the phase in which these muscles shorten, whereas this appears not to be the case for the bi-articular muscles. 5. Reciprocal patterns of activation of the rectus femoris and hamstring muscles appear to tune the distribution of net joint torques about the hip and knee joints, necessary to control the (changing) direction of the force on the pedal. 6. An analysis of running in man and additional related literature based on animal studies appears to provide further support for the hypothesis that mono- and bi-articular muscles have essentially different roles in these powerful multijoint leg extension tasks. PMID:7602524

TRIAD: The Translational Research Informatics and Data Management Grid

PubMed Central

Payne, P.; Ervin, D.; Dhaval, R.; Borlawsky, T.; Lai, A.

2011-01-01

Objective Multi-disciplinary and multi-site biomedical research programs frequently require infrastructures capable of enabling the collection, management, analysis, and dissemination of heterogeneous, multi-dimensional, and distributed data and knowledge collections spanning organizational boundaries. We report on the design and initial deployment of an extensible biomedical informatics platform that is intended to address such requirements. Methods A common approach to distributed data, information, and knowledge management needs in the healthcare and life science settings is the deployment and use of a service-oriented architecture (SOA). Such SOA technologies provide for strongly-typed, semantically annotated, and stateful data and analytical services that can be combined into data and knowledge integration and analysis “pipelines.” Using this overall design pattern, we have implemented and evaluated an extensible SOA platform for clinical and translational science applications known as the Translational Research Informatics and Data-management grid (TRIAD). TRIAD is a derivative and extension of the caGrid middleware and has an emphasis on supporting agile “working interoperability” between data, information, and knowledge resources. Results Based upon initial verification and validation studies conducted in the context of a collection of driving clinical and translational research problems, we have been able to demonstrate that TRIAD achieves agile “working interoperability” between distributed data and knowledge sources. Conclusion Informed by our initial verification and validation studies, we believe TRIAD provides an example instance of a lightweight and readily adoptable approach to the use of SOA technologies in the clinical and translational research setting. Furthermore, our initial use cases illustrate the importance and efficacy of enabling “working interoperability” in heterogeneous biomedical environments. PMID:23616879

TRIAD: The Translational Research Informatics and Data Management Grid.

PubMed

Payne, P; Ervin, D; Dhaval, R; Borlawsky, T; Lai, A

2011-01-01

Multi-disciplinary and multi-site biomedical research programs frequently require infrastructures capable of enabling the collection, management, analysis, and dissemination of heterogeneous, multi-dimensional, and distributed data and knowledge collections spanning organizational boundaries. We report on the design and initial deployment of an extensible biomedical informatics platform that is intended to address such requirements. A common approach to distributed data, information, and knowledge management needs in the healthcare and life science settings is the deployment and use of a service-oriented architecture (SOA). Such SOA technologies provide for strongly-typed, semantically annotated, and stateful data and analytical services that can be combined into data and knowledge integration and analysis "pipelines." Using this overall design pattern, we have implemented and evaluated an extensible SOA platform for clinical and translational science applications known as the Translational Research Informatics and Data-management grid (TRIAD). TRIAD is a derivative and extension of the caGrid middleware and has an emphasis on supporting agile "working interoperability" between data, information, and knowledge resources. Based upon initial verification and validation studies conducted in the context of a collection of driving clinical and translational research problems, we have been able to demonstrate that TRIAD achieves agile "working interoperability" between distributed data and knowledge sources. Informed by our initial verification and validation studies, we believe TRIAD provides an example instance of a lightweight and readily adoptable approach to the use of SOA technologies in the clinical and translational research setting. Furthermore, our initial use cases illustrate the importance and efficacy of enabling "working interoperability" in heterogeneous biomedical environments.

Brief Report: An Independent Replication and Extension of Psychometric Evidence Supporting the Theory of Mind Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenslade, Kathryn J.; Coggins, Truman E.

2016-01-01

This study presents an independent replication and extension of psychometric evidence supporting the "Theory of Mind Inventory" ("ToMI"). Parents of 20 children with ASD (4; 1-6; 7 years; months) and 20 with typical development (3; 1-6; 5), rated their child's theory of mind abilities in everyday situations. Other parent report…

Low Background Assay Results for LZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliver-Mallory, Kelsey; Thomas, Keenan; Lux-Zeplin Collaboration; Berkeley Low Background Facility Team

2016-03-01

The next generation dark matter experiment LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) requires careful control of intrinsic radioactivity in all critical detector components in order to reach its unprecedented target sensitivity to Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs): 2 ×10-48 cm2 at 50 GeV/c2. Appropriate material selection is essential to meeting this goal, and an extensive campaign of low background screening is currently being carried out using assay devices at the Sanford Underground Research Facility and the Boulby Underground Laboratory. We will present results from this work, including measurements for the Ti cryostat, PMT bases, PMT raw materials, PTFE, and other components. This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Award Number DE-AC02-05CH11231, and is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. 1106400.

Planning for Space Station Freedom laboratory payload integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willenberg, Harvey J.; Torre, Larry P.

1989-01-01

Space Station Freedom is being developed to support extensive missions involving microgravity research and applications. Requirements for on-orbit payload integration and the simultaneous payload integration of multiple mission increments will provide the stimulus to develop new streamlined integration procedures in order to take advantage of the increased capabilities offered by Freedom. The United States Laboratory and its user accommodations are described. The process of integrating users' experiments and equipment into the United States Laboratory and the Pressurized Logistics Modules is described. This process includes the strategic and tactical phases of Space Station utilization planning. The support that the Work Package 01 Utilization office will provide to the users and hardware developers, in the form of Experiment Integration Engineers, early accommodation assessments, and physical integration of experiment equipment, is described. Plans for integrated payload analytical integration are also described.

CardioGuard: A Brassiere-Based Reliable ECG Monitoring Sensor System for Supporting Daily Smartphone Healthcare Applications

PubMed Central

Kwon, Sungjun; Kim, Jeehoon; Kang, Seungwoo; Lee, Youngki; Baek, Hyunjae

2014-01-01

Abstract We propose CardioGuard, a brassiere-based reliable electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring sensor system, for supporting daily smartphone healthcare applications. It is designed to satisfy two key requirements for user-unobtrusive daily ECG monitoring: reliability of ECG sensing and usability of the sensor. The system is validated through extensive evaluations. The evaluation results showed that the CardioGuard sensor reliably measure the ECG during 12 representative daily activities including diverse movement levels; 89.53% of QRS peaks were detected on average. The questionnaire-based user study with 15 participants showed that the CardioGuard sensor was comfortable and unobtrusive. Additionally, the signal-to-noise ratio test and the washing durability test were conducted to show the high-quality sensing of the proposed sensor and its physical durability in practical use, respectively. PMID:25405527

Metadata requirements for results of diagnostic imaging procedures: a BIIF profile to support user applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Nicholas J.; Lloyd, David S.; Reynolds, Melvin I.; Plummer, David L.

2002-05-01

A visible digital image is rendered from a set of digital image data. Medical digital image data can be stored as either: (a) pre-rendered format, corresponding to a photographic print, or (b) un-rendered format, corresponding to a photographic negative. The appropriate image data storage format and associated header data (metadata) required by a user of the results of a diagnostic procedure recorded electronically depends on the task(s) to be performed. The DICOM standard provides a rich set of metadata that supports the needs of complex applications. Many end user applications, such as simple report text viewing and display of a selected image, are not so demanding and generic image formats such as JPEG are sometimes used. However, these are lacking some basic identification requirements. In this paper we make specific proposals for minimal extensions to generic image metadata of value in various domains, which enable safe use in the case of two simple healthcare end user scenarios: (a) viewing of text and a selected JPEG image activated by a hyperlink and (b) viewing of one or more JPEG images together with superimposed text and graphics annotation using a file specified by a profile of the ISO/IEC Basic Image Interchange Format (BIIF).

Integration Framework of Process Planning based on Resource Independent Operation Summary to Support Collaborative Manufacturing

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

Kulvatunyou, Boonserm; Wysk, Richard A.; Cho, Hyunbo

2004-06-01

In today's global manufacturing environment, manufacturing functions are distributed as never before. Design, engineering, fabrication, and assembly of new products are done routinely in many different enterprises scattered around the world. Successful business transactions require the sharing of design and engineering data on an unprecedented scale. This paper describes a framework that facilitates the collaboration of engineering tasks, particularly process planning and analysis, to support such globalized manufacturing activities. The information models of data and the software components that integrate those information models are described. The integration framework uses an Integrated Product and Process Data (IPPD) representation called a Resourcemore » Independent Operation Summary (RIOS) to facilitate the communication of business and manufacturing requirements. Hierarchical process modeling, process planning decomposition and an augmented AND/OR directed graph are used in this representation. The Resource Specific Process Planning (RSPP) module assigns required equipment and tools, selects process parameters, and determines manufacturing costs based on two-level hierarchical RIOS data. The shop floor knowledge (resource and process knowledge) and a hybrid approach (heuristic and linear programming) to linearize the AND/OR graph provide the basis for the planning. Finally, a prototype system is developed and demonstrated with an exemplary part. Java and XML (Extensible Markup Language) are used to ensure software and information portability.« less

Individual differences in the benefits of feedback for learning.

PubMed

Kelley, Christopher M; McLaughlin, Anne Collins

2012-02-01

Research on learning from feedback has produced ambiguous guidelines for feedback design--some have advocated minimal feedback, whereas others have recommended more extensive feedback that highly supported performance. The objective of the current study was to investigate how individual differences in cognitive resources may predict feedback requirements and resolve previous conflicted findings. Cognitive resources were controlled for by comparing samples from populations with known differences, older and younger adults.To control for task demands, a simple rule-based learning task was created in which participants learned to identify fake Windows pop-ups. Pop-ups were divided into two categories--those that required fluid ability to identify and those that could be identified using crystallized intelligence. In general, results showed participants given higher feedback learned more. However, when analyzed by type of task demand, younger adults performed comparably with both levels of feedback for both cues whereas older adults benefited from increased feedbackfor fluid ability cues but from decreased feedback for crystallized ability cues. One explanation for the current findings is feedback requirements are connected to the cognitive abilities of the learner-those with higher abilities for the type of demands imposed by the task are likely to benefit from reduced feedback. We suggest the following considerations for feedback design: Incorporate learner characteristics and task demands when designing learning support via feedback.

An Efficient and QoS Supported Multichannel MAC Protocol for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

PubMed Central

Tan, Guozhen; Yu, Chao

2017-01-01

Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) employ multichannel to provide a variety of safety and non-safety (transport efficiency and infotainment) applications, based on the IEEE 802.11p and IEEE 1609.4 protocols. Different types of applications require different levels Quality-of-Service (QoS) support. Recently, transport efficiency and infotainment applications (e.g., electronic map download and Internet access) have received more and more attention, and this kind of applications is expected to become a big market driver in a near future. In this paper, we propose an Efficient and QoS supported Multichannel Medium Access Control (EQM-MAC) protocol for VANETs in a highway environment. The EQM-MAC protocol utilizes the service channel resources for non-safety message transmissions during the whole synchronization interval, and it dynamically adjusts minimum contention window size for different non-safety services according to the traffic conditions. Theoretical model analysis and extensive simulation results show that the EQM-MAC protocol can support QoS services, while ensuring the high saturation throughput and low transmission delay for non-safety applications. PMID:28991217

Decision support frameworks and tools for conservation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwartz, Mark W.; Cook, Carly N.; Pressey, Robert L.; Pullin, Andrew S.; Runge, Michael C.; Salafsky, Nick; Sutherland, William J.; Williamson, Matthew A.

2018-01-01

The practice of conservation occurs within complex socioecological systems fraught with challenges that require transparent, defensible, and often socially engaged project planning and management. Planning and decision support frameworks are designed to help conservation practitioners increase planning rigor, project accountability, stakeholder participation, transparency in decisions, and learning. We describe and contrast five common frameworks within the context of six fundamental questions (why, who, what, where, when, how) at each of three planning stages of adaptive management (project scoping, operational planning, learning). We demonstrate that decision support frameworks provide varied and extensive tools for conservation planning and management. However, using any framework in isolation risks diminishing potential benefits since no one framework covers the full spectrum of potential conservation planning and decision challenges. We describe two case studies that have effectively deployed tools from across conservation frameworks to improve conservation actions and outcomes. Attention to the critical questions for conservation project planning should allow practitioners to operate within any framework and adapt tools to suit their specific management context. We call on conservation researchers and practitioners to regularly use decision support tools as standard practice for framing both practice and research.

Empirical Questionnaire Methods for Fund-Raising Campaign Preparedness in Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comley Adams, Catherine; Butler, Douglass A.

2017-01-01

Amid waning public financial support for Extension program offerings, highly strategic and professional fund-raising practices are necessary for gaining momentum among private philanthropists and closing the fiscal gap. University of Missouri Extension conducted a precampaign survey that invited feedback from stakeholders to inform Extension…

Compact, Low-Overhead, MIL-STD-1553B Controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard; Barto, Rod

2009-01-01

A compact and flexible controller has been developed to provide MIL-STD- 1553B Remote Terminal (RT) communications and supporting and related functions with minimal demand on the resources of the system in which the controller is to be installed. (MIL-STD-1553B is a military standard that encompasses a method of communication and electrical-interface requirements for digital electronic subsystems connected to a data bus. MIL-STD-1553B is commonly used in defense and space applications.) Many other MIL-STD-1553B RT controllers are complicated, and to enable them to function, it is necessary to provide software and to use such ancillary separate hardware devices as microprocessors and dual-port memories. The present controller functions without need for software and any ancillary hardware. In addition, it contains a flexible system interface and extensive support hardware while including on-chip error-checking and diagnostic support circuitry. This controller is implemented within part of a modern field-programmable gate array.

Measuring the Resilience of Advanced Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, Ann Maria; Dearden, Richard; Levri, Julie A.

2002-01-01

Despite the central importance of crew safety in designing and operating a life support system, the metric commonly used to evaluate alternative Advanced Life Support (ALS) technologies does not currently provide explicit techniques for measuring safety. The resilience of a system, or the system s ability to meet performance requirements and recover from component-level faults, is fundamentally a dynamic property. This paper motivates the use of computer models as a tool to understand and improve system resilience throughout the design process. Extensive simulation of a hybrid computational model of a water revitalization subsystem (WRS) with probabilistic, component-level faults provides data about off-nominal behavior of the system. The data can then be used to test alternative measures of resilience as predictors of the system s ability to recover from component-level faults. A novel approach to measuring system resilience using a Markov chain model of performance data is also developed. Results emphasize that resilience depends on the complex interaction of faults, controls, and system dynamics, rather than on simple fault probabilities.

Magnetic Measurements of Storage Ring Magnets for the APS Upgrade Project

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

Doose, C.; Dejus, R.; Jaski, M.

2017-06-01

Extensive prototyping of storage ring magnets is ongoing at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) in support of the APS Multi-Bend Achromat (MBA) upgrade project (APS-U) [1]. As part of the R&D activities four quadrupole magnets with slightly different geometries and pole tip materials, and one sextupole magnet with vanadium permendur (VP) pole tips were designed, built and tested. Magnets were measured individually using a rotating coil and a Hall probe for detailed mapping of the magnetic field. Magnets were then assembled and aligned relative to each other on a steel support plate and concrete plinth using precision machined surfaces tomore » gain experience with the alignment method chosen for the APS-U storage ring magnets. The required alignment of magnets on a common support structure is 30 μm rms. Measurements of magnetic field quality, strength and magnet alignment after subjecting the magnets and assemblies to different tests are presented.« less

NoSQL Based 3D City Model Management System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, B.; Harrie, L.; Cao, J.; Wu, Z.; Shen, J.

2014-04-01

To manage increasingly complicated 3D city models, a framework based on NoSQL database is proposed in this paper. The framework supports import and export of 3D city model according to international standards such as CityGML, KML/COLLADA and X3D. We also suggest and implement 3D model analysis and visualization in the framework. For city model analysis, 3D geometry data and semantic information (such as name, height, area, price and so on) are stored and processed separately. We use a Map-Reduce method to deal with the 3D geometry data since it is more complex, while the semantic analysis is mainly based on database query operation. For visualization, a multiple 3D city representation structure CityTree is implemented within the framework to support dynamic LODs based on user viewpoint. Also, the proposed framework is easily extensible and supports geoindexes to speed up the querying. Our experimental results show that the proposed 3D city management system can efficiently fulfil the analysis and visualization requirements.

BMI cyberworkstation: enabling dynamic data-driven brain-machine interface research through cyberinfrastructure.

PubMed

Zhao, Ming; Rattanatamrong, Prapaporn; DiGiovanna, Jack; Mahmoudi, Babak; Figueiredo, Renato J; Sanchez, Justin C; Príncipe, José C; Fortes, José A B

2008-01-01

Dynamic data-driven brain-machine interfaces (DDDBMI) have great potential to advance the understanding of neural systems and improve the design of brain-inspired rehabilitative systems. This paper presents a novel cyberinfrastructure that couples in vivo neurophysiology experimentation with massive computational resources to provide seamless and efficient support of DDDBMI research. Closed-loop experiments can be conducted with in vivo data acquisition, reliable network transfer, parallel model computation, and real-time robot control. Behavioral experiments with live animals are supported with real-time guarantees. Offline studies can be performed with various configurations for extensive analysis and training. A Web-based portal is also provided to allow users to conveniently interact with the cyberinfrastructure, conducting both experimentation and analysis. New motor control models are developed based on this approach, which include recursive least square based (RLS) and reinforcement learning based (RLBMI) algorithms. The results from an online RLBMI experiment shows that the cyberinfrastructure can successfully support DDDBMI experiments and meet the desired real-time requirements.

Physician Information Needs in Managing Delirium

PubMed Central

Taft, Teresa; Nelsen, Scott D; Slager, Stacey; Weir, Charlene

2017-01-01

Delirium has the highest occurrence rate of any complication in hospitalized adults over the age of 65. The study objective was to determine physician information needs for use in the development of electronic clinical decision support for physicians managing the care of patients with delirium. Critical incident interviews were conducted with 8 experienced internal medicine physicians and 1 cardiologist. Thematic analysis revealed the following 6 themes: 1) Clinician’s experience an impoverished information field for mental status, 2) Uncertainty is pervasive, 3) Extensive information foraging effort is required for cohesive story building, 4) Goal Conflict leads to missed diagnosis and early closure, 5) Diffusion of Responsibility for treating delirium is common, and 6) Use of structured delirium resources is minimal. Elicited information needs were identified and physician recommendations for improving access to information needed in managing the care of patient’s with delirium are reported. Information elicited in this study is useful for designing delirium clinical decision support that supports physician cognition.

Implant-supported Oral Rehabilitation in Child with Ectodermal Dysplasia - 4-year Follow-up.

PubMed

Cezária Triches, Thaisa; Ximenes, Marcos; Oliveira de Souza, João Gustavo; Rodrigues Lopes Pereira Neto, Armando; Cardoso, Antônio Carlos; Bolan, Michele

2017-01-01

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is an anomaly determined by genetic factors that alter ectodermal structures such as skin, hair, nails, glands, and teeth. Children affected by this condition require extensive, comprehensive, and multidisciplinary treatment. An 8-year-old female patient visited the Dentistry Clinic of the Federal University of Santa Catarina with the chief complaint of multiple missing teeth. The mother reported that the patient had ED. Clinical and radiographic examination revealed the congenital absence of several primary and permanent teeth and tooth germs. Subsequent oral rehabilitation comprised the application of a maxillary denture and mandibular implant-supported fixed prosthesis. The child was also supplied with a wig for further enhancement of esthetics aimed at improving her emotional wellbeing. Psychological follow-up and speech therapy were also provided. After 4 years of follow-up, implant-supported oral rehabilitation has proved to be a satisfactory treatment option, allowing restoration of masticatory, phonetic, and esthetic function, as well as an improvement in the patient's self-esteem and social wellbeing.

SCaN Testbed Software Development and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kacpura, Thomas J.; Varga, Denise M.

2012-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed an on-orbit, adaptable, Software Defined Radio (SDR)Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS)-based testbed facility to conduct a suite of experiments to advance technologies, reduce risk, and enable future mission capabilities on the International Space Station (ISS). The SCAN Testbed Project will provide NASA, industry, other Government agencies, and academic partners the opportunity to develop and field communications, navigation, and networking technologies in the laboratory and space environment based on reconfigurable, SDR platforms and the STRS Architecture.The SDRs are a new technology for NASA, and the support infrastructure they require is different from legacy, fixed function radios. SDRs offer the ability to reconfigure on-orbit communications by changing software for new waveforms and operating systems to enable new capabilities or fix any anomalies, which was not a previous option. They are not stand alone devices, but required a new approach to effectively control them and flow data. This requires extensive software to be developed to utilize the full potential of these reconfigurable platforms. The paper focuses on development, integration and testing as related to the avionics processor system, and the software required to command, control, monitor, and interact with the SDRs, as well as the other communication payload elements. An extensive effort was required to develop the flight software and meet the NASA requirements for software quality and safety. The flight avionics must be radiation tolerant, and these processors have limited capability in comparison to terrestrial counterparts. A big challenge was that there are three SDRs onboard, and interfacing with multiple SDRs simultaneously complicatesd the effort. The effort also includes ground software, which is a key element for both the command of the payload, and displaying data created by the payload. The verification of the software was an extensive effort. The challenges of specifying a suitable test matrix with reconfigurable systems that offer numerous configurations is highlighted. Since the flight system testing requires methodical, controlled testing that limits risk, a nearly identical ground system to the on-orbit flight system was required to develop the software and write verification procedures before it was installed and tested on the flight system. The development of the SCAN testbed was an accelerated effort to meet launch constraints, and this paper discusses tradeoffs made to balance needed software functionality and still maintain the schedule. Future upgrades are discussed that optimize the avionics and allow experimenters to utilize the SCAN testbed potential.

Value Driven Outcomes (VDO): a pragmatic, modular, and extensible software framework for understanding and improving health care costs and outcomes

PubMed Central

Kawamoto, Kensaku; Martin, Cary J; Williams, Kip; Tu, Ming-Chieh; Park, Charlton G; Hunter, Cheri; Staes, Catherine J; Bray, Bruce E; Deshmukh, Vikrant G; Holbrook, Reid A; Morris, Scott J; Fedderson, Matthew B; Sletta, Amy; Turnbull, James; Mulvihill, Sean J; Crabtree, Gordon L; Entwistle, David E; McKenna, Quinn L; Strong, Michael B; Pendleton, Robert C; Lee, Vivian S

2015-01-01

Objective To develop expeditiously a pragmatic, modular, and extensible software framework for understanding and improving healthcare value (costs relative to outcomes). Materials and methods In 2012, a multidisciplinary team was assembled by the leadership of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and charged with rapidly developing a pragmatic and actionable analytics framework for understanding and enhancing healthcare value. Based on an analysis of relevant prior work, a value analytics framework known as Value Driven Outcomes (VDO) was developed using an agile methodology. Evaluation consisted of measurement against project objectives, including implementation timeliness, system performance, completeness, accuracy, extensibility, adoption, satisfaction, and the ability to support value improvement. Results A modular, extensible framework was developed to allocate clinical care costs to individual patient encounters. For example, labor costs in a hospital unit are allocated to patients based on the hours they spent in the unit; actual medication acquisition costs are allocated to patients based on utilization; and radiology costs are allocated based on the minutes required for study performance. Relevant process and outcome measures are also available. A visualization layer facilitates the identification of value improvement opportunities, such as high-volume, high-cost case types with high variability in costs across providers. Initial implementation was completed within 6 months, and all project objectives were fulfilled. The framework has been improved iteratively and is now a foundational tool for delivering high-value care. Conclusions The framework described can be expeditiously implemented to provide a pragmatic, modular, and extensible approach to understanding and improving healthcare value. PMID:25324556

Restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes in public and private places—current practice and support among adults in Great Britain

PubMed Central

McNeill, Ann; Arnott, Deborah; Cheeseman, Hazel

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Debates around policies regulating e-cigarette use make it important to obtain an overview of current practice, people’s attitudes and correlates of policy support. Aims were to assess (i) current practices for e-cigarette use in homes and workplaces; (ii) characteristics associated with allowing e-cigarette use in the home; and (iii) level of, and characteristics associated with, support for extending smoke-free legislation to include e-cigarettes. Methods Online survey in 2016, n = 11 389 adults in Great Britain. Descriptives for all measures; multivariable logistic regressions assessed correlates of allowing e-cigarette use and support for extension of legislation. Results Most (79%) reporting on workplace policies reported some level of restrictions on e-cigarette use. Small majorities would not allow e-cigarette use in their home (58%) and supported an extension of smoke-free legislation (52%; 21% opposed). Allowing use was less likely and supporting an extension more likely among men, respondents from a higher socio-economic status, ex-smokers, never-smokers, non-users of e-cigarettes and respondents with increased perceived harm of e-cigarettes or nicotine (all P < 0.001). Older respondents were less likely to allow use and to support an extension and Labour voters more likely to allow use. Conclusions In Great Britain, the majority of workplaces has policies restricting e-cigarette use. Over half of adults would not allow use of e-cigarettes in their home and support prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes in smoke-free places. Adjusting for socio-demographics, more restrictive attitudes are more common among never-smokers, never-users and those with increased perception of relative harms of e-cigarettes or nicotine as cause of smoking-related illness. PMID:28339940

The design of a commercial space infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Space Services and Logistics, Inc. represents the complete engineering design of a technically and financially viable commercial space company. The final proposal offers an economically sound program of space vehicles and systems designed to substantially affect a variety of space markets and produce a vertically integrated structure within the next 20 years. Throughout this design process, particular stress has been placed on attaining the highest possible levels of safety and reliability. The final program financial design requires a considerable initial outlay, but promises a relatively quick return on invested capital, culminating in large annual profits by the end of the 20-year scope of the cost outlook. The overall design has been extensively researched and was primarily driven by the present and near-term projected market demands for services uniquely or competitively offered only by space-oriented operations. Heretofore, available capabilities, rather than these market demands, have determined the degree and type of commercial market access. Removing this limitation through extensive use of modularity and reconfigurability allows the company to gear itself to the market, while still remaining extremely competitive with existing systems. The markets identified as lucrative, and that have governed much of the design requirements, are: low-cost launch services to LEO over a wide range of payload masses and inclinations; upper stage payload delivery from LEO to GEO; manned space operations and human transport to and from orbit; EVA assembly and maintenance of large space structures; satellite servicing and repair by both humans and telerobotic operations; a line of customized satellites designed for extended life and capable of reconfiguration or technology upgrade on orbit; small-scale microgravity experimentation and manufacturing supported by spacecraft retrieval capabilities for experimental specimens and manufactured goods; and a full-range of payload integration, testing, design, and support services before launch and once in orbit.

10 CFR 600.171 - Closeout procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations After-The-Award Requirements § 600.171 Closeout procedures. (a) Recipients shall..., and other reports as required by the terms and conditions of the award. DOE may approve extensions when requested by the recipient. (b) Unless DOE authorizes an extension, a recipient shall liquidate...

10 CFR 600.171 - Closeout procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations After-The-Award Requirements § 600.171 Closeout procedures. (a) Recipients shall..., and other reports as required by the terms and conditions of the award. DOE may approve extensions when requested by the recipient. (b) Unless DOE authorizes an extension, a recipient shall liquidate...

10 CFR 600.171 - Closeout procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations After-The-Award Requirements § 600.171 Closeout procedures. (a) Recipients shall..., and other reports as required by the terms and conditions of the award. DOE may approve extensions when requested by the recipient. (b) Unless DOE authorizes an extension, a recipient shall liquidate...

10 CFR 600.171 - Closeout procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations After-The-Award Requirements § 600.171 Closeout procedures. (a) Recipients shall..., and other reports as required by the terms and conditions of the award. DOE may approve extensions when requested by the recipient. (b) Unless DOE authorizes an extension, a recipient shall liquidate...

10 CFR 600.171 - Closeout procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations After-The-Award Requirements § 600.171 Closeout procedures. (a) Recipients shall..., and other reports as required by the terms and conditions of the award. DOE may approve extensions when requested by the recipient. (b) Unless DOE authorizes an extension, a recipient shall liquidate...

45 CFR 150.215 - Extension for good cause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS CMS ENFORCEMENT IN GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL INSURANCE MARKETS CMS Enforcement Processes for Determining Whether States Are Failing To Substantially Enforce HIPAA Requirements § 150.215 Extension for good cause. CMS may...

77 FR 70475 - Comment Request for Information Collection for Contractor Information Gathering, Extension...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-26

... Collection for Contractor Information Gathering, Extension Without Revisions AGENCY: Employment and Training... contractor information gathering and reporting requirements (expiration date November 30, 2012). DATES... Job Corps program is such that many activities required of contractors must be coordinated with other...

Filamin A Mediates Wound Closure by Promoting Elastic Deformation and Maintenance of Tension in the Collagen Matrix

PubMed Central

Mohammadi, Hamid; Pinto, Vanessa I.; Wang, Yongqiang; Hinz, Boris; Janmey, Paul A.; McCulloch, Christopher A.

2016-01-01

Cell-mediated remodeling and wound closure are critical for efficient wound healing, but the contribution of actin-binding proteins to contraction of the extracellular matrix is not defined. We examined the role of filamin A (FLNa), an actin filament cross-linking protein, in wound contraction and maintenance of matrix tension. Conditional deletion of FLNa in fibroblasts in mice was associated with ~ 4 day delay of full-thickness skin wound contraction compared with wild-type (WT) mice. We modeled the healing wound matrix using cultured fibroblasts plated on grid-supported collagen gels that create lateral boundaries, which are analogues to wound margins. In contrast to WT cells, FLNa knockdown (KD) cells could not completely maintain tension when matrix compaction was resisted by boundaries, which manifested as relaxed matrix tension. Similarly, WT cells on cross-linked collagen, which requires higher levels of sustained tension, exhibited approximately fivefold larger deformation fields and approximately twofold greater fiber alignment compared with FLNa KD cells. Maintenance of boundary-resisted tension markedly influenced the elongation of cell extensions: in WT cells, the number (~50%) and length (~300%) of cell extensions were greater than FLNa KD cells. We conclude that FLNa is required for wound contraction, in part by enabling elastic deformation and maintenance of tension in the matrix. PMID:26134946

Health workforce planning and service expansion during an economic crisis: A case study of the national breast screening programme in Ireland.

PubMed

McHugh, S M; Tyrrell, E; Johnson, B; Healy, O; Perry, I J; Normand, C

2015-12-01

This article aims to estimate the workforce and resource implications of the proposed age extension of the national breast screening programme, under the economic constraints of reduced health budgets and staffing levels in the Irish health system. Using a mixed method design, a purposive sample of 20 participants were interviewed and data were analysed thematically (June-September 2012). Quantitative data (programme-level activity data, screening activity, staffing levels and screening plans) were used to model potential workload and resource requirements. The analysis indicates that over 90% operational efficiency was achieved throughout the first six months of 2012. Accounting for maternity leave (10%) and sick leave (3.5%), 16.1 additional radiographers (whole time equivalent) would be required for the workload created by the age extension of the screening programme, at 90% operational efficiency. The results suggest that service expansion is possible with relatively minimal additional radiography resources if the efficiency of the skill mix and the use of equipment are improved. Investing in the appropriate skill mix should not be limited to clinical groups but should also include administrative staff to manage and support the service. Workload modelling may contribute to improved health workforce planning and service efficiency. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wildlife-friendly farming benefits rare birds, bees and plants

PubMed Central

Pywell, Richard F.; Heard, Matthew S.; Bradbury, Richard B.; Hinsley, Shelley; Nowakowski, Marek; Walker, Kevin J.; Bullock, James M.

2012-01-01

Agricultural intensification is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss, especially for threatened and near-threatened species. One widely implemented response is ‘wildlife-friendly farming’, involving the close integration of conservation and extensive farming practices within agricultural landscapes. However, the putative benefits from this controversial policy are currently either unknown or thought unlikely to extend to rare and declining species. Here, we show that new, evidence-based approaches to habitat creation on intensively managed farmland in England can achieve large increases in plant, bee and bird species. In particular, we found that habitat enhancement methods designed to provide the requirements of sensitive target biota consistently increased the richness and abundance of both rare and common species, with 10-fold to greater than 100-fold more rare species per sample area than generalized conventional conservation measures. Furthermore, targeting landscapes of high species richness amplified beneficial effects on the least mobile taxa: plants and bees. Our results provide the first unequivocal support for a national wildlife-friendly farming policy and suggest that this approach should be implemented much more extensively to address global biodiversity loss. However, to be effective, these conservation measures must be evidence-based, and developed using sound knowledge of the ecological requirements of key species. PMID:22675140

Cooperative Extension as a Framework for Health Extension: The Michigan State University Model

PubMed Central

Dwyer, Jeffrey W.; Contreras, Dawn; Tiret, Holly; Newkirk, Cathy; Carter, Erin; Cronk, Linda

2017-01-01

Problem The Affordable Care Act charged the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to create the Primary Care Extension Program, but did not fund this effort. The idea to work through health extension agents to support health care delivery systems was based on the nationally known Cooperative Extension System (CES). Instead of creating new infrastructure in health care, the CES is an ideal vehicle for increasing health-related research and primary care delivery. Approach The CES, a long-standing component of the land-grant university system, features a sustained infrastructure for providing education to communities. The Michigan State University (MSU) Model of Health Extension offers another means of developing a National Primary Care Extension Program that is replicable in part because of the presence of the CES throughout the United States. A partnership between the MSU College of Human Medicine and MSU Extension formed in 2014, emphasizing the promotion and support of human health research. The MSU Model of Health Extension includes the following strategies: building partnerships, preparing MSU Extension educators for participation in research, increasing primary care patient referrals and enrollment in health programs, and exploring innovative funding. Outcomes Since the formation of the MSU Model of Health Extension, researchers and extension professionals have made 200+ connections, and grants have afforded savings in salary costs. Next Steps The MSU College of Human Medicine and MSU Extension partnership can serve as a model to promote health partnerships nationwide between CES services within land-grant universities and academic health centers or community-based medical schools. PMID:28353501

Extension in Tough Times--Addressing Failures in Public and Private Extension, Lessons from the Tasmanian Wool Industry, Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Warren; Coutts, Jeff

2009-01-01

This paper reports research on the impact of introducing a range of extension approaches into the wool-growing regions of Tasmania Australia to meet an emerging knowledge and skills gap in the sector. The wool-growing industry of the state has experienced minimal government extension support for over 15 years. There is a failure in both private…

Personal Sustainability: Listening to Extension Staff and Observing Organizational Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forstadt, Leslie; Fortune, Aileen

2016-01-01

Extension staff are increasingly challenged to do excellent work and balance their lives. University of Maine Cooperative Extension committed to a 2-year participatory action research project to support staff and to an organizational climate that encourages personal sustainability. With tools from ethnography and appreciative inquiry, staff…

76 FR 38306 - Digital Television Signals Pursuant to the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-30

... Television Signals Pursuant to the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 AGENCY... Satellite Home Viewer Extension Act of 2004. The information collection requirements were approved on June... Measurement Standards for Digital Television Signals pursuant to the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and...

Agriflection: A Learning Model for Agricultural Extension in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worth, S. H.

2006-01-01

Prosperity--continuous and sustainable wealth creation--is an elusive goal in South African smallholder agriculture. This paper suggests that agricultural extension can facilitate realising this objective if an appropriate approach to extension can be developed. To develop such an approach requires that the definition of extension and the…

The relationship between social support, shared decision-making and patient's trust in doctors: a cross-sectional survey of 2,197 inpatients using the Cologne Patient Questionnaire.

PubMed

Ommen, Oliver; Thuem, Sonja; Pfaff, Holger; Janssen, Christian

2011-06-01

Empirical studies have confirmed that a trusting physician-patient interaction promotes patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment and improved health outcomes. The objective of this analysis was to investigate the relationship between social support, shared decision-making and inpatient's trust in physicians in a hospital setting. A written questionnaire was completed by 2,197 patients who were treated in the year 2000 in six hospitals in Germany. Logistic regression was performed with a dichotomized index for patient's trust in physicians. The logistic regression model identified significant relationships (p < 0.05) in terms of emotional support (standardized effect coefficient [sc], 3.65), informational support (sc, 1.70), shared decision-making (sc, 1.40), age (sc, 1.14), socioeconomic status (sc, 1.15) and gender (sc, 1.15). We found no significant relationship between 'tendency to excuse' and trust. The last regression model accounted for 49.1% of Nagelkerke's R-square. Insufficient physician communication skills can lead to extensive negative effects on the trust of patients in their physicians. Thus, it becomes clear that medical support requires not only biomedical, but also psychosocial skills.

A Framework for Integration of Heterogeneous Medical Imaging Networks

PubMed Central

Viana-Ferreira, Carlos; Ribeiro, Luís S; Costa, Carlos

2014-01-01

Medical imaging is increasing its importance in matters of medical diagnosis and in treatment support. Much is due to computers that have revolutionized medical imaging not only in acquisition process but also in the way it is visualized, stored, exchanged and managed. Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) is an example of how medical imaging takes advantage of computers. To solve problems of interoperability of PACS and medical imaging equipment, the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard was defined and widely implemented in current solutions. More recently, the need to exchange medical data between distinct institutions resulted in Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative that contains a content profile especially conceived for medical imaging exchange: Cross Enterprise Document Sharing for imaging (XDS-i). Moreover, due to application requirements, many solutions developed private networks to support their services. For instance, some applications support enhanced query and retrieve over DICOM objects metadata. This paper proposes anintegration framework to medical imaging networks that provides protocols interoperability and data federation services. It is an extensible plugin system that supports standard approaches (DICOM and XDS-I), but is also capable of supporting private protocols. The framework is being used in the Dicoogle Open Source PACS. PMID:25279021

In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) to Support the Lunar Outpost and the Rationale for Precursor Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Thomas M.

2008-01-01

One of the ways that the Constellation Program can differ from Apollo is to employ a live-off-the-land or In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) supported architecture. The options considered over the past decades for using indigenous materials have varied considerably in terms of what resources to attempt to acquire, how much to acquire, and what the motivations are to acquiring these resources. The latest NASA concepts for supporting the lunar outpost have considered many of these plans and compared these options to customers requirements and desires. Depending on the architecture employed, ISRU technologies can make a significant contribution towards a sustainable and affordable lunar outpost. While extensive ground testing will reduce some mission risk, one or more flight demonstrations prior to the first crew's arrival will build confidence and increase the chance that outpost architects will include ISRU as part of the early outpost architecture. This presentation includes some of the options for using ISRU that are under consideration for the lunar outpost, the precursor missions that would support these applications, and a notional timeline to allow the lessons learned from the precursor missions to support outpost hardware designs.

A framework for integration of heterogeneous medical imaging networks.

PubMed

Viana-Ferreira, Carlos; Ribeiro, Luís S; Costa, Carlos

2014-01-01

Medical imaging is increasing its importance in matters of medical diagnosis and in treatment support. Much is due to computers that have revolutionized medical imaging not only in acquisition process but also in the way it is visualized, stored, exchanged and managed. Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) is an example of how medical imaging takes advantage of computers. To solve problems of interoperability of PACS and medical imaging equipment, the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard was defined and widely implemented in current solutions. More recently, the need to exchange medical data between distinct institutions resulted in Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative that contains a content profile especially conceived for medical imaging exchange: Cross Enterprise Document Sharing for imaging (XDS-i). Moreover, due to application requirements, many solutions developed private networks to support their services. For instance, some applications support enhanced query and retrieve over DICOM objects metadata. This paper proposes anintegration framework to medical imaging networks that provides protocols interoperability and data federation services. It is an extensible plugin system that supports standard approaches (DICOM and XDS-I), but is also capable of supporting private protocols. The framework is being used in the Dicoogle Open Source PACS.

Participatory research and service-learning among farmers, health professional students, and experts: an agromedicine approach to farm safety and health.

PubMed

Guin, Susan M; Wheat, John R; Allinder, Russell S; Fanucchi, Gary J; Wiggins, Oscar S; Johnson, Gwendolyn J

2012-01-01

Agromedicine developments in Alabama rest heavily on the interest and support of the farm community. Participatory approaches have been advocated in order to impact the safety and health of farms. The University of Alabama Agromedicine Research Team, working closely with and guided by farmers, places emphasis on identifying areas of farmer concern related to agricultural health and safety and on developing jointly with the farmers plans to address their concerns. Agricultural extension agents were key to developing the trust relationships among farmers, health professionals, and extension personnel required for these successful agricultural safety and health developments. In this article the authors describe how the research team engaged farmers in participatory research to develop service learning activities for graduate students studying Agricultural Safety and Health at The University of Alabama. Accepting farmers' active role in research processes creates an environment that is favorable to change, while providing farmers reassurance that their health and safety is of utmost importance to the researchers.

Spring 2013 Graduate Engineering Internship Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehrlich, Joshua

2013-01-01

In the spring of 2013, I participated in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Pathways Intern Employment Program at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. This was my final internship opportunity with NASA, a third consecutive extension from a summer 2012 internship. Since the start of my tenure here at KSC, I have gained an invaluable depth of engineering knowledge and extensive hands-on experience. These opportunities have granted me the ability to enhance my systems engineering approach in the field of payload design and testing as well as develop a strong foundation in the area of composite fabrication and testing for repair design on space vehicle structures. As a systems engineer, I supported the systems engineering and integration team with final acceptance testing of the Vegetable Production System, commonly referred to as Veggie. Verification and validation (V and V) of Veggie was carried out prior to qualification testing of the payload, which incorporated the process of confirming the system's design requirements dependent on one or more validation methods: inspection, analysis, demonstration, and testing.

Don't Mess with the NEST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Michael

2012-03-01

This presentation will describe the history of the Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) and its evolution over the years. NEST was formed due to a number of nuclear extortion threats received in the early 1970s. From the beginning NEST developed an extensive exercise program to test and expand capabilities. The Nuclear Assessment Program (NAP) was developed, in part, to determine if NEST deployments were required. A major revamp of the NEST program occurred in 1994. Many other organizations work in conjunction with NEST in particular the FBI and DOD. Considerable research and development has been performed in the areas of Access, Search, Diagnostics, Device Assessment, and Disablement. Extensive searches of material appearing in the unclassified literature have been and are being performed to see what is being said about nuclear materials and devices. A comprehensive study of Improvised Nuclear Devices (IND) is ongoing to determine what a terrorist can and cannot do. NEST now consists of four phases with the latest additions of Phase III, Disposition and Phase IV, Nuclear Forensics. LLNL-ABS-521775

OPAD-EDIFIS Real-Time Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katsinis, Constantine

1997-01-01

The Optical Plume Anomaly Detection (OPAD) detects engine hardware degradation of flight vehicles through identification and quantification of elemental species found in the plume by analyzing the plume emission spectra in a real-time mode. Real-time performance of OPAD relies on extensive software which must report metal amounts in the plume faster than once every 0.5 sec. OPAD software previously written by NASA scientists performed most necessary functions at speeds which were far below what is needed for real-time operation. The research presented in this report improved the execution speed of the software by optimizing the code without changing the algorithms and converting it into a parallelized form which is executed in a shared-memory multiprocessor system. The resulting code was subjected to extensive timing analysis. The report also provides suggestions for further performance improvement by (1) identifying areas of algorithm optimization, (2) recommending commercially available multiprocessor architectures and operating systems to support real-time execution and (3) presenting an initial study of fault-tolerance requirements.

Space Applications of Automation, Robotics and Machine Intelligence Systems (ARAMIS), phase 2. Volume 1: Telepresence technology base development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akin, D. L.; Minsky, M. L.; Thiel, E. D.; Kurtzman, C. R.

1983-01-01

The field of telepresence is defined, and overviews of those capabilities that are now available, and those that will be required to support a NASA telepresence effort are provided. Investigation of NASA's plans and goals with regard to telepresence, extensive literature search for materials relating to relevant technologies, a description of these technologies and their state of the art, and projections for advances in these technologies over the next decade are included. Several space projects are examined in detail to determine what capabilities are required of a telepresence system in order to accomplish various tasks, such as servicing and assembly. The key operational and technological areas are identified, conclusions and recommendations are made for further research, and an example developmental program is presented, leading to an operational telepresence servicer.

Study and design of cryogenic propellant acquisition systems. Volume 2: Supporting experimental program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burge, G. W.; Blackmon, J. B.

1973-01-01

Areas of cryogenic fuel systems were identified where critical experimental information was needed either to define a design criteria or to establish the feasibility of a design concept or a critical aspect of a particular design. Such data requirements fell into three broad categories: (1) basic surface tension screen characteristics; (2) screen acquisition device fabrication problems; and (3) screen surface tension device operational failure modes. To explore these problems and to establish design criteria where possible, extensive laboratory or bench test scale experiments were conducted. In general, these proved to be quite successful and, in many instances, the test results were directly used in the system design analyses and development. In some cases, particularly those relating to operational-type problems, areas requiring future research were identified, especially screen heat transfer and vibrational effects.

The Exoplanet Characterization ToolKit (ExoCTK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, Kevin; Fowler, Julia; Lewis, Nikole K.; Fraine, Jonathan; Pueyo, Laurent; Valenti, Jeff; Bruno, Giovanni; Filippazzo, Joseph; Hill, Matthew; Batalha, Natasha E.; Bushra, Rafia

2018-01-01

The success of exoplanet characterization depends critically on a patchwork of analysis tools and spectroscopic libraries that currently require extensive development and lack a centralized support system. Due to the complexity of spectroscopic analyses and initial time commitment required to become productive, there are currently a limited number of teams that are actively advancing the field. New teams with significant expertise, but without the proper tools, face prohibitively steep hills to climb before they can contribute. As a solution, we are developing an open-source, modular data analysis package in Python and a publicly facing web interface focused primarily on atmospheric characterization of exoplanets and exoplanet transit observation planning with JWST. The foundation of these software tools and libraries exist within pockets of the exoplanet community. Our project will gather these seedling tools and grow a robust, uniform, and well maintained exoplanet characterization toolkit.

Fast Calculation of Abort Return Trajectories for Manned Missions to the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Senent, Juan S.

2010-01-01

In order to support the anytime abort requirements of a manned mission to the Moon, the vehicle abort capabilities for the translunar and circumlunar phases of the mission must be studied. Depending on the location of the abort maneuver, the maximum return time to Earth and the available propellant, two different kinds of return trajectories can be calculated: direct and fly-by. This paper presents a new method to compute these return trajectories in a deterministic and fast way without using numerical optimizers. Since no simplifications of the gravity model are required, the resulting trajectories are very accurate and can be used for both mission design and operations. This technique has been extensively used to evaluate the abort capabilities of the Orion/Altair vehicles in the Constellation program for the translunar phase of the mission.

Design of an autonomous lunar construction utility vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

In order to prepare a site for a lunar base, an autonomously operated construction vehicle is necessary. Discussed here is a Lunar Construction Utility Vehicle (LCUV), which uses interchangeable construction implements. Design of an elastic loop track system has advanced to the testing stage. A standard coupling device has been designed to insure a proper connection between the different construction tools and the LCUV. Autonomous control of the track drive motors was simulated successfully through the use of a joystick and a computer interface. A study of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells produced estimates of reactant and product requirements and identified multilayer insulation needs. Research on the 100-kW heat rejection system determined that it is necessary to transport the radiator panel on a utility trailer. Extensive logistical support for the 720 hour use cycle requires further study.

78 FR 16299 - Proposed Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-14

... Federal minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards of most general... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Wage and Hour Division RIN 1235-0018 Proposed Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements AGENCY: Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice...

76 FR 28242 - Proposed Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-16

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Wage and Hour Division Proposed Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements AGENCY: Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... be properly assessed. Currently, the Wage and Hour Division is soliciting comments concerning its...

Distal extension mandibular removable partial denture with implant support

PubMed Central

Bural, Canan; Buzbas, Begum; Ozatik, Sebnem; Bayraktar, Gulsen; Emes, Yusuf

2016-01-01

This case report describes the fabrication of a distal extension removable partial denture (RPD) of a 65-year-old man with implant support. Loss of fibroelasticity of the peripheral tissues and reduced mandibular vestibular sulcular depth due to a previous surgical resection and radiotherapy at the right side were the main clinical factors that created difficulty for denture retention and stability. The fabrication of a mandibular RPD supported by anterior teeth and two bilaterally placed implants in the molar area to convert from Kennedy Class 1 design to Kennedy Class 3 implant-bounded RPD is reported. Retention and stability of the denture were improved with implant support on the distal extension site of the RPD. The common clinical problems about distally extended RPDs are lack of retention and stability due to the movement around the rotational axis. Dental implant placement to the distal edentulous site minimizes the potential dislodgement of the RPD is popular. Implant-supported RPD can be suggested as an advantageous and cost-effective treatment option for the partially edentulous patients. PMID:28042277

Social correlates of leisure-time sedentary behaviours in Canadian adults.

PubMed

Huffman, S; Szafron, M

2017-03-01

Research on the correlates of sedentary behaviour among adults is needed to design health interventions to modify this behaviour. This study explored the associations of social correlates with leisure-time sedentary behaviour of Canadian adults, and whether these associations differ between different types of sedentary behaviour. A sample of 12,021 Canadian adults was drawn from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey, and analyzed using binary logistic regression to model the relationships that marital status, the presence of children in the household, and social support have with overall time spent sitting, using a computer, playing video games, watching television, and reading during leisure time. Covariates included gender, age, education, income, employment status, perceived health, physical activity level, body mass index (BMI), and province or territory of residence. Extensive computer time was primarily negatively related to being in a common law relationship, and primarily positively related to being single/never married. Being single/never married was positively associated with extensive sitting time in men only. Having children under 12 in the household was protective against extensive video game and reading times. Increasing social support was negatively associated with extensive computer time in men and women, while among men increasing social support was positively associated with extensive sitting time. Computer, video game, television, and reading time have unique correlates among Canadian adults. Marital status, the presence of children in the household, and social support should be considered in future analyses of sedentary activities in adults.

Carbon-Carbon Nozzle Extension Development in Support of In-Space and Upper-Stage Liquid Rocket Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gradl, Paul R.; Valentine, Peter G.

2017-01-01

Upper stage and in-space liquid rocket engines are optimized for performance through the use of high area ratio nozzles to fully expand combustion gases to low exit pressures, increasing exhaust velocities. Due to the large size of such nozzles, and the related engine performance requirements, carbon-carbon (C-C) composite nozzle extensions are being considered to reduce weight impacts. Currently, the state-of-the-art is represented by the metallic and foreign composite nozzle extensions limited to approximately 2000 degrees F. used on the Atlas V, Delta IV, Falcon 9, and Ariane 5 launch vehicles. NASA and industry partners are working towards advancing the domestic supply chain for C-C composite nozzle extensions. These development efforts are primarily being conducted through the NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program in addition to other low level internal research efforts. This has allowed for the initial material development and characterization, subscale hardware fabrication, and completion of hot-fire testing in relevant environments. NASA and industry partners have designed, fabricated and hot-fire tested several subscale domestically produced C-C extensions to advance the material and coatings fabrication technology for use with a variety of liquid rocket and scramjet engines. Testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) evaluated heritage and state-of-the-art C-C materials and coatings, demonstrating the initial capabilities of the high temperature materials and their fabrication methods. This paper discusses the initial material development, design and fabrication of the subscale carbon-carbon nozzle extensions, provides an overview of the test campaign, presents results of the hot fire testing, and discusses potential follow-on development work. The follow on work includes the fabrication of ultra-high temperature materials, larger C-C nozzle extensions, material characterization, sub-element testing and hot-fire testing at larger scale.

78 FR 66670 - Housing Counseling Program: New Certification Requirements; Extension of Public Comment Period

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-06

... Counseling Program: New Certification Requirements; Extension of Public Comment Period AGENCY: Office of the... inviting public comment on proposed changes to the Housing Counseling Program regulations for the purpose... housing counseling statute. This document announces that HUD is extending the public comment period, for...

76 FR 66087 - Telecommunications; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-25

...] Telecommunications; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection... the Standard on Telecommunications (29 CFR 1910.268). The purpose of this requirement is to ensure... of the information collection requirement contained in the Standard on Telecommunications (29 CFR...

77 FR 72411 - The Standard on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Shipyard Employment; Extension of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-05

... Standard on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Shipyard Employment; Extension of the Office of... requirements specified in the Standard on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Shipyard Employment (29 CFR... information collection requirements contained in the Standard on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for...

78 FR 59725 - Construction Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices, and Training Requirements; Extension...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

...- 1648. Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service: When using this method, you... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Docket No. OSHA-2010-0008] Construction Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices, and Training Requirements; Extension of the Office...

Inertial subsystem functional and design requirements for the orbiter (Phase B extension baseline)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flanders, J. H.; Green, J. P., Jr.

1972-01-01

The design requirements use the Phase B extension baseline system definition. This means that a GNC computer is specified for all command control functions instead of a central computer communicating with the ISS through a databus. Forced air cooling is used instead of cold plate cooling.

78 FR 12825 - Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-25

... the frequency of the required visual track inspections. FRA issued the initial waiver that granted.... SEPTA requests an extension of approval to reduce the frequency of required, visual track inspections... with continuous welded rail. SEPTA proposes to conduct one visual track inspection per week, instead of...

Dynamic composition of medical support services in the ICU: Platform and algorithm design details.

PubMed

Hristoskova, Anna; Moeyersoon, Dieter; Van Hoecke, Sofie; Verstichel, Stijn; Decruyenaere, Johan; De Turck, Filip

2010-12-01

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is an extremely data-intensive environment where each patient needs to be monitored 24/7. Bedside monitors continuously register vital patient values (such as serum creatinine, systolic blood pressure) which are recorded frequently in the hospital database (e.g. every 2 min in the ICU of the Ghent University Hospital), laboratories generate hundreds of results of blood and urine samples, and nurses measure blood pressure and temperature up to 4 times an hour. The processing of such large amount of data requires an automated system to support the physicians' daily work. The Intensive Care Service Platform (ICSP) offers the needed support through the development of medical support services for processing and monitoring patients' data. With an increased deployment of these medical support services, reusing existing services as building blocks to create new services offers flexibility to the developer and accelerates the design process. This paper presents a new addition to the ICSP, the Dynamic Composer for Web services. Based on a semantic description of the medical support services, this Composer enables a service to be executed by creating a composition of medical services that provide the needed calculations. The composition is achieved using various algorithms satisfying certain quality of service (QoS) constraints and requirements. In addition to the automatic composition the paper also proposes a recovery mechanism in case of unavailable services. When executing the composition of medical services, unavailable services are dynamically replaced by equivalent services or a new composition achieving the same result. The presented platform and QoS algorithms are put through extensive performance and scalability tests for typical ICU scenarios, in which basic medical services are composed to a complex patient monitoring service. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Barriers to Uptake of Conservation Agriculture in southern Africa: Multi-level Analyses from Malawi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dougill, Andrew; Stringer, Lindsay; Whitfield, Stephen; Wood, Ben; Chinseu, Edna

2015-04-01

Conservation agriculture is a key set of actions within the growing body of climate-smart agriculture activities being advocated and rolled out across much of the developing world. Conservation agriculture has purported benefits for environmental quality, food security and the sustained delivery of ecosystem services. In this paper, new multi-level analyses are presented, assessing the current barriers to adoption of conservation agriculture practices in Malawi. Despite significant donor initiatives that have targeted conservation agriculture projects, uptake rates remain low. This paper synthesises studies from across 3 levels in Malawi: i.) national level- drawing on policy analysis, interviews and a multi-stakeholder workshop; ii.) district level - via assessments of development plans and District Office and extension service support, and; iii) local level - through data gained during community / household level studies in Dedza District that have gained significant donor support for conservation agriculture as a component of climate smart agriculture initiatives. The national level multi-stakeholder Conservation Agriculture workshop identified three areas requiring collaborative research and outlined routes for the empowerment of the National Conservation Agriculture Task Force to advance uptake of conservation agriculture and deliver associated benefits in terms of agricultural development, climate adaptation and mitigation. District level analyses highlight that whilst District Development Plans are now checked against climate change adaptation and mitigation criteria, capacity and knowledge limitations exist at the District level, preventing project interventions from being successfully up-scaled. Community level assessments highlight the need for increased community participation at the project-design phase and identify a pressing requirement for conservation agriculture planning processes (in particular those driven by investments in climate-smart agriculture) to better accommodate, and respond to, the differentiated needs of marginalised groups (e.g. poor, elderly, carers). We identify good practices that can be used to design, plan and implement conservation agriculture projects such that the multiple benefits can be realised. We further outline changes to multi-level policy and institutional arrangements to facilitate greater adoption of conservation agriculture in Malawi, noting the vital importance of District-level institutions and amendments and capacity building required within agricultural extension services. We highlight the need for capacity building and support to ensure conservation agriculture's multiple benefits are realised more widely as a route towards sustainable land management.

Space Station Freedom environmental database system (FEDS) for MSFC testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Story, Gail S.; Williams, Wendy; Chiu, Charles

1991-01-01

The Water Recovery Test (WRT) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is the first demonstration of integrated water recovery systems for potable and hygiene water reuse as envisioned for Space Station Freedom (SSF). In order to satisfy the safety and health requirements placed on the SSF program and facilitate test data assessment, an extensive laboratory analysis database was established to provide a central archive and data retrieval function. The database is required to store analysis results for physical, chemical, and microbial parameters measured from water, air and surface samples collected at various locations throughout the test facility. The Oracle Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) was utilized to implement a secured on-line information system with the ECLSS WRT program as the foundation for this system. The database is supported on a VAX/VMS 8810 series mainframe and is accessible from the Marshall Information Network System (MINS). This paper summarizes the database requirements, system design, interfaces, and future enhancements.

Galileo spacecraft power management and distribution system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Detwiler, R. C.; Smith, R. L.

1990-01-01

The Galileo PMAD (power management and distribution system) is described, and the design drivers that established the final as-built hardware are discussed. The spacecraft is powered by two general-purpose heat-source-radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Power bus regulation is provided by a shunt regulator. Galileo PMAD distributes a 570-W beginning of mission (BOM) power source to a user complement of some 137 load elements. Extensive use of pyrotechnics requires two pyro switching subassemblies. They initiate 148 squibs which operate the 47 pyro devices on the spacecraft. Detection and correction of faults in the Galileo PMAD is an autonomous feature dictated by requirements for long life and reliability in the absence of ground-based support. Volatile computer memories in the spacecraft command and data system and attitude control system require a continuous source of backup power during all anticipated power bus fault scenarios. Power for the Jupiter Probe is conditioned, isolated, and controlled by a Probe interface subassembly. Flight performance of the spacecraft and the PMAD has been successful to date, with no major anomalies.

Solar thermal vacuum tests of Magellan spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neuman, James C.

1990-01-01

The Magellen solar/thermal/vacuum test involved a number of unique requirements and approaches. Because of the need to operate in orbit around Venus, the solar intensity requirement ranged up to 2.3 suns or Earth equivalent solar constants. Extensive modification to the solar simulator portion of the test facility were required to achieve this solar intensity. Venus albedo and infrared emission were simulated using temperature controlled movable louver panels to allow the spacecraft to view either a selectable temperature black heat source with closed louvers, or the chamber coldwall behind open louvers. The test conditions included widely varying solar intensities, multiple sun angles, alternate hardware configurations, steady state and transient cases, and cruise and orbital power profiles. Margin testing was also performed, wherein supplemental heaters were mounted to internal thermal blankets to verify spacecraft performance at higher than expected temperatures. The test was successful, uncovering some spacecraft anomalies and verifying the thermal design. The test support equipment experienced some anomalous behavior and a significant failure during the test.

Geostationary platform systems concepts definition study. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The results of a geostationary platform concept analysis are summarized. Mission and payloads definition, concept selection, the requirements of an experimental platform, supporting research and technology, and the Space Transportation System interface requirements are addressed. It is concluded that platforms represent a logical extension of current trends toward larger, more complex, multifrequency satellites. Geostationary platforms offer significant cost savings compared to individual satellites, with the majority of these economies being realized with single Shuttle launched platforms. Further cost savings can be realized, however, by having larger platforms. Platforms accommodating communications equipment that operates at multiple frequencies and which provide larger scale frequency reuse through the use of large aperture multibeam antennas and onboard switching maximize the useful capacity of the orbital arc and frequency spectrum. Projections of market demand indicate that such conservation measures are clearly essential if orderly growth is to be provided for. In addition, it is pointed out that a NASA experimental platform is required to demonstrate the technologies necessary for operational geostationary platforms of the 1990's.

What Is Your Library Worth? Extension Uses Public Value Workshops in Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haskell, Jane E.; Morse, George W.

2015-01-01

Public libraries are seeing flat or reduced funding even as demands for new services are increasing. Facing an identical problem, Extension developed a program to identify the indirect benefits to non-participants of Extension programs in order to encourage their public funding support. This educational approach was customized to public libraries…

Cooperative Extension Answers the Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brill, Michelle F.

2016-01-01

Extension has many opportunities to promote breastfeeding, one of the most highly effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant and herself. This article describes how and why Cooperative Extension can and should partner with federal and state efforts to promote breastfeeding. Members of Rutgers' Family and…

7 CFR 3419.7 - Redistribution of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FORMULA FUNDS AT 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, AND AT... formula funds. Unmatched research and extension funds will be reapportioned in accordance with the...

Powerlaw: a Python package for analysis of heavy-tailed distributions.

PubMed

Alstott, Jeff; Bullmore, Ed; Plenz, Dietmar

2014-01-01

Power laws are theoretically interesting probability distributions that are also frequently used to describe empirical data. In recent years, effective statistical methods for fitting power laws have been developed, but appropriate use of these techniques requires significant programming and statistical insight. In order to greatly decrease the barriers to using good statistical methods for fitting power law distributions, we developed the powerlaw Python package. This software package provides easy commands for basic fitting and statistical analysis of distributions. Notably, it also seeks to support a variety of user needs by being exhaustive in the options available to the user. The source code is publicly available and easily extensible.

Ghost Imaging of Space Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strekalov, Dmitry V.; Erkmen, Baris I.; Yu, Nan

2016-01-01

Development of innovative aerospace technologies is critical for our nation to meet its goals to explore and under-stand the Earth, our solar system, and the universe. The spectacular success of many recent NASA missions hinges on the extensive technological innovations that NASA has been supporting for the past decades. To sustain this successful tradition it is very important to identify and stimulate the scientific research that may turn into a viable technology in the decades yet to come. Investment in innovative low-TRL research stimulates the growth of the scientific knowledge and enhances the technical capabilities in a way that answers the new questions and responds to new requirements.

Should tobacco and alcohol companies be allowed to influence Australia's National Drug Strategy?

PubMed

Freeman, Becky; MacKenzie, Ross; Daube, Mike

2017-04-27

Formation of Australia's National Drug Strategy (NDS) included an extensive consultation process that was open not only to community and public health stakeholders, but also to representatives of the tobacco and alcohol industries. Australia is bound by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires governments to protect tobacco control measures from interference by the tobacco industry. NDS consultation submissions made by these conflicted industries are not publicly available for scrutiny. The NDS goals are at odds with the commercial agenda of industries that support regulatory stagnation, oppose and undermine effective action, ignore and distort evidence, and prioritise profits over health.

Reasoning about Function Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordio, Martin; Calcagno, Cristiano; Meyer, Bertrand; Müller, Peter; Tschannen, Julian

Modern object-oriented languages support higher-order implementations through function objects such as delegates in C#, agents in Eiffel, or closures in Scala. Function objects bring a new level of abstraction to the object-oriented programming model, and require a comparable extension to specification and verification techniques. We introduce a verification methodology that extends function objects with auxiliary side-effect free (pure) methods to model logical artifacts: preconditions, postconditions and modifies clauses. These pure methods can be used to specify client code abstractly, that is, independently from specific instantiations of the function objects. To demonstrate the feasibility of our approach, we have implemented an automatic prover, which verifies several non-trivial examples.

Broadband Scattering from Sand and Sand/Mud Sediments with Extensive Environmental Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-30

experiment , extensive envi- ronmental characterization was also performed to support data/model comparisons for both experimental efforts. The site...mechanisms, potentially addressing questions left unresolved from the previous sediment acoustics experiments , SAX99 and SAX04. This work was also to provide...environmental characterization to support the analysis of data collected during the Target and Reverberation Experiment in 2013 (TREX13) as well as

Energy Storage Requirements for Achieving 50% Penetration of Solar Photovoltaic Energy in California

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

Denholm, Paul; Margolis, Robert

2016-09-01

We estimate the storage required to enable PV penetration up to 50% in California (with renewable penetration over 66%), and we quantify the complex relationships among storage, PV penetration, grid flexibility, and PV costs due to increased curtailment. We find that the storage needed depends strongly on the amount of other flexibility resources deployed. With very low-cost PV (three cents per kilowatt-hour) and a highly flexible electric power system, about 19 gigawatts of energy storage could enable 50% PV penetration with a marginal net PV levelized cost of energy (LCOE) comparable to the variable costs of future combined-cycle gas generatorsmore » under carbon constraints. This system requires extensive use of flexible generation, transmission, demand response, and electrifying one quarter of the vehicle fleet in California with largely optimized charging. A less flexible system, or more expensive PV would require significantly greater amounts of storage. The amount of storage needed to support very large amounts of PV might fit within a least-cost framework driven by declining storage costs and reduced storage-duration needs due to high PV penetration.« less

Energy Storage Requirements for Achieving 50% Solar Photovoltaic Energy Penetration in California

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

Denholm, Paul; Margolis, Robert

2016-08-01

We estimate the storage required to enable PV penetration up to 50% in California (with renewable penetration over 66%), and we quantify the complex relationships among storage, PV penetration, grid flexibility, and PV costs due to increased curtailment. We find that the storage needed depends strongly on the amount of other flexibility resources deployed. With very low-cost PV (three cents per kilowatt-hour) and a highly flexible electric power system, about 19 gigawatts of energy storage could enable 50% PV penetration with a marginal net PV levelized cost of energy (LCOE) comparable to the variable costs of future combined-cycle gas generatorsmore » under carbon constraints. This system requires extensive use of flexible generation, transmission, demand response, and electrifying one quarter of the vehicle fleet in California with largely optimized charging. A less flexible system, or more expensive PV would require significantly greater amounts of storage. The amount of storage needed to support very large amounts of PV might fit within a least-cost framework driven by declining storage costs and reduced storage-duration needs due to high PV penetration.« less

High-energy roller injuries to the upper extremity.

PubMed

Askins, G; Finley, R; Parenti, J; Bush, D; Brotman, S

1986-12-01

Eleven cases of high-energy industrial roller injuries treated between 1980 and 1984 were retrospectively reviewed. The dominant extremity was affected in nine. Six patients sustained fractures and/or dislocations, and three of these patients required fasciotomies for clinical signs of impending compartment syndromes. All fracture/dislocations, with the exception of a scapula fracture, anterior dislocation of a thumb interphalangeal joint, and a fractured coronoid process of the ulna, required open reduction with internal fixation. Three patients required split-thickness skin grafting for extensive skin degloving. Two patients required immediate amputation. Late sequelae included prolonged edema, nutritional depletion, neuroma formation of the superficial branch of the radial nerve, late carpal tunnel syndrome, and partial brachial plexus palsy. Industrial roller injuries continue to be an occupational hazard associated with more severe crushing trauma than the low-energy wringer washer injuries first described by MacCollum (11). Attention must be paid to the treatment of crushed skin, muscle, and nerves, fracture stabilization, nutritional support, and occupational therapy. Concurrent monitoring for signs of a developing compartment syndrome and complications of rhabdomyolysis is essential.

The JPEG XT suite of standards: status and future plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Thomas; Bruylants, Tim; Schelkens, Peter; Ebrahimi, Touradj

2015-09-01

The JPEG standard has known an enormous market adoption. Daily, billions of pictures are created, stored and exchanged in this format. The JPEG committee acknowledges this success and spends continued efforts in maintaining and expanding the standard specifications. JPEG XT is a standardization effort targeting the extension of the JPEG features by enabling support for high dynamic range imaging, lossless and near-lossless coding, and alpha channel coding, while also guaranteeing backward and forward compatibility with the JPEG legacy format. This paper gives an overview of the current status of the JPEG XT standards suite. It discusses the JPEG legacy specification, and details how higher dynamic range support is facilitated both for integer and floating-point color representations. The paper shows how JPEG XT's support for lossless and near-lossless coding of low and high dynamic range images is achieved in combination with backward compatibility to JPEG legacy. In addition, the extensible boxed-based JPEG XT file format on which all following and future extensions of JPEG will be based is introduced. This paper also details how the lossy and lossless representations of alpha channels are supported to allow coding transparency information and arbitrarily shaped images. Finally, we conclude by giving prospects on upcoming JPEG standardization initiative JPEG Privacy & Security, and a number of other possible extensions in JPEG XT.

ElecSus: Extension to arbitrary geometry magneto-optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keaveney, James; Adams, Charles S.; Hughes, Ifan G.

2018-03-01

We present a major update to ElecSus, a computer program and underlying model to calculate the electric susceptibility of an alkali-metal atomic vapour. Knowledge of the electric susceptibility of a medium is essential to predict its absorptive and dispersive properties. In this version we implement several changes which significantly extend the range of applications of ElecSus, the most important of which is support for non-axial magnetic fields (i.e. fields which are not aligned with the light propagation axis). Supporting this change requires a much more general approach to light propagation in the system, which we have now implemented. We exemplify many of these new applications by comparing ElecSus to experimental data. In addition, we have developed a graphical user interface front-end which makes the program much more accessible, and have improved on several other minor areas of the program structure.

Safe and Efficient Support for Embeded Multi-Processors in ADA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz, Jose F.

2010-08-01

New software demands increasing processing power, and multi-processor platforms are spreading as the answer to achieve the required performance. Embedded real-time systems are also subject to this trend, but in the case of real-time mission-critical systems, the properties of reliability, predictability and analyzability are also paramount. The Ada 2005 language defined a subset of its tasking model, the Ravenscar profile, that provides the basis for the implementation of deterministic and time analyzable applications on top of a streamlined run-time system. This Ravenscar tasking profile, originally designed for single processors, has proven remarkably useful for modelling verifiable real-time single-processor systems. This paper proposes a simple extension to the Ravenscar profile to support multi-processor systems using a fully partitioned approach. The implementation of this scheme is simple, and it can be used to develop applications amenable to schedulability analysis.

Improvised Nuclear Device Case Study

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

Buddemeier, Brooke; Suski, Nancy

2011-07-12

Reducing the casualties of catastrophic terrorist attacks requires an understanding of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) effects, infrastructure damage, atmospheric dispersion, and health effects. The Federal Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation provides the strategy for response to an improvised nuclear device (IND) detonation. The supporting science developed by national laboratories and other technical organizations for this document significantly improves our understanding of the hazards posed by such an event. Detailed fallout predictions from the advanced suite of three-dimensional meteorology and plume/fallout models developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including extensive global geographical and real-time meteorological databases tomore » support model calculations, are a key part of response planning. This presentation describes the methodology and results to date, including visualization aids developed for response organizations. These products have greatly enhanced the community planning process through first-person points of view and description of the dynamic nature of the event.« less

Project Centaur. [for earth dayside magnetic cleft investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brence, W. A.; Hardin, J. W.; Crook, E. D.; Roberts, H.

1982-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Canada Centre for Space Science, National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), conducted a cooperative sounding rocket campaign in the Canadian Arctic during November/December 1981. The objective of the campaign was to investigate the earth's dayside magnetic cleft region. The project was named CENTAUR for Cleft Energetics Transport and Ultraviolet Radiation. Remote launch support facilities were established at Cape Parry, NWT, Canada (70 deg 10 min N latitude, 124 deg 40 min W longitude). The cleft region is accessible from this location when launched poleward during reasonably quiet magnetic activity. Five large sounding rockets were launched (3 NASA, 2 NRCC). About 30 scientific experiments were launched, and an extensive array of ground based experiments was established at Cape Parry and at Sachs Harbour, Banks Island, 130 miles poleward. This paper discusses the unique organization, planning, facilities, instrumentation, and operation required to support the campaign, and looks briefly at the results.

National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) area-characterization toolbox

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, Curtis V.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Hitt, Kerie J.

2010-01-01

This is release 1.0 of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Area-Characterization Toolbox. These tools are designed to be accessed using ArcGIS Desktop software (versions 9.3 and 9.3.1). The toolbox is composed of a collection of custom tools that implement geographic information system (GIS) techniques used by the NAWQA Program to characterize aquifer areas, drainage basins, and sampled wells. These tools are built on top of standard functionality included in ArcGIS Desktop running at the ArcInfo license level. Most of the tools require a license for the ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension. ArcGIS is a commercial GIS software system produced by ESRI, Inc. (http://www.esri.com). The NAWQA Area-Characterization Toolbox is not supported by ESRI, Inc. or its technical support staff. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Safety Arguments for Next Generation, Location Aware Computing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. W.; Holloway, C. M.

2010-01-01

Concerns over accuracy, availability, integrity, and continuity have limited the integration of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) for safety-critical applications. More recent augmentation systems, such as the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and the North American Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) have begun to address these concerns. Augmentation architectures build on the existing GPS/GLONASS infrastructures to support location based services in Safety of Life (SoL) applications. Much of the technical development has been directed by air traffic management requirements, in anticipation of the more extensive support to be offered by GPS III and Galileo. WAAS has already been approved to provide vertical guidance for aviation applications. During the next twelve months, the full certification of EGNOS for SoL applications is expected. This paper discusses similarities and differences between the safety assessment techniques used in Europe and North America.

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

Ivarson, Kristine A.; Miller, Charles W.; Arola, Craig C.

Groundwater contamination by hexavalent chromium and other nuclear reactor operation-related contaminants has resulted in the need for groundwater remedial actions within the Hanford Site reactor areas (the Hanford Site 100 Area). The large geographic extent of the resultant contaminant plumes requires an extensive level of understanding of the aquifer structure, characteristics, and configuration to support assessment and design of remedial alternatives within the former 100-D, 100-H, and 100-K reactor areas. The authors have prepared two- and three-dimensional depictions of the key subsurface geologic structures at two Hanford Site reactor operable units (100-K and 100-D/H). These depictions, prepared using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)more » visualization software, provide a basis for expanding the understanding of groundwater contaminant migration pathways, including identification of geologically-defined preferential groundwater flow pathways. These identified preferential flow pathways support the conceptual site model and help explain both historical and current contaminant distribution and transport. (authors)« less

Toward an integrated software platform for systems pharmacology

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Samik; Matsuoka, Yukiko; Asai, Yoshiyuki; Hsin, Kun-Yi; Kitano, Hiroaki

2013-01-01

Understanding complex biological systems requires the extensive support of computational tools. This is particularly true for systems pharmacology, which aims to understand the action of drugs and their interactions in a systems context. Computational models play an important role as they can be viewed as an explicit representation of biological hypotheses to be tested. A series of software and data resources are used for model development, verification and exploration of the possible behaviors of biological systems using the model that may not be possible or not cost effective by experiments. Software platforms play a dominant role in creativity and productivity support and have transformed many industries, techniques that can be applied to biology as well. Establishing an integrated software platform will be the next important step in the field. © 2013 The Authors. Biopharmaceutics & Drug Disposition published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:24150748

Mark 4A antenna control system data handling architecture study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, H. C.; Eldred, D. B.

1991-01-01

A high-level review was conducted to provide an analysis of the existing architecture used to handle data and implement control algorithms for NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas and to make system-level recommendations for improving this architecture so that the DSN antennas can support the ever-tightening requirements of the next decade and beyond. It was found that the existing system is seriously overloaded, with processor utilization approaching 100 percent. A number of factors contribute to this overloading, including dated hardware, inefficient software, and a message-passing strategy that depends on serial connections between machines. At the same time, the system has shortcomings and idiosyncrasies that require extensive human intervention. A custom operating system kernel and an obscure programming language exacerbate the problems and should be modernized. A new architecture is presented that addresses these and other issues. Key features of the new architecture include a simplified message passing hierarchy that utilizes a high-speed local area network, redesign of particular processing function algorithms, consolidation of functions, and implementation of the architecture in modern hardware and software using mainstream computer languages and operating systems. The system would also allow incremental hardware improvements as better and faster hardware for such systems becomes available, and costs could potentially be low enough that redundancy would be provided economically. Such a system could support DSN requirements for the foreseeable future, though thorough consideration must be given to hard computational requirements, porting existing software functionality to the new system, and issues of fault tolerance and recovery.

Advanced Prototype Fan Operating Experience, Post Test Evaluation, and Refurbishment for PLSS 2.0 Test Use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodgson, Edward; Oehler, William; Dionne, Steve; Converse, David; Jennings, Mallory A.

2012-01-01

NASA s plans for Extravehicular Activity (EVA) portable life support systems for future exploration missions result in different design requirements than those which led to the combined fan / pump / separator in the current ISS Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). To meet these new requirements, NASA contracted with Hamilton Sundstrand to provide two new prototype fans designed to meet anticipated future system requirements. Based on design trade studies, a high speed fan with mechanical bearing support of the rotating elements and a novel non-metallic barrier canned motor design was developed and implemented in the deliverable prototypes. The prototypes, which used two different bearing lubricants, have been extensively tested in both stand-alone and integrated system tests in NASA laboratories and proven to meet the anticipated performance requirements. Subsequently, they have been subjected to post test inspection and analysis in Hamilton Sundstrand laboratories to assess the effects of integrated operation and resultant exposure to vent loop contaminants. Results have confirmed expectations that one of the lubricants would be superior in this application and the prototype fans have been reassembled with new bearings with the superior lubricant. They have now been returned to the Johnson Space Center for further testing and maturation as part of NASA s PLSS 2.0 integrated test effort. This paper will discuss the test history of these units, resulting test data, the results of post test evaluation, and plans for further testing in the near future.

EMMA: An Extensible Mammalian Modular Assembly Toolkit for the Rapid Design and Production of Diverse Expression Vectors.

PubMed

Martella, Andrea; Matjusaitis, Mantas; Auxillos, Jamie; Pollard, Steven M; Cai, Yizhi

2017-07-21

Mammalian plasmid expression vectors are critical reagents underpinning many facets of research across biology, biomedical research, and the biotechnology industry. Traditional cloning methods often require laborious manual design and assembly of plasmids using tailored sequential cloning steps. This process can be protracted, complicated, expensive, and error-prone. New tools and strategies that facilitate the efficient design and production of bespoke vectors would help relieve a current bottleneck for researchers. To address this, we have developed an extensible mammalian modular assembly kit (EMMA). This enables rapid and efficient modular assembly of mammalian expression vectors in a one-tube, one-step golden-gate cloning reaction, using a standardized library of compatible genetic parts. The high modularity, flexibility, and extensibility of EMMA provide a simple method for the production of functionally diverse mammalian expression vectors. We demonstrate the value of this toolkit by constructing and validating a range of representative vectors, such as transient and stable expression vectors (transposon based vectors), targeting vectors, inducible systems, polycistronic expression cassettes, fusion proteins, and fluorescent reporters. The method also supports simple assembly combinatorial libraries and hierarchical assembly for production of larger multigenetic cargos. In summary, EMMA is compatible with automated production, and novel genetic parts can be easily incorporated, providing new opportunities for mammalian synthetic biology.

76 FR 78230 - Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Requirements for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-16

...In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the requirements for requests to amend import regulations for plants, plant parts, and plant products.

78 FR 64984 - Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-30

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Wage and Hour Division RIN 1235-0018 Extension of the Approval of Information Collection Requirements AGENCY: Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., and its attendant regulations, 5 CFR part...

26 CFR 1.6161-1 - Extension of time for paying tax or deficiency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... tax is required to be paid to the Director of International Operations, such application must be filed... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Extension of time for paying tax or deficiency... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Extensions of Time for Payment § 1.6161-1 Extension of time...

The Semantic eScience Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGuinness, Deborah; Fox, Peter; Hendler, James

2010-05-01

The goal of this effort is to design and implement a configurable and extensible semantic eScience framework (SESF). Configuration requires research into accommodating different levels of semantic expressivity and user requirements from use cases. Extensibility is being achieved in a modular approach to the semantic encodings (i.e. ontologies) performed in community settings, i.e. an ontology framework into which specific applications all the way up to communities can extend the semantics for their needs.We report on how we are accommodating the rapid advances in semantic technologies and tools and the sustainable software path for the future (certain) technical advances. In addition to a generalization of the current data science interface, we will present plans for an upper-level interface suitable for use by clearinghouses, and/or educational portals, digital libraries, and other disciplines.SESF builds upon previous work in the Virtual Solar-Terrestrial Observatory. The VSTO utilizes leading edge knowledge representation, query and reasoning techniques to support knowledge-enhanced search, data access, integration, and manipulation. It encodes term meanings and their inter-relationships in ontologies anduses these ontologies and associated inference engines to semantically enable the data services. The Semantically-Enabled Science Data Integration (SESDI) project implemented data integration capabilities among three sub-disciplines; solar radiation, volcanic outgassing and atmospheric structure using extensions to existingmodular ontolgies and used the VSTO data framework, while adding smart faceted search and semantic data registrationtools. The Semantic Provenance Capture in Data Ingest Systems (SPCDIS) has added explanation provenance capabilities to an observational data ingest pipeline for images of the Sun providing a set of tools to answer diverseend user questions such as ``Why does this image look bad?. http://tw.rpi.edu/portal/SESF

The Semantic eScience Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, P. A.; McGuinness, D. L.

2009-12-01

The goal of this effort is to design and implement a configurable and extensible semantic eScience framework (SESF). Configuration requires research into accommodating different levels of semantic expressivity and user requirements from use cases. Extensibility is being achieved in a modular approach to the semantic encodings (i.e. ontologies) performed in community settings, i.e. an ontology framework into which specific applications all the way up to communities can extend the semantics for their needs.We report on how we are accommodating the rapid advances in semantic technologies and tools and the sustainable software path for the future (certain) technical advances. In addition to a generalization of the current data science interface, we will present plans for an upper-level interface suitable for use by clearinghouses, and/or educational portals, digital libraries, and other disciplines.SESF builds upon previous work in the Virtual Solar-Terrestrial Observatory. The VSTO utilizes leading edge knowledge representation, query and reasoning techniques to support knowledge-enhanced search, data access, integration, and manipulation. It encodes term meanings and their inter-relationships in ontologies anduses these ontologies and associated inference engines to semantically enable the data services. The Semantically-Enabled Science Data Integration (SESDI) project implemented data integration capabilities among three sub-disciplines; solar radiation, volcanic outgassing and atmospheric structure using extensions to existingmodular ontolgies and used the VSTO data framework, while adding smart faceted search and semantic data registrationtools. The Semantic Provenance Capture in Data Ingest Systems (SPCDIS) has added explanation provenance capabilities to an observational data ingest pipeline for images of the Sun providing a set of tools to answer diverseend user questions such as ``Why does this image look bad?.

Strengthening Software Authentication with the ROSE Software Suite

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

White, G

2006-06-15

Many recent nonproliferation and arms control software projects include a software authentication regime. These include U.S. Government-sponsored projects both in the United States and in the Russian Federation (RF). This trend toward requiring software authentication is only accelerating. Demonstrating assurance that software performs as expected without hidden ''backdoors'' is crucial to a project's success. In this context, ''authentication'' is defined as determining that a software package performs only its intended purpose and performs said purpose correctly and reliably over the planned duration of an agreement. In addition to visual inspections by knowledgeable computer scientists, automated tools are needed to highlightmore » suspicious code constructs, both to aid visual inspection and to guide program development. While many commercial tools are available for portions of the authentication task, they are proprietary and not extensible. An open-source, extensible tool can be customized to the unique needs of each project (projects can have both common and custom rules to detect flaws and security holes). Any such extensible tool has to be based on a complete language compiler. ROSE is precisely such a compiler infrastructure developed within the Department of Energy (DOE) and targeted at the optimization of scientific applications and user-defined libraries within large-scale applications (typically applications of a million lines of code). ROSE is a robust, source-to-source analysis and optimization infrastructure currently addressing large, million-line DOE applications in C and C++ (handling the full C, C99, C++ languages and with current collaborations to support Fortran90). We propose to extend ROSE to address a number of security-specific requirements, and apply it to software authentication for nonproliferation and arms control projects.« less

Extension Professionals and Community Coalitions: Professional Development Opportunities Related to Leadership and Policy, System, and Environment Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smathers, Carol A.; Lobb, Jennifer M.

2015-01-01

Community coalitions play an important role in community-wide strategies to promote health and wellbeing, and Extension professionals may provide leadership, technical assistance, and other support to coalitions. Extension professionals across a Midwestern state were invited to participate in an online survey about their coalition involvement and…

Failure in Success; An Assessment of Agricultural Extension in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Robert A.

The United States formalized its cooperative national support program for agricultural extension in 1941. The hope was to increase agricultural production and to help maintain a rural way of life in the United States. The Cooperative Extension Service was unable to strike a balance between these two goals, emphasizing increased production to such…

In search of standards to support circularity in product policies: A systematic approach.

PubMed

Tecchio, Paolo; McAlister, Catriona; Mathieux, Fabrice; Ardente, Fulvio

2017-12-01

The aspiration of a circular economy is to shift material flows toward a zero waste and pollution production system. The process of shifting to a circular economy has been initiated by the European Commission in their action plan for the circular economy. The EU Ecodesign Directive is a key policy in this transition. However, to date the focus of access to market requirements on products has primarily been upon energy efficiency. The absence of adequate metrics and standards has been a key barrier to the inclusion of resource efficiency requirements. This paper proposes a framework to boost sustainable engineering and resource use by systematically identifying standardization needs and features. Standards can then support the setting of appropriate material efficiency requirements in EU product policy. Three high-level policy goals concerning material efficiency of products were identified: embodied impact reduction, lifetime extension and residual waste reduction. Through a lifecycle perspective, a matrix of interactions among material efficiency topics (recycled content, re-used content, relevant material content, durability, upgradability, reparability, re-manufacturability, reusability, recyclability, recoverability, relevant material separability) and policy goals was created. The framework was tested on case studies for electronic displays and washing machines. For potential material efficiency requirements, specific standardization needs were identified, such as adequate metrics for performance measurements, reliable and repeatable tests, and calculation procedures. The proposed novel framework aims to provide a method by which to identify key material efficiency considerations within the policy context, and to map out the generic and product-specific standardisation needs to support ecodesign. Via such an approach, many different stakeholders (industry, academics, policy makers, non-governmental organizations etc.) can be involved in material efficiency standards and regulations. Requirements and standards concerning material efficiency would compel product manufacturers, but also help designers and interested parties in addressing the sustainable resource use issue.

Metadata Repository for Improved Data Sharing and Reuse Based on HL7 FHIR.

PubMed

Ulrich, Hannes; Kock, Ann-Kristin; Duhm-Harbeck, Petra; Habermann, Jens K; Ingenerf, Josef

2016-01-01

Unreconciled data structures and formats are a common obstacle to the urgently required sharing and reuse of data within healthcare and medical research. Within the North German Tumor Bank of Colorectal Cancer, clinical and sample data, based on a harmonized data set, is collected and can be pooled by using a hospital-integrated Research Data Management System supporting biobank and study management. Adding further partners who are not using the core data set requires manual adaptations and mapping of data elements. Facing this manual intervention and focusing the reuse of heterogeneous healthcare instance data (value level) and data elements (metadata level), a metadata repository has been developed. The metadata repository is an ISO 11179-3 conformant server application built for annotating and mediating data elements. The implemented architecture includes the translation of metadata information about data elements into the FHIR standard using the FHIR Data Element resource with the ISO 11179 Data Element Extensions. The FHIR-based processing allows exchange of data elements with clinical and research IT systems as well as with other metadata systems. With increasingly annotated and harmonized data elements, data quality and integration can be improved for successfully enabling data analytics and decision support.

Coal gasification systems engineering and analysis, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The major design related features of each generic plant system were characterized in a catalog. Based on the catalog and requirements data, approximately 17 designs and cost estimates were developed for MBG and alternate products. A series of generic trade studies was conducted to support all of the design studies. A set of cost and programmatic analyses were conducted to supplement the designs. The cost methodology employed for the design and sensitivity studies was documented and implemented in a computer program. Plant design and construction schedules were developed for the K-T, Texaco, and B&W MBG plant designs. A generic work breakdown structure was prepared, based on the K-T design, to coincide with TVA's planned management approach. An extensive set of cost sensitivity analyses was completed for K-T, Texaco, and B&W design. Product price competitiveness was evaluated for MBG and the alternate products. A draft management policy and procedures manual was evaluated. A supporting technology development plan was developed to address high technology risk issues. The issues were identified and ranked in terms of importance and tractability, and a plan developed for obtaining data or developing technology required to mitigate the risk.

Enabling sustainable pastoralism: policies and investments that optimise livestock production and rangeland stewardship.

PubMed

Ouedraogo, R; Davies, J

2016-11-01

Pastoralism is a system of dynamically managing livestock and land for economic, social and environmental benefit. To a large extent, pastoralism is an adaptation to ecological and climatic variability and is not simply a livestock production system but provides significant environmental services to humanity. Evidence from a range of national contexts shows that sustainable pastoralist development requires an understanding of the dual environmental and economic roles of pastoralism and an adaptation of policies and investments to support both. The current paper examines three cornerstones that have proven to be crucial for sustainable pastoralist development and for maximising the links between livestock production and environmental stewardship: strengthening pastoral capabilities and institutions, securing land tenure and natural resource governance, and ensuring equitable markets for pastoral diversity. To effectively support the dual economic-environmental roles of pastoralism requires not only optimisation of the production of ecosystem services through extensive livestock production, but also a major overhaul of the way we approach pastoralist development, and major investment in the people who are central to the system. As long as pastoralists remain marginalised, with weak rights and little access to services, their future will remain uncertain.

Cost effectiveness of brief interventions for reducing alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Wutzke, S E; Shiell, A; Gomel, M K; Conigrave, K M

2001-03-01

The direct costs and health effects of a primary-care-based brief intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption were examined. The total cost of the intervention was calculated from costs associated with: marketing the intervention programme; providing training and support in the use of the intervention materials; physician time required for providing brief advice for 'at-risk' drinkers. The effect of the intervention on health outcomes was expressed in terms of number of life years saved by preventing alcohol-related deaths. This was derived by combining estimates of the impact of the programme if it were implemented nationally with available evidence on the health effects of excess alcohol consumption. Results are based on international trial evidence showing the physical resources required by the intervention and its effectiveness combined with Australian price data. The costs associated with screening and brief advice using the current intervention programme range from Aus$19.14 to Aus$21.50. The marginal costs per additional life year saved were below Aus$1873. The robustness of the model used is supported by an extensive sensitivity analysis. In comparison with existing health promotion strategies the costs and effects of the current intervention are highly encouraging.

HPC in a HEP lab: lessons learned from setting up cost-effective HPC clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husejko, Michal; Agtzidis, Ioannis; Baehler, Pierre; Dul, Tadeusz; Evans, John; Himyr, Nils; Meinhard, Helge

2015-12-01

In this paper we present our findings gathered during the evaluation and testing of Windows Server High-Performance Computing (Windows HPC) in view of potentially using it as a production HPC system for engineering applications. The Windows HPC package, an extension of Microsofts Windows Server product, provides all essential interfaces, utilities and management functionality for creating, operating and monitoring a Windows-based HPC cluster infrastructure. The evaluation and test phase was focused on verifying the functionalities of Windows HPC, its performance, support of commercial tools and the integration with the users work environment. We describe constraints imposed by the way the CERN Data Centre is operated, licensing for engineering tools and scalability and behaviour of the HPC engineering applications used at CERN. We will present an initial set of requirements, which were created based on the above constraints and requests from the CERN engineering user community. We will explain how we have configured Windows HPC clusters to provide job scheduling functionalities required to support the CERN engineering user community, quality of service, user- and project-based priorities, and fair access to limited resources. Finally, we will present several performance tests we carried out to verify Windows HPC performance and scalability.

Advanced Life Support System Value Metric

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.; Rasky, Daniel J. (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

The NASA Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program is required to provide a performance metric to measure its progress in system development. Extensive discussions within the ALS program have led to the following approach. The Equivalent System Mass (ESM) metric has been traditionally used and provides a good summary of the weight, size, and power cost factors of space life support equipment. But ESM assumes that all the systems being traded off exactly meet a fixed performance requirement, so that the value and benefit (readiness, performance, safety, etc.) of all the different systems designs are considered to be exactly equal. This is too simplistic. Actual system design concepts are selected using many cost and benefit factors and the system specification is defined after many trade-offs. The ALS program needs a multi-parameter metric including both the ESM and a System Value Metric (SVM). The SVM would include safety, maintainability, reliability, performance, use of cross cutting technology, and commercialization potential. Another major factor in system selection is technology readiness level (TRL), a familiar metric in ALS. The overall ALS system metric that is suggested is a benefit/cost ratio, SVM/[ESM + function (TRL)], with appropriate weighting and scaling. The total value is given by SVM. Cost is represented by higher ESM and lower TRL. The paper provides a detailed description and example application of a suggested System Value Metric and an overall ALS system metric.

The use of emulator-based simulators for on-board software maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irvine, M. M.; Dartnell, A.

2002-07-01

Traditionally, onboard software maintenance activities within the space sector are performed using hardware-based facilities. These facilities are developed around the use of hardware emulation or breadboards containing target processors. Some sort of environment is provided around the hardware to support the maintenance actives. However, these environments are not easy to use to set-up the required test scenarios, particularly when the onboard software executes in a dynamic I/O environment, e.g. attitude control software, or data handling software. In addition, the hardware and/or environment may not support the test set-up required during investigations into software anomalies, e.g. raise spurious interrupt, fail memory, etc, and the overall "visibility" of the software executing may be limited. The Software Maintenance Simulator (SOMSIM) is a tool that can support the traditional maintenance facilities. The following list contains some of the main benefits that SOMSIM can provide: Low cost flexible extension to existing product - operational simulator containing software processor emulator; System-level high-fidelity test-bed in which software "executes"; Provides a high degree of control/configuration over the entire "system", including contingency conditions perhaps not possible with real hardware; High visibility and control over execution of emulated software. This paper describes the SOMSIM concept in more detail, and also describes the SOMSIM study being carried out for ESA/ESOC by VEGA IT GmbH.

The molecular basis for relative physiological functionality of the ADP/ATP carrier isoforms in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Smith, Christopher P; Thorsness, Peter E

2008-07-01

AAC2 is one of three paralogs encoding mitochondrial ADP/ATP carriers in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and because it is required for respiratory growth it has been the most extensively studied. To comparatively examine the relative functionality of Aac1, Aac2, and Aac3 in vivo, the gene encoding each isoform was expressed from the native AAC2 locus in aac1Delta aac3Delta yeast. Compared to Aac2, Aac1 exhibited reduced capacity to support growth of yeast lacking mitochondrial DNA or of yeast lacking the ATP/Mg-P(i) carrier, both conditions requiring ATP import into the mitochondrial matrix through the ADP/ATP carrier. Sixteen AAC1/AAC2 chimeric genes were constructed and analyzed to determine the key differences between residues or sections of Aac1 and Aac2. On the basis of the growth rate differences of yeast expressing different chimeras, the C1 and M2 loops of the ADP/ATP carriers contain divergent residues that are responsible for the difference(s) between Aac1 and Aac2. One chimeric gene construct supported growth on nonfermentable carbon sources but failed to support growth of yeast lacking mitochondrial DNA. We identified nine independent intragenic mutations in this chimeric gene that suppressed the growth phenotype of yeast lacking mitochondrial DNA, identifying regions of the carrier important for nucleotide exchange activities.

7 CFR 3419.6 - Use of matching funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FORMULA FUNDS AT 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, AND AT...) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, section 7 of the...

15 CFR 291.4 - National industry-specific pollution prevention and environmental compliance resource centers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... OF COMMERCE NIST EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP; ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS... information, NIST manufacturing extension efforts, EPA regulation and guidance, and state requirements. The... addition, consultants providing services to those businesses, the NIST Manufacturing Extension Centers, and...

15 CFR 291.4 - National industry-specific pollution prevention and environmental compliance resource centers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... OF COMMERCE NIST EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP; ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS... information, NIST manufacturing extension efforts, EPA regulation and guidance, and state requirements. The... addition, consultants providing services to those businesses, the NIST Manufacturing Extension Centers, and...

15 CFR 291.4 - National industry-specific pollution prevention and environmental compliance resource centers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... OF COMMERCE NIST EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP; ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS... information, NIST manufacturing extension efforts, EPA regulation and guidance, and state requirements. The... addition, consultants providing services to those businesses, the NIST Manufacturing Extension Centers, and...

Testing the electroweak phase transition in scalar extension models at lepton colliders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Qing-Hong; Huang, Fa-Peng; Xie, Ke-Pan; Zhang, Xinmin

2018-01-01

We study the electroweak phase transition in three scalar extension models beyond the Standard Model. Assuming new scalars are decoupled at some heavy scale, we use the covariant derivative expansion method to derive all of the dimension-6 effective operators, whose coefficients are highly correlated in a specific model. We provide bounds to the complete set of dimension-6 operators by including the electroweak precision test and recent Higgs measurements. We find that the parameter space of strong first-order phase transitions (induced by the | H{| }6 operator) can be probed extensively in Zh production at future electron-positron colliders. QHC and KPX are supported in part by the National Science Foundation of China(11175069, 11275009, 11422545), XZ and FPH are supported by the NSFC (11121092, 11033005, 11375202) and also by the CAS Pilot-B program. FPH is also supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2016M590133, 2017T100108)

Value Driven Outcomes (VDO): a pragmatic, modular, and extensible software framework for understanding and improving health care costs and outcomes.

PubMed

Kawamoto, Kensaku; Martin, Cary J; Williams, Kip; Tu, Ming-Chieh; Park, Charlton G; Hunter, Cheri; Staes, Catherine J; Bray, Bruce E; Deshmukh, Vikrant G; Holbrook, Reid A; Morris, Scott J; Fedderson, Matthew B; Sletta, Amy; Turnbull, James; Mulvihill, Sean J; Crabtree, Gordon L; Entwistle, David E; McKenna, Quinn L; Strong, Michael B; Pendleton, Robert C; Lee, Vivian S

2015-01-01

To develop expeditiously a pragmatic, modular, and extensible software framework for understanding and improving healthcare value (costs relative to outcomes). In 2012, a multidisciplinary team was assembled by the leadership of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and charged with rapidly developing a pragmatic and actionable analytics framework for understanding and enhancing healthcare value. Based on an analysis of relevant prior work, a value analytics framework known as Value Driven Outcomes (VDO) was developed using an agile methodology. Evaluation consisted of measurement against project objectives, including implementation timeliness, system performance, completeness, accuracy, extensibility, adoption, satisfaction, and the ability to support value improvement. A modular, extensible framework was developed to allocate clinical care costs to individual patient encounters. For example, labor costs in a hospital unit are allocated to patients based on the hours they spent in the unit; actual medication acquisition costs are allocated to patients based on utilization; and radiology costs are allocated based on the minutes required for study performance. Relevant process and outcome measures are also available. A visualization layer facilitates the identification of value improvement opportunities, such as high-volume, high-cost case types with high variability in costs across providers. Initial implementation was completed within 6 months, and all project objectives were fulfilled. The framework has been improved iteratively and is now a foundational tool for delivering high-value care. The framework described can be expeditiously implemented to provide a pragmatic, modular, and extensible approach to understanding and improving healthcare value. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Shoulder dislocation in patients older than 60 years of age

PubMed Central

Rapariz, Jose M.; Martin-Martin, Silvia; Pareja-Bezares, Antonio; Ortega-Klein, Jose

2010-01-01

Purpose: Recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation in elderly patients is a little studied condition. The goal of this paper is to clarify the role of associated injuries with respect to loss of function and recurrence of dislocation. Materials and Methods: We have conducted a retrospective, descriptive study on 29 patients older than 60 years at the moment they suffered their first dislocation episode. All patients were assessed clinically (Constant test) and by imaging testing (X-ray, MRI). Results: Nine (31.03%) out of 29 patients had a recurrent dislocation. Four of them required reconstructive surgery to maintain joint stability. Injury to the anterior support (anterior labrum, anterior glenoid rim) showed a statistically significant relation to the recurrence of dislocations. The occurrence or non-occurrence of a rotator cuff tear does have an impact on the shoulder function. The degree of rotator cuff involvement on the coronal plane does not significantly affect the shoulder’s functional outcome. The tear extension on the sagittal plane does cause impairment on the Constant test. Conclusions: Labrum and/or anterior glenoid involvement should be suspected in elderly patients presenting with recurrent shoulder dislocation. Recurrence is due to an injury in the anterior support or both (anterior and posterior), even though shoulder function gets impaired when a rotation cuff tear occurs with anterior extension on the sagittal plane. Evidence level: IV Case series. PMID:21655003

Child–adult differences in the kinetics of torque development

PubMed Central

DOTAN, RAFFY; MITCHELL, CAMERON; COHEN, ROTEM; GABRIEL, DAVID; KLENTROU, PANAGIOTA; FALK, BAREKET

2013-01-01

Children have lower size-normalised maximal voluntary force, speed, and power than adults. It has been hypothesised that these and other age-related performance differences are due to lesser type-II motor-unit utilisation in children. This should be manifested as slower force kinetics in explosive muscle contractions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of child–adult force-kinetics differences and whether the latter could support that hypothesis. Untrained boys (n = 20) and men (n = 20) (10.1 ± 1.3 and 22.9 ± 4.4 years, respectively), performed maximal, explosive, isometric elbow flexions and knee extensions on a Biodex dynamometer. Peak torque (MVC), times to 10–100% MVC, and other kinetics parameters were determined. The boys’ body-mass-normalised knee extension MVC, peak rate of torque development, and %MVC at 100 ms were 26, 17 and 23% lower compared with the men and their times to 30% and 80% MVC were 24 and 48% longer, respectively. Elbow flexion kinetics showed similar or greater differences. The findings illuminate boys’ inherent disadvantage in tasks requiring speed or explosive force. It is demonstrated that the extent of the boys–men kinetics disparity cannot be explained by muscle-composition and/or musculo-tendinous-stiffness differences. We suggest therefore that the findings indirectly support children’s lower utilisation of type-II motor units. PMID:23320937

Incorporating Non-Linear Sorption into High Fidelity Subsurface Reactive Transport Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matott, L. S.; Rabideau, A. J.; Allen-King, R. M.

2014-12-01

A variety of studies, including multiple NRC (National Research Council) reports, have stressed the need for simulation models that can provide realistic predictions of contaminant behavior during the groundwater remediation process, most recently highlighting the specific technical challenges of "back diffusion and desorption in plume models". For a typically-sized remediation site, a minimum of about 70 million grid cells are required to achieve desired cm-level thickness among low-permeability lenses responsible for driving the back-diffusion phenomena. Such discretization is nearly three orders of magnitude more than is typically seen in modeling practice using public domain codes like RT3D (Reactive Transport in Three Dimensions). Consequently, various extensions have been made to the RT3D code to support efficient modeling of recently proposed dual-mode non-linear sorption processes (e.g. Polanyi with linear partitioning) at high-fidelity scales of grid resolution. These extensions have facilitated development of exploratory models in which contaminants are introduced into an aquifer via an extended multi-decade "release period" and allowed to migrate under natural conditions for centuries. These realistic simulations of contaminant loading and migration provide high fidelity representation of the underlying diffusion and sorption processes that control remediation. Coupling such models with decision support processes is expected to facilitate improved long-term management of complex remediation sites that have proven intractable to conventional remediation strategies.

Promoting Pluralism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zijp, W.

1998-01-01

Rural agricultural development is facing challenges of poverty, hunger, and environmental quality, necessitating sustainable, profitable, and productive practices. Extension education is challenged to increase diversity, relevance, and financial support. Examples of World Bank innovations illustrate some pathways for agricultural extension. (SK)

rasdaman Array Database: current status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merticariu, George; Toader, Alexandru

2015-04-01

rasdaman (Raster Data Manager) is a Free Open Source Array Database Management System which provides functionality for storing and processing massive amounts of raster data in the form of multidimensional arrays. The user can access, process and delete the data using SQL. The key features of rasdaman are: flexibility (datasets of any dimensionality can be processed with the help of SQL queries), scalability (rasdaman's distributed architecture enables it to seamlessly run on cloud infrastructures while offering an increase in performance with the increase of computation resources), performance (real-time access, processing, mixing and filtering of arrays of any dimensionality) and reliability (legacy communication protocol replaced with a new one based on cutting edge technology - Google Protocol Buffers and ZeroMQ). Among the data with which the system works, we can count 1D time series, 2D remote sensing imagery, 3D image time series, 3D geophysical data, and 4D atmospheric and climate data. Most of these representations cannot be stored only in the form of raw arrays, as the location information of the contents is also important for having a correct geoposition on Earth. This is defined by ISO 19123 as coverage data. rasdaman provides coverage data support through the Petascope service. Extensions were added on top of rasdaman in order to provide support for the Geoscience community. The following OGC standards are currently supported: Web Map Service (WMS), Web Coverage Service (WCS), and Web Coverage Processing Service (WCPS). The Web Map Service is an extension which provides zoom and pan navigation over images provided by a map server. Starting with version 9.1, rasdaman supports WMS version 1.3. The Web Coverage Service provides capabilities for downloading multi-dimensional coverage data. Support is also provided for several extensions of this service: Subsetting Extension, Scaling Extension, and, starting with version 9.1, Transaction Extension, which defines request types for inserting, updating and deleting coverages. A web client, designed for both novice and experienced users, is also available for the service and its extensions. The client offers an intuitive interface that allows users to work with multi-dimensional coverages by abstracting the specifics of the standard definitions of the requests. The Web Coverage Processing Service defines a language for on-the-fly processing and filtering multi-dimensional raster coverages. rasdaman exposes this service through the WCS processing extension. Demonstrations are provided online via the Earthlook website (earthlook.org) which presents use-cases from a wide variety of application domains, using the rasdaman system as processing engine.

Prefabricated scalping forehead flap with skeletal support.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Masao; Suzuki, Ayano; Mizukami, Takahide; Terai, Tsutomu; Fukamizu, Hidekazu

2009-07-01

It is difficult to reconstruct a nose with adequate shape, color, and texture in patients who have full-thickness nasal defects with extensive loss of skeletal support. The scalping forehead flap is a reliable technique for nasal reconstruction. To our knowledge, however, there have been no reports about a prefabricated scalping forehead flap with a bone graft as skeletal support. In the case reported here, a prefabricated scalping forehead flap combined with an iliac bone graft as skeletal support was used to successfully reconstruct a full-thickness defect of the nose associated with partial frontal bone loss and complete loss of the nasal bones. Acceptable functional and aesthetic results were achieved. This method may be a good alternative for reconstruction of full-thickness nasal defects with extensive loss of skeletal support.

S1 screw bending moment with posterior spinal instrumentation across the lumbosacral junction after unilateral iliac crest harvest.

PubMed

Alegre, G M; Gupta, M C; Bay, B K; Smith, T S; Laubach, J E

2001-09-15

A biomechanical study comparing fixation across the lumbosacral junction. To determine which long posterior construct across the lumbosacral junction produces the least bending moment on the S1 screw when only one ilium is available for fixation. Recent in vitro studies have demonstrated the benefit of anterior support and fixation into the ilium when instrumenting a long posterior construct across the lumbosacral junction. Four L2-sacrum constructs were tested on six synthetic models of the lumbar spine and pelvis simulating that the right ilium had been harvested. Construct 1: L2-S1 bilateral screws. Construct 2: L2-S1 + left iliac bolt. Construct 3: L2-S1 + left iliac bolt + right S2 screw. Construct 4: L2-S1 + bilateral S2 screws. The four constructs were then retested with an anterior L5-S1 strut. A flexion-extension moment was applied across each construct, and the moment at the left and right S1 pedicle screw was measured with internal strain gauges. Iliac bolt fixation was found to significantly decrease the flexion-extension moment on the ipsilateral S1 screw by 70% and the contralateral screw by 26%. An anterior L5-S1 strut significantly decreased the S1 screw flexion-extension moment by 33%. Anterior support at L5-S1 provided no statistical decrease in the flexion-extension moment when bilateral posterior fixation beyond S1 was present with either a unilateral iliac bolt and contralateral S2 screw, or bilateral S2 screws. There is a significant decrease in the flexion-extension moment on the S1 screw when extending long posterior constructs to either the ilium or S2 sacral screw. There is no biomechanical advantage of the iliac bolt over the S2 screw in decreasing the moment on the S1 screw in flexion and extension. Adding anterior support to long posterior constructs significantly decreases the moment on the S1 screw. Adding distal posterior fixation to either the ilium or S2 decreases the moment on S1 screws more than adding anterior support. Further, adding anterior support when bilateral distal fixation past S1 is already present does not significantly decrease the moment on the S1 screws in flexion and extension.

Some practical universal noiseless coding techniques, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, R. F.; Lee, J. J.

1983-01-01

This report is an extension of earlier work (Part 1) which provided practical adaptive techniques for the efficient noiseless coding of a broad class of data sources characterized by only partially known and varying statistics (JPL Publication 79-22). The results here, while still claiming such general applicability, focus primarily on the noiseless coding of image data. A fairly complete and self-contained treatment is provided. Particular emphasis is given to the requirements of the forthcoming Voyager II encounters of Uranus and Neptune. Performance evaluations are supported both graphically and pictorially. Expanded definitions of the algorithms in Part 1 yield a computationally improved set of options for applications requiring efficient performance at entropies above 4 bits/sample. These expanded definitions include as an important subset, a somewhat less efficient but extremely simple "FAST' compressor which will be used at the Voyager Uranus encounter. Additionally, options are provided which enhance performance when atypical data spikes may be present.

Naver: a PC-cluster-based VR system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, ChangHoon; Ko, HeeDong; Kim, TaiYun

2003-04-01

In this paper, we present a new framework NAVER for virtual reality application. The NAVER is based on a cluster of low-cost personal computers. The goal of NAVER is to provide flexible, extensible, scalable and re-configurable framework for the virtual environments defined as the integration of 3D virtual space and external modules. External modules are various input or output devices and applications on the remote hosts. From the view of system, personal computers are divided into three servers according to its specific functions: Render Server, Device Server and Control Server. While Device Server contains external modules requiring event-based communication for the integration, Control Server contains external modules requiring synchronous communication every frame. And, the Render Server consists of 5 managers: Scenario Manager, Event Manager, Command Manager, Interaction Manager and Sync Manager. These managers support the declaration and operation of virtual environment and the integration with external modules on remote servers.

Studies in Software Cost Model Behavior: Do We Really Understand Cost Model Performance?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lum, Karen; Hihn, Jairus; Menzies, Tim

2006-01-01

While there exists extensive literature on software cost estimation techniques, industry practice continues to rely upon standard regression-based algorithms. These software effort models are typically calibrated or tuned to local conditions using local data. This paper cautions that current approaches to model calibration often produce sub-optimal models because of the large variance problem inherent in cost data and by including far more effort multipliers than the data supports. Building optimal models requires that a wider range of models be considered while correctly calibrating these models requires rejection rules that prune variables and records and use multiple criteria for evaluating model performance. The main contribution of this paper is to document a standard method that integrates formal model identification, estimation, and validation. It also documents what we call the large variance problem that is a leading cause of cost model brittleness or instability.

Role of geophysics in identifying and characterizing sites for high-level nuclear waste repositories.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wynn, J.C.; Roseboom, E.H.

1987-01-01

Evaluation of potential high-level nuclear waste repository sites is an area where geophysical capabilities and limitations may significantly impact a major governmental program. Since there is concern that extensive exploratory drilling might degrade most potential disposal sites, geophysical methods become crucial as the only nondestructive means to examine large volumes of rock in three dimensions. Characterization of potential sites requires geophysicists to alter their usual mode of thinking: no longer are anomalies being sought, as in mineral exploration, but rather their absence. Thus the size of features that might go undetected by a particular method take on new significance. Legal and regulatory considerations that stem from this different outlook, most notably the requirements of quality assurance (necessary for any data used in support of a repository license application), are forcing changes in the manner in which geophysicists collect and document their data. -Authors

The research of hourglass worm dynamic balancing simulation based on SolidWorks motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhuangzhuang; Yang, Jie; Liu, Pingyi; Zhao, Junpeng

2018-02-01

Hourglass worm is extensively used in industry due to its characteristic of heavy-load and a large reduction ratio. Varying sizes of unbalanced mass distribution appeared in the design of a single head worm. With machines developing towards higher speed and precision, the vibration and shock caused by the unbalanced mass distribution of rotating parts must be considered. Therefore, the balance grade of these parts must meet higher requirements. A method based on theoretical analysis and SolidWorks motion software simulation is presented in this paper; the virtual dynamic balance simulation test of the hourglass worm was carried out during the design of the product, so as to ensure that the hourglass worm meet the requirements of dynamic balance in the design process. This can effectively support the structural design of the hourglass worm and provide a way of thinking and designing the same type of products.

Establishing a national biological laboratory safety and security monitoring program.

PubMed

Blaine, James W

2012-12-01

The growing concern over the potential use of biological agents as weapons and the continuing work of the Biological Weapons Convention has promoted an interest in establishing national biological laboratory biosafety and biosecurity monitoring programs. The challenges and issues that should be considered by governments, or organizations, embarking on the creation of a biological laboratory biosafety and biosecurity monitoring program are discussed in this article. The discussion focuses on the following questions: Is there critical infrastructure support available? What should be the program focus? Who should be monitored? Who should do the monitoring? How extensive should the monitoring be? What standards and requirements should be used? What are the consequences if a laboratory does not meet the requirements or is not willing to comply? Would the program achieve the results intended? What are the program costs? The success of a monitoring program can depend on how the government, or organization, responds to these questions.

Experimental land observing data system feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckley, J. L.; Kraiman, H.

1982-01-01

An end-to-end data system to support a Shuttle-based Multispectral Linear Array (MLA) mission in the mid-1980's was defined. The experimental Land Observing System (ELOS) is discussed. A ground system that exploits extensive assets from the LANDSAT-D Program to effectively meet the objectives of the ELOS Mission was defined. The goal of 10 meter pixel precision, the variety of data acquisition capabilities, and the use of Shuttle are key to the mission requirements, Ground mission management functions are met through the use of GSFC's Multi-Satellite Operations Control Center (MSOCC). The MLA Image Generation Facility (MIGF) combines major hardware elements from the Applications Development Data System (ADDS) facility and LANDSAT Assessment System (LAS) with a special purpose MLA interface unit. LANDSAT-D image processing techniques, adapted to MLA characteristics, form the basis for the use of existing software and the definition of new software required.

Subcooled Liquid Oxygen Cryostat for Magneto-Archimedes Particle Separation by Density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilton, D. K.; Celik, D.; Van Sciver, S. W.

2008-03-01

An instrument for the separation of particles by density (sorting) is being developed that uses the magneto-archimedes effect in liquid oxygen. With liquid oxygen strongly paramagnetic, the magneto-archimedes effect is an extension of diamagnetic levitation in the sense of increasing the effective buoyancy of a particle. The instrument will be able to separate ensembles of particles from 100 μm to 100 nm in size, and vertically map or mechanically deliver the separated particles. The instrument requires a column of liquid oxygen that is nearly isothermal, free of thermal convection, subcooled to prevent nucleate boiling, and supported against the strong magnetic field used. Thus, the unique cryostat design that meets these requirements is described in the present article. It consists in part of a column of liquid nitrogen below for cooling the liquid oxygen, with the liquid oxygen pressurized by helium gas to prevent nucleate boiling.

LIHE Spectral Dynamics and Jaguar Data Acquisition System Measurement Assurance Results 2014.

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

Covert, Timothy T.; Willis, Michael David; Radtke, Gregg Arthur

2015-06-01

The Light Initiated High Explosive (LIHE) facility performs high rigor, high consequence impulse testing for the nuclear weapons (NW) community. To support the facility mission, LIHE's extensive data acquisition system (DAS) is comprised of several discrete components as well as a fully integrated system. Due to the high consequence and high rigor of the testing performed at LIHE, a measurement assurance plan (MAP) was developed in collaboration with NW system customers to meet their data quality needs and to provide assurance of the robustness of the LIHE DAS. While individual components of the DAS have been calibrated by the SNLmore » Primary Standards Laboratory (PSL), the integrated nature of this complex system requires verification of the complete system, from end-to-end. This measurement assurance plan (MAP) report documents the results of verification and validation procedures used to ensure that the data quality meets customer requirements.« less

Restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes in public and private places-current practice and support among adults in Great Britain.

PubMed

Brose, Leonie S; McNeill, Ann; Arnott, Deborah; Cheeseman, Hazel

2017-08-01

Debates around policies regulating e-cigarette use make it important to obtain an overview of current practice, people's attitudes and correlates of policy support. Aims were to assess (i) current practices for e-cigarette use in homes and workplaces; (ii) characteristics associated with allowing e-cigarette use in the home; and (iii) level of, and characteristics associated with, support for extending smoke-free legislation to include e-cigarettes. Online survey in 2016, n = 11 389 adults in Great Britain. Descriptives for all measures; multivariable logistic regressions assessed correlates of allowing e-cigarette use and support for extension of legislation. Most (79%) reporting on workplace policies reported some level of restrictions on e-cigarette use. Small majorities would not allow e-cigarette use in their home (58%) and supported an extension of smoke-free legislation (52%; 21% opposed). Allowing use was less likely and supporting an extension more likely among men, respondents from a higher socio-economic status, ex-smokers, never-smokers, non-users of e-cigarettes and respondents with increased perceived harm of e-cigarettes or nicotine (all P < 0.001). Older respondents were less likely to allow use and to support an extension and Labour voters more likely to allow use. In Great Britain, the majority of workplaces has policies restricting e-cigarette use. Over half of adults would not allow use of e-cigarettes in their home and support prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes in smoke-free places. Adjusting for socio-demographics, more restrictive attitudes are more common among never-smokers, never-users and those with increased perception of relative harms of e-cigarettes or nicotine as cause of smoking-related illness. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Ethical objections against including life-extension costs in cost-effectiveness analysis: a consistent approach.

PubMed

Gandjour, Afschin; Müller, Dirk

2014-10-01

One of the major ethical concerns regarding cost-effectiveness analysis in health care has been the inclusion of life-extension costs ("it is cheaper to let people die"). For this reason, many analysts have opted to rule out life-extension costs from the analysis. However, surprisingly little has been written in the health economics literature regarding this ethical concern and the resulting practice. The purpose of this work was to present a framework and potential solution for ethical objections against life-extension costs. This work found three levels of ethical concern: (i) with respect to all life-extension costs (disease-related and -unrelated); (ii) with respect to disease-unrelated costs only; and (iii) regarding disease-unrelated costs plus disease-related costs not influenced by the intervention. Excluding all life-extension costs for ethical reasons would require-for reasons of consistency-a simultaneous exclusion of savings from reducing morbidity. At the other extreme, excluding only disease-unrelated life-extension costs for ethical reasons would require-again for reasons of consistency-the exclusion of health gains due to treatment of unrelated diseases. Therefore, addressing ethical concerns regarding the inclusion of life-extension costs necessitates fundamental changes in the calculation of cost effectiveness.

Barriers to Participatory Extension in Egypt: Agricultural Workers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonough, Chris; Nuberg, Ian K.; Pitchford, Wayne S.

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper examines extension practises of agricultural workers within the Egyptian government and the perceived barriers they face in implementing participatory approaches, identifying improvements required in research and extension processes to meet the real needs of Egyptian farming communities. Design/Methodology/Approach: Key…

78 FR 51695 - Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products; Extension of Comment Period

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products; Extension of Comment Period AGENCY: Environmental... composite wood products. After receiving requests for an extension, EPA extended the comment period from... Environmental protection, Formaldehyde, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Toxic substances, Wood. Dated...

78 FR 8584 - Comment Request for Information Collection for Work Application/Job Order Recordkeeping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

... Collection for Work Application/ Job Order Recordkeeping, Extension Without Revisions AGENCY: Employment and... extension without changes of the data retention required by 20 CFR 652.8(d)(5) of the Wagner-Peyser Act, which requires each state to retain applications and job orders for a minimum of one year. The current...

75 FR 450 - Comment Request for Information Collection for Work Application/Job Order Recordkeeping (OMB 1205...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-05

... Collection for Work Application/ Job Order Recordkeeping (OMB 1205-0001), Extension Without Revisions AGENCY... collection of data concerning the extension without changes of the data retention required by 20 CFR 652.8(d)(5) of the Wagner-Peyser Act, which requires each state to retain applications and job orders for a...

77 FR 31396 - Reports of Injuries to Employees Operating Mechanical Power Presses; Extension of the Office of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-25

...] Reports of Injuries to Employees Operating Mechanical Power Presses; Extension of the Office of Management... requirement contained in the Standard on Reports of Injuries to Employees Operating Mechanical Power Presses... a worker is injured while operating a mechanical power press, 29 CFR 1910.217(g) requires an...

75 FR 44288 - Overhead and Gantry Cranes; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-28

...] Overhead and Gantry Cranes; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of... requirements specified in the Standard on Overhead and Gantry Cranes (29 CFR 1910.179). DATES: Comments must be... requirements for: Marking the rated load of cranes; preparing certification records to verify the inspection of...

76 FR 76766 - Standard on Vinyl Chloride; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-08

...] Standard on Vinyl Chloride; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of... requirements specified in the Standard on Vinyl Chloride (29 CFR 1910.1017). DATES: Comments must be submitted... of the collection of information requirements contained in the Vinyl Chloride (VC) Standard. (A...

Models for Deploying Open Source and Commercial Software to Support Earth Science Data Processing and Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yetman, G.; Downs, R. R.

2011-12-01

Software deployment is needed to process and distribute scientific data throughout the data lifecycle. Developing software in-house can take software development teams away from other software development projects and can require efforts to maintain the software over time. Adopting and reusing software and system modules that have been previously developed by others can reduce in-house software development and maintenance costs and can contribute to the quality of the system being developed. A variety of models are available for reusing and deploying software and systems that have been developed by others. These deployment models include open source software, vendor-supported open source software, commercial software, and combinations of these approaches. Deployment in Earth science data processing and distribution has demonstrated the advantages and drawbacks of each model. Deploying open source software offers advantages for developing and maintaining scientific data processing systems and applications. By joining an open source community that is developing a particular system module or application, a scientific data processing team can contribute to aspects of the software development without having to commit to developing the software alone. Communities of interested developers can share the work while focusing on activities that utilize in-house expertise and addresses internal requirements. Maintenance is also shared by members of the community. Deploying vendor-supported open source software offers similar advantages to open source software. However, by procuring the services of a vendor, the in-house team can rely on the vendor to provide, install, and maintain the software over time. Vendor-supported open source software may be ideal for teams that recognize the value of an open source software component or application and would like to contribute to the effort, but do not have the time or expertise to contribute extensively. Vendor-supported software may also have the additional benefits of guaranteed up-time, bug fixes, and vendor-added enhancements. Deploying commercial software can be advantageous for obtaining system or software components offered by a vendor that meet in-house requirements. The vendor can be contracted to provide installation, support and maintenance services as needed. Combining these options offers a menu of choices, enabling selection of system components or software modules that meet the evolving requirements encountered throughout the scientific data lifecycle.

Near-Infrared Neuroimaging with NinPy

PubMed Central

Strangman, Gary E.; Zhang, Quan; Zeffiro, Thomas

2009-01-01

There has been substantial recent growth in the use of non-invasive optical brain imaging in studies of human brain function in health and disease. Near-infrared neuroimaging (NIN) is one of the most promising of these techniques and, although NIN hardware continues to evolve at a rapid pace, software tools supporting optical data acquisition, image processing, statistical modeling, and visualization remain less refined. Python, a modular and computationally efficient development language, can support functional neuroimaging studies of diverse design and implementation. In particular, Python's easily readable syntax and modular architecture allow swift prototyping followed by efficient transition to stable production systems. As an introduction to our ongoing efforts to develop Python software tools for structural and functional neuroimaging, we discuss: (i) the role of non-invasive diffuse optical imaging in measuring brain function, (ii) the key computational requirements to support NIN experiments, (iii) our collection of software tools to support NIN, called NinPy, and (iv) future extensions of these tools that will allow integration of optical with other structural and functional neuroimaging data sources. Source code for the software discussed here will be made available at www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/Neural_SystemsGroup/software.html. PMID:19543449

A model-based approach to stabilizing crutch supported paraplegic standing by artificial hip joint stiffness.

PubMed

van der Spek, Jaap H; Veltink, Peter H; Hermens, Hermie J; Koopman, Bart F J M; Boom, Herman B K

2003-12-01

The prerequisites for stable crutch supported standing were analyzed in this paper. For this purpose, a biomechanical model of crutch supported paraplegic stance was developed assuming the patient was standing with extended knees. When using crutches during stance, the crutches will put a position constraint on the shoulder, thus reducing the number of degrees of freedom. Additional hip-joint stiffness was applied to stabilize the hip joint and, therefore, to stabilize stance. The required hip-joint stiffness for changing crutch placement and hip-joint offset angle was studied under static and dynamic conditions. Modeling results indicate that, by using additional hip-joint stiffness, stable crutch supported paraplegic standing can be achieved, both under static as well as dynamic situations. The static equilibrium postures and the stability under perturbations were calculated to be dependent on crutch placement and stiffness applied. However, postures in which the hip joint was in extension (C postures) appeared to the most stable postures. Applying at least 60 N x m/rad hip-joint stiffness gave stable equilibrium postures in all cases. Choosing appropriate hip-joint offset angles, the static equilibrium postures changed to more erect postures, without causing instability or excessive arm forces to occur.

Designing Studies of Extension Program Results: A Resource for Program Leaders and Specialists. Volume II--Abstracts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera, William M., Ed.; And Others

These abstracts of 42 studies of extension program results, which make up the second volume of a two-volume resource, are intended to advise state administrative program leaders and others with program evaluation responsibilities of how to design studies of cooperative extension programs. Designed to support volume I, which refers to these…

Valued aspects of primary palliative care: content analysis of bereaved carers' descriptions.

PubMed

Grande, Gunn E; Farquhar, Morag C; Barclay, Stephen Ig; Todd, Chris J

2004-10-01

Informal carers provide the bulk of palliative home care. They largely rely on general practitioners (GPs) and district nurses to support them in this role, yet little is known about what carers themselves consider important in this support. To identify what informal carers valued in the palliative support provided by GPs and district nurses by using carers' own descriptions of such support. Retrospective interviews. Primary care in Cambridgeshire. Semi-structured interviews with bereaved carers of 48 patients with cancer and 12 patients with non-cancer diagnoses. Content analysis of carers' evaluative descriptions of GP and district nurse support. The accessibility of the GP and district nurse emerged as the most important aspect of support. Enlistment of help from other agencies was also extensively mentioned, together with provision of equipment. Attitude or approach during interactions, and relationship with the professional were important, particularly regarding GP support, whereas support for the carer, information, and symptom control were mentioned less often. Data suggested that support was not as good for older patients (> or =75 years), but this finding requires further investigation. Results largely confirmed findings of previous, quantitative research and the importance of a patient-centred approach. What emerged most strongly, however, was the central importance of accessibility of support services for lay carers responsible for end-of-life home care. This mainly concerned GP and district nurse support, but accessibility of additional care and equipment were also important. In short, carers' main focus was the basic support that enabled them to sustain care in the home.

XBRL: Beyond Basic XML

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanLengen, Craig Alan

2010-01-01

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently announced a proposal that will require all public companies to report their financial data in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). XBRL is an extension of Extensible Markup Language (XML). Moving to a standard reporting format makes it easier for organizations to report the…

Tail-extension following the termination codon is critical for release of the nascent chain from membrane-bound ribosomes in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system.

PubMed

Takahara, Michiyo; Sakaue, Haruka; Onishi, Yukiko; Yamagishi, Marifu; Kida, Yuichiro; Sakaguchi, Masao

2013-01-11

Nascent chain release from membrane-bound ribosomes by the termination codon was investigated using a cell-free translation system from rabbit supplemented with rough microsomal membrane vesicles. Chain release was extremely slow when mRNA ended with only the termination codon. Tail extension after the termination codon enhanced the release of the nascent chain. Release reached plateau levels with tail extension of 10 bases. This requirement was observed with all termination codons: TAA, TGA and TAG. Rapid release was also achieved by puromycin even in the absence of the extension. Efficient translation termination cannot be achieved in the presence of only a termination codon on the mRNA. Tail extension might be required for correct positioning of the termination codon in the ribosome and/or efficient recognition by release factors. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

DCO-VIVO: A Collaborative Data Platform for the Deep Carbon Science Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Chen, Y.; West, P.; Erickson, J. S.; Ma, X.; Fox, P. A.

2014-12-01

Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) is a decade-long scientific endeavor to understand carbon in the complex deep Earth system. Thousands of DCO scientists from institutions across the globe are organized into communities representing four domains of exploration: Extreme Physics and Chemistry, Reservoirs and Fluxes, Deep Energy, and Deep Life. Cross-community and cross-disciplinary collaboration is one of the most distinctive features in DCO's flexible research framework. VIVO is an open-source Semantic Web platform that facilitates cross-institutional researcher and research discovery. it includes a number of standard ontologies that interconnect people, organizations, publications, activities, locations, and other entities of research interest to enable browsing, searching, visualizing, and generating Linked Open (research) Data. The DCO-VIVO solution expedites research collaboration between DCO scientists and communities. Based on DCO's specific requirements, the DCO Data Science team developed a series of extensions to the VIVO platform including extending the VIVO information model, extended query over the semantic information within VIVO, integration with other open source collaborative environments and data management systems, using single sign-on, assigning of unique Handles to DCO objects, and publication and dataset ingesting extensions using existing publication systems. We present here the iterative development of these requirements that are now in daily use by the DCO community of scientists for research reporting, information sharing, and resource discovery in support of research activities and program management.

Gravin regulates mesodermal cell behavior changes required for axis elongation during zebrafish gastrulation.

PubMed

Weiser, Douglas C; Pyati, Ujwal J; Kimelman, David

2007-06-15

Convergent extension of the mesoderm is the major driving force of vertebrate gastrulation. During this process, mesodermal cells move toward the future dorsal side of the embryo, then radically change behavior as they initiate extension of the body axis. How cells make this transition in behavior is unknown. We have identified the scaffolding protein and tumor suppressor Gravin as a key regulator of this process in zebrafish embryos. We show that Gravin is required for the conversion of mesodermal cells from a highly migratory behavior to the medio-laterally intercalative behavior required for body axis extension. In the absence of Gravin, paraxial mesodermal cells fail to shut down the protrusive activity mediated by the Rho/ROCK/Myosin II pathway, resulting in embryos with severe extension defects. We propose that Gravin functions as an essential scaffold for regulatory proteins that suppress the migratory behavior of the mesoderm during gastrulation, and suggest that this function also explains how Gravin inhibits invasive behaviors in metastatic cells.

A Method for Constructing a New Extensible Nomenclature for Clinical Coding Practices in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Van Laere, Sven; Nyssen, Marc; Verbeke, Frank

2017-01-01

Clinical coding is a requirement to provide valuable data for billing, epidemiology and health care resource allocation. In sub-Saharan Africa, we observe a growing awareness of the need for coding of clinical data, not only in health insurances, but also in governments and the hospitals. Presently, coding systems in sub-Saharan Africa are often used for billing purposes. In this paper we consider the use of a nomenclature to also have a clinical impact. Often coding systems are assumed to be complex and too extensive to be used in daily practice. Here, we present a method for constructing a new nomenclature based on existing coding systems by considering a minimal subset in the sub-Saharan region. Evaluation of completeness will be done nationally using the requirements of national registries. The nomenclature requires an extension character for dealing with codes that have to be used for multiple registries. Hospitals will benefit most by using this extension character.

A Middleware with Comprehensive Quality of Context Support for the Internet of Things Applications

PubMed Central

Gomes, Berto de Tácio Pereira; Muniz, Luiz Carlos Melo; dos Santos, Davi Viana; Lopes, Rafael Fernandes; Coutinho, Luciano Reis; Carvalho, Felipe Oliveira; Endler, Markus

2017-01-01

Context aware systems are able to adapt their behavior according to the environment in which the user is. They can be integrated into an Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure, allowing a better perception of the user’s physical environment by collecting context data from sensors embedded in devices known as smart objects. An IoT extension called the Internet of Mobile Things (IoMT) suggests new scenarios in which smart objects and IoT gateways can move autonomously or be moved easily. In a comprehensive view, Quality of Context (QoC) is a term that can express quality requirements of context aware applications. These requirements can be those related to the quality of information provided by the sensors (e.g., accuracy, resolution, age, validity time) or those referring to the quality of the data distribution service (e.g, reliability, delay, delivery time). Some functionalities of context aware applications and/or decision-making processes of these applications and their users depend on the level of quality of context available, which tend to vary over time for various reasons. Reviewing the literature, it is possible to verify that the quality of context support provided by IoT-oriented middleware systems still has limitations in relation to at least four relevant aspects: (i) quality of context provisioning; (ii) quality of context monitoring; (iii) support for heterogeneous device and technology management; (iv) support for reliable data delivery in mobility scenarios. This paper presents two main contributions: (i) a state-of-the-art survey specifically aimed at analyzing the middleware with quality of context support and; (ii) a new middleware with comprehensive quality of context support for Internet of Things Applications. The proposed middleware was evaluated and the results are presented and discussed in this article, which also shows a case study involving the development of a mobile remote patient monitoring application that was developed using the proposed middleware. This case study highlights how middleware components were used to meet the quality of context requirements of the application. In addition, the proposed middleware was compared to other solutions in the literature. PMID:29292791

A Middleware with Comprehensive Quality of Context Support for the Internet of Things Applications.

PubMed

Gomes, Berto de Tácio Pereira; Muniz, Luiz Carlos Melo; da Silva E Silva, Francisco José; Dos Santos, Davi Viana; Lopes, Rafael Fernandes; Coutinho, Luciano Reis; Carvalho, Felipe Oliveira; Endler, Markus

2017-12-08

Context aware systems are able to adapt their behavior according to the environment in which the user is. They can be integrated into an Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure, allowing a better perception of the user's physical environment by collecting context data from sensors embedded in devices known as smart objects. An IoT extension called the Internet of Mobile Things (IoMT) suggests new scenarios in which smart objects and IoT gateways can move autonomously or be moved easily. In a comprehensive view, Quality of Context (QoC) is a term that can express quality requirements of context aware applications. These requirements can be those related to the quality of information provided by the sensors (e.g., accuracy, resolution, age, validity time) or those referring to the quality of the data distribution service (e.g, reliability, delay, delivery time). Some functionalities of context aware applications and/or decision-making processes of these applications and their users depend on the level of quality of context available, which tend to vary over time for various reasons. Reviewing the literature, it is possible to verify that the quality of context support provided by IoT-oriented middleware systems still has limitations in relation to at least four relevant aspects: (i) quality of context provisioning; (ii) quality of context monitoring; (iii) support for heterogeneous device and technology management; (iv) support for reliable data delivery in mobility scenarios. This paper presents two main contributions: (i) a state-of-the-art survey specifically aimed at analyzing the middleware with quality of context support and; (ii) a new middleware with comprehensive quality of context support for Internet of Things Applications. The proposed middleware was evaluated and the results are presented and discussed in this article, which also shows a case study involving the development of a mobile remote patient monitoring application that was developed using the proposed middleware. This case study highlights how middleware components were used to meet the quality of context requirements of the application. In addition, the proposed middleware was compared to other solutions in the literature.

Cyber infrastructure for Fusarium: three integrated platforms supporting strain identification, phylogenetics, comparative genomics and knowledge sharing.

PubMed

Park, Bongsoo; Park, Jongsun; Cheong, Kyeong-Chae; Choi, Jaeyoung; Jung, Kyongyong; Kim, Donghan; Lee, Yong-Hwan; Ward, Todd J; O'Donnell, Kerry; Geiser, David M; Kang, Seogchan

2011-01-01

The fungal genus Fusarium includes many plant and/or animal pathogenic species and produces diverse toxins. Although accurate species identification is critical for managing such threats, it is difficult to identify Fusarium morphologically. Fortunately, extensive molecular phylogenetic studies, founded on well-preserved culture collections, have established a robust foundation for Fusarium classification. Genomes of four Fusarium species have been published with more being currently sequenced. The Cyber infrastructure for Fusarium (CiF; http://www.fusariumdb.org/) was built to support archiving and utilization of rapidly increasing data and knowledge and consists of Fusarium-ID, Fusarium Comparative Genomics Platform (FCGP) and Fusarium Community Platform (FCP). The Fusarium-ID archives phylogenetic marker sequences from most known species along with information associated with characterized isolates and supports strain identification and phylogenetic analyses. The FCGP currently archives five genomes from four species. Besides supporting genome browsing and analysis, the FCGP presents computed characteristics of multiple gene families and functional groups. The Cart/Favorite function allows users to collect sequences from Fusarium-ID and the FCGP and analyze them later using multiple tools without requiring repeated copying-and-pasting of sequences. The FCP is designed to serve as an online community forum for sharing and preserving accumulated experience and knowledge to support future research and education.

Data management for interdisciplinary field experiments: OTTER project support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angelici, Gary; Popovici, Lidia; Skiles, J. W.

1993-01-01

The ability of investigators of an interdisciplinary science project to properly manage the data that are collected during the experiment is critical to the effective conduct of science. When the project becomes large, possibly including several scenes of large-format remotely sensed imagery shared by many investigators requiring several services, the data management effort can involve extensive staff and computerized data inventories. The OTTER (Oregon Transect Ecosystem Research) project was supported by the PLDS (Pilot Land Data System) with several data management services, such as data inventory, certification, and publication. After a brief description of these services, experiences in providing them are compared with earlier data management efforts and some conclusions regarding data management in support of interdisciplinary science are discussed. In addition to providing these services, a major goal of this data management capability was to adopt characteristics of a pro-active attitude, such as flexibility and responsiveness, believed to be crucial for the effective conduct of active, interdisciplinary science. These are also itemized and compared with previous data management support activities. Identifying and improving these services and characteristics can lead to the design and implementation of optimal data management support capabilities, which can result in higher quality science and data products from future interdisciplinary field experiments.

Experiences with using information and communication technology to build a multi-municipal support network for informal carers.

PubMed

Torp, Steffen; Bing-Jonsson, Pia C; Hanson, Elizabeth

2013-09-01

This multi-municipal intervention study explored whether informal carers of frail older people and disabled children living at home made use of information and communication technology (ICT) to gain knowledge about caring and to form informal support networks, thereby improving their health. Seventy-nine informal carers accessed web-based information about caring and an e-based discussion forum via their personal computers. They were able to maintain contact with each other using a web camera and via normal group meetings. After the first 12 months, 17 informal carers participated in focus group interviews and completed a short questionnaire. Four staff members were also interviewed. Participant carers who had prior experiences with a similar ICT-based support network reported greater satisfaction and more extensive use of the network than did participants with no such prior experience. It seems that infrequent usage of the service may be explained by too few other carers to identify with and inappropriate recruitment procedures. Nevertheless, carers of disabled children reported that the intervention had resulted in improved services across the participant municipalities. To achieve optimal effects of an ICT-based support network due attention must be given to recruitment processes and social environment building for which care practitioners require training and support.

Cyber infrastructure for Fusarium: three integrated platforms supporting strain identification, phylogenetics, comparative genomics and knowledge sharing

PubMed Central

Park, Bongsoo; Park, Jongsun; Cheong, Kyeong-Chae; Choi, Jaeyoung; Jung, Kyongyong; Kim, Donghan; Lee, Yong-Hwan; Ward, Todd J.; O'Donnell, Kerry; Geiser, David M.; Kang, Seogchan

2011-01-01

The fungal genus Fusarium includes many plant and/or animal pathogenic species and produces diverse toxins. Although accurate species identification is critical for managing such threats, it is difficult to identify Fusarium morphologically. Fortunately, extensive molecular phylogenetic studies, founded on well-preserved culture collections, have established a robust foundation for Fusarium classification. Genomes of four Fusarium species have been published with more being currently sequenced. The Cyber infrastructure for Fusarium (CiF; http://www.fusariumdb.org/) was built to support archiving and utilization of rapidly increasing data and knowledge and consists of Fusarium-ID, Fusarium Comparative Genomics Platform (FCGP) and Fusarium Community Platform (FCP). The Fusarium-ID archives phylogenetic marker sequences from most known species along with information associated with characterized isolates and supports strain identification and phylogenetic analyses. The FCGP currently archives five genomes from four species. Besides supporting genome browsing and analysis, the FCGP presents computed characteristics of multiple gene families and functional groups. The Cart/Favorite function allows users to collect sequences from Fusarium-ID and the FCGP and analyze them later using multiple tools without requiring repeated copying-and-pasting of sequences. The FCP is designed to serve as an online community forum for sharing and preserving accumulated experience and knowledge to support future research and education. PMID:21087991

Continued Development of Compact Multi-gas Monitor for Life Support Systems Control in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado-Alonso, Jesús; Phillips, Straun; Chullen, Cinda; Quinn, Gregory

2016-01-01

Miniature optic gas sensors (MOGS) based on luminescent materials have shown great potential as alternatives to Near-Infrared-based gas sensor systems for the advanced space suit portable life support system (PLSS). The unique capability of MOGS for carbon dioxide and oxygen monitoring under wet conditions has been reported, as has the fast recovery of MOGS humidity sensors after long periods of being wet. Lower volume and power requirements are also potential advantages of MOGS over both traditional and advanced Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) gas sensors, which have shown so far longer life than luminescent sensors. This paper presents the most recent results in the development and analytical validation of a compact multi-gas sensor unit based on luminescent sensors for the PLSS. Results of extensive testing are presented, including studies conducted at Intelligent Optical Systems laboratories, a United Technology Corporation Aerospace Systems (UTAS) laboratory, and a Johnson Space Center laboratory. The potential of this sensor technology for gas monitoring in PLSSs and other life support systems and the advantages and limitations found through detailed sensor validation are discussed.

Solar dynamic power systems for space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, Thomas B.; Nall, Marsha M.; Seidel, Robert C.

1986-01-01

The Parabolic Offset Linearly Actuated Reflector (POLAR) solar dynamic module was selected as the baseline design for a solar dynamic power system aboard the space station. The POLAR concept was chosen over other candidate designs after extensive trade studies. The primary advantages of the POLAR concept are the low mass moment of inertia of the module about the transverse boom and the compactness of the stowed module which enables packaging of two complete modules in the Shuttle orbiter payload bay. The fine pointing control system required for the solar dynamic module has been studied and initial results indicate that if disturbances from the station are allowed to back drive the rotary alpha joint, pointing errors caused by transient loads on the space station can be minimized. This would allow pointing controls to operate in bandwidths near system structural frequencies. The incorporation of the fine pointing control system into the solar dynamic module is fairly straightforward for the three strut concentrator support structure. However, results of structural analyses indicate that this three strut support is not optimum. Incorporation of a vernier pointing system into the proposed six strut support structure is being studied.

Continued Development of Compact Multi-Gas Monitor for Life Support Systems Control in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Jesus; Phillips, Straun; Chullen, Cinda

2015-01-01

Miniature optic gas sensors (MOGS) based on luminescent materials have shown great potential as alternatives to NIR-based gas sensor systems for the Portable Life Support System (PLSS). The unique capability of MOGS for carbon dioxide and oxygen monitoring under wet conditions has been reported, as has the fast recovery of MOGS humidity sensors after long periods of being wet. Lower volume and power requirements are also potential advantages of MOGS over both traditional and advanced Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) gas sensors, which have shown so far longer life than luminescent sensors. In this paper we present the most recent results in the development and analytical validation of a compact multi-gas sensor unit based on luminescent sensors for the PLSS. Results of extensive testing are presented, including studies conducted at Intelligent Optical Systems laboratories, a United Technology Corporation Aerospace Systems (UTAS) laboratory, and a Johnson Space Center laboratory. The potential of this sensor technology for gas monitoring in PLSSs and other life support systems and the advantages and limitations found through detailed sensor validation are discussed.

Transferring Files Between the Deep Impact Spacecrafts and the Ground Data System Using the CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP): A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Felicia A.; Jones, Grailing, Jr.; Levesque, Michael

2006-01-01

The CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP) Standard could reshape ground support architectures by enabling applications to communicate over the space link using reliable-symmetric transport services. JPL utilized the CFDP standard to support the Deep Impact Mission. The architecture was based on layering the CFDP applications on top of the CCSDS Space Link Extension Services for data transport from the mission control centers to the ground stations. On July 4, 2005 at 1:52 A.M. EDT, the Deep Impact impactor successfully collided with comet Tempel 1. During the final 48 hours prior to impact, over 300 files were uplinked to the spacecraft, while over 6 thousand files were downlinked from the spacecraft using the CFDP. This paper uses the Deep Impact Mission as a case study in a discussion of the CFDP architecture, Deep Impact Mission requirements, and design for integrating the CFDP into the JPL deep space support services. Issues and recommendations for future missions using CFDP are also provided.

Continued Development of Compact Multi-Gas Monitor for Life Support Systems Control in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado-Alonso, Jesus; Phillips, Straun; Berry, David; DiCarmine, Paul; Chullen, Cinda; Quinn, Gregory

2016-01-01

Miniature optical gas sensors based on luminescent materials have shown great potential as alternatives to NIR-based gas sensor systems for the Portable Life Support System (PLSS). The unique capability of luminescent sensors for carbon dioxide and oxygen monitoring under wet conditions has been reported, as has the fast recovery of humidity sensors after long periods of being wet. Lower volume and power requirements are also potential advantages over both traditional and advanced non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) gas sensors, which have so far shown longer life than luminescent sensors. In this paper we present the most recent results in the development and analytical validation of a compact multi-gas sensor unit based on luminescent sensors for the PLSS. Results of extensive testing are presented, including studies conducted in Intelligent Optical Systems laboratories, a United Technologies Corporation Aerospace Systems (UTC) laboratory, and a Johnson Space Center laboratory. The potential of this sensor technology for gas monitoring in PLSSs and other life support systems, and the advantages and limitations found through detailed sensor validation are discussed.

Reduction of Parenteral Nutrition and Hydration Support and Safety With Long-Term Teduglutide Treatment in Patients With Short Bowel Syndrome-Associated Intestinal Failure: STEPS-3 Study.

PubMed

Seidner, Douglas L; Fujioka, Ken; Boullata, Joseph I; Iyer, Kishore; Lee, Hak-Myung; Ziegler, Thomas R

2018-05-15

Patients with intestinal failure associated with short bowel syndrome (SBS-IF) require parenteral support (PS) to maintain fluid balance or nutrition. Teduglutide (TED) reduced PS requirements in patients with SBS-IF in the randomized, placebo (PBO)-controlled STEPS study (NCT00798967) and its 2-year, open-label extension, STEPS-2 (NCT00930644). STEPS-3 (NCT01560403), a 1-year, open-label extension study in patients with SBS-IF who completed STEPS-2, further monitored the safety and efficacy of TED (0.05 mg/kg/day). Baseline was the start of TED treatment, in either STEPS or STEPS-2. At the end of STEPS-3, patients treated with TED in both STEPS and STEPS-2 (TED-TED) received TED for ≤42 months, and patients treated with TED only in STEPS-2 (no TED treatment [NT]/PBO-TED) received TED for ≤36 months. Fourteen patients enrolled (TED-TED, n = 5; NT/PBO-TED, n = 9) and 13 completed STEPS-3. At the last dosing visit, mean (SD) PS was reduced from baseline by 9.8 (14.4 [50%]) and 3.9 (2.8 [48%]) L/week in TED-TED and NT/PBO-TED, respectively. Mean (SD) PS infusions decreased by 3.0 (4.6) and 2.1 (2.2) days per week from baseline in TED-TED and NT/PBO-TED, respectively. Two patients achieved PS independence; 2 additional patients who achieved independence in STEPS-2 maintained enteral autonomy throughout STEPS-3. All patients reported ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE); 3 patients had TEAEs that were reported as treatment related. No patient had a treatment-related treatment-emergent serious AE. Long-term TED treatment yielded a safety profile consistent with previous studies, sustained efficacy, and a further decline in PS requirements. © 2018 The Authors. Nutrition in Clinical Practice published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Herbal supplements: Research findings and safety.

PubMed

Pruitt, Rosanne; Lemanski, Ashley; Carroll, Adam

2018-05-17

Herbal supplements are used extensively worldwide without much awareness regarding their safety and efficacy. Extensive research to determine the safety, utility, and level of research support for commonly used herbs has culminated in an easily accessible summary chart for NP providers.