Sample records for serving capacity tests

  1. Maintenance of exercise training benefits is associated with adequate milk and dairy products intake in elderly hypertensive subjects following detraining.

    PubMed

    Moraes, Wilson Max Almeida Monteiro de; Santos, Neucilane Silveira Dos; Aguiar, Larissa Pereira; Sousa, Luís Gustavo Oliveira de

    2017-01-01

    To investigate whether maintenance of exercise training benefits is associated with adequate milk and dairy products intake in hypertensive elderly subjects after detraining. Twenty-eight elderly hypertensive patients with optimal clinical treatment underwent 16 weeks of multicomponent exercise training program followed by 6 weeks of detraining, and were classified according to milk and dairy products intake as low milk (<3 servings) and high milk (≥3 servings) groups. After exercise training, there was a significant reduction (p<0.001) in body weight, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure, an increase in lower and upper limb strength (chair-stand test and elbow flexor test) as well as in aerobic capacity (stationary gait test) and functional capacity (sit down, stand up, and move around the house) in both groups. However, in the Low Milk Intake Group significant changes were observed: body weight (+0.5%), systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure (+0.9%,+1.4% and +1.1%, respectively), lower extremity strength (-7.0%), aerobic capacity (-3.9%) and functional capacity (+5.4) after detraining. These parameters showed no significant differences between post-detraining and post-training period in High Milk Intake Group. Maintenance of exercise training benefits related to pressure levels, lower extremity strength and aerobic capacity, is associated with adequate milk and dairy products intake in hypertensive elderly subjects following 6 weeks of detraining.

  2. Analysis of Bearing Capacity Pile Foundation with Using Capwap Software for Testing Pile Driving Analyzer (pda) at Fasfel Development Project Parlimbungan Ketek Sikara-Kara Mandailing Natal District (north Sumatera)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oberlyn Simanjuntak, Johan; Suita, Diana

    2017-12-01

    Pile foundation is one type deep foundation that serves to distribute the load of hard soil structure loading which has a high bearing capacity that is located deep enough inside the soil. To determine the bearing capacity of the pile and at the same time control the Calendring results, the Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) test at 8 pile sections from the 84 point piling section (10% of the number sections), the results were analyzed by CAPWAP SOFTWARE, and the highest bearing capacity of Ru 177 ton and the lowest bearing capacity of 111 tons, is bigger than the plan load which load plans that is 60,9 tons. Finally the PDA safe is bearing bearing capacity of the load planning.

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

    Andersen, Gary L.; Dubinsky, Eric A.

    Herein are described 1058 different bacterial taxa that were unique to either human, grazing mammal, or bird fecal wastes. These identified taxa can serve as specific identifier taxa for these sources in environmental waters. Two field tests in marine waters demonstrate the capacity of phylogenetic microarray analysis to track multiple sources with one test.

  4. Manufacture and evaluation of Li/BCX DD cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meyer, S.; Takeuchi, E.

    1990-01-01

    This project is divided into four main tasks: cell manufacture, acceptance, and lot certification of cells, performance testing of cells, and abuse testing of cells. Lithium/bromine chloride in thionyl chloride (Li/BCX) 149 DD cells (PN 3B2085-XA) were built according to the provisions of Electrochem Industries Quality Plan 17096. Acceptance and lot certification testing was performed according to NASA JSC Document EP5-83-025, Revision B. Acceptance testing included open circuit and load voltage check, visual examination, size and weight measurements, and high temperature exposure. Lot certification tests were performed for capacity performance and for performance under conditions of thermal and electrical abuse. These tests included 149 C exposure, capacity discharge, fuse check, high temperature exposure, high rate discharge, short circuit, vibration, and overdischarge testing. A quantity of 200 cells was delivered to Johnson Space Center for life test evaluation. A parametric evaluation of the capacity discharge of Li/BCX DD cells was performed over a variety of temperatures and discharge rates. This testing served to map the performance capability of the cell. Tests were also performed over a variety of electrical and thermal abuse conditions. Abuse tests included short circuit, charging, overdischarge, high temperature exposure, shock, and vibration.

  5. Simulation model for port shunting yards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rusca, A.; Popa, M.; Rosca, E.; Rosca, M.; Dragu, V.; Rusca, F.

    2016-08-01

    Sea ports are important nodes in the supply chain, joining two high capacity transport modes: rail and maritime transport. The huge cargo flows transiting port requires high capacity construction and installation such as berths, large capacity cranes, respectively shunting yards. However, the port shunting yards specificity raises several problems such as: limited access since these are terminus stations for rail network, the in-output of large transit flows of cargo relatively to the scarcity of the departure/arrival of a ship, as well as limited land availability for implementing solutions to serve these flows. It is necessary to identify technological solutions that lead to an answer to these problems. The paper proposed a simulation model developed with ARENA computer simulation software suitable for shunting yards which serve sea ports with access to the rail network. Are investigates the principal aspects of shunting yards and adequate measures to increase their transit capacity. The operation capacity for shunting yards sub-system is assessed taking in consideration the required operating standards and the measure of performance (e.g. waiting time for freight wagons, number of railway line in station, storage area, etc.) of the railway station are computed. The conclusion and results, drawn from simulation, help transports and logistics specialists to test the proposals for improving the port management.

  6. Supervised Phase II Cardiac Exercise Therapy Shortens the Recovery of Exercise Capacity in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Chih-Wei; Wang, Ji-Hung; Hsieh, Jen-Che; Hsieh, Tsung-Cheng; Wu, Yu-Zu; Chen, Tung-Wei; Huang, Chien-Hui

    2014-01-01

    [Purpose] To investigate the effects of Phase II cardiac exercise therapy (CET) on exercise capacity and changes in coronary risk factors (CRFs) of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). [Subjects] Thirty male subjects with AMI were divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG). Another 30 age-matched subjects with patent coronary arteries served as a normal-control group (NCG). [Methods] Subjects in EG (n=20) trained using a stationary bicycle for 30 min at their target heart rate twice a week for 8 weeks. Exercise capacity was defined as the maximal metabolic equivalents (METs) that subjects reached during the symptom-limited maximal exercise test. HR, BP and RPP were recorded. Subjects in EG and CG received exercise tests and screening for CRFs at the beginning of, end of, and 3 months after Phase II CET, while subjects in NCG participated only in the 1st test. [Results] METs of CG did not improve until the 3rd test, while RPP at the 2nd test showed a significant increase. However, EG showed increased METs at the 2nd test without increase of RPP, and increased their high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) during the follow-up period between the 2nd and 3rd tests. [Conclusion] Phase II CET shortens the recovery time of exercise capacity, helps to maintain the gained exercise capacity and increases HDL-C in phase III. PMID:25276046

  7. Cognitive performance predicts treatment decisional abilities in mild to moderate dementia.

    PubMed

    Gurrera, R J; Moye, J; Karel, M J; Azar, A R; Armesto, J C

    2006-05-09

    To examine the contribution of neuropsychological test performance to treatment decision-making capacity in community volunteers with mild to moderate dementia. The authors recruited volunteers (44 men, 44 women) with mild to moderate dementia from the community. Subjects completed a battery of 11 neuropsychological tests that assessed auditory and visual attention, logical memory, language, and executive function. To measure decision making capacity, the authors administered the Capacity to Consent to Treatment Interview, the Hopemont Capacity Assessment Interview, and the MacCarthur Competence Assessment Tool--Treatment. Each of these instruments individually scores four decisional abilities serving capacity: understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and expression of choice. The authors used principal components analysis to generate component scores for each ability across instruments, and to extract principal components for neuropsychological performance. Multiple linear regression analyses demonstrated that neuropsychological performance significantly predicted all four abilities. Specifically, it predicted 77.8% of the common variance for understanding, 39.4% for reasoning, 24.6% for appreciation, and 10.2% for expression of choice. Except for reasoning and appreciation, neuropsychological predictor (beta) profiles were unique for each ability. Neuropsychological performance substantially and differentially predicted capacity for treatment decisions in individuals with mild to moderate dementia. Relationships between elemental cognitive function and decisional capacity may differ in individuals whose decisional capacity is impaired by other disorders, such as mental illness.

  8. A Tale of Two Principals: The Complexity of Fostering and Achieving Organizational Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez-Kellar, Frances Jacqueline

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation served as a pilot study that tested a set of ideas drawn from the existing literature grounded in organizational learning theory, leadership theory, sociocultural theory, and the social and psychological constructs demonstrating leader behavior and capacity. The study examined the intersection within four individual components of…

  9. Cognitive performance predicts treatment decisional abilities in mild to moderate dementia

    PubMed Central

    Gurrera, R.J.; Moye, J.; Karel, M.J.; Azar, A.R.; Armesto, J.C.

    2016-01-01

    Objective To examine the contribution of neuropsychological test performance to treatment decision-making capacity in community volunteers with mild to moderate dementia. Methods The authors recruited volunteers (44 men, 44 women) with mild to moderate dementia from the community. Subjects completed a battery of 11 neuropsychological tests that assessed auditory and visual attention, logical memory, language, and executive function. To measure decision making capacity, the authors administered the Capacity to Consent to Treatment Interview, the Hopemont Capacity Assessment Interview, and the MacCarthur Competence Assessment Tool—Treatment. Each of these instruments individually scores four decisional abilities serving capacity: understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and expression of choice. The authors used principal components analysis to generate component scores for each ability across instruments, and to extract principal components for neuropsychological performance. Results Multiple linear regression analyses demonstrated that neuropsychological performance significantly predicted all four abilities. Specifically, it predicted 77.8% of the common variance for understanding, 39.4% for reasoning, 24.6% for appreciation, and 10.2% for expression of choice. Except for reasoning and appreciation, neuropsychological predictor (β) profiles were unique for each ability. Conclusions Neuropsychological performance substantially and differentially predicted capacity for treatment decisions in individuals with mild to moderate dementia. Relationships between elemental cognitive function and decisional capacity may differ in individuals whose decisional capacity is impaired by other disorders, such as mental illness. PMID:16682669

  10. Aviation system capacity : annual report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-10-01

    The Aviation System Capacity Plan is published annually and, in addition to providing airport delay statistics, serves to identify programs that have potential for increasing capacity and reducing delay.

  11. Neurocognitive Models of Medical Decision-Making Capacity in Traumatic Brain Injury Across Injury Severity.

    PubMed

    Triebel, Kristen L; Novack, Thomas A; Kennedy, Richard; Martin, Roy C; Dreer, Laura E; Raman, Rema; Marson, Daniel C

    2016-01-01

    To identify neurocognitive predictors of medical decision-making capacity (MDC) in participants with mild and moderate/severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Academic medical center. Sixty adult controls and 104 adults with TBI (49 mild, 55 moderate/severe) evaluated within 6 weeks of injury. Prospective cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument to assess MDC and a neuropsychological test battery. We used factor analysis to reduce the battery test measures into 4 cognitive composite scores (verbal memory, verbal fluency, academic skills, and processing speed/executive function). We identified cognitive predictors of the 3 most clinically relevant Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument consent standards (appreciation, reasoning, and understanding). In controls, academic skills (word reading, arithmetic) and verbal memory predicted understanding; verbal fluency predicted reasoning; and no predictors emerged for appreciation. In the mild TBI group, verbal memory predicted understanding and reasoning, whereas academic skills predicted appreciation. In the moderate/severe TBI group, verbal memory and academic skills predicted understanding; academic skills predicted reasoning; and academic skills and verbal fluency predicted appreciation. Verbal memory was a predictor of MDC in controls and persons with mild and moderate/severe TBI. In clinical practice, impaired verbal memory could serve as a "red flag" for diminished consent capacity in persons with recent TBI.

  12. Biosafety and Biosecurity: A Relative Risk-Based Framework for Safer, More Secure, and Sustainable Laboratory Capacity Building.

    PubMed

    Dickmann, Petra; Sheeley, Heather; Lightfoot, Nigel

    2015-01-01

    Laboratory capacity building is characterized by a paradox between endemicity and resources: countries with high endemicity of pathogenic agents often have low and intermittent resources (water, electricity) and capacities (laboratories, trained staff, adequate regulations). Meanwhile, countries with low endemicity of pathogenic agents often have high-containment facilities with costly infrastructure and maintenance governed by regulations. The common practice of exporting high biocontainment facilities and standards is not sustainable and concerns about biosafety and biosecurity require careful consideration. A group at Chatham House developed a draft conceptual framework for safer, more secure, and sustainable laboratory capacity building. The draft generic framework is guided by the phrase "LOCAL - PEOPLE - MAKE SENSE" that represents three major principles: capacity building according to local needs (local) with an emphasis on relationship and trust building (people) and continuous outcome and impact measurement (make sense). This draft generic framework can serve as a blueprint for international policy decision-making on improving biosafety and biosecurity in laboratory capacity building, but requires more testing and detailing development.

  13. Effects of Working Memory Capacity on Metacognitive Monitoring: A Study of Group Differences Using a Listening Span Test.

    PubMed

    Komori, Mie

    2016-01-01

    Monitoring is an executive function of working memory that serves to update novel information, focusing attention on task-relevant targets, and eliminating task-irrelevant noise. The present research used a verbal working memory task to examine how working memory capacity limits affect monitoring. Participants performed a Japanese listening span test that included maintenance of target words and listening comprehension. On each trial, participants responded to the target word and then immediately estimated confidence in recall performance for that word (metacognitive judgment). The results confirmed significant differences in monitoring accuracy between high and low capacity groups in a multi-task situation. That is, confidence judgments were superior in high vs. low capacity participants in terms of absolute accuracy and discrimination. The present research further investigated how memory load and interference affect underestimation of successful recall. The results indicated that the level of memory load that reduced word recall performance and led to an underconfidence bias varied according to participants' memory capacity. In addition, irrelevant information associated with incorrect true/ false decisions (secondary task) and word recall within the current trial impaired monitoring accuracy in both participant groups. These findings suggest that interference from unsuccessful decisions only influences low, but not high, capacity participants. Therefore, monitoring accuracy, which requires high working memory capacity, improves metacognitive abilities by inhibiting task-irrelevant noise and focusing attention on detecting task-relevant targets or useful retrieval cues, which could improve actual cognitive performance.

  14. The use of Minilabs to improve the testing capacity of regulatory authorities in resource limited settings: Tanzanian experience.

    PubMed

    Risha, Peter Gasper; Msuya, Zera; Clark, Malcolm; Johnson, Keith; Ndomondo-Sigonda, Margareth; Layloff, Thomas

    2008-08-01

    The Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority piloted the use of Minilab kits, a thin-layer-chromatographic based drug quality testing technique, in a two-tier quality assurance program. The program is intended to improve testing capacity with timely screening of the quality of medicines as they enter the market. After 1 week training of inspectors on Minilab screening techniques, they were stationed at key Ports-of-Entry (POE) to screen the quality of imported medicines. In addition, three non-Ports-of-Entry centres were established to screen samples collected during Post-Marketing-Surveillance. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) were developed to structure and standardize the implementation process. Over 1200 samples were tested using the Minilab outside the central quality control laboratory (QCL), almost doubling the previous testing capacity. The program contributed to increased regulatory reach and visibility of the Authority throughout the country, serving as a deterrent against entry of substandard medicines into market. The use of Minilab for quality screening was inexpensive and provided a high sample throughput. However, it suffers from the limitation that it can reliably detect only grossly substandard or wrong drug samples and therefore, it should not be used as an independent testing resource but in conjunction with a full-service quality control laboratory capable of auditing reported substandard results.

  15. NEUTRONIC REACTOR

    DOEpatents

    Daniels, F.

    1959-10-27

    A reactor in which at least a portion of the moderator is in the form of movable refractory balls is described. In addition to their moderating capacity, these balls may serve as carriers for fissionable material or fertile material, or may serve in a coolant capacity to remove heat from the reactor. A pneumatic system is used to circulate the balls through the reactor.

  16. Influence of Laccase and Tyrosinase on the Antioxidant Capacity of Selected Phenolic Compounds on Human Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Riebel, Matthias; Sabel, Andrea; Claus, Harald; Fronk, Petra; Xia, Ning; Li, Huige; König, Helmut; Decker, Heinz

    2015-09-18

    Polyphenolic compounds affect the color, odor and taste of numerous food products of plant origin. In addition to the visual and gustatory properties, they serve as radical scavengers and have antioxidant effects. Polyphenols, especially resveratrol in red wine, have gained increasing scientific and public interest due to their presumptive beneficial impact on human health. Enzymatic oxidation of phenolic compounds takes place under the influence of polyphenol oxidases (PPO), including tyrosinase and laccase. Several studies have demonstrated the radical scavenger effect of plants, food products and individual polyphenols in vitro, but, apart from resveratrol, such impact has not been proved in physiological test systems. Furthermore, only a few data exist on the antioxidant capacities of the enzymatic oxidation products of phenolic compounds generated by PPO. We report here first results about the antioxidant effects of phenolic substances, before and after oxidation by fungal model tyrosinase and laccase. In general, the common chemical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and the biological tests using two different types of cell cultures (monocytes and endothelial cells) delivered similar results. The phenols tested showed significant differences with respect to their antioxidant activity in all test systems. Their antioxidant capacities after enzymatic conversion decreased or increased depending on the individual PPO used.

  17. Astronaut Charles Conrad as test subject for Lower Body Negative Pressure

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1973-06-09

    S73-27707 (9 June 1973) --- Astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., Skylab 2 commander, serves as test subject for the Lower Body Negative Pressure (MO92) Experiment, as seen in this reproduction taken from a color television transmission made by a TV camera aboard the Skylab 1/2 space station cluster in Earth orbit. Scientist-astronaut Joseph P. Kerwin, Skylab 2 science pilot, assists Conrad into the LBNP device. Kerwin served as monitor for the experiment. The purpose of the MO92 experiment is to provide information concerning the time course of cardiovascular adaptation during flight, and to provide inflight data for predicting the degree of orthostatic intolerance and impairment of physical capacity to be expected upon return to Earth environment. The data collected in support of MO92 blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, vectorcardiogram, LBNPD pressure, leg volume changes, and body weight. Photo credit: NASA

  18. 49 CFR 193.2181 - Impoundment capacity: LNG storage tanks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITIES: FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Design Impoundment Design and Capacity § 193.2181 Impoundment capacity: LNG storage tanks. Each impounding system serving an LNG storage tank must have a... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Impoundment capacity: LNG storage tanks. 193.2181...

  19. Enhancing Quality Interventions Promoting Healthy Sexuality (EQUIPS): A Novel Application of Translational Research Methods

    PubMed Central

    Acosta, Joie; Ebener, Patricia; Driver, Jennifer; Keith, Jamie; Peebles, Dana

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Translational research is expanding, in part, because Evidence‐Based Programs or Practices (EBPs) are not adopted in many medical domains. However, little translational research exists on EBPs that are prevention programs delivered in nonclinical, community‐based settings. These organizations often have low capacity, which undermines implementation quality and outcomes. Rigorous translational research is needed in these settings so within a single study, capacity, implementation quality, and outcomes are measured and links between them tested. This paper overviews the study Enhancing Quality Interventions Promoting Healthy Sexuality (EQUIPS), which tests how well a community‐based setting (Boys & Girls Clubs) conducts an EBP called Making Proud Choices that aims to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, with and without an implementation support intervention called Getting To Outcomes. The study design is novel as it assesses: Getting To Outcomes’ impact on capacity, implementation quality, and outcomes simultaneously and in both study conditions; will assess sustainability by measuring capacity and fidelity a year after the Getting To Outcomes support ends; and will operate on a large scale similar to many national initiatives. Many studies have not incorporated all these elements and thus EQUIPS could serve as a model for translational research in many domains. PMID:23751031

  20. Intelligent transportation systems Professional Capacity Building Program needs assessment : a review and synthesis of thirteen studies

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-09-01

    This report, ITS Professional Capacity Building: A Review and Synthesis of Thirteen Studies, serves as a companion report to ITS Professional Capacity Building: Field Interviews. This report summarizes what other organizations concerned about ITS sta...

  1. 14 CFR 385.8 - Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Exercise of authority in âactingâ capacity... Provisions § 385.8 Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity. Unless the assignment provides otherwise, staff members serving in an “acting” capacity may exercise the authority assigned to the staff members...

  2. 14 CFR 385.8 - Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Exercise of authority in âactingâ capacity... Provisions § 385.8 Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity. Unless the assignment provides otherwise, staff members serving in an “acting” capacity may exercise the authority assigned to the staff members...

  3. 14 CFR 385.8 - Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Exercise of authority in âactingâ capacity... Provisions § 385.8 Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity. Unless the assignment provides otherwise, staff members serving in an “acting” capacity may exercise the authority assigned to the staff members...

  4. 14 CFR 385.8 - Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Exercise of authority in âactingâ capacity... Provisions § 385.8 Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity. Unless the assignment provides otherwise, staff members serving in an “acting” capacity may exercise the authority assigned to the staff members...

  5. 14 CFR 385.8 - Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Exercise of authority in âactingâ capacity... Provisions § 385.8 Exercise of authority in “acting” capacity. Unless the assignment provides otherwise, staff members serving in an “acting” capacity may exercise the authority assigned to the staff members...

  6. Building Capacity for Better Results: Strategies for Financing and Sustaining the Organizational Capacity of Youth-Serving Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silloway, Torey

    2010-01-01

    Most nonprofit leaders understand the importance of building strong organizational capacity, but finding ways to support and strengthen this capacity often poses significant challenges. Nonprofit leaders may hesitate to divert money from direct services when funds are needed to support operations. Some experts in the field also note what they…

  7. A Psychometric Measure of Working Memory Capacity for Configured Body Movement

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Ying Choon; Coulson, Seana

    2014-01-01

    Working memory (WM) models have traditionally assumed at least two domain-specific storage systems for verbal and visuo-spatial information. We review data that suggest the existence of an additional slave system devoted to the temporary storage of body movements, and present a novel instrument for its assessment: the movement span task. The movement span task assesses individuals' ability to remember and reproduce meaningless configurations of the body. During the encoding phase of a trial, participants watch short videos of meaningless movements presented in sets varying in size from one to five items. Immediately after encoding, they are prompted to reenact as many items as possible. The movement span task was administered to 90 participants along with standard tests of verbal WM, visuo-spatial WM, and a gesture classification test in which participants judged whether a speaker's gestures were congruent or incongruent with his accompanying speech. Performance on the gesture classification task was not related to standard measures of verbal or visuo-spatial working memory capacity, but was predicted by scores on the movement span task. Results suggest the movement span task can serve as an assessment of individual differences in WM capacity for body-centric information. PMID:24465437

  8. 40 CFR 97.204 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  9. 40 CFR 97.204 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  10. 40 CFR 97.104 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  11. 40 CFR 97.104 - Applicability

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  12. 40 CFR 97.204 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  13. 40 CFR 97.104 - Applicability

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  14. 40 CFR 97.204 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  15. 40 CFR 97.204 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  16. 40 CFR 97.104 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  17. 40 CFR 97.104 - Applicability

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving... unit begins to combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe... this section on the first date on which it both combusts fossil fuel and serves such generator. (b) The...

  18. Preparing to Test

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2015-03-26

    Stennis Space Center employees install a 96-inch valve during a recent upgrade of the high-pressure industrial water system that serves the site’s large rocket engine test stands. The upgraded system has a capacity to flow 335,000 gallons of water a minute, which is a critical element for testing. At Stennis, engines are anchored in place on large test stands and fired just as they are during an actual space flight. The fire and exhaust from the test is redirected out of the stand by a large flame trench. A water deluge system directs thousands of gallons of water needed to cool the exhaust. Water also must be available for fire suppression in the event of a mishap. The new system supports RS-25 engine testing on the A-1 Test Stand, as well as testing of the core stage of NASA’s new Space Launch System on the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis.

  19. The correlation between pulsatile intracranial pressure and indices of intracranial pressure-volume reserve capacity: results from ventricular infusion testing.

    PubMed

    Eide, Per Kristian

    2016-12-01

    OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine how pulsatile and static intracranial pressure (ICP) scores correlate with indices of intracranial pressure-volume reserve capacity, i.e., intracranial elastance (ICE) and intracranial compliance (ICC), as determined during ventricular infusion testing. METHODS All patients undergoing ventricular infusion testing and overnight ICP monitoring during the 6-year period from 2007 to 2012 were included in the study. Clinical data were retrieved from a quality registry, and the ventricular infusion pressure data and ICP scores were retrieved from a pressure database. The ICE and ICC (= 1/ICE) were computed during the infusion phase of the infusion test. RESULTS During the period from 2007 to 2012, 82 patients with possible treatment-dependent hydrocephalus underwent ventricular infusion testing within the department of neurosurgery. The infusion tests revealed a highly significant positive correlation between ICE and the pulsatile ICP scores mean wave amplitude (MWA) and rise-time coefficient (RTC), and the static ICP score mean ICP. The ICE was negatively associated with linear measures of ventricular size. The overnight ICP recordings revealed significantly increased MWA (> 4 mm Hg) and RTC (> 20 mm Hg/sec) values in patients with impaired ICC (< 0.5 ml/mm Hg). CONCLUSIONS In this study cohort, there was a significant positive correlation between pulsatile ICP and ICE measured during ventricular infusion testing. In patients with impaired ICC during infusion testing (ICC < 0.5 ml/mm Hg), overnight ICP recordings showed increased pulsatile ICP (MWA > 4 mm Hg, RTC > 20 mm Hg/sec), but not increased mean ICP (< 10-15 mm Hg). The present data support the assumption that pulsatile ICP (MWA and RTC) may serve as substitute markers of pressure-volume reserve capacity, i.e., ICE and ICC.

  20. Greater ankle strength, anaerobic and aerobic capacity, and agility predict Ground Combat Military Occupational School graduation in female Marines.

    PubMed

    Allison, Katelyn Fleishman; Keenan, Karen A; Wohleber, Meleesa F; Perlsweig, Katherine A; Pletcher, Erin R; Lovalekar, Mita; Beals, Kim; Coleman, Lawrence C; Nindl, Bradley C

    2017-11-01

    Women can serve in all military occupational specialties (MOS); however, musculoskeletal and physiological characteristics that predict successful completion of ground combat MOS schools by female Marines are unknown. To determine which demographic, musculoskeletal, and physiological characteristics predict graduation from infantry and vehicle ground combat MOS schools in female Marines. Prospective cohort study. Prior to MOS school, the following were assessed in 62 female Marines (22.0±3.0yrs, 163.9±5.8cm, 63.4±7.2kg): isokinetic shoulder, trunk, and knee and isometric ankle strength; body composition; anaerobic power (AP)/capacity (AC); maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max); and field-based fitness tests (broad jump, medicine ball throw, pro-agility). Both absolute and normalized (%body mass: %BM) values were utilized for strength, AP, AC, and VO 2 max. Select tests from each Marine's most recent Physical Fitness Test (PFT: abdominal crunches, 3-mile run time) and Combat Fitness Test (CFT: Maneuver Under Fire, Movement to Contact) were recorded. Participants were classified as graduated (N=46) or did not graduate (N=16). Simple logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of MOS school graduation. Statistical significance was set a priori at α=0.05. Absolute and normalized ankle inversion and eversion strength, normalized anaerobic capacity, absolute and normalized VO 2 max, right pro-agility, and PFT 3-mile run time significantly predicted MOS school graduation (p<0.05). Greater ankle strength, better agility, and greater anaerobic and aerobic capacity are important for successful completion of ground combat MOS school in female Marines. Prior to entering ground combat MOS school, it is recommended that female Marines should train to optimize these mobility-centric characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Official Portrait of Astronaut Michael Collins

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1967-01-01

    This is the official NASA portrait of astronaut Michael Collins. Collins chose an Air Force career following graduation from West Point. He served as an experimental flight test officer at the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, and, in that capacity, tested performance and stability and control characteristics of Air Force aircraft, primarily jet fighters. Having logged approximately 5,000 hours flying time, Collins was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. Collins completed two space flights, logging 266 hours in space, of which, 1 hour and 27 minutes was spent in Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA). On July 18, 1966, he served as backup pilot for the Gemini VII mission which included a successful rendezvous and docking with a separately launched Agena target vehicle and, using the power of the Agena, maneuvered the Gemini spacecraft into another orbit for a rendezvous with a second, passive Agena. His skillful performance in completing two periods of EVA included the recovery of a micrometeorite detection experiment from the passive Agena. July 16-24, 1969, Collins served as command module (CM) pilot on Apollo 11, the historic first lunar landing mission. He remained aboard the CM, Columbia, on station in lunar orbit and performed the final re-docking maneuvers following a successful lunar orbit rendezvous with the Lunar Module (LM), Eagle. Collins left NASA in January 1970.

  2. Saturn Apollo Program

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1967-01-09

    This is the official NASA portrait of astronaut Michael Collins. Collins chose an Air Force career following graduation from West Point. He served as an experimental flight test officer at the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, and, in that capacity, tested performance and stability and control characteristics of Air Force aircraft, primarily jet fighters. Having logged approximately 5,000 hours flying time, Collins was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. Collins completed two space flights, logging 266 hours in space, of which, 1 hour and 27 minutes was spent in Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA). On July 18, 1966, he served as backup pilot for the Gemini VII mission which included a successful rendezvous and docking with a separately launched Agena target vehicle and, using the power of the Agena, maneuvered the Gemini spacecraft into another orbit for a rendezvous with a second, passive Agena. His skillful performance in completing two periods of EVA included the recovery of a micrometeorite detection experiment from the passive Agena. July 16-24, 1969, Collins served as command module (CM) pilot on Apollo 11, the historic first lunar landing mission. He remained aboard the CM, Columbia, on station in lunar orbit and performed the final re-docking maneuvers following a successful lunar orbit rendezvous with the Lunar Module (LM), Eagle. Collins left NASA in January 1970.

  3. Red Phosphorus Nanodots on Reduced Graphene Oxide as a Flexible and Ultra-Fast Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yihang; Zhang, Anyi; Shen, Chenfei; Liu, Qingzhou; Cao, Xuan; Ma, Yuqiang; Chen, Liang; Lau, Christian; Chen, Tian-Chi; Wei, Fei; Zhou, Chongwu

    2017-06-27

    Sodium-ion batteries offer an attractive option for potential low cost and large scale energy storage due to the earth abundance of sodium. Red phosphorus is considered as a high capacity anode for sodium-ion batteries with a theoretical capacity of 2596 mAh/g. However, similar to silicon in lithium-ion batteries, several limitations, such as large volume expansion upon sodiation/desodiation and low electronic conductance, have severely limited the performance of red phosphorus anodes. In order to address the above challenges, we have developed a method to deposit red phosphorus nanodots densely and uniformly onto reduced graphene oxide sheets (P@RGO) to minimize the sodium ion diffusion length and the sodiation/desodiation stresses, and the RGO network also serves as electron pathway and creates free space to accommodate the volume variation of phosphorus particles. The resulted P@RGO flexible anode achieved 1165.4, 510.6, and 135.3 mAh/g specific charge capacity at 159.4, 31878.9, and 47818.3 mA/g charge/discharge current density in rate capability test, and a 914 mAh/g capacity after 300 deep cycles in cycling stability test at 1593.9 mA/g current density, which marks a significant performance improvement for red phosphorus anodes for sodium-ion chemistry and flexible power sources for wearable electronics.

  4. Free-piston Stirling technology for space power

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Slaby, Jack G.

    1989-01-01

    An overview is presented of the NASA Lewis Research Center free-piston Stirling engine activities directed toward space power. This work is being carried out under NASA's new Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The overall goal of CSTI's High Capacity Power element is to develop the technology base needed to meet the long duration, high capacity power requirements for future NASA space missions. The Stirling cycle offers an attractive power conversion concept for space power needs. Discussed here is the completion of the Space Power Demonstrator Engine (SPDE) testing-culminating in the generation of 25 kW of engine power from a dynamically-balanced opposed-piston Stirling engine at a temperature ratio of 2.0. Engine efficiency was approximately 22 percent. The SPDE recently has been divided into two separate single-cylinder engines, called Space Power Research Engine (SPRE), that now serve as test beds for the evaluation of key technology disciplines. These disciplines include hydrodynamic gas bearings, high-efficiency linear alternators, space qualified heat pipe heat exchangers, oscillating flow code validation, and engine loss understanding.

  5. Capacity on wireless quantum cellular communication system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Xiang-Zhen; Yu, Xu-Tao; Zhang, Zai-Chen

    2018-03-01

    Quantum technology is making excellent prospects in future communication networks. Entanglement generation and purification are two major components in quantum networks. Combining these two techniques with classical cellular mobile communication, we proposed a novel wireless quantum cellular(WQC) communication system which is possible to realize commercial mobile quantum communication. In this paper, the architecture and network topology of WQC communication system are discussed, the mathematical model of WQC system is extracted and the serving capacity, indicating the ability to serve customers, is defined and calculated under certain circumstances.

  6. Capacity Building for Rare Bleeding Disorders in the Remote Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

    PubMed

    Lin, Tiffany F; Carhill, Pam; Huang, James N; Baker, Judith R

    2016-04-01

    The US Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is home to an underserved hemophilia population. We developed a strategy in 2014 to build sustainable island-wide medical, patient and family, and community support for this rare disease. Collaboration with regional bleeding disorder leadership galvanized a weeklong conference series. More than 200 participants attended discipline-specific seminars; pre-post test evaluations documented educational benefits. This time-concentrated island-wide education intervention promoted the rapid identification of new cases and stimulated sustainable bleeding disorder care development. The education series proved feasible, efficient, and effective in increasing knowledge and reducing patient and professional isolation, serving as a model for improving capacity for orphan diseases (those that affect fewer than 200 000 people in any particular country) in underresourced areas.

  7. 7 CFR 226.19a - Adult day care center provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... time in excess of the center's authorized capacity, or for any meal served at a for-profit center... records of time of service meal counts by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks) served to enrolled... participating in the Program must serve one or more of the following meal types—breakfast, lunch, supper, and...

  8. 7 CFR 226.19a - Adult day care center provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... time in excess of the center's authorized capacity, or for any meal served at a for-profit center... records of time of service meal counts by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks) served to enrolled... participating in the Program must serve one or more of the following meal types—breakfast, lunch, supper, and...

  9. Characterization and Testing of Amidoxime-Based Adsorbent Materials to Extract Uranium from Natural Seawater

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

    Kuo, Li-Jung; Janke, Christopher J.; Wood, Jordana R.

    Extraction of uranium (U) from seawater for use as a nuclear fuel is a significant challenge due to the low concentration of U in seawater (~3.3 ppb) and difficulties to selectively extract U from the background of major and trace elements in seawater. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)’s Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) has been serving as a marine test site for determining performance characteristics (adsorption capacity, adsorption kinetics, and selectivity) of novel amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under natural seawater exposure conditions. This manuscript describes the performance of three formulations (38H, AF1, AI8) ofmore » amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents produced at ORNL in MSL’s ambient seawater testing facility. The adsorbents were produced in two forms, fibrous material (40-100 mg samples) and braided material (5-10 g samples), and exposed to natural seawater using flow-through columns and recirculating flumes. All three formulations demonstrated high 56 day uranium adsorption capacity (>3 g U/kg adsorbent). The AF1 formulation had the best uranium adsorption performance, with a 56 day capacity of 3.9 g U/ kg adsorbent, a saturation capacity of 5.4 g U/kg adsorbent, and ~25 days half-saturation time. The two exposure methods, flowthrough columns and flumes, were demonstrated to produce similar performance results, providing confidence that the test methods were reliable, that scaling up from 10’s of mg quantities of exposure in flow-through columns to gram quantities in flumes produced similar results, and confirm that the manufacturing process produces a homogeneous adsorbent. Adsorption kinetics appear to be element specific, with half-saturation times ranging from minutes for the major cations in seawater, to 8-10 weeks for V and Fe. Reducing the exposure time provides a potential pathway to improve the adsorption capacity of U by reducing the V/U ratio on the adsorbent.« less

  10. Characterization and testing of amidoxime-based adsorbent materials to extract uranium from natural seawater

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

    Kuo, Li-Jung; Janke, Christopher James; Wood, Jordana

    Extraction of uranium (U) from seawater for use as a nuclear fuel is a significant challenge due to the low concentration of U in seawater (~3.3 ppb) and difficulties to selectively extract U from the background of major and trace elements in seawater. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) s Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) has been serving as a marine test site for determining performance characteristics (adsorption capacity, adsorption kinetics, and selectivity) of novel amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under natural seawater exposure conditions. This report describes the performance of three formulations (38H, AF1, AI8)more » of amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbent produced at ORNL in MSL s ambient seawater testing facility. The adsorbents were produced in two forms, fibrous material (40-100 mg samples) and braided material (5-10 g samples), exposed to natural seawater using flow-through columns and recirculating flumes. All three formulations demonstrated high 56 day uranium adsorption capacity (>3 gU/kg adsorbent). The AF1 formulation had the best uranium adsorption performance, with 56-day capacity of 3.9 g U/kg adsorbent, saturation capacity of 5.4 g U/kg adsorbent, and ~25 days half-saturation time. The two exposure methods, flow-through columns and flumes were demonstrated to produce similar performance results, providing confidence that the test methods were reliable, that scaling up from 10 s of mg quantities of exposure in flow-through columns to gram quantities in flumes produced similar results, and that the manufacturing process produces a homogenous adsorbent. Adsorption kinetics appear to be element specific, with half-saturation times ranging from minutes for the major cations in seawater to 8-10weeks for V and Fe. Reducing the exposure time provides a potential pathway to improve the adsorption capacity of U by reducing the V/U ratio on the adsorbent.« less

  11. Characterization and testing of amidoxime-based adsorbent materials to extract uranium from natural seawater

    DOE PAGES

    Kuo, Li-Jung; Janke, Christopher James; Wood, Jordana; ...

    2015-11-19

    Extraction of uranium (U) from seawater for use as a nuclear fuel is a significant challenge due to the low concentration of U in seawater (~3.3 ppb) and difficulties to selectively extract U from the background of major and trace elements in seawater. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) s Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) has been serving as a marine test site for determining performance characteristics (adsorption capacity, adsorption kinetics, and selectivity) of novel amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under natural seawater exposure conditions. This report describes the performance of three formulations (38H, AF1, AI8)more » of amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbent produced at ORNL in MSL s ambient seawater testing facility. The adsorbents were produced in two forms, fibrous material (40-100 mg samples) and braided material (5-10 g samples), exposed to natural seawater using flow-through columns and recirculating flumes. All three formulations demonstrated high 56 day uranium adsorption capacity (>3 gU/kg adsorbent). The AF1 formulation had the best uranium adsorption performance, with 56-day capacity of 3.9 g U/kg adsorbent, saturation capacity of 5.4 g U/kg adsorbent, and ~25 days half-saturation time. The two exposure methods, flow-through columns and flumes were demonstrated to produce similar performance results, providing confidence that the test methods were reliable, that scaling up from 10 s of mg quantities of exposure in flow-through columns to gram quantities in flumes produced similar results, and that the manufacturing process produces a homogenous adsorbent. Adsorption kinetics appear to be element specific, with half-saturation times ranging from minutes for the major cations in seawater to 8-10weeks for V and Fe. Reducing the exposure time provides a potential pathway to improve the adsorption capacity of U by reducing the V/U ratio on the adsorbent.« less

  12. A Model for Strengthening Collaborative Research Capacity: Illustrations From the Atlanta Clinical Translational Science Institute.

    PubMed

    Rodgers, Kirsten C; Akintobi, Tabia; Thompson, Winifred Wilkins; Evans, Donoria; Escoffery, Cam; Kegler, Michelle C

    2014-06-01

    Community-engaged research is effective in addressing health disparities but may present challenges for both academic institutions and community partners. Therefore, the need to build capacity for conducting collaborative research exists. The purpose of this study is to present a model for building research capacity in academic-community partnerships. The Building Collaborative Research Capacity Model was developed as part of the Community Engagement Research Program (CERP) of the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI). Six domains of collaborative research capacity were identified and used to develop a model. Inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes of building collaborative research capacity are described. To test this model, a competitive request for applications was widely distributed and four community-based organizations were funded to participate in a 2-year program with the aim of conducting a pilot study and submitting a research proposal for funding to National Institutes of Health or another major funding agency. During the first year, the community-based organization partners were trained on conducting collaborative research and matched with an academic partner from an ACTSI institution. Three of the academic-community partnerships submitted pilot study results and two submitted a grant proposal to a national agency. The Building Collaborative Research Capacity Model is an innovative approach to strengthening academic-community partnerships. This model will help build needed research capacity, serve as a framework for academicians and community partners, and lead to sustainable partnerships that improve community health. © 2013 Society for Public Health Education.

  13. Developing a Tool to Assess the Capacity of Out-of-School Time Program Providers to Implement Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change.

    PubMed

    Leeman, Jennifer; Blitstein, Jonathan L; Goetz, Joshua; Moore, Alexis; Tessman, Nell; Wiecha, Jean L

    2016-08-11

    Little is known about public health practitioners' capacity to change policies, systems, or environments (PSEs), in part due to the absence of measures. To address this need, we partnered with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Alliance) to develop and test a theory-derived measure of the capacity of out-of-school time program providers to improve students' level of nutrition and physical activity through changes in PSEs. The measure was developed and tested through an engaged partnership with staff working on the Alliance's Healthy Out-of-School Time (HOST) Initiative. In total, approximately 2,000 sites nationwide are engaged in the HOST Initiative, which serves predominantly high-need children and youths. We partnered with the Alliance to conduct formative work that would help develop a survey that assessed attitudes/beliefs, social norms, external resources/supports, and self-efficacy. The survey was administered to providers of out-of-school time programs who were implementing the Alliance's HOST Initiative. Survey respondents were 185 out-of-school time program providers (53% response rate). Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 4-factor model that explained 44.7% of the variance. Factors pertained to perceptions of social norms (6 items) and self-efficacy to build support and engage a team (4 items) and create (5 items) and implement (3 items) an action plan. We report initial development and factor analysis of a tool that the Alliance can use to assess the capacity of after-school time program providers, which is critical to targeting capacity-building interventions and assessing their effectiveness. Study findings also will inform the development of measures to assess individual capacity to plan and implement other PSE interventions.

  14. Building Surface Science Capacity to Serve the Automobile Industry in Southeastern Michigan, final report

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

    Shen, Weidian

    This project, “Building Surface Science Capacity to Serve the Automobile Industry in Southeastern Michigan” was carried out in two phases: (1) the 2009 – 2012 renovation of space in the new EMU Science Complex, which included the Surface Science Laboratory (SSL), a very vigorous research lab at EMU that carries on a variety of research projects to serve the auto and other industries in Michigan; and (2) the 2013 purchase of several pieces of equipment to further enhance the research capability of the SSL. The funding granted by the DoE was proposed to “renovate the space in the Science Complexmore » to include SSL and purchase equipment for tribological and electrochemical impedance measurements in the lab, thus SSL will serve the auto and other industries in Michigan better.” We believe we have fully accomplished the mission.« less

  15. How Online Schools Serve and Fail to Serve At-Risk Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Figueiredo-Brown, Regina

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Online schools were initially designed to provide access to diverse courses to advanced and homeschooled students, however, many online schools now market their programs specifically to students whose needs place them at-risk in traditional schools. The capacity of technology to address any of the needs of under-served students is largely…

  16. Comparison of aerobic capacity in annually certified and uncertified volunteer firefighters.

    PubMed

    Hammer, Rodney L; Heath, Edward M

    2013-05-01

    The leading cause of mortality among firefighters has been cardiac arrest precipitated by stress and overexertion with volunteer firefighters having double the death rate from this cause compared with career firefighters. In an attempt to reduce on-duty sudden cardiac deaths, annual fitness testing, and certification, has been widely instigated in wildland firefighters, who have half the cardiac arrest death rate of structural firefighters. The hypothesis was that annual fitness testing would serve as motivation to produce higher cardiorespiratory fitness. This study compared predicted aerobic capacity in annually certified and uncertified volunteer firefighters. Each firefighter performed a submaximal treadmill test to predict V[Combining Dot Above]O2max. Certified volunteer firefighters, who participated in annual fitness testing, had a predicted V[Combining Dot Above]O2max of 39.9 ± 8.4 ml·kg·min. Uncertified volunteer firefighters had a predicted V[Combining Dot Above]O2max of 37.8 ± 8.5 ml·kg·min. Annual fitness testing during the certification process did not contribute to statistically higher (F2,78 = 0.627, p = 0.431) V[Combining Dot Above]O2max levels in certified volunteer firefighters. Although there was no significant difference in predicted V[Combining Dot Above]O2max values for certified and uncertified volunteer firefighters, it was reported that 30% of volunteer firefighters had predicted aerobic capacities below the recommended minimum V[Combining Dot Above]O2max level of 33.5 ml·kg·min. Current annual fitness testing for volunteer firefighters does not seem to be effective. Thus, the study emphasizes the need of a higher priority for firefighter fitness programs to best ensure the safety of firefighters and the public.

  17. The person's conception of the structures of developing intellect: early adolescence to middle age.

    PubMed

    Demetriou, A; Efklides, A

    1989-08-01

    According to experiential structuralism, thought abilities have six capacity spheres: experimental, propositional, quantitative, imaginal, qualitative, and metacognitive. The first five are applied to the environment. The metacognitive capacity is applied to the others, serving as the interface between reality and the cognitive system or between any of the other capacities. To test this postulate, 648 subjects aged 12 to 40 years, solved eight tasks that were addressed, in pairs, to the first four capacity spheres. One of the tasks in each pair tapped the first and the other the third formal level of the sphere. Having solved the tasks, the subjects were required to rate each pair of tasks in terms of similarity of operations, difficulty, and success of solution. Factor analysis of difficulty and success evaluation scores revealed the same capacity-specific factors as the analysis of performance scores. Factor analysis of similarity scores differentiated between same- and different-sphere pairs. Analysis of variance showed that difficulty and success evaluation scores preserved performance differences between the first and the third formal tasks. Cognitive level, age, socioeconomic status, and sex were related to the metacognitive measures in ways similar to their relations to performance measures. These findings were integrated into a model aimed at capturing real-time metacognitive functioning.

  18. Incorporating travel time reliability into the Highway Capacity Manual.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-01-01

    This final report documents the activities performed during SHRP 2 Reliability Project L08: Incorporating Travel Time Reliability into the Highway Capacity Manual. It serves as a supplement to the proposed chapters for incorporating travel time relia...

  19. Fracture Evolution Following a Hydraulic Stimulation within an EGS Reservoir

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

    Mella, Michael

    The objective of this project was to develop and demonstrate an approach for tracking the evolution of circulation immediately following a hydraulic stimulation in an EGS reservoir. Series of high-resolution tracer tests using conservative and thermally reactive tracers were designed at recently created EGS reservoirs in order to track changes in fluid flow parameters such as reservoir pore volume, flow capacity, and effective reservoir temperature over time. Data obtained from the project would be available for the calibration of reservoir models that could serve to predict EGS performance following a hydraulic stimulation.

  20. Enabling High Energy Density Li-Ion Batteries through Li{sub 2}O Activation.

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

    Abouimrane, Ali; Cui, Yanjie; Chen, Zonghai

    2016-09-01

    Lithium oxide (Li2O) is activated in the presence of a layered composite cathode material (HEM) significantly increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. The degree of activation depends on the current rate, electrolyte salt, and anode type. In full-cell tests, the Li2O was used as a lithium source to counter the first-cycle irreversibility of high-capacity composite alloy anodes. When Li2O is mixed with HEM to serve as a cathode, the electrochemical performance was improved in a full cell having an SiO-SnCoC composite as an anode. The mechanism behind the Li2O activation could also explain the first charge plateau and themore » abnormal high capacity associated with these high energy cathode materials.« less

  1. Capacity Building for Rare Bleeding Disorders in the Remote Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

    PubMed Central

    Carhill, Pam; Huang, James N.; Baker, Judith R.

    2016-01-01

    The US Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is home to an underserved hemophilia population. We developed a strategy in 2014 to build sustainable island-wide medical, patient and family, and community support for this rare disease. Collaboration with regional bleeding disorder leadership galvanized a weeklong conference series. More than 200 participants attended discipline-specific seminars; pre–post test evaluations documented educational benefits. This time-concentrated island-wide education intervention promoted the rapid identification of new cases and stimulated sustainable bleeding disorder care development. The education series proved feasible, efficient, and effective in increasing knowledge and reducing patient and professional isolation, serving as a model for improving capacity for orphan diseases (those that affect fewer than 200 000 people in any particular country) in underresourced areas. PMID:26890163

  2. 10 CFR 430.32 - Energy and water conservation standards and their effective dates.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ...) Compact Dishwasher (capacity less than eight place settings plus six serving pieces as specified in ANSI... settings plus six serving pieces as specified in ANSI/AHAM DW-1 [Incorporated by Reference, see § 430.22...

  3. Data Collection and Harmonization in HIV Research: The Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain Initiative at the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

    PubMed

    Chandler, Redonna K; Kahana, Shoshana Y; Fletcher, Bennett; Jones, Dionne; Finger, Matthew S; Aklin, Will M; Hamill, Kathleen; Webb, Candace

    2015-12-01

    Large-scale, multisite data sets offer the potential for exploring the public health benefits of biomedical interventions. Data harmonization is an emerging strategy to increase the comparability of research data collected across independent studies, enabling research questions to be addressed beyond the capacity of any individual study. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently implemented this novel strategy to prospectively collect and harmonize data across 22 independent research studies developing and empirically testing interventions to effectively deliver an HIV continuum of care to diverse drug-abusing populations. We describe this data collection and harmonization effort, collectively known as the Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain Data Collection and Harmonization Initiative, which can serve as a model applicable to other research endeavors.

  4. Salivary pH and Buffering Capacity as Risk Markers for Early Childhood Caries: A Clinical Study.

    PubMed

    Jayaraj, D; Ganesan, S

    2015-01-01

    The diagnostic utility of saliva is currently being explored in various branches of dentistry, remarkably in the field of caries research. This study was aimed to determine if assessment of salivary pH and buffering capacity would serve as reliable tools in risk prediction of early childhood caries (ECC). Paraffin-stimulated salivary samples were collected from 50 children with ECC (group I) and 50 caries free children (group II). Salivary pH and buffering capacity (by titration with 0.1 N hydrochloric acid) were assessed using a handheld digital pH meter in both groups. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. Statistically, no significant difference was observed between both the groups for all salivary parameters assessed, except for the buffering capacity level at 150 μl titration of 0.1 N hydrochloric acid (p = 0.73; significant at 1% level). Salivary pH and buffering capacity may not serve as reliable markers for risk prediction of ECC. How to cite this article: Jayaraj D, Ganesan S. Salivary pH and Buffering Capacity as Risk Markers for Early Childhood Caries: A Clinical Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2015;8(3):167-171.

  5. 76 FR 59499 - National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week, 2011

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-26

    ... commitment to strengthening and expanding opportunities in higher education for our next generation of... capacity of HSIs and other higher education institutions serving Hispanic students to provide the best... quality higher education. These institutions play an essential role in equipping students with the skills...

  6. 5 CFR 950.109 - Avoidance of conflict of interest.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS General Provisions § 950.109 Avoidance of conflict of interest. Any....109 Section 950.109 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE... program coordinator, must not serve in any official capacity in any organization that serves as the PCFO...

  7. 5 CFR 950.109 - Avoidance of conflict of interest.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS General Provisions § 950.109 Avoidance of conflict of interest. Any....109 Section 950.109 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE... program coordinator, must not serve in any official capacity in any organization that serves as the PCFO...

  8. 5 CFR 950.109 - Avoidance of conflict of interest.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS General Provisions § 950.109 Avoidance of conflict of interest. Any....109 Section 950.109 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE... program coordinator, must not serve in any official capacity in any organization that serves as the PCFO...

  9. 5 CFR 950.109 - Avoidance of conflict of interest.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS General Provisions § 950.109 Avoidance of conflict of interest. Any....109 Section 950.109 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE... program coordinator, must not serve in any official capacity in any organization that serves as the PCFO...

  10. 5 CFR 950.109 - Avoidance of conflict of interest.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS General Provisions § 950.109 Avoidance of conflict of interest. Any....109 Section 950.109 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE... program coordinator, must not serve in any official capacity in any organization that serves as the PCFO...

  11. Physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory qualities of wine grape pomace fortified baked goods.

    PubMed

    Walker, Rebecca; Tseng, Angela; Cavender, George; Ross, Andrew; Zhao, Yanyun

    2014-09-01

    Wine grape pomace (WGP) as a source of antioxidant dietary fiber (DF) was used to fortify baked goods, including breads, muffins, and brownies. Pinot Noir WGP (RWGP) and Pinot Grigio WGP (WWGP) substituted wheat flour at concentration of 5%, 10%, and 15% for bread, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% RWGP for brownies, and 5%, 10%, and 15% RWGP or 10%, 15%, and 20% WWGP for muffins. The finished products were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), radical scavenging activity (RSA), and total DF, as well as physicochemical and sensory properties. WGP flour blends were also tested for solvent retention capacity (SRC). The highest TPC and RSA values for bread and muffins were achieved in 15% RWGP fortified samples with TPC and RSA values of 68.32 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/serving and 80.70 AAE mg/serving, respectively for bread, and 2164 mg GAE/serving and 1526 mg AAE/serving, respectively for muffins. Brownies fortified with 10% RWGP had the highest RSA value (115.52 mg AAE/serving) while the control had the highest TPC value (1152 mg GAE/serving). Breads and muffins with 15% RWGP and brownies with 25% RWGP had the highest amount of DF (6.33, 12.32, and 7.73 g/serving, respectively). Sensory evaluation concluded that there is no difference in overall liking of 5% and 10% RWGP breads and muffins or 15% and 20% WGP brownies compared to the controls. This study demonstrated that WGP is a viable functional ingredient in bakery goods to increase TPC, RSA, and DF in consumer's diets. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  12. Fiscal Capacity and Educational Finance: Variations Among States, School Districts and Municipalities. National Educational Finance Project Special Study Number 10.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rossmiller, Richard A.; And Others

    The major objectives of this NEFP satellite study were to identify in the fiscal capacities of school districts serving areas of varying economic and demographic characteristics and to assess the effect on the fiscal capacity of school districts and municipalities when all expenditures for public services by local government units are considered.…

  13. Vernon A. Walters: Pathfinder of the Intelligence Profession

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-06-03

    administrations and has served in military and civilian capacities in ten administrations, including 13 successive years in the Executive Office of the...where his career as Presidential Aide, Interpreter and masterful trouble-shooter began. This assignment led to service in these capacities with every...General Walters. To say that he had a fantastic capacity for foreign languages certainly is an understatement. General Goodpaster, a former Aide to

  14. Fail-safe designs for large capacity battery systems

    DOEpatents

    Kim, Gi-Heon; Smith, Kandler; Ireland, John; Pesaran, Ahmad A.; Neubauer, Jeremy

    2016-05-17

    Fail-safe systems and design methodologies for large capacity battery systems are disclosed. The disclosed systems and methodologies serve to locate a faulty cell in a large capacity battery, such as a cell having an internal short circuit, determine whether the fault is evolving, and electrically isolate the faulty cell from the rest of the battery, preventing further electrical energy from feeding into the fault.

  15. The role of orientation experiments in discovering mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Gervais, Raoul; Weber, Erik

    2015-12-01

    Many types of experiments have been recognized in the literature. One important type we discuss in this article is the orientation experiment. While orientation experiments are like other types of experiments in that they are tests for causal relevance, they also have other qualities. One important (but not the only) goal of these experiments is to offer a rough, qualitative characterization of the mechanism responsible for a capacity of interest, effectively constraining future research. This makes them particularly useful during the early stages of investigation, when an explanandum-phenomenon has just been identified and several (often competing) hypotheses as to the qualitative character of the mechanism responsible for it are proposed. We illustrate our claims, and explicate a number of additional aims that orientation experiments can sometimes serve, by considering three case studies from different era's, namely the discovery of the mechanisms responsible for i) the capacity of eels to produce numbing sensations (17th and 18th century), ii) puerperal fever in Semmelweis' Vienna Maternity Hospital (19th century), and iii) the capacity of pigeons to home (20th century). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. 40 CFR 96.304 - Applicability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... requirements of this subpart and subparts BBBB through HHHH of this part: any stationary, fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbine serving at any time, since the later of... combust fossil fuel or to serve a generator with nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe producing...

  17. Implementation of a mentored professional development programme in laboratory leadership and management in the Middle East and North Africa.

    PubMed

    Perrone, L A; Confer, D; Scott, E; Livingston, L; Bradburn, C; McGee, A; Furtwangler, T; Downer, A; Mokdad, A H; Flandin, J F; Shotorbani, S; Asghar, H; Tolbah, H E; Ahmed, H J; Alwan, A; Martin, R

    2017-02-01

    Laboratories need leaders who can effectively utilize the laboratories' resources, maximize the laboratories'capacity to detect disease, and advocate for laboratories in a fluctuating health care environment. To address this need, the University of Washington, USA, created the Certificate Program in Laboratory Leadership and Management in partnership with WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, and implemented it with 17 participants and 11 mentors from clinical and public health laboratories in 10 countries (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen) in 2014. Designed to teach leadership and management skills to laboratory supervisors, the programme enabled participants to improve laboratory testing quality and operations. The programme was successful overall, with 80% of participants completing it and making impactful changes in their laboratories. This success is encouraging and could serve as a model to further strengthen laboratory capacity in the Region.

  18. Mercaptoheterocyclic ligands grafted on a poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol) membrane for the purification of immunoglobulin G in a salt independent thiophilic chromatography.

    PubMed

    Coffinier, Yannick; Vijayalakshmi, Mookambeswaran A

    2004-08-25

    In this study, we attempted a limited combinatorial approach for designing affinity ligands based on mercaptoheterocyclic components. The template, divinyl sulfone structure (DVS), which was grafted on poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol) (PEVA) hollow fiber membrane, has served for the tethering of different heterocyclic compounds as pyridine, imidazole, purine and pyrimidine rings. Their ability to adsorb specifically IgG in a salt independent manner out of pure IgG solution, mixture of IgG/albumin and human plasma was demonstrated. Mercapto methyl imidazole (MMI) has shown the best adsorption of IgG in terms of binding capacity. No subclass discrimination was observed on all tested ligands except for mercapto methyl pyrimidine where the major IgG subclass adsorbed was IgG3. MMI gave an IgG binding capacity of 100 microg/cm2 of hollow fiber membrane surface area.

  19. Primary zinc-air batteries for space power

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bragg, Bobby J.; Bourland, Deborah S.; Merry, Glenn; Putt, Ron

    1992-01-01

    Prismatic HR and LC cells and batteries were built and tested, and they performed well with respect to the program goals of high capacity and high rate capability at specific energies. The HR batteries suffered reduced utilizations owing to dryout at the 2 and 3 A rates for the 50 C tests owing to the requirement for forced convection. The LC batteries suffered reduced utilizations under all conditions owing to the chimney effect at 1 G, although this effect would not occur at 0 G. An empirical model was developed which accurately predicted utilizations and average voltages for single cells, although thermal effects encountered during battery testing caused significant deviations, both positive and negative, from the model. Based on the encouraging results of the test program, we believe that the zinc-air primary battery of a flat, stackable configuration can serve as a high performance and safe power source for a range of space applications.

  20. Acción Mutua (Shared Action): a multipronged approach to delivering capacity-building assistance to agencies serving Latino communities in the United States.

    PubMed

    Ayala, George; Chión, Miguel; Díaz, Rafael M; Heckert, Andrea L; Nuño, Monica; del Pino, Homero E; Rodríguez, Claudia; Schroeder, Kurt; Smith, Terry

    2007-01-01

    Culturally appropriate, theory-based capacity-building assistance can serve a vital role in helping HIV prevention providers remain up-to-date, effective, and responsive to those they serve. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), AIDS Project Los Angeles, in collaboration with San Francisco State University's César E. Chávez Institute, conducted full-day site visits and qualitative interviews in 2005 with mid-level management staff of CDC-funded community-based organizations delivering HIV prevention services to Latino communities in the western region of the United States. We found that agencies we visited (1) had not yet adapted the evidence-based interventions they were using at the time of our visit and (2) requested technical assistance and training in the areas of program development, evaluation, group facilitation techniques, consumer recruitment, client retention, intervention adaptation, and materials development. Findings from this needs assessment were used to inform our seven-pronged approach to delivering capacity-building assistance entitled "Acción Mutua" (Shared Action). The approach emphasizes strategic partnerships, stakeholder involvement, organizational self-assessment, culturally appropriate materials development, interactive training, tailored onsite technical assistance, and professional networking opportunities. This article describes our approach in detail, the assessment process we used to develop it, and its implications for capacity-building practice.

  1. Pulmonary function in infectious mononucleosis.

    PubMed

    Morgan, E J; Altmeyer, R; Khakoo, R; Lapp, N L

    1982-06-01

    Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is common among students. These patients often complain of fatigue and dyspnea. To determine whether IM alters respiratory function, we performed spirometric, single-breath diffusing capacity, and maximal static respiratory pressure tests on seven patients with symptoms of IM. These studies were repeated two weeks later and the respiratory pressures were repeated five months later. Each patient served as his own control. Pulmonary function was normal except for respiratory pressures, which were initially low. These pressures, still low after two weeks, improved significantly after five months. We concluded that IM is associated with transient respiratory muscle weakness.

  2. Using Queuing Theory and Simulation Modelling to Reduce Waiting Times in An Iranian Emergency Department

    PubMed Central

    Haghighinejad, Hourvash Akbari; Kharazmi, Erfan; Hatam, Nahid; Yousefi, Sedigheh; Hesami, Seyed Ali; Danaei, Mina; Askarian, Mehrdad

    2016-01-01

    Background: Hospital emergencies have an essential role in health care systems. In the last decade, developed countries have paid great attention to overcrowding crisis in emergency departments. Simulation analysis of complex models for which conditions will change over time is much more effective than analytical solutions and emergency department (ED) is one of the most complex models for analysis. This study aimed to determine the number of patients who are waiting and waiting time in emergency department services in an Iranian hospital ED and to propose scenarios to reduce its queue and waiting time. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which simulation software (Arena, version 14) was used. The input information was extracted from the hospital database as well as through sampling. The objective was to evaluate the response variables of waiting time, number waiting and utilization of each server and test the three scenarios to improve them. Results: Running the models for 30 days revealed that a total of 4088 patients left the ED after being served and 1238 patients waited in the queue for admission in the ED bed area at end of the run (actually these patients received services out of their defined capacity). The first scenario result in the number of beds had to be increased from 81 to179 in order that the number waiting of the “bed area” server become almost zero. The second scenario which attempted to limit hospitalization time in the ED bed area to the third quartile of the serving time distribution could decrease the number waiting to 586 patients. Conclusion: Doubling the bed capacity in the emergency department and consequently other resources and capacity appropriately can solve the problem. This includes bed capacity requirement for both critically ill and less critically ill patients. Classification of ED internal sections based on severity of illness instead of medical specialty is another solution. PMID:26793727

  3. Sustainable School Capacity Building--One Step Back, Two Steps Forward?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dinham, Stephen; Crowther, Frank

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to serve as an introduction to and overview of this special issue of the "Journal of Educational Administration" entitled "Building organisational capacity in school education". The co-editors have solicited contributions from authors in Wales, Australia, Canada, the USA, England, Hong Kong and New…

  4. Building a Comprehensive Mental Health System for Young Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Onunaku, Ngozi; Gilkerson, Linda; Ahlers, Therese

    2006-01-01

    Onunaku, Ahlers, and Gilkerson describe Illinois's effort to build infant mental health capacity within the Part C Early Intervention system and Wisconsin's effort to build capacity for infant and early childhood mental health services statewide across all systems that serve children. Because of multiple funding streams, families often experience…

  5. Carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks exhibit risks for human enamel surface loss

    PubMed Central

    Passos, Vanara Florêncio; Lima, Juliana Paiva Marques; Santiago, Sérgio Lima; Rodrigues, Lidiany Karla Azevedo

    2016-01-01

    Objectives The aim of this investigation was to give insights into the impact of carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks on the likely capacity of enamel surface dissolution and the influence of human saliva exposure as a biological protective factor. Materials and Methods The pH, titratable acidity (TA) to pH 7.0, and buffer capacity (β) of common beverages ingested by patients under physical activity were analyzed. Then, we randomly distributed 50 specimens of human enamel into 5 groups. Processed and natural coconut water served as controls for testing three carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks. In all specimens, we measured surface microhardness (Knoop hardness numbers) and enamel loss (profilometry, µm) for baseline and after simulated intake cycling exposure model. We also prepared areas of specimens to be exposed to human saliva overnight prior to the simulated intake cycling exposure. The cycles were performed by alternated immersions in beverages and artificial saliva. ANOVA two-way and Tukey HDS tests were used. Results The range of pH, TA, and β were 2.85 - 4.81, 8.33 - 46.66 mM/L and 3.48 - 10.25 mM/L × pH, respectively. The highest capacity of enamel surface dissolution was found for commercially available sports drinks for all variables. Single time human saliva exposure failed to significantly promote protective effect for the acidic attack of beverages. Conclusions In this study, carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks usually consumed during endurance training may have a greater capacity of dissolution of enamel surface depending on their physicochemical proprieties associated with pH and titratable acidity. PMID:27847745

  6. A survey tool for measuring evidence-based decision making capacity in public health agencies.

    PubMed

    Jacobs, Julie A; Clayton, Paula F; Dove, Cassandra; Funchess, Tanya; Jones, Ellen; Perveen, Ghazala; Skidmore, Brandon; Sutton, Victor; Worthington, Sarah; Baker, Elizabeth A; Deshpande, Anjali D; Brownson, Ross C

    2012-03-09

    While increasing attention is placed on using evidence-based decision making (EBDM) to improve public health, there is little research assessing the current EBDM capacity of the public health workforce. Public health agencies serve a wide range of populations with varying levels of resources. Our survey tool allows an individual agency to collect data that reflects its unique workforce. Health department leaders and academic researchers collaboratively developed and conducted cross-sectional surveys in Kansas and Mississippi (USA) to assess EBDM capacity. Surveys were delivered to state- and local-level practitioners and community partners working in chronic disease control and prevention. The core component of the surveys was adopted from a previously tested instrument and measured gaps (importance versus availability) in competencies for EBDM in chronic disease. Other survey questions addressed expectations and incentives for using EBDM, self-efficacy in three EBDM skills, and estimates of EBDM within the agency. In both states, participants identified communication with policymakers, use of economic evaluation, and translation of research to practice as top competency gaps. Self-efficacy in developing evidence-based chronic disease control programs was lower than in finding or using data. Public health practitioners estimated that approximately two-thirds of programs in their agency were evidence-based. Mississippi participants indicated that health department leaders' expectations for the use of EBDM was approximately twice that of co-workers' expectations and that the use of EBDM could be increased with training and leadership prioritization. The assessment of EBDM capacity in Kansas and Mississippi built upon previous nationwide findings to identify top gaps in core competencies for EBDM in chronic disease and to estimate a percentage of programs in U.S. health departments that are evidence-based. The survey can serve as a valuable tool for other health departments and non-governmental organizations to assess EBDM capacity within their own workforce and to assist in the identification of approaches that will enhance the uptake of EBDM processes in public health programming and policymaking. Localized survey findings can provide direction for focusing workforce training programs and can indicate the types of incentives and policies that could affect the culture of EBDM in the workplace.

  7. Antioxidant capacity of lycopene-containing foods.

    PubMed

    Djuric, Z; Powell, L C

    2001-03-01

    Increased consumption of tomatoes and tomato products has been associated with decreased cancer risks. One fat-soluble compound identified in tomatoes which may be responsible for this association is lycopene. There may, however, be other antioxidants present in tomato-based foods, and total antioxidant capacity may be another way to rate the health benefits of these foods. In this work, we examined the Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) of aqueous and organic extracts of lycopene-containing foods: ketchup, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomato juice, vegetable juice, canned tomatoes and watermelon. Antioxidant activity in these food extracts was greater in the aqueous versus organic fractions, except for watermelon and tomato sauce where the levels were similar in the two fractions. Lycopene levels in the food samples tested, however, were relatively greater in the organic fractions, with the exception of the two juices, which had similar levels in the two fractions, and two highly concentrated tomato products, tomato paste and ketchup, which had relatively higher lycopene levels in the aqueous fractions. The foods with the highest antioxidant capacity per serving overall (tomato soup was highest) did not have the highest lycopene levels. This indicates that it may be important to consume a variety of tomato-containing products in order to obtain the largest variety of dietary antioxidants possible.

  8. Napping to renew learning capacity: enhanced encoding after stimulation of sleep slow oscillations.

    PubMed

    Antonenko, Daria; Diekelmann, Susanne; Olsen, Cathrin; Born, Jan; Mölle, Matthias

    2013-04-01

    As well as consolidating memory, sleep has been proposed to serve a second important function for memory, i.e. to free capacities for the learning of new information during succeeding wakefulness. The slow wave activity (SWA) that is a hallmark of slow wave sleep could be involved in both functions. Here, we aimed to demonstrate a causative role for SWA in enhancing the capacity for encoding of information during subsequent wakefulness, using transcranial slow oscillation stimulation (tSOS) oscillating at 0.75 Hz to induce SWA in healthy humans during an afternoon nap. Encoding following the nap was tested for hippocampus-dependent declarative materials (pictures, word pairs, and word lists) and procedural skills (finger sequence tapping). As compared with a sham stimulation control condition, tSOS during the nap enhanced SWA and significantly improved subsequent encoding on all three declarative tasks (picture recognition, cued recall of word pairs, and free recall of word lists), whereas procedural finger sequence tapping skill was not affected. Our results indicate that sleep SWA enhances the capacity for encoding of declarative materials, possibly by down-scaling hippocampal synaptic networks that were potentiated towards saturation during the preceding period of wakefulness. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  9. Tunable diblock copolypeptide hydrogel depots for local delivery of hydrophobic molecules in healthy and injured central nervous system

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Shanshan; Anderson, Mark A.; Ao, Yan; Khakh, Baljit S.; Fan, Jessica; Deming, Timothy J.; Sofroniew, Michael V.

    2014-01-01

    Many hydrophobic small molecules are available to regulate gene expression and other cellular functions. Locally restricted application of such molecules in the central nervous system (CNS) would be desirable in many experimental and therapeutic settings, but is limited by a lack of innocuous vehicles able to load and easily deliver hydrophobic cargo. Here, we tested the potential for diblock copolypeptide hydrogels (DCH) to serve as such vehicles. In vitro tests on loading and release were conducted with cholesterol and the anti-cancer agent, temozolomide (TMZ). Loading of hydrophobic cargo modified DCH physical properties such as stiffness and viscosity, but these could readily be tuned to desired ranges by modifying DCH concentration, amino acid composition or chain lengths. Different DCH formulations exhibited different loading capacities and different rates of release. For example, comparison of different DCH with increasing alanine contents showed corresponding increases in both cargo loading capacity and time for cargo release. In vivo tests were conducted with tamoxifen, a small synthetic hydrophobic molecule widely used to regulate transgene expression. Tamoxifen released from DCH depots injected into healthy or injured CNS efficiently activated reporter gene expression in a locally restricted manner in transgenic mice. These findings demonstrate the facile and predictable tunability of DCH to achieve a wide range of loading capacities and release profiles of hydrophobic cargos while retaining CNS compatible physical properties. In addition, the findings show that DCH depots injected into the CNS can efficiently deliver small hydrophobic molecules that regulate gene expression in local cells. PMID:24314556

  10. 36 CFR 241.1 - Cooperation in wildlife protection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... hereafter may be, lawfully appointed deputy game wardens under the laws of any State, will serve in such capacity with full power to enforce the State laws and regulations relating to fur-bearing and game animals, birds, and fish. Such officials will serve as State deputy game wardens without additional pay, except...

  11. 36 CFR 241.1 - Cooperation in wildlife protection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... hereafter may be, lawfully appointed deputy game wardens under the laws of any State, will serve in such capacity with full power to enforce the State laws and regulations relating to fur-bearing and game animals, birds, and fish. Such officials will serve as State deputy game wardens without additional pay, except...

  12. 36 CFR 241.1 - Cooperation in wildlife protection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... hereafter may be, lawfully appointed deputy game wardens under the laws of any State, will serve in such capacity with full power to enforce the State laws and regulations relating to fur-bearing and game animals, birds, and fish. Such officials will serve as State deputy game wardens without additional pay, except...

  13. 36 CFR 241.1 - Cooperation in wildlife protection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... hereafter may be, lawfully appointed deputy game wardens under the laws of any State, will serve in such capacity with full power to enforce the State laws and regulations relating to fur-bearing and game animals, birds, and fish. Such officials will serve as State deputy game wardens without additional pay, except...

  14. 36 CFR 241.1 - Cooperation in wildlife protection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... hereafter may be, lawfully appointed deputy game wardens under the laws of any State, will serve in such capacity with full power to enforce the State laws and regulations relating to fur-bearing and game animals, birds, and fish. Such officials will serve as State deputy game wardens without additional pay, except...

  15. 76 FR 30245 - Post-Employment Conflict of Interest Restrictions; Revision of Departmental Component Designations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-25

    ...: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employee Benefits Security Administration (formerly Pension and Welfare... senior employee served in any capacity during the year prior to termination from a senior employee... senior employee who served in a ``parent'' department or agency is not barred by 18 U.S.C. 207(c) from...

  16. Interview with Louise Lonabocker

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    von Munkwitz-Smith, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    This issue of "College and University" marks a transition in the Editor-in-Chief Position, with the interview of Louise Lonabocker, who has served in this capacity for the past ten years. She has also served as President of AACRAO, and in both positions, Lonabocker has been a role model for many AACRAO leaders. Lonabocker describes the…

  17. An Analysis of Doctoral Students' Perceptions of Mentorship during Their Doctoral Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Bowman, Thomas G.; Klossner, Joanne C.

    2015-01-01

    Context: Mentorship has been established as a key facilitator of professional socialization for athletic trainers into various professional roles. Understanding how current doctoral students are trained to serve in future faculty roles is critical, as there is an increased demand for athletic trainers to serve in this capacity. Objective: Gain an…

  18. Building Capacity for Trauma Intervention across Child-Serving Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chinitz, Susan; Stettler, Erin M.; Giammanco, Denise; Silverman, Marian; Briggs, Rahil D.; Loeb, Joanne

    2010-01-01

    Infants most vulnerable to trauma are often the least able to access interventions. Universal child-serving systems, such as primary pediatrics, early care and education, and the child welfare system, can offer a port of entry for millions of children annually for trauma-related supports and services. However, practitioners in these systems have…

  19. Assessment of state- and territorial-level preparedness capacity for serving deaf and hard-of-hearing populations in disasters.

    PubMed

    Ivey, Susan L; Tseng, Winston; Dahrouge, Donna; Engelman, Alina; Neuhauser, Linda; Huang, Debbie; Gurung, Sidhanta

    2014-01-01

    Substantial evidence exists that emergency preparedness and response efforts are not effectively reaching populations with functional and access needs, especially barriers related to literacy, language, culture, or disabilities. More than 36 million Americans are Deaf or hard of hearing (Deaf/HH). These groups experienced higher risks of injury, death, and property loss in recent disasters than the general public. We conducted a participatory research study to examine national recommendations on preparedness communication for the Deaf/HH. We assessed whether previous recommendations regarding the Deaf/HH have been incorporated into state- and territorial-level emergency operations plans (EOPs), interviewed state- and territorial-level preparedness directors about capacity to serve the Deaf/HH, and proposed strategies to benefit Deaf/HH populations during emergencies. We analyzed 55 EOPs and 50 key informant (KI) interviews with state directors. Fifty-five percent of EOPs mentioned vulnerable populations; however, only 31% specifically mentioned Deaf/HH populations in their plan. Study findings indicated significant relationships among the following factors: a state-level KI's familiarity with communication issues for the Deaf/HH, making relay calls (i.e., calls to services to relay communication between Deaf and hearing people), and whether the KI's department provides trainings about serving Deaf/HH populations in emergencies. We found significant associations between a state's percentage of Deaf/HH individuals and a KI's familiarity with Deaf/HH communication issues and provision by government of any disability services to Deaf/HH populations in emergencies. Further, we found significant relationships between KIs attending training on serving the Deaf/HH and familiarity with Deaf/HH communication issues, including how to make relay calls. This study provides new knowledge that can help emergency agencies improve their preparedness training, planning, and capacity to serve Deaf/HH populations in emergencies.

  20. Value of Coaching in Building Leadership Capacity of Principals in Urban Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farver, Anita R.; Holt, Carleton R.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how coaching support structures enabled and sustained leadership practices of urban principals. The study investigated how the intervention of coaching for academic leaders can serve as evidence-based professional development for building leadership capacity. The central focus was on…

  1. 20 CFR 423.5 - Process against Social Security Administration officials in their individual capacities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... ADMINISTRATION SERVICE OF PROCESS § 423.5 Process against Social Security Administration officials in their... capacities must be served in compliance with the requirements for service of process on individuals who are... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Process against Social Security...

  2. Building Comprehensive and Sustainable Health Informatics Institutions in Developing Countries: Moi University Experience.

    PubMed

    Were, Martin C; Siika, Abraham; Ayuo, Paul O; Atwoli, Lukoye; Esamai, Fabian

    2015-01-01

    Current approaches for capacity building in Health Informatics (HI) in developing countries mostly focus on training, and often rely on support from foreign entities. In this paper, we describe a comprehensive and multidimensional capacity-building framework by Lansang & Dennis, and its application for HI capacity building as implemented in a higher-education institution in Kenya. This framework incorporates training, learning-by-doing, partnerships, and centers of excellence. At Moi University (Kenya), the training dimensions include an accredited Masters in HI Program, PhD in HI, and HI short courses. Learning-by-doing occurs through work within MOH facilities at the AMPATH care and treatment program serving 3 million people. Moi University has formed strategic HI partnerships with Regenstrief Institute, Inc. (USA), University of Bergen (Norway), and Makerere University (Uganda), among others. The University has also created an Institute of Biomedical Informatics to serve as an HI Center of Excellence in the region. This Institute has divisions in Training, Research, Service and Administration. The HI capacity-building approach by Moi provides a model for adoption by other institutions in resource-limited settings.

  3. Organizational collaborative capacity in fighting pandemic crises: a literature review from the public management perspective.

    PubMed

    Lai, Allen Y

    2012-01-01

    Collaborative capacity serves for organizations as the capacity to collaborate with other network players. Organizational capacity matters as collaboration outcomes usually go beyond single-shot implementation efforts or a single-minded focus on either the vertical dimension of program or the horizontal component. This review article explores organizational collaborative capacities from the perspective of public management, in particular, network theory. By applying the 5 attributes of network theory-interdependence, membership, resources, information, and learning-to the explanation of collaborative capacity in fighting pandemic crises, I argue in some ways organizational collaborative capacity is very much like an organization in its own right. Studying collaborative capacity in the battle against pandemics facilitate our understanding of multisectoral collaboration in technical, political, and institutional dimensions, and greatly advances the richness of capacity vocabulary in pandemic response and preparedness.

  4. Barriers to Research and Capacity Building at Hispanic-Serving Institutions: The Case of HIV/AIDS Research at the University of Puerto Rico

    PubMed Central

    Ortiz-Torres, Blanca

    2009-01-01

    Substantive barriers to research, such as cultural, language, and methodological variables, exist in Hispanic-serving institutions. Historical and contextual variables account for the differences between academic settings with research-intensive centers and those with limited infrastructure for competitive research. We provide a case example to serve as a model for developing and strengthening the research infrastructure in Hispanic-serving institutions and for providing the mentorship Latino investigators may need to compete with other investigators in research-intensive centers. We present recommendations to reduce these barriers. PMID:19246676

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

    Forman, S. E.; Themelis, M. P.

    The Department of Energy has set a 20-year lifetime goal for terrestrial photovoltaic modules. Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory, in its capacity as a Photovoltaic Field Tests and Applications Center, has established various experimental test sites in the United States ranging in size from 0.1 to 25 kW of peak power. These sites serve as test beds for photovoltaic system components and include modules from several manufacturers. This report summarizes the activities of the Materials, Processes and Testing Laboratory of the Solar Photovoltaic Project during a three-month (10/1/78--12/31/78) period. Particular attention is given to testing and analysis of solarmore » modules from the Mead, Nebraska site, which contains a 25-kW array. A trip to the site was made, where various testing and inspection procedures were followed, in order to ascertain the physical and electrical degradation which had occurred in modules. In addition, several modules were removed for more detailed testing and inspection in the Laboratory. The results of both the field testing and laboratory analyses are reported here.« less

  6. Using Technology to Mentor Aspiring LSLS Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeMoss, Wendelyn L.; Clem, Becky C.; Wilson, Kathryn

    2012-01-01

    Presently, there is a world-wide shortage of professionals qualified to serve children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families who are seeking a listening and spoken language outcome. To address the crisis of capacity, it is anticipated that an increasing number of professionals not currently serving as mentors will need to engage in…

  7. Response to Intervention: Building the Capacity of Teachers to Serve Students with Learning Difficulties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Catherine; Pavri, Shireen; Golez, Felipe; Canges, Rebecca; Murphy, Joanne

    2007-01-01

    In thirty years since federal special education law, PL 94-142 (1975), there has been much debate about how to best identify and serve students with learning disabilities and those at-risk for learning difficulties. This debate continues even after the most recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act…

  8. The Role of Working Memory Capacity and Interference Resolution Mechanisms in Task Switching

    PubMed Central

    Pettigrew, Corinne; Martin, Randi C.

    2015-01-01

    Theories of task switching have emphasized a number of control mechanisms that may support the ability to flexibly switch between tasks. The present study examined the extent to which individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and two measures of interference resolution, response-distractor inhibition and resistance to proactive interference (PI), account for variability in task switching, including global costs, local costs, and N-2 repetition costs. 102 young and 60 older adults were tested on a battery of tasks. Composite scores were created for WM capacity, response-distractor inhibition, and resistance to PI; shifting was indexed by rate residual scores which combine response time and accuracy and account for individual differences in processing speed. Composite scores served as predictors of task switching. WM was significantly related to global switch costs. While resistance to PI and WM explained some variance in local costs, these effects did not reach significance. In contrast, none of the control measures explained variance in N-2 repetition costs. Furthermore, age effects were only evident for N-2 repetition costs, with older adults demonstrating larger costs than young adults. Results are discussed within the context of theoretical models of task switching. PMID:26594895

  9. The role of working memory capacity and interference resolution mechanisms in task switching.

    PubMed

    Pettigrew, Corinne; Martin, Randi C

    2016-12-01

    Theories of task switching have emphasized a number of control mechanisms that may support the ability to flexibly switch between tasks. The present study examined the extent to which individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and two measures of interference resolution, response-distractor inhibition and resistance to proactive interference (PI), account for variability in task switching, including global costs, local costs, and N-2 repetition costs. A total of 102 young and 60 older adults were tested on a battery of tasks. Composite scores were created for WM capacity, response-distractor inhibition, and resistance to PI; shifting was indexed by rate residual scores, which combine response time and accuracy and account for individual differences in processing speed. Composite scores served as predictors of task switching. WM was significantly related to global switch costs. While resistance to PI and WM explained some variance in local costs, these effects did not reach significance. In contrast, none of the control measures explained variance in N-2 repetition costs. Furthermore, age effects were only evident for N-2 repetition costs, with older adults demonstrating larger costs than young adults. Results are discussed within the context of theoretical models of task switching.

  10. Biomimetic structured surfaces increase primary adhesion capacity of cartilage implants.

    PubMed

    Lahner, Matthias; Kalwa, Lukas; Olbring, Roxana; Mohr, Charlotte; Göpfert, Lena; Seidl, Tobias

    2015-01-01

    In cartilage repair, scaffold-assisted single-step techniques are used to improve the cartilage regeneration. Nevertheless, the fixation of cartilage implants represents a challenge in orthopaedics, particularly in the moist conditions that pertain during arthroscopic surgery. Within the animal kingdom a broad range of species has developed working solutions to intermittent adhesion under challenging conditions. Using a top-down approach we identified promising mechanisms for biomimetic transfer The tree-frog adhesive system served as a test case to analyze the adhesion capacity of a polyglycolic acid (PGA) scaffold with and without a structural modification in a bovine articular cartilage defect model. To this end, PGA implants were modified with a simplified foot-pad structure and evaluated on femoral articular bovine cartilage lesions. Non-structured PGA scaffolds were used as control. Both implants were pressed on 20 mm × 20 mm full-thickness femoral cartilage defects using a dynamometer. The structured scaffolds showed a higher adhesion capacity on the cartilage defect than the non-structured original scaffolds. The results suggest that the adhesion ability can be increased by means of biomimetic structured surfaces without the need of additional chemical treatment and thus significantly facilitate primary fixation procedures.

  11. Advances in membrane technology for the NASA redox energy storage system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ling, J. S.; Charleston, J.

    1980-01-01

    Anion exchange membranes used in the system serve as a charge transferring medium as well as a reactant separator and are the key enabling component in this storage technology. Each membrane formulation undergoes a series of screening tests for area-resistivity, static (non-flow) diffusion rate determination, and performance in Redox systems. The CDIL series of membranes has, by virtue of its chemical stability and high ion exchange capacity, demonstrated superior properties in the redox environment. Additional resistivity results at several acid and iron solution concentrations, iron diffusion rates, and time dependent iron fouling of the various membrane formulations are presented in comparison to past standard formulations.

  12. A nonventing cooling system for space environment extravehicular activity, using radiation and regenerable thermal storage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bayes, Stephen A.; Trevino, Luis A.; Dinsmore, Craig E.

    1988-01-01

    This paper outlines the selection, design, and testing of a prototype nonventing regenerable astronaut cooling system for extravehicular activity space suit applications, for mission durations of four hours or greater. The selected system consists of the following key elements: a radiator assembly which serves as the exterior shell of the portable life support subsystem backpack; a layer of phase change thermal storage material, n-hexadecane paraffin, which acts as a regenerable thermal capacitor; a thermoelectric heat pump; and an automatic temperature control system. The capability for regeneration of thermal storage capacity with and without the aid of electric power is provided.

  13. ASME AG-1 Section FC Qualified HEPA Filters; a Particle Loading Comparison - 13435

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

    Stillo, Andrew; Ricketts, Craig I.

    High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters used to protect personnel, the public and the environment from airborne radioactive materials are designed, manufactured and qualified in accordance with ASME AG-1 Code section FC (HEPA Filters) [1]. The qualification process requires that filters manufactured in accordance with this ASME AG-1 code section must meet several performance requirements. These requirements include performance specifications for resistance to airflow, aerosol penetration, resistance to rough handling, resistance to pressure (includes high humidity and water droplet exposure), resistance to heated air, spot flame resistance and a visual/dimensional inspection. None of these requirements evaluate the particle loading capacitymore » of a HEPA filter design. Concerns, over the particle loading capacity, of the different designs included within the ASME AG-1 section FC code[1], have been voiced in the recent past. Additionally, the ability of a filter to maintain its integrity, if subjected to severe operating conditions such as elevated relative humidity, fog conditions or elevated temperature, after loading in use over long service intervals is also a major concern. Although currently qualified HEPA filter media are likely to have similar loading characteristics when evaluated independently, filter pleat geometry can have a significant impact on the in-situ particle loading capacity of filter packs. Aerosol particle characteristics, such as size and composition, may also have a significant impact on filter loading capacity. Test results comparing filter loading capacities for three different aerosol particles and three different filter pack configurations are reviewed. The information presented represents an empirical performance comparison among the filter designs tested. The results may serve as a basis for further discussion toward the possible development of a particle loading test to be included in the qualification requirements of ASME AG-1 Code sections FC and FK[1]. (authors)« less

  14. Value of Coaching in Building Leadership Capacity of Principals in Urban Schools: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farver, Anita

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how coaching support structures enabled and sustained leadership practices of urban principals. The study investigated how the intervention of coaching for academic leaders can serve as evidence based professional development for building leadership capacity. The central focus was on…

  15. Capacity Building Special Alternatives Program Community School District 3. Final Evaluation Report, 1993-94. OER Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duque, Diana L.

    The Capacity Building Special Alternatives Program, an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its second year of operation, functioned at seven schools in a community school district of Manhattan (New York). The project served 195 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) whose native languages were Albanian,…

  16. Exemplary Capacity Building Program of Transitional Bilingual Education, Community School District 3. Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OREA Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cantalupo, Denise

    The Exemplary Capacity Building Program of Transitional Bilingual Education was a federally funded program serving 266 limited-English-speaking, Spanish-speaking students in two Manhattan (New York) elementary schools. Participating students received instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), native language arts (NLA), and content areas.…

  17. Comparison of the Effects of Blending and Juicing on the Phytochemicals Contents and Antioxidant Capacity of Typical Korean Kernel Fruit Juices

    PubMed Central

    Pyo, Young-Hee; Jin, Yoo-Jeong; Hwang, Ji-Young

    2014-01-01

    Four Korean kernel fruit (apple, pear, persimmon, and mandarin orange) juices were obtained by household processing techniques (i.e., blending, juicing). Whole and flesh fractions of each fruit were extracted by a blender or a juicer and then examined for phytochemical content (i.e., organic acids, polyphenol compounds). The antioxidant capacity of each juice was determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. Results revealed that juices that had been prepared by blending whole fruits had stronger antioxidant activities and contained larger amounts of phenolic compounds than juices that had been prepared by juicing the flesh fraction of the fruit. However, the concentration of ascorbic acid in apple, pear, and mandarin orange juices was significantly (P<0.05) higher in juice that had been processed by juicing, rather than blending. The juices with the highest ascorbic acid (233.9 mg/serving), total polyphenols (862.3 mg gallic acid equivalents/serving), and flavonoids (295.1 mg quercetin equivalents/serving) concentrations were blended persimmon juice, blended mandarin orange juice, and juiced apple juice, respectively. These results indicate that juice extraction techniques significantly (P<0.05) influences the phytochemical levels and antioxidant capacity of fruit juices. PMID:25054109

  18. E3L and F1L Gene Functions Modulate the Protective Capacity of Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Immunization in Murine Model of Human Smallpox.

    PubMed

    Volz, Asisa; Jany, Sylvia; Freudenstein, Astrid; Lantermann, Markus; Ludwig, Holger; Sutter, Gerd

    2018-01-04

    The highly attenuated Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) lacks most of the known vaccinia virus (VACV) virulence and immune evasion genes. Today MVA can serve as a safety-tested next-generation smallpox vaccine. Yet, we still need to learn about regulatory gene functions preserved in the MVA genome, such as the apoptosis inhibitor genes F1L and E3L . Here, we tested MVA vaccine preparations on the basis of the deletion mutant viruses MVA-ΔF1L and MVA-ΔE3L for efficacy against ectromelia virus (ECTV) challenge infections in mice. In non-permissive human tissue culture the MVA deletion mutant viruses produced reduced levels of the VACV envelope antigen B5. Upon mousepox challenge at three weeks after vaccination, MVA-ΔF1L and MVA-ΔE3L exhibited reduced protective capacity in comparison to wildtype MVA. Surprisingly, however, all vaccines proved equally protective against a lethal ECTV infection at two days after vaccination. Accordingly, the deletion mutant MVA vaccines induced high levels of virus-specific CD8+ T cells previously shown to be essential for rapidly protective MVA vaccination. These results suggest that inactivation of the anti-apoptotic genes F1L or E3L modulates the protective capacity of MVA vaccination most likely through the induction of distinct orthopoxvirus specific immunity in the absence of these viral regulatory proteins.

  19. Establishing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) diagnostics using GeneXpert technology at a mobile laboratory in Liberia: Impact on outbreak response, case management and laboratory systems strengthening

    PubMed Central

    Condell, Orla; Wasunna, Christine; Kpaka, Jonathan; Zwizwai, Ruth; Nuha, Mahmood; Fallah, Mosoka; Freeman, Maxwell; Harris, Victoria; Miller, Mark; Baller, April; Massaquoi, Moses; Katawera, Victoria; Saindon, John; Bemah, Philip; Hamblion, Esther; Castle, Evelyn; Williams, Desmond; Gasasira, Alex; Nyenswah, Tolbert

    2018-01-01

    The 2014–16 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa highlighted the necessity for readily available, accurate and rapid diagnostics. The magnitude of the outbreak and the re-emergence of clusters of EVD cases following the declaration of interrupted transmission in Liberia, reinforced the need for sustained diagnostics to support surveillance and emergency preparedness. We describe implementation of the Xpert Ebola Assay, a rapid molecular diagnostic test run on the GeneXpert platform, at a mobile laboratory in Liberia and the subsequent impact on EVD outbreak response, case management and laboratory system strengthening. During the period of operation, site coordination, management and operational capacity was supported through a successful collaboration between Ministry of Health (MoH), World Health Organization (WHO) and international partners. A team of Liberian laboratory technicians were trained to conduct EVD diagnostics and the laboratory had capacity to test 64–100 blood specimens per day. Establishment of the laboratory significantly increased the daily testing capacity for EVD in Liberia, from 180 to 250 specimens at a time when the effectiveness of the surveillance system was threatened by insufficient diagnostic capacity. During the 18 months of operation, the laboratory tested a total of 9,063 blood specimens, including 21 EVD positives from six confirmed cases during two outbreaks. Following clearance of the significant backlog of untested EVD specimens in November 2015, a new cluster of EVD cases was detected at the laboratory. Collaboration between surveillance and laboratory coordination teams during this and a later outbreak in March 2016, facilitated timely and targeted response interventions. Specimens taken from cases during both outbreaks were analysed at the laboratory with results informing clinical management of patients and discharge decisions. The GeneXpert platform is easy to use, has relatively low running costs and can be integrated into other national diagnostic algorithms. The technology has on average a 2-hour sample-to-result time and allows for single specimen testing to overcome potential delays of batching. This model of a mobile laboratory equipped with Xpert Ebola test, staffed by local laboratory technicians, could serve to strengthen outbreak preparedness and response for future outbreaks of EVD in Liberia and the region. PMID:29304039

  20. Establishing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) diagnostics using GeneXpert technology at a mobile laboratory in Liberia: Impact on outbreak response, case management and laboratory systems strengthening.

    PubMed

    Raftery, Philomena; Condell, Orla; Wasunna, Christine; Kpaka, Jonathan; Zwizwai, Ruth; Nuha, Mahmood; Fallah, Mosoka; Freeman, Maxwell; Harris, Victoria; Miller, Mark; Baller, April; Massaquoi, Moses; Katawera, Victoria; Saindon, John; Bemah, Philip; Hamblion, Esther; Castle, Evelyn; Williams, Desmond; Gasasira, Alex; Nyenswah, Tolbert

    2018-01-01

    The 2014-16 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa highlighted the necessity for readily available, accurate and rapid diagnostics. The magnitude of the outbreak and the re-emergence of clusters of EVD cases following the declaration of interrupted transmission in Liberia, reinforced the need for sustained diagnostics to support surveillance and emergency preparedness. We describe implementation of the Xpert Ebola Assay, a rapid molecular diagnostic test run on the GeneXpert platform, at a mobile laboratory in Liberia and the subsequent impact on EVD outbreak response, case management and laboratory system strengthening. During the period of operation, site coordination, management and operational capacity was supported through a successful collaboration between Ministry of Health (MoH), World Health Organization (WHO) and international partners. A team of Liberian laboratory technicians were trained to conduct EVD diagnostics and the laboratory had capacity to test 64-100 blood specimens per day. Establishment of the laboratory significantly increased the daily testing capacity for EVD in Liberia, from 180 to 250 specimens at a time when the effectiveness of the surveillance system was threatened by insufficient diagnostic capacity. During the 18 months of operation, the laboratory tested a total of 9,063 blood specimens, including 21 EVD positives from six confirmed cases during two outbreaks. Following clearance of the significant backlog of untested EVD specimens in November 2015, a new cluster of EVD cases was detected at the laboratory. Collaboration between surveillance and laboratory coordination teams during this and a later outbreak in March 2016, facilitated timely and targeted response interventions. Specimens taken from cases during both outbreaks were analysed at the laboratory with results informing clinical management of patients and discharge decisions. The GeneXpert platform is easy to use, has relatively low running costs and can be integrated into other national diagnostic algorithms. The technology has on average a 2-hour sample-to-result time and allows for single specimen testing to overcome potential delays of batching. This model of a mobile laboratory equipped with Xpert Ebola test, staffed by local laboratory technicians, could serve to strengthen outbreak preparedness and response for future outbreaks of EVD in Liberia and the region.

  1. Laboratory Surge Response to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Outbreak, New York City Metropolitan Area, USA

    PubMed Central

    Crawford, James M.; Stallone, Robert; Zhang, Fan; Gerolimatos, Mary; Korologos, Diamanto D.; Sweetapple, Carolyn; de Geronimo, Marcella; Dlugacz, Yosef; Armellino, Donna M.

    2010-01-01

    The North Shore–Long Island Jewish Health System Laboratories serve 15 hospitals and affiliated regional physician practices in the New York City metropolitan area, with virus testing performed at a central reference laboratory. The influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 outbreak began in this area on April 24, 2009, and within weeks respiratory virus testing increased 7.5 times. In response, laboratory and client service workforces were increased, physical plant build-out was completed, testing paradigms were converted from routine screening tests and viral culture to a high-capacity molecular assay for respiratory viruses, laboratory information system interfaces were built, and same-day epidemiologic reports were produced. Daily review by leadership of data from emergency rooms, hospital facilities, and the Health System Laboratories enabled real-time management of unfolding events. The ability of System laboratories to rapidly increase to high-volume comprehensive diagnostics, including influenza A subtyping, provided key epidemiologic information for local and state public health departments. PMID:20031036

  2. Laboratory surge response to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 outbreak, New York City metropolitan area, USA.

    PubMed

    Crawford, James M; Stallone, Robert; Zhang, Fan; Gerolimatos, Mary; Korologos, Diamanto D; Sweetapple, Carolyn; de Geronimo, Marcella; Dlugacz, Yosef; Armellino, Donna M; Ginocchio, Christine C

    2010-01-01

    The North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System Laboratories serve 15 hospitals and affiliated regional physician practices in the New York City metropolitan area, with virus testing performed at a central reference laboratory. The influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 outbreak began in this area on April 24, 2009, and within weeks respiratory virus testing increased 7.5 times. In response, laboratory and client service workforces were increased, physical plant build-out was completed, testing paradigms were converted from routine screening tests and viral culture to a high-capacity molecular assay for respiratory viruses, laboratory information system interfaces were built, and same-day epidemiologic reports were produced. Daily review by leadership of data from emergency rooms, hospital facilities, and the Health System Laboratories enabled real-time management of unfolding events. The ability of System laboratories to rapidly increase to high-volume comprehensive diagnostics, including influenza A subtyping, provided key epidemiologic information for local and state public health departments.

  3. Pyrite (FeS2) nanocrystals as inexpensive high-performance lithium-ion cathode and sodium-ion anode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walter, Marc; Zünd, Tanja; Kovalenko, Maksym V.

    2015-05-01

    In light of the impeding depletion of fossil fuels and necessity to lower carbon dioxide emissions, economically viable high-performance batteries are urgently needed for numerous applications ranging from electric cars to stationary large-scale electricity storage. Due to its low raw material cost, non-toxicity and potentially high charge-storage capacity pyrite (FeS2) is a highly promising material for such next-generation batteries. In this work we present the electrochemical performance of FeS2 nanocrystals (NCs) as lithium-ion and sodium-ion storage materials. First, we show that nanoscopic FeS2 is a promising lithium-ion cathode material, delivering a capacity of 715 mA h g-1 and average energy density of 1237 Wh kg-1 for 100 cycles, twice higher than for commonly used LiCoO2 cathodes. Then we demonstrate, for the first time, that FeS2 NCs can serve as highly reversible sodium-ion anode material with long cycling life. As sodium-ion anode material, FeS2 NCs provide capacities above 500 mA h g-1 for 400 cycles at a current rate of 1000 mA g-1. In all our tests and control experiments, the performance of chemically synthesized nanoscale FeS2 clearly surpasses bulk FeS2 as well as large number of other nanostructured metal sulfides.In light of the impeding depletion of fossil fuels and necessity to lower carbon dioxide emissions, economically viable high-performance batteries are urgently needed for numerous applications ranging from electric cars to stationary large-scale electricity storage. Due to its low raw material cost, non-toxicity and potentially high charge-storage capacity pyrite (FeS2) is a highly promising material for such next-generation batteries. In this work we present the electrochemical performance of FeS2 nanocrystals (NCs) as lithium-ion and sodium-ion storage materials. First, we show that nanoscopic FeS2 is a promising lithium-ion cathode material, delivering a capacity of 715 mA h g-1 and average energy density of 1237 Wh kg-1 for 100 cycles, twice higher than for commonly used LiCoO2 cathodes. Then we demonstrate, for the first time, that FeS2 NCs can serve as highly reversible sodium-ion anode material with long cycling life. As sodium-ion anode material, FeS2 NCs provide capacities above 500 mA h g-1 for 400 cycles at a current rate of 1000 mA g-1. In all our tests and control experiments, the performance of chemically synthesized nanoscale FeS2 clearly surpasses bulk FeS2 as well as large number of other nanostructured metal sulfides. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Materials and methods, additional structural and electrochemical characterization. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr00398a

  4. Biomimetic engineered muscle with capacity for vascular integration and functional maturation in vivo

    PubMed Central

    Juhas, Mark; Engelmayr, George C.; Fontanella, Andrew N.; Palmer, Gregory M.; Bursac, Nenad

    2014-01-01

    Tissue-engineered skeletal muscle can serve as a physiological model of natural muscle and a potential therapeutic vehicle for rapid repair of severe muscle loss and injury. Here, we describe a platform for engineering and testing highly functional biomimetic muscle tissues with a resident satellite cell niche and capacity for robust myogenesis and self-regeneration in vitro. Using a mouse dorsal window implantation model and transduction with fluorescent intracellular calcium indicator, GCaMP3, we nondestructively monitored, in real time, vascular integration and the functional state of engineered muscle in vivo. During a 2-wk period, implanted engineered muscle exhibited a steady ingrowth of blood-perfused microvasculature along with an increase in amplitude of calcium transients and force of contraction. We also demonstrated superior structural organization, vascularization, and contractile function of fully differentiated vs. undifferentiated engineered muscle implants. The described in vitro and in vivo models of biomimetic engineered muscle represent enabling technology for novel studies of skeletal muscle function and regeneration. PMID:24706792

  5. From Marginalized to Validated: An In-Depth Case Study of an Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nguyen, Thai-Huy; Nguyen, Mike Hoa; Nguyen, Bach Mai Dolly; Gasman, Marybeth; Conrad, Clifton

    2018-01-01

    This article highlights the capacity of an Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Institution (AANAPISI) to serve as an institutional convertor--by addressing challenges commonly associated with marginalized students--for low-income, Asian American and Pacific Islander students entering college. Through an in-depth case study, we…

  6. Effects of intervention using a community-based walking program for prevention of mental decline: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Maki, Yohko; Ura, Chiaki; Yamaguchi, Tomoharu; Murai, Tatsuhiko; Isahai, Mikie; Kaiho, Ayumi; Yamagami, Tetsuya; Tanaka, Satoshi; Miyamae, Fumiko; Sugiyama, Mika; Awata, Shuichi; Takahashi, Ryutaro; Yamaguchi, Haruyasu

    2012-03-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of a municipality-led walking program under the Japanese public Long-Term Care Insurance Act to prevent mental decline. Randomized controlled trial. The city of Takasaki. One hundred fifty community members aged 72.0 ± 4.0 were randomly divided into intervention (n = 75) and control (n = 75) groups. A walking program was conducted once a week for 90 minutes for 3 months. The program encouraged participants to walk on a regular basis and to increase their steps per day gradually. The intervention was conducted in small groups of approximately six, so combined benefits of exercise and social interaction were expected. Cognitive function was evaluated focusing on nine tests in five domains: memory, executive function, word fluency, visuospatial abilities, and sustained attention. Quality of life (QOL), depressive state, functional capacity, range of activities, and social network were assessed using questionnaires, and motor function was evaluated. Significant differences between the intervention and control groups were shown in word fluency related to frontal lobe function (F(1, 128) = 6.833, P = .01), QOL (F(1,128) = 9.751, P = .002), functional capacity including social interaction (F(1,128) = 13.055, P < .001), and motor function (Timed Up and Go Test: F(1,127) = 10.117, P = .002). No significant differences were observed in other cognitive tests. Walking programs may provide benefits in some aspects of cognition, QOL, and functional capacity including social interaction in elderly community members. This study could serve as the basis for implementation of a community-based intervention to prevent mental decline. © 2012, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2012, The American Geriatrics Society.

  7. Stabilizing sodium hypochlorite at high pH: effects on soft tissue and dentin.

    PubMed

    Jungbluth, Holger; Marending, Monika; De-Deus, Gustavo; Sener, Beatrice; Zehnder, Matthias

    2011-05-01

    When sodium hypochlorite solutions react with tissue, their pH drops and tissue sorption decreases. We studied whether stabilizing a NaOCl solution at a high pH would increase its soft-tissue dissolution capacity and effects on the dentin matrix compared with a standard NaOCl solution of the same concentration and similar initial pH. NaOCl solutions were prepared by mixing (1:1) a 10% stock solution with water (standard) or 2 mol/L NaOH (stabilized). Physiological saline and 1 mol/L NaOH served as the controls. Chlorine content and alkaline capacity of NaOCl solutions were determined. Standardized porcine palatal soft-tissue specimens and human root dentin bars were exposed to test and control solutions. Weight loss percentage was assessed in the soft-tissue dissolution assay. Three-point bending tests were performed on the root dentin bars to determine the modulus of elasticity and flexural strength. Values between groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance with the Bonferroni correction for multiple testing (α < .05). Both solutions contained 5% NaOCl. One milliliter of the standard and the stabilized solution consumed 4.0 mL and 13.7 mL of a 0.1-mol/L HCl solution before they reached a pH level of 7.5, respectively. The stabilized NaOCl dissolved significantly more soft tissue than the standard solution, and the pH remained high. It also caused a higher loss in elastic modulus and flexure strength (P < .05) than the control solutions, whereas the standard solution did not. NaOH-stabilized NaOCl solutions have a higher alkaline capacity and are thus more proteolytic than standard counterparts. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluation of DELTA PREP: A Project Aimed at Integrating Primary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence Within State Domestic Violence Coalitions

    PubMed Central

    Freire, Kimberley E.; Zakocs, Ronda; Le, Brenda; Hill, Jessica A.; Brown, Pamela; Wheaton, Jocelyn

    2018-01-01

    Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a public health problem since the late 20th century. To spur IPV prevention efforts nationwide, the DELTA PREP Project selected 19 state domestic violence coalitions to build organizational prevention capacity and catalyze IPV primary prevention strategies within their states. Objective DELTA PREP’s summative evaluation addressed four major questions: (1) Did coalitions improve their prevention capacity during the project period? (2) Did coalitions serve as catalysts for prevention activities within their states during the project period? (3) Was initial prevention capacity associated with the number of prevention activity types initiated by coalitions by the end of the project? (4) Did coalitions sustain their prevention activities 6 months after the end of the project period? Results DELTA PREP achieved its capacity-building goal, with all 19 participant coalitions integrating prevention within their organizations and serving as catalysts for prevention activities in their states. At 6 months follow up, coalitions had sustained almost all prevention activities they initiated during the project. Baseline prevention capacity (Beginner vs. Intermediate) was not associated with the number of prevention activity types coalitions implemented by the end of the project. Conclusion Service and treatment organizations are increasingly asked to integrate a full spectrum of prevention strategies. Selecting organizations that have high levels of general capacity and readiness for an innovation like integrating a public health approach to IPV prevention will likely increase success in building an innovation-specific capacity, and in turn implementing an innovation. PMID:26245932

  9. Evaluation of DELTA PREP: A Project Aimed at Integrating Primary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence Within State Domestic Violence Coalitions.

    PubMed

    Freire, Kimberley E; Zakocs, Ronda; Le, Brenda; Hill, Jessica A; Brown, Pamela; Wheaton, Jocelyn

    2015-08-01

    Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a public health problem since the late 20th century. To spur IPV prevention efforts nationwide, the DELTA PREP Project selected 19 state domestic violence coalitions to build organizational prevention capacity and catalyze IPV primary prevention strategies within their states. DELTA PREP's summative evaluation addressed four major questions: (1) Did coalitions improve their prevention capacity during the project period? (2) Did coalitions serve as catalysts for prevention activities within their states during the project period? (3) Was initial prevention capacity associated with the number of prevention activity types initiated by coalitions by the end of the project? (4) Did coalitions sustain their prevention activities 6 months after the end of the project period? DELTA PREP achieved its capacity-building goal, with all 19 participant coalitions integrating prevention within their organizations and serving as catalysts for prevention activities in their states. At 6 months follow up, coalitions had sustained almost all prevention activities they initiated during the project. Baseline prevention capacity (Beginner vs. Intermediate) was not associated with the number of prevention activity types coalitions implemented by the end of the project. Service and treatment organizations are increasingly asked to integrate a full spectrum of prevention strategies. Selecting organizations that have high levels of general capacity and readiness for an innovation like integrating a public health approach to IPV prevention will likely increase success in building an innovation-specific capacity, and in turn implementing an innovation. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

  10. Place-Conscious Capacity-Building: A Systemic Model for the Revitalisation and Renewal of Rural Schools and Communities through University-Based Regional Stewardship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Jerry; Thompson, Aaron; Naugle, Kim

    2009-01-01

    This paper sets forth a model of regional stewardship developed and implemented at a post-compulsory institution serving rural communities in central Appalachia, a region that is among the most impoverished in the United States. The model, termed place-conscious capacity-building, emphasises culturally-responsive methodologies and the strategic…

  11. Advancing Understanding of the Characteristics and Capacity of African American Women Who Serve as Lay Health Advisors in Community-Based Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shelton, Rachel C.; Dunston, Sheba King; Leoce, Nicole; Jandorf, Lina; Thompson, Hayley S.; Erwin, Deborah O.

    2017-01-01

    Lay Health Advisor (LHA) programs hold tremendous promise for reducing health disparities and addressing social determinants of health in medically underserved communities, including African American populations. Very little is understood about the capacity of LHAs in these roles and the broader contributions they make to their communities. This…

  12. Phosphorus-Rich Copper Phosphide Nanowires for Field-Effect Transistors and Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Li, Guo-An; Wang, Chiu-Yen; Chang, Wei-Chung; Tuan, Hsing-Yu

    2016-09-27

    Phosphorus-rich transition metal phosphide CuP2 nanowires were synthesized with high quality and high yield (∼60%) via the supercritical fluid-liquid-solid (SFLS) growth at 410 °C and 10.2 MPa. The obtained CuP2 nanowires have a high aspect ratio and exhibit a single crystal structure of monoclinic CuP2 without any impurity phase. CuP2 nanowires have progressive improvement for semiconductors and energy storages compared with bulk CuP2. Being utilized for back-gate field effect transistor (FET) measurement, CuP2 nanowires possess a p-type behavior intrinsically with an on/off ratio larger than 10(4) and its single nanowire electrical transport property exhibits a hole mobility of 147 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), representing the example of a CuP2 transistor. In addition, CuP2 nanowires can serve as an appealing anode material for a lithium-ion battery electrode. The discharge capacity remained at 945 mA h g(-1) after 100 cycles, showing a good capacity retention of 88% based on the first discharge capacity. Even at a high rate of 6 C, the electrode still exhibited an outstanding result with a capacity of ∼600 mA h g(-1). Ex-situ transmission electron microscopy and CV tests demonstrate that the stability of capacity retention and remarkable rate capability of the CuP2 nanowires electrode are attributed to the role of the metal phosphide conversion-type lithium storage mechanism. Finally, CuP2 nanowire anodes and LiFePO4 cathodes were assembled into pouch-type lithium batteries offering a capacity over 60 mA h. The full cell shows high capacity and stable capacity retention and can be used as an energy supply to operate electronic devices such as mobile phones and mini 4WD cars.

  13. Leadership for Excellence: A Case Study of Leadership Practices of School Superintendents Serving Four Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Recipient School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willert, Klint Walter

    2013-01-01

    This purpose of this study was to examine and understand the leadership practices of four individuals who were serving in the capacity of superintendent leading to or at the time of their respective districts receiving the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The study explored how certain leadership practices transcended the four identified…

  14. Assessment of State- and Territorial-Level Preparedness Capacity for Serving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Populations in Disasters

    PubMed Central

    Tseng, Winston; Dahrouge, Donna; Engelman, Alina; Neuhauser, Linda; Huang, Debbie; Gurung, Sidhanta

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Substantial evidence exists that emergency preparedness and response efforts are not effectively reaching populations with functional and access needs, especially barriers related to literacy, language, culture, or disabilities. More than 36 million Americans are Deaf or hard of hearing (Deaf/HH). These groups experienced higher risks of injury, death, and property loss in recent disasters than the general public. We conducted a participatory research study to examine national recommendations on preparedness communication for the Deaf/HH. Methods We assessed whether previous recommendations regarding the Deaf/HH have been incorporated into state- and territorial-level emergency operations plans (EOPs), interviewed state- and territorial-level preparedness directors about capacity to serve the Deaf/HH, and proposed strategies to benefit Deaf/HH populations during emergencies. We analyzed 55 EOPs and 50 key informant (KI) interviews with state directors. Results Fifty-five percent of EOPs mentioned vulnerable populations; however, only 31% specifically mentioned Deaf/HH populations in their plan. Study findings indicated significant relationships among the following factors: a state-level KI's familiarity with communication issues for the Deaf/HH, making relay calls (i.e., calls to services to relay communication between Deaf and hearing people), and whether the KI's department provides trainings about serving Deaf/HH populations in emergencies. We found significant associations between a state's percentage of Deaf/HH individuals and a KI's familiarity with Deaf/HH communication issues and provision by government of any disability services to Deaf/HH populations in emergencies. Further, we found significant relationships between KIs attending training on serving the Deaf/HH and familiarity with Deaf/HH communication issues, including how to make relay calls. Conclusion This study provides new knowledge that can help emergency agencies improve their preparedness training, planning, and capacity to serve Deaf/HH populations in emergencies. PMID:24587549

  15. Building community research capacity: process evaluation of community training and education in a community-based participatory research program serving a predominantly Puerto Rican community.

    PubMed

    Tumiel-Berhalter, Laurene M; McLaughlin-Diaz, Victoria; Vena, John; Crespo, Carlos J

    2007-01-01

    Education and training build community research capacity and have impact on improvements of health outcomes. This manuscript describes the training and educational approaches to building research capacity that were utilized in a community-based participatory research program serving a Puerto Rican population and identifies barriers and strategies for overcoming them. A process evaluation identified a multitiered approach to training and education that was critical to reaching the broad community. This approach included four major categories providing a continuum of education and training opportunities: networking, methods training, on-the-job experience, and community education. Participation in these opportunities supported the development of a registry, the implementation of a survey, and two published manuscripts. Barriers included the lack of a formal evaluation of the education and training components, language challenges that limited involvement of ethnic groups other than Puerto Ricans, and potential biases associated with the familiarity of the data collector and the participant. The CBPR process facilitated relationship development between the university and the community and incorporated the richness of the community experience into research design. Strategies for improvement include incorporating evaluation into every training and educational opportunity and developing measures to quantify research capacity at the individual and community levels. Evaluating training and education in the community allows researchers to quantify the impact of CBPR on building community research capacity.

  16. Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphase-Protected LixSi Nanoparticles: An Efficient and Stable Prelithiation Reagent for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jie; Lu, Zhenda; Wang, Haotian; Liu, Wei; Lee, Hyun-Wook; Yan, Kai; Zhuo, Denys; Lin, Dingchang; Liu, Nian; Cui, Yi

    2015-07-08

    Prelithiation is an important strategy to compensate for lithium loss in lithium-ion batteries, particularly during the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) from reduced electrolytes in the first charging cycle. We recently demonstrated that LixSi nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by thermal alloying can serve as a high-capacity prelithiation reagent, although their chemical stability in the battery processing environment remained to be improved. Here we successfully developed a surface modification method to enhance the stability of LixSi NPs by exploiting the reduction of 1-fluorodecane on the LixSi surface to form a continuous and dense coating through a reaction process similar to SEI formation. The coating, consisting of LiF and lithium alkyl carbonate with long hydrophobic carbon chains, serves as an effective passivation layer in the ambient environment. Remarkably, artificial-SEI-protected LixSi NPs show a high prelithiation capacity of 2100 mA h g(-1) with negligible capacity decay in dry air after 5 days and maintain a high capacity of 1600 mA h g(-1) in humid air (∼10% relative humidity). Silicon, tin, and graphite were successfully prelithiated with these NPs to eliminate the irreversible first-cycle capacity loss. The use of prelithiation reagents offers a new approach to realize next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries.

  17. Free Energy and Heat Capacity

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

    Kurata, Masaki; Devanathan, Ramaswami

    2015-10-13

    Free energy and heat capacity of actinide elements and compounds are important properties for the evaluation of the safety and reliable performance of nuclear fuel. They are essential inputs for models that describe complex phenomena that govern the behaviour of actinide compounds during nuclear fuel fabrication and irradiation. This chapter introduces various experimental methods to measure free energy and heat capacity to serve as inputs for models and to validate computer simulations. This is followed by a discussion of computer simulation of these properties, and recent simulations of thermophysical properties of nuclear fuel are briefly reviewed.

  18. The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology

    PubMed Central

    Fredrickson, Barbara L.

    2011-01-01

    In this article, the author describes a new theoretical perspective on positive emotions and situates this new perspective within the emerging field of positive psychology. The broaden-and-build theory posits that experiences of positive emotions broaden people's momentary thought-action repertoires, which in turn serves to build their enduring personal resources, ranging from physical and intellectual resources to social and psychological resources. Preliminary empirical evidence supporting the broaden-and-build theory is reviewed, and open empirical questions that remain to be tested are identified. The theory and findings suggest that the capacity to experience positive emotions may be a fundamental human strength central to the study of human flourishing. PMID:11315248

  19. Recent Space Shuttle crew compartment design improvements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goodman, Jerry R.

    1986-01-01

    Significant design changes to the Space Shuttle waste management system (WMS) and its related personal hygiene support provisions (PHSP) have been made recently to improve overall operational performance and human factors interfaces. The WMS design improvements involve increased urinal flow, individual urinals, and provisions for manually compacting feces and cleanup materials to ensure adequate mission capacity. The basic arrangement and stowage of the PHSP used during waste management operations were extensively changed to better serve habitability concerns and operations needs, and to improve the hygiene of WMS operations. This paper describes these changes and the design, development, and flight test evaluation. In addition, provisions for an eighth crewmember and a new four-tier sleep station are described.

  20. Tocopherol composition of deodorization distillates and their antioxidative activity.

    PubMed

    Nogala-Kalucka, Malgorzata; Korczak, Jozef; Wagner, Karl-Heinz; Elmadfa, Ibrahim

    2004-02-01

    During the last stage of plant oil refining, deodorization distillates containing very important biological substances such as tocopherols, sterols, terpenoids or hydrocarbons are formed as a by-products. This study aimed at evaluating the content and antioxidant capacity of tocopherol concentrates from deodorization distillates obtained after the refining of rapeseed, soybean and sunflower oil. The majority of the matrix substances were eliminated from deodorization distillates by freezing with an acetone solution at -70 degrees C. The tocopherol concentrates obtained in this way contained approximately fivefold more tocopherols than the quantity in condensates after deodorization. Antioxidant activity was investigated by observing the peroxide value at 25 degrees C and using the Oxidograph test. The test medium was lard enriched with the tocopherol concentrates of the three plant oils versus single, synthetic alpha-, gamma- and delta-tocopherols (-T), which served for comparison. In these model systems, all investigated tocopherol concentrates exhibited antioxidant capacity. Their antioxidant effect was significantly lower than that of single delta-T and gamma-T, but significantly higher than alpha-T. The results prove that natural tocopherol concentrates obtained from plant oils are valuable food antioxidants and they also increase the biological and nutritional value of food especially when administered to animal fats or food of animal origin. Tocopherol concentrates can fully replace synthetic antioxidants that have been used thus far.

  1. Effects of brisk walking on static and dynamic balance, locomotion, body composition, and aerobic capacity in ageing healthy active men.

    PubMed

    Paillard, T; Lafont, C; Costes-Salon, M C; Rivière, D; Dupui, P

    2004-10-01

    This work analyses the short-term physiological and neurophysiological effects of a brisk walking programme in ageing, healthy, active men. Twenty-one men 63 to 72 years of age were recruited and separated into 2 groups. One group performed a walking programme (WP) (n = 11) and another served as control (C) group (n = 10). The walking programme lasted for twelve weeks and included five sessions per week. Several parameters were assessed before and after the programme for the WP group. The same tests were performed (separated by twelve weeks) in group C. During each assessment, the subjects were put through static and dynamic balance tests, spatio-temporal gait analysis, body composition measurements and determination of aerobic capacity and bone mineral density. The statistic analysis showed a significant improvement in dynamic balance performance, especially in lateral sway when the subjects kept their eyes open, an increase of VO(2) max and loss of fat mass in the WP group. However, no alterations appeared in spatiotemporal gait characteristics, static balance performance, lean mass or bone mineral density (total body and hip). According to these results, this walking programme may have positive effects on preventing ageing subjects from falling.

  2. 37 CFR 205.12 - Process served on the Register of Copyrights or an employee in his or her official capacity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... PROCESSES Service of Process § 205.12 Process served on the Register of Copyrights or an employee in his or... and mode of service. (d) The Office will accept service of process for an employee only when the legal... procedure. Service of process in this case is inadequate when made only on the General Counsel. An employee...

  3. Context-specific differences in fronto-parieto-occipital effective connectivity during short-term memory maintenance.

    PubMed

    Kundu, Bornali; Chang, Jui-Yang; Postle, Bradley R; Van Veen, Barry D

    2015-07-01

    Although visual short-term memory (VSTM) performance has been hypothesized to rely on two distinct mechanisms, capacity and filtering, the two have not been dissociated using network-level causality measures. Here, we hypothesized that behavioral tasks challenging capacity or distraction filtering would both engage a common network of areas, namely dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), superior parietal lobule (SPL), and occipital cortex, but would do so according to dissociable patterns of effective connectivity. We tested this by estimating directed connectivity between areas using conditional Granger causality (cGC). Consistent with our prediction, the results indicated that increasing mnemonic load (capacity) increased the top-down drive from dlPFC to SPL, and cGC in the alpha (8-14Hz) frequency range was a predominant component of this effect. The presence of distraction during encoding (filtering), in contrast, was associated with increased top-down drive from dlPFC to occipital cortices directly and from SPL to occipital cortices directly, in both cases in the beta (15-25Hz) range. Thus, although a common anatomical network may serve VSTM in different contexts, it does so via specific functions that are carried out within distinct, dynamically configured frequency channels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Mangiferin protects against adverse skeletal muscle changes and enhances muscle oxidative capacity in obese rats

    PubMed Central

    Acevedo, Luz M.; Raya, Ana I.; Martínez-Moreno, Julio M.

    2017-01-01

    Obesity-related skeletal muscle changes include muscle atrophy, slow-to-fast fiber-type transformation, and impaired mitochondrial oxidative capacity. These changes relate with increased risk of insulin resistance. Mangiferin, the major component of the plant Mangifera indica, is a well-known anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antihyperlipidemic agent. This study tested the hypothesis that mangiferin treatment counteracts obesity-induced fiber atrophy and slow-to-fast fiber transition, and favors an oxidative phenotype in skeletal muscle of obese rats. Obese Zucker rats were fed gelatin pellets with (15 mg/kg BW/day) or without (placebo group) mangiferin for 8 weeks. Lean Zucker rats received the same gelatin pellets without mangiferin and served as non-obese and non-diabetic controls. Lesser diameter, fiber composition, and histochemical succinic dehydrogenase activity (an oxidative marker) of myosin-based fiber-types were assessed in soleus and tibialis cranialis muscles. A multivariate discriminant analysis encompassing all fiber-type features indicated that obese rats treated with mangiferin displayed skeletal muscle phenotypes significantly different compared with both lean and obese control rats. Mangiferin significantly decreased inflammatory cytokines, preserved skeletal muscle mass, fiber cross-sectional size, and fiber-type composition, and enhanced muscle fiber oxidative capacity. These data demonstrate that mangiferin attenuated adverse skeletal muscle changes in obese rats. PMID:28253314

  5. Mangiferin protects against adverse skeletal muscle changes and enhances muscle oxidative capacity in obese rats.

    PubMed

    Acevedo, Luz M; Raya, Ana I; Martínez-Moreno, Julio M; Aguilera-Tejero, Escolástico; Rivero, José-Luis L

    2017-01-01

    Obesity-related skeletal muscle changes include muscle atrophy, slow-to-fast fiber-type transformation, and impaired mitochondrial oxidative capacity. These changes relate with increased risk of insulin resistance. Mangiferin, the major component of the plant Mangifera indica, is a well-known anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antihyperlipidemic agent. This study tested the hypothesis that mangiferin treatment counteracts obesity-induced fiber atrophy and slow-to-fast fiber transition, and favors an oxidative phenotype in skeletal muscle of obese rats. Obese Zucker rats were fed gelatin pellets with (15 mg/kg BW/day) or without (placebo group) mangiferin for 8 weeks. Lean Zucker rats received the same gelatin pellets without mangiferin and served as non-obese and non-diabetic controls. Lesser diameter, fiber composition, and histochemical succinic dehydrogenase activity (an oxidative marker) of myosin-based fiber-types were assessed in soleus and tibialis cranialis muscles. A multivariate discriminant analysis encompassing all fiber-type features indicated that obese rats treated with mangiferin displayed skeletal muscle phenotypes significantly different compared with both lean and obese control rats. Mangiferin significantly decreased inflammatory cytokines, preserved skeletal muscle mass, fiber cross-sectional size, and fiber-type composition, and enhanced muscle fiber oxidative capacity. These data demonstrate that mangiferin attenuated adverse skeletal muscle changes in obese rats.

  6. Focusing Resource Allocation-Wellbeing as a Tool for Prioritizing Interventions for Communities at Risk

    PubMed Central

    Hogan, Anthony; Tanton, Robert; Lockie, Stewart; May, Sarah

    2013-01-01

    Objective: This study examined whether a wellbeing approach to resilience and adaptation would provide practical insights for prioritizing support to communities experiencing environmental and socio-economic stressors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey, based on a purposive sample of 2,196 stakeholders (landholders, hobby farmers, town resident and change agents) from three irrigation-dependent communities in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin. Respondents’ adaptive capacity and wellbeing (individual and collective adaptive capacity, subjective wellbeing, social support, community connectivity, community leadership, in the context of known life stressors) were examined using chi-square, comparison of mean scores, hierarchical regression and factor-cluster analysis. Results: Statistically significant correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between individual (0.331) and collective (0.318) adaptive capacity and wellbeing. Taking into account respondents’ self-assessed health and socio-economic circumstances, perceptions of individual (15%) and collective adaptive capacity (10%) as well as community connectivity (13%) were associated with wellbeing (R2 = 0.36; F (9, 2099) = 132.9; p < 0.001). Cluster analysis found that 11% of respondents were particularly vulnerable, reporting below average scores on all indicators, with 56% of these reporting below threshold scores on subjective wellbeing. Conclusions: Addressing the capacity of individuals to work with others and to adapt to change, serve as important strategies in maintaining wellbeing in communities under stress. The human impacts of exogenous stressors appear to manifest themselves in poorer health outcomes; addressing primary stressors may in turn aid wellbeing. Longitudinal studies are indicated to verify these findings. Wellbeing may serve as a useful and parsimonious proxy measure for resilience and adaptive capacity. PMID:23924885

  7. Isolation and Preliminary Screening of a Weissella confusa Strain from Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

    PubMed

    Xiong, Lvchen; Ni, Xueqin; Niu, Lili; Zhou, Yi; Wang, Qiang; Khalique, Abdul; Liu, Qian; Zeng, Yan; Shu, Gang; Pan, Kangcheng; Jing, Bo; Zeng, Dong

    2018-04-13

    Weissella confusa has recently received attention for its probiotic potential. Some W. confusa and Weissella cibaria strains isolated from fermented foods show favorable probiotic effects. However, the probiotic properties of W. confusa isolated from giant panda remain unreported to date. Thus, this study isolated a W. confusa strain from giant panda feces and then investigated its characteristics and probiotic properties. A lactic acid bacteria strain was isolated from giant panda fecal samples. The isolated strain was screened by in vitro probiotic property tests, including in vitro antimicrobial test, antioxidant test, surface hydrophobicity, and stress resistance. On the basis of biochemical identification and 16S rDNA sequencing, the W. confusa strain was identified as BSP201703. This Weissella confusa strain can survive at pH 2 and 0.3% (w/v) concentration of bile salt environment and inhibit common intestinal pathogens. It also possesses an in vitro antioxidant capacity, a high auto-aggregation ability, and a high surface hydrophobicity. BSP201703 might serve as a probiotic to giant pandas.

  8. Buffer Therapy for Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Ribeiro, Maria de Lourdes C; Silva, Ariosto S.; Bailey, Kate M.; Kumar, Nagi B.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Gatenby, Robert A.; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Gillies, Robert J.

    2013-01-01

    Oral administration of pH buffers can reduce the development of spontaneous and experimental metastases in mice, and has been proposed in clinical trials. Effectiveness of buffer therapy is likely to be affected by diet, which could contribute or interfere with the therapeutic alkalinizing effect. Little data on food pH buffering capacity was available. This study evaluated the pH and buffering capacity of different foods to guide prospective trials and test the effect of the same buffer (lysine) at two different ionization states. Food groups were derived from the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire. Foods were blended and pH titrated with acid from initial pH values until 4.0 to determine “buffering score”, in mmol H+/pH unit. A “buffering score” was derived as the mEq H+ consumed per serving size to lower from initial to a pH 4.0, the postprandial pH of the distal duodenum. To differentiate buffering effect from any metabolic byproduct effects, we compared the effects of oral lysine buffers prepared at either pH 10.0 or 8.4, which contain 2 and 1 free base amines, respectively. The effect of these on experimental metastases formation in mice following tail vein injection of PC-3M prostate cancer cells were monitored with in vivo bioluminescence. Carbohydrates and dairy products’ buffering score varied between 0.5 and 19. Fruits and vegetables showed a low to zero buffering score. The score of meats varied between 6 and 22. Wine and juices had negative scores. Among supplements, sodium bicarbonate and Tums® had the highest buffering capacities, with scores of 11 and 20 per serving size, respectively. The “de-buffered” lysine had a less pronounced effect of prevention of metastases compared to lysine at pH 10. This study has demonstrated the anti-cancer effects of buffer therapy and suggests foods that can contribute to or compete with this approach to manage cancer. PMID:24371544

  9. The current situation and development of medical device testing institutes in China.

    PubMed

    Yang, Xiaofang; Mu, Ruihong; Fan, Yubo; Wang, Chunren; Li, Deyu

    2017-04-01

    This article analyses the current situation and development of Chinese medical device testing institutes from the perspectives of the two most important functions - testing functions and medical device standardization functions. Areas Covered: The objective of the Chinese government regulations for medical device industry is to ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical devices for Chinese patients. To support the regulation system, the Chinese government has established medical device testing institutes at different levels for example, the national, provincial, and municipal levels. These testing institutes also play an important role in technical support during medical device premarket registration and post market surveillance, they are also the vital practitioners of Chinese medical device standardization. Expert Commentary: Chinese medical device testing institutes are technical departments established by government, and serve the regulatory functions of government agency. In recent years, with the rapid development of medical device industry as well as constantly increasing international and domestic medical device market, the importance of medical device testing institute is more prominent, However, there are still some problems unsolved, such as their overall capacity remains to be improved, construction of standardization is to be strengthened, etc.

  10. Market value: an underused financial planning tool.

    PubMed

    Harris, J P; Schimmel, V E

    1987-04-01

    Two issues facing CFOs are capital formation and the long-range financial impact of strategic planning decisions. For not-for-profit organizations, debt capacity is the main determining factor of capital formation while investment analysis is the key to the financial evaluation of strategic planning options. And, the market, or sale, value of the organization can serve as an effective tool to manage current debt capacity and future investment decisions.

  11. Optimizing Air Transportation Service to Metroplex Airports. Par 2; Analysis Using the Airline Schedule Optimization Model (ASOM)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Donoue, George; Hoffman, Karla; Sherry, Lance; Ferguson, John; Kara, Abdul Qadar

    2010-01-01

    The air transportation system is a significant driver of the U.S. economy, providing safe, affordable, and rapid transportation. During the past three decades airspace and airport capacity has not grown in step with demand for air transportation; the failure to increase capacity at the same rate as the growth in demand results in unreliable service and systemic delay. This report describes the results of an analysis of airline strategic decision-making that affects geographic access, economic access, and airline finances, extending the analysis of these factors using historic data (from Part 1 of the report). The Airline Schedule Optimization Model (ASOM) was used to evaluate how exogenous factors (passenger demand, airline operating costs, and airport capacity limits) affect geographic access (markets-served, scheduled flights, aircraft size), economic access (airfares), airline finances (profit), and air transportation efficiency (aircraft size). This analysis captures the impact of the implementation of airport capacity limits, as well as the effect of increased hedged fuel prices, which serve as a proxy for increased costs per flight that might occur if auctions or congestion pricing are imposed; also incorporated are demand elasticity curves based on historical data that provide information about how passenger demand is affected by airfare changes.

  12. Optimizing Air Transportation Service to Metroplex Airports. Part 1; Analysis of Historical Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Donohue, George; Hoffman, Karla; Sherry, Lance; Ferguson, John; Kara, Abdul Qadar

    2010-01-01

    The air transportation system is a significant driver of the U.S. economy, providing safe, affordable, and rapid transportation. During the past three decades airspace and airport capacity has not grown in step with demand for air transportation (+4% annual growth), resulting in unreliable service and systemic delays. Estimates of the impact of delays and unreliable air transportation service on the economy range from $32B to $41B per year. This report describes the results of an analysis of airline strategic decision-making with regards to: (1) geographic access, (2) economic access, and (3) airline finances. This analysis evaluated markets-served, scheduled flights, aircraft size, airfares, and profit from 2005-2009. During this period, airlines experienced changes in costs of operation (due to fluctuations in hedged fuel prices), changes in travel demand (due to changes in the economy), and changes in infrastructure capacity (due to the capacity limits at EWR, JFK, and LGA). This analysis captures the impact of the implementation of capacity limits at airports, as well as the effect of increased costs of operation (i.e. hedged fuel prices). The increases in costs of operation serve as a proxy for increased costs per flight that might occur if auctions or congestion pricing are imposed.

  13. 45 CFR 2553.25 - What are a sponsor's administrative responsibilities?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...) CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE THE RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM Eligibility and... serve concurrently in another capacity, paid or unpaid, during established working hours. The project...

  14. Land Application of Biosolids

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Recycling biosolids through land application serves several purposes. It improves soil properties, such as texture and water holding capacity, which make conditions more favorable for root growth and increases the drought tolerance of vegetation.

  15. 42 CFR 431.714 - Waivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS STATE ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION State Programs for Licensing Nursing Home... subpart for any person who has served in the capacity of a nursing home administrator during all of the 3...

  16. Nitrogen doped graphene - Silver nanowire hybrids: An excellent anode material for lithium ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nair, Anju K.; Elizabeth, Indu; S, Gopukumar; Thomas, Sabu; M. S, Kala; Kalarikkal, Nandakumar

    2018-01-01

    We present an in-situ polyol assisted synthesis approach for the preparation of silver nanowires (AgNW) over the nitrogen doped graphene (NG) sheets and has been tested as a viable LIBs anode material for the first time. The use of NG serves as nucleation sites, thereby facilitating the growth of AgNWs. The specific material design of the as-prepared NG-AgNW hybrids involves some advantages, including a continuous AgNW-graphene conducting network. Since AgNWs are electrically conductive, it provides an electrical contact with NG sheets which can effectively help the charge transport process and limit the variations in volume during the lithiation/de-lithiation processes. Apart from this, the insertion of metallic Ag nanowires into a percolated NG network increases the interlayer distance of NG sheets and prevent its restacking. Moreover, the more porous nature of the hybrid structure accommodating the large volume changes of AgNWs. As an anode material for LIBs, the NG-AgNW hybrid displays a remarkable initial discharge capacity of 1215 mAh g-1 and attains a stable capacity of 724 mAh g-1 at a current density of 100 mA g-1 after 50 cycles. The electrode exhibits a stable reversible capacity of 714, 634, 550 and 464 mA h g-1 at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1 Ag-1 respectively. The reversible capacity (710 mAh g-1) at 0.1 Ag-1 is recovered after the cycling at various current densities confirming outstanding rate performance of the material. In addition, the coulombic efficiency, the NG-AgNW anode retains nearly 99% after the second cycle, further indicating its excellent reversibility. The hybrid material exhibits better cycling stability, greater rate capability, capacity retention and superior reversible capacity than that of bare AgNW and NG sheets. Our smart design will pave way for the development of efficient electrode materials for high capacity and long cycle life LIBs.

  17. A torsional MRE joint for a C-shaped robotic leg

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Christie, M. D.; Sun, S. S.; Ning, D. H.; Du, H.; Zhang, S. W.; Li, W. H.

    2017-01-01

    Serving to improve stability and energy efficiency during locomotion, in nature, animals modulate their leg stiffness to adapt to their terrain. Now incorporated into many locomotive robot designs, such compliance control can enable disturbance rejection and improved transition between changing ground conditions. This paper presents a novel design of a variable stiffness leg utilizing a magnetorheological elastomer joint in a literal rolling spring loaded inverted pendulum (R-SLIP) morphology. Through the semi-active control of this hybrid permanent-magnet and coil design, variable stiffness is realized, offering a design which is capable of both softening and stiffening in an adaptive sort of way, with a maximum stiffness change of 48.0%. Experimental characterization first serves to assess the stiffness variation capacity of the torsional joint, and through later comparison with force testing of the leg, the linear stiffness is characterized with the R-SLIP-like behavior of the leg being demonstrated. Through the force relationships applied, a generalized relationship for determining linear stiffness based on joint rotation angle is also proposed, further aiding experimental validation.

  18. Determination of theoretical capacity of metal ion-doped LiMn 2O 4 as the positive electrode in Li-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Todorov, Yanko M.; Hideshima, Yasufumi; Noguchi, Hideyuki; Yoshio, Masaki

    The theoretical capacity and cation vacancy of metal ion (M)-doped LiMn 2- xM xO 4 spinel compounds serving as positive electrodes in a 4-V lithium ion batteries are calculated. The capacity depends strongly on the mole fraction of doped metal ion and vacancies. The theoretical capacity increases with increasing oxidation number of the doped metal ion in the 16d site of LiMn 2O 4 at the same doping fraction. The validity of the proposed equation for calculation of the capacity has been initially confirmed using a metal ion with well-known valence, such as the Al ion. The oxidation state of Co, Ni and Cr ions in the spinel structure is found to be trivalent, divalent and trivalent, respectively. Analysis shows that metal ion-doped spinel compounds with low vacancy content promote high capacity.

  19. Monoacylglycerol lipase promotes metastases in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Hu, Wen-Rong; Lian, Yi-Fan; Peng, Li-Xia; Lei, Jin-Ju; Deng, Cheng-Cheng; Xu, Miao; Feng, Qi-Sheng; Chen, Li-Zhen; Bei, Jin-Xin; Zeng, Yi-Xin

    2014-01-01

    Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a serine hydrolase that hydrolyzes monoacylglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol. It has recently been found to be involved in cancer progression through the free fatty acid or endocannabinoid network after studies on its function in the endocannabinoid system. Here, we determined a role for MAGL in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is known for its high metastatic potential. Among the different NPC cells we tested, MAGL was highly expressed in high metastatic NPC cells, whereas low metastatic potential NPC cells exhibited lower expression of MAGL. Overexpression of MAGL in low metastatic NPC cells enhanced their motile behavior and metastatic capacity in vivo. Conversely, knockdown of MAGL reduced the motility of highly metastatic cells, reducing their metastatic capacity in vivo. Growth rate was not influenced by MAGL in either high or low metastatic cells. MAGL expression was associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) proteins, such as E-cadherin, vimentin and Snail. It was also related to the sidepopulation (SP) of NPC cells. Our findings establish that MAGL promotes metastases in NPC through EMT, and it may serve as a target for the prevention of NPC metastases.

  20. Electrical Energy Reduction for Army Installations.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-05-01

    noted from Figure 2. The total connected transformer capacity on this circuit is 3280 kVA, of which 187 kVA is the connected transformer capacity of...means that the motor requires less total current. Lower line current means that less energy is wasted in the feeder circuits serving the motor. Variation...affected by such means as Frequency Modulation (FM) signals to receivers on the equipment, or by high-frequency power line carrier signic to receiving

  1. Left atrial mechanics strongly predict functional capacity assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing in subjects without structural heart disease.

    PubMed

    Leite, Luís; Mendes, Sofia Lázaro; Baptista, Rui; Teixeira, Rogério; Oliveira-Santos, Manuel; Ribeiro, Nelson; Coutinho, Rosa; Monteiro, Victor; Martins, Rui; Castro, Graça; Ferreira, Maria João; Pego, Mariano

    2017-05-01

    Left atrium function is essential for cardiovascular performance and is evaluable by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). Our aim was to determine how echocardiographic parameters interrelate with exercise capacity and ventilatory efficiency in subjects with no structural heart disease. Asymptomatic volunteers, in sinus rhythm and with normal biventricular size and function, were recruited from a community-based population. Individuals with moderate-to-severe valvular disease, pulmonary hypertension, and history of cardiac disease were excluded. We performed a transthoracic echocardiogram and assessed left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) mechanics via 2D-STE. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing by treadmill took place immediately thereafter. Peak oxygen uptake (VO 2 ) served as measure of functional capacity and ventilation/carbon dioxide output (VE/VCO 2 ) slope as surrogate of ventilation/perfusion mismatch. 20 subjects were included (age 51 ± 14 years, male gender 65%). Peak VO 2 strongly correlated with age (r = -0.83; P < 0.01), with E/e' ratio (r = -0.72; P < 0.01), and with LA reservoir- and conduit-phase mechanics, particularly with LA conduit strain rate (SR) (r = -0.82; P < 0.01), but showed no correlation with LA volume index or LV mechanics. A similar pattern of associations was identified for VE/VCO 2 slope. In multivariate analysis, LA conduit SR (β = -0.69; P = 0.02) emerged as sole independent correlate of peak VO 2 , adjusted for age and for E/e' ratio (adjusted r 2  = 0.76; P < 0.01). Conduit and reservoir components of LA mechanics displayed strong associations with peak VO 2 and VE/VCO 2 slope. LA conduit-phase SR seems best suited as echocardiographic marker of functional capacity in subjects with no structural heart disease.

  2. Testing Conducted for Lithium-Ion Cell and Battery Verification

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reid, Concha M.; Miller, Thomas B.; Manzo, Michelle A.

    2004-01-01

    The NASA Glenn Research Center has been conducting in-house testing in support of NASA's Lithium-Ion Cell Verification Test Program, which is evaluating the performance of lithium-ion cells and batteries for NASA mission operations. The test program is supported by NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology under the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program, which serves to bridge the gap between the development of technology advances and the realization of these advances into mission applications. During fiscal year 2003, much of the in-house testing effort focused on the evaluation of a flight battery originally intended for use on the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Lander. Results of this testing will be compared with the results for similar batteries being tested at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Naval Research Laboratory. Ultimately, this work will be used to validate lithium-ion battery technology for future space missions. The Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Lander battery was characterized at several different voltages and temperatures before life-cycle testing was begun. During characterization, the battery displayed excellent capacity and efficiency characteristics across a range of temperatures and charge/discharge conditions. Currently, the battery is undergoing lifecycle testing at 0 C and 40-percent depth of discharge under low-Earth-orbit (LEO) conditions.

  3. Hospital emergency surge capacity: an empiric New York statewide study.

    PubMed

    Kanter, Robert K; Moran, John R

    2007-09-01

    National policy for emergency preparedness calls for hospitals to accommodate surges of 500 new patients per million population in a disaster, but published studies have not evaluated the ability of existing resources to meet these goals. We describe typical statewide and regional hospital occupancy and patterns of variation in occupancy and estimate the ability of hospitals to accommodate new inpatients. Daily hospital occupancy for each hospital was calculated according to admission date and length of stay for each patient during the study period. Occupancy was expressed as the count of occupied beds. Peak hospital capacity was defined as the 95th percentile highest occupancy at each facility. Data obtained from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System were analyzed for 1996 to 2002. Patients were classified as children (0 to 14 years, excluding newborns) or adults. Vacant hospital beds per million age-specific population were determined as the difference between peak capacity and average occupancy. In New York State, 242 hospitals cared for a peak capacity of 2,707 children and 46,613 adults. Occupancy averaged 60% of the peak for children and 82% for adults, allowing an average statewide capacity for a surge of 268 new pediatric and 555 adult patients for each million age-specific population. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, in the New York City region, a discretionary modification of admissions and discharges resulted in an 11% reduction from the expected occupancy for children and adults. Typically, there are not enough vacant hospital beds available to serve 500 children per million population. Modified standards of hospital care to expand capacity may be necessary to serve children in a mass-casualty event.

  4. Inspection logistics planning for multi-stage production systems with applications to semiconductor fabrication lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Kyle Dakai

    Since the market for semiconductor products has become more lucrative and competitive, research into improving yields for semiconductor fabrication lines has lately received a tremendous amount of attention. One of the most critical tasks in achieving such yield improvements is to plan the in-line inspection sampling efficiently so that any potential yield problems can be detected early and eliminated quickly. We formulate a multi-stage inspection planning model based on configurations in actual semiconductor fabrication lines, specifically taking into account both the capacity constraint and the congestion effects at the inspection station. We propose a new mixed First-Come-First-Serve (FCFS) and Last-Come-First-Serve (LCFS) discipline for serving the inspection samples to expedite the detection of potential yield problems. Employing this mixed FCFS and LCFS discipline, we derive approximate expressions for the queueing delays in yield problem detection time and develop near-optimal algorithms to obtain the inspection logistics planning policies. We also investigate the queueing performance with this mixed type of service discipline under different assumptions and configurations. In addition, we conduct numerical tests and generate managerial insights based on input data from actual semiconductor fabrication lines. To the best of our knowledge, this research is novel in developing, for the first time in the literature, near-optimal results for inspection logistics planning in multi-stage production systems with congestion effects explicitly considered.

  5. Characteristics and comprehensiveness of adult HIV care and treatment programmes in Asia-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas: results of a site assessment conducted by the International epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Collaboration

    PubMed Central

    Duda, Stephany N; Farr, Amanda M; Lindegren, Mary Lou; Blevins, Meridith; Wester, C William; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara; Ekouevi, Didier K; Egger, Matthias; Hemingway-Foday, Jennifer; Cooper, David A; Moore, Richard D; McGowan, Catherine C; Nash, Denis

    2014-01-01

    Introduction HIV care and treatment programmes worldwide are transforming as they push to deliver universal access to essential prevention, care and treatment services to persons living with HIV and their communities. The characteristics and capacity of these HIV programmes affect patient outcomes and quality of care. Despite the importance of ensuring optimal outcomes, few studies have addressed the capacity of HIV programmes to deliver comprehensive care. We sought to describe such capacity in HIV programmes in seven regions worldwide. Methods Staff from 128 sites in 41 countries participating in the International epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS completed a site survey from 2009 to 2010, including sites in the Asia-Pacific region (n=20), Latin America and the Caribbean (n=7), North America (n=7), Central Africa (n=12), East Africa (n=51), Southern Africa (n=16) and West Africa (n=15). We computed a measure of the comprehensiveness of care based on seven World Health Organization-recommended essential HIV services. Results Most sites reported serving urban (61%; region range (rr): 33–100%) and both adult and paediatric populations (77%; rr: 29–96%). Only 45% of HIV clinics that reported treating children had paediatricians on staff. As for the seven essential services, survey respondents reported that CD4+ cell count testing was available to all but one site, while tuberculosis (TB) screening and community outreach services were available in 80 and 72%, respectively. The remaining four essential services – nutritional support (82%), combination antiretroviral therapy adherence support (88%), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) (94%) and other prevention and clinical management services (97%) – were uniformly available. Approximately half (46%) of sites reported offering all seven services. Newer sites and sites in settings with low rankings on the UN Human Development Index (HDI), especially those in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief focus countries, tended to offer a more comprehensive array of essential services. HIV care programme characteristics and comprehensiveness varied according to the number of years the site had been in operation and the HDI of the site setting, with more recently established clinics in low-HDI settings reporting a more comprehensive array of available services. Survey respondents frequently identified contact tracing of patients, patient outreach, nutritional counselling, onsite viral load testing, universal TB screening and the provision of isoniazid preventive therapy as unavailable services. Conclusions This study serves as a baseline for on-going monitoring of the evolution of care delivery over time and lays the groundwork for evaluating HIV treatment outcomes in relation to site capacity for comprehensive care. PMID:25516092

  6. Characteristics and comprehensiveness of adult HIV care and treatment programmes in Asia-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas: results of a site assessment conducted by the International epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Collaboration.

    PubMed

    Duda, Stephany N; Farr, Amanda M; Lindegren, Mary Lou; Blevins, Meridith; Wester, C William; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara; Ekouevi, Didier K; Egger, Matthias; Hemingway-Foday, Jennifer; Cooper, David A; Moore, Richard D; McGowan, Catherine C; Nash, Denis

    2014-01-01

    HIV care and treatment programmes worldwide are transforming as they push to deliver universal access to essential prevention, care and treatment services to persons living with HIV and their communities. The characteristics and capacity of these HIV programmes affect patient outcomes and quality of care. Despite the importance of ensuring optimal outcomes, few studies have addressed the capacity of HIV programmes to deliver comprehensive care. We sought to describe such capacity in HIV programmes in seven regions worldwide. Staff from 128 sites in 41 countries participating in the International epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS completed a site survey from 2009 to 2010, including sites in the Asia-Pacific region (n=20), Latin America and the Caribbean (n=7), North America (n=7), Central Africa (n=12), East Africa (n=51), Southern Africa (n=16) and West Africa (n=15). We computed a measure of the comprehensiveness of care based on seven World Health Organization-recommended essential HIV services. Most sites reported serving urban (61%; region range (rr): 33-100%) and both adult and paediatric populations (77%; rr: 29-96%). Only 45% of HIV clinics that reported treating children had paediatricians on staff. As for the seven essential services, survey respondents reported that CD4+ cell count testing was available to all but one site, while tuberculosis (TB) screening and community outreach services were available in 80 and 72%, respectively. The remaining four essential services - nutritional support (82%), combination antiretroviral therapy adherence support (88%), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) (94%) and other prevention and clinical management services (97%) - were uniformly available. Approximately half (46%) of sites reported offering all seven services. Newer sites and sites in settings with low rankings on the UN Human Development Index (HDI), especially those in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief focus countries, tended to offer a more comprehensive array of essential services. HIV care programme characteristics and comprehensiveness varied according to the number of years the site had been in operation and the HDI of the site setting, with more recently established clinics in low-HDI settings reporting a more comprehensive array of available services. Survey respondents frequently identified contact tracing of patients, patient outreach, nutritional counselling, onsite viral load testing, universal TB screening and the provision of isoniazid preventive therapy as unavailable services. This study serves as a baseline for on-going monitoring of the evolution of care delivery over time and lays the groundwork for evaluating HIV treatment outcomes in relation to site capacity for comprehensive care.

  7. A variable acceleration calibration system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Thomas H.

    2011-12-01

    A variable acceleration calibration system that applies loads using gravitational and centripetal acceleration serves as an alternative, efficient and cost effective method for calibrating internal wind tunnel force balances. Two proof-of-concept variable acceleration calibration systems are designed, fabricated and tested. The NASA UT-36 force balance served as the test balance for the calibration experiments. The variable acceleration calibration systems are shown to be capable of performing three component calibration experiments with an approximate applied load error on the order of 1% of the full scale calibration loads. Sources of error are indentified using experimental design methods and a propagation of uncertainty analysis. Three types of uncertainty are indentified for the systems and are attributed to prediction error, calibration error and pure error. Angular velocity uncertainty is shown to be the largest indentified source of prediction error. The calibration uncertainties using a production variable acceleration based system are shown to be potentially equivalent to current methods. The production quality system can be realized using lighter materials and a more precise instrumentation. Further research is needed to account for balance deflection, forcing effects due to vibration, and large tare loads. A gyroscope measurement technique is shown to be capable of resolving the balance deflection angle calculation. Long term research objectives include a demonstration of a six degree of freedom calibration, and a large capacity balance calibration.

  8. Development of the Hospital Ship Replacement (HSR) Concept - Maximizing Capability & Affordability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-08-01

    be restricted by weight when it comes to passenger capacity. For verification, these patient capacity estimates were compared to seating ...ABSTRACT The Center for Innovation in Ship Design (CISD) requested a design effort to refine and expand upon a previous development of a concept that...could serve as a replacement for the existing hospital ships, USNS Mercy (T-AHS 19) and USNS Comfort (T-AHS 20). These ships are over 35 years old and

  9. Upper bounds on secret-key agreement over lossy thermal bosonic channels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaur, Eneet; Wilde, Mark M.

    2017-12-01

    Upper bounds on the secret-key-agreement capacity of a quantum channel serve as a way to assess the performance of practical quantum-key-distribution protocols conducted over that channel. In particular, if a protocol employs a quantum repeater, achieving secret-key rates exceeding these upper bounds is evidence of having a working quantum repeater. In this paper, we extend a recent advance [Liuzzo-Scorpo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 120503 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.120503] in the theory of the teleportation simulation of single-mode phase-insensitive Gaussian channels such that it now applies to the relative entropy of entanglement measure. As a consequence of this extension, we find tighter upper bounds on the nonasymptotic secret-key-agreement capacity of the lossy thermal bosonic channel than were previously known. The lossy thermal bosonic channel serves as a more realistic model of communication than the pure-loss bosonic channel, because it can model the effects of eavesdropper tampering and imperfect detectors. An implication of our result is that the previously known upper bounds on the secret-key-agreement capacity of the thermal channel are too pessimistic for the practical finite-size regime in which the channel is used a finite number of times, and so it should now be somewhat easier to witness a working quantum repeater when using secret-key-agreement capacity upper bounds as a benchmark.

  10. Pulmonary Function Test Abnormalities in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Is It Common?

    PubMed

    El Amrousy, Doaa Mohamed; Hassan, Samir; El-Ashry, Heba; Yousef, Mohamed; Sharshar, Ragia

    2018-04-03

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency and type of pulmonary dysfunction in newly diagnosed children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the correlation between pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and IBD activity. It is an observational case-control study. One hundred newly diagnosed children with IBD were enrolled as the patient group, which was subdivided into 52 with Crohn disease (CD) and 48 with ulcerative colitis (UC). Fifty healthy children matched for age, sex, height, and body mass index (BMI) served as the control group. PFTs in the form of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, residual volume (RV), total lung capacity (TLC), mid-forced expiratory flow of 25% to 75% (FEF 25%-75%) and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were evaluated in all studied children. PFTs were measured at diagnosis, every 6 months for a period of 3 years, during remission and at least once during activity in patient group. There was significant progressive deterioration in all PFTs in IBD patients compared with their PFTs at the start of the study (P < 0.05) except for FEV1/FVC, RV, and TLC (P > 0.05). There was significant deterioration during disease activity compared with remission state regarding FEV1, FVC, FEV 25% to 75%, and DLCO (P < 0.05). Significant negative correlation was found between disease activity in both UC and CD groups and FEV1, FVC, FEV 25% to 75%, and DLCO. Subclinical PFT abnormalities are common in pediatric IBD even during remission period. So, periodic PFT evaluation should be considered in the routine follow-up of IBD children.

  11. [Capacity of extensive green roof to retain rainwater runoff in hot and humid region.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ming Xin; Dai, Se Ping; Zhou, Tian Yang; Ruan, Lin; Zhang, Qiao Song

    2017-02-01

    The water logging has become the environmental problem of major cities with the sharp increase of impermeable urban pavement as the contributing cause. Abroad, the green roof has been widely used as a practical measure to intercept rainwater, yet the capacity of green roof to retain rainwater varies with climate conditions. As the hot and humid climate zone features high temperature, humidity and precipitation, it is meaningful to study the capacity of green roof to retain rainwater under such climatic condition. In this research, 3 plat forms were set up in Guangzhou in rainy and hot summer to test the capability of simple green roof to retain rainwater runoff, and the efficiency of green roof to retain rainwater under local climate conditions was worked out based on the meteorological observation and data measurement during the 13-month test period. The results showed that the simple green roof with a substrate thickness of 30, 50 and 70 mm could retain 27.2%, 30.9% and 32.1% of precipitation and reduce the average peak value by 18.9%, 26.2% and 27.7%, respectively. Given an urban built-up area of 1035.01 km 2 in Guangzhou and a roof area percentage of approximately 37.3% and assuming the green roofs with 30 mm-thick substrate were applied within the area, the light, medium and heavy rain could be delayed at 72.8%, 22.6% and 17.4%, respectively. Accordingly, the rainwater retained could reach up to 14317×10 4 m 3 . It suggested the great potential of the simple green roof in retaining rainwater. The research could serve as reference for the hot and humid climate zone to alleviate water logging and visualize sponge city construction.

  12. Building Cross-Country Networks for Laboratory Capacity and Improvement.

    PubMed

    Schneidman, Miriam; Matu, Martin; Nkengasong, John; Githui, Willie; Kalyesubula-Kibuuka, Simeon; Silva, Kelly Araujo

    2018-03-01

    Laboratory networks are vital to well-functioning public health systems and disease control efforts. Cross-country laboratory networks play a critical role in supporting epidemiologic surveillance, accelerating disease outbreak response, and tracking drug resistance. The East Africa Public Health Laboratory Network was established to bolster diagnostic and disease surveillance capacity. The network supports the introduction of regional quality standards; facilitates the rollout and evaluation of new diagnostic tools; and serves as a platform for training, research, and knowledge sharing. Participating facilities benefitted from state-of-the art investments, capacity building, and mentorship; conducted multicountry research studies; and contributed to disease outbreak response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Role of pulmonary hemodynamics in determining 6-minute walk test result in atrial septal defect: an observational study.

    PubMed

    Supomo, Supomo; Darmawan, Handy; Arjana, Adika Zhulhi

    2018-05-22

    The presence of altered pulmonary hemodynamics in adult patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) is common. However, there are no observational studies which evaluate the impact of altered pulmonary hemodynamics on the 6-min walk test (6MWT) result. This study aimed to investigate the role of pulmonary hemodynamics in determining 6MWT result of patients with ASD. Forty-six consecutive adult patients with ASD were included in this study. Right heart catheterization was performed to obtain the pulmonary hemodynamics profile. Meanwhile, 6MWT was presented as high or low with cut-off point 350 m. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used for analytical methods. Abnormal functional capacity was indicated by ROC result of mPAP cut-off value of > 24 mmHg (p = 0.0243; AUC = 0.681). The value of PVR > 3.42 woods unit (WU) showed high specificity in determining abnormal functional capacity (p = 0.0069; AUC = 0.713). Flow ratio with cut-off point ≤4.89 had the highest sensitivity (100%) (p = 0.8300; AUC = 0.520). Pulmonary hemodynamics can serve as an indicator of 6MWT result in adult ASD patients with values of mPAP> 24 mmHg and PVR > 3.42 WU.

  14. Indoor simulations reveal differences among plant species in capturing particulate matter

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jungang; Yu, Xinxiao; Bi, Huaxing; Fu, Yanlin

    2017-01-01

    A number of studies have focused on the capacity of urban trees and shrubs to serve as efficient biological filters to mitigate air pollution. In this study, five different tree species were assessed for this function. Kerria japonica, Sophora japonica, Philadelphus pekinensis, Gleditsia sinensis, and Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea' were tested in a deposition chamber using (NH4)2SO4 particles. We quantified and compared the capability of all tested trees to remove particles by assessing deposition velocity, a measure of the ability to remove particles. When placed in the deposition chamber, S. japonica had the greatest deposition velocity, followed by Philadelphus pekinensis, G. sinensis, Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea,' and K. japonica, in descending order. In addition, the comparison of deposition velocities among these species suggested that certain leaf geometries and surface characteristics of broadleaf trees, such as trichomes and grooves, increased particle capture. However, these results change under a different simulation condition using ambient air, suggesting that some trees actually increase pollutant number concentrations more than reduce particle concentration. This outcome can be explained by the aerodynamic effect of trees exceeding the filtering capacity of vegetation under some conditions. This highlights the difficulty of generalizing species selection criteria for practice use. Accordingly, our results indicate that using vegetation to reduce particle pollution and improve the air quality is not a universally advisable and viable solution. PMID:28520744

  15. Tactical resource allocation and elective patient admission planning in care processes.

    PubMed

    Hulshof, Peter J H; Boucherie, Richard J; Hans, Erwin W; Hurink, Johann L

    2013-06-01

    Tactical planning of resources in hospitals concerns elective patient admission planning and the intermediate term allocation of resource capacities. Its main objectives are to achieve equitable access for patients, to meet production targets/to serve the strategically agreed number of patients, and to use resources efficiently. This paper proposes a method to develop a tactical resource allocation and elective patient admission plan. These tactical plans allocate available resources to various care processes and determine the selection of patients to be served that are at a particular stage of their care process. Our method is developed in a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) framework and copes with multiple resources, multiple time periods and multiple patient groups with various uncertain treatment paths through the hospital, thereby integrating decision making for a chain of hospital resources. Computational results indicate that our method leads to a more equitable distribution of resources and provides control of patient access times, the number of patients served and the fraction of allocated resource capacity. Our approach is generic, as the base MILP and the solution approach allow for including various extensions to both the objective criteria and the constraints. Consequently, the proposed method is applicable in various settings of tactical hospital management.

  16. Anchorage Behaviors of Frictional Tieback Anchors in Silty Sand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, Shih-Tsung; Hsiao, Wen-Ta; Chen, Ke-Ting; Hu, Wen-Chi; Wu, Ssu-Yi

    2017-06-01

    Soil anchors are extensively used in geotechnical applications, most commonly serve as tieback walls in deep excavations. To investigate the anchorage mechanisms of this tieback anchor, a constitutive model that considers both strain hardening and softening and volume dilatancy entitled SHASOVOD model, and FLAC3D software are used to perform 3-D numerical analyses. The results from field anchor tests are compared with those calculated by numerical analyses to enhance the applicability of the numerical method. After the calibration, this research carried out the parameter studies by numerical analyses. The numerical results reveal that whether the yield of soil around an anchor develops to ground surface and/or touches the diaphragm wall depending on the overburden depth H and the embedded depth Z of an anchor, this study suggests the minimum overburden and embedded depths to avoid the yield of soils develop to ground surface and/or touch the diaphragm wall. When the embedded depth, overburden depth or fixed length of an anchor increases, the anchorage capacity also increases. Increasing fixed length should be the optimum method to increase the anchorage capacity for fixed length less than 20m. However, when the fixed length of an anchor exceeds 30 m, the increasing rate of anchorage capacity per fixed length decreases, and progressive yield occurs obviously between the fixed length and surrounding soil.

  17. Using Grey Wolf Algorithm to Solve the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korayem, L.; Khorsid, M.; Kassem, S. S.

    2015-05-01

    The capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) is a class of the vehicle routing problems (VRPs). In CVRP a set of identical vehicles having fixed capacities are required to fulfill customers' demands for a single commodity. The main objective is to minimize the total cost or distance traveled by the vehicles while satisfying a number of constraints, such as: the capacity constraint of each vehicle, logical flow constraints, etc. One of the methods employed in solving the CVRP is the cluster-first route-second method. It is a technique based on grouping of customers into a number of clusters, where each cluster is served by one vehicle. Once clusters are formed, a route determining the best sequence to visit customers is established within each cluster. The recently bio-inspired grey wolf optimizer (GWO), introduced in 2014, has proven to be efficient in solving unconstrained, as well as, constrained optimization problems. In the current research, our main contributions are: combining GWO with the traditional K-means clustering algorithm to generate the ‘K-GWO’ algorithm, deriving a capacitated version of the K-GWO algorithm by incorporating a capacity constraint into the aforementioned algorithm, and finally, developing 2 new clustering heuristics. The resulting algorithm is used in the clustering phase of the cluster-first route-second method to solve the CVR problem. The algorithm is tested on a number of benchmark problems with encouraging results.

  18. Validity of Selected Lab and Field Tests of Physical Working Capacity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Edmund J.

    The validity of selected lab and field tests of physical working capacity was investigated. Forty-four male college students were administered a series of lab and field tests of physical working capacity. Lab tests include a test of maximum oxygen uptake, the PWC 170 test, the Harvard Step Test, the Progressive Pulse Ratio Test, Margaria Test of…

  19. Building Capacity for Trauma-Informed Care in the Child Welfare System: Initial Results of a Statewide Implementation.

    PubMed

    Lang, Jason M; Campbell, Kimberly; Shanley, Paul; Crusto, Cindy A; Connell, Christian M

    2016-05-01

    Exposure to childhood trauma is a major public health concern and is especially prevalent among children in the child welfare system (CWS). State and tribal CWSs are increasingly focusing efforts on identifying and serving children exposed to trauma through the creation of trauma-informed systems. This evaluation of a statewide initiative in Connecticut describes the strategies used to create a trauma-informed CWS, including workforce development, trauma screening, policy change, and improved access to evidence-based trauma-focused treatments during the initial 2-year implementation period. Changes in system readiness and capacity to deliver trauma-informed care were evaluated using stratified random samples of child welfare staff who completed a comprehensive assessment prior to (N = 223) and 2 years following implementation (N = 231). Results indicated significant improvements in trauma-informed knowledge, practice, and collaboration across nearly all child welfare domains assessed, suggesting system-wide improvements in readiness and capacity to provide trauma-informed care. Variability across domains was observed, and frontline staff reported greater improvements than supervisors/managers in some domains. Lessons learned and recommendations for implementation and evaluation of trauma-informed care in child welfare and other child-serving systems are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

  20. Quantifying Contextual Interference and Its Effect on Skill Transfer in Skilled Youth Tennis Players

    PubMed Central

    Buszard, Tim; Reid, Machar; Krause, Lyndon; Kovalchik, Stephanie; Farrow, Damian

    2017-01-01

    The contextual interference effect is a well-established motor learning phenomenon. Most of the contextual interference effect literature has addressed simple skills, while less is known about the role of contextual interference in complex sport skill practice, particularly with respect to skilled performers. The purpose of this study was to assess contextual interference when practicing the tennis serve. Study 1 evaluated tennis serve practice of nine skilled youth tennis players using a novel statistical metric developed specifically to measure between-skill and within-skill variability as sources of contextual interference. This metric highlighted that skilled tennis players typically engaged in serve practice that featured low contextual interference. In Study 2, 16 skilled youth tennis players participated in 10 practice sessions that aimed to improve serving “down the T.” Participants were stratified into a low contextual interference practice group (Low CI) and a moderate contextual interference practice group (Moderate CI). Pre- and post-tests were conducted 1 week before and 1 week after the practice period. Testing involved a skill test, which assessed serving performance in a closed setting, and a transfer test, which assessed serving performance in a match-play setting. No significant contextual interference differences were observed with respect to practice performance. However, analysis of pre- and post-test serve performance revealed significant Group × Time interactions. The Moderate CI group showed no change in serving performance (service displacement from the T) from pre- to post-test in the skill test, but did display improvements in the transfer test. Conversely, the Low CI group improved serving performance (service displacement from the T) in the skill test but not the transfer test. Results suggest that the typical contextual interference effect is less clear when practicing a complex motor skill, at least with the tennis serve skill evaluated here. We encourage researchers and applied sport scientists to use our statistical metric to measure contextual interference. PMID:29163306

  1. Building Capacity to Increase Health Promotion Funding to American Indian Communities: Recommendations From Community Members.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Maja; Held, Suzanne Christopher; Brown, Blakely

    2016-11-01

    Foundations and government agencies have historically played a critical role in supporting community-based health promotion programs. Increased access to health promotion funding may help address significant health issues existing within American Indian (AI) communities, such as childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Understanding the capacity of AI communities to successfully apply for and receive funding may serve to increase resources for health promotion efforts within AI communities in Montana. This exploratory qualitative study completed 17 semistructured interviews across three AI reservations in the state of Montana. Dimensions of community capacity within the context of the funding application process and partnership with funding agencies were identified, including resources, leadership, community need, networks, and relationship with the funding agency. Dimensions of AI community capacity were then used to suggest capacity-building strategies for improved partnership between AI communities in Montana and the funding agencies. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

  2. Performance Assessment of Baseline Cells for the High Efficiency Space Power Systems Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schneidegger, Brianne T.

    2012-01-01

    The Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration (ETDD) Program High Efficiency Space Power Systems (HESPS) Project, formerly the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Energy Storage Project is tasked with developing advanced lithium-ion cells for future NASA Exploration missions. Under this project, components under development via various in-house and contracted efforts are delivered to Saft America for scale-up and integration into cells. Progress toward meeting project goals will be measured by comparing the performance to these cells with cells of a similar format with Saft s state-of-the-art aerospace chemistry. This report discusses the results of testing performed on the first set of baseline cells delivered by Saft to the NASA Glenn Research Center. This build is a cylindrical "DD" geometry with a 10 Ah nameplate capacity. Testing is being performed to establish baseline cell performance at conditions relevant to ETDD HESPS Battery Key Performance Parameter (KPP) goals including various temperatures, rates, and cycle life conditions. Data obtained from these cells will serve as a performance baseline for future cell builds containing optimized ETDD HESPSdeveloped materials. A test plan for these cells was developed to measure cell performance against the high energy cell KPP goals. The goal for cell-level specific energy of the high energy technology is 180 Wh/kg at a C/10 discharge rate and 0 C. The cells should operate for at least 2000 cycles at 100 percent DOD with 80 percent capacity retention. Baseline DD cells delivered 152 Wh/kg at 20 C. This number decreased to 143.9 Wh/kg with a 0 C discharge. This report provides performance data and summarizes results of the testing performed on the DD cells.

  3. 78 FR 61947 - Equitrans, L.P.; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-07

    ... Commission's regulations under the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Equitrans seeks authorization to construct a 12,913... million cubic feet per day of additional capacity to serve the needs of producers in the Marcellus Shale...

  4. Oshkosh Logistic Management and Public Relations Responsibilities at NASA Langley

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beck, Danielle

    1995-01-01

    The central focus of my study for the summer of 1995 was to provide logistical support to Margaret Hunt, the logistics manager of the OSHKOSH airshow. In this capacity responsibilities included making arrangements for participants from NASA centers and SBIR companies for their stay in Wisconsin, while visiting the airshow, and managing staff for exhibits and the aerospace theater. A secondary purpose was to serve in other public service capacities by writing news releases, fact sheets, announcements, and articles for the Researcher News.

  5. Modeling and Optimizing Green Microgrids at Remote U.S. Navy Islands

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-12-01

    storage, and controls. All of these components work together as a system solution to serve a nearby load, such as a wind turbine and a storage battery...includes five diesel generators of varying capacities and seven 100kW wind turbines . The diesel genset specifics are shown in Table 1. They typically...run at only 30% of nominal capacity, while they are most efficient at 70% (Anderson et al. 2017). The wind turbines are all Northwind 100 kW models

  6. Synthesis, Development, and Testing of High-Surface-Area Polymer-Based Adsorbents for the Selective Recovery of Uranium from Seawater

    DOE PAGES

    Oyola, Yatsandra; Janke, Christopher J.; Dai, Sheng

    2016-02-29

    The ocean contains uranium with an approximate concentration of 3.34 ppb, which can serve as an incredible supply source to sustain nuclear energy in the United States. Unfortunately, technology currently available to recover uranium from seawater is not efficient enough and mining uranium on land is still more economical. For this study, we have developed polymer-based adsorbents with high uranium adsorption capacities by grafting amidoxime onto high-surface-area polyethylene (PE) fibers. Various process conditions have been screened, in combination with developing a rapid testing protocol (<24 h), to optimize the process. These adsorbents are synthesized through radiation-induced grafting of acrylonitrile (AN)more » and methacrylic acid (MAA) onto PE fibers, followed by the conversion of nitriles to amidoximes and basic conditioning. In addition, the uranium adsorption capacity, measured in units of g U/kg ads, is greatly increased by reducing the diameter of the PE fiber or changing its morphology. An increase in the surface area of the PE polymer fiber allows for more grafting sites that are positioned in more-accessible locations, thereby increasing access to grafted molecules that would normally be located in the interior of a fiber with a larger diameter. Polymer fibers with hollow morphologies are able to adsorb beyond 1 order of magnitude more uranium from simulated seawater than current commercially available adsorbents. Finally, several high-surface-area fibers were tested in natural seawater and were able to extract 5–7 times more uranium than any adsorbent reported to date.« less

  7. Acute antibody-directed myostatin inhibition attenuates disuse muscle atrophy and weakness in mice.

    PubMed

    Murphy, Kate T; Cobani, Vera; Ryall, James G; Ibebunjo, Chikwendu; Lynch, Gordon S

    2011-04-01

    Counteracting the atrophy of skeletal muscle associated with disuse has significant implications for minimizing the wasting and weakness in plaster casting, joint immobilization, and other forms of limb unloading, with relevance to orthopedics, sports medicine, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. We tested the hypothesis that antibody-directed myostatin inhibition would attenuate the loss of muscle mass and functional capacity in mice during 14 or 21 days of unilateral hindlimb casting. Twelve-week-old C57BL/10 mice were subjected to unilateral hindlimb plaster casting or served as controls. Mice received subcutaneous injections of saline or a mouse chimera of anti-human myostatin antibody (PF-354, 10 mg/kg; n = 6-9) on days 0 and 7 and were tested for muscle function on day 14, or were treated on days 0, 7, and 14 and tested for muscle function on day 21. Hindlimb casting reduced muscle mass, fiber size, and function of isolated soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles (P < 0.05). PF-354 attenuated the loss of muscle mass, fiber size, and function with greater effects after 14 days than after 21 days of casting, when wasting and weakness had plateaued (P < 0.05). Antibody-directed myostatin inhibition therefore attenuated the atrophy and loss of functional capacity in muscles from mice subjected to unilateral hindlimb casting with reductions in muscle size and strength being most apparent during the first 14 days of disuse. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of antibody-directed myostatin inhibition for disuse atrophy especially within the first 2 wk of disuse.

  8. The effect of using bomb calorimeter in improving science process skills of physics students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edie, S. S.; Masturi; Safitri, H. N.; Alighiri, D.; Susilawati; Sari, L. M. E. K.; Marwoto, P.; Iswari, R. S.

    2018-03-01

    The bomb calorimeter is laboratory equipment which serves to calculate the value of combustion heat or heat capacity of a sample in excess oxygen combustion. This study aims to determine the effect of using bomb calorimeter on science process skill of physics students. Influences include the effectiveness of using the equipment and knowing the improvement of students’ science process skills before and after using tools. The sample used simple random sampling with one group pretest-posttest research design. The instrument that used is written test that adjusts with science process skills aspect. Analysis of the effectiveness of bomb calorimeter showed useful result 87.88%, while the study of science skill improvement showed n-gain value 0.64 that is the medium category.

  9. Load theory of selective attention and cognitive control.

    PubMed

    Lavie, Nilli; Hirst, Aleksandra; de Fockert, Jan W; Viding, Essi

    2004-09-01

    A load theory of attention in which distractor rejection depends on the level and type of load involved in current processing was tested. A series of experiments demonstrates that whereas high perceptual load reduces distractor interference, working memory load or dual-task coordination load increases distractor interference. These findings suggest 2 selective attention mechanisms: a perceptual selection mechanism serving to reduce distractor perception in situations of high perceptual load that exhaust perceptual capacity in processing relevant stimuli and a cognitive control mechanism that reduces interference from perceived distractors as long as cognitive control functions are available to maintain current priorities (low cognitive load). This theory resolves the long-standing early versus late selection debate and clarifies the role of cognitive control in selective attention. ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

  10. Improving multi-tasking ability through action videogames.

    PubMed

    Chiappe, Dan; Conger, Mark; Liao, Janet; Caldwell, J Lynn; Vu, Kim-Phuong L

    2013-03-01

    The present study examined whether action videogames can improve multi-tasking in high workload environments. Two groups with no action videogame experience were pre-tested using the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB). It consists of two primary tasks; tracking and fuel management, and two secondary tasks; systems monitoring and communication. One group served as a control group, while a second played action videogames a minimum of 5 h a week for 10 weeks. Both groups returned for a post-assessment on the MATB. We found the videogame treatment enhanced performance on secondary tasks, without interfering with the primary tasks. Our results demonstrate action videogames can increase people's ability to take on additional tasks by increasing attentional capacity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  11. A Model for Student Video Production.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Dennis M.

    1988-01-01

    Duties of a video design team include writing, storyboard designing, directing, lighting, shooting, taping, and editing. As few as two students can handle these tasks; for larger productions, students can work in various capacities by serving as crew for each other. (JOW)

  12. Chemical ecology of tick-host interactions

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Ticks impact the health of livestock and humans world-wide through their roles as pests and vectors of diseases such as heartwater, theileriosis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Lyme disease, erhlichiosis, tick-borne encephalitis and Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever. Intrinsic to their capacity to serve ...

  13. Development and Test Evaluations for Ni-DOBDC Metal Organic Framework (MOF) Engineered Forms

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

    Troy G. Garn; Mitchell Greenhalgh

    2013-07-01

    A joint effort to prepare engineered forms of a Ni-DOBDC metal organic framework (MOF) was completed with contributions from PNNL, SNL and the INL. Two independent methods were used at INL and SNL to prepare engineered form (EF) sorbents from Ni-DOBDC MOF powder developed and prepared at PNNL. Xe and Kr capacity test evaluations were performed at ambient temperature with the cryostat experimental setup at INL. The initial INL EF MOF test results indicated a Xe capacity of 1.6 mmol/kg sorbent and no Kr capacity. A large loss of surface area also occurred during minimal testing rendering the INL EFmore » MOF unusable. Four capacity tests were completed using the SNL EF MOF at ambient temperature and resulted in Xe capacities of 1.4, 4.2, 5.0 and 3.8 mmol/kg sorbent with no Kr capacity observed in any ambient temperature tests. Two additional capacity tests were performed at 240 K to further evaluate SNL EF MOF performance. Xe capacities of 50.7 and 49.3 mmol/kg of sorbent and Kr capacities of 0.77 and 0.69 mmol/kg of sorbent were obtained, respectively. Following the adsorption evaluations, the SNL EF MOF material had lost about 40 % of the initial mass and 40 % of the initial surface area. In general, the Xe capacity results at ambient temperature for the INL and SNL EF Ni-DOBDC MOF’s were lower than 9.8 mmol Xe/kg sorbent test results reported by INL in FY-12 using PNNL’s inital EF supplied material.« less

  14. To What Extent is Drinking Water Tested in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Comparative Analysis of Regulated Water Quality Monitoring.

    PubMed

    Peletz, Rachel; Kumpel, Emily; Bonham, Mateyo; Rahman, Zarah; Khush, Ranjiv

    2016-03-02

    Water quality information is important for guiding water safety management and preventing water-related diseases. To assess the current status of regulated water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa, we evaluated testing programs for fecal contamination in 72 institutions (water suppliers and public health agencies) across 10 countries. Data were collected through written surveys, in-person interviews, and analysis of microbial water quality testing levels. Though most institutions did not achieve the testing levels specified by applicable standards or World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines, 85% of institutions had conducted some microbial water testing in the previous year. Institutions were more likely to meet testing targets if they were suppliers (as compared to surveillance agencies), served larger populations, operated in urban settings, and had higher water quality budgets (all p < 0.05). Our results indicate that smaller water providers and rural public health offices will require greater attention and additional resources to achieve regulatory compliance for water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa. The cost-effectiveness of water quality monitoring should be improved by the application of risk-based water management approaches. Efforts to strengthen monitoring capacity should pay greater attention to program sustainability and institutional commitment to water safety.

  15. To What Extent is Drinking Water Tested in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Comparative Analysis of Regulated Water Quality Monitoring

    PubMed Central

    Peletz, Rachel; Kumpel, Emily; Bonham, Mateyo; Rahman, Zarah; Khush, Ranjiv

    2016-01-01

    Water quality information is important for guiding water safety management and preventing water-related diseases. To assess the current status of regulated water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa, we evaluated testing programs for fecal contamination in 72 institutions (water suppliers and public health agencies) across 10 countries. Data were collected through written surveys, in-person interviews, and analysis of microbial water quality testing levels. Though most institutions did not achieve the testing levels specified by applicable standards or World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines, 85% of institutions had conducted some microbial water testing in the previous year. Institutions were more likely to meet testing targets if they were suppliers (as compared to surveillance agencies), served larger populations, operated in urban settings, and had higher water quality budgets (all p < 0.05). Our results indicate that smaller water providers and rural public health offices will require greater attention and additional resources to achieve regulatory compliance for water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa. The cost-effectiveness of water quality monitoring should be improved by the application of risk-based water management approaches. Efforts to strengthen monitoring capacity should pay greater attention to program sustainability and institutional commitment to water safety. PMID:26950135

  16. Establishment of the Northeast Coastal Watershed Geospatial Data Network (NECWGDN)

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

    Hannigan, Robyn

    The goals of NECWGDN were to establish integrated geospatial databases that interfaced with existing open-source (water.html) environmental data server technologies (e.g., HydroDesktop) and included ecological and human data to enable evaluation, prediction, and adaptation in coastal environments to climate- and human-induced threats to the coastal marine resources within the Gulf of Maine. We have completed the development and testing of a "test bed" architecture that is compatible with HydroDesktop and have identified key metadata structures that will enable seamless integration and delivery of environmental, ecological, and human data as well as models to predict threats to end-users. Uniquely this databasemore » integrates point as well as model data and so offers capacities to end-users that are unique among databases. Future efforts will focus on the development of integrated environmental-human dimension models that can serve, in near real time, visualizations of threats to coastal resources and habitats.« less

  17. From Concrete to Abstract in the Measurement of Length

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stephanou, Andreas; Fisher, William P., Jr.

    2013-09-01

    The concatenation of units of length is widely viewed as the paradigmatic expression of fundamental measurement. Survey, assessment, and test scores in educational and psychological measurement are often interpreted in ways that assume a concatenation of units to have been established, even though these assumptions are rarely stated or tested. A concatenation model for measurement is shown to be equivalent to a Rasch model: any two units of measurement placed end to end must together be of the same length as either one of them added to itself. This additive principle and a concatenation model of measurement together serve as a heuristic guide for organizing two experimental approaches to calibrating instruments for measuring length. The capacity to reproduce the unit of measurement from theory with no need for repeated empirical calibration experiments, as in the geometrical bisection of the line and the resultant halving of the length measure, is highlighted as essential to demonstrating a thorough understanding of the construct.

  18. Determination of total antioxidant capacity by a new spectrophotometric method based on Ce(IV) reducing capacity measurement.

    PubMed

    Ozyurt, Dilek; Demirata, Birsen; Apak, Resat

    2007-02-28

    Dietary antioxidants widely found in fruits and vegetables may serve the task of reducing oxidative damage in humans induced by free radicals and reactive oxygen species under 'oxidative stress' conditions. The aim of this work is to develop a simple, low-cost, sensitive, and diversely applicable indirect spectrophotometric method for the determination of total antioxidant capacity of several plants. The method is based on the oxidation of antioxidants with cerium(IV) sulfate in dilute sulfuric acid at room temperature. The Ce(IV) reducing capacity of the sample is measured under carefully adjusted conditions of oxidant concentration and pH such that only antioxidants and not other organic compounds would be oxidized. The spectrophotometric determination of the remaining Ce(IV) was performed after completion of reaction with antioxidants. Quercetin and gallic acid were used as standards for flavonoids and phenolic acids, respectively, and results of antioxidant measurements were reported as trolox equivalents. The developed procedure was successfully applied to the assay of total antioxidant capacity due to simple compounds such as trolox, quercetin, gallic acid, ascorbic acid, catechin, naringin, naringenin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid, and due to phenolic acids and flavonoids in the arieal parts of nettle (Urtica Dioica L.). Blank correction of significantly absorbing plant extracts at 320nm could be made with the aid of spectrophotometric titration. Plant selection was made in respect to high antioxidant content, and extraction was made with water. The proposed method was reproducible, and the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacities (TEAC coefficients) of the tested antioxidant compounds were correlated to those found by reference methods such as ABTS and CUPRAC. Since the TEAC coefficients found with the proposed method of naringin-naringenin and rutin-catechin pairs were close to each other, this Ce(IV)-based assay probably caused the simultaneous hydrolysis of flavonoid glycosides to the corresponding aglycones and their subsequent oxidation such that the hydrolysis products exhibed antioxidant capacities roughly proportional the number of -OH groups contained in a molecule.

  19. Executive functioning performance predicts subjective and physiological acute stress reactivity: preliminary results.

    PubMed

    Hendrawan, Donny; Yamakawa, Kaori; Kimura, Motohiro; Murakami, Hiroki; Ohira, Hideki

    2012-06-01

    Individual differences in baseline executive functioning (EF) capacities have been shown to predict state anxiety during acute stressor exposure. However, no previous studies have clearly demonstrated the relationship between EF and physiological measures of stress. The present study investigated the efficacy of several well-known EF tests (letter fluency, Stroop test, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) in predicting both subjective and physiological stress reactivity during acute psychosocial stress exposure. Our results show that letter fluency served as the best predictor for both types of reactivity. Specifically, the higher the letter fluency score, the lower the acute stress reactivity after controlling for the baseline stress response, as indicated by lower levels of state anxiety, negative mood, salivary cortisol, and skin conductance. Moreover, the predictive power of the letter fluency test remained significant for state anxiety and cortisol indices even after further adjustments for covariates by adding the body mass index (BMI) as a covariate. Thus, good EF performance, as reflected by high letter fluency scores, may dampen acute stress responses, which suggests that EF processes are directly associated with aspects of stress regulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. CAPACITY BUILDING PROCESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR A THAI COMMUNITY.

    PubMed

    Chaithui, Suthat; Sithisarankul, Pornchai; Hengpraprom, Sarunya

    2017-03-01

    This research aimed at exploring the development of the capacitybuilding process in environmental and health impact assessment, including the consideration of subsequent, capacity-building achievements. Data were gathered through questionnaires, participatory observations, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and capacity building checklist forms. These data were analyzed using content analysis, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics. Our study used the components of the final draft for capacity-building processes consisting of ten steps that were formulated by synthesis from each respective process. Additionally, the evaluation of capacity building levels was performed using 10-item evaluation criteria for nine communities. The results indicated that the communities performed well under these criteria. Finally, exploration of the factors influencing capacity building in environmental and health impact assessment indicated that the learning of community members by knowledge exchange via activities and study visits were the most influential factors of the capacity building processes in environmental and health impact assessment. The final revised version of capacitybuilding process in environmental and health impact assessment could serve as a basis for the consideration of interventions in similar areas, so that they increased capacity in environmental and health impact assessments.

  1. Building policy capacities: an interactive approach for linking knowledge to action in health promotion.

    PubMed

    Rütten, Alfred; Gelius, Peter

    2014-09-01

    This article outlines a theoretical framework for an interactive, research-driven approach to building policy capacities in health promotion. First, it illustrates how two important issues in the recent public health debate, capacity building and linking scientific knowledge to policy action, are connected to each other theoretically. It then introduces an international study on an interactive approach to capacity building in health promotion policy. The approach combines the ADEPT model of policy capacities with a co-operative planning process to foster the exchange of knowledge between policy-makers and researchers, thus improving intra- and inter-organizational capacities. A regional-level physical activity promotion project involving governmental and public-law institutions, NGOs and university researchers serves as a case study to illustrate the potential of the approach for capacity building. Analysis and comparison with a similar local-level project indicate that the approach provides an effective means of linking scientific knowledge to policy action and to planning concrete measures for capacity building in health promotion, but that it requires sufficiently long timelines and adequate resources to achieve adequate implementation and sustainability. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Cognitive Spare Capacity as an Index of Listening Effort.

    PubMed

    Rudner, Mary

    2016-01-01

    Everyday listening may be experienced as effortful, especially by individuals with hearing loss. This may be due to internal factors, such as cognitive load, and external factors, such as noise. Even when speech is audible, internal and external factors may combine to reduce cognitive spare capacity, or the ability to engage in cognitive processing of spoken information. A better understanding of cognitive spare capacity and how it can be optimally allocated may guide new approaches to rehabilitation and ultimately improve outcomes. This article presents results of three tests of cognitive spare capacity:1. Sentence-final Word Identification and Recall (SWIR) test2. Cognitive Spare Capacity Test (CSCT)3. Auditory Inference Span Test (AIST)Results show that noise reduces cognitive spare capacity even when speech intelligibility is retained. In addition, SWIR results show that hearing aid signal processing can increase cognitive spare capacity, and CSCT and AIST results show that increasing load reduces cognitive spare capacity. Correlational evidence suggests that while the effect of noise on cognitive spare capacity is related to working memory capacity, the effect of load is related to executive function. Future studies should continue to investigate how hearing aid signal processing can mitigate the effect of load on cognitive spare capacity, and whether such effects can be enhanced by developing executive skills through training. The mechanisms modulating cognitive spare capacity should be investigated by studying their neural correlates, and tests of cognitive spare capacity should be developed for clinical use in conjunction with developing new approaches to rehabilitation.

  3. Impact behaviour of freeze-dried and fresh pomelo (Citrus maxima) peel: influence of the hydration state

    PubMed Central

    Thielen, Marc; Speck, Thomas; Seidel, Robin

    2015-01-01

    Pomelos (Citrus maxima) are known for their thick peel which—inter alia—serves as energy dissipator when fruits impact on the ground after being shed. It protects the fruit from splitting open and thus enables the contained seeds to stay germinable and to potentially be dispersed by animal vectors. The main part of the peel consists of a parenchymatous tissue that can be interpreted from a materials point of view as open pored foam whose struts are pressurized and filled with liquid. In order to investigate the influence of the water content on the energy dissipation capacity, drop weight tests were conducted with fresh and with freeze-dried peel samples. Based on the coefficient of restitution it was found that freeze-drying markedly reduces the relative energy dissipation capacity of the peel. Measuring the transmitted force during impact furthermore indicated a transition from a uniform collapse of the foam-like tissue to a progressive collapse due to water extraction. Representing the peel by a Maxwell model illustrates that freeze-drying not only drastically reduces the damping function of the dashpots but also stiffens the springs of the model. PMID:26543566

  4. Innovative workover/drilling rigs to utilize hydraulics

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

    Noran, D.

    1975-09-29

    While Western Gear Corp., Everett, Wash., is currently building 2 models of a hydraulic workover/drilling rig (one offshore and the other a trailer-mounted land rig), Bender Co., Bakersfield, Calif., already has an all-hydraulic servicing/drilling rig undergoing tests. The rigs are similar in that they eliminate the traveling block, crown block, draw works, chains, and sprockets found on the conventional rig. The major design innovation on the Western Gear model is the 260,000-lb-capacity hoisting system in which 2 hydraulic rams are anchored to the rig floor and carry all the pipe weight, thus eliminating the danger of the derrick's being pulledmore » in. Other changes involve the tripping system, a power swivel/elevator, and the control valves. Maintenance and labor cost reductions are expected to be substantial. The Bender Co. rig has a single-section mast that is a lever-lift-type derrick which serves as a guide for the rams and a support for the pipe-racking platform. Hoisting capacity depends on the number and size of the lifting rods (which support the crown sheaves) and the hydraulic pressure applied. Manufacturing and operating costs are expected to be less than for conventional rigs.« less

  5. The Tractable Cognition Thesis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Rooij, Iris

    2008-01-01

    The recognition that human minds/brains are finite systems with limited resources for computation has led some researchers to advance the "Tractable Cognition thesis": Human cognitive capacities are constrained by computational tractability. This thesis, if true, serves cognitive psychology by constraining the space of computational-level theories…

  6. Certifying Enrollment Management Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tremblay, Christopher W.

    2015-01-01

    Most current professionals who serve in an enrollment management leadership capacity likely were trained "on the job," or at professional development events, primarily because credit-bearing credentials, degrees, and other formal programs were nonexistent (Phair 2014). However, that landscape has since changed, and now there are multiple…

  7. 42 CFR 423.508 - Modification or termination of contract by mutual consent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ...) Prohibition against Part D program participation by organizations whose owners, directors, or management employees served in a similar capacity with another organization that mutually terminated its Medicare... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT...

  8. 42 CFR 423.508 - Modification or termination of contract by mutual consent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ...) Prohibition against Part D program participation by organizations whose owners, directors, or management employees served in a similar capacity with another organization that mutually terminated its Medicare... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG...

  9. 42 CFR 423.508 - Modification or termination of contract by mutual consent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ...) Prohibition against Part D program participation by organizations whose owners, directors, or management employees served in a similar capacity with another organization that mutually terminated its Medicare... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG...

  10. 42 CFR 423.508 - Modification or termination of contract by mutual consent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ...) Prohibition against Part D program participation by organizations whose owners, directors, or management employees served in a similar capacity with another organization that mutually terminated its Medicare... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG...

  11. Dimensions of Professional Virtue.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sergiovanni, Thomas J.

    1995-01-01

    Exhorts 1994 University of San Diego graduates to invest their talents in serving the common good, whatever their chosen professions. Professionals have the capacity for welcoming complexity, acquiring information without being overwhelmed by it, planning without being controlled by their plans, discovering relationships, and creating meaning from…

  12. 78 FR 14437 - Government Employees Serving in Official Capacity in Nonprofit Organizations; Sector Unit...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-06

    ... CFR 2640.203(m) addresses a situation that was not generally thought to be covered by 18 U.S.C. 208... ``trustee'' to describe the organizational leadership but rather use other terms, such as ``council member...

  13. The Teen STAR Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klaus, Hanna

    Since neither the provision of contraception, nor exhortations to preserve premarital chastity serve the adolescent's need to integrate their now-present biological capacity to procreate into their operational self concept, this study utilized experiential learning about fertility to facilitate the integration of biologic maturity with adolescent…

  14. Summit on the beneficial use of dredged materials : turning a surplus material into a commodity of value.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-07-01

    Dredged material management options for commercial ports, particularly those involving permanent or long-term placement facilities, are : diminishing. Many existing placement facilities serving these ports are at, or near capacity, and high costs, pl...

  15. Retest effects in working memory capacity tests: A meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Scharfen, Jana; Jansen, Katrin; Holling, Heinz

    2018-06-15

    The repeated administration of working memory capacity tests is common in clinical and research settings. For cognitive ability tests and different neuropsychological tests, meta-analyses have shown that they are prone to retest effects, which have to be accounted for when interpreting retest scores. Using a multilevel approach, this meta-analysis aims at showing the reproducibility of retest effects in working memory capacity tests for up to seven test administrations, and examines the impact of the length of the test-retest interval, test modality, equivalence of test forms and participant age on the size of retest effects. Furthermore, it is assessed whether the size of retest effects depends on the test paradigm. An extensive literature search revealed 234 effect sizes from 95 samples and 68 studies, in which healthy participants between 12 and 70 years repeatedly performed a working memory capacity test. Results yield a weighted average of g = 0.28 for retest effects from the first to the second test administration, and a significant increase in effect sizes was observed up to the fourth test administration. The length of the test-retest interval and publication year were found to moderate the size of retest effects. Retest effects differed between the paradigms of working memory capacity tests. These findings call for the development and use of appropriate experimental or statistical methods to address retest effects in working memory capacity tests.

  16. Physician Willingness and Resources to Serve More Medicaid Patients: Perspectives from Primary Care Physicians

    PubMed Central

    Sommers, Anna S.; Paradise, Julia; Miller, Carolyn

    2011-01-01

    Objective Sixteen million people will gain Medicaid under health reform. This study compares primary care physicians (PCPs) on reported acceptance of new Medicaid patients and practice characteristics. Data and Methods Sample of 1,460 PCPs in outpatient settings was drawn from a 2008 nationally representative survey of physicians. PCPs were classified into four categories based on distribution of practice revenue from Medicaid and Medicare and acceptance of new Medicaid patients. Fifteen in-depth telephone interviews supplemented analysis. Findings Most high- and moderate-share Medicaid PCPs report accepting “all” or “most” new Medicaid patients. High-share Medicaid PCPs were more likely than others to work in hospital-based practices (20%) and health centers (18%). About 30% of high- and moderate-share Medicaid PCPs worked in practices with a hospital ownership interest. Health IT use was similar between these two groups and high-share Medicare PCPs, but more high- and moderate-share Medicaid PCPs provided interpreters and non-physician staff for patient education. Over 40% of high- and moderate-share Medicaid PCPs reported inadequate patient time as a major problem. Low- and no-share Medicaid PCPs practiced in higher-income areas than high-share Medicaid PCPs. In interviews, difficulty arranging specialist care, reimbursement, and administrative hassles emerged as reasons for limiting Medicaid patients. Policy Implications PCPs already serving Medicaid are positioned to expand capacity but also face constraints. Targeted efforts to increase their capacity could help. Acceptance of new Medicaid patients under health reform will hinge on multiple factors, not payment alone. Trends toward hospital ownership could increase practices' capacity and willingness to serve Medicaid. PMID:22340772

  17. Interesting Times: Practice, Science, and Professional Associations in Behavior Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Critchfield, Thomas S

    2011-01-01

    Neither practitioners nor scientists appear to be fully satisfied with the world's largest behavior-analytic membership organization. Each community appears to believe that initiatives that serve the other will undermine the association's capacity to serve their own needs. Historical examples suggest that such discord is predicted when practitioners and scientists cohabit the same association. This is true because all professional associations exist to address guild interests, and practice and science are different professions with different guild interests. No association, therefore, can succeed in being all things to all people. The solution is to assure that practice and science communities are well served by separate professional associations. I comment briefly on how this outcome might be promoted. PMID:22532750

  18. Dissemination of evidence-based cancer control interventions among Catholic faith-based organizations: results from the CRUZA randomized trial.

    PubMed

    Allen, Jennifer D; Torres, Maria Idalí; Tom, Laura S; Leyva, Bryan; Galeas, Ana V; Ospino, Hosffman

    2016-05-18

    The CRUZA randomized trial tested the efficacy of an organizational-level intervention to increase the capacity of Catholic faith-based organizations (FBOs) serving Latinos to implement evidence-based strategies (EBS) for cancer control. Thirty-one Catholic parishes were enrolled. Twenty were randomized to a "capacity enhancement" (CE) intervention and 11 to a "standard dissemination" (SD) condition. Each received a Program Implementation Manual and Toolkit of materials culturally adapted for FBOs with Latino audiences for five types of EBS recommended by the US Preventive Services Community Guide. CE parishes were offered a menu of capacity-building activities over a 3-month period, while SD parishes were provided a one-time consultation by an Intervention Specialist. Baseline and follow-up surveys compared the number and types of EBS offered. At baseline, only one parish had offered any cancer-related program in the prior year, yet a third (36 %) had offered some other type of health program or service. At post-intervention follow-up, all parishes offered a greater number of EBS. The only statistically significant difference between CE and SD groups was the number of parishes offering small media interventions (90 % in CE, 64 % in SD; p < 0.05). All parishes increased the number of cancer control activities offered to their members. These findings suggest that Catholic parishes may already have capacity to implement EBS if they are appropriately adapted and packaged and may only require low levels of support to carry out programming. Further research is needed to examine the extent to which program offerings continued after the period of grant funding. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01740219 .

  19. Increased monocyte adhesion-promoting capacity of plasma in end-stage renal disease - response to antioxidant therapy.

    PubMed

    Moradi, H; Ganji, S; Kamanna, V; Pahl, M V; Vaziri, N D

    2010-10-01

    End-stage renal disease (ESRD) causes accelerated atherosclerosis which is mediated by oxidative stress and inflammation. Activation and infiltration of monocytes represent the critical steps in atherogenesis which is advanced by oxidized LDL and inhibited by HDL. Via its main apolipoprotein (apoA-I) and constituent enzymes (paraoxonase; glutathione peroxidase (GPX), LCAT) HDL exerts potent antioxidant/anti-inflammatory functions. We have found marked reduction of HDL antioxidant/anti-inflammatory and heightened LDL pro-oxidant/pro-inflammatory activities in ESRD patients. Given the inseparable link between oxidative stress and inflammation, we tested the hypothesis that antioxidant therapy may improve anti-inflammatory (monocyte adhesion-promoting capacity) properties of plasma in ESRD patients. We studied 20 hemodialysis patients who after a 4-week wash-out period were treated with a potent antioxidant cocktail (vitamin (v) E, 800 IU; vC, 250 mg; vB6, 100 mg; vB12, 250 µg and folic acid 10 mg daily) for 8 weeks. Twelve healthy volunteers served as control. Pre-dialysis plasma samples were obtained at the onset and conclusion of the study. Markers of oxidative stress and inflammation, apoA-I, HDL-associated enzymes and monocyte adhesion assay were measured using cultured aortic endothelial cells. ESRD patients exhibited reduced plasma level of apoA-1 and antioxidant enzymes, elevated markers of oxidative stress and inflammation and heightened monocyte adhesion-promoting capacity. Antioxidant therapy failed to improve these abnormalities. High doses of antioxidant vitamins fail to improve oxidative stress, inflammation or plasma monocyte adhesion-promoting capacity in ESRD patients. Thus, high doses of vitamins beyond the routinely-prescribed supplements do not appear to be beneficial in this patient population.

  20. Rigorous Screening Technology for Identifying Suitable CO2 Storage Sites II

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

    George J. Koperna Jr.; Vello A. Kuuskraa; David E. Riestenberg

    2009-06-01

    This report serves as the final technical report and users manual for the 'Rigorous Screening Technology for Identifying Suitable CO2 Storage Sites II SBIR project. Advanced Resources International has developed a screening tool by which users can technically screen, assess the storage capacity and quantify the costs of CO2 storage in four types of CO2 storage reservoirs. These include CO2-enhanced oil recovery reservoirs, depleted oil and gas fields (non-enhanced oil recovery candidates), deep coal seems that are amenable to CO2-enhanced methane recovery, and saline reservoirs. The screening function assessed whether the reservoir could likely serve as a safe, long-term CO2more » storage reservoir. The storage capacity assessment uses rigorous reservoir simulation models to determine the timing, ultimate storage capacity, and potential for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery. Finally, the economic assessment function determines both the field-level and pipeline (transportation) costs for CO2 sequestration in a given reservoir. The screening tool has been peer reviewed at an Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) technical meeting in March 2009. A number of useful observations and recommendations emerged from the Workshop on the costs of CO2 transport and storage that could be readily incorporated into a commercial version of the Screening Tool in a Phase III SBIR.« less

  1. Empathy beyond the head. Comment on "Music, empathy, and cultural understanding" by E. Clarke et al.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krueger, Joel

    2015-12-01

    Can art build up our capacity for empathy? Some argue that film and narrative arts-by providing nuanced case studies of characters who act for reasons-serve as cognitive tools that scaffold our imaginative, perceptual, and affective capacities and expand our empathic skillset [1,2]. There is evidence that narrative may be an effective tool for at least modest improvements in children's theory of mind development [3]; other studies suggest reading literary fiction later in life can enhance empathy and perspective-taking [4-7].

  2. Frequency addressable beams for land mobile communications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thompson, J. D.; Dubellay, G. G.

    1988-01-01

    Satellites used for mobile communications need to serve large numbers of small, low cost terminals. The most important parameters affecting the capacity of such systems are the satellite equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) and gain to noise temperature ratio (G/T) and available bandwidth. Satellites using frequency addressed beams provide high EIRP and G/T with high-gain antenna beams that also permit frequency reuse over the composite coverage area. Frequency addressing is easy to implement and compatible with low-cost terminals and offers higher capacity than alternative approaches.

  3. Periosteum mechanobiology and mechanistic insights for regenerative medicine

    PubMed Central

    Knothe Tate, Melissa L; Yu, Nicole Y C; Jalilian, Iman; Pereira, André F; Knothe, Ulf R

    2016-01-01

    Periosteum is a smart mechanobiological material that serves as a habitat and delivery vehicle for stem cells as well as biological factors that modulate tissue genesis and healing. Periosteum's remarkable regenerative capacity has been harnessed clinically for over two hundred years. Scientific studies over the past decade have begun to decipher the mechanobiology of periosteum, which has a significant role in its regenerative capacity. This integrative review outlines recent mechanobiological insights that are key to modulating and translating periosteum and its resident stem cells in a regenerative medicine context. PMID:27974968

  4. 10 CFR 1023.5 - Duties and responsibilities of the Chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... cases, including alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proceedings, to administrative judges, hearing...) Authorizing and approving ADR arrangements for Board cases; obtaining non-Board personnel to serve as...-provided personnel and facilities in ADR capacities, for matters before the Board, and for other matters...

  5. 10 CFR 1023.5 - Duties and responsibilities of the Chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... cases, including alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proceedings, to administrative judges, hearing...) Authorizing and approving ADR arrangements for Board cases; obtaining non-Board personnel to serve as...-provided personnel and facilities in ADR capacities, for matters before the Board, and for other matters...

  6. 32 CFR 644.45 - Rental value.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... provided. Military necessity has required the construction of many plants which are designed for special... absence of comparable rentals of similar properties or other reliable comparative guides to value for... for the full capacity of an industrial plant as originally designed, and that this method will serve...

  7. 32 CFR 644.45 - Rental value.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... provided. Military necessity has required the construction of many plants which are designed for special... absence of comparable rentals of similar properties or other reliable comparative guides to value for... for the full capacity of an industrial plant as originally designed, and that this method will serve...

  8. 32 CFR 644.45 - Rental value.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... provided. Military necessity has required the construction of many plants which are designed for special... absence of comparable rentals of similar properties or other reliable comparative guides to value for... for the full capacity of an industrial plant as originally designed, and that this method will serve...

  9. 32 CFR 644.45 - Rental value.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... provided. Military necessity has required the construction of many plants which are designed for special... absence of comparable rentals of similar properties or other reliable comparative guides to value for... for the full capacity of an industrial plant as originally designed, and that this method will serve...

  10. 32 CFR 644.45 - Rental value.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... provided. Military necessity has required the construction of many plants which are designed for special... absence of comparable rentals of similar properties or other reliable comparative guides to value for... for the full capacity of an industrial plant as originally designed, and that this method will serve...

  11. 78 FR 69398 - Applications for New Awards; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-19

    ... Rehabilitation Research--Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--Minority-Serving... Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)--Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--Minority... the capacity of minority entities to conduct high-quality disability and rehabilitation research by...

  12. 76 FR 59186 - Renewal of Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-23

    ... from coal producers; 5 representatives from electric utilities (including at least one rural electric... providers, and biofuel refiners, processors, and distributors; and 2 representatives from private car owners, car lessors, or car manufacturers. These members are serving in a representative capacity for this...

  13. Language Resource Centers Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education, 2012

    2012-01-01

    The Language Resource Centers (LRC) program provides grants to institutions of higher education to establish, strengthen, and operate resource centers that serve to improve the nation's capacity to teach and learn foreign languages. Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education. Duration of the grant is four years. Center activities…

  14. Serving the Public Good

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greene, Jennifer C.

    2010-01-01

    This discussion foregrounds four key issues engaged by the articles presented in this special issue: the unique challenges and opportunities of environmental education evaluation, how to think well about the evaluation approaches and purposes that best match this domain, evaluation capacity building in environmental education and action, and…

  15. Feruloyl Dioleoyglycerol Antioxidant Capacity in Phospholipid Vesicles

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Ferulic acid and its esters are known to be effective antioxidants. Feruloyl dioleoylglycerol was assessed for its ability to serve as an antioxidant in model membrane phospholipid vesicles. The molecule was incorporated into single-lamellar vesicles of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine at ...

  16. 32 CFR 176.5 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... BASE CLOSURE COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE-COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AND HOMELESS ASSISTANCE § 176... Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.). Communities in the vicinity of the installation. The communities... serving in that capacity, the communities in the vicinity of the installation are deemed to be those...

  17. 32 CFR 176.5 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... BASE CLOSURE COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE-COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AND HOMELESS ASSISTANCE § 176... Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.). Communities in the vicinity of the installation. The communities... serving in that capacity, the communities in the vicinity of the installation are deemed to be those...

  18. The Inside-Out Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindsey, Delores B.; MacDonell, Linda

    2011-01-01

    Linda MacDonell is the assistant superintendent of the Instructional Services Division of the Orange County (California) Department of Education and over the years, Delores Lindsey served as MacDonell's leadership coach. In this article, they talk about their experiences as external/internal partners building internal capacity for culturally…

  19. 28 CFR 4.4 - Supporting affidavit; additional information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... relatives by blood or marriage are currently serving in any capacity with any employee benefit plan, or labor organization, group or association of employers dealing with labor organizations or industrial labor relations group, or currently advising or representing any employer with respect to employee...

  20. Capacity planning of a wide-sense nonblocking generalized survivable network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ho, Kwok Shing; Cheung, Kwok Wai

    2006-06-01

    Generalized survivable networks (GSNs) have two interesting properties that are essential attributes for future backbone networks--full survivability against link failures and support for dynamic traffic demands. GSNs incorporate the nonblocking network concept into the survivable network models. Given a set of nodes and a topology that is at least two-edge connected, a certain minimum capacity is required for each edge to form a GSN. The edge capacity is bounded because each node has an input-output capacity limit that serves as a constraint for any allowable traffic demand matrix. The GSN capacity planning problem is nondeterministic polynomial time (NP) hard. We first give a rigorous mathematical framework; then we offer two different solution approaches. The two-phase approach is fast, but the joint optimization approach yields a better bound. We carried out numerical computations for eight networks with different topologies and found that the cost of a GSN is only a fraction (from 52% to 89%) more than that of a static survivable network.

  1. Effects of age, working memory, and word order on passive-sentence comprehension: evidence from a verb-final language.

    PubMed

    Sung, Jee Eun; Yoo, Jae Keun; Lee, Soo Eun; Eom, Bora

    2017-06-01

    The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of working-memory (WM) capacity on age-related changes in abilities to comprehend passive sentences when the word order was systematically manipulated. A total of 134 individuals participated in the study. The sentence-comprehension task consisted of the canonical and non-canonical word-order conditions. A composite measure of WM scores was used as an index of WM capacity. Participants exhibited worse performance on sentences with non-canonical word order than canonical word order. The two-way interaction between age and WM was significant, suggesting that WM effects were greater than age effects on the task. WM capacity effects on passive-sentence comprehension increased dramatically as people aged, suggesting that those who have larger WM capacity are less vulnerable to age-related changes in sentence-comprehension abilities. WM capacity may serve as a cognitive reserve associated with sentence-comprehension abilities for elderly adults.

  2. CCL21 and IP-10 as blood biomarkers for pulmonary involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

    PubMed

    Odler, B; Bikov, A; Streizig, J; Balogh, C; Kiss, E; Vincze, K; Barta, I; Horváth, I; Müller, V

    2017-05-01

    Biomarkers for pulmonary manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are missing. Plasma samples of nine SLE patients with known pulmonary involvement (SLE pulm ) and nine SLE patients without pulmonary involvement (SLE) were tested by multiplex microarray analysis for various cyto- and chemokines. Significantly decreased lung function paramters for forced vital capacity (FVC), total lung capacity (TLC), diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DL CO ) and diffusion of CO corrected on lung volume (KL CO ) were observed in SLE pulm as compared to SLE patients. CC chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21) and interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10) levels were significantly higher in SLE pulm , than in patients without pulmonary manifestations. CCL21 correlated negatively with DL CO ( r = -0.73; p < 0.01) and KL CO ( r = -0.62; p < 0.01), while IP-10 with FVC and forced expiratory volume one second. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis confirmed high sensitivity and specificity for the separation of SLE patients with and without pulmonary involvement for the chemokines CCL21 (Area Under Curve (AUC): 0.85; sensitivity%: 88.90; specificity%: 75.00; p < 0.01) and IP-10 (AUC: 0.82; sensitivity%: 66.67, specificity%: 100; p < 0.01). Pleuropulmonary manifestations in SLE patients associated with lung functional and DL CO /KL CO changes and were associated with significant increase in CCL21 and IP-10. These chemokines might serve as potential biomarkers of lung involvement in SLE patients.

  3. Outcome quality of in-patient cardiac rehabilitation in elderly patients--identification of relevant parameters.

    PubMed

    Salzwedel, Annett; Nosper, Manfred; Röhrig, Bernd; Linck-Eleftheriadis, Sigrid; Strandt, Gert; Völler, Heinz

    2014-02-01

    Outcome quality management requires the consecutive registration of defined variables. The aim was to identify relevant parameters in order to objectively assess the in-patient rehabilitation outcome. From February 2009 to June 2010 1253 patients (70.9 ± 7.0 years, 78.1% men) at 12 rehabilitation clinics were enrolled. Items concerning sociodemographic data, the impairment group (surgery, conservative/interventional treatment), cardiovascular risk factors, structural and functional parameters and subjective health were tested in respect of their measurability, sensitivity to change and their propensity to be influenced by rehabilitation. The majority of patients (61.1%) were referred for rehabilitation after cardiac surgery, 38.9% after conservative or interventional treatment for an acute coronary syndrome. Functionally relevant comorbidities were seen in 49.2% (diabetes mellitus, stroke, peripheral artery disease, chronic obstructive lung disease). In three key areas 13 parameters were identified as being sensitive to change and subject to modification by rehabilitation: cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides), exercise capacity (resting heart rate, maximal exercise capacity, maximal walking distance, heart failure, angina pectoris) and subjective health (IRES-24 (indicators of rehabilitation status): pain, somatic health, psychological well-being and depression as well as anxiety on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). The outcome of in-patient rehabilitation in elderly patients can be comprehensively assessed by the identification of appropriate key areas, that is, cardiovascular risk factors, exercise capacity and subjective health. This may well serve as a benchmark for internal and external quality management.

  4. Mothering from the Inside Out: Results of a second randomized clinical trial testing a mentalization-based intervention for mothers in addiction treatment

    PubMed Central

    Suchman, Nancy E.; DeCoste, Cindy L.; McMahon, Thomas J.; Dalton, Rachel; Mayes, Linda C.; Borelli, Jessica

    2016-01-01

    Mothers with histories of alcohol and drug addiction have shown greater difficulty parenting young children than mothers with no history of substance misuse. This study was the second randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of Mothering from the Inside Out (MIO), a 12-week mentalization-based individual therapy designed to address psychological deficits commonly associated with chronic substance use that also interfere with the capacity to parent young children. Eighty-seven mothers caring for a child between 11 and 60 months of age were randomly assigned to receive 12 sessions of MIO versus 12 sessions of Parent Education (PE)—a psychoeducation active control comparison. Maternal reflective functioning, representations of caregiving, mother-child interaction quality, and child attachment were evaluated at baseline and post-treatment and 3-month follow up. Mother-child interaction quality was assessed again at 12-month follow up. In comparison with PE mothers, MIO mothers demonstrated a higher capacity for reflective functioning and representational coherence at post-treatment and 3-month follow up. At 12-month follow up, compared to PE cohorts, MIO mothers demonstrated greater sensitivity, their children showed greater involvement, and MIO dyads showed greater reciprocity. As addiction severity increased, MIO also appeared to serve as a protective factor for maternal reflective functioning, quality of mother-child interactions, and child attachment status. Results demonstrate the promise of mentalization-based interventions provided concomitant with addiction treatment for mothers and their young children. PMID:28401850

  5. Mothering From the Inside Out: Results of a second randomized clinical trial testing a mentalization-based intervention for mothers in addiction treatment.

    PubMed

    Suchman, Nancy E; DeCoste, Cindy L; McMahon, Thomas J; Dalton, Rachel; Mayes, Linda C; Borelli, Jessica

    2017-05-01

    Mothers with histories of alcohol and drug addiction have shown greater difficulty parenting young children than mothers with no history of substance misuse. This study was the second randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of Mothering From the Inside Out (MIO), a 12-week mentalization-based individual therapy designed to address psychological deficits commonly associated with chronic substance use that also interfere with the capacity to parent young children. Eighty-seven mothers caring for a child between 11 and 60 months of age were randomly assigned to receive 12 sessions of MIO versus 12 sessions of parent education (PE), a psychoeducation active control comparison. Maternal reflective functioning, representations of caregiving, mother-child interaction quality, and child attachment were evaluated at baseline and posttreatment and 3-month follow-up. Mother-child interaction quality was assessed again at 12-month follow-up. In comparison with PE mothers, MIO mothers demonstrated a higher capacity for reflective functioning and representational coherence at posttreatment and 3-month follow-up. At 12-month follow-up, compared to PE cohorts, MIO mothers demonstrated greater sensitivity, their children showed greater involvement, and MIO dyads showed greater reciprocity. As addiction severity increased, MIO also appeared to serve as a protective factor for maternal reflective functioning, quality of mother-child interactions, and child attachment status. Results demonstrate the promise of mentalization-based interventions provided concomitant with addiction treatment for mothers and their young children.

  6. Is the 6-minute walk test a reliable substitute for peak oxygen uptake in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy?

    PubMed

    Zugck, C; Krüger, C; Dürr, S; Gerber, S H; Haunstetter, A; Hornig, K; Kübler, W; Haass, M

    2000-04-01

    The 6-min walk test may serve as a more simple clinical tool to assess functional capacity in congestive heart failure than determination of peak oxygen uptake by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The purpose of the study was to prospectively examine whether the distance ambulated during a 6-min walk test (i) correlates with peak oxygen uptake, (ii) allows peak oxygen uptake to be predicted, and (iii) provides prognostic information similar to peak oxygen uptake in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and left ventricular ejection fraction < or = 35%. In 113 patients (age: 54+/-12 years, NYHA: 2.2+/-0.8) with dilated cardiomyopathy (left ventricular ejection fraction 19+/-7%) a 6-min walk test and cardiopulmonary exercise testing were performed. The 6-min walk test and peak oxygen uptake were closely correlated at the initial visit (r=0.68, n=113), as well as after 263+/-114 (r=0.71, n=28) and 381+/-170 days (r=0.74, n=14). During serial exercise testing the 6-min walk test allowed peak oxygen uptake to be reliably predicted (r=0.76 between calculated and real peak oxygen uptake). After 528+/-234 days, 42 patients were hospitalized due to worsening heart failure and/or died from cardiovascular causes. Compared to clinically stable patients, these 42 patients walked a shorter distance (423+/-104 vs 501+/-95 m, P<0.001) and had a lower peak oxygen uptake (12.7+/-4.0 vs 17.4 + 5.6 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1), P<0.001). By univariate analysis the 6-min walk test outperformed other prognostic parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac index and plasma norepinephrine concentration and conferred a prognostic power similar to peak oxygen uptake. This predictive value could be further improved in a multivariate model, by combining the 6-min walk test with independent variables, such as left ventricular ejection fraction or cardiac index. The 6-min walk test correlated with peak oxygen uptake when tested serially over the course of the disease. Although both tests define two distinct domains of functional capacity, the 6-min walk test provides prognostic information very similar to peak oxygen uptake in congestive heart failure patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

  7. Effect of food service form on eating rate: meal served in a separated form might lower eating rate.

    PubMed

    Suh, Hyung Joo; Jung, Eun Young

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the association between food form (mixed vs separated) and eating rate. The experiment used a within-subjects design (n=29, young healthy women with normal weight). Test meals (white rice and side dishes) with the same content and volume were served at lunch in a mixed or separated form. The form in which the food was served had significant effects on consumption volume and eating rate; subjects ate significantly more (p<0.05) when a test meal was served as a mixed form (285 g, 575 kcal) compared to a separated form (244 g, 492 kcal). Moreover, subjects also ate significantly faster (p<0.05) when the test meal was served as a mixed form (22.4 g/min) as compared to a separated form (16.2 g/min). Despite consuming more when the test meal was served as a mixed form than when served as a separated form, the subjects did not feel significantly fuller. In conclusion, we confirmed that meals served in a separated form might lower the eating rate and, moreover, slower eating might be associated with less energy intake, without compromising satiety.

  8. Enhancing organizational capacity to provide cancer control programs among Latino churches: design and baseline findings of the CRUZA Study.

    PubMed

    Allen, Jennifer D; Torres, Maria Idali; Tom, Laura S; Rustan, Sarah; Leyva, Bryan; Negron, Rosalyn; Linnan, Laura A; Jandorf, Lina; Ospino, Hosffman

    2015-04-09

    Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have been successful in delivering health promotion programs for African Americans, though few studies have been conducted among Latinos. Even fewer have focused on organizational change, which is required to sustain community-based initiatives. We hypothesized that FBOs serving Latinos would be more likely to offer evidence-based strategies (EBS) for cancer control after receiving a capacity enhancement intervention to implement health programs, and designed the CRUZA trial to test this hypothesis. This paper describes the CRUZA design and baseline findings. We identified Catholic parishes in Massachusetts that provided Spanish-language mass (n = 65). A baseline survey assessed organizational characteristics relevant to adoption of health programs, including readiness for adoption, "fit" between innovation and organizational mission, implementation climate, and organizational culture. In the next study phase, parishes that completed the baseline assessment will be recruited to a randomized cluster trial, with the parish as the unit of analysis. Both groups will receive a Program Manual and Toolkit. Capacity Enhancement parishes will also be offered technical support, assistance forming health committees and building inter-institutional partnerships, and skills-based training. Of the 49 parishes surveyed at baseline (75%), one-third (33%) reported having provided at least one health program in the prior year. However, only two program offerings were cancer-specific. Nearly one-fifth (18%) had an active health ministry. There was a high level of organizational readiness to adopt cancer control programs, high congruence between parish missions and CRUZA objectives, moderately conducive implementation climates, and organizational cultures supportive of CRUZA programming. Having an existing health ministry was significantly associated with having offered health programs within the past year. Relationships between health program offerings and other organizational characteristics were not statistically significant. Findings suggest that many parishes do not offer cancer control programs, yet many may be ready to do so. However, the perceptions about existing organizational practices and policies may not be conducive to program initiation. A capacity enhancement intervention may hold promise as a means of increasing health programming. The efficacy of such an intervention will be tested in phase two of this study.

  9. Public water supplies of North Carolina : a summary of water sources, use, treatment, and capacity of water-supply systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mann, L.T.

    1978-01-01

    Data were collected during 1970-76 on 224 public water supply systems in North Carolina with 500 or more customers. This report summarizes these data that were previously published in five separate regional reports. The data are presented in order to Council of Government region, county, and water system name and include population served, average and maximum daily use, industrial use, water source, allowable draft of surface-water supplies, raw water pumping capacity, raw and finished water storage, type of water treatment, treatment plant capacity, and a summary of the chemical quality of finished water. Tables and maps provide cross references for system names, counties, Council of Government regions and water source.

  10. Exploring the Relationship Between Surgical Capacity and Output in Ghana: Current Capacity Assessments May Not Tell the Whole Story.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Barclay T; Gyedu, Adam; Gaskill, Cameron; Boakye, Godfred; Quansah, Robert; Donkor, Peter; Volmink, Jimmy; Mock, Charles

    2018-03-13

    Capacity assessments serve as surrogates for surgical output in low- and middle-income countries where detailed registers do not exist. The relationship between surgical capacity and output was evaluated in Ghana to determine whether a more critical interpretation of capacity assessment data is needed on which to base health systems strengthening initiatives. A standardized surgical capacity assessment was performed at 37 hospitals nationwide using WHO guidelines; availability of 25 essential resources and capabilities was used to create a composite capacity score that ranged from 0 (no availability of essential resources) to 75 (constant availability) for each hospital. Data regarding the number of essential operations performed over 1 year, surgical specialties available, hospital beds, and functional operating rooms were also collected. The relationship between capacity and output was explored. The median surgical capacity score was 37 [interquartile range (IQR) 29-48; range 20-56]. The median number of essential operations per year was 1480 (IQR 736-1932) at first-level hospitals; 1545 operations (IQR 984-2452) at referral hospitals; and 11,757 operations (IQR 3769-21,256) at tertiary hospitals. Surgical capacity and output were not correlated (p > 0.05). Contrary to current understanding, surgical capacity assessments may not accurately reflect surgical output. To improve the validity of surgical capacity assessments and facilitate maximal use of available resources, other factors that influence output should also be considered, including demand-side factors; supply-side factors and process elements; and health administration and management factors.

  11. Global Disease Detection-Achievements in Applied Public Health Research, Capacity Building, and Public Health Diplomacy, 2001-2016.

    PubMed

    Rao, Carol Y; Goryoka, Grace W; Henao, Olga L; Clarke, Kevin R; Salyer, Stephanie J; Montgomery, Joel M

    2017-11-01

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established 10 Global Disease Detection (GDD) Program regional centers around the world that serve as centers of excellence for public health research on emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. The core activities of the GDD Program focus on applied public health research, surveillance, laboratory, public health informatics, and technical capacity building. During 2015-2016, program staff conducted 205 discrete projects on a range of topics, including acute respiratory illnesses, health systems strengthening, infectious diseases at the human-animal interface, and emerging infectious diseases. Projects incorporated multiple core activities, with technical capacity building being most prevalent. Collaborating with host countries to implement such projects promotes public health diplomacy. The GDD Program continues to work with countries to strengthen core capacities so that emerging diseases can be detected and stopped faster and closer to the source, thereby enhancing global health security.

  12. Cobalt silicate hierarchical hollow spheres for lithium-ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jun; Guo, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yufei; Sun, Chencheng; Yan, Qingyu; Dong, Xiaochen

    2016-09-09

    In this paper, the synthesis of cobalt silicate novel hierarchical hollow spheres via a facile hydrothermal method is presented. With a unique hollow structure, the Co2SiO4 provides a large surface area, which can shorten the lithium ions diffusion length and effectively accommodate the volumetic variation during the lithiation/de-lithiation process. Serving as an anode material in lithium-ion battery application, the Co2SiO4 electrode demonstrates a high reversible specific capacity (first-cycle charge capacity of 948.6 mAh g(-1) at 100 mA g(-1)), a cycling durability (specific capacity of 791.4 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles at 100 mA g(-1)), and a good rate capability (specific capacity of 349.4 mAh g(-1) at 10 A g(-1)). The results indicate that the cobalt silicate hierarchical hollow sphere holds the potential applications in energy storage electrodes.

  13. Estimation of reservoir storage capacity using multibeam sonar and terrestrial lidar, Randy Poynter Lake, Rockdale County, Georgia, 2012

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lee, K.G.

    2013-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Rockdale County Department of Water Resources, conducted a bathymetric and topographic survey of Randy Poynter Lake in northern Georgia in 2012. The Randy Poynter Lake watershed drains surface area from Rockdale, Gwinnett, and Walton Counties. The reservoir serves as the water supply for the Conyers-Rockdale Big Haynes Impoundment Authority. The Randy Poynter reservoir was surveyed to prepare a current bathymetric map and determine storage capacities at specified water-surface elevations. Topographic and bathymetric data were collected using a marine-based mobile mapping unit to estimate storage capacity. The marine-based mobile mapping unit operates with several components: multibeam echosounder, singlebeam echosounder, light detection and ranging system, navigation and motion-sensing system, and data acquisition computer. All data were processed and combined to develop a triangulated irregular network, a reservoir capacity table, and a bathymetric contour map.

  14. Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garwin, Richard L.

    2003-04-01

    The National Academy of Sciences recently published a detailed study of technical factors related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with emphasis on those issues that arose when the Senate declined to ratify the Treaty in 1999. The study considered (1) the capacity of the United States to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of its nuclear weapons without nuclear testing; (2) the capabilities of the international nuclear-test monitoring system; and (3) the advances in nuclear weapons capabilities that other countries might make through low-yield testing that might escape detection. Excluding political factors, the committee considered three possible future worlds: (1) a world without a CTBT; (2) a world in which the signatories comply with a CTBT; and (3) a world in the signatories evade its strictures within the limits set by the detection system. The talk and ensuing discussion will elaborate on the study. The principal conclusion of the report, based solely on technical reasons, is that the national security of the United States is better served with a CTBT in force than without it, whether or not other signatories conduct low level but undetected tests in violation of the treaty. Moreover, the study finds that nuclear testing would not add substantially to the US Stockpile Stewardship Program in allowing the United States to maintain confidence in the assessment of its existing nuclear weapons.

  15. Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2003-03-01

    The National Academy of Sciences recently completed a detailed study of the technical factors related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with emphasis on those issues that arose when the Senate declined to ratify the Treaty in 1999. The study considered (1) the capacity of the United States to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of its nuclear weapons without nuclear testing; (2) the capabilities of the international nuclear-test monitoring system; and (3) the advances in nuclear weapons capabilities that other countries might make through low-yield testing that might escape detection. While political factors were excluded, the committee considered three possible future worlds: (1) a world without a CTBT; (2) a world in which the signatories comply with a CTBT; and (3) a world in the signatories evade its strictures within the limits set by the detection system. The talk will elaborate on the study. The primary conclusion, based solely on technical reasons, is that the national security of the United States is better served with a CTBT in force than without it, whether or not other signatories conduct low level but undetected tests in violation of the treaty. Moreover, the study finds that nuclear testing would not add substantially to the US Stockpile Stewardship Program in allowing the United States to maintain confidence in the assessment of its existing nuclear weapons."

  16. 75 FR 9158 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Identification of Northeast Regional Ocean...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-01

    ... Collection; Comment Request; Identification of Northeast Regional Ocean Council Information Network Using Social Network Analysis AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ACTION: Notice... in many capacities. A social network analysis will serve to identify the network of people working on...

  17. Optical memories in digital computing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Alford, C. O.; Gaylord, T. K.

    1979-01-01

    High capacity optical memories with relatively-high data-transfer rate and multiport simultaneous access capability may serve as basis for new computer architectures. Several computer structures that might profitably use memories are: a) simultaneous record-access system, b) simultaneously-shared memory computer system, and c) parallel digital processing structure.

  18. Taxi, Jitneys and Poverty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenbloom, Sandi

    1970-01-01

    Version of the paper given at The Transportation and Poverty Conference of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Argues for revival of jitneys (12-14 capacity motor vehicles, operating on fixed routes, fares zone-rated) to serve ghetto residents and provide employment, too. Taxi company competition also discussed. (KG)

  19. Research on hybrid transmission mode for HVDC with optimal thermal power and renewable energy combination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Jinfang; Yan, Xiaoqing; Wang, Hongfu

    2018-02-01

    With the rapid development of renewable energy in Northwest China, curtailment phenomena is becoming more and more serve owing to lack of adjustment ability and enough transmission capacity. Based on the existing HVDC projects, exploring the hybrid transmission mode associated with thermal power and renewable power will be necessary and important. This paper has proposed a method on optimal thermal power and renewable energy combination for HVDC lines, based on multi-scheme comparison. Having established the mathematic model for electric power balance in time series mode, ten different schemes have been picked for figuring out the suitable one by test simulation. By the proposed related discriminated principle, including generation device utilization hours, renewable energy electricity proportion and curtailment level, the recommendation scheme has been found. The result has also validated the efficiency of the method.

  20. Automated On-tip Affinity Capture Coupled with Mass Spectrometry to Characterize Intact Antibody-Drug Conjugates from Blood

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Ke Sherry; Chu, Phillip Y.; Fourie-O'Donohue, Aimee; Srikumar, Neha; Kozak, Katherine R.; Liu, Yichin; Tran, John C.

    2018-05-01

    Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) present unique challenges for ligand-binding assays primarily due to the dynamic changes of the drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) distribution in vivo and in vitro. Here, an automated on-tip affinity capture platform with subsequent mass spectrometry analysis was developed to accurately characterize the DAR distribution of ADCs from biological matrices. A variety of elution buffers were tested to offer optimal recovery, with trastuzumab serving as a surrogate to the ADCs. High assay repeatability (CV 3%) was achieved for trastuzumab antibody when captured below the maximal binding capacity of 7.5 μg. Efficient on-tip deglycosylation was also demonstrated in 1 h followed by affinity capture. Moreover, this tip-based platform affords higher throughput for DAR characterization when compared with a well-characterized bead-based method.

  1. Novel electrolyte chemistries for Mg-Ni rechargeable batteries.

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

    Garcia-Diaz, Brenda; Kane, Marie; Au, Ming

    2010-10-01

    Commercial hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) serve as means to reduce the nation's dependence on oil. Current electric vehicles use relatively heavy nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable batteries. Li-ion rechargeable batteries have been developed extensively as the replacement; however, the high cost and safety concerns are still issues to be resolved before large-scale production. In this study, we propose a new highly conductive solid polymer electrolyte for Mg-Ni high electrochemical capacity batteries. The traditional corrosive alkaline aqueous electrolyte (KOH) is replaced with a dry polymer with conductivity on the order of 10{sup -2} S/cm, as measuredmore » by impedance spectroscopy. Several potential novel polymer and polymer composite candidates are presented with the best-performing electrolyte results for full cell testing and cycling.« less

  2. A theory-based computer mediated communication intervention to promote mental health and reduce high-risk behaviors in the LGBT population.

    PubMed

    DiNapoli, Jean Marie; Garcia-Dia, Mary Joy; Garcia-Ona, Leila; O'Flaherty, Deirdre; Siller, Jennifer

    2014-02-01

    The Healthy People 2020 (2012) report has identified that isolation, lack of social services, and a shortage of culturally competent providers serve as barriers to the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals who have HIV/AIDS. Self-transcendence theory proposes that individuals who face increased vulnerability or mortality may acquire an increased capacity for self-transcendence and its positive influence on mental health and well-being. The use of technology-enabled social and community support and group interventions through computer mediated self-help (CMSH) with LGBT individuals may help meet mental health needs of this group, and support healthy lifestyle practices. This article presents an overview of steps taken to propose a theory-based CMSH intervention for testing in research and eventual application in practice. © 2013.

  3. The ecological competition and grazing reverse the effects of sulfamethoxazole on plankton: a case study on characterizing community-level effect.

    PubMed

    Wang, Changyou; Liang, Shengkang; Zhang, Yong

    2018-04-12

    The toxic effects of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) on densities of two algae, Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis, Isochrysis galbana, and of a rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis, were tested by the population and community experiments. Two endpoints, the carrying capacity and the densities array of community in steady state (DACS), were used to characterize the toxic effects at a population level and a community one, respectively. The results showed that the carrying capacity of P. helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis and B. plicatilis did not decline significantly in population test when the concentration of SMX was lower than 6.0 mg L -1 and 12.0 mg L -1 , respectively. However, I. galbana was sensitive to SMX and had presented toxic effect at 3.0 mg L -1 . By extrapolation of toxic effect at a population level to a community one, a derived community-NOEC was 3.0 mg L -1 , representing an inference from data of toxic effects at population level. In community experiment, when the customized community was in steady state, the density of I. galbana increased as a whole with SMX concentration in the range of tested concentration (0-144 mg L -1 ), while that of P. helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis assumed the trend of a reversed "v" in this range. Only the density of B. plicatilis decreased with SMX concentration. With the DACS as endpoint, a NOEC for the customized community was determined to be 6.0 mg L -1 . This indicates that interspecific interactions can reverse the toxic effects of SMX on phytoplankton. The DACS was reliable and stable, serving as the endpoints in assessment of the effects of the pollutants on the ecosystems.

  4. Enhancing the spatial coverage of a regional high-quality hydraulic conductivity dataset with estimates made from domestic water-well specific-capacity tests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Priebe, Elizabeth H.; Neville, C. J.; Rudolph, D. L.

    2018-03-01

    The spatial coverage of hydraulic conductivity ( K) values for large-scale groundwater investigations is often poor because of the high costs associated with hydraulic testing and the large areas under investigation. Domestic water wells are ubiquitous and their well logs represent an untapped resource of information that includes mandatory specific-capacity tests, from which K can be estimated. These specific-capacity tests are routinely conducted at such low pumping rates that well losses are normally insignificant. In this study, a simple and practical approach to augmenting high-quality K values with reconnaissance-level K values from water-well specific-capacity tests is assessed. The integration of lesser quality K values from specific-capacity tests with a high-quality K data set is assessed through comparisons at two different scales: study-area-wide (a 600-km2 area in Ontario, Canada) and in a single geological formation within a portion of the broader study area (200 km2). Results of the comparisons demonstrate that reconnaissance-level K estimates from specific-capacity tests approximate the ranges and distributions of the high-quality K values. Sufficient detail about the physical basis and assumptions that are invoked in the development of the approach are presented here so that it can be applied with confidence by practitioners seeking to enhance their spatial coverage of K values with specific-capacity tests.

  5. Building capacity for HIV/AIDS prevention among Asian Pacific Islander organizations: the experience of a culturally appropriate capacity-building program in Southern California.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Lois M; Candelario, Jury; Young, Tim; Mediano, Elizabeth

    2007-01-01

    This article has two goals: (1) to outline a conceptual model for culturally appropriate HIV prevention capacity building; (2) to present the experiences from a 3-year program provided by Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team to Asian Pacific Islander (API) organizations in southern California. The participating organizations were of two types: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) social organizations and social service agencies not targeting LGBTQ. These organizations were selected for participation because of their commitment to HIV/AIDS issues in API communities. An organizational survey and staff observations were used to explore changes in capacity. The organizations were mostly small, targeted diverse populations, served a large geographic area (southern California as a region), and were knowledgeable about HIV. Organizations became more viable (more capacity in human resources, financial, external relations, and strategic management), but also more unstable (large growth in paid staff and board members), and showed more capacity in HIV knowledge environments (especially less stigma and more sensitivity to diverse populations). The results suggest that capacity can expand over a short period of time, but as capacity increases, organizational viability/stability and HIV knowledge environments change, meaning that different types of technical assistance would be needed for sustainability.

  6. CD24 cell surface expression in Mvt1 mammary cancer cells serves as a biomarker for sensitivity to anti-IGF1R therapy.

    PubMed

    Rostoker, Ran; Ben-Shmuel, Sarit; Rashed, Rola; Shen Orr, Zila; LeRoith, Derek

    2016-05-14

    The pro-tumorigenic effects of the insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) are well described. IGF1R promotes cancer cell survival and proliferation and prevents apoptosis, and, additionally it was shown that IGF1R levels are significantly elevated in most common human malignancies including breast cancer. However, results from phase 3 clinical trials in unselected patients demonstrated lack of efficacy for anti-IGF1R therapy. These findings suggest that predictive biomarkers are greatly warranted in order to identify patients that will benefit from anti-IGF1R therapeutic strategies. Using the delivery of shRNA vectors into the Mvt1 cell line, we tested the role of the IGF1R in the development of mammary tumors. Based on CD24 cell surface expression, control and IGF1R-knockdown (IGF1R-KD) cells were FACS sorted into CD24(-) and CD24(+) subsets and further characterized in vitro. The tumorigenic capacity of each was determined following orthotopic inoculation into the mammary fat pad of female mice. Tumor cells were FACS characterized upon sacrifice to determine IGF1R effect on the plasticity of this cell's phenotype. Metastatic capacity of the cells was assessed using the tail vein assay. In this study we demonstrate that downregulation of the IGF1R specifically in cancer cells expressing CD24 on the cell surface membrane affect both their morphology (from mesenchymal-like into epithelial-like morphology) and phenotype in vitro. Moreover, we demonstrate that IGF1R-KD abolished both CD24(+) cells capacity to form mammary tumors and lung metastatic lesions. We found in both cells and tumors a marked upregulation in CTFG and a significant reduction of SLP1 expression in the CD24(+)/IGF1R-KD; tumor-suppressor and tumor-promoting genes respectively. Moreover, we demonstrate here that the IGF1R is essential for the maintenance of stem/progenitor-like cancer cells and we further demonstrate that IGF1R-KD induces in vivo differentiation of the CD24(+) cells toward the CD24(-) phenotype. This further supports the antitumorigenic effects of IGF1R-KD, as we recently published that these differentiated cells demonstrate significantly lower tumorigenic capacity compared with their CD24(+) counterparts. Taken together these findings suggest that CD24 cell surface expression may serve as a valuable biomarker in order to identify mammary tumors that will positively respond to targeted IGF1R therapies.

  7. Validity, Reliability, and Performance Determinants of a New Job-Specific Anaerobic Work Capacity Test for the Norwegian Navy Special Operations Command.

    PubMed

    Angeltveit, Andreas; Paulsen, Gøran; Solberg, Paul A; Raastad, Truls

    2016-02-01

    Operators in Special Operation Forces (SOF) have a particularly demanding profession where physical and psychological capacities can be challenged to the extremes. The diversity of physical capacities needed depend on the mission. Consequently, tests used to monitor SOF operators' physical fitness should cover a broad range of physical capacities. Whereas tests for strength and aerobic endurance are established, there is no test for specific anaerobic work capacity described in the literature. The purpose of this study was therefore to evaluate the reliability, validity, and to identify performance determinants of a new test developed for testing specific anaerobic work capacity in SOF operators. Nineteen active young students were included in the concurrent validity part of the study. The students performed the evacuation (EVAC) test 3 times and the results were compared for reliability and with performance in the Wingate cycle test, 300-m sprint, and a maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) test. In part II of the study, 21 Norwegian Navy Special Operations Command operators conducted the EVAC test, anthropometric measurements, a dual x-ray absorptiometry scan, leg press, isokinetic knee extensions, maximal oxygen uptake test, and countermovement jump (CMJ) test. The EVAC test showed good reliability after 1 familiarization trial (intraclass correlation = 0.89; coefficient of variance = 3.7%). The EVAC test correlated well with the Wingate test (r = -0.68), 300-m sprint time (r = 0.51), and 300-m mean power (W) (r = -0.67). No significant correlation was found with the MAOD test. In part II of the study, height, body mass, lean body mass, isokinetic knee extension torque, maximal oxygen uptake, and maximal power in a CMJ was significantly correlated with performance in the EVAC test. The EVAC test is a reliable and valid test for anaerobic work capacity for SOF operators, and muscle mass, leg strength, and leg power seem to be the most important determinants of performance.

  8. Reducing measurement errors during functional capacity tests in elders.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Mariane Eichendorf; Orssatto, Lucas Bet da Rosa; Bezerra, Ewertton de Souza; Silva, Diego Augusto Santos; Moura, Bruno Monteiro de; Diefenthaeler, Fernando; Freitas, Cíntia de la Rocha

    2018-06-01

    Accuracy is essential to the validity of functional capacity measurements. To evaluate the error of measurement of functional capacity tests for elders and suggest the use of the technical error of measurement and credibility coefficient. Twenty elders (65.8 ± 4.5 years) completed six functional capacity tests that were simultaneously filmed and timed by four evaluators by means of a chronometer. A fifth evaluator timed the tests by analyzing the videos (reference data). The means of most evaluators for most tests were different from the reference (p < 0.05), except for two evaluators for two different tests. There were different technical error of measurement between tests and evaluators. The Bland-Altman test showed difference in the concordance of the results between methods. Short duration tests showed higher technical error of measurement than longer tests. In summary, tests timed by a chronometer underestimate the real results of the functional capacity. Difference between evaluators' reaction time and perception to determine the start and the end of the tests would justify the errors of measurement. Calculation of the technical error of measurement or the use of the camera can increase data validity.

  9. Evaluation Program for Secondary Spacecraft Cells: Synchronous Orbit Testing of Sealed Nickel Cadmium Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harkness, J. D.

    1977-01-01

    Performance data concerning sealed nickel-cadmium cells operating under a synchronous orbit regime are presented. A space satellite maintaining a position over a fixed point on earth as the earth rotates on its axis and revolves about the sun was simulated. Results include: (1) exposure to synchronous orbit testing at a temperature of 40 C yields less than 6 years of life; (2) performance at -20 C presents a low capacity problem; (3) the capacity check, performed at the middle of each show period, provides a temporary red reconditioning effect on the cells in that the end-of-discharge voltages are higher, for approximately 7 to 10 days, following the capacity check than they were 7 to 10 days prior to the capacity check; (4) all the test packs at -20 C and 40 C have either failed or were discontinued because of low capacity; and (5) test packs at temperatures of 0 C and 10 C have delivered the best capacity during life and packs tested at 20 C showed better life capability than packs tested at -20 C and 40 C.

  10. Utilization of the graded universal testing system to increase the efficiency for assessing aerobic and anaerobic capacity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rodgers, Sandra L.

    1992-01-01

    The in-flight exercise test performed by cosmonauts as part of the Russian Exercise Countermeasure Program is limited to 5 minutes due to communication restrictions. During a recent graded exercise test on a U.S. Shuttle flight, the test was terminated early due to an upcoming loss of signal (LOS) with the ground. This exercise test was a traditional test where the subject's exercise capacity dictates the length of the test. For example, one crew member may take 15 minutes to complete the test, while another may take 18 minutes. The traditional exercise test limits the flight schedulers to large blocks of space flight time in order to provide medical and research personnel information on the fitness capacity (maximal oxygen uptake: VO2max) of crew members during flight. A graded exercise test that would take a finite amount of time and a set preparation and recovery time would ease this problem by allowing flight schedulers to plan exercise tests in advance of LOS. The Graded Universal Testing System (GUTS) was designed to meet this goal. Fitness testing of astronauts before and after flight provides pertinent data on many variables. The Detailed Supplemental Objective (DSO608) protocol (6) is one of the graded exercise tests (GXT) currently used in astronaut testing before and after flight. Test times for this protocol have lasted from 11 to 18 minutes. Anaerobic capacity is an important variable that is currently not being evaluated before and after flight. Recent reports (1,2,5) from the literature have suggested that the oxygen deficit at supramaximal exercise is a measure of anaerobic capacity. We postulated that the oxygen deficit at maximal exercise would be an indication of anaerobic capacity. If this postulate can be accepted, then the efficiency of acquiring data from a graded exercise test would increase at least twofold. To examine this hypothesis anaerobic capacity was measured using a modified treadmill test (3,4) designed to exhaust the anaerobic systems in approximately 45 to 75 seconds. Lactate concentration in the blood was analyzed after all tests, since lactate is the end-product of anaerobic energy production. Therefore, the peak lactate response is an additional indication of anaerobic capacity. A preliminary comparison of the GUTS and the DSO608 suggests that the GUTS protocol would increase the efficiency of VO2max testing of astronauts before and after flight. Results for anaerobic capacity have not been tabulated.

  11. 14 CFR 121.433 - Training required.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... airplane of the same group may serve in the same crewmember capacity upon completion of transition training..., respectively, upon completion of upgrade training for that airplane as provided in § 121.415. (b) Differences... airplane of a type for which differences training is included in the certificate holder's approved training...

  12. 42 CFR 431.714 - Waivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS STATE ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION State Programs for Licensing Nursing Home... subpart for any person who has served in the capacity of a nursing home administrator during all of the 3... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Waivers. 431.714 Section 431.714 Public Health...

  13. THE INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF COMPUTER MODELS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    BAKER, FRANK B.

    IF COMPUTER PROGRAMS ARE TO SERVE AS USEFUL MODELS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR, THEIR CREATORS MUST FACE THE NEED TO ESTABLISH AN INTERNAL ORGANIZATION FOR THEIR MODEL WHICH IMPLEMENTS THE HIGHER LEVEL COGNITIVE BEHAVIORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HUMAN CAPACITY FOR SELF-DIRECTION, AUTOCRITICISM, AND ADAPTATION. PRESENT COMPUTER MODELS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR…

  14. EPA SSOAP Toolbox Application for Condition and Capacity Assessment of Wastewater Collection Systems - Paper

    EPA Science Inventory

    The nation’s sanitary sewer infrastructure is aging, with some sewers dating back more than 100 years. Nationwide, there are more than 19,500 municipal sanitary-sewer collection systems serving an estimated 150 million people and about 40,000 sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) events ...

  15. EPA SSOAP Toolbox Application for Condition and Capacity Assessment of Wastewater Collection Systems

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Nation’s sanitary sewer infrastructure is aging, with some sewers dating back over 100 years. Nationwide, there are more than 19,500 municipal sanitary-sewer collection systems serving an estimated 150 million people and about 40,000 sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) events per ...

  16. 45 CFR 73.735-1002 - Ethical standards of conduct.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Ethical standards of conduct. 73.735-1002 Section... Ethical standards of conduct. (a) Like other Federal employees, an individual serving in a consultant capacity must conduct himself or herself according to ethical behavior standards of the highest order. In...

  17. 76 FR 64953 - Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-19

    ...) Serves in a leadership capacity on women's health and sex/ gender-specific issues and policy for HRSA senior managers and with other agencies in HHS; (2) coordinates and supports sex/gender-specific disease... Federal and non-Federal individuals and organizations working on women's health and sex/gender- specific...

  18. Building Capacity through an Early Education Leadership Academy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goffin, Stacie G.

    2013-01-01

    In 2013, the early childhood education (ECE) field is paying limited attention to leadership development (Goffin & Janke, 2013; Goffin & Means, 2009). A recent survey of ECE leadership development programs suggests that the field does not fully recognize the potential of leadership to serve as a change catalyst, although there is evidence…

  19. Minnesota: Early Head Start Initiatiive

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2012

    2012-01-01

    Minnesota provides supplemental state funding to existing federal Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) grantees to increase their capacity to serve additional infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. The initiative was started in 1997 when the state legislature earmarked $1 million of the general state Head Start supplemental funds for children…

  20. U.S. Community College Professional Staff Seek South African Doctoral Degrees: An Analysis of an International Doctoral Program Partnership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Margaret Vail

    2011-01-01

    Prominent challenges facing contemporary community colleges are enhancing leadership capacity and serving their diverse student populations. While doctoral education constitutes a mainstay strategy for developing community college leaders, community college professionals face constraints accessing doctoral programs. The innovation of an…

  1. Effective Chaperone Selection and Training for Enhanced Youth Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Emily J.; Roop, Kelsey; MacArthur, Stacey

    2017-01-01

    This article identifies key strategies for selecting and training chaperones for youth programs. Although substantial research on volunteer core competencies and training exists, very little has been written to specifically address volunteers who serve in a chaperone capacity. We surveyed chaperones who had participated in an international youth…

  2. 45 CFR 73.735-1002 - Ethical standards of conduct.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ethical standards of conduct. 73.735-1002 Section... Ethical standards of conduct. (a) Like other Federal employees, an individual serving in a consultant capacity must conduct himself or herself according to ethical behavior standards of the highest order. In...

  3. SCHOOL LUNCH, SUGGESTED GUIDES FOR SELECTING LARGE EQUIPMENT.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia.

    THE TYPE AND CAPACITY OF A WIDE RANGE OF SCHOOL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT IS RECOMMENDED WITH RESPECT TO THE NUMBER OF MEALS SERVED PER DAY. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GIVEN FOR RANGES, SINKS, ELECTRIC HEATING, GAS HEATING, REFRIGERATION, TABLES, KITCHEN MACHINES, TRUCK DOLLIES, SCALES, STORAGE CABINETS, OFFICE SPACES, LOUNGES, GARBAGE AND CAN WASHING…

  4. Tax Wealth in Fifty States. 1977 Supplement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halstead, D. Kent; Weldon, H. Kent

    This first supplement to the basic volume presents tax capacity, effort, and collected revenue data for state and local governments for 1977. Planned for issuance every other year, the supplement consists of computer printout tables with the earlier basic volume continuing to serve as reference for theory, analysis, and methodology. Figures for…

  5. Advances in Sewer Condition and Capacity Assessment – Development and Applications of EPA SSOAP Toolbox

    EPA Science Inventory

    In the United States, sanitary sewer infrastructure is aging, with some sewers dating back over 100 years. Nationwide, there are more than 19,500 municipal sanitary-sewer collection systems serving an estimated 150 million people and about 40,000 sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) ev...

  6. U.S. EPA Issues Technical Guides and Computer Tools for Sewer Condition and Capacity Assessment

    EPA Science Inventory

    The nation's sanitary sewer infrastructure is aging, with some sewers more than100 years old. Nationwide, there are more than 19,500 municipal sanitary-sewer collection systems serving an estimated 150 million people and about 40,000 sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) events per year...

  7. 12 CFR 1805.701 - Evaluation of applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... assistance from the Fund, expand its operations into a new Target Market, offer more products or services... Target Market, the extent of success in serving such Target Market); (2) Operational capacity and risk... designated Target Market, and the extent of demand within the Target Market for the Applicant's products and...

  8. 12 CFR 1805.701 - Evaluation of applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... assistance from the Fund, expand its operations into a new Target Market, offer more products or services... Target Market, the extent of success in serving such Target Market); (2) Operational capacity and risk... designated Target Market, and the extent of demand within the Target Market for the Applicant's products and...

  9. 12 CFR 1805.701 - Evaluation of applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... assistance from the Fund, expand its operations into a new Target Market, offer more products or services... Target Market, the extent of success in serving such Target Market); (2) Operational capacity and risk... designated Target Market, and the extent of demand within the Target Market for the Applicant's products and...

  10. 12 CFR 1805.701 - Evaluation of applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... assistance from the Fund, expand its operations into a new Target Market, offer more products or services... Target Market, the extent of success in serving such Target Market); (2) Operational capacity and risk... designated Target Market, and the extent of demand within the Target Market for the Applicant's products and...

  11. The Capacity-Building Stewardship Model: Assessment of an agricultural network as a mechanism for improving regional agroecosystem sustainability

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Working lands have potential to meet agricultural production targets while serving as reservoirs of biological diversity and as sources of ecological services. Yet agricultural policy creates disincentives for this integration of conservation and production goals. While necessary, the development of...

  12. Opening Doors to College Access and Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moses, Monte C.; Nelson, Jim

    2011-01-01

    Over the span of their careers, the authors have served in numerous capacities, from school board member to superintendent, from teacher to principal, from professor to state commissioner of education. Along the way, they have participated in a multitude of commissions, panels and committees, all concerned with reforming and improving schools at…

  13. Create Great School Climate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vail, Kathleen

    2005-01-01

    A teacher's attitude--whether good or bad--trickles down to the students. According to Tom Carroll, who serves in the capacity of president of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, there is no teacher shortage but a horrendous turnover and attrition problem. Teachers who are leaving are constantly being replaced. The conditions…

  14. A National Survey of Pre-Service Preparation for Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKenzie, Robert G.

    2009-01-01

    The degree to which special educators serve in a meaningful collaborative capacity in inclusive classrooms has come under scrutiny, and hence, the quality of collaboration training afforded requires examination.This article describes the results of a survey conducted with 53 undergraduate pre-service special education training programs…

  15. 75 FR 66064 - Availability of Seats for Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-27

    ... in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations... meets bi-monthly in public sessions in communities in and around Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary... assure continued public participation in the management of the sanctuary. Serving in a volunteer capacity...

  16. Program Quality in Leadership Preparation Programs: An Assessment Tool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campanotta, Linda; Simpson, Patricia; Newton, Jodi

    2018-01-01

    The leadership of school principals is widely considered to have a strong influence on the quality of teaching and learning in schools. University-based leadership preparation programs have the responsibility for preparing candidates to serve as school principals and in other leadership capacities. This qualitative study of educational leadership…

  17. 77 FR 26522 - Proposed Priority; Technical Assistance on State Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-04

    ..., parents of individuals with disabilities, data system experts, representatives of other early learning and... to improve their capacity to meet the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) data... data for infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities (birth through age 5) served through...

  18. From Capacity to Success: HSIs and Latino Student Success through Title V

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Villarreal, Rebecca C.; Santiago, Deborah A.

    2012-01-01

    Latinos are the second largest student population enrolled in higher education and the majority are concentrated in a small number of institutions--Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Given the concentrated enrollment of Latinos at HSIs and the opportunity to increase Latinos' educational achievement, reviewing the link between capacity…

  19. The Influence of Leadership Development Approaches on Social Capital: A Mixed Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burbaugh, Bradley James

    2015-01-01

    Leadership programs serve as a mechanism to develop the leadership capacity of individuals, groups, and organizations. Although considerable time and resources have been devoted to understanding the outcomes of leadership development, little time and effort has been dedicated to understanding the developmental approaches that influence the…

  20. Imitation and the Social Mind: Autism and Typical Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, Sally J., Ed.; Williams, Justin H. G., Ed.

    2006-01-01

    From earliest infancy, a typically developing child imitates or mirrors the facial expressions, postures and gestures, and emotional behavior of others. Where does this capacity come from, and what function does it serve? What happens when imitation is impaired? Synthesizing cutting-edge research emerging from a range of disciplines, this…

  1. Dilemmas of Expansion: The Growth of Graduate Education in Malaysia and Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapman, David W.; Chien, Chiao-Ling

    2015-01-01

    Faced with escalating demand for instructional staff to serve the expanding undergraduate enrolments, many middle income countries in Southeast Asia are investing heavily in expanding their provision of graduate education. An attractive secondary benefit is that graduate programmes contribute to a local university-based research capacity that…

  2. Carbon Sequestration in Unconventional Reservoirs: Geophysical, Geochemical and Geomechanical Considerations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakharova, Natalia V.

    In the face of the environmental challenges presented by the acceleration of global warming, carbon capture and storage, also called carbon sequestration, may provide a vital option to reduce anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, while meeting the world's energy demands. To operate on a global scale, carbon sequestration would require thousands of geologic repositories that could accommodate billions of tons of carbon dioxide per year. In order to reach such capacity, various types of geologic reservoirs should be considered, including unconventional reservoirs such as volcanic rocks, fractured formations, and moderate-permeability aquifers. Unconventional reservoirs, however, are characterized by complex pore structure, high heterogeneity, and intricate feedbacks between physical, chemical and mechanical processes, and their capacity to securely store carbon emissions needs to be confirmed. In this dissertation, I present my contribution toward the understanding of geophysical, geochemical, hydraulic, and geomechanical properties of continental basalts and fractured sedimentary formations in the context of their carbon storage capacity. The data come from two characterization projects, in the Columbia River Flood Basalt in Washington and the Newark Rift Basin in New York, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnerships and TriCarb Consortium for Carbon Sequestration. My work focuses on in situ analysis using borehole geophysical measurements that allow for detailed characterization of formation properties on the reservoir scale and under nearly unaltered subsurface conditions. The immobilization of injected CO2 by mineralization in basaltic rocks offers a critical advantage over sedimentary reservoirs for long-term CO2 storage. Continental flood basalts, such as the Columbia River Basalt Group, possess a suitable structure for CO2 storage, with extensive reservoirs in the interflow zones separated by massive impermeable basalt in flow interiors. Other large igneous provinces and ocean floor basalts could accommodate centuries' worth of world's CO2 emissions. Low-volume basaltic flows and fractured intrusives may potentially serve as smaller-scale CO2 storage targets. However, as illustrated by the example of the Palisade sill in the Newark basin, even densely fractured intrusive basalts are often impermeable, and instead may serve as caprock for underlying formations. Hydraulic properties of fractured formations are very site-specific, but observations and theory suggest that the majority of fractures at depth remain closed. Hydraulic tests in the northern Newark basin indicate that fractures introduce strong anisotropy and heterogeneity to the formation properties, and very few of them augment hydraulic conductivity of these fractured formations. Overall, they are unlikely to provide enough storage capacity for safe CO 2 injection at large scales, but can be suitable for small-scale controlled experiments and pilot injection tests. The risk of inducing earthquakes by underground injection has emerged as one of the primary concerns for large-scale carbon sequestration, especially in fractured and moderately permeable formations. Analysis of in situ stress and distribution of fractures in the subsurface are important steps for evaluating the risks of induced seismicity. Preliminary results from the Newark basin suggest that local stress perturbation may potentially create favorable stress conditions for CO2 sequestration by allowing a considerable pore pressure increase without carrying large risks of fault reactivation. Additional in situ stress data are needed, however, to accurately constrain the magnitude of the minimum horizontal stress, and it is recommended that such tests be conducted at all potential CO 2 storage sites.

  3. Using Copper Nanoparticle Additive to Improve the Performance of Silicon Anodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bachand, Gabrielle

    In the foreseeable future, global energy demand is expected to rapidly increase as a result of the swelling population and higher standards of living. Current energy generation and transportation methods predominantly involve the combustion of non-renewable fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions from these processes have been shown to contribute to global climate change and to be detrimental to human and environmental health. To satisfy future energy needs and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the advancement of renewable energy generation and electric vehicles is important. The proliferation of intermittent renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) and electric vehicles depends upon reliable, high-capacity energy storage to serve the practical needs of society. The present-day lithium-ion battery offers excellent qualities for this purpose; however, improvements in the capacity and cost-effectiveness of these batteries are needed for further growth. As an anode material, silicon has exceptionally high theoretical capacity and is an earth-abundant, low-cost option. However, silicon also suffers from poor conductivity and long-term stability, prompting many studies to investigate the use of additive materials to mitigate these issues. This thesis focuses on the improvement of silicon anode performance by using a nanoparticulate copper additive to increase material conductivity and an inexpensive, industry-compatible anode fabrication process. Three main fabrication processes were explored using differing materials and heat treatment techniques for comparison. Anodes were tested using CR2032 type coin cells. The final anodes with the most-improved characteristics were fabricated using a high-temperature heating step for the anode material, and an additional batch was formed to test the viability of the copper additive functioning as a full substitute for carbon black, which is the traditional choice of conductive additive for electrode materials. Anodes materials were characterized using a variety of techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to evaluate surface qualities and material content. Electrochemical techniques including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and charge/discharge cycling were also used to determine the conductivity and functional behavior of the anode materials. Anodes from the final experimental study achieved initial capacities of 309 mA/g and 957 mA/g for the silicon-only control and silicon with copper additive anodes, respectively, demonstrating an over 300% increase in specific capacity. Si-Cu (NC) anodes also showed superior performance over control anodes with an initial capacity of 775 mA/g. For all three anodes, high efficiencies of over 96% were achieved for the testing duration of 100 cycles and reached near or over 99% in final cycles. Results also show a significant decrease in the resistance of anodes with copper additive, contributing to the improved performance of these anodes.

  4. Mechanical Testing of Carbon Based Woven Thermal Protection Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pham, John; Agrawal, Parul; Arnold, James O.; Peterson, Keith; Venkatapathy, Ethiraj

    2013-01-01

    Three Dimensional Woven thermal protection system (TPS) materials are one of the enabling technologies for mechanically deployable hypersonic decelerator systems. These materials have been shown capable of serving a dual purpose as TPS and as structural load bearing members during entry and descent operations. In order to ensure successful structural performance, it is important to characterize the mechanical properties of these materials prior to and post exposure to entry-like heating conditions. This research focuses on the changes in load bearing capacity of woven TPS materials after being subjected to arcjet simulations of entry heating. Preliminary testing of arcjet tested materials [1] has shown a mechanical degradation. However, their residual strength is significantly more than the requirements for a mission to Venus [2]. A systematic investigation at the macro and microstructural scales is reported here to explore the potential causes of this degradation. The effects of heating on the sizing (an epoxy resin coating used to reduce friction and wear during fiber handling) are discussed as one of the possible causes for the decrease in mechanical properties. This investigation also provides valuable guidelines for margin policies for future mechanically deployable entry systems.

  5. Comparative evaluation of several small mammal species as monitors of heavy metals, radionuclides, and selected organic compounds in the environment

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

    Talmage, S.S.; Walton, B.T.

    1990-08-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate which small mammal species are the best monitors of specific environmental contaminants. The evaluation is based on the published literature and on an analysis of small mammals trapped at several sites on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Reservation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Studies on the uptake of heavy metals, radionuclides, and organic chemicals are reviewed in Chapter II to evaluate several small mammal species for their capacity to serve as sentinels for the presence, accumulation, and effects of various contaminants. Where several species were present at a site, a comparativemore » evaluation was made and species are ranked for their capacity to serve as monitors of specific contaminants. Food chain accumulation and food habits of the species are used to establish a relationship with suitability as a biomonitor. Tissue-specific concentration factors were noted in order to establish target tissues. Life histories, habitat, and food habits are reviewed in order to make generalizations concerning the ability of similar taxa to serve as biomonitor. Finally, the usefulness of several small mammal species as monitors of three contaminants -- benzo(a)pyrene, mercury, and strontium-90 -- present on or near the ORNL facilities was investigated. 133 refs., 5 figs., 20 tabs.« less

  6. 13. ENGINE TEST CELL BUILDING INTERIOR. EQUIPMENT ROOM SERVING CELLS ...

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

    13. ENGINE TEST CELL BUILDING INTERIOR. EQUIPMENT ROOM SERVING CELLS 2 AND 4. LOOKING SOUTHEAST. - Fairchild Air Force Base, Engine Test Cell Building, Near intersection of Arnold Street & George Avenue, Spokane, Spokane County, WA

  7. Examination of long-term visual memorization capacity in the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana).

    PubMed

    Qadri, Muhammad A J; Leonard, Kevin; Cook, Robert G; Kelly, Debbie M

    2018-02-15

    Clark's nutcrackers exhibit remarkable cache recovery behavior, remembering thousands of seed locations over the winter. No direct laboratory test of their visual memory capacity, however, has yet been performed. Here, two nutcrackers were tested in an operant procedure used to measure different species' visual memory capacities. The nutcrackers were incrementally tested with an ever-expanding pool of pictorial stimuli in a two-alternative discrimination task. Each picture was randomly assigned to either a right or a left choice response, forcing the nutcrackers to memorize each picture-response association. The nutcrackers' visual memorization capacity was estimated at a little over 500 pictures, and the testing suggested effects of primacy, recency, and memory decay over time. The size of this long-term visual memory was less than the approximately 800-picture capacity established for pigeons. These results support the hypothesis that nutcrackers' spatial memory is a specialized adaptation tied to their natural history of food-caching and recovery, and not to a larger long-term, general memory capacity. Furthermore, despite millennia of separate and divergent evolution, the mechanisms of visual information retention seem to reflect common memory systems of differing capacities across the different species tested in this design.

  8. Small-Scale Coal-Biomass to Liquids Production Using Highly Selective Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

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

    Gangwal, Santosh K.; McCabe, Kevin

    2015-04-30

    The research project advanced coal-to-liquids (CTL) and coal-biomass to liquids (CBTL) processes by testing and validating Chevron’s highly selective and active cobalt-zeolite hybrid Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalyst to convert gasifier syngas predominantly to gasoline, jet fuel and diesel range hydrocarbon liquids, thereby eliminating expensive wax upgrading operations The National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) operated by Southern Company (SC) at Wilsonville, Alabama served as the host site for the gasifier slip-stream testing/demonstration. Southern Research designed, installed and commissioned a bench scale skid mounted FT reactor system (SR-CBTL test rig) that was fully integrated with a slip stream from SC/NCCC’s transport integrated gasifiermore » (TRIG TM). The test-rig was designed to receive up to 5 lb/h raw syngas augmented with bottled syngas to adjust the H 2/CO molar ratio to 2, clean it to cobalt FT catalyst specifications, and produce liquid FT products at the design capacity of 2 to 4 L/day. It employed a 2-inch diameter boiling water jacketed fixed-bed heat-exchange FT reactor incorporating Chevron’s catalyst in Intramicron’s high thermal conductivity micro-fibrous entrapped catalyst (MFEC) packing to efficiently remove heat produced by the highly exothermic FT reaction.« less

  9. Dynamic load testing on the bearing capacity of prestressed tubular concrete piles in soft ground

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Chuang; Liu, Songyu

    2008-11-01

    Dynamic load testing (DLT) is a high strain test method for assessing pile performance. The shaft capacity of a driven PTC (prestressed tubular concrete) pile in marine soft ground will vary with time after installation. The DLT method has been successfully transferred to the testing of prestressed pipe piles in marine soft clay of Lianyungang area in China. DLT is investigated to determine the ultimate bearing capacity of single pile at different period after pile installation. The ultimate bearing capacity of single pile was founded to increase more than 70% during the inventing 3 months, which demonstrate the time effect of rigid pile bearing capacity in marine soft ground. Furthermore, the skin friction and axial force along the pile shaft are presented as well, which present the load transfer mechanism of pipe pile in soft clay. It shows the economy and efficiency of DLT method compared to static load testing method.

  10. A new approach on auxiliary vehicle assignment in capacitated location routing problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bashiri, Mahdi; Rasoulinejad, Zeinab; Fallahzade, Ehsan

    2016-03-01

    The location routing problem (LRP) considers locating depots and vehicle routing decisions simultaneously. In classic LRP the number of customers in each route depends on the capacity of the vehicle. In this paper a capacitated LRP model with auxiliary vehicle assignment is presented in which the length of each route is not restricted by main vehicle capacity. Two kinds of vehicles are considered: main vehicles with higher capacity and fixed cost and auxiliary vehicles with lower capacity and fixed cost. The auxiliary vehicles can be added to the transportation system as an alternative strategy to cover the capacity limitations and they are just used to transfer goods from depots to vehicles and cannot serve the customers by themselves. To show the applicability of the proposed model, some numerical examples derived from the well-known instances are used. Moreover the model has been solved by some meta-heuristics for large sized instances. The results show the efficiency of the proposed model and the solution approach, considering the classic model and the exact solution approach, respectively.

  11. The Effects of a Dynamic Spectrum Access Overlay in LTE-Advanced Networks

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

    Juan D. Deaton; Ryan E. lrwin; Luiz A. DaSilva

    As early as 2014, wireless network operators spectral capacity will be overwhelmed by a data tsunami brought on by new devices and applications. To augment spectral capacity, operators could deploy a Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) overlay. In the light of the many planned Long Term Evolution (LTE) network deployments, the affects of a DSA overlay have not been fully considered into the existing LTE standards. Coalescing many different aspects of DSA, this paper develops the Spectrum Accountability (SA) framework. The SA framework defines specific network element functionality, protocol interfaces, and signaling flow diagrams for LTE to support service requests andmore » enforce rights of responsibilities of primary and secondary users, respectively. We also include a network simulation to quantify the benefits of using DSA channels to augment capacity. Based on our simulation we show that, network operators can benefit up to %40 increase in operating capacity when sharing DSA bands to augment spectral capacity. With our framework, this paper could serve as an guide in developing future LTE network standards that include DSA.« less

  12. COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING FOR REVITALIZATION AND SUSTAINABLE REDEVELOPMENT

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

    Downing, Melinda; Rosenthall, John; Hudson, Michelle

    2003-02-27

    Capacity building programs help poor and disadvantaged communities to improve their ability to participate in the environmental decision-making processes. They encourage citizen involvement, and provide the tools that enable them to do so. Capacity building enables communities that would otherwise be excluded to participate in the process, leading to better, and more just decisions. The Department of Energy (DOE) continues to be committed to promoting environmental justice and involving its stakeholders more directly in the planning and decision-making process for environmental cleanup. DOE's Environmental Management Program (EM) is in full support of this commitment. Through its environmental justice project, EMmore » provides communities with the capacity to effectively contribute to a complex technical decision-making process by furnishing access to computers, the Internet, training and technical assistance. DOE's Dr. Samuel P. Massie Chairs of Excellence Program (Massie Chairs) function as technical advisors to many of these community projects. The Massie Chairs consist of nationally and internationally recognized engineers and scientists from nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and one Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS). This paper will discuss capacity building initiatives in various jurisdictions.« less

  13. An analysis of the static load test on single square pile of 40x40 cm2, using finite element method in Rusunawa project, Jatinegara, Jakarta

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harasid, Harun; Roesyanto; Iskandar, Rudi; Silalahi, Sofyan A.

    2018-03-01

    Piling Foundation is one of the foundations which is used to penetrate its load through soil layer. The power carried by the piling is obtained from the end bearing capacity, that is, the compressive end piling and friction bearing capacity obtained from friction bearing and adhesive capacity between the piling and the soil around it. The investigation on the Standard Penetration Test is aimed to get the description of soil layer, based on the type and color of soil through visual observation, and soil characteristics. SPT data can be used to calculate bearing capacity. Besides investigating the SPT, this study is also been equipped by taking the samples in laboratory and loading test on the piling and Ducth Cone Penetrometer (DCP) data to confirm its bearing capacity. This study analyzed bearing capacity and settlement in the square pile of 40X40 cm in diameter in a single pile or grouped, using an empirical method, AllPile program, Plaxis program, and comparing the result with interpreting its loading test in the foundation of Rusunawa project, Jatinegara, Jakarta. The analysis was been done by using the data on soil investigation and laboratory by comparing them with Mohr-Coulomb soil model. Ultimate bearing capacity from the SPT data in the piling of 15.4 meters was 189.81 tons and the parameter of soil shear strength was 198.67 tons. The sander point, based on Aoki and De Alencar bearing capacity was 276.241 tons and based on Mayerhoff it was 305.49 tons. Based on the loading test of bearing capacity, unlimited bearing capacity for the three methods was Davisson (260 tons), Mazurkiewich (270 tons), and Chin (250 tons). The efficiency of grouped piles according to Converse-Library Equation method = 0.73, according to Los Angeles Group Action Equation method = 0.59, and according to Sheila-Keeny method = 0.94. Bearing capacity based on piling strength was 221.76 tons, bearing capacity based on calendaring data was 201.71 tons, and lateral bearing capacity of a single piling foundation was 129.6 kN (12.96 tons). When the maximum load (280 tons) was been given, more decrease occurred in the Maintained load test of 21.00 mm and Quick Load Test method of 20.67 mm, compared with the result of Load Test in the field of 18.74 mm. Based on ASTM D1143/81, the permitted value was 25.40 mm. Therefore, based on that decreasing, it could be concluded that foundation piles were safe in the construction. The pore water pressure is highly influenced by time so that in Maintained Load Test and Quick Load Test, there was the disparity in the level of pore water pressure. Based on the result of the calculation, Quick Load Test showed that in pore water pressure was dissipated in its acceleration.

  14. Working Memory Capacity Limits Motor Learning When Implementing Multiple Instructions

    PubMed Central

    Buszard, Tim; Farrow, Damian; Verswijveren, Simone J. J. M.; Reid, Machar; Williams, Jacqueline; Polman, Remco; Ling, Fiona Chun Man; Masters, Rich S. W.

    2017-01-01

    Although it is generally accepted that certain practice conditions can place large demands on working memory (WM) when performing and learning a motor skill, the influence that WM capacity has on the acquisition of motor skills remains unsubstantiated. This study examined the role of WM capacity in a motor skill practice context that promoted WM involvement through the provision of explicit instructions. A cohort of 90 children aged 8 to 10 years were assessed on measures of WM capacity and attention. Children who scored in the lowest and highest thirds on the WM tasks were allocated to lower WM capacity (n = 24) and higher WM capacity (n = 24) groups, respectively. The remaining 42 participants did not participate in the motor task. The motor task required children to practice basketball shooting for 240 trials in blocks of 20 shots, with pre- and post-tests occurring before and after the intervention. A retention test was administered 1 week after the post-test. Prior to every practice block, children were provided with five explicit instructions that were specific to the technique of shooting a basketball. Results revealed that the higher WM capacity group displayed consistent improvements from pre- to post-test and through to the retention test, while the opposite effect occurred in the lower WM capacity group. This implies that the explicit instructions had a negative influence on learning by the lower WM capacity children. Results are discussed in relation to strategy selection for dealing with instructions and the role of attention control. PMID:28878701

  15. Speech Recognition in Adults With Cochlear Implants: The Effects of Working Memory, Phonological Sensitivity, and Aging.

    PubMed

    Moberly, Aaron C; Harris, Michael S; Boyce, Lauren; Nittrouer, Susan

    2017-04-14

    Models of speech recognition suggest that "top-down" linguistic and cognitive functions, such as use of phonotactic constraints and working memory, facilitate recognition under conditions of degradation, such as in noise. The question addressed in this study was what happens to these functions when a listener who has experienced years of hearing loss obtains a cochlear implant. Thirty adults with cochlear implants and 30 age-matched controls with age-normal hearing underwent testing of verbal working memory using digit span and serial recall of words. Phonological capacities were assessed using a lexical decision task and nonword repetition. Recognition of words in sentences in speech-shaped noise was measured. Implant users had only slightly poorer working memory accuracy than did controls and only on serial recall of words; however, phonological sensitivity was highly impaired. Working memory did not facilitate speech recognition in noise for either group. Phonological sensitivity predicted sentence recognition for implant users but not for listeners with normal hearing. Clinical speech recognition outcomes for adult implant users relate to the ability of these users to process phonological information. Results suggest that phonological capacities may serve as potential clinical targets through rehabilitative training. Such novel interventions may be particularly helpful for older adult implant users.

  16. Speech Recognition in Adults With Cochlear Implants: The Effects of Working Memory, Phonological Sensitivity, and Aging

    PubMed Central

    Harris, Michael S.; Boyce, Lauren; Nittrouer, Susan

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Models of speech recognition suggest that “top-down” linguistic and cognitive functions, such as use of phonotactic constraints and working memory, facilitate recognition under conditions of degradation, such as in noise. The question addressed in this study was what happens to these functions when a listener who has experienced years of hearing loss obtains a cochlear implant. Method Thirty adults with cochlear implants and 30 age-matched controls with age-normal hearing underwent testing of verbal working memory using digit span and serial recall of words. Phonological capacities were assessed using a lexical decision task and nonword repetition. Recognition of words in sentences in speech-shaped noise was measured. Results Implant users had only slightly poorer working memory accuracy than did controls and only on serial recall of words; however, phonological sensitivity was highly impaired. Working memory did not facilitate speech recognition in noise for either group. Phonological sensitivity predicted sentence recognition for implant users but not for listeners with normal hearing. Conclusion Clinical speech recognition outcomes for adult implant users relate to the ability of these users to process phonological information. Results suggest that phonological capacities may serve as potential clinical targets through rehabilitative training. Such novel interventions may be particularly helpful for older adult implant users. PMID:28384805

  17. Encapsulation of the antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate in V-type granular cold-water swelling starch affects the properties of both.

    PubMed

    Dries, D M; Knaepen, L; Goderis, B; Delcour, J A

    2017-06-01

    This study reports on the functionality of V-type crystalline granular cold-water swelling starch (GCWSS) in complex with lipid (functionalized) molecules. Maize and potato GCWSS contain (empty) single helical amylose (AM) crystals which can serve as lipid complexing matrices. Different concentrations of ascorbyl palmitate (AscP) were inserted in the hydrophobic cavities of the GCWSS AM helices by a low temperature infusion method. Volumetric particle size distributions of the ensuing products in water were determined using laser light scattering. Upon contact with water, the parent maize GCWSS formed lumps more than did the parent potato GCWSS. It is hypothesized that variations in the spatial distribution of cold-water soluble V-type crystals are at the origin of this difference. In contrast, GCWSS-AscP inclusion complexes formed homogenous dispersions in water. Furthermore, the impact of inclusion complex formation on cold-water swelling properties was investigated. The close packing concentration increased and the swelling power and carbohydrate leaching decreased when the level of encapsulated AscP increased. Finally, in a Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity test, encapsulated AscP still had up to 70% of the antioxidant capacity of free AscP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Development of Hollow Steel Ball Macro-Encapsulated PCM for Thermal Energy Storage Concrete

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Zhijun; Cui, Hongzhi; Tang, Waiching; Chen, Dazhu; Wen, Haibo

    2016-01-01

    The application of thermal energy storage with phase change materials (PCMs) for energy efficiency of buildings grew rapidly in the last few years. In this research, octadecane paraffin was served as a PCM, and a structural concrete with the function of indoor temperature control was developed by using a macro-encapsulated PCM hollow steel ball (HSB). The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB was prepared by incorporation of octadecane into HSBs through vacuum impregnation. Test results showed that the maximum percentage of octadecane carried by HSBs was 80.3% by mass. The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB has a latent heat storage capacity as high as 200.5 J/g. The compressive strength of concrete with macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB at 28 days ranged from 22 to 40 MPa. The indoor thermal performance test revealed that concrete with macro-encapsulated octadecane-HSB was capable of reducing the peak indoor air temperature and the fluctuation of indoor temperature. It can be very effective in transferring the heating and cooling loads away from the peak demand times. PMID:28787859

  19. Infant lung function tests as endpoints in the ISIS multicenter clinical trial in cystic fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Davis, Stephanie D; Ratjen, Felix; Brumback, Lyndia C; Johnson, Robin C; Filbrun, Amy G; Kerby, Gwendolyn S; Panitch, Howard B; Donaldson, Scott H; Rosenfeld, Margaret

    2016-05-01

    The Infant Study of Inhaled Saline (ISIS) in CF was the first multicenter clinical trial to utilize infant pulmonary function tests (iPFTs) as an endpoint. Secondary analysis of ISIS data was conducted in order to assess feasibility of iPFT measures and their associations with respiratory symptoms. Standard deviations were calculated to aid in power calculations for future clinical trials. Seventy-three participants enrolled, 70 returned for the final visit; 62 (89%) and 45 (64%) had acceptable paired functional residual capacity (FRC) and raised volume measurements, respectively. Mean baseline FEV0.5, FEF75 and FRC z-scores were 0.3 (SD: 1.2), -0.2 (SD: 2.0), and 1.8 (SD: 2.0). iPFTs are not appropriate primary endpoints for multicenter clinical trials due to challenges of obtaining acceptable data and near-normal average raised volume measurements. Raised volume measures have potential to serve as secondary endpoints in future clinical CF trials. Copyright © 2015 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Development of Hollow Steel Ball Macro-Encapsulated PCM for Thermal Energy Storage Concrete.

    PubMed

    Dong, Zhijun; Cui, Hongzhi; Tang, Waiching; Chen, Dazhu; Wen, Haibo

    2016-01-19

    The application of thermal energy storage with phase change materials (PCMs) for energy efficiency of buildings grew rapidly in the last few years. In this research, octadecane paraffin was served as a PCM, and a structural concrete with the function of indoor temperature control was developed by using a macro-encapsulated PCM hollow steel ball (HSB). The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB was prepared by incorporation of octadecane into HSBs through vacuum impregnation. Test results showed that the maximum percentage of octadecane carried by HSBs was 80.3% by mass. The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB has a latent heat storage capacity as high as 200.5 J/g. The compressive strength of concrete with macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB at 28 days ranged from 22 to 40 MPa. The indoor thermal performance test revealed that concrete with macro-encapsulated octadecane-HSB was capable of reducing the peak indoor air temperature and the fluctuation of indoor temperature. It can be very effective in transferring the heating and cooling loads away from the peak demand times.

  1. An improved approximate network blocking probability model for all-optical WDM Networks with heterogeneous link capacities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Akhtar Nawaz

    2017-11-01

    Currently, analytical models are used to compute approximate blocking probabilities in opaque and all-optical WDM networks with the homogeneous link capacities. Existing analytical models can also be extended to opaque WDM networking with heterogeneous link capacities due to the wavelength conversion at each switch node. However, existing analytical models cannot be utilized for all-optical WDM networking with heterogeneous structure of link capacities due to the wavelength continuity constraint and unequal numbers of wavelength channels on different links. In this work, a mathematical model is extended for computing approximate network blocking probabilities in heterogeneous all-optical WDM networks in which the path blocking is dominated by the link along the path with fewer number of wavelength channels. A wavelength assignment scheme is also proposed for dynamic traffic, termed as last-fit-first wavelength assignment, in which a wavelength channel with maximum index is assigned first to a lightpath request. Due to heterogeneous structure of link capacities and the wavelength continuity constraint, the wavelength channels with maximum indexes are utilized for minimum hop routes. Similarly, the wavelength channels with minimum indexes are utilized for multi-hop routes between source and destination pairs. The proposed scheme has lower blocking probability values compared to the existing heuristic for wavelength assignments. Finally, numerical results are computed in different network scenarios which are approximately equal to values obtained from simulations. Since January 2016, he is serving as Head of Department and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at UET, Peshawar-Jalozai Campus, Pakistan. From May 2013 to June 2015, he served Department of Telecommunication Engineering as an Assistant Professor at UET, Peshawar-Mardan Campus, Pakistan. He also worked as an International Internship scholar in the Fukuda Laboratory, National Institute of Informatics, Tokyo, Japan on the topic large-scale simulation for internet topology analysis. His research interests include design and analysis of optical WDM networks, network algorithms, network routing, and network resource optimization problems.

  2. Load reduction test method of similarity theory and BP neural networks of large cranes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Ruigang; Duan, Zhibin; Lu, Yi; Wang, Lei; Xu, Gening

    2016-01-01

    Static load tests are an important means of supervising and detecting a crane's lift capacity. Due to space restrictions, however, there are difficulties and potential danger when testing large bridge cranes. To solve the loading problems of large-tonnage cranes during testing, an equivalency test is proposed based on the similarity theory and BP neural networks. The maximum stress and displacement of a large bridge crane is tested in small loads, combined with the training neural network of a similar structure crane through stress and displacement data which is collected by a physics simulation progressively loaded to a static load test load within the material scope of work. The maximum stress and displacement of a crane under a static load test load can be predicted through the relationship of stress, displacement, and load. By measuring the stress and displacement of small tonnage weights, the stress and displacement of large loads can be predicted, such as the maximum load capacity, which is 1.25 times the rated capacity. Experimental study shows that the load reduction test method can reflect the lift capacity of large bridge cranes. The load shedding predictive analysis for Sanxia 1200 t bridge crane test data indicates that when the load is 1.25 times the rated lifting capacity, the predicted displacement and actual displacement error is zero. The method solves the problem that lifting capacities are difficult to obtain and testing accidents are easily possible when 1.25 times related weight loads are tested for large tonnage cranes.

  3. Psychometric properties of Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

    PubMed

    Soltanparast, Sanaz; Jafari, Zahra; Sameni, Seyed Jalal; Salehi, Masoud

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test was constructed to assess sustained auditory attention using the method provided by Feniman and colleagues (2007). In this test, comments were provided to assess the child's attentional deficit by determining inattention and impulsiveness error, the total scores of the sustained auditory attention capacity test and attention span reduction index. In the present study for determining the validity and reliability of in both Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test and the Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test (SAACT), 46 normal children and 41 children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD), all right-handed and aged between 7 and 11 of both genders, were evaluated. In determining convergent validity, a negative significant correlation was found between the three parts of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test (first, fifth, and immediate recall) and all indicators of the SAACT except attention span reduction. By comparing the test scores between the normal and ADHD groups, discriminant validity analysis showed significant differences in all indicators of the test except for attention span reduction (p< 0.001). The Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity test has good validity and reliability, that matches other reliable tests, and it can be used for the identification of children with attention deficits and if they suspected to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

  4. Benefits from retrieval practice are greater for students with lower working memory capacity.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Pooja K; Finley, Jason R; Rose, Nathan S; Roediger, Henry L

    2017-07-01

    We examined the effects of retrieval practice for students who varied in working memory capacity as a function of the lag between study of material and its initial test, whether or not feedback was given after the test, and the retention interval of the final test. We sought to determine whether a blend of these conditions exists that maximises benefits from retrieval practice for lower and higher working memory capacity students. College students learned general knowledge facts and then restudied the facts or were tested on them (with or without feedback) at lags of 0-9 intervening items. Final cued recall performance was better for tested items than for restudied items after both 10 minutes and 2 days, particularly for longer study-test lags. Furthermore, on the 2-day delayed test the benefits from retrieval practice with feedback were significantly greater for students with lower working memory capacity than for students with higher working memory capacity (r = -.42). Retrieval practice may be an especially effective learning strategy for lower ability students.

  5. Characteristic changes of saliva and taste in burning mouth syndrome patients.

    PubMed

    Imura, Hiroko; Shimada, Masahiko; Yamazaki, Yoko; Sugimoto, Kumiko

    2016-03-01

    Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by chronic pain with a burning sensation of the tongue and oral mucosa and reported to be often accompanied by subjective xerostomia and dysgeusia. Since the etiology of BMS has not been elucidated, to understand the characteristics of BMS, we measured some components of saliva and taste sensitivity and compared the measured values between BMS and healthy subjects. Unstimulated saliva was collected from 15 female BMS patients and 30 healthy women. The flow rate, viscosity (spinnability) and concentration of secretory IgA (SIgA) of saliva and serum antioxidant capacity were measured. The recognition thresholds for sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami tastes were measured by whole-mouth method. The statistical analyses were performed using Student's t-test, and P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. In BMS group, the flow rate of saliva was significantly lower and the spinnability was significantly higher compared with healthy group. The secreted amount of SIgA per min and serum antioxidant capacity was significantly lower in the patients. The threshold for sourness in patients was significantly higher, while those for other tastes did not differ from healthy group. BMS patients showed lower salivary flow and higher salivary spinnability. These results together with decreased SIgA amount, suggest that BMS may be relevant to the deterioration of salivary condition, which could in turn affect taste function. Furthermore, the lower antioxidant capacity in patient's serum suggests that it can serve as a diagnostic tool for BMS. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Identifying Mentors for Student Employees on Campus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frock, David

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This exploratory research project aims to seek an effective process for identifying supervisors of part-time student employees who also serve in a mentoring capacity. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on a review of literature and an evaluation process focused on established traits and functions of mentoring as applied to…

  7. Fostering Sociopolitical Consciousness with Minoritized Youth: Insights from Community-Based Arts Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngo, Bic; Lewis, Cynthia; Maloney Leaf, Betsy

    2017-01-01

    In this chapter, we review the literature on community-based arts programs serving minoritized youth to identify the conditions and practices for fostering sociopolitical consciousness. Community-based arts programs have the capacity to promote teaching and learning practices in ways that engage youth in the use of academic skills to pursue…

  8. The Academic Department Game.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapman, S. C.; And Others

    A computer-Based management game was designed as both an orientation and a training device for new department heads and others who might profit from a better understanding of some of the significant decision elements in the administration of an academic department. Each game participant serves in the same capacity and is required to make two…

  9. Networked Microcomputers--The Next Generation in College Computing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Albert L.

    The evolution of computer hardware for college computing has mirrored the industry's growth. When computers were introduced into the educational environment, they had limited capacity and served one user at a time. Then came large mainframes with many terminals sharing the resource. Next, the use of computers in office automation emerged. As…

  10. Families Who Care: Assisting African American and Rural Caregivers Dealing with Dementia. A Replication Plan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coogle, Constance L., Ed.; Finley, Ruth B., Ed.

    This Replication Plan describes an Administration on Aging funded Project, "Assisting Caregivers of Black and Rural Elders with Dementia: Progressive Training through Trusted Resources." The project directly developed the capacities of trusted community leaders (n=69) who served as trainers of African American and rural family caregivers…

  11. A UTILITY THEORY OF OLD AGE.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    HAMLIN, ROY M.

    HERZBERG'S JOB SATISFACTION MODEL SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR AN ANALYSIS OF OLD AGE. THE PATTERN VARIES AMONG INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE CAPACITY FOR ORGANIZED BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN RANDOM STRESS REDUCTION SUPPLIES EACH INDIVIDUAL WITH A TASK. THE HYPOTHESIS IS THAT IF THE OLDER INDIVIDUAL REALIZES UTILITY IN HIS YEARS BEYOND 70, HE WILL RETAIN COMPETENCE…

  12. Transformation of Professional Identity in an Experienced Primary School Principal: A New Zealand Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, Sylvia

    2017-01-01

    School principals have unique identities that influence capacity to manage change. This New Zealand study explores professional identity in educational leadership and addresses a lesser researched area of identity transformation in longer-serving principals. Principals were asked how they perceived themselves as changing or changed as they led…

  13. 36 CFR 14.78 - Applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... to show, to the satisfaction of the authorized officer, the character, capacity, and location of such... customer, or a number of customers, or is intended to transmit power solely for the applicant's use. If the line is to serve a single customer or is for the applicant's own use, the nature of such use must be...

  14. Strengthening Reflective Capacity in Skilled Home Visitors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilkerson, Linda; Imberger, Jaci

    2016-01-01

    This article describes the FAN (Facilitating Attuned Interactions) approach to attunement in relationships and how it serves as a framework for reflective practice in an exemplary home visiting program. The authors highlight the role of the FAN as a tool for "reflection-in-action" and as a guide for "reflection-on-action." The…

  15. 76 FR 57627 - Special Conditions: Cessna Aircraft Company Model M680 Airplane; Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-16

    ... currently approved for installation in transport-category airplanes. Large, high-capacity, rechargeable... electrolytes. The electrolyte can serve as a source of fuel for an external fire if the cell container is..., are established to ensure the availability of electrical power from the batteries when needed...

  16. Building a Trauma-Informed Workforce Capacity and Legacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Popescu, Marciana; Strand, Virginia; Way, Ineke; Williams-Hecksel, Cheryl; Abramovitz, Robert

    2017-01-01

    Social workers encounter trauma in a majority of the populations they serve. It is therefore essential to train social work students to understand the impact of trauma, to assess trauma history and symptoms, and to effectively intervene with children and families. This article presents 3 qualitative research narratives that provide an in-depth…

  17. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of . . .

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eberly, Rosa A.; Serber, Brad

    2013-01-01

    With the hope of inspiring readers to reimagine the centrality of general education in constituting young adult capacities to create and sustain collective self-governance, this essay describes two courses and one activity built around public problems. General education viewed as a human right as well as a shared responsibility can thus serve as a…

  18. 77 FR 60922 - Criminal History Check Requirements for AmeriCorps State/National, Senior Companions, Foster...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-05

    ..., including RSVP, LSA, Non-profit Capacity Building, and the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grant programs... programs including Campuses of Service, Serve America Fellows, Encore Fellows, Silver Scholars, the Social Innovation Fund, and activities funded under programs such as the Volunteer Generation Fund. The final rule...

  19. The Shakespeare in All of Us: A Monumental, Multitudinous, Premeditated Approach to Vocabulary Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Savino, Jennifer Ann

    2011-01-01

    Shakespeare, who worked actively with words through punning, playing, and inventing, serves as the model for students to experience a deepening knowledge of vocabulary and love of words. Through instructional activities aimed at increasing word play, word exposure, and word consciousness, students gain the verbal capacity needed to understand…

  20. An ACLU Guide to Cable Television.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powledge, Fred

    Proceeding from the hypothesis that cable television (CATV) is one of the most significant developments in modern America, this booklet examines the medium itself and then devotes special attention to the capacity of CATV to serve the First Amendment interest in diversity of expression. The opening section deals with the size and growth of cable,…

  1. Effect of Contemplative Pedagogy on the Ecoliteracy of Undergraduate Public State University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lees, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Undergraduate students lack the opportunity and environment to contemplate and develop ecoliteracy skills that serve to integrate subject matter into their everyday experiences. Ecoliteracy is grounded in Capra's web of life theoretical framework and represents students' capacities to read world systems objectively with their head, heart, hands,…

  2. Foundations for Young Children to the Indiana Academic Standards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Indiana State Dept. of Education, Indianapolis.

    Noting that young children need early childhood settings supporting the development of the full range of capacities that will serve as a foundation for future school learning, and that adults have an opportunity and an obligation to assist children in becoming active participants in the learning process, this document details foundations to…

  3. History Museums and Social Cohesion: Building Identity, Bridging Communities, and Addressing Difficult Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenberg, Tracy Jean

    2011-01-01

    Museums have the capacity to enhance social cohesion, which is the product of a trusting, connected community. History museums and historic sites, in particular, can serve communities by stimulating dialogue on difficult issues, accurately representing all the people of a nation, and creating forums for discussion among groups with disparate…

  4. 38 CFR 17.607 - Obligated service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... who, on that date, is a full-time VA employee working in a capacity for which the degree program... shall be reduced from that which a full-time student must serve in accordance with the proportion that the number of credit hours carried by the part-time student in any school year bears to the number of...

  5. Cutting Red Tape: Overcoming State Bureaucracies to Develop High-Performing State Education Agencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanna, Robert; Morrow, Jeffrey S.; Rozen, Marci

    2014-01-01

    States serve a special role in the nation's public education system. Through elected legislatures, states have endowed their various state departments of education with powers over public education, which include granting authority to local entities--typically school districts--to run schools. In their oversight capacity, states--traditionally…

  6. The ARSI Teacher Partners and Their Reflections on Their Work as Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inverness Research Associates, 2006

    2006-01-01

    Through their visits and conversations with students, teachers, and administrators involved in the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative (ARSI) over the past decade, the people at Inverness Research Associates came to believe that ARSI served as an important leadership capacity-building effort for improving mathematics and science education in…

  7. From the Air: Rediscovering Our Raison D’etre

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-08-01

    constraints and war weariness take their toll . Ensuring that the Air Force can serve the na- tion in its capacity as a strategic arm represents a... Lawson   and Jane Lawson , The First Air Campaign, August 1914–November 1918 (Conshohocken, PA:  Combined Books, 1996); and John H. Morrow Jr., The

  8. AmeriCorps VISTA: Getting Things Done for America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corporation for National and Community Service, 2017

    2017-01-01

    AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) engages more than 8,000 individuals annually to support community efforts to overcome poverty. AmeriCorps VISTA members serve full time for a year at nonprofit organizations or local government agencies to build the capacity of these organizations to carry out programs that alleviate poverty.…

  9. The Sensitivity of the Right Hemisphere to Contextual Information in Sentences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gouldthorp, Bethanie; Coney, Jeffrey

    2009-01-01

    One explanation for the inconsistencies in research examining the sentence comprehension abilities of the right hemisphere (RH) is the presence of confounding variables that have generally served to disadvantage the processing capacities of the RH. As such, the present study aimed to investigate hemispheric differences in the use of message-level…

  10. Executive Functions in Individuals with Williams Syndrome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menghini, D.; Addona, F.; Costanzo, F.; Vicari, S.

    2010-01-01

    Background: The present study was aimed at investigating working memory (WM) and executive functions capacities in individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) as compared with mental-age matched typically developing (TD) children. Method: In order to serve the study goal, a sizeable battery of tasks tapping WM as well as attention, memory, planning,…

  11. Natural language processing and advanced information management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hoard, James E.

    1989-01-01

    Integrating diverse information sources and application software in a principled and general manner will require a very capable advanced information management (AIM) system. In particular, such a system will need a comprehensive addressing scheme to locate the material in its docuverse. It will also need a natural language processing (NLP) system of great sophistication. It seems that the NLP system must serve three functions. First, it provides an natural language interface (NLI) for the users. Second, it serves as the core component that understands and makes use of the real-world interpretations (RWIs) contained in the docuverse. Third, it enables the reasoning specialists (RSs) to arrive at conclusions that can be transformed into procedures that will satisfy the users' requests. The best candidate for an intelligent agent that can satisfactorily make use of RSs and transform documents (TDs) appears to be an object oriented data base (OODB). OODBs have, apparently, an inherent capacity to use the large numbers of RSs and TDs that will be required by an AIM system and an inherent capacity to use them in an effective way.

  12. High-Rate and Long-Term Cycle Stability of Li-S Batteries Enabled by Li2S/TiO2-Impregnated Hollow Carbon Nanofiber Cathodes.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xinran; Bi, Xuanxuan; Wang, Shaona; Zhang, Yi; Du, Hao; Lu, Jun

    2018-05-16

    The high theoretical energy density of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries makes them an alternative battery technology to lithium ion batteries. However, Li-S batteries suffer from low sulfur loading, poor charge transport, and dissolution of lithium polysulfide. In our study, we use the lithiated S, Li 2 S, as the cathode material, coupled with electrospun TiO 2 -impregnated hollow carbon nanofibers (TiO 2 -HCFs), which serve as the conductive agent and protective barrier for Li 2 S in Li-S batteries. TiO 2 -HCFs provide much improved electron/ionic conductivity and serve as a physical barrier, which prevents the dissolution of lithium polysulfides. The Li 2 S/TiO 2 -HCF composite delivers a discharge capacity of 851 mA h g Li 2 S -1 at 0.1C and the bilayer TiO 2 -HCFs/Li 2 S/TiO 2 -HCF composite delivers a high specific capacity of 400 mA h g Li 2 S -1 at 5C.

  13. Doping effects of Co and Cu on superconductivity and magnetism in Fe1+yTe0.6Se0.4 single crystals.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Z T; Yang, Z R; Li, L; Ling, L S; Zhang, C J; Pi, L; Zhang, Y H

    2013-01-23

    We report on the investigation of Co and Cu substitution effects on superconductivity and magnetism in Fe(1+y)Te(0.6)Se(0.4) single crystals. The parent Fe(1.01)Te(0.59)Se(0.41) shows a nodeless bulk superconductivity as revealed in heat capacity measurement, which is gradually suppressed by either Co or Cu doping. It is found that the Co or Cu doping mainly serves as scatterers rather than charge carrier doping, which is in agreement with the DFT calculation (2010 Phys. Rev. Lett. 105 157004) reported by Wadati et al. In comparison with Cu doping, Co doping shows a stronger influence on magnetism while a less evident suppression effect on superconductivity. Upon substitution of Co for Fe, a Schottky heat capacity anomaly develops gradually at low temperatures, implying the existence of a paramagnetic moment in the Co-doped samples. In contrast, Cu doping may mainly serve as non-magnetic scatterers, where no Schottky anomaly is observed.

  14. Improving the food provided and food safety practices in out-of-school-hours services.

    PubMed

    Cooke, Lara; Sangster, Janice; Eccleston, Philippa

    2007-04-01

    Food provided and food safety and serving practices in out-of-school-hours (OOSH) services. Health promotion strategies, developed in partnership with an advisory committee, were directed at three main areas: supporting local services; developing statewide training and resources; and advocacy. Significant improvements were seen in the food provided, food safety and serving practices and the number of services with planned menus and nutrition and food safety policies. This project is one of the first implemented and evaluated in the OOSH setting. Statistically significant improvements were achieved in the food provided, food safety and serving practices, and menu and policy development. The project also increased the capacity of the OOSH sector to improve children's health by making suitable nutrition and food safety resources and training available to OOSH services across New South Wales.

  15. Procyanidin and catechin contents and antioxidant capacity of cocoa and chocolate products.

    PubMed

    Gu, Liwei; House, Suzanne E; Wu, Xianli; Ou, Boxin; Prior, Ronald L

    2006-05-31

    Cocoa and chocolate products from major brands were analyzed blind for total antioxidant capacity (AOC) (lipophilic and hydrophilic ORAC(FL)), catechins, and procyanidins (monomer through polymers). Accuracy of analyses was ascertained by comparing analyses on a NIST standard reference chocolate with NIST certified values. Procyanidin (PC) content was related to the nonfat cocoa solid (NFCS) content. The natural cocoa powders (average 87% of NFCS) contained the highest levels of AOC (826 +/- 103 micromol of TE/g) and PCs (40.8 +/- 8.3 mg/g). Alkalized cocoa (Dutched powders, average 80% NFCS) contained lower AOC (402 +/- 6 micromol of TE /g) and PCs (8.9 +/- 2.7 mg/g). Unsweetened chocolates or chocolate liquor (50% NFCS) contained 496 +/- 40 micromol of TE /g of AOC and 22.3 +/- 2.9 mg/g of PCs. Milk chocolates, which contain the least amount of NFCS (7.1%), had the lowest concentrations of AOC (80 +/- 10 micromol of TE /g) and PCs (2.7 +/- 0.5 mg/g). One serving of cocoa (5 g) or chocolate (15 or 40 g, depending upon the type of chocolate) provides 2000-9100 micromol of TE of AOC and 45-517 mg of PCs, amounts that exceed the amount in a serving of the majority of foods consumed in America. The monomers through trimers, which are thought to be directly bioavailable, contributed 30% of the total PCs in chocolates. Hydrophilic antioxidant capacity contributed >90% of AOC in all products. The correlation coefficient between AOC and PCs in chocolates was 0.92, suggesting that PCs are the dominant antioxidants in cocoa and chocolates. These results indicate that NFCS is correlated with AOC and PC in cocoa and chocolate products. Alkalizing dramatically decreased both the procyanidin content and antioxidant capacity, although not to the same extent.

  16. Risk distribution across multiple health insurance funds in rural Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Chomi, Eunice Nahyuha; Mujinja, Phares Gamba; Enemark, Ulrika; Hansen, Kristian; Kiwara, Angwara Dennis

    2014-01-01

    Multiple insurance funds serving different population groups may compromise equity due to differential revenue raising capacity and an unequal distribution of high risk members among the funds. This occurs when the funds exist without mechanisms in place to promote income and risk cross-subsidisation across the funds. This paper analyses whether the risk distribution varies across the Community Health Fund (CHF) and National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in two districts in Tanzania. Specifically we aim to 1) identify risk factors associated with increased utilisation of health services and 2) compare the distribution of identified risk factors among the CHF, NHIF and non-member households. Data was collected from a survey of 695 households. A multivariate logisitic regression model was used to identify risk factors for increased health care utilisation. Chi-square tests were performed to test whether the distribution of identified risk factors varied across the CHF, NHIF and non-member households. There was a higher concentration of identified risk factors among CHF households compared to those of the NHIF. Non-member households have a similar wealth status to CHF households, but a lower concentration of identified risk factors. Mechanisms for broader risk spreading and cross-subsidisation across the funds are necessary for the promotion of equity. These include risk equalisation to adjust for differential risk distribution and revenue raising capacity of the funds. Expansion of CHF coverage is equally important, by addressing non-financial barriers to CHF enrolment to encourage wealthy non-members to join, as well as subsidised membership for the poorest.

  17. Three dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels functionalized with melamine for multifunctional applications in supercapacitors and adsorption

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xing, Ling-Bao; Hou, Shu-Fen; Zhou, Jin; Zhang, Jing-Li; Si, Weijiang; Dong, Yunhui; Zhuo, Shuping

    2015-10-01

    In present work, we demonstrate an efficient and facile strategy to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels (NGAs) based on melamine, which serves as reducing and functionalizing agent of graphene oxide (GO) in an aqueous medium with ammonia. Benefiting from well-defined and cross-linked 3D porous network architectures, the supercapacitor based on the NGAs exhibited a high specific capacitance of 170.5 F g-1 at 0.2 A g-1, and this capacitance also showed good electrochemical stability and a high degree of reversibility in the repetitive charge/discharge cycling test. More interestingly, the prepared NGAs further exhibited high adsorption capacities and high recycling performance toward several metal ions such as Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+. Moreover, the hydrophobic carbonized nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels (CNGAs) showed outstanding adsorption and recycling performance for the removal of various oils and organic solvents.

  18. The cognitive neuroscience of prehension: recent developments.

    PubMed

    Grafton, Scott T

    2010-08-01

    Prehension, the capacity to reach and grasp, is the key behavior that allows humans to change their environment. It continues to serve as a remarkable experimental test case for probing the cognitive architecture of goal-oriented action. This review focuses on recent experimental evidence that enhances or modifies how we might conceptualize the neural substrates of prehension. Emphasis is placed on studies that consider how precision grasps are selected and transformed into motor commands. Then, the mechanisms that extract action relevant information from vision and touch are considered. These include consideration of how parallel perceptual networks within parietal cortex, along with the ventral stream, are connected and share information to achieve common motor goals. On-line control of grasping action is discussed within a state estimation framework. The review ends with a consideration about how prehension fits within larger action repertoires that solve more complex goals and the possible cortical architectures needed to organize these actions.

  19. Exploration of Planetary Terrains with a Legged Robot as a Scout Adjunct to a Rover

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Colombano, Silvano; Kirchner, Frank; Spenneberg, Dirk; Hanratty, James

    2004-01-01

    The Scorpion robot is an innovative, biologically inspired 8-legged walking robot. It currently runs a novel approach to control which utilizes a central pattern generator (CPG) and local reflex action for each leg. From this starting point we are proposing to both extend the system's individual capabilities and its capacity to function as a "scout", cooperating with a larger wheeled rover. For this purpose we propose to develop a distributed system architecture that extends the system's capabilities both in the direction of high level planning and execution in collaboration with a rover, and in the direction of force-feedback based low level behaviors that will greatly enhance its ability to walk and climb in rough varied terrains. The final test of this improved ability will be a rappelling experiment where the Scorpion explores a steep cliff side in cooperation with a rover that serves as both anchor and planner/executive.

  20. Laboratory or field tests for evaluating firefighters' work capacity?

    PubMed

    Lindberg, Ann-Sofie; Oksa, Juha; Malm, Christer

    2014-01-01

    Muscle strength is important for firefighters work capacity. Laboratory tests used for measurements of muscle strength, however, are complicated, expensive and time consuming. The aims of the present study were to investigate correlations between physical capacity within commonly occurring and physically demanding firefighting work tasks and both laboratory and field tests in full time (N = 8) and part-time (N = 10) male firefighters and civilian men (N = 8) and women (N = 12), and also to give recommendations as to which field tests might be useful for evaluating firefighters' physical work capacity. Laboratory tests of isokinetic maximal (IM) and endurance (IE) muscle power and dynamic balance, field tests including maximal and endurance muscle performance, and simulated firefighting work tasks were performed. Correlations with work capacity were analyzed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs). The highest significant (p<0.01) correlations with laboratory and field tests were for Cutting: IE trunk extension (rs = 0.72) and maximal hand grip strength (rs = 0.67), for Stairs: IE shoulder flexion (rs = -0.81) and barbell shoulder press (rs = -0.77), for Pulling: IE shoulder extension (rs = -0.82) and bench press (rs = -0.85), for Demolition: IE knee extension (rs = 0.75) and bench press (rs = 0.83), for Rescue: IE shoulder flexion (rs = -0.83) and bench press (rs = -0.82), and for the Terrain work task: IE trunk flexion (rs = -0.58) and upright barbell row (rs = -0.70). In conclusion, field tests may be used instead of laboratory tests. Maximal hand grip strength, bench press, chin ups, dips, upright barbell row, standing broad jump, and barbell shoulder press were strongly correlated (rs≥0.7) with work capacity and are therefore recommended for evaluating firefighters work capacity.

  1. [Application of the 6-Minute Walking Test and Shuttle Walking Test in the Exercise Tests of Patients With COPD].

    PubMed

    Ho, Chiung-Fang; Maa, Suh-Hwa

    2016-08-01

    Exercise training improves the management of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD patients benefit from exercise training programs in terms of improved VO2 peak values and decreased dyspnea, fatigue, hospital admissions, and rates of mortality, increasing exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). COPD is often associated with impairment in exercise tolerance. About 51% of patients have a limited capacity for normal activity, which often further degrades exercise capacity, creating a vicious circle. Exercise testing is highly recommended to assess a patient's individualized functions and limitations in order to determine the optimal level of training intensity prior to initiating an exercise-training regimen. The outcomes of exercise testing provide a powerful indicator of prognosis in COPD patients. The six-minute walking test (6MWT) and the incremental shuttle-walking test (ISWT) are widely used in exercise testing to measure a patient's exercise ability by walking distances. While nursing-related articles published in Taiwan frequently cite and use the 6MWT to assess exercise capacity in COPD patients, the ISWT is rarely used. This paper introduces the testing method, strengths and weaknesses, and application of the two tests in order to provide clinical guidelines for assessing the current exercise capacity of COPD patients.

  2. A model for capacity-building in AIDS prevention programs.

    PubMed

    Ramos, Rebeca L; Ferreira-Pinto, João B

    2002-06-01

    This article discusses a collaboratively organizational capacity-building model for agencies engaged in HIV/AIDS prevention. The cooperative training approach (CTA) utilized by the Training and Technical Assistance Program trained participants to incorporate learned skills into their daily work practices, and to become trainers to help disseminate their newly acquired skills, first to others in their own organization and later to other organizations. The CTA was successfully implemented among 285 community-based organizations (CBOs) serving predominantly Hispanics in the U.S.-Mexico border region. The program evaluation demonstrated that it has significantly upgraded the program implementation capability and the organizational infrastructure of the participating organizations resulting in improved delivery of services to their clients. Furthermore, it fostered networking and collaboration for the development of sustainable training and technical assistance networks of agency staff skilled in organizational capacity building. It is suggested that funding agencies examine the feasibility of using this approach to increase the organizational capacity of CBOs involved in HIV/AIDS prevention.

  3. Metroplex Optimization Model Expansion and Analysis: The Airline Fleet, Route, and Schedule Optimization Model (AFRS-OM)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sherry, Lance; Ferguson, John; Hoffman, Karla; Donohue, George; Beradino, Frank

    2012-01-01

    This report describes the Airline Fleet, Route, and Schedule Optimization Model (AFRS-OM) that is designed to provide insights into airline decision-making with regards to markets served, schedule of flights on these markets, the type of aircraft assigned to each scheduled flight, load factors, airfares, and airline profits. The main inputs to the model are hedged fuel prices, airport capacity limits, and candidate markets. Embedded in the model are aircraft performance and associated cost factors, and willingness-to-pay (i.e. demand vs. airfare curves). Case studies demonstrate the application of the model for analysis of the effects of increased capacity and changes in operating costs (e.g. fuel prices). Although there are differences between airports (due to differences in the magnitude of travel demand and sensitivity to airfare), the system is more sensitive to changes in fuel prices than capacity. Further, the benefits of modernization in the form of increased capacity could be undermined by increases in hedged fuel prices

  4. Distribution of electrolytes in a flow battery

    DOEpatents

    Darling, Robert Mason; Smeltz, Andrew; Junker, Sven Tobias; Perry, Michael L.

    2017-12-26

    A method of determining a distribution of electrolytes in a flow battery includes providing a flow battery with a fixed amount of fluid electrolyte having a common electrochemically active specie, a portion of the fluid electrolyte serving as an anolyte and a remainder of the fluid electrolyte serving as a catholyte. An average oxidation state of the common electrochemically active specie is determined in the anolyte and the catholyte and, responsive to the determined average oxidation state, a molar ratio of the common electrochemically active specie between the anolyte and the catholyte is adjusted to increase an energy discharge capacity of the flow battery for the determined average oxidation state.

  5. Evaluation program for secondary spacecraft cells: Acceptance tests of Eagle-Picher 20.0 ampere-hour nickel-cadmium cells with auxiliary electrodes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Christy, D. E.

    1972-01-01

    A group of 29 cells with capacities ranging from 21.7 to 28.8 ampere-hours were tested. A summary of the results indicates: (1) All cells exceeded the rated capacity on all three capacity checks. (2) Five cells failed to recover to 1.150 volts. (3) During the overcharge tests, 15 of the 29 cells had to be removed from charge before completion of the respective tests due to high pressure.

  6. Veterinary public health capacity-building in India: a grim reflection of the developing world's underpreparedness to address zoonotic risks.

    PubMed

    Kakkar, Manish; Abbas, Syed Shahid; Kumar, Ashok; Hussain, Mohammad Akhtar; Sharma, Kavya; Bhatt, Purvi Mehta; Zodpey, Sanjay

    2013-01-01

    Veterinary public health (VPH) is ideally suited to promote convergence between human, animal and environmental sectors. Recent zoonotic and emerging infectious disease events have given rise to increasing calls for efforts to build global VPH capacities. However, even with their greater vulnerability to such events, including their economic and livelihood impacts, the response from low-and middle-income countries such as India has been suboptimal, thereby elevating global health risks. Addressing risks effectively at the human-animal interface in these countries will require a clear vision, consistent policies, strategic approach and sustained political commitment to reform and refine the current VPH capacity-building efforts. Only then can the discipline serve its goal of disease prevention, poverty alleviation and support for sustainable livelihoods through improvements in human and animal health.

  7. Estimating debt capacity of New York State Health facilities.

    PubMed

    Hogan, A J

    1985-01-01

    A measure of the capacity to take on new debt is developed for health facilities. This measure is a function of the current financial position of the facility, future financial market conditions (interest rates and bond/loan maturities), and a policy variable (the debt service coverage ratio) to be set by state health policy makers. The quality of this measure was shown to depend on the quality of current health facility financial accounting data, on the quality of forecasts of interest rates and future cashflow, and on the appropriateness of the criterion debt service coverage ratio. Some of the limitations of the estimate are discussed. Consideration of the debt capacity estimate serves to highlight some crucial issues in imposing capital expenditure limits, namely the interrelationships between financial viability, interest rates and access to capital markets.

  8. Impact of network structure on the capacity of wireless multihop ad hoc communication

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krause, Wolfram; Glauche, Ingmar; Sollacher, Rudolf; Greiner, Martin

    2004-07-01

    As a representative of a complex technological system, the so-called wireless multihop ad hoc communication networks are discussed. They represent an infrastructure-less generalization of todays wireless cellular phone networks. Lacking a central control authority, the ad hoc nodes have to coordinate themselves such that the overall network performs in an optimal way. A performance indicator is the end-to-end throughput capacity. Various models, generating differing ad hoc network structure via differing transmission power assignments, are constructed and characterized. They serve as input for a generic data traffic simulation as well as some semi-analytic estimations. The latter reveal that due to the most-critical-node effect the end-to-end throughput capacity sensitively depends on the underlying network structure, resulting in differing scaling laws with respect to network size.

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

    Neal, J.W.

    The nation`s rural electric cooperatives own a high proportion of coal-fired generation, in excess of 80 percent of their generating capacity. As the electric utility industry moves toward a competitive electricity market, the generation mix for electric cooperatives is expected to change. Distributed generation will likely serve more customer loads than is now the case, and that will lead to an increase in gas-fired generation capacity. But, clean low-cost central station coal-fired capacity is expected to continue to be the primary source of power for growing rural electric cooperatives. Gasification combined cycle could be the lowest cost coal based generationmore » option in this new competitive market if both capital cost and electricity production costs can be further reduced. This paper presents anticipated utility business scenarios for the deregulated future and identifies combined cycle power plant configurations that might prove most competitive.« less

  10. Can endurance training improve physical capacity and quality of life in young Fontan patients?

    PubMed

    Hedlund, Eva R; Lundell, Bo; Söderström, Liselott; Sjöberg, Gunnar

    2018-03-01

    Children after Fontan palliation have reduced exercise capacity and quality of life. Our aim was to study whether endurance training could improve physical capacity and quality of life in Fontan patients. Fontan patients (n=30) and healthy age- and gender-matched control subjects (n=25) performed a 6-minute walk test at submaximal capacity and a maximal cycle ergometer test. Quality of life was assessed with Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 questionnaires for children and parents. All tests were repeated after a 12-week endurance training programme and after 1 year. Patients had decreased submaximal and maximal exercise capacity (maximal oxygen uptake 35.0±5.1 ml/minute per·kg versus 43.7±8.4 ml/minute·per·kg, p<0.001) and reported a lower quality of life score (70.9±9.9 versus 85.7±8.0, p<0.001) than controls. After training, patients improved their submaximal exercise capacity in a 6-minute walk test (from 590.7±65.5 m to 611.8±70.9 m, p<0.05) and reported a higher quality of life (p<0.01), but did not improve maximal exercise capacity. At follow-up, submaximal exercise capacity had increased further and improved quality of life was sustained. The controls improved their maximal exercise capacity (p<0.05), but not submaximal exercise capacity or quality of life after training. At follow-up, improvement of maximal exercise capacity was sustained. We believe that an individualised endurance training programme for Fontan patients improves submaximal exercise capacity and quality of life in Fontan patients and the effect on quality of life appears to be long-lasting.

  11. Evaluation of axial pile bearing capacity based on pile driving analyzer (PDA) test using Neural Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maizir, H.; Suryanita, R.

    2018-01-01

    A few decades, many methods have been developed to predict and evaluate the bearing capacity of driven piles. The problem of the predicting and assessing the bearing capacity of the pile is very complicated and not yet established, different soil testing and evaluation produce a widely different solution. However, the most important thing is to determine methods used to predict and evaluate the bearing capacity of the pile to the required degree of accuracy and consistency value. Accurate prediction and evaluation of axial bearing capacity depend on some variables, such as the type of soil, diameter, and length of pile, etc. The aims of the study of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are utilized to obtain more accurate and consistent axial bearing capacity of a driven pile. ANNs can be described as mapping an input to the target output data. The method using the ANN model developed to predict and evaluate the axial bearing capacity of the pile based on the pile driving analyzer (PDA) test data for more than 200 selected data. The results of the predictions obtained by the ANN model and the PDA test were then compared. This research as the neural network models give a right prediction and evaluation of the axial bearing capacity of piles using neural networks.

  12. Soft wheat and flour products methods review: solvent retention capacity equation correction

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This article discusses the results of a significant change to calculations made within AACCI Approved methods 56-10 and 56-11, the Alkaline Water Retention Capacity (AWRC) test and the Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC) test. The AACCI Soft Wheat and Flour Products Technical Committee reviewed propos...

  13. Anaerobic performances of sedentary and trained subjects.

    PubMed

    Serresse, O; Ama, P F; Simoneau, J A; Lortie, G; Bouchard, C; Boulay, M R

    1989-03-01

    The objective of this report was to compare the performance of sedentary individuals, physical education students, and athletes of various disciplines in 10 s and 90 s maximal cycle ergometer tests. The 10 s power was the highest power output in one second from the 10 s test, while capacities were defined as the total work output during the best 10 s trial and the 90 s test. ANOVA and Duncan multiple range test indicated that the mean values of the 10 S power and capacity and the 90 S capacity tests were significantly higher in sprinter than in sedentary groups. Sprinters performed significantly better than marathon runners only in the 10 s capacity and power. Bodybuilders and sedentary subjects had similar results in the 90 s capacity test. Mean performance values per kilogram of body weight in sedentary females reached about 60% of sedentary males while marathon runners, physical education students and sprinter females reached about 80% of the male performances for the three indicators. When expressed per kilogram of fat-free mass, females reached a higher proportion of the male values for all performances. These results indicate that: a) there are differences for the power and capacity measured in predominantly anaerobic tests between athletes from different disciplines and sedentary individuals, and b) gender differences exist for these anaerobic performance indicators, but they appear attenuated in trained subjects.

  14. The Role of Radial Clearance on the Performance of Foil Air Bearings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Radil, Kevin; Howard, Samuel; Dykas, Brian

    2002-01-01

    Load capacity tests were conducted to determine how radial clearance variations affect the load capacity coefficient of foil air bearings. Two Generation III foil air bearings with the same design but possessing different initial radial clearances were tested at room temperature against an as-ground PS304 coated journal operating at 30,000 rpm. Increases in radial clearance were accomplished by reducing the journal's outside diameter via an in-place grinding system. From each load capacity test the bearing load capacity coefficient was calculated from the rule-of-thumb (ROT) model developed for foil air bearings. The test results indicate that, in terms of the load capacity coefficient, radial clearance has a direct impact on the performance of the foil air bearing. Each test bearing exhibited an optimum radial clearance that resulted in a maximum load capacity coefficient. Relative to this optimum value are two separate operating regimes that are governed by different modes of failure. Bearings operating with radial clearances less than the optimum exhibit load capacity coefficients that are a strong function of radial clearance and are prone to a thermal runaway failure mechanism and bearing seizure. Conversely, a bearing operating with a radial clearance twice the optimum suffered only a 20 percent decline in its maximum load capacity coefficient and did not experience any thermal management problems. However, it is unknown to what degree these changes in radial clearance had on other performance parameters, such as the stiffness and damping properties of the bearings.

  15. Sustainable Model for Public Health Emergency Operations Centers for Global Settings.

    PubMed

    Balajee, S Arunmozhi; Pasi, Omer G; Etoundi, Alain Georges M; Rzeszotarski, Peter; Do, Trang T; Hennessee, Ian; Merali, Sharifa; Alroy, Karen A; Phu, Tran Dac; Mounts, Anthony W

    2017-10-01

    Capacity to receive, verify, analyze, assess, and investigate public health events is essential for epidemic intelligence. Public health Emergency Operations Centers (PHEOCs) can be epidemic intelligence hubs by 1) having the capacity to receive, analyze, and visualize multiple data streams, including surveillance and 2) maintaining a trained workforce that can analyze and interpret data from real-time emerging events. Such PHEOCs could be physically located within a ministry of health epidemiology, surveillance, or equivalent department rather than exist as a stand-alone space and serve as operational hubs during nonoutbreak times but in emergencies can scale up according to the traditional Incident Command System structure.

  16. Aeronautical Satellite-Assisted Process for Information Exchange Through Network Technologies (Aero-SAPIENT) Conducted

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zernic, Michael J.

    2002-01-01

    Broadband satellite communications for aeronautics marries communication and network technologies to address NASA's goals in information technology base research and development, thereby serving the safety and capacity needs of the National Airspace System. This marriage of technology increases the interactivity between airborne vehicles and ground systems. It improves decision-making and efficiency, reduces operation costs, and improves the safety and capacity of the National Airspace System. To this end, a collaborative project called the Aeronautical Satellite Assisted Process for Information Exchange through Network Technologies, or Aero-SAPIENT, was conducted out of Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, during November and December 2000.

  17. Using community-based participatory research to advocate for homeless children.

    PubMed

    Fetherman, Debra L; Burke, Stephen C

    2015-01-01

    The social determinants of health represent the societal and economic influences responsible for most health inequities. Advocacy to eliminate health inequities for homeless children oftentimes involves the use of community-based approaches. This article details the Floating Hospital's (TFH) community-based participatory research (CBPR) project that resulted in an advocacy brief. Within the project, the community practice concepts of a strengths perspective, empowerment, capacity building, and advocacy are embedded. The brief enhances TFH's capacity to advocate for the needs of homeless children. This example serves as a guide for social work and public health professionals to use CBPR to address health inequities within their communities.

  18. Nickel-hydrogen capacity loss on storage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Manzo, Michelle A.

    1989-01-01

    A controlled experiment evaluating the capacity loss experienced by nickel electrodes stored under various conditions of temperature, hydrogen pressure, and electrolyte concentration was conducted using nickel electrodes from four different manufacturers. It was found that capacity loss varied with respect to hydrogen pressure, and storage temperature as well as with respect to electrode manufacturing processes. Impedance characteristics were monitored and found to be indicative of electrode manufacturing processes and capacity loss. Cell testing to evaluate state-of-charge effects on capacity loss were inconclusive as no loss was sustained by the cells tested in this experiment.

  19. Design of rock socketed drilled shafts

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-09-01

    Three field load tests of drilled shafts socketed in Burlington limestone were conducted using the Osterberg load cell. The objective of these tests was to compare the shaft capacities obtained from the field load tests with capacities predicted usin...

  20. Evaluation program for secondary spacecraft cells: Initial evaluation tests of General Electric Company 6.0 ampere hour nickel-cadmium spacecraft cells with auxiliary electrodes for the atmospheric Explorer satellite C and D. [quality control testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harkness, J. D.

    1974-01-01

    The capacity of the cells ranged from 6.6 to 7.6 ampere hours during the three capacity tests. No voltage requirements or limits were exceeded during any portion of the test. All cells recovered to a voltage in excess of 1.193 volts during the 24-hour open-circuit portion of the internal short test. All the cells reached a pressure of 20 psia before reaching the voltage limit of 1.550 volts during the pressure versus capacity test. The average ampere/hours in and voltages at this pressure were 9.1 and 1.513, respectively. All cells exhibited pressure decay in the range of 1 to 5 psia during the last 30 minutes of the 1-hour open circuit stand. Average capacity out was 7.2 ampere/hours.

  1. Initial evaluation tests of General Electric Company 12.0 ampere hour nickel cadmium spacecraft cells with design variables

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harkness, J. D.

    1979-01-01

    All evaluation tests were performed at room ambient pressure and temperature, with discharges at a 2 hour rate. Tests consisted of phenolphthalein leak tests, three capacity tests, an auxiliary electrode test, a charge retention test, an internal short test, a charge efficiency test, overcharge tests, and a pressure versus capacity test. Results of the tests and recommendations for improvements in manufacturing are presented.

  2. Local health department epidemiologic capacity: a stratified cross-sectional assessment describing the quantity, education, training, and perceived competencies of epidemiologic staff.

    PubMed

    O'Keefe, Kaitlin A; Shafir, Shira C; Shoaf, Kimberley I

    2013-01-01

    Local health departments (LHDs) must have sufficient numbers of staff functioning in an epidemiologic role with proper education, training, and skills to protect the health of communities they serve. This pilot study was designed to describe the composition, training, and competency level of LHD staff and examine the hypothesis that potential disparities exist between LHDs serving different sized populations. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted with directors and epidemiologic staff from a sample of 100 LHDs serving jurisdictions of varied sizes. Questionnaires included inquiries regarding staff composition, education, training, and measures of competency modeled on previously conducted studies by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. Number of epidemiologic staff, academic degree distribution, epidemiologic training, and both director and staff confidence in task competencies were calculated for each LHD size strata. Disparities in measurements were observed in LHDs serving different sized populations. LHDs serving small populations reported a smaller average number of epidemiologic staff than those serving larger jurisdictions. As size of population served increased, percentages of staff and directors holding bachelors' and masters' degrees increased, while those holding RN degrees decreased. A higher degree of perceived competency of staff in most task categories was reported in LHDs serving larger populations. LHDs serving smaller populations reported fewer epidemiologic staff, therefore might benefit from additional resources. Differences observed in staff education, training, and competencies suggest that enhanced epidemiologic training might be particularly needed in LHDs serving smaller populations. RESULTS can be used as a baseline for future research aimed at identifying areas where training and personnel resources might be particularly needed to increase the capabilities of LHDs.

  3. Working-Class Students: Lost in a College's Middle-Class Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DiMaria, Frank

    2006-01-01

    Diversity in higher education, most everyone would agree, is a positive. Janet Galligani Casey, who serves in the capacity of visiting associate professor at Skidmore College in New York, agrees with it, but she thinks that sometimes all the talk about it hides complicated realities, especially for the working-class student. This article describes…

  4. Reimagining Critical Race Theory in Education: Mental Health, Healing, and the Pathway to Liberatory Praxis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGee, Ebony O.; Stovall, David

    2015-01-01

    Long-standing theoretical education frameworks and methodologies have failed to provide space for the role mental health can play in mediating educational consequences. To illustrate the need for such space, Ebony McGee and David Stovall highlight the voices of black undergraduates they have served in the capacities of teacher, researcher, and…

  5. 76 FR 23322 - Storage Development Partners, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-26

    ... total storage capacity of 5,737 acre-feet at a normal maximum operating elevation of 1,600 feet mean sea level (msl); (2) five 9,700-foot-long, 25-foot- diameter steel lined penstocks extending between the... Ocean, serving as the lower reservoir; (4) an underground powerhouse with approximate dimensions of 250...

  6. Another Innovation from High Tech High--Embedded Teacher Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griswold, Janie; Riordan, Rob

    2016-01-01

    High Tech High School's teaching internship program blends on-the-job work with classroom theory. Interns spend two years working as full teachers as they take courses. The program serves three large purposes: Train new teachers and build capacity in the HTH organization; train teachers in and beyond HTH for success in a wide range of contexts;…

  7. Aptitude Sensitive Instruction: The Role of Media Attributes in Optimizing Transfer of Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    French, Margaret

    The supplantation approach of this study hypothesized that media attributes may serve to bridge the processing link between learner aptitude capacity and the demands of a concept attainment task. Subjects were 492 males aged 16-21, drawn from a College of Technical and Further Education in Melbourne, Australia. All subjects were trade apprentices,…

  8. Experience with wear-resistant materials at the Homer City Coal Cleaning Plant

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

    Williams, W.R.

    1984-10-01

    The Homer City preparation plant is a multi-stream, dual-circuit facility with a capacity of 1200 ton/hour raw feed. It serves 3 units of a neighbouring power station. Experience with a number of wear and corrosion resistant materials is described. It is emphasised that the successes and failures reported may be site-specific.

  9. Building Capacity for a Global Genome Editing Observatory: Institutional Design.

    PubMed

    Saha, Krishanu; Hurlbut, J Benjamin; Jasanoff, Sheila; Ahmed, Aziza; Appiah, Anthony; Bartholet, Elizabeth; Baylis, Françoise; Bennett, Gaymon; Church, George; Cohen, I Glenn; Daley, George; Finneran, Kevin; Hurlbut, William; Jaenisch, Rudolf; Lwoff, Laurence; Kimes, John Paul; Mills, Peter; Moses, Jacob; Park, Buhm Soon; Parens, Erik; Salzman, Rachel; Saxena, Abha; Simmet, Hilton; Simoncelli, Tania; Snead, O Carter; Rajan, Kaushik Sunder; Truog, Robert D; Williams, Patricia; Woopen, Christiane

    2018-06-08

    A new infrastructure is urgently needed at the global level to facilitate exchange on key issues concerning genome editing. We advocate the establishment of a global observatory to serve as a center for international, interdisciplinary, and cosmopolitan reflection. This article is the second of a two-part series. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Building Capacity for a Global Genome Editing Observatory: Conceptual Challenges.

    PubMed

    Hurlbut, J Benjamin; Jasanoff, Sheila; Saha, Krishanu; Ahmed, Aziza; Appiah, Anthony; Bartholet, Elizabeth; Baylis, Françoise; Bennett, Gaymon; Church, George; Cohen, I Glenn; Daley, George; Finneran, Kevin; Hurlbut, William; Jaenisch, Rudolf; Lwoff, Laurence; Kimes, John Paul; Mills, Peter; Moses, Jacob; Park, Buhm Soon; Parens, Erik; Salzman, Rachel; Saxena, Abha; Simmet, Hilton; Simoncelli, Tania; Snead, O Carter; Rajan, Kaushik Sunder; Truog, Robert D; Williams, Patricia; Woopen, Christiane

    2018-07-01

    A new infrastructure is urgently needed at the global level to facilitate exchange on key issues concerning genome editing. We advocate the establishment of a global observatory to serve as a center for international, interdisciplinary, and cosmopolitan reflection. This article is the first of a two-part series. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Impact of a Statewide Early Childhood Curriculum Enhancement Initiative on Community College Faculty and Paraprofessional Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bodisch Lynch, Kathleen; Uhl, Monica; Reece, John; McGuire Buck, Deana; Gilles, Donna L.

    2016-01-01

    As the number of young children with disabilities being included in diverse early childhood settings continues to increase, employing personnel with the requisite knowledge and skills to support their active participation and learning becomes of paramount importance. Because paraprofessionals frequently serve in this capacity, it is critical that…

  12. Is It Better to Be Good or Lucky? Decentralized Teacher Selection in 10 Elementary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeArmond, Michael; Gross, Betheny; Goldhaber, Dan

    2010-01-01

    In this article, the authors explore how school-based hiring reforms play out among schools serving different students in different locations within a single district. In particular, they consider how the intersection of school-based capacity and local school context affect teacher selection practice and outcomes. The analysis is based on a…

  13. How Ready Are Postsecondary Institutions for Students Who Are d/Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cawthon, Stephanie W.; Schoffstall, Sarah J.; Garberoglio, Carrie Lou

    2014-01-01

    Educational policy in the United States is increasingly focused on the need for individuals to be academically ready for postsecondary education experiences. The focus of these initiatives, however, centers primarily on individuals and their competencies and characteristics, and not on the capacities of postsecondary institutions to serve them.…

  14. Natural Gas Compressor Stations on the Interstate Pipeline Network: Developments Since 1996

    EIA Publications

    2007-01-01

    This special report looks at the use of natural gas pipeline compressor stations on the interstate natural gas pipeline network that serves the lower 48 states. It examines the compression facilities added over the past 10 years and how the expansions have supported pipeline capacity growth intended to meet the increasing demand for natural gas.

  15. It Takes a Village: An Indigenous Atayal After-School Tutoring Program in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pai, Hui-Ju; Ho, Hsiu-Zu; Lam, Yeana W.

    2017-01-01

    The Boyo After-School Tutoring Program in Hsinchu County, Taiwan, is a unique training program developed by the Boyo Social Welfare Foundation. The primary focus of this nonprofit foundation, established in 2008, is providing tutoring and support to indigenous youths. The Boyo Foundation also serves to build the capacity of unemployed village…

  16. The Elderly as Surplus People: Is There a Role for Higher Education?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morris, Robert; Bass, Scott A.

    1986-01-01

    Examines the capacity of older people to serve as an economic and social resource. A proposal to develop a secondary labor market which employs older people in expanding the current human service delivery system, and a case study of a specific educational approach providing new opportunities leading to productive roles for able people in human…

  17. Integrating Family Capacity-Building and Child Outcomes to Support Social Communication Development in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woods, Juliann J.; Brown, Jennifer A.

    2011-01-01

    The focus of this article is on the transactional relationship of research and practice for speech-language pathologists serving infants and toddlers with and at risk for autism spectrum disorder in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act supported early intervention. Specifically, information is provided on (a) the relationship between…

  18. Spatial but Not Temporal Numerosity Thresholds Correlate with Formal Math Skills in Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anobile, Giovanni; Arrighi, Roberto; Castaldi, Elisa; Grassi, Eleonora; Pedonese, Lara; Moscoso, Paula A. M.; Burr, David C.

    2018-01-01

    Humans and other animals are able to make rough estimations of quantities using what has been termed the "approximate number system" (ANS). Much evidence suggests that sensitivity to numerosity correlates with symbolic math capacity, leading to the suggestion that the ANS may serve as a start-up tool to develop symbolic math. Many…

  19. Race to the Top. Rhode Island Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of Rhode Island's Year 1 Race to the Top implementation, highlighting successes and accomplishments, identifying challenges, and providing lessons learned from implementation to date. According to the State, in Year 1, Rhode Island greatly increased statewide capacity to begin…

  20. A New Curriculum Design for Native American Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharpes, Don

    The goals of planning for innovation and reform of American Indian schools should include a culturally based and child oriented curriculum. The curriculum design should be based on the assumptions that it will provide: (1) motivation and interest for the youth it serves; (2) children with the capacity to learn how to learn; (3) an individually…

  1. Taking the Lead: New Roles for Teachers and School-Based Coaches, 2nd Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Killion, Joellen; Harrison, Cindy

    2017-01-01

    "Taking the Lead" outlines 10 practical and powerful roles for school-based coaches responsible for helping teachers increase their capacity to serve all students. The second edition is a rich update to Killion and Harrison's essential resource and includes dozens of online tools that support deep exploration and implementation of the…

  2. New Knowledge about Research Capacity Building: An Autoethnographic Approach to Understanding Skill Enhancement Strategies for Minority Researchers with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanders, Perry; Davis, Dytisha; Moore, Corey L.; Manyibe, Edward O.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this inquiry was to examine the research skill building and career development lived experiences of a Native American who is blind serving as a disability and rehabilitation researcher at a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)-sponsored Rehabilitation Research and…

  3. Information About Users and Usages: A Literature Review.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hensley, Susan E.; Nelson, Carnot

    Identified in this study are the factors which affect the user's capacity to seek out and utilize information, and the factors which serve as obstacles to information use. Factors relating to both organizational and individual use include level of use, user skills, and user motivation; differentiation of level of use is presented in three levels:…

  4. Community Paraeducators: A Partnership-Directed Approach for Preparing and Sustaining the Involvement of Community Members in Inner-City Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manz, Patricia H.; Power, Thomas J.; Ginsburg-Block, Marika; Dowrick, Peter W.

    2010-01-01

    Inner-city schools located in high poverty communities often operate with insufficient resources to meet the educational needs of students. Community residents serving as paraeducators offer the dual benefits of expanding instructional capacity and fostering family-school relationships, provided they are appropriately prepared and incorporated…

  5. Serving the Needs of Struggling Developmental Education Students: The Development of a Program Planning Guidebook for Community College Administrators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bohnet, Kimberly Jean

    2016-01-01

    This dissertation describes the process of creating a guidebook that developmental education administrators can use to build their capacity as leaders, learners, and program planners. The guidebook is the product of a qualitative study designed to better understand how community college administrators who have program planning responsibilities for…

  6. Race to the Top. New York Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of New York's Year 1 Race to the Top implementation, highlighting successes and accomplishments, identifying challenges, and providing lessons learned from implementation to date. New York significantly increased its capacity to provide support to its local educational agencies (LEAs). At…

  7. Strategies of Collaborative Work in the Classroom through the Design of Video Games

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muñoz González, Juan Manuel; Rubio García, Sebastián; Cruz Pichardo, Ivanovna M.

    2015-01-01

    At the present time, the use of video games goes beyond mere amusement or entertainment due to its potential for developing capacities, dexterity and skills. Thus, video games have extended to environments like that of education, serving as didactic resources within dynamics that respond to the interests and necessities of the 21st century…

  8. 76 FR 24816 - Government Employees Serving in Official Capacity in Nonprofit Organizations; Sector Unit...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-03

    ... pursuant to section 208(a). On August 28, 1995, the Office of Government Ethics published its first interim... nonprofit organization, it can be very difficult for the employee to avoid the mistaken impression that he... before Congress first. No legislative changes to section 208 were enacted in response to the report...

  9. Raising the Bar, Building Capacity: Driving Improvement in California's Continuation High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Velasco, Jorge Ruiz; McLaughlin, Milbrey

    2012-01-01

    California's approximately 500 continuation high schools are estimated to serve more than 115,000 California high school students each year--a number that approaches almost 10 percent of all high school students and as many as one of every seven high school seniors. Continuation schools are, however, more racially and ethnically concentrated than…

  10. A Multi-Year Study of the Impact of the Rice Model Teacher Professional Development on Elementary Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diaconu, Dana Viorica; Radigan, Judy; Suskavcevic, Milijana; Nichol, Carolyn

    2012-01-01

    A teacher professional development program for in-service elementary school science teachers, the Rice Elementary Model Science Lab (REMSL), was developed for urban school districts serving predominately high-poverty, high-minority students. Teachers with diverse skills and science capacities came together in Professional Learning Communities, one…

  11. Using Data Wisely at the System Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lockwood, Meghan; Dillman, Mary; Boudett, Kathryn Parker

    2017-01-01

    District administrators who want to build capacity for data use in schools may be well-served by starting in the central office. This case study of the Boston Public Schools shows how central office administrators can leverage their own data inquiry cycles to improve the ways they support schools in using data. Using the Data Wise Improvement…

  12. Motor Imagery and Tennis Serve Performance: The External Focus Efficacy

    PubMed Central

    Guillot, Aymeric; Desliens, Simon; Rouyer, Christelle; Rogowski, Isabelle

    2013-01-01

    There is now ample evidence that motor imagery (MI) contributes to enhance motor performance. Previous research also demonstrated that directing athletes’ attention to the effects of their movements on the environment is more effective than focusing on the action per se. The present study aimed therefore at evaluating whether adopting an external focus during MI contributes to enhance tennis serve performance. Twelve high-level young tennis players were included in a test-retest procedure. The effects of regular training were first evaluated. Then, players were subjected to a MI intervention during which they mentally focused on ball trajectory and specifically visualized the space above the net where the serve can be successfully hit. Serve performance was evaluated during both a validated serve test and a real match. The main results showed a significant increase in accuracy and velocity during the ecological serve test after MI practice, as well as a significant improvement in successful first serves and won points during the match. Present data therefore confirmed the efficacy of MI in combination of physical practice to improve tennis serve performance, and further provided evidence that it is feasible to adopt external attentional focus during MI. Practical applications are discussed. Key Points Motor imagery contributes to enhance tennis serve performance. Data provided evidence of the benefits of adopting an external focus of attention during imagery. Results showed significant improvement in successful first serves and won points during a real match. PMID:24149813

  13. A strategic approach to workforce development for local public health.

    PubMed

    Bryant, Beverley; Ward, Megan

    2017-11-09

    In 2009, Peel Public Health set a vision to transform the work of public health from efficient delivery of public health services as defined by provincial mandate to the robust analysis of the health status of the local population and selection and implementation of programming to achieve best health outcomes. A strategic approach to the workforce was a key enabler. PPH is a public health unit in Ontario that serves 1.4 million people. An organization-wide strategic workforce development program was instituted. It is theory-based, evidence-informed and data-driven. A first step was a conceptual framework, followed by interventions in workforce planning, human resources management, and capacity development. The program was built on evidence reviews, theory, and public health core competencies. Interventions spread across the employee work-life span. Capacity development based on the public health core competencies is a main focus, particularly analytical capacity to support decision-making. Employees gain skill and knowledge in comprehensive population health. Leadership evolves as work shifts to the analysis of health status and development of interventions. Effective human resource processes ensure appropriate job design, recruitment and orientation. Analysis of the workforce leads to vigorous employee development to ensure a strong pool of potential leadership successors. Theory, research evidence, and data provide a robust foundation for workforce development. Competencies are important inputs to job descriptions, recruitment, training, and human resource processes. A comprehensive workforce development strategy enables the development of a skilled workforce capable of responding to the needs of the population it serves.

  14. Rhizophoraceae Mangrove Saplings Use Hypocotyl and Leaf Water Storage Capacity to Cope with Soil Water Salinity Changes

    PubMed Central

    Lechthaler, Silvia; Robert, Elisabeth M. R.; Tonné, Nathalie; Prusova, Alena; Gerkema, Edo; Van As, Henk; Koedam, Nico; Windt, Carel W.

    2016-01-01

    Some of the most striking features of Rhizophoraceae mangrove saplings are their voluminous cylinder-shaped hypocotyls and thickened leaves. The hypocotyls are known to serve as floats during seed dispersal (hydrochory) and store nutrients that allow the seedling to root and settle. In this study we investigate to what degree the hypocotyls and leaves can serve as water reservoirs once seedlings have settled, helping the plant to buffer the rapid water potential changes that are typical for the mangrove environment. We exposed saplings of two Rhizophoraceae species to three levels of salinity (15, 30, and 0–5‰, in that sequence) while non-invasively monitoring changes in hypocotyl and leaf water content by means of mobile NMR sensors. As a proxy for water content, changes in hypocotyl diameter and leaf thickness were monitored by means of dendrometers. Hypocotyl diameter variations were also monitored in the field on a Rhizophora species. The saplings were able to buffer rapid rhizosphere salinity changes using water stored in hypocotyls and leaves, but the largest water storage capacity was found in the leaves. We conclude that in Rhizophora and Bruguiera the hypocotyl offers the bulk of water buffering capacity during the dispersal phase and directly after settlement when only few leaves are present. As saplings develop more leaves, the significance of the leaves as a water storage organ becomes larger than that of the hypocotyl. PMID:27446125

  15. Maternal Child-Centered Attributions and Harsh Discipline: The Moderating Role of Maternal Working Memory Across Socioeconomic Contexts

    PubMed Central

    Sturge-Apple, Melissa L.; Suor, Jennifer H.; Skibo, Michael A.

    2015-01-01

    Cognitive models of parenting give emphasis to the central role that parental cognitions may play in parental socialization goals. In particular, dual process models suggest that parental attribution styles affect the way parents interpret caregiving situations and enact behaviors, particularly within the realm of discipline. Although research has documented the negative behavioral repercussions of dysfunctional child-centered responsibility biases, there is heterogeneity in the level of these associations. Research has also demonstrated that parental working memory capacity may serve as an individual difference factor in influencing caregiving behaviors. Thus, our first aim was to document how maternal working memory capacity may moderate the association between mother’s dysfunctional child-oriented attributions and use of harsh discipline. In addition, from an ecological perspective, a second aim was to examine how socioeconomic risk may further potentiate the impact of maternal working memory. To accomplish these aims, a socioeconomically diverse sample of 185 mothers and their three-year old children were recruited to participate in a laboratory-based research assessment. Findings revealed that lower maternal working memory capacity may operate as a risk factor for attributional biases and harsh discipline, while higher working memory may serve as a protective factor in this relationship. Socioeconomic risk further moderated these findings. Results suggest that the moderating role of working memory may be particularly pronounced under conditions of socio-economic risk. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:25221969

  16. Maternal child-centered attributions and harsh discipline: the moderating role of maternal working memory across socioeconomic contexts.

    PubMed

    Sturge-Apple, Melissa L; Suor, Jennifer H; Skibo, Michael A

    2014-10-01

    Cognitive models of parenting give emphasis to the central role that parental cognitions may play in parental socialization goals. In particular, dual process models suggest that parental attribution styles affect the way parents interpret caregiving situations and enact behaviors, particularly within the realm of discipline. Although research has documented the negative behavioral repercussions of dysfunctional child-centered responsibility biases, there is heterogeneity in the level of these associations. Research has also demonstrated that parental working memory capacity may serve as an individual difference factor in influencing caregiving behaviors. Thus, our first aim was to document how maternal working memory capacity may moderate the association between mother's dysfunctional child-oriented attributions and use of harsh discipline. In addition, from an ecological perspective, a second aim was to examine how socioeconomic risk may further potentiate the impact of maternal working memory. To accomplish these aims, a socioeconomically diverse sample of 185 mothers and their 3-year old children were recruited to participate in a laboratory-based research assessment. Findings revealed that lower maternal working memory capacity may operate as a risk factor for attributional biases and harsh discipline, and higher working memory may serve as a protective factor in this relationship. Socioeconomic risk further moderated these findings. Results suggest that the moderating role of working memory may be particularly pronounced under conditions of socioeconomic risk. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. Superficial Velocity Effects on HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN for Kr/Xe Capture

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

    Welty, Amy Keil; Garn, Troy Gerry; Greenhalgh, Mitchell Randy

    2016-04-01

    Nearly all previous testing of HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN was conducted at the same flow rate in order to maintain consistency among tests. This testing was sufficient for sorbent capacity determinations, but did not ensure that sorbents were capable of functioning under a range of flow regimes. Tests were conducted on both HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN at superficial velocities between 20 and 700 cm/min. For HZ-PAN, Kr capacity increased from 60 mmol/kg to 110 mmol/kg as superficial velocity increased from 21 to 679 cm/min. Results for AgZ-PAN were similar, with capacity ranging from 72 to 124 mmol/kg over the same range ofmore » superficial. These results are promising for scaling up to process flows, demonstrating flexibility to operate in a broad range of superficial velocities while maintaining sorbent capacity. While preparing for superficial velocity testing it was also discovered that AgZ-PAN Xe capacity, previously observed to diminish over time, could be recovered with increased desorption temperature. Further, a substantial Xe capacity increase was observed. Previous room temperature capacities in the range of 22-25 mmol Xe/kg AgZ-PAN were increased to over 60 mmol Xe/kg AgZ-PAN. While this finding has not yet been fully explored to optimize activation and desorption temperatures, it is encouraging.« less

  18. New MPLS network management techniques based on adaptive learning.

    PubMed

    Anjali, Tricha; Scoglio, Caterina; de Oliveira, Jaudelice Cavalcante

    2005-09-01

    The combined use of the differentiated services (DiffServ) and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) technologies is envisioned to provide guaranteed quality of service (QoS) for multimedia traffic in IP networks, while effectively using network resources. These networks need to be managed adaptively to cope with the changing network conditions and provide satisfactory QoS. An efficient strategy is to map the traffic from different DiffServ classes of service on separate label switched paths (LSPs), which leads to distinct layers of MPLS networks corresponding to each DiffServ class. In this paper, three aspects of the management of such a layered MPLS network are discussed. In particular, an optimal technique for the setup of LSPs, capacity allocation of the LSPs and LSP routing are presented. The presented techniques are based on measurement of the network state to adapt the network configuration to changing traffic conditions.

  19. The ZEBRA electric vehicle battery: power and energy improvements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galloway, Roy C.; Haslam, Steven

    Vehicle trials with the first sodium/nickel chloride ZEBRA batteries indicated that the pulse power capability of the battery needed to be improved towards the end of the discharge. A research programme led to several design changes to improve the cell which, in combination, have improved the power of the battery to greater than 150 W kg -1 at 80% depth of discharge. Bench and vehicle tests have established the stability of the high power battery over several years of cycling. The gravimetric energy density of the first generation of cells was less than 100 Wh kg -1. Optimisation of the design has led to a cell with a specific energy of 120 Wh kg -1 or 86 Wh kg -1 for a 30 kWh battery. Recently, the cell chemistry has been altered to improve the useful capacity. The cell is assembled in the over-discharged state and during the first charge the following reactions occur: at 1.6 V: Al+4NaCl=NaAlCl 4+3Na; at 2.35 V: Fe+2NaCl=FeCl 2+2Na; at 2.58 V: Ni+2NaCl=NiCl 2+2 Na. The first reaction serves to prime the negative sodium electrode but occurs at too low a voltage to be of use in providing useful capacity. By minimising the aluminium content more NaCl is released for the main reactions to improve the capacity of the cell. This, and further composition optimisation, have resulted in cells with specific energies in excess of 140 Wh kg -1, which equates to battery energies>100 Wh kg -1. The present production battery, as installed in a Mercedes Benz A class electric vehicle, gives a driving range of 205 km (128 miles) in city and hill climbing. The cells with improved capacity will extend the practical driving range to beyond 240 km (150 miles).

  20. Neuropsychologist Experts and Civil Capacity Evaluations: Representative Cases.

    PubMed

    Kaufmann, Paul M

    2016-09-01

    Clinical neuropsychologists accept more forensic referrals now and spend more time in forensic consulting than ever before. Recent surveys show weekly hours devoted to forensic consulting increased 97% in the past decade. During the same time period, the number of board certified neuropsychologists more than doubled. Under recently published Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, clinical neuropsychologists practice forensic psychology when applying scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of neuropsychology to the law to assist in addressing legal, contractual, or administrative matters. Among those increasingly varied forensic referrals, clinical neuropsychologists are conducting more civil competency and capacity evaluations. Representative cases from three jurisdictions demonstrate how neuropsychologists provide expertize in matters involving testamentary capacity, contractual capacity, business judgments, and job capacity. Case presentations illustrate some of the strengths and weaknesses of neuropsychological evaluation of civil capacities. The article concludes with a "battle of experts" case involving five neuropsychologists with opposing opinions recently heard in a Federal Appellate court. Implications for neuropschology training and forensic competencies are considered. In offering quality services to the legal profession, neuropsychologists support the truth-seeking function of the judiciary, promote justice, protect the profession, and serve public policy. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Performance and Safety Tests on Samsung 18650 Li-ion Cells with Two Capacities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deng, Yi; Jeevarajan, Judith; Rehm, Raymond; Bragg, Bobby; Zhang, Wenlin

    2001-01-01

    In order to meet the applications for Space Shuttle in the future, Samsung 18650 cylindrical Li-ion cells with two different capacities have been evaluated. The capacities are 1800 mAh, and 2000 mAh. The studies focused on the performance and safety tests of the cells.

  2. Quantitative evolutionary design

    PubMed Central

    Diamond, Jared

    2002-01-01

    The field of quantitative evolutionary design uses evolutionary reasoning (in terms of natural selection and ultimate causation) to understand the magnitudes of biological reserve capacities, i.e. excesses of capacities over natural loads. Ratios of capacities to loads, defined as safety factors, fall in the range 1.2-10 for most engineered and biological components, even though engineered safety factors are specified intentionally by humans while biological safety factors arise through natural selection. Familiar examples of engineered safety factors include those of buildings, bridges and elevators (lifts), while biological examples include factors of bones and other structural elements, of enzymes and transporters, and of organ metabolic performances. Safety factors serve to minimize the overlap zone (resulting in performance failure) between the low tail of capacity distributions and the high tail of load distributions. Safety factors increase with coefficients of variation of load and capacity, with capacity deterioration with time, and with cost of failure, and decrease with costs of initial construction, maintenance, operation, and opportunity. Adaptive regulation of many biological systems involves capacity increases with increasing load; several quantitative examples suggest sublinear increases, such that safety factors decrease towards 1.0. Unsolved questions include safety factors of series systems, parallel or branched pathways, elements with multiple functions, enzyme reaction chains, and equilibrium enzymes. The modest sizes of safety factors imply the existence of costs that penalize excess capacities. Those costs are likely to involve wasted energy or space for large or expensive components, but opportunity costs of wasted space at the molecular level for minor components. PMID:12122135

  3. Evolution of the health sector response to HIV in Myanmar: progress, challenges and the way forward.

    PubMed

    Oo, Htun Nyunt; Hone, San; Fujita, Masami; Maw-Naing, Amaya; Boonto, Krittayawan; Jacobs, Marjolein; Phyu, Sabe; Bollen, Phavady; Cheung, Jacquie; Aung, Htin; Aung Sang, May Thu; Myat Soe, Aye; Pendse, Razia; Murphy, Eamonn

    2016-11-28

    Critical building blocks for the response to HIV were made until 2012 despite a series of political, social and financial challenges. A rapid increase of HIV service coverage was observed from 2012 to 2015 through collaborative efforts of government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Government facilities, in particular, demonstrated their capacity to expand services for antiretroviral therapy (ART), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, tuberculosis and HIV co-infection and methadone-maintenance therapy (MMT). After nearly three decades into the response to HIV, Myanmar has adopted strategies to provide the right interventions to the right people in the right places to maximise impact and cost efficiency. In particular, the country is now using strategic information to classify areas into high-, medium- and low-HIV burden and risk of new infections for geographical prioritisation - as HIV remains concentrated among key population (KP) groups in specific geographical areas. Ways forward include: •Addressing structural barriers for KP to access services, and identifying and targeting KPs at higher risk;•Strengthening the network of public facilities, NGOs and general practitioners and introducing a case management approach to assist KPs and other clients with unknown HIV status, HIV-negative clients and newly diagnosed clients to access the health services across the continuum to increase the number of people testing for HIV and to reduce loss to follow-up in both prevention and treatment;•Increasing the availability of HIV testing and counselling services for KPs, clients of female sex workers (FSW), and other populations at risk, and raising the demand for timely testing including expansion of outreach and client-initiated voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services;•Monitoring and maximising retention from HIV diagnosis to ART initiation and expanding quality HIV laboratory services, especially viral load;•Prioritising integration of HIV and related services in high-burden areas;•Increasing the proportion of PLHIV receiving testing and treatment at public facilities by improving human resources and increasing public facilities providing these services to ensure sustainability;•Obtaining intelligence and tailoring services in hard-to-reach/under-served areas;•Strengthening planning, monitoring, and coordination capacity especially at regional levels.

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

    Jensen, Colby B.; Folsom, Charles P.; Davis, Cliff B.

    Experimental testing in the Multi-Static Environment Rodlet Transient Test Apparatus (SERTTA) will lead the rebirth of transient fuel testing in the United States as part of the Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF) progam. The Multi-SERTTA is comprised of four isolated pressurized environments capable of a wide variety of working fluids and thermal conditions. Ultimately, the TREAT reactor as well as the Multi-SERTTA test vehicle serve the purpose of providing desired thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions to the test specimen. The initial ATF testing in TREAT will focus on reactivity insertion accident (RIA) events using both gas and water environments including typical PWR operatingmore » pressures and temperatures. For the water test environment, a test configuration is envisioned using the expansion tank as part of the gas-filled expansion volume seen by the test to provide additional pressure relief. The heat transfer conditions during the high energy power pulses of RIA events remains a subject of large uncertainty and great importance for fuel performance predictions. To support transient experiments, the Multi-SERTTA vehicle has been modeled using RELAP5 with a baseline test specimen composed of UO2 fuel in zircaloy cladding. The modeling results show the influence of the designs of the specimen, vehicle, and transient power pulses. The primary purpose of this work is to provide input and boundary conditions to fuel performance code BISON. Therefore, studies of parameters having influence on specimen performance during RIA transients are presented including cladding oxidation, power pulse magnitude and width, cladding-to-coolant heat fluxes, fuel-to-cladding gap, transient boiling effects (modified CHF values), etc. The results show the great flexibility and capacity of the TREAT Multi-SERTTA test vehicle to provide testing under a wide range of prototypic thermal-hydraulic conditions as never done before.« less

  5. The Unintentional Memory Load in Tests for Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Margaret Hubbard

    The validity of certain standardized tests may be affected by the short-term memory load therein and its relation to a child's short-term memory capacity. Factors of testing which increase a test's memory load and consequently interfere with comprehension are discussed. It is hypothesized that a test which strains the short-term memory capacity of…

  6. Design review and analysis for a Pratt and Whitney fluid-film bearing and seal testing rig

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Childs, Dara W.

    1994-01-01

    A design review has been completed for a Pratt and Whitney (P&W)-designed fluid-film bearing and annular-seal test rig to be manufactured and installed at George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Issues covered in this study include: (1) the capacity requirements of the drive unit; (2) the capacity and configuration of the static loading system; (3) the capacity and configuration of the dynamic excitation system; (4) the capacity, configuration, and rotordynamic stability of a test bearing, support bearings, and shaft; and (5) the characteristics and configuration of the measurement transducers and data channels.

  7. When cognition kicks in: working memory and speech understanding in noise.

    PubMed

    Rönnberg, Jerker; Rudner, Mary; Lunner, Thomas; Zekveld, Adriana A

    2010-01-01

    Perceptual load and cognitive load can be separately manipulated and dissociated in their effects on speech understanding in noise. The Ease of Language Understanding model assumes a theoretical position where perceptual task characteristics interact with the individual's implicit capacities to extract the phonological elements of speech. Phonological precision and speed of lexical access are important determinants for listening in adverse conditions. If there are mismatches between the phonological elements perceived and phonological representations in long-term memory, explicit working memory (WM)-related capacities will be continually invoked to reconstruct and infer the contents of the ongoing discourse. Whether this induces a high cognitive load or not will in turn depend on the individual's storage and processing capacities in WM. Data suggest that modulated noise maskers may serve as triggers for speech maskers and therefore induce a WM, explicit mode of processing. Individuals with high WM capacity benefit more than low WM-capacity individuals from fast amplitude compression at low or negative input speech-to-noise ratios. The general conclusion is that there is an overarching interaction between the focal purpose of processing in the primary listening task and the extent to which a secondary, distracting task taps into these processes.

  8. Seat Capacity Selection for an Advanced Short-Haul Aircraft Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Marien, Ty V.

    2016-01-01

    A study was performed to determine the target seat capacity for a proposed advanced short-haul aircraft concept projected to enter the fleet by 2030. This analysis projected the potential demand in the U.S. for a short-haul aircraft using a transportation theory approach, rather than selecting a target seat capacity based on recent industry trends or current market demand. A transportation systems model was used to create a point-to-point network of short-haul trips and then predict the number of annual origin-destination trips on this network. Aircraft of varying seat capacities were used to meet the demand on this network, assuming a single aircraft type for the entire short-haul fleet. For each aircraft size, the ticket revenue and operational costs were used to calculate a total market profitability metric for all feasible flights. The different aircraft sizes were compared, based on this market profitability metric and also the total number of annual round trips and markets served. Sensitivity studies were also performed to determine the effect of changing the aircraft cruise speed and maximum trip length. Using this analysis, the advanced short-haul aircraft design team was able to select a target seat capacity for their design.

  9. Reactivity, stability, and strength performance capacity in motor sports.

    PubMed

    Baur, H; Müller, S; Hirschmüller, A; Huber, G; Mayer, F

    2006-11-01

    Racing drivers require multifaceted cognitive and physical abilities in a multitasking situation. A knowledge of their physical capacities may help to improve fitness and performance. To compare reaction time, stability performance capacity, and strength performance capacity of élite racing drivers with those of age-matched, physically active controls. Eight élite racing drivers and 10 physically active controls matched for age and weight were tested in a reaction and determination test requiring upper and lower extremity responses to visual and audio cues. Further tests comprised evaluation of one-leg postural stability on a two-dimensional moveable platform, measures of maximum strength performance capacity of the extensors of the leg on a leg press, and a test of force capacity of the arms in a sitting position at a steering wheel. An additional arm endurance test consisted of isometric work at the steering wheel at +30 degrees and -30 degrees where an eccentric threshold load of 30 N.m was applied. Subjects had to hold the end positions above this threshold until exhaustion. Univariate one way analysis of variance (alpha = 0.05) including a Bonferroni adjustment was used to detect group differences between the drivers and controls. The reaction time of the racing drivers was significantly faster than the controls (p = 0.004). The following motor reaction time and reaction times in the multiple determination test did not differ between the groups. No significant differences (p>0.05) were found for postural stability, leg extensor strength, or arm strength and endurance. Racing drivers have faster reaction times than age-matched physically active controls. Further development of motor sport-specific test protocols is suggested. According to the requirements of motor racing, strength and sensorimotor performance capacity can potentially be improved.

  10. Failure of Working Memory Training to Enhance Cognition or Intelligence

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, Todd W.; Waskom, Michael L.; Garel, Keri-Lee A.; Cardenas-Iniguez, Carlos; Reynolds, Gretchen O.; Winter, Rebecca; Chang, Patricia; Pollard, Kiersten; Lala, Nupur; Alvarez, George A.; Gabrieli, John D. E.

    2013-01-01

    Fluid intelligence is important for successful functioning in the modern world, but much evidence suggests that fluid intelligence is largely immutable after childhood. Recently, however, researchers have reported gains in fluid intelligence after multiple sessions of adaptive working memory training in adults. The current study attempted to replicate and expand those results by administering a broad assessment of cognitive abilities and personality traits to young adults who underwent 20 sessions of an adaptive dual n-back working memory training program and comparing their post-training performance on those tests to a matched set of young adults who underwent 20 sessions of an adaptive attentional tracking program. Pre- and post-training measurements of fluid intelligence, standardized intelligence tests, speed of processing, reading skills, and other tests of working memory were assessed. Both training groups exhibited substantial and specific improvements on the trained tasks that persisted for at least 6 months post-training, but no transfer of improvement was observed to any of the non-trained measurements when compared to a third untrained group serving as a passive control. These findings fail to support the idea that adaptive working memory training in healthy young adults enhances working memory capacity in non-trained tasks, fluid intelligence, or other measures of cognitive abilities. PMID:23717453

  11. Laboratory or Field Tests for Evaluating Firefighters' Work Capacity?

    PubMed Central

    Lindberg, Ann-Sofie; Oksa, Juha; Malm, Christer

    2014-01-01

    Muscle strength is important for firefighters work capacity. Laboratory tests used for measurements of muscle strength, however, are complicated, expensive and time consuming. The aims of the present study were to investigate correlations between physical capacity within commonly occurring and physically demanding firefighting work tasks and both laboratory and field tests in full time (N = 8) and part-time (N = 10) male firefighters and civilian men (N = 8) and women (N = 12), and also to give recommendations as to which field tests might be useful for evaluating firefighters' physical work capacity. Laboratory tests of isokinetic maximal (IM) and endurance (IE) muscle power and dynamic balance, field tests including maximal and endurance muscle performance, and simulated firefighting work tasks were performed. Correlations with work capacity were analyzed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs). The highest significant (p<0.01) correlations with laboratory and field tests were for Cutting: IE trunk extension (rs = 0.72) and maximal hand grip strength (rs = 0.67), for Stairs: IE shoulder flexion (rs = −0.81) and barbell shoulder press (rs = −0.77), for Pulling: IE shoulder extension (rs = −0.82) and bench press (rs = −0.85), for Demolition: IE knee extension (rs = 0.75) and bench press (rs = 0.83), for Rescue: IE shoulder flexion (rs = −0.83) and bench press (rs = −0.82), and for the Terrain work task: IE trunk flexion (rs = −0.58) and upright barbell row (rs = −0.70). In conclusion, field tests may be used instead of laboratory tests. Maximal hand grip strength, bench press, chin ups, dips, upright barbell row, standing broad jump, and barbell shoulder press were strongly correlated (rs≥0.7) with work capacity and are therefore recommended for evaluating firefighters work capacity. PMID:24614596

  12. Development and psychometric testing of the Adaptive Capacity Index, an instrument to measure adaptive capacity in individuals with advanced cancer.

    PubMed

    Olson, K; Rogers, W T; Cui, Y; Cree, M; Baracos, V; Rust, T; Mellott, I; Johnson, L; Macmillan, K; Bonville, N

    2011-08-01

    We have proposed that declines in adaptive capacity, defined as the ability to adapt to multiple stressors, may serve as an indicator of risk for fatigue. A comprehensive measure of adaptive capacity does not exist. In this paper we describe construction of an instrument to measure adaptive capacity, the Adaptive Capacity Index (ACI). Descriptive and psychometric. Six sites providing palliative care in Western Canada. ≥18 years old, diagnosed with advanced cancer, able to read and write English, Mini-Mental Status Exam score ≥22. Pilot study n=48; Main study n=225 stratified using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) tiredness score (≥0 to ≤2 n=60; ≥3 to ≤6 n=108; ≥7 and ≤10 n=57). Following ethics approval, 17 experts in symptom management assisted with content validation and consenting individuals completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue (FACT-F), the Profile of Mood States-Vigor short form (POMS-Vsf), and the ACI. A research assistant collected demographic information and assigned an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (i.e., exploratory factor analyses, correlation, multivariate analyses of variance, and multiple regression). Five 6-item ACI factors/subscales (Cognitive Function, Stamina/Muscle Endurance, Sleep Quality, Emotional Reactivity, and Social Interaction) were identified. The ACI-total scale and its subscales were internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha 0.76-0.89), and were significantly correlated with each other, and with each fatigue measure (Pearson's r ranging from -0.724 to 0.634). The ACI total score was sensitive to changes in the ESAS tiredness score. Stamina/Muscle Endurance, Cognitive Function, and Sleep Quality predicted 60.8% of the variance in FACT-F. Stamina/Muscle Endurance and Social Interaction predicted 36.8% of the variance in POMS-Vsf. Stamina/Muscle Endurance and Sleep Quality predicted 8% of the variance in ECOG. The ACI is reliable and has beginning evidence of validity. In future studies we will examine relationships between ACI subscale scores and subsequent increases in fatigue and explore linkages to physiological processes. We will also establish ACI norms for early and late stage cancers and explore variations in ACI subscale scores base on age or gender. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Factors Affecting Nickel-oxide Electrode Capacity in Nickel-hydrogen Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ritterman, P. F.

    1984-01-01

    The nickel-oxide electrode common to the nickel hydrogen and nickel cadmium cell is by design the limiting or capacity determining electrode on both charge and discharge. The useable discharge capacity from this electrode, and since it is the limiting electrode, the useable discharge capacity of the cell as well, can and is optimized by rate of charge, charge temperature and additives to electrode and electrolyte. Recent tests with nickel hydrogen cells and tests performed almost 25 years ago with nickel cadmium cells indicate an improvement of capacity as a result of using increased electrolyte concentration.

  14. The who, what, and how of evaluation within online nursing education: state of the science.

    PubMed

    Russell, Bedelia H

    2015-01-01

    The resource capacity in nursing programs has a direct impact on student admissions and number of graduates who enter the nursing workforce. Online delivery of nursing education is identified as a solution to expand nursing program capacity. As nursing programs continue to address capacity with online course delivery, it is essential that nurse educators maintain consistent evaluation practices to ensure successful and positive outcomes, compared with traditional models. Evaluation is a central component to determine program quality and mastery of learning outcomes. This article examines the state of the science around the current evaluation of educational practices, instructional strategies, and outcomes within the context of online nursing education. Thirty-six articles met the inclusion criteria. Despite substantive contributions to the state of the science, the findings reflect evaluation practices that are diffuse and superficial and serve as the basis for future recommendations and research opportunities. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  15. A heuristic approach to handle capacitated facility location problem evaluated using clustering internal evaluation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sutanto, G. R.; Kim, S.; Kim, D.; Sutanto, H.

    2018-03-01

    One of the problems in dealing with capacitated facility location problem (CFLP) is occurred because of the difference between the capacity numbers of facilities and the number of customers that needs to be served. A facility with small capacity may result in uncovered customers. These customers need to be re-allocated to another facility that still has available capacity. Therefore, an approach is proposed to handle CFLP by using k-means clustering algorithm to handle customers’ allocation. And then, if customers’ re-allocation is needed, is decided by the overall average distance between customers and the facilities. This new approach is benchmarked to the existing approach by Liao and Guo which also use k-means clustering algorithm as a base idea to decide the facilities location and customers’ allocation. Both of these approaches are benchmarked by using three clustering evaluation methods with connectedness, compactness, and separations factors.

  16. Mobility and Congestion in Dynamical Multilayer Networks with Finite Storage Capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manfredi, S.; Di Tucci, E.; Latora, V.

    2018-02-01

    Multilayer networks describe well many real interconnected communication and transportation systems, ranging from computer networks to multimodal mobility infrastructures. Here, we introduce a model in which the nodes have a limited capacity of storing and processing the agents moving over a multilayer network, and their congestions trigger temporary faults which, in turn, dynamically affect the routing of agents seeking for uncongested paths. The study of the network performance under different layer velocities and node maximum capacities reveals the existence of delicate trade-offs between the number of served agents and their time to travel to destination. We provide analytical estimates of the optimal buffer size at which the travel time is minimum and of its dependence on the velocity and number of links at the different layers. Phenomena reminiscent of the slower is faster effect and of the Braess' paradox are observed in our dynamical multilayer setup.

  17. Mobility and Congestion in Dynamical Multilayer Networks with Finite Storage Capacity.

    PubMed

    Manfredi, S; Di Tucci, E; Latora, V

    2018-02-09

    Multilayer networks describe well many real interconnected communication and transportation systems, ranging from computer networks to multimodal mobility infrastructures. Here, we introduce a model in which the nodes have a limited capacity of storing and processing the agents moving over a multilayer network, and their congestions trigger temporary faults which, in turn, dynamically affect the routing of agents seeking for uncongested paths. The study of the network performance under different layer velocities and node maximum capacities reveals the existence of delicate trade-offs between the number of served agents and their time to travel to destination. We provide analytical estimates of the optimal buffer size at which the travel time is minimum and of its dependence on the velocity and number of links at the different layers. Phenomena reminiscent of the slower is faster effect and of the Braess' paradox are observed in our dynamical multilayer setup.

  18. Walk the Talk: Characterizing Mobility in Older Adults Living on Low Income.

    PubMed

    Chudyk, Anna M; Sims-Gould, Joanie; Ashe, Maureen C; Winters, Meghan; McKay, Heather A

    2017-06-01

    We provide an in-depth description of the mobility (capacity and enacted function, i.e., physical activity and travel behaviour) of community-dwelling older adults of low socioeconomic status. Participants [n = 161, mean age (range) = 74 (65-96) years] completed interviewer-administered questionnaires and objective measures of mobility. Our findings did not generally indicate that older adults of low socioeconomic status have a reduced capacity to be mobile. Participants presented with positive profiles across physical, psychosocial, and social environment domains that influence the capacity to be mobile. They also made a high proportion of trips by foot, although these did not together serve to meet physical activity guidelines for most. We challenge future researchers to focus on innovative strategies to recruit this difficult-to-access population, to consider the influence of socioeconomic status across the lifespan, and the role of behaviour-driven agency when investigating the association between the person, environment, and older adult mobility.

  19. On-demand provisioning of HEP compute resources on cloud sites and shared HPC centers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erli, G.; Fischer, F.; Fleig, G.; Giffels, M.; Hauth, T.; Quast, G.; Schnepf, M.; Heese, J.; Leppert, K.; Arnaez de Pedro, J.; Sträter, R.

    2017-10-01

    This contribution reports on solutions, experiences and recent developments with the dynamic, on-demand provisioning of remote computing resources for analysis and simulation workflows. Local resources of a physics institute are extended by private and commercial cloud sites, ranging from the inclusion of desktop clusters over institute clusters to HPC centers. Rather than relying on dedicated HEP computing centers, it is nowadays more reasonable and flexible to utilize remote computing capacity via virtualization techniques or container concepts. We report on recent experience from incorporating a remote HPC center (NEMO Cluster, Freiburg University) and resources dynamically requested from the commercial provider 1&1 Internet SE into our intitute’s computing infrastructure. The Freiburg HPC resources are requested via the standard batch system, allowing HPC and HEP applications to be executed simultaneously, such that regular batch jobs run side by side to virtual machines managed via OpenStack [1]. For the inclusion of the 1&1 commercial resources, a Python API and SDK as well as the possibility to upload images were available. Large scale tests prove the capability to serve the scientific use case in the European 1&1 datacenters. The described environment at the Institute of Experimental Nuclear Physics (IEKP) at KIT serves the needs of researchers participating in the CMS and Belle II experiments. In total, resources exceeding half a million CPU hours have been provided by remote sites.

  20. The attention-getting capacity of whines and child-directed speech.

    PubMed

    Chang, Rosemarie Sokol; Thompson, Nicholas S

    2010-06-03

    The current study tested the ability of whines and child-directed speech to attract the attention of listeners involved in a story repetition task. Twenty non-parents and 17 parents were presented with two dull stories, each playing to a separate ear, and asked to repeat one of the stories verbatim. The story that participants were instructed to ignore was interrupted occasionally with the reader whining and using child-directed speech. While repeating the passage, participants were monitored for Galvanic skin response, heart rate, and blood pressure. Based on 4 measures, participants tuned in more to whining, and to a lesser extent child-directed speech, than neutral speech segments that served as a control. Participants, regardless of gender or parental status, made more mistakes when presented with the whine or child-directed speech, they recalled hearing those vocalizations, they recognized more words from the whining segment than the neutral control segment, and they exhibited higher Galvanic skin response during the presence of whines and child- directed speech than neutral speech segments. Whines and child-directed speech appear to be integral members of a suite of vocalizations designed to get the attention of attachment partners by playing to an auditory sensitivity among humans. Whines in particular may serve the function of eliciting care at a time when caregivers switch from primarily mothers to greater care from other caregivers.

  1. Evaluation program for secondary spacecraft cells. Initial evaluation tests of Eagle-Picher Industries, Incorporated 3.0 ampere-hour nickel-cadmium spacecraft cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harkness, J. D.

    1973-01-01

    The capacity of the cells ranged from 3.58 to 3.97 amperehours during the three capacity tests. Three cells were removed from test, due to high pressure, during the C/10, 24-hour charge at room ambient temperature. The voltage requirement of 1.480 volts was exceeded by the cells during the C/10, 24-hour charge at 20 C, although the end-of-charge voltage was below this value (1.466-1.475 volts). Average capacity out during the 20 C charge efficiency test was 0.84 AH which represents 48% and is below the minimum requirement of 55%. The cells exhibited no pressure decay during the open-circuit stand portion of the pressure versus capacity test, as all cells reached their voltage limit (1.550 volts) before their pressure reached 20 psia with the highest pressure being 8 psia during charge.

  2. Apollo 13 - Mission Control Console

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1970-04-15

    S70-35096 (16 April 1970) --- As the problem-plagued Apollo 13 crewmen entered their final 24 hours in space, several persons important to the mission remained attentive at consoles in the Mission Operations Control Room of the Mission Control Center at Manned Spacecraft Center. Among those monitoring communications and serving in supervisory capacities were these four officials from National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters, Washington, D.C.: (from left) Thomas H. McMullen, Office of Manned Space Flight, who served as Shift 1 mission director; Dale Myers, associate administrator, Manned Space Flight; Chester M. Lee of the Apollo Program Directorate, OMSF, Apollo 13 mission director; and Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, Apollo program director, OMSF.

  3. Visual Working Memory Capacity Can Be Increased by Training on Distractor Filtering Efficiency.

    PubMed

    Li, Cui-Hong; He, Xu; Wang, Yu-Juan; Hu, Zhe; Guo, Chun-Yan

    2017-01-01

    It is generally considered that working memory (WM) capacity is limited and that WM capacity affects cognitive processes. Distractor filtering efficiency has been suggested to be an important factor in determining the visual working memory (VWM) capacity of individuals. In the present study, we investigated whether training in visual filtering efficiency (FE) could improve VWM capacity, as measured by performance on the change detection task (CDT) and changes of contralateral delay activity (CDA) (contralateral delay activity) of different conditions, and evaluated the transfer effect of visual FE training on verbal WM and fluid intelligence, as indexed by performance on the verbal WM span task and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) test, respectively. Participants were divided into high- and low-capacity groups based on their performance in a CDT designed to test VWM capacity, and then the low-capacity individuals received 20 days of FE training. The training significantly improved the group's performance in the CDT, and their CDA models of different conditions became more similar with high capacity group, and the effect generalized to improve verbal WM span. These gains were maintained at a 3-month follow-up test. Participants' RSPM scores were not changed by the training. These findings support the notion that WM capacity is determined, at least in part, by distractor FE and can be enhanced through training.

  4. Strengthening the capacity for health promotion in South Africa through international collaboration.

    PubMed

    Van den Broucke, Stephan; Jooste, Heila; Tlali, Maki; Moodley, Vimla; Van Zyl, Greer; Nyamwaya, David; Tang, Kwok-Cho

    2010-06-01

    This paper describes a project to strengthen the capacity for health promotion in two Provinces in South Africa. The project draws on the key health promotion capacity dimensions of partnership and networking, infrastructure, problem-solving capacity, and knowledge transfer. The project was carried out in a partnership between the Provinces, the Ministry of Health of South Africa, the government of Flanders, Belgium, and the World Health Organization (WHO). The project aimed to: (i) integrate health promotion into national, Provincial and district level health policy plans (ii) strengthen the health promotion capacity in the two Provinces; and (iii) support the development of tools to monitor and evaluate health promotion interventions. Starting from a situation analysis and identification of priority health issues and existing actions in each Province, capacity-building workshops were organized for senior participants from various sectors. Community-based health promotion interventions were then planned and implemented in both Provinces. A systematic evaluation of the project involving an internal audit of project activities and results based on document analysis, site visits, focus groups and interviews with key persons demonstrated that stakeholders in both Provinces saw an increase of capacity in terms of networking, knowledge transfer, problem solving, and to a lesser extent infrastructure. Health promotion had been well integrated in the Provincial health plans, and roll-out processes with local stakeholders had started after the conclusion of the project. The development of tools for monitoring and evaluation of health promotion was less well achieved. The project illustrates how capacities to deliver health promotion interventions in a developing country can be enhanced through international collaboration. The conceptual model of capacity building that served as a basis for the project provided a useful framework to plan, identify and assess the key components of health promotion capacity in an African context.

  5. Climate Change and Public Health Surveillance: Toward a Comprehensive Strategy.

    PubMed

    Moulton, Anthony Drummond; Schramm, Paul John

    Climate change poses a host of serious threats to human health that robust public health surveillance systems can help address. It is unknown, however, whether existing surveillance systems in the United States have adequate capacity to serve that role, nor what actions may be needed to develop adequate capacity. Our goals were to review efforts to assess and strengthen the capacity of public health surveillance systems to support health-related adaptation to climate change in the United States and to determine whether additional efforts are warranted. Building on frameworks issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we specified 4 core components of public health surveillance capacity relevant to climate change health threats. Using standard methods, we next identified and analyzed multiple assessments of the existing, relevant capacity of public health surveillance systems as well as attempts to improve that capacity. We also received information from selected national public health associations. Multiple federal, state, and local public health agencies, professional associations, and researchers have made valuable, initial efforts to assess and strengthen surveillance capacity. These efforts, however, have been made by entities working independently and without the benefit of a shared conceptual framework or strategy. Their principal focus has been on identifying suitable indicators and data sources largely to the exclusion of other core components of surveillance capacity. A more comprehensive and strategic approach is needed to build the public health surveillance capacity required to protect the health of Americans in a world of rapidly evolving climate change. Public health practitioners and policy makers at all levels can use the findings and issues reviewed in this article as they lead design and execution of a coordinated, multisector strategic plan to create and sustain that capacity.

  6. Climate Change and Public Health Surveillance: Toward a Comprehensive Strategy

    PubMed Central

    Moulton, Anthony Drummond; Schramm, Paul John

    2017-01-01

    Context Climate change poses a host of serious threats to human health that robust public health surveillance systems can help address. It is unknown, however, whether existing surveillance systems in the United States have adequate capacity to serve that role, nor what actions may be needed to develop adequate capacity. Objective Our goals were to review efforts to assess and strengthen the capacity of public health surveillance systems to support health-related adaptation to climate change in the United States and to determine whether additional efforts are warranted. Methods Building on frameworks issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we specified 4 core components of public health surveillance capacity relevant to climate change health threats. Using standard methods, we next identified and analyzed multiple assessments of the existing, relevant capacity of public health surveillance systems as well as attempts to improve that capacity. We also received information from selected national public health associations. Findings Multiple federal, state, and local public health agencies, professional associations, and researchers have made valuable, initial efforts to assess and strengthen surveillance capacity. These efforts, however, have been made by entities working independently and without the benefit of a shared conceptual framework or strategy. Their principal focus has been on identifying suitable indicators and data sources largely to the exclusion of other core components of surveillance capacity. Conclusions A more comprehensive and strategic approach is needed to build the public health surveillance capacity required to protect the health of Americans in a world of rapidly evolving climate change. Public health practitioners and policy makers at all levels can use the findings and issues reviewed in this article as they lead design and execution of a coordinated, multisector strategic plan to create and sustain that capacity. PMID:28169865

  7. Changes in pulmonary function and functional capacity in adolescents with mild idiopathic scoliosis: observational cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Abdelaal, Ashraf Abdelaal Mohamed; Abd El Kafy, Ehab Mohamed Abo El Soad; Elayat, Mohamed Salah Eldien Mohamed; Sabbahi, Mohamed; Badghish, Mohamed Salem Saed

    2017-01-01

    Objective This observational cohort study aimed to evaluate ventilatory function (VF) and functional exercise capacity (FEC) in mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Methods Seventy-three adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis, aged approximately 10 to 17 years (mean age: 13.43 ± 1.27 years), with a Cobb angle less than 20° (mean: 16.44° ± 1.59°), met the inclusion criteria and were assigned to group A. Another 34 healthy adolescents with normal VF and FEC served as controls (group B). Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), and FEC (by the 6-minute walk test [6MWT]) were the main outcome measures. Results Post-study mean values of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, MVV, and the 6MWT were 2.42 ± 0.36 L and 3.26 ± 0.59 L, 2.14 ± 0.31 L and 3.03 ± 0.43 L, 88.13% ± 3.89% and 91.14% ± 4.67%, 76.96 ± 6.85 L/m and 107.61 ± 11.44 L/m, and 581.12 ± 12.25 m and 627.74 ± 15.27 m in groups A and B, respectively. Between-group comparisons showed significant differences in FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, MVV, and the 6MWT. Conclusion Mild pulmonary and functional restrictions start early in mild AIS. This issue requires immediate intervention to prevent further deterioration. PMID:28661261

  8. Agency-based empowerment training enhances sales capacity of female energy entrepreneurs in Kenya.

    PubMed

    Shankar, Anita V; Onyura, MaryAlice; Alderman, Jessica

    2015-01-01

    Globally, women's involvement in clean cooking value chains has been minimal. This is partly because of the multiple challenges faced by women that impede their capacity to effectively engage in the energy sector. To better discern gender-specific differences in involvement in the energy sector, the authors conducted a randomized trial in Kenya to compare sales performance of newly trained male and female improved cookstove entrepreneurs and to test the effects of an agency-based empowerment training on business activity. A total of 257 entrepreneurs completed either a 4-day entrepreneurial training (control) or a 4-day empowerment training (intervention) and were followed for nearly 8 months documenting business activity and sales. The empowerment training led to more than doubling of sales for both genders. In addition, participants in the intervention group were significantly more likely to demonstrate business commitment over time and nearly three times more likely to be higher sellers (relative risk = 2.7, 95% CI [1.4, 5.4]), controlling for gender and rural/urban locale. Women outsold men by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 and were more likely to continue to pursue leads despite limited sales. Nonactive participants (those selling 1 improved cookstove or less) were a larger percentage of the control group (72%) than the intervention group (50%), and more men were nonactive participants (65% of men) compared with women (56% of women).These data show that women can serve as active improved cookstove entrepreneurs in both urban and rural settings and that targeted agency-based empowerment training can significantly increase women's capacity to engage effectively within the improved cookstove value chain.

  9. Individual responses to combined endurance and strength training in older adults.

    PubMed

    Karavirta, Laura; Häkkinen, Keijo; Kauhanen, Antti; Arija-Blázquez, Alfredo; Sillanpää, Elina; Rinkinen, Niina; Häkkinen, Arja

    2011-03-01

    A combination of endurance and strength training is generally used to seek further health benefits or enhanced physical performance in older adults compared with either of the training modes alone. The mean change within a training group, however, may conceal a wide range of individual differences in the responses. The purpose, therefore, was to examine the individual trainability of aerobic capacity and maximal strength, when endurance and strength training are performed separately or concurrently. For this study, 175 previously untrained volunteers, 89 men and 86 women between the ages of 40 and 67 yr, completed a 21-wk period of either strength training (S) twice a week, endurance training (E) twice a week, combined training (ES) four times per week, or served as controls. Training adaptations were quantified as peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in a bicycle ergometer test to exhaustion and maximal isometric bilateral leg extension force (MVC) in a dynamometer. A large range in training responses, similar to endurance or strength training alone, was also observed with combined endurance and strength training in both ΔVO2peak (from -8% to 42%) and ΔMVC (from -12% to 87%). There were no significant correlations between the training responses in VO2peak and MVC in the E, S, or especially in the ES group, suggesting that the same subjects did not systematically increase both aerobic capacity and maximal strength. The goal of combined endurance and strength training--increasing both aerobic capacity and maximal strength simultaneously--was only achieved by some of the older subjects. New means are needed to personalize endurance, strength, and especially combined endurance and strength training programs for optimal individual adaptations.

  10. 17 CFR 240.14a-2 - Solicitations to which § 240.14a-3 to § 240.14a-15 apply.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... his custody, if such person— (i) Receives no commission or remuneration for such solicitation... or director or any person serving in a similar capacity); (ii) An officer or director of the... indirectly by the registrant; (iii) An officer, director, affiliate or associate of a person that is...

  11. Improving New Teacher Supports through District Capacity-Building: Final Evaluation Report for CSTP's New Teacher Alliance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stokes, Laura; Helms, Jenifer

    2009-01-01

    Inverness Research is an independent national educational research group based in California. Its mission is to help projects assess the quality and efficacy of their efforts, and to help funders better understand the design of their initiatives and the value of their investments. Inverness Research has served by contract with CSTP (Center for…

  12. Leveraging the Power of State Longitudinal Data Systems: Building Capacity to Turn Data into Useful Information

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Data Quality Campaign, 2011

    2011-01-01

    Faced with the need to create a competitive workforce and improve the quality of our education system, states are pursuing policy agendas to better prepare students for postsecondary education and careers. To inform these agendas, statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) have become an invaluable asset and serve as a tool to help states answer…

  13. Water Resources Research Center

    Science.gov Websites

    Untitled Document  Search Welcome to the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Water Resources Research Center and contracts. Our Focus is to: Serve as the Water Research Center in Hawaii and in this capacity to coordinate and conduct research to identify, characterize, and quantify water-related problems in the state

  14. Reflections from USDA Forest Service employees on institutional constraints to engaging and serving their local communities

    Treesearch

    Mae A. Davenport; Dorothy H. Anderson; Jessica E. Leahy; Pamela J. Jakes

    2007-01-01

    Although community relationship building has been recognized since the early 1980s as integral to forest management, it has not been widely supported or adopted. Today, relationship building depends largely on the innovation and commitment of forest supervisors and staff. The institutional environment and its culture play an important role in building capacity for...

  15. Analysis of Refrigeration Equipment in School Nutrition Programs in the USDA/FNS Southwest Region

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webb, Virginia Susan

    2012-01-01

    Equipment to store foods at proper temperatures is critical to serving safe and nutritious meals in schools yet little is known about the amount or the adequacy of refrigerated storage in school nutrition programs. The purposes of this study were to identify the types and capacity of refrigeration equipment used in schools, determine the perceived…

  16. Special Education: Examining the Impact of Poverty on the Quality of Life of Families of Children with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Enwefa, Regina L.; Enwefa, Stephen C.; Jennings, Robert

    2006-01-01

    Today, school personnel are facing many challenges in their efforts to serve diverse families and children with disabilities. Inadequate human and fiscal capacity, attitudinal and cultural barriers are among the many hurdles that must be surmounted for successful provision of related services. Decisions about who is educated versus who is…

  17. Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Formation of Long-Term Reward Memories and Extinction Memories in the Honeybee ("Apis Mellifera")

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eisenhardt, Dorothea

    2014-01-01

    The honeybee ("Apis mellifera") has long served as an invertebrate model organism for reward learning and memory research. Its capacity for learning and memory formation is rooted in the ecological need to efficiently collect nectar and pollen during summer to ensure survival of the hive during winter. Foraging bees learn to associate a…

  18. No More 1s: High Expectations Can Lead to High Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cervone, Laureen; DiMartino, Lisa; Kerr, Kris

    2010-01-01

    The school district in Middletown, New York, in the state's Orange County, today serves close to 7,000 students in four elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. The district is classified by the state in the highest of three Need-to-Resource-Capacity groups, an urban or suburban school district with high student needs in…

  19. Make Time to Recharge: Growth and Renewal Play Key Roles in Sustaining School Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drago-Severson, Ellie; Blum-DeStefano, Jessica

    2015-01-01

    Being a school leader in any role is hard, gratifying, and a gift of love. While it can be enormously satisfying to serve students, teachers, families, and school communities, leaders need to refill themselves in order to continue giving to others. This article highlights a learning-oriented model of leadership development and capacity building…

  20. On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Teaching Political Theory to Undergraduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Jeffrey Alan

    2008-01-01

    This paper argues that the standard approach to teaching the history of political thought does not serve the ultimate goals of political theory education, and that alternative approaches are needed to make the history of thought appropriate for undergraduates. A history of political thought for life ought to enhance a person's capacity to act as a…

  1. Urban Quality Development and Management: Capacity Development and Continued Education for the Sustainable City

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lehmann, Martin; Fryd, Ole

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the development and the structure of a new international master on the subject of urban quality development and management (UQDM), and explore the potential of the process and the outcome in serving as models adoptable by faculty at other universities. Design/methodology/approach: The…

  2. Joseph Woolley--Pioneer of British Naval Education; 1848-1879

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickinson, H. W.

    2007-01-01

    For almost 25 years Joseph Woolley served the Admiralty as a teacher, inspector of schools and as the first Admiralty Director of Education. Despite the fact that Woolley held this post for a decade, that he was the sole occupant in the nineteenth century and that in this capacity he gave evidence to, or was a member of, every government committee…

  3. Quantitative Research Methods Training in Education Leadership and Administration Preparation Programs as Disciplined Inquiry for Building School Improvement Capacity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowers, Alex J.

    2017-01-01

    The quantitative research methods course is a staple of graduate programs in education leadership and administration. Historically, these courses serve to train aspiring district and school leaders in fundamental statistical research topics. This article argues for programs to focus as well in these courses on helping aspiring leaders develop…

  4. Pedagogical Support of Non-Language High School Students' Capacity for Creative Self-Realization in Foreign Language Classroom Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kadyrova, Alina A.; Valeev, Agzam A.

    2016-01-01

    There is a determined number of trends in the process of intensification of high school training, including the integration of professional, linguistic and cultural training of professionals in the unity with the development of their personal qualities;. For this reason, modern educational technologies serve as a tool for practical implementation…

  5. Hubble Space Telescope On-orbit NiH2 Battery Performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rao, Gopalakrishna M.; Krol, Stanley J., Jr.

    2002-01-01

    This paper summarizes the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) nickel-hydrogen (NiH2) battery performance from launch to the present time. Over the life of HST vehicle configuration, charge system degradation and failures together with thermal design limitations have had a significant effect on the capacity of the HST batteries. Changes made to the charge system configuration in order to protect against power system failures and to maintain battery thermal stability resulted in undercharging of the batteries. This undercharging resulted in decreased usable battery capacity as well as battery cell voltage/capacity divergence. This cell divergence was made evident during on-orbit battery capacity measurements by a relatively shallow slope of the discharge curve following the discharge knee. Early efforts to improve the battery performance have been successful. On-orbit capacity measurement data indicates increases in the usable battery capacity of all six batteries as well as improvements in the battery cell voltage/capacity divergence. Additional measures have been implemented to improve battery performance, however, failures within the HST Power Control Unit (PCU) have prevented verification of battery status. As this PCU fault prevents the execution of on-orbit capacity testing, the HST Project has based the battery capacity on trends, which utilizes previous on-orbit battery capacity test data, for science mission and servicing mission planning. The Servicing Mission 38 (SM-3B) in March 2002 replaced the faulty PCU. Following the servicing mission, on-orbit capacity test resumed. A summary of battery performance is reviewed since launch in this paper.

  6. Public water supplies of the 100 largest cities of the United States, 1962

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Durfor, Charles N.; Becker, Edith

    1964-01-01

    The report is divided into two sections. The first describes the uses of water in large cities, the raw-water supplies available for public supplies, tl-<; major and minor constituents and the properties of water, the methods of analyses, the treatment of water, the effects of chemical treatment on constituents and properties of water, and the costs of water treatment. The second is a city-by-city inventory that gives (a) the population of the city, (b) the adjacent communities supplied by the city water system, (c) the total population served, (d) the sources of water supply (including auxiliary and emergency supplies), (e) the average amount of water used daily, (f) the lowest 30-day mean discharge of streams used for public supply during recent years, (g) the treatment of water, (h) the rated capacity of each water-treatment plant, and (i) the storage capacity for raw and finished water. For 58 of the cities, the sources of water, the location of water-treatment plants, and the areas served by the city system are shown on maps. Chemical, spectrographic, and radiochemical analyses of treated water and chemical and spectrographic analyses for many of the raw-water supplies are presented in tabular form.

  7. Seasonal energy storage system based on hydrogen for self sufficient living

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bielmann, M.; Vogt, U. F.; Zimmermann, M.; Züttel, A.

    SELF is a resource independent living and working environment. By on-board renewable electricity generation and storage, it accounts for all aspects of living, such as space heating and cooking as well as providing a purified rainwater supply and wastewater treatment, excluding food supply. Uninterrupted, on-demand energy and water supply are the key challenges. Off-grid renewable power supply fluctuations on daily and seasonal time scales impose production gaps that have to be served by local storage, a function normally fulfilled by the grid. While daily variations only obligate a small storage capacity, requirements for seasonal storage are substantial. The energy supply for SELF is reviewed based on real meteorological data and demand patterns for Zurich, Switzerland. A battery system with propane for cooking serves as a reference for battery-only and hybrid battery/hydrogen systems. In the latter, hydrogen is used for cooking and electricity generation. The analysis shows that hydrogen is ideal for long term bulk energy storage on a seasonal timescale, while batteries are best suited for short term energy storage. Although the efficiency penalty from hydrogen generation is substantial, in off-grid systems, this parameter is tolerable since the harvesting ratio of photovoltaic energy is limited by storage capacity.

  8. Capacity recovery after storage negatively precharged nickel hydrogen cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lowery, John E.

    1993-01-01

    Tests were conducted to investigate the recovery of capacity lost during open circuit storage of negatively precharged nickel hydrogen batteries. Four Eagle Picher RNH-90-3 cells were used in the tests. Recovery procedures and test results are presented in outline and graphic form.

  9. A case control study of association between cognition and functional capacity in schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Narayanan, Sreelatha S; Bhatia, Triptish; Velligan, Dawn I; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L; Deshpande, Smita N

    2015-12-01

    Cognitive functions are important prognostic factors for schizophrenia (SZ), while ability to perform activities of daily living are important measures of functional capacity. The relationship between cognition and functional capacity has not been tested extensively in India. To compare persons with SZ with controls on measures of cognition and functional capacity, and evaluate correlations between cognitive performance and functional capacity. Schizophrenia outpatients and controls without psychiatric illness (DSM IV) who completed the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery and Functional Assessment Battery comprised of two tests from University of California San Diego (UCSD) Performance Based Skill Assessment (UPSA), one Test of Adaptive Behavior in Schizophrenia (TABS) and one test from University of California San Diego Performance Based Skill Assessment Brief edition (UPSA-B). Cognitive and functional domains were examined using regression analyses, with relevant covariates. Cases (N=51) though younger, were more educated than controls (N=41). Adjusting for education, controls performed better than cases in 3/7 cognitive and 4/5 domains of functional capacity but similarly in 'household management'. Among both cases and controls, cognitive measures of verbal learning and speed of processing overlapped with functional capacity (3 domains). Working memory was associated with one functional domain. Consistent with other studies, Indian patients with schizophrenia performed worse than controls on several domains of cognition and functional capacity; these domains were correlated. Speed of processing and verbal learning are most frequently associated with functional capacity indices and should be targeted to improve skills of daily living among persons with SZ. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Evaluation of the endotoxin binding efficiency of clay minerals using the Limulus Amebocyte lysate test: an in vitro study

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Endotoxins are part of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. They are potent immune stimulators and can lead to death if present in high concentrations. Feed additives, which bind endotoxins in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, could help to prevent their negative impact. The objective of our study was to determine the potential of a bentonite (Bentonite 1), a sodium bentonite (Bentonite 2), a chemically treated smectite (Organoclay 1) and a modified attapulgite (Organoclay 2) to bind endotoxins in vitro. Polymyxin B served as positive control. The kinetic chromogenic Limulus Amebocyte lysate test was adapted to measure endotoxin activity. Firstly, a single sorption experiment (10 endotoxin units/mL (EU/mL)) was performed. Polymyxin B and organoclays showed 100% binding efficiency. Secondly, the adsorption efficiency of sorbents in aqueous solution with increasing endotoxin concentrations (2,450 – 51,700 EU/mL) was investigated. Organoclay 1 (0.1%) showed a good binding efficiency in aqueous solution (average 81%), whereas Bentonite 1 (0.1%) obtained a lower binding efficiency (21-54%). The following absorbent capacities were calculated in highest endotoxin concentration: 5.59 mg/g (Organoclay 1) > 3.97 mg/g (Polymyxin B) > 2.58mg/g (Organoclay 2) > 1.55 mg/g (Bentonite 1) > 1.23 mg/g (Bentonite 2). Thirdly, a sorption experiment in artificial intestinal fluid was conducted. Especially for organoclays, which are known to be unspecific adsorbents, the endotoxin binding capacity was significantly reduced. In contrast, Bentonite 1 showed comparable results in artificial intestinal fluid and aqueous solution. Based on the results of this in vitro study, the effect of promising clay minerals will be investigated in in vivo trials. PMID:24383578

  11. Evidence for the role of self-priming in epistemic action: expertise and the effective use of memory.

    PubMed

    Maglio, Paul P; Wenger, Michael J; Copeland, Angelina M

    2008-01-01

    Epistemic actions are physical actions people take to simplify internal problem solving rather than to move closer to an external goal. When playing the video game Tetris, for instance, experts routinely rotate falling shapes more than is strictly needed to place the shapes. Maglio and Kirsh [Kirsh, D., & Maglio, P. (1994). On distinguishing epistemic from pragmatic action. Cognitive Science, 18, 513-549; Maglio, P. P. (1995). The computational basis of interactive skill. PhD thesis, University of California, San Diego] proposed that such actions might serve the purpose of priming memory by external means, reducing the need for internal computation (e.g., mental rotation), and resulting in performance improvements that exceed the cost of taking additional actions. The present study tests this priming hypothesis in a set of four experiments. The first three explored precisely the conditions under which priming produces benefits. Results showed that presentation of multiple orientations of a shape led to faster responses than did presentation of a single orientation, and that this effect depended on the interval between preview and test. The fourth explored whether the benefit of seeing shapes in multiple orientations outweighs the cost of taking the extra actions to rotate shapes physically. Benefits were measured using a novel statistical method for mapping reaction-time data onto an estimate of the increase in processing capacity afforded by seeing multiple orientations. Cost was measured using an empirical estimate of time needed to take action in Tetris. Results showed that indeed the increase in internal processing capacity obtained from seeing shapes in multiple orientations outweighed the time to take extra actions.

  12. Behavioral response of the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, to human sweat inoculated with axilla bacteria and to volatiles composing human axillary odor.

    PubMed

    Frei, Jérôme; Kröber, Thomas; Troccaz, Myriam; Starkenmann, Christian; Guerin, Patrick M

    2017-02-01

    The responses of Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto (Diptera: Culicidae) to odors from male and female axillary sweat incubated with human axilla bacteria were recorded in a dual-choice olfactometer. Staphylococcus epidermidis was selected for its low odor-producing pattern, Corynebacterium jeikeium for its strong Nα-acylglutamine aminoacylase activity liberating carboxylic acids including (R)/(S)-3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid (HMHA) and Staphylococcus haemolyticus for its capacity to liberate sulfur-containing compounds including (R/S)-3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (MSH). Anopheles gambiae behavioral responses were evaluated under (i) its responsiveness to take off and undertake sustained upwind flight and (ii) its discriminating capacity between the two olfactometer arms bearing a test odor in either one or both arms. Experiments were conducted in the presence of carbon dioxide pulses as a behavioral sensitizer. Anopheles gambiae clearly discriminated for the olfactometer arm conveying odor generated by incubating any of the three bacteria species with either male or female sweat. Whereas An. gambiae did not discriminate between male and female sterile sweat samples in the olfactometer, the mosquito consistently showed a preference for male sweat over female sweat incubated with the same bacterium, independent of the species used as inoculum. Sweat incubated with C. jeikeium rendered mosquitoes particularly responsive and this substrate elicited the strongest preference for male over female sweat. Tested on their own, neither HMHA nor MSH elicited a clear discriminating response but did affect mosquito responsiveness. These findings serve as a basis for further research on the odor-mediated anthropophilic host-seeking behavior of An. gambiae. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Utilization of magnetically responsive cereal by-product for organic dye removal.

    PubMed

    Baldikova, Eva; Politi, Dorothea; Maderova, Zdenka; Pospiskova, Kristyna; Sidiras, Dimitrios; Safarikova, Mirka; Safarik, Ivo

    2016-04-01

    Barley straw, an agricultural by-product, can also serve as a low-cost and relatively efficient adsorbent of various harmful compounds. In this case, adsorption of four water-soluble dyes belonging to different dye classes (specifically Bismarck brown Y, representing the azo group; methylene blue, quinone-imine group; safranin O, safranin group; and crystal violet, triphenylmethane group) on native and citric acid-NaOH-modified barley straw, both in magnetic and non-magnetic versions, was studied. The adsorption was characterized using three adsorption models, namely Langmuir, Freundlich and Sips. To compare the maximum adsorption capacities (qmax), the Langmuir model was employed. The qmax values reached 86.5-124.3 mg of dye per g of native non-magnetic straw and 410.8-520.3 mg of dye per g of magnetic chemically modified straw. Performed characterization studies suggested that the substantial increase in qmax values after chemical modification could be caused by rougher surface of adsorbent (observed by scanning electron microscopy) and by the presence of higher amounts of carboxyl groups (detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy). The adsorption processes followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and thermodynamic studies indicated spontaneous and endothermic adsorption. The chemical modification of barley straw led to a significant increase in maximum adsorption capacities for all tested dyes, while magnetic modification substantially facilitated the manipulation with adsorbent. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

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

    Xing, Ling-Bao; Hou, Shu-Fen; Zhou, Jin

    In present work, we demonstrate an efficient and facile strategy to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels (NGAs) based on melamine, which serves as reducing and functionalizing agent of graphene oxide (GO) in an aqueous medium with ammonia. Benefiting from well-defined and cross-linked 3D porous network architectures, the supercapacitor based on the NGAs exhibited a high specific capacitance of 170.5 F g{sup −1} at 0.2 A g{sup −1}, and this capacitance also showed good electrochemical stability and a high degree of reversibility in the repetitive charge/discharge cycling test. More interestingly, the prepared NGAs further exhibited high adsorption capacities and highmore » recycling performance toward several metal ions such as Pb{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+} and Cd{sup 2+}. Moreover, the hydrophobic carbonized nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels (CNGAs) showed outstanding adsorption and recycling performance for the removal of various oils and organic solvents. - Graphical abstract: Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels were prepared by using melamine as reducing and functionalizing agent in an aqueous medium with ammonia, which showed multifunctional applications in supercapacitors and adsorption. - Highlights: • Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels (NGAs) were prepared. • Melamine was used as reducing and functionalizing agent. • NGAs exhibited relatively good electrochemical properties in supercapacitor. • NGAs exhibited high adsorption performance toward several metal ions. • CNGAs showed outstanding adsorption capacities for various oils and solvents.« less

  15. Statistical prediction with Kanerva's sparse distributed memory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, David

    1989-01-01

    A new viewpoint of the processing performed by Kanerva's sparse distributed memory (SDM) is presented. In conditions of near- or over-capacity, where the associative-memory behavior of the model breaks down, the processing performed by the model can be interpreted as that of a statistical predictor. Mathematical results are presented which serve as the framework for a new statistical viewpoint of sparse distributed memory and for which the standard formulation of SDM is a special case. This viewpoint suggests possible enhancements to the SDM model, including a procedure for improving the predictiveness of the system based on Holland's work with genetic algorithms, and a method for improving the capacity of SDM even when used as an associative memory.

  16. Biphasic Synergistic Gel Materials with Switchable Mechanics and Self-Healing Capacity.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ziguang; Liu, Yuxia; Zhang, Kangjun; Zhuo, Shuyun; Fang, Ruochen; Zhang, Jianqi; Jiang, Lei; Liu, Mingjie

    2017-10-16

    A fabrication strategy for biphasic gels is reported, which incorporates high-internal-phase emulsions. Closely packed micro-inclusions within the elastic hydrogel matrix greatly improve the mechanical properties of the materials. The materials exhibit excellent switchable mechanics and shape-memory performance because of the switchable micro- inclusions that are incorporated into the hydrogel matrix. The produced materials demonstrated a self-healing capacity that originates from the noncovalent effect of the biphasic heteronetwork. The aforementioned characteristics suggest that the biphasic gels may serve as ideal composite gel materials with validity in a variety of applications, such as soft actuators, flexible devices, and biological materials. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Technical Standards and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Medical School Applicants and Students: Interrogating Sensory Capacity and Practice Capacity.

    PubMed

    Argenyi, Michael

    2016-10-01

    Applicants to medical schools who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHoH) or who have other disabilities face significant barriers to medical school admission. One commonly cited barrier to admission is medical schools' technical standards (TS) for admission, advancement, and graduation. Ethical values of diversity and equity support altering the technical standards to be more inclusive of people with disabilities. Incorporating these values into admissions, advancement, and graduation considerations for DHoH and other students with disabilities can contribute to the physician workforce being more representative of the diverse patients it serves and better able to care for them. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Integrated Multi-process Microfluidic Systems for Automating Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Weichun; Woolley, Adam T.

    2010-01-01

    Microfluidic technologies have been applied extensively in rapid sample analysis. Some current challenges for standard microfluidic systems are relatively high detection limits, and reduced resolving power and peak capacity compared to conventional approaches. The integration of multiple functions and components onto a single platform can overcome these separation and detection limitations of microfluidics. Multiplexed systems can greatly increase peak capacity in multidimensional separations and can increase sample throughput by analyzing many samples simultaneously. On-chip sample preparation, including labeling, preconcentration, cleanup and amplification, can all serve to speed up and automate processes in integrated microfluidic systems. This paper summarizes advances in integrated multi-process microfluidic systems for automated analysis, their benefits and areas for needed improvement. PMID:20514343

  19. The mental time travel continuum: on the architecture, capacity, versatility and extension of the mental bridge into the past and future.

    PubMed

    Breeden, Prescott; Dere, Dorothea; Zlomuzica, Armin; Dere, Ekrem

    2016-06-01

    Mental time travel (MTT) is the ability to remember past events and to anticipate or imagine events in the future. MTT globally serves to optimize decision-making processes, improve problem-solving capabilities and prepare for future needs. MTT is also essential in providing our concept of self, which includes knowledge of our personality, our strengths and weaknesses, as well as our preferences and aversions. We will give an overview in which ways the capacity of animals to perform MTT is different from humans. Based on the existing literature, we conclude that MTT might represent a quantitative rather than qualitative entity with a continuum of MTT capacities in both humans and nonhuman animals. Given its high complexity, MTT requires a large processing capacity in order to integrate multimodal stimuli during the reconstruction of past and/or future events. We suggest that these operations depend on a highly specialized working memory subsystem, 'the MTT platform', which might represent a necessary additional component in the multi-component working memory model by Alan Baddeley.

  20. A Novel Optimal Joint Resource Allocation Method in Cooperative Multicarrier Networks: Theory and Practice

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Yuan; Zhou, Weigui; Ao, Hong; Chu, Jian; Zhou, Quan; Zhou, Bo; Wang, Kang; Li, Yi; Xue, Peng

    2016-01-01

    With the increasing demands for better transmission speed and robust quality of service (QoS), the capacity constrained backhaul gradually becomes a bottleneck in cooperative wireless networks, e.g., in the Internet of Things (IoT) scenario in joint processing mode of LTE-Advanced Pro. This paper focuses on resource allocation within capacity constrained backhaul in uplink cooperative wireless networks, where two base stations (BSs) equipped with single antennae serve multiple single-antennae users via multi-carrier transmission mode. In this work, we propose a novel cooperative transmission scheme based on compress-and-forward with user pairing to solve the joint mixed integer programming problem. To maximize the system capacity under the limited backhaul, we formulate the joint optimization problem of user sorting, subcarrier mapping and backhaul resource sharing among different pairs (subcarriers for users). A novel robust and efficient centralized algorithm based on alternating optimization strategy and perfect mapping is proposed. Simulations show that our novel method can improve the system capacity significantly under the constraint of the backhaul resource compared with the blind alternatives. PMID:27077865

  1. Effects of Working Memory Capacity and Domain Knowledge on Recall for Grocery Prices.

    PubMed

    Bermingham, Douglas; Gardner, Michael K; Woltz, Dan J

    2016-01-01

    Hambrick and Engle (2002) proposed 3 models of how domain knowledge and working memory capacity may work together to influence episodic memory: a "rich-get-richer" model, a "building blocks" model, and a "compensatory" model. Their results supported the rich-get-richer model, although later work by Hambrick and Oswald (2005) found support for a building blocks model. We investigated the effects of domain knowledge and working memory on recall of studied grocery prices. Working memory was measured with 3 simple span tasks. A contrast of realistic versus fictitious foods in the episodic memory task served as our manipulation of domain knowledge, because participants could not have domain knowledge of fictitious food prices. There was a strong effect for domain knowledge (realistic food-price pairs were easier to remember) and a moderate effect for working memory capacity (higher working memory capacity produced better recall). Furthermore, the interaction between domain knowledge and working memory produced a small but significant interaction in 1 measure of price recall. This supported the compensatory model and stands in contrast to previous research.

  2. Adsorption of p-nitrophenols (PNP) on microalgal biochar: Analysis of high adsorption capacity and mechanism.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Heshan; Guo, Wanqian; Li, Shuo; Chen, Yidi; Wu, Qinglian; Feng, Xiaochi; Yin, Renli; Ho, Shih-Hsin; Ren, Nanqi; Chang, Jo-Shu

    2017-11-01

    Biochars derived from three microalgal strains (namely, Chlorella sp. Cha-01, Chlamydomonas sp. Tai-03 and Coelastrum sp. Pte-15) were evaluated for their capacity to adsorb p-nitrophenols (PNP) using raw microalgal biomass and powdered activated carbon (PAC) as the control. The results show that BC-Cha-01 (biochar from Chlorella sp. Cha-01) exhibited a high PNP adsorption capacity of 204.8mgg -1 , which is 250% and 140% higher than that of its raw biomass and PAC, respectively. The adsorption kinetics and equilibrium are well described with pseudo-second-order equation and Freundlich model, respectively. BC-Cha-01 was found to contain higher polarity moieties with more O-containing functional groups than PAC and other microalgae-derived biochars. The strong polarity of binding sites on BC-Cha-01 may be responsible for its superior adsorption capacity. The biochars from Chlorella sp. Cha-01 seem to have the potential to serve as a highly efficient PNP adsorbent for wastewater treatment or emergency water pollution control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Risk measures for power failures in transmission systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cassidy, Alex; Feinstein, Zachary; Nehorai, Arye

    2016-11-01

    We present a novel framework for evaluating the risk of failures in power transmission systems. We use the concept of systemic risk measures from the financial mathematics literature with models of power system failures in order to quantify the risk of the entire power system for design and comparative purposes. The proposed risk measures provide the collection of capacity vectors for the components in the system that lead to acceptable outcomes. Keys to the formulation of our measures of risk are two elements: a model of system behavior that provides the (distribution of) outcomes based on component capacities and an acceptability criterion that determines whether a (random) outcome is acceptable from an aggregated point of view. We examine the effects of altering the line capacities on energy not served under a variety of networks, flow manipulation methods, load shedding schemes, and load profiles using Monte Carlo simulations. Our results provide a quantitative comparison of the performance of these schemes, measured by the required line capacity. These results provide more complete descriptions of the risks of power failures than the previous, one-dimensional metrics.

  4. Plasma Treated Active Carbon for Capacitive Deionization of Saline Water

    DOE PAGES

    Zeng, Aiping; Shrestha, Maheshwar; Wang, Keliang; ...

    2017-01-01

    The plasma treatment on commercial active carbon (AC) was carried out in a capacitively coupled plasma system using Ar + 10% O 2at pressure of 4.0 Torr. The RF plasma power ranged from 50 W to 100 W and the processing time was 10 min. The carbon film electrode was fabricated by electrophoretic deposition. Micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed the highly increased disorder of sp 2C lattice for the AC treated at 75 W. An electrosorption capacity of 6.15 mg/g was recorded for the carbon treated at 75 W in a 0.1 mM NaCl solution when 1.5 V was applied for 5more » hours, while the capacity of the untreated AC was 1.0 mg/g. The plasma treatment led to 5.09 times increase in the absorption capacity. The jump of electrosorption capacity by plasma treatment was consistent with the Raman spectra and electrochemical double layer capacitance. This work demonstrated that plasma treatment was a potentially efficient approach to activating biochar to serve as electrode material for capacitive deionization (CDI).« less

  5. Perceived impact of an interprofessional education program on community resilience: an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Slack, Marion Kimball; McEwen, Marylyn Morris

    2013-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived impact of an interprofessional education (IPE) program for health sciences students on two culturally diverse, underserved communities. A community resilience/capacity framework, consisting of catalysts (primarily the creation of awareness) and capital components: human (workforce development), social (networking and empowerment) and economic (volunteer labor and money spent by the program), provided the conceptual underpinnings for the study. Focus groups with stakeholders in two communities, one rural and one metropolitan, were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed by categorizing data according to each capital component. In addition to the concepts contained in the capacity framework a new category, informational capital (data specific to the community) emerged during the analysis. We suggest that by acting as a catalyst a community based interprofessional program can affect components of community resilience/capacity, primarily human, social, and informational capital. Using the community resilience/capacity framework facilitated exploration of the perceived impact of an educational program on one rural and one urban underserved community beyond assessing student outcomes or number of clients served.

  6. An Approach for Smart Antenna Testbed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawitkar, R. S.; Wakde, D. G.

    2003-07-01

    The use of wireless, mobile, personal communications services are expanding rapidly. Adaptive or "Smart" antenna arrays can increase channel capacity through spatial division. Adaptive antennas can also track mobile users, improving both signal range and quality. For these reasons, smart antenna systems have attracted widespread interest in the telecommunications industry for applications to third generation wireless systems.This paper aims to design and develop an advanced antennas testbed to serve as a common reference for testing adaptive antenna arrays and signal combining algorithms, as well as complete systems. A flexible suite of off line processing software should be written using matlab to perform system calibration, test bed initialization, data acquisition control, data storage/transfer, off line signal processing and analysis and graph plotting. The goal of this paper is to develop low complexity smart antenna structures for 3G systems. The emphasis will be laid on ease of implementation in a multichannel / multi-user environment. A smart antenna test bed will be developed, and various state-of-the-art DSP structures and algorithms will be investigated.Facing the soaring demand for mobile communications, the use of smart antenna arrays in mobile communications systems to exploit spatial diversity to further improve spectral efficiency has recently received considerable attention. Basically, a smart antenna array comprises a number of antenna elements combined via a beamforming network (amplitude and phase control network). Some of the benefits that can be achieved by using SAS (Smart Antenna System) include lower mobile terminal power consumption, range extension, ISI reduction, higher data rate support, and ease of integration into the existing base station system. In terms of economic benefits, adaptive antenna systems employed at base station, though increases the per base station cost, can increase coverage area of each cell site, thereby reducing the total system cost dramatically - often by more than 50% without compromising the system performance. The testbed can be employed to illustrate enhancement of system capacity and service quality in wireless communications.

  7. Predictive equations for lung volumes from computed tomography for size matching in pulmonary transplantation.

    PubMed

    Konheim, Jeremy A; Kon, Zachary N; Pasrija, Chetan; Luo, Qingyang; Sanchez, Pablo G; Garcia, Jose P; Griffith, Bartley P; Jeudy, Jean

    2016-04-01

    Size matching for lung transplantation is widely accomplished using height comparisons between donors and recipients. This gross approximation allows for wide variation in lung size and, potentially, size mismatch. Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) volumetry comparisons could offer more accurate size matching. Although recipient CT scans are universally available, donor CT scans are rarely performed. Therefore, predicted donor lung volumes could be used for comparison to measured recipient lung volumes, but no such predictive equations exist. We aimed to use 3D-CT volumetry measurements from a normal patient population to generate equations for predicted total lung volume (pTLV), predicted right lung volume (pRLV), and predicted left lung volume (pLLV), for size-matching purposes. Chest CT scans of 400 normal patients were retrospectively evaluated. 3D-CT volumetry was performed to measure total lung volume, right lung volume, and left lung volume of each patient, and predictive equations were generated. The fitted model was tested in a separate group of 100 patients. The model was externally validated by comparison of total lung volume with total lung capacity from pulmonary function tests in a subset of those patients. Age, gender, height, and race were independent predictors of lung volume. In the test group, there were strong linear correlations between predicted and actual lung volumes measured by 3D-CT volumetry for pTLV (r = 0.72), pRLV (r = 0.72), and pLLV (r = 0.69). A strong linear correlation was also observed when comparing pTLV and total lung capacity (r = 0.82). We successfully created a predictive model for pTLV, pRLV, and pLLV. These may serve as reference standards and predict donor lung volume for size matching in lung transplantation. Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Improvement of cardiovascular risk prediction: time to review current knowledge, debates, and fundamentals on how to assess test characteristics.

    PubMed

    Romanens, Michel; Ackermann, Franz; Spence, John David; Darioli, Roger; Rodondi, Nicolas; Corti, Roberto; Noll, Georg; Schwenkglenks, Matthias; Pencina, Michael

    2010-02-01

    Cardiovascular risk assessment might be improved with the addition of emerging, new tests derived from atherosclerosis imaging, laboratory tests or functional tests. This article reviews relative risk, odds ratios, receiver-operating curves, posttest risk calculations based on likelihood ratios, the net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination. This serves to determine whether a new test has an added clinical value on top of conventional risk testing and how this can be verified statistically. Two clinically meaningful examples serve to illustrate novel approaches. This work serves as a review and basic work for the development of new guidelines on cardiovascular risk prediction, taking into account emerging tests, to be proposed by members of the 'Taskforce on Vascular Risk Prediction' under the auspices of the Working Group 'Swiss Atherosclerosis' of the Swiss Society of Cardiology in the future.

  9. The Role of Mind-Wandering in Measurements of General Aptitude

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mrazek, Michael D.; Smallwood, Jonathan; Franklin, Michael S.; Chin, Jason M.; Baird, Benjamin; Schooler, Jonathan W.

    2012-01-01

    Tests of working memory capacity (WMC) and fluid intelligence (gF) are thought to capture variability in a crucial cognitive capacity that is broadly predictive of success, yet pinpointing the exact nature of this capacity is an area of ongoing controversy. We propose that mind-wandering is associated with performance on tests of WMC and gF,…

  10. Multi-component testing using HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN Sorbents for OSPREY Model validation

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

    Garn, Troy G.; Greenhalgh, Mitchell; Lyon, Kevin L.

    2015-04-01

    In efforts to further develop the capability of the Off-gas SeParation and RecoverY (OSPREY) model, multi-component tests were completed using both HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN sorbents. The primary purpose of this effort was to obtain multi-component xenon and krypton capacities for comparison to future OSPREY predicted multi-component capacities using previously acquired Langmuir equilibrium parameters determined from single component isotherms. Experimental capacities were determined for each sorbent using two feed gas compositions of 1000 ppmv xenon and 150 ppmv krypton in either a helium or air balance. Test temperatures were consistently held at 220 K and the gas flowrate was 50 sccm.more » Capacities were calculated from breakthrough curves using TableCurve® 2D software by Jandel Scientific. The HZ-PAN sorbent was tested in the custom designed cryostat while the AgZ-PAN was tested in a newly installed cooling apparatus. Previous modeling validation efforts indicated the OSPREY model can be used to effectively predict single component xenon and krypton capacities for both engineered form sorbents. Results indicated good agreement with the experimental and predicted capacity values for both krypton and xenon on the sorbents. Overall, the model predicted slightly elevated capacities for both gases which can be partially attributed to the estimation of the parameters and the uncertainty associated with the experimental measurements. Currently, OSPREY is configured such that one species adsorbs and one does not (i.e. krypton in helium). Modification of OSPREY code is currently being performed to incorporate multiple adsorbing species and non-ideal interactions of gas phase species with the sorbent and adsorbed phases. Once these modifications are complete, the sorbent capacities determined in the present work will be used to validate OSPREY multicomponent adsorption predictions.« less

  11. The Construction and Analysis of a Test Battery Related to Volleyball Playing Capacity in Females.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Disch, James G.; And Others

    The purpose of this report was to analyze a test battery constructed to describe and predict volleyball playing capacity in college and high school women. The following criteria were used for selecting a test for initial inclusion into the battery: (1) The test is related to a basic motor ability important to playing volleyball; (2) The test can…

  12. Motor Skills and Exercise Capacity Are Associated with Objective Measures of Cognitive Functions and Academic Performance in Preadolescent Children.

    PubMed

    Geertsen, Svend Sparre; Thomas, Richard; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Dahn, Ida Marie; Andersen, Josefine Needham; Krause-Jensen, Matilde; Korup, Vibeke; Nielsen, Claus Malta; Wienecke, Jacob; Ritz, Christian; Krustrup, Peter; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper

    2016-01-01

    To investigate associations between motor skills, exercise capacity and cognitive functions, and evaluate how they correlate to academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension using standardised, objective tests. This cross-sectional study included 423 Danish children (age: 9.29±0.35 years, 209 girls). Fine and gross motor skills were evaluated in a visuomotor accuracy-tracking task, and a whole-body coordination task, respectively. Exercise capacity was estimated from the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 children's test (YYIR1C). Selected tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess different domains of cognitive functions, including sustained attention, spatial working memory, episodic and semantic memory, and processing speed. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate associations between these measures and the relationship with standard tests of academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Both fine and gross motor skills were associated with better performance in all five tested cognitive domains (all P<0.001), whereas exercise capacity was only associated with better sustained attention (P<0.046) and spatial working memory (P<0.038). Fine and gross motor skills (all P<0.001), exercise capacity and cognitive functions such as working memory, episodic memory, sustained attention and processing speed were all associated with better performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. The data demonstrate that fine and gross motor skills are positively correlated with several aspects of cognitive functions and with academic performance in both mathematics and reading comprehension. Moreover, exercise capacity was associated with academic performance and performance in some cognitive domains. Future interventions should investigate associations between changes in motor skills, exercise capacity, cognitive functions, and academic performance to elucidate the causality of these associations.

  13. Motor Skills and Exercise Capacity Are Associated with Objective Measures of Cognitive Functions and Academic Performance in Preadolescent Children

    PubMed Central

    Thomas, Richard; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Dahn, Ida Marie; Andersen, Josefine Needham; Krause-Jensen, Matilde; Korup, Vibeke; Nielsen, Claus Malta; Wienecke, Jacob; Ritz, Christian; Krustrup, Peter; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper

    2016-01-01

    Objective To investigate associations between motor skills, exercise capacity and cognitive functions, and evaluate how they correlate to academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension using standardised, objective tests. Methods This cross-sectional study included 423 Danish children (age: 9.29±0.35 years, 209 girls). Fine and gross motor skills were evaluated in a visuomotor accuracy-tracking task, and a whole-body coordination task, respectively. Exercise capacity was estimated from the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 children's test (YYIR1C). Selected tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess different domains of cognitive functions, including sustained attention, spatial working memory, episodic and semantic memory, and processing speed. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate associations between these measures and the relationship with standard tests of academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Results Both fine and gross motor skills were associated with better performance in all five tested cognitive domains (all P<0.001), whereas exercise capacity was only associated with better sustained attention (P<0.046) and spatial working memory (P<0.038). Fine and gross motor skills (all P<0.001), exercise capacity and cognitive functions such as working memory, episodic memory, sustained attention and processing speed were all associated with better performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Conclusions The data demonstrate that fine and gross motor skills are positively correlated with several aspects of cognitive functions and with academic performance in both mathematics and reading comprehension. Moreover, exercise capacity was associated with academic performance and performance in some cognitive domains. Future interventions should investigate associations between changes in motor skills, exercise capacity, cognitive functions, and academic performance to elucidate the causality of these associations. PMID:27560512

  14. Enzyme activity and microorganisms diversity in soil contaminated with the Boreal 58 WG herbicide.

    PubMed

    Kucharski, Jan; Tomkiel, Monika; Baćmaga, Małgorzata; Borowik, Agata; Wyszkowska, Jadwiga

    2016-07-02

    Next-generation herbicides are relatively safe when used properly, but the recommended rates are relatively low, which can lead to overdosing. This study evaluated the responses of soil-dwelling microorganisms and soil enzymes to contamination with the Boreal 58 WG herbicide. The analyzed product contains active ingredients flufenacet and isoxaflutole. All tests were performed under laboratory conditions. The analyzed material was sandy clay. Boreal 58 WG was introduced to soil in four doses. Soil without the addition of the herbicide served as the control. The soil was mixed with the tested herbicide, and its moisture content was maintained at 50% of capillary water capacity. Biochemical and microbiological analyses were performed on experimental days 0, 20, 40, 80 and 160. Accidental contamination of soil with the Boreal 58 WG herbicide led to a relatively minor imbalance in the soil microbiological and biochemical profile. The herbicide dose influenced dehydrogenase activity in only 0.84%, urease activity in 2.04%, β-glucosidase activity in 8.26%, catalase activity in 12.40%, arylsulfatase activity in 12.54%, acid phosphatase activity in 42.11%, numbers of organotrophic bacteria in 18.29%, actinomyces counts in 1.31% and fungi counts in 6.86%.

  15. Viability of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts in milk, Hank's balanced salt solution and coconut water as storage media.

    PubMed

    Souza, B D M; Lückemeyer, D D; Reyes-Carmona, J F; Felippe, W T; Simões, C M O; Felippe, M C S

    2011-02-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of various storage media at 5 °C for maintaining the viability of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLF). Plates with PDLF were soaked in recently prepared Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS), skimmed milk, whole milk, Save-A-Tooth(®) system's HBSS (Save), natural coconut water, industrialized coconut water or tap water (negative control) at 5 °C for 3, 6, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h. Minimum essential medium (MEM) at 37 °C served as the positive control. PDL cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Data were statistically analysed by Kruskal-Wallis test complemented by the Scheffé test (α=5%). The greatest number of viable cells was observed for MEM. Skimmed and whole milk, followed by natural coconut water and HBSS, were the most effective media in maintaining cell viability (P<0.05). From 24 to 120 h, Save, industrialized coconut water and tap water were the worst storage media. Skimmed and whole milk had the greatest capacity to maintain PDLF viability when compared with natural coconut water, HBSS, Save, industrialized coconut water and tap water. © 2010 International Endodontic Journal.

  16. Surface Chemistry and Precursor Material Effects on the Performance of Pyrolyzed Nanofibers as Anodes for Lithium-ion Batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loebl, Andrew James

    Next-generation lithium-ion batteries to meet consumer demands and new applications require the development of new electrode materials. Electrospinning of polymers is a simple and effective method to create one-dimensional, self-supporting materials, with no inactive components after pyrolysis. Composites of these nanofibers and high-capacity lithium materials have been demonstrated to possess superior reversible capacity than state-of-the-art commercial anodes. Despite impressive reversible discharge capacities polyacrylonitrile-based composites are not ready for adoption in commercial applications. These materials suffer from irreversible losses of Li to formation on the electrode of the solid electrolyte interphase during the first charge of the cell. This thesis work has taken two approaches to engineer high-performing nanofiber-based electrodes. First, the chemistry at the interface of the electrode and the electrolyte has been changed by depositing new surfaces. Attempts to create a graphitic fiber surface via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition did not result in an improvement of the irreversible losses. However, the experiments did demonstrate the growth of large surface area carbon nanowalls on the pyrolyzed electrospun fibers, creating a material which could serve as a substrate in catalysis or as an electrode for composite ultra-capacitors. Additionally, passivation surfaces were deposited by atomic layer deposition and molecular layer deposition. These new surfaces were employed to reduce the irreversible consumption of lithium by moving the charge transfer reaction to the interface of the carbon and the new material. The removal the lithium from the solvent prior to charge transfer limits the irreversible reduction of solvent by metallic lithium. Alumina films grown by atomic layer deposition reduced lithium losses to the solid electrolyte interphase by up to 42% for twenty deposition cycles. This large improvement in irreversible capacity resulted in a nearly 50% reduction in reversible lithium storage. Thinner coatings of alumina had a less dramatic effect on both the irreversible capacity losses and the reversible discharge capacity. A coating of ten cycles of alumina at a temperature of 150 °C resulted in a 17% reduction in irreversible capacity with negligible impact on the reversible capacity. Hybrid aluminum-organic films grown by molecular layer deposition also reduced irreversible lithium losses. The largest reduction was 23% for electrodes coated with 40 cycles of the alucone material. For all thicknesses studied these hybrid films delivered less improvement than the alumina grown by atomic layer deposition, with poor reversible lithium storage capacity available at high charging and discharging currents. Second, polyacrylonitrile has served as the precursor for electrospun composite electrodes because of its ease of processing and well-known carbonization process. Polyimides represent a family of polymers for which the material properties can be tailored by careful monomer selection. These polymers were used as the non-woven matrix to create materials capable of delivering a larger percentage of their maximum reversible capacities at high currents when compared to polyacrylonitrile-based electrodes. These materials had a more graphitic structure based on Raman spectroscopy, and resulted in lower irreversible capacity losses than polyacrylonitrile-based fibers for fibers based on pyromellitic dianhydride and p-phenylene diamine.

  17. Prevalence of HIV Testing Provision at Community Organizations Serving Young People in a Mid-Atlantic City, 2013-2014

    PubMed Central

    Okano, Lauren; Pilgrim, Nanlesta A.; Jennings, Jacky M.; Page, Kathleen R.; Sanders, Renata; Loosier, Penny S.; Dittus, Patricia J.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: Little is known about the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing at community organizations or the organizational characteristics associated with testing. The objective of this study was to describe (1) the prevalence of HIV testing at community organizations serving young people in a mid-Atlantic urban city and (2) the characteristics associated with organizations that provide such testing. Methods: We conducted telephone or in-person surveys between February 2013 and March 2014 with 51 directors and administrators of community organizations serving young people. We asked whether the organization provided HIV screening or testing, and we collected data on organizational characteristics (eg, setting, client, and staff member characteristics; services offered). We generated frequencies on measures and used Poisson regression analysis to examine the association between testing and organizational characteristics. Results: Of the 51 organizations surveyed, 21 provided HIV testing. Of the 30 organizations that did not provide HIV testing, only 7 had a relationship with programs that did provide it. Characteristics associated with the provision of HIV testing included offering general health services (relative risk [RR] = 4.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68-12.48; P = .003) and referral services for sexually transmitted infection screening (RR = 5.77; 95% CI, 1.70-19.59; P = .005) and HIV care (RR = 4.78; 95% CI, 1.61-14.21; P = .005), as well as among administrators who perceived their staff members were comfortable talking with young people about sexual health (RR = 3.29; 95% CI, 1.28-8.49; P = .01). Conclusions: The prevalence of HIV testing provision at organizations serving young people in this mid-Atlantic city was low, and few organizations offered linkages to HIV testing. Strategies are needed to increase the provision of HIV testing at community organizations serving young people, whether through direct or linked approaches. PMID:28118800

  18. Prevalence of HIV Testing Provision at Community Organizations Serving Young People in a Mid-Atlantic City, 2013-2014.

    PubMed

    Marcell, Arik V; Okano, Lauren; Pilgrim, Nanlesta A; Jennings, Jacky M; Page, Kathleen R; Sanders, Renata; Loosier, Penny S; Dittus, Patricia J

    Little is known about the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing at community organizations or the organizational characteristics associated with testing. The objective of this study was to describe (1) the prevalence of HIV testing at community organizations serving young people in a mid-Atlantic urban city and (2) the characteristics associated with organizations that provide such testing. We conducted telephone or in-person surveys between February 2013 and March 2014 with 51 directors and administrators of community organizations serving young people. We asked whether the organization provided HIV screening or testing, and we collected data on organizational characteristics (eg, setting, client, and staff member characteristics; services offered). We generated frequencies on measures and used Poisson regression analysis to examine the association between testing and organizational characteristics. Of the 51 organizations surveyed, 21 provided HIV testing. Of the 30 organizations that did not provide HIV testing, only 7 had a relationship with programs that did provide it. Characteristics associated with the provision of HIV testing included offering general health services (relative risk [RR] = 4.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68-12.48; P = .003) and referral services for sexually transmitted infection screening (RR = 5.77; 95% CI, 1.70-19.59; P = .005) and HIV care (RR = 4.78; 95% CI, 1.61-14.21; P = .005), as well as among administrators who perceived their staff members were comfortable talking with young people about sexual health (RR = 3.29; 95% CI, 1.28-8.49; P = .01). The prevalence of HIV testing provision at organizations serving young people in this mid-Atlantic city was low, and few organizations offered linkages to HIV testing. Strategies are needed to increase the provision of HIV testing at community organizations serving young people, whether through direct or linked approaches.

  19. Mini-biomass electric generation

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

    Elliot, G.

    1997-12-01

    Awareness of the living standards achieved by others has resulted in a Russian population which is yearning for a higher standard of living. Such a situation demands access to affordable electricity in remote areas. Remote energy requirements creates the need to transport power or fossil fuels over long distances. Application of local renewable energy resources could eliminate the need for and costs of long distance power supply. Vast forest resources spread over most of Russia make biomass an ideal renewable energy candidate for many off-grid villages. The primary objective for this preliminary evaluation is to examine the economic feasibility ofmore » replacing distillate and gasoline fuels with local waste biomass as the primary fuel for village energy in outlying regions of Russia. Approximately 20 million people live in regions where Russia`s Unified Electric System grid does not penetrate. Most of these people are connected to smaller independent power grids, but approximately 8 million Russians live in off-grid villages and small towns served by stand-alone generation systems using either diesel fuel or gasoline. The off-grid villages depend on expensive distillate fuels and gasoline for combustion in small boilers and engines. These fuels are used for both electricity generation and district heating. Typically, diesel generator systems with a capacity of up to 1 MW serve a collective farm, settlement and their rural enterprises (there are an estimated 10,000 such systems in Russia). Smaller gasoline-fueled generator systems with capacities in the range of 0.5 - 5 kW serve smaller farms or rural enterprises (there are about 60,000 such systems in Russia).« less

  20. Agency Leaders' Assessments of Feasibility and Desirability of Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Youth-Serving Organizations Using the Stages of Implementation Completion.

    PubMed

    Palinkas, Lawrence A; Campbell, Mark; Saldana, Lisa

    2018-01-01

    Background: This study examined influences on the decisions of administrators of youth-serving organizations to initiate and proceed with implementation of an evidence-based practice (EBP). Methods: Semi-structured interviews, developed using the Stages of Implementation Completion (SIC) as a framework, were conducted with 19 agency chief executive officers and program directors of 15 organizations serving children and adolescents. Results: Agency leaders' self-assessments of implementation feasibility and desirability prior to implementation (Pre-implementation) were influenced by intervention affordability, feasibility, requirements, validity, reliability, relevance, cost savings, positive outcomes, and adequacy of information; availability of funding, support from sources external to the agency, and adequacy of technical assistance; and staff availability and attitudes toward innovation in general and EBPs in particular, organizational capacity, fit between the EBP and agency mission and capacity, prior experience with implementation, experience with seeking evidence, and developing consensus. Assessments during the Implementation phase included intervention flexibility and requirements; availability of funding, adequacy of training and technical assistance, and getting sufficient and appropriate referrals; and staffing and implementing with fidelity. Assessments during the Sustainment phase included intervention costs and benefits; availability of funding, support from sources outside of the agency, and need for the EBP; and the fit between the EBP and the agency mission. Discussion: The results point to opportunities for using agency leader models to develop strategies to facilitate implementation of evidence-based and innovative practices for children and adolescents. The SIC provides a standardized framework for guiding agency leader self-assessments of implementation.

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