Inflammatory Regulation of Valvular Remodeling: The Good(?), the Bad, and the Ugly

PubMed Central

Mahler, Gretchen J.; Butcher, Jonathan T.

2011-01-01

Heart valve disease is unique in that it affects both the very young and very old, and does not discriminate by financial affluence, social stratus, or global location. Research over the past decade has transformed our understanding of heart valve cell biology, yet still more remains unclear regarding how these cells respond and adapt to their local microenvironment. Recent studies have identified inflammatory signaling at nearly every point in the life cycle of heart valves, yet its role at each stage is unclear. While the vast majority of evidence points to inflammation as mediating pathological valve remodeling and eventual destruction, some studies suggest inflammation may provide key signals guiding transient adaptive remodeling. Though the mechanisms are far from clear, inflammatory signaling may be a previously unrecognized ally in the quest for controlled rapid tissue remodeling, a key requirement for regenerative medicine approaches for heart valve disease. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding inflammatory mediation of heart valve remodeling and suggests key questions moving forward. PMID:21792386

Enhancing Biomedical Text Summarization Using Semantic Relation Extraction

PubMed Central

Shang, Yue; Li, Yanpeng; Lin, Hongfei; Yang, Zhihao

2011-01-01

Automatic text summarization for a biomedical concept can help researchers to get the key points of a certain topic from large amount of biomedical literature efficiently. In this paper, we present a method for generating text summary for a given biomedical concept, e.g., H1N1 disease, from multiple documents based on semantic relation extraction. Our approach includes three stages: 1) We extract semantic relations in each sentence using the semantic knowledge representation tool SemRep. 2) We develop a relation-level retrieval method to select the relations most relevant to each query concept and visualize them in a graphic representation. 3) For relations in the relevant set, we extract informative sentences that can interpret them from the document collection to generate text summary using an information retrieval based method. Our major focus in this work is to investigate the contribution of semantic relation extraction to the task of biomedical text summarization. The experimental results on summarization for a set of diseases show that the introduction of semantic knowledge improves the performance and our results are better than the MEAD system, a well-known tool for text summarization. PMID:21887336

Triangulation in aetiological epidemiology

PubMed Central

Lawlor, Debbie A; Tilling, Kate; Davey Smith, George

2016-01-01

Abstract Triangulation is the practice of obtaining more reliable answers to research questions through integrating results from several different approaches, where each approach has different key sources of potential bias that are unrelated to each other. With respect to causal questions in aetiological epidemiology, if the results of different approaches all point to the same conclusion, this strengthens confidence in the finding. This is particularly the case when the key sources of bias of some of the approaches would predict that findings would point in opposite directions if they were due to such biases. Where there are inconsistencies, understanding the key sources of bias of each approach can help to identify what further research is required to address the causal question. The aim of this paper is to illustrate how triangulation might be used to improve causal inference in aetiological epidemiology. We propose a minimum set of criteria for use in triangulation in aetiological epidemiology, summarize the key sources of bias of several approaches and describe how these might be integrated within a triangulation framework. We emphasize the importance of being explicit about the expected direction of bias within each approach, whenever this is possible, and seeking to identify approaches that would be expected to bias the true causal effect in different directions. We also note the importance, when comparing results, of taking account of differences in the duration and timing of exposures. We provide three examples to illustrate these points. PMID:28108528

Redox implications in adipose tissue (dys)function—A new look at old acquaintances

PubMed Central

Jankovic, Aleksandra; Korac, Aleksandra; Buzadzic, Biljana; Otasevic, Vesna; Stancic, Ana; Daiber, Andreas; Korac, Bato

2015-01-01

Obesity is an energy balance disorder associated with dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and diabetes type 2, also summarized with the term metabolic syndrome or syndrome X. Increasing evidence points to “adipocyte dysfunction”, rather than fat mass accretion per se, as the key pathophysiological factor for metabolic complications in obesity. The dysfunctional fat tissue in obesity characterizes a failure to safely store metabolic substrates into existing hypertrophied adipocytes and/or into new preadipocytes recruited for differentiation. In this review we briefly summarize the potential of redox imbalance in fat tissue as an instigator of adipocyte dysfunction in obesity. We reveal the challenge of the adipose redox changes, insights in the regulation of healthy expansion of adipose tissue and its reduction, leading to glucose and lipids overflow. PMID:26177468

Macromechanics of hearing: The unknown known

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shera, Christopher A.

2015-12-01

The following summarizes the key points addressed during a tutorial session on the Macromechanics of Hearing that took place at the 12th International Workshop on the Mechanics of Hearing held at Cape Sounio, Greece, in June 2014. The tutorial was intended to present an overview of basic ideas and to address topics of current interest relevant to the Workshop. The session was recorded, and the audio file and accompanying visual content of the presentation can be found in the Mechanics of Hearing Digital Library (www.mechanicsofhearing.org).

Micromechanics of hearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudspeth, A. J.

2015-12-01

The following summarizes the key points addressed during a tutorial session on the Micromechanics of Hearing that took place at the 12th International Workshop on the Mechanics of Hearing held at Cape Sounio, Greece, in June 2014. The tutorial was intended to present an overview of basic ideas and to address topics of current interest relevant to the Workshop. The session was recorded, and the audio file and accompanying visual content of the presentation can be found in the Mechanics of Hearing Digital Library (www.mechanicsofhearing.org).

Mapping photopolarimeter spectrometer instrument feasibility study for future planetary flight missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Evaluations are summarized directed towards defining optimal instrumentation for performing planetary polarization measurements from a spacecraft platform. An overview of the science rationale for polarimetric measurements is given to point out the importance of such measurements for future studies and exploration of the outer planets. The key instrument features required to perform the needed measurements are discussed and applied to the requirements for the Cassini mission to Saturn. The resultant conceptual design of a spectro-polarimeter photometer for Cassini is described in detail.

[Research progress of multi-model medical image fusion and recognition].

PubMed

Zhou, Tao; Lu, Huiling; Chen, Zhiqiang; Ma, Jingxian

2013-10-01

Medical image fusion and recognition has a wide range of applications, such as focal location, cancer staging and treatment effect assessment. Multi-model medical image fusion and recognition are analyzed and summarized in this paper. Firstly, the question of multi-model medical image fusion and recognition is discussed, and its advantage and key steps are discussed. Secondly, three fusion strategies are reviewed from the point of algorithm, and four fusion recognition structures are discussed. Thirdly, difficulties, challenges and possible future research direction are discussed.

Dynamic Loading and Characterization of Fiber-Reinforced Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sierakowski, Robert L.; Chaturvedi, Shive K.

1997-02-01

Emphasizing polymer based fiber-reinforced composites, this book is designed to provide readers with a significant understanding of the complexities involved in characterizing dynamic events and the corresponding response of advanced fiber composite materials and structures. These elements include dynamic loading devices, material properties characterization, analytical and experimental techniques to assess the damage and failure modes associated with various dynamic loading events. Concluding remarks are presented throughout the text which summarize key points and raise issues related to important research needed.

Curated Collections for Educators: Five Key Papers about Program Evaluation.

PubMed

Thoma, Brent; Gottlieb, Michael; Boysen-Osborn, Megan; King, Andrew; Quinn, Antonia; Krzyzaniak, Sara; Pineda, Nicolas; Yarris, Lalena M; Chan, Teresa

2017-05-04

The evaluation of educational programs has become an expected part of medical education. At some point, all medical educators will need to critically evaluate the programs that they deliver. However, the evaluation of educational programs requires a very different skillset than teaching. In this article, we aim to identify and summarize key papers that would be helpful for faculty members interested in exploring program evaluation. In November of 2016, the 2015-2016 Academic life in emergency medicine (ALiEM) Faculty Incubator program highlighted key papers in a discussion of program evaluation. This list of papers was augmented with suggestions by guest experts and by an open call on Twitter. This resulted in a list of 30 papers on program evaluation. Our authorship group then engaged in a process akin to a Delphi study to build consensus on the most important papers about program evaluation for medical education faculty. We present our group's top five most highly rated papers on program evaluation. We also summarize these papers with respect to their relevance to junior medical education faculty members and faculty developers. Program evaluation is challenging. The described papers will be informative for junior faculty members as they aim to design literature-informed evaluations for their educational programs.

Curated Collections for Educators: Five Key Papers about Program Evaluation

PubMed Central

Gottlieb, Michael; Boysen-Osborn, Megan; King, Andrew; Quinn, Antonia; Krzyzaniak, Sara; Pineda, Nicolas; Yarris, Lalena M; Chan, Teresa

2017-01-01

The evaluation of educational programs has become an expected part of medical education. At some point, all medical educators will need to critically evaluate the programs that they deliver. However, the evaluation of educational programs requires a very different skillset than teaching. In this article, we aim to identify and summarize key papers that would be helpful for faculty members interested in exploring program evaluation. In November of 2016, the 2015-2016 Academic life in emergency medicine (ALiEM) Faculty Incubator program highlighted key papers in a discussion of program evaluation. This list of papers was augmented with suggestions by guest experts and by an open call on Twitter. This resulted in a list of 30 papers on program evaluation. Our authorship group then engaged in a process akin to a Delphi study to build consensus on the most important papers about program evaluation for medical education faculty. We present our group’s top five most highly rated papers on program evaluation. We also summarize these papers with respect to their relevance to junior medical education faculty members and faculty developers. Program evaluation is challenging. The described papers will be informative for junior faculty members as they aim to design literature-informed evaluations for their educational programs. PMID:28589073

Hierarchical video summarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratakonda, Krishna; Sezan, M. Ibrahim; Crinon, Regis J.

1998-12-01

We address the problem of key-frame summarization of vide in the absence of any a priori information about its content. This is a common problem that is encountered in home videos. We propose a hierarchical key-frame summarization algorithm where a coarse-to-fine key-frame summary is generated. A hierarchical key-frame summary facilitates multi-level browsing where the user can quickly discover the content of the video by accessing its coarsest but most compact summary and then view a desired segment of the video with increasingly more detail. At the finest level, the summary is generated on the basis of color features of video frames, using an extension of a recently proposed key-frame extraction algorithm. The finest level key-frames are recursively clustered using a novel pairwise K-means clustering approach with temporal consecutiveness constraint. We also address summarization of MPEG-2 compressed video without fully decoding the bitstream. We also propose efficient mechanisms that facilitate decoding the video when the hierarchical summary is utilized in browsing and playback of video segments starting at selected key-frames.

Triangulation in aetiological epidemiology.

PubMed

Lawlor, Debbie A; Tilling, Kate; Davey Smith, George

2016-12-01

Triangulation is the practice of obtaining more reliable answers to research questions through integrating results from several different approaches, where each approach has different key sources of potential bias that are unrelated to each other. With respect to causal questions in aetiological epidemiology, if the results of different approaches all point to the same conclusion, this strengthens confidence in the finding. This is particularly the case when the key sources of bias of some of the approaches would predict that findings would point in opposite directions if they were due to such biases. Where there are inconsistencies, understanding the key sources of bias of each approach can help to identify what further research is required to address the causal question. The aim of this paper is to illustrate how triangulation might be used to improve causal inference in aetiological epidemiology. We propose a minimum set of criteria for use in triangulation in aetiological epidemiology, summarize the key sources of bias of several approaches and describe how these might be integrated within a triangulation framework. We emphasize the importance of being explicit about the expected direction of bias within each approach, whenever this is possible, and seeking to identify approaches that would be expected to bias the true causal effect in different directions. We also note the importance, when comparing results, of taking account of differences in the duration and timing of exposures. We provide three examples to illustrate these points. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Subsonic Aircraft Safety Icing Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Sharon Monica; Reveley, Mary S.; Evans, Joni K.; Barrientos, Francesca A.

2008-01-01

NASA's Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) Project is one of four projects within the agency s Aviation Safety Program (AvSafe) in the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD). The IRAC Project, which was redesigned in the first half of 2007, conducts research to advance the state of the art in aircraft control design tools and techniques. A "Key Decision Point" was established for fiscal year 2007 with the following expected outcomes: document the most currently available statistical/prognostic data associated with icing for subsonic transport, summarize reports by subject matter experts in icing research on current knowledge of icing effects on control parameters and establish future requirements for icing research for subsonic transports including the appropriate alignment. This study contains: (1) statistical analyses of accident and incident data conducted by NASA researchers for this "Key Decision Point", (2) an examination of icing in other recent statistically based studies, (3) a summary of aviation safety priority lists that have been developed by various subject-matter experts, including the significance of aircraft icing research in these lists and (4) suggested future requirements for NASA icing research. The review of several studies by subject-matter experts was summarized into four high-priority icing research areas. Based on the Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) Project goals and objectives, the IRAC project was encouraged to conduct work in all of the high-priority icing research areas that were identified, with the exception of the developing of methods to sense and document actual icing conditions.

Data that empower: The success and promise of CF patient registries.

PubMed

Fink, Aliza K; Loeffler, Deena R; Marshall, Bruce C; Goss, Christopher H; Morgan, Wayne J

2017-11-01

In this article, we describe existing CF registries with a focus on US registry data collected through the CF Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR) and the Epidemiologic Study of CF (ESCF); highlight what registries have taught us regarding epidemiology of CF; showcase the impact of registries on research and clinical care; and discuss future directions. This manuscript complements the plenary address given by Dr Wayne Morgan at the 2016 North American CF Conference by summarizing the key points from the presentation and providing additional detail and information. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The impact of aging physiology in critical care.

PubMed

Walker, Mandi; Spivak, Mark; Sebastian, Mary

2014-03-01

Aging physiology greatly impacts care delivery in the geriatric patient population. Consideration should be given to addressing the patient-specific needs regarding the systemic changes seen in the aging patient. Each major body system presents its own unique challenges to the critical care practitioner, and a comprehensive understanding of these changes is necessary to effectively care for this patient population. This article summarizes these changes and provides key points for the practitioner to consider when caring for the aging patient in the critical care arena. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bilateral Comparison Between NIM and NMC Over the Temperature Range from 83.8058 K to 692.677 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jianping; Ye, Shaochun; Kho, Haoyuan; Zhang, Jintao; Wang, Li

2015-08-01

A bilateral comparison of local realization of the International Temperature Scale of 1990 between the National Institute of Metrology (NIM) and National Metrology Centre (NMC) was carried out over the temperature range from 83.8058 K to 692.677 K. It involved six fixed points including the argon triple point, the mercury triple point, the triple point of water, the melting point of gallium, the freezing point of tin, and the freezing point of zinc. In 2009, NMC asked NIM to participate in a bilateral comparison to link the NMC results to the Consultative Committee for Thermometry Key Comparison 3 (CCT-K3) and facilitate the NMC's calibration and measurement capabilities submission. This comparison was agreed by NIM and Asia Pacific Metrology Programme in 2009, and registered in the Key Comparison Database in 2010 as CCT-K3.2. NMC supplied two fused silica sheath standard platinum resistance thermometers (SPRTs) as traveling standards. One of them was used at the Ga, Sn, and Zn fixed points, while the other one was used at the Ar and Hg fixed points. NMC measured them before and after NIM measured them. During the comparison, a criterion for the SPRT was set as the stability at the triple point of water to be less than 0.3 mK. The results for both laboratories are summarized. A proposal for linking the NMC's comparison results to CCT-K3 is presented. The difference between NMC and NIM and the difference between NMC and the CCT-K3 average reference value using NIM as a link are reported with expanded uncertainties at each measured fixed point.

Dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease: mechanisms and current non-pharmacological interventions.

PubMed

Heumann, Rolf; Moratalla, Rosario; Herrero, Maria Trinidad; Chakrabarty, Koushik; Drucker-Colín, René; Garcia-Montes, Jose Ruben; Simola, Nicola; Morelli, Micaela

2014-08-01

Dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease is associated with several unwanted effects, of which dyskinesia is the most disabling. The development of new therapeutic interventions to reduce the impact of dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease is therefore a priority need. This review summarizes the key molecular mechanisms that underlie dyskinesia. The role of dopamine receptors and their associated signaling mechanisms including dopamine-cAMP-regulated neuronal phosphoprotein, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, mitogen and stress-activated kinase-1 and Histone H3 are summarized, along with an evaluation of the role of cannabinoid and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The role of synaptic plasticity and animal behavioral results on dyskinesia are also evaluated. The most recent therapeutic advances to treat Parkinson's disease are discussed, with emphasis on the possibilities and limitations of non-pharmacological interventions such as physical activity, deep brain stimulation, transcranial magnetic field stimulation and cell replacement therapy. The review suggests new prospects for the management of Parkinson's disease-associated motor symptoms, especially the development of dyskinesia. This review aims at summarizing the key molecular mechanisms underlying dyskinesia and the most recent therapeutic advances to treat Parkinson's disease with emphasis on non-pharmacological interventions such as physical activity, deep brain stimulation (DBS), transcranial magnetic field stimulation (TMS) and cell replacement therapy. These new interventions are discussed from both the experimental and clinical point of view, describing their current strength and limitations. © 2014 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Microglia and neuroprotection: implications for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Streit, Wolfgang J

2005-04-01

The first part of this paper summarizes some of the key observations from experimental work in animals that support a role of microglia as neuroprotective cells after acute neuronal injury. These studies point towards an important role of neuronal-microglial crosstalk in the facilitation of neuroprotection. Conceptually, injured neurons are thought to generate rescue signals that trigger microglial activation and, in turn, activated microglia produce trophic or other factors that help damaged neurons recover from injury. Against this background, the second part of this paper summarizes recent work from postmortem studies conducted in humans that have revealed the occurrence of senescent, or dystrophic, microglial cells in the aged and Alzheimer's disease brain. These findings suggest that microglial cells become increasingly dysfunctional with advancing age and that a loss of microglial cell function may involve a loss of neuroprotective properties that could contribute to the development of aging-related neurodegeneration.

Site Selection and Deployment Scenarios for Servicing of Deep-Space Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willenberg, Harvey J.; Fruhwirth, Michael A.; Potter, Seth D.; Leete, Stephen J.; Moe, Rud V.

2001-01-01

The deep-space environment and relative transportation accessibility of the Weak Stability Boundary (WSB) region connecting the Earth-Moon and Sun-Earth libration points makes the Sun-Earth L2 an attractive operating location for future observatories. A summary is presented of key characteristics of future observatories designed to operate in this region. The ability to service observatories that operate within the region around the Lagrange points may greatly enhance their reliability, lifetime, and scientific return. The range of servicing missions might begin with initial deployment, assembly, test, and checkout. Post-assembly servicing missions might also include maintenance and repair, critical fluids resupply, and instrument upgrades. We define the range of servicing missions that can be performed with extravehicular activity, with teleoperated robots, and with autonomous robots. We then describe deployment scenarios that affect payload design. A trade study is summarized of the benefits and risks of alternative servicing sites, including at the International Space Station, at other low-Earth-orbit locations, at the Earth-Moon L1 location, and on-site at the Sun-Earth L2 location. Required technology trades and development issues for observatory servicing at each site, and with each level of autonomy, are summarized.

Report on NIM-NMC bilateral comparison: SPRT calibration comparison from -190°C to 420°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jianping; Ye, Shaochun; Wang, Li; Zhang, Jintao; Kho, Haoyuan

2016-01-01

A bilateral comparison of local realization of the International temperature scale of 1990 (ITS-90) between National Institute of Metrology (NIM) and National Metrology Centre (NMC) was carried out over the temperature range from -190°C to 420°C. It involved six fixed points including the argon triple point, the mercury triple point, the triple point of water, the melting point of gallium, the freezing point of tin and the freezing point of zinc. In 2009, NMC asked NIM to participate in a bilateral comparison to link the NMC results to the Consultative Committee for Thermometry Key comparison 3 (CCT-K3) and facilitate the NMC's Calibration and measurement capabilities (CMCs) submission. This comparison was agreed by NIM and Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP) in 2009, and registered in the Key Comparison Database (KCDB) in 2010 as CCT-K3.2. NMC supplied two 25 Ω fused silica sheath standard platinum resistance thermometers (SPRTs) as traveling standards. One of them was used at the Ga, Sn and Zn fixed points, while the other one was used at the Ar and Hg fixed point. NMC measured them before and after NIM measurement. During the comparison, a criterion for the SPRT was set as the stability at the triple point of water to be less than 0.3 mK. The results for both laboratories are summarized. A proposal for linking the NMC's comparison results to CCT-K3 is presented. The difference between NMC and NIM and the difference between NMC and the CCT-K3 Average Reference Value (ARV) using NIM as a link are reported with expanded uncertainties at each measured fixed point. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCT, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for production of fatty acid-derived hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Zhang, Yiming; Nielsen, Jens; Liu, Zihe

2018-06-05

Fatty acid-derived hydrocarbons attract increasing attention as biofuels due to their immiscibility with water, high-energy content, low freezing point, and high compatibility with existing refineries and end-user infrastructures. Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has advantages for production of fatty acid-derived hydrocarbons as its native routes toward fatty acid synthesis involve only a few reactions that allow more efficient conversion of carbon substrates. Here we describe major biosynthetic pathways of fatty acid-derived hydrocarbons in yeast, and summarize key metabolic engineering strategies, including enhancing precursor supply, eliminating competing pathways, and expressing heterologous pathways. With recent advances in yeast production of fatty acid-derived hydrocarbons, our review identifies key research challenges and opportunities for future optimization, and concludes with perspectives and outlooks for further research directions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Point Defects in Oxides: Tailoring Materials Through Defect Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuller, Harry L.; Bishop, Sean R.

2011-08-01

Optimization of electrical, optical, mechanical, and other properties of many advanced, functional materials today relies on precise control of point defects. This article illustrates the progress that has been made in elucidating the often complex equilibria exhibited by many materials by examining two recently well-characterized model systems, TlBr for radiation detection and PrxCe1-xO2-δ, of potential interest in solid-oxide fuel cells. The interplay between material composition, electrical conductivity, and mechanical properties (electrochemomechanics) is discussed, and implications in these relations, for example, enhancing electrical properties through large mechanical strains, are described. The impact of space charge and strain fields at interfaces, particularly important in nanostructure materials, is also emphasized. Key experimental techniques useful in characterizing bulk and surface defects are summarized and reviewed.

[Toxic shock syndrome].

PubMed

Tyll, T; Bílková, M; Revinová, A; Müller, M; Čurdová, M; Zlámal, M; Holub, M

2015-10-01

The authors present an up-to-date review of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) - a life-threatening condition where toxins of the Gram-positive bacteria Staphyloccocus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes play a key role in the pathogenesis. The authors provide insight into the epidemiology and pathogenesis of the disease and point out the relevant patient history data and clinical signs and symptoms that may indicate progression of TSS. Last but not least, the state of the art diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to early and full blown TSS are summarized. Case reports are presented to illustrate two different etiological forms of this relatively rare nosological entity.

Civil and Constitutional Rights of Adjudicated Youth.

PubMed

Landess, Jacqueline

2016-01-01

Mental health clinicians serving child and adolescent patients are frequently asked to evaluate youth who have been arrested for various offenses or who are otherwise involved with the juvenile justice system. To help orient clinicians and other stakeholders involved with such cases, this article describes the evolution of the juvenile justice system and summarizes the history and current status of the civil and constitutional rights of youth involved in the adjudicatory process. This article also points out key areas in which due process rights are still evolving, particularly in the case of status offenders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine as applied to the gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Bitar, Khalil N; Zakhem, Elie

2013-10-01

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex system characterized by multiple cell types with a determined architectural arrangement. Tissue engineering of the GI tract aims to reinstate the architecture and function of all structural layers. The key point for successful tissue regeneration includes the use of cells/biomaterials that elucidate minimal immune response after implantation. Different biomaterial choices and cell sources have been proposed to engineer the GI tract. This review summarizes the recent advances in bioengineering the GI tract with emphasis on cell sources and scaffolding biomaterials. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Omics Profiling in Precision Oncology*

PubMed Central

Yu, Kun-Hsing; Snyder, Michael

2016-01-01

Cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, and is the area most targeted in precision medicine. Recent development of high-throughput methods enables detailed omics analysis of the molecular mechanisms underpinning tumor biology. These studies have identified clinically actionable mutations, gene and protein expression patterns associated with prognosis, and provided further insights into the molecular mechanisms indicative of cancer biology and new therapeutics strategies such as immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the techniques used for tumor omics analysis, recapitulate the key findings in cancer omics studies, and point to areas requiring further research on precision oncology. PMID:27099341

Molecular and genetic insights into an infantile epileptic encephalopathy - CDKL5 disorder.

PubMed

Zhou, Ailing; Han, Song; Zhou, Zhaolan Joe

2017-02-01

The discovery that mutations in cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 ( CDKL5 ) gene are associated with infantile epileptic encephalopathy has stimulated world-wide research effort to understand the molecular and genetic basis of CDKL5 disorder. Given the large number of literature published thus far, this review aims to summarize current genetic studies, draw a consensus on proposed molecular functions, and point to gaps of knowledge in CDKL5 research. A systematic review process was conducted using the PubMed search engine focusing on CDKL5 studies in the recent ten years. We analyzed these publications and summarized the findings into four sections: genetic studies, CDKL5 expression patterns, molecular functions, and animal models. We also discussed challenges and future directions in each section. On the clinical side, CDKL5 disorder is characterized by early onset epileptic seizures, intellectual disability, and stereotypical behaviors. On the research side, a series of molecular and genetic studies in human patients, cell cultures and animal models have established the causality of CDKL5 to the infantile epileptic encephalopathy, and pointed to a key role for CDKL5 in regulating neuronal function in the brain. Mouse models of CDKL5 disorder have also been developed, and notably, manifest behavioral phenotypes, mimicking numerous clinical symptoms of CDKL5 disorder and advancing CDKL5 research to the preclinical stage. Given what we have learned thus far, future identification of robust, quantitative, and sensitive outcome measures would be the key in animal model studies, particularly in heterozygous females. In the meantime, molecular and cellular studies of CDKL5 should focus on mechanism-based investigation and aim to uncover druggable targets that offer the potential to rescue or ameliorate CDKL5 disorder-related phenotypes.

Molecular and genetic insights into an infantile epileptic encephalopathy – CDKL5 disorder

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ailing; Han, Song

2017-01-01

Background The discovery that mutations in cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) gene are associated with infantile epileptic encephalopathy has stimulated world-wide research effort to understand the molecular and genetic basis of CDKL5 disorder. Given the large number of literature published thus far, this review aims to summarize current genetic studies, draw a consensus on proposed molecular functions, and point to gaps of knowledge in CDKL5 research. Methods A systematic review process was conducted using the PubMed search engine focusing on CDKL5 studies in the recent ten years. We analyzed these publications and summarized the findings into four sections: genetic studies, CDKL5 expression patterns, molecular functions, and animal models. We also discussed challenges and future directions in each section. Results On the clinical side, CDKL5 disorder is characterized by early onset epileptic seizures, intellectual disability, and stereotypical behaviors. On the research side, a series of molecular and genetic studies in human patients, cell cultures and animal models have established the causality of CDKL5 to the infantile epileptic encephalopathy, and pointed to a key role for CDKL5 in regulating neuronal function in the brain. Mouse models of CDKL5 disorder have also been developed, and notably, manifest behavioral phenotypes, mimicking numerous clinical symptoms of CDKL5 disorder and advancing CDKL5 research to the preclinical stage. Conclusions Given what we have learned thus far, future identification of robust, quantitative, and sensitive outcome measures would be the key in animal model studies, particularly in heterozygous females. In the meantime, molecular and cellular studies of CDKL5 should focus on mechanism-based investigation and aim to uncover druggable targets that offer the potential to rescue or ameliorate CDKL5 disorder-related phenotypes. PMID:28580010

[Understanding and development strategy of health food containing Chinese materia medica].

PubMed

Wang, Lin-Yuan; Zhang, Jian-Jun; Wang, Chun; Wang, Jing-Xia; Zhu, Ying-Li; Wang, Jia; Gao, Xue-Min

2016-11-01

Health food containing Chinese materia medica (CMM) conforms to the development demands of the age of big health and the theory of preventive treatment. In the view of health care and improvement of resisting diseases, it plays an important role in the market. It is very necessary to have further study and discussion on health food containing CMM. First of all, by comparing, analyzing and summarizing, the health food containing CMM could be defined as the health food which is qualified in security and functionality evaluation, with the traditional Chinese medicines(TCM) within TCM standards as the main raw materials, and the formulation-composition is based on the theory of TCM. It is characterized by higher safety than medicines, stronger biological activities than common food, multiple forms, abundant raw materials and integrated supervision and management. Secondly, we discussed the research and development (R&D) strategies and rules of health food containing CMM, pointing out that the core tasks of R&D include the investigation of formula, technology and the standards of quality. The fundamental principles of declaration and production include scientificity, rationality, reality and uniformity. Three key requirements (security, functionality and controllability) in the review as well as the process management of R&D and the key-points of risks control were summarized in this paper. Finally, the dynamic trends of policies and regulations related to health food containing CMM were analyzed in the view of registration, recording, raw materials and functions, and then related suggestions were proposed. Therefore, this article will be helpful in overall understanding the health food containing CMM and play a guiding role for its research and development. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Olecranon bursitis: a systematic overview

PubMed Central

Hay, Bruce A; Bolt, Alexander M; Hay, Stuart M

2014-01-01

Background Olecranon bursitis is a common condition where the bursal cavity, superficial to the olecranon, becomes inflamed. This can occur either with or without infection and has been given pseudonyms relating to the repeated minor trauma from external pressure that often predisposes. As a result of the multiple aetiologies, olecranon bursitis can present to any medical specialty with reasonable frequency and, although many therapies are described, a single, evidence-based and standardized treatment pathway is not well described. Methods We summarize the key points within the literature and subsequently propose an evidence-based treatment pathway. Results Relevant evidence is presented from appropriate publications to add rational to existing decision-making processes, together with personal experience and suggested operative bursectomy techniques from an established upper limb surgeon. The common and significant aetiologies are summarized and, in particular, red flag symptoms are highlighted by way of warning to the unsuspecting investigator. Conclusions The conclusion is provided in diagrammatic form, providing a suggested treatment pathway from history and examination through to operative intervention. PMID:27582935

Emerging technologies in autoantibody testing for rheumatic diseases.

PubMed

Olsen, Nancy J; Choi, May Y; Fritzler, Marvin J

2017-07-24

Testing for the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) is a key step in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). The standard slide-based indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) test is widely used, but is limited by a relative lack of specificity for SLE and not all SARD-ANAs are detected. Alternative immunoassays that might offer enhanced diagnostic and prognostic information have evolved, and some of these have entered clinical practice. This review summarizes the current state of ANA testing and multiplex techniques for detecting other autoantibodies, the possibility of point-of-care testing, and approaches for applications in early disease stages.

Division XII: Commission 55: Communicating Astronomy with the Public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen, Lars Lindberg; Russo, Pedro; Robson, Ian; Arcand, Kimberly Kowal; Fienberg, Richard Tresch; Ödman-Govender, Carolina; Sekiguchi, Kazuhiro; Wheeler, Pete; Zhu, Jin

2015-08-01

A good fraction of the Commission 55 (C55) Organizing Committee met in Beijing in August at the XXVIII IAU General Assembly, where C55 organized Special Session 14 (SpS14) entitled ``Communicating Astronomy with the Public for Scientists.'' During our C55 business meeting, and again during an impromptu gathering a few days later, we discussed changes in the IAU's organizational and programmatic structure and how these changes might affect C55. This report summarizes key points and offers some ideas about what we're calling ``C55 v2.0.'' For background and reference, see the C55 website at http://www.communicatingastronomy.org.

Solar thermal central receivers for industrial process heat generation: User views and recommendations for commercialization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fish, M. J.

1981-08-01

Results of recent meetings with several private industrial groups in which solar thermal central receivers were discussed in depth as a potential for industrial process heat generation are summarized. Topics covering potential economics, technical requirements, and actions to promote commercialization of the technology are presented. These findings are then translated into recommendations for commercialization in private industrial markets. Key points include the need for small scale systems integration projects in addition to the 10 MW/sub e/ plant under construction at Barstow, CA, and the adoption of financial incentives, such as tax credits, for getting the early commercial plants built.

Similarities and differences between the Wnt and reelin pathways in the forming brain.

PubMed

Reiner, Orly; Sapir, Tamar

2005-01-01

One of the key features in development is the reutilization of successful signaling pathways. Here, we emphasize the involvement of the Wnt pathway, one of the five kinds of signal transduction pathway predominating early embryonic development of all animals, in regulating the formation of brain structure. We discuss the interrelationships between the Wnt and reelin pathways in the regulation of cortical layering. We summarize data emphasizing key molecules, which, when mutated, result in abnormal brain development. This integrated view, which is based on conservation of pathways, reveals the relative position of participants in the pathway, points to control mechanisms, and allows raising testable working hypotheses. Nevertheless, although signaling pathways are highly conserved from flies to humans, the overall morphology is not. We propose that future studies directed at understanding of diversification will provide fruitful insights on mammalian brain formation.

[Anatomical key points and operative principle of "two planes and four landmarks" in extralevator abdominoperineal excision].

PubMed

Ye, Yingjiang; Shen, Zhanlong; Wang, Shan

2014-11-01

Abominoperineal resection (APR) is the main approach of lower rectal cancer treatment. Recently, it was found that conventional APR had higher incidence rate of positive circumferential resection margin(CRM) and intraoperative perforation (IOP), which was the crucial reason of local recurrence and worse prognosis. Extralevator abdominoperineal excision(ELAPE) procedure was proposed by European panels including surgeons, radiologist and pathologists, and considered to lower the positive rates of CRM and IOP. Definitive surgical planes and anatomic landmarks are the cores of this procedure, which are the prerequisite for the guarantee of safety and smoothness of surgery. To realize the anatomy of muscles, fascias, blood vessels and nervous of perineal region is the base of carrying out ELAPE procedure. In this paper, we introduce the key anatomy related to ELAPE procedure and summarize the principle of ELAPE procedure as "two planes and four landmarks", which will be beneficial to the popularization and application.

Prefrontal cortical BDNF: A regulatory key in cocaine- and food-reinforced behaviors

PubMed Central

Pitts, Elizabeth G.; Taylor, Jane R.; Gourley, Shannon L.

2016-01-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) affects synaptic plasticity and neural structure and plays key roles in learning and memory processes. Recent evidence also points to important, yet complex, roles for BDNF in rodent models of cocaine abuse and addiction. Here we examine the role of prefrontal cortical (PFC) BDNF in reward-related decision making and behavioral sensitivity to, and responding for, cocaine. We focus on BDNF within the medial and orbital PFC, its regulation by cocaine during early postnatal development and in adulthood, and how BDNF in turn influences responding for drug reinforcement, including in reinstatement models. When relevant, we draw comparisons and contrasts with experiments using natural (food) reinforcers. We also summarize findings supporting, or refuting, the possibility that BDNF in the medial and orbital PFC regulate the development and maintenance of stimulus-response habits. Further investigation could assist in the development of novel treatment approaches for cocaine use disorders. PMID:26923993

Commentary on a meeting entitled 'Building global capacity for non-communicable diseases (NCD) prevention: Defining direction and roles'.

PubMed

McQueen, David; Pratt, Michael; Blanchard, Claire

2013-12-01

This Commentary summarizes the key points that arose during a three-day meeting held in Atlanta in July 2012 on Building Global Capacity for NCD Prevention. A wide spectrum of participants representing many sectors of global health, including ministries of health from several low and middle-income countries (LMICs), governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, national disease associations, academia, and global and regional institutions participated. Presentations and group discussions led to agreement on a number of actions that should be taken to increase capacity for coping with NCDs in LMICs. Key areas of discussion were on the role of research, workforce development, resources, and governance. While there was considerable agreement on what should be done, the workshop participants had difficulty in prioritizing these activities. This led to an agreement by the gathered participants that a follow-up Delphi study be conducted to help with prioritization.

For the General Internist: A Summary of Key Innovations in Medical Education.

PubMed

Roy, Brita; Chheda, Shobhina G; Bates, Carol; Dunn, Kathel; Karani, Reena; Willett, Lisa L

2016-08-01

We conducted a review of published medical education articles to identify high-quality research and innovation relevant to educators in general medicine. Our review team consisted of six general internists with expertise in medical education and a professional medical librarian. We manually searched 15 journals in pairs (a total of 3062 citations) for original research articles in medical education published in 2014. Each pair of reviewers independently rated the relevance, importance, and generalizability of articles on medical education in their assigned journals using a 27-point scale (maximum of 9 points for each characteristic). From this list, each team member independently reviewed the 22 articles that received a score of 20 or higher from both initial reviewers, and for each selected article rated the quality and global relevance for the generalist educator. We included the seven top-rated articles for presentation in this review, and categorized the studies into four general themes: continuity clinic scheduling, remediation, interprofessional education, and quality improvement and patient safety. We summarized key findings and identified significant limitations of each study. Further studies assessing patient outcomes are needed to strengthen the literature in medical education. This summary of relevant medical education articles can inform future research, teaching, and practice.

Chemistry Future: Priorities and Opportunities from the Sustainability Perspective.

PubMed

Beller, Matthias; Centi, Gabriele; Sun, Licheng

2017-01-10

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of ChemSusChem, we as the chairmen of the editorial board are writing this Essay to summarize important scientific contributions to our journal during the past decade in terms of sustainable science and technology. Bibliometric analysis of published papers show that biorefinery, solar energy conversion, energy-storage materials, and carbon dioxide utilizations attracted most attention in this area. According to our own knowledge and understanding and from the sustainability point of view, we are also pointing out those research directions that we believe can play key roles in the future chemistry to meet the grand challenges in energy and environment. Hopefully, these perspective aspects will provide the readers with new angles to look at the chemistry in the coming decades and inspire the development of new technologies to make our society sustainable. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tropomodulins: pointed-end capping proteins that regulate actin filament architecture in diverse cell types

PubMed Central

Yamashiro, Sawako; Gokhin, David S.; Kimura, Sumiko; Nowak, Roberta B.; Fowler, Velia M.

2012-01-01

Tropomodulins are a family of four proteins (Tmods 1–4) that cap the pointed ends of actin filaments in actin cytoskeletal structures in a developmentally regulated and tissue-specific manner. Unique among capping proteins, Tmods also bind tropomyosins (TMs), which greatly enhance the actin filament pointed-end capping activity of Tmods. Tmods are defined by a tropomyosin (TM)-regulated/Pointed-End Actin Capping (TM-Cap) domain in their unstructured N-terminal portion, followed by a compact, folded Leucine-Rich Repeat/Pointed-End Actin Capping (LRR-Cap) domain. By inhibiting actin monomer association and dissociation from pointed ends, Tmods regulate regulate actin dynamics and turnover, stabilizing actin filament lengths and cytoskeletal architecture. In this review, we summarize the genes, structural features, molecular and biochemical properties, actin regulatory mechanisms, expression patterns, and cell and tissue functions of Tmods. By understanding Tmods’ functions in the context of their molecular structure, actin regulation, binding partners, and related variants (leiomodins 1–3), we can draw broad conclusions that can explain the diverse morphological and functional phenotypes that arise from Tmod perturbation experiments in vitro and in vivo. Tmod-based stabilization and organization of intracellular actin filament networks provide key insights into how the emergent properties of the actin cytoskeleton drive tissue morphogenesis and physiology. PMID:22488942

Dual motor drive vehicle speed synchronization and coordination control strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hao; Tu, Qunzhang; Jiang, Chenming; Ma, Limin; Li, Pei; Zhang, Hongxing

2018-04-01

Multi-motor driven systems are more and more widely used in the field of electric engineering vehicles, as a result of the road conditions and the variable load of engineering vehicles, makes multi-motors synchronization coordinated control system as a key point of the development of the electric vehicle drive system. This paper based on electrical machinery transmission speed in the process of engineering vehicles headed for coordinated control problem, summarized control strategies at home and abroad in recent years, made analysis and comparison of the characteristics, finally discussed the trend of development of the multi-motor coordination control, provided a reference for synchronized control system research of electric drive engineering vehicles.

Discrepant Events: A Challenge to Students' Intuition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Espada, Wilson J.; Birriel, Jennifer; Birriel, Ignacio

2010-11-01

Studies on cognitive aspects of science education, especially how students achieve conceptual change, have been a focus of interest for many years. Researchers of student learning and conceptual change have developed several easily applicable teaching strategies. One of these strategies is known as discrepant events. Discrepant events are very powerful ways to stimulate interest, motivate students to challenge their covert science misconceptions, and promote higher-order thinking skills. The key point is that directly challenging students' naive ideas will lead to more quality science learning going on in the classroom. In this paper, we summarize the research-based role of discrepant events in conceptual change and we share several highly successful discrepant events we use in our own classes.

[Experience of diagnosis and treatment of exogenous high-grade fever].

PubMed

Xiong, Xing-jiang; Wang, Jie

2011-06-01

There is a regular pattern in the diagnosis and treatment of exogenous high-grade fever, of which the key point is formula syndrome identification. Syndrome differentiation of the six channels is appropriate for not only exogenous cold but also various other conditions. The diagnosis and treatment of high-grade fever can also follow the law of syndrome differentiation of the six channels. The theory of epidemic febrile diseases stems from and elaborates on an understanding of exogenous febrile conditions, so many effective formulas used to treat epidemic febrile diseases also have great value in the treatment of high-grade fever. Deteriorated syndrome, which is central to this condition, is very commonly seen in cases of high-grade fever, the key therapeutic principle of which is established according to syndromes. Allowing analysis that does not rigidly adhere to either established modern diagnosis or traditional Chinese syndromes, prominent achievements could be made in treating high-grade fever by summarizing the regular presenting patterns in terms of the constitution and symptoms.

The Yeast Nuclear Pore Complex and Transport Through It

PubMed Central

Aitchison, John D.; Rout, Michael P.

2012-01-01

Exchange of macromolecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm is a key regulatory event in the expression of a cell’s genome. This exchange requires a dedicated transport system: (1) nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), embedded in the nuclear envelope and composed of proteins termed nucleoporins (or “Nups”), and (2) nuclear transport factors that recognize the cargoes to be transported and ferry them across the NPCs. This transport is regulated at multiple levels, and the NPC itself also plays a key regulatory role in gene expression by influencing nuclear architecture and acting as a point of control for various nuclear processes. Here we summarize how the yeast Saccharomyces has been used extensively as a model system to understand the fundamental and highly conserved features of this transport system, revealing the structure and function of the NPC; the NPC’s role in the regulation of gene expression; and the interactions of transport factors with their cargoes, regulatory factors, and specific nucleoporins. PMID:22419078

Mechanisms of chronic pain - key considerations for appropriate physical therapy management.

PubMed

Courtney, Carol A; Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César; Bond, Samantha

2017-07-01

In last decades, knowledge of nociceptive pain mechanisms has expanded rapidly. The use of quantitative sensory testing has provided evidence that peripheral and central sensitization mechanisms play a relevant role in localized and widespread chronic pain syndromes. In fact, almost any patient suffering with a chronic pain condition will demonstrate impairments in the central nervous system. In addition, it is accepted that pain is associated with different types of trigger factors including social, physiological, and psychological. This rational has provoked a change in the understanding of potential mechanisms of manual therapies, changing from a biomechanical/medical viewpoint, to a neurophysiological/nociceptive viewpoint. Therefore, interventions for patients with chronic pain should be applied based on current knowledge of nociceptive mechanisms since determining potential drivers of the sensitization process is critical for effective management. The current paper reviews mechanisms of chronic pain from a clinical and neurophysiological point of view and summarizes key messages for clinicians for proper management of individuals with chronic pain.

Consumer evaluation of food with nutritional benefits: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.

PubMed

Mogendi, Joseph Birundu; De Steur, Hans; Gellynck, Xavier; Makokha, Anselimo

2016-06-01

As a consequence of the growing interest in, and development of, various types of food with nutritional benefits, the modern consumer views their kitchen cabinet more and more as a medicine cabinet. Given that consumer evaluation of food is considered key to the successful production, marketing and finally consumption of food, a procedure commonly used in medical fields was employed to systematically review and summarize evidence of consumer evaluation studies on nutritious foods. The focus is primarily on consumer understanding of nutritious food and the underlying determinants of consumer evaluation. Our results highlight four groups of key determinants: (1) nutrition knowledge and information; (2) attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and behavioural determinants; (3) price, process and product characteristics; and (4) socio-demographics. The findings also point to the importance of understanding consumer acceptance as one many concepts in the consumer evaluation process, and provide support for developing appropriate strategies for improving health and well-being of consumers.

Transportation key facts 2002 : useful information about transportation in Oregon

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

The Oregon Department of Transportation 2002 edition of Key Facts summarizes information related to transportation in Oregon. Key Facts can be used for a variety of planning and budget purposes, and it is intended to provide: : an introduction to tra...

[Bridge role of Jingming (BL 1) for VDT asthenopia and brainfag based on human instinct].

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Li, Huanan; Zhao, Na; Hai, Xinghua; Dong, Hua; Wang, Jingui

2017-01-12

To explore the bridge role of Jingming (BL 1) for video display terminal (VDT) asthenopia and brainfag. Ancient literature and modern scientific research on the acupoint have been analyzed and summarized so as to explore pressing the acupoint the instinct feedback of brain after asthenopia. It is demonstrated that Jingming (BL 1) is a key channel between eyes, brain and the outside world, and it is one of major feedback points of brain after asthenopia. In this paper we try to establish a new research thinking and ascertain it, namely Jingming (BL 1) reflecting the relationship between asthenopia and brainfag. We hope that it can provide some references for further research on cognizing brain through eye.

Findings of a review of spacecraft fire safety needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Apostolakis, G. E.; Catton, I.; Paulos, T.; Paxton, K.; Jones, S.

1992-01-01

Discussions from a workshop to guide UCLA and NASA investigators on the state of knowledge and perceived needs in spacecraft fire safety and its risk management are reviewed, for an introduction to an analytical and experimental project in this field. The report summarizes the workshop discussions and includes the visual aids used in the presentations. Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) methods, which are currently not used, would be of great value to the designs and operation of future human-crew spacecraft. Key points in the discussions were the importance of understanding and testing smoldering as a likely fire scenario in space and the need for smoke damage modeling, since many fire-risk models ignore this mechanism and consider only heat damage.

Quantification of tidal parameters from Solar System data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lainey, Valéry

2016-11-01

Tidal dissipation is the main driver of orbital evolution of natural satellites and a key point to understand the exoplanetary system configurations. Despite its importance, its quantification from observations still remains difficult for most objects of our own Solar System. In this work, we overview the method that has been used to determine, directly from observations, the tidal parameters, with emphasis on the Love number k_2 and the tidal quality factor Q. Up-to-date values of these tidal parameters are summarized. Last, an assessment on the possible determination of the tidal ratio k_2/Q of Uranus and Neptune is done. This may be particularly relevant for coming astrometric campaigns and future space missions focused on these systems.

Epigenetics and allergy: from basic mechanisms to clinical applications.

PubMed

Potaczek, Daniel P; Harb, Hani; Michel, Sven; Alhamwe, Bilal Alashkar; Renz, Harald; Tost, Jörg

2017-04-01

Allergic diseases are on the rise in the Western world and well-known allergy-protecting and -driving factors such as microbial and dietary exposure, pollution and smoking mediate their influence through alterations of the epigenetic landscape. Here, we review key facts on the involvement of epigenetic modifications in allergic diseases and summarize and critically evaluate the lessons learned from epigenome-wide association studies. We show the potential of epigenetic changes for various clinical applications: as diagnostic tools, to assess tolerance following immunotherapy or possibly predict the success of therapy at an early time point. Furthermore, new technological advances such as epigenome editing and DNAzymes will allow targeted alterations of the epigenome in the future and provide novel therapeutic tools.

Multipurpose prevention technologies: the future of HIV and STI protection

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Every day, more than 1 million people are newly infected with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that can lead to morbidity, mortality, and an increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition. Existing prevention and management strategies, including behavior change, condom promotion, and therapy have not reduced the global incidence and prevalence, pointing to the need for novel innovative strategies. This review summarizes important issues raised during a satellite session at the first HIV R4P conference, held in Cape Town, on October 31, 2014. We explore key STIs that are challenging public health today; new biomedical prevention approaches including multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs); and the scientific and regulatory hurdles that must be overcome to make combination prevention tools a reality. PMID:25759332

A comprehensive experimental characterization of the iPIX gamma imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amgarou, K.; Paradiso, V.; Patoz, A.; Bonnet, F.; Handley, J.; Couturier, P.; Becker, F.; Menaa, N.

2016-08-01

The results of more than 280 different experiments aimed at exploring the main features and performances of a newly developed gamma imager, called iPIX, are summarized in this paper. iPIX is designed to quickly localize radioactive sources while estimating the ambient dose equivalent rate at the measurement point. It integrates a 1 mm thick CdTe detector directly bump-bonded to a Timepix chip, a tungsten coded-aperture mask, and a mini RGB camera. It also represents a major technological breakthrough in terms of lightness, compactness, usability, response sensitivity, and angular resolution. As an example of its key strengths, an 241Am source with a dose rate of only few nSv/h can be localized in less than one minute.

Direction and Integration of Experimental Ground Test Capabilities and Computational Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, Steven C.

2016-01-01

This paper groups and summarizes the salient points and findings from two AIAA conference panels targeted at defining the direction, with associated key issues and recommendations, for the integration of experimental ground testing and computational methods. Each panel session utilized rapporteurs to capture comments from both the panel members and the audience. Additionally, a virtual panel of several experts were consulted between the two sessions and their comments were also captured. The information is organized into three time-based groupings, as well as by subject area. These panel sessions were designed to provide guidance to both researchers/developers and experimental/computational service providers in defining the future of ground testing, which will be inextricably integrated with the advancement of computational tools.

Needs and priorities in agroforestry research in the Pacific

Treesearch

Roger R. Bay

1993-01-01

This paper summarizes a longer presentation of research needs identified by two working groups commissioned by the Land Grant Colleges of the Pacific. Major discussion points by the workshop participants are also summarized.

Summary on several key techniques in 3D geological modeling.

PubMed

Mei, Gang

2014-01-01

Several key techniques in 3D geological modeling including planar mesh generation, spatial interpolation, and surface intersection are summarized in this paper. Note that these techniques are generic and widely used in various applications but play a key role in 3D geological modeling. There are two essential procedures in 3D geological modeling: the first is the simulation of geological interfaces using geometric surfaces and the second is the building of geological objects by means of various geometric computations such as the intersection of surfaces. Discrete geometric surfaces that represent geological interfaces can be generated by creating planar meshes first and then spatially interpolating; those surfaces intersect and then form volumes that represent three-dimensional geological objects such as rock bodies. In this paper, the most commonly used algorithms of the key techniques in 3D geological modeling are summarized.

Camera network video summarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, Rameswar; Roy-Chowdhury, Amit K.

2017-05-01

Networks of vision sensors are deployed in many settings, ranging from security needs to disaster response to environmental monitoring. Many of these setups have hundreds of cameras and tens of thousands of hours of video. The difficulty of analyzing such a massive volume of video data is apparent whenever there is an incident that requires foraging through vast video archives to identify events of interest. As a result, video summarization, that automatically extract a brief yet informative summary of these videos, has attracted intense attention in the recent years. Much progress has been made in developing a variety of ways to summarize a single video in form of a key sequence or video skim. However, generating a summary from a set of videos captured in a multi-camera network still remains as a novel and largely under-addressed problem. In this paper, with the aim of summarizing videos in a camera network, we introduce a novel representative selection approach via joint embedding and capped l21-norm minimization. The objective function is two-fold. The first is to capture the structural relationships of data points in a camera network via an embedding, which helps in characterizing the outliers and also in extracting a diverse set of representatives. The second is to use a capped l21-norm to model the sparsity and to suppress the influence of data outliers in representative selection. We propose to jointly optimize both of the objectives, such that embedding can not only characterize the structure, but also indicate the requirements of sparse representative selection. Extensive experiments on standard multi-camera datasets well demonstrate the efficacy of our method over state-of-the-art methods.

Children of Incarcerated Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Charlene Wear

2000-01-01

This report summarizes what is known about the children of incarcerated parents in California. The report estimates the number of children in California who have parents in the state's criminal justice system (jail, prison, parole, and probation) and summarizes key findings from the research literature on the impact of parental arrest and…

Metabolic syndrome, endocrine disruptors and prostate cancer associations: biochemical and pathophysiological evidences

PubMed Central

Quagliariello, Vincenzo; Rossetti, Sabrina; Cavaliere, Carla; Di Palo, Rossella; Lamantia, Elvira; Castaldo, Luigi; Nocerino, Flavia; Ametrano, Gianluca; Cappuccio, Francesca; Malzone, Gabriella; Montanari, Micaela; Vanacore, Daniela; Romano, Francesco Jacopo; Piscitelli, Raffaele; Iovane, Gelsomina; Pepe, Maria Filomena; Berretta, Massimiliano; D'Aniello, Carmine; Perdonà, Sisto; Muto, Paolo; Botti, Gerardo; Ciliberto, Gennaro; Veneziani, Bianca Maria; De Falco, Francesco; Maiolino, Piera; Caraglia, Michele; Montella, Maurizio; Iaffaioli, Rosario Vincenzo; Facchini, Gaetano

2017-01-01

This review summarizes the main pathophysiological basis of the relationship between metabolic syndrome, endocrine disruptor exposure and prostate cancer that is the most common cancer among men in industrialized countries. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic and hormonal factors having a central role in the initiation and recurrence of many western chronic diseases including hormonal-related cancers and it is considered as the worlds leading health problem in the coming years. Many biological factors correlate metabolic syndrome to prostate cancer and this review is aimed to focus, principally, on growth factors, cytokines, adipokines, central obesity, endocrine abnormalities and exposure to specific endocrine disruptors, a cluster of chemicals, to which we are daily exposed, with a hormone-like structure influencing oncogenes, tumor suppressors and proteins with a key role in metabolism, cell survival and chemo-resistance of prostate cancer cells. Finally, this review will analyze, from a molecular point of view, how specific foods could reduce the relative risk of incidence and recurrence of prostate cancer or inhibit the biological effects of endocrine disruptors on prostate cancer cells. On the basis of these considerations, prostate cancer remains a great health problem in terms of incidence and prevalence and interventional studies based on the treatment of metabolic syndrome in cancer patients, minimizing exposure to endocrine disruptors, could be a key point in the overall management of this disease. PMID:28389628

Metabolic syndrome, endocrine disruptors and prostate cancer associations: biochemical and pathophysiological evidences.

PubMed

Quagliariello, Vincenzo; Rossetti, Sabrina; Cavaliere, Carla; Di Palo, Rossella; Lamantia, Elvira; Castaldo, Luigi; Nocerino, Flavia; Ametrano, Gianluca; Cappuccio, Francesca; Malzone, Gabriella; Montanari, Micaela; Vanacore, Daniela; Romano, Francesco Jacopo; Piscitelli, Raffaele; Iovane, Gelsomina; Pepe, Maria Filomena; Berretta, Massimiliano; D'Aniello, Carmine; Perdonà, Sisto; Muto, Paolo; Botti, Gerardo; Ciliberto, Gennaro; Veneziani, Bianca Maria; De Falco, Francesco; Maiolino, Piera; Caraglia, Michele; Montella, Maurizio; Iaffaioli, Rosario Vincenzo; Facchini, Gaetano

2017-05-02

This review summarizes the main pathophysiological basis of the relationship between metabolic syndrome, endocrine disruptor exposure and prostate cancer that is the most common cancer among men in industrialized countries. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic and hormonal factors having a central role in the initiation and recurrence of many western chronic diseases including hormonal-related cancers and it is considered as the world's leading health problem in the coming years. Many biological factors correlate metabolic syndrome to prostate cancer and this review is aimed to focus, principally, on growth factors, cytokines, adipokines, central obesity, endocrine abnormalities and exposure to specific endocrine disruptors, a cluster of chemicals, to which we are daily exposed, with a hormone-like structure influencing oncogenes, tumor suppressors and proteins with a key role in metabolism, cell survival and chemo-resistance of prostate cancer cells. Finally, this review will analyze, from a molecular point of view, how specific foods could reduce the relative risk of incidence and recurrence of prostate cancer or inhibit the biological effects of endocrine disruptors on prostate cancer cells. On the basis of these considerations, prostate cancer remains a great health problem in terms of incidence and prevalence and interventional studies based on the treatment of metabolic syndrome in cancer patients, minimizing exposure to endocrine disruptors, could be a key point in the overall management of this disease.

The California Baseline Methane Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duren, R. M.; Thorpe, A. K.; Hopkins, F. M.; Rafiq, T.; Bue, B. D.; Prasad, K.; Mccubbin, I.; Miller, C. E.

2017-12-01

The California Baseline Methane Survey is the first systematic, statewide assessment of methane point source emissions. The objectives are to reduce uncertainty in the state's methane budget and to identify emission mitigation priorities for state and local agencies, utilities and facility owners. The project combines remote sensing of large areas with airborne imaging spectroscopy and spatially resolved bottom-up data sets to detect, quantify and attribute emissions from diverse sectors including agriculture, waste management, oil and gas production and the natural gas supply chain. Phase 1 of the project surveyed nearly 180,000 individual facilities and infrastructure components across California in 2016 - achieving completeness rates ranging from 20% to 100% per emission sector at < 5 meters spatial resolution. Additionally, intensive studies of key areas and sectors were performed to assess source persistence and variability at times scales ranging from minutes to months. Phase 2 of the project continues with additional data collection in Spring and Fall 2017. We describe the survey design and measurement, modeling and analysis methods. We present initial findings regarding the spatial, temporal and sectoral distribution of methane point source emissions in California and their estimated contribution to the state's total methane budget. We provide case-studies and lessons learned about key sectors including examples where super-emitters were identified and mitigated. We summarize challenges and recommendations for future methane research, inventories and mitigation guidance within and beyond California.

Summary on Several Key Techniques in 3D Geological Modeling

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Several key techniques in 3D geological modeling including planar mesh generation, spatial interpolation, and surface intersection are summarized in this paper. Note that these techniques are generic and widely used in various applications but play a key role in 3D geological modeling. There are two essential procedures in 3D geological modeling: the first is the simulation of geological interfaces using geometric surfaces and the second is the building of geological objects by means of various geometric computations such as the intersection of surfaces. Discrete geometric surfaces that represent geological interfaces can be generated by creating planar meshes first and then spatially interpolating; those surfaces intersect and then form volumes that represent three-dimensional geological objects such as rock bodies. In this paper, the most commonly used algorithms of the key techniques in 3D geological modeling are summarized. PMID:24772029

Critical Review of Rasaratna Samuccaya: A Comprehensive Treatise of Indian Alchemy

PubMed Central

Sumersingh Rajput, Dhirajsingh; Gokarn, Rohit; Jagtap, Chandrashekhar Y; Galib, R; Patgiri, BJ; Prajapati, PK

2016-01-01

Rasaratna Samuccaya (RRS) a 13th century C.E. alchemical treatise, authored by Vāgbhaṭa, is a useful compilation related to preparation and properties of drugs of mineral and metallic origin. This text throws light on the state of Indian expertise in the field of alchemy regarding the extraction, purification, conversion of metals/minerals into therapeutically suitable forms, various instruments developed for alchemical purposes and treatment of numerous diseases by using herbo-mineral preparations. The present work is an attempt to summarize the key features of RRS to highlight its utility and contribution in the development of Indian alchemy. To study and summarize the important, comprehensive and specific points mentioned in RRS and to elaborate the contribution of RRS in the field of Indian alchemy. A critical review of RRS from Suratnojjvalā Hindi commentary by Ambikadatta Shastri was done and the collected information was compared with other available literature of Rasaśāstra. Research of modern science was also utilized to explore some facts mentioned by Vāgbhaṭa. RRS is a precise treatise among available ancient literature. It comprises of all eight branches of Ayurveda, although it mainly deals with therapeutic aspects of Rasaśāstra and emphasizes the use of metals and minerals in treating nearly 68 types of ailments. It contains 30 chapters, 3871 verses and detailed description of 960 formulations. Classification of metals and minerals; description of some new instruments, formulations and averting use of metals and minerals in pregnancy are the key features of RRS. PMID:28182027

[Professor LAI Xinsheng's experience of acupuncture combined with medication for epilepsy].

PubMed

Fang, Yajing; Wu, Peilong; Wang, Yumei; He, Kejie; Zhang, Sujuan; Lai, Xinsheng

2018-04-12

Professor LAI Xinsheng 's experience of acupuncture combined with medication for epilepsy is summarized, which is explained from epilepsy's etiology and pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of acupuncture and medication, respectively. Besides, the theoretical foundation and use instruction of acupuncture technique " tong - yuan " for epilepsy are introduced. Professor LAI highly values the adherence to etiology and pathogenesis, pays attention to syndrome differentiation and searches for the primary disease cause. He proposes the wind, phlegm, stasis and deficiency are the pathogenesis of epilepsy, and points out acupuncture could be applied during attack stage and remittent stage, but electroacupuncture should be used with caution. Regulating spirit is the key for treating epilepsy. The combination of acupuncture and medication could regulate the governor vessel and guide qi to the origin, which have significant curative effect.

Convergence. Final Report

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

Needham, C.; McPherson, K.

2004-03-10

We contacted 125 scientists, ethicists, legal scholars, social scientists and informal science educators to participate in a short survey designed to identify critical issues related to nanotechnology. Fifty-six (45%) responded positively, and 46 completed the survey. We then conducted a series of interviews and site visits based on scientific area, and regional representation. Key points are summarized in the attached table. Based on the results of our surveys, we were able to construct three strong areas of ethical, legal, social, and environmental issues around which to build socratic dialogs in a standard Fred Friendly Seminar format. We were also ablemore » to identify 4 science center/museum partnerships and a proposal has been submitted to NSF's NISE Program. We are preparing to submit proposals to other agencies and foundations for support.« less

Recent advances in kidney transplantation: a viewpoint from the Descartes advisory board.

PubMed

Abramowicz, Daniel; Oberbauer, Rainer; Heemann, Uwe; Viklicky, Ondrej; Peruzzi, Licia; Mariat, Christophe; Crespo, Marta; Budde, Klemens; Oniscu, Gabriel C

2018-01-12

Transplantation medicine is a rapidly evolving field. Keeping afloat of the published literature to offer the best clinical care to our patients is a daunting task. As part of its educational mission, the Descartes advisory board identified seven topics in kidney transplantation where there has been substantial progresses over the last years: kidney allocation within Eurotransplant; kidney exchange strategies; kidney machine perfusion strategies; the changing landscape of anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies; the new immunosuppressive drugs in the pipeline; strategies for immunosuppression minimization; and the continuous enigma of focal segmental glomerular sclerosis recurrence after transplantation. Here, we have summarized the main knowledge and the main challenges of these seven topics with the aim to provide transplant professionals at large with key bullet points to successfully understand these new concepts.

Guidance, Navigation, and Control Technology Assessment for Future Planetary Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beauchamp, Pat; Cutts, James; Quadrelli, Marco B.; Wood, Lincoln J.; Riedel, Joseph E.; McHenry, Mike; Aung, MiMi; Cangahuala, Laureano A.; Volpe, Rich

2013-01-01

Future planetary explorations envisioned by the National Research Council's (NRC's) report titled Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022, developed for NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Planetary Science Division (PSD), seek to reach targets of broad scientific interest across the solar system. This goal requires new capabilities such as innovative interplanetary trajectories, precision landing, operation in close proximity to targets, precision pointing, multiple collaborating spacecraft, multiple target tours, and advanced robotic surface exploration. Advancements in Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) and Mission Design in the areas of software, algorithm development and sensors will be necessary to accomplish these future missions. This paper summarizes the key GN&C and mission design capabilities and technologies needed for future missions pursuing SMD PSD's scientific goals.

A review of Bornean Micronectidae (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Nepomorpha) with descriptions of two new species from Sabah, Malaysia1

PubMed Central

Chen, Ping-ping; Nieser, Nico; Lapidin, Johnny

2015-01-01

Abstract Previous research of Bornean Micronectidae Jaczewski, 1924 (pygmy water boatmen) is summarized based on the data from the literature and recent work. All the Bornean micronectids belong to the genus Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897. Descriptions or redescriptions and a key to the eight species, which have so far been found in Borneo are presented, namely Micronecta decorata Lundblad, 1933, Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905, Micronecta liewi sp. n., Micronecta lakimi sp. n., Micronecta lumutensis Chen, Nieser & Lansbury, 2008, Micronecta skutalis Nieser & Chen, 1999, Micronecta kymatista Nieser & Chen, 1999) and Micronecta quadristrigata Breddin, 1905. The synonyms are indicated under each species. To facilitate identification, illustrations and habitus photos are provided. The faunistic components of Micronectidae in Borneo are discussed from a zoogeographic point of view. PMID:25987878

The Wide Field Imager for Athena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rau, A.; Nandra, K.; Meidinger, N.; Plattner, M.

2017-10-01

The Wide Field Imager (WFI) is one of the two scientific instruments of Athena, ESA's next large X-ray Observatory with launch in 2028. The instrument will provide two defining capabilities to the mission sensitive wide-field imaging spectroscopy and excellent high-count rate performance. It will do so with the use of two separate detectors systems, the Large Detector Array (LDA) optimized for its field of view (40'×40') with a 100 fold survey speed increase compared to existing X-ray missions, and the Fast Detector (FD) tweaked for high throughput and low pile-up for point sources as bright as the Crab. In my talk I will present the key performance parameters of the instrument and their links to the scientific goals of Athena and summarize the status of the ongoing development activities.

Transition in Education: Policy Making and the Key Educational Policy Areas in the Central-European and Baltic Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rado, Peter

This report examines transition in educational systems and identifies key policy areas in Central-Eastern European countries. It summarizes policy implications of the transition process within the educational context of these countries. Chapter 1, "Transition and Education," outlines key characteristics of the transition process and…

Cholesterol Point-of-Care Testing for Community Pharmacies: A Review of the Current Literature.

PubMed

Haggerty, Lauren; Tran, Deanna

2017-08-01

To summarize the literature on cholesterol point-of-care tests (POCTs). This article would serve as a resource to assist community pharmacists in developing cholesterol point-of-care (POC) pharmacy services. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE Ovid, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane database using the following medical subject headings (MeSH) terms: point-of-care test, cholesterol, blood chemical analysis, rapid testing, collaborative practice, community pharmacy, and ambulatory care. Additional resources including device manufacturer web sites were summarized to supplement the current literature. All human research articles, review articles, meta-analyses, and abstracts published in English through September 1, 2014, were considered. A total of 36 articles were applicable for review. Information was divided into the following categories to be summarized: devices, pharmacists' impact, and operational cost for the pharmacy. The current literature suggests that POCTs in community pharmacies assist with patient outcomes by providing screenings and referring patients with dyslipidemia for further evaluation. The majority of studies on cholesterol POC devices focused on accuracy, revealing the need for further studies to develop best practices and practice models with successful reimbursement. Accuracy, device specifications, required supplies, and patient preference should be considered when selecting a POC device for purchase.

Drug Therapy.

PubMed

He, Ri-Hui; Tao, Ran

2017-01-01

This chapter first summarizes the therapy of addiction disorder, and elaborates on the progress of medication. First, the difference between dependency and addiction are introduced. The basic principles of the therapy of substance and non-substance addiction are then put forward. It is also pointed out in this chapter that with the progress of the study, the goal of addiction disorder therapy is expected to transfer from reducing the relapse and harm of the addiction to completely eliminating and recovering from it. This chapter also introduces the progress of psychological addiction elimination technology, especially the "Unconditioned Stimulus Retrieval Extinction Paradigm and Conditioned Stimulus Retrieval Extinction Paradigm" and PITDH technology. Finally it is pointed out that in addiction disorder therapy, comprehensive intervention has become a trend. With regard to the medication for addiction disorders, this chapter also includes the progress and deficiencies of substance and non-substance addiction. In terms of addiction disorder rehabilitation, the foundation of substance addiction is medication which is, however, limited for non-substance addiction. The key to the rehabilitation of addiction disorder is psycho-behavioral therapy, which is especially effective in eliminating craving.

Summary Letter of Key Requirements for FLM Notification Process

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Letter from Anna Marie Wood, Director of EPA’s Air Quality Policy Division, to Carol McCoy, Chief of the Air Resources Division of the National Park Service (NPS) summarizing the key requirements for the Federal Land Managers (FLMs) notification process.

Automatic video summarization driven by a spatio-temporal attention model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barland, R.; Saadane, A.

2008-02-01

According to the literature, automatic video summarization techniques can be classified in two parts, following the output nature: "video skims", which are generated using portions of the original video and "key-frame sets", which correspond to the images, selected from the original video, having a significant semantic content. The difference between these two categories is reduced when we consider automatic procedures. Most of the published approaches are based on the image signal and use either pixel characterization or histogram techniques or image decomposition by blocks. However, few of them integrate properties of the Human Visual System (HVS). In this paper, we propose to extract keyframes for video summarization by studying the variations of salient information between two consecutive frames. For each frame, a saliency map is produced simulating the human visual attention by a bottom-up (signal-dependent) approach. This approach includes three parallel channels for processing three early visual features: intensity, color and temporal contrasts. For each channel, the variations of the salient information between two consecutive frames are computed. These outputs are then combined to produce the global saliency variation which determines the key-frames. Psychophysical experiments have been defined and conducted to analyze the relevance of the proposed key-frame extraction algorithm.

The timeliness of the US military response to the 2014 Ebola disaster: a critical review.

PubMed

Nevin, Remington L; Anderson, Jill N

2016-01-01

In the face of an unprecedented epidemic of Ebola Virus Disease, in September 2014, the US military began sending thousands of personnel to Liberia and supporting areas in Senegal in its largest deployment to the African continent in over two decades. In this review, media reports, published photographs and official statements are evaluated and summarized to identify and describe key time points in the US military response. Specific events include the initial establishment of the Monrovia Medical Unit and the buildup of forces for the expanded mission, which involved enhancement of laboratory testing capacity, construction of Ebola Treatment Units, and training of health care workers. The review concludes with a discussion and critical evaluation of the timeliness of this US military response in the context of the original expectations of the humanitarian community and government officials.

Tubal telocytes: factor infertility reason?

PubMed

Aleksandrovych, Veronika; Sajewicz, Marek; Walocha, Jerzy A; Gil, Krzysztof

Infertility is actually widespread pathological condition, which affected one in every four couples in developing countries. Approximately one third of all cases are connected with tubal factor infertility, o en accompanies by endometriosis, acute salpingitis, urogenital infections etc. The newly identified telocytes (TCs) have multiple potential bio-functions and might participate in the fertility problems. They influence on structural and functional integrity of oviduct tissue. Despite recent discovery, TCs involvement in the majority of physiological and pathological processes is still unclear and require significant increasing of deep observations and data analysis. Focusing on female reproductive system help better understands the main reasons of infertility, while evaluation of TCs impact on Fallopian tube and uterus contractility might be a key point of its correction. The article summarizes the main features of telocytes in Fallopian tubes, emphasizing their involvement in pathophysiological processes and tubal factor infertility.

[Decontamination of organophosphorus compounds: Towards new alternatives].

PubMed

Poirier, L; Jacquet, P; Elias, M; Daudé, D; Chabrière, E

2017-05-01

Organophosphorus coumpounds (OP) are toxic chemicals mainly used for agricultural purpose such as insecticides and were also developed and used as warfare nerve agents. OP are inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, a key enzyme involved in the regulation of the central nervous system. Chemical, physical and biological approaches have been considered to decontaminate OP. This review summarizes the current and emerging strategies that are investigated to tackle this issue with a special emphasis on enzymatic remediation methods. During the last decade, many studies have been dedicated to the development of biocatalysts for OP removal. Among these, recent reports have pointed out the promising enzyme SsoPox isolated from the archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus. Considering both its intrinsic stability and activity, this hyperthermostable enzyme is highly appealing for the decontamination of OP. Copyright © 2017 Académie Nationale de Pharmacie. All rights reserved.

[Try to discuss manipulation of the "Feijing Zouqi" needling technique].

PubMed

Zhou, Dan; Gao, Ying; Wang, Fu-chun

2008-03-01

Based on description of "Feijing Zouqi" needling methods in Jin Zhen Fu (Rhyme Prose of Golden Needle) written by Xu Feng, and explain and analyze the descriptions of "Feijing Zouqi" needling method in Zhenjiu Juying (A Collection of Gems in Acu-Moxibustion) written by Gao Wu, Zhenjiu Wendui written by Wang Ji, Zhenjiu Dacheng (Great Compendium on Acu-Moxibustion) written by Yang Ji-zhou, Yixue Rumen (Elementary Medicine) written by LI Chan and many other works, summarize the technique characteristics of all the "Feijing Zouqi" needling methods. The characteristic of "Qinglong Baiwei" needling method is " first toward the left, then toward the right, slowly move or adjust with the hand"; and "Baihu Yaotou" needling method emphasizes "Tuifang Jinyuan" and "Yaozhen "; key point of "Canggui Tanxue" needling method is "Zuanti Sifang"; Chifeng Yingyuan" needling method emphasizes "Siwei Feixuan".

Challenges in Liquid-Phase Exfoliation, Processing, and Assembly of Pristine Graphene.

PubMed

Parviz, Dorsa; Irin, Fahmida; Shah, Smit A; Das, Sriya; Sweeney, Charles B; Green, Micah J

2016-10-01

Recent developments in the exfoliation, dispersion, and processing of pristine graphene (i.e., non-oxidized graphene) are described. General metrics are outlined that can be used to assess the quality and processability of various "graphene" products, as well as metrics that determine the potential for industrial scale-up. The pristine graphene production process is categorized from a chemical engineering point of view with three key steps: i) pretreatment, ii) exfoliation, and iii) separation. How pristine graphene colloidal stability is distinct from the exfoliation step and is dependent upon graphene interactions with solvents and dispersants are extensively reviewed. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of using pristine graphene as nanofillers in polymer composites, as well as as building blocks for macrostructure assemblies are summarized in the context of large-scale production. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Analysis of measured data of human body based on error correcting frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Aiyan; Peipei, Gao; Shang, Xiaomei

2014-04-01

Anthropometry is to measure all parts of human body surface, and the measured data is the basis of analysis and study of the human body, establishment and modification of garment size and formulation and implementation of online clothing store. In this paper, several groups of the measured data are gained, and analysis of data error is gotten by analyzing the error frequency and using analysis of variance method in mathematical statistics method. Determination of the measured data accuracy and the difficulty of measured parts of human body, further studies of the causes of data errors, and summarization of the key points to minimize errors possibly are also mentioned in the paper. This paper analyses the measured data based on error frequency, and in a way , it provides certain reference elements to promote the garment industry development.

US-ROK Action Sheet 34: Safeguards Application of a Hand-held Mechanically Cooled Germanium Spectrometer

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

Dreyer, J.; Burks, M.; Ham, Y.

2015-10-20

This report summarizes results of Action Sheet 34 - for the cooperative efforts on the field testing and evaluation of a high-resolution, hand-held, gamma-ray spectrometer, known as SPG (Spectroscopic Planar Germanium), for safeguards application such as short notice inspections, UF6 analysis, enrichment determination, and other potential applications. The Spectroscopic Planar Germanium (SPG) has been demonstrated IAEA Physical Inventory Verification (PIV) in South Korea. This field test was a success and the feedback provided by KINAC, IAEA, and national laboratory staff was used to direct efforts to improve the instrument this year. Key points in this report include measurement results frommore » PIV, analysis of spectra with commercially available Ortec U235 and PC-FRAM, and completion of tripod and tungsten collimator and integration of user feedback.« less

Revisit of Machine Learning Supported Biological and Biomedical Studies.

PubMed

Yu, Xiang-Tian; Wang, Lu; Zeng, Tao

2018-01-01

Generally, machine learning includes many in silico methods to transform the principles underlying natural phenomenon to human understanding information, which aim to save human labor, to assist human judge, and to create human knowledge. It should have wide application potential in biological and biomedical studies, especially in the era of big biological data. To look through the application of machine learning along with biological development, this review provides wide cases to introduce the selection of machine learning methods in different practice scenarios involved in the whole biological and biomedical study cycle and further discusses the machine learning strategies for analyzing omics data in some cutting-edge biological studies. Finally, the notes on new challenges for machine learning due to small-sample high-dimension are summarized from the key points of sample unbalance, white box, and causality.

Lean burn combustor technology at GE Aircraft Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodds, Willard J.

1992-01-01

This presentation summarizes progress to date at GE Aircraft Engines in demonstration of a lean combustion system for the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). These efforts were supported primarily by NASA contracts, with the exception of initial size and weight estimates and development of advanced diagnostics which were conducted under GE Independent Research and Development projects. Key accomplishments to date are summarized below.

The 12C(α ,γ )16O reaction and its implications for stellar helium burning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

deBoer, R. J.; Görres, J.; Wiescher, M.; Azuma, R. E.; Best, A.; Brune, C. R.; Fields, C. E.; Jones, S.; Pignatari, M.; Sayre, D.; Smith, K.; Timmes, F. X.; Uberseder, E.

2017-07-01

The creation of carbon and oxygen in our Universe is one of the forefront questions in nuclear astrophysics. The determination of the abundance of these elements is key to our understanding of both the formation of life on Earth and to the life cycles of stars. While nearly all models of different nucleosynthesis environments are affected by the production of carbon and oxygen, a key ingredient, the precise determination of the reaction rate of 12C(α ,γ )16O, has long remained elusive. This is owed to the reaction's inaccessibility, both experimentally and theoretically. Nuclear theory has struggled to calculate this reaction rate because the cross section is produced through different underlying nuclear mechanisms. Isospin selection rules suppress the E 1 component of the ground state cross section, creating a unique situation where the E 1 and E 2 contributions are of nearly equal amplitudes. Experimentally there have also been great challenges. Measurements have been pushed to the limits of state-of-the-art techniques, often developed for just these measurements. The data have been plagued by uncharacterized uncertainties, often the result of the novel measurement techniques that have made the different results challenging to reconcile. However, the situation has markedly improved in recent years, and the desired level of uncertainty ≈10 % may be in sight. In this review the current understanding of this critical reaction is summarized. The emphasis is placed primarily on the experimental work and interpretation of the reaction data, but discussions of the theory and astrophysics are also pursued. The main goal is to summarize and clarify the current understanding of the reaction and then point the way forward to an improved determination of the reaction rate.

The C 12 ( α , γ ) O 16 reaction and its implications for stellar helium burning

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

deBoer, R. J.; Gorres, J.; Wiescher, M.

The creation of carbon and oxygen in our Universe is one of the forefront questions in nuclear astrophysics. The determination of the abundance of these elements is key to our understanding of both the formation of life on Earth and to the life cycles of stars. While nearly all models of different nucleosynthesis environments are affected by the production of carbon and oxygen, a key ingredient, the precise determination of the reaction rate of 12C (α, γ) 16O , has long remained elusive. This is owed to the reaction’s inaccessibility, both experimentally and theoretically. Nuclear theory has struggled to calculatemore » this reaction rate because the cross section is produced through different underlying nuclear mechanisms. Isospin selection rules suppress the E 1 component of the ground state cross section, creating a unique situation where the E 1 and E 2 contributions are of nearly equal amplitudes. Experimentally there have also been great challenges. Measurements have been pushed to the limits of state-of-the-art techniques, often developed for just these measurements. The data have been plagued by uncharacterized uncertainties, often the result of the novel measurement techniques that have made the different results challenging to reconcile. However, the situation has markedly improved in recent years, and the desired level of uncertainty ≈ 10 % may be in sight. In this review the current understanding of this critical reaction is summarized. The emphasis is placed primarily on the experimental work and interpretation of the reaction data, but discussions of the theory and astrophysics are also pursued. In conclusion, the main goal is to summarize and clarify the current understanding of the reaction and then point the way forward to an improved determination of the reaction rate.« less

The C 12 ( α , γ ) O 16 reaction and its implications for stellar helium burning

DOE PAGES

deBoer, R. J.; Gorres, J.; Wiescher, M.; ...

2017-09-07

The creation of carbon and oxygen in our Universe is one of the forefront questions in nuclear astrophysics. The determination of the abundance of these elements is key to our understanding of both the formation of life on Earth and to the life cycles of stars. While nearly all models of different nucleosynthesis environments are affected by the production of carbon and oxygen, a key ingredient, the precise determination of the reaction rate of 12C (α, γ) 16O , has long remained elusive. This is owed to the reaction’s inaccessibility, both experimentally and theoretically. Nuclear theory has struggled to calculatemore » this reaction rate because the cross section is produced through different underlying nuclear mechanisms. Isospin selection rules suppress the E 1 component of the ground state cross section, creating a unique situation where the E 1 and E 2 contributions are of nearly equal amplitudes. Experimentally there have also been great challenges. Measurements have been pushed to the limits of state-of-the-art techniques, often developed for just these measurements. The data have been plagued by uncharacterized uncertainties, often the result of the novel measurement techniques that have made the different results challenging to reconcile. However, the situation has markedly improved in recent years, and the desired level of uncertainty ≈ 10 % may be in sight. In this review the current understanding of this critical reaction is summarized. The emphasis is placed primarily on the experimental work and interpretation of the reaction data, but discussions of the theory and astrophysics are also pursued. In conclusion, the main goal is to summarize and clarify the current understanding of the reaction and then point the way forward to an improved determination of the reaction rate.« less

Uncertainty and Variability in Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Models: Key Issues and Case Studies (Final Report)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Uncertainty and Variability in Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Models: Key Issues and Case Studies. This report summarizes some of the recent progress in characterizing uncertainty and variability in physi...

Epidemiology of sexual dysfunction in Asia compared to the rest of the world

PubMed Central

Lewis, Ronald W

2011-01-01

There have been a limited number of epidemiological studies published on sexual disorders in persons from Asia. This paper aims to assess the reports of sexual dysfunction epidemiological studies published in the English language that involved Asian countries. Key points are summarized in this paper from nine epidemiological papers on sexual dysfunction from Asia that were published in the English language. Seven met the criteria for evidence-based studies reaching a Prins score of at least 10 or more. Papers included in this report came from national and regional representative studies in peer review journals. These results for sexual dysfunction in the nine papers are summarized for various sexual dysfunctions in men and women in Asian countries. In three of these, worldwide data were presented in the same paper allowing comparisons with Asian data on prevalence rates. Detailed descriptions from each of these studies are presented in paragraph form. More detailed data on erectile dysfunction (ED) is presented in a tabular form. Collectively, there seems to be a need for country- and population-specific further descriptive and analytical epidemiological studies in all of the sexual disorders from Asia. This critical review paper should help guide these studies for reaching evidence-based literature standards. PMID:21076440

Stress modulation of cognitive and affective processes

PubMed Central

CAMPEAU, SERGE; LIBERZON, ISRAEL; MORILAK, DAVID; RESSLER, KERRY

2012-01-01

This review summarizes the major discussion points of a symposium on stress modulation of cognitive and affective processes, which was held during the 2010 workshop on the neurobiology of stress (Boulder, CO, USA). The four discussants addressed a number of specific cognitive and affective factors that are modulated by exposure to acute or repeated stress. Dr David Morilak discussed the effects of various repeated stress situations on cognitive flexibility, as assessed with a rodent model of attentional set-shifting task, and how performance on slightly different aspects of this test is modulated by different prefrontal regions through monoaminergic neurotransmission. Dr Serge Campeau summarized the findings of several studies exploring a number of factors and brain regions that regulate habituation of various autonomic and neuroendocrine responses to repeated audiogenic stress exposures. Dr Kerry Ressler discussed a body of work exploring the modulation and extinction of fear memories in rodents and humans, especially focusing on the role of key neurotransmitter systems including excitatory amino acids and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Dr Israel Liberzon presented recent results on human decision-making processes in response to exogenous glucocorticoid hormone administration. Overall, these discussions are casting a wider framework on the cognitive/affective processes that are distinctly regulated by the experience of stress and some of the brain regions and neurotransmitter systems associated with these effects. PMID:21790481

Space telescope phase B definition study. Volume 2A: Science instruments, high speed point/area photometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The analysis and preliminary design of a high speed point/area photometer for the space telescope are summarized. The scientific objectives, photometer requirements, and design concepts are presented.

Niagara River Toxics Management Plan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This 2007 Progress Report of the Niagara River Toxics Management Plan (NRTMP) summarizes progress made by the four parties in dealing with the 18 “Priority Toxics” through reductions in point and non-point sources to the Niagara River.

Human Health Effects of Trichloroethylene: Key Findings and Scientific Issues

PubMed Central

Jinot, Jennifer; Scott, Cheryl Siegel; Makris, Susan L.; Cooper, Glinda S.; Dzubow, Rebecca C.; Bale, Ambuja S.; Evans, Marina V.; Guyton, Kathryn Z.; Keshava, Nagalakshmi; Lipscomb, John C.; Barone, Stanley; Fox, John F.; Gwinn, Maureen R.; Schaum, John; Caldwell, Jane C.

2012-01-01

Background: In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a toxicological review of trichloroethylene (TCE) in September 2011, which was the result of an effort spanning > 20 years. Objectives: We summarized the key findings and scientific issues regarding the human health effects of TCE in the U.S. EPA’s toxicological review. Methods: In this assessment we synthesized and characterized thousands of epidemiologic, experimental animal, and mechanistic studies, and addressed several key scientific issues through modeling of TCE toxicokinetics, meta-analyses of epidemiologic studies, and analyses of mechanistic data. Discussion: Toxicokinetic modeling aided in characterizing the toxicological role of the complex metabolism and multiple metabolites of TCE. Meta-analyses of the epidemiologic data strongly supported the conclusions that TCE causes kidney cancer in humans and that TCE may also cause liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Mechanistic analyses support a key role for mutagenicity in TCE-induced kidney carcinogenicity. Recent evidence from studies in both humans and experimental animals point to the involvement of TCE exposure in autoimmune disease and hypersensitivity. Recent avian and in vitro mechanistic studies provided biological plausibility that TCE plays a role in developmental cardiac toxicity, the subject of substantial debate due to mixed results from epidemiologic and rodent studies. Conclusions: TCE is carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure and poses a potential human health hazard for noncancer toxicity to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, immune system, male reproductive system, and the developing embryo/fetus. PMID:23249866

AIDS and HIV Training and Education in Criminal Justice Agencies. AIDS Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammett, Theodore M.

This bulletin summarizes key elements of an effective AIDS training and education program for law enforcement and corrections personnel. First, these key elements of training and education for criminal justice personnel are discussed: staff participation in materials development; timely and frequent training; mandatory training; live training by…

Using Key Performance Indicators to Drive Strategic Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolence, Michael G.; Norris, Donald M.

1994-01-01

A nine-step method for defining and pursuing key performance indicators (KPIs), derived from a strategic planning process, is outlined, and its applications at the University of Northern Colorado and Illinois Benedictine College are described and tabulated. A chart summarizes current and projected KPIs for Illinois Benedictine College for each…

Climate change effects on central New Mexico's land use, transportation system and key natural resources : task 1.1 memo.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

This report summarizes potential climate change effects on the availability of water, land use, transportation infrastructure, and key natural resources in central New Mexico. This work is being done as part of the Interagency Transportation, Land Us...

An unsupervised method for summarizing egocentric sport videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habibi Aghdam, Hamed; Jahani Heravi, Elnaz; Puig, Domenec

2015-12-01

People are getting more interested to record their sport activities using head-worn or hand-held cameras. This type of videos which is called egocentric sport videos has different motion and appearance patterns compared with life-logging videos. While a life-logging video can be defined in terms of well-defined human-object interactions, notwithstanding, it is not trivial to describe egocentric sport videos using well-defined activities. For this reason, summarizing egocentric sport videos based on human-object interaction might fail to produce meaningful results. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised method for summarizing egocentric videos by identifying the key-frames of the video. Our method utilizes both appearance and motion information and it automatically finds the number of the key-frames. Our blind user study on the new dataset collected from YouTube shows that in 93:5% cases, the users choose the proposed method as their first video summary choice. In addition, our method is within the top 2 choices of the users in 99% of studies.

Heterogeneity image patch index and its application to consumer video summarization.

PubMed

Dang, Chinh T; Radha, Hayder

2014-06-01

Automatic video summarization is indispensable for fast browsing and efficient management of large video libraries. In this paper, we introduce an image feature that we refer to as heterogeneity image patch (HIP) index. The proposed HIP index provides a new entropy-based measure of the heterogeneity of patches within any picture. By evaluating this index for every frame in a video sequence, we generate a HIP curve for that sequence. We exploit the HIP curve in solving two categories of video summarization applications: key frame extraction and dynamic video skimming. Under the key frame extraction frame-work, a set of candidate key frames is selected from abundant video frames based on the HIP curve. Then, a proposed patch-based image dissimilarity measure is used to create affinity matrix of these candidates. Finally, a set of key frames is extracted from the affinity matrix using a min–max based algorithm. Under video skimming, we propose a method to measure the distance between a video and its skimmed representation. The video skimming problem is then mapped into an optimization framework and solved by minimizing a HIP-based distance for a set of extracted excerpts. The HIP framework is pixel-based and does not require semantic information or complex camera motion estimation. Our simulation results are based on experiments performed on consumer videos and are compared with state-of-the-art methods. It is shown that the HIP approach outperforms other leading methods, while maintaining low complexity.

Attitude Determination and Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starin, Scott R.; Eterno, John

2010-01-01

The importance of accurately pointing spacecraft to our daily lives is pervasive, yet somehow escapes the notice of most people. In this section, we will summarize the processes and technologies used in designing and operating spacecraft pointing (i.e. attitude) systems.

Environmental availability of chlorinated organics, explosives, and metals in soils

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

Anderson, W.C.; Loehr, R.C.; Smith, B.P.

1999-08-01

Environmental availability is key to defining the extent of remediation required. Nationally recognized experts summarize what is known about the environmental availability of chlorinated organics (Perry McCarty), explosives (Judith Pennington), and metals (Rufus Chaney). It also summarizes the current use of environmental availability to set cleanup goals for petroleum hydrocarbons and identifies essential research needed to expand the knowledge base for environmental availability.

Wilderness Management... A Computerized System for Summarizing Permit Information

Treesearch

Gary H. Elsner

1972-01-01

Permits were first needed for visits to wilderness areas in California during summer 1971. A computerized system for analyzing these permits and summarizing information from them has been developed. It produces four types of summary tables: point-of-origin of visitors; daily variation in total number of persons present; variations in group size; and variations in...

A coherent graph-based semantic clustering and summarization approach for biomedical literature and a new summarization evaluation method.

PubMed

Yoo, Illhoi; Hu, Xiaohua; Song, Il-Yeol

2007-11-27

A huge amount of biomedical textual information has been produced and collected in MEDLINE for decades. In order to easily utilize biomedical information in the free text, document clustering and text summarization together are used as a solution for text information overload problem. In this paper, we introduce a coherent graph-based semantic clustering and summarization approach for biomedical literature. Our extensive experimental results show the approach shows 45% cluster quality improvement and 72% clustering reliability improvement, in terms of misclassification index, over Bisecting K-means as a leading document clustering approach. In addition, our approach provides concise but rich text summary in key concepts and sentences. Our coherent biomedical literature clustering and summarization approach that takes advantage of ontology-enriched graphical representations significantly improves the quality of document clusters and understandability of documents through summaries.

A coherent graph-based semantic clustering and summarization approach for biomedical literature and a new summarization evaluation method

PubMed Central

Yoo, Illhoi; Hu, Xiaohua; Song, Il-Yeol

2007-01-01

Background A huge amount of biomedical textual information has been produced and collected in MEDLINE for decades. In order to easily utilize biomedical information in the free text, document clustering and text summarization together are used as a solution for text information overload problem. In this paper, we introduce a coherent graph-based semantic clustering and summarization approach for biomedical literature. Results Our extensive experimental results show the approach shows 45% cluster quality improvement and 72% clustering reliability improvement, in terms of misclassification index, over Bisecting K-means as a leading document clustering approach. In addition, our approach provides concise but rich text summary in key concepts and sentences. Conclusion Our coherent biomedical literature clustering and summarization approach that takes advantage of ontology-enriched graphical representations significantly improves the quality of document clusters and understandability of documents through summaries. PMID:18047705

A survey on dielectric elastomer actuators for soft robots.

PubMed

Gu, Guo-Ying; Zhu, Jian; Zhu, Li-Min; Zhu, Xiangyang

2017-01-23

Conventional industrial robots with the rigid actuation technology have made great progress for humans in the fields of automation assembly and manufacturing. With an increasing number of robots needing to interact with humans and unstructured environments, there is a need for soft robots capable of sustaining large deformation while inducing little pressure or damage when maneuvering through confined spaces. The emergence of soft robotics offers the prospect of applying soft actuators as artificial muscles in robots, replacing traditional rigid actuators. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are recognized as one of the most promising soft actuation technologies due to the facts that: i) dielectric elastomers are kind of soft, motion-generating materials that resemble natural muscle of humans in terms of force, strain (displacement per unit length or area) and actuation pressure/density; ii) dielectric elastomers can produce large voltage-induced deformation. In this survey, we first introduce the so-called DEAs emphasizing the key points of working principle, key components and electromechanical modeling approaches. Then, different DEA-driven soft robots, including wearable/humanoid robots, walking/serpentine robots, flying robots and swimming robots, are reviewed. Lastly, we summarize the challenges and opportunities for the further studies in terms of mechanism design, dynamics modeling and autonomous control.

Advances in Energy Conservation of China Steel Industry

PubMed Central

Sun, Wenqiang; Cai, Jiuju; Ye, Zhu

2013-01-01

The course, technical progresses, and achievements of energy conservation of China steel industry (CSI) during 1980–2010 were summarized. Then, the paper adopted e-p method to analyze the variation law and influencing factors of energy consumptions of large- and medium-scale steel plants within different stages. It is pointed out that energy consumption per ton of crude steel has been almost one half lower in these thirty years, with 60% as direct energy conservation owing to the change of process energy consumption and 40% as indirect energy conservation attributed to the adjustment of production structure. Next, the latest research progress of some key common technologies in CSI was introduced. Also, the downtrend of energy consumption per ton of crude steel and the potential energy conservation for CSI during 2011–2025 were forecasted. Finally, it is indicated that the key topic of the next 15 years' research on the energy conservation of CSI is the synergistic operation of material flow and energy flow. It could be achieved by the comprehensive study on energy flow network optimization, such as production, allocation, utilization, recovery, reuse, and resource, according to the energy quantity, quality, and user demand following the first and second laws of thermodynamics. PMID:23533344

Ethical practice in Telehealth and Telemedicine.

PubMed

Chaet, Danielle; Clearfield, Ron; Sabin, James E; Skimming, Kathryn

2017-10-01

This article summarizes the report of the American Medical Association's (AMA) Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) on ethical practice in telehealth and telemedicine. Through its reports and recommendations, CEJA is responsible for maintaining and updating the AMA Code of Medical Ethics (Code). CEJA reports are developed through an iterative process of deliberation with input from multiple stakeholders; report recommendations, once adopted by the AMA House of Delegates, become ethics policy of the AMA and are issued as Opinions in the Code. To provide enduring guidance for the medical profession as a whole, CEJA strives to articulate expectations for conduct that are as independent of specific technologies or models of practice as possible. The present report, developed at the request of the House of Delegates, provides broad guidance for ethical conduct relating to key issues in telehealth/telemedicine. The report and recommendations were debated at meetings of the House in June and November 2015; recommendations were adopted in June 2016 and published as Opinion E-1.2.12, Ethical Practice in Telemedicine, in November 2016. A summary of the key points of the recommendations can be found in Appendix A (online), and the full text of the opinion can be found in Appendix B (online).

Review of the development of multi-terminal HVDC and DC power grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Y. X.

2017-11-01

Traditional power equipment, power-grid structures, and operation technology are becoming increasingly powerless with the large-scale renewable energy access to the grid. Thus, we must adopt new technologies, new equipment, and new grid structure to satisfy future requirements in energy patterns. Accordingly, the multiterminal direct current (MTDC) transmission system is receiving increasing attention. This paper starts with a brief description of current developments in MTDC worldwide. The MTDC project, which has been placed into practical operation, is introduced by the Italian-Corsica-Sardinian three-terminal high-voltage DC (HVDC) project. We then describe the basic characteristics and regulations of multiterminal DC transmission. The current mainstream of several control methods are described. In the third chapter, the key to the development of MTDC system or hardware and software technology that restricts the development of multiterminal DC transmission is discussed. This chapter focuses on the comparison of double-ended HVDC and multiterminal HVDC in most aspects and subsequently elaborates the key and difficult point of MTDC development. Finally, this paper summarizes the prospect of a DC power grid. In a few decades, China can build a strong cross-strait AC-DC hybrid power grid.

Enrichment Assay Methods Development for the Integrated Cylinder Verification System

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

Smith, Leon E.; Misner, Alex C.; Hatchell, Brian K.

2009-10-22

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors currently perform periodic inspections at uranium enrichment plants to verify UF6 cylinder enrichment declarations. Measurements are typically performed with handheld high-resolution sensors on a sampling of cylinders taken to be representative of the facility's entire product-cylinder inventory. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is developing a concept to automate the verification of enrichment plant cylinders to enable 100 percent product-cylinder verification and potentially, mass-balance calculations on the facility as a whole (by also measuring feed and tails cylinders). The Integrated Cylinder Verification System (ICVS) could be located at key measurement points to positively identify eachmore » cylinder, measure its mass and enrichment, store the collected data in a secure database, and maintain continuity of knowledge on measured cylinders until IAEA inspector arrival. The three main objectives of this FY09 project are summarized here and described in more detail in the report: (1) Develop a preliminary design for a prototype NDA system, (2) Refine PNNL's MCNP models of the NDA system, and (3) Procure and test key pulse-processing components. Progress against these tasks to date, and next steps, are discussed.« less

Advances in energy conservation of China steel industry.

PubMed

Sun, Wenqiang; Cai, Jiuju; Ye, Zhu

2013-01-01

The course, technical progresses, and achievements of energy conservation of China steel industry (CSI) during 1980-2010 were summarized. Then, the paper adopted e-p method to analyze the variation law and influencing factors of energy consumptions of large- and medium-scale steel plants within different stages. It is pointed out that energy consumption per ton of crude steel has been almost one half lower in these thirty years, with 60% as direct energy conservation owing to the change of process energy consumption and 40% as indirect energy conservation attributed to the adjustment of production structure. Next, the latest research progress of some key common technologies in CSI was introduced. Also, the downtrend of energy consumption per ton of crude steel and the potential energy conservation for CSI during 2011-2025 were forecasted. Finally, it is indicated that the key topic of the next 15 years' research on the energy conservation of CSI is the synergistic operation of material flow and energy flow. It could be achieved by the comprehensive study on energy flow network optimization, such as production, allocation, utilization, recovery, reuse, and resource, according to the energy quantity, quality, and user demand following the first and second laws of thermodynamics.

Adapting a large database of point of care summarized guidelines: a process description.

PubMed

Delvaux, Nicolas; Van de Velde, Stijn; Aertgeerts, Bert; Goossens, Martine; Fauquert, Benjamin; Kunnamo, Ilka; Van Royen, Paul

2017-02-01

Questions posed at the point of care (POC) can be answered using POC summarized guidelines. To implement a national POC information resource, we subscribed to a large database of POC summarized guidelines to complement locally available guidelines. Our challenge was in developing a sustainable strategy for adapting almost 1000 summarized guidelines. The aim of this paper was to describe our process for adapting a database of POC summarized guidelines. An adaptation process based on the ADAPTE framework was tailored to be used by a heterogeneous group of participants. Guidelines were assessed on content and on applicability to the Belgian context. To improve efficiency, we chose to first aim our efforts towards those guidelines most important to primary care doctors. Over a period of 3 years, we screened about 80% of 1000 international summarized guidelines. For those guidelines identified as most important for primary care doctors, we noted that in about half of the cases, remarks were made concerning content. On the other hand, at least two-thirds of all screened guidelines required no changes when evaluating their local usability. Adapting a large body of POC summarized guidelines using a formal adaptation process is possible, even when faced with limited resources. This can be done by creating an efficient and collaborative effort and ensuring user-friendly procedures. Our experiences show that even though in most cases guidelines can be adopted without adaptations, careful review of guidelines developed in a different context remains necessary. Streamlining international efforts in adapting international POC information resources and adopting similar adaptation processes may lessen duplication efforts and prove more cost-effective. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2007

2007-01-01

This document is a compendium of indicators--drawn from the most reliable official statistics--illustrative of both the promises and the difficulties confronting our Nation's young people. The report summarizes 38 key indicators of child well-being and monitors changes in these indicators. The 38 indicators depict the well-being of children in the…

Academic Primer Series: Five Key Papers for Consulting Clinician Educators.

PubMed

Chan, Teresa M; Gottlieb, Michael; Quinn, Antonia; London, Kory; Conlon, Lauren W; Ankel, Felix

2017-02-01

Clinician educators are often asked to perform consultations for colleagues. Invitations to consult and advise others on local problems can help foster great collaborations between centers, and allows for an exchange of ideas between programs. In this article, the authors identify and summarize several key papers to assist emerging clinician educators with the consultation process. A consensus-building process was used to generate a list of key papers that describe the importance and significance of educational consulting, informed by social media sources. A three-round voting methodology, akin to a Delphi study, determined the most impactful papers from the larger list. Summaries of the five most highly rated papers on education consultation are presented in this paper. These papers were determined by a mixed group of junior and senior faculty members, who have summarized these papers with respect to their relevance for their peer groups. Five key papers on the educational consultation process are presented in this paper. These papers offer background and perspective to help junior faculty gain a grasp of consultation processes.

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

No, author

This report summarizes the outcome of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contract DE-OE0000543, requesting the design of a Cryptographic Key Management System (CKMS) for the secure management of cryptographic keys for the energy sector infrastructure. Prime contractor Sypris Electronics, in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL), Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Valicore Technologies, and Purdue University's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS) and Smart Meter Integration Laboratory (SMIL), has designed, developed and evaluated the CKMS solution. We provide an overview of the project in Section 3, review the core contributions of all contractors inmore » Section 4, and discuss bene ts to the DOE in Section 5. In Section 6 we describe the technical construction of the CKMS solution, and review its key contributions in Section 6.9. Section 7 describes the evaluation and demonstration of the CKMS solution in different environments. We summarize the key project objectives in Section 8, list publications resulting from the project in Section 9, and conclude with a discussion on commercialization in Section 10 and future work in Section 11.« less

The Majorana Demonstrator Status and Preliminary Results

DOE PAGES

Yu, C. -H.; Alvis, S. I.; Arnquist, I. J.; ...

2018-01-01

The MAJORANA Collaboration is using an array of high-purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. Searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay are understood to be the only viable experimental method for testing the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Observation of this decay would imply violation of lepton number, that neutrinos are Majorana in nature, and provide information on the neutrino mass. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR comprises 44.1 kg of p-type point-contact Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) surrounded by a low-background shield system. The experiment achieved a high efficiency of converting raw Ge material to detectors andmore » an unprecedented detector energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q ββ. The MAJORANA collaboration began taking physics data in 2016. Here, this paper summarizes key construction aspects of the Demonstrator and shows preliminary results from initial data.« less

Bacterial pneumonia as an influenza complication.

PubMed

Martin-Loeches, Ignacio; van Someren Gréve, Frank; Schultz, Marcus J

2017-04-01

The pathogenesis and impact of coinfection, in particular bacterial coinfection, in influenza are incompletely understood. This review summarizes results from studies on bacterial coinfection in the recent pandemic influenza outbreak. Systemic immune mechanisms play a key role in the development of coinfection based on the complexity of the interaction of the host and the viral and bacterial pathogens. Several studies were performed to determine the point prevalence of bacterial coinfection in influenza. Coinfection in influenza is frequent in critically ill patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae being the most frequent bacterial pathogen and higher rates of potentially resistant pathogens over the years. Bacterial pneumonia is certainly an influenza complication. The recent epidemiology findings have helped to partially resolve the contribution of different pathogens. Immunosuppression is a risk factor for bacterial coinfection in influenza, and the epidemiology of coinfection has changed over the years during the last influenza pandemic, and these recent findings should be taken into account during present outbreaks.

New tools for redox biology: From imaging to manipulation.

PubMed

Bilan, Dmitry S; Belousov, Vsevolod V

2017-08-01

Redox reactions play a key role in maintaining essential biological processes. Deviations in redox pathways result in the development of various pathologies at cellular and organismal levels. Until recently, studies on transformations in the intracellular redox state have been significantly hampered in living systems. The genetically encoded indicators, based on fluorescent proteins, have provided new opportunities in biomedical research. The existing indicators already enable monitoring of cellular redox parameters in different processes including embryogenesis, aging, inflammation, tissue regeneration, and pathogenesis of various diseases. In this review, we summarize information about all genetically encoded redox indicators developed to date. We provide the description of each indicator and discuss its advantages and limitations, as well as points that need to be considered when choosing an indicator for a particular experiment. One chapter is devoted to the important discoveries that have been made by using genetically encoded redox indicators. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre-implantation Development of Domestic Animals.

PubMed

Piliszek, Anna; Madeja, Zofia E

2018-01-01

During the first days following fertilization, cells of mammalian embryo gradually lose totipotency, acquiring distinct identity. The first three lineages specified in the mammalian embryo are pluripotent epiblast, which later gives rise to the embryo proper, and two extraembryonic lineages, hypoblast (also known as primitive endoderm) and trophectoderm, which form tissues supporting development of the fetus in utero. Most of our knowledge regarding the mechanisms of early lineage specification in mammals comes from studies in the mouse. However, the growing body of evidence points to both similarities and species-specific differences. Understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms of early embryonic development in nonrodent mammals expands our understanding of basic mechanisms of differentiation and is essential for the development of effective protocols for assisted reproduction in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and for biomedical research. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on key events in epiblast, hypoblast, and trophoblast differentiation in domestic mammals. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Majorana Demonstrator Status and Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, C.-H.; Alvis, S. I.; Arnquist, I. J.; Avignone, F. T.; Barabash, A. S.; Barton, C. J.; Bertrand, F. E.; Bode, T.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Buuck, M.; Caldwell, T. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Chu, P.-H.; Cuesta, C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Dunagan, C.; Efremenko, Yu; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Gilliss, T.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Green, M.; Gruszko, J.; Guinn, I. S.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Haufe, C. R.; Hehn, L.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howe, M. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; Lopez, A. M.; Martin, R. D.; Massarczyk, R.; Meijer, S. J.; Mertens, S.; Myslik, J.; Othman, G.; Pettus, W.; Poon, A. W. P.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Reine, A. L.; Rielage, K.; Ruof, N. W.; Shanks, B.; Shirchenko, M.; Suriano, A. M.; Tedeschi, D.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Yumatov, V.; Zhitnikov, I.; Zhu, B. Z.

2018-05-01

The MAJORANA Collaboration is using an array of high-purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. Searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay are understood to be the only viable experimental method for testing the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Observation of this decay would imply violation of lepton number, that neutrinos are Majorana in nature, and provide information on the neutrino mass. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR comprises 44.1 kg of p-type point-contact Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) surrounded by a low-background shield system. The experiment achieved a high efficiency of converting raw Ge material to detectors and an unprecedented detector energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Qββ. The MAJORANA collaboration began taking physics data in 2016. This paper summarizes key construction aspects of the Demonstrator and shows preliminary results from initial data.

Research on TRIZ and CAIs Application Problems for Technology Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiangdong; Li, Qinghai; Bai, Zhonghang; Geng, Lixiao

In order to realize application of invent problem solve theory (TRIZ) and computer aided innovation software (CAIs) , need to solve some key problems, such as the mode choice of technology innovation, establishment of technology innovation organization network(TION), and achievement of innovative process based on TRIZ and CAIs, etc.. This paper shows that the demands for TRIZ and CAIs according to the characteristics and existing problem of the manufacturing enterprises. Have explained that the manufacturing enterprises need to set up an open TION of enterprise leading type, and achieve the longitudinal cooperation innovation with institution of higher learning. The process of technology innovation based on TRIZ and CAIs has been set up from researching and developing point of view. Application of TRIZ and CAIs in FY Company has been summarized. The application effect of TRIZ and CAIs has been explained using technology innovation of the close goggle valve product.

Sporulation in the Budding Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Neiman, Aaron M.

2011-01-01

In response to nitrogen starvation in the presence of a poor carbon source, diploid cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergo meiosis and package the haploid nuclei produced in meiosis into spores. The formation of spores requires an unusual cell division event in which daughter cells are formed within the cytoplasm of the mother cell. This process involves the de novo generation of two different cellular structures: novel membrane compartments within the cell cytoplasm that give rise to the spore plasma membrane and an extensive spore wall that protects the spore from environmental insults. This article summarizes what is known about the molecular mechanisms controlling spore assembly with particular attention to how constitutive cellular functions are modified to create novel behaviors during this developmental process. Key regulatory points on the sporulation pathway are also discussed as well as the possible role of sporulation in the natural ecology of S. cerevisiae. PMID:22084423

Inflatable lenses for space photovoltaic concentrator arrays

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

O`Neill, M.J.; Piszczor, M.F.

1997-12-31

For 12 years, ENTECH and NASA Lewis have been developing Fresnel lens concentrator technology for space power applications. ENTECH provided the point-focus mini-dome lenses for the PASP+ array, launched in 1994. These silicone lenses performed well on orbit, with only about 3% optical performance loss after 1 year in elliptical orbit, with high radiation, atomic oxygen, and ultraviolet exposure. The only protection for these silicone lenses was a thin-film coating provided by OCLI. ENTECH also provided the line-focus lenses for the SCARLET 1 and SCARLET 2 arrays in 1995 and 1997, respectively. These lenses are laminated assemblies, with protective ceriamore » glass superstrates over the silicone lens. In March 1997, ENTECH and NASA Lewis began development of inflatable Fresnel lenses, to achieve lower weight, smaller launch volume, reduced cost, less fragility, and other advantages. This paper summarizes the new concentrator approach, including key program results to date.« less

Assessing potential targets of calcium action in light-modulated gravitropism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roux, S. J.

1995-01-01

Light, through the mediation of the pigment phytochrome, modulates the gravitropic response of the shoots and roots of many plants. The transduction of both light and gravity stimuli appears to involve Ca(2+)-regulated steps, one or more of which may represent points of intersection between the two transduction chains. To be confident that Ca2+ plays a critical role in stimulus-response coupling for gravitropism, it will be important to identify specific targets of Ca2+ action whose function can be clearly linked to the regulation of growth. Calcium typically exerts its influence on cell metabolism through binding to and activating key regulatory proteins. The three best characterized of these proteins in plants are the calmodulins, calcium-dependent protein kinases, and annexins. In this review we summarize what is known about the structure and function of these proteins and speculate on how their activation by Ca2+ could influence the differential growth response of gravitropism.

[The application of genome editing in identification of plant gene function and crop breeding].

PubMed

Zhou, Xiang-chun; Xing, Yong-zhong

2016-03-01

Plant genome can be modified via current biotechnology with high specificity and excellent efficiency. Zinc finger nucleases (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) system are the key engineered nucleases used in the genome editing. Genome editing techniques enable gene targeted mutagenesis, gene knock-out, gene insertion or replacement at the target sites during the endogenous DNA repair process, including non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR), triggered by the induction of DNA double-strand break (DSB). Genome editing has been successfully applied in the genome modification of diverse plant species, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Nicotiana tabacum. In this review, we summarize the application of genome editing in identification of plant gene function and crop breeding. Moreover, we also discuss the improving points of genome editing in crop precision genetic improvement for further study.

The Majorana Demonstrator Status and Preliminary Results

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

Yu, C. -H.; Alvis, S. I.; Arnquist, I. J.

The MAJORANA Collaboration is using an array of high-purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. Searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay are understood to be the only viable experimental method for testing the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Observation of this decay would imply violation of lepton number, that neutrinos are Majorana in nature, and provide information on the neutrino mass. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR comprises 44.1 kg of p-type point-contact Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) surrounded by a low-background shield system. The experiment achieved a high efficiency of converting raw Ge material to detectors andmore » an unprecedented detector energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q ββ. The MAJORANA collaboration began taking physics data in 2016. Here, this paper summarizes key construction aspects of the Demonstrator and shows preliminary results from initial data.« less

Economic Efficiency and Investment Timing for Dual Water Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leconte, Robert; Hughes, Trevor C.; Narayanan, Rangesan

1987-10-01

A general methodology to evaluate the economic feasibility of dual water systems is presented. In a first step, a static analysis (evaluation at a single point in time) is developed. The analysis requires the evaluation of consumers' and producer's surpluses from water use and the capital cost of the dual (outdoor) system. The analysis is then extended to a dynamic approach where the water demand increases with time (as a result of a population increase) and where the dual system is allowed to expand. The model determines whether construction of a dual system represents a net benefit, and if so, what is the best time to initiate the system (corresponding to maximization of social welfare). Conditions under which an analytic solution is possible are discussed and results of an application are summarized (including sensitivity to different parameters). The analysis allows identification of key parameters influencing attractiveness of dual water systems.

Advancing Novel HIV Prevention Intervention Research with MSM—Meeting Report

PubMed Central

Grossman, Cynthia I.; Forsyth, Andrew; Purcell, David W.; Allison, Susannah; Toledo, Carlos; Gordon, Christopher M.

2011-01-01

HIV continues to exact an enormous toll on society and to disproportionately affect gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Innovative prevention interventions are needed to reverse this trend. In August 2009, the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a meeting of scientists, community representatives, advocates, and federal partners to discuss innovative prevention-intervention science. The meeting was structured to maximize discussion of (1) healthy sex interventions, (2) community and structural interventions, (3) integrated biomedical and behavioral interventions, and (4) interventions to improve uptake of HIV testing. Presentations and discussion focused on research gaps in designing risk-reducing and sexual health-promoting interventions for MSM, including interventions to address mental health, substance use, disclosure, and stigma. This article summarizes the meeting proceedings, highlights key points, and outlines future directions. PMID:21800742

Neighborhood Age Structure and its Implications for Health

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Age structure at the neighborhood level is rarely considered in contextual studies of health. However, age structure can play a critical role in shaping community life, the availability of resources, and the opportunities for social engagement—all factors that, research suggests, have direct and indirect effects on health. Age structure can be theorized as a compositional effect and as a contextual effect. In addition, the dynamic nature of age structure and the utility of a life course perspective as applied to neighborhood effects research merits attention. Four Chicago neighborhoods are summarized to illustrate how age structure varies across small space, suggesting that neighborhood age structure should be considered a key structural covariate in contextual research on health. Considering age structure implies incorporating not only meaningful cut points for important age groups (e.g., proportion 65 years and over) but attention to the shape of the distribution as well. PMID:16865558

Experimental Evaluation of a Subscale Gaseous Hydrogen/gaseous Oxygen Coaxial Rocket Injector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Timothy D.; Klem, Mark D.; Breisacher, Kevin J.; Farhangi, Shahram; Sutton, Robert

2002-01-01

The next generation reusable launch vehicle may utilize a Full-Flow Stage Combustion (FFSC) rocket engine cycle. One of the key technologies required is the development of an injector that uses gaseous oxygen and gaseous hydrogen as propellants. Gas-gas propellant injection provides an engine with increased stability margin over a range of throttle set points. This paper summarizes an injector design and testing effort that evaluated a coaxial rocket injector for use with gaseous oxygen and gaseous hydrogen propellants. A total of 19 hot-fire tests were conducted up to a chamber pressure of 1030 psia, over a range of 3.3 to 6.7 for injector element mixture ratio. Post-test condition of the hardware was also used to assess injector face cooling. Results show that high combustion performance levels could be achieved with gas-gas propellants and there were no problems with excessive face heating for the conditions tested.

Rank and independence in contingency table

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsumoto, Shusaku

2004-04-01

A contingency table summarizes the conditional frequencies of two attributes and shows how these two attributes are dependent on each other. Thus, this table is a fundamental tool for pattern discovery with conditional probabilities, such as rule discovery. In this paper, a contingency table is interpreted from the viewpoint of statistical independence and granular computing. The first important observation is that a contingency table compares two attributes with respect to the number of equivalence classes. For example, a n x n table compares two attributes with the same granularity, while a m x n(m >= n) table compares two attributes with different granularities. The second important observation is that matrix algebra is a key point of analysis of this table. Especially, the degree of independence, rank plays a very important role in evaluating the degree of statistical independence. Relations between rank and the degree of dependence are also investigated.

[Methodology for the development of policy brief in public health].

PubMed

Felt, Emily; Carrasco, José Miguel; Vives-Cases, Carmen

2018-01-10

A policy brief is a document that summarizes research to inform policy. In a brief and succinct way, it defines a policy problem, presents a synthesis of relevant evidence, identifies possible courses of action and makes recommendations or key points. The objective of this note is to describe the methodology used to produce a policy brief for communicating public health research. This note is based on the model presented by Eugene Bardach in addition to the authors' own experiences. We describe six steps: 1) identifying the audience; 2) defining the problem; 3) gathering information and evidence; 4) consideration of policy alternatives; 5) projecting results and designing recommendations; and 6) telling the story. We make a case for the use of policy briefs as a part of an overall communications strategy for research that aims to bring together research teams and stakeholders. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The nuclear energy outlook--a new book from the OECD nuclear energy agency.

PubMed

Yoshimura, Uichiro

2011-01-01

This paper summarizes the key points of a report titled Nuclear Energy Outlook, published in 2008 by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which has 30 member nations. The report discusses the commitment of many nations to increase nuclear power generating capacity and the potential rate of building new electricity-generating nuclear plants by 2030 to 2050. The resulting decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion resulting from an increase in nuclear power sources is described. Other topics that are discussed include the need to develop non-proliferative nuclear fuels, the importance of developing geological disposal facilities or reprocessing capabilities for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste materials, and the requirements for a larger nuclear workforce and greater cost competitiveness for nuclear power generation. Copyright © 2010 Health Physics Society

Dermoscopy of keratinocyte skin cancer.

PubMed

Kupsa, Romana; Deinlein, Teresa; Woltsche, Nora; Hofmann-Wellenhof, Rainer; Zalaudek, Iris

2016-12-01

Keratinocyte skin cancer (KSC) refers to a broad class of tumors with a regrettably rising incidence worldwide. The term KSC stands for different stages of skin cancer including actinic keratosis (AK), Bowen's Disease (BD) and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These tumors tend to grow slow, are unlikely to result in distant metastatic disease and death but they frequently destroy underlying tissues and should therefore be removed at the earliest possible stage. The fact that the cure rate is very high when KSC is detected in early stages emphasizes once more the applicability of dermoscopy as an integrative part of the clinical examination of skin tumors. In the first part of this review article, we summarize key points of the dermoscopic diagnosis of KSC including different stages of AK, BD and SCC. In the second part we want to focus on the progression model of KSC and the role of dermoscopy in the management of keratinocyte skin cancer.

Antimicrobial peptides and proteins of the horse - insights into a well-armed organism

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Antimicrobial peptides play a pivotal role as key effectors of the innate immune system in plants and animals and act as endogenous antibiotics. The molecules exhibit an antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotic pathogens with different specificities and potencies depending on the structure and amino-acid composition of the peptides. Several antimicrobial peptides were comprehensively investigated in the last three decades and some molecules with remarkable antimicrobial properties have reached the third phase of clinical studies. Next to the peptides themselves, numerous organisms were examined and analyzed regarding their repertoire of antimicrobial peptides revealing a huge number of candidates with potencies and properties for future medical applications. One of these organisms is the horse, which possesses numerous peptides that are interesting candidates for therapeutical applications in veterinary medicine. Here we summarize investigations and knowledge on equine antimicrobial peptides, point to interesting candidates, and discuss prospects for therapeutical applications. PMID:21888650

Voices from School and Home: Arkansas Parents and Students Talk about Preparing for the World of Work and the Potential for Youth Apprenticeship. A Report on Focus Group Discussions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jobs for the Future, Inc., West Somerville, MA.

This report summarizes several group discussions with parents of high school students, high school students, and nursing students regarding the world of work and the advantages and disadvantages of a youth apprenticeship program. Section I is an executive summary that describes the methodology, summarizes key attitudes toward youth apprenticeships…

Externally blown flap noise research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsch, R. G.

1974-01-01

The Lewis Research Center cold-flow model externally blown flap (EBF) noise research test program is summarized. Both engine under-the-wing and over-the-wing EBF wing section configurations were studied. Ten large scale and nineteen small scale EBF models were tested. A limited number of forward airspeed effect and flap noise suppression tests were also run. The key results and conclusions drawn from the flap noise tests are summarized and discussed.

Modeling hard clinical end-point data in economic analyses.

PubMed

Kansal, Anuraag R; Zheng, Ying; Palencia, Roberto; Ruffolo, Antonio; Hass, Bastian; Sorensen, Sonja V

2013-11-01

The availability of hard clinical end-point data, such as that on cardiovascular (CV) events among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, is increasing, and as a result there is growing interest in using hard end-point data of this type in economic analyses. This study investigated published approaches for modeling hard end-points from clinical trials and evaluated their applicability in health economic models with different disease features. A review of cost-effectiveness models of interventions in clinically significant therapeutic areas (CV diseases, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory diseases) was conducted in PubMed and Embase using a defined search strategy. Only studies integrating hard end-point data from randomized clinical trials were considered. For each study included, clinical input characteristics and modeling approach were summarized and evaluated. A total of 33 articles (23 CV, eight cancer, two respiratory) were accepted for detailed analysis. Decision trees, Markov models, discrete event simulations, and hybrids were used. Event rates were incorporated either as constant rates, time-dependent risks, or risk equations based on patient characteristics. Risks dependent on time and/or patient characteristics were used where major event rates were >1%/year in models with fewer health states (<7). Models of infrequent events or with numerous health states generally preferred constant event rates. The detailed modeling information and terminology varied, sometimes requiring interpretation. Key considerations for cost-effectiveness models incorporating hard end-point data include the frequency and characteristics of the relevant clinical events and how the trial data is reported. When event risk is low, simplification of both the model structure and event rate modeling is recommended. When event risk is common, such as in high risk populations, more detailed modeling approaches, including individual simulations or explicitly time-dependent event rates, are more appropriate to accurately reflect the trial data.

Research on Methods of High Coherent Target Extraction in Urban Area Based on Psinsar Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, N.; Wu, J.

2018-04-01

PSInSAR technology has been widely applied in ground deformation monitoring. Accurate identification of Persistent Scatterers (PS) is key to the success of PSInSAR data processing. In this paper, the theoretic models and specific algorithms of PS point extraction methods are summarized and the characteristics and applicable conditions of each method, such as Coherence Coefficient Threshold method, Amplitude Threshold method, Dispersion of Amplitude method, Dispersion of Intensity method, are analyzed. Based on the merits and demerits of different methods, an improved method for PS point extraction in urban area is proposed, that uses simultaneously backscattering characteristic, amplitude and phase stability to find PS point in all pixels. Shanghai city is chosen as an example area for checking the improvements of the new method. The results show that the PS points extracted by the new method have high quality, high stability and meet the strong scattering characteristics. Based on these high quality PS points, the deformation rate along the line-of-sight (LOS) in the central urban area of Shanghai is obtained by using 35 COSMO-SkyMed X-band SAR images acquired from 2008 to 2010 and it varies from -14.6 mm/year to 4.9 mm/year. There is a large sedimentation funnel in the cross boundary of Hongkou and Yangpu district with a maximum sedimentation rate of more than 14 mm per year. The obtained ground subsidence rates are also compared with the result of spirit leveling and show good consistent. Our new method for PS point extraction is more reasonable, and can improve the accuracy of the obtained deformation results.

Campground users... a computerized method for summarizing where they come from and how long they stay

Treesearch

Gary H. Elsner

1971-01-01

A computerized method for gathering market area information from campground permits has been developed. Point-of-origin and length-of-stay of campground users can be estimated and summarized quickly and inexpensively. The method should be equally useful for public as well as private campgrounds-provided basic registration data are available and can be processed...

A Reading Theorist's World View through the Lens of Terrence Malick: The "Poem" Created from Transacting "the Tree of Life" Trailer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malich, John; Kehus, Marcella J.

2012-01-01

In our essay we discuss Louise Rosenblatt's transactional theory of a reading event. Second, we summarize Carole Cox and Joyce Many who applied the transactional theory and designed a 1-5 point continuum to stories and films. Third, we summarize film theorists David Bordwell's constructivism; Richard Wollheim's central imagining and…

Toolbox for Renewable Energy Project Development

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Toolbox for Renewable Energy Project Development summarizes key project development issues, addresses how to overcome major hurdles, and provides a curated directory of project development resources.

Scalable gastroscopic video summarization via similar-inhibition dictionary selection.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Cong, Yang; Cao, Jun; Yang, Yunsheng; Tang, Yandong; Zhao, Huaici; Yu, Haibin

2016-01-01

This paper aims at developing an automated gastroscopic video summarization algorithm to assist clinicians to more effectively go through the abnormal contents of the video. To select the most representative frames from the original video sequence, we formulate the problem of gastroscopic video summarization as a dictionary selection issue. Different from the traditional dictionary selection methods, which take into account only the number and reconstruction ability of selected key frames, our model introduces the similar-inhibition constraint to reinforce the diversity of selected key frames. We calculate the attention cost by merging both gaze and content change into a prior cue to help select the frames with more high-level semantic information. Moreover, we adopt an image quality evaluation process to eliminate the interference of the poor quality images and a segmentation process to reduce the computational complexity. For experiments, we build a new gastroscopic video dataset captured from 30 volunteers with more than 400k images and compare our method with the state-of-the-arts using the content consistency, index consistency and content-index consistency with the ground truth. Compared with all competitors, our method obtains the best results in 23 of 30 videos evaluated based on content consistency, 24 of 30 videos evaluated based on index consistency and all videos evaluated based on content-index consistency. For gastroscopic video summarization, we propose an automated annotation method via similar-inhibition dictionary selection. Our model can achieve better performance compared with other state-of-the-art models and supplies more suitable key frames for diagnosis. The developed algorithm can be automatically adapted to various real applications, such as the training of young clinicians, computer-aided diagnosis or medical report generation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implementation science approaches for integrating eHealth research into practice and policy.

PubMed

Glasgow, Russell E; Phillips, Siobhan M; Sanchez, Michael A

2014-07-01

To summarize key issues in the eHealth field from an implementation science perspective and to highlight illustrative processes, examples and key directions to help more rapidly integrate research, policy and practice. We present background on implementation science models and emerging principles; discuss implications for eHealth research; provide examples of practical designs, measures and exemplar studies that address key implementation science issues; and make recommendations for ways to more rapidly develop and test eHealth interventions as well as future research, policy and practice. The pace of eHealth research has generally not kept up with technological advances, and many of our designs, methods and funding mechanisms are incapable of providing the types of rapid and relevant information needed. Although there has been substantial eHealth research conducted with positive short-term results, several key implementation and dissemination issues such as representativeness, cost, unintended consequences, impact on health inequities, and sustainability have not been addressed or reported. Examples of studies in several of these areas are summarized to demonstrate this is possible. eHealth research that is intended to translate into policy and practice should be more contextual, report more on setting factors, employ more responsive and pragmatic designs and report results more transparently on issues important to potential adopting patients, clinicians and organizational decision makers. We outline an alternative development and assessment model, summarize implementation science findings that can help focus attention, and call for different types of more rapid and relevant research and funding mechanisms. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Co-creation of market expansion in point-of-care testing in the United States: Industry leadership perspectives on the community pharmacy segment.

PubMed

Hohmeier, Kenneth C; McDonough, Sharon L K; Wang, Junling

Point-of-care testing (POCT) is a specialty of laboratory medicine that occurs at the bedside or near the patient when receiving health services. Despite its established clinical utility and consumer demand in the community pharmacy, the implementation of POCT within this setting has remained modest for a variety of reasons. One possible solution to this problem is the concept of co-creation - the partnership between consumer and manufacturer in the development of value for a service or device. Using the theoretical underpinning of co-creation, this study aimed to investigate perceptions of point-of-care-testing (POCT) industry leadership on the community pharmacy market in the United States to uncover reasons for limited implementation within community pharmacies. Participants were recruited for this study through the use of snowball sampling. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants via telephone. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and entered into a qualitative analysis software program to summarize the data. Five key themes were uncovered: gaps in understanding, areas of positive impact, barriers to implementation, facilitators of implementation, and community pharmacy - a potential major player. Through uncovering gaps in perceptions, it may be possible to leverage the U.S. pharmacy industry's size, potential for scalability, and ease of patient access to further patient care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Model-Based Engineering Design for Trade Space Exploration throughout the Design Cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamassoure, Elisabeth S.; Wall, Stephen D.; Easter, Robert W.

2004-01-01

This paper presents ongoing work to standardize model-based system engineering as a complement to point design development in the conceptual design phase of deep space missions. It summarizes two first steps towards practical application of this capability within the framework of concurrent engineering design teams and their customers. The first step is standard generation of system sensitivities models as the output of concurrent engineering design sessions, representing the local trade space around a point design. A review of the chosen model development process, and the results of three case study examples, demonstrate that a simple update to the concurrent engineering design process can easily capture sensitivities to key requirements. It can serve as a valuable tool to analyze design drivers and uncover breakpoints in the design. The second step is development of rough-order- of-magnitude, broad-range-of-validity design models for rapid exploration of the trade space, before selection of a point design. At least one case study demonstrated the feasibility to generate such models in a concurrent engineering session. The experiment indicated that such a capability could yield valid system-level conclusions for a trade space composed of understood elements. Ongoing efforts are assessing the practicality of developing end-to-end system-level design models for use before even convening the first concurrent engineering session, starting with modeling an end-to-end Mars architecture.

Software wizards to adjust keyboard and mouse settings for people with physical impairments

PubMed Central

Koester, Heidi; Simpson, Richard; Mankowski, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Context/objective This study describes research behind two software wizards that help users with physical impairments adjust their keyboard and mouse settings to meet their specific needs. The Keyboard Wizard and Pointing Wizard programs help ensure that keyboard and pointing devices are properly configured for an individual, and reconfigured as the user's needs change. We summarize four effectiveness studies and six usability studies. Methods Studies involved participants whose physical impairments affect their ability to use a keyboard and mouse. Effectiveness studies used an A-B-A design, with condition A using default Windows settings and condition B using wizard-recommended settings. Primary data were performance metrics for text entry and target acquisition. Usability studies asked participants to run through each wizard, with no outside guidance. Primary data were completion time, errors made, and user feedback. Results The wizards were effective at recommending new settings for users who needed them and not recommending them for users who did not. Sensitivity for StickyKeys, pointer speed, and object size algorithms was 100%. Specificity for StickyKeys and pointer speed was over 80%, and 50% for object size. For those who needed settings changes, the recommendations improved performance, with speed increases ranging from 9 to 59%. Accuracy improved significantly with the wizard recommendations, eliminating up to 100% of errors. Users ran through the current wizard software in less than 6 minutes. Ease-of-use rating averaged over 4.5 on a scale of 1 to 5. Conclusion The wizards are a simple yet effective way of adjusting Windows to accommodate physical impairments. PMID:23820146

Young child poverty in the United States: Analyzing trends in poverty and the role of anti-poverty programs using the Supplemental Poverty Measure.

PubMed

Pac, Jessica; Nam, JaeHyun; Waldfogel, Jane; Wimer, Christopher

2017-03-01

Between 1968 and 2013, the poverty rate of young children age 0 to 5 years fell by nearly one third, in large part because of the role played by anti-poverty programs. However, young children in the U.S. still face a much higher rate of poverty than do older children in the U.S. They also continue to have a much higher poverty rate than do young children in other developed countries around the world. In this paper, we provide a detailed analysis of trends in poverty and the role of anti-poverty programs in addressing poverty among young children, using an improved measure of poverty, the Supplemental Poverty Measure. We examine changes over time and the current status, both for young children overall and for key subgroups (by child age, and by child race/ethnicity). Our findings can be summarized in three key points. First, poverty among all young children age 0-5 years has fallen since the beginning of our time series; but absent the safety net, today's poverty rate among young children would be identical to or higher than it was in 1968. Second, the safety net plays an increasing role in reducing the poverty of young children, especially among Black non-Hispanic children, whose poverty rate would otherwise be 20.8 percentage points higher in 2013. Third, the composition of support has changed from virtually all cash transfers in 1968, to about one third each of cash, credit and in-kind transfers today.

Young child poverty in the United States: Analyzing trends in poverty and the role of anti-poverty programs using the Supplemental Poverty Measure

PubMed Central

Pac, Jessica; Nam, JaeHyun; Waldfogel, Jane; Wimer, Christopher

2017-01-01

Between 1968 and 2013, the poverty rate of young children age 0 to 5 years fell by nearly one third, in large part because of the role played by anti-poverty programs. However, young children in the U.S. still face a much higher rate of poverty than do older children in the U.S. They also continue to have a much higher poverty rate than do young children in other developed countries around the world. In this paper, we provide a detailed analysis of trends in poverty and the role of anti-poverty programs in addressing poverty among young children, using an improved measure of poverty, the Supplemental Poverty Measure. We examine changes over time and the current status, both for young children overall and for key subgroups (by child age, and by child race/ethnicity). Our findings can be summarized in three key points. First, poverty among all young children age 0–5 years has fallen since the beginning of our time series; but absent the safety net, today’s poverty rate among young children would be identical to or higher than it was in 1968. Second, the safety net plays an increasing role in reducing the poverty of young children, especially among Black non-Hispanic children, whose poverty rate would otherwise be 20.8 percentage points higher in 2013. Third, the composition of support has changed from virtually all cash transfers in 1968, to about one third each of cash, credit and in-kind transfers today. PMID:28659652

Uncertainty and Variability in Physiologically-Based ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Uncertainty and Variability in Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Models: Key Issues and Case Studies. This report summarizes some of the recent progress in characterizing uncertainty and variability in physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models and their predictions for use in risk assessment. This report summarizes some of the recent progress in characterizing uncertainty and variability in physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models and their predictions for use in risk assessment.

Trends in Learning Outcomes Assessment. Key Findings from a Survey among Administrators at AAC&U Member Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2016

2016-01-01

This 2016 report summarizes key findings from a national survey among chief academic officers at Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) member institutions and explores trends in learning outcomes and approaches to assessing them. It documents that many in higher education are moving away from standardized tests and…

Training: Who Needs It? Research Report 1995. Key Issues for Providers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hotel and Catering Training Co., London (England).

Aimed at all those involved in the supply of training and vocational education for the hospitality industry, this report summarizes findings of the research report, "Training Who Needs It?" It draws out and explores in more detail key issues relating to the provision of training, support, and related initiatives for the industry. Section…

Japan-Specific Key Regulatory Aspects for Development of New Biopharmaceutical Drug Products.

PubMed

Desai, Kashappa Goud; Obayashi, Hirokazu; Colandene, James D; Nesta, Douglas P

2018-03-28

Japan represents the third largest pharmaceutical market in the world. Developing a new biopharmaceutical drug product for the Japanese market is a top business priority for global pharmaceutical companies while aligning with ethical drivers to treat more patients in need. Understanding Japan-specific key regulatory requirements is essential to achieve successful approvals. Understanding the full context of Japan-specific regulatory requirements/expectations is challenging to global pharmaceutical companies due to differences in language and culture. This article summarizes key Japan-specific regulatory aspects/requirements/expectations applicable to new drug development, approval, and postapproval phases. Formulation excipients should meet Japan compendial requirements with respect to the type of excipient, excipient grade, and excipient concentration. Preclinical safety assessments needed to support clinical phases I, II, and III development are summarized. Japanese regulatory authorities have taken appropriate steps to consider foreign clinical data, thereby enabling accelerated drug development and approval in Japan. Other important topics summarized in this article include: Japan new drug application-specific bracketing strategies for critical and noncritical aspects of the manufacturing process, regulatory requirements related to stability studies, release specifications and testing methods, standard processes involved in pre and postapproval inspections, management of postapproval changes, and Japan regulatory authority's consultation services available to global pharmaceutical companies. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Academic Primer Series: Five Key Papers about Study Designs in Medical Education.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Michael; Chan, Teresa M; Fredette, Jenna; Messman, Anne; Robinson, Daniel W; Cooney, Robert; Boysen-Osborn, Megan; Sherbino, Jonathan

2017-06-01

A proper understanding of study design is essential to creating successful studies. This is also important when reading or peer reviewing publications. In this article, we aimed to identify and summarize key papers that would be helpful for faculty members interested in learning more about study design in medical education research. The online discussions of the 2016-2017 Academic Life in Emergency Medicine Faculty Incubator program included a robust and vigorous discussion about education study design, which highlighted a number of papers on that topic. We augmented this list of papers with further suggestions by expert mentors. Via this process, we created a list of 29 papers in total on the topic of medical education study design. After gathering these papers, our authorship group engaged in a modified Delphi approach to build consensus on the papers that were most valuable for the understanding of proper study design in medical education. We selected the top five most highly rated papers on the topic domain of study design as determined by our study group. We subsequently summarized these papers with respect to their relevance to junior faculty members and to faculty developers. This article summarizes five key papers addressing study design in medical education with discussions and applications for junior faculty members and faculty developers. These papers provide a basis upon which junior faculty members might build for developing and analyzing studies.

New Aqueous Binders for Lithium-ion Batteries

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

Jansen, Andrew N.; Krumdick, Gregory K.; Trask, Stephen E.

2016-12-22

This final report summarizes the research effort of the CRADA between PPG Industries and Argonne National Laboratory (CRADA # C1400501 and Amendment 1 - ACK 85C11, Rev. 1), and completes the requirements of Task #5 in the CRADA. The results from Argonne represent a combined effort between the MERF and CAMP Facility (Materials Engineering Research Facility and the Cell Analysis, Modeling and Prototyping Facility). The key points of this report can be briefly summarized as: The multicomponent aqueous binder for NCM cathodes developed by PPG shows promising results when used on the CAMP Facility’s pilot-scale coater; NCM523 cathode electrodes exposedmore » to water exhibit a voltage anomaly in the first two formation cycles that appears to have little effect on the material capacity, but needs to be explored further; the experimental LFP electrode produced by PPG does cycle electrochemically, but with reduced capacity and an uncharacteristic voltage profile; there is no obvious correlation between the pH and zeta-potential of materials that are commonly used in the lithium-ion battery; lithium ions are more readily dissolved out of NCM523 by water than the transition metals (by two orders of magnitude), and suggests that the plating bath may need to be spiked with a lithium salt; the approach of creating sub-micron size NCM523 particles via ball milling results in a cathode material with poor electrochemical performance.« less

Fast, axis-agnostic, dynamically summarized storage and retrieval for mass spectrometry data.

PubMed

Handy, Kyle; Rosen, Jebediah; Gillan, André; Smith, Rob

2017-01-01

Mass spectrometry, a popular technique for elucidating the molecular contents of experimental samples, creates data sets comprised of millions of three-dimensional (m/z, retention time, intensity) data points that correspond to the types and quantities of analyzed molecules. Open and commercial MS data formats are arranged by retention time, creating latency when accessing data across multiple m/z. Existing MS storage and retrieval methods have been developed to overcome the limitations of retention time-based data formats, but do not provide certain features such as dynamic summarization and storage and retrieval of point meta-data (such as signal cluster membership), precluding efficient viewing applications and certain data-processing approaches. This manuscript describes MzTree, a spatial database designed to provide real-time storage and retrieval of dynamically summarized standard and augmented MS data with fast performance in both m/z and RT directions. Performance is reported on real data with comparisons against related published retrieval systems.

UTBB FDSOI: Evolution and opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monfray, Stephane; Skotnicki, Thomas

2016-11-01

As today's 28 nm FDSOI (Fully Depleted Silicon On Insulator) technology is at the industrialization level, this paper aims to summarize the key advantages allowed by the thin BOX (Buried Oxide) of the FDSOI, through the technology evolution but also new opportunities, among logic applications and extending the possibilities offered by the platform. We will summarize how the advantages provided by the thin BOX have been first explored and developed, and how the back biasing techniques are the key to the outstanding performances provided by the FDSOI at low voltage. Then, as the FDSOI technology is also a solution to develop innovative platforms and applications, we will detail some opportunities. In particular, we will present monolithic 3D integration, ultra-low power devices for IoT (Internet of Things) and ultra-sensitive sensors.

Demonstration of free-space optical communication for long-range data links between balloons on Project Loon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moision, Bruce; Erkmen, Baris; Keyes, Edward; Belt, Todd; Bowen, Oliver; Brinkley, Devin; Csonka, Paul; Eglington, Michael; Kazmierski, Andrei; Kim, Nam-hyong; Moody, John; Tu, Thanh; Vermeer, William

2017-02-01

Internet connectivity is limited and in some cases non-existent for a significant part of the world's population. Project Loon aims to address this with a network of high-altitude balloons traveling in the stratosphere, at an altitude of approximately 20 km. The balloons navigate by using the stratified wind layers at different altitudes, adjusting the balloon's altitude to catch winds in a desired direction. Data transfer is achieved by 1) uplinking a signal from an Internet-connected ground station to a balloon terminal, 2) crosslinking the signal through the balloon network to reach the geographic area of the users, and 3) downlinking the signal directly to the end-users' phones or other LTE-enabled devices. We describe Loon's progress on utilizing free-space optical communications (FSOC) for the inter-balloon crosslinks. FSOC, offering high data rates and long communication ranges, is well-suited for communication between high-altitude platforms. A stratospheric link is sufficiently high to be above weather events (clouds, fog, rain, etc.), and the impact of atmospheric turbulence is significantly weaker than at ground level. In addition, being in the stratosphere as opposed to space helps avoid the typical challenges faced by space-based systems, namely operation in a vacuum environment with significant radiation. Finally, the angular pointing disturbances introduced by a floating balloon-based platform are notably less than any propelled platform, which simplifies the disturbance rejection requirements on the FSOC system. We summarize results from Project Loon's early-phase experimental inter-balloon links at 20 km altitude, demonstrating full duplex 130 Mbps throughput at distances in excess of 100 km over the course of several-day flights. The terminals utilize a monostatic design, with dual wavelengths for communication and a dedicated wide-angle beacon for pointing, acquisition, and tracking. We summarize the constraints on the terminal design, and the key design trades that led to our initial system. We illustrate measured performance during flight tests: received signal power variations with range, pointing system performance, and data throughput.

Treatment of District Energy CHP Outputs in LEED® for Building Design and Construction: New Construction and Major Renovations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet summarizes how buildings connected to a CHP- equipped district energy system can earn more LEED® points than they could otherwise earn. It presents guidance for meeting the LEED® Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite and calculating point

A fast image matching algorithm based on key points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huilin; Wang, Ying; An, Ru; Yan, Peng

2014-05-01

Image matching is a very important technique in image processing. It has been widely used for object recognition and tracking, image retrieval, three-dimensional vision, change detection, aircraft position estimation, and multi-image registration. Based on the requirements of matching algorithm for craft navigation, such as speed, accuracy and adaptability, a fast key point image matching method is investigated and developed. The main research tasks includes: (1) Developing an improved celerity key point detection approach using self-adapting threshold of Features from Accelerated Segment Test (FAST). A method of calculating self-adapting threshold was introduced for images with different contrast. Hessian matrix was adopted to eliminate insecure edge points in order to obtain key points with higher stability. This approach in detecting key points has characteristics of small amount of computation, high positioning accuracy and strong anti-noise ability; (2) PCA-SIFT is utilized to describe key point. 128 dimensional vector are formed based on the SIFT method for the key points extracted. A low dimensional feature space was established by eigenvectors of all the key points, and each eigenvector was projected onto the feature space to form a low dimensional eigenvector. These key points were re-described by dimension-reduced eigenvectors. After reducing the dimension by the PCA, the descriptor was reduced to 20 dimensions from the original 128. This method can reduce dimensions of searching approximately near neighbors thereby increasing overall speed; (3) Distance ratio between the nearest neighbour and second nearest neighbour searching is regarded as the measurement criterion for initial matching points from which the original point pairs matched are obtained. Based on the analysis of the common methods (e.g. RANSAC (random sample consensus) and Hough transform cluster) used for elimination false matching point pairs, a heuristic local geometric restriction strategy is adopted to discard false matched point pairs further; and (4) Affine transformation model is introduced to correct coordinate difference between real-time image and reference image. This resulted in the matching of the two images. SPOT5 Remote sensing images captured at different date and airborne images captured with different flight attitude were used to test the performance of the method from matching accuracy, operation time and ability to overcome rotation. Results show the effectiveness of the approach.

Towards data-driven decision-making for sustainable diets in Vietnam: Identifying priority indicators through stakeholder engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayton, H.; Beal, T.; Rubin, J.; Sanchez, A.; Heller, M.; Hoey, L.; Khoury, C. K.; Jones, A.

2017-12-01

Globally, food systems impact and are impacted by the sustainability of environmental, societal, political, and public health factors. At the center of these systems are human diets, which vary substantially by culture and region, and have significant influence on human health, community livelihoods, climate change, and natural resources. However, rapidly growing and highly diverse lower middle-income countries like Vietnam face challenges in gathering data and defining clear policy intervention points and approaches that will provide a net-positive systemic influence across sectors. A new collaboration, Entry points to Advance Transitions towards Sustainable diets (EATS), between the University of Michigan and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) aims to identify ways that existing data and insights into the policy process can be leveraged to inform decision-making on where and how to intervene to effectively shift multiple axes of food systems to enhance the sustainability of diets. As a first step towards developing a model that other policy communities could follow, researchers aggregated and characterized approximately 50 major existing datasets on food, agriculture, and nutrition in Vietnam. They also created a conceptual framework for evaluating the sustainability of diets and for characterizing existing datasets, including eight domains and over 200 unique, measurable indicators. Figure 1 summarizes these domains and their key relationships, which forms a foundation for identifying leverage points that can positively impact multiple aspects of sustainable diets. Researchers then engaged food system stakeholders through informal interviews, surveys, and collaborative workshops to prioritize indicators and identify additional relevant data sources. Stakeholders included national government, research, NGO, and private sector representatives from across the range of identified domains. The key indicators identified by stakeholders will ultimately be used to create food system data profiles for policymakers, in order to enable more evidence-based decision-making to advance transitions toward sustainable diets.

Power beaming research at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rather, John D. G.

1992-01-01

NASA's current research activities to evaluate laser power beaming systems are summarized with regard to their applications of greatest interest. Key technical certainties and uncertainties pertaining to laser power beaming systems appropriate for space applications are quantified. A path of development is presented that includes maturation of key technology components for reliable laser and millimeter wave power beaming systems during the 1990s.

Reflections of Girls in the Media: A Two-Part Study on Gender and Media. Summary of Key Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1997

This pamphlet summarizes the key findings of a two-part study that investigated the messages that young women (age 10 to 17) get from the media. A content analysis examined messages to girls across a range of media most heavily used by adolescent girls: television, movies, magazines, music videos, television commercials, and magazine…

Registration algorithm of point clouds based on multiscale normal features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Jun; Peng, Zhongtao; Su, Hang; Xia, GuiHua

2015-01-01

The point cloud registration technology for obtaining a three-dimensional digital model is widely applied in many areas. To improve the accuracy and speed of point cloud registration, a registration method based on multiscale normal vectors is proposed. The proposed registration method mainly includes three parts: the selection of key points, the calculation of feature descriptors, and the determining and optimization of correspondences. First, key points are selected from the point cloud based on the changes of magnitude of multiscale curvatures obtained by using principal components analysis. Then the feature descriptor of each key point is proposed, which consists of 21 elements based on multiscale normal vectors and curvatures. The correspondences in a pair of two point clouds are determined according to the descriptor's similarity of key points in the source point cloud and target point cloud. Correspondences are optimized by using a random sampling consistency algorithm and clustering technology. Finally, singular value decomposition is applied to optimized correspondences so that the rigid transformation matrix between two point clouds is obtained. Experimental results show that the proposed point cloud registration algorithm has a faster calculation speed, higher registration accuracy, and better antinoise performance.

Negotiating Boundaries through Flexibility, Capacity, and Agility in Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nanton, Carmela R.

2016-01-01

This chapter summarizes key convergent, divergent, and transforming forces of adult education. Super-flexibility is proposed as a postmodern strategy for effective, sustainable negotiated existence in global dynamic contexts.

Abstracts of State Legislated Hospital Cost-Containment Programs

PubMed Central

Esposito, Alfonso; Hupfer, Michael; Mason, Cynthia; Rogler, Diane

1982-01-01

This report summarizes State legislated efforts to control rising hospital costs and the status of these efforts in May 1982. The abstract for each of 17 State programs summarizes key legislative features and operating aspects. The States included in this report are: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The abstracts focus on programs requiring the disclosure, review, or legislation of hospital rates and budgets. PMID:10309910

A Study of Trends in the Demand for Information Transfer. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hough, R. W.; And Others

The scope of the research reported here is summarized as follows: (1) consider items of information that could conceivably be transmitted electrically or electronically, (2) concentrate on domestic U.S. rather than international traffic, (3) concentrate on point-to-point service, (4) consider data collection and broadcasting services only as they…

Reassessing the Status of Black English (Review Article).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spears, Arthur K.

1992-01-01

Summarizes the main points presented in the 1989 book, "The Death of Black English" by R.R. Butlers (1989). Butler's book presents most important research of last 20 years and subjects the results to variation analysis. It is concluded that the history of linguistic assimilation points to the eventual disappearance of Black English in…

Twenty years after International Conference on Population and Development: where are we with adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights?

PubMed

Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman; Svanemyr, Joar; Amin, Avni; Fogstad, Helga; Say, Lale; Girard, Françoise; Temmerman, Marleen

2015-01-01

The International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994 laid out a bold, clear, and comprehensive definition of reproductive health and called for nations to meet the educational and service needs of adolescents to enable them to deal in a positive and responsible way with their sexuality. In the context of the ongoing review of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and the considerations for a post-2015 development agenda, this article summarizes the findings of the articles presented in this volume and identifies key challenges and critical answers that need to be tackled in addressing adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. The key recommendations are to link the provision of sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services; build awareness, acceptance, and support for youth-friendly SRH education and services; address gender inequality in terms of beliefs, attitudes, and norms; and target the early adolescent period (10-14 years). The many knowledge gaps, however, point to the pressing need for further research on how to best design effective adolescent SRH intervention packages and how best to deliver them. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Putting the Assessment into Practice: Applications of Climate and Health Data and Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balbus, J. M.; Morris, J.; Luber, G.

2016-12-01

The USGCRP Climate and Health Assessment represents the most up to date synthesis of the scientific literature on the health impacts of climate change in the United States. One of its key messages is that climate change is already affecting the health of people in the United States and around the world, and these impacts are likely to become more extensive over time. Another key message is that all Americans have some degree of vulnerability to the health impacts of climate change at some point in their lives. Conclusions as significant as those call for measures to translate current knowledge into specific actions to protect populations and enhance resilience to the health impacts of climate change. This presentation will summarize efforts underway across the federal government to apply research results and climate and health data to enhancing the resilience of populations. These efforts include the development of early warning systems and other applications of predictive models of weather and climate-related health hazards; partnerships with health professional societies to help translate the assessment's findings into specific recommendations for health professionals; and the development of educational materials to help enhance the resilience of students and their families by enhancing their understanding of the connections between climate, climate change and health.

CPSF30 at the Interface of Alternative Polyadenylation and Cellular Signaling in Plants

PubMed Central

Chakrabarti, Manohar; Hunt, Arthur G.

2015-01-01

Post-transcriptional processing, involving cleavage of precursor messenger RNA (pre mRNA), and further incorporation of poly(A) tail to the 3' end is a key step in the expression of genetic information. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) serves as an important check point for the regulation of gene expression. Recent studies have shown widespread prevalence of APA in diverse systems. A considerable amount of research has been done in characterizing different subunits of so-called Cleavage and Polyadenylation Specificity Factor (CPSF). In plants, CPSF30, an ortholog of the 30 kD subunit of mammalian CPSF is a key polyadenylation factor. CPSF30 in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana was reported to possess unique biochemical properties. It was also demonstrated that poly(A) site choice in a vast majority of genes in Arabidopsis are CPSF30 dependent, suggesting a pivotal role of this gene in APA and subsequent regulation of gene expression. There are also indications of this gene being involved in oxidative stress and defense responses and in cellular signaling, suggesting a role of CPSF30 in connecting physiological processes and APA. This review will summarize the biochemical features of CPSF30, its role in regulating APA, and possible links with cellular signaling and stress response modules. PMID:26061761

The Future of Transportation: Safety, Opportunity, and Innovation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-30

This report summarizes key findings from the Future of Transportation: Safety, Opportunity, and Innovation thought leadership speaker series held at Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center, during the summer and fall of 2016.

NPS national transit inventory, 2013

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-31

This document summarizes key highlights from the National Park Service (NPS) 2013 National Transit Inventory, and presents data for NPS transit systems system-wide. The document discusses statistics related to ridership, business models, fleet charac...

Rethinking Social Justice and Adult Education for Welcoming, Inclusive Communities: Synthesis of Themes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Elizabeth; Baillie Abidi, Catherine

2015-01-01

This chapter summarizes the key themes across the articles on transnational migration, social inclusion, and adult education, using Nancy Fraser's framework of redistributive, recognitive, and representational justice.

EnergySmart Schools National Financing Roundtable II - Key Outcomes

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

None

2009-12-01

This document summarizes the discussion at the Financing Roundtable. It provides an overview of the financing opportunities, challenges, and activities involved in achieving high performance schools, as identified by the participants.

41 CFR Appendix A to Subpart D of... - 3-Key Points and Principles

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Principles A Appendix A to Subpart D of Part 102 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... Subpart D of Part 102-3—Key Points and Principles This appendix provides additional guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions and identifies key points and principles that may be applied...

41 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - 3-Key Points and Principles

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Principles A Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 102 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... 102-3—Key Points and Principles This appendix provides additional guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions and identifies key points and principles that may be applied to situations not...

Comparability: manufacturing, characterization and controls, report of a UK Regenerative Medicine Platform Pluripotent Stem Cell Platform Workshop, Trinity Hall, Cambridge, 14–15 September 2015

PubMed Central

Williams, David J; Archer, Richard; Archibald, Peter; Bantounas, Ioannis; Baptista, Ricardo; Barker, Roger; Barry, Jacqueline; Bietrix, Florence; Blair, Nicholas; Braybrook, Julian; Campbell, Jonathan; Canham, Maurice; Chandra, Amit; Foldes, Gabor; Gilmanshin, Rudy; Girard, Mathilde; Gorjup, Erwin; Hewitt, Zöe; Hourd, Paul; Hyllner, Johan; Jesson, Helen; Kee, Jasmin; Kerby, Julie; Kotsopoulou, Nina; Kowalski, Stanley; Leidel, Chris; Marshall, Damian; Masi, Louis; McCall, Mark; McCann, Conor; Medcalf, Nicholas; Moore, Harry; Ozawa, Hiroki; Pan, David; Parmar, Malin; Plant, Anne L; Reinwald, Yvonne; Sebastian, Sujith; Stacey, Glyn; Thomas, Robert J; Thomas, Dave; Thurman-Newell, Jamie; Turner, Marc; Vitillo, Loriana; Wall, Ivan; Wilson, Alison; Wolfrum, Jacqueline; Yang, Ying; Zimmerman, Heiko

2016-01-01

This paper summarizes the proceedings of a workshop held at Trinity Hall, Cambridge to discuss comparability and includes additional information and references to related information added subsequently to the workshop. Comparability is the need to demonstrate equivalence of product after a process change; a recent publication states that this ‘may be difficult for cell-based medicinal products’. Therefore a well-managed change process is required which needs access to good science and regulatory advice and developers are encouraged to seek help early. The workshop shared current thinking and best practice and allowed the definition of key research questions. The intent of this report is to summarize the key issues and the consensus reached on each of these by the expert delegates. PMID:27404768

Comparability: manufacturing, characterization and controls, report of a UK Regenerative Medicine Platform Pluripotent Stem Cell Platform Workshop, Trinity Hall, Cambridge, 14-15 September 2015.

PubMed

Williams, David J; Archer, Richard; Archibald, Peter; Bantounas, Ioannis; Baptista, Ricardo; Barker, Roger; Barry, Jacqueline; Bietrix, Florence; Blair, Nicholas; Braybrook, Julian; Campbell, Jonathan; Canham, Maurice; Chandra, Amit; Foldes, Gabor; Gilmanshin, Rudy; Girard, Mathilde; Gorjup, Erwin; Hewitt, Zöe; Hourd, Paul; Hyllner, Johan; Jesson, Helen; Kee, Jasmin; Kerby, Julie; Kotsopoulou, Nina; Kowalski, Stanley; Leidel, Chris; Marshall, Damian; Masi, Louis; McCall, Mark; McCann, Conor; Medcalf, Nicholas; Moore, Harry; Ozawa, Hiroki; Pan, David; Parmar, Malin; Plant, Anne L; Reinwald, Yvonne; Sebastian, Sujith; Stacey, Glyn; Thomas, Robert J; Thomas, Dave; Thurman-Newell, Jamie; Turner, Marc; Vitillo, Loriana; Wall, Ivan; Wilson, Alison; Wolfrum, Jacqueline; Yang, Ying; Zimmerman, Heiko

2016-07-01

This paper summarizes the proceedings of a workshop held at Trinity Hall, Cambridge to discuss comparability and includes additional information and references to related information added subsequently to the workshop. Comparability is the need to demonstrate equivalence of product after a process change; a recent publication states that this 'may be difficult for cell-based medicinal products'. Therefore a well-managed change process is required which needs access to good science and regulatory advice and developers are encouraged to seek help early. The workshop shared current thinking and best practice and allowed the definition of key research questions. The intent of this report is to summarize the key issues and the consensus reached on each of these by the expert delegates.

Recent Trends in General Education Design, Learning Outcomes, and Teaching Approaches. Key Findings from a Survey among Administrators at AAC&U Member Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2016

2016-01-01

This report summarizes key findings from a national survey among chief academic officers at Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) member institutions and explores how institutions are defining common learning outcomes, trends related to general education design and the use of emerging, evidence-based teach­ing and learning…

Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center (CEMAC) 2015 Research Highlights

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

Woodhouse, Michael; Mone, Christopher; Chung, Donald

2016-03-01

CEMAC has conducted four major studies on the manufacturing of clean energy technologies. Three of these focused on the end product: solar photovoltaic modules, wind turbines, and automotive lithium-ion batteries. The fourth area focused on a key material for manufacturing clean energy technologies, carbon fiber. This booklet summarizes key findings of CEMAC work to date, describes CEMAC's research methodology, and describes work to come.

Urban School Systems and Education Reform: Key Lessons From a Case Study of Large Urban School Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snipes, Jason C.; Casserly, Michael D.

2004-01-01

Foundations for Success, a study conducted by MDRC for the Council of the Great City Schools, examined the reform efforts of 3 large urban school districts and a portion of a 4th that had been successful in improving student achievement and reducing racial achievement gaps. This article summarizes the key findings of the study and discusses the…

The SECOQC quantum key distribution network in Vienna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peev, M.; Pacher, C.; Alléaume, R.; Barreiro, C.; Bouda, J.; Boxleitner, W.; Debuisschert, T.; Diamanti, E.; Dianati, M.; Dynes, J. F.; Fasel, S.; Fossier, S.; Fürst, M.; Gautier, J.-D.; Gay, O.; Gisin, N.; Grangier, P.; Happe, A.; Hasani, Y.; Hentschel, M.; Hübel, H.; Humer, G.; Länger, T.; Legré, M.; Lieger, R.; Lodewyck, J.; Lorünser, T.; Lütkenhaus, N.; Marhold, A.; Matyus, T.; Maurhart, O.; Monat, L.; Nauerth, S.; Page, J.-B.; Poppe, A.; Querasser, E.; Ribordy, G.; Robyr, S.; Salvail, L.; Sharpe, A. W.; Shields, A. J.; Stucki, D.; Suda, M.; Tamas, C.; Themel, T.; Thew, R. T.; Thoma, Y.; Treiber, A.; Trinkler, P.; Tualle-Brouri, R.; Vannel, F.; Walenta, N.; Weier, H.; Weinfurter, H.; Wimberger, I.; Yuan, Z. L.; Zbinden, H.; Zeilinger, A.

2009-07-01

In this paper, we present the quantum key distribution (QKD) network designed and implemented by the European project SEcure COmmunication based on Quantum Cryptography (SECOQC) (2004-2008), unifying the efforts of 41 research and industrial organizations. The paper summarizes the SECOQC approach to QKD networks with a focus on the trusted repeater paradigm. It discusses the architecture and functionality of the SECOQC trusted repeater prototype, which has been put into operation in Vienna in 2008 and publicly demonstrated in the framework of a SECOQC QKD conference held from October 8 to 10, 2008. The demonstration involved one-time pad encrypted telephone communication, a secure (AES encryption protected) video-conference with all deployed nodes and a number of rerouting experiments, highlighting basic mechanisms of the SECOQC network functionality. The paper gives an overview of the eight point-to-point network links in the prototype and their underlying technology: three plug and play systems by id Quantique, a one way weak pulse system from Toshiba Research in the UK, a coherent one-way system by GAP Optique with the participation of id Quantique and the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology (formerly ARCAustrian Research Centers GmbH—ARC is now operating under the new name AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH following a restructuring initiative.), an entangled photons system by the University of Vienna and the AIT, a continuous-variables system by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and THALES Research and Technology with the participation of Université Libre de Bruxelles, and a free space link by the Ludwig Maximillians University in Munich connecting two nodes situated in adjacent buildings (line of sight 80 m). The average link length is between 20 and 30 km, the longest link being 83 km. The paper presents the architecture and functionality of the principal networking agent—the SECOQC node module, which enables the authentic classical communication required for key distillation, manages the generated key material, determines a communication path between any destinations in the network, and realizes end-to-end secure transport of key material between these destinations. The paper also illustrates the operation of the network in a number of typical exploitation regimes and gives an initial estimate of the network transmission capacity, defined as the maximum amount of key that can be exchanged, or alternatively the amount of information that can be transmitted with information theoretic security, between two arbitrary nodes.

Practical Method to Identify Orbital Anomaly as Breakup Event in the Geostationary Region

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-14

point ! Geocentric distance at the pinch point Table 4 summarizes the results of the origin identifications. One object labeled x15300 was...Table 4. The result of origin identification of the seven detected objects Object name Parent object Inclination vector Pinch point Geocentric distance...of the object. X-Y, X’-Y’, and R.A.-Dec. represent the Image Coordinate before rotating the CCD sensor, after rotation, and the Geocentric Inertial

A systematic review of a functional assessment Tool: UCSD Performance-based skill assessment (UPSA).

PubMed

Becattini-Oliveira, Ana Claudia; Dutra, Douglas de Farias; Spenciere de Oliveira Campos, Bárbara; de Araujo, Verônica Carvalho; Charchat-Fichman, Helenice

2018-05-18

Performance based assessment instruments have been employed in functional capacity measurement of mental disorders. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the psychometric properties of the UCSD Performance-based Skill Assessment (UPSA). A search was conducted using the PRISMA protocol and 'UPSA' as key word term on electronic databases, with a date range for articles published from 2001-2017. Published studies involving community-dwelling adults were included. Pharmacological and/or clinical interventions involving clinical outcomes and/or institutionalized samples were excluded. Data related to construct validity, test-retest reliability and sensitivity/specificity were extracted, summarized and analyzed according to UPSA versions and psychiatric disorders. Fifty-eight studies including 8782 Community-dwelling adults met selection criteria. Data supporting the construct and known-groups validity were extracted from 41 studies involving Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders and 17 studies involving other metal illness. The UPSA was culturally adapted to 8 different languages and employed in 17 countries. Few studies reported sensitivity and specificity and the cut-off points could not be generalized. Moderate to strong evidence of construct validity and test-retest reliability was found. Few studies proposed cut-off points. The UPSA showed good psychometric properties in different versions including those culturally adapted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive systems at the point of care: The CREDO program.

PubMed

Fox, John

2017-04-01

CREDO is a framework for understanding human expertise and for designing and deploying systems that support cognitive tasks like situation and risk assessment, decision-making, therapy planning and workflow management. The framework has evolved through an extensive program of research on human decision-making and clinical practice. It draws on concepts from cognitive science, and has contributed new results to cognitive theory and understanding of human expertise and knowledge-based AI. These results are exploited in a suite of technologies for designing, implementing and deploying clinical services, early versions of which were reported by Das et al. (1997) [9] and Fox and Das (2000) [26]. A practical outcome of the CREDO program is a technology stack, a key element of which is an agent specification language (PROforma: Sutton and Fox (2003) [55]) which has proved to be a versatile tool for designing point of care applications in many clinical specialties and settings. Since software became available for implementing and deploying PROforma applications many kinds of services have been successfully built and trialed, some of which are in large-scale routine use. This retrospective describes the foundations of the CREDO model, summarizes the main theoretical, technical and clinical contributions, and discusses benefits of the cognitive approach. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of the Key Fields and Their Key Technical Points of Oncology by Patent Analysis

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ting; Chen, Juan; Jia, Xiaofeng

2015-01-01

Background This paper aims to identify the key fields and their key technical points of oncology by patent analysis. Methodology/Principal Findings Patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were searched in the Thomson Innovation database. The key fields and their key technical points were determined by analyzing the Derwent Classification (DC) and the International Patent Classification (IPC), respectively. Patent applications in the top ten DC occupied 80% of all the patent applications of oncology, which were the ten fields of oncology to be analyzed. The number of patent applications in these ten fields of oncology was standardized based on patent applications of oncology from 2006 to 2012. For each field, standardization was conducted separately for each of the seven years (2006–2012) and the mean of the seven standardized values was calculated to reflect the relative amount of patent applications in that field; meanwhile, regression analysis using time (year) and the standardized values of patent applications in seven years (2006–2012) was conducted so as to evaluate the trend of patent applications in each field. Two-dimensional quadrant analysis, together with the professional knowledge of oncology, was taken into consideration in determining the key fields of oncology. The fields located in the quadrant with high relative amount or increasing trend of patent applications are identified as key ones. By using the same method, the key technical points in each key field were identified. Altogether 116,820 patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were retrieved, and four key fields with twenty-nine key technical points were identified, including “natural products and polymers” with nine key technical points, “fermentation industry” with twelve ones, “electrical medical equipment” with four ones, and “diagnosis, surgery” with four ones. Conclusions/Significance The results of this study could provide guidance on the development direction of oncology, and also help researchers broaden innovative ideas and discover new technological opportunities. PMID:26599967

Identification of the Key Fields and Their Key Technical Points of Oncology by Patent Analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Ting; Chen, Juan; Jia, Xiaofeng

2015-01-01

This paper aims to identify the key fields and their key technical points of oncology by patent analysis. Patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were searched in the Thomson Innovation database. The key fields and their key technical points were determined by analyzing the Derwent Classification (DC) and the International Patent Classification (IPC), respectively. Patent applications in the top ten DC occupied 80% of all the patent applications of oncology, which were the ten fields of oncology to be analyzed. The number of patent applications in these ten fields of oncology was standardized based on patent applications of oncology from 2006 to 2012. For each field, standardization was conducted separately for each of the seven years (2006-2012) and the mean of the seven standardized values was calculated to reflect the relative amount of patent applications in that field; meanwhile, regression analysis using time (year) and the standardized values of patent applications in seven years (2006-2012) was conducted so as to evaluate the trend of patent applications in each field. Two-dimensional quadrant analysis, together with the professional knowledge of oncology, was taken into consideration in determining the key fields of oncology. The fields located in the quadrant with high relative amount or increasing trend of patent applications are identified as key ones. By using the same method, the key technical points in each key field were identified. Altogether 116,820 patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were retrieved, and four key fields with twenty-nine key technical points were identified, including "natural products and polymers" with nine key technical points, "fermentation industry" with twelve ones, "electrical medical equipment" with four ones, and "diagnosis, surgery" with four ones. The results of this study could provide guidance on the development direction of oncology, and also help researchers broaden innovative ideas and discover new technological opportunities.

Science Careers and Disabled Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jagoda, Sue; Cremer, Bob

1981-01-01

Summarizes proceedings and student experiences at the 1980 Science Career Workshop for Physically Disabled Students at the Lawrence Hall of Science (University of California). Includes a description of the key-note speaker's topics, and other workshop activities. (DS)

NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2014

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-09

This document summarizes key highlights and performance measures from the National Park Service (NPS) 2014 National Transit Inventory, and presents data for NPS transit systems system-wide. The document discusses statistics related to ridership, busi...

NPS national transit inventory and performance report, 2015

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-01

This document summarizes key highlights and performance measures relating to the National Park Service (NPS) 2015 National Transit Inventory, by presenting data for NPS transit systems and vehicles nationwide. These highlights and performance measure...

Elements for Effective Management of Operating Pump and Treat Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet summarizes key aspects of effective management for operating pump and treat (P&T) systems based on lessons learned from conducting optimization evaluations at 20 Superfund-financed P&T systems.

An Administrator's Self-Esteem Is Key to Effective Delegation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armenta, Anthony D.; Reno, Thomas R.

1991-01-01

Argues that administrative effectiveness requires delegation; that delegation is a learned skill; and that low self-esteem and weak delegation skills are closely related. Summarizes literature offering warnings and tips about delegation. (DMM)

Energy and Environment Guide to Action- Executive Summary

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Summarizes the key messages and purpose of the Energy and Environment Guide to Action, which describes the latest best practices and opportunities that states are using to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and CHP.

NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2016

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

This document summarizes key highlights and performance measures relating to the National Park Service (NPS) 2016 National Transit Inventory, by presenting data for NPS transit systems and vehicles nationwide. These highlights and performance measure...

Space Station needs, attributes and architectural options, volume 2, book 2, part 4: International reports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The capabilities of the European Space Agency's SPAS and EURECA platforms for reference payload accommodation are considered. The instrument pointing subsystem, the position and hold mount, and the antenna pointing mechanism developed by Dornier are described. Relevant payloads for the space station are summarized and space station accommodation aspects are discussed.

State-of-The-Art of Modeling Methodologies and Optimization Operations in Integrated Energy System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zhan; Zhang, Yongjun

2017-08-01

Rapid advances in low carbon technologies and smart energy communities are reshaping future patterns. Uncertainty in energy productions and demand sides are paving the way towards decentralization management. Current energy infrastructures could not meet with supply and consumption challenges, along with emerging environment and economic requirements. Integrated Energy System(IES) whereby electric power, natural gas, heating couples with each other demonstrates that such a significant technique would gradually become one of main comprehensive and optimal energy solutions with high flexibility, friendly renewables absorption and improving efficiency. In these global energy trends, we summarize this literature review. Firstly the accurate definition and characteristics of IES have been presented. Energy subsystem and coupling elements modeling issues are analyzed. It is pointed out that decomposed and integrated analysis methods are the key algorithms for IES optimization operations problems, followed by exploring the IES market mechanisms. Finally several future research tendencies of IES, such as dynamic modeling, peer-to-peer trading, couple market design, sare under discussion.

Health insurance, patient protection and Affordable Care Act, and young adults.

PubMed

Dodich, Colleen; Patel, Dilip

2013-12-01

In summary, the ACA aims to correct some of the shortcomings of our current health insurance systems. It aims to make health insurance more affordable and more accessible and the health insurance systems easier to navigate. For the young adult population, it aims to protect more individuals by allowing them to stay on their parent's insurance longer and by making it easier to choose an insurance plan that is right for them. Those with preexisting medical conditions do not have to worry about being excluded from a health plan because of their medical history. The law is also making health insurance mandatory, which may help prevent young adults who fall ill from incurring large medical bills. Initial outcomes from the implementation of the ACA have shown both positive and negative responses. All in all, it is giving young adults more options when it comes to obtaining health insurance. As part of discussion with adolescents and young adults, physicians may take into consideration key points summarized in Table 4.

Drop "impact" on an airfoil surface.

PubMed

Wu, Zhenlong

2018-06-01

Drop impact on an airfoil surface takes place in drop-laden two-phase flow conditions such as rain and icing, which are encountered by wind turbines or airplanes. This phenomenon is characterized by complex nonlinear interactions that manifest rich flow physics and pose unique modeling challenges. In this article, the state of the art of the research about drop impact on airfoil surface in the natural drop-laden two-phase flow environment is presented. The potential flow physics, hazards, characteristic parameters, droplet trajectory calculation, drop impact dynamics and effects are discussed. The most key points in establishing the governing equations for a drop-laden flow lie in the modeling of raindrop splash and water film. The various factors affecting the drop impact dynamics and the effects of drop impact on airfoil aerodynamic performance are summarized. Finally, the principle challenges and future research directions in the field as well as some promising measures to deal with the adverse effects of drop-laden flows on airfoil performance are proposed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global Diversity of the Placozoa

PubMed Central

Eitel, Michael; Osigus, Hans-Jürgen; DeSalle, Rob; Schierwater, Bernd

2013-01-01

The enigmatic animal phylum Placozoa holds a key position in the metazoan Tree of Life. A simple bauplan makes it appear to be the most basal metazoan known and genetic evidence also points to a position close to the last common metazoan ancestor. Trichoplax adhaerens is the only formally described species in the phylum to date, making the Placozoa the only monotypic phylum in the animal kingdom. However, recent molecular genetic as well as morphological studies have identified a high level of diversity, and hence a potential high level of taxonomic diversity, within this phylum. Different taxa, possibly at different taxonomic levels, are awaiting description. In this review we firstly summarize knowledge on the morphology, phylogenetic position and ecology of the Placozoa. Secondly, we give an overview of placozoan morphological and genetic diversity and finally present an updated distribution of placozoan populations. We conclude that there is great potential and need to erect new taxa and to establish a firm system for this taxonomic tabula rasa. PMID:23565136

Crossing the Vascular Wall: Common and Unique Mechanisms Exploited by Different Leukocyte Subsets during Extravasation

PubMed Central

Schnoor, Michael; Alcaide, Pilar; Voisin, Mathieu-Benoit; van Buul, Jaap D.

2015-01-01

Leukocyte extravasation is one of the essential and first steps during the initiation of inflammation. Therefore, a better understanding of the key molecules that regulate this process may help to develop novel therapeutics for treatment of inflammation-based diseases such as atherosclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis. The endothelial adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 are known as the central mediators of leukocyte adhesion to and transmigration across the endothelium. Engagement of these molecules by their leukocyte integrin receptors initiates the activation of several signaling pathways within both leukocytes and endothelium. Several of such events have been described to occur during transendothelial migration of all leukocyte subsets, whereas other mechanisms are known only for a single leukocyte subset. Here, we summarize current knowledge on regulatory mechanisms of leukocyte extravasation from a leukocyte and endothelial point of view, respectively. Specifically, we will focus on highlighting common and unique mechanisms that specific leukocyte subsets exploit to succeed in crossing endothelial monolayers. PMID:26568666

Induction and function of virus-specific CD4+ T cell responses

PubMed Central

Whitmire, Jason K.

2010-01-01

CD4+ T cells -- often referred to as T-helper cells -- play a central role in immune defense and pathogenesis. Virus infections and vaccines stimulate and expand populations of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells in mice and in man. These virus-specific CD4+ T cells are extremely important in antiviral protection: deficiencies in CD4+ T cells are associated with virus reactivation, generalized susceptibility to opportunistic infections, and poor vaccine efficacy. As described below, CD4+ T cells influence effector and memory CD8+ T cell responses, humoral immunity, and the antimicrobial activity of macrophages and are involved in recruiting cells to sites of infection. This review summarizes a few key points about the dynamics of the CD4+ T cell response to virus infection, the positive role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the differentiation of virus-specific CD4+ T cells, and new areas of investigation to improve vaccines against virus infection. PMID:21236461

Quasispecies and virus.

PubMed

Domingo, Esteban; Perales, Celia

2018-05-01

Quasispecies theory has been instrumental in the understanding of RNA virus population dynamics because it considered for the first time mutation as an integral part of the replication process. The key influences of quasispecies theory on experimental virology have been: (1) to disclose the mutant spectrum nature of viral populations and to evaluate its consequences; (2) to unveil collective properties of genome ensembles that can render a mutant spectrum a unit of selection; and (3) to identify new vulnerability points of pathogenic RNA viruses on three fronts: the need to apply multiple selective constraints (in the form of drug combinations) to minimize selection of treatment-escape variants, to translate the error threshold concept into antiviral designs, and to construct attenuated vaccine viruses through alterations of viral polymerase copying fidelity or through displacements of viral genomes towards unfavorable regions of sequence space. These three major influences on the understanding of viral pathogens preceded extensions of quasispecies to non-viral systems such as bacterial and tumor cell collectivities and prions. These developments are summarized here.

Solar Seismology from Space. a Conference at Snowmass, Colorado

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulrich, R. K.; Harvey, J.; Rhodes, E. J., Jr.; Toomre, J.

1984-01-01

The quality of the ground based observing environment suffers from several degrading factors: diurnal interruptions and thermal variations, atmospheric seeing and transparency fluctuations and adverse weather interruptions are among the chief difficulties. The limited fraction of the solar surface observable from only one vantage point is also a potential limitation to the quality of the data available without going to space. Primary conference goals were to discuss in depth the scientific return from current observations and analyses of solar oscillations, to discuss the instrumental and site requirements for realizing the full potential of the seismic analysis method, and to help bring new workers into the field by collecting and summarizing the key background theory. At the conclusion of the conference there was a clear consensus that ground based observation would not be able to provide data of the quality required to permit a substantial analysis of the solar convection zone dynamics or to permit a full deduction of the solar interior structure.

Nature-based experiences and health of cancer survivors.

PubMed

Ray, Heather; Jakubec, Sonya L

2014-11-01

Although exposure to, and interaction with, natural environments are recognized as health-promoting, little is understood about the use of nature contact in treatment and rehabilitation for cancer survivors. This narrative review summarizes the literature exploring the influence of nature-based experiences on survivor health. Key databases included CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycArticles, ProQuest, and Cancerlit databases. Sixteen articles met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Four major categories emerged: 1) Dragon boat racing may enhance breast cancer survivor quality of life, 2) Natural environment may counteract attentional fatigue in newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors, 3) Adventure programs provide a positive experience for children and adolescent survivors, fostering a sense of belonging and self-esteem, and 4) Therapeutic landscapes may decrease state-anxiety, improving survivor health. This review contributes to a better understanding of the therapeutic effects of nature-based experiences on cancer survivor health, providing a point of entry for future study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The New Era of Treatment for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders: Evidence and Expectations for Gut Microbiome Transplantation

PubMed Central

Jayasinghe, Thilini N.; Chiavaroli, Valentina; Holland, David J.; Cutfield, Wayne S.; O'Sullivan, Justin M.

2016-01-01

Key Points The microbiome has been implicated in the development of obesity.Conventional therapeutic methods have limited effectiveness for the treatment of obesity and prevention of related complications.Gut microbiome transplantation may represent an alternative and effective therapy for the treatment of obesity. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Despite a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and growing treatment options, a significant proportion of obese patients do not respond to treatment. Recently, microbes residing in the human gastrointestinal tract have been found to act as an “endocrine” organ, whose composition and functionality may contribute to the development of obesity. Therefore, fecal/gut microbiome transplantation (GMT), which involves the transfer of feces from a healthy donor to a recipient, is increasingly drawing attention as a potential treatment for obesity. Currently the evidence for GMT effectiveness in the treatment of obesity is preliminary. Here, we summarize benefits, procedures, and issues associated with GMT, with a special focus on obesity. PMID:26925392

High throughput CIGS solar cell fabrication via ultra-thin absorber layer with optical confinement and (Cd, CBD)-free heterojunction partner

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

Marsillac, Sylvain

2015-11-30

The main objective of this proposal was to use several pathways to reduce the production cost of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) PV modules and therefore the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) associated with this technology. Three high cost drivers were identified, nominally: 1) Materials cost and availability; 2) Large scale uniformity; 3) Improved throughput These three cost drivers were targeted using the following pathways: 1) Reducing the thickness of the CIGS layer while enhancing materials quality; 2) Developing and applying enhanced in-situ metrology via real time spectroscopic ellipsometry; 3) Looking into alternative heterojunction partner, back contact and anti-reflection (AR) coating Elevenmore » main Tasks were then defined to achieve these goals (5 in Phase 1 and 6 in Phase 2), with 11 Milestones and 2 Go/No-go decision points at the end of Phase 1. The key results are summarized below« less

[Research progress on breeding standard of medicinal animals and discussion on several key problems].

PubMed

Zhou, Yi-Quan; Qu, Xian-You; Yang, Guang; Li, Jun-de; Su, Yan; Li, Ying

2016-12-01

Medicinal animal breeding standards is regarded as the law to normalize relevant production that can guarantee the quality of traditional Chinese medicine of animal category. The article summarized the medicinal animal resources in our country and the present condition of medicinal animal breeding standards. It considered the current animal breeding standards system was in adequate, not only the quantity of breeding standards, the standard content and index were also uncomprehensive, which is not conducive to the scientific and orderly development and utilization of medicinal animal resources. The article pointed out that the development of the basic standards, environmental control, feed quality, raising management, inspection and quarantine should be included into the medicinal animal breeding standards, and the medicinal animal breeding standards content framework was introduced. Meanwhile, animal welfare, biological safety and file management should be concerned during the process of research. Hope the article has good reference value to medicinal animal breeding standards establishment and production management. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Regional transport and dilution during high-pollution episodes in southern France: Summary of findings from the Field Experiment to Constraint Models of Atmospheric Pollution and Emissions Transport (ESCOMPTE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drobinski, P.; SaïD, F.; Ancellet, G.; Arteta, J.; Augustin, P.; Bastin, S.; Brut, A.; Caccia, J. L.; Campistron, B.; Cautenet, S.; Colette, A.; Coll, I.; Corsmeier, U.; Cros, B.; Dabas, A.; Delbarre, H.; Dufour, A.; Durand, P.; GuéNard, V.; Hasel, M.; Kalthoff, N.; Kottmeier, C.; Lasry, F.; Lemonsu, A.; Lohou, F.; Masson, V.; Menut, L.; Moppert, C.; Peuch, V. H.; Puygrenier, V.; Reitebuch, O.; Vautard, R.

2007-07-01

In the French Mediterranean basin the large city of Marseille and its industrialized suburbs (oil plants in the Fos-Berre area) are major pollutant sources that cause frequent and hazardous pollution episodes, especially in summer when intense solar heating enhances the photochemical activity and when the sea breeze circulation redistributes pollutants farther north in the countryside. This paper summarizes the findings of 5 years of research on the sea breeze in southern France and related mesoscale transport and dilution of pollutants within the Field Experiment to Constraint Models of Atmospheric Pollution and Emissions Transport (ESCOMPTE) program held in June and July 2001. This paper provides an overview of the experimental and numerical challenges identified before the ESCOMPTE field experiment and summarizes the key findings made in observation, simulation, and theory. We specifically address the role of large-scale atmospheric circulation to local ozone vertical distribution and the mesoscale processes driving horizontal advection of pollutants and vertical transport and mixing via entrainment at the top of the sea breeze or at the front and venting along the sloped terrain. The crucial importance of the interactions between processes of various spatial and temporal scales is thus highlighted. The advances in numerical modeling and forecasting of sea breeze events and ozone pollution episodes in southern France are also underlined. Finally, we conclude and point out some open research questions needing further investigation.

A view of software management issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manley, J. H.

1985-01-01

The Software Development Environment (SDE) Panel addressed key programmatic, scope, and structural issues raised by its members and the general audience regarding the proposed software development environment for the Space Station program. The general team approach taken by this group led to a consensus on 18 recommendations to NASA mangament regarding the acquisition and definition of the SDE. This approach was keyed by the initial issues presentation given to the general audience. Additional issues (for a total of 23) were developed by the panelists in their first closed session from which key areas were selected and discussed in open session. These discussions led to key recommendations which are summarized and described.

Transportation system resilience, extreme weather and climate change : a thought leadership series

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

This report summarizes key findings from the Transportation System Resilience, Extreme Weather and Climate Change thought leadership series held at Volpe, the National Transportation Systems Center from fall 2013 to spring 2014.

UT/LS chemistry and transport

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-25

This SSWP summarizes important results in key areas since the last major aircraft impacts assessment [IPCC 1999]. Significant progress has been made in the areas of: Measurements of emissions of chemi-ions, NOx, and trace organic species from aircraf...

Review of Studies on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety, 1991-2007

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

This report reviews the pedestrian and bicyclist safety research literature in print as of 2007. It summarizes and synthesizes the key studies, evaluates existing knowledge and identifies research gaps and provides recommendations for future directio...

Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This area summarizes the key features of the BenMAP-CE program and links to pages that provide more details regarding the program, the basic principles of air pollution benefits analysis and a link to download the software.

Accelerated vehicle retirement for fuel economy : "Cash for Clunkers"

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-10

Abstract from author: This report outlines the key provisions of the CARS program, discusses the initial impact of the program and some of the concerns raised by Senators. It also summarizes similar programs in other countries.

Beyond Traffic 2045 Reimagining Transportation: Technology, Disruptive Innovation, and the Future of Transportation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

This report summarizes key findings from the Beyond Traffic 2045 Reimagining Transportation thought leadership speaker series held at Volpe, the National Transportation Systems Center, in the fall and winter of 2015.

Elevated blood lead levels among adults in Massachusetts, 1991-1995.

PubMed

Tumpowsky, C M; Davis, L K; Rabin, R

2000-01-01

Lead poisoning, the oldest recognized occupational disease, remains a danger for children and adults. Data collected for 664 cases reported to the Massachusetts Occupational Lead Registry in 1991-1995 were summarized in a 1998 state report. Here, the authors present some of the key findings from that report for a wider audience. The authors summarize key findings of the 1998 state report. Construction workers, in particular licensed deleaders and house painters, accounted for almost 70% of occupational cases involving blood lead levels > or = 40 micrograms of lead per deciliter (mcg/dl) of blood. Among 100 workers with the highest blood lead levels (> or = 60 mcg/dl), 29% were house painters. Hispanic workers were over-represented in the Registry. A small proportion of cases were non-occupational, typically associated with recreational use of firing ranges or do-it-yourself home renovations. Lead poisoning is a preventable disease, yet these data indicate that additional prevention efforts are warranted.

Persufflation (gaseous oxygen perfusion) as a method of heart preservation.

PubMed

Suszynski, Thomas M; Rizzari, Michael D; Scott, William E; Eckman, Peter M; Fonger, James D; John, Ranjit; Chronos, Nicolas; Tempelman, Linda A; Sutherland, David E R; Papas, Klearchos K

2013-04-22

Persufflation (PSF; gaseous oxygen perfusion) is an organ preservation technique with a potential for use in donor heart preservation. Improved heart preservation with PSF may improve outcomes by maintaining cardiac tissue quality in the setting of longer cold ischemia times and possibly increasing the number of donor hearts available for allotransplant. Published data suggests that PSF is able to extend the cold storage times for porcine hearts up to 14 hours without compromising viability and function, and has been shown to resuscitate porcine hearts following donation after cardiac death. This review summarizes key published work on heart PSF, including prospective implications and future directions for PSF in heart transplantation. We emphasize the potential impact of extending preservation times and expanding donor selection criteria in heart allotransplant. Additionally, the key issues that need to be addressed before PSF were to become a widely utilized preservation strategy prior to clinical heart transplantation are summarized and discussed.

Small mitochondria-targeting molecules as anti-cancer agents

PubMed Central

Wang, Feng; Ogasawara, Marcia A.; Huang, Peng

2009-01-01

Alterations in mitochondrial structure and functions have long been observed in cancer cells. Targeting mitochondria as a cancer therapeutic strategy has gained momentum in the recent years. The signaling pathways that govern mitochondrial function, apoptosis and molecules that affect mitochondrial integrity and cell viability have been important topics of the recent review in the literature. In this article, we first briefly summarize the rationale and biological basis for developing mitochondrial-targeted compounds as potential anticancer agents, and then provide key examples of small molecules that either directly impact mitochondria or functionally affect the metabolic alterations in cancer cells with mitochondrial dysfunction. The main focus is on the small molecular weight compounds with potential applications in cancer treatment. We also summarize information on the drug developmental stages of the key mitochondria-targeted compounds and their clinical trial status. The advantages and potential shortcomings of targeting the mitochondria for cancer treatment are also discussed. PMID:19995573

The Influence of Nutrition Labeling and Point-of-Purchase Information on Food Behaviours.

PubMed

Volkova, Ekaterina; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona

2015-03-01

Point-of-purchase information on packaged food has been a highly debated topic. Various types of nutrition labels and point-of-purchase information have been studied to determine their ability to attract consumers' attention, be well understood and promote healthy food choices. Country-specific regulatory and monitoring frameworks have been implemented to ensure reliability and accuracy of such information. However, the impact of such information on consumers' behaviour remains contentious. This review summarizes recent evidence on the real-world effectiveness of nutrition labels and point-of-purchase information.

Analysis of EUVE Experiment Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horan, Stephen

1996-01-01

A series of tests to validate an antenna pointing concept for spin-stabilized satellites using a data relay satellite are described. These tests show that proper antenna pointing on an inertially-stabilized spacecraft can lead to significant access time through the relay satellite even without active antenna pointing. We summarize the test results, the simulations to model the effects of antenna pattern and space loss, and the expected contact times. We also show how antenna beam width affects the results.

Recognition method of construction conflict based on driver's eye movement.

PubMed

Xu, Yi; Li, Shiwu; Gao, Song; Tan, Derong; Guo, Dong; Wang, Yuqiong

2018-04-01

Drivers eye movement data in simulated construction conflicts at different speeds were collected and analyzed to find the relationship between the drivers' eye movement and the construction conflict. On the basis of the relationship between the drivers' eye movement and the construction conflict, the peak point of wavelet processed pupil diameter, the first point on the left side of the peak point and the first blink point after the peak point are selected as key points for locating construction conflict periods. On the basis of the key points and the GSA, a construction conflict recognition method so called the CCFRM is proposed. And the construction conflict recognition speed and location accuracy of the CCFRM are verified. The good performance of the CCFRM verified the feasibility of proposed key points in construction conflict recognition. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semi-automated quantitative Drosophila wings measurements.

PubMed

Loh, Sheng Yang Michael; Ogawa, Yoshitaka; Kawana, Sara; Tamura, Koichiro; Lee, Hwee Kuan

2017-06-28

Drosophila melanogaster is an important organism used in many fields of biological research such as genetics and developmental biology. Drosophila wings have been widely used to study the genetics of development, morphometrics and evolution. Therefore there is much interest in quantifying wing structures of Drosophila. Advancement in technology has increased the ease in which images of Drosophila can be acquired. However such studies have been limited by the slow and tedious process of acquiring phenotypic data. We have developed a system that automatically detects and measures key points and vein segments on a Drosophila wing. Key points are detected by performing image transformations and template matching on Drosophila wing images while vein segments are detected using an Active Contour algorithm. The accuracy of our key point detection was compared against key point annotations of users. We also performed key point detection using different training data sets of Drosophila wing images. We compared our software with an existing automated image analysis system for Drosophila wings and showed that our system performs better than the state of the art. Vein segments were manually measured and compared against the measurements obtained from our system. Our system was able to detect specific key points and vein segments from Drosophila wing images with high accuracy.

Automatic Summarization of MEDLINE Citations for Evidence–Based Medical Treatment: A Topic-Oriented Evaluation

PubMed Central

Fiszman, Marcelo; Demner-Fushman, Dina; Kilicoglu, Halil; Rindflesch, Thomas C.

2009-01-01

As the number of electronic biomedical textual resources increases, it becomes harder for physicians to find useful answers at the point of care. Information retrieval applications provide access to databases; however, little research has been done on using automatic summarization to help navigate the documents returned by these systems. After presenting a semantic abstraction automatic summarization system for MEDLINE citations, we concentrate on evaluating its ability to identify useful drug interventions for fifty-three diseases. The evaluation methodology uses existing sources of evidence-based medicine as surrogates for a physician-annotated reference standard. Mean average precision (MAP) and a clinical usefulness score developed for this study were computed as performance metrics. The automatic summarization system significantly outperformed the baseline in both metrics. The MAP gain was 0.17 (p < 0.01) and the increase in the overall score of clinical usefulness was 0.39 (p < 0.05). PMID:19022398

Urban expansion in the forests of the Puget Sound region.

Treesearch

Colin D. MacLean; Charles L. Bolsinger

1997-01-01

As part of a 1979 forest resource inventory, over 9,000 points on aerial photographs were sorted into three development zones-primary forest, suburban, and urban. These same points were reexamined in 1989, and zone changes were noted. This report summarizes urban expansion into the primary forest lands of the Puget Sound region (Island, King, Kitsap, Pierce, San Juan,...

IWGT report on quantitative approaches to genotoxicity risk assessment I. Methods and metrics for defining exposure-response relationships and points of departure (PoDs)

EPA Science Inventory

This report summarizes the discussion, conclusions, and points of consensus of the IWGT Working Group on Quantitative Approaches to Genetic Toxicology Risk Assessment (QWG) based on a meeting in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil October 31–November 2, 2013. Topics addressed incl...

Residential Energy Efficiency Research Planning Meeting Summary Report: Washington, D.C. - October 27-28, 2011

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

Not Available

2012-02-01

This report summarizes key findings and outcomes from the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Residential Energy Efficiency Research Planning meeting, held on October 28-29, 2011, in Washington, D.C.

Performance Evaluation of the United Nations Environment Programme Air Quality Monitoring Unit

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report defines the specifics of the environmental test conditions used in the evaluation (systems and conditions), data observations, summarization of key performance evaluation findings, and ease of use features concerning the UNEP pod.

Cell phone data and travel behavior research: symposium summary report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

This report summarizes the key themes from a symposium held on February 12, 2014, to discuss opportunities and challenges using cellular location data for national travel behavior analysis. Participants discussed the availability of cellular data and...

Manager's handbook for aspen in the north-central states.

Treesearch

Donald A. Perala

1977-01-01

Summarizes information on silvicultural practices to improve yields of timber, water, and wildlife, while minimizing unsightly manipulation of the landscape, for the aspen forest type. A management key outlines recommendations for given stand conditions and management objectives.

Optical Coherence Tomography in Cancer Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nam, Ahhyun Stephanie; Vakoc, Benjamin; Blauvelt, David; Chico-Calero, Isabel

Investigations into the biology of cancer and novel cancer therapies rely on preclinical mouse models and traditional histological endpoints. Drawbacks of this approach include a limit in the number of time points for evaluation and an increased number of animals per study. This has motivated the use of intravital microscopy, which can provide longitudinal imaging of critical tumor parameters. Here, the capabilities of OCT as an intravital microscopy of the tumor microenvironment are summarized, and the state of OCT adoption into cancer research is summarized.

Who's the Boss?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bower, Bruce

1986-01-01

There is evidence that the conscious mind selects from among possible acts developed by the unconscious. Even lifting a finger may be subject to this shared mental management. Studies examining this point of view are summarized. (JN)

Point-of-Care Detection Devices for Food Safety Monitoring: Proactive Disease Prevention.

PubMed

Wu, Marie Yung-Chen; Hsu, Min-Yen; Chen, Shih-Jen; Hwang, De-Kuang; Yen, Tzung-Hai; Cheng, Chao-Min

2017-04-01

Food safety has become an increasingly significant public concern in both developed and under-developed nations around the world; it increases morbidity, mortality, human suffering, and economic burden. This Opinion focuses on (i) examining the influence of pathogens and chemicals (e.g., food additives and pesticide residue) on food-borne illnesses, (ii) summarizing food hazards that are present in Asia, and (iii) summarizing the array of current point-of-care (POC) detection devices that have potential applications in food safety monitoring. In addition, we provide insight into global healthcare issues in both developing and under-developed nations with a focus on bridging the gap between food safety issues in the public sector (associated with relevant clinical cases) and the use of POC detection devices for food safety monitoring. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field test of classical symmetric encryption with continuous variables quantum key distribution.

PubMed

Jouguet, Paul; Kunz-Jacques, Sébastien; Debuisschert, Thierry; Fossier, Simon; Diamanti, Eleni; Alléaume, Romain; Tualle-Brouri, Rosa; Grangier, Philippe; Leverrier, Anthony; Pache, Philippe; Painchault, Philippe

2012-06-18

We report on the design and performance of a point-to-point classical symmetric encryption link with fast key renewal provided by a Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CVQKD) system. Our system was operational and able to encrypt point-to-point communications during more than six months, from the end of July 2010 until the beginning of February 2011. This field test was the first demonstration of the reliability of a CVQKD system over a long period of time in a server room environment. This strengthens the potential of CVQKD for information technology security infrastructure deployments.

Hospital finance.

PubMed

Herman, M J

1998-01-01

This article summarizes key areas of focus for the analysis of risk in the hospital segment of the health care industry. The article is written from a commercial bank lending perspective. Both for-profit (C-corporations) and 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit segments are addressed.

New Orleans Regional Planning Commission scenario planning workshop : sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission, on August 12-13, 2015, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Federal Highway Administrati...

Mid-America Regional Council Scenario Planning Workshop: Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the Mid-America Regional Council, on January 31-February 1, 2017, in Kansas City, Missouri. The Federal Highway Administration (...

[Elucidation of key genes in sex determination in genetics teaching].

PubMed

Li, Meng; He, Zhumei

2014-06-01

Sex is an important and complex feature of organisms, which is controlled by the genetic and environmental factors. The genetic factors, i.e., genes, are vital in sex determination. However, not all the related genes play the same roles, and some key genes play a vital role in the sex determination and differentiation. With the development of the modern genetics, a great progress on the key genes has been made in sex determination. In this review, we summarize the mechanism of sex determination and the strategy of how to study the key genes in sex determination. It will help us to understand the mechanism of sex determination better in the teaching of genetics.

Clinical Summarization Capabilities of Commercially-available and Internally-developed Electronic Health Records

PubMed Central

Laxmisan, A.; McCoy, A.B.; Wright, A.; Sittig, D.F.

2012-01-01

Objective Clinical summarization, the process by which relevant patient information is electronically summarized and presented at the point of care, is of increasing importance given the increasing volume of clinical data in electronic health record systems (EHRs). There is a paucity of research on electronic clinical summarization, including the capabilities of currently available EHR systems. Methods We compared different aspects of general clinical summary screens used in twelve different EHR systems using a previously described conceptual model: AORTIS (Aggregation, Organization, Reduction, Interpretation and Synthesis). Results We found a wide variation in the EHRs’ summarization capabilities: all systems were capable of simple aggregation and organization of limited clinical content, but only one demonstrated an ability to synthesize information from the data. Conclusion Improvement of the clinical summary screen functionality for currently available EHRs is necessary. Further research should identify strategies and methods for creating easy to use, well-designed clinical summary screens that aggregate, organize and reduce all pertinent patient information as well as provide clinical interpretations and synthesis as required. PMID:22468161

ClinicalKey 2.0: Upgrades in a Point-of-Care Search Engine.

PubMed

Huslig, Mary Ann; Vardell, Emily

2015-01-01

ClinicalKey 2.0, launched September 23, 2014, offers a mobile-friendly design with a search history feature for targeting point-of-care resources for health care professionals. Browsing is improved with searchable, filterable listings of sources highlighting new resources. ClinicalKey 2.0 improvements include more than 1,400 new Topic Pages for quick access to point-of-care content. A sample search details some of the upgrades and content options.

Evaluation of Image Segmentation and Object Recognition Algorithms for Image Parsing

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

generation of the features from the key points. OpenCV uses Euclidean distance to match the key points and has the option to use Manhattan distance...feature vector includes polarity and intensity information. Final step is matching the key points. In OpenCV , Euclidean distance or Manhattan...the code below is one way and OpenCV offers the function radiusMatch (a pair must have a distance less than a given maximum distance). OpenCV’s

Monitoring the tobacco use epidemic V: The environment: factors that influence tobacco use.

PubMed

Farrelly, Matthew C

2009-01-01

This environment paper (V of V) summarizes important surveillance and evaluation systems that monitor influences on tobacco use such as smoke-free laws and other legislation, excise taxes, mass media, and a broad range of tobacco control activities, discusses their strengths and weaknesses, and makes recommendations for enhancement. We summarize and expand on the recommendations from the Environment Working Group of the National Tobacco Monitoring, Research, and Evaluation Workshop prioritized surveillance needs. This group rank-ordered surveillance needs various environmental influences, considering both the perceived importance of each environmental influence and the adequacy of the current surveillance systems. Based on this ranking and subsequent discussion, the group identified key priorities for enhancement. The group arrived at two key priorities: (1) develop and implement a national system for local tobacco control ordinance surveillance, and (2) develop and implement a comprehensive program monitoring system that is used by all states and supported by all funding agencies. Other environmental influences recommended for priority monitoring include cigarette prices and tobacco countermarketing. Systematic surveillance and monitoring of key program inputs and outputs and environmental influences is central to understand the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tobacco control efforts.

Large Scale Computing and Storage Requirements for High Energy Physics

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

Gerber, Richard A.; Wasserman, Harvey

2010-11-24

The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) is the leading scientific computing facility for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, providing high-performance computing (HPC) resources to more than 3,000 researchers working on about 400 projects. NERSC provides large-scale computing resources and, crucially, the support and expertise needed for scientists to make effective use of them. In November 2009, NERSC, DOE's Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR), and DOE's Office of High Energy Physics (HEP) held a workshop to characterize the HPC resources needed at NERSC to support HEP research through the next three to five years. Themore » effort is part of NERSC's legacy of anticipating users needs and deploying resources to meet those demands. The workshop revealed several key points, in addition to achieving its goal of collecting and characterizing computing requirements. The chief findings: (1) Science teams need access to a significant increase in computational resources to meet their research goals; (2) Research teams need to be able to read, write, transfer, store online, archive, analyze, and share huge volumes of data; (3) Science teams need guidance and support to implement their codes on future architectures; and (4) Projects need predictable, rapid turnaround of their computational jobs to meet mission-critical time constraints. This report expands upon these key points and includes others. It also presents a number of case studies as representative of the research conducted within HEP. Workshop participants were asked to codify their requirements in this case study format, summarizing their science goals, methods of solution, current and three-to-five year computing requirements, and software and support needs. Participants were also asked to describe their strategy for computing in the highly parallel, multi-core environment that is expected to dominate HPC architectures over the next few years. The report includes a section that describes efforts already underway or planned at NERSC that address requirements collected at the workshop. NERSC has many initiatives in progress that address key workshop findings and are aligned with NERSC's strategic plans.« less

Material for Point Design (final summary of DIME material)

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

Bradley, Paul A.

2014-02-25

These slides summarize the motivation of the Defect Induced Mix Experiment (DIME) project, the “point design” of the Polar Direct Drive (PDD) version of the NIF separated reactant capsule, the experimental requirements, technical achievements, and some useful backup material. These slides are intended to provide much basic material in one convenient location and will hopefully be of some use for subsequent experimental projects.

The role of in vitro methods as alternatives to animals in toxicity testing.

PubMed

Anadón, Arturo; Martínez, María Aranzazu; Castellano, Victor; Martínez-Larrañaga, María Rosa

2014-01-01

It is accepted that animal testing should be reduced, refined or replaced as far as it is practicably possible. There are also a wide variety of in vitro models, which are used as screening studies and mechanistic investigations. The ability of an in vitro assay to be reliable, biomedically, is essential in pharmaceutical development. Furthermore, it is necessary that cells used in in vitro testing mimic the phenotype of cells within the human target tissue. The focus of this review article is to identify the key points of in vitro assays. In doing so, the authors take into account the chemical agents that are assessed and the integrated in vitro testing strategies. There is a transfer of toxicological data from primary in vivo animal studies to in vitro assays. The key element for designing an integrated in vitro testing strategy is summarized as follows: exposure modeling of chemical agents for in vitro testing; data gathering, sharing and read-across for testing a class of chemical; a battery of tests to assemble a broad spectrum of data on different mechanisms of action to predict toxic effects; and applicability of the test and the integrated in vitro testing strategies and flexibility to adjust the integrated in vitro testing strategies to test substance. While these methods will be invaluable if effective, more studies must be done to ensure reliability and suitability of these tests for humans.

Survey of key technologies on millimeter-wave CMOS integrated circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Fei; Gao, Lei; Li, Lixiang; Cai, Shuo; Wang, Wei; Wang, Chunhua

2018-05-01

In order to provide guidance for the development of high performance millimeter-wave complementary metal oxide semiconductor (MMW-CMOS) integrated circuits (IC), this paper provides a survey of key technologies on MMW-CMOS IC. Technical background of MMW wireless communications is described. Then the recent development of the critical technologies of the MMW-CMOS IC are introduced in detail and compared. A summarization is given, and the development prospects on MMW-CMOS IC are also discussed.

Rules of thumb for superfund remedy selection

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

NONE

1997-08-01

The guidance document describes key principles and expectations, interspersed with `best practices` based on program experience, that should be consulted during the Superfund remedy selection process. These remedy selection `Rules of Thumb` are organized into three major policy areas: (1) risk assessment and risk management, (2) developing remedial alternatives, and (3) ground-water response actions. The purpose of this guide is to briefly summarize key elements of various remedy selection guidance documents and policies in one publication.

Climate Change Indicators in the United States, 2016 ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA partners with over 40 data contributors from various government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to compile and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change, the significance of these changes, and their possible consequences for people, the environment, and society. This is the fourth edition of the Climate Change Indicators in the United States report. To summarize and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change.

The comparison and analysis of extracting video key frame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouyang, S. Z.; Zhong, L.; Luo, R. Q.

2018-05-01

Video key frame extraction is an important part of the large data processing. Based on the previous work in key frame extraction, we summarized four important key frame extraction algorithms, and these methods are largely developed by comparing the differences between each of two frames. If the difference exceeds a threshold value, take the corresponding frame as two different keyframes. After the research, the key frame extraction based on the amount of mutual trust is proposed, the introduction of information entropy, by selecting the appropriate threshold values into the initial class, and finally take a similar mean mutual information as a candidate key frame. On this paper, several algorithms is used to extract the key frame of tunnel traffic videos. Then, with the analysis to the experimental results and comparisons between the pros and cons of these algorithms, the basis of practical applications is well provided.

Analysis of energy efficient highway lighting retrofits.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

Solid state lighting technology is advancing rapidly to a point where light emitting diode (LED) lighting : systems can be viable replacements for existing lighting systems using high pressure sodium (HPS). The : present report summarizes analyses co...

Health Benefits of Integrated Pest Management in Schools

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The following documents describe the health case for School IPM.They describe what IPM is, and then summarize currently available research pointing to how pest control via IPM makes for a healthier school environment.

MR imaging of the elbow in the injured athlete.

PubMed

Wenzke, Daniel R

2013-03-01

This article summarizes key MR imaging findings in common athletic elbow injuries including little leaguer's elbow, Panner disease, osteochondritis dissecans, olecranon stress fracture, occult fracture, degenerative osteophyte formation, flexor-pronator strain, ulnar collateral ligament tear, lateral ulnar collateral ligament and radial collateral ligament tear, lateral epicondylitis, medial epicondylitis, biceps tear, bicipitoradial bursitis, triceps tear, olecranon bursitis, ulnar neuropathy, posterior interosseous nerve syndrome, and radial tunnel syndrome. The article also summarizes important technical considerations in elbow MR imaging that enhance image quality and contribute to the radiologist's success. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SP-100 Program: space reactor system and subsystem investigations

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

Harty, R.B.

1983-09-30

For a space reactor power system, a comprehensive safety program will be required to assure that no undue risk is present. This report summarizes the nuclear safety review/approval process that will be required for a space reactor system. The documentation requirements are presented along with a summary of the required contents of key documents. Finally, the aerospace safety program conducted for the SNAP-10A reactor system is summarized. The results of this program are presented to show the type of program that can be expected and to provide information that could be usable in future programs.

SP-100 program: Space reactor system and subsystem investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harty, R. B.

1983-09-01

For a space reactor power system, a comprehensive safety program will be required to assure that no undue risk is present. The nuclear safety review/approval process that is required for a space reactor system is summarized. The documentation requirements are presented along with a summary of the required contents of key documents. Finally, the aerospace safety program conducted for the SNAP-10A reactor system is summarized. The results of this program are presented to show the type of program that is expected and to provide information that could be usable in future programs.

Building Acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowan, James

This chapter summarizes and explains key concepts of building acoustics. These issues include the behavior of sound waves in rooms, the most commonly used rating systems for sound and sound control in buildings, the most common noise sources found in buildings, practical noise control methods for these sources, and the specific topic of office acoustics. Common noise issues for multi-dwelling units can be derived from most of the sections of this chapter. Books can be and have been written on each of these topics, so the purpose of this chapter is to summarize this information and provide appropriate resources for further exploration of each topic.

[Perioperative nursing of internal sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery].

PubMed

He, Jing; Lei, Yiling; Wang, Liqiong

2013-12-01

This study aims to summarize the nursing experience in the internal sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery. The medical records of 48 patients who underwent sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery in the Department of Implantation, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, were reviewed. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative nursing methods were summarized. All 48 patients underwent smooth surgeries and did not encounter complications. Careful preoperative preparation, careful and meticulous intraoperative nursing cooperation, and provision of sufficient health education after surgery to the patients are the key factors that ensure the success of internal sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery.

New York Metropolitan Transportation Council scenario planning workshop : sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, on July 14-15, 2015, in New York, New York. The Federal Highway Administration...

Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council Scenario Planning Workshop : Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-01

This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council, on April 19-20, 2016, in Buffalo, New York. The Federal Highway Adm...

An Integrative data mining approach to identifying Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Signatures

EPA Science Inventory

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework is a tool for making biological connections and summarizing key information across different levels of biological organization to connect biological perturbations at the molecular level to adverse outcomes for an individual or populatio...

ORD’s Urban Watershed Management Branch

EPA Science Inventory

This is a poster for the Edison Science Day, tentatively scheduled for June 10, 2009. This poster presentation summarizes key elements of the EPA Office of Research and Development’s (ORD) Urban Watershed Management Branch (UWMB). An overview of the national problems posed by w...

Kepler's Third Law and NASA's "Kepler Mission"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, Alan; Komatsu, Toshi; DeVore, Edna; Harman, Pamela; Koch, David

2015-01-01

NASA's "Kepler Mission" has been wildly successful in discovering exoplanets. This paper summarizes the mission goals, briefly explains the transit method of finding exoplanets and design of the mission, provides some key findings, and describes useful education materials available at the "Kepler" website.

CRITICAL HEALTH ISSUES OF CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS

EPA Science Inventory

This chapter summarizes the key health information on ubiquitous outdoor air pollutants that can cause adverse health effects at current or historical ambient levels in the United States. Of the thousands of air pollutants, very few meet this definition. The Clean Air Act (CA...

Personal Finance: An Interdisciplinary Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuchardt, Jane; Bagwell, Dorothy C; Bailey, William C.; DeVaney, Sharon A.; Grable, John E.; Leech, Irene E.; Lown, Jean M.; Sharpe, Deanna L.; Xiao, Jing J.

2007-01-01

This commentary recommends that financial counseling and planning research, education, and practice be framed as an interdisciplinary profession called personal finance. Authors summarize the history of the profession and key theories providing the conceptual foundation. In order for the emerging profession of personal finance to achieve…

Self-evolving atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of defects in materials

DOE PAGES

Xu, Haixuan; Beland, Laurent K.; Stoller, Roger E.; ...

2015-01-29

The recent development of on-the-fly atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo methods has led to an increased amount attention on the methods and their corresponding capabilities and applications. In this review, the framework and current status of Self-Evolving Atomistic Kinetic Monte Carlo (SEAKMC) are discussed. SEAKMC particularly focuses on defect interaction and evolution with atomistic details without assuming potential defect migration/interaction mechanisms and energies. The strength and limitation of using an active volume, the key concept introduced in SEAKMC, are discussed. Potential criteria for characterizing an active volume are discussed and the influence of active volume size on saddle point energies ismore » illustrated. A procedure starting with a small active volume followed by larger active volumes was found to possess higher efficiency. Applications of SEAKMC, ranging from point defect diffusion, to complex interstitial cluster evolution, to helium interaction with tungsten surfaces, are summarized. A comparison of SEAKMC with molecular dynamics and conventional object kinetic Monte Carlo is demonstrated. Overall, SEAKMC is found to be complimentary to conventional molecular dynamics, especially when the harmonic approximation of transition state theory is accurate. However it is capable of reaching longer time scales than molecular dynamics and it can be used to systematically increase the accuracy of other methods such as object kinetic Monte Carlo. Furthermore, the challenges and potential development directions are also outlined.« less

Turbomachinery noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groeneweg, John F.; Sofrin, Thomas G.; Rice, Edward J.; Gliebe, Phillip R.

1991-08-01

Summarized here are key advances in experimental techniques and theoretical applications which point the way to a broad understanding and control of turbomachinery noise. On the experimental side, the development of effective inflow control techniques makes it possible to conduct, in ground based facilities, definitive experiments in internally controlled blade row interactions. Results can now be valid indicators of flight behavior and can provide a firm base for comparison with analytical results. Inflow control coupled with detailed diagnostic tools such as blade pressure measurements can be used to uncover the more subtle mechanisms such as rotor strut interaction, which can set tone levels for some engine configurations. Initial mappings of rotor wake-vortex flow fields have provided a data base for a first generation semiempirical flow disturbance model. Laser velocimetry offers a nonintrusive method for validating and improving the model. Digital data systems and signal processing algorithms are bringing mode measurement closer to a working tool that can be frequently applied to a real machine such as a turbofan engine. On the analytical side, models of most of the links in the chain from turbomachine blade source to far field observation point have been formulated. Three dimensional lifting surface theory for blade rows, including source noncompactness and cascade effects, blade row transmission models incorporating mode and frequency scattering, and modal radiation calculations, including hybrid numerical-analytical approaches, are tools which await further application.

Keys to Successful Diabetes Self-Management for Uninsured Patients: Social Support, Observational Learning, and Turning Points A Safety Net Providers’ Strategic Alliance Study

PubMed Central

Hanahan, Melissa A.; Werner, James J.; Tomsik, Phillip; Weirich, Stephen A.; Reichsman, Ann; Navracruz, Lisa; Clemons-Clark, Terri; Cella, Peggi; Terchek, Joshua; Munson, Michelle R.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine how medically uninsured patients with limited material resources successfully manage diabetes. Methods Clinicians at 5 safety net practices enrolled uninsured adult patients (N=26) with prior diagnosis of diabetes for 6 months or longer. Patients were interviewed about enabling factors, motivations, resources, and barriers. Chart reviews and clinician surveys supplemented interview data. Interview, survey, and chart review data were analyzed and findings were summarized. Results Two distinct groups of patients were investigated: 1) “successful,” defined as those with an HbA1c of ≤7% or a recent improvement of at least 2% (n=17); and 2) “unsuccessful,” defined as patients with HbA1c of ≥9% (n=9) without recent improvement. In comparison to unsuccessful patients, successful patients more often reported having friends or family with diabetes, sought information about the disease, used evidence-based self-management strategies, held an accurate perception of their own disease control, and experienced “turning point” events that motivated increased efforts in disease management. Conclusions Uninsured safety net patients who successfully managed diabetes learned from friends and family with diabetes and leveraged disease-related events into motivational turning points. It may be beneficial for clinicians to incorporate social learning and motivational enhancement into diabetes interventions to increase patients’ motivation for improved levels of self-management. PMID:21671529

Multimedia abstract generation of intensive care data: the automation of clinical processes through AI methodologies.

PubMed

Jordan, Desmond; Rose, Sydney E

2010-04-01

Medical errors from communication failures are enormous during the perioperative period of cardiac surgical patients. As caregivers change shifts or surgical patients change location within the hospital, key information is lost or misconstrued. After a baseline cognitive study of information need and caregiver workflow, we implemented an advanced clinical decision support tool of intelligent agents, medical logic modules, and text generators called the "Inference Engine" to summarize individual patient's raw medical data elements into procedural milestones, illness severity, and care therapies. The system generates two displays: 1) the continuum of care, multimedia abstract generation of intensive care data (MAGIC)-an expert system that would automatically generate a physician briefing of a cardiac patient's operative course in a multimodal format; and 2) the isolated point in time, "Inference Engine"-a system that provides a real-time, high-level, summarized depiction of a patient's clinical status. In our studies, system accuracy and efficacy was judged against clinician performance in the workplace. To test the automated physician briefing, "MAGIC," the patient's intraoperative course, was reviewed in the intensive care unit before patient arrival. It was then judged against the actual physician briefing and that given in a cohort of patients where the system was not used. To test the real-time representation of the patient's clinical status, system inferences were judged against clinician decisions. Changes in workflow and situational awareness were assessed by questionnaires and process evaluation. MAGIC provides 200% more information, twice the accuracy, and enhances situational awareness. This study demonstrates that the automation of clinical processes through AI methodologies yields positive results.

Needs and Requirements for Future Research Reactors (ORNL Perspectives)

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

Ilas, Germina; Bryan, Chris; Gehin, Jess C.

2016-02-10

The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) is a vital national and international resource for neutron science research, production of radioisotopes, and materials irradiation. While HFIR is expected to continue operation for the foreseeable future, interest is growing in understanding future research reactors features, needs, and requirements. To clarify, discuss, and compile these needs from the perspective of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) research and development (R&D) missions, a workshop, titled “Needs and Requirements for Future Research Reactors”, was held at ORNL on May 12, 2015. The workshop engaged ORNL staff that is directly involved in research using HFIR to collectmore » valuable input on the reactor’s current and future missions. The workshop provided an interactive forum for a fruitful exchange of opinions, and included a mix of short presentations and open discussions. ORNL staff members made 15 technical presentations based on their experience and areas of expertise, and discussed those capabilities of the HFIR and future research reactors that are essential for their current and future R&D needs. The workshop was attended by approximately 60 participants from three ORNL directorates. The agenda is included in Appendix A. This document summarizes the feedback provided by workshop contributors and participants. It also includes information and insights addressing key points that originated from the dialogue started at the workshop. A general overview is provided on the design features and capabilities of high performance research reactors currently in use or under construction worldwide. Recent and ongoing design efforts in the US and internationally are briefly summarized, followed by conclusions and recommendations.« less

(PRESENTED AT MATSUYAMA, JAPAN) PERSISTENT PERFLUORINATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS METHOD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AT THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA Science Inventory

PowerPoint presentation summarizing method development research involving the persistent perfluorinated organic compounds. Review of data indicating widespread distribution of these materials and the potential for toxicity.

(PRESENTED AT TSUKUBA, JAPAN) PERSISTENT PERFLUORINATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS METHOD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AT THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA Science Inventory

PowerPoint presentation summarizing method development research involving the persistent perfluorinated organic compounds. Review of data indicating widespread distribution of these materials and the potential for toxicity.

Fact Sheet - Final Air Toxics Rule for Gold Mine Ore Processing and Production

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Fact sheet summarizing main points of National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for gold ore processing and production facilities, the seventh largest source of mercury air emission in the United States.

The impact of active controls technology on the structural integrity of aeronautical vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noll, Thomas E.; Austin, Edward; Donley, Shawn; Graham, George; Harris, Terry; Kaynes, Ian; Lee, Ben; Sparrow, James

1993-01-01

The findings of an investigation conducted under the auspices of The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) to assess the impact of active controls technology on the structural integrity of aeronautical vehicles and to evaluate the present state-of-the-art for predicting loads caused by a flight-control system modification and the resulting change in the fatigue life of the flight vehicle are summarized. Important points concerning structural technology considerations implicit in applying active controls technology in new aircraft are summarized. These points are well founded and based upon information received from within the aerospace industry and government laboratories, acquired by sponsoring workshops which brought together experts from contributing and interacting technical disciplines, and obtained by conducting a case study to independently assess the state of the technology. The paper concludes that communication between technical disciplines is absolutely essential in the design of future high performance aircraft.

Status of flow separation prediction in liquid propellant rocket nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmucker, R. H.

1974-01-01

Flow separation which plays an important role in the design of a rocket engine nozzle is discussed. For a given ambient pressure, the condition of no flow separation limits the area ratio and, therefore, the vacuum performance. Avoidance of performance loss due to area ratio limitation requires a correct prediction of the flow separation conditions. To provide a better understanding of the flow separation process, the principal behavior of flow separation in a supersonic overexpanded rocket nozzle is described. The hot firing separation tests from various sources are summarized, and the applicability and accuracy of the measurements are described. A comparison of the different data points allows an evaluation of the parameters that affect flow separation. The pertinent flow separation predicting methods, which are divided into theoretical and empirical correlations, are summarized and the numerical results are compared with the experimental points.

Autoimmunity in narcolepsy.

PubMed

Bonvalet, Melodie; Ollila, Hanna M; Ambati, Aditya; Mignot, Emmanuel

2017-11-01

Summarize the recent findings in narcolepsy focusing on the environmental and genetic risk factors in disease development. Both genetic and epidemiological evidence point towards an autoimmune mechanism in the destruction of orexin/hypocretin neurons. Recent studies suggest both humoral and cellular immune responses in the disease development. Narcolepsy is a severe sleep disorder, in which neurons producing orexin/hypocretin in the hypothalamus are destroyed. The core symptoms of narcolepsy are debilitating, extreme sleepiness, cataplexy, and abnormalities in the structure of sleep. Both genetic and epidemiological evidence point towards an autoimmune mechanism in the destruction of orexin/hypocretin neurons. Importantly, the highest environmental risk is seen with influenza-A infection and immunization. However, how the cells are destroyed is currently unknown. In this review we summarize the disease symptoms, and focus on the immunological findings in narcolepsy. We also discuss the environmental and genetic risk factors as well as propose a model for disease development.

Human body motion tracking based on quantum-inspired immune cloning algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Hong; Yue, Lichuan; Jiao, Licheng; Wu, Xing

2009-10-01

In a static monocular camera system, to gain a perfect 3D human body posture is a great challenge for Computer Vision technology now. This paper presented human postures recognition from video sequences using the Quantum-Inspired Immune Cloning Algorithm (QICA). The algorithm included three parts. Firstly, prior knowledge of human beings was used, the key joint points of human could be detected automatically from the human contours and skeletons which could be thinning from the contours; And due to the complexity of human movement, a forecasting mechanism of occlusion joint points was addressed to get optimum 2D key joint points of human body; And then pose estimation recovered by optimizing between the 2D projection of 3D human key joint points and 2D detection key joint points using QICA, which recovered the movement of human body perfectly, because this algorithm could acquire not only the global optimal solution, but the local optimal solution.

Tax tips for forest landowners for the 2008 tax year

Treesearch

Linda Wang; John L. Greene

2009-01-01

This article summarizes key federal income tax provisions for forestland owners, foresters, loggers, forest product businesses, and tax practioners, and is current as of October 1, 2008.  Consult your tax and legal professionals for advice on your particular tax situation.

Geography: Key to World Understanding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dando, William A.

1990-01-01

Delineates the nature of applied geography, asserting that geography links the natural and social sciences. Underscores geography's role in data analysis and problem solving on a global scale. Traces the discipline's history. Maps geography's status in higher education institutions. Discusses new technologies used by geographers. Summarizes career…

Andromeda and the Milky Way: Twin sisters, distant relations, or strangers in the night?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McConnachie, A.; Richardson, J.; Mackey, D.

2012-02-01

I summarize some recent key results from the Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey (PAndAS), in particular showing how recent discoveries in and around M31 compare to the known structure of the Milky Way and its satellite population.

Preparing Students for Success in a Multicultural World: Faculty Advisement and Intercultural Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornett-DeVito, Myrna M.; Reeves, Kenna J.

1999-01-01

Summarizes key findings from counseling, advisement, and intercultural communication literature that are associated with multicultural competence, including the academic and modeling role of the advisor. Offers a conceptual framework of standards for developing multicultural communication advisement competence. (Author/DB)

Key Findings of AAP Store Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melendes, Bob; And Others

1977-01-01

Results of the Association of American Publishers "College Bookstore Marketing Survey" in the fall of 1976 are summarized. The intent was to improve college textbook publisher services to college stores in the areas of order fulfillment, publication scheduling, print quantities, shipping, billing, and processing of returns. (LBH)

Ganglioside biochemistry.

PubMed

Kolter, Thomas

2012-01-01

Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids. They occur especially on the cellular surfaces of neuronal cells, where they form a complex pattern, but are also found in many other cell types. The paper provides a general overview on their structures, occurrence, and metabolism. Key functional, biochemical, and pathobiochemical aspects are summarized.

Evaluation of abrasion resistance of pipe and pipe lining materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-09-01

This project summarizes an evaluation of pipe material resistance to abrasion over a 5-year period (2001-2006) at a site known to be abrasive. : The key focus of the project was to gather more information to compare against existing guidance to desig...

Light-duty automotive technology and fuel economy trends : 1975 through 2008

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-11-01

This report summarizes key trends in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, fuel economy and technology usage related to model year (MY) 1975 through 2009 light-duty vehicles sold in the United States. Light-duty vehicles are those vehicles that EPA classif...

Early Intervention To Prevent Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lumsden, Linda

2000-01-01

This publication summarizes five works exploring the key role schools can play in dealing with emotionally disturbed students, in part because teachers are more reliable sources of information about troubled youths. The importance of interpersonal cognitive problem-solving (ICPS) skills is analyzed in "Preventing Violence the Problem Solving…

Gender and Adolescent Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, David G.; Pauletti, Rachel E.

2011-01-01

This article summarizes and critiques recent trends in research and theory on the role of gender in adolescent development. First, gender differences in key areas of adolescent functioning are reviewed. Second, research on 3 constructs that are especially relevant to the investigation of within-gender individual differences in gender…

Nonlinear Analysis for High-temperature Composites: Turbine Blades/vanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, D. A.; Chamis, C. C.

1984-01-01

An integrated approach to nonlinear analysis of high-temperature composites in turbine blade/vane applications is presented. The overall strategy of this approach and the key elements comprising this approach are summarized. Preliminary results for a tungsten-fiber-reinforced superalloy (TFRS) composite are discussed.

Psychophysical Studies of Visual Cortical Function

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-12

principle of generic image samplin& a hypothesis which provides ageometric tool to understand visual surface learning. We also have investigated the...perception of depth from unpaired points ( DaVinci stereopsis), showing that such points lead to depth andsubjective contours. In color filling in, we have...outlined and systematized a number of important phenomenon which we label under the rubric of DaVinci stereopsis. We summarize these results in a number of

Youth with Behavioral Health Disorders Aging Out of Foster Care: a Systematic Review and Implications for Policy, Research, and Practice.

PubMed

Kang-Yi, Christina D; Adams, Danielle R

2017-01-01

This systematic review aimed to (1) identify and summarize empirical studies on youth with behavioral health disorders aging out of foster care and (2) address implications for behavioral health policy, research, and practice. We identified previous studies by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, EBSCO, and ISI Citation Indexes and obtaining references from key experts in the child welfare field. A total of 28 full articles published between 1991 and 2014 were reviewed and summarized into the key areas including systems of care, disability type, transition practice area, study methods, study sample, transition outcome measures, study analysis, and study findings. Considering how fast youth who have behavioral health disorders fall through the crack as they exit foster care, one cannot understate the importance of incorporating timely and appropriate transition planning and care coordination for youth who have behavioral health disorders aging out of foster care into the usual case management performed by behavioral health systems and service providers.

Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment: pre-assessment report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Assal, Timothy J.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Carr, Natasha B.

2015-01-01

An overview on the ecology and management issues for each Conservation Element is provided, including distribution and ecology, landscape structure and dynamics, and associated species of management concern affiliated with each Conservation Element. For each Conservation Element, effects of the Change Agents are described. An overview of potential key ecological attributes and potential Change Agents are summarized by conceptual models and tables. The tables provide an organizational framework and background information for evaluating the key ecological attributes and Change Agents in Phase II.

UTM Data Working Group Demonstration 1: Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rios, Joseph L.; Mulfinger, Daniel G.; Smith, Irene S.; Venkatesan, Priya; Smith, David R.; Baskaran, Vijayakumar; Wang, Leo

2017-01-01

This document summarizes activities defining and executing the first demonstration of the NASA-FAA Research Transition Team (RTT) Data Exchange and Information Architecture (DEIA) working group (DWG). The demonstration focused on testing the interactions between two key components in the future UAS Traffic Management (UTM) System through a collaborative and distributed simulation of key scenarios. The summary incorporates written feedback from each of the participants in the demonstration. In addition to reporting the activities, this report also provides some insight into future steps of this working group.

Structure, bonding, and reactivity of reactant complexes and key intermediates.

PubMed

Soriano, Elena; Marco-Contelles, José

2011-01-01

Complexes of Pt and Au (gold(III) and cationic gold(I)) have shown an exceptional ability to promote a variety of organic transformations of unsaturated precursors due to their peculiar Lewis acid properties: the alkynophilic character of these soft metals and the π-acid activation of unsaturated groups promotes the intra- or intermolecular attack of a nucleophile. In this chapter we summarize the computational data reported on the structure, bonding, and reactivity of the reactant π-complexes and also on the key intermediate species.

Baseband processor development/test performance for 30/20 GHz SS-TDMA communication system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, L.; Sabourin, D.; Attwood, S.

1984-01-01

The baseband processor (BBP) development for the 30/20 GHz Satellite Communication System is described. The SS-TDMA concept for future satellite communications is reviewed, describing the overall system, the satellite payload, and the frequency plan. A brief general description of the BBP is given, and the proof-of-concept model of the BBP is summarized. Key technologies and custom LSI developed for the BBP are listed. Finally, key technology developments and test data are reported for the BBP.

41 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - 3-Key Points and Principles

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Principles A Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 102 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property.... B, App. A Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 102-3—Key Points and Principles This appendix provides... principles that may be applied to situations not covered elsewhere in this subpart. The guidance follows: Key...

ClinicalKey: a point-of-care search engine.

PubMed

Vardell, Emily

2013-01-01

ClinicalKey is a new point-of-care resource for health care professionals. Through controlled vocabulary, ClinicalKey offers a cross section of resources on diseases and procedures, from journals to e-books and practice guidelines to patient education. A sample search was conducted to demonstrate the features of the database, and a comparison with similar tools is presented.

Resident education in 2011: three key challenges on the road ahead.

PubMed

Van Eaton, Erik G; Tarpley, John L; Solorzano, Carmen C; Cho, Clifford S; Weber, Sharon M; Termuhlen, Paula M

2011-04-01

Two important changes in the past decade have altered the landscape of graduate medical education (GME) in the U.S. The national restrictions on trainee duty hours mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) were the most visible and generated much controversy. Equally important is the ACGME Outcome Project, which mandates competency-based training. Both of these changes have unique implications for surgery trainees, who traditionally spent long hours caring for patients in the hospital, and who must be assessed in 2 broad domains: their medical care of pre- and postoperative patients, and their technical skill with procedures in and out of the operating room. This article summarizes 3 key challenges that lie ahead for surgical educators. First, the changes in duty hours in the past 7 years are summarized, and the conversation about added restrictions planned for July 2011 is reviewed. Next, the current state of the assessment of competency among surgical trainees is reviewed, with an outline of the challenges that need to be overcome to achieve widespread, competency-based training in surgery. Finally, the article summarizes the problems caused by increased reliance on handoffs among trainees as they compensate for decreased time in the hospital, and suggests changes that need to be made to improve safety and efficiency, including how to use handoffs as part of our educational evaluation of residents. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

ITS benefits : data needs, update 2000

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-29

The purpose of this report is to summarize and highlight where gaps or limited knowledge exists concerning the benefits of ITS services. It concentrates on the areas of metropolitan and rural ITS services, and is intended to point out where additiona...

(PRESENTED AT MORIOKA, JAPAN) PERSISTENT PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THIS IMPORTANT NEW CLASS OF POLLUTANTS

EPA Science Inventory

PowerPoint presentation summarizing method development research involving the persistent perfluorinated organic compounds. Review of data indicating widespread distribution of these materials and the potential for toxicity.

The October 12, 1992, Dahshur, Egypt, Earthquake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thenhaus, P.C.; Celebi, M.; Sharp, R.V.

1993-01-01

We were part of an international reconnaissance team that investigated the Dahsur earthquake. This article summarizes our findings and points out how even a relatively moderate sized earthquake can cause widespread damage and a large number of casualities. 

Let's Stop Teaching About Sex (of the Flowering Plants)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, John F.; Thelen, Leverne J

1969-01-01

Points out common misconceptions, especially the idea that pollination in flowering plants corresponds to fertilization in animals. Gives history of understanding of plant sexuality, then summarizes modern view. Suggests we teach accurately or not at all. (EB)

METHANE EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIAL SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

The chapter identifies and describes major industrial sources of methane (CH4) emissions. or each source type examined, it identifies CH4 release points and discusses in detail the factors affecting emissions. t also summarizes and discusses available global and country-specific ...

Stadium seating--a market analysis.

Treesearch

Jerry A. Sesco; Edwin Kallio

1967-01-01

This report describes the characteristics of stadiums and seating in six North Central States; summarizes the purchasing methods for stadium seats; presents estimates of the present and future market; and points out the increasing competition to wood stadium seating form substitute materials.

Views from the Field on Needs in Precollege Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buccino, Alphonse; Evans, Paul L.

1981-01-01

Summarizes the findings reported in the final volume of an eight-volume series sponsored by the National Science Foundation that deal with the key elements responsible for influencing and shaping science, mathematics, and social studies education at the precollege level. (CS)

Staff Development: Initiating a Comprehensive System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Jane M. E.; Pellerzi, Joseph H.

A case study describes how a rural local education agency (Allegany County, Maryland) developed a comprehensive staff development system. It presents some contextual and theoretical background information, summarizes the problem as perceived by key actors, and then describes a series of activities resulting in the development of the comprehensive…

Key Federal Regulations Affecting the Handicapped 1975-1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of Coordinators of State Programs for the Mentally Retarded, Arlington, VA.

Summarized are major federal regulations affecting the handicapped issued during 1976. Regulations are organized according to the following categories: health (such as long term care and home health services, health planning, and facilities construction); education (such as handicapped education grants to the states, early childhood education, and…

Current Fault Management Trends in NASA's Planetary Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesq, Lorraine M.

2009-01-01

The key product of this three-day workshop is a NASA White Paper that documents lessons learned from previous missions, recommended best practices, and future opportunities for investments in the fault management domain. This paper summarizes the findings and recommendations that are captured in the White Paper.

NASA's Microgravity Research Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Dan R. (Editor); Henderson, Robin N. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Fiscal Year 1999 Annual Report describes key elements of the NASA Microgravity Research Program. The Program's goals, approach taken to achieve those goals, and program resources are summarized. A review of the Program's status at the end of FY1999 and highlights of the ground-and-flight research are provided.

Strategic Planning for Educational Reform and Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Amico, Joseph J.

1988-01-01

Defines strategic planning, outlines its key elements and activities, and summarizes the difficulties of applying a top-down, profit-driven process to education. Explains Strategic Planning for Educational Reform and Improvement (SPERI), a set of manageable, concise procedures for top school administrators. Describes SPERI applications in an…

Language Policy and Identity: The Case of Catalonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Henry; Miller, Kate

1996-01-01

Examines the dynamics of language in Catalonia and the development of Catalan educational policy. Discusses the suppression of the Catalan language under Generalissimo Francisco Franco and its reappearance after his death in 1975. Summarizes key arguments concerning the relationships among identity, nationality, education, and language. (MJP)

Making the Most of Multi-Disciplinary Undergraduate Research Conferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Jennifer; West, Harry; Kneale, Pauline

2018-01-01

This is the second of two Directions articles, which together offer guidance to help the reader gain the maximum benefit from participating in institutional and national multi-disciplinary undergraduate research conferences. The earlier article introduced undergraduate research conferences, summarized the key benefits of participating in such…

Performance-Based Funding Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2011

2011-01-01

A number of states have made progress in implementing performance-based funding (PFB) and accountability. This policy brief summarizes main features of performance-based funding systems in three states: Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana. The brief also identifies key issues that states considering performance-based funding must address, as well as…

Performance of the PHOBOS silicon sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Decowski, M. P.; Back, B. B.; Baker, M. D.; Barton, D. S.; Betts, R. R.; Bindel, R.; Budzanowski, A.; Busza, W.; Carroll, A.; Garcia, E.; George, N.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gushue, S.; Halliwell, C.; Hamblen, J.; Heintzelman, G. A.; Henderson, C.; Hołyński, R.; Hofman, D. J.; Holzman, B.; Johnson, E.; Kane, J. L.; Katzy, J.; Khan, N.; Kucewicz, W.; Kulinich, P.; Lin, W. T.; Manly, S.; McLeod, D.; Michałowski, J.; Mignerey, A. C.; Mülmenstädt, J.; Nouicer, R.; Olszewski, A.; Pak, R.; Park, I. C.; Pernegger, H.; Reed, C.; Remsberg, L. P.; Reuter, M.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Rosenberg, L.; Sarin, P.; Sawicki, P.; Skulski, W.; Steadman, S. G.; Stephans, G. S. F.; Steinberg, P.; Stodulski, M.; Sukhanov, A.; Tang, J.-L.; Teng, R.; Trzupek, A.; Vale, C.; van Nieuwenhuizen, G. J.; Verdier, R.; Wadsworth, B.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Wosiek, B.; Woźniak, K.; Wuosmaa, A. H.; Wysłouch, B.

2002-02-01

The PHOBOS detector is designed to study the physics of Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The detector is almost entirely made of silicon pad detectors and was fully operational during the first year of operation. The detector is described, and key performance characteristics are summarized.

Summaries of "You Do It" Activities Presented at the 1978 SASTA Conference in the Riverland.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Terry

1980-01-01

Summarizes "you do it" activities presented at the 1978 South Australian Science Teachers Association Conference. Topics include microscope use and maintenance, chemical slide cells, chemical models, sound waves, microwaves, astronomy, plant keys, reading geological maps, and natural dye processes. (DS)

POLLUTION PREVENTION CAST STUDIES COMPENDIUM - 2ND EDITION

EPA Science Inventory

This compendium summarizes a compilation of case studies in the area of pollution prevention. he compendium is divided into 3 sections, featuring 3 of the Pollution Prevention Branch's key programs. An overview of each program is provided at the beginning of each section of the c...

Intergenerational Programmes: Public Policy and Research Implications--An International Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatton-Yeo, Alan, Ed.; Ohsako, Toshio, Ed.

This document consists of 12 papers that, together, summarize the key issues underpinning future research and policy development related to intergenerational programs (IPs). "Introduction" (Alan Hatton-Yeo) discusses the project out of which the papers developed. "A General Assessment of IP Initiatives in the Countries…

Investigating the Watergate Scandal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritchie, Donald A.

1998-01-01

Summarizes the events leading up to and the investigation that followed the Watergate break-in. Presents a lesson plan using primary documents that allows students to explore the workings of congressional investigations, the key figures in the scandal, and the arguments of the different participants. Includes copies of the documents. (DSK)

NASA's Deep Space Telecommunications Roadmap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, C., Jr.; Stelzried, C.; Deutsch, L.; Swanson, L.

1998-01-01

This paper will present this roadmap, describe how it will support an increasing mission set while also providing significantly increased science data return, summarize the current state of key Ka-band and optical communications technologies, and identify critical path items in terms of technology developments, demonstrations, and mission users.

Buyer's Guide to Classroom Furniture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

1996-01-01

Provides advice to child care center directors on purchasing the center's furniture. Contains a series of questions that directors should ask related to purchasing furniture, based on advice from manufacturers and dealers. Summarizes the key factors needed to consider when purchasing classroom furniture and includes tips on buying from catalogs…

A compendium of millimeter wave propagation studies performed by NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaul, R.; Rogers, D.; Bremer, J.

1977-01-01

Key millimeter wave propagation experiments and analytical results were summarized. The experiments were performed with the Ats-5, Ats-6 and Comstar satellites, radars, radiometers and rain gage networks. Analytic models were developed for extrapolation of experimental results to frequencies, locations, and communications systems.

Ganglioside Biochemistry

PubMed Central

Kolter, Thomas

2012-01-01

Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids. They occur especially on the cellular surfaces of neuronal cells, where they form a complex pattern, but are also found in many other cell types. The paper provides a general overview on their structures, occurrence, and metabolism. Key functional, biochemical, and pathobiochemical aspects are summarized. PMID:25969757

Regional cooperation and bike/ped and transit connections : a regional models of cooperation peer exchange summary report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-01

This report summarizes the presentations, key themes, and recommendations identified at a Regional Models of Cooperation peer exchange on October 24, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Utah Transit Authority hosted peers from the Los Angeles Metropoli...

Critical Measurement Issues in Translational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glasgow, Russell E.

2009-01-01

This article summarizes critical evaluation needs, challenges, and lessons learned in translational research. Evaluation can play a key role in enhancing successful application of research-based programs and tools as well as informing program refinement and future research. Discussion centers on what is unique about evaluating programs and…

Lunar Exploration Architecture Level Key Drivers and Sensitivities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodliff, Kandyce; Cirillo, William; Earle, Kevin; Reeves, J. D.; Shyface, Hilary; Andraschko, Mark; Merrill, R. Gabe; Stromgren, Chel; Cirillo, Christopher

2009-01-01

Strategic level analysis of the integrated behavior of lunar transportation and lunar surface systems architecture options is performed to assess the benefit, viability, affordability, and robustness of system design choices. This analysis employs both deterministic and probabilistic modeling techniques so that the extent of potential future uncertainties associated with each option are properly characterized. The results of these analyses are summarized in a predefined set of high-level Figures of Merit (FOMs) so as to provide senior NASA Constellation Program (CxP) and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) management with pertinent information to better inform strategic level decision making. The strategic level exploration architecture model is designed to perform analysis at as high a level as possible but still capture those details that have major impacts on system performance. The strategic analysis methodology focuses on integrated performance, affordability, and risk analysis, and captures the linkages and feedbacks between these three areas. Each of these results leads into the determination of the high-level FOMs. This strategic level analysis methodology has been previously applied to Space Shuttle and International Space Station assessments and is now being applied to the development of the Constellation Program point-of-departure lunar architecture. This paper provides an overview of the strategic analysis methodology and the lunar exploration architecture analyses to date. In studying these analysis results, the strategic analysis team has identified and characterized key drivers affecting the integrated architecture behavior. These key drivers include inclusion of a cargo lander, mission rate, mission location, fixed-versus- variable costs/return on investment, and the requirement for probabilistic analysis. Results of sensitivity analysis performed on lunar exploration architecture scenarios are also presented.

National health care reform and the 103rd Congress: the activities and influence of public health advocates.

PubMed Central

Schauffler, H; Wilkerson, J

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the activities and influence of public health interest groups and coalitions on the national health care reform debates in the 103rd Congress. METHODS: Congressional staff and representatives of public health interest groups, coalitions, and government health agencies were interviewed. Content analysis of eight leading national health care reform bills was performed. RESULTS: The public health community coalesced around public health in health care reform; nearly all the major interest groups and government health agencies joined two or more public health or prevention coalitions, and half joined three or more. The most effective influence on health care reform legislation was early, sustained personal contact with Congress members and their staffs, accompanied by succinct written materials summarizing key points. Media campaigns and grassroots mobilization were less effective. Seven of the eight leading health care reform bills included one or more of the priorities supported by public health advocates. CONCLUSIONS: The public health community played an important role in increasing awareness and support for public health programs in the health care reform bills of the 103rd Congress. PMID:9240098

[Pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment of mandibular asymmetry and prognathism].

PubMed

Chen, Song; Chen, Yang-xi; Hu, Jing

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the pre- and post surgical orthodontic treatment of mandibular asymmetry and prognathism in our hospital, and to summarize some helpful experiences for future clinical work. The data were derived from 21 adults aged from 19 - 28 years who had severe mandibular asymmetry and prognathism. The ANB angle of all patients is from -3 degrees to -8 degrees. The value of wits of all patients is from -7 mm to -14 mm. The deviation of chin point of all patients is from 3 mm to 7 mm. The duration of pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment was 10-20 months (mean 18 months) and 5-10 months (mean 7.5 months), respectively. The keys in pre-surgical orthodontic treatment include (1) three dimensional dental decompensation; (2) arch form and transverse discrepancy correction; (3) model surgery and the splint making. The main objective of post surgical orthodontic treatment is to detail the occlusion. Pre- and post surgical orthodontic treatment is essential for the orthognathic treatment of patients with mandibular asymmetry and prognathism.

Attachment and development: a prospective, longitudinal study from birth to adulthood.

PubMed

Sroufe, L Alan

2005-12-01

There is much to digest in a 30 year longitudinal study of the developing person (Sroufe, Egeland, Carlson, & Collins, 2005a). The following paper summarizes some key points regarding the place of infant attachment in the developmental course. It is argued that understanding the role of attachment entails grasping the organizational nature of the attachment construct and embracing a non-linear transactional model. Using such concepts, attachment history was shown in the Minnesota study to be clearly related to the growth of self-reliance, the capacity for emotional regulation, and the emergence and course of social competence, among other things. Moreover, specific patterns of attachment had implications for both normal development and pathology. Even more important than such linkages, however, study of the place of early attachment in later adaptation reveals much about developmental processes underlying both continuity and change. Findings are over-viewed concerning the complex links between attachment and ultimate outcomes and the preservation of early patterns even during times of change. In all, these findings have implications both for future research and for clinical application.

Policy Considerations for Mobile Biosensors.

PubMed

Russell, Steven M; de la Rica, Roberto

2018-06-22

Meeting policy requirements is essential for advancing molecular diagnostic devices from the laboratory to real-world applications and commercialization. Considering policy as a starting point in the design of new technology is a winning strategy. Rapid developments have put mobile biosensors at the frontier of molecular diagnostics, at times outpacing policymakers, and therefore offering new opportunities for breakthroughs in global health. In this Perspective we survey influential global health policies and recent developments in mobile biosensing in order to gain a new perspective for the future of the field. We summarize the main requirements for mobile diagnostics outlined by policy makers such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank, the European Union (EU), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We then classify current mobile diagnostic technologies according to the manner in which the biosensor interfaces with a smartphone. We observe a trend in reducing hardware components and substituting instruments and laborious data processing steps for user-friendly apps. From this perspective we see software application developers as key collaborators for bridging the gap between policy and practice.

Energy Consumption Management of Virtual Cloud Computing Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lin

2017-11-01

For energy consumption management research on virtual cloud computing platforms, energy consumption management of virtual computers and cloud computing platform should be understood deeper. Only in this way can problems faced by energy consumption management be solved. In solving problems, the key to solutions points to data centers with high energy consumption, so people are in great need to use a new scientific technique. Virtualization technology and cloud computing have become powerful tools in people’s real life, work and production because they have strong strength and many advantages. Virtualization technology and cloud computing now is in a rapid developing trend. It has very high resource utilization rate. In this way, the presence of virtualization and cloud computing technologies is very necessary in the constantly developing information age. This paper has summarized, explained and further analyzed energy consumption management questions of the virtual cloud computing platform. It eventually gives people a clearer understanding of energy consumption management of virtual cloud computing platform and brings more help to various aspects of people’s live, work and son on.

[Research model on commodity specification standard of radix Chinese materia medica].

PubMed

Kang, Chuan-Zhi; Zhou, Tao; Jiang, Wei-Ke; Huang, Lu-Qi; Guo, Lan-Ping

2016-03-01

As an important part of the market commodity circulation, the standard grade of Chinese traditional medicine commodity is very important to restrict the market order and guarantee the quality of the medicinal material. The State Council issuing the "protection and development of Chinese herbal medicine (2015-2020)" also make clear that the important task of improving the circulation of Chinese herbal medicine industry norms and the commodity specification standard of common traditional Chinese medicinal materials. However, as a large class of Chinese herbal medicines, the standard grade of the radix is more confused in the market circulation, and lack of a more reasonable study model in the development of the standard. Thus, this paper summarizes the research background, present situation and problems, and several key points of the commodity specification and grade standard in radix herbs. Then, the research model is introduced as an example of Pseudostellariae Radix, so as to provide technical support and reference for formulating commodity specifications and grades standard in other radix traditional Chinese medicinal materials. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Climate targets and cost-effective climate stabilization pathways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Held, H.

2015-08-01

Climate economics has developed two main tools to derive an economically adequate response to the climate problem. Cost benefit analysis weighs in any available information on mitigation costs and benefits and thereby derives an "optimal" global mean temperature. Quite the contrary, cost effectiveness analysis allows deriving costs of potential policy targets and the corresponding cost- minimizing investment paths. The article highlights pros and cons of both approaches and then focusses on the implications of a policy that strives at limiting global warming to 2 °C compared to pre-industrial values. The related mitigation costs and changes in the energy sector are summarized according to the IPCC report of 2014. The article then points to conceptual difficulties when internalizing uncertainty in these types of analyses and suggests pragmatic solutions. Key statements on mitigation economics remain valid under uncertainty when being given the adequate interpretation. Furthermore, the expected economic value of perfect climate information is found to be on the order of hundreds of billions of Euro per year if a 2°-policy were requested. Finally, the prospects of climate policy are sketched.

Super-Resolution Scanning Laser Microscopy Based on Virtually Structured Detection

PubMed Central

Zhi, Yanan; Wang, Benquan; Yao, Xincheng

2016-01-01

Light microscopy plays a key role in biological studies and medical diagnosis. The spatial resolution of conventional optical microscopes is limited to approximately half the wavelength of the illumination light as a result of the diffraction limit. Several approaches—including confocal microscopy, stimulated emission depletion microscopy, stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, photoactivated localization microscopy, and structured illumination microscopy—have been established to achieve super-resolution imaging. However, none of these methods is suitable for the super-resolution ophthalmoscopy of retinal structures because of laser safety issues and inevitable eye movements. We recently experimentally validated virtually structured detection (VSD) as an alternative strategy to extend the diffraction limit. Without the complexity of structured illumination, VSD provides an easy, low-cost, and phase artifact–free strategy to achieve super-resolution in scanning laser microscopy. In this article we summarize the basic principles of the VSD method, review our demonstrated single-point and line-scan super-resolution systems, and discuss both technical challenges and the potential of VSD-based instrumentation for super-resolution ophthalmoscopy of the retina. PMID:27480461

[Establishment and practice of traditional Chinese medicine property cognitive model based on three elements].

PubMed

Zhang, Bing; Jin, Rui; Huang, Jianmei; Liu, Xiaoqing; Xue, Chunmiao; Lin, Zhijian

2012-08-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) property theory is believed to be a key and difficult point of basic theory studies of TCM. Complex concepts, components and characteristics of TCM property have long puzzled researchers and urged them to develop new angles and approaches. In the view of cognitive science, TCM property theory is a cognitive process of storing, extracting, rebuilding and summarizing the sensory information about TCMs and their effects during the medical practice struggling against diseases under the guidance of traditional Chinese philosophical thinking. The cognitive process of TCM property has particular cognitive elements and strategies. Taking into account clinical application characteristics of TCMs, this study defines the particular cognitive elements. In the combination of research methods of modern chemistry, biology and mathematics, and on the basis early-stage work for five years, we have built a TCM property cognition model based on three elements and practiced with drugs with pungent and hot properties as example, in the hope of interpreting TCM properties with modern science and providing thoughts for the nature of medical properties and instruction for rational clinical prescription.

Republication of: Contributions to the theory of gravitational radiation fields. Exact solutions of the field equations of the general theory of relativity V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundt, Wolfgang; Trümper, Manfred

2016-04-01

This is an English translation of a paper by Wolfgang Kundt and Manfred Trümper, first published in 1962 in the proceedings of the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz (Germany). The original paper was the last of a five-part series of articles containing the first summary of knowledge about exact solutions of Einstein's equations found until then. (All the other parts of the series have already been re-published as Golden Oldies.) This fifth contribution summarizes key points of the earlier papers and applies them, in particular results from papers II and IV in the series, in the context of the propagation of gravitational radiation when matter is present. The paper has been selected by the Editors of General Relativity and Gravitation for re-publication in the Golden Oldies series of the journal. This republication is accompanied by an editorial note written by Malcolm A.H. MacCallum and by a brief autobiography of Manfred Trümper.

Therapeutic options for HER-2 positive breast cancer: Perspectives and future directions

PubMed Central

Recondo, Gonzalo Jr; Dìaz Canton, Enrique; de la Vega, Màximo; Greco, Martin; Recondo, Gonzalo Sr; Valsecchi, Matias E

2014-01-01

During the last 15 years we have witnessed an unprecedented expansion in the drugs developed to target human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab, pertuzumab, ado-trastuzumab emtansine and lapatinib are currently food and drug administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment of breast cancer patients with HER-2 over-expressed. However, given the amount of information gathered from years of uninterrupted clinical research, it is essential to have periodic updates that succinctly recapitulate what we have learnt over these last years and help us to apply that information in our daily practice. This review will pursue that objective. We will summarize the most relevant and updated information related to the state of the art management of HER-2 positive breast cancer in all the clinical scenarios including the adjuvant, neoadjuvant and metastatic settings. But we will also critically appraise that literature in order to highlight some key clinical concepts that should not be overlooked. Lastly, this review will also point out some of the most promising strategies that are currently being tested and may soon become available. PMID:25114858

[Post-marketing reevaluation for potential quality risk and quality control in clinical application of traditional Chinese medicines].

PubMed

Li, Hong-jiao; He, Li-yun; Liu, Bao-yan

2015-06-01

The effective quality control in clinical practices is an effective guarantee for the authenticity and scientificity of the findings. The post-marketing reevaluation for traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) focuses on the efficacy, adverse reaction, combined medication and effective dose of drugs in the market by expanded clinical trials, and requires a larger sample size and a wider range of patients. Therefore, this increases the difficulty of quality control in clinical practices. With the experience in quality control in clinical practices for the post-marketing reevaluation for Kangbingdu oral for cold, researchers in this study reviewed the study purpose, project, scheme design and clinical practice process from an overall point of view, analyzed the study characteristics of the post-marketing reevaluation for TCMs and the quality control risks, designed the quality control contents with quality impacting factors, defined key review contents and summarized the precautions in clinical practices, with the aim to improve the efficiency of quality control of clinical practices. This study can provide reference to clinical units and quality control-related personnel in the post-marketing reevaluation for TCMs.

Description and effects of sequential behavior practice in teacher education.

PubMed

Sharpe, T; Lounsbery, M; Bahls, V

1997-09-01

This study examined the effects of a sequential behavior feedback protocol on the practice-teaching experiences of undergraduate teacher trainees. The performance competencies of teacher trainees were analyzed using an alternative opportunities for appropriate action measure. Data support the added utility of sequential (Sharpe, 1997a, 1997b) behavior analysis information in systematic observation approaches to teacher education. One field-based undergraduate practicum using sequential behavior (i.e., field systems analysis) principles was monitored. Summarized are the key elements of the (a) classroom instruction provided as a precursor to the practice teaching experience, (b) practice teaching experience, and (c) field systems observation tool used for evaluation and feedback, including multiple-baseline data (N = 4) to support this approach to teacher education. Results point to (a) the strong relationship between sequential behavior feedback and the positive change in four preservice teachers' day-to-day teaching practices in challenging situational contexts, and (b) the relationship between changes in teacher practices and positive changes in the behavioral practices of gymnasium pupils. Sequential behavior feedback was also socially validated by the undergraduate participants and Professional Development School teacher supervisors in the study.

Dysmobility syndrome: current perspectives.

PubMed

Hill, Keith D; Farrier, Kaela; Russell, Melissa; Burton, Elissa

2017-01-01

A new term, dysmobility syndrome, has recently been described as a new approach to identify older people at risk of poor health outcomes. The aim was to undertake a systematic review of the existing research literature on dysmobility syndrome. All articles reporting dysmobility syndrome were identified in a systematic review of Medline (Proquest), CINAHL, PubMed, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and Scopus databases. Key characteristics of identified studies were extracted and summarized. The systematic review identified five papers (three cross-sectional, one case control, and one longitudinal study). No intervention studies were identified. Prevalence of dysmobility syndrome varied between studies (22%-34% in three of the studies). Dysmobility syndrome was shown to be associated with reduced function, increased falls and fractures, and a longitudinal study showed its significant association with mortality. Early research on dysmobility syndrome indicates that it may be a useful classification approach to identify older people at risk of adverse health outcomes and to target for early interventions. Future research needs to standardize the optimal mix of measures and cut points, and investigate whether balance performance may be a more useful factor than history of falls for dysmobility syndrome.

Developing the next generation of dissemination and implementation researchers: insights from initial trainees.

PubMed

Stamatakis, Katherine A; Norton, Wynne E; Stirman, Shannon W; Melvin, Cathy; Brownson, Ross C

2013-03-12

Dissemination and implementation (D&I) research is a relatively young discipline, underscoring the importance of training and career development in building and sustaining the field. As such, D&I research faces several challenges in designing formal training programs and guidance for career development. A cohort of early-stage investigators (ESI) recently involved in an implementation research training program provided a resource for formative data in identifying needs and solutions around career development. Responses outlined fellows' perspectives on the perceived usefulness and importance of, as well as barriers to, developing practice linkages, acquiring additional methods training, academic advancement, and identifying institutional supports. Mentorship was a cross-cutting issue and was further discussed in terms of ways it could foster career advancement in the context of D&I research. Advancing an emerging field while simultaneously developing an academic career offers a unique challenge to ESIs in D&I research. This article summarizes findings from the formative data that outlines some directions for ESIs and provides linkages to the literature and other resources on key points.

Influence of protein fold stability on immunogenicity and its implications for vaccine design

PubMed Central

Scheiblhofer, Sandra; Laimer, Josef; Machado, Yoan; Weiss, Richard; Thalhamer, Josef

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction: In modern vaccinology and immunotherapy, recombinant proteins more and more replace whole organisms to induce protective or curative immune responses. Structural stability of proteins is of crucial importance for efficient presentation of antigenic peptides on MHC, which plays a decisive role for triggering strong immune reactions. Areas covered: In this review, we discuss structural stability as a key factor for modulating the potency of recombinant vaccines and its importance for antigen proteolysis, presentation, and stimulation of B and T cells. Moreover, the impact of fold stability on downstream events determining the differentiation of T cells into effector cells is reviewed. We summarize studies investigating the impact of protein fold stability on the outcome of the immune response and provide an overview on computational methods to estimate the effects of point mutations on protein stability. Expert commentary: Based on this information, the rational design of up-to-date vaccines is discussed. A model for predicting immunogenicity of proteins based on their conformational stability at different pH values is proposed. PMID:28290225

Diagnosis and Management of Uncomplicated Chlamydia trachomatis Infections in Adolescents and Adults: Summary of Evidence Reviewed for the 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines.

PubMed

Geisler, William M

2015-12-15

In preparation for the 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Treatment Guidelines, the CDC convened an advisory group in 2013 to examine recent abstracts and published literature addressing the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of STDs. This article summarizes the key questions, evidence, and recommendations for the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection in adolescents and adults that were considered in development of the 2015 CDC STD Treatment Guidelines. The evidence reviewed primarily focused on CT infection risk factors in women, clinical significance of oropharyngeal CT detection, acceptability and performance of CT testing on self-collected specimens in men, performance of CT point-of-care tests, efficacy of recommended and investigational CT infection treatments, and timing of test of cure following CT infection treatment in pregnant women. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[A Retrospective Analysis of 88 Solved Intentional Homicide Cases].

PubMed

Tang, Jia-quan; Liu, Jian-feng

2016-04-01

To summarize the key points, difficulties and relevant practical experiences for analyzing the scene of solved intentional homicide cases. The data of 88 solved intentional homicide cases in a county from 2004 to 2013 were collected and the retrospective analysis was performed. The number of local female victims obviously higher than non-local female victims and the number of non-local suspects is obviously higher than local suspects. The number of Male suspects showed higher compared with the female. Most of them were temporary workers, unemployment or farmers with less education backgrounds. The main causes of victims' death were mechanical injury or asphyxia. The murders were acquaintances in most intentional homicide cases. The motive of the stranger murders was commonly money. The murder behavior types of homicide cases were related with people, money and sexual assault. Camouflage and guilty behavior showed the most significance. The accurate identification of suspects is one of the most important task in forensic investigation and reflects the importance of the criminal scene analysis for intentional homicide cases. It also provides the direction of future research.

Reproducibility and variability of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging markers in cerebral small vessel disease

PubMed Central

De Guio, François; Jouvent, Eric; Biessels, Geert Jan; Black, Sandra E; Brayne, Carol; Chen, Christopher; Cordonnier, Charlotte; De Leeuw, Frank-Eric; Dichgans, Martin; Doubal, Fergus; Duering, Marco; Dufouil, Carole; Duzel, Emrah; Fazekas, Franz; Hachinski, Vladimir; Ikram, M Arfan; Linn, Jennifer; Matthews, Paul M; Mazoyer, Bernard; Mok, Vincent; Norrving, Bo; O’Brien, John T; Pantoni, Leonardo; Ropele, Stefan; Sachdev, Perminder; Schmidt, Reinhold; Seshadri, Sudha; Smith, Eric E; Sposato, Luciano A; Stephan, Blossom; Swartz, Richard H; Tzourio, Christophe; van Buchem, Mark; van der Lugt, Aad; van Oostenbrugge, Robert; Vernooij, Meike W; Viswanathan, Anand; Werring, David; Wollenweber, Frank; Wardlaw, Joanna M

2016-01-01

Brain imaging is essential for the diagnosis and characterization of cerebral small vessel disease. Several magnetic resonance imaging markers have therefore emerged, providing new information on the diagnosis, progression, and mechanisms of small vessel disease. Yet, the reproducibility of these small vessel disease markers has received little attention despite being widely used in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. This review focuses on the main small vessel disease-related markers on magnetic resonance imaging including: white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, dilated perivascular spaces, microbleeds, and brain volume. The aim is to summarize, for each marker, what is currently known about: (1) its reproducibility in studies with a scan–rescan procedure either in single or multicenter settings; (2) the acquisition-related sources of variability; and, (3) the techniques used to minimize this variability. Based on the results, we discuss technical and other challenges that need to be overcome in order for these markers to be reliably used as outcome measures in future clinical trials. We also highlight the key points that need to be considered when designing multicenter magnetic resonance imaging studies of small vessel disease. PMID:27170700

GaInNAsSb/GaAs vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs): current challenges and techniques to realize multiple-wavelength laser arrays at 1.55 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gobet, Mathilde; Bae, Hopil P.; Sarmiento, Tomas; Harris, James S.

2008-02-01

Multiple-wavelength laser arrays at 1.55 μm are key components of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems for increased bandwidth. Vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) grown on GaAs substrates outperform their InP counterparts in several points. We summarize the current challenges to realize continuous-wave (CW) GaInNAsSb VCSELs on GaAs with 1.55 μm emission wavelength and explain the work in progress to realize CW GaInNAsSb VCSELs. Finally, we detail two techniques to realize GaInNAsSb multiple-wavelength VCSEL arrays at 1.55 μm. The first technique involves the incorporation of a photonic crystal into the upper mirror. Simulation results for GaAs-based VCSEL arrays at 1.55 μm are shown. The second technique uses non-uniform molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We have successfully demonstrated 1x6 resonant cavity light-emitting diode arrays at 850 nm using this technique, with wavelength spacing of 0.4 nm between devices and present these results.

Using mixed methods in health research

PubMed Central

Woodman, Jenny

2013-01-01

Summary Mixed methods research is the use of quantitative and qualitative methods in a single study or series of studies. It is an emergent methodology which is increasingly used by health researchers, especially within health services research. There is a growing literature on the theory, design and critical appraisal of mixed methods research. However, there are few papers that summarize this methodological approach for health practitioners who wish to conduct or critically engage with mixed methods studies. The objective of this paper is to provide an accessible introduction to mixed methods for clinicians and researchers unfamiliar with this approach. We present a synthesis of key methodological literature on mixed methods research, with examples from our own work and that of others, to illustrate the practical applications of this approach within health research. We summarize definitions of mixed methods research, the value of this approach, key aspects of study design and analysis, and discuss the potential challenges of combining quantitative and qualitative methods and data. One of the key challenges within mixed methods research is the successful integration of quantitative and qualitative data during analysis and interpretation. However, the integration of different types of data can generate insights into a research question, resulting in enriched understanding of complex health research problems. PMID:23885291

Compendium of Applications Technology Satellite user experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engler, N. A.; Strange, J. D.; Hein, G. F.

1976-01-01

The achievements of the user experiments performed with ATS satellites from 1967 to 1973 are summarized. Included are fixed and mobile point to point communications experiments involving voice, teletype and facsimile transmissions. Particular emphasis is given to the Alaska and Hawaii satellite communications experiments. The use of the ATS satellites for ranging and position fixing of ships and aircraft is also covered. The structure and operating characteristics of the various ATS satellite are briefly described.

Improving customer satisfaction: emerging lessons about strategy and implementation, Part 2.

PubMed

Morton, J

1995-01-01

This article describes a six-phase strategy designed to systematically improve customer satisfaction across an entire managed care system. Part 1 (Spring 1995) of this two-part series summarized the theoretical underpinnings of the approach and highlighted the first two phases of the improvement strategy. Those phases involve systematically listening to the organization's customers and using customer information to strategically target key areas for improvement. This article describes the specifics of the last four phases of the strategy; these phases involve achieving and sustaining unprecedented levels of improvement in targeted areas. Initial results and emerging lessons associated with the implementation of this strategy are summarized.

Child maltreatment: a review of key literature in 2013.

PubMed

Schwartz, Kimberly A; Preer, Genevieve; McKeag, Heather; Newton, Alice W

2014-06-01

This review summarizes new findings in the field of maltreatment, addressing epidemiology, physical abuse, abusive head trauma, sexual abuse, sequelae, and prevention. Many articles this year focus on establishing a framework for thinking about how to evaluate a child for maltreatment, the consequences of maltreatment, and the current understanding of prevention efforts. Interestingly, some research has helped to reinforce some concepts that were clinically appreciated, especially related to retinal hemorrhages. The volume, quality, and breadth of research relating to child maltreatment continue to improve and expand our understanding of child abuse pediatrics. These authors summarize notable advances in our understanding of child maltreatment over the past year.

Speed Harmonization--Design Speed vs. Operating Speed.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-01

When the actual operating speed on the roads exceeds the design speed, which is common on rural highways, the roadway design may become problematic from a safety point of view. This report presents a new methodology that summarizes the relationship b...

(PRESENTED AT TSUKIJI, CHUO-KU, JAPAN) PERSISTENT PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THIS IMPORTANT NEW CLASS OF POLLUTANTS

EPA Science Inventory

PowerPoint presentation summarizing method development research involving the persistent perfluorinated organic compounds. Review of data indicating widespread distribution of these materials and the potential for toxicity.

48 CFR 1815.604 - Agency points of contact. (NASA supplements paragraph (a))

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Internet at http://ec.msfc.nasa.gov/hq/library/unSol-Prop.html. A deviation is required for use of any modified or summarized version of the Internet information or for alternate means of general dissemination...

Splice performance evaluation of enamel-coated rebar for structural safety.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

This report summarizes the findings and results from an experimental study of vitreous enamel coating effects on the bond : strength between deformed rebar and normal strength concrete. A total of 24 beam splice specimens were tested under four-point...

Enhancing Personal Outcomes: Organizational Strategies, Guidelines, and Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schalock, Robert L.; Verdugo, Miquel A.; Bonham, Gordon S.; Fantova, Fernando; Van Loon, Jos

2008-01-01

Education and rehabilitation programs in the field of intellectual disabilities are developing specific strategies related to demonstrated personal outcomes, quality of life (QOL)-related services and supports, evidence-based practices, and quality improvement. The purpose of this article is to summarize key aspects of these strategies within a…

Literacy Geography and Pedagogy: Imagining Translocal Research Alliances for Educational Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comber, Barbara

2017-01-01

This article explores the possible relationships between geography, literacy, pedagogy, and poverty. It characterizes poverty as a wicked problem, which sees economic inequality escalating in a number of neoliberal democracies. Key insights from theorists of economic inequality are summarized. The enduring nature of poverty in particular places is…

Success in challenging time: Important lessons learned from the US beekeeping industry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The United States plays a leadership role in the global beekeeping and honey industries. This article summarizes the roles of honey bees in agriculture and the key challenges facing the US beekeeping industry as well as innovative solutions to existing problems. The article also provides a review ...

Psychosomatic Medicine: The Scientific Foundation of the Biopsychosocial Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novack, Dennis H.; Cameron, Oliver; Epel, Elissa; Ader, Robert; Waldstein, Shari R.; Levenstein, Susan; Antoni, Michael H.; Wainer, Alicia Rojas

2007-01-01

Objective: This article presents major concepts and research findings from the field of psychosomatic medicine that the authors believe should be taught to all medical students. Method: The authors asked senior scholars involved in psychosomatic medicine to summarize key findings in their respective fields. Results: The authors provide an overview…

The First World Congress on the Management of Electronic Commerce: Review and Commentary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bontis, Nick; De Castro, Akemi

2000-01-01

Summarizes some key findings of academic papers presented at the First World Congress on the Management of Electronic Commerce (January, 2000, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). Outlines two meta-management issues that surfaced: taking a strategic approach to Internet ventures and considering infrastructure design during implementation. Highlights…

Gossip Revisited: A Game for Concept Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Barbara

1989-01-01

Describes a class activity based on the game of "Gossip" in which a group of students paraphrases a major concept in an instructional unit, then passes only the paraphrase to the next group. Notes that this activity encourages critical thinking and helps review and summarize key lesson concepts. (RS)

Why Involvement Matters: A Review of Research on Student Involvement in the Collegiate Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Jody; Lovell, Cheryl D.; McGann, Tammy; Wyrick, Jason

1998-01-01

Highlights different types of student involvement, summarizes key findings, and identifies significant gaps in research regarding how student involvement on college campuses impacts student development and learning. Suggests that student affairs administrators need to continue the exploration on the importance of college student involvement.…

Legislation on Long-Term Care Insurance. Report No. 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Legislative Council, Madison.

This report presents Wisconsin state legislation on long-term care insurance. Part I summarizes key provisions of six 1987 assembly bills concerned with long-term care insurance. Part II describes activities of the Wisconsin State Legislative Council's Special Committee on Long-Term Health Care Insurance. Part III provides background information…

New York State Forum for Information Resource Management: 1999-2000 Annual Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Forum for Information Resource Management.

This annual report of the New York State Forum for Information Resource Management begins with a section that summarizes key activities for 1999-2000, including partnerships with other organizations, efforts to promote effective technology workforce planning in New York State government, tracking information management developments related to…

Portraits of Fathers. Contemporary Family Trends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubeau, Diane

Noting that a substantial research literature on fathers has been built over the last 20 years and that fathers can no longer be considered "the forgotten parent" of the scientific community, this paper summarizes key research on fathers while highlighting concerns regarding the current emphasis on fatherhood expressed by parents and…

Sociocultural Perspectives on Transition to School from Pacific Islands Early Childhood Centres.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Podmore, Valerie N.; Sauvao, Le'Autuli'ilagi M.; Mapa, Lia

2003-01-01

Summarizes research investigating children's transition to primary school from Pacific early childhood centers in New Zealand. Key issues emerging from the review include continuity of Pacific Islands languages and culture between home, early childhood center, and school; home-school partnership; teachers' and parents' expectations regarding…

KPI Graduate Executive Summary Report, Summer 2000-Winter 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheridan Coll. (Ontario).

Summarizes findings from the Key Performance Indicator Satisfaction Survey administered by Sheridan College in the summer 2000, fall 2000, and winter 2001 terms. This survey was administered in compliance with the Ontario government's efforts to increase the accountability of the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology through the measurement of…

Research Ethics for Mental Health Science Involving Ethnic Minority Children and Youths.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Celia B.; Hoagwood, Kimberly; Boyce, Cheryl; Duster, Troy; Frank, Deborah A.; Grisso, Thomas; Levine, Robert J.; Macklin, Ruth; Spencer, Margaret Beale; Takanishi, Ruby; Trimble, Joseph E.; Zayas, Luis H.

2002-01-01

Summarizes key recommendations resulting from a meeting of national leaders in bioethics, multicultural research, and ethnic minority mental health. The recommendations focus on applying a cultural perspective to the evaluation of research risks and benefits; developing and implementing respectful informed consent procedures; developing and…

Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program Update: Innovation & Research for the 21st Century

EPA Science Inventory

This slide presentation summarizes key elements of the EOA, Office of Research and Development’s (ORD) Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI)) Research program. An overview of the national problems posed by aging water infrastructure is followed by a brief description of EPA’s overall...

Sea-level Rise Impacts on Oregon Estuaries: Biology and Hydrology

EPA Science Inventory

Estuaries are transitional ecosystems located at the margin of the land and ocean and as a result they are particularly sensitive to sea level rise and other climate drivers. In this presentation, we summarize the potential impacts of sea level rise on key estuarine habitats inc...

Common quandaries and their practical solutions in Bayesian network modeling

Treesearch

Bruce G. Marcot

2017-01-01

Use and popularity of Bayesian network (BN) modeling has greatly expanded in recent years, but many common problems remain. Here, I summarize key problems in BN model construction and interpretation,along with suggested practical solutions. Problems in BN model construction include parameterizing probability values, variable definition, complex network structures,...

DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR THE ABATEMENT OF NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSIONS USING REBURN TECHNOLOGY FOR COGENERATION PLANTS IN TAIWAN

EPA Science Inventory

The report summarizes the key technical results of a joint demonstration project between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. The project demonstrated that coal reburning can be used to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOX) emiss...

The Stark truth: what your physician clients should know about Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute.

PubMed

Taormina, Melissa

2013-01-01

This article summarizes key features of Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute, statutes used to fight health care fraud and abuse within Medicare and Medicaid, and explains how attorneys can help health care providers comply with these laws.

NASA Microgravity Research Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Dan

1999-01-01

The Fiscal Year 1998 Annual Report describes key elements of the NASA Microgravity Research Program. The Program's goals, approach taken to achieve those goals, and program resources are summarized. A review of the Program's status at the end of FY1998 and highlights of the ground- and-flight-based research are provided.

Managing Gambel oak in southwestern ponderosa pine forests: the status of our knowledge

Treesearch

Scott R. Abella

2008-01-01

Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) is a key deciduous species in southwestern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests and is important for wildlife habitat, soil processes, and human values. This report (1) summarizes Gambel oak's biological characteristics and importance in ponderosa pine forests, (2) synthesizes literature on...

Notes from Beyond the Cognitive Domain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brand, Alice, Comp.; Graves, Dick, Comp.

This packet summarizes the ideas, concepts, suggestions, and speculations growing out of a think tank which explored the uncharted region beyond cognitive learning. The packet contains: (1) an alphabetical list of 1991 and 1992 participants; (2) a list of participants' interests according to key terms; (3) summaries of small group discussions…

Dwarfing the Social? Nanotechnology Lessons from the Biotechnology Front

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Einsiedel, Edna F.; Goldenberg, Linda

2004-01-01

Biotechnology and nanotechnology are both strategic technologies, and the former provides several lessons that could contribute to more successful embedding and integration processes for the latter. This article identifies some of the key questions emerging from the biotechnology experience and summarizes several lessons learned in the context of…

The carbon cycle revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolin, Bert; Fung, Inez

1992-01-01

Discussions during the Global Change Institute indicated a need to present, in some detail and as accurately as possible, our present knowledge about the carbon cycle, the uncertainties in this knowledge, and the reasons for these uncertainties. We discuss basic issues of internal consistency within the carbon cycle, and end by summarizing the key unknowns.

Understanding the New Job-Analysis Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aho, Kaye L.

1989-01-01

The author examines such trends as rapid job change, organizational decentralization, the need for increased productivity, legal challenges, and changing work force needs; the evolving job-analysis technology; and the potential impact of this technology on human resources professionals. She also summarizes the key features to look for in a…

Improving Breastfeeding Behaviors: Evidence from Two Decades of Intervention Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Cynthia P.

This report summarizes research on interventions intended to improve four key breastfeeding behaviors: early initiation of breastfeeding, feeding of colostrum to newborns, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 0-6 months, and continued breastfeeding through the second year and beyond. It clarifies what is known about improving these practices in…

Cultural Identity and Schooling in Rural New Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodrum, Arlie

2009-01-01

Summarizing the findings of his study in southwestern Nova Scotia coastal fishing villages, Mike Corbett (2009), in his article "Rural Schooling in Mobile Modernity: Returning to the Places I've Been" lays out several arguments, including the following: First, that formal education "has been and continues to be...a key institution…

Principals' Transformational Leadership in School Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Yingxiu

2013-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute experience and ideas of the transformational leadership, not only for the principal want to improve leadership himself (herself), but also for the school at critical period of improvement, through summarizing forming process and the problem during the course and key factors that affect the course.…

Pathogenesis of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei.

PubMed

Larsen, Joseph C; Johnson, Nathan H

2009-06-01

Burkholderia pseudomallei and mallei are biological agents of military significance. There has been significant research in recent years to develop medical countermeasures for these organisms. This review summarizes work which details aspects of the pathogenesis of B. pseudomallei and mallei and discusses key scientific questions and directions for future research.

Redefining the Concept of Learning in Cooperative Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worker, Steven M.; Ouellette, Kristy L.; Maille, Alexa

2017-01-01

For Extension educational programs to meet the educational needs of today's youths, families, and communities, Extension needs to expand "what counts" as learning. The purpose of this article is to define learning in the context of Extension. We summarize key aspects of the educational research literature by comparing two prevailing…

The National Television Violence Study: Key Findings and Recommendations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young Children, 1996

1996-01-01

Summarizes findings of the Television Violence Study indicating that the context of much television violence is dangerous to viewers, perpetrators go unpunished in the majority of programs, negative consequences of violence are often ignored, guns feature prominently, and presentation of violence differs greatly across networks and across…

Instructing English Language Learners: Assessing the State of Our Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldenberg, Claude; Quach, Sara Rutherford

2010-01-01

Although schools and districts are increasingly required to provide various supports and instructional programs for English Language Learners (ELLs), standardized measures of these students' academic achievement continue to be low. This article summarizes key findings of two major reviews of the research on educating ELLs that were completed in…

Missing links between histones and RNA Pol II arising from SAND?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Eukaryotic SAND domain-containing proteins bind DNA and are implicated in direct target gene activation and chromatin-mediated gene regulation. We summarize our recent results demonstrating that the Arabidopsis SAND domain protein ULTRAPETALA1 (ULT1) plays a key role in counteracting target gene rep...

Implementing Positive Behavior Support with Chinese American Families: Enhancing Cultural Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Mian; McCart, Amy; Turnbull, Ann P.

2007-01-01

In positive behavior support (PBS) practices, one critical issue involves helping professionals understand and respect the values of families from culturally diverse backgrounds. This article summarizes embedded cultural values of PBS represented in four key features of the PBS process: collaborative partnerships, functional assessment, contextual…

Manufacturing process applications team (MATeam)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bangs, E. R.

1980-01-01

Progress in the transfer of aerospace technology to solve key problems in the manufacturing sector of the economy is reported. Potential RTOP programs are summarized along with dissemination activities. The impact of transferred NASA manufacturing technology is discussed. Specific areas covered include aircraft production, robot technology, machining of alloys, and electrical switching systems.

Learning about America, and about Buying from Starbucks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Bryant

2011-01-01

Professor Bryant Simon is the author of "Everything But the Coffee: Learning About America From Starbucks" (University of California Press, 2009). He presented his key findings to the class and summarizes them here. Studying Starbucks reveals essential truths about what its customers, who represented a large cross-section of the American…

Redesigning America's Schools: A Systems Approach to Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffy, Francis M.; Rogerson, Lynda G.; Blick, Charles

Current school improvement tools are largely piecemeal and often lack credible supportive evidence. Knowledge Work Supervision (KWS) is built on the premise that schools must develop the capacity for sustaining districtwide improvements. Chapter 1, "The Past Before Us Is Not the Future," summarizes the key elements of the four phases of…

Cell module and fuel conditioner development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, D. Q., Jr.

1981-01-01

The test results of and post test analysis of Stack 559 are reported. The design features and construction status of Stacks 560, 561, 562 and 563 are described. The measurements of cell materials compressibility are rationalized and summarized and an explanation of their uses is given. Preliminary results of a manifold material/coating survey are given. The results of shift converter catalyst performance tests and reforming catalyst aging tests are reported. State points for full load and part load operation of the fuel conditioning subsystem tabulated. Work on the data base for the fuel conditioner ancillary subsystems is summarized.

Issues in advanced automation for manipulator control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bejczy, A. K.

1976-01-01

This paper provides a brief description and analysis of the main issues in advanced autonomous control of manipulators as seen from a system point of view. The nature of manipulation is analyzed at some depth. A general multilevel structure is outlined for manipulator control organization which includes the human operator at the top level of the control structure. Different approaches to the development of advanced automation of mechanical arms are summarized. Recent work in the JPL teleoperator project is described, including control system, force/torque sensor, and control software development. Some results from control experiments are summarized.

EURAMET.T-K7 Key Comparison of Water Triple-Point Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peruzzi, A.; Bosma, R.; Kerkhof, O.; Rosenkranz, P.; Del Campo Maldonado, M. D.; Strnad, R.; Nielsen, J.; Anagnostou, M.; Veliki, T.; Zvizdic, D.; Grudnewicz, E.; Nedea, M.; Neagu, D. M.; Steur, P.; Filipe, E.; Lobo, I.; Antonsen, I.; Renaot, E.; Heinonen, M.; Weckstrom, T.; Bojkovski, J.; Turzo-Andras, E.; Nemeth, S.; White, M.; Tegeler, E.; Dobre, M.; Duris, S.; Kartal Dogan, A.; Uytun, A.; Augevicius, V.; Pauzha, A.; Pokhodun, A.; Simic, S.

2011-12-01

The results of a EURAMET key comparison of water triple-point cells (EURAMET.T-K7) are reported. The equipment used, the measuring conditions applied, and the procedures adopted for the water triple-point measurement at the participating laboratories are synthetically presented. The definitions of the national reference for the water triple-point temperature adopted by each laboratory are disclosed. The multiplicity of degrees of equivalence arising for the linking laboratories with respect to the "mother" comparison CCT-K7 is discussed in detail.

Tracing Personalized Health Curves during Infections

PubMed Central

Schneider, David S.

2011-01-01

It is difficult to describe host–microbe interactions in a manner that deals well with both pathogens and mutualists. Perhaps a way can be found using an ecological definition of tolerance, where tolerance is defined as the dose response curve of health versus parasite load. To plot tolerance, individual infections are summarized by reporting the maximum parasite load and the minimum health for a population of infected individuals and the slope of the resulting curve defines the tolerance of the population. We can borrow this method of plotting health versus microbe load in a population and make it apply to individuals; instead of plotting just one point that summarizes an infection in an individual, we can plot the values at many time points over the course of an infection for one individual. This produces curves that trace the course of an infection through phase space rather than over a more typical timeline. These curves highlight relationships like recovery and point out bifurcations that are difficult to visualize with standard plotting techniques. Only nine archetypical curves are needed to describe most pathogenic and mutualistic host–microbe interactions. The technique holds promise as both a qualitative and quantitative approach to dissect host–microbe interactions of all kinds. PMID:21957398

Pointing control for the International Comet Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leblanc, D. R.; Schumacher, L. L.

1980-01-01

The design of the pointing control system for the proposed International Comet Mission, intended to fly by Comet Halley and rendezvous with Comet Tempel-2 is presented. Following a review of mission objectives and the spacecraft configuration, design constraints on the pointing control system controlling the two-axis gimballed scan platform supporting the science instruments are discussed in relation to the scientific requirements of the mission. The primary design options considered for the pointing control system design for the baseline spacecraft are summarized, and the design selected, which employs a target-referenced, inertially stabilized control system, is described in detail. The four basic modes of operation of the pointing control subsystem (target acquisition, inertial hold, target track and slew) are discussed as they relate to operations at Halley and Tempel-2. It is pointed that the pointing control system design represents a significant advance in the state of the art of pointing controls for planetary missions.

Image detection and compression for memory efficient system analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayraktar, Mustafa

2015-02-01

The advances in digital signal processing have been progressing towards efficient use of memory and processing. Both of these factors can be utilized efficiently by using feasible techniques of image storage by computing the minimum information of image which will enhance computation in later processes. Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) can be utilized to estimate and retrieve of an image. In computer vision, SIFT can be implemented to recognize the image by comparing its key features from SIFT saved key point descriptors. The main advantage of SIFT is that it doesn't only remove the redundant information from an image but also reduces the key points by matching their orientation and adding them together in different windows of image [1]. Another key property of this approach is that it works on highly contrasted images more efficiently because it`s design is based on collecting key points from the contrast shades of image.

A Review of Patient-Reported Outcome Labeling in the United States (2011-2015).

PubMed

Gnanasakthy, Ari; Mordin, Margaret; Evans, Emily; Doward, Lynda; DeMuro, Carla

2017-03-01

A review of new drug approvals (NDAs) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for 2006 to 2010 showed that 24.1% of new drugs had patient-reported outcome (PRO) labeling. To review PRO labeling for NDAs for 2011 to 2015 and to compare key findings reported previously. A review of the FDA drug approval reports for NDAs was conducted using the FDA Web site to determine the number of NDAs for the period 2011 to 2015. For all identified NDAs, drug approval package and product labeling were reviewed to identify PRO end-point status and PRO labeling. NDAs for the period 2006 to 2015 were grouped by disease category as per the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. Data were summarized for all NDAs and for approvals in diseases that traditionally rely on PROs for evaluating treatment benefit (PRO-dependent). Results were compared with NDAs for the period 2006 to 2010. In the period 2011 to 2015, 16.5% of the 182 NDAs had PRO labeling. For PRO-dependent NDAs, this figure was 46.9% and 46.0% for the period 2006 to 1010 and the period 2011 to 2015, respectively. Most of the PRO labeling for the period 2011 to 2015 was based on primary end points (76.7%). Almost all PRO labeling was for concepts proximal to the disease. There is potential for increased PRO labeling, especially for drug approvals in diseases that traditionally rely on PROs for evaluating treatment benefit to satisfy regulatory needs. Less PRO labeling based on secondary end points may be indicative of drug manufacturers' reluctance to aid and enhance the value propositions of their products to all stakeholders, including patients. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On identity: from a philosophical point of view

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The term “identity” has a much longer tradition in Western philosophy than in psychology. However, the philosophical discourse addresses very different meanings of the term, which should be distinguished to avoid misunderstandings, but also to sharpen the key meanings of the term in psychological contexts. These crucial points in the philosophical concepts of identity in the sense of singularity, individuality, or self-sameness may structure the ongoing discussion on identity in psychiatric diagnoses (as in DSM-5, Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment, this issue, 2013), in psychology, psychoanalysis, but also neuroscience and neurophilosophy (Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment, this issue, 2013). Method The concept of identity is subjected to a systematic philosophical analysis following some milestones in its history to provide a background for recent discussions on identity in psychiatry and psychology. Results The article focuses first on the philosophical core distinctions of identity in the different meanings to be addressed, second, briefly on some of the diverse psychological histories of the concept in the second half of the 20th century. Finally some reflections are presented on borderline personality disorder, considered as a mental disorder with a disturbance or diffusion of identity as core feature, and briefly on a newly developed instrument assessing identity development and identity diffusion in adolescence, the AIDA that is also presented in the special issue of this journal (Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment, this issue, 2013). Conclusion As a conclusion, different points of view concerning identity are summarized in respect to treatment planning, and different levels of description of identity in phenomenology, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and social science and personality psychology are outlined. PMID:23902741

Cellular and Synaptic Properties of Local Inhibitory Circuits.

PubMed

Hull, Court

2017-05-01

Inhibitory interneurons play a key role in sculpting the information processed by neural circuits. Despite the wide range of physiologically and morphologically distinct types of interneurons that have been identified, common principles have emerged that have shed light on how synaptic inhibition operates, both mechanistically and functionally, across cell types and circuits. This introduction summarizes how electrophysiological approaches have been used to illuminate these key principles, including basic interneuron circuit motifs, the functional properties of inhibitory synapses, and the main roles for synaptic inhibition in regulating neural circuit function. It also highlights how some key electrophysiological methods and experiments have advanced our understanding of inhibitory synapse function. © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Progress in satellite quantum key distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedington, Robert; Arrazola, Juan Miguel; Ling, Alexander

2017-08-01

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a family of protocols for growing a private encryption key between two parties. Despite much progress, all ground-based QKD approaches have a distance limit due to atmospheric losses or in-fibre attenuation. These limitations make purely ground-based systems impractical for a global distribution network. However, the range of communication may be extended by employing satellites equipped with high-quality optical links. This manuscript summarizes research and development which is beginning to enable QKD with satellites. It includes a discussion of protocols, infrastructure, and the technical challenges involved with implementing such systems, as well as a top level summary of on-going satellite QKD initiatives around the world.

Fact Sheet - Final Air Toxics Rule for Steel Pickling and HCI Process Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Fact Sheet summarizing the main points of the national emssions standard for hazaradous air pollutants (NESHAP) for Steel Pickling— HCl Process Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants as promulgated on June 22, 1999.

Intrigue and potential of space exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Losh, H.

1972-01-01

A brief history of astronomy is presented. A chronology of events in the space program is summarized. The possibilities of interplanetary exploration are postulated. The accomplishments of astronomy in pointing the way to manned spaceflight and improved understanding of the solar system are examined.

Mechanical analysis of pipe-type cable under TMB

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

Greenwood, A.N.; Levy, R.; Spillers, W.R.

1982-07-01

This paper summarizes recent work performed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on the mechanical response of pipe-type cable to the TMB environment. It deals with both the internal stress distribution at a point and gross cable moduli. Typical experimental results are included.

Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water Small Systems Research

EPA Science Inventory

This Power Point presentation will summarize some of the results from Arsenic Demonstration Program with the main focus on the adsorptive media systems used by small systems. The presentation will also describe the results of recent regeneration studies conducted on the arsenic ...

Research on the Construction Management and Sustainable Development of Large-Scale Scientific Facilities in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guiquan, Xi; Lin, Cong; Xuehui, Jin

2018-05-01

As an important platform for scientific and technological development, large -scale scientific facilities are the cornerstone of technological innovation and a guarantee for economic and social development. Researching management of large-scale scientific facilities can play a key role in scientific research, sociology and key national strategy. This paper reviews the characteristics of large-scale scientific facilities, and summarizes development status of China's large-scale scientific facilities. At last, the construction, management, operation and evaluation of large-scale scientific facilities is analyzed from the perspective of sustainable development.

A guide to Social Security money's worth issues.

PubMed

Leimer, D R

1995-01-01

This article discusses some of the major issues associated with the question of whether workers receive their money's worth from the Social Security program. An effort is made to keep the discussion as nontechnical as possible, with explanations provided for many of the technical terms and concepts found in the money's worth literature. Major assumptions, key analytical methods, and money's worth measures used in the literature are also discussed. Finally, the key findings of money's worth studies are summarized, with some cautions concerning the limitations and appropriate usage of money's worth analyses.

Pictorial key to species of the genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville, 1831 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) from China, with description of one new species

PubMed Central

Tan, Jiang-Li; Van Achterberg, Kees; Chen, Xue-Xin

2014-01-01

Abstract Twenty two species of the paper wasp genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville, 1831, are listed from China. Among them, R. malaisei van der Vecht, 1962, R. cyathiformis (Fabricius, 1804), R. santoshae Das & Gupta, 1989, R. scitula (Bingham, 1897), R. obscura Gusenleitner, 1996 and R. ornaticeps (Cameron, 1900) are new records from China. A new species, R. parartifex Tan & van Achterberg, is described. Their diagnostic characteristics are summarized in an illustrated key and 36 colourplates. PMID:24715777

Effects of food marketing to kids: I'm lovin' it?

PubMed

Salinsky, Eileen

2006-08-15

This issue brief reviews key findings and recommendations from the Institute of Medicine study on food marketing and its effects on childhood obesity. The brief describes the childhood obesity epidemic, discusses key trends associated with rising childhood obesity rates, and considers the relative role of marketing practices on diet and obesity within the broader context of complex contributory factors. The brief also summarizes the current legal framework for regulating marketing directed at children;discusses voluntary, self-regulatory mechanisms; and highlights proposals to re-orient marketing practices to combat childhood obesity.

Regulatory and quality considerations for continuous manufacturing. May 20-21, 2014 Continuous Manufacturing Symposium.

PubMed

Allison, Gretchen; Cain, Yanxi Tan; Cooney, Charles; Garcia, Tom; Bizjak, Tara Gooen; Holte, Oyvind; Jagota, Nirdosh; Komas, Bekki; Korakianiti, Evdokia; Kourti, Dora; Madurawe, Rapti; Morefield, Elaine; Montgomery, Frank; Nasr, Moheb; Randolph, William; Robert, Jean-Louis; Rudd, Dave; Zezza, Diane

2015-03-01

This paper assesses the current regulatory environment, relevant regulations and guidelines, and their impact on continuous manufacturing. It summarizes current regulatory experience and learning from both review and inspection perspectives. It outlines key regulatory aspects, including continuous manufacturing process description and control strategy in regulatory files, process validation, and key Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements. In addition, the paper identifies regulatory gaps and challenges and proposes a way forward to facilitate implementation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Impact Assessment and Forecasts of Information and Telecommunications Technologies Applied to Education and Training. R&D in Information and Communication Based Learning Technology. Analysis of Key Issues for the Orientation of the Work of Sector Actors in the Framework of DELTA. Volume I--Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium).

This report, the first volume in a three volume set, summarizes the results of a study performed by the DELTA (Developing European Learning through Technological Advance) Unit in parallel with the projects underway in the research and development Exploratory Action. The report identifies the key issues, associated requirements and options, and…

Feasibility of Producing and Using Biomass-Based Diesel and Jet Fuel in the United States

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

Milbrandt, A.; Kinchin, C.; McCormick, R.

The study summarizes the best available public data on the production, capacity, cost, market demand, and feedstock availability for the production of biomass-based diesel and jet fuel. It includes an overview of the current conversion processes and current state-of-development for the production of biomass-based jet and diesel fuel, as well as the key companies pursuing this effort. Thediscussion analyzes all this information in the context of meeting the RFS mandate, highlights uncertainties for the future industry development, and key business opportunities.

Adaptive approaches to licensing, health technology assessment, and introduction of drugs and devices.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Henshall, Chris; Jivraj, Jamil

2014-07-01

Adaptive approaches to the introduction of drugs and medical devices involve the use of an evolving evidence base rather than conventional single-point-in-time evaluations as a proposed means to promote patient access to innovation, reduce clinical uncertainty, ensure effectiveness, and improve the health technology development process. This report summarizes a Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Policy Forum discussion, drawing on presentations from invited experts, discussions among attendees about real-world case examples, and background paper. For adaptive approaches to be understood, accepted, and implemented, the Forum identified several key issues that must be addressed. These include the need to define the goals of and to set priorities for adaptive approaches; to examine evidence collection approaches; to clarify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders; to understand the implications of adaptive approaches on current legal and ethical standards; to determine costs of such approaches and how they will be met; and to identify differences in applying adaptive approaches to drugs versus medical devices. The Forum also explored the different implications of adaptive approaches for various stakeholders, including patients, regulators, HTA/coverage bodies, health systems, clinicians, and industry. A key outcome of the meeting was a clearer understanding of the opportunities and challenges adaptive approaches present. Furthermore, the Forum brought to light the critical importance of recognizing and including a full range of stakeholders as contributors to a shared decision-making model implicit in adaptive pathways in future discussions on, and implementation of, adaptive approaches.

Adapting improvements to context: when, why and how?

PubMed Central

Ovretveit, John; Dolan-Branton, Lisa; Marx, Michael; Reid, Amy; Reed, Julie; Agins, Bruce

2018-01-01

Abstract There is evidence that practitioners applying quality improvements often adapt the improvement method or the change they are implementing, either unknowingly, or intentionally to fit their service or situation. This has been observed especially in programs seeking to spread or ‘scale up’ an improvement change to other services. Sometimes their adaptations result in improved outcomes, sometimes they do not, and sometimes they do not have data make this assessment or to describe the adaptation. The purpose of this paper is to summarize key points about adaptation and context discussed at the Salzburg Global Seminar in order to help improvers judge when and how to adapt an improvement change. It aims also to encourage more research into such adaptations to develop our understanding of the when, why and how of effective adaptation and to provide more research informed guidance to improvers. The paper gives examples to illustrate key issues in adaptation and to consider more systematic and purposeful adaptation of improvements so as to increase the chances of achieving improvements in different settings for different participants. We describe methods for assessing whether adaptation is necessary or likely to reduce the effectiveness of an improvement intervention, which adaptations might be required, and methods for collecting data to assess whether the adaptations are successful. We also note areas where research is most needed in order to enable more effective scale up of quality improvements changes and wider take up and use of the methods.

A summary of measured hydraulic data for the series of steady and unsteady flow experiments over patterned roughness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, Dannie L.; Flynn, Kathleen M.

1979-01-01

This report summarizes and makes available to other investigators the measured hydraulic data collected during a series of experiments designed to study the effect of patterned bed roughness on steady and unsteady open-channel flow. The patterned effect of the roughness was obtained by clear-cut mowing of designated areas of an otherwise fairly dense coverage of coastal Bermuda grass approximately 250 mm high. All experiments were conducted in the Flood Plain Simulation Facility during the period of October 7 through December 12, 1974. Data from 18 steady flow experiments and 10 unsteady flow experiments are summarized. Measured data included are ground-surface elevations, grass heights and densities, water-surface elevations and point velocities for all experiments. Additional tables of water-surface elevations and measured point velocities are included for the clear-cut areas for most experiments. One complete set of average water-surface elevations and one complete set of measured point velocities are tabulated for each steady flow experiment. Time series data, on a 2-minute time interval, are tabulated for both water-surface elevations and point velocities for each unsteady flow experiment. All data collected, including individual records of water-surface elevations for the steady flow experiments, have been stored on computer disk storage and can be retrieved using the computer programs listed in the attachment to this report. (Kosco-USGS)

Spatial prediction of soil texture in region Centre (France) from summary data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobarco, Mercedes Roman; Saby, Nicolas; Paroissien, Jean-Baptiste; Orton, Tom G.

2015-04-01

Soil texture is a key controlling factor of important soil functions like water and nutrient holding capacity, retention of pollutants, drainage, soil biodiversity, and C cycling. High resolution soil texture maps enhance our understanding of the spatial distribution of soil properties and provide valuable information for decision making and crop management, environmental protection, and hydrological planning. We predicted the soil texture of agricultural topsoils in the Region Centre (France) combining regression and area-to-point kriging. Soil texture data was collected from the French soil-test database (BDAT), which is populated with soil analysis performed by farmers' demand. To protect the anonymity of the farms the data was treated by commune. In a first step, summary statistics of environmental covariates by commune were used to develop prediction models with Cubist, boosted regression trees, and random forests. In a second step the residuals of each individual observation were summarized by commune and kriged following the method developed by Orton et al. (2012). This approach allowed to include non-linear relationships among covariates and soil texture while accounting for the uncertainty on areal means in the area-to-point kriging step. Independent validation of the models was done using data from the systematic soil monitoring network of French soils. Future work will compare the performance of these models with a non-stationary variance geostatistical model using the most important covariates and summary statistics of texture data. The results will inform on whether the later and statistically more-challenging approach improves significantly texture predictions or whether the more simple area-to-point regression kriging can offer satisfactory results. The application of area-to-point regression kriging at national level using BDAT data has the potential to improve soil texture predictions for agricultural topsoils, especially when combined with existing maps (i.e., model ensemble).

Parallel Key Frame Extraction for Surveillance Video Service in a Smart City.

PubMed

Zheng, Ran; Yao, Chuanwei; Jin, Hai; Zhu, Lei; Zhang, Qin; Deng, Wei

2015-01-01

Surveillance video service (SVS) is one of the most important services provided in a smart city. It is very important for the utilization of SVS to provide design efficient surveillance video analysis techniques. Key frame extraction is a simple yet effective technique to achieve this goal. In surveillance video applications, key frames are typically used to summarize important video content. It is very important and essential to extract key frames accurately and efficiently. A novel approach is proposed to extract key frames from traffic surveillance videos based on GPU (graphics processing units) to ensure high efficiency and accuracy. For the determination of key frames, motion is a more salient feature in presenting actions or events, especially in surveillance videos. The motion feature is extracted in GPU to reduce running time. It is also smoothed to reduce noise, and the frames with local maxima of motion information are selected as the final key frames. The experimental results show that this approach can extract key frames more accurately and efficiently compared with several other methods.

Shifts in Key Time Points and Strategies for a Multisegment Motor Task in Healthy Aging Subjects.

PubMed

Casteran, Matthieu; Hilt, Pauline M; Mourey, France; Manckoundia, Patrick; French, Robert; Thomas, Elizabeth

2018-05-05

In this study, we compared key temporal points in the whole body pointing movement of healthy aging and young subjects. During this movement, subject leans forward from a standing position to reach a target. As it involves forward inclination of the trunk, the movement creates a risk for falling. We examined two strategic time points during the task-first, the crossover point where the velocity of the center of mass (CoM) in the vertical dimension outstripped the velocity in the anteroposterior dimension and secondly, the time to peak of the CoM velocity profile. Transitions to stabilizing postures occur at these time points. They both occurred earlier in aging subjects. The crossover point also showed adjustments with target distance in aging subjects, while this was not observed in younger subjects. The shifts in these key time points could not be attributed to differences in movement duration between the two groups. Investigation with an optimal control model showed that the temporal adjustment as a function of target distance in the healthy aging subjects fits into a strategy that emphasized equilibrium maintenance rather than absolute work as a control strategy.

A survey of simultaneous localization and mapping on unstructured lunar complex environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yiqiao; Zhang, Wei; An, Pei

2017-10-01

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology is the key to realizing lunar rover's intelligent perception and autonomous navigation. It embodies the autonomous ability of mobile robot, and has attracted plenty of concerns of researchers in the past thirty years. Visual sensors are meaningful to SLAM research because they can provide a wealth of information. Visual SLAM uses merely images as external information to estimate the location of the robot and construct the environment map. Nowadays, SLAM technology still has problems when applied in large-scale, unstructured and complex environment. Based on the latest technology in the field of visual SLAM, this paper investigates and summarizes the SLAM technology using in the unstructured complex environment of lunar surface. In particular, we focus on summarizing and comparing the detection and matching of features of SIFT, SURF and ORB, in the meanwhile discussing their advantages and disadvantages. We have analyzed the three main methods: SLAM Based on Extended Kalman Filter, SLAM Based on Particle Filter and SLAM Based on Graph Optimization (EKF-SLAM, PF-SLAM and Graph-based SLAM). Finally, this article summarizes and discusses the key scientific and technical difficulties in the lunar context that Visual SLAM faces. At the same time, we have explored the frontier issues such as multi-sensor fusion SLAM and multi-robot cooperative SLAM technology. We also predict and prospect the development trend of lunar rover SLAM technology, and put forward some ideas of further research.

Tree ecophysiology research at Taylor Woods

Treesearch

Thomas E. Kolb; Nate G. McDowell

2008-01-01

We summarize the key findings of tree ecophysiology studies performed at Taylor Woods, Fort Valley Experimental Forest, Arizona between 1994 and 2003 that provide unique insight on impacts of long-term stand density management in ponderosa pine forests on tree water relations, leaf gas exchange, radial growth, leaf area-to-sapwood-area ratio, growth efficiency, leaf...

An Environmental Scan Update, 1992-93. 2020: Perfect Vision for the Next Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedel, J. N., Ed.

1992-01-01

A key component to Eastern Iowa Community College District's (EICCD) strategic planning process, called "2020 Vision: A Perfect Vision for the Future," was the publication of the report "An Environmental Scan" in 1989, which summarized major trends occurring in the external environment which may impact the community college,…

Perceived Uncertainty Sources in Wind Power Plant Design

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

Damiani, Rick R

This presentation for the Fourth Wind Energy Systems Engineering Workshop covers some of the uncertainties that still impact turbulent wind operation and how these affect design and structural reliability; identifies key sources and prioritization for R and D; and summarizes an analysis of current procedures, industry best practice, standards, and expert opinions.

78 FR 48674 - Announcement of the IRIS Public Meeting Schedule for Calendar Years 2013 and 2014; Announcement...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-09

...; methodological considerations that could affect the interpretation of or confidence in study results; and... summarizing key characteristics and findings from critical studies that EPA proposes to consider in..., screening studies for consideration, and selecting studies to include in evidence tables, are responsive to...

Management Guide for the black spruce type in the Lake States.

Treesearch

William F. Johnston

1971-01-01

Summarizes information on: (1) soil-site relations; (2) associated vegetation; (3) methods and requirements for reproduction; (4) stand development; (5) yield and 10-year net growth; (6) damaging agents. A key to recommended management practices is given for pulpwood and Christmas tree stands, and requirements for successful broadcast burning are included.

Power and limitation of soil properties as predictors of rangeland health and ecosystem functioning in a Northern mixed-grass prairie[Abstract

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil properties are thought to affect rangeland ecosystem functioning (e.g. primary productivity, hydrology), and thus soil variables that are consistently correlated with key ecosystem functions may be general indicators of rangeland health. We summarize results from several studies in mixed-grass...

Effective Principal, Effective School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipham, James M.

In summarizing findings on the principal's role in the school, this monograph assumes that the principal is a pivotal figure in the school and is the one who most affects the quality of teacher performance and student achievement. The author concludes that the studies reviewed demonstrate that the principal is a key factor in the success of the…

The Best of CAUSE/EFFECT: 1978-1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudy, Julia A., Ed.

This issue of the higher education information technology magazine, CAUSE/EFFECT, presents in six articles six summaries of the best from this journal since 1978. The articles each summarize the writing done over the years in one of six key areas. The articles are as follows: (1) "Rise of Infrastructure" by Kenneth J. Klingenstein and…

Development of the Runway Incursion Advisory and Alerting System (RIAAS): Research Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Denise R. (Technical Monitor); Cassell, Rick

2005-01-01

This report summarizes research conducted on an aircraft based Runway Incursion Advisory and Alerting System (RIAAS) developed under a cooperative agreement between Rannoch Corporation and the NASA Langley Research Center. A summary of RIAAS is presented along with results from simulation and flight testing, safety benefits, and key technical issues.

Psychiatric and Behavioral Disorders in Persons with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dykens, Elisabeth M.

2007-01-01

Similar to the state of the broader intellectual disabilities field, many gaps exist in the research and treatment of mental health concerns in people with Down syndrome. This review summarizes key findings on the type and prevalence of behavior and emotional problems in children, adolescents, and adults with Down syndrome. Such findings include…

How much are Chevrolet Volts in The EV Project driven in EV Mode?

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

Smart, John

2013-08-01

This report summarizes key conclusions from analysis of data collected from Chevrolet Volts participating in The EV Project. Topics include how many miles are driven in EV mode, how far vehicles are driven between charging events, and how much energy is charged from the electric grid per charging event.

New York State Forum for Information Resource Management: 1998-1999 Annual Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Forum for Information Resource Management.

This annual report of the New York State Forum for Information Resource Management begins with a section that summarizes key activities for 1998-99, including partnerships with other organizations, sessions on the use of information in government and information security, programs on the challenges of electronic commerce for government,…

BOOK REVIEW: WETLAND DESIGN, PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND LAND-USE PLANNERS

EPA Science Inventory

The book is organized in such a way that it provides a stepwise guide that begins with a basic historical and aesthetic overview of wetland design. The book then summarizes the key concepts involved in cumultive impacts from a landscape ecology persepetive, and then delves furth...

Operating & Environmental Standards « Coast Guard Maritime Commons

Science.gov Websites

: Marine Safety Information Bulletin 03-18, Oily bilge water management This bulletin summarizes key legal updates to Marine Safety Center's ballast water management system website The Marine Safety Center recently updated two tools posted to its ballast water management system website to assist industry when

Psycholinguistic Approaches to Language Processing in Heritage Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolger, Patrick A.; Zapata, Gabriela C.

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on the dearth of language-processing research addressing Spanish heritage speakers in assimilationist communities. First, we review key offline work on this population, and we then summarize the few psycholinguistic (online) studies that have already been carried out. In an attempt to encourage more such research, in the next…

Sea-level Rise Impacts on Oregon Estuaries: Biology and Hydrology - for posting on website

EPA Science Inventory

Estuaries are transitional ecosystems located at the margin of the land and ocean and as a result they are particularly sensitive to sea level rise and other climate drivers. In this presentation, we summarize the potential impacts of sea level rise on key estuarine habitats incl...

How Can Organizational and Sociocultural Learning Theories Shed Light on District Instructional Reform?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Michael S.

2008-01-01

This article explores how organizational and sociocultural learning theories can help us to understand the problem of system-wide instructional reform in school districts. After briefly summarizing the central challenges facing leaders in such districts, the article reviews key ideas associated with each theoretical lens and considers how each…

Open Distribution of Virtual Containers as a Key Framework for Open Educational Resources and STEAM Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbi, Alberto; Burgos, Daniel

2017-01-01

This paper presents how virtual containers enhance the implementation of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) subjects as Open Educational Resources (OER). The publication initially summarizes the limitations of delivering open rich learning contents and corresponding assignments to students in college level STEAM areas. The…

Evaluation of the Texas Nutrition Education and Training Program for Federal Fiscal Year 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Mahassen

This report summarizes the results of the 1997 Texas Nutrition Education and Training (NET) program, one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Child Nutrition Programs. NET provides nutrition education and instructional resources for children and key individuals in their learning environment. NET's target population includes parents or…

Disasters and Youth: A Meta-Analytic Examination of Posttraumatic Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furr, Jami M.; Comer, Jonathan S.; Edmunds, Julie M.; Kendall, Philip C.

2010-01-01

Objective: Meta-analyze the literature on posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in youths post-disaster. Method: Meta-analytic synthesis of the literature (k = 96 studies; N[subscript total] = 74,154) summarizing the magnitude of associations between disasters and youth PTS, and key factors associated with variations in the magnitude of these…

Computationally predicted Adverse Outcome Pathway networks for liver-related diseases using publicly available data sources: Case studies and lessons learned

EPA Science Inventory

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework summarizes key information about mechanistic events leading to an adverse health or ecological outcome. In recent years computationally predicted AOPs (cpAOP) making use of publicly available data have been proposed as a means of accele...

Hawai'i Youth at Risk? Conceptual Challenges in Communicating a Statewide Mentoring Initiative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard, Vincent Kelly

This paper discusses several issues considered as part of a statewide mentoring initiative. It is divided into three sections. The first section summarizes the key issues associated with short-term mentoring and mentoring in a longer-term, socially transformative context. Data from Comprehensive School Alienation Program is discussed concerning…

In-Place Preservative Treatments for Covered Bridges

Treesearch

Stan Lebow; Jeff Morrell

2014-01-01

Covered bridges can be vulnerable to damage from fungal decay and insect attack. This paper describes procedures for selecting and applying in-place treatments to prevent or arrest biodegradation, and summarizes recent research evaluating some of these treatments. Wood moisture is the key to decay and termite attack, and the first line of defense against...

A COMPUTERIZED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MASS COMMUNICATION RESEARCH, 1944-1964.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DANIELSON, WAYNE A.; WILHOIT, G.C., JR.

THIS IS A KEY-WORD-IN-CONTEXT INDEX AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ON MASS COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH AS REPORTED IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL LITERATURE, PARTICULARLY, AS RELATED TO THE INTEREST OF MAGAZINE EXECUTIVES. TABLES IN THE INTRODUCTION SUMMARIZE COMPUTER FINDINGS ON THE LITERATURE ACCORDING TO RESEARCH METHOD USED IN THE STUDIES, THEIR RELEVANCE TO…

The genera Macroxyela Kirby and Megaxyela Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Xyelidae) in North America

Treesearch

David R. Smith; Nathan M. Schiff

1998-01-01

Five species of Megaxyela, including Megaxyela alisonae, n. sp., and two species of Macroxyela occur in North America. Macroxyela bicolor MacGillivray is a new synonym of Macroxyela ferruginea (Say). The species are keyed, described, and illustrated, and biological information is summarized. Hosts include hickory, pecan, and elm.

Formalization, Conflict, and Change: Constructive and Destructive Consequences in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiPaola, Michael F.; Hoy, Wayne K.

2001-01-01

Describes a typology of change drawn from conceptualizing conflict as cognitive or affective, and organizational formalization in terms of enabling or coercive procedures. The framework can predict the impact of change, from situations that catalyze and facilitate change to those that frustrate and inhibit it. Summarizes key factors for school…

The State of Charter School Authorizing 2013: Sixth Annual Report on NACSA's Authorizer Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of Charter School Authorizers, 2014

2014-01-01

This report summarizes findings of a comprehensive national survey that covers authorizer adoption of Essential Practices, as well as important context about the evolution of the authorizing profession itself. There are some gratifying results, with near-unanimous adoption of such key practices as requiring financial audits of schools and…

The Children's Hearings Project Research Findings. A Summary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merry, Sally E.; And Others

Since 1980 the Children's Hearings Project (CHP) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has offered status offenders and their families mediation as an alternative to the courts. This report describes CPH's origins and summarizes the results of an extensive research study conducted during the first 2 years of its operation. The key findings were: (1)…

Exploring E-Learning. IES Report 376.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard, E.; Hillage, J.

This guide summarizes current research and commentary on e-learning, examining the key issues facing organizations exploring e-learning for employee development. The guide contains six sections. The first section provides an introduction to the issue of e-learning and a summary of the issues discussed in the remainder of the guide. Section 2…

Planning for Worker Re-Adjustment: A Technical Assistance Guide for States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balfe, Kevin

This guide summarizes key principles drawn from successful programs for helping unemployed workers find new jobs and presents a systematic approach to help states plan and manage their worker readjustment efforts. The guide contains two major sections. The first section is an overview and summary that includes background on the dislocation…

Screen Design for Children's Reading: Some Key Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Sue; Reynolds, Linda

2000-01-01

Draws attention to design issues that are likely to affect the way that children interact with screen-based information texts. Presents information based on the findings of the Interactive Multimedia in Primary Schools (IMPS) project funded by the British Library. Summarizes the design-related aspects of the project, highlighting those issues that…

Maximizing Access Technology Tools for the Library of the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Waynn

2003-01-01

The renovated Cerritos Public Library is a unique blending of traditional and hightech features. One of the key principles in its planning and design was to enable a range of convenient access services. This article summarizes the process of building this library and how it has been received by users. (Contains 5 figures.)

Overview of U.S. EPA Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program - Interfacing with the Water Industry on Technology Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

This slide presentation summarizes key elements of the EPA Office of Research and Development’s (ORD) Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI) Research program. An overview of the national problems posed by aging water infrastructure is followed by a brief description of EPA’s overall r...

Balancing Consistency and Flexibility in Student Training Entitlements: Research Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Kaye; McKenna, Suzy; Griffin, Tabatha

2016-01-01

This research overview summarizes the work undertaken by Kaye Bowman and Suzy McKenna in exploring jurisdictional approaches to the implementation of student entitlements to vocational skills training, a key reform initiative in the National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform (NPASR) of 2012-16. The overview is a condensed summary of three…

Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs. Juvenile Justice Bulletin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, James C.

2010-01-01

This bulletin presents research on why youth join gangs and how a community can build gang prevention and intervention services. The author summarizes recent literature on gang formation and identifies promising and effective programs for gang prevention. The following are some key findings: (1) Youth join gangs for protection, enjoyment, respect,…

Diagnostic Classification Models: Which One Should I Use?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiao, Hong

2009-01-01

Diagnostic assessment is currently an active research area in educational measurement. Literature related to diagnostic modeling has been in existence for several decades, but a great deal of research has been conducted within the last decade or so, especially within the last five years. The author summarizes the key components in the application…

Webinar summary: Important findings for managers [Chapter 2

Treesearch

Claudia Regan

2014-01-01

This chapter summarizes key findings and offers take-home messages of the Future Forest Webinar Series with regard to resource management planning, analyses, and project design. In the wake of the mountain pine beetle (MPB) epidemic, resource managers are especially concerned with developing more resilient forests, providing for the sustainability of wildlife and fish...

Focusing the Sun: State Considerations for Designing Community Solar Policy

Science.gov Websites

decisions may influence deployment. The report offers state policymakers a list of key questions to help summarizes the policy variation across the states. Though all six elements can influence deployment, we focus rate, may influence whether developers can attract enough consumer demand to reach program caps. Table

An Update on Reading in the Content Areas: Social Constructionist Dimensions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bean, Thomas W.

2002-01-01

Summarizes key findings from a previous review of reading research in which the author charted a paradigm shift in content area reading research from strategy validation studies in the 1980s to qualitative studies aimed at understanding sociocultural dimensions in teaching and learning. Comments on issues presenting themselves now, at the outset…

Essential Leadership: School Boards in New York State. A Position Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State School Boards Association, Albany.

For effective schools, leadership is vital. As the structure of American education evolved, a model of how a local school board should function emerged. The model is briefly summarized and research on educational leadership, challenges of school board service in New York State, and responsibilities of school boards are discussed. Key leadership…

Large-area fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces for practical applications: an overview

PubMed Central

Xue, Chao-Hua; Jia, Shun-Tian; Zhang, Jing; Ma, Jian-Zhong

2010-01-01

This review summarizes the key topics in the field of large-area fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces, concentrating on substrates that have been used in commercial applications. Practical approaches to superhydrophobic surface construction and hydrophobization are discussed. Applications of superhydrophobic surfaces are described and future trends in superhydrophobic surfaces are predicted. PMID:27877336

Herpetological conservation in northwestern North America

Treesearch

Deanna H. Olson

2009-01-01

Conservation of the 105 species of amphibians, reptiles, and turtles in the northwestern United States and western Canada is represented by a diverse mix of projects and programs across ten states, provinces, and territories. In this paper, 29 contributing authors review the status of herpetofauna by state, province or territory, and summarize the key issues, programs...

The Developing Bilingual Brain: What Parents and Teachers Should Know and Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohr, Kathleen A. J.; Juth, Stephanie M.; Kohlmeier, Theresa L.; Schreiber, Kayleen E.

2018-01-01

The field of neuroscience is now providing research findings about how the bilingual brain functions that can be used to promote richer and more successful dual-language development. This article summarizes recent research, then provides practical applications for parents and teachers of emergent bilinguals. Key understandings about how the brain…

Review of synthetic approaches toward maoecrystal V.

PubMed

Smith, Brandon R; Njardarson, Jon T

2018-05-18

Synthetic approaches toward the complex natural product diterpenoid maoecrystal V are reviewed, including successful total syntheses, published synthetic efforts, and efforts compiled from dissertations. The review focuses on general synthetic strategies and chronicles efforts toward the molecule since its isolation in 2004, summarizing key contributions of these efforts to the broader synthetic community.

Part C Service Coordination: State Policies and Models. Synthesis Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markowitz, Joy

This brief paper summarizes data from a survey of state coordinators of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act concerning service coordination to infants and toddlers with disabilities. The survey examined variations in service coordination at the state level including roles of parents, values of key stakeholders, sources of…

National Health Care Skill Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Far West Lab. for Educational Research and Development, San Francisco, CA.

This booklet contains draft national health care skill standards that were proposed during the National Health Care Skill Standards Project on the basis of input from more than 1,000 representatives of key constituencies of the health care field. The project objectives and structure are summarized in the introduction. Part 1 examines the need for…

How Will Welfare Reform Affect Childbearing and Family Structure Decisions? Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, H. Elizabeth; Plotnick, Robert D.; Jeong, Se-Ook

This paper summarizes changes in key elements of welfare policy and in closely related policies on child support enforcement and sex education and family planning programs. Drawing on a conceptual framework that highlights how incentives created by public policy can affect demographic behaviors, the paper concludes that, as Congress intended,…

Dialogue for Change. Options for Re-Structuring K-12 Education. 3rd Edition, 1988.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metropolitan Affairs Corp., Detroit, MI.

This Third Edition of the 1985 report, "Dialogue for Change," discusses options and examples of educational choice and teacher empowerment and summarizes developments between 1985 and 1987. The following key options are discussed in Chapter 1, "Proposed Options for Change": (1) magnet schools; (2) open enrollment; (3) purchase…

Proceedings of the First National Workshop on the Global Weather Experiment: Current Achievements and Future Directions, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

A summary of the proceedings in which the most important findings stemming from the Global Weather Experiment (GWE) are highlighted, additional key results and recommendations are comered, and the presentations and discussion are summarized. Detailed achievements, unresolved problems, and recommendations are included.

The application and development of artificial intelligence in smart clothing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Xiong

2018-03-01

This paper mainly introduces the application of artificial intelligence in intelligent clothing. Starting from the development trend of artificial intelligence, analysis the prospects for development in smart clothing with artificial intelligence. Summarize the design key of artificial intelligence in smart clothing. Analysis the feasibility of artificial intelligence in smart clothing.

Orbit Transfer Vehicle (OTV) advanced expander cycle engine point design study, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The engine requirements are emphasized and include: high specific impulse within a restricted installed length constraint, long life, multiple starts, different thrust levels, and man-rated reliability. The engine operating characteristics and the major component analytical design are summarized.

Psychosynthesis: The Metapsychology of Roberto Assagioli.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrie, R. Donna

1983-01-01

Attempts to fill in the gap in the literature regarding Assagioli's theories by: (1) summarizing the assumptions, terms, and concepts of psychosynthesis; (2) presenting the structure and dynamics of the personality theory; and (3) providing illustrations of the theory's application. Discusses the implications of these points. (JAC)

Engaging students and faculty: implications of self-determination theory for teachers and leaders in academic medicine

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Much of the work of teachers and leaders at academic health centers involves engaging learners and faculty members in shared goals. Strategies to do so, however, are seldom informed by empirically-supported theories of human motivation. Discussion This article summarizes a substantial body of motivational research that yields insights and approaches of importance to academic faculty leaders. After identification of key limitations of traditional rewards-based (i.e., incentives, or 'carrots and sticks’) approaches, key findings are summarized from the science of self-determination theory. These findings demonstrate the importance of fostering autonomous motivation by supporting the fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In turn, these considerations lead to specific recommendations about approaches to engaging autonomous motivation, using examples in academic health centers. Summary Since supporting autonomous motivation maximizes both functioning and well-being (i.e., people are both happier and more productive), the approaches recommended will help academic health centers recruit, retain, and foster the success of learners and faculty members. Such goals are particularly important to address the multiple challenges confronting these institutions. PMID:24215369

Engaging students and faculty: implications of self-determination theory for teachers and leaders in academic medicine.

PubMed

Lyness, Jeffrey M; Lurie, Stephen J; Ward, Denham S; Mooney, Christopher J; Lambert, David R

2013-11-11

Much of the work of teachers and leaders at academic health centers involves engaging learners and faculty members in shared goals. Strategies to do so, however, are seldom informed by empirically-supported theories of human motivation. This article summarizes a substantial body of motivational research that yields insights and approaches of importance to academic faculty leaders. After identification of key limitations of traditional rewards-based (i.e., incentives, or 'carrots and sticks') approaches, key findings are summarized from the science of self-determination theory. These findings demonstrate the importance of fostering autonomous motivation by supporting the fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In turn, these considerations lead to specific recommendations about approaches to engaging autonomous motivation, using examples in academic health centers. Since supporting autonomous motivation maximizes both functioning and well-being (i.e., people are both happier and more productive), the approaches recommended will help academic health centers recruit, retain, and foster the success of learners and faculty members. Such goals are particularly important to address the multiple challenges confronting these institutions.

What's in a Name? Recent Key Projects of the Committee on Organization and Delivery of Burn Care.

PubMed

Hickerson, William L; Ryan, Colleen M; Conlon, Kathe M; Harrington, David T; Foster, Kevin; Schwartz, Suzanne; Iyer, Narayan; Jeschke, Marc; Haller, Herbert L; Faucher, Lee D; Arnoldo, Brett D; Jeng, James C

2015-01-01

The Committee for the Organization and Delivery of Burn Care (ODBC) was charged by President Palmieri and the American Burn Association (ABA) Board of Directors with presenting a plenary session at the 45th Meeting of the ABA in Palm Springs, CA, in 2013. The objective of the plenary session was to inform the membership about the wide range of the activities performed by the ODBC committee. The hope was that this session would encourage active involvement within the ABA as a means to improve the delivery of future burn care. Selected current activities were summarized by key leaders of each project and highlighted in the plenary session. The history of the committee, current projects in disaster management, regionalization, best practice guidelines, federal partnerships, product development, new technologies, electronic medical records, and manpower issues in the burn workforce were summarized. The ODBC committee is a keystone committee of the ABA. It is tasked by the ABA leadership with addressing and leading progress in many areas that constitute current challenges in the delivery of burn care.

The Costs and Benefits of Compliance with Renewable Portfolio Standards: Reviewing Experience to Date

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

Heeter, Jenny; Barbose, Galen; Bird, Lori

2014-03-12

More than half of U.S. states have renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in place and have collectively deployed approximately 46,000 MW of new renewable energy capacity through year-end 2012. Most of these policies have five or more years of implementation experience, enabling an assessment of their costs and benefits. Understanding RPS benefits and costs is essential for policymakers evaluating existing RPS policies, assessing the need for modifications, and considering new policies. A key aspect of this study is the comprehensive review of existing RPS cost and benefit estimates, in addition to an examination of the variety of methods used to calculatemore » such estimates. Based on available data and estimates reported by utilities and regulators, this study summarizes RPS costs to date. The study considers how those costs may evolve going forward, given scheduled increases in RPS targets and cost containment mechanisms incorporated into existing policies. The report also summarizes RPS benefits estimates, based on published studies for individual states, and discusses key methodological considerations.« less

1958-2008: 50 years of youth fitness tests in the United States.

PubMed

Morrow, James R; Zhu, Weimo; Franks, B Don; Meredith, Marilu D; Spain, Christine

2009-03-01

The AAHPER Youth Fitness Test, the first U.S. national fitness test, was published 50 years ago. The seminal work of Krause and Hirschland influenced the fitness world and continues to do so today. Important youth fitness test initiatives in the last half century are summarized. Key elements leading to continued interest in youth fitness testing at the start of the 21st century include (a) concerns about children and youth fitness levels, (b) AAHPER(D)-led youth fitness battery development, (c) differentiation between performance-related and health-related fitness testing, (d) the numerous youth fitness tests developed, (e) collaborative discussions on development and adoption of a unified national youth fitness battery, (f) computerization of youth fitness test results, (g) differentiation between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation of student results, and (h) concern about youth fitness levels (again, but with a focus on health). We have come full circle on youth fitness interests. This article summarizes the key youth fitness tests in the second half of the 20th century and projects future considerations.

Leveraging Open Standard Interfaces in Accessing and Processing NASA Data Model Outputs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falke, S. R.; Alameh, N. S.; Hoijarvi, K.; de La Beaujardiere, J.; Bambacus, M. J.

2006-12-01

An objective of NASA's Earth Science Division is to develop advanced information technologies for processing, archiving, accessing, visualizing, and communicating Earth Science data. To this end, NASA and other federal agencies have collaborated with the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) to research, develop, and test interoperability specifications within projects and testbeds benefiting the government, industry, and the public. This paper summarizes the results of a recent effort under the auspices of the OGC Web Services testbed phase 4 (OWS-4) to explore standardization approaches for accessing and processing the outputs of NASA models of physical phenomena. Within the OWS-4 context, experiments were designed to leverage the emerging OGC Web Processing Service (WPS) and Web Coverage Service (WCS) specifications to access, filter and manipulate the outputs of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) and Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) forecast models. In OWS-4, the intent is to provide the users with more control over the subsets of data that they can extract from the model results as well as over the final portrayal of that data. To meet that goal, experiments have been designed to test the suitability of use of OGC's Web Processing Service (WPS) and Web Coverage Service (WCS) for filtering, processing and portraying the model results (including slices by height or by time), and to identify any enhancements to the specs to meet the desired objectives. This paper summarizes the findings of the experiments highlighting the value of the Web Processing Service in providing standard interfaces for accessing and manipulating model data within spatial and temporal frameworks. The paper also points out the key shortcomings of the WPS especially in terms in comparison with a SOAP/WSDL approach towards solving the same problem.

A systematic critical appraisal of non-pharmacological management of rheumatoid arthritis with Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II.

PubMed

Brosseau, Lucie; Rahman, Prinon; Poitras, Stéphane; Toupin-April, Karine; Paterson, Gail; Smith, Christine; King, Judy; Casimiro, Lynn; De Angelis, Gino; Loew, Laurianne; Cavallo, Sabrina; Ewan, Jessica Mc

2014-01-01

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been developed to summarize evidence about the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and facilitate the uptake of evidence-based knowledge by consumers, health professionals, health administrators and policy makers. The objectives of this review was to assess the quality of CPGS on non-pharmacological management of RA with a standardized and validated instrument--the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool and summarize the key recommendations from these CPGs. Scientific literature databases from 2001 to 2013 were systematically searched and a total of 13 CPGs for RA was identified. Only a minority of AGREE II domains were effectively addressed by the CPGS. Scope and purpose was effectively addressed in 10 out of 13 CPGs, stakeholder involvement in 11 CPGs, rigor of development in 6 CPGs, clarity/presentation in 9 CPGs, editorial independence in 1 CPGs, and applicability in none of the CPGs. The overall quality of the included CPGs according to the 7-point AGREE II scoring system was 4.8 ± 1.04. Patient education/self-management, aerobic, dynamic and stretching exercises were the commonly recommended for the non-pharmacological management of RA by the high-quality CPGs. The general clinical management recommendations tended to be similar among high-quality CPGs. Non-pharmacological management interventions were superficially addressed in more than half of the selected CPGs. CPGs creators should use the AGREE II criteria when developing guidelines. Innovative and effective methods of CPGs implementation to users are needed to ultimately enhance the quality of life of arthritic individuals. In addition, it was difficult to establish between strongly recommended, recommended and weakly recommended, as there is no consensus between the strength of the recommendations between the appraised CPGs.

23 CFR 450.210 - Interested parties, public involvement, and consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... opportunities for public review and comment at key decision points. (1) The State's public involvement process... agencies, representatives of public transportation employees, freight shippers, private providers of... comment at key decision points, including but not limited to a reasonable opportunity to comment on the...

23 CFR 450.210 - Interested parties, public involvement, and consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... opportunities for public review and comment at key decision points. (1) The State's public involvement process... agencies, representatives of public transportation employees, freight shippers, private providers of... comment at key decision points, including but not limited to a reasonable opportunity to comment on the...

23 CFR 450.210 - Interested parties, public involvement, and consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... opportunities for public review and comment at key decision points. (1) The State's public involvement process... agencies, representatives of public transportation employees, freight shippers, private providers of... comment at key decision points, including but not limited to a reasonable opportunity to comment on the...

10 CFR 75.8 - IAEA inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... exports) or § 75.43(c) (pertaining to imports) at any place where nuclear material may be located; (3... nuclear material at key measurement points for material balance accounting are representative; (3) Verify... samples at key measurement points for material balance accounting are taken in accordance with procedures...

10 CFR 75.8 - IAEA inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... inspection at a facility, to: (1) Examine records kept under § 75.21; (2) Observe that the measurements of nuclear material at key measurement points for material balance accounting are representative; (3) Verify... samples at key measurement points for material balance accounting are taken in accordance with procedures...

A 6-DOF parallel bone-grinding robot for cervical disc replacement surgery.

PubMed

Tian, Heqiang; Wang, Chenchen; Dang, Xiaoqing; Sun, Lining

2017-12-01

Artificial cervical disc replacement surgery has become an effective and main treatment method for cervical disease, which has become a more common and serious problem for people with sedentary work. To improve cervical disc replacement surgery significantly, a 6-DOF parallel bone-grinding robot is developed for cervical bone-grinding by image navigation and surgical plan. The bone-grinding robot including mechanical design and low level control is designed. The bone-grinding robot navigation is realized by optical positioning with spatial registration coordinate system defined. And a parametric robot bone-grinding plan and high level control have been developed for plane grinding for cervical top endplate and tail endplate grinding by a cylindrical grinding drill and spherical grinding for two articular surfaces of bones by a ball grinding drill. Finally, the surgical flow for a robot-assisted cervical disc replacement surgery procedure is present. The final experiments results verified the key technologies and performance of the robot-assisted surgery system concept excellently, which points out a promising clinical application with higher operability. Finally, study innovations, study limitations, and future works of this present study are discussed, and conclusions of this paper are also summarized further. This bone-grinding robot is still in the initial stage, and there are many problems to be solved from a clinical point of view. Moreover, the technique is promising and can give a good support for surgeons in future clinical work.

Echocardiogram video summarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebadollahi, Shahram; Chang, Shih-Fu; Wu, Henry D.; Takoma, Shin

2001-05-01

This work aims at developing innovative algorithms and tools for summarizing echocardiogram videos. Specifically, we summarize the digital echocardiogram videos by temporally segmenting them into the constituent views and representing each view by the most informative frame. For the segmentation we take advantage of the well-defined spatio- temporal structure of the echocardiogram videos. Two different criteria are used: presence/absence of color and the shape of the region of interest (ROI) in each frame of the video. The change in the ROI is due to different modes of echocardiograms present in one study. The representative frame is defined to be the frame corresponding to the end- diastole of the heart cycle. To locate the end-diastole we track the ECG of each frame to find the exact time the time- marker on the ECG crosses the peak of the end-diastole we track the ECG of each frame to find the exact time the time- marker on the ECG crosses the peak of the R-wave. The corresponding frame is chosen to be the key-frame. The entire echocardiogram video can be summarized into either a static summary, which is a storyboard type of summary and a dynamic summary, which is a concatenation of the selected segments of the echocardiogram video. To the best of our knowledge, this if the first automated system for summarizing the echocardiogram videos base don visual content.

Cerebral Metabolism and the Role of Glucose Control in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Buitrago Blanco, Manuel M; Prashant, Giyarpuram N; Vespa, Paul M

2016-10-01

This article reviews key concepts of cerebral glucose metabolism, neurologic outcomes in clinical trials, the biology of the neurovascular unit and its involvement in secondary brain injury after traumatic brain insults, and current scientific and clinical data that demonstrate a better understanding of the biology of metabolic dysfunction in the brain, a concept now known as cerebral metabolic energy crisis. The use of neuromonitoring techniques to better understand the pathophysiology of the metabolic crisis is reviewed and a model that summarizes the triphasic view of cerebral metabolic disturbance supported by existing scientific data is outlined. The evidence is summarized and a template for future research provided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vapor Pressure of GB

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

equation. The Podoll and Parish low temperature measured vapor pressure data (-35 and -25 °C) were included in our analysis . Penski summarized the...existing literature data for GB in his 1994 data review and analysis .6 He did not include the 0 °C Podoll and Parish measured vapor pressure data point...35.9 Pa) in his analysis because the error associated with this point was Ŗ to 10 times greater than the other values". He did not include the -10 °C