Evaluation and Mitigation of Secondary Dose Delivered to Electronic Systems in Proton Therapy.

PubMed

Wroe, Andrew J

2016-02-01

To evaluate the scattered and secondary radiation fields present in and around a passive proton treatment nozzle. In addition, based on these initial tests and system reliability analysis, to develop, install, and evaluate a radiation shielding structure to protect sensitive electronics against single-event effects (SEE) and improve system reliability. Landauer Luxel+ dosimeters were used to evaluate the radiation field around one of the gantry-mounted passive proton delivery nozzles at Loma Linda University Medical Center's James M Slater, MD Proton Treatment and Research Center. These detectors use optically stimulated luminescence technology in conjunction with CR-39 to measure doses from X-ray, gamma, proton, beta, fast neutron, and thermal neutron radiation. The dosimeters were stationed at various positions around the gantry pit and attached to racks on the gantry itself to evaluate the dose to electronics. Wax shielding was also employed on some detectors to evaluate the usefulness of this material as a dose moderator. To create the scattered and secondary radiation field in the gantry enclosure, a polystyrene phantom was placed at isocenter and irradiated with 250 MeV protons to a dose of 1.3 kGy over 16 hours. Using the collected data as a baseline, a composite shielding structure was created and installed to shield electronics associated with the precision patient positioner. The effectiveness of this shielding structure was evaluated with Landauer Luxel+ dosimeters and the results correlated against system uptime. The measured dose equivalent ranged from 1 to 60 mSv, with proton/photon, thermal neutron, fast neutron, and overall dose equivalent evaluated. The position of the detector/electronics relative to both isocenter and also neutron-producing devices, such as the collimators and first and second scatterers, definitely had a bearing on the dose received. The addition of 1-inch-thick wax shielding decreased the fast neutron component by almost 50%, yet this yielded a corresponding average increase in thermal neutron dose of 150% as there was no Boron-10 component to capture thermal neutrons. Using these data as a reference, a shielding structure was designed and installed to minimize radiation to electronics associated with the patient positioner. The installed shielding reduced the total dose experienced by these electronics by a factor of 5 while additionally reducing the fast and thermal neutron doses by a factor of 7 and 14, respectively. The reduction in radiation dose corresponded with a reduction of SEE-related downtime of this equipment from 16.5 hours to 2.5 hours over a 6-month reporting period. The data obtained in this study provided a baseline for radiation exposures experienced by gantry- and pit-mounted electronic systems. It also demonstrated and evaluated a shielding structure design that can be retrofitted to existing electronic system installations. It is expected that this study will benefit future upgrades and facility designs by identifying mechanisms that may minimize radiation dose to installed electronics, thus improving facility uptime. © The Author(s) 2015.

Data Driven Device Failure Prediction

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-15

Microsoft enterprise authentication service and Apache web server in an effort to increase up-time and improve mission effectiveness. These new fault loads...54 4.2.2 Web Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59...predictor. Finally, the implementation is validated by running the same experiment on a web server. 1.1 Problem Statement According to the operational

5 CFR 550.144 - Rates of premium pay payable under § 550.141.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... week—15 percent, unless 24 or more hours of actual work is customarily required, in which event—20... schedule of: 5 days a week—5 percent, unless 25 or more hours of actual work is customarily required, in which event—10 percent; 6 days a week—15 percent, unless 30 or more hours of actual work is customarily...

Air-dropped sensor network for real-time high-fidelity volcano monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Huang, R.; Xu, M.; Ma, A.; Shirazi, B.; LaHusen, R.

2009-01-01

This paper presents the design and deployment experience of an air-dropped wireless sensor network for volcano hazard monitoring. The deployment of five stations into the rugged crater of Mount St. Helens only took one hour with a helicopter. The stations communicate with each other through an amplified 802.15.4 radio and establish a self-forming and self-healing multi-hop wireless network. The distance between stations is up to 2 km. Each sensor station collects and delivers real-time continuous seismic, infrasonic, lightning, GPS raw data to a gateway. The main contribution of this paper is the design and evaluation of a robust sensor network to replace data loggers and provide real-time long-term volcano monitoring. The system supports UTC-time synchronized data acquisition with 1ms accuracy, and is online configurable. It has been tested in the lab environment, the outdoor campus and the volcano crater. Despite the heavy rain, snow, and ice as well as gusts exceeding 120 miles per hour, the sensor network has achieved a remarkable packet delivery ratio above 99% with an overall system uptime of about 93.8% over the 1.5 months evaluation period after deployment. Our initial deployment experiences with the system have alleviated the doubts of domain scientists and prove to them that a low-cost sensor network system can support real-time monitoring in extremely harsh environments. Copyright 2009 ACM.

45 CFR 261.60 - What hours of participation may a State report for a work-eligible individual?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Participation Information? § 261.60 What hours of participation may a State report for a work-eligible... calculating the work participation rates for a month, actual hours may include the hours for which an... participation for up to six months based on current, documented actual hours of work. Any time a State receives...

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program climate research facility operations quarterly report October 1 - December 31, 2006.

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

Sisterson, D. L.

2007-03-14

Individual raw data streams from instrumentation at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Climate Research Facility (ACRF) fixed and mobile sites are collected and sent to the Data Management Facility (DMF) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for processing in near real time. Raw and processed data are then sent daily to the ACRF Archive, where they are made available to users. For each instrument, we calculate the ratio of the actual number of data records received daily at the Archive to the expected number of data records. The results are tabulated by (1) individual data stream, site, and monthmore » for the current year and (2) site and fiscal year dating back to 1998. Table 1 shows the accumulated maximum operation time (planned uptime), the actual hours of operation, and the variance (unplanned downtime) for the period October 1 through December 31, 2006, for the fixed and mobile sites. Although the AMF is currently up and running in Niamey, Niger, Africa, the AMF statistics are reported separately and not included in the aggregate average with the fixed sites. The first quarter comprises a total of 2,208 hours. For all fixed sites, the actual data availability (and therefore actual hours of operation) exceeded the individual (and well as aggregate average of the fixed sites) operational goal for the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2007. The Site Access Request System is a web-based database used to track visitors to the fixed sites, all of which have facilities that can be visited. The NSA locale has the Barrow and Atqasuk sites. The SGP site has a Central Facility, 23 extended facilities, 4 boundary facilities, and 3 intermediate facilities. The TWP locale has the Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites. NIM represents the AMF statistics for the current deployment in Niamey, Niger, Africa. PYE represents the AMF statistics for the Point Reyes, California, past deployment in 2005. In addition, users who do not want to wait for data to be provided through the ACRF Archive can request an account on the local site data system. The eight research computers are located at the Barrow and Atqasuk sites; the SGP Central Facility; the TWP Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites; the DMF at PNNL; and the AMF in Niger. This report provides the cumulative numbers of visitors and user accounts by site for the period January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2006. The U.S. Department of Energy requires national user facilities to report facility use by total visitor days-broken down by institution type, gender, race, citizenship, visitor role, visit purpose, and facility-for actual visitors and for active user research computer accounts. During this reporting period, the ACRF Archive did not collect data on user characteristics in this way. Work is under way to collect and report these data. Table 2 shows the summary of cumulative users for the period January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2006. For the first quarter of FY 2007, the overall number of users is up from the last reporting period. The historical data show that there is an apparent relationship between the total number of users and the 'size' of field campaigns, called Intensive Operation Periods (IOPs): larger IOPs draw more of the site facility resources, which are reflected by the number of site visits and site visit days, research accounts, and device accounts. These types of users typically collect and analyze data in near-real time for a site-specific IOP that is in progress. However, the Archive accounts represent persistent (year-to-year) ACRF data users that often mine from the entire collection of ACRF data, which mostly includes routine data from the fixed and mobile sites, as well as cumulative IOP data sets. Archive data users continue to show a steady growth, which is independent of the size of IOPs. For this quarter, the number of Archive data user accounts was 961, the highest since record-keeping began. For reporting purposes, the three ACRF sites and the AMF operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 52 weeks per year. Although the AMF is not officially collecting data this quarter, personnel are regularly involved with teardown, packing, hipping, unpacking, setup, and maintenance activities, so they are included in the safety statistics. Time is reported in days instead of hours. If any lost work time is incurred by any employee, it is counted as a workday loss. Table 3 reports the consecutive days since the last recordable or reportable injury or incident causing damage to property, equipment, or vehicle for the period October 1 - December 31, 2006. There were no recordable or lost workdays or incidents for the first quarter of FY 2007.« less

Low-Cost, Robust, Threat-Aware Wireless Sensor Network for Assuring the Nation's Energy Infrastructure

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

Carols H. Rentel

2007-03-31

Eaton, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has completed a project that applies a combination of wireless sensor network (WSN) technology, anticipatory theory, and a near-term value proposition based on diagnostics and process uptime to ensure the security and reliability of critical electrical power infrastructure. Representatives of several Eaton business units have been engaged to ensure a viable commercialization plan. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), American Electric Power (AEP), PEPCO, and Commonwealth Edison were recruited as partners to confirm and refine the requirements definition from the perspective of the utilities that actually operatemore » the facilities to be protected. Those utilities have cooperated with on-site field tests as the project proceeds. Accomplishments of this project included: (1) the design, modeling, and simulation of the anticipatory wireless sensor network (A-WSN) that will be used to gather field information for the anticipatory application, (2) the design and implementation of hardware and software prototypes for laboratory and field experimentation, (3) stack and application integration, (4) develop installation and test plan, and (5) refinement of the commercialization plan.« less

29 CFR 778.312 - Pay for task without regard to actual hours.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the employee is credited with 8 “hours” of work though in fact he may have worked more or less than 8... compensation for work in excess of 40 hours is paid at an established hourly rate for the first 40 of the... actually worked. It may be greater or less. “Overtime” may be payable in some cases after 20 hours of work...

29 CFR 778.312 - Pay for task without regard to actual hours.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the employee is credited with 8 “hours” of work though in fact he may have worked more or less than 8... compensation for work in excess of 40 hours is paid at an established hourly rate for the first 40 of the... actually worked. It may be greater or less. “Overtime” may be payable in some cases after 20 hours of work...

Open-Source, Web-Based Dashboard Components for DICOM Connectivity.

PubMed

Bustamante, Catalina; Pineda, Julian; Rascovsky, Simon; Arango, Andres

2016-08-01

The administration of a DICOM network within an imaging healthcare institution requires tools that allow for monitoring of connectivity and availability for adequate uptime measurements and help guide technology management strategies. We present the implementation of an open-source widget for the Dashing framework that provides basic dashboard functionality allowing for monitoring of a DICOM network using network "ping" and DICOM "C-ECHO" operations.

Work and workload of Dutch primary care midwives in 2010.

PubMed

Wiegers, Therese A; Warmelink, J Catja; Spelten, Evelien R; Klomp, T; Hutton, Eileen K

2014-09-01

to re-assess the work and workload of primary care midwives in the Netherlands. in the Netherlands most midwives work in primary care as independent practitioners in a midwifery practice with two or more colleagues. Each practice provides 24/7 care coverage through office hours and on-call hours of the midwives. In 2006 the results of a time registration project of primary care midwives were published as part of a 4-year monitor study. This time the registration project was repeated, albeit on a smaller scale, in 2010. as part of a larger study (the Deliver study) all midwives working in 20 midwifery practices kept a time register 24 hours a day, for one week. They also filled out questionnaires about their background, work schedules and experiences of workload. A second component of this study collected data from all midwifery practices in the Netherlands and included questions about practice size (number of midwives and number of clients in the previous year). in 2010, primary care midwives actually worked on an average 32.6 hours per week and approximately 67% of their working time (almost 22 hours per week) was spent on client-related activities. On an average a midwife was on-call for 39 hours a week and almost 13 of the 32.6 hours of work took place during on-call-hours. This means that the total hours that an average midwife was involved in her work (either actually working or on-call) was almost 59 hours a week. Compared to 2004 the number of hours an average midwife was actually working increased by 4 hours (from 29 to 32.6 hours) whereas the total number of hours an average midwife was involved with her work decreased by 6 hours (from 65 to 59 hours). In 2010, compared to 2001-2004, the midwives spent proportionally less time on direct client care (67% versus 73%), although in actual number of hours this did not change much (22 versus 21). In 2009 the average workload of a midwife was 99 clients at booking, 56 at the start of labour, 33 at childbirth, and 90 clients in post partum care. the midwives worked on an average more hours in 2010 than they did in 2004 or 2001, but spent these extra hours increasingly on non-client-related activities. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Replacing the AMOR with the miniDOAS in the ammonia monitoring network in the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berkhout, Augustinus J. C.; Swart, Daan P. J.; Volten, Hester; Gast, Lou F. L.; Haaima, Marty; Verboom, Hans; Stefess, Guus; Hafkenscheid, Theo; Hoogerbrugge, Ronald

2017-11-01

In this paper we present the continued development of the miniDOAS, an active differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) instrument used to measure ammonia concentrations in ambient air. The miniDOAS has been adapted for use in the Dutch National Air Quality Monitoring Network. The miniDOAS replaces the life-expired continuous-flow denuder ammonia monitor (AMOR). From September 2014 to December 2015, both instruments measured in parallel before the change from AMOR to miniDOAS was made. The instruments were deployed at six monitoring stations throughout the Netherlands. We report on the results of this intercomparison. Both instruments show a good uptime of ca. 90 %, adequate for an automatic monitoring network. Although both instruments produce 1 min values of ammonia concentrations, a direct comparison on short timescales such as minutes or hours does not give meaningful results because the AMOR response to changing ammonia concentrations is slow. Comparisons between daily and monthly values show good agreement. For monthly averages, we find a small average offset of 0.65 ± 0.28 µg m-3 and a slope of 1.034 ± 0.028, with the miniDOAS measuring slightly higher than the AMOR. The fast time resolution of the miniDOAS makes the instrument suitable not only for monitoring but also for process studies.

SprayQc: a real-time LC-MS/MS quality monitoring system to maximize uptime using off the shelf components.

PubMed

Scheltema, Richard A; Mann, Matthias

2012-06-01

With the advent of high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics, the magnitude and complexity of the performed experiments has increased dramatically. Likewise, investments in chromatographic and MS instrumentation are a large proportion of the budget of proteomics laboratories. Guarding measurement quality and maximizing uptime of the LC-MS/MS systems therefore requires constant care despite automated workflows. We describe a real-time surveillance system, called SprayQc, that continuously monitors the status of the peripheral equipment to ensure that operational parameters are within an acceptable range. SprayQc is composed of multiple plug-in software components that use computer vision to analyze electrospray conditions, monitor the chromatographic device for stable backpressure, interact with a column oven to control pressure by temperature, and ensure that the mass spectrometer is still acquiring data. Action is taken when a failure condition has been detected, such as stopping the column oven and the LC flow, as well as automatically notifying the appropriate operator. Additionally, all defined metrics can be recorded synchronized on retention time with the MS acquisition file, allowing for later inspection and providing valuable information for optimization. SprayQc has been extensively tested in our laboratory, supports third-party plug-in development, and is freely available for download from http://sourceforge.org/projects/sprayqc .

Factors in the Determination of Cost Effective Class Sizes. Report No. 009-79.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Nancy A.

A system to determine cost effectiveness of class size should be based on both budgeted and actual expenditures and credit hours at the individual course section level. These two factors, in combination, are often expressed as cost per credit hour, and this statistic forms the primary means of evaluating planned "inputs" against actual "outputs."…

Space Transportation System Availability Requirements and Its Influencing Attributes Relationships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhodes, Russel E.; Adams, TImothy C.

2008-01-01

It is essential that management and engineering understand the need for an availability requirement for the customer's space transportation system as it enables the meeting of his needs, goal, and objectives. There are three types of availability, e.g., operational availability, achieved availability, or inherent availability. The basic definition of availability is equal to the mean uptime divided by the sum of the mean uptime plus the mean downtime. The major difference is the inclusiveness of the functions within the mean downtime and the mean uptime. This paper will address tIe inherent availability which only addresses the mean downtime as that mean time to repair or the time to determine the failed article, remove it, install a replacement article and verify the functionality of the repaired system. The definitions of operational availability include the replacement hardware supply or maintenance delays and other non-design factors in the mean downtime. Also with inherent availability the mean uptime will only consider the mean time between failures (other availability definitions consider this as mean time between maintenance - preventive and corrective maintenance) that requires the repair of the system to be functional. It is also essential that management and engineering understand all influencing attributes relationships to each other and to the resultant inherent availability requirement. This visibility will provide the decision makers with the understanding necessary to place constraints on the design definition for the major drivers that will determine the inherent availability, safety, reliability, maintainability, and the life cycle cost of the fielded system provided the customer. This inherent availability requirement may be driven by the need to use a multiple launch approach to placing humans on the moon or the desire to control the number of spare parts required to support long stays in either orbit or on the surface of the moon or mars. It is the intent of this paper to provide the visibility of relationships of these major attribute drivers (variables) to each other and the resultant system inherent availability, but also provide the capability to bound the variables providing engineering the insight required to control the system's engineering solution. An example of this visibility will be the need to provide integration of similar discipline functions to allow control of the total parts count of the space transportation system. Also the relationship visibility of selecting a reliability requirement will place a constraint on parts count to achieve a given inherent availability requirement or accepting a larger parts count with the resulting higher reliability requirement. This paper will provide an understanding for the relationship of mean repair time (mean downtime) to maintainability, e.g., accessibility for repair, and both mean time between failure, e.g., reliability of hardware and the system inherent availability. Having an understanding of these relationships and resulting requirements before starting the architectural design concept definition will avoid considerable time and money required to iterate the design to meet the redesign and assessment process required to achieve the results required of the customer's space transportation system. In fact the impact to the schedule to being able to deliver the system that meets the customer's needs, goals, and objectives may cause the customer to compromise his desired operational goal and objectives resulting in considerable increased life cycle cost of the fielded space transportation system.

5 CFR 550.144 - Rates of premium pay payable under § 550.141.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... a day or 40 in a week; and any other pertinent conditions. [33 FR 12458, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended... schedule of: 5 days a week—5 percent, unless 25 or more hours of actual work is customarily required, in which event—10 percent; 6 days a week—15 percent, unless 30 or more hours of actual work is customarily...

Laser paint removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallets, T.

1983-12-01

The Laser Paint Stripper program is a three phase effort which includes: feasibility demonstration; prototype optimization; and implementation at our Air Logistic Centers (depots) by FY88. Major technical areas that make up the automated system include: (1) laser device with power and uptime to handle the number and size of aircraft (F-16 vs C-5A); (2) the beam transport and manipulation system; (3) controls for beam/aircraft safety, alignment, and surface condition sensors; (4) integration software; and (5) cleanup of residue products.

Quits and job changes among home care workers in Maine: the role of wages, hours, and benefits.

PubMed

Morris, Lisa

2009-10-01

Figuring out how to make home care jobs more attractive has become a top policy priority. This study investigates the impact of wages, hours, and benefits on the retention of home care workers. Using a 2-wave survey design and a sample of home care workers from Maine, the factors associated with turnover intentions, actual turnover, and job-to-job transitions are examined. The analysis uses actual data on hours, wages, and benefits at current and subsequent jobs and controls for perceived rewards and work conditions, personal characteristics, and local labor market conditions. Although the analysis finds that improved work conditions and non-pecuniary rewards of home-based direct care work have significant negative effects on turnover intentions, compensation accounts for more actual job turnover. Higher wages, more hours, and travel cost reimbursement are found to be significantly associated with reduced turnover. Although wages and hours appear to have stronger effects, health benefits do appear to have some significance in predicting job-to-job transitions. Although improving compensation presents budgetary challenges to home care agencies, for this low-income workforce, the ability to earn higher wages and work more hours may be more of an imperative than improved work conditions.

49 CFR 229.117 - Speed indicators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... locomotive at speeds in excess of 20 miles per hour shall be equipped with a speed indicator which is— (1) Accurate within ±3 miles per hour of actual speed at speeds of 10 to 30 miles per hour and accurate within ±5 miles per hour at speeds above 30 miles per hour; and (2) Clearly readable from the engineer's...

49 CFR 229.117 - Speed indicators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... locomotive at speeds in excess of 20 miles per hour shall be equipped with a speed indicator which is— (1) Accurate within ±3 miles per hour of actual speed at speeds of 10 to 30 miles per hour and accurate within ±5 miles per hour at speeds above 30 miles per hour; and (2) Clearly readable from the engineer's...

49 CFR 229.117 - Speed indicators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... locomotive at speeds in excess of 20 miles per hour shall be equipped with a speed indicator which is— (1) Accurate within ±3 miles per hour of actual speed at speeds of 10 to 30 miles per hour and accurate within ±5 miles per hour at speeds above 30 miles per hour; and (2) Clearly readable from the engineer's...

5 CFR 550.1303 - Hourly rates of basic pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... generally consist of 24-hour shifts with a significant amount of designated standby and sleep time), the... annual rate in effect at the time the hour was actually worked. [63 FR 64593, Nov. 23, 1998, as amended...

5 CFR 550.1303 - Hourly rates of basic pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... generally consist of 24-hour shifts with a significant amount of designated standby and sleep time), the... annual rate in effect at the time the hour was actually worked. [63 FR 64593, Nov. 23, 1998, as amended...

5 CFR 550.1303 - Hourly rates of basic pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... generally consist of 24-hour shifts with a significant amount of designated standby and sleep time), the... annual rate in effect at the time the hour was actually worked. [63 FR 64593, Nov. 23, 1998, as amended...

5 CFR 550.1303 - Hourly rates of basic pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... generally consist of 24-hour shifts with a significant amount of designated standby and sleep time), the... annual rate in effect at the time the hour was actually worked. [63 FR 64593, Nov. 23, 1998, as amended...

5 CFR 550.1303 - Hourly rates of basic pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... generally consist of 24-hour shifts with a significant amount of designated standby and sleep time), the... annual rate in effect at the time the hour was actually worked. [63 FR 64593, Nov. 23, 1998, as amended...

Physical activity measurement instruments for children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

PubMed

Capio, Catherine M; Sit, Cindy H P; Abernethy, Bruce; Rotor, Esmerita R

2010-10-01

this paper is a systematic review of physical activity measurement instruments for field-based studies involving children with cerebral palsy (CP). database searches using PubMed Central, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PEDro located 12 research papers, identifying seven instruments that met the inclusion criteria of (1) having been developed for children aged 0 to 18 years, (2) having been used to evaluate a physical activity dimension, and (3) having been used in a field-based study involving children with CP. The instruments reviewed were the Activities Scale for Kids - Performance version (ASKp), the Canada Fitness Survey, the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment/Preferences for Activities of Children (CAPE/PAC), the Compendium of Physical Activities, the Physical Activity Questionnaire - Adolescents (PAQ-A), StepWatch, and the Uptimer. Second-round searches yielded 11 more papers, providing reliability and validity evidence for the instruments. the instruments measure physical activity frequency, mode, domain, and duration. Although most instruments demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, only the ASKp and CAPE/PAC have established reliability and validity for children with physical disabilities; the Uptimer has established concurrent validity. No instrument measuring intensity in free-living has been validated or found reliable for children with CP. the findings suggest that further studies are needed to examine the methodological properties of physical activity measurement in children with CP. Combining subjective and objective instruments is recommended to achieve better understanding of physical activity participation.

Community air monitoring and the Village Green Project ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Cost and logistics are practical issues that have historically constrained the number of locations where long-term, active air pollution measurement is possible. In addition, traditional air monitoring approaches are generally conducted by technical experts with limited engagement with community members. EPA’s Village Green Project (VGP) is a prototype technology designed to add value to a community environment – VGP is a park bench equipped with air and meteorological instruments that measure ozone, fine particles, wind, temperature, and humidity at a one-minute time resolution, with the open-source Arduino microprocessor operating as the system controller. The data are streamed wirelessly to a database, passed through automatic diagnostic quality checks, and then made publically available on an engaging website. The station was designed to minimize power use; it consumes an estimated 15W and operates entirely on solar power, is engineered to run for several days with minimal solar radiation, and is capable of automatically shutting down components of the system to conserve power and restarting when power availability increases. Situated outside a public library in Durham, North Carolina, VGP has also been a gathering location for air quality experts to engage with community members. During the time span of June, 2013 through January, 2014, the station collected about 3500 hours of ozone and PM2.5 data, with over 90% up-time operating only on solar po

Flexible Work Hours and Other Job Factors in Parental Time with Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baxter, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Flexible working hours are typically seen to be advantageous to working parents, as the flexible hours more easily allow responsibilities of care and employment be balanced. But do flexible work hours actually mean that parents can spend more time with their children? This article explores this for parents of young children in Australia. The…

22 CFR 1304.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... of producing the documents. (2) Searches—(i) Manual searches. Search fees will be assessed at the rate of $25.30 per hour. Charges for search time less than a full hour will be in increments of quarter hours. (ii) Computer searches. The FOIA Officer will charge the actual direct costs of conducting...

22 CFR 1304.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... of producing the documents. (2) Searches—(i) Manual searches. Search fees will be assessed at the rate of $25.30 per hour. Charges for search time less than a full hour will be in increments of quarter hours. (ii) Computer searches. The FOIA Officer will charge the actual direct costs of conducting...

22 CFR 1304.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... of producing the documents. (2) Searches—(i) Manual searches. Search fees will be assessed at the rate of $25.30 per hour. Charges for search time less than a full hour will be in increments of quarter hours. (ii) Computer searches. The FOIA Officer will charge the actual direct costs of conducting...

Gender, Parenthood, and Work Hours of Physicians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Linda; And Others

1990-01-01

Data from 204 young physicians (147 men, 57 women) revealed that parenthood significantly reduced women's, but not men's, practice hours. No significant gender differences existed for nonparents. Gaps between ideal and actual practice hours were smaller for mothers than for other groups, suggesting that mothers were more satisfied than other…

Changing the Way We Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coote, Anna

2010-01-01

A 21-hour working week is a long way from today's standard of 40 hours or more, but not so far-fetched when people consider the infinitely varied ways in which they actually spend their time. On average, people of working age spend 19.6 hours a week in paid employment and 20.4 hours in unpaid housework and childcare. These averages mask huge…

49 CFR 382.207 - Pre-duty use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... functions within four hours after using alcohol. No employer having actual knowledge that a driver has used alcohol within four hours shall permit a driver to perform or continue to perform safety-sensitive...

Prediction of Self-Actualization in Male Participants in a Group Conducted by Female Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Follingstad, Diane R.; And Others

1976-01-01

Attempts to predict which male Ss (high or low authoritarian personality) would reflect higher self-actualization scores when exposed to a 16-hour marathon group conducted by female leaders. (Author/RK)

DUV light source availability improvement via further enhancement of gas management technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riggs, Daniel J.; O'Brien, Kevin; Brown, Daniel J. W.

2011-04-01

The continuous evolution of the semiconductor market necessitates ever-increasing improvements in DUV light source uptime as defined in the SEMI E10 standard. Cymer is developing technologies to exceed current and projected light source availability requirements via significant reduction in light source downtime. As an example, consider discharge chamber gas management functions which comprise a sizable portion of DUV light source downtime. Cymer's recent introduction of Gas Lifetime Extension (GLXTM) as a productivity improvement technology for its DUV lithography light sources has demonstrated noteworthy reduction in downtime. This has been achieved by reducing the frequency of full gas replenishment events from once per 100 million pulses to as low as once per 2 billion pulses. Cymer has continued to develop relevant technologies that target further reduction in downtime associated with light source gas management functions. Cymer's current subject is the development of technologies to reduce downtime associated with gas state optimization (e.g. total chamber gas pressure) and gas life duration. Current gas state optimization involves execution of a manual procedure at regular intervals throughout the lifetime of light source core components. Cymer aims to introduce a product enhancement - iGLXTM - that eliminates the need for the manual procedure and, further, achieves 4 billion pulse gas lives. Projections of uptime on DUV light sources indicate that downtime associated with gas management will be reduced by 70% when compared with GLX2. In addition to reducing downtime, iGLX reduces DUV light source cost of operation by constraining gas usage. Usage of fluorine rich Halogen gas mix has been reduced by 20% over GLX2.

Turbine Blade Temperature Measurements Using Thin Film Temperature Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, H. P.; Przybyszewski, J. S.; Claing, R. G.

1981-01-01

The development of thin film temperature sensors is discussed. The technology for sputtering 2 micron thin film platinum versus platinum 10 percent rhodium thermocouples on alumina forming coatings was improved and extended to applications on actual turbine blades. Good adherence was found to depend upon achieving a proper morphology of the alumina surface. Problems of adapting fabrication procedures to turbine blades were uncovered, and improvements were recommended. Testing at 1250 K at one atmosphere pressure was then extended to a higher Mach No. (0.5) in combustor flow for 60 hours and 71 thermal cycles. The mean time to failure was 47 hours accumulated during 1 hour exposures in the combustor. Calibration drift was about 0.1 percent per hour, attributable to oxidation of the rhodium in the thin films. An increase in film thickness and application of a protective overcoat are recommended to reduce drift in actual engine testing.

Designation of Soap Molder Machine and Procedure for Transparent Soap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mat Sharif, Zainon Binti; Taib, Norhasnina Binti Mohd; Yusof, Mohd Sallehuddin Bin; Rahim, Mohammad Zulafif Bin; Tobi, Abdul Latif Bin Mohd; Othman, Mohd Syafiq Bin

2017-05-01

Transparent soap is actually the combination of actual soap and solvent. The solvent is added into the soap solution to produce the transparent characteristic. The problem from the previous production is that tiny air bubbles were observed inside the soap resulted in less attractive appearance. Current method of producing the soap bar had taken more than 8 hours and having difficulties to take out the soap bar from the plastic mold with low production rate. It is expected that the air bubble problem can be solved using this new soup molder machine. The soap production rate is believed to increase with the invention of soap molder machine. By reducing the production time from 8 hours to 2 hours, it improve production rate significantly.

Shielding and Radiation Protection in Ion Beam Therapy Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wroe, Andrew J.; Rightnar, Steven

Radiation protection is a key aspect of any radiotherapy (RT) department and is made even more complex in ion beam therapy (IBT) by the large facility size, secondary particle spectra and intricate installation of these centers. In IBT, large and complex radiation producing devices are used and made available to the public for treatment. It is thus the responsibility of the facility to put in place measures to protect not only the patient but also the general public, occupationally and nonoccupationally exposed personnel working within the facility, and electronics installed within the department to ensure maximum safety while delivering maximum up-time.

Is the Office Hour Obsolete?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrens, Susan

2013-01-01

A colleague can't make a coffee date at a time the author proposes because it would conflict with his office hour. No student has actually made an appointment with him during the hour, but he is committed to being in his office as promised in case someone drops by. The author's reaction to her colleague's faithfulness to his posted office hour…

Frequency and Size of Strombolian Eruptions from the Phonolitic Lava Lake at Erebus Volcano, Antarctica: Insights from Infrasound and Seismic Observations on Bubble Formation and Ascent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotman, H. M. M.; Kyle, P. R.; Fee, D.; Curtis, A.

2015-12-01

Erebus, an active intraplate volcano on Ross Island, commonly produces bubble burst Strombolian explosions from a long-lived, convecting phonolitic lava lake. Persistent lava lakes are rare, and provide direct insights into their underlying magmatic system. Erebus phonolite is H2O-poor and contains ~30% anorthoclase megacrysts. At shallow depths lab measurements suggest the magma has viscosities of ~107 Pa s. This has implications for magma and bubble ascent rates through the conduit and into the lava lake. The bulk composition and matrix glass of Erebus ejecta has remained uniform for many thousands of years, but eruptive activity varies on decadal and shorter time scales. Over the last 15 years, increased activity took place in 2005-2007, and more recently in the 2013 austral summer. In the 2014 austral summer, new infrasound sensors were installed ~700 m from the summit crater hosting the lava lake. These sensors, supplemented by the Erebus network seismic stations, recorded >1000 eruptions between 1 January and 7 April 2015, with an average infrasound daily uptime of 9.6 hours. Over the same time period, the CTBT infrasound station IS55, ~25 km from Erebus, detected ~115 of the >1000 locally observed eruptions with amplitude decreases of >100x. An additional ~200 eruptions were recorded during local infrasound downtime. This represents an unusually high level of activity from the Erebus lava lake, and while instrument noise influences the minimum observable amplitude each day, the eruption infrasound amplitudes may vary by ~3 orders of magnitude over the scale of minutes to hours. We use this heightened period of variable activity and associated seismic and acoustic waveforms to examine mechanisms for bubble formation and ascent, such as rise speed dependence and collapsing foam; repose times for the larger eruptions; and possible eruption connections to lava lake cyclicity.

14 CFR Appendix C to Part 187 - Fees for Production Certification-Related Services Performed Outside the United States

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... consist of: personnel compensation and benefit (PC&B) for each participating FAA employee, actual travel...: W1H1+ W2H2 etc., + T + O Where: W1H1=hourly PC&B rate for employee 1, times estimated hours W2H2=hourly PC&B rate for employee 2, etc., times estimated hours T=estimated travel and transportation expenses...

14 CFR Appendix C to Part 187 - Fees for Production Certification-Related Services Performed Outside the United States

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... consist of: personnel compensation and benefit (PC&B) for each participating FAA employee, actual travel...: W1H1+ W2H2 etc., + T + O Where: W1H1=hourly PC&B rate for employee 1, times estimated hours W2H2=hourly PC&B rate for employee 2, etc., times estimated hours T=estimated travel and transportation expenses...

29 CFR 778.311 - Flat rate for special job performed in overtime hours.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Flat rate for special job performed in overtime hours. 778... COMPENSATION Special Problems Lump Sum Attributed to Overtime § 778.311 Flat rate for special job performed in... paid a flat rate for a special job performed during overtime hours, without regard to the time actually...

Don't Blame the Babies: Work Hour Mismatches and the Role of Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Jeremy; Johnson, David R.

2012-01-01

Many authors suggest that having children leads to gaps between the number of hours people prefer to work and the hours they actually work. Existing research, however, offers mixed support for that claim. We discuss the roots of this popular but poorly supported hypothesis and offer the first review of research on the topic, paying special…

Video-based heart rate monitoring across a range of skin pigmentations during an acute hypoxic challenge.

PubMed

Addison, Paul S; Jacquel, Dominique; Foo, David M H; Borg, Ulf R

2017-11-09

The robust monitoring of heart rate from the video-photoplethysmogram (video-PPG) during challenging conditions requires new analysis techniques. The work reported here extends current research in this area by applying a motion tolerant algorithm to extract high quality video-PPGs from a cohort of subjects undergoing marked heart rate changes during a hypoxic challenge, and exhibiting a full range of skin pigmentation types. High uptimes in reported video-based heart rate (HR vid ) were targeted, while retaining high accuracy in the results. Ten healthy volunteers were studied during a double desaturation hypoxic challenge. Video-PPGs were generated from the acquired video image stream and processed to generate heart rate. HR vid was compared to the pulse rate posted by a reference pulse oximeter device (HR p ). Agreement between video-based heart rate and that provided by the pulse oximeter was as follows: Bias = - 0.21 bpm, RMSD = 2.15 bpm, least squares fit gradient = 1.00 (Pearson R = 0.99, p < 0.0001), with a 98.78% reporting uptime. The difference between the HR vid and HR p exceeded 5 and 10 bpm, for 3.59 and 0.35% of the reporting time respectively, and at no point did these differences exceed 25 bpm. Excellent agreement was found between the HR vid and HR p in a study covering the whole range of skin pigmentation types (Fitzpatrick scales I-VI), using standard room lighting and with moderate subject motion. Although promising, further work should include a larger cohort with multiple subjects per Fitzpatrick class combined with a more rigorous motion and lighting protocol.

A New Design of Seismic Stations Deployed in South Tyrol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melichar, P.; Horn, N.

2007-05-01

When designing the seismic network in South Tyrol, the seismic service of Austria and the Civil defense in South Tyrol combined more that 10 years experience in running seismic networks and private communication systems. In recent years the high data return rate of > 99% and network uptime of > 99.% is achieved by the combination of high quality station design and equipment, and the use of the Antelope data acquisition and processing software which comes with suite of network monitoring & alerting tools including Nagios, etc. The new Data Center is located in city of Bolzano and is connected to the other Data Centers in Austria, Switzerland, and Italy for data back up purposes. Each Data Center uses also redundant communication system if the primary system fails. When designing the South Tyrol network, new improvements were made in seismometer installations, grounding, lighting protection and data communications in order to improve quality of data recorded as well as network up-time, and data return. The new 12 stations are equipped with 6 Channels Q330+PB14f connected to STS2 + EpiSensor sensor. One of the key achievements was made in the grounding concept for the whole seismic station - and aluminum boxes were introduced which delivered Faraday cage isolation. Lightning protection devices are used for the equipment inside the aluminum housing where seismometer and data logger are housed. For the seismometer cables a special shielding was introduced. The broadband seismometer and strong-motion sensor are placed on a thick glass plate and therefore isolated from the ground. The precise seismometer orientation was done by a special groove on the glass plate and in case of a strong earthquake; the seismometer is tide up to the base plate. Temperature stability was achieved by styrofoam sheets inside the seismometer aluminum protection box.

Network characteristics for server selection in online games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claypool, Mark

2008-01-01

Online gameplay is impacted by the network characteristics of players connected to the same server. Unfortunately, the network characteristics of online game servers are not well-understood, particularly for groups that wish to play together on the same server. As a step towards a remedy, this paper presents analysis of an extensive set of measurements of game servers on the Internet. Over the course of many months, actual Internet game servers were queried simultaneously by twenty-five emulated game clients, with both servers and clients spread out on the Internet. The data provides statistics on the uptime and populations of game servers over a month long period an an in-depth look at the suitability for game servers for multi-player server selection, concentrating on characteristics critical to playability--latency and fairness. Analysis finds most game servers have latencies suitable for third-person and omnipresent games, such as real-time strategy, sports and role-playing games, providing numerous server choices for game players. However, far fewer game servers have the low latencies required for first-person games, such as shooters or race games. In all cases, groups that wish to play together have a greatly reduced set of servers from which to choose because of inherent unfairness in server latencies and server selection is particularly limited as the group size increases. These results hold across different game types and even across different generations of games. The data should be useful for game developers and network researchers that seek to improve game server selection, whether for single or multiple players.

29 CFR 516.2 - Employees subject to minimum wage or minimum wage and overtime provisions pursuant to section 6...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... section, the schedule of daily and weekly hours the employee normally works. Also, (1) In weeks in which... basis of pay by indicating the monetary amount paid on a per hour, per day, per week, per piece... hours were in fact actually worked by him, and (2) In weeks in which more or less than the scheduled...

29 CFR 785.48 - Use of time clocks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATEMENTS OF GENERAL POLICY OR INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS HOURS WORKED Recording Working Time § 785.48 Use of time... actually work. For enforcement purposes this practice of computing working time will be accepted, provided...

The Impact of the Expanding Supply of Physicians on Continuing Medical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Marjorie A.

1985-01-01

The expanding supply of physicians could result in threatened or actual loss of physician income; longer, more convenient physician office hours but fewer patients seen per hour; more physicians available for vacancies; increased quality assurance activities; increased variety of practice organizational arrangements and reimbursement types; and an…

29 CFR 783.46 - Hours worked.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS APPLICATION OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT TO EMPLOYEES... at not less than the prescribed minimum wage rate for all of the hours the employee “was actually on duty (including periods aboard ship when the employee was on watch or was, at the direction of a...

48 CFR 1352.215-70 - Proposal preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... evaluation factor.] Evaluation Factor 1—Technical Approach. Provide information on how the project is to be... time each individual will be available for this project, and, if necessary, explain why the key person... person or labor category including number of labor-hours and current actual average hourly rates based on...

48 CFR 1352.215-70 - Proposal preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... evaluation factor.] Evaluation Factor 1—Technical Approach. Provide information on how the project is to be... time each individual will be available for this project, and, if necessary, explain why the key person... person or labor category including number of labor-hours and current actual average hourly rates based on...

48 CFR 1352.215-70 - Proposal preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... evaluation factor.] Evaluation Factor 1—Technical Approach. Provide information on how the project is to be... time each individual will be available for this project, and, if necessary, explain why the key person... person or labor category including number of labor-hours and current actual average hourly rates based on...

29 CFR 776.10 - Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce... commerce. (a) Under the principles stated in § 776.9, the wage and hours provisions of the Act apply... instrumentalities and channels of interstate and foreign commerce. Similarly, employees of such businesses as...

29 CFR 776.10 - Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce... commerce. (a) Under the principles stated in § 776.9, the wage and hours provisions of the Act apply... instrumentalities and channels of interstate and foreign commerce. Similarly, employees of such businesses as...

29 CFR 776.10 - Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce... commerce. (a) Under the principles stated in § 776.9, the wage and hours provisions of the Act apply... instrumentalities and channels of interstate and foreign commerce. Similarly, employees of such businesses as...

29 CFR 776.10 - Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce... commerce. (a) Under the principles stated in § 776.9, the wage and hours provisions of the Act apply... instrumentalities and channels of interstate and foreign commerce. Similarly, employees of such businesses as...

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program climate research facility operations quarterly report January 1 - March 31, 2008.

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

Sisterson, D. L.

2008-05-22

Individual raw data streams from instrumentation at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Climate Research Facility (ACRF) fixed and mobile sites are collected and sent to the Data Management Facility (DMF) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for processing in near real time. Raw and processed data are then sent daily to the ACRF Archive, where they are made available to users. For each instrument, we calculate the ratio of the actual number of data records received daily at the Archive to the expected number of data records. The results are tabulated by (1) individual data stream, site, and monthmore » for the current year and (2) site and fiscal year (FY) dating back to 1998. Table 1 shows the accumulated maximum operation time (planned uptime), actual hours of operation, and variance (unplanned downtime) for the period January 1 - March 31, 2008, for the fixed sites. The AMF is being deployed to China and is not in operation this quarter. The second quarter comprises a total of 2,184 hours. The average as well as the individual site values exceeded our goal this quarter. The Site Access Request System is a web-based database used to track visitors to the fixed and mobile sites, all of which have facilities that can be visited. The NSA locale has the Barrow and Atqasuk sites. The SGP site has a central facility, 23 extended facilities, 4 boundary facilities, and 3 intermediate facilities. The TWP locale has the Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites. FKB represents the AMF statistics for the Haselbach, Germany, past deployment in 2007. NIM represents the AMF statistics for the Niamey, Niger, Africa, past deployment in 2006. PYE represents just the AMF Archive statistics for the Point Reyes, California, past deployment in 2005. In addition, users who do not want to wait for data to be provided through the ACRF Archive can request a research account on the local site data system. The seven computers for the research accounts are located at the Barrow and Atqasuk sites; the SGP central facility; the TWP Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites; and the DMF at PNNL. In addition, the ACRF serves as a data repository for a long-term Arctic atmospheric observatory in Eureka, Canada (80 degrees 05 minutes N, 86 degrees 43 minutes W) as part of the multiagency Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) Program. NOAA began providing instruments for the site in 2005, and currently cloud radar data are available. The intent of the site is to monitor the important components of the Arctic atmosphere, including clouds, aerosols, atmospheric radiation, and local-scale atmospheric dynamics. Because of the similarity of ACRF NSA data streams and the important synergy that can be formed between a network of Arctic atmospheric observations, much of the SEARCH observatory data are archived in the ARM archive. Instruments will be added to the site over time. For more information, please visit http://www.db.arm.gov/data. The designation for the archived Eureka data is YEU and is now included in the ACRF user metrics. This quarterly report provides the cumulative numbers of visitors and user accounts by site for the period April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008. Table 2 shows the summary of cumulative users for the period April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2007. For the second quarter of FY 2008, the overall number of users was nearly as high as the last reporting period, in which a new record high for number of users was established. This quarter, a new record high was established for the number of user days, particularly due to the large number of field campaign activities in conjunction with the AMF deployment in Germany, as well as major field campaigns at the NSA and SGP sites. This quarter, 37% of the Archive users are ARM science-funded principal investigators and 23% of all other facility users are either ARM science-funded principal investigators or ACRF infrastructure personnel. For reporting purposes, the three ACRF sites and the AMF operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 52 weeks per year. Time is reported in days instead of hours. If any lost work time is incurred by any employee, it is counted as a workday loss. Table 3 reports the consecutive days since the last recordable or reportable injury or incident causing damage to property, equipment, or vehicle for the period January 1 - March 31, 2008. There were no incidents this reporting period.« less

49 CFR 1245.3 - Employees; definition, service hours, and compensation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., holidays, absences on leave, vacations, etc., should be excluded from time actually worked, but if such... all of their employees at twelve different times each year. (c) Joint employees. Each person jointly... paid for. (The service time of all classes of employees shall be recorded in hours instead of days or...

49 CFR 1245.3 - Employees; definition, service hours, and compensation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., holidays, absences on leave, vacations, etc., should be excluded from time actually worked, but if such... all of their employees at twelve different times each year. (c) Joint employees. Each person jointly... paid for. (The service time of all classes of employees shall be recorded in hours instead of days or...

Pronunciation Teaching Practices in Communicative Second Language Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foote, Jennifer Ann; Trofimovich, Pavel; Collins, Laura; Urzúa, Fernanda Soler

2016-01-01

The objective of this research was to provide longitudinal, corpus-based evidence of actual teacher behaviour with respect to the teaching of second language (L2) pronunciation in a communicative language learning context. The data involved 40 hours of videotaped lessons from three experienced teachers recorded four times at 100-hour increments…

AMON: Transition to real-time operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowen, D. F.; Keivani, A.; Tešić, G.

2016-04-01

The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON) will link the world's leading high-energy neutrino, cosmic-ray, gamma-ray and gravitational wave observatories by performing real-time coincidence searches for multimessenger sources from observatories' subthreshold data streams. The resulting coincidences will be distributed to interested parties in the form of electronic alerts for real-time follow-up observation. We will present the science case, design elements, current and projected partner observatories, status of the AMON project, and an initial AMON-enabled analysis. The prototype of the AMON server has been online since August 2014 and processing archival data. Currently, we are deploying new high-uptime servers and will be ready to start issuing alerts as early as winter 2015/16.

Tracking the NOvA Detectors' Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Psihas, Fernanda; NOvA Collaboration

2016-03-01

The NOvA experiment measures long baseline νμ -->νe oscillations in Fermilab's NuMI beam. We employ two detectors equipped with over 10 thousand sets of data-taking electronics; avalanche photo diodes and front end boards which collect and process the scintillation signal from particle interactions within the detectors. These sets of electronics -as well as the systems which power and cool them- must be monitored and maintained at precise working conditions to ensure maximal data-taking uptime, good data quality and a lasting life for our detectors. This poster describes the automated systems used on NOvA to simultaneously monitor our data quality, diagnose hardware issues, track our performance and coordinate maintenance for the detectors.

Employed Parents: Role Strain, Work Time, and Preferences for Working Less.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moen, Phyllis; Dempster-McClain, Donna I.

1987-01-01

Used 1977 Quality of Employment Survey data to examine work-time preferences of 224 dual-earner couples with children. Gender was significantly related to work-hour preferences for both self and spouse, with wish of wives to work fewer hours endorsed by husbands. Actual work time and gender interacted such that mothers working full-time preferred…

Emergence and Maintenance of Student Teachers' "Interest" within the Context of Two-Hour Lectures: An Actual Genetic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tin, Tan Bee

2009-01-01

The study investigates the actual genetic development of student teachers' interest in lectures given in a postgraduate language teacher education programme. Students recorded the nature and level of interest at various points of the lecture. The results show that students go through diverse patterns of interest trajectories and that, for the…

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lee, Heyoung; Ahn, Heejune; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-03-01

Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects.

Working Hours and Wishes Concerning Working Hours among Women in Western and Eastern Germany. Results of an Empirical Study from 1995. IAB Labour Market Research Topics No. 27.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckmann, Petra

The actual and desired working hours of women in western and eastern Germany were examined by surveying a random sample of 6,742 western and eastern German women aged 18-65 years. Of the women interviewed, 1,800 from western Germany and 1,341 from eastern Germany were in dependent employment. An overall response rate of 52.8% was achieved.…

40 CFR Appendix H to Part 50 - Interpretation of the 1-Hour Primary and Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... a daily maximum hourly average ozone measurement that is greater than the level of the standard... determining the expected number of annual exceedances relate to accounting for incomplete sampling. In general... measurement. In some cases, a measurement might actually have been missed but in other cases no measurement...

77 FR 4940 - Determination of Failure To Attain by 2005 and Determination of Current Attainment of the 1-Hour...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-01

... missing data, the procedures in appendix H to 40 CFR part 50 are used to adjust the actual number of..., quality-assured and certified ambient air quality monitoring data for 2003 through 2005. In addition, EPA... and certified ambient air monitoring data showing the area has monitored attainment of the 1-hour...

Use of the Method of Triads in the Validation of Sodium and Potassium Intake in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

PubMed Central

Pereira, Taísa Sabrina Silva; Cade, Nágela Valadão; Mill, José Geraldo; Sichieri, Rosely; Molina, Maria del Carmen Bisi

2016-01-01

Introduction Biomarkers are a good choice to be used in the validation of food frequency questionnaire due to the independence of their random errors. Objective To assess the validity of the potassium and sodium intake estimated using the Food Frequency Questionnaire ELSA-Brasil. Subjects/Methods A subsample of participants in the ELSA-Brasil cohort was included in this study in 2009. Sodium and potassium intake were estimated using three methods: Semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, 12-hour nocturnal urinary excretion and three 24-hour food records. Correlation coefficients were calculated between the methods, and the validity coefficient was calculated using the method of triads. The 95% confidence intervals for the validity coefficient were estimated using bootstrap sampling. Exact and adjacent agreement and disagreement of the estimated sodium and potassium intake quintiles were compared among three methods. Results The sample consisted of 246 participants, aged 53±8 years, 52% of women. Validity coefficient for sodium were considered weak (рfood frequency questionnaire actual intake = 0.37 and рbiomarker actual intake = 0.21) and moderate (рfood records actual intake 0.56). The validity coefficient were higher for potassium (рfood frequency questionnaire actual intake = 0.60; рbiomarker actual intake = 0.42; рfood records actual intake = 0.79). Conclusions: The Food Frequency Questionnaire ELSA-Brasil showed good validity in estimating potassium intake in epidemiological studies. For sodium validity was weak, likely due to the non-quantification of the added salt to prepared food. PMID:28030625

Use of the Method of Triads in the Validation of Sodium and Potassium Intake in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Pereira, Taísa Sabrina Silva; Cade, Nágela Valadão; Mill, José Geraldo; Sichieri, Rosely; Molina, Maria Del Carmen Bisi

2016-01-01

Biomarkers are a good choice to be used in the validation of food frequency questionnaire due to the independence of their random errors. To assess the validity of the potassium and sodium intake estimated using the Food Frequency Questionnaire ELSA-Brasil. A subsample of participants in the ELSA-Brasil cohort was included in this study in 2009. Sodium and potassium intake were estimated using three methods: Semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, 12-hour nocturnal urinary excretion and three 24-hour food records. Correlation coefficients were calculated between the methods, and the validity coefficient was calculated using the method of triads. The 95% confidence intervals for the validity coefficient were estimated using bootstrap sampling. Exact and adjacent agreement and disagreement of the estimated sodium and potassium intake quintiles were compared among three methods. The sample consisted of 246 participants, aged 53±8 years, 52% of women. Validity coefficient for sodium were considered weak (рfood frequency questionnaire actual intake = 0.37 and рbiomarker actual intake = 0.21) and moderate (рfood records actual intake 0.56). The validity coefficient were higher for potassium (рfood frequency questionnaire actual intake = 0.60; рbiomarker actual intake = 0.42; рfood records actual intake = 0.79). Conclusions: The Food Frequency Questionnaire ELSA-Brasil showed good validity in estimating potassium intake in epidemiological studies. For sodium validity was weak, likely due to the non-quantification of the added salt to prepared food.

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Heyoung; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-01-01

Objective Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Methods Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. Results The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. Conclusion The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects. PMID:28326119

[Staff Satisfaction within Duty Hour Models: Longitudinal Survey on Suitability and Legal Conformity at a Surgical Maximum Care Department].

PubMed

Langelotz, C; Koplin, G; Pascher, A; Lohmann, R; Köhler, A; Pratschke, J; Haase, O

2017-12-01

Background Between the conflicting requirements of clinic organisation, the European Working Time Directive, patient safety, an increasing lack of junior staff, and competitiveness, the development of ideal duty hour models is vital to ensure maximum quality of care within the legal requirements. To achieve this, it is useful to evaluate the actual effects of duty hour models on staff satisfaction. Materials and Methods After the traditional 24-hour duty shift was given up in a surgical maximum care centre in 2007, an 18-hour duty shift was implemented, followed by a 12-hour shift in 2008, to improve handovers and reduce loss of information. The effects on work organisation, quality of life and salary were analysed in an anonymous survey in 2008. The staff survey was repeated in 2014. Results With a response rate of 95% of questionnaires in 2008 and a 93% response rate in 2014, the 12-hour duty model received negative ratings due to its high duty frequency and subsequent social strain. Also the physical strain and chronic tiredness were rated as most severe in the 12-hour rota. The 18-hour duty shift was the model of choice amongst staff. The 24-hour duty model was rated as the best compromise between the requirements of work organisation and staff satisfaction, and therefore this duty model was adapted accordingly in 2015. Conclusion The essential basis of a surgical department is a duty hour model suited to the requirements of work organisation, the Working Time Directive and the needs of the surgical staff. A 12-hour duty model can be ideal for work organisation, but only if augmented with an adequate number of staff members, the implementation of this model is possible without the frequency of 12-hour shifts being too high associated with strain on surgical staff and a perceived deterioration of quality of life. A staff survey should be performed on a regular basis to assess the actual effects of duty hour models and enable further optimisation. The much criticised 24-hour duty model seems to be much better than its reputation, if augmented by additional staff members in the evening hours. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Oncology Fellows' Career Plans, Expectations, and Well-Being: Do Fellows Know What They Are Getting Into?

PubMed Central

Shanafelt, Tait D.; Raymond, Marilyn; Horn, Leora; Moynihan, Tim; Collichio, Frances; Chew, Helen; Kosty, Michael P.; Satele, Daniel; Sloan, Jeff; Gradishar, William J.

2014-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the career plans, professional expectations, and well-being of oncology fellows compared with actual experiences of practicing oncologists. Methods US oncology fellows taking the 2013 Medical Oncology In-Training Examination (MedOnc ITE) were invited to participate in an optional postexamination survey. The survey evaluated fellows' career plans and professional expectations and measured burnout, quality of life (QOL), fatigue, and satisfaction with work-life balance (WLB) using standardized instruments. Fellows' professional expectations and well-being were compared with actual experiences of US oncologists assessed simultaneously. Results Of the 1,637 oncology fellows in the United States, 1,373 (83.9%) took the 2013 MedOnc ITE. Among these, 1,345 (97.9%) completed the postexamination survey. The frequency of burnout among fellows decreased from 43.3% in year 1 to 31.7% in year 2 and 28.1% in year 3 (P < .001). Overall, the rate of burnout among fellows and practicing oncologists was similar (34.1% v 33.7%; P = .86). With respect to other dimensions of well-being, practicing oncologists had lower fatigue (P < .001) and better overall QOL scores (P < .001) than fellows but were less satisfied with WLB (P = .0031) and specialty choice (P < .001). Fellows' expectations regarding future work hours were 5 to 6 hours per week fewer than oncologists' actual reported work hours. Levels of burnout (P = .02) and educational debt (P ≤ .004) were inversely associated with ITE scores. Fellows with greater educational debt were more likely to pursue private practice and less likely to plan an academic career. Conclusion Oncology fellows entering practice trade one set of challenges for another. Unrealized expectations regarding work hours may contribute to future professional dissatisfaction, burnout, and challenges with WLB. PMID:25049326

Oncology fellows’ career plans, expectations, and well-being: do fellows know what they are getting into?

PubMed

Shanafelt, Tait D; Raymond, Marilyn; Horn, Leora; Moynihan, Tim; Collichio, Frances; Chew, Helen; Kosty, Michael P; Satele, Daniel; Sloan, Jeff; Gradishar, William J

2014-09-20

To evaluate the career plans, professional expectations, and well-being of oncology fellows compared with actual experiences of practicing oncologists. US oncology fellows taking the 2013 Medical Oncology In-Training Examination (MedOnc ITE) were invited to participate in an optional postexamination survey. The survey evaluated fellows’ career plans and professional expectations and measured burnout, quality of life (QOL), fatigue, and satisfaction with work-life balance (WLB) using standardized instruments. Fellows’ professional expectations and well-being were compared with actual experiences of US oncologists assessed simultaneously. Of the 1,637 oncology fellows in the United States, 1,373 (83.9%) took the 2013 MedOnc ITE. Among these, 1,345 (97.9%) completed the postexamination survey. The frequency of burnout among fellows decreased from 43.3% in year 1 to 31.7% in year 2 and 28.1% in year 3 (P < .001). Overall, the rate of burnout among fellows and practicing oncologists was similar (34.1% v. 33.7%; P = .86). With respect to other dimensions of well-being, practicing oncologists had lower fatigue (P < .001) and better overall QOL scores (P < .001) than fellows but were less satisfied with WLB (P = .0031) and specialty choice (P < .001). Fellows’ expectations regarding future work hours were 5 to 6 hours per week fewer than oncologists’ actual reported work hours. Levels of burnout (P = .02) and educational debt (P < or =.004) were inversely associated with ITE scores. Fellows with greater educational debt were more likely to pursue private practice and less likely to plan an academic career. Oncology fellows entering practice trade one set of challenges for another. Unrealized expectations regarding work hours may contribute to future professional dissatisfaction, burnout, and challenges with WLB.

Recovery Act: Brea California Combined Cycle Electric Generating Plant Fueled by Waste Landfill Gas

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

Galowitz, Stephen

The primary objective of the Project was to maximize the productive use of the substantial quantities of waste landfill gas generated and collected at the Olinda Landfill near Brea, California. An extensive analysis was conducted and it was determined that utilization of the waste gas for power generation in a combustion turbine combined cycle facility was the highest and best use. The resulting Project reflected a cost effective balance of the following specific sub-objectives: • Meeting the environmental and regulatory requirements, particularly the compliance obligations imposed on the landfill to collect, process and destroy landfill gas • Utilizing proven andmore » reliable technology and equipment • Maximizing electrical efficiency • Maximizing electric generating capacity, consistent with the anticipated quantities of landfill gas generated and collected at the Olinda Landfill • Maximizing equipment uptime • Minimizing water consumption • Minimizing post-combustion emissions • The Project produced and will produce a myriad of beneficial impacts. o The Project created 360 FTE construction and manufacturing jobs and 15 FTE permanent jobs associated with the operation and maintenance of the plant and equipment. o By combining state-of-the-art gas clean up systems with post combustion emissions control systems, the Project established new national standards for best available control technology (BACT). o The Project will annually produce 280,320 MWh’s of clean energy o By destroying the methane in the landfill gas, the Project will generate CO2 equivalent reductions of 164,938 tons annually. The completed facility produces 27.4 MWnet and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.« less

Validation of a real-time wireless telemedicine system, using bluetooth protocol and a mobile phone, for remote monitoring patient in medical practice.

PubMed

Yousef, Jasemian; Lars, A N

2005-06-22

This paper validates the integration of a generic real-time wireless telemedicine system utilising Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), BLUETOOTH protocol and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) for cellular network in clinical practice. In the first experiment, the system was tested on 24 pacemaker patients at Aalborg Hospital (Denmark), in order to see if the pacemaker implant would be affected by the system. I the second experiment, the system was tested on 15 non risky arrhythmia heart patients, in order to evaluate and validate the system application in clinical practice, for patient monitoring. Electrocardiograms were selected as the continuously monitored parameter in the present study. The results showed that the system had no negative effects on the pacemaker implants. The experiment results showed, that in a realistic environment for the patients, the system had 96.1 % up-time, 3.2 (kbps) throughput, 10(-3) (packet/s) Packet Error Rate and 10(-3) (packet/s) Packet Lost Rate. During 24 hours test the network did not respond for 57 minutes, from which 83.1 % was in the range of 0-3 minutes, 15.4 % was in the range of 3-5 minutes, and only 0.7 % of the down-time was > or = 5 and < or = 6 minutes. By a subjective evaluation, it was demonstrated that the system is applicable and the patients as well as the healthcare personals were highly confident with the system. Moreover, the patients had high degree of mobility and freedom, employing the system. In conclusion, this generic telemedicine system showed a high reliability, quality and performance, and the design can provide a basic principle for real-time wireless remote monitoring systems used in clinical practice.

U.S. Electric System Operating Data

EIA Publications

EIA provides hourly electricity operating data, including actual and forecast demand, net generation, and the power flowing between electric systems. EIA's new U.S. Electric System Operating Data tool provides nearly real-time demand data, plus analysis and visualizations of hourly, daily, and weekly electricity supply and demand on a national and regional level for all of the 66 electric system balancing authorities that make up the U.S. electric grid.

Mitigating the risk of food handling in the home-delivered meal program.

PubMed

Namkung, Young; Ismail, Joseph A; Almanza, Barbara A; Nelson, Douglas C

2007-02-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the length of time between packing and delivery of home-delivered meals, and the extent of foodborne illness risk to the elderly. Procedures to mitigate that risk were also evaluated. Researchers surveyed 95 drivers from home-delivered meal preparation sites in six states across the United States to determine the average length of time that passed during packing, loading, leaving, and delivery. The efficiency of various risk mitigation methods were evaluated and used to adjust the actual delivery time. Total average delivery time from packing to last delivery was 1.92 hours. This study suggests that the risk associated with the actual 1.92 hours of total delivery time could be mitigated to represent approximately 1.55 hours of effective time with proper packing and holding conditions. This methodology proposes a single measure for evaluating the effectiveness of various handling procedures associated with distributing home-delivered meals, which can be utilized to evaluate overall risk when combined with in-house preparation and client-handling behaviors.

29 CFR 5.17 - Withdrawal of approval of a training program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO THE CONTRACT WORK HOURS AND SAFETY STANDARDS ACT) Davis-Bacon and Related Acts... for the classification of work actually performed until an acceptable program is approved. ...

29 CFR 5.17 - Withdrawal of approval of a training program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... NONCONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO THE CONTRACT WORK HOURS AND SAFETY STANDARDS ACT) Davis-Bacon and Related... for the classification of work actually performed until an acceptable program is approved. ...

Episodic memory and appetite regulation in humans.

PubMed

Brunstrom, Jeffrey M; Burn, Jeremy F; Sell, Nicola R; Collingwood, Jane M; Rogers, Peter J; Wilkinson, Laura L; Hinton, Elanor C; Maynard, Olivia M; Ferriday, Danielle

2012-01-01

Psychological and neurobiological evidence implicates hippocampal-dependent memory processes in the control of hunger and food intake. In humans, these have been revealed in the hyperphagia that is associated with amnesia. However, it remains unclear whether 'memory for recent eating' plays a significant role in neurologically intact humans. In this study we isolated the extent to which memory for a recently consumed meal influences hunger and fullness over a three-hour period. Before lunch, half of our volunteers were shown 300 ml of soup and half were shown 500 ml. Orthogonal to this, half consumed 300 ml and half consumed 500 ml. This process yielded four separate groups (25 volunteers in each). Independent manipulation of the 'actual' and 'perceived' soup portion was achieved using a computer-controlled peristaltic pump. This was designed to either refill or draw soup from a soup bowl in a covert manner. Immediately after lunch, self-reported hunger was influenced by the actual and not the perceived amount of soup consumed. However, two and three hours after meal termination this pattern was reversed - hunger was predicted by the perceived amount and not the actual amount. Participants who thought they had consumed the larger 500-ml portion reported significantly less hunger. This was also associated with an increase in the 'expected satiation' of the soup 24-hours later. For the first time, this manipulation exposes the independent and important contribution of memory processes to satiety. Opportunities exist to capitalise on this finding to reduce energy intake in humans.

Jack Healy Remembers - Anecdotal Evidence for the Origin of the Approximate 24-hour Urine Sampling Protocol Used for Worker Bioassay Monitoring

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

Carbaugh, Eugene H.

2008-10-01

The origin of the approximate 24-hour urine sampling protocol used at Hanford for routine bioassay is attributed to an informal study done in the mid-1940s. While the actual data were never published and have been lost, anecdotal recollections by staff involved in the initial bioassay program design and administration suggest that the sampling protocol had a solid scientific basis. Numerous alternate methods for normalizing partial day samples to represent a total 24-hour collection have since been proposed and used, but no one method is obviously preferred.

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program climate research facility operations quarterly report October 1 - December 31, 2007.

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

Sisterson, D. L.

2008-01-24

Individual raw data streams from instrumentation at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Climate Research Facility (ACRF) fixed and mobile sites are collected and sent to the Data Management Facility (DMF) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for processing in near real time. Raw and processed data are then sent daily to the ACRF Archive, where they are made available to users. For each instrument, we calculate the ratio of the actual number of data records received daily at the Archive to the expected number of data records. The results are tabulated by (1) individual data stream, site, and monthmore » for the current year and (2) site and fiscal year (FY) dating back to 1998. Table 1 shows the accumulated maximum operation time (planned uptime), actual hours of operation, and variance (unplanned downtime) for the period October 1 - December 31, 2007, for the fixed sites and the mobile site. The AMF has been deployed to Germany and this was the final operational quarter. The first quarter comprises a total of 2,208 hours. Although the average exceeded our goal this quarter, a series of severe weather events (i.e., widespread ice storms) disrupted utility services, which affected the SGP performance measures. Some instruments were covered in ice and power and data communication lines were down for more than 10 days in some areas of Oklahoma and Kansas, which resulted in lost data at the SGP site. The Site Access Request System is a web-based database used to track visitors to the fixed sites, all of which have facilities that can be visited. The NSA locale has the Barrow and Atqasuk sites. The SGP site has a central facility, 23 extended facilities, 4 boundary facilities, and 3 intermediate facilities. The TWP locale has the Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites. The AMF completed its mission at the end of this quarter in Haselback, Germany (FKB designation). NIM represents the AMF statistics for the Niamey, Niger, Africa, past deployment in 2006. PYE represents just the AMF Archive statistics for the Point Reyes, California, past deployment in 2005. In addition, users who do not want to wait for data to be provided through the ACRF Archive can request an account on the local site data system. The eight research computers are located at the Barrow and Atqasuk sites; the SGP central facility; the TWP Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites; the DMF at PNNL; and the AMF, currently in Germany. In addition, the ACRF serves as a data repository for a long-term Arctic atmospheric observatory in Eureka, Canada (80 degrees 05 minutes N, 86 degrees 43 minutes W) as part of the multiagency Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) Program. NOAA began providing instruments for the site in 2005, and currently cloud radar data are available. The intent of the site is to monitor the important components of the Arctic atmosphere, including clouds, aerosols, atmospheric radiation, and local-scale atmospheric dynamics. Due to the similarity of ACRF NSA data streams, and the important synergy that can be formed between a network of Arctic atmospheric observations, much of the SEARCH observatory data are archived in the ARM archive. Instruments will be added to the site over time. For more information, please visit http://www.db.arm.gov/data. The designation for the archived Eureka data is YEU and is now included in the ACRF user metrics. This quarterly report provides the cumulative numbers of visitors and user accounts by site for the period January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007. Table 2 shows the summary of cumulative users for the period January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007. For the first quarter of FY 2008, the overall number of users was up significantly from the last reporting period. For the fourth consecutive reporting period, a record high number of Archive users was recorded. In addition, the number of visitors and visitor days set a new record this reporting period particularly due to the large number of field campaign activities in conjunction with the AMF deployment in Germany. It is interesting to note this quarter that 22% (a slight decrease from last quarter) of the Archive users are ARM Science funded principal investigators and 35% (the same as last quarter) of all other facility users are either ARM Science-funded principal investigators or ACRF infrastructure personnel. For reporting purposes, the three ACRF sites and the AMF operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 52 weeks per year. Time is reported in days instead of hours. If any lost work time is incurred by any employee, it is counted as a workday loss. Table 3 reports the consecutive days since the last recordable or reportable injury or incident causing damage to property, equipment, or vehicle for the period October 1 - December 31, 2007. There were no incidents this reporting period.« less

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program climate research facility operations quarterly report July 1 - September 30, 2008.

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

Sisterson, D. L.

2008-10-08

Individual raw data streams from instrumentation at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Climate Research Facility (ACRF) fixed and mobile sites are collected and sent to the Data Management Facility (DMF) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for processing in near real-time. Raw and processed data are then sent daily to the ACRF Archive, where they are made available to users. For each instrument, we calculate the ratio of the actual number of data records received daily at the Archive to the expected number of data records. The results are tabulated by (1) individual data stream, site, and month formore » the current year and (2) site and fiscal year (FY) dating back to 1998. Table 1 shows the accumulated maximum operation time (planned uptime), actual hours of operation, and variance (unplanned downtime) for the period July 1 - September 30, 2008, for the fixed sites. The AMF has been deployed to China, but the data have not yet been released. The fourth quarter comprises a total of 2,208 hours. The average exceeded our goal this quarter. The Site Access Request System is a web-based database used to track visitors to the fixed and mobile sites, all of which have facilities that can be visited. The NSA locale has the Barrow and Atqasuk sites. The SGP site has a central facility, 23 extended facilities, 4 boundary facilities, and 3 intermediate facilities. The TWP locale has the Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites. HFE represents the AMF statistics for the Shouxian, China, deployment in 2008. FKB represents the AMF statistics for the Haselbach, Germany, past deployment in 2007. NIM represents the AMF statistics for the Niamey, Niger, Africa, past deployment in 2006. PYE represents just the AMF Archive statistics for the Point Reyes, California, past deployment in 2005. In addition, users who do not want to wait for data to be provided through the ACRF Archive can request a research account on the local site data system. The seven computers for the research accounts are located at the Barrow and Atqasuk sites; the SGP central facility; the TWP Manus, Nauru, and Darwin sites; and the DMF at PNNL. In addition, the ACRF serves as a data repository for a long-term Arctic atmospheric observatory in Eureka, Canada (80 degrees 05 minutes N, 86 degrees 43 minutes W) as part of the multiagency Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) Program. NOAA began providing instruments for the site in 2005, and currently cloud radar data are available. The intent of the site is to monitor the important components of the Arctic atmosphere, including clouds, aerosols, atmospheric radiation, and local-scale atmospheric dynamics. Because of the similarity of ACRF NSA data streams and the important synergy that can be formed between a network of Arctic atmospheric observations, much of the SEARCH observatory data are archived in the ARM archive. Instruments will be added to the site over time. For more information, please visit http://www.db.arm.gov/data. The designation for the archived Eureka data is YEU and is now included in the ACRF user metrics. This quarterly report provides the cumulative numbers of visitors and user accounts by site for the period October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2008. Table 2 shows the summary of cumulative users for the period October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2008. For the fourth quarter of FY 2008, the overall number of users is down substantially (about 30%) from last quarter. Most of this decrease resulted from a reduction in the ACRF Infrastructure users (e.g., site visits, research accounts, on-site device accounts, etc.) associated with the AMF China deployment. While users had easy access to the previous AMF deployment in Germany that resulted in all-time high user statistics, physical and remote access to on-site accounts are extremely limited for the AMF deployment in China. Furthermore, AMF data have not yet been released from China to the Data Management Facility for processing, which affects Archive user statistics. However, Archive users are only down about 10% from last quarter. Another reason for the apparent reduction in Archive users is that data from the Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC), a major field campaign conducted on the North Slope of Alaska, are not yet available to users. For reporting purposes, the three ACRF sites and the AMF operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 52 weeks per year. Time is reported in days instead of hours. If any lost work time is incurred by any employee, it is counted as a workday loss. Table 3 reports the consecutive days since the last recordable or reportable injury or incident causing damage to property, equipment, or vehicle for the period July 1 - September 30, 2008. There were no incidents this reporting period.« less

Reaching Prevention Professionals: The Mentor Portal Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Drug Misuse Prevention Portal

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

starting point is the actual moment with a very low assumption of 1100 reached practitioners who actually perform internet research via the portal...Total 13.4 100% Research time saved hours a week 40 % of research time 29% % of research through internet 22% internet research time...in minutes 150.6 reduction in minutes 20 reduction in % of internet research time 13.3% reduction in % total time 0.8% Exchange

Automated Camouflage Pattern Generation Technology Survey.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-07

supported by high speed data communications? Costs: 9 What are your rates? $/CPU hour: $/MB disk storage/day: S/connect hour: other charges: What are your... data to the workstation, tape drives are needed for backing up and archiving completed patterns, 256 megabytes of on-line hard disk space as a minimum...is needed to support multiple processes and data files, and 4 megabytes of actual or virtual memory is needed to process the largest expected single

Integrating Systems Health Management with Adaptive Controls for a Utility-Scale Wind Turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frost, Susan A.; Goebel, Kai; Trinh, Khanh V.; Balas, Mark J.; Frost, Alan M.

2011-01-01

Increasing turbine up-time and reducing maintenance costs are key technology drivers for wind turbine operators. Components within wind turbines are subject to considerable stresses due to unpredictable environmental conditions resulting from rapidly changing local dynamics. Systems health management has the aim to assess the state-of-health of components within a wind turbine, to estimate remaining life, and to aid in autonomous decision-making to minimize damage. Advanced adaptive controls can provide the mechanism to enable optimized operations that also provide the enabling technology for Systems Health Management goals. The work reported herein explores the integration of condition monitoring of wind turbine blades with contingency management and adaptive controls. Results are demonstrated using a high fidelity simulator of a utility-scale wind turbine.

Simulation of Swap-Out Reliability For The Advance Photon Source Upgrade

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

Borland, M.

2017-06-01

The proposed upgrade of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) to a multibend-achromat lattice relies on the use of swap-out injection to accommodate the small dynamic acceptance, allow use of unusual insertion devices, and minimize collective effects at high single-bunch charge. This, combined with the short beam lifetime, will make injector reliability even more important than it is for top-up operation. We used historical data for the APS injector complex to obtain probability distributions for injector up-time and down-time durations. Using these distributions, we simulated several years of swap-out operation for the upgraded lattice for several operatingmodes. The results indicate thatmore » obtaining very high availability of beam in the storage ring will require improvements to injector reliability.« less

Prospective analysis of factors associated with inadequate bowel preparation for colonoscopy in actual clinical practice

PubMed Central

Woo, Dae Hyung; Jeong, Da Eun; Nam, Yoon Jeong; Lee, Si Hyung; Jang, Byung Ik; Kim, Tae Nyeun

2018-01-01

Background/Aims Inadequate bowel preparation can result in prolonged procedure time and increased missed lesion and complication rates. This prospective study aimed to evaluate bowel preparation quality and identify the predictive factors for inadequate bowel preparation in actual clinical practice. Methods We included 399 patients who underwent colonoscopy between June 2015 and July 2016. Using the Aronchick bowel preparation scale, we defined a score ≤2 as adequate preparation and a score >2 as inadequate preparation. Results Mean patient age was 58.38±12.97 years; 60.6% were male. Indications for colonoscopy included screening (69.7%) and surveillance after polyp removal (21.3%). A split-dose regimen was prescribed to 55.4% of patients. The inadequate bowel preparation rate was 28.1%. Overall, the median time between the last bowel preparation agent dose and start of colonoscopy was 5.0 hours (range, 1.5–16.0 hours); that of the adequate group was 5.0 hours (range, 1.5–16.0 hours); and that of the inadequate group was 5 hours (range, 2–23 hours). The mean bowel preparation scale score of the ascending colon (1.94±0.25) was significantly higher than that of other colon segments. On multivariate analysis, elderly age, history of cerebrovascular disease, history of gastrectomy or appendectomy, and total preparation solution uptake <2 L were the independent predictors of inadequate bowel preparation. Conclusions The inadequate bowel preparation rate was 28.1%. Risk factors included elderly age and history of cerebrovascular disease or abdominal surgery. Patients with these risk factors require special care and education. PMID:29743843

A method for direct, semi-quantitative analysis of gas phase samples using gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

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

Carter, Kimberly E; Gerdes, Kirk

2013-07-01

A new and complete GC–ICP-MS method is described for direct analysis of trace metals in a gas phase process stream. The proposed method is derived from standard analytical procedures developed for ICP-MS, which are regularly exercised in standard ICP-MS laboratories. In order to implement the method, a series of empirical factors were generated to calibrate detector response with respect to a known concentration of an internal standard analyte. Calibrated responses are ultimately used to determine the concentration of metal analytes in a gas stream using a semi-quantitative algorithm. The method was verified using a traditional gas injection from a GCmore » sampling valve and a standard gas mixture containing either a 1 ppm Xe + Kr mix with helium balance or 100 ppm Xe with helium balance. Data collected for Xe and Kr gas analytes revealed that agreement of 6–20% with the actual concentration can be expected for various experimental conditions. To demonstrate the method using a relevant “unknown” gas mixture, experiments were performed for continuous 4 and 7 hour periods using a Hg-containing sample gas that was co-introduced into the GC sample loop with the xenon gas standard. System performance and detector response to the dilute concentration of the internal standard were pre-determined, which allowed semi-quantitative evaluation of the analyte. The calculated analyte concentrations varied during the course of the 4 hour experiment, particularly during the first hour of the analysis where the actual Hg concentration was under predicted by up to 72%. Calculated concentration improved to within 30–60% for data collected after the first hour of the experiment. Similar results were seen during the 7 hour test with the deviation from the actual concentration being 11–81% during the first hour and then decreasing for the remaining period. The method detection limit (MDL) was determined for the mercury by injecting the sample gas into the system following a period of equilibration. The MDL for Hg was calculated as 6.8 μg · m -3. This work describes the first complete GC–ICP-MS method to directly analyze gas phase samples, and detailed sample calculations and comparisons to conventional ICP-MS methods are provided.« less

AVERT, COBRA, GHG Inventory and GreenHouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Program (2017 EIC)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

AVERT captures the actual historical behavior of electricity generating units' (EGUs’) operation on an hourly basis to predict how EGUs will operate with additional EE/RE delivered to the electricity grid.

Perception of Not Having Enough Milk and Actual Milk Production of First-Time Breastfeeding Mothers: Is There a Difference?

PubMed

Galipeau, Roseline; Dumas, Louise; Lepage, Mario

2017-05-01

This study aimed to determine the relationship between perceived insufficient milk supply (PIMS) and actual insufficient milk supply (AIMS) and the relative contributions of physiological and psychosocial variables on both PIMS and AIMS of first-time breastfeeding mothers. Data were collected among 123 breastfeeding mothers at a Canadian, French-speaking maternal care hospital. Birth events, breastfeeding practices, infant and maternal capacities, and PIMS and AIMS were collected at 48 hours after birth, postnatal weeks 2 and 6. No significant relationship was found between PIMS and AIMS. Maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy and number of feeds were related to PIMS at week 2, and skin-to-skin contact at birth and number of feeds were related to AIMS as measured by 24-hour milk production at week 2. Maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy impacts PIMS. Interventions should be directed to increase maternal confidence in breastfeeding, which in turn influences breastfeeding duration.

Two instruments based on differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) to measure accurate ammonia concentrations in the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volten, H.; Bergwerff, J. B.; Haaima, M.; Lolkema, D. E.; Berkhout, A. J. C.; van der Hoff, G. R.; Potma, C. J. M.; Wichink Kruit, R. J.; van Pul, W. A. J.; Swart, D. P. J.

2011-08-01

We present two Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) instruments built at RIVM, the RIVM DOAS and the miniDOAS. Both instruments provide virtually interference free measurements of NH3 concentrations in the atmosphere, since they measure over an open path, without suffering from inlet problems or interference problems by ammonium aerosols dissociating on tubes or filters. They measure concentrations up to at least 200 μg m-3, have a fast response, low maintenance demands, and a high up-time. The RIVM DOAS has a high accuracy of typically 0.15 μg m-3 for ammonia over 5-min averages and over a total light path of 100 m. The miniDOAS has been developed for application in measurement networks such as the Dutch National Air Quality Monitoring Network (LML). Compared to the RIVM DOAS it has a similar accuracy, but is significantly reduced in size, costs, and handling complexity. The RIVM DOAS and miniDOAS results showed excellent agreement (R2 = 0.996) during a field measurement campaign in Vredepeel, the Netherlands. This measurement site is located in an agricultural area and is characterized by highly variable, but on average high ammonia concentrations in the air. The RIVM-DOAS and miniDOAS results were compared to the results of the AMOR instrument, a continuous-flow wet denuder system, which is currently used in the LML. Averaged over longer time spans of typically a day the (mini)DOAS and AMOR results agree reasonably well, although an offset of the AMOR values compared to the (mini)DOAS results exists. On short time scales the (mini)DOAS shows a faster response and does not show the memory effects due to inlet tubing and transport of absorption fluids encountered by the AMOR. Due to its high accuracy, high uptime, low maintenance and its open path, the (mini)DOAS shows a good potential for flux measurements by using two (or more) systems in a gradient set-up and applying the aerodynamic gradient technique.

Two instruments based on differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) to measure accurate ammonia concentrations in the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volten, H.; Bergwerff, J. B.; Haaima, M.; Lolkema, D. E.; Berkhout, A. J. C.; van der Hoff, G. R.; Potma, C. J. M.; Wichink Kruit, R. J.; van Pul, W. A. J.; Swart, D. P. J.

2012-02-01

We present two Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) instruments built at RIVM: the RIVM DOAS and the miniDOAS. Both instruments provide virtually interference-free measurements of NH3 concentrations in the atmosphere, since they measure over an open path, without suffering from inlet problems or interference problems by ammonium aerosols dissociating on tubes or filters. They measure concentrations up to at least 200 μg m-3, have a fast response, low maintenance demands, and a high up-time. The RIVM DOAS has a high accuracy of typically 0.15 μg m-3 for ammonia for 5-min averages and over a total light path of 100 m. The miniDOAS has been developed for application in measurement networks such as the Dutch National Air Quality Monitoring Network (LML). Compared to the RIVM DOAS it has a similar accuracy, but is significantly reduced in size, costs, and handling complexity. The RIVM DOAS and miniDOAS results showed excellent agreement (R2 = 0.996) during a field measurement campaign in Vredepeel, the Netherlands. This measurement site is located in an agricultural area and is characterized by highly variable, but on average high ammonia concentrations in the air. The RIVM-DOAS and miniDOAS results were compared to the results of the AMOR instrument, a continuous-flow wet denuder system, which is currently used in the LML. Averaged over longer time spans of typically a day, the (mini)DOAS and AMOR results agree reasonably well, although an offset of the AMOR values compared to the (mini)DOAS results exists. On short time scales, the (mini)DOAS shows a faster response and does not show the memory effects due to inlet tubing and transport of absorption fluids encountered by the AMOR. Due to its high accuracy, high uptime, low maintenance and its open path, the (mini)DOAS shows a good potential for flux measurements by using two (or more) systems in a gradient set-up and applying the aerodynamic gradient technique.

Adoption of alternative financing strategies to increase the diffusion of picture archiving and communication systems into the radiology marketplace.

PubMed

Reiner, B; Siegel, E; McKay, P

2000-05-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate current marketplace conditions and strategies employed by major picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) vendors in the creation of alternative financing strategies, to enhance the diffusion of filmless imaging. Data were collected from the major PACS vendors in the forms of survey questionnaires and review of existing leases. Topics evaluated in the survey included current financing options available, foreseeable changes in PACS financing, role of third-party financiers, and creation of risk-sharing arrangements. Generic leases were also reviewed evaluating the presence or absence of several key variables including technology obsolescence protection, hardware/software upgrades, end-of-term options, determination of fair market value, functionality/acceptance testing, uptime guarantees, and workflow management consulting. Eight of the 10 PACS vendors surveyed participated in the data collection. The vast majority of current PACS implementations (60% to 90%) occur through direct purchase, with conventional leasing (operating or capital) accounting for only 5% to 30% of PACS installations. The majority of respondents view fee-for-lease arrangements and other forms of risk sharing as increasing importance for future PACS financing. The specific targets for such risk-sharing arrangements consist of small hospital and privately owned imaging centers. Leases currently offered range in duration from 3 to 5 years and frequently offer technology obsolescence protection with upgrades, multiple end-of-term options, and some form of acceptance testing. A number of important variables frequently omitted from leases include uptime guarantees, flexibility in changing financing or vendors, and incorporation of expected productivity/operational efficiency gains. As vendors strive to increase the penetration of PACS into the radiology marketplace, there will be a shift from conventional financing (loan or purchase) to leasing. Fee-for-use leasing and other forms of risk sharing have the greatest potential in smaller hospitals, which do not have the financial resources to pursue conventional financing options. Potential PACS customers must be cautious when entering into these alternative financing strategies, to ensure that appropriate safeguards are incorporated, in order to minimize downside risk.

Accuracy of MHD simulations: Effects of simulation initialization in GUMICS-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakka, Antti; Pulkkinen, Tuija; Dimmock, Andrew; Osmane, Adnane; Palmroth, Minna; Honkonen, Ilja

2016-04-01

We conducted a study aimed at revealing how different global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation initialization methods affect the dynamics in different parts of the Earth's magnetosphere-ionosphere system. While such magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling codes have been used for more than two decades, their testing still requires significant work to identify the optimal numerical representation of the physical processes. We used the Grand Unified Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling Simulation (GUMICS-4), the only European global MHD simulation being developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. GUMICS-4 was put to a test that included two stages: 1) a 10 day Omni data interval was simulated and the results were validated by comparing both the bow shock and the magnetopause spatial positions predicted by the simulation to actual measurements and 2) the validated 10 day simulation run was used as a reference in a comparison of five 3 + 12 hour (3 hour synthetic initialisation + 12 hour actual simulation) simulation runs. The 12 hour input was not only identical in each simulation case but it also represented a subset of the 10 day input thus enabling quantifying the effects of different synthetic initialisations on the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. The used synthetic initialisation data sets were created using stepwise, linear and sinusoidal functions. Switching the used input from the synthetic to real Omni data was immediate. The results show that the magnetosphere forms in each case within an hour after the switch to real data. However, local dissimilarities are found in the magnetospheric dynamics after formation depending on the used initialisation method. This is evident especially in the inner parts of the lobe.

Gamma-H2AX-based dose estimation for whole and partial body radiation exposure.

PubMed

Horn, Simon; Barnard, Stephen; Rothkamm, Kai

2011-01-01

Most human exposures to ionising radiation are partial body exposures. However, to date only limited tools are available for rapid and accurate estimation of the dose distribution and the extent of the body spared from the exposure. These parameters are of great importance for emergency triage and clinical management of exposed individuals. Here, measurements of γ-H2AX immunofluorescence by microscopy and flow cytometry were compared as rapid biodosimetric tools for whole and partial body exposures. Ex vivo uniformly X-irradiated blood lymphocytes from one donor were used to generate a universal biexponential calibration function for γ-H2AX foci/intensity yields per unit dose for time points up to 96 hours post exposure. Foci--but not intensity--levels remained significantly above background for 96 hours for doses of 0.5 Gy or more. Foci-based dose estimates for ex vivo X-irradiated blood samples from 13 volunteers were in excellent agreement with the actual dose delivered to the targeted samples. Flow cytometric dose estimates for X-irradiated blood samples from 8 volunteers were in excellent agreement with the actual dose delivered at 1 hour post exposure but less so at 24 hours post exposure. In partial body exposures, simulated by mixing ex vivo irradiated and unirradiated lymphocytes, foci/intensity distributions were significantly over-dispersed compared to uniformly irradiated lymphocytes. For both methods and in all cases the estimated fraction of irradiated lymphocytes and dose to that fraction, calculated using the zero contaminated Poisson test and γ-H2AX calibration function, were in good agreement with the actual mixing ratios and doses delivered to the samples. In conclusion, γ-H2AX analysis of irradiated lymphocytes enables rapid and accurate assessment of whole body doses while dispersion analysis of foci or intensity distributions helps determine partial body doses and the irradiated fraction size in cases of partial body exposures.

US Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and Avoided Emissions and Generation Tool Training (AVERT) (2015 EIC)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

AVERT captures the actual historical behavior of electricity generating units' (EGUs’) operation on an hourly basis to predict how EGUs will operate with additional EE/RE delivered to the electricity grid.

Air travel and adults with cyanotic congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Harinck, E; Hutter, P A; Hoorntje, T M; Simons, M; Benatar, A A; Fischer, J C; de Bruijn, D; Meijboom, E J

1996-01-15

Concern has been expressed that a reduction of partial oxygen pressure during flight in commercial aircraft may induce dangerous hypoxemia in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease. To evaluate the validity of this concern, the transcutaneous SaO2 was measured in 12 adults with this type of heart disease and 27 control subjects during simulated commercial flights of 1.5 and 7 hours in a hypobaric chamber. Ten of those patients and 6 control subjects also were evaluated during two actual flights of approximately 2.5 hours in a DC-10 and an A-310, respectively. During the prolonged simulated and actual flights, the capillary blood pH, gases, and lactic acid were analyzed in the patients and during one of the actual flights also in the control subjects. During the simulated flights the SaO2 was at all times lower in the patients than in the control subjects. However, the maximal mean actual percentage decrease, as compared with sea level values, did not exceed 8.8% in either patients or control subjects. During the actual flights, this maximal decrease in the patients was 6%. In-flight reduction of the capillary PO2 was considerable in the control subjects but not in the patients. It is our hypothesis that the lack of a significant decrease of the PO2 in the patients might possibly be due to a high concentration of 2.3 diphosphoglycerate in the red cells. The flights had no influence on the capillary blood pH, PCO2, bicarbonate, or lactic acid levels in either patients or control subjects. Atmospheric pressure changes during commercial air travel do not appear to be detrimental to patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Perceptions and characteristics of registered nurses' involvement in decision making.

PubMed

Mangold, Kara L; Pearson, Kristina K; Schmitz, Julie R; Scherb, Cindy A; Specht, Janet P; Loes, Jean L

2006-01-01

This study aimed to determine the level of actual and preferred decisional involvement and ascertain whether there is decisional dissonance among registered nurses (RNs). A convenience sample of 196 RNs completed a demographic form and the Decisional Involvement Scale, a tool that measures actual and preferred decisional involvement for RNs in 6 categories: unit staffing, quality of professional practice, professional recruitment, unit governance and leadership, quality of support staff practice, and collaboration/liaison activities. From these data, the level of and difference between RN's actual and preferred decisional involvement was analyzed. In addition, the impact of level of education, years of experience, hours worked per pay period, and work setting on actual and preferred decisional involvement were measured. A statistically significant difference was found between RNs' actual and preferred decisional involvement, with RNs preferring more decisional involvement than they actually experienced. Work setting was the only variable to which a difference could be attributed. Further study is warranted to find causes of decisional dissonance and interventions that could help alleviate the problem and potentially increase job satisfaction.

The effect of a temporary period of relaxed licensing laws on the alcohol consumption of young male drinkers.

PubMed

McLaughlin, K L; Harrison-Stewart, A J

1992-04-01

This study investigated the effect of a temporary period of increased alcohol availability on the alcohol consumption of young, male Western Australian drinkers. The 778 men, aged between 18 and 28 years, were interviewed in Fremantle (experimental area) and Mt Lawley (control area) approximately 1 month before and 6 months after extensions to trading hours were granted to licensed premises during the America's Cup yacht races. The "after" survey failed to reveal any increases in alcohol consumption as a consequence of the temporary extensions to the trading hours. Although most respondents were in favor of the extended trading, a minority actually used licensed premises during the extended hours. Frequent use of extended hours was associated with higher levels of alcohol consumption. The majority of respondents believed that the extended licensing hours would lead to increased alcohol-related problems.

Maintenance Policy in Public-Transport Involving Government Subsidy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasaribu, U. S.; Bayuzetra, Y.; Gunawan, L. E.; Husniah, H.

2018-02-01

A public transport with government subsidy is considered to encourage the sustainability of the transportation. The transportations revenue is determined by the maximum of the uptimes of the vehicle. In this paper, we study a one-dimensional maintenance policy for new vehicle which is characterized by age parameter. We consider that the degradation of the vehicle is affected by the age of the vehicle, and modelled by using a one-dimensional approach. The owner performs both preventive and corrective maintenance actions, and the preventive maintenance action will reduce the vehicle failure rate and hence it will decrease the corrective maintenance cost during the life time of the vehicle. The decision problem for the owner is to find the optimal preventive maintenance time of the vehicle of each subsidy option offered by maximizing the expected profit for each subsidy.

Convective Weather Forecast Accuracy Analysis at Center and Sector Levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Yao; Sridhar, Banavar

2010-01-01

This paper presents a detailed convective forecast accuracy analysis at center and sector levels. The study is aimed to provide more meaningful forecast verification measures to aviation community, as well as to obtain useful information leading to the improvements in the weather translation capacity models. In general, the vast majority of forecast verification efforts over past decades have been on the calculation of traditional standard verification measure scores over forecast and observation data analyses onto grids. These verification measures based on the binary classification have been applied in quality assurance of weather forecast products at the national level for many years. Our research focuses on the forecast at the center and sector levels. We calculate the standard forecast verification measure scores for en-route air traffic centers and sectors first, followed by conducting the forecast validation analysis and related verification measures for weather intensities and locations at centers and sectors levels. An approach to improve the prediction of sector weather coverage by multiple sector forecasts is then developed. The weather severe intensity assessment was carried out by using the correlations between forecast and actual weather observation airspace coverage. The weather forecast accuracy on horizontal location was assessed by examining the forecast errors. The improvement in prediction of weather coverage was determined by the correlation between actual sector weather coverage and prediction. observed and forecasted Convective Weather Avoidance Model (CWAM) data collected from June to September in 2007. CWAM zero-minute forecast data with aircraft avoidance probability of 60% and 80% are used as the actual weather observation. All forecast measurements are based on 30-minute, 60- minute, 90-minute, and 120-minute forecasts with the same avoidance probabilities. The forecast accuracy analysis for times under one-hour showed that the errors in intensity and location for center forecast are relatively low. For example, 1-hour forecast intensity and horizontal location errors for ZDC center were about 0.12 and 0.13. However, the correlation between sector 1-hour forecast and actual weather coverage was weak, for sector ZDC32, about 32% of the total variation of observation weather intensity was unexplained by forecast; the sector horizontal location error was about 0.10. The paper also introduces an approach to estimate the sector three-dimensional actual weather coverage by using multiple sector forecasts, which turned out to produce better predictions. Using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model for this approach, the correlations between actual observation and the multiple sector forecast model prediction improved by several percents at 95% confidence level in comparison with single sector forecast.

29 CFR 5.16 - Training plans approved or recognized by the Department of Labor prior to August 20, 1975.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... STANDARDS PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO NONCONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO THE CONTRACT WORK HOURS AND SAFETY... rate determined by the Secretary of Labor for the classification of work actually performed. The ratio...

48 CFR 1352.216-71 - Level of effort (cost-plus-fixed-fee, term contract).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Optionperiod II Optionperiod III xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx Total Direct Labor xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx (c) The hours specified above are provided as estimates only. If the actual...

Thermomechanical treatment of alloys

DOEpatents

Bates, John F.; Brager, Howard R.; Paxton, Michael M.

1983-01-01

An article of an alloy of AISI 316 stainless steel is reduced in size to predetermined dimensions by cold working in repeated steps. Before the last reduction step the article is annealed by heating within a temperature range, specifically between 1010.degree. C. and 1038.degree. C. for a time interval between 90 and 60 seconds depending on the actual temperature. By this treatment the swelling under neutron bombardment by epithermal neutrons is reduced while substantial recrystallization does not occur in actual use for a time interval of at least of the order of 5000 hours.

A Flying Summer Camp

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercurio, Frank X.

1975-01-01

Describes a five-day summer camp which provided 12 children, ages 9-14, with a complete flying experience. The training consisted of ground school and one hour actual flying time, including the basics of aircraft control and a flight prepared and executed by the students. (MLH)

What Happened to Intelligent Judgment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Margie

2011-01-01

In so many cases, hours spent focused on documenting accountability to standards actually decreases the possibility for quality improvements through genuine reflection, self-examination, and the exercise of intelligent judgment. Focusing only on ratings and requirements narrows one's thinking and exemplifies the tendency toward stagnation. The…

Expectations Among Academic Clinicians of Inpatient Imaging Turnaround Time: Does it Correlate with Satisfaction?

PubMed

Chan, Keith T; Carroll, Tamara; Linnau, Ken F; Lehnert, Bruce

2015-11-01

Imaging report turnaround time (RTAT) is an important measure of radiology performance and has become the leading priority in customer satisfaction surveys conducted among nonradiologists, who may not be familiar with the imaging workflow. Our aim was to assess physicians' expected RTAT for commonly ordered studies and determine if satisfaction correlates with met expectations. Retrospective review of inpatient imaging was conducted at a single academic institution, and RTAT for 18,414 studies was calculated. Examinations were grouped by study type, priority, and time of day. A cross-sectional survey instrument was completed by 48 internal medicine and surgery resident physicians with questions regarding RTAT and their level of satisfaction with various examinations. Actual RTAT ranged from 1.6 to 26.0 hours, with chest radiographs and computed tomographies generally faster than magnetic resonance images and ultrasounds. Urgent (STAT) examinations and those ordered during business hours have shorter RTAT. The time for image interpretation largely contributed to the RTAT because of the lack of night-time radiology coverage. Referring physician expectations were consistently shorter than actual RTAT, ranging from 30 minutes to 24 hours. Overall satisfaction scores were inversely correlated with RTAT, with a strong correlation to the time from study order to imaging (r(2) = 0.63) and a weak correlation to the image interpretation time (r(2) = 0.17). Satisfaction scores did not correlate with whether the actual RTAT met expectations (r(2) = 0.06). Referring physician satisfaction is likely multifactorial. Although RTAT has been reported as a priority, shortening turnaround time alone may not directly improve clinician satisfaction. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microclimate and actual evapotranspiration in a humid coastal-plain environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dennehy, K.F.; McMahon, P.B.

1987-01-01

Continuous hourly measurements of twelve meteorologic variables recorded during 1983 and 1984 were used to examine the microclimate and actual evapotranspiration at a low-level radioactive-waste burial site near Barnwell, South Carolina. The study area is in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of southwestern South Carolina. Monthly, daily, and hourly trends in net radiation, incoming and reflected short-wave radiation, incoming and emitted long-wave radiation, soil-heat flux, dry- and wet-bulb temperatures, soil temperatures, wind direction and speed, and precipitation were used to characterize the microclimate. Average daily air temperatures ranged from -9 to 32?? Celsius during the period of study. Net radiation varied from about -27 to 251 watts m-2 and was dominated by incoming short-wave radiation throughout the year. The peak net radiation during a summer day generally occurred 2-3h before the peak vapor pressure deficit. In the winter, these peaks occurred at about the same time of day. Monthly precipitation varied from 15 to 241 mm. The Bowen ratio method was used to estimate hourly evapotranspiration, which was summed to also give daily and monthly evapotranspiration. Actual evapotranspiration varied from 0.0 to 0.7 mm h-1, 0.8-5 mm d-1, and 20-140 mm month-1 during 1983 and 1984. The maximum rate of evapotranspiration generally occurred at the same time of day as maximum net radiation, suggesting net radiation was the main driving force for evapotranspiration. Precipitation exceeded evapotranspiration during 14 months of the 2yr study period. Late fall, winter, and early spring contained the majority of these months. The maximum excess precipitation was 115 mm in February 1983. ?? 1987.

45 CFR 612.10 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS AND... is $7.50 for each quarter hour. (iii) Computer searches of records. NSF will charge at the actual direct cost of conducting the search. This will include the cost of computer operations for that portion...

45 CFR 612.10 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS AND... is $7.50 for each quarter hour. (iii) Computer searches of records. NSF will charge at the actual direct cost of conducting the search. This will include the cost of computer operations for that portion...

45 CFR 612.10 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS AND... is $7.50 for each quarter hour. (iii) Computer searches of records. NSF will charge at the actual direct cost of conducting the search. This will include the cost of computer operations for that portion...

Air Traffic Sector Configuration Change Frequency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chatterji, Gano Broto; Drew, Michael

2009-01-01

Several techniques for partitioning airspace have been developed in the literature. The question of whether a region of airspace created by such methods can be used with other days of traffic, and the number of times a different partition is needed during the day is examined in this paper. Both these aspects are examined for the Fort Worth Center airspace sectors. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming method is used with actual air traffic data of ten high-volume low-weather-delay days for creating sectors. Nine solutions were obtained for each two-hour period of the day by partitioning the center airspace into two through 18 sectors in steps of two sectors. Actual track-data were played back with the generated partitions for creating histograms of the traffic-counts. The best partition for each two-hour period was then identified based on the nine traffic-count distributions. Numbers of sectors in such partitions were analyzed to determine the number of times a different configuration is needed during the day. One to three partitions were selected for the 24-hour period, and traffic data from ten days were played back to test if the traffic-counts stayed below the threshold values associated with these partitions. Results show that these partitions are robust and can be used for longer durations than they were designed for

Use of the computer and Internet among Italian families: first national study.

PubMed

Bricolo, Francesco; Gentile, Douglas A; Smelser, Rachel L; Serpelloni, Giovanni

2007-12-01

Although home Internet access has continued to increase, little is known about actual usage patterns in homes. This nationally representative study of over 4,700 Italian households with children measured computer and Internet use of each family member across 3 months. Data on actual computer and Internet usage were collected by Nielsen//NetRatings service and provide national baseline information on several variables for several age groups separately, including children, adolescents, and adult men and women. National averages are shown for the average amount of time spent using computers and on the Web, the percentage of each age group online, and the types of Web sites viewed. Overall, about one-third of children ages 2 to 11, three-fourths of adolescents and adult women, and over four-fifths of adult men access the Internet each month. Children spend an average of 22 hours/month on the computer, with a jump to 87 hours/month for adolescents. Adult women spend less time (about 60 hours/month), and adult men spend more (over 100). The types of Web sites visited are reported, including the top five for each age group. In general, search engines and Web portals are the top sites visited, regardless of age group. These data provide a baseline for comparisons across time and cultures.

Roosevelt elk density in old-growth forests of Olympic National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houston, D.B.; Moorhead, Bruce B.; Olson, R.W.

1987-01-01

We explored the feasibility of censusing Roosevelt elk from a helicopter in the dense old growth forests of Olympic National Park. WA. Mean observed densities ranged from 8.0-11.6 elk/km2, with coefficients of variation averaging 19.9 percent. A provisional sightability factor of 74 percent suggested that actual mean densities ranged from 10.8-16.0 elk/km2. We conclude that estimates of elk density probably could be refined, but not without a cost and level of disturbance in the park that seem unwarranted at present. The effort required to conduct the 18 counts made during 1985-86 was substantial. For almost every successful count an unsuccessful attempt was made. These included aborting five flights when counting conditions turned sour. Actual counting time for the successful flights was 15.7 and 16.2 hours in 1985 and 1986, respectively. Additional flight time for traveling to and from the census zones, refueling, and aborted attempts added 12.2 and 10.8 hours for the respective years

An Analysis of the Cost-Volume Relationships within the Aircraft Program of the Naval Air Rework Facility, Alameda, California.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

INDIVIDUAL 22b TELEPHONE (include Area Code) 22c, OFFIcE YMBOI1. Thu . Lao(403) 646-255 1 o e DO FORM 1473,84 MAR 83 APR edition ray be used until...schedules are produced using projected direct labors hours available and established labor hour norms per aircraft. Since the actual workload is...and segment costs. (3) Use break-even analysis to compare revenues and costs and to evaluate relative profitability of the four aircraft program

Air Weather Service Master Station Catalog: USAFETAC Climatic Database Users Handbook No. 6

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

4) . ... .4 • FIELD NO. DESCRIPTION OF FIELD AND COMMENTS 01 STN NUM. A 6- digit number with the first 5 digits assigned to a particular weather...reporting location lAW WMO ,ules plus a sixth digit as follows: 0 = The first five digits are the actual block/station number (WMO number) assigned to...it is considered inactive for that hour. A digit (1-9) tells how many months it has been since a report was received from the station for that hour

The Hours: between safety and servitude.

PubMed

Charles, Marilyn

2004-09-01

This paper explores the issue of how character is created and re-created in the context of relationships. This theme, salient in the recent film The Hours, has been particularly problematic for creative women, who are often caught in tensions between self-development and relationship. Two case examples are given, in counterpoint to the film and to illustrations from Woolf's life and work. Through these various lenses, we can consider the complex interplays between our conjectures as to the expected price of relationship, and the actual price exacted as our various dramas unfold.

Deep anisotropic ICP plasma etching designed for high-volume MEMS manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Keven; Feldbaum, Michael; Pandhumsoporn, Tam; Gadgil, Prashant

1999-08-01

ICP plasma etching is gaining widespread acceptance as an enabling micromachining technology for advanced MEMS fabrication. Whereas this technology has shown a capability of delivering multiple novel applications for R and D, its acceptance by industry for high volume production has been limited. This acceptance into production will only occur when the plasma etching equipment with this technology offers the device performance, throughput, reliability, and uptime criteria required by a production facility. The design of the plasma etcher using this technology and the process capability it consequently delivers, has significant implications in making this a reality. Alcatel has been supplying such a technology to this MEMS industry for over 5 years and in the interim has evolved its product and process to make this technology production worthy. Alcatel's next generation etcher, the Alcatel 601E, offers multiple advantages to MEMS manufacturers in realizing their production goals.

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory: instrumentation and online systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aartsen, M. G.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Aguilar, J. A.; Ahlers, M.; Ahrens, M.; Altmann, D.; Andeen, K.; Anderson, T.; Ansseau, I.; Anton, G.; Archinger, M.; Argüelles, C.; Auer, R.; Auffenberg, J.; Axani, S.; Baccus, J.; Bai, X.; Barnet, S.; Barwick, S. W.; Baum, V.; Bay, R.; Beattie, K.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker Tjus, J.; Becker, K.-H.; Bendfelt, T.; BenZvi, S.; Berley, D.; Bernardini, E.; Bernhard, A.; Besson, D. Z.; Binder, G.; Bindig, D.; Bissok, M.; Blaufuss, E.; Blot, S.; Boersma, D.; Bohm, C.; Börner, M.; Bos, F.; Bose, D.; Böser, S.; Botner, O.; Bouchta, A.; Braun, J.; Brayeur, L.; Bretz, H.-P.; Bron, S.; Burgman, A.; Burreson, C.; Carver, T.; Casier, M.; Cheung, E.; Chirkin, D.; Christov, A.; Clark, K.; Classen, L.; Coenders, S.; Collin, G. H.; Conrad, J. M.; Cowen, D. F.; Cross, R.; Day, C.; Day, M.; de André, J. P. A. M.; De Clercq, C.; del Pino Rosendo, E.; Dembinski, H.; De Ridder, S.; Descamps, F.; Desiati, P.; de Vries, K. D.; de Wasseige, G.; de With, M.; DeYoung, T.; Díaz-Vélez, J. C.; di Lorenzo, V.; Dujmovic, H.; Dumm, J. P.; Dunkman, M.; Eberhardt, B.; Edwards, W. R.; Ehrhardt, T.; Eichmann, B.; Eller, P.; Euler, S.; Evenson, P. A.; Fahey, S.; Fazely, A. R.; Feintzeig, J.; Felde, J.; Filimonov, K.; Finley, C.; Flis, S.; Fösig, C.-C.; Franckowiak, A.; Frère, M.; Friedman, E.; Fuchs, T.; Gaisser, T. K.; Gallagher, J.; Gerhardt, L.; Ghorbani, K.; Giang, W.; Gladstone, L.; Glauch, T.; Glowacki, D.; Glüsenkamp, T.; Goldschmidt, A.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Grant, D.; Griffith, Z.; Gustafsson, L.; Haack, C.; Hallgren, A.; Halzen, F.; Hansen, E.; Hansmann, T.; Hanson, K.; Haugen, J.; Hebecker, D.; Heereman, D.; Helbing, K.; Hellauer, R.; Heller, R.; Hickford, S.; Hignight, J.; Hill, G. C.; Hoffman, K. D.; Hoffmann, R.; Hoshina, K.; Huang, F.; Huber, M.; Hulth, P. O.; Hultqvist, K.; In, S.; Inaba, M.; Ishihara, A.; Jacobi, E.; Jacobsen, J.; Japaridze, G. S.; Jeong, M.; Jero, K.; Jones, A.; Jones, B. J. P.; Joseph, J.; Kang, W.; Kappes, A.; Karg, T.; Karle, A.; Katz, U.; Kauer, M.; Keivani, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kemp, J.; Kheirandish, A.; Kim, J.; Kim, M.; Kintscher, T.; Kiryluk, J.; Kitamura, N.; Kittler, T.; Klein, S. R.; Kleinfelder, S.; Kleist, M.; Kohnen, G.; Koirala, R.; Kolanoski, H.; Konietz, R.; Köpke, L.; Kopper, C.; Kopper, S.; Koskinen, D. J.; Kowalski, M.; Krasberg, M.; Krings, K.; Kroll, M.; Krückl, G.; Krüger, C.; Kunnen, J.; Kunwar, S.; Kurahashi, N.; Kuwabara, T.; Labare, M.; Laihem, K.; Landsman, H.; Lanfranchi, J. L.; Larson, M. J.; Lauber, F.; Laundrie, A.; Lennarz, D.; Leich, H.; Lesiak-Bzdak, M.; Leuermann, M.; Lu, L.; Ludwig, J.; Lünemann, J.; Mackenzie, C.; Madsen, J.; Maggi, G.; Mahn, K. B. M.; Mancina, S.; Mandelartz, M.; Maruyama, R.; Mase, K.; Matis, H.; Maunu, R.; McNally, F.; McParland, C. P.; Meade, P.; Meagher, K.; Medici, M.; Meier, M.; Meli, A.; Menne, T.; Merino, G.; Meures, T.; Miarecki, S.; Minor, R. H.; Montaruli, T.; Moulai, M.; Murray, T.; Nahnhauer, R.; Naumann, U.; Neer, G.; Newcomb, M.; Niederhausen, H.; Nowicki, S. C.; Nygren, D. R.; Obertacke Pollmann, A.; Olivas, A.; O'Murchadha, A.; Palczewski, T.; Pandya, H.; Pankova, D. V.; Patton, S.; Peiffer, P.; Penek, Ö.; Pepper, J. A.; Pérez de los Heros, C.; Pettersen, C.; Pieloth, D.; Pinat, E.; Price, P. B.; Przybylski, G. T.; Quinnan, M.; Raab, C.; Rädel, L.; Rameez, M.; Rawlins, K.; Reimann, R.; Relethford, B.; Relich, M.; Resconi, E.; Rhode, W.; Richman, M.; Riedel, B.; Robertson, S.; Rongen, M.; Roucelle, C.; Rott, C.; Ruhe, T.; Ryckbosch, D.; Rysewyk, D.; Sabbatini, L.; Sanchez Herrera, S. E.; Sandrock, A.; Sandroos, J.; Sandstrom, P.; Sarkar, S.; Satalecka, K.; Schlunder, P.; Schmidt, T.; Schoenen, S.; Schöneberg, S.; Schukraft, A.; Schumacher, L.; Seckel, D.; Seunarine, S.; Solarz, M.; Soldin, D.; Song, M.; Spiczak, G. M.; Spiering, C.; Stanev, T.; Stasik, A.; Stettner, J.; Steuer, A.; Stezelberger, T.; Stokstad, R. G.; Stößl, A.; Ström, R.; Strotjohann, N. L.; Sulanke, K.-H.; Sullivan, G. W.; Sutherland, M.; Taavola, H.; Taboada, I.; Tatar, J.; Tenholt, F.; Ter-Antonyan, S.; Terliuk, A.; Tešić, G.; Thollander, L.; Tilav, S.; Toale, P. A.; Tobin, M. N.; Toscano, S.; Tosi, D.; Tselengidou, M.; Turcati, A.; Unger, E.; Usner, M.; Vandenbroucke, J.; van Eijndhoven, N.; Vanheule, S.; van Rossem, M.; van Santen, J.; Vehring, M.; Voge, M.; Vogel, E.; Vraeghe, M.; Wahl, D.; Walck, C.; Wallace, A.; Wallraff, M.; Wandkowsky, N.; Weaver, Ch.; Weiss, M. J.; Wendt, C.; Westerhoff, S.; Wharton, D.; Whelan, B. J.; Wickmann, S.; Wiebe, K.; Wiebusch, C. H.; Wille, L.; Williams, D. R.; Wills, L.; Wisniewski, P.; Wolf, M.; Wood, T. R.; Woolsey, E.; Woschnagg, K.; Xu, D. L.; Xu, X. W.; Xu, Y.; Yanez, J. P.; Yodh, G.; Yoshida, S.; Zoll, M.

2017-03-01

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a cubic-kilometer-scale high-energy neutrino detector built into the ice at the South Pole. Construction of IceCube, the largest neutrino detector built to date, was completed in 2011 and enabled the discovery of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. We describe here the design, production, and calibration of the IceCube digital optical module (DOM), the cable systems, computing hardware, and our methodology for drilling and deployment. We also describe the online triggering and data filtering systems that select candidate neutrino and cosmic ray events for analysis. Due to a rigorous pre-deployment protocol, 98.4% of the DOMs in the deep ice are operating and collecting data. IceCube routinely achieves a detector uptime of 99% by emphasizing software stability and monitoring. Detector operations have been stable since construction was completed, and the detector is expected to operate at least until the end of the next decade.

Wind Turbine Contingency Control Through Generator De-Rating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frost, Susan; Goebel, Kai; Balas, Mark

2013-01-01

Maximizing turbine up-time and reducing maintenance costs are key technology drivers for wind turbine operators. Components within wind turbines are subject to considerable stresses due to unpredictable environmental conditions resulting from rapidly changing local dynamics. In that context, systems health management has the aim to assess the state-of-health of components within a wind turbine, to estimate remaining life, and to aid in autonomous decision-making to minimize damage to the turbine. Advanced contingency control is one way to enable autonomous decision-making by providing the mechanism to enable safe and efficient turbine operation. The work reported herein explores the integration of condition monitoring of wind turbines with contingency control to balance the trade-offs between maintaining system health and energy capture. The contingency control involves de-rating the generator operating point to achieve reduced loads on the wind turbine. Results are demonstrated using a high fidelity simulator of a utility-scale wind turbine.

Design and implementation of a telemedicine system using Bluetooth protocol and GSM/GPRS network, for real time remote patient monitoring.

PubMed

Jasemian, Yousef; Nielsen, Lars Arendt

2005-01-01

This paper introduces the design and implementation of a generic wireless and Real-time Multi-purpose Health Care Telemedicine system applying Bluetooth protocol, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). The paper explores the factors that should be considered when evaluating different technologies for application in telemedicine system. The design and implementation of an embedded wireless communication platform utilising Bluetooth protocol is described, and the implementation problems and limitations are investigated. The system is tested and its telecommunication general aspects are verified. The results showed that the system has (97.9 +/- 1.3)% Up-time, 2.5 x 10(-5) Bit Error Rate, 1% Dropped Call Rate, 97.4% Call Success Rate, 5 second transmission delay in average, (3.42 +/- 0.11) kbps throughput, and the system may have application in electrocardiography.

Evaluation of a realtime, remote monitoring telemedicine system using the Bluetooth protocol and a mobile phone network.

PubMed

Jasemian, Yousef; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars

2005-01-01

A generic, realtime wireless telemedicine system has been developed that uses the Bluetooth protocol and the general packet radio service for mobile phones. The system was tested on 10 healthy volunteers, by continuous monitoring of their electrocardiograms (ECGs). Under realistic conditions, the system had 96.5% uptime, a data throughput of 3.3 kbit/s, a mean packet error rate of 8.5x10(-3) packet/s and a mean packet loss rate of 8.2x10(-3) packet/s. During 24 h testing, the total average downtime was 66 min and 90% of the periods of downtime were of only 1-3 min duration. Less than 10% of the ECGs were of unacceptable quality. Thus, the generic telemedicine system showed high reliability and performance, and the design may provide a foundation for realtime monitoring in clinical practice, for example in cardiology.

29 CFR 825.209 - Maintenance of employee benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Maintenance of employee benefits. 825.209 Section 825.209 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OTHER LAWS..., other than reasonable compensation, excluding any profit, for administrative services actually rendered...

Bouncing Back from "Deflategate"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiLisi, Gregory A.; Rarick, Richard A.

2015-01-01

Halfway through the 2015 AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, game officials discovered that the Patriots were using underinflated footballs on their offensive snaps. A controversy ensued because the Patriots had actually supplied these balls to the game's referee just hours before kickoff. Athletes and…

29 CFR 541.603 - Effect of improper deductions from salary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 541.603 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... deductions; the number and geographic location of employees whose salary was improperly reduced; the number... classification working for the same managers responsible for the actual improper deductions. Employees in...

Discrepancies Between Planned and Actual Operating Room Turnaround Times at a Large Rural Hospital in Germany

PubMed Central

Morgenegg, Regula; Heinze, Franziska; Wieferich, Katharina; Schiffer, Ralf; Stueber, Frank; Luedi, Markus M.; Doll, Dietrich

2017-01-01

Objectives While several factors have been shown to influence operating room (OR) turnaround times, few comparisons of planned and actual OR turnaround times have been performed. This study aimed to compare planned and actual OR turnaround times at a large rural hospital in Northern Germany. Methods This retrospective study examined the OR turnaround data of 875 elective surgery cases scheduled at the Marienhospital, Vechta, Germany, between July and October 2014. The frequency distributions of planned and actual OR turnaround times were compared and correlations between turnaround times and various factors were established, including the time of day of the procedure, patient age and the planned duration of the surgery. Results There was a significant difference between mean planned and actual OR turnaround times (0.32 versus 0.64 hours; P <0.001). In addition, significant correlations were noted between actual OR turnaround times and the time of day of the surgery, patient age, actual duration of the procedure and staffing changes affecting the surgeon or the medical specialty of the surgery (P <0.001 each). The quotient of actual/planned OR turnaround times ranged from 1.733–3.000. Conclusion Significant discrepancies between planned and actual OR turnaround times were noted during the study period. Such findings may be potentially used in future studies to establish a tool to improve OR planning, measure OR management performance and enable benchmarking. PMID:29372083

Ultrafast disk technology enables next generation micromachining laser sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckl, Oliver H.; Weiler, Sascha; Luzius, Severin; Zawischa, Ivo; Sutter, Dirk

2013-02-01

Ultrashort pulsed lasers based on thin disk technology have entered the 100 W regime and deliver several tens of MW peak power without chirped pulse amplification. Highest uptime and insensitivity to back reflections make them ideal tools for efficient and cost effective industrial micromachining. Frequency converted versions allow the processing of a large variety of materials. On one hand, thin disk oscillators deliver more than 30 MW peak power directly out of the resonator in laboratory setups. These peak power levels are made possible by recent progress in the scaling of the pulse energy in excess of 40 μJ. At the corresponding high peak intensity, thin disk technology profits from the limited amount of material and hence the manageable nonlinearity within the resonator. Using new broadband host materials like for example the sesquioxides will eventually reduce the pulse duration during high power operation and further increase the peak power. On the other hand industry grade amplifier systems deliver even higher peak power levels. At closed-loop controlled 100W, the TruMicro Series 5000 currently offers the highest average ultrafast power in an industry proven product, and enables efficient micromachining of almost any material, in particular of glasses, ceramics or sapphire. Conventional laser cutting of these materials often requires UV laser sources with pulse durations of several nanoseconds and an average power in the 10 W range. Material processing based on high peak power laser sources makes use of multi-photon absorption processes. This highly nonlinear absorption enables micromachining driven by the fundamental (1030 nm) or frequency doubled (515 nm) wavelength of Yb:YAG. Operation in the IR or green spectral range reduces the complexity and running costs of industrial systems initially based on UV light sources. Where UV wavelength is required, the TruMicro 5360 with a specified UV crystal life-time of more than 10 thousand hours of continues operation at 15W is an excellent choice. Currently this is the world's most powerful industrial sub-10 ps UV laser.

Resident duty hours around the globe: where are we now?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Safe and appropriate health care, especially in urgent or emergency situations, is the expectation of the public throughout the developed world. Achieving this goal requires appropriate levels of medical and other staff, appropriate training, and sensible working hours. Too often the brunt of such care, especially in out-of-hours situations, is borne by medical residents, who – to make matters worse – are frequently poorly supervised by more senior and experienced staff. Many jurisdictions have been alerted to this problem and are striving to correct it. However, the variation in attempts to restrict the actual hours worked by residents to “safe” levels is enormous, and all too often there is no consensus as to what should be put in place to achieve safe patient care. This paper sets out the current position for Europe, North America, and Australia. PMID:25559277

Analysis of ultradian heat production and aortic core temperature rhythms in the rat.

PubMed

Gómez-Sierra, J M; Canela, E I; Esteve, M; Rafecas, I; Closa, D; Remesar, X; Alemany, M

1993-01-01

The rhythms of aortic core temperature and overall heat production in Wistar rats was analyzed by using long series of recordings of temperature obtained from implanted thermocouple probes and heat release values from a chamber calorimeter. There was a very high degree of repetitiveness in the presentation of actual heat rhythms, with high cross-correlation values ascertained wit paired periodograms. No differences were observed between heat production between male and female adult rats. The cross-correlation for temperature gave similar figures. The cross-correlation study between heat production and aortic core temperature in the same animals was significant and showed a displacement of about 30 minutes between heat release and aortic core temperature. The analysis of heat production showed a strong predominance of rhythms with periods of 24 hours (frequencies < 11.6 microHz) or more; other rhythms detected (of roughly the same relative importance) had periods of 8 or 2.2 hours (35 or 126 microHz, respectively). The analysis of aortic core temperature showed a smaller quantitative contribution of the 8 or 2.2 hours (35 or 126 microHz) rhythms, with other harmonic rhythms interspersed (5.1 and 4.0 hours, i.e. 54 and 69 microHz). The proportion of 'noise' or cycles lower than 30 minutes (< 550 microHz) was higher in internal temperature than in the actual release of heat. The results are in agreement with the existence of a basic period of about 130 minutes (126 microHz) of warming/cooling of the blood, with a number of other harmonic rhythms superimposed upon the basic circadian rhythm.

22 CFR 1102.4 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... members of the public under this subpart: (1) Fee schedule. (i) Searching for records, per hour or... employee who actually performs the search, plus an additional 16% of that rate to cover benefits. (ii) The cost for computer searches will be calculated based on the salary of the category of employee who...

22 CFR 1102.4 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... members of the public under this subpart: (1) Fee schedule. (i) Searching for records, per hour or... employee who actually performs the search, plus an additional 16% of that rate to cover benefits. (ii) The cost for computer searches will be calculated based on the salary of the category of employee who...

22 CFR 1102.4 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... members of the public under this subpart: (1) Fee schedule. (i) Searching for records, per hour or... employee who actually performs the search, plus an additional 16% of that rate to cover benefits. (ii) The cost for computer searches will be calculated based on the salary of the category of employee who...

29 CFR 541.602 - Salary basis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... salary for time actually worked. For example, if an employee who normally works 40 hours per week uses... exempt employee must receive the full salary for any week in which the employee performs any work without... due for that particular week without loss of the exemption. (4) Deductions from pay of exempt...

Writing for Radio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tupper, Marianna S.

1995-01-01

Describes a 24-hour commercial radio station simulation class project for eighth-grade language arts. Students wrote their own scripts, chose music and were disc jockeys on their own music and talk shows, and prepared news and traffic reports. Guest speakers from actual commercial radio came in to discuss issues such as advertising, censorship,…

32 CFR 534.2 - Allowable expenses for reporters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... MILITARY COURT FEES § 534.2 Allowable expenses for reporters. (a) General. Reporters appointed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 28, are entitled to payment for their services in such capacity... to or greater than one-half hour, actually spent in court during the trial or hearing. A fractional...

32 CFR 534.2 - Allowable expenses for reporters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... MILITARY COURT FEES § 534.2 Allowable expenses for reporters. (a) General. Reporters appointed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 28, are entitled to payment for their services in such capacity... to or greater than one-half hour, actually spent in court during the trial or hearing. A fractional...

32 CFR 534.2 - Allowable expenses for reporters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... MILITARY COURT FEES § 534.2 Allowable expenses for reporters. (a) General. Reporters appointed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 28, are entitled to payment for their services in such capacity... to or greater than one-half hour, actually spent in court during the trial or hearing. A fractional...

78 FR 53464 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-29

... NFIP. Affected Public: Business or other non-profits. Estimated Number of Respondents: 341. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 171. Estimated Cost: There are no recordkeeping, capital, start-up or... cost, and the actual data collection instruments FEMA will use. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or...

7 CFR 62.300 - Fees and other costs for service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

.... Fees for QSVP services shall be based on the time required to provide service calculated to the nearest quarter hour period, including, but not limited to, official assessment time, travel time, and time... costs. Applicants are responsible for paying actual travel costs incurred to provide QSVP services...

7 CFR 62.300 - Fees and other costs for service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... Fees for QSVP services shall be based on the time required to provide service calculated to the nearest quarter hour period, including, but not limited to, official assessment time, travel time, and time... costs. Applicants are responsible for paying actual travel costs incurred to provide QSVP services...

7 CFR 62.300 - Fees and other costs for service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... Fees for QSVP services shall be based on the time required to provide service calculated to the nearest quarter hour period, including, but not limited to, official assessment time, travel time, and time... costs. Applicants are responsible for paying actual travel costs incurred to provide QSVP services...

7 CFR 62.300 - Fees and other costs for service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.... Fees for QSVP services shall be based on the time required to provide service calculated to the nearest quarter hour period, including, but not limited to, official assessment time, travel time, and time... costs. Applicants are responsible for paying actual travel costs incurred to provide QSVP services...

7 CFR 62.300 - Fees and other costs for service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... Fees for QSVP services shall be based on the time required to provide service calculated to the nearest quarter hour period, including, but not limited to, official assessment time, travel time, and time... costs. Applicants are responsible for paying actual travel costs incurred to provide QSVP services...

Generalizing the Structure of Explanations in Explanation-Based Learning.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

eating at an 21 %S ’t expensive restaurant would suffice. This schema includes such preconditions as being hungry for French food , having a lot of...actual values. Thus. instead of specifying lo French food . seven pm. and three hours. it states the mutual interdependence among the restaurant chosen

Doppler and the Doppler Effect.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

that "if the orbital speed of the earth would be ten times its actual value, all fixed stars in the eastern part of the ecliptic would, without...ionosphere by vertical and oblique high-frequency ionospheric soundings. This is illustrated in Figure 1. Over a 24-hour period, signal amplitudes and

36 CFR 1250.56 - Fee schedule for NARA operational records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., the rate is $33 per hour (or fraction thereof) (2) Computer searching. This is the actual cost to NARA of operating the computer and the salary of the operator. When the search is relatively... issues regarding the application of exemptions. (c) Reproduction fees—(1) Self-service photocopying. At...

36 CFR 1250.56 - Fee schedule for NARA operational records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., the rate is $33 per hour (or fraction thereof) (2) Computer searching. This is the actual cost to NARA of operating the computer and the salary of the operator. When the search is relatively... issues regarding the application of exemptions. (c) Reproduction fees—(1) Self-service photocopying. At...

36 CFR 1250.56 - Fee schedule for NARA operational records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., the rate is $33 per hour (or fraction thereof) (2) Computer searching. This is the actual cost to NARA of operating the computer and the salary of the operator. When the search is relatively... issues regarding the application of exemptions. (c) Reproduction fees—(1) Self-service photocopying. At...

12 CFR 403.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SECURITY INFORMATION § 403.9 Fees. The following specific fees shall be applicable with respect to services... records, per hour or fraction thereof: (i) Professional $11.00 (ii) Clerical 6.00 (b) Computer service charges per second for actual use of computer central processing unit .25 (c) Copies made by photostat or...

12 CFR 403.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... SECURITY INFORMATION § 403.9 Fees. The following specific fees shall be applicable with respect to services... records, per hour or fraction thereof: (i) Professional $11.00 (ii) Clerical 6.00 (b) Computer service charges per second for actual use of computer central processing unit .25 (c) Copies made by photostat or...

12 CFR 403.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SECURITY INFORMATION § 403.9 Fees. The following specific fees shall be applicable with respect to services... records, per hour or fraction thereof: (i) Professional $11.00 (ii) Clerical 6.00 (b) Computer service charges per second for actual use of computer central processing unit .25 (c) Copies made by photostat or...

12 CFR 403.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... SECURITY INFORMATION § 403.9 Fees. The following specific fees shall be applicable with respect to services... records, per hour or fraction thereof: (i) Professional $11.00 (ii) Clerical 6.00 (b) Computer service charges per second for actual use of computer central processing unit .25 (c) Copies made by photostat or...

12 CFR 403.9 - Fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... SECURITY INFORMATION § 403.9 Fees. The following specific fees shall be applicable with respect to services... records, per hour or fraction thereof: (i) Professional $11.00 (ii) Clerical 6.00 (b) Computer service charges per second for actual use of computer central processing unit .25 (c) Copies made by photostat or...

29 CFR 1405.10 - Effect on employment ceilings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT Part-time Employment Program § 1405.10 Effect on employment ceilings. Effective October 1, 1980, part-time employees will be counted on the basis of the fractional part of the 40-hour week actually...

5 CFR 842.402 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... required by the administrative workweek for his or her grade or class (normally 40 hours). Part-time... time under 5 U.S.C 8411(d), that follows a period of part-time service without any intervening period of actual service other than part-time service. Proration factor means a fraction expressed as a...

Evaluation of the impact of resident work hour restrictions on resident outpatient clinical experience.

PubMed

Patel, Shweta V; Driggers, Rita W; Zahn, Christopher M

2011-01-01

To estimate the effect of work hour restrictions on resident outpatient clinical experience. Schedule templates from academic years 1998-1999 (before work hour restrictions), 2002-2003 (when night float rotation was added in anticipation of work hour restrictions), and 2008-2009 (during work hour restrictions) were compared for outpatient clinic experience before and after work hour restrictions were implemented. Actual clinics on specific rotations and estimated patient encounters per scheduled clinic were considered. Between academic year (AY) 1998-1999 and AY 2008-2009 there was a generalized downward trend in average outpatient encounters for postgraduate year (PGY)-2, PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents (45%, 34% and 36%, respectively). For obstetrics, gynecology and ambulatory rotations, there was a downward trend in average outpatient encounters for each rotation type (61%, 14% and 63%, respectively). The average number of scheduled clinics per week was slightly decreased when comparing AY 1998-1999 to either AY 2002-2003 or AY 2008-2009. Rotation schedules before and after work hour restrictions demonstrated a downward trend in the number of scheduled outpatient encounters. These findings indicate a potential negative impact on preparation for clinical practice.

Understanding characteristics in multivariate traffic flow time series from complex network structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Ying; Zhang, Shen; Tang, Jinjun; Wang, Xiaofei

2017-07-01

Discovering dynamic characteristics in traffic flow is the significant step to design effective traffic managing and controlling strategy for relieving traffic congestion in urban cities. A new method based on complex network theory is proposed to study multivariate traffic flow time series. The data were collected from loop detectors on freeway during a year. In order to construct complex network from original traffic flow, a weighted Froenius norm is adopt to estimate similarity between multivariate time series, and Principal Component Analysis is implemented to determine the weights. We discuss how to select optimal critical threshold for networks at different hour in term of cumulative probability distribution of degree. Furthermore, two statistical properties of networks: normalized network structure entropy and cumulative probability of degree, are utilized to explore hourly variation in traffic flow. The results demonstrate these two statistical quantities express similar pattern to traffic flow parameters with morning and evening peak hours. Accordingly, we detect three traffic states: trough, peak and transitional hours, according to the correlation between two aforementioned properties. The classifying results of states can actually represent hourly fluctuation in traffic flow by analyzing annual average hourly values of traffic volume, occupancy and speed in corresponding hours.

Physical Activity of Nurse Clinical Practitioners and Managers.

PubMed

Jirathananuwat, Areeya; Pongpirul, Krit

2017-11-01

This study was aimed (1) to compare the level of physical activity (PA) between working and nonworking hours and (2) to compare the level of PA during working hours of nurse clinical practitioners (NCPs) with that of nurse managers (NMs). This cross-sectional survey was conducted at a Thai university hospital from October 2015 to March 2016. All randomly selected participants wore an activity tracker on their hip for 5 days, except during bathing and sleeping periods, to record step counts and time points. Of 884 nurses, 289 (142 NCPs and 147 NMs) were randomly selected. The average age was 35.87 years. They spent 9.76 and 6.01 hours on work and nonwork activities, respectively. Daily steps per hour were significantly lower during work than nonwork periods (P < .001). An NCP had significantly higher overall hourly PA (P = .002). The number of steps per hour during work period of NCP was significantly higher than that of NM even after adjusting for age, work experience, and body mass index (P = .034). NCP had higher overall PA than NM, which was partly contributed by work-related PA. Level of PA for a professional with variation of actual work hours should be measured on hourly basis.

Professional activity. How is family physicians' work time changing?

PubMed

Woodward, C A; Ferrier, B; Cohen, M; Brown, J

2001-07-01

To examine hours worked professionally, work preferences, and changes in both of these and their correlates. Repeated surveys done in 1993 and 1999. Ontario family practices. Cohort of physicians certified in family medicine between 1989 and 1991 after family medicine residency who were surveyed in 1993 when they resided in Ontario. Self-reported hours spent weekly on professional activities, desired hours of professional work, and balance between work and other activities. Fifty-three percent (293) of 553 physicians responded to the 1999 survey; 91% had remained family physicians; 85% of these had participated in the 1993 survey. The difference between the hours that family physicians preferred to work professionally and their actual hours of work had increased since 1993. Childless physicians, women physicians with preschool children, and women physicians married to other physicians worked fewer hours professionally than other physicians in 1999. Female physicians and physicians without children worked closer to their preferred hours than other physicians. Reporting a preference to work fewer hours professionally in 1993 was linked with a reduction in professional activities by 1999. Greater attention should be paid in physician resource planning to the family life cycle of female physicians. Lifestyle changes could lead to a reduction in professional activity among these physicians.

Work hours reform: perceptions and desires of contemporary surgical residents.

PubMed

Whang, Edward E; Perez, Alexander; Ito, Hiromichi; Mello, Michelle M; Ashley, Stanley W; Zinner, Michael J

2003-10-01

New Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements on resident duty hours are scheduled to undergo nationwide implementation in July 2003. General surgery residents, because of their long duty hours, are likely to be among those most affected by changes imposed to comply with the ACGME requirements. There are few contemporary data on their attitudes toward work hours reform. The study entailed a region-wide survey of residents enrolled in general surgery residencies in New England to characterize the perceptions and desires of surgical residents on the issue of work hours reform. Respondents reported working a mean of 105 +/- 0.7 hours per week, considerably more than the 80-hour limit stipulated by the ACGME. Of the respondents, 81% reported that sleep deprivation had negatively affected their work. A strong majority of respondents believe that work hours reform would improve their quality of life but less than one half expect it to have a positive impact on patient care. A greater percentage of senior residents than junior residents (p < 0.05) have negative perceptions of work hour limitations, particularly with respect to consequences for patient care. Other findings suggest that residents who have actually experienced work hour restrictions are less positive about such restrictions than these residents who had not yet experienced them. Changes imposed by residency programs to comply with work hour requirements might have detrimental effects on senior residents and patient care. The impact of such changes should be carefully monitored as the ACGME requirements are implemented.

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

Shaw, K.C.; Bitzer, R.J.; Galliart, L.

We investigated the effect of a strong, DC-induced electromagnetic field (EMF) on the circadian singing activity of the house cricket, Acheta domesticus (L.). Groups of 10 crickets were exposed to strong, DC-induced EMFs under two light regimes, 12:12 (L:D) h and 0:24 (L:D) h. Exposure to the strong EMF resulted in an increase in mean time per hour during which one or more crickets were singing and in number of crickets singing per hour. Correcting for phase shift during O:24 (L:D) h, the daily pattern of singing was apparently unaffected by any treatment. The greatest percentage of singing and numbermore » of crickets singing per hour occurred during actual or expected scotophase. This is the first report of an increase in insect activity during exposure to a strong DC-induced EMF.« less

Development of helicopter transmission seals, task 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayden, T. S.; Keller, C. H., Jr.

1973-01-01

High speed helicopter transmission seal concepts were designed, fabricated and tested. The concepts were a dual element split ring seal and a circumferential seal. The tests were performed in a rig using an actual input quill assembly. The test conditions were selected to simulate transmission operation and were 230 F oil temperature, and a sliding speed of 9400 ft/min. The split ring seal exhibited gross leakage and was considered unsatisfactory, while the circumferential seal leakage was less than 1 c.c./hour; this leakage is within acceptable limits. The circumferential seal wear was only to .0005 inches during a 100 hour run (40 starts and stops). During a 40 hour contamination test (mesh silica flour) the seal total wear was a maximum of .004 inches. This wear is considered acceptable.

Leadership Training: The State of the Art

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

that no measures of actual leader performance were obtained. Moffie . Calhoon. and O’Brien (1964) reported a 20-hour course in problem solving and...Supervisors," Journal of Applied Psychology, 1960, Vol. 44, 224-232. Moffie , D.J., Calhoon, R., and O’Brien, J.K. "Evaluation of a Management Development

5 CFR 410.402 - Paying premium pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... firefighter is entitled to a greater amount of pay based on actual work hours during the week in which... Sunday work shall continue to receive that premium pay. This exception does not apply to an employee assigned to full-time training at institutions of higher learning. (2) Training at night. An employee given...

5 CFR 410.402 - Paying premium pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... firefighter is entitled to a greater amount of pay based on actual work hours during the week in which... Sunday work shall continue to receive that premium pay. This exception does not apply to an employee assigned to full-time training at institutions of higher learning. (2) Training at night. An employee given...

5 CFR 410.402 - Paying premium pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... firefighter is entitled to a greater amount of pay based on actual work hours during the week in which... Sunday work shall continue to receive that premium pay. This exception does not apply to an employee assigned to full-time training at institutions of higher learning. (2) Training at night. An employee given...

5 CFR 410.402 - Paying premium pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... firefighter is entitled to a greater amount of pay based on actual work hours during the week in which... Sunday work shall continue to receive that premium pay. This exception does not apply to an employee assigned to full-time training at institutions of higher learning. (2) Training at night. An employee given...

78 FR 72817 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Near Moss Lake, LA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-04

... temporarily closed to navigation during daylight for ten consecutive hours, Monday through Thursday for three weeks. DATES: This deviation is effective without actual notice from December 4, 2013 until December 19... in accordance with this subpart. The draw bridge must return to operation when the work has stopped...

75 FR 10420 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans: 1-Hour Ozone Extreme Area Plan for San Joaquin...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-08

... rulemaking. A. Emissions Inventory Comment: Earthjustice comments on the importance of emission inventories..., accurate, current inventory of actual emissions from all sources of the relevant pollutant or pollutants in such area.'' It also comments that ARB submitted to EPA new emissions inventories for ozone precursors...

78 FR 53503 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-29

...: Principal Place of Business on Beer Labels (TTB REC 5130/5). Abstract: TTB regulations permit domestic... ``principal place of business'' address. This label option may be used in lieu of showing the actual place of... Sector: Businesses or other for-profits. Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 1. OMB Number: 1513-0124. Type of...

5 CFR 551.412 - Preparatory or concluding activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... that activity, including the 10 minutes, as hours of work. (2) If the time spent in a preparatory or... employee to perform that activity. An employee shall be credited with the actual time spent in that..., and is indispensable to the performance of the principal activities, and that the total time spent in...

A Helpful Serving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rockower, David

2006-01-01

This article briefly describes how a fifth-grade class collaborated with a downtown diner for several months and then actually ran the restaurant for four hours. Through the Chatters Cafe, a local high school cafe that serves as a culinary arts training ground for high school students, fifth graders had the opportunity to prepare and serve dinner…

36 CFR § 1250.56 - Fee schedule for NARA operational records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... professional employee of NARA, the rate is $33 per hour (or fraction thereof) (2) Computer searching. This is the actual cost to NARA of operating the computer and the salary of the operator. When the search is... general legal or policy issues regarding the application of exemptions. (c) Reproduction fees—(1) Self...

26 CFR 54.4980B-4 - Qualifying events.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... there is a decrease in the hours that a covered employee is required to work or actually works, but only... employment. For example, an absence from work due to disability, a temporary layoff, or any other reason..., such as the preceding month or quarter, and an employee covered under the plan fails to work the...

77 FR 43355 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-24

... working hours to authorized ONRR, State or Indian representatives, other ONRR or BLM officials, auditors... requirement to perform accounting for comparison (dual accounting) for produced gas from the lease. Lessees must elect to perform actual dual accounting, as we define in 30 CFR 1206.176, or alternative dual...

[Cytocompatibility of collagen membranes with bladder transitional cells of rabbit in vitro].

PubMed

Sun, Daodong; Song, Bo; Sun, Danning

2004-05-01

To evaluate the cytocompatibility of collagen membranes with transitional cells of rabbit in vitro and to discuss the possibility of the collagen membranes as urologic tissue engineering scaffolds. Primary cultured transitional cells isolated from New Zealand rabbits were implanted on collagen membranes at 1 x 10(5) cells/cm2. The changes of cell adhering were observed by inverted microscope and scanning electron microscope 2, 12 and 24 hours later. The experiment was divided into 4 groups: non-cell group (black control) culture medium group (negative control), extract medium from Polyvinyl chloride group(positive control) and extract medium from collagen membranes group(experimental group). The cells of generations 2 to 4 were implanted in 96-hole-plank at 1 x 10(4) cells every hole. And every group had 5 holes. Then absorption coefficient were detected at the wave length of 490 nm by MTT assay. Then the cytotoxicity and cytocompatibility were evaluated by comparison of the numbers of absorption coefficient. The bladder transitional cells began to adhere to the collagen membrane 2 hours after implanting, and the number of the adhered cells increased with time. The actual absorption coefficient of experimental groups was 0.590 +/- 0.024, 1.065 +/- 0.40 and 1.129 +/- 0.074 after 24, 72 and 120 hours. The actual absorption coefficient of negative control group was 0.639 +/- 0.068, 1.022 +/- 0.044 and 1.087 +/- 0.111. The actual absorption coefficient of positive control group was 0.302 +/- 0.029, 0.653 +/- 0.083 and 0.694 +/- 0.031. There was significant difference between the experimental group and positive control (P < 0.01), and no significant difference between the experimental group and negative control(P > 0.05). Collagen membrane has good cytocompatibility with transitional cells and no cytotoxicity. It can be used as scaffolds of urologic tissue engineering.

Costs of cloud computing for a biometry department. A case study.

PubMed

Knaus, J; Hieke, S; Binder, H; Schwarzer, G

2013-01-01

"Cloud" computing providers, such as the Amazon Web Services (AWS), offer stable and scalable computational resources based on hardware virtualization, with short, usually hourly, billing periods. The idea of pay-as-you-use seems appealing for biometry research units which have only limited access to university or corporate data center resources or grids. This case study compares the costs of an existing heterogeneous on-site hardware pool in a Medical Biometry and Statistics department to a comparable AWS offer. The "total cost of ownership", including all direct costs, is determined for the on-site hardware, and hourly prices are derived, based on actual system utilization during the year 2011. Indirect costs, which are difficult to quantify are not included in this comparison, but nevertheless some rough guidance from our experience is given. To indicate the scale of costs for a methodological research project, a simulation study of a permutation-based statistical approach is performed using AWS and on-site hardware. In the presented case, with a system utilization of 25-30 percent and 3-5-year amortization, on-site hardware can result in smaller costs, compared to hourly rental in the cloud dependent on the instance chosen. Renting cloud instances with sufficient main memory is a deciding factor in this comparison. Costs for on-site hardware may vary, depending on the specific infrastructure at a research unit, but have only moderate impact on the overall comparison and subsequent decision for obtaining affordable scientific computing resources. Overall utilization has a much stronger impact as it determines the actual computing hours needed per year. Taking this into ac count, cloud computing might still be a viable option for projects with limited maturity, or as a supplement for short peaks in demand.

Pharmacokinetics and physiologic effects of intramuscularly administered xylazine hydrochloride-ketamine hydrochloride-butorphanol tartrate alone or in combination with orally administered sodium salicylate on biomarkers of pain in Holstein calves following castration and dehorning.

PubMed

Baldridge, Sarah L; Coetzee, Johann F; Dritz, Steve S; Reinbold, James B; Gehring, Ronette; Havel, James; Kukanich, Butch

2011-10-01

To determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of xylazine, ketamine, and butorphanol (XKB) administered IM and sodium salicylate (SAL) administered PO to calves and to compare drug effects on biomarkers of pain and distress following sham and actual castration and dehorning. 40 Holstein bull calves from 3 farms. Calves weighing 108 to 235 kg (n = 10 calves/group) received one of the following treatments prior to sham (period 1) and actual (period 2) castration and dehorning: saline (0.9% NaCl) solution IM (placebo); SAL administered PO through drinking water at concentrations from 2.5 to 5 mg/mL from 24 hours prior to period 1 to 48 hours after period 2; butorphanol (0.025 mg/kg), xylazine (0.05 mg/kg), and ketamine (0.1 mg/kg) coadministered IM immediately prior to both periods; and a combination of SAL and XKB (SAL+XKB). Plasma drug concentrations, average daily gain (ADG), chute exit velocity, serum cortisol concentrations, and electrodermal activity were evaluated. ADG (days 0 to 13) was significantly greater in the SAL and SAL+XKB groups than in the other 2 groups. Calves receiving XKB had reduced chute exit velocity in both periods. Serum cortisol concentrations increased in all groups from period 1 to period 2. However, XKB attenuated the cortisol response for the first hour after castration and dehorning and oral SAL administration reduced the response from 1 to 6 hours. Administration of XKB decreased electrodermal activity scores in both periods. SAL administered PO through drinking water decreased cortisol concentrations and reduced the decrease in ADG associated with castration and dehorning in calves.

On the oblateness and rotation rate of Neptune's atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, W. B.

1986-01-01

Recent observations of a stellar occultation by Neptune give an oblateness of 0.022 + or - 0.004 for Neptune's atmosphere at the 1-microbar pressure level. This results is consistent with hydrostatic equilibrium at a uniform atmospheric rotation period of 15 hours, although the error bars on quantities used in the calculation are such that an 18-hour period is not excluded. The oblateness of a planetary atmosphere is determined from stellar occultations by measuring the times at which a specified point on immersion or emersion occultation profiles is reached. Whether this standard procedure for deriving the shape of the atmosphere is consistent with what is known about vertical and horizontal temperature gradients in Neptune's atmosphere is evaluated. The nature of the constraint placed on the interior mass distribution by an oblateness determined in this manner is consided, as is the effects of possible differential rotation. A 15-hour Neptune internal mass distribution is approximately homologous to Uranus', but an 18-hour period is not. The implications for Neptune's interior structure if its body rotation period is actually 18 hours are discussed.

Perceived health status is associated with hours of exercise per week in older adults independent of physical health.

PubMed

McHugh, Joanna Edel; Lawlor, Brian A

2013-11-01

Perceived health status does not always reflect actual health status. We investigated the association between objective and self-rated measures of health status and hours of exercise per week in older adults. As part of the TRIL clinic assessment, we gathered information from 473 community dwelling adults over the age of 65, regarding hours spent per week exercising, depression, personality, perceived health status, and objective health status (in the form of a comorbidity count). Regression analyses were performed on these data to investigate whether perceived health status, objective health status, personality and mood are associated with hours of exercise per week. Perceived and objective health status were significantly but weakly correlated. Both perceived and objective health status, as well as depression, were independently associated with hours of exercise per week. We conclude that exercise uptake in older adults is contingent on both perceived and objective health status, as well as depression. Perceived health status has a stronger association with exercise uptake in older adults with lower depression levels. The current findings have implications for designing exercise interventions for older adults.

Health effects of supplemental work from home in the European Union.

PubMed

Arlinghaus, Anna; Nachreiner, Friedhelm

2014-12-01

Internationalization and technological developments have changed the work organization in developed and developing industrial economies. Information and communication technologies, such as computers and smartphones, are increasingly used, allowing more temporal and spatial flexibility of work. This may lead to an increase in supplemental work, i.e. constant availability or working in addition to contractually agreed work hours. This in turn extends work hours and leads to work hours in evenings and weekends, causing interferences of work hours with biological and social rhythms for sleep, recovery and social interaction. However, empirical findings on the effects of supplemental work and work hours on occupational health are rather scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between (1) work-related contacts outside of regular work hours and (2) working in the free time with self-reported work-related health impairments in the fourth and fifth European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS 2005, EWCS 2010). Out of these cross-sectional, large-scale surveys, data on n = 22 836 and n = 34 399 employed workers were used for weighted logistic regression analyses. About half of the sample reported at least occasional supplemental work. The results showed an increased risk of reporting at least one health problem for employees who had been contacted by their employer (EWCS 2005), or worked in their free time to meet work demands (EWCS 2010) in the last 12 months, compared to those reporting no supplemental work or work-related contacts during free time. These results were controlled for demographic variables, physical and mental work load, worker autonomy, and several work hours characteristics (e.g. hours per week, unusual and variable hours). The risk of reporting health problems was increased by being contacted both sometimes (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.14-1.39) and often (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.25), whereas the frequency of working in the free time showed a clear dose-response effect (sometimes: OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.24; often: OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.47-1.75), both compared to the category "never". The findings, thus, indicate that even a small amount of supplemental work beyond contractually agreed work hours may increase the risk of work-related health impairments. Working in the free time was associated with a substantial risk increase and might be a better indicator for actual work load than being contacted by the employer outside of contractually agreed work hours. Thus, in order to minimize negative health effects, availability requirements for employees outside their regular work hours should be minimized. While these effects definitely need further study, especially regarding a quantification of actual supplemental work and its temporal location, addressing the company culture and using incentives and policies might be options to reduce the amount of supplemental work and maintain the risks of health impairments in the working population at a lower level.

Physician's working hours and patients seen before and after national health insurance: "free" medical care and medical practice.

PubMed

Enterline, P E; McDonald, J C; McDonald, A D; Henderson, V

1975-02-01

Surveys were made of a sample of physicians before and after the introduction of a national health insurance plan in Montreal, Canada. Although the number of physicians in active practice seemed unaffected by the plan, their average working day was reduced 1.5 hours. Declines ranged from 0.3 hours for general internists to 2.7 hours for general surgeons. The average daily volume of services by physicians in the area also declined because of a decline in telephone consultations, and home and hospital visits. Office visits increased sharply. Changes in the type of services were clearly related to the fee schedule adopted by the government, with large declines in services for which payment was probably inadequate in relation to physician's time required. If the fee schedule reflected actual collections prior to the health insurance plan, then gross physician income increased as the result of redirecting services to better paying activities.

The reliability of melatonin synthesis as an indicator of the individual circadian phase position.

PubMed

Roemer, Hermann C; Griefahn, Barbara; Kuenemund, Christa; Blaszkewicz, Meinolf; Gerngross, Heinz

2003-08-01

Melatonin synthesis occurs earlier in the morning than in the evening types who strictly adhere to their individual time schedule. This study tested whether melatonin profiles still separate between diurnal types who vary their individual rhythm or who are submitted to prescribed time schedules. Male and female students were observed during a constant routine in the laboratory (24-26 hours bed rest, 20 degrees C, <30 lux, hourly isocaloric diet) and soldiers who spent several days in a military hospital were observed during 12 hours (bed rest, <30 lux, normal meals). Salivary melatonin levels were determined hourly. In both studies, melatonin profiles occurred earlier in the morning than in the evening types. The difference was smaller in soldiers, thus conditioning contributes to the actual phase position but does not mask morningness. As morningness is related to the ability to cope with shift work, the melatonin onset can be used as a criterion when assigning a person to shift work.

The interference of flexible working times with the utility of time: a predictor of social impairment?

PubMed

Wirtz, Anna; Giebel, Ole; Schomann, Carsten; Nachreiner, Friedhelm

2008-04-01

Periodic components inherent in actual schedules of flexible working hours and their interference with social rhythms were measured using spectrum analysis. The resulting indicators of periodicity and interference were then related to the reported social impairments of workers. The results show that a suppression of the 24 and the 168 h (seven-day) components (absence of periodicity) in the work schedules predicts reported social impairment. However, even if there are relatively strong 24 and 168 h components left in the work schedules, their interference with the social rhythm (using the phase difference between working hours and the utility of time) further predicts impairment. The results thus indicate that the periodicity of working hours and the amount of (social) desynchronization induced by flexible work schedules can be used both for predicting the impairing effects of the specific work schedules on social well-being as well as for the design of socially acceptable flexible work hours.

High School Physical Education Students and Experiential Learning in the Community: A Classroom Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tapps, Tyler; Passmore, Tim; Lindenmeier, Donna; Kensinger, Weston

2014-01-01

The experiential learning model for students working with community groups was developed for specific experiential learning experiences involving 40 hours of actual experience for high school physical education students working with groups in the community. This article discusses the development and specific segments of the model, as well as how…

29 CFR 779.105 - Employees engaged in activities “closely related” and “directly essential” to the production of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... time study work for the producer of goods; employees in the personnel, labor relations, advertising... Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATEMENTS OF GENERAL POLICY OR... covered because their work, although not actually a part of such production, is “closely related” and...

Predicting Hurricanes with Supercomputers

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

None

2010-01-01

Hurricane Emily, formed in the Atlantic Ocean on July 10, 2005, was the strongest hurricane ever to form before August. By checking computer models against the actual path of the storm, researchers can improve hurricane prediction. In 2010, NOAA researchers were awarded 25 million processor-hours on Argonne's BlueGene/P supercomputer for the project. Read more at http://go.usa.gov/OLh

Exercise Thermoregulation in Men after One and 24-hours of 6 Degree Head-Down Tilt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ertl, A. C.; Dearborn, A. S.; Weldhofer, A. R.; Bernauer, E. M.; Greenleaf, J. E.

1998-01-01

Exercise thermoregulation exercise is dependent on heat loss by increased skin blood flow (convective and conductive heat loss) and through enhanced sweating (evaporative heat loss). Reduction of plasma volume (PV), increased plasma osmolality, physical deconditioning, and duration of exposure to simulated and actual microgravity reduces the ability to thermoregulate during exercise.

Dialectal Tolerance in Language Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Pao-Ch'en

1969-01-01

The author has recorded, in Taiwan and the U.S., a short selection as spoken by some thirty speakers of various Chinese dialects. The object of this hour-long tape recording is to expose students of Chinese to the actual speech patterns they will encounter after their classroom training in standard Chinese-Mandarin. The tape script is given in…

20 CFR 404.1059 - Deemed wages for certain individuals interned during World War II.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the amount of, any lump-sum death payment in the case of a death after December 1972, and for... for a monthly benefit, a recalculation of benefits by reason of this section, or a lump-sum death...) The highest actual hourly rate of pay received for any employment before internment, multiplied by 40...

48 CFR 1228.306-70 - Contracts for lease of aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... contract for the lease of aircraft, except in the following circumstances: (1) When the hourly rental rate...: (2) When the cost of hull insurance does not exceed 10 percent of the contract rate; or (3) When the... or death of persons, or damage or loss of property unless the aircraft is in the actual possession or...

20 CFR 404.1059 - Deemed wages for certain individuals interned during World War II.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... the amount of, any lump-sum death payment in the case of a death after December 1972, and for... for a monthly benefit, a recalculation of benefits by reason of this section, or a lump-sum death...) The highest actual hourly rate of pay received for any employment before internment, multiplied by 40...

20 CFR 404.1059 - Deemed wages for certain individuals interned during World War II.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... the amount of, any lump-sum death payment in the case of a death after December 1972, and for... for a monthly benefit, a recalculation of benefits by reason of this section, or a lump-sum death...) The highest actual hourly rate of pay received for any employment before internment, multiplied by 40...

20 CFR 404.1059 - Deemed wages for certain individuals interned during World War II.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... the amount of, any lump-sum death payment in the case of a death after December 1972, and for... for a monthly benefit, a recalculation of benefits by reason of this section, or a lump-sum death...) The highest actual hourly rate of pay received for any employment before internment, multiplied by 40...

20 CFR 404.1059 - Deemed wages for certain individuals interned during World War II.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the amount of, any lump-sum death payment in the case of a death after December 1972, and for... for a monthly benefit, a recalculation of benefits by reason of this section, or a lump-sum death...) The highest actual hourly rate of pay received for any employment before internment, multiplied by 40...

48 CFR 1228.306-70 - Contracts for lease of aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... contract for the lease of aircraft, except in the following circumstances: (1) When the hourly rental rate...: (2) When the cost of hull insurance does not exceed 10 percent of the contract rate; or (3) When the... or death of persons, or damage or loss of property unless the aircraft is in the actual possession or...

For the Love of Reading: Engaging Students in a Lifelong Pursuit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willingham, Daniel T.

2015-01-01

This article asks American adults the question: How should teens spend their leisure time? The activity with the highest response, irrespective of race, education, and other demographic factors, was reading. Adults thought teens ought to spend about an hour and 15 minutes reading for pleasure each day. How much time do teens actually spend…

Critical Uses of College Resources. Part II: Utilization of Space Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Edith H.

Space utilization analysis is required as building programs are slowing in community colleges. State planning procedures fail to provide adequate information, since they tell little about the actual use of space. The formula derived by Bareither and Schillinger can evolve a space factor, using square feet per student station, hours per week the…

49 CFR 228.7 - Hours of duty.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... purposes of this part, time on duty of an employee actually engaged in or connected with the movement of... not be counted in computing time off duty or time on duty. (b) For purposes of this part, time on duty...) For purposes of this part, time on duty of an employee who is engaged in installing, repairing or...

Sleep habits of students attending elementary schools, and junior and senior high schools in Akita prefecture.

PubMed

Takemura, Takaubu; Funaki, Kensaku; Kanbayashi, Takashi; Kawamoto, Kentaro; Tsutsui, Kou; Saito, Yasushi; Aizawa, Rika; Inomata, Shoko; Shimizu, Tetsuo

2002-06-01

It is widely accepted that students in Japan sleep fewer hours than what they actually need. However, epidemiological data on sleep habits among students are scarce. The sleep habits and related problems among 1650 students in Akita prefecture were studied. The results revealed that schoolchildren attending elementary schools seemed to sleep for a sufficient number of hours, whereas students attending junior or senior high schools were not sleeping enough. In particular, approximately half of the students attending senior high schools answered that they slept 6 h or less on weekdays and nodded off during classes more than twice a week.

Long term spectral irradiance measurements of a 1000-watt xenon arc lamp

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, W. E.

1974-01-01

Spectral irradiance measurements over the range of 200 to 1060 nm were made on a 1000-watt xenon arc lamp over a period of 1500 hours. Four sets of measurements were made after periods of 70, 525, 1000, and 1500 hours of operation. The lamp (Hanovia Compact Xenon Arc Lamp) was mounted in the NASA Solar Irradiation System. When used in the System, the lamp is used as the radiating source for six test stations. Measurements were made of both the longterm stability (or variation of spectral irradiance as a function of time) and the actual spectral irradiance incident on the test specimen.

Cloud Computing for Mission Design and Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arrieta, Juan; Attiyah, Amy; Beswick, Robert; Gerasimantos, Dimitrios

2012-01-01

The space mission design and operations community already recognizes the value of cloud computing and virtualization. However, natural and valid concerns, like security, privacy, up-time, and vendor lock-in, have prevented a more widespread and expedited adoption into official workflows. In the interest of alleviating these concerns, we propose a series of guidelines for internally deploying a resource-oriented hub of data and algorithms. These guidelines provide a roadmap for implementing an architecture inspired in the cloud computing model: associative, elastic, semantical, interconnected, and adaptive. The architecture can be summarized as exposing data and algorithms as resource-oriented Web services, coordinated via messaging, and running on virtual machines; it is simple, and based on widely adopted standards, protocols, and tools. The architecture may help reduce common sources of complexity intrinsic to data-driven, collaborative interactions and, most importantly, it may provide the means for teams and agencies to evaluate the cloud computing model in their specific context, with minimal infrastructure changes, and before committing to a specific cloud services provider.

Open architecture CNC system

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

Tal, J.; Lopez, A.; Edwards, J.M.

1995-04-01

In this paper, an alternative solution to the traditional CNC machine tool controller has been introduced. Software and hardware modules have been described and their incorporation in a CNC control system has been outlined. This type of CNC machine tool controller demonstrates that technology is accessible and can be readily implemented into an open architecture machine tool controller. Benefit to the user is greater controller flexibility, while being economically achievable. PC based, motion as well as non-motion features will provide flexibility through a Windows environment. Up-grading this type of controller system through software revisions will keep the machine tool inmore » a competitive state with minimal effort. Software and hardware modules are mass produced permitting competitive procurement and incorporation. Open architecture CNC systems provide diagnostics thus enhancing maintainability, and machine tool up-time. A major concern of traditional CNC systems has been operator training time. Training time can be greatly minimized by making use of Windows environment features.« less

Future development of the PLATO Observatory for Antarctic science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashley, Michael C. B.; Bonner, Colin S.; Everett, Jon R.; Lawrence, Jon S.; Luong-Van, Daniel; McDaid, Scott; McLaren, Campbell; Storey, John W. V.

2010-07-01

PLATO is a self-contained robotic observatory built into two 10-foot shipping containers. It has been successfully deployed at Dome A on the Antarctic plateau since January 2008, and has accumulated over 730 days of uptime at the time of writing. PLATO provides 0.5{1kW of continuous electrical power for a year from diesel engines running on Jet-A1, supplemented during the summertime with solar panels. One of the 10-foot shipping containers houses the power system and fuel, the other provides a warm environment for instruments. Two Iridium satellite modems allow 45 MB/day of data to be transferred across the internet. Future enhancements to PLATO, currently in development, include a more modular design, using lithium iron-phosphate batteries, higher power output, and a light-weight low-power version for eld deployment from a Twin Otter aircraft. Technologies used in PLATO include a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus, high-reliability PC/104 com- puters, ultracapacitors for starting the engines, and fault-tolerant redundant design.

Inspection system qualification and integration into the mask manufacturing environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaVoy, Rosanne; Fujioka, Ron

1995-12-01

Integration of a mask inspection system into a manufacturing environment poses new challenges to both the inspection engineer and the equipment supplier. Traditional specifications (limited primarily to sensitivity and uptime) are no longer sufficient to successfully integrate a system into a 7 by 24 manufacturing area with multiple systems. Issues such as system sensitivity matching, sensitivity characterization by defect type, operator training and certification standards, and real-time SPC control of the systems must be addressed. This paper outlines some of the techniques Intel Mask Operation uses for integration of a new inspection system into the manufacturing line. Specifically moving a beta- site type tool out of the beta-site mode and into volume production. Examples are presented, including installation for manufacturing (including ergonomic modifications), techniques for system-to-system matching, use of SPC charts to monitor system performance, and operator training/certifications. Relationships between system PMs, or other environmental changes, and the system sensitivity SPC control charts also are discussed.

Increasing work-time influence: consequences for flexibility, variability, regularity and predictability.

PubMed

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Garde, Anne Helene; Aust, Birgit; Diderichsen, Finn

2012-01-01

This quasi-experimental study investigated how an intervention aiming at increasing eldercare workers' influence on their working hours affected the flexibility, variability, regularity and predictability of the working hours. We used baseline (n = 296) and follow-up (n = 274) questionnaire data and interviews with intervention-group participants (n = 32). The work units in the intervention group designed their own intervention comprising either implementation of computerised self-scheduling (subgroup A), collection of information about the employees' work-time preferences by questionnaires (subgroup B), or discussion of working hours (subgroup C). Only computerised self-scheduling changed the working hours and the way they were planned. These changes implied more flexible but less regular working hours and an experience of less predictability and less continuity in the care of clients and in the co-operation with colleagues. In subgroup B and C, the participants ended up discussing the potential consequences of more work-time influence without actually implementing any changes. Employee work-time influence may buffer the adverse effects of shift work. However, our intervention study suggested that while increasing the individual flexibility, increasing work-time influence may also result in decreased regularity of the working hours and less continuity in the care of clients and co-operation with colleagues.

48 CFR 52.222-43 - Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act-Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... rates, or fixed hourly labor rates will be adjusted to reflect the Contractor's actual increase or... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Fair Labor Standards Act... FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 52.222-43 Fair Labor...

Professional Seminar: Valuing a One-Credit Course through the Lens of Doctoral Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhandari, Naina A.; MacDonald, Beth L.; Martin, Jenny M.; Modena, Amanda; Simmons, Jamie M.; Turner, Windi D.; Asselin, Susan

2013-01-01

Professional seminar for doctoral students at a Research I University is a 1-credit course, 2 below the conventional courses. However, the course content covers at least 3 years' worth of experiences, knowledge, and processes compressed into a single school year. The course typically extends over 16 weeks and 24 actual contact hours with 1…

Thin film temperature sensors, phase 3. [for engine-test evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, H. P.; Przybyszewski, J. S.; Claing, R. G.; Anderson, W. L.

1982-01-01

A thin film thermocouple system installation suitable for engine test evaluation was designed, and an engine test plan was prepared. Film adherence, durability, accuracy, and drift characteristics were improved. Film thickness was increased to 14 microns, and drift was reduced to less than 0.02 percent of Fahrenheit temperature per hour on actual turbine blades at 1255 K.

75 FR 30689 - Modification of Class C Airspace; Beale Air Force Base, CA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

...-0367; Airspace Docket No. 10-AWA-2] RIN 2120-AA66 Modification of Class C Airspace; Beale Air Force... modifies the legal description of the Beale Air Force Base (AFB), CA, Class C airspace area by allowing the... Beale AFB Class C airspace area will be consistent with the actual hours of operation of the Beale AFB...

The standard 20 AH battery. [for the mutlimission modular spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zollner, M. T.

1977-01-01

The modular power system, which is the first intended use for the NASA standard battery, is basically a four foot by four foot by eighteen inch box which can handle a complement of three 20 ampere hour batteries or later on the intended use is for three 50 ampere hour batteries to be the full complement. The system is designed to be used as a plug on component on a multi mission modular spacecraft. It has as a design point a basically 1250 watt orbital average load. The way it breaks up in a near earth orbit it would be somewhere around 1,000 watts for everything except 10 minutes, and during any 10 minute period it may go up to a peak of 3,000 watt load. Features of the battery reviewed include criteria to store electrical energy, the battery package, the covers and cases, and electrolytes. The capacities expected are 90 percent, the average cell capacity for 24 C, 90 percent of the actual battery capacity of 19 C, and 85 percent of the actual 25 degree battery capacity at zero discharge voltage for 50 percent DOD new battery is in the vicinity expected or predicted of 26.4 volts.

Scalable tuning of building models to hourly data

DOE PAGES

Garrett, Aaron; New, Joshua Ryan

2015-03-31

Energy models of existing buildings are unreliable unless calibrated so they correlate well with actual energy usage. Manual tuning requires a skilled professional, is prohibitively expensive for small projects, imperfect, non-repeatable, non-transferable, and not scalable to the dozens of sensor channels that smart meters, smart appliances, and cheap/ubiquitous sensors are beginning to make available today. A scalable, automated methodology is needed to quickly and intelligently calibrate building energy models to all available data, increase the usefulness of those models, and facilitate speed-and-scale penetration of simulation-based capabilities into the marketplace for actualized energy savings. The "Autotune'' project is a novel, model-agnosticmore » methodology which leverages supercomputing, large simulation ensembles, and big data mining with multiple machine learning algorithms to allow automatic calibration of simulations that match measured experimental data in a way that is deployable on commodity hardware. This paper shares several methodologies employed to reduce the combinatorial complexity to a computationally tractable search problem for hundreds of input parameters. Furthermore, accuracy metrics are provided which quantify model error to measured data for either monthly or hourly electrical usage from a highly-instrumented, emulated-occupancy research home.« less

Reliability analysis of component of affination centrifugal 1 machine by using reliability engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembiring, N.; Ginting, E.; Darnello, T.

2017-12-01

Problems that appear in a company that produces refined sugar, the production floor has not reached the level of critical machine availability because it often suffered damage (breakdown). This results in a sudden loss of production time and production opportunities. This problem can be solved by Reliability Engineering method where the statistical approach to historical damage data is performed to see the pattern of the distribution. The method can provide a value of reliability, rate of damage, and availability level, of an machine during the maintenance time interval schedule. The result of distribution test to time inter-damage data (MTTF) flexible hose component is lognormal distribution while component of teflon cone lifthing is weibull distribution. While from distribution test to mean time of improvement (MTTR) flexible hose component is exponential distribution while component of teflon cone lifthing is weibull distribution. The actual results of the flexible hose component on the replacement schedule per 720 hours obtained reliability of 0.2451 and availability 0.9960. While on the critical components of teflon cone lifthing actual on the replacement schedule per 1944 hours obtained reliability of 0.4083 and availability 0.9927.

Traffic evacuation time under nonhomogeneous conditions.

PubMed

Fazio, Joseph; Shetkar, Rohan; Mathew, Tom V

2017-06-01

During many manmade and natural crises such as terrorist threats, floods, hazardous chemical and gas leaks, emergency personnel need to estimate the time in which people can evacuate from the affected urban area. Knowing an estimated evacuation time for a given crisis, emergency personnel can plan and prepare accordingly with the understanding that the actual evacuation time will take longer. Given the urban area to be evacuated, street widths exiting the area's perimeter, the area's population density, average vehicle occupancy, transport mode share and crawl speed, an estimation of traffic evacuation time can be derived. Peak-hour traffic data collected at three, midblock, Mumbai sites of varying geometric features and traffic composition were used in calibrating a model that estimates peak-hour traffic flow rates. Model validation revealed a correlation coefficient of +0.98 between observed and predicted peak-hour flow rates. A methodology is developed that estimates traffic evacuation time using the model.

Numerical modeling of solar irradiance on earth's surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mera, E.; Gutierez, L.; Da Silva, L.; Miranda, E.

2016-05-01

Modeling studies and estimation of solar radiation in base area, touch from the problems of estimating equation of time, distance equation solar space, solar declination, calculation of surface irradiance, considering that there are a lot of studies you reported the inability of these theoretical equations to be accurate estimates of radiation, many authors have proceeded to make corrections through calibrations with Pyranometers field (solarimeters) or the use of satellites, this being very poor technique last because there a differentiation between radiation and radiant kinetic effects. Because of the above and considering that there is a weather station properly calibrated ground in the Susques Salar in the Jujuy Province, Republic of Argentina, proceeded to make the following modeling of the variable in question, it proceeded to perform the following process: 1. Theoretical Modeling, 2. graphic study of the theoretical and actual data, 3. Adjust primary calibration data through data segmentation on an hourly basis, through horizontal and adding asymptotic constant, 4. Analysis of scatter plot and contrast series. Based on the above steps, the modeling data obtained: Step One: Theoretical data were generated, Step Two: The theoretical data moved 5 hours, Step Three: an asymptote of all negative emissivity values applied, Solve Excel algorithm was applied to least squares minimization between actual and modeled values, obtaining new values of asymptotes with the corresponding theoretical reformulation of data. Add a constant value by month, over time range set (4:00 pm to 6:00 pm). Step Four: The modeling equation coefficients had monthly correlation between actual and theoretical data ranging from 0.7 to 0.9.

Impact of the New Zealand 2011 Rugby World Cup on an urban emergency department.

PubMed

Gardener, Mark; Parke, Tim; Jones, Peter

2015-08-07

The next Rugby World Cup will take place in England commencing August 2015. This paper describes the preparation and workload relating to the previous Rugby World Cup, held in New Zealand 2011, as it affected the primary receiving hospital for the main venue. This paper describes preparation arrangements and actual workload patterns to assist planners with future similar events. Preparations for the tournament were summarised, and data gathered from the Auckland City Hospital database were analysed for total and hourly presentation rates, short-stay observation workload, admission rate, 6-hour target compliance and type of presentation. Overall workload during the tournament increased by 8%, but much larger spikes in attendances per hour and short-stay workload related to the major events were experienced. Alcohol-related presentations were very much more prominent than usual. Pre-arranged additional staffing and flow arrangements allowed the department to maintain 6-hour target compliance. Major sporting events, such as the Rugby World Cup, require special arrangements to be put in place for the main local receiving Emergency Department, especially around the major events of a tournament.

Periodic self-rostering in shift work: correspondence between objective work hours, work hour preferences (personal fit), and work schedule satisfaction.

PubMed

Ingre, Michael; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Ekstedt, Mirjam; Kecklund, Göran

2012-07-01

The main objective of the present study was to investigate relative personal fit as the association between rated needs and preferences for work hours, on the one hand, and actual work hours, on the other hand, in three groups (hospital, call-center, and police) working with periodic self-rostering. We also examined the association between personal fit and satisfaction with the work schedule and preference for a fixed and regular shift schedule, respectively. We collected questionnaire data and objective work hour data over 6-12 months from the computerized self-rostering system. The response rate of the questionnaire was 69% at the hospital and call-center and 98% among the police. In total, 29 433 shifts for 285 shift workers were included in the study. Data was analyzed by means of mixed ANOVA, Kendal tau correlations and ordinal (proportional odds) logistic regression. The results show that evening types worked relatively more hours during the evening and night hours compared to morning types as an indication of relative personal fit. Relative personal fit was also found for long shift, short rest, and morning-, evening- and night-shift frequency, but only personal fit related to morning, evening and night-shift was associated with satisfaction with work hours. Reported conflicts at the workplace about work hours and problems with lack of predictability of time for family/leisure activities, was associated with poor satisfaction and a preference for a fixed shift schedule. The present study shows that periodic self-rostering is associated with relative personal fit, in particular with respect to night, evening, and morning work. Personal fit seems to be associated with satisfaction with work hours and may be a moderator of tolerance to shift work exposure.

Influence of System Operation Method on CO2 Emissions of PV/Solar Heat/Cogeneration System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oke, Shinichiro; Kemmoku, Yoshishige; Takikawa, Hirofumi; Sakakibara, Tateki

A PV/solar heat/cogeneration system is assumed to be installed in a hotel. The system is operated with various operation methods: CO2 minimum operation, fees minimum operation, seasonal operation, daytime operation and heat demand following operation. Of these five operations, the former two are virtual operations that are operated with the dynamic programming method, and the latter three are actual operations. Computer simulation is implemented using hourly data of solar radiation intensity, atmospheric temperature, electric, cooling, heating and hot water supply demands for one year, and the life-cycle CO2 emission and the total cost are calculated for every operations. The calculation results show that the virtual two and the actual three operations reduce the life-cycle CO2 emission by 21% and 13% compared with the conventional system, respectively. In regard to both the CO2 emission and the cost, there is no significant difference between the virtual two operation methods or among actual three operation methods.

Simulating Glacial Outburst Lake Releases for Suicide Basin, Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, A. B.; Moran, T.; Hood, E. W.

2017-12-01

Glacial Lake outbursts from Suicide Basin are recent phenomenon first characterized in 2011. The 2014 event resulted in record river stage and moderate flooding on the Mendenhall River in Juneau. Recognizing that these events can adversely impact residential areas of Juneau's Mendenhall Valley, the Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center developed a real-time modeling technique capable of forecasting the timing and magnitude of the flood-wave crest due to releases from Suicide Basin. The 2014 event was estimated at about 37,000 acre feet with water levels cresting within 36 hours from the time the flood wave hit Mendenhall Lake. Given the magnitude of possible impacts to the public, accurate hydrological forecasting is essential for public safety and Emergency Managers. However, the data needed to effectively forecast magnitudes of specific jökulhlaup events are limited. Estimating this event as related to river stage depended upon three variables: 1) the timing of the lag between Suicide Basin water level declines and the related rise of Mendenhall Lake, 2) continuous monitoring of Mendenhall Lake water levels, and 3) estimating the total water volume stored in Suicide Basin. Real-time modeling of the event utilized a Time of Concentration hydrograph with independent power equations representing the rising and falling limbs of the hydrograph. The initial accuracy of the model — as forecasted about 24 hours prior to crest — resulted in an estimated crest within 0.5 feet of the actual with a timing error of about six hours later than the actual crest.

Development of Standard Fuel Models in Boreal Forests of Northeast China through Calibration and Validation

PubMed Central

Cai, Longyan; He, Hong S.; Wu, Zhiwei; Lewis, Benard L.; Liang, Yu

2014-01-01

Understanding the fire prediction capabilities of fuel models is vital to forest fire management. Various fuel models have been developed in the Great Xing'an Mountains in Northeast China. However, the performances of these fuel models have not been tested for historical occurrences of wildfires. Consequently, the applicability of these models requires further investigation. Thus, this paper aims to develop standard fuel models. Seven vegetation types were combined into three fuel models according to potential fire behaviors which were clustered using Euclidean distance algorithms. Fuel model parameter sensitivity was analyzed by the Morris screening method. Results showed that the fuel model parameters 1-hour time-lag loading, dead heat content, live heat content, 1-hour time-lag SAV(Surface Area-to-Volume), live shrub SAV, and fuel bed depth have high sensitivity. Two main sensitive fuel parameters: 1-hour time-lag loading and fuel bed depth, were determined as adjustment parameters because of their high spatio-temporal variability. The FARSITE model was then used to test the fire prediction capabilities of the combined fuel models (uncalibrated fuel models). FARSITE was shown to yield an unrealistic prediction of the historical fire. However, the calibrated fuel models significantly improved the capabilities of the fuel models to predict the actual fire with an accuracy of 89%. Validation results also showed that the model can estimate the actual fires with an accuracy exceeding 56% by using the calibrated fuel models. Therefore, these fuel models can be efficiently used to calculate fire behaviors, which can be helpful in forest fire management. PMID:24714164

Episodic Memory and Appetite Regulation in Humans

PubMed Central

Brunstrom, Jeffrey M.; Burn, Jeremy F.; Sell, Nicola R.; Collingwood, Jane M.; Rogers, Peter J.; Wilkinson, Laura L.; Hinton, Elanor C.; Maynard, Olivia M.; Ferriday, Danielle

2012-01-01

Psychological and neurobiological evidence implicates hippocampal-dependent memory processes in the control of hunger and food intake. In humans, these have been revealed in the hyperphagia that is associated with amnesia. However, it remains unclear whether ‘memory for recent eating’ plays a significant role in neurologically intact humans. In this study we isolated the extent to which memory for a recently consumed meal influences hunger and fullness over a three-hour period. Before lunch, half of our volunteers were shown 300 ml of soup and half were shown 500 ml. Orthogonal to this, half consumed 300 ml and half consumed 500 ml. This process yielded four separate groups (25 volunteers in each). Independent manipulation of the ‘actual’ and ‘perceived’ soup portion was achieved using a computer-controlled peristaltic pump. This was designed to either refill or draw soup from a soup bowl in a covert manner. Immediately after lunch, self-reported hunger was influenced by the actual and not the perceived amount of soup consumed. However, two and three hours after meal termination this pattern was reversed - hunger was predicted by the perceived amount and not the actual amount. Participants who thought they had consumed the larger 500-ml portion reported significantly less hunger. This was also associated with an increase in the ‘expected satiation’ of the soup 24-hours later. For the first time, this manipulation exposes the independent and important contribution of memory processes to satiety. Opportunities exist to capitalise on this finding to reduce energy intake in humans. PMID:23227200

The Role of Experiential Learning in Nurturing Management Competencies in Hospitality and Tourism Management Students: Perceptions from Students, Faculty, and Industry Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jack, Kristen

2011-01-01

Previous research has revealed that industry professionals and educators in the field of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) agree that classroom theory and experience in the field are essential components of undergraduate HTM education. Yet there is some disagreement on internship hour requirements, and limited data on actual outcomes. This…

Titan Touchdown

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-11

On Jan. 14, 2005, ESA's Huygens probe made its descent to the surface of Saturn's hazy moon, Titan. Carried to Saturn by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, Huygens made the most distant landing ever on another world, and the only landing on a body in the outer solar system. This video uses actual images taken by the probe during its two-and-a-half hour fall under its parachutes. Also include mission animation.

76 FR 29762 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-23

... questions in the survey are designed to elicit expert opinions and clarify areas of agreement and... Federal Register for comment prior to finalizing them for the pretest and the actual survey. (CVM's... respondent responses (in hours) \\2\\ Pretest 5 1 5 20/60 1.65 Survey 100 1 100 20/60 33 Total 34.65 \\1\\ There...

Lack of sensitivity of staffing for 8-hour sessions to standard deviation in daily actual hours of operating room time used for surgeons with long queues.

PubMed

Pandit, Jaideep J; Dexter, Franklin

2009-06-01

At multiple facilities including some in the United Kingdom's National Health Service, the following are features of many surgical-anesthetic teams: i) there is sufficient workload for each operating room (OR) list to almost always be fully scheduled; ii) the workdays are organized such that a single surgeon is assigned to each block of time (usually 8 h); iii) one team is assigned per block; and iv) hardly ever would a team "split" to do cases in more than one OR simultaneously. We used Monte-Carlo simulation using normal and Weibull distributions to estimate the times to complete lists of cases scheduled into such 8 h sessions. For each combination of mean and standard deviation, inefficiencies of use of OR time were determined for 10 h versus 8 h of staffing. When the mean actual hours of OR time used averages < or = 8 h 25 min, 8 h of staffing has higher OR efficiency than 10 h for all combinations of standard deviation and relative cost of over-run to under-run. When mean > or = 8 h 50 min, 10 h staffing has higher OR efficiency. For 8 h 25 min < mean < 8 h 50 min, the economic break-even point depends on conditions. For example, break-even is: (a) 8 h 27 min for Weibull, standard deviation of 60 min and relative cost of over-run to under-run of 2.0 versus (b) 8 h 48 min for normal, standard deviation of 0 min and relative cost ratio of 1.50. Although the simplest decision rule would be to staff for 8 h if the mean workload is < or = 8 h 40 min and to staff for 10 h otherwise, performance was poor. For example, for the Weibull distribution with mean 8 h 40 min, standard deviation 60 min, and relative cost ratio of 2.00, the inefficiency of use of OR time would be 34% larger if staffing were planned for 8 h instead of 10 h. For surgical teams with 8 h sessions, use the following decision rule for anesthesiology and OR nurse staffing. If actual hours of OR time used averages < or = 8 h 25 min, plan 8 h staffing. If average > or = 8 h 50 min, plan 10 h staffing. For averages in between, perform the full analysis of McIntosh et al. (Anesth Analg 2006;103:1499-516).

SESC Practice Committee survey: surgical practice in the duty-hour restriction era.

PubMed

Nakayama, Don K; Taylor, Spence M

2013-07-01

Debate continues as to the relevance of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty-hour restrictions in actual practice and the adequacy of resident training in surgery. A survey of the membership of the Southeastern Surgical Congress using an Internet-based questionnaire was conducted: adherence to duty-hour restrictions, evidence of sleepiness and fatigue, opinions regarding the training, and clinical performance of surgeons who had trained after the institution of duty-hour restrictions in 2003 (termed "recently trained surgeons"). One hundred seventy-seven members respondents out of 1008 (18%). Most (101 of 170 [59%]) worked more than 80 hours in a week and half (86 of 174 [49%]) more than 24 hours consecutively once or more a month. Falling asleep inappropriately was reported by 6 to 12 per cent. Forty per cent (71 of 176) thought that graduates of residencies today are prepared for clinical practice. Those who had hired a recently trained surgeon believed the latter was sufficiently trained (61 of 123 [50%]) more often than those who had not hired one (10 of 51 [20%]; P = 0.006). Those with a new colleague gave first assistant help in 75 per cent (91 of 121) during the first year. Surgeons in practice regularly violate ACGME duty-hour restrictions. Many surgeons have doubts whether new graduates of residency training programs have adequate training to practice surgery. Those who have hired a new surgeon trained under duty-hour restrictions are more likely to be satisfied with the latter's training. Most new trainees receive direct assistance from their practice partners, continuing their training beyond residency.

Projection of the dental workforce from 2011 to 2020, based on the actual workload of 6762 dentists in 2010 in Taiwan.

PubMed

Huang, Chiung Shing; Cher, Tsang-Lie; Lin, Chun-Pin; Wu, Kai-Ming

2013-09-01

Planning of the dental workforce, especially the number of dentists, requires the data of actual dental workloads. This study attempts to make projections of the dental workforce from 2011 to 2020, based on a survey of the actual workload of 6762 dentists in 2010. In 2010, a database of 11,449 current dentists was retrieved from the file of Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan. Questionnaires with the information of each dentist and 10 questions regarding the actual workload were sent to each dentist with a return envelope. The actual workload of the dentists who returned the questionnaires was analyzed. A projection of dental workforce from 2011 to 2020 was calculated, based on the actual workload. An analysis of the actual dental workload was conducted on 6762 (59.1%) returned questionnaires. The dentist-to-population ratio (defined as the number of dentists per 10,000 people) was 5.0 in 2010. The supply of 400 dentists per year remained constant from 2006 to 2010, and is expected to be sustained for the next 10 years. Because the population of Taiwan will begin to decrease within the next 10 years, we estimate that the dentist-to-population ratio will increase to 6.0 by the year 2020 or earlier. After adjusting for working hours, working days, and gender differences, surplus dentists will number approximately 1069 in 2020. An oversupply of dentists and a decrease in population will result in a surplus of dentists. To make better projections of the dental workforce, surplus dentists can be arranged to care for the aged, disabled people, and underserved people. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Daily temporal patterns of heroin and cocaine use and craving: relationship with business hours regardless of actual employment status.

PubMed

Phillips, Karran A; Epstein, David H; Preston, Kenzie L

2013-10-01

Real-time monitoring of behavior using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) has provided detailed data about daily temporal patterns of craving and use in cigarette smokers. We have collected similar data from a sample of cocaine and heroin users. Here we analyzed it in the context of its relationship with a societal construct of daily temporal organization: 9-to-5 business hours. In a 28-week prospective study, 112 methadone-maintained polydrug-abusing individuals initiated an electronic-diary entry and provided data each time they used cocaine, heroin, or both during weeks 4 to 28. EMA data were collected for 10,781 person-days and included: 663 cocaine-craving events, 710 cocaine-use events, 288 heroin-craving events, 66 heroin-use events, 630 craving-both-drugs events, and 282 use-of-both-drugs events. At baseline, 34% of the participants reported full-time employment in the preceding 3-year period. Most participants' current employment status fluctuated throughout the study. In a generalized linear mixed model (SAS Proc Glimmix), cocaine use varied by time of day relative to business hours (p<0.0001) and there was a significant interaction between Day of the Week and Time Relative to Business Hours (p<0.002) regardless of current work status. Cocaine craving also varied by time of day relative to business hours (p<0.0001), however, there was no significant interaction between Day of the Week and Time Relative to Business Hours (p=.57). Heroin craving and use were mostly reported during business hours, but data were sparse. Cocaine craving is most frequent during business hours while cocaine use is more frequent after business hours. Cocaine use during business hours, but not craving, seems suppressed on most weekdays, but not weekends, suggesting that societal conventions reflected in business hours influence drug-use patterns even in individuals whose daily schedules are not necessarily dictated by employment during conventional business hours. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Five easy equations for patient flow through an emergency department.

PubMed

Madsen, Thomas Lill; Kofoed-Enevoldsen, Allan

2011-10-01

Queue models are effective tools for framing management decisions and Danish hospitals could benefit from awareness of such models. Currently, as emergency departments (ED) are under reorganization, we deem it timely to empirically investigate the applicability of the standard "M/M/1" queue model in order to document its relevance. We compared actual versus theoretical distributions of hourly patient flow from 27,000 patient cases seen at Frederiksberg Hospital's ED. Formulating equations for arrivals and capacity, we wrote and tested a five equation simulation model. The Poisson distribution fitted arrivals with an hour-of-the-day specific parameter. Treatment times exceeding 15 minutes were well-described by an exponential distribution. The ED can be modelled as a black box with an hourly capacity that can be estimated either as admissions per hour when the ED operates full hilt Poisson distribution or from the linear dependency of waiting times on queue number. The results show that our ED capacity is surprisingly constant despite variations in staffing. These findings led to the formulation of a model giving a compact framework for assessing the behaviour of the ED under different assumptions about opening hours, capacity and workload. The M/M/1 almost perfectly fits our. Thus modeling and simulations have contributed to the management process. not relevant. not relevant.

Human milk banking in the volunteer sector: policy development and actuality in 1970s Australia.

PubMed

Thorley, Virginia

2012-04-01

to describe the development of rigorous milk banking policies in the voluntary sector in Australia, 1975-1979, by the non-government organisation, the Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia (now the Australian Breastfeeding Association), and the eventual abandonment of milk banking by the organisation. historical article. Australia in the years 1975-1979. during the period in which the policy development described here took place, conducting a milk bank to the rigorous standards set by the organisation required too heavy an investment of hours by unpaid volunteer coordinators to be sustainable. in establishing and continuing a successful milk bank, models which depend less on volunteer hours may be more sustainable. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intra-hospital organ and tissue donation coordination project: cost-effectiveness and social benefits

PubMed Central

Silva, Vanessa Silva e; Moura, Luciana Carvalho; Leite, Renata Fabiana; de Oliveira, Priscilla Caroliny; Schirmer, Janine; Roza, Bartira De’ Aguiar

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the viability of a professional specialist in intra-hospital committees of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. METHODS Epidemiological, retrospective and cross-sectional study (2003-2011 and 2008-2012), which was performed using organ donation for transplants data in the state of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. Nine hospitals were evaluated (hospitals 1 to 9). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the differences in the number of brain death referrals and actual donors (dependent variables) after the professional specialist started work (independent variable) at the intra-hospital committee of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. To evaluate the hospital invoicing, the hourly wage of the doctor and registered nurse, according to the legislation of the Consolidation of Labor Laws, were calculated, as were the investment return and the time elapsed to do so. RESULTS Following the nursing specialist commencement on the committee, brain death referrals and the number of actual donors increased at hospital 2 (4.17 and 1.52, respectively). At hospital 7, the number of actual donors also increased from 0.005 to 1.54. In addition, after the nurse started working, hospital revenues increased by 190.0% (ranging 40.0% to 1.955%). The monthly cost for the nurse working 20 hours was US$397.97 while the doctor would cost US$3,526.67. The return on investment was 275% over the short term (0.36 years). CONCLUSIONS This paper showed that including a professional specialist in intra-hospital committees for organ and tissue donation for transplantation proved to be cost-effective. Further economic research in the area could contribute to the efficient public policy implementation of this organ and tissue harvesting model. PMID:26487290

Data Mining for Web Site Evaluation: An Exploration of Site Usage by Graduate Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santhiveeran, Janaki

2006-01-01

This paper evaluates the actual use of a course Website by graduate social work students. The study utilized data mining techniques to discover meaningful trends by using the data from server logs. The course Website was accessed 24,730 times by all 49 graduate students during a semester. The students utilized the course Website 23 hours a day, 7…

The Economic and Budget Outlook: An Update

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

Given the postwar downtrend ifacturers and manufact -irng output would in hours worked per week, this development is u4refore slow. The increase in...consumer services, food , and other nondurable confident about the growth in their future income. goods came on the heels of strong increases in the...estimate, excess demand developed consumer price index excluding food and energy) near the end of 1987--that is, the actual unemploy- remained virtually

A Sociotechnical Design for Implementing the Defense Data Network

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

outcomes of te work High satisfactionwith the work Knowledge of the Feedback actual results of Low absenteeism work activities Jand turnover EMPLOYEE...Physically distant locations are electronically joined. A logical extension of this is " telecommuting ", or the performance of work from the home rather...transaction costs by allowing transnission during off-peak hours. Telecommuting may find favor at sites such as the Navy Re- ,ional Data Centers (NARDAC

No Dark Corners: Defending Against Insider Threats to Critical Infrastructure

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

latter do not unfairly affect an applicant’s livelihood by making adverse hiring decisions before the legal system has decided actual guilt (Pre...dominated in the boardroom and in regulatory decision - making environments, thereby reducing the market for or receptivity to such concepts. Moreover, when...this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response , including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data

The Creative Evolution of the 15-Second Television Commercial: Creative Structure and Impact upon the Shorter Message Format.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asahina, Roberta R.

A two-fold statistical analysis examined the creative development of the 15-second television commercial, providing a follow-up to a similar study conducted in 1986. Study 1 of the present analysis examined 335 actual 15-second spots extracted from 30 hours of network daytime and primetime programming in the fourth and first quarters of 1988-1989.…

An Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: 2014 to 2024

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

shares of gross domestic income (GDI). In principle , GDI equals GDP because each dollar of production yields a dollar of income; in practice, they...Projected Actual Percentage of GDP Percentage of the Population 1999 20092004 CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE CBO An Update to...the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data

Missing the Mark: Is ICS Training Achieving Its Goal

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

method achieves learning and actually gives students new knowledge, skills, and 281 Ibid. 282 Ibid...designed to be five days (40 hours) long.331 The class assumes that the student already has a general understanding of ICS and completion of at least...35–37. 64 The entire process is time consuming, as the student must complete the in- class time (as required for the specific class ) and

Cost and Price Collaboration

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-30

competitions and dual sourcing. [patrick.n.watkins4.civ@mail.mil] Abstract This paper examines how collaboration between the cost analysis and price ...analysis. A review of the CSDRs by the price analyst led to the conclusion that the level of detail in the CSDR between recurring and non -recurring hours...Reports (CSDRs) – Starting in 2004 renewed emphasis on contractually requiring CSDR – CSDRs report actual and non -recurring costs • Price Negotiation

In Healthy Young Men, a Short Exhaustive Exercise Alters the Oxidative Stress Only Slightly, Independent of the Actual Fitness.

PubMed

Finkler, Maya; Hochman, Ayala; Pinchuk, Ilya; Lichtenberg, Dov

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the apparent disagreement regarding the effect of a typical cycling progressive exercise, commonly used to assess VO2max, on the kinetics of ex vivo copper induced peroxidation of serum lipids. Thirty-two (32) healthy young men, aged 24-30 years, who do not smoke and do not take any food supplements, participated in the study. Blood was withdrawn from each participant at three time points (before the exercise and 5 minutes and one hour after exercise). Copper induced peroxidation of sera made of the blood samples was monitored by spectrophotometry. For comparison, we also assayed TBARS concentration and the activity of oxidation-related enzymes. The physical exercise resulted in a slight and reversible increase of TBARS and slight changes in the activities of the studied antioxidant enzymes and the lag preceding peroxidation did not change substantially. Most altered parameters returned to baseline level one hour after exercise. Notably, the exercise-induced changes in OS did not correlate with the physical fitness of the subjects, as evaluated in this study (VO2max = 30-60 mL/min/kg). We conclude that in healthy young fit men a short exhaustive exercise alters only slightly the OS, independent of the actual physical fitness.

The European Working Time Directive: effect on education and clinical care.

PubMed

Waurick, René; Weber, Thomas; Bröking, Katrin; Van Aken, Hugo

2007-12-01

In 2009 the European Working Time Directive limits the weekly working hours to an average of 48 in all European Union member states. The recent published effects on education and patient care are discussed. In European Union member states with traditional long working hours for hospital doctors the reduced working hours led to a decrease in trainee case loads. A negative effect on patients care is only suspected, but not yet measured. In particular, British anesthetists started a discussion about the required changes in training and assessment to counterbalance the lack of practice. European Surgical Disciplines demand for 48 h working time and 12 h teaching and education time per week for trainees. So far many member states have delayed the implementation of European laws in national laws. There are less measured clinical facts than political statements published. The actual working time directives in the European Union member states are inconsistent and further political development on this topic across the European Union remains unclear.

Speed of mental processing in the middle of the night

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monk, T. H.; Carrier, J.

1997-01-01

This study aimed to determine whether human mental processing actually slows down during the night hours, separately from the previously documented microsleeps, lapses in attention, and general slowing of motor responses. Eighteen healthy young adults were studied during 36 hours of constant wakeful bedrest. Every 2 hours, they performed a logical reasoning task. Items phrased in the negative voice took reliably longer to respond to than items phrased in the positive voice, indicating the need for more mental processing in those items. By subtracting "negative" from "positive" reaction times at each time of day, we were able to plot a circadian rhythm in the time taken for this extra mental processing to be done separately from microsleeps, psychomotor slowing, and inattention. The extra mental processing took longer at night and on the day following sleep loss than it did during the day before the sleep loss, suggesting that human mental processing slows down during the night under sleep deprivation.

IMF Prediction with Cosmic Rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieber, J. W.; Evenson, P. A.; Kuwabara, T.; Pei, C.

2013-12-01

Cosmic rays impacting Earth have passed through and interacted with the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) surrounding Earth, and in some sense they carry information on the three-dimensional structure of that field. This work uses neutron monitor data in an effort to extract that information and use it to predict the future behavior of the IMF, especially the north-south component (Bz) which is so crucial in determining geomagnetic activity. We consider 161 events from a published list of interplanetary coronal mass ejections and compare hourly averages of the predicted field with the actual field measured later. We find that the percentage of events with 'good' predictions of Bz (in the sense of having a positive correlation between the prediction and the subsequent measurement) varies from about 85% for predictions 1 hour into the future to about 60% for predictions 4 hours into the future. We present several ideas for how the method might be improved in future implementations. Supported by NASA grant NNX08AQ01G and NSF grant ANT-0739620.

A Preliminary Study on the Yang-cheon-cheok (量天尺) in the Late Joseon Dynasty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sang Hyuk; Mihn, Byeong-Hee; Lee, Yong Sam

2015-12-01

We investigated the six remaining Yang-cheon-cheoks (量天尺), which were first described in the Veritable Record of King Sukjong (肅宗實錄). These woodblock sundials from Korea are structurally very similar to a Gyupyo (圭表, gnomon) or an altitude sundial and are light, compact, and portable. The front side of a Yang-cheon-cheok has two holes for styluses and several hour-lines. We compared the intervals of the hour-lines from the originating point of the stylus placement on all Yang-cheon-cheoks and found that two of the relics had the same hour-lines using the standard of the unit of 1 chon (寸). These two were actually the same sundial although the physical size was different. In spite of the lack of time accuracy, we hypothesize that various-sized Yang-cheon-cheoks were made and widely distributed throughout the public in the late Joseon Dynasty.

[The new methods to define the staffing requirements for doctors,
nurses and nurses aides: an example of their implementation in an Italian hospital].

PubMed

Laquintana, Dario; Pazzaglia, Silvia; Demarchi, Antonia

2017-01-01

. The new methods to define the staffing requirements for doctors, nurses and nurses aides: an example of their implementation in an Italian hospital. The Italian government, after the transposition of European Union legislation on working hours, made a declaration of commitment to increase the number of staff of the National Health Service (NHS). The method for assessing the staffing needs innovates the old one that dated back a few decades. To implement the method proposed by the Ministry of Health to an Italian hospital and assess its impact on staffing and costs. The model was implemented on all the wards, multiplying the minutes of care expected in 2016, dividing the result by 60 to obtain the hours of care, and further dividing by the number of yearly hours of work of a nurse (1418). Same was done for nurses aides. The minutes of care were related to mean weight of the Diagnosis Related Groups of the ward and the results obtained compared to the actual staffing of nurses and nurses aides. The costs of the differences were calculated. The implementation of the model produced an excess of 23 nurses and a scarcity of 95 nurses aides compared to the actual staffing, with an increase of the costs of € 1.828.562,00. The results obtained and the criticisms received so far show the need of major changes. The data from international studies that associate staffing and patients outcomes and the nurse/patient ratio are macro-indicators already available that may orient choices and investments on the health care professions.

Recent operation of the FNAL magnetron H- ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karns, P. R.; Bollinger, D. S.; Sosa, A.

2017-08-01

This paper will detail changes in the operational paradigm of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) magnetron H- ion source due to upgrades in the accelerator system. Prior to November of 2012 the H- ions for High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments were extracted at ˜18 keV vertically downward into a 90 degree bending magnet and accelerated through a Cockcroft-Walton accelerating column to 750 keV. Following the upgrade in the fall of 2012 the H- ions are now directly extracted from a magnetron at 35 keV and accelerated to 750 keV by a Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ). This change in extraction energy as well as the orientation of the ion source required not only a redesign of the ion source, but an updated understanding of its operation at these new values. Discussed in detail are the changes to the ion source timing, arc discharge current, hydrogen gas pressure, and cesium delivery system that were needed to maintain consistent operation at >99% uptime for HEP, with an increased ion source lifetime of over 9 months.

Stability of levothyroxine injection in glass, polyvinyl chloride, and polyolefin containers.

PubMed

Frenette, Anne Julie; MacLean, Robert D; Williamson, David; Marsolais, Pierre; Donnelly, Ronald F

2011-09-15

The 24-hour stability of a levothyroxine solution admixed and stored in three common infusion containers and infused through polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing was evaluated. Levothyroxine sodium 1-μg/mL injection prepared in glass bottles and PVC and polyolefin bags were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours; samples drawn directly from the containers, as well as from the distal end of attached PVC tubing, were assayed. The area under the time-versus-concentration curve (AUC) for predicted and delivered doses was calculated; analysis of variance was used for comparison of the percentages of predicted and actual AUC values. The levothyroxine concentration was stable in glass bottles and polyolefin bags through 24 hours (mean ± S.D. percentage of initial concentration remaining, 103.5% ± 2.5% and 100.0% ± 2.9%, respectively). In the PVC infusion bags, the amount of drug decreased to 90% of the initial concentration within 1 hour and then rose and remained within acceptability limits. The levothyroxine concentration of the samples infused through PVC line from glass and polyolefin containers decreased after 1 hour by about 13%; the loss of the drug from the samples infused from PVC bags was higher (18%), presumably due to additive adsorptive effects. In all samples tested, the drug concentration rebounded and remained above 90% to the end of the study. Levothyroxine sodium 1-μg/mL solution was stable for 24 hours in glass bottles and polyolefin bags but when stored in PVC bags, the concentration decreased by 10% after 1 hour.

Limitation of duty hour regulations for pediatric resident wellness: A mixed methods study in Japan.

PubMed

Nomura, Osamu; Mishina, Hiroki; Kobayashi, Yoshinori; Ishiguro, Akira; Sakai, Hirokazu; Kato, Hiroyuki

2016-09-01

Duty hour regulations have been placed in residency programs to address mental health concerns and to improve wellness. Here, we elucidate the prevalence of depressive symptoms after implementing an overnight call shift system and the factors associated with burnout or depression among residents.A sequential exploratory mixed methods study was conducted in a tertiary care pediatric and perinatal hospital in Tokyo, Japan. A total of 41 pediatric residents participated in the cross-sectional survey. We determined and compared the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the number of actual working hours before and after implementing the shift system. A follow-up focus-group interview with 4 residents was conducted to explore the factors that may trigger or prevent depression and burnout.Mean working hours significantly decreased from 75.2 hours to 64.9 hours per week. Prevalence of depressive symptoms remained similar before and after implementation of the shift system. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization from the burnout scale were markedly associated with depression. High workload, stress intolerance, interpersonal difficulties, and generation gaps regarding work-life balance could cause burnout. Stress tolerance, workload monitoring and balancing, appropriate supervision, and peer support could prevent burnout.Although the overnight call shift system was effective in reducing working hours, its effectiveness in managing mental health issues among pediatric residents remains unclear. Resident wellness programs represent an additional strategy and they should be aimed at fostering peer support and improvement of resident-faculty interactions. Such an approach could be beneficial to the relationship between physicians of different generations with conflicting belief structures.

Limitation of duty hour regulations for pediatric resident wellness

PubMed Central

Nomura, Osamu; Mishina, Hiroki; Kobayashi, Yoshinori; Ishiguro, Akira; Sakai, Hirokazu; Kato, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

Abstract Duty hour regulations have been placed in residency programs to address mental health concerns and to improve wellness. Here, we elucidate the prevalence of depressive symptoms after implementing an overnight call shift system and the factors associated with burnout or depression among residents. A sequential exploratory mixed methods study was conducted in a tertiary care pediatric and perinatal hospital in Tokyo, Japan. A total of 41 pediatric residents participated in the cross-sectional survey. We determined and compared the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the number of actual working hours before and after implementing the shift system. A follow-up focus-group interview with 4 residents was conducted to explore the factors that may trigger or prevent depression and burnout. Mean working hours significantly decreased from 75.2 hours to 64.9 hours per week. Prevalence of depressive symptoms remained similar before and after implementation of the shift system. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization from the burnout scale were markedly associated with depression. High workload, stress intolerance, interpersonal difficulties, and generation gaps regarding work–life balance could cause burnout. Stress tolerance, workload monitoring and balancing, appropriate supervision, and peer support could prevent burnout. Although the overnight call shift system was effective in reducing working hours, its effectiveness in managing mental health issues among pediatric residents remains unclear. Resident wellness programs represent an additional strategy and they should be aimed at fostering peer support and improvement of resident–faculty interactions. Such an approach could be beneficial to the relationship between physicians of different generations with conflicting belief structures. PMID:27631253

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Outbreak and its Incubation Period: Is it Short or Long?

PubMed

Lee, Dong-Woo; Gwack, Jin; Youn, Seun-Ki

2012-03-01

The aim of this study is to determine the incubation period of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), which creates several outbreaks in a year in South Korea. We reviewed all water and food-borne outbreaks data reported to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) from 2009 to 2010 and determined their characteristics. Through this process, we can presume the incubation period of EPEC among outbreaks in South Korea. A total of 497 water and food-borne outbreaks were reported to KCDC and 66 (13.28%) are defined as E coli-origin outbreaks. EPEC was the most common subtype of E coli, being confirmed as a causative organism in 26 outbreaks. Overall attack rate was 15.85% (range 0.9-100). The subjects were eight outbreaks that have a clear history of single exposure and we can estimate the incubation time of EPEC as minimum 0.5 hours to maximum 34.0 hours with a mean 12.9 hours (range 4.5-24.0). The cases of those cannot completely rule out the chance of multiple exposure from same source or place have minimum 1.0 hour, to a maximum of 195.5 hours and a mean 30.5 (range 22.7-61.0) hours of incubation period. This serial analysis suggests that EPEC has actually shorter mean incubation period as much as 12 hours. When this period is longer than 1 day or over, then the epidemiologic investigator should consider the chance of repeated or continuous exposure by making it clear whether there is any chance of any other exposure in common.

Separating Hype from Reality

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

faster than production using traditional manufacturing meth- ods. The actual printing of a part can be accomplished in hours or days, but that is...systems are being designed in 3D. But to utilize AM for production of legacy weapon system parts, the vast major- ity of parts in the DoD inventory will... Manufacturing Production Time Additive Manufacturing Days 23 Defense AT&L: November-December 2016 LMI has led efforts to standardize model formats DoD-wide

Budgeting Facilities Operation Costs Using the Facilities Operation Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

practices that today’s modern buildings have built into them. Several factors can change from the time the requirement is generated to when actual...information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and...BOS required $4.2 billion.2 In FY2012, it is estimated it will reach $4.6 billion.3 Unlike sustainment and modernization , failure to fund facility

Equipment for the Transient Capture of Chaotic Microwave Signals

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-14

estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the... times are needed and over-sampling by a factor of 8 is required so that the effective number of bits can be increased from the actual bit resolution... time acquisition of transient signals with analog bandwidths up to 70 GHz for one channel, and 30 GHz for two channels.. Training Opportunities

Validating Savings Claims of Cold Climate Zero Energy Ready Homes

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

Williamson, J.; Puttagunta, S.

This study was intended to validate actual performance of three ZERHs in the Northeast to energy models created in REM/Rate v14.5 (one of the certified software programs used to generate a HERS Index) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Building Energy Optimization (BEopt™) v2.3 E+ (a more sophisticated hourly energy simulation software). This report details the validation methods used to analyze energy consumption at each home.

Dehydration and acute weight gain in mixed martial arts fighters before competition.

PubMed

Jetton, Adam M; Lawrence, Marcus M; Meucci, Marco; Haines, Tracie L; Collier, Scott R; Morris, David M; Utter, Alan C

2013-05-01

The purpose of this study was to characterize the magnitude of acute weight gain (AWG) and dehydration in mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters before competition. Urinary measures of hydration status and body mass were determined approximately 24 hours before and then again approximately 2 hours before competition in 40 MMA fighters (mean ± SE, age: 25.2 ± 0.65 years, height: 1.77 ± 0.01 m, body mass: 75.8 ± 1.5 kg). The AWG was defined as the amount of body weight the fighters gained in the approximately 22-hour period between the official weigh-in and the actual competition. On average, the MMA fighters gained 3.40 ± 2.2 kg or 4.4% of their body weight in the approximately 22-hour period before competition. Urine specific gravity significantly decreased (p < 0.001) from 1.028 ± 0.001 to 1.020 ± 0.001 during the approximately 22-hour rehydration period. Results demonstrated that 39% of the MMA fighters presented with a Usg of >1.021 immediately before competition indicating significant or serious dehydration. The MMA fighters undergo significant dehydration and fluctuations in body mass (4.4% avg.) in the 24-hour period before competition. Urinary measures of hydration status indicate that a significant proportion of MMA fighters are not successfully rehydrating before competition and subsequently are competing in a dehydrated state. Weight management guidelines to prevent acute dehydration in MMA fighters are warranted to prevent unnecessary adverse health events secondary to dehydration.

Forecasting of hourly load by pattern recognition in a small area power system

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

Dehdashti-Shahrokh, A.

1982-01-01

An intuitive, logical, simple and efficient method of forecasting hourly load in a small area power system is presented. A pattern recognition approach is used in developing the forecasting model. Pattern recognition techniques are powerful tools in the field of artificial intelligence (cybernetics) and simulate the way the human brain operates to make decisions. Pattern recognition is generally used in analysis of processes where the total physical nature behind the process variation is unkown but specific kinds of measurements explain their behavior. In this research basic multivariate analyses, in conjunction with pattern recognition techniques, are used to develop a linearmore » deterministic model to forecast hourly load. This method assumes that load patterns in the same geographical area are direct results of climatological changes (weather sensitive load), and have occurred in the past as a result of similar climatic conditions. The algorithm described in here searches for the best possible pattern from a seasonal library of load and weather data in forecasting hourly load. To accommodate the unpredictability of weather and the resulting load, the basic twenty-four load pattern was divided into eight three-hour intervals. This division was made to make the model adaptive to sudden climatic changes. The proposed method offers flexible lead times of one to twenty-four hours. The results of actual data testing had indicated that this proposed method is computationally efficient, highly adaptive, with acceptable data storage size and accuracy that is comparable to many other existing methods.« less

Perspective: creating an ethical workplace: reverberations of resident work hours reform.

PubMed

Lopez, Lenny; Katz, Joel T

2009-03-01

Medical professionals are a community of highly educated individuals with a commitment to a core set of ideals and principles. This community provides both technical and ethical socialization. The development of ethical physicians is highly linked to experiences in the training period. Moral traits are situation-sensitive psychological and behavioral dispositions. The consequence of long duty hours on the moral development of physicians is less understood. The clinical environment of medical training programs can be so intense as to lead to conditions that may actually deprofessionalize trainees. The dynamic relationship between individual character traits and the situational dependence of their expression suggests that a systems approach will help promote and nurture moral development. Ethical behavior can be supported by systems that make it more difficult to veer from the ideal. Work hours limits are a structural change that will help preserve public safety by preventing physicians from taking the moral shortcuts that can occur with increasing work and time pressures. Work hours rules are beneficial but insufficient to optimize an ethical work and training environment. Additional measures need to be put in place to ensure that ethical tensions are not created between the patient's well-being and the resident's adherence to work hours rules. The ethical ideals of physician autonomy, selflessness, and accountability to the patient must be protected through the judicious and flexible use of work hours limits, physician extenders, census caps, nonteaching services, and high-quality handoffs.

Evaluation of Wet Chemical ICP-AES Elemental Analysis Methods usingSimulated Hanford Waste Samples-Phase I Interim Report

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

Coleman, Charles J.; Edwards, Thomas B.

2005-04-30

The wet chemistry digestion method development for providing process control elemental analyses of the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Melter Feed Preparation Vessel (MFPV) samples is divided into two phases: Phase I consists of: (1) optimizing digestion methods as a precursor to elemental analyses by ICP-AES techniques; (2) selecting methods with the desired analytical reliability and speed to support the nine-hour or less turnaround time requirement of the WTP; and (3) providing baseline comparison to the laser ablation (LA) sample introduction technique for ICP-AES elemental analyses that is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL).more » Phase II consists of: (1) Time-and-Motion study of the selected methods from Phase I with actual Hanford waste or waste simulants in shielded cell facilities to ensure that the methods can be performed remotely and maintain the desired characteristics; and (2) digestion of glass samples prepared from actual Hanford Waste tank sludge for providing comparative results to the LA Phase II study. Based on the Phase I testing discussed in this report, a tandem digestion approach consisting of sodium peroxide fusion digestions carried out in nickel crucibles and warm mixed-acid digestions carried out in plastic bottles has been selected for Time-and-Motion study in Phase II. SRNL experience with performing this analytical approach in laboratory hoods indicates that well-trained cell operator teams will be able to perform the tandem digestions in five hours or less. The selected approach will produce two sets of solutions for analysis by ICP-AES techniques. Four hours would then be allocated for performing the ICP-AES analyses and reporting results to meet the nine-hour or less turnaround time requirement. The tandem digestion approach will need to be performed in two separate shielded analytical cells by two separate cell operator teams in order to achieve the nine-hour or less turnaround time. Because of the simplicity of the warm mixed-acid method, a well-trained cell operator team may in time be able to perform both sets of digestions. However, having separate shielded cells for each of the methods is prudent to avoid overcrowding problems that would impede a minimal turnaround time.« less

The microprocessor-based synthesizer controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wick, M. R.

1980-01-01

Implementation and performance of the microprocessor-based controllers and Dana Digiphase Synthesizer (DCO) installed in the Deep Space Network exciter in the 64-meter and 34-meter subnets to support uplink tuning required for the Voyager-Saturn Encounter is discussed. Test data in tests conducted during the production of the controllers verified the design objective for phase control accuracy of 10 to the - 12 power cycles in eight hours during ramping. Tests conducted require a phase error between a theoretical calculated value and the actual phase of no greater than + or - 1 cycle. Tests included (1) a ramp over a period of eight hours using a ramp rate which covers the synthesizer tuning range (40-51 MHz) and (2) a ramp sequence using the maximum rate (+ or kHz/s) over the tuning range.

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

Anderson, J.L.; Jenkins, E.M.; Walthers, C.R.

Compound cryopumps have been added to the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) integrated fusion fuel loop. Operations have been performed which closely simulate an actual fusion reactor pumping scenario. In addition, performance data have been taken that support the concept of using coconut charcoal as a sorbent at 4K for pumping helium. Later tests show that coconut charcoal may be used to co-pump D,T and He mixtures on a single 4K panel. Rotary spiral pumps have been used successfully in several applications at TSTA and have acquired more than 9000 hours of maintenance-free operation. Metal bellows pumps have been usedmore » to back the spiral pumps and have been relatively trouble free in loop operations. Bellows pumps also have more than 9000 hours of maintenance-free operation. 5 refs., 6 figs.« less

Constructing an Employee Benefit Package for Part-Time Workers. A Rationale for Arriving at an Equitable Benefit Package at No Extra Cost to the Employer. A Catalyst Position Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catalyst, New York, NY.

Guidelines are presented for constructing an employee benefit package for part-time workers in which benefits are calculated on a pro-rated (and sometimes selective) basis, such that part-time employees receive a fair proportion of the total benefit package, based on the number of hours they actually work. Pro-rating is recommended as feasible for…

A Conceptual Framework for Adaptive Project Management in the Department of Defense

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-30

schedule work) established a core set of principles that went unchallenged until the start of the 21st century. This belief that managing...detailed planning, task decomposition and assignment of hours at the start of a project as unnecessary, often wasted effort that sacrifices accuracy...with the illusion of precision. Work, at the task level, is best assigned by the team performing the work as close as possible to the actual start

Fire Fighter Trainer Environmental Considerations. Phase II. Appendixes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-31

presented in Table A-i. These quidelines ref lect the original materials to be used in the 19F1, as well as the various decomposition and combustion products...15 minutes in any 8-hour period. 1New fuel combustion sources with actual heat input > 250 million Btu/hr. 2 Al other sources. A- 8 Pollutants other...generating chemicals, combustion byproducts, and materials used in t.he construction of the trainer itself. Incompatibility of these materials could

Use of opioid pain relievers following extraction of third molars.

PubMed

Weiland, Breanna M; Wach, Anthony G; Kanar, Brent P; Castele, Matthew T; Sosovicka, Mark F; Cooke, Matthew R; Moore, Paul A

2015-02-01

Following extraction of third molars, it is common practice for oral and maxillofacial surgeons to provide a prescription for an opioid-containing analgesic such as hydrocodone with acetaminophen. Because the instructions for use most often indicate that these analgesics are to be taken "as needed for pain," it is unknown how many of the prescribed postoperative analgesic tablets are needed and actually taken. Therefore, an assessment of patient pain experiences and actual opioid analgesic usage was carried out using structured telephone interviews of patients performed 1 and 7 days following their thirdmolar extraction surgery. Forty-eight adolescents and young adults, ages 15 to 30 years, participated in this assessment. A review of the surgeon's notes indicated that the median number of prescribed opioid-containing analgesics (ie, Vicodin®, Norco®, Lorcet®, Percocet®) was 20 tablets (range 10 to 40). The median consumption during the first 24 hours was reported to be three tablets (range 0 to 10), and the total consumption for all 7 days was eight tablets (range 0 to 34). Four patients reported nausea or vomiting in the first 24 hours, and six patients reported nausea or vomiting during the following 6 days of recovery. The initial prescriptions provided adequate relief for 45 of the 48 patients. Higher consumption of opioid pain relievers (OPRs) was associated with a longer duration of surgery and the occurrence of postoperative infections.

Physicians' intention to leave direct patient care: an integrative review.

PubMed

Degen, Christiane; Li, Jian; Angerer, Peter

2015-09-08

In light of the growing shortage of physicians worldwide, the problem of physicians who intend to leave direct patient care has become more acute, particularly in terms of quality of care and health-care costs. A literature search was carried out following Cooper's five-stage model for conducting an integrative literature review. Database searches were made in MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science in May 2014. A total of 17 studies from five countries were identified and the study results synthesized. Measures and percentages of physicians' intention to leave varied between the studies. Variables associated with intention to leave were demographics, with age- and gender-specific findings, family or personal domain, working time and psychosocial working conditions, job-related well-being and other career-related aspects. Gender differences were identified in several risk clusters. Factors such as long working hours and work-family conflict were particularly relevant for female physicians' intention to leave. Health-care managers and policy-makers should take action to improve physicians' working hours and psychosocial working conditions in order to prevent a high rate of intention to leave and limit the number of physicians actually leaving direct patient care. Further research is needed on gender-specific needs in the workplace, the connection between intention to leave and actually leaving and measures of intention to leave as well as using qualitative methods to gain a deeper understanding and developing validated questionnaires.

Multi-objective Optimization of Solar Irradiance and Variance at Pertinent Inclination Angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Dhanesh; Lalwani, Mahendra

2018-05-01

The performance of photovoltaic panel gets highly affected bychange in atmospheric conditions and angle of inclination. This article evaluates the optimum tilt angle and orientation angle (surface azimuth angle) for solar photovoltaic array in order to get maximum solar irradiance and to reduce variance of radiation at different sets or subsets of time periods. Non-linear regression and adaptive neural fuzzy interference system (ANFIS) methods are used for predicting the solar radiation. The results of ANFIS are more accurate in comparison to non-linear regression. These results are further used for evaluating the correlation and applied for estimating the optimum combination of tilt angle and orientation angle with the help of general algebraic modelling system and multi-objective genetic algorithm. The hourly average solar irradiation is calculated at different combinations of tilt angle and orientation angle with the help of horizontal surface radiation data of Jodhpur (Rajasthan, India). The hourly average solar irradiance is calculated for three cases: zero variance, with actual variance and with double variance at different time scenarios. It is concluded that monthly collected solar radiation produces better result as compared to bimonthly, seasonally, half-yearly and yearly collected solar radiation. The profit obtained for monthly varying angle has 4.6% more with zero variance and 3.8% more with actual variance, than the annually fixed angle.

In Healthy Young Men, a Short Exhaustive Exercise Alters the Oxidative Stress Only Slightly, Independent of the Actual Fitness

PubMed Central

Finkler, Maya; Hochman, Ayala; Pinchuk, Ilya; Lichtenberg, Dov

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the apparent disagreement regarding the effect of a typical cycling progressive exercise, commonly used to assess VO2max, on the kinetics of ex vivo copper induced peroxidation of serum lipids. Thirty-two (32) healthy young men, aged 24–30 years, who do not smoke and do not take any food supplements, participated in the study. Blood was withdrawn from each participant at three time points (before the exercise and 5 minutes and one hour after exercise). Copper induced peroxidation of sera made of the blood samples was monitored by spectrophotometry. For comparison, we also assayed TBARS concentration and the activity of oxidation-related enzymes. The physical exercise resulted in a slight and reversible increase of TBARS and slight changes in the activities of the studied antioxidant enzymes and the lag preceding peroxidation did not change substantially. Most altered parameters returned to baseline level one hour after exercise. Notably, the exercise-induced changes in OS did not correlate with the physical fitness of the subjects, as evaluated in this study (VO2max = 30–60 mL/min/kg). We conclude that in healthy young fit men a short exhaustive exercise alters only slightly the OS, independent of the actual physical fitness. PMID:26989456

Design of autonomous sensor nodes for remote soil monitoring in tropical banana plantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiausas, Francis Jerome G.; Co, Jerelyn; Macalinao, Marc Joseph M.; Guico, Maria Leonora; Monje, Jose Claro; Oppus, Carlos

2017-09-01

Determining the effect of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 on various soil parameters is essential in modeling and predicting its occurrence in banana plantations. One way to fulfill this is through a sensor network that will continuously and automatically monitor environmental conditions at suspect locations for an extended period of time. A wireless sensor network was developed specifically for this purpose. This sensor network is capable of measuring soil acidity, moisture, temperature, and conductivity. The designed prototype made use of off-the-shelf Parrot Flower Power soil sensor, pH sensor, Bluno Beetle, battery, and 3D-printed materials, catering specifically to the conditions of tropical banana plantations with consideration for sensor node size, communication, and power. Sensor nodes were tested on both simulated tropical environments and on an actual banana plantation in San Jose, General Santos City, Philippines. Challenges were resolved through iterative design and development of prototypes. Several tests including temperature and weather resilience, and structural stress tests were done to validate the design. Findings showed that the WSN nodes developed for this purpose are resilient to high tropical temperatures for up to 12 hours of continuous exposure, are able to withstand compressive forces of up to 8880.6 N, and can reliably collect data automatically from the area 47.96% of the time at an hourly frequency under actual field conditions.

Predicting the proportion of full-thickness involvement for any given burn size based on burn resuscitation volumes.

PubMed

Liu, Nehemiah T; Salinas, José; Fenrich, Craig A; Serio-Melvin, Maria L; Kramer, George C; Driscoll, Ian R; Schreiber, Martin A; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Chung, Kevin K

2016-11-01

The depth of burn has been an important factor often overlooked when estimating the total resuscitation fluid needed for early burn care. The goal of this study was to determine the degree to which full-thickness (FT) involvement affected overall 24-hour burn resuscitation volumes. We performed a retrospective review of patients admitted to our burn intensive care unit from December 2007 to April 2013, with significant burns that required resuscitation using our computerized decision support system for burn fluid resuscitation. We defined the degree of FT involvement as FT Index (FTI; percentage of FT injury/percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) burned [%FT / %TBSA]) and compared variables on actual 24-hour fluid resuscitation volumes overall as well as for any given burn size. A total of 203 patients admitted to our burn center during the study period were included in the analysis. Mean age and weight were 47 ± 19 years and 87 ± 18 kg, respectively. Mean %TBSA was 41 ± 20 with a mean %FT of 18 ± 24. As %TBSA, %FT, and FTI increased, so did actual 24-hour fluid resuscitation volumes (mL/kg). However, increase in FTI did not result in increased volume indexed to burn size (mL/kg per %TBSA). This was true even when patients with inhalation injury were excluded. Further investigation revealed that as %TBSA increased, %FT increased nonlinearly (quadratic polynomial) (R = 0.994). Total burn size and FT burn size were both highly correlated with increased 24-hour fluid resuscitation volumes. However, FTI did not correlate with a corresponding increase in resuscitation volumes for any given burn size, even when patients with inhalation injury were excluded. Thus, there are insufficient data to presume that those who receive more volume at any given burn size are likely to be mostly full thickness or vice versa. This was influenced by a relatively low sample size at each 10%TBSA increment and larger burn sizes disproportionately having more FT burns. A more robust sample size may elucidate this relationship better. Therapeutic/care management study, level IV.

Effect of adding postoperative noninvasive ventilation to usual care to prevent pulmonary complications in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Al Jaaly, Emad; Fiorentino, Francesca; Reeves, Barnaby C; Ind, Philip W; Angelini, Gianni D; Kemp, Scott; Shiner, Robert J

2013-10-01

We compared the efficacy of noninvasive ventilation with bilevel positive airway pressure added to usual care versus usual care alone in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. We performed a 2-group, parallel, randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome was time until fit for discharge. Secondary outcomes were partial pressure of carbon dioxide, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, atelectasis, adverse events, duration of intensive care stay, and actual postoperative stay. A total of 129 patients were randomly allocated to bilevel positive airway pressure (66) or usual care (63). Three patients allocated to bilevel positive airway pressure withdrew. The median duration of bilevel positive airway pressure was 16 hours (interquartile range, 11-19). The median duration of hospital stay until fit for discharge was 5 days for the bilevel positive airway pressure group (interquartile range, 4-6) and 6 days for the usual care group (interquartile range, 5-7; hazard ratio, 1.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.31; P = .019). There was no significant difference in duration of intensive care, actual postoperative stay, and mean percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second on day 3. Mean partial pressure of carbon dioxide was significantly reduced 1 hour after bilevel positive airway pressure application, but there was no overall difference between the groups up to 24 hours. Basal atelectasis occurred in 15 patients (24%) in the usual care group and 2 patients (3%) in the bilevel positive airway pressure group. Overall, 30% of patients in the bilevel positive airway pressure group experienced an adverse event compared with 59% in the usual care group. Among patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting, the use of bilevel positive airway pressure at extubation reduced the recovery time. Supported by trained staff, more than 75% of all patients allocated to bilevel positive airway pressure tolerated it for more than 10 hours. Copyright © 2013 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reliable Analysis of Single-Unit Recordings from the Human Brain under Noisy Conditions: Tracking Neurons over Hours

PubMed Central

Boström, Jan; Elger, Christian E.; Mormann, Florian

2016-01-01

Recording extracellulary from neurons in the brains of animals in vivo is among the most established experimental techniques in neuroscience, and has recently become feasible in humans. Many interesting scientific questions can be addressed only when extracellular recordings last several hours, and when individual neurons are tracked throughout the entire recording. Such questions regard, for example, neuronal mechanisms of learning and memory consolidation, and the generation of epileptic seizures. Several difficulties have so far limited the use of extracellular multi-hour recordings in neuroscience: Datasets become huge, and data are necessarily noisy in clinical recording environments. No methods for spike sorting of such recordings have been available. Spike sorting refers to the process of identifying the contributions of several neurons to the signal recorded in one electrode. To overcome these difficulties, we developed Combinato: a complete data-analysis framework for spike sorting in noisy recordings lasting twelve hours or more. Our framework includes software for artifact rejection, automatic spike sorting, manual optimization, and efficient visualization of results. Our completely automatic framework excels at two tasks: It outperforms existing methods when tested on simulated and real data, and it enables researchers to analyze multi-hour recordings. We evaluated our methods on both short and multi-hour simulated datasets. To evaluate the performance of our methods in an actual neuroscientific experiment, we used data from from neurosurgical patients, recorded in order to identify visually responsive neurons in the medial temporal lobe. These neurons responded to the semantic content, rather than to visual features, of a given stimulus. To test our methods with multi-hour recordings, we made use of neurons in the human medial temporal lobe that respond selectively to the same stimulus in the evening and next morning. PMID:27930664

Resources Used to Teach the Physical Exam to Preclerkship Medical Students: Results of a National Survey.

PubMed

Uchida, Toshiko; Achike, Francis I; Blood, Angela D; Boyle, Mary; Farnan, Jeanne M; Gowda, Deepthiman; Hojsak, Joanne; Ovitsh, Robin K; Park, Yoon Soo; Silvestri, Ronald

2018-05-01

To examine resources used in teaching the physical exam to preclerkship students at U.S. medical schools. The Directors of Clinical Skills Courses developed a 49-question survey addressing resources and pedagogical methods employed in preclerkship physical exam curricula. The survey was sent to all 141 Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools in October 2015. Results were averaged across schools, and data were weighted by class size. Results from 106 medical schools (75% response rate) identified a median of 59 hours devoted to teaching the physical exam. Thirty-eight percent of time spent teaching the physical exam involved the use of standardized patients, 30% used peer-to-peer practice, and 25% involved examining actual patients. Approximately half of practice time with actual patients was observed by faculty. At 48% of schools (51), less than 15% of practice time was with actual patients, and at 20% of schools (21) faculty never observed students practicing with actual patients. Forty-eight percent of schools (51) did not provide compensation for their outpatient clinical preceptors. There is wide variation in the resources used to teach the physical examination to preclerkship medical students. At some schools, the amount of faculty observation of students examining actual patients may not be enough for students to achieve competency. A significant percentage of faculty teaching the physical exam remain uncompensated for their effort. Improving faculty compensation and increasing use of senior students as teachers might allow for greater observation and feedback and improved physical exam skills among students.

Pharmacokinetics of flunixin meglumine in mature swine after intravenous, intramuscular and oral administration

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to determine intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and oral (PO) FM PK in mature swine. Appropriate pain management for lameness in swine is a critical control point for veterinarians and producers, but science-based guidance on optimal housing, management and treatment of lameness is deficient. Six mature swine (121–168 kg) were administered an IV, IM, or PO dose of flunixin meglumine at a target dose of 2.2 mg/kg in a cross-over design with a 10 day washout period between treatments. Plasma samples collected up to 48 hours post-administration were analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) followed by non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Results No adverse effects were observed with flunixin meglumine administration for all routes. Flunixin meglumine was administered at an actual mean dose of 2.21 mg/kg (range: 2.05-2.48 mg/kg) IV, IM and PO. A mean peak plasma concentration (CMAX) for IM and PO administration was 3748 ng/ml (range: 2749–6004 ng/ml) and 946 ng/ml (range: 554–1593 ng/ml), respectively. TMAX was recorded at 1.00 hour (range: 0.50-2.00 hours) and 0.61 hours (range: 0.17-2.00 hours) after PO and IM administration. Half-life (T ½ λz) for IV, IM and PO administration was 6.29 hours (range: 4.84-8.34 hours), 7.49 hours (range: 5.55-12.98 hours) and 7.08 hours (range: 5.29-9.15 hours) respectively. In comparison, bioavailability (F) for PO administration was 22% (range: 11-44%) compared to IM F at 76% (range: 54-92%). Conclusions The results of the present study suggest that FM oral administration is not the most effective administration route for mature swine when compared to IV and IM. Lower F and Cmax of PO-FM in comparison to IM-FM suggest that PO-FM is less likely to be an effective therapeutic administration route. PMID:23941181

Economic and microbiologic evaluation of single-dose vial extension for hazardous drugs.

PubMed

Rowe, Erinn C; Savage, Scott W; Rutala, William A; Weber, David J; Gergen-Teague, Maria; Eckel, Stephen F

2012-07-01

The update of US Pharmacopeia Chapter <797> in 2008 included guidelines stating that single-dose vials (SDVs) opened and maintained in an International Organization for Standardization Class 5 environment can be used for up to 6 hours after initial puncture. A study was conducted to evaluate the cost of discarding vials after 6 hours and to further test sterility of vials beyond this time point, subsequently defined as the beyond-use date (BUD). Financial determination of SDV waste included 2 months of retrospective review of all doses prescribed. Additionally, actual waste log data were collected. Active and control vials (prepared using sterilized trypticase soy broth) were recovered, instead of discarded, at the defined 6-hour BUD. The institution-specific waste of 19 selected SDV medications discarded at 6 hours was calculated at $766,000 annually, and tracking waste logs for these same medications was recorded at $770,000 annually. Microbiologic testing of vial extension beyond 6 hours showed that 11 (1.86%) of 592 samples had one colony-forming unit on one of two plates. Positive plates were negative at subsequent time points, and all positives were single isolates most likely introduced during the plating process. The cost of discarding vials at 6 hours was significant for hazardous medications in a large academic medical center. On the basis of microbiologic data, vial BUD extension demonstrated a contamination frequency of 1.86%, which likely represented exogenous contamination; vial BUD extension for the tested drugs showed no growth at subsequent time points and could provide an annual cost savings of more than $600,000.

Deep Space 1 Ion Engine

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-21

This image of a xenon ion engine prototype, photographed through a port of the vacuum chamber where it was being tested at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, shows the faint blue glow of charged atoms being emitted from the engine. The engine is now in an ongoing extended- life test, in a vacuum test chamber at JPL, and has run for almost 500 days (12,000 hours) and is scheduled to complete nearly 625 days (15,000 hours) by the end of 2001. A similar engine powers the New Millennium Program's flagship mission, Deep Space 1, which uses the ion engine in a trip through the solar system. The engine, weighing 17.6 pounds (8 kilograms), is 15.7 inches (40 centimeters) in diameter and 15.7 inches long. The actual thrust comes from accelerating and expelling positively charged xenon atoms, or ions. While the ions are fired in great numbers out the thruster at more than 110,000 kilometers (68,000 miles) per hour, their mass is so low that the engine produces a gentle thrust of only 90 millinewtons (20-thousandths of a pound). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04238

Growth and Synthesis of Nucleic Acid and Protein by Excised Radish Cotyledons 1

PubMed Central

Nieman, R. H.; Poulsen, L. L.

1967-01-01

Nutritional and light requirements for growth and synthesis of RNA, DNA, and protein by cotyledons excised from 5-day-old seedlings of Raphanus sativus L. were investigated, and the course of synthesis was followed through the cell cycle. The minimum requirements for a net increase in nucleic acid and protein were sugar, nitrate, and light. The cotyledons used nitrite at low concentration, but not ammonium ion. Light was required for preliminary steps in synthesis of RNA, DNA, and protein, but the actual polymerization reactions occurred in the dark. The cotyledons contained sufficient endogenous growth factors for about half of the cells to complete 1 cycle on a medium of 1% sucrose, 80 mm KNO3. The increase in DNA was limited to about 50% and was accompanied by a comparable increase in cell number. Fresh weight, RNA, and protein tended to increase in proportion to DNA. Growth of the isolated cotyledons commenced with cell enlargement. RNA began to increase after about 4 hours, DNA after about 12. The major increase in protein also began at about 12 hours. The maximum rate of increase for all 3 occurred between 12 and 16 hours. Cell counts indicated that by 28 hours most of the cells which had replicated DNA had also completed cell division. PMID:16656601

Gas-phase kinetics modifies the CCN activity of a biogenic SOA.

PubMed

Vizenor, A E; Asa-Awuku, A A

2018-02-28

Our current knowledge of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity and the hygroscopicity of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) depends on the particle size and composition, explicitly, the thermodynamic properties of the aerosol solute and subsequent interactions with water. Here, we examine the CCN activation of 3 SOA systems (2 biogenic single precursor and 1 mixed precursor SOA system) in relation to gas-phase decay. Specifically, the relationship between time, gas-phase precursor decay and CCN activity of 100 nm SOA is studied. The studied SOA systems exhibit a time-dependent growth of CCN activity at an instrument supersaturation of ∼0.2%. As such, we define a critical activation time, t 50 , above which a 100 nm SOA particle will activate. The critical activation time for isoprene, longifolene and a mixture of the two precursor SOA is 2.01 hours, 2.53 hours and 3.17 hours, respectively. The activation times are then predicted with gas-phase kinetic data inferred from measurements of precursor decay. The gas-phase prediction of t 50 agrees well with CCN measured t 50 (within 0.05 hours of the actual critical times) and suggests that the gas-to-particle phase partitioning may be more significant for SOA CCN prediction than previously thought.

Behavior of polymer cladding materials under extremely high temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Timothy E.; Chang, Selee; Kwak, SeungJo; Oh, Jung Hyun

2012-01-01

Polymer claddings with low refractive indices for silica core fibers were developed. Applications include fiber lasers and transmission of high power lasers in surgery. For many applications, operating fibers under high temperatures is desirable. In a previous publication, the results of testing polymer cladded silica core fiber at 150°C for 6400 hours were given, along with 5000 hours of testing polymer films. The results at 150°C were encouraging, with little additional loss measured. Here we test polymers under more severe conditions, at 270°C, for periods up to 10 hours. The polymers' cured indices range from 1.374 to 1.397 (at 852 nm). Changes in Young's modulus, refractive index, yellowing, weight, hardness, strength, and elongation were observed. While these polymers cannot function at 270°C for extended periods, it is possible to expose them for shorter durations without significant damage. Some polymer properties actually improved after 4 hours of heating. Fibers clad with such polymers have been successfully jacketed with extruded materials, and have endured high temperatures for a few minutes. It is possible that a sensor, fiber laser or other fiber device could function in these temperatures for short periods without the coating properties changing beyond values required for operation.

R for fledglings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donovan, Therese; Brown, Michelle; Katz, Jonathan

2015-01-01

We’ve been asked to provide a short introduction to R and its utility in natural resource management. In this short introduction, we can guarantee one thing: you won’t learn R in a few days. That would be like learning to speak French in a few days. To actually learn R, you need to practice….Bode Miller didn’t win his Olympic medals without hours and hours of practice. However, in this short introduction, you can gain an appreciation for what R can do, be introduced to some key functions that you will likely use over and over again, and learn some strategies for creating scripts for automating your work. There are several excellent R books that provide much more information than this short introduction….. R has a steep learning curve, and our hope is to cover some basics to get you over the initial hump.

Viking on Mars - The carbon assimilation experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horowitz, N. H.; Hobby, G. L.; Hubbard, J. S.

1977-01-01

A fixation of atmospheric carbon, presumably into organic form, occurs in Martian surface material under conditions approximating the actual Martian ones. The reaction showed the following characteristics. The amount of carbon fixed is small by terrestrial standards; highest yields were observed in the light, but some dark activity was also detected; and heating the surface material to 90 C for nearly 2 hours had no effect on the reaction, but heating to 175 C for 3 hours reduced it by nearly 90%. New data from Mars do not support an earlier suggestion that the reaction is inhibited by traces of water. There is evidence of considerable heterogeneity among different samples, but different aliquots from the same sample are remarkably uniform in their carbon-fixing capacity. In view of its thermostability it is unlikely that the reaction is biological.

Development of a Procedure for the Selection of Candidate Vessels of Opportunity in Support of the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

ACRONYMS AHT Anchor Handling Tug AP After Perpendicular ASRV Australian Submarine Rescue Vehicle ASSET Advanced Surface Ship Evaluation Tool AUWS...Five hours after the Squalus sank, its sister ship, USS Sculpin began searching at the Squalus’ reported position prior to diving. Due to an error...ashore in recording that position, Sculpin was searching five miles from Squalus’ actual position. Finally, Ensign Ned Denby on 21 the bridge of Sculpin

Landing Site Dispersion Analysis and Statistical Assessment for the Mars Phoenix Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonfiglio, Eugene P.; Adams, Douglas; Craig, Lynn; Spencer, David A.; Strauss, William; Seelos, Frank P.; Seelos, Kimberly D.; Arvidson, Ray; Heet, Tabatha

2008-01-01

The Mars Phoenix Lander launched on August 4, 2007 and successfully landed on Mars 10 months later on May 25, 2008. Landing ellipse predicts and hazard maps were key in selecting safe surface targets for Phoenix. Hazard maps were based on terrain slopes, geomorphology maps and automated rock counts of MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images. The expected landing dispersion which led to the selection of Phoenix's surface target is discussed as well as the actual landing dispersion predicts determined during operations in the weeks, days, and hours before landing. A statistical assessment of these dispersions is performed, comparing the actual landing-safety probabilities to criteria levied by the project. Also discussed are applications for this statistical analysis which were used by the Phoenix project. These include using the statistical analysis used to verify the effectiveness of a pre-planned maneuver menu and calculating the probability of future maneuvers.

Recorded Behavior as a Valuable Resource for Diagnostics in Mobile Phone Addiction: Evidence from Psychoinformatics.

PubMed

Montag, Christian; Błaszkiewicz, Konrad; Lachmann, Bernd; Sariyska, Rayna; Andone, Ionut; Trendafilov, Boris; Markowetz, Alexander

2015-10-19

Psychologists and psychiatrists commonly rely on self-reports or interviews to diagnose or treat behavioral addictions. The present study introduces a novel source of data: recordings of the actual problem behavior under investigation. A total of N = 58 participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire measuring problematic mobile phone behavior featuring several questions on weekly phone usage. After filling in the questionnaire, all participants received an application to be installed on their smartphones, which recorded their phone usage for five weeks. The analyses revealed that weekly phone usage in hours was overestimated; in contrast, numbers of call and text message related variables were underestimated. Importantly, several associations between actual usage and being addicted to mobile phones could be derived exclusively from the recorded behavior, but not from self-report variables. The study demonstrates the potential benefit to include methods of psychoinformatics in the diagnosis and treatment of problematic mobile phone use.

A linear programming approach for placement of applicants to academic programs.

PubMed

Kassa, Biniyam Asmare

2013-01-01

This paper reports a linear programming approach for placement of applicants to study programs developed and implemented at the college of Business & Economics, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The approach is estimated to significantly streamline the placement decision process at the college by reducing required man hour as well as the time it takes to announce placement decisions. Compared to the previous manual system where only one or two placement criteria were considered, the new approach allows the college's management to easily incorporate additional placement criteria, if needed. Comparison of our approach against manually constructed placement decisions based on actual data for the 2012/13 academic year suggested that about 93 percent of the placements from our model concur with the actual placement decisions. For the remaining 7 percent of placements, however, the actual placements made by the manual system display inconsistencies of decisions judged against the very criteria intended to guide placement decisions by the college's program management office. Overall, the new approach proves to be a significant improvement over the manual system in terms of efficiency of the placement process and the quality of placement decisions.

Video-Recorded Validation of Wearable Step Counters under Free-living Conditions.

PubMed

Toth, Lindsay P; Park, Susan; Springer, Cary M; Feyerabend, McKenzie D; Steeves, Jeremy A; Bassett, David R

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of 14-step counting methods under free-living conditions. Twelve adults (mean ± SD age, 35 ± 13 yr) wore a chest harness that held a GoPro camera pointed down at the feet during all waking hours for 1 d. The GoPro continuously recorded video of all steps taken throughout the day. Simultaneously, participants wore two StepWatch (SW) devices on each ankle (all programmed with different settings), one activPAL on each thigh, four devices at the waist (Fitbit Zip, Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200, New Lifestyles NL-2000, and ActiGraph GT9X (AG)), and two devices on the dominant and nondominant wrists (Fitbit Charge and AG). The GoPro videos were downloaded to a computer and researchers counted steps using a hand tally device, which served as the criterion method. The SW devices recorded between 95.3% and 102.8% of actual steps taken throughout the day (P > 0.05). Eleven step counting methods estimated less than 100% of actual steps; Fitbit Zip, Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200, and AG with the moving average vector magnitude algorithm on both wrists recorded 71% to 91% of steps (P > 0.05), whereas the activPAL, New Lifestyles NL-2000, and AG (without low-frequency extension (no-LFE), moving average vector magnitude) worn on the hip, and Fitbit Charge recorded 69% to 84% of steps (P < 0.05). Five methods estimated more than 100% of actual steps; AG (no-LFE) on both wrists recorded 109% to 122% of steps (P > 0.05), whereas the AG (LFE) on both wrists and the hip recorded 128% to 220% of steps (P < 0.05). Across all waking hours of 1 d, step counts differ between devices. The SW, regardless of settings, was the most accurate method of counting steps.

Economic evaluation of an area-wide integrated pest management program to control the Asian tiger mosquito in New Jersey.

PubMed

Shepard, Donald S; Halasa, Yara A; Fonseca, Dina M; Farajollahi, Ary; Healy, Sean P; Gaugler, Randy; Bartlett-Healy, Kristen; Strickman, Daniel A; Clark, Gary G

2014-01-01

Aedes albopictus is the most invasive mosquito in the world, an important disease vector, and a biting nuisance that limits outdoor activities. Area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) is the recommended control strategy. We conducted an economic evaluation of the AW-IPM project in Mercer and Monmouth Counties, New Jersey with a controlled design (AW-IPM vs. control) from 2009 through 2011. The study analyzed financial documents and staff time for AW-IPM and surveyed an average of 415 randomly chosen households in AW-IPM and control areas each fall from 2008 through 2011. Hours lost from yard and porch activities were calculated as differences between actual and potential hours of these activities in an average summer week if there had been no mosquito concerns. Net estimated benefits of AW-IPM were based on cross-over and difference-in-difference analyses. Reductions in hours lost were valued based on respondents' willingness to pay for a hypothetical extra hour free of mosquitoes spent on yard or porch activities and literature on valuation of a quality adjusted life year (QALY). The incremental cost of AW-IPM per adult was $41.18 per year. Number of hours lost due to mosquitoes in AW-IPM areas between the base year (2008) and the intervention years (2009-2011) declined by 3.30 hours per summer week in AW-IPM areas compared to control areas. Survey respondents valued this improvement at $27.37 per adult per summer week. Over the 13-week summer, an average adult resident gained 42.96 hours of yard and porch time, worth $355.82. The net benefit over the summer was $314.63. With an average of 0.0027 QALYs gained per adult per year, AW-IPM was cost effective at $15,300 per QALY gained. The benefit-cost ratio from hours gained was 8.64, indicating that each $1 spent on AW-IPM gave adults additional porch and yard time worth over $8.

On the Integration of Wind and Solar Energy to Provide a Total Energy Supply in the U.S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebig, E. C.; Rhoades, A.; Sloggy, M.; Mills, D.; Archer, C. L.

2009-12-01

This study examines the feasibility of using renewable energy - mostly wind and solar radiation - as the primary sources of energy in the U.S., under the assumption that a nationwide electric transmission grid is in place. Previous studies have shown that solar output from California and Texas using energy storage is well correlated with the state energy load on an hour by hour basis throughout the year and with the US national load on a monthly basis. Other studies have shown that solar or wind alone can power the present US grid on average. This study explores scenarios for use of wind and solar energy together at the national scale on an hour by hour basis to determine if such a combination is a better match to national seasonal load scenarios than either of the two alone on an hour-by-hour basis. Actual hour by hour national load data from a particular year will be used as a basis, with some scenarios incorporating vehicle sector electrification and building heating and cooling using electric heat pumps. Hydro and geothermal generation can provide additional controllable output, when needed, to fulfill the hourly electricity and/or energy needs. Hourly wind speed data were calculated at the hub height of 80 m above the ground for the year 2006 at over 150 windy locations in the continental US using an extrapolation technique based on 10-m wind speed measurements and vertical sounding profiles. Using a 1.5 MW wind turbine as benchmark, the hourly wind power production nationwide was determined at all locations. Similarly, the hourly output from solar plants, with and without thermal storage, was calculated based on Ausra’s model assuming that the solar production would occur in the Southwest, the area with the greatest solar radiation density in the U.S. Hourly electricity demand for the year 2006 was obtained nationwide from a variety of sources, including the Federal Energy Regulation Commission. Hourly residential heating and cooking, industrial heat processing, and future electrified transportation loads were calculated from monthly energy consumption data from the Energy Information Administration. Using different scenarios of wind power penetration (10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, 80%, 100% of the average national electricity and/or energy demand), the remaining hourly electricity and/or energy load was covered by various combinations of solar, hydro, and geothermal generation. Statistics of the reliability of the various scenarios, as well as details on the area covered by wind and solar farms per each scenario, will be analyzed and presented.

Recovery Act: Johnston Rhode Island Combined Cycle Electric Generating Plant Fueled by Waste Landfill Gas

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

Galowitz, Stephen

The primary objective of the Project was to maximize the productive use of the substantial quantities of waste landfill gas generated and collected at the Central Landfill in Johnston, Rhode Island. An extensive analysis was conducted and it was determined that utilization of the waste gas for power generation in a combustion turbine combined cycle facility was the highest and best use. The resulting project reflected a cost effective balance of the following specific sub-objectives. 1) Meet environmental and regulatory requirements, particularly the compliance obligations imposed on the landfill to collect, process and destroy landfill gas. 2) Utilize proven andmore » reliable technology and equipment. 3) Maximize electrical efficiency. 4) Maximize electric generating capacity, consistent with the anticipated quantities of landfill gas generated and collected at the Central Landfill. 5) Maximize equipment uptime. 6) Minimize water consumption. 7) Minimize post-combustion emissions. To achieve the Project Objective the project consisted of several components. 1) The landfill gas collection system was modified and upgraded. 2) A State-of-the Art gas clean up and compression facility was constructed. 3) A high pressure pipeline was constructed to convey cleaned landfill gas from the clean-up and compression facility to the power plant. 4) A combined cycle electric generating facility was constructed consisting of combustion turbine generator sets, heat recovery steam generators and a steam turbine. 5) The voltage of the electricity produced was increased at a newly constructed transformer/substation and the electricity was delivered to the local transmission system. The Project produced a myriad of beneficial impacts. 1) The Project created 453 FTE construction and manufacturing jobs and 25 FTE permanent jobs associated with the operation and maintenance of the plant and equipment. 2) By combining state-of-the-art gas clean up systems with post combustion emissions control systems, the Project established new national standards for best available control technology (BACT). 3) The Project will annually produce 365,292 MWh's of clean energy. 4) By destroying the methane in the landfill gas, the Project will generate CO{sub 2} equivalent reductions of 164,938 tons annually. The completed facility produces 28.3 MWnet and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.« less

Configuration Management and Infrastructure Monitoring Using CFEngine and Icinga for Real-time Heterogeneous Data Taking Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poat, M. D.; Lauret, J.; Betts, W.

2015-12-01

The STAR online computing environment is an intensive ever-growing system used for real-time data collection and analysis. Composed of heterogeneous and sometimes groups of custom-tuned machines, the computing infrastructure was previously managed by manual configurations and inconsistently monitored by a combination of tools. This situation led to configuration inconsistency and an overload of repetitive tasks along with lackluster communication between personnel and machines. Globally securing this heterogeneous cyberinfrastructure was tedious at best and an agile, policy-driven system ensuring consistency, was pursued. Three configuration management tools, Chef, Puppet, and CFEngine have been compared in reliability, versatility and performance along with a comparison of infrastructure monitoring tools Nagios and Icinga. STAR has selected the CFEngine configuration management tool and the Icinga infrastructure monitoring system leading to a versatile and sustainable solution. By leveraging these two tools STAR can now swiftly upgrade and modify the environment to its needs with ease as well as promptly react to cyber-security requests. By creating a sustainable long term monitoring solution, the detection of failures was reduced from days to minutes, allowing rapid actions before the issues become dire problems, potentially causing loss of precious experimental data or uptime.

Prognostics for Microgrid Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saxena, Abhinav

2012-01-01

Prognostics is the science of predicting future performance and potential failures based on targeted condition monitoring. Moving away from the traditional reliability centric view, prognostics aims at detecting and quantifying the time to impending failures. This advance warning provides the opportunity to take actions that can preserve uptime, reduce cost of damage, or extend the life of the component. The talk will focus on the concepts and basics of prognostics from the viewpoint of condition-based systems health management. Differences with other techniques used in systems health management and philosophies of prognostics used in other domains will be shown. Examples relevant to micro grid systems and subsystems will be used to illustrate various types of prediction scenarios and the resources it take to set up a desired prognostic system. Specifically, the implementation results for power storage and power semiconductor components will demonstrate specific solution approaches of prognostics. The role of constituent elements of prognostics, such as model, prediction algorithms, failure threshold, run-to-failure data, requirements and specifications, and post-prognostic reasoning will be explained. A discussion on performance evaluation and performance metrics will conclude the technical discussion followed by general comments on open research problems and challenges in prognostics.

ISS Solar Array Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, James P.; Martin, Keith D.; Thomas, Justin R.; Caro, Samuel

2010-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Solar Array Management (SAM) software toolset provides the capabilities necessary to operate a spacecraft with complex solar array constraints. It monitors spacecraft telemetry and provides interpretations of solar array constraint data in an intuitive manner. The toolset provides extensive situational awareness to ensure mission success by analyzing power generation needs, array motion constraints, and structural loading situations. The software suite consists of several components including samCS (constraint set selector), samShadyTimers (array shadowing timers), samWin (visualization GUI), samLock (array motion constraint computation), and samJet (attitude control system configuration selector). It provides high availability and uptime for extended and continuous mission support. It is able to support two-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) array positioning and supports up to ten simultaneous constraints with intuitive 1D and 2D decision support visualizations of constraint data. Display synchronization is enabled across a networked control center and multiple methods for constraint data interpolation are supported. Use of this software toolset increases flight safety, reduces mission support effort, optimizes solar array operation for achieving mission goals, and has run for weeks at a time without issues. The SAM toolset is currently used in ISS real-time mission operations.

Systematic Motorcycle Management and Health Care Delivery: A Field Trial.

PubMed

Mehta, Kala M; Rerolle, Francois; Rammohan, Sonali V; Albohm, Davis C; Muwowo, George; Moseson, Heidi; Sept, Lesley; Lee, Hau L; Bendavid, Eran

2016-01-01

We investigated whether managed transportation improves outreach-based health service delivery to rural village populations. We examined systematic transportation management in a small-cluster interrupted time series field trial. In 8 districts in Southern Zambia, we followed health workers at 116 health facilities from September 2011 to March 2014. The primary outcome was the average number of outreach trips per health worker per week. Secondary outcomes were health worker productivity, motorcycle performance, and geographical coverage. Systematic fleet management resulted in an increase of 0.9 (SD = 1.0) trips to rural villages per health worker per week (P < .001), village-level health worker productivity by 20.5 (SD = 5.9) patient visits, 10.2 (SD = 1.5) measles immunizations, and 5.2 (SD = 5.4) child growth assessments per health worker per week. Motorcycle uptime increased by 3.5 days per week (P < .001), use by 1.5 days per week (P < .001), and mean distance by 9.3 kilometers per trip (P < .001). Geographical coverage of health outreach increased in experimental (P < .001) but not control districts. Systematic motorcycle management improves basic health care delivery to rural villages in resource-poor environments through increased health worker productivity and greater geographical coverage.

Design of fuel cell powered data centers for sufficient reliability and availability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritchie, Alexa J.; Brouwer, Jacob

2018-04-01

It is challenging to design a sufficiently reliable fuel cell electrical system for use in data centers, which require 99.9999% uptime. Such a system could lower emissions and increase data center efficiency, but the reliability and availability of such a system must be analyzed and understood. Currently, extensive backup equipment is used to ensure electricity availability. The proposed design alternative uses multiple fuel cell systems each supporting a small number of servers to eliminate backup power equipment provided the fuel cell design has sufficient reliability and availability. Potential system designs are explored for the entire data center and for individual fuel cells. Reliability block diagram analysis of the fuel cell systems was accomplished to understand the reliability of the systems without repair or redundant technologies. From this analysis, it was apparent that redundant components would be necessary. A program was written in MATLAB to show that the desired system reliability could be achieved by a combination of parallel components, regardless of the number of additional components needed. Having shown that the desired reliability was achievable through some combination of components, a dynamic programming analysis was undertaken to assess the ideal allocation of parallel components.

On intra-supply chain system with an improved distribution plan, multiple sales locations and quality assurance.

PubMed

Chiu, Singa Wang; Huang, Chao-Chih; Chiang, Kuo-Wei; Wu, Mei-Fang

2015-01-01

Transnational companies, operating in extremely competitive global markets, always seek to lower different operating costs, such as inventory holding costs in their intra- supply chain system. This paper incorporates a cost reducing product distribution policy into an intra-supply chain system with multiple sales locations and quality assurance studied by [Chiu et al., Expert Syst Appl, 40:2669-2676, (2013)]. Under the proposed cost reducing distribution policy, an added initial delivery of end items is distributed to multiple sales locations to meet their demand during the production unit's uptime and rework time. After rework when the remaining production lot goes through quality assurance, n fixed quantity installments of finished items are then transported to sales locations at a fixed time interval. Mathematical modeling and optimization techniques are used to derive closed-form optimal operating policies for the proposed system. Furthermore, the study demonstrates significant savings in stock holding costs for both the production unit and sales locations. Alternative of outsourcing product delivery task to an external distributor is analyzed to assist managerial decision making in potential outsourcing issues in order to facilitate further reduction in operating costs.

Update on MTTF figures for linear and rotary coolers of Thales Cryogenics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Groep, W.; van der Weijden, H.; van Leeuwen, R.; Benschop, T.; Cauquil, J. M.; Griot, R.

2012-06-01

Thales Cryogenics has an extensive background in delivering linear and rotary coolers for military, civil and space programs. During the last years several technical improvements have increased the lifetime of all Thales coolers resulting in significantly higher Mean Time To Failure (MTTF) figures. In this paper not only updated MTTF values for most of the products in our portfolio will be presented but also the methodology used to come to these reliability figures will be explained. The differences between rotary and linear coolers will be highlighted including the different failure modes influencing the lifetime under operational conditions. These updated reliability figures are based on extensive test results for both rotary and linear coolers as well as Weibull analysis, failure mode identifications, various types of lifetime testing and field results of operational coolers. The impact of the cooler selection for typical applications will be outlined. This updated reliability approach will enable an improved tradeoff for cooler selection in applications where MTTF and a correct reliability assessment is key. Improbing on cooler selection and an increased insight in cooler reliability will result in a higher uptime and operability of equipment, less risk on unexpected failures and lower costs of ownership.

An attempt to estimate students' workload.

PubMed

Pogacnik, M; Juznic, P; Kosorok-Drobnic, M; Pogacnik, A; Cestnik, V; Kogovsek, J; Pestevsek, U; Fernandes, Tito

2004-01-01

Following the recent introduction of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) into several European university programs, a new interest has developed in determining students' workload. ECTS credits are numerical values describing the student workload required to complete course units; ECTS has the potential to facilitate comparison and create transparency between institutional curricula. ECTS credits are frequently listed alongside institutional credits in course outlines and module summaries. Measuring student workload has been difficult; to a large extent, estimates are based only upon anecdotal and casual information. To gather more systematic information, we asked students at the Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, to estimate the actual total workload they committed to fulfill their coursework obligations for specific subjects in the veterinary degree program by reporting their attendance at defined contact hours and their estimated time for outside study, including the time required for examinations and other activities. Students also reported the final grades they received for these subjects. The results show that certain courses require much more work than others, independent of credit unit assignment. Generally, the courses with more contact hours tend also to demand more independent work; the best predictor of both actual student workload and student success is the amount of contact time in which they participate. The data failed to show any strong connection between students' total workload and grades they received; rather, they showed some evidence that regular presence at contact hours was the most positive influence on grades. Less frequent presence at lectures tended to indicate less time spent on independent study. It was also found that pre-clinical and clinical courses tended to require more work from students than other, more general subjects. While the present study does not provide conclusive evidence, it does indicate the need for further inquiry into the nature of the relationship between teaching and learning in higher education and for evaluation of the benefits (or otherwise) of more "self-directed" study.

Communication between residents and attending doctors on call after hours.

PubMed

Novoselsky Persky, Michal A; Yinnon, Amos M; Freier-Dror, Yossi; Henshke-Bar-Meir, Ruth

2013-12-01

Off-hours medical care in hospitals is provided by residents, while attendings on call are available for assistance. This study evaluated the gap between residents' expectations and professional guidelines' requirements of attendings on call and what actually occurs during night shifts, while comparing surgical and medical specialties. Two questionnaires based on professional guidelines were filled by residents. The first queried about residents' expectations of attendings on call, and the second asked about communication with the attendings during actual night shifts. While 91 (100%) of residents expected the attending on call to be available by phone during the shift, only 44 (48%) expected the attending to initiate contact, and only 17 (19%) expected the attending to visit the ward or emergency department (ED) without being requested to do so. In 127 shifts (84%), some form of communication occurred. Residents called their attendings during 105 shifts (70%). However, attendings initiated contact with residents at the beginning or during the shift in only 67 (44%) and 62 (41%) shifts, respectively, and initiated a visit to the ward/ED during the shift in only 41 cases (27%). Surgical attendings initiated contact in these three ways significantly more frequently than medical attendings [21 (28%) versus 46 (61%), 20 (26%) versus 42 (56%) and 4 (5%) versus 37 (50%), respectively; P < 0.001]. While communication during night shifts between residents and attendings occurs in most shifts, attendings initiate far less contact with residents than is required by the guidelines. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bulk canopy resistance: Modeling for the estimation of actual evapotranspiration of maize

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharsallah, O.; Corbari, C.; Mancini, M.; Rana, G.

2009-04-01

Due to the scarcity of water resources, the correct evaluation of water losses by the crops as evapotranspiration (ET) is very important in irrigation management. This work presents a model for estimating actual evapotranspiration on hourly and daily scales of maize crop grown in well water condition in the Lombardia Region (North Italy). The maize is a difficult crop to model from the soil-canopy-atmosphere point of view, due to its very complex architecture and big height. The present ET model is based on the Penman-Monteith equation using Katerji and Perrier approach for modelling the variable canopy resistance value (rc). In fact rc is a primary factor in the evapotranspiration process and needs to be accurately estimated. Furthermore, ET also has an aerodynamic component, hence it depends on multiple factors such as meteorological variables and crop water condition. The proposed approach appears through a linear model in which rc depends on climate variables and aerodynamic resistance [rc/ra = f(r*/ra)] where ra is the aerodynamic resistance, function of wind speed and crop height, and r* is called "critical" or "climatic" resistance. Here, under humid climate, the model has been applied with good results at both hourly and daily scales. In this study, the reached good accuracy shows that the model worked well and are clearly more accurate than those obtained by using the more diffuse and known standard FAO 56 method for well watered and stressed crops.

Comparison Of Human Modelling Tools For Efficiency Of Prediction Of EVA Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dischinger, H. Charles, Jr.; Loughead, Tomas E.

1998-01-01

Construction of the International Space Station (ISS) will require extensive extravehicular activity (EVA, spacewalks), and estimates of the actual time needed continue to rise. As recently as September, 1996, the amount of time to be spent in EVA was believed to be about 400 hours, excluding spacewalks on the Russian segment. This estimate has recently risen to over 1100 hours, and it could go higher before assembly begins in the summer of 1998. These activities are extremely expensive and hazardous, so any design tools which help assure mission success and improve the efficiency of the astronaut in task completion can pay off in reduced design and EVA costs and increased astronaut safety. The tasks which astronauts can accomplish in EVA are limited by spacesuit mobility. They are therefore relatively simple, from an ergonomic standpoint, requiring gross movements rather than time motor skills. The actual tasks include driving bolts, mating and demating electric and fluid connectors, and actuating levers; the important characteristics to be considered in design improvement include the ability of the astronaut to see and reach the item to be manipulated and the clearance required to accomplish the manipulation. This makes the tasks amenable to simulation in a Computer-Assisted Design (CAD) environment. For EVA, the spacesuited astronaut must have his or her feet attached on a work platform called a foot restraint to obtain a purchase against which work forces may be actuated. An important component of the design is therefore the proper placement of foot restraints.

Physician job satisfaction related to actual and preferred job size.

PubMed

Schmit Jongbloed, Lodewijk J; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Borleffs, Jan C C; Stewart, Roy E; Schönrock-Adema, Johanna

2017-05-11

Job satisfaction is essential for physicians' well-being and patient care. The work ethic of long days and hard work that has been advocated for decades is acknowledged as a threat for physicians' job satisfaction, well-being, and patient safety. Our aim was to determine the actual and preferred job size of physicians and to investigate how these and the differences between them influence physicians' job satisfaction. Data were retrieved from a larger, longitudinal study among physicians starting medical training at Groningen University in 1982/83/92/93 (N = 597). Data from 506 participants (85%) were available for this study. We used regression analysis to investigate the influence of job size on physicians' job satisfaction (13 aspects) and ANOVA to examine differences in job satisfaction between physicians wishing to retain, reduce or increase job size. The majority of the respondents (57%) had an actual job size less than 1.0 FTE. More than 80% of all respondents preferred not to work full-time in the future. Respondents' average actual and preferred job sizes were .85 FTE and .81 FTE, respectively. On average, respondents who wished to work less (35% of respondents) preferred a job size reduction of 0.18 FTE and those who wished to work more (12%) preferred an increase in job size of 0.16 FTE. Job size influenced satisfaction with balance work-private hours most (β = -.351). Physicians who preferred larger job sizes were - compared to the other groups of physicians - least satisfied with professional accomplishments. A considerable group of physicians reported a gap between actual and preferred job size. Realizing physicians' preferences as to job size will hardly affect total workforce, but may greatly benefit individual physicians as well as their patients and society. Therefore, it seems time for a shift in work ethic.

[Working style among regular general practitioners and other doctors in the out-of-hours services].

PubMed

Sandvik, Hogne; Hunskår, Steinar

2010-01-28

RGPs (regular general practitioners) are obliged to take on duties in the out-of-hours services in Norway, but they actually perform less than half of this work. We wished to compare remuneration claims for out-of-hours work from RGPs with those from other doctors. The Norwegian Labour and Welfare administration provided information about all doctors working in the out-of-hours services in Norway in 2006 (4 729 of whom 2 220 were RGPs) and coupled this with the remuneration they had claimed in this period. RGPs had 46.6 % of all patient contacts in the out-of-hours services, but more telephone contacts (57.4 %) and simple/short contacts (50.7 %) than other doctors. Other doctors had most contacts in the largest (59.8 %) and most central (56.7 %) municipalities and used general and unspecific diagnoses more often than the RGPs (12.6 % of all consultations vs. 11.0 %). Older doctors used fewer fees than younger doctors, but otherwise the total number of fees only differed slightly between various groups of doctors. Newly qualified doctors serving their compulsory practice period claimed extra remuneration for long consultations in 41.2 % of the cases, RGPs who are also general practice specialists in 20.2 % of cases, and other doctors in 35.7 % of the consultations. RGPs wrote sick notes more often (7.1 % of consultations) than newly qualified doctors (5.7 %) and other doctors (6.6 %). General practice specialists wrote sick notes most often (7.4 %). Experienced RGPs and general practice specialists spend less time per patient than other doctors in the out-of-hours services.

Psychotherapy Training: Residents' Perceptions and Experiences.

PubMed

Kovach, Jessica G; Dubin, William R; Combs, Christopher J

2015-10-01

This survey examined actual training hours in psychotherapy modalities as reported by residents, residents' perceptions of training needs, and residents' perceptions of the importance of different aspects of psychotherapy training. A brief, voluntary, anonymous, Internet-based survey was developed. All 14 program directors for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited programs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware provided email addresses for current categorical residents. The survey inquired about hours of time spent in various aspects of training, value assigned to aspects of training, residents' involvement in their own psychotherapy, and overall resident wellness. The survey was e-mailed to 328 residents. Of the 328 residents contacted, 133 (40.5%) responded. Median reported number of PGY 3 and 4 performed versus perceived ideal hours of supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic therapy did not differ. Answers for clinical time utilizing these modalities ranged from "none or less than 1 h" per month to 20+ h per month. PGY 3 and 4 residents reported a median of "none or less than 1 h" per month performed of interpersonal, dialectical behavior therapy, couples/family/group, and child therapies but preferred more time using these therapies. Residents in all years of training preferred more hours of didactic instruction for all psychotherapies and for medication management. Residents ranked teaching modalities in the following order of importance: supervision, hours of psychotherapy performed, personal psychotherapy, readings, and didactic instruction. Residents engaged in their own psychotherapy were significantly more likely to rank the experiential aspects of psychotherapy training (personal psychotherapy, supervision, and hours performed) higher than residents not in psychotherapy. Current psychotherapy training for psychiatry residents is highly variable, but overall, residents want more psychotherapy education than they are receiving. Further research and discussion about how much psychotherapy training is feasible in an evolving field is required.

Economic and Microbiologic Evaluation of Single-Dose Vial Extension for Hazardous Drugs

PubMed Central

Rowe, Erinn C.; Savage, Scott W.; Rutala, William A.; Weber, David J.; Gergen-Teague, Maria; Eckel, Stephen F.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The update of US Pharmacopeia Chapter <797> in 2008 included guidelines stating that single-dose vials (SDVs) opened and maintained in an International Organization for Standardization Class 5 environment can be used for up to 6 hours after initial puncture. A study was conducted to evaluate the cost of discarding vials after 6 hours and to further test sterility of vials beyond this time point, subsequently defined as the beyond-use date (BUD). Methods: Financial determination of SDV waste included 2 months of retrospective review of all doses prescribed. Additionally, actual waste log data were collected. Active and control vials (prepared using sterilized trypticase soy broth) were recovered, instead of discarded, at the defined 6-hour BUD. Results: The institution-specific waste of 19 selected SDV medications discarded at 6 hours was calculated at $766,000 annually, and tracking waste logs for these same medications was recorded at $770,000 annually. Microbiologic testing of vial extension beyond 6 hours showed that 11 (1.86%) of 592 samples had one colony-forming unit on one of two plates. Positive plates were negative at subsequent time points, and all positives were single isolates most likely introduced during the plating process. Conclusion: The cost of discarding vials at 6 hours was significant for hazardous medications in a large academic medical center. On the basis of microbiologic data, vial BUD extension demonstrated a contamination frequency of 1.86%, which likely represented exogenous contamination; vial BUD extension for the tested drugs showed no growth at subsequent time points and could provide an annual cost savings of more than $600,000. PMID:23180998

An estimate of the cost of burnout on early retirement and reduction in clinical hours of practicing physicians in Canada

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Interest in the impact of burnout on physicians has been growing because of the possible burden this may have on health care systems. The objective of this study is to estimate the cost of burnout on early retirement and reduction in clinical hours of practicing physicians in Canada. Methods Using an economic model, the costs related to early retirement and reduction in clinical hours of physicians were compared for those who were experiencing burnout against a scenario in which they did not experience burnout. The January 2012 Canadian Medical Association Masterfile was used to determine the number of practicing physicians. Transition probabilities were estimated using 2007–2008 Canadian Physician Health Survey and 2007 National Physician Survey data. Adjustments were also applied to outcome estimates based on ratio of actual to planned retirement and reduction in clinical hours. Results The total cost of burnout for all physicians practicing in Canada is estimated to be $213.1 million ($185.2 million due to early retirement and $27.9 million due to reduced clinical hours). Family physicians accounted for 58.8% of the burnout costs, followed by surgeons for 24.6% and other specialists for 16.6%. Conclusion The cost of burnout associated with early retirement and reduction in clinical hours is substantial and a significant proportion of practicing physicians experience symptoms of burnout. As health systems struggle with human resource shortages and expanding waiting times, this estimate sheds light on the extent to which the burden could be potentially decreased through prevention and promotion activities to address burnout among physicians. PMID:24927847

Psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS-10).

PubMed

Littman-Ovadia, Hadassah; Balducci, Cristian; Ben-Moshe, Tali

2014-01-01

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS-10), developed by Schaufeli, Shimazu, and Taris (2009). Three hundred fifty-one employees completed a questionnaire measuring workaholism; of these, 251 employees completed questionnaires measuring work engagement, job satisfaction, overcommitment, and burnout. The results confirmed the expected two-factor structure of workaholism: working excessively and working compulsively. Strong correlations were obtained between self-reports and peer-reports, and satisfactory correlations were obtained between the first and second administrations of the DUWAS-10. Furthermore, DUWAS-10 scores showed predictable relations with actual number of hours worked per week, work engagement, job satisfaction, overcommitment, and burnout. Interestingly, despite working fewer hours per week, women reported higher levels of workaholism in comparison to men, and managers reported higher levels of workaholism in comparison to nonmanagerial employees.

Zolpidem and traffic safety - the importance of treatment compliance.

PubMed

Verster, Joris C; Volkerts, Edmund R; Olivier, Berend; Johnson, William; Liddicoat, Laura

2007-09-01

Zolpidem is among the most frequently prescribed hypnotic drugs for those who suffer from insomnia. Recent media reports drew attention to driving impairment after zolpidem misuse. This review summarizes the available data on the effects of recommended use and misuse of zolpidem on driving ability and traffic safety. Both experimental studies and roadside evidence were taken into account. From these studies it must be concluded that patients should fully comply with the prescription instructions of zolpidem, i.e. to take the medication just prior to a full 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If this strategy is adopted, zolpidem is a safe alternative to benzodiazpine hypnotics and zopiclone who do show significant driving impairment the morning following bedtime administration. However, to ensure traffic safety higher dosages than recommended (10 mg) or allowing less than 8 hours between zolpidem intake and actual operation of a motor vehicle should be avoided.

Enterprise architecture availability analysis using fault trees and stakeholder interviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Närman, Per; Franke, Ulrik; König, Johan; Buschle, Markus; Ekstedt, Mathias

2014-01-01

The availability of enterprise information systems is a key concern for many organisations. This article describes a method for availability analysis based on Fault Tree Analysis and constructs from the ArchiMate enterprise architecture (EA) language. To test the quality of the method, several case-studies within the banking and electrical utility industries were performed. Input data were collected through stakeholder interviews. The results from the case studies were compared with availability of log data to determine the accuracy of the method's predictions. In the five cases where accurate log data were available, the yearly downtime estimates were within eight hours from the actual downtimes. The cost of performing the analysis was low; no case study required more than 20 man-hours of work, making the method ideal for practitioners with an interest in obtaining rapid availability estimates of their enterprise information systems.

Sleep and Final Exam Performance in Introductory Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coletta, Vincent; Wikholm, Colin; Pascoe, Daniel

2018-03-01

Most physics instructors believe that adequate sleep is important in order for students to perform well on problem solving, and many instructors advise students to get plenty of sleep the night before an exam. After years of giving such advice to students at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), one of us decided to find out how many hours students actually do sleep the night before an exam, and how that would relate to their performance. The effect of inadequate sleep on exam performance was explored in a second-semester introductory physics course. At the end of the final exam, students reported the number of hours they slept the night before. Sleep deprivation corresponded to lower final exam scores. The main purpose of this study is to provide evidence that instructors can provide to their students to convince them that their time is better spent sleeping rather than studying all night before an exam.

Changing the Management of Paracetamol Poisoning.

PubMed

Bateman, D Nicholas

2015-09-01

The management of paracetamol poisoning was revolutionized after use of acetylcysteine in the 1970s. The protocol used, 3 weight-related infusions, requires almost 24 hours in hospital. It is associated with adverse events in treated patients, particularly anaphylactoid reactions and vomiting. Present treatment nomograms were based on a small series of untreated patients: only 5 of 22 (23%) and 6 of 25 (24%) between the 100 to 200 mg/L and 200 to 300 mg/L nomogram lines, respectively, developed liver injury (alanine transaminase >1000 IU/L). Many patients treated today are unlikely to be at actual risk for major hepatotoxicity. This article discusses the background to future prospects in this area. The history behind approaches to the use of acetylcysteine is presented briefly. The rationale for, and key findings of, a new 12-hour antidote regimen for paracetamol poisoning are detailed. Newer markers of hepatotoxicity, such as miR-122, HMGB1, and necrosis K18, which predict patients at risk more reliably and earlier than existing tests, are discussed. A 2-phase 12-hour acetylcysteine infusion protocol (100 mg/kg over 2 hours: 200 mg/kg over 10 hours) was studied in a formal factorial design against the traditional 3-phase 20.25-hour infusion protocol, with and without pretreatment with ondansetron or placebo. The 12-hour regimen was associated with very significant reductions in anaphylactoid reactions (odds ratio = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.12-0.43; P < 0.0001) and vomiting (odds ratio = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.18-0.79; P = .003) compared with the 20.25-hour infusion protocol. There were few withdrawals from the clinical trial, indicating the feasibility of conducting such studies in Europe. Novel proteomic markers are better than existing standard tests (alanine transaminase and international normalized ratio) early in the course of paracetamol poisoning. Together with these new biomarkers of hepatotoxicity, a 12-hour acetylcysteine protocol offers clinicians and patients the possibility for better targeting of therapy, fewer adverse effects, a simpler dosing regimen, and shorter hospital stay. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paid part-time employment and academic performance of undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Rochford, Céire; Connolly, Michael; Drennan, Jonathan

2009-08-01

Nursing students are increasingly undertaking paid term-time employment to finance their living expenses and studies. However the type and duration of this part-time work is unknown; furthermore there is a limited evidence on the extent to which this part-time employment is impacting on academic performance and the student's experience of higher education. To address this shortfall this study undertook a cross-sectional survey of undergraduate nursing students to explore the incidence of student involvement in term-time employment and to develop an understanding of the relationship of employment on student's academic and clinical achievement, and on their experience of higher education. The results found that the vast majority of the sample were working in part-time employment during term-time. The average number of hours worked per week was sixteen. The number of hours worked per week was found to be a predictor of course performance, the student's experience of college and grades achieved. Students who worked greater hours reported negative outcomes in each of these three domains. The findings also support the contention that it is not working per se that has a detrimental effect on student outcomes but the numbers of hours' students are actually working while attending college. Therefore policy makers, educationalists and health service providers need to be aware of the burden that nursing students may have to contend with in combining work with their academic studies.

Ruling out acute myocardial infarction. A prospective multicenter validation of a 12-hour strategy for patients at low risk.

PubMed

Lee, T H; Juarez, G; Cook, E F; Weisberg, M C; Rouan, G W; Brand, D A; Goldman, L

1991-05-02

Although previous investigations have suggested that 24 hours is required to exclude acute myocardial infarction in patients who are admitted to a coronary care unit for the evaluation of acute chest pain, we hypothesized that a 12-hour period might be adequate for patients with a low probability of infarction at the time of admission. Using a Bayesian model, we developed a strategy to identify candidates for a shorter period of observation from an analysis of a derivation set of 976 patients with acute chest pain who were admitted to three teaching and four community hospitals. In the derivation set, patients whose clinical characteristics in the emergency room predicted a low (less than or equal to 7 percent) probability of myocardial infarction had only a 0.4 percent risk of infarction if they had neither abnormal levels of cardiac enzymes nor recurrent ischemic pain during the first 12 hours of hospitalization. In an independent testing set of 2684 patients from the seven hospitals, 957 admitted patients (36 percent) were classified as candidates for this 12-hour period of observation according to a previously published multivariate algorithm. Few of these patients were actually transferred from a monitored setting at 12 hours. Of the 771 candidates for a 12-hour period of observation who did not have enzyme abnormalities or recurrent pain during the first 12 hours, 4 (0.5 percent) were subsequently found to have acute myocardial infarction, and only 3 (0.4 percent) died after primary cardiac arrests, all of which occurred three to five days after admission. Rates of other major cardiovascular complications were low in the patients who might have been transferred from the coronary care unit after 12 hours with this strategy. In patients with a higher initial risk of infarction, the standard strategy of 24-hour observation identified all but 11 of 739 acute myocardial infarctions (1 percent). Emergency room clinical data can be used to identify a large subgroup of patients for whom a 12-hour period of observation is normally sufficient to exclude acute myocardial infarction. Patient-specific evaluation and treatment can then proceed without the restrictions imposed by "rule-out" protocols for myocardial infarction.

First-dose analgesic effect of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 selective inhibitor lumiracoxib in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison with celecoxib [NCT00267215

PubMed Central

Wittenberg, Ralf H; Schell, Ernest; Krehan, Gerhard; Maeumbaed, Roland; Runge, Hans; Schlüter, Peter; Fashola, Taiwo OA; Thurston, Helen J; Burger, Klaus J; Trechsel, Ulrich

2006-01-01

Cyclo-oxygenase-2 selective inhibitors are frequently used to manage osteoarthritis. We compared the analgesic efficacy of the novel cyclo-oxygenase-2 selective inhibitor lumiracoxib (Prexige®) versus placebo and celecoxib in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This seven day, double-blind, placebo and active comparator controlled, parallel group study included 364 patients aged ≥50 years with moderate-to-severe symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Patients received lumiracoxib 400 mg/day (four times the recommended chronic dose in osteoarthritis; n = 144), placebo (n = 75), or celecoxib 200 mg twice daily (n = 145). The primary variable was actual pain intensity difference (100 mm visual–analogue scale) between baseline and the mean of three hour and five hour assessments after the first dose. Actual pain intensity difference, average and worst pain, pain relief and functional status (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC™]) were measured over seven days. Patients also completed a global evaluation of treatment effect at study end or premature discontinuation. For the primary variable, the superiority of lumiracoxib versus placebo, the noninferiority of lumiracoxib versus celecoxib, and the superiority of lumiracoxib versus celecoxib were assessed by closed test procedure adjusting for multiplicity, thereby maintaining the overall 5% significance level. In addition, celecoxib was assessed versus placebo in a predefined exploratory manner to assess trial sensitivity. Lumiracoxib provided better analgesia than placebo 3–5 hours after the first dose (P = 0.004) through to study end. The estimated difference between lumiracoxib and celecoxib 3–5 hours after the first dose was not significant (P = 0.185). Celecoxib was not significantly different from placebo in this analysis (P = 0.069). At study end 13.9% of lumiracoxib-treated patients reported complete pain relief versus 5.5% and 5.3% of celecoxib and placebo recipients, respectively. WOMAC™ total and subscales improved for both active treatments versus placebo except for difficulty in performing daily activities, for which celecoxib just failed to achieve significance (P = 0.056). In the patient's global evaluation of treatment effect, 58.1% of patients receiving lumiracoxib rated treatment as 'excellent' or 'good', versus 48.6% of celecoxib and 25.3% of placebo patients. Lumiracoxib was well tolerated. The overall incidence of adverse events was similar across treatment groups. PMID:16469112

Children Working with Text in Science: disparities with 'Literacy Hour' practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peacock, Alan; Weedon, Helen

2002-02-01

The National Literacy Strategy (NLS) provides a coherent plan of what and how children should be taught about non-fiction text. Nevertheless, the difficulties that children actually experience when using science texts are not fully addressed: in particular, the use and interpretation of the visual elements of science text is given limited attention in the prescriptions for teaching the 'Literacy Hour'. Such disparities identified by prior research and by a content analysis of the NLS Framework Document are considered alongside evidence of the difficulties encountered by a class of Year 5 pupils working with a range of non-fiction texts during science lessons. Pupils' text use is studied through observations and interviews with children, through interviews with their teachers and through a questionnaire about text use strategies. The findings suggest that (1) the pupils experienced considerable difficulty in making sense of the science content of non-fiction text, particularly in terms of interpretation of visual elements and their links to written text and (2) use of retrieval strategies taught during the Literacy Hour was not transferred to learning from text during science lessons. The study proposes closer planning of text use in science and literacy lessons.

Cost analysis of public health influenza vaccine clinics in Ontario.

PubMed

Mercer, Nicola J

2009-01-01

Public health in Ontario delivers, promotes and provides each fall the universal influenza immunization program. This paper addresses the question of whether Ontario public health agencies are able to provide the influenza immunization program within the Ministry of Health fiscal funding envelope of $5 per dose. Actual program delivery data from the 2006 influenza season of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) were used to create a model template for influenza clinics capturing all variable costs. Promotional and administrative costs were separated from clinic costs. Maximum staff workloads were estimated. Vaccine clinics were delivered by public health staff in accordance with standard vaccine administration practices. The most significant economic variables for influenza clinics are labour costs and number of vaccines given per nurse per hour. The cost of facility rental was the only other significant cost driver. The ability of influenza clinics to break even depended on the ability to manage these cost drivers. At WDGPH, weekday flu clinics required the number of vaccines per nurse per hour to exceed 15, and for weekend flu clinics this number was greater than 21. We estimate that 20 vaccines per hour is at the limit of a safe workload over several hours. Managing cost then depends on minimizing hourly labour costs. The results of this analysis suggest that by managing the labour costs along with planning the volume of patients and avoiding expensive facilities, flu clinics can just break even. However, any increased costs, including negotiated wage increases or the move to safety needles, with a fixed revenue of $5.00 per dose will negate this conclusion.

Stretched Loops

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-16

When an active region rotated over to the edge of the sun, it presented us with a nice profile view of its elongated loops stretching and swaying above it (Mar. 8-9, 2017). These loops are actually charged particles (made visible in extreme ultraviolet light) swirling along the magnetic field lines of the active region. The video covers about 30 hours of activity. Also of note is a darker twisting mass of plasma to the left of the active region being pulled and spun about by magnetic forces. Video is available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21562

Bright Loops at 171

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

STEREO was able to capture bright loops in exquisite detail as they were arcing above an active region (May 26, 2007) over an 18 hour period. What we are actually seeing are charged particles spinning along magnetic field lines that extend above the Sun's surface. Active regions are areas of intense magnetic activity and often the source of solar storms. In fact, the clip ends with a flourish in which a small coronal mass ejection (CME) blows out into space. This is from the STEREO Ahead spacecraft at the 171 Angstroms wavelength in extreme ultraviolet light.

Stratus Ocean Reference Station (20 degs S, 85 degs W) Mooring Recovery and Deployment Cruise, STRATUS 8, R/V Ronald H. Brown Cruise 07-09, October 9, 2007-November 6, 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

1-minute data and the hourly averaged satellite transmitted data during the bum-in period show some disagreement between some pairs of sensors...compares it with the time taken for another pulse to travel in the opposite direction. Likewise, differences are measured between other pairs of...all electronics and battery packs in place in the well and powered up. This was done to simulate the actual configuration during deployment. On the

Analysis of the Proposed Use of Minuteman Missile Combat Crew Members as Maintenance Extenders.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

which was actually closed and secured after duty hours by a large bank vault-type door. D022. Acronym for the Plans and Intelligence Division, a DO...was secured with a bank vault-type door. 12 p I I I Maintenance I I----lt --u ----ty I -- -- I Training I I Mantenance I I I OHMS I FMMS...adding more duties? Are you crazy? -. OHMS Shop Chiefs .. every time I go down to the LCC the MCCMs are sitting around in their pajamas reading dirty

Observed and modeled tsunami current velocities in Humboldt Bay and Crescent City Harbor, northern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Admire, A. R.; Dengler, L.; Crawford, G. B.; uslu, B. U.; Montoya, J.

2012-12-01

A pilot project was initiated in 2009 in Humboldt Bay, about 370 kilometers (km) north of San Francisco, California, to measure the currents produced by tsunamis. Northern California is susceptible to both near- and far-field tsunamis and has a historic record of damaging events. Crescent City Harbor, located approximately 100 km north of Humboldt Bay, suffered US 20 million in damages from strong currents produced by the 2006 Kuril Islands tsunami and an additional US 20 million from the 2011 Japan tsunami. In order to better evaluate these currents in northern California, we deployed a Nortek Aquadopp 600kHz 2D Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) with a one-minute sampling interval in Humboldt Bay, near the existing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service (NOS) tide gauge station. The instrument recorded the tsunamis produced by the Mw 8.8 Chile earthquake on February 27, 2010 and the Mw 9.0 Japan earthquake on March 11, 2011. Currents from the 2010 tsunami persisted in Humboldt Bay for at least 30 hours with peak amplitudes of about 0.3 meters per second (m/s). The 2011 tsunami signal lasted for over 86 hours with peak amplitude of 0.95 m/s. Strongest currents corresponded to the maximum change in water level as recorded on the NOAA NOS tide gauge, and occurred 90 minutes after the initial wave arrival. No damage was observed in Humboldt Bay for either event. In Crescent City, currents for the first three and a half hours of the 2011 Japan tsunami were estimated using security camera video footage from the Harbor Master building across from the entrance to the small boat basin, approximately 70 meters away from the NOAA NOS tide gauge station. The largest amplitude tide gauge water-level oscillations and most of the damage occurred within this time window. The currents reached a velocity of approximately 4.5 m/s and six cycles exceeded 3 m/s during this period. Measured current velocities both in Humboldt Bay and in Crescent City were compared to calculated velocities from the Method of Splitting Tsunamis (MOST) numerical model. For Humboldt Bay, the 2010 model tsunami frequencies matched the actual values for the first two hours after the initial arrival however the amplitudes were underestimated by approximately 65%. MOST replicated the first four hours of the 2011 tsunami signal in Humboldt Bay quite well although the peak flood currents were underestimated by about 50%. MOST predicted attenuation of the signal after four hours but the actual signal persisted at a nearly constant level for more than 48 hours. In Crescent City, the model prediction of the 2011 frequency agreed quite well with the observed signal for the first two and a half hours after the initial arrival with a 50% underestimation of the peak amplitude. The results from this project demonstrate that ADCPs can effectively record tsunami currents for small to moderate events and can be used to calibrate and validate models (i.e. MOST) in order to better predict hazardous tsunami conditions and improve planned responses to protect lives and property, especially within harbors. An ADCP will be installed in Crescent City Harbor and four additional ADCPs are being deployed in Humboldt Bay during the fall of 2012.

A real-time computer model to assess resident work-hours scenarios.

PubMed

McDonald, Furman S; Ramakrishna, Gautam; Schultz, Henry J

2002-07-01

To accurately model residents' work hours and assess options to forthrightly meet Residency Review Committee-Internal Medicine (RRC-IM) requirements. The requirements limiting residents' work hours are clearly defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the RRC-IM: "When averaged over any four-week rotation or assignment, residents must not spend more than 80 hours per week in patient care duties."(1) The call for the profession to realistically address work-hours violations is of paramount importance.(2) Unfortunately, work hours are hard to calculate. We developed an electronic model of residents' work-hours scenarios using Microsoft Excel 97. This model allows the input of multiple parameters (i.e., call frequency, call position, days off, short-call, weeks per rotation, outpatient weeks, clinic day of the week, additional time due to clinic) and start and stop times for post-call, non-call, short-call, and weekend days. For each resident on a rotation, the model graphically demonstrates call schedules, plots clinic days, and portrays all possible and preferred days off. We tested the model for accuracy in several scenarios. For example, the model predicted average work hours of 85.1 hours per week for fourth-night-call rotations. This was compared with logs of actual work hours of 84.6 hours per week. Model accuracy for this scenario was 99.4% (95% CI 96.2%-100%). The model prospectively predicted work hours of 89.9 hours/week in the cardiac intensive care unit (CCU). Subsequent surveys found mean CCU work hours of 88, 1 hours per week. Model accuracy for this scenario was 98% (95% CI 93.2-100%). Thus validated, we then used the model to test proposed scenarios for complying with RRC-IM limits. The flexibility of the model allowed demonstration of the full range of work-hours scenarios in every rotation of our 36-month program. Demonstrations of status-quo work-hours scenarios were presented to faculty as well as real-time demonstrations of the feasibility, or unfeasibility, of their proposed solutions. The model clearly demonstrated that non-call (i.e., short-call) admissions without concomitant decreases in overnight call frequency resulted in substantial increases in total work hours. Attempts to "get the resident out" an hour or two earlier each day had negligible effects on total hours and were unrealistic paper solutions. For fourth-night-call rotations, the addition of a "golden weekend" (i.e., a fifth day off per month) was found to significantly reduce work hours. The electronic model allowed the development of creative schedules for previously third-night-call rotations that limit resident work hours without decreasing continuity of care by scheduling overnight call every sixth night alternating with sixth-night-short-call rotations. Our electronic model is sufficiently robust to accurately estimate work hours on multiple and varied rotations. This model clearly demonstrates that it is very difficult to meet the RRC-IM work-hours limitations under standard fourth-night-call schedules with only four days off per month. We are successfully using our model to test proposed alternative scenarios, to overcome faculty misconceptions about resident work-hours "solutions," and to make changes to our call schedules that both are realistic for residents to accomplish and truly diminish total resident work hours toward the requirements of the RRC-IM.

Treatment complexity: a description of chemotherapy and supportive care treatment visits in patients with advanced-stage cancer diagnoses.

PubMed

Sumpio, Catherine; Knobf, M Tish; Jeon, Sangchoon

2016-01-01

Modern chemotherapy regimens are growing increasingly complex, involving lengthy outpatient infusions, and additional visits for supportive care. The treatment of advanced-stage patients is uniquely one of unremitting therapy and varying complexity. The study's purpose was to describe and quantify the dimensions of treatment complexity in terms of chemotherapy (CT) and supportive care (SC) visits. Electronic medical records for 121 subjects with stages III and IV cancer were reviewed. Visits were classified as SC and CT types, and actual hours and visit numbers were calculated for a 3-month treatment period. Analysis included descriptive and generalized linear modeling statistics. Subjects ≥65 years spent fewer total hours (M = 18.17 h, SD = 10.17 h, p = 0.04), but experienced more total visits (M = 10.96 visits, SD = 4.65 visits, p = 0.02) than younger subjects. More than 71% of younger patients spent two or more hours per chemotherapy visit, compared to 41.7% of older patients (p = 0.001). Older subjects were more likely to have a SC visit (p = 0.03), but did not differ from younger subjects in SC visit numbers (p = 0.3) or hours (p = 0.6). Females averaged 3.81 more total hours (M = 22. 61 h, SD = 11.06 h, p = 0.055) and had more total visits (M = 10.80 visits, SD = 3.71, p = 0.02) than males. By visit type, women spent twice the hours undergoing SC than males (M = 3.3 vs. 1.5 h, p = 0.051), but genders did not differ in CT visit hours or average length. By diagnosis, colon/esophageal subjects spent more hours in CT visits (M = 21.90 h, SD = 8.60 h, p < 0.01), and lung subjects trended toward spending more hours in SC visits (M = 4.80 h, SD = 8.23 h, p < 0.06). Advanced-stage cancer patients differed in visit types, hours, and treatment length undergoing CT and SC visits. Age, gender, and diagnosis explained the differences, and this study adds new understanding to the phenomenon of treatment complexity.

Aspects of Clock Resetting in Flowering of Xanthium 1

PubMed Central

Papenfuss, Herbert D.; Salisbury, Frank B.

1967-01-01

Flowering is induced in Xanthium strumarium by a single dark period exceeding about 8.3 hours in length (the critical night). To study the mechanism which measures this dark period, plants were placed in growth chambers for about 2 days under constant light and temperature, given a phasing dark period terminated by an intervening light period (1 min to several hrs in duration), and finally a test dark period long enough normally to induce flowering. In some experiments, light interruptions during the test dark period were given to establish the time of maximum sensitivity. If the phasing dark period was less than 5 hours long, its termination by a light flash only broadened the subsequent time of maximum sensitivity to a light flash, but the critical night was delayed. In causing the delay, the end of the intervening light period was acting like the dusk signal which initiated time measurement at the beginning of the phasing dark period. If the phasing dark period was 6 hours or longer, time of maximum sensitivity during the subsequent test dark period was shifted by as much as 10 to 14 hours. In this case the light terminating the phasing dark period acted as a rephaser or a dawn signal. Following a 7.5-hour phasing dark period, intervening light periods of 1 minute to 5 hours did not shift the subsequent time of maximum sensitivity, but with intervening light periods longer than 5 hours, termination of the light acts clearly like a dusk signal. The clock appears to be suspended during intervening light periods longer than 5 to 15 hours. It is restarted by a dusk signal. There is an anomaly with intervening light periods of 10 to 13 hours, following which time of maximum sensitivity is actually less than the usual 8 hours after dusk. Ability of the clock in Xanthium to be rephased, suspended, restarted, or delayed, depending always upon conditions of the experiment, is characteristic of an oscillating timer and may confer upon this plant its ability to respond to a single inductive cycle. It is suggested that phytochrome may influence only the phase of the clock and not other aspects of flowering such as synthesis of flowering hormone. PMID:16656693

Impact of Student vs Faculty Facilitators on Motivational Interviewing Student Outcomes.

PubMed

Widder-Prewett, Rebecca; Draime, Juanita A; Cameron, Ginger; Anderson, Douglas; Pinkerton, Mark; Chen, Aleda M H

2017-08-01

Objective. To determine the impact of student or faculty facilitation on student self-assessed attitudes, confidence, and competence in motivational interviewing (MI) skills; actual competence; and evaluation of facilitator performance. Methods. Second-year pharmacy (P2) students were randomly assigned to a student or faculty facilitator for a four-hour, small-group practice of MI skills. MI skills were assessed in a simulated patient encounter with the mMITI (modified Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity) tool. Students completed a pre-post, 6-point, Likert-type assessment addressing the research objectives. Differences were assessed using a Mann-Whitney U test. Results. Student (N=44) post-test attitudes, confidence, perceived or actual competence, and evaluations of facilitator performance were not different for faculty- and student-facilitated groups. Conclusion. Using pharmacy students as small-group facilitators did not affect student performance and were viewed as equally favorable. Using pharmacy students as facilitators can lessen faculty workload and provide an outlet for students to develop communication and facilitation skills that will be needed in future practice.

Relieving the Time Squeeze? Effects of a White-Collar Workplace Change on Parents

PubMed Central

Hill, Rachelle; Tranby, Eric; Kelly, Erin; Moen, Phyllis

2013-01-01

Employed parents perceive a time squeeze even as trends from the 1960s show they are spending more time with their children. Work conditions (e.g., hours and schedule control) would seem to affect both parents’ time with children and perceived time squeeze, but most studies rely on cross-sectional data that do not establish causality. The authors examined the effects of the introduction of a workplace flexibility initiative (Results Only Work Environment [ROWE]) on changes in mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of the adequacy of their time with children and actual time spent with children (N = 225). Baseline data show the importance of work conditions for parents’ sense of perceived time adequacy. Panel data show that mothers (but not fathers) in ROWE report increased schedule control and improved time adequacy, but no change in actual time spent with children, except that ROWE increases evening meals with children for mothers sharing few meals at baseline. PMID:24436498

Experimental evaluation of automotive air-conditioning using HFC-134a and HC-134a

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, Henry; Zainudin, Muhammad Amir; Aziz, Azhar Abdul; Latiff, Zulkarnain Abdul; Perang, Mohd Rozi Mohd; Rahman, Abd Halim Abdul

2012-06-01

An experimental study to evaluate the energy consumption of an automotive air conditioning is presented. In this study, these refrigerants will be tested using the experimental rig which simulated the actual cars as a cabin complete with a cooling system component of the actual car that is as the blower, evaporator, condenser, radiators, electric motor, which acts as a vehicle engine, and then the electric motor will operate the compressor using a belt and pulley system, as well as to the alternator will recharge the battery. The compressor working with the fluids HFC-134a and HC-134a and has been tested varying the speed in the range 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 rpm. The measurements taken during the one hour experimental periods at 2-minutes interval times for temperature setpoint of 20°C with internal heat loads 0, 500, 700 and 1000 W. The final results of this study show an overall better energy consumption of the HFC-134a compared with the HC-134a.

Recorded Behavior as a Valuable Resource for Diagnostics in Mobile Phone Addiction: Evidence from Psychoinformatics

PubMed Central

Montag, Christian; Błaszkiewicz, Konrad; Lachmann, Bernd; Sariyska, Rayna; Andone, Ionut; Trendafilov, Boris; Markowetz, Alexander

2015-01-01

Psychologists and psychiatrists commonly rely on self-reports or interviews to diagnose or treat behavioral addictions. The present study introduces a novel source of data: recordings of the actual problem behavior under investigation. A total of N = 58 participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire measuring problematic mobile phone behavior featuring several questions on weekly phone usage. After filling in the questionnaire, all participants received an application to be installed on their smartphones, which recorded their phone usage for five weeks. The analyses revealed that weekly phone usage in hours was overestimated; in contrast, numbers of call and text message related variables were underestimated. Importantly, several associations between actual usage and being addicted to mobile phones could be derived exclusively from the recorded behavior, but not from self-report variables. The study demonstrates the potential benefit to include methods of psychoinformatics in the diagnosis and treatment of problematic mobile phone use. PMID:26492275

Bacteriophage prehistory: Is or is not Hankin, 1896, a phage reference?

PubMed

Abedon, Stephen T; Thomas-Abedon, Cameron; Thomas, Anne; Mazure, Hubert

2011-05-01

We identified 30 actual or presumptive "bacteriophage" references dating between the years 1895 and 1917 and have further explored one of the oldest: Hankin's 1896 study of a bactericidal action associated with the waters of the Ganges and Jumna rivers in India. As Hankin's work took place approximately 20 years prior to the actual discovery of bacteriophages, no claims were made as to a possible phage nature of the phenomenon. Here we suggest that it may be imprudent to assume nevertheless that it represents an early observation of phagemediated bactericidal activity. Our principal argument is that the antibacterial aspect of these river waters was able to retain full potency following "heating" for one-half hour in hermetically sealed tubes, where heating in "open" tubes resulted in loss of antibacterial activity. We also suggest that environmental phage counts would have had to have been unusually high-greater than 10(6)/ml impacting a single host strain-to achieve the rates of bacterial loss that Hankin observed.

Recovery of fission product palladium from acidic high level waste solutions

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

Rizvi, G.H.; Mathur, J.N.; Murali, M.S.

1996-07-01

The recovery of palladium from a synthetic pressurized heavy water reactor high level waste (PHWR-HLW) solution has been carried out, and the best reagents to use for the actual HLW solutions are discussed. The extraction of palladium from nitric acid solutions has been carried out using Cyanex-471X (triisobutylphosphine sulfide, TIPS) as the extractant. The metal ion could be quantitatively extracted from solutions with nitric acid concentrations between 2.0 and 6.0 M. The species extracted into the organic phase was found to be Pd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}{center_dot}TIPS. Nitric acid in the range of 2.0 to 5.0 M had no effect on TIPSmore » for at least 71 hours. A systematic study of gamma irradiation on loading and stripping of palladium from loaded organic phases using several potential extractants, TIPS, alpha benzoin oxime, dioctylsulfide, and dioctylsulfoxide has been made. A flow sheet for the recovery of palladium from actual HLW solutions using TIPS is proposed.« less

ERTS-1 data collection systems used to predict wheat disease severities. [Riley County, Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanemasu, E. T.; Schimmelpfenning, H.; Choy, E. C.; Eversmeyer, M. G.; Lenhert, D.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The feasibility of using the data collection system on ERTS-1 to predict wheat leaf rust severity and resulting yield loss was tested. Ground-based data collection platforms (DCP'S), placed in two commercial wheat fields in Riley County, Kansas, transmitted to the satellite such meteorological information as maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, and hours of free moisture. Meteorological data received from the two DCP'S from April 23 to 29 were used to estimate the disease progress curve. Values from the curve were used to predict the percentage decrease in wheat yields resulting from leaf rust. Actual decrease in yield was obtained by applying a zinc and maneb spray (5.6 kg/ha) to control leaf rust, then comparing yields of the controlled (healthy) and the noncontrolled (rusted) areas. In each field a 9% decrease in yield was predicted by the DCP-derived data; actual decreases were 12% and 9%.

A real world analysis of payment per unit time in a Maryland Vascular Practice.

PubMed

Martin, John D; Warble, Patricia B; Hupp, Jon A; Mapes, Jerry E; Stanziale, Stephen F; Weiss, Linda L; Schiller, Toni B; Hanson, Louise A

2010-10-01

In 1992, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services instituted the Resource Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) system to determine physician reimbursement. Relative value units (RVU) were assigned to each Current Procedure Terminology (CPT) code and intended to reflect the time and intensity of work. Little data exist correlating actual procedural and clinical time with respect to reimbursement within the RVU value system. The purpose of this study was to determine how well this system distributes payments per hour for hospital-based procedures in a single vascular practice in the state of Maryland between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. As part of an ongoing prospective outcomes program, procedural times for all vascular procedures (time into until time out of room) were recorded. Fifteen minutes were added for administrative functions on procedural day, each hospital day, and office visits during the global period. The combination of all times was reflected in the total care time (TCT) for each procedure. We recorded all physician fees collected for each procedure. This total fee collected for each procedure was then divided by the TCT to determine the procedure-specific payment per unit time. All similar procedures were grouped together and the average reimbursement per procedure was reported. Data was collected on all 1103 procedures performed during this period. Insurance carrier distribution was 75% Medicare and 25% private insurance. The average reimbursement was $316/hour for open procedures and $556/hour for endovascular. Higher reimbursing procedures included visceral endovascular procedures ($701/hour) and caval filters ($751/hour). Lower reimbursing procedures included lower extremity bypass ($292/hour), dialysis access ($268/hour) and lower extremity amputations ($223/hour). Striking was the difference between payment based on approach for similar conditions. Reimbursement for carotid stent vs carotid endarterectomy was $643/hour vs $383/hour, endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair vs open $593/hour vs $359/hour. This unique study demonstrates a "real world" experience of reimbursement per unit time and raises questions as to the validity of the RBRVS process. The disparity between payments for open and endovascular repair of similar conditions are typical of this inequality. These data do not reflect the intangible time of operative planning, administrative matters, or overhead, and these factors must be considered when interpreting this data. Regardless, this study suggests that capturing detailed financial data is possible and is a more accurate source for future discussions on reimbursement. Copyright © 2010 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic Evaluation of an Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management Program to Control the Asian Tiger Mosquito in New Jersey

PubMed Central

Shepard, Donald S.; Halasa, Yara A.; Fonseca, Dina M.; Farajollahi, Ary; Healy, Sean P.; Gaugler, Randy; Bartlett-Healy, Kristen; Strickman, Daniel A.; Clark, Gary G.

2014-01-01

Aedes albopictus is the most invasive mosquito in the world, an important disease vector, and a biting nuisance that limits outdoor activities. Area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) is the recommended control strategy. We conducted an economic evaluation of the AW-IPM project in Mercer and Monmouth Counties, New Jersey with a controlled design (AW-IPM vs. control) from 2009 through 2011. The study analyzed financial documents and staff time for AW-IPM and surveyed an average of 415 randomly chosen households in AW-IPM and control areas each fall from 2008 through 2011. Hours lost from yard and porch activities were calculated as differences between actual and potential hours of these activities in an average summer week if there had been no mosquito concerns. Net estimated benefits of AW-IPM were based on cross-over and difference-in-difference analyses. Reductions in hours lost were valued based on respondents' willingness to pay for a hypothetical extra hour free of mosquitoes spent on yard or porch activities and literature on valuation of a quality adjusted life year (QALY). The incremental cost of AW-IPM per adult was $41.18 per year. Number of hours lost due to mosquitoes in AW-IPM areas between the base year (2008) and the intervention years (2009-2011) declined by 3.30 hours per summer week in AW-IPM areas compared to control areas. Survey respondents valued this improvement at $27.37 per adult per summer week. Over the 13-week summer, an average adult resident gained 42.96 hours of yard and porch time, worth $355.82. The net benefit over the summer was $314.63. With an average of 0.0027 QALYs gained per adult per year, AW-IPM was cost effective at $15,300 per QALY gained. The benefit-cost ratio from hours gained was 8.64, indicating that each $1 spent on AW-IPM gave adults additional porch and yard time worth over $8. PMID:25338065

Airway management and vascular access simulation during a medical student rotation.

PubMed

Sakawi, Yasser; Vetter, Thomas R

2011-03-01

Medical students electing to spend a month in anaesthesiology during their third or fourth year often experience airway management and vascular access for the first time on an actual patient. An airway management and vascular access simulation course for medical students was developed and implemented at our institution. The purpose of this study was to assess the subjective comfort level after implementing this teaching tool in medical students. A brief didactic course on airway management and vascular access was provided to medical students on the first day of their anaesthesiology rotation. A survey was presented to the students immediately after a focused 1-hour lecture and prior to a simulation session. The pre-simulation survey was comprised of eight questions asking the medical students to rate their level of comfort with both types of procedures. The lecture was followed by a 1-hour simulation course on manikins. The medical students were asked to complete a post-simulation survey, which was comprised of the same initial eight questions. After participating in the didactic course and manikin simulation, the self-perceived comfort level of medical students with airway management (p < 0.0005), vascular access (p < 0.0005) and interpretation of the vascular pressure waveforms (p < 0.0005) demonstrated significant improvement. The results of this study suggest that providing medical students with a brief didactic session on airway and vascular access, including simulation on manikins, prior to the start of their encounter with actual surgical patients, can improve their comfort level in performing both procedures. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

As CMS makes another policy change, policy makers distinguish between different forms of care.

PubMed

2013-10-01

As observation care continues to draw fire from critics who charge that the designation ends up costing hospitals money while also sticking patients with exorbitant fees, the medical directors of dedicated observation units counter that the kind of care delivered by their specialized units actually saves money and gets patients out of the hospital sooner. They note that the problem is that only about one-third of hospitals actually have dedicated observation units, so patients placed on observation typically wind up in inpatient beds, where they may only be evaluated once a day. CMS has just released a new policy rule on observation that should help patients avoid excessive charges, but many experts would like to see the agency take steps to incentivize the kind of quality care that is delivered in dedicated units. The new CMS rule for 2014 caps observation stays at 48 hours. Patients who remain in the hospital beyond this point become inpatients, as long as they meet inpatient criteria. Proponents of observation care contend that the average length-of-stay in a dedicated observation unit is just 15 hours--typically much shorter than the LOS of patients who are placed on observation in inpatient beds. Care in a dedicated observation unit is generally driven by protocol in an emergency medicine environment where there is continuous rounding. Discharges can occur at any time of the day or night. Experts note that observation patients account for the largest portion of both misdiagnoses and malpractice lawsuits stemming from emergency settings.

Transfer of simulated lumbar puncture training to the clinical setting.

PubMed

White, Marjorie L; Jones, Rachel; Zinkan, Lynn; Tofil, Nancy M

2012-10-01

To show that with a combination of evidence-based didactic and hands-on skill demonstration, pediatric interns will be able to correctly perform lumbar punctures (LPs) on neonates in the actual clinical setting. Twenty-three pediatric and internal medicine/pediatric first year residents attended a 1-hour course during their orientation. The course consisted of an evidence-based presentation, reviewing anatomy, indications, complications, and techniques for performing LPs, including a video presentation, followed by hands-on practice of LPs. All interns were anonymously surveyed preintervention and postintervention. The survey results were compared for each learner. After the intervention, interns were individually assessed by a single investigator using a standardized checklist during an LP of an actual pediatric patient during their first year of residency. Pretest and posttest knowledge improved by approximately 12% (P < 0.05). Preintervention confidence and experience were low among learners. Twenty-one of 23 interns completed a follow-up assessment of an LP on an actual pediatric patient. The average on the assessment was 9.7 ± 1.1 of 11 (88% ± 10%). The average number of LP attempts was 1.4 ± 0.5. The steps most frequently missed were preparing the supplies and performing the LP with the bevel of the needle parallel to the spinal ligament, with only 48% of interns performing each of these steps correctly. A task trainer-based course improved the confidence and knowledge about an important pediatric procedure. This confidence and knowledge can translate to actual clinical practice. Further investigations are necessary to support this knowledge and skill translation.

On the integration of wind and solar energy to provide a total energy supply in the USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archer, Cristina; Mills, David; Cheng, Weili; Sloggy, Matthew; Liebig, Edwin; Rhoades, Alan

2010-05-01

This study examines the feasibility of using renewable energy - mostly wind and solar radiation - as the primary source of energy in the USA, under the assumption that a nationwide electric transmission grid is in place. Previous studies have shown that solar or wind alone can power the present U.S. grid on average. Other studies have shown that solar output from California and Texas using energy storage is well correlated with the state energy load on an hour by hour basis throughout the year and with the U.S. national load on a monthly basis. This study explores scenarios for use of wind and solar energy together at the national scale on an hour by hour basis to determine if such a combination is a better match to national seasonal load scenarios than either of the two alone on an hour-by-hour basis. Actual hour by hour national load data from the year 2006 are used as a basis, with some scenarios incorporating vehicle sector electrification and building heating and cooling using electric heat pumps. Hourly wind speed data were calculated at the hub height of 80 m above the ground for the year 2006 at over 150 windy locations in the continental U.S. using an extrapolation technique based on 10-m wind speed measurements and vertical sounding profiles. Using a 1.5 MW wind turbine as benchmark, the hourly wind power production nationwide was determined at all suitable locations. Similarly, the hourly output from solar plants, with and without thermal storage, was calculated based on Ausra's model assuming that the solar production would occur in the Southwest, the area with the greatest solar radiation density in the U.S. Hourly electricity demand for the year 2006 was obtained nationwide from a variety of sources, including the Federal Energy Regulation Commission. Hourly residential heating and cooking, industrial heat processing, and future electrified transportation loads were calculated from monthly and yearly energy consumption data from the Energy Information Administration. Using different scenarios of wind power penetration (between 10% and 120% of the average national electricity and/or energy demand), the remaining hourly electricity and/or energy load was covered by solar thermal electricity produced via the Ausra's innovative linear reflective system, with various amounts of storage. With a 20% redundancy (i.e., an average production of 120% of the demand), a match of ~98% for electric load and ~96% for total energy load were found for the 60%wind-60%solar combination and with 12-hr storage. Work is continuing on improving that match through more sophisticated storage usage strategies and by looking at other options for the few days in the year for which wind and solar might be insufficient.

Effects of a Flexibility/Support Intervention on Work Performance: Evidence From the Work, Family, and Health Network.

PubMed

Bray, Jeremy W; Hinde, Jesse M; Kaiser, David J; Mills, Michael J; Karuntzos, Georgia T; Genadek, Katie R; Kelly, Erin L; Kossek, Ellen E; Hurtado, David A

2018-05-01

To estimate the effects of a workplace initiative to reduce work-family conflict on employee performance. A group-randomized multisite controlled experimental study with longitudinal follow-up. An information technology firm. Employees randomized to the intervention (n = 348) and control condition (n = 345). An intervention, "Start. Transform. Achieve. Results." to enhance employees' control over their work time, to increase supervisors' support for this change, and to increase employees' and supervisors' focus on results. We estimated the effect of the intervention on 9 self-reported employee performance measures using a difference-in-differences approach with generalized linear mixed models. Performance measures included actual and expected hours worked, absenteeism, and presenteeism. This study found little evidence that an intervention targeting work-family conflict affected employee performance. The only significant effect of the intervention was an approximately 1-hour reduction in expected work hours. After Bonferroni correction, the intervention effect is marginally insignificant at 6 months and marginally significant at 12 and 18 months. The intervention reduced expected working time by 1 hour per week; effects on most other employee self-reported performance measures were statistically insignificant. When coupled with the other positive wellness and firm outcomes, this intervention may be useful for improving employee perceptions of increased access to personal time or personal wellness without sacrificing performance. The null effects on performance provide countervailing evidence to recent negative press on work-family and flex work initiatives.

Deterministic Models of Inhalational Anthrax in New Zealand White Rabbits

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Computational models describing bacterial kinetics were developed for inhalational anthrax in New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits following inhalation of Ames strain B. anthracis. The data used to parameterize the models included bacterial numbers in the airways, lung tissue, draining lymph nodes, and blood. Initial bacterial numbers were deposited spore dose. The first model was a single exponential ordinary differential equation (ODE) with 3 rate parameters that described mucociliated (physical) clearance, immune clearance (bacterial killing), and bacterial growth. At 36 hours postexposure, the ODE model predicted 1.7×107 bacteria in the rabbit, which agreed well with data from actual experiments (4.0×107 bacteria at 36 hours). Next, building on the single ODE model, a physiological-based biokinetic (PBBK) compartmentalized model was developed in which 1 physiological compartment was the lumen of the airways and the other was the rabbit body (lung tissue, lymph nodes, blood). The 2 compartments were connected with a parameter describing transport of bacteria from the airways into the body. The PBBK model predicted 4.9×107 bacteria in the body at 36 hours, and by 45 hours the model showed all clearance mechanisms were saturated, suggesting the rabbit would quickly succumb to the infection. As with the ODE model, the PBBK model results agreed well with laboratory observations. These data are discussed along with the need for and potential application of the models in risk assessment, drug development, and as a general aid to the experimentalist studying inhalational anthrax. PMID:24527843

Estimation of hand hygiene opportunities on an adult medical ward using 24-hour camera surveillance: validation of the HOW2 Benchmark Study.

PubMed

Diller, Thomas; Kelly, J William; Blackhurst, Dawn; Steed, Connie; Boeker, Sue; McElveen, Danielle C

2014-06-01

We previously published a formula to estimate the number of hand hygiene opportunities (HHOs) per patient-day using the World Health Organization's "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene" methodology (HOW2 Benchmark Study). HHOs can be used as a denominator for calculating hand hygiene compliance rates when product utilization data are available. This study validates the previously derived HHO estimate using 24-hour video surveillance of health care worker hand hygiene activity. The validation study utilized 24-hour video surveillance recordings of 26 patients' hospital stays to measure the actual number of HHOs per patient-day on a medicine ward in a large teaching hospital. Statistical methods were used to compare these results to those obtained by episodic observation of patient activity in the original derivation study. Total hours of data collection were 81.3 and 1,510.8, resulting in 1,740 and 4,522 HHOs in the derivation and validation studies, respectively. Comparisons of the mean and median HHOs per 24-hour period did not differ significantly. HHOs were 71.6 (95% confidence interval: 64.9-78.3) and 73.9 (95% confidence interval: 69.1-84.1), respectively. This study validates the HOW2 Benchmark Study and confirms that expected numbers of HHOs can be estimated from the unit's patient census and patient-to-nurse ratio. These data can be used as denominators in calculations of hand hygiene compliance rates from electronic monitoring using the "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene" methodology. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost analysis for computer supported multiple-choice paper examinations

PubMed Central

Mandel, Alexander; Hörnlein, Alexander; Ifland, Marianus; Lüneburg, Edeltraud; Deckert, Jürgen; Puppe, Frank

2011-01-01

Introduction: Multiple-choice-examinations are still fundamental for assessment in medical degree programs. In addition to content related research, the optimization of the technical procedure is an important question. Medical examiners face three options: paper-based examinations with or without computer support or completely electronic examinations. Critical aspects are the effort for formatting, the logistic effort during the actual examination, quality, promptness and effort of the correction, the time for making the documents available for inspection by the students, and the statistical analysis of the examination results. Methods: Since three semesters a computer program for input and formatting of MC-questions in medical and other paper-based examinations is used and continuously improved at Wuerzburg University. In the winter semester (WS) 2009/10 eleven, in the summer semester (SS) 2010 twelve and in WS 2010/11 thirteen medical examinations were accomplished with the program and automatically evaluated. For the last two semesters the remaining manual workload was recorded. Results: The cost of the formatting and the subsequent analysis including adjustments of the analysis of an average examination with about 140 participants and about 35 questions was 5-7 hours for exams without complications in the winter semester 2009/2010, about 2 hours in SS 2010 and about 1.5 hours in the winter semester 2010/11. Including exams with complications, the average time was about 3 hours per exam in SS 2010 and 2.67 hours for the WS 10/11. Discussion: For conventional multiple-choice exams the computer-based formatting and evaluation of paper-based exams offers a significant time reduction for lecturers in comparison with the manual correction of paper-based exams and compared to purely electronically conducted exams it needs a much simpler technological infrastructure and fewer staff during the exam. PMID:22205913

Cost analysis for computer supported multiple-choice paper examinations.

PubMed

Mandel, Alexander; Hörnlein, Alexander; Ifland, Marianus; Lüneburg, Edeltraud; Deckert, Jürgen; Puppe, Frank

2011-01-01

Multiple-choice-examinations are still fundamental for assessment in medical degree programs. In addition to content related research, the optimization of the technical procedure is an important question. Medical examiners face three options: paper-based examinations with or without computer support or completely electronic examinations. Critical aspects are the effort for formatting, the logistic effort during the actual examination, quality, promptness and effort of the correction, the time for making the documents available for inspection by the students, and the statistical analysis of the examination results. Since three semesters a computer program for input and formatting of MC-questions in medical and other paper-based examinations is used and continuously improved at Wuerzburg University. In the winter semester (WS) 2009/10 eleven, in the summer semester (SS) 2010 twelve and in WS 2010/11 thirteen medical examinations were accomplished with the program and automatically evaluated. For the last two semesters the remaining manual workload was recorded. The cost of the formatting and the subsequent analysis including adjustments of the analysis of an average examination with about 140 participants and about 35 questions was 5-7 hours for exams without complications in the winter semester 2009/2010, about 2 hours in SS 2010 and about 1.5 hours in the winter semester 2010/11. Including exams with complications, the average time was about 3 hours per exam in SS 2010 and 2.67 hours for the WS 10/11. For conventional multiple-choice exams the computer-based formatting and evaluation of paper-based exams offers a significant time reduction for lecturers in comparison with the manual correction of paper-based exams and compared to purely electronically conducted exams it needs a much simpler technological infrastructure and fewer staff during the exam.

Time Domain Astronomy with Fermi GBM in the Multi-messenger Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.; Fermi GBM team, GBM-LIGO team

2018-01-01

As the Multi-Messenger era begins with detections of gravitational waves with LIGO/Virgo and neutrinos with IceCube, the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) provides context observations of gamma-ray transients between 8 keV and 40 MeV. Fermi GBM has a wide field of view, high uptime, and both in-orbit triggering and high time resolution continuous data enabling offline searches for weaker transients. GBM detects numerous gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), soft gamma-ray repeaters, X-ray bursters, solar flares and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes. Longer timescale transients, predominantly in our galaxy so far, are detected using the Earth occultation technique and epoch-folding for periodic sources. The GBM team has developed two ground-based searches to enhance detections of faint transients, especially short GRBs. The targeted search uses the time and location of an event detected with another instrument to coherently search the GBM data, increasing the sensitivity to a transient. The untargeted search agnostically searches the GBM data for all directions and times to find weaker transients. This search finds about 80 short GRBs per year, adding to the 40 per year triggered on-orbit. With its large field of view, high duty cycle and increasingly sophisticated detection methods, Fermi GBM is expected to have a major role in the Multi-Messenger era.

Wireless Sensors and Networks for Advanced Energy Management

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

Hardy, J.E.

Numerous national studies and working groups have identified low-cost, very low-power wireless sensors and networks as a critical enabling technology for increasing energy efficiency, reducing waste, and optimizing processes. Research areas for developing such sensor and network platforms include microsensor arrays, ultra-low power electronics and signal conditioning, data/control transceivers, and robust wireless networks. A review of some of the research in the following areas will be discussed: (1) Low-cost, flexible multi-sensor array platforms (CO{sub 2}, NO{sub x}, CO, humidity, NH{sub 3}, O{sub 2}, occupancy, etc.) that enable energy and emission reductions in applications such as buildings and manufacturing; (2) Modelingmore » investments (energy usage and savings to drive capital investment decisions) and estimated uptime improvements through pervasive gathering of equipment and process health data and its effects on energy; (3) Robust, self-configuring wireless sensor networks for energy management; and (4) Quality-of-service for secure and reliable data transmission from widely distributed sensors. Wireless communications is poised to support technical innovations in the industrial community, with widespread use of wireless sensors forecasted to improve manufacturing production and energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Progress being made in wireless system components, as described in this paper, is helping bring these projected improvements to reality.« less

Systematic Motorcycle Management and Health Care Delivery: A Field Trial

PubMed Central

Rerolle, Francois; Rammohan, Sonali V.; Albohm, Davis C.; Muwowo, George; Moseson, Heidi; Sept, Lesley; Lee, Hau L.; Bendavid, Eran

2016-01-01

Objectives. We investigated whether managed transportation improves outreach-based health service delivery to rural village populations. Methods. We examined systematic transportation management in a small-cluster interrupted time series field trial. In 8 districts in Southern Zambia, we followed health workers at 116 health facilities from September 2011 to March 2014. The primary outcome was the average number of outreach trips per health worker per week. Secondary outcomes were health worker productivity, motorcycle performance, and geographical coverage. Results. Systematic fleet management resulted in an increase of 0.9 (SD = 1.0) trips to rural villages per health worker per week (P < .001), village-level health worker productivity by 20.5 (SD = 5.9) patient visits, 10.2 (SD = 1.5) measles immunizations, and 5.2 (SD = 5.4) child growth assessments per health worker per week. Motorcycle uptime increased by 3.5 days per week (P < .001), use by 1.5 days per week (P < .001), and mean distance by 9.3 kilometers per trip (P < .001). Geographical coverage of health outreach increased in experimental (P < .001) but not control districts. Conclusions. Systematic motorcycle management improves basic health care delivery to rural villages in resource-poor environments through increased health worker productivity and greater geographical coverage. PMID:26562131

The participation of outer membrane proteins in the bacterial sensitivity to nanosilver.

PubMed

Kędziora, Anna; Krzyżewska, Eva; Dudek, Bartłomiej; Bugla-Płoskońska, Gabriela

2016-06-13

The presented study is to analyze the participation of outer membrane proteins of Gram- negative bacteria in sensitivity to silver nanomaterials. The mechanism of interaction of silver with the bacterial cell is best described in this group of microorganisms. There are several theories regarding the effectiveness of antimicrobial ions and nanosilver, and at the indicated differences in the way they work. Outer membrane proteins of Gram-negative bacteria are involved in the procurement of silver from the environment and contribute to the development mechanisms of resistance to nanometals. They are measurable parameter in the field of cell phenotypic response to the presence of Gram-negative bacteria in the environment silver nanoforms: its properties, chemical composition, content or times of action. Proteomic methods (including two dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI‑TOF MS) are therefore relevant techniques for determining the susceptibility of bacteria to silver and the changes taking place in the outer membrane under the influence: uptime/exposure and physical and chemical parameters of silver nanomaterials. Many products containing nanosilver is still in the research phase in terms of physico‑chemical characteristics and biological activity, others have been already implemented in many industries. During the very fast nanotechnology developing and introduction to the market products based on the nanosilver the bacterial answer to nanosilver is needed.

Informatics in radiology (infoRAD): A complete continuous-availability PACS archive server.

PubMed

Liu, Brent J; Huang, H K; Cao, Fei; Zhou, Michael Z; Zhang, Jianguo; Mogel, Greg

2004-01-01

The operational reliability of the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) server in a filmless hospital environment is always a major concern because server failure could cripple the entire PACS operation. A simple, low-cost, continuous-availability (CA) PACS archive server was designed and developed. The server makes use of a triple modular redundancy (TMR) system with a simple majority voting logic that automatically identifies a faulty module and removes it from service. The remaining two modules continue normal operation with no adverse effects on data flow or system performance. In addition, the server is integrated with two external mass storage devices for short- and long-term storage. Evaluation and testing of the server were conducted with laboratory experiments in which hardware failures were simulated to observe recovery time and the resumption of normal data flow. The server provides maximum uptime (99.999%) for end users while ensuring the transactional integrity of all clinical PACS data. Hardware failure has only minimal impact on performance, with no interruption of clinical data flow or loss of data. As hospital PACS become more widespread, the need for CA PACS solutions will increase. A TMR CA PACS archive server can reliably help achieve CA in this setting. Copyright RSNA, 2004

Development and implementation of a PACS network and resource manager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Brent K.; Taira, Ricky K.; Dwyer, Samuel J., III; Huang, H. K.

1992-07-01

Clinical acceptance of PACS is predicated upon maximum uptime. Upon component failure, detection, diagnosis, reconfiguration and repair must occur immediately. Our current PACS network is large, heterogeneous, complex and wide-spread geographically. The overwhelming number of network devices, computers and software processes involved in a departmental or inter-institutional PACS makes development of tools for network and resource management critical. The authors have developed and implemented a comprehensive solution (PACS Network-Resource Manager) using the OSI Network Management Framework with network element agents that respond to queries and commands for network management stations. Managed resources include: communication protocol layers for Ethernet, FDDI and UltraNet; network devices; computer and operating system resources; and application, database and network services. The Network-Resource Manager is currently being used for warning, fault, security violation and configuration modification event notification. Analysis, automation and control applications have been added so that PACS resources can be dynamically reconfigured and so that users are notified when active involvement is required. Custom data and error logging have been implemented that allow statistics for each PACS subsystem to be charted for performance data. The Network-Resource Manager allows our departmental PACS system to be monitored continuously and thoroughly, with a minimal amount of personal involvement and time.

Extended outlook: description, utilization, and daily applications of cloud technology in radiology.

PubMed

Gerard, Perry; Kapadia, Neil; Chang, Patricia T; Acharya, Jay; Seiler, Michael; Lefkovitz, Zvi

2013-12-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the concept of cloud technology, its role in medical applications and radiology, the role of the radiologist in using and accessing these vast resources of information, and privacy concerns and HIPAA compliance strategies. Cloud computing is the delivery of shared resources, software, and information to computers and other devices as a metered service. This technology has a promising role in the sharing of patient medical information and appears to be particularly suited for application in radiology, given the field's inherent need for storage and access to large amounts of data. The radiology cloud has significant strengths, such as providing centralized storage and access, reducing unnecessary repeat radiologic studies, and potentially allowing radiologic second opinions more easily. There are significant cost advantages to cloud computing because of a decreased need for infrastructure and equipment by the institution. Private clouds may be used to ensure secure storage of data and compliance with HIPAA. In choosing a cloud service, there are important aspects, such as disaster recovery plans, uptime, and security audits, that must be considered. Given that the field of radiology has become almost exclusively digital in recent years, the future of secure storage and easy access to imaging studies lies within cloud computing technology.

Optimized distributed computing environment for mask data preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Byoung-Sup; Bang, Ju-Mi; Ji, Min-Kyu; Kang, Sun; Jang, Sung-Hoon; Choi, Yo-Han; Ki, Won-Tai; Choi, Seong-Woon; Han, Woo-Sung

2005-11-01

As the critical dimension (CD) becomes smaller, various resolution enhancement techniques (RET) are widely adopted. In developing sub-100nm devices, the complexity of optical proximity correction (OPC) is severely increased and applied OPC layers are expanded to non-critical layers. The transformation of designed pattern data by OPC operation causes complexity, which cause runtime overheads to following steps such as mask data preparation (MDP), and collapse of existing design hierarchy. Therefore, many mask shops exploit the distributed computing method in order to reduce the runtime of mask data preparation rather than exploit the design hierarchy. Distributed computing uses a cluster of computers that are connected to local network system. However, there are two things to limit the benefit of the distributing computing method in MDP. First, every sequential MDP job, which uses maximum number of available CPUs, is not efficient compared to parallel MDP job execution due to the input data characteristics. Second, the runtime enhancement over input cost is not sufficient enough since the scalability of fracturing tools is limited. In this paper, we will discuss optimum load balancing environment that is useful in increasing the uptime of distributed computing system by assigning appropriate number of CPUs for each input design data. We will also describe the distributed processing (DP) parameter optimization to obtain maximum throughput in MDP job processing.

Real-time validation of the Dst Predictor model

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCollough, James P.; Young, Shawn L.; Rigler, E. Joshua; Simpson, Hal A.

2015-01-01

The Dst Predictor model, which has been running real-time in the Space Weather Analysis and Forecast System (SWAFS), provides 1-hour and 4-hour forecasts of the Dst index. This is useful for awareness of impending geomagnetic activity, as well as driving other real-time models that use Dst as an input. In this report, we examine the performance of this forecast model in detail. When validating indices it should be noted that performance is only with respect to a reference index as they are derived quantities assumed to reflect a state of the magnetosphere that cannot be directly measured. In this case U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Definitive Dst is the reference index (Section 3). Whether or not the model better reflects the actual activity level is nearly impossible to discern and is outside the scope of this report. We evaluate the performance of the model by computing continuous predictant skill scores against USGS Definitive Dst values as “observations” (Section 4.2). The two sets of data are not well-correlated for both 1-hour and 4-hour forecasts. The Dst Predictor Prediction Efficiency for both the 1- and 4-hour forecasts suggests poor performance versus the climatological mean. However, the skill score against a nowcast persistence model is positive, suggesting value added by the Dst Predictor model. We further examine statistics for storm times (Section 4.3) with similar results: nowcast persistence performs worse than Dst Predictor.  Dst Predictor is superior to the nowcast persistence model for the metric used in this study. We recommend continued use of the DstPredictor model for 1-and4-hour Dst predictions along with active study of other Dst forecast models that do not rely on nowcast inputs (Section 6). The lack of certified requirements makes further recommendations difficult. A study of how the error in Dst translates to error in models and a better understanding of operational needs for magnetic storm warning are needed to determine such requirements. Nowcast persistence is often hard to beat for short term forecasts and specification and Dst Predictor clearly performs well against that standard (with 1-hour and 4-hour skill-scores of 0.233 and 0.485 respectively), although poor in absolute terms (with1-hourand4-hour prediction efficiencies of-64.6and-43.1, respectively).

Synthesis, salvage, and catabolism of uridine nucleotides in boron-deficient squash roots.

PubMed

Lovatt, C J; Albert, L S; Tremblay, G C

1981-12-01

Previous work has provided evidence that plants may require boron to maintain adequate levels of pyrimidine nucleotides, suggesting that the state of boron deficiency may actually be one of pyrimidine starvation. Since the availability of pyrimidine nucleotides is influenced by their rates of synthesis, salvage, and catabolism, we compared these activities in the terminal 3 centimeters of roots excised from boron-deficient and -sufficient squash plants (Cucurbita pepo L.). Transferring 5-day-old squash plants to a boron-deficient nutrient solution resulted in cessation of root elongation within 18 hours. However, withholding boron for up to 30 hours did not result in either impaired de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis or a change in the sensitivity of the de novo pathway to regulation by end product inhibition. Boron deprivation had no significant effect on pyrimidine salvage or catabolism. These results provide evidence that boron-deficient plants are not starved for uridine nucleotides collectively. Whether a particular pyrimidine nucleotide or derivative is limiting during boron deprivation remains to be examined.

Managing the work-life roller-coaster: private stress or public health issue?

PubMed

Bryson, Lois; Warner-Smith, Penny; Brown, Peter; Fray, Leanne

2007-09-01

Although research has established the importance for health of a sense of personal control at work, the implications of this for women have not been adequately studied. Using quantitative data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health and qualitative data from an associated study, here we examine women's health and sense of control in relation to family and employment commitments. In line with other research, 'demand over-load' is found to be important for sense of control, but both 'over-load' and 'control' prove complex, as illustrated by the finding that good mental health is associated with satisfaction with, rather than actual, hours of employment. In the contemporary western context of longer working hours, increasing time strain, and gender relations shaped within a neo-liberal, individualised social environment, the findings suggest that as life speeds up, 'control' and the health effects of 'busyness', need to be understood not merely as personal matters, but rather as potentially important public health issues.

Aging and shiftwork: the effects of 20 years of rotating 12-hour shifts among petroleum refinery operators.

PubMed

Bourdouxhe, M A; Quéinnec, Y; Granger, D; Baril, R H; Guertin, S C; Massicotte, P R; Levy, M; Lemay, F L

1999-01-01

The survey was conducted in a Canadian refinery where operators have been working rotating 12-hour shifts for 20 years. A multidisciplinary approach was adopted, based on 12 sources of data. Descriptive statistics and chronoergonomic observations were used. The most marked consequences of the schedule were observed among former shiftworkers. Among current shift workers, sleep deficit, chronic fatigue, health problems, and disruption of social and family life were the most serious effects observed. Aging and under-staffing, however, interact with schedule by necessitating overtime and reducing the actual number of rest days, which in turn affects fatigue and reliability. In the near future, the low replacement rate of the workforce and the limitations on reassignment of aging workers to day shifts will probably prevent the selection process from playing its "protective" role. Besides, with the 5-year delay of the retirement age, the harmful effects in older operators active over the next 5-10 years may prove greater than those observed in this study.

Asbestos fiber release from the brake pads of overhead industrial cranes

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

Spencer, J.W.; Plisko, M.J.; Balzer, J.L.

The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the actual contribution of airborne asbestos fibers to the work environment from the operation of overhead cranes and hoists that use asbestos composition brake pads. The evaluation was conducted in a working manufacturing facility. Other potential sources of asbestos were accounted for by visual inspection and background air monitoring. An overhead crane assembly comprised of a trolley and two hoists was employed for this study. The crane was operated for two consecutive eight-hour shifts representative of a heavy-duty cycle. Forty-four personal and area air samples were collected during the assessment. Asbestos fibersmore » were analyzed for by phase contrast (NIOSH 7400), and transmission electron (NIOSH 7402) microscopy methods. Eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) asbestos fiber concentrations ranges from <0.005 to 0.011 fibers/cc (PCM), and <0.0026 to <0.0094f/cc (TEM). There were no asbestos fibers detected by the TEM method from air samples collected during the operation of the cranes.« less

Congestion Pricing for Aircraft Pushback Slot Allocation.

PubMed

Liu, Lihua; Zhang, Yaping; Liu, Lan; Xing, Zhiwei

2017-01-01

In order to optimize aircraft pushback management during rush hour, aircraft pushback slot allocation based on congestion pricing is explored while considering monetary compensation based on the quality of the surface operations. First, the concept of the "external cost of surface congestion" is proposed, and a quantitative study on the external cost is performed. Then, an aircraft pushback slot allocation model for minimizing the total surface cost is established. An improved discrete differential evolution algorithm is also designed. Finally, a simulation is performed on Xinzheng International Airport using the proposed model. By comparing the pushback slot control strategy based on congestion pricing with other strategies, the advantages of the proposed model and algorithm are highlighted. In addition to reducing delays and optimizing the delay distribution, the model and algorithm are better suited for use for actual aircraft pushback management during rush hour. Further, it is also observed they do not result in significant increases in the surface cost. These results confirm the effectiveness and suitability of the proposed model and algorithm.

R A Cowley, the "Golden Hour," the "Momentary Pause," and the "Third Space".

PubMed

Clark, David E

2017-12-01

R Adams Cowley (1917-1991), the Baltimore thoracic and trauma surgeon, was an outstanding politician and promoter of emergency medical services. His skills included the effective use of language, for example, identifying the critical time immediately after injury as a "golden hour," and describing shock as a "momentary pause in the act of death." Conversely, Cowley avoided the tendency of some contemporaries to justify massive crystalloid infusion by invoking a "third space." Cowley is often assumed to have originated the first two phrases, but, in fact, their histories go back at least to the 19th century and illustrate the development of surgical science. The "third space" is often assumed to have originated with Cowley's contemporary, Tom Shires (1925-2007), but, in fact, neither of them used the phrase to describe Shires' controversial theories about an extracellular fluid deficit after trauma. Reviewing the actual etymology of these terms may help clarify the history of the underlying scientific ideas and enable more effective communication in the future.

Asbestos fiber release from the brake pads of overhead industrial cranes.

PubMed

Spencer, J W; Plisko, M J; Balzer, J L

1999-06-01

The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the actual contribution of airborne asbestos fibers to the work environment from the operation of overhead cranes and hoists that use asbestos composition brake pads. The evaluation was conducted in a working manufacturing facility. Other potential sources of asbestos were accounted for by visual inspection and background air monitoring. An overhead crane assembly comprised of a trolley and two hoists was employed for this study. The crane was operated for two consecutive eight-hour shifts representative of a heavy-duty cycle. Forty-four personal and area air samples were collected during the assessment. Asbestos fibers were analyzed for by phase contrast (NIOSH 7400), and transmission electron (NIOSH 7402) microscopy methods. Eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) asbestos fiber concentrations ranged from < 0.005 to 0.011 fibers/cc (PCM), and < 0.0026 to < 0.0094 f/cc (TEM). There were no asbestos fibers detected by the TEM method from air samples collected during the operation of the cranes.

Congestion Pricing for Aircraft Pushback Slot Allocation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yaping

2017-01-01

In order to optimize aircraft pushback management during rush hour, aircraft pushback slot allocation based on congestion pricing is explored while considering monetary compensation based on the quality of the surface operations. First, the concept of the “external cost of surface congestion” is proposed, and a quantitative study on the external cost is performed. Then, an aircraft pushback slot allocation model for minimizing the total surface cost is established. An improved discrete differential evolution algorithm is also designed. Finally, a simulation is performed on Xinzheng International Airport using the proposed model. By comparing the pushback slot control strategy based on congestion pricing with other strategies, the advantages of the proposed model and algorithm are highlighted. In addition to reducing delays and optimizing the delay distribution, the model and algorithm are better suited for use for actual aircraft pushback management during rush hour. Further, it is also observed they do not result in significant increases in the surface cost. These results confirm the effectiveness and suitability of the proposed model and algorithm. PMID:28114429

Mechanisms for eco-immunity in a changing enviroment: how does the coral innate immune system contend with climate change?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traylor-Knowles, N. G.

2016-02-01

Innate immunity plays a central role in maintaining homeostasis, and within the context of impending climate change scenarios, understanding how this system works is critical. However, the actual mechanisms involved in the evolution of the innate immune system are largely unknown. Cnidaria (including corals, sea anemones and jellyfish) are well suited for studying the fundamental functions of innate immunity because they share a common ancestor with bilaterians. This study will highlight the transcriptomic changes during a heat shock in the coral Acropora hyacinthus of American Samoa, examining the temporal changes, every half an hour for 5 hours. We hypothesize that genes involved in innate immunity, and extracellular matrix maintenance will be key components to the heat stress response. This presentation will highlight the novel role of the tumor necrosis factor receptor gene family as a responder to heat stress and present future directions for this developing field in coral reef research.

Prediction of tropospheric ozone concentrations by using the design system approach.

PubMed

Abdul-Wahab, Sabah A; Abdo, Jamil

2007-01-01

Data on the concentrations of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and meteorological parameters (air temperature and solar radiation) were used to predict the concentration of tropospheric ozone using the Design-Ease software. These data were collected on hourly basis over a 12-month period. Sampling of the data was conducted automatically. The effect of the NMHC, NO, NO2,CO, temperature and solar radiation variables in predicting ozone concentrations was examined under two scenarios: (i) when NO is included with the absence of NO2; and (ii) when NO2 is addressed with the absence of NO. The results of these two scenarios were validated against ozone actual data. The predicted concentration of ozone in the second scenario (i.e., when NO2 is addressed) was in better agreement with the real observations. In addition, the paper indicated that statistical models of hourly surface ozone concentrations require interactions and non-linear relationships between predictor variables in order to accurately capture the ozone behavior.

WIND DIRECTIONS ALOFT AND EFFECTS OF SEEDING ON PRECIPITATION IN THE WHITETOP EXPERIMENT*

PubMed Central

Lovasich, Jeanne L.; Neyman, Jerzy; Scott, Elizabeth L.; Smith, Jerome A.

1969-01-01

The subdivision of all the experimental days of the Whitetop project into two approximately equal groups, group W with predominantly westerly winds aloft and group E with frequent easterly winds, shows a remarkable difference in the apparent effect of seeding. On W days there was no detectable effect of seeding on rainfall. On E days with seeding, the average 24 hour precipitation in an area of about 100,000 square miles was significantly less than that without seeding by 46 per cent of the latter. The decrease resulted from a “decapitation” of the usual afternoon rise in rainfall. It may be significant that the afternoon maximum of natural precipitation on E days occurs some two hours later than on W days. If the actual cause of the differences in rainfall was seeding, then the loss of water resulting from operational, rather than experimental, seeding would have averaged eight million acre-feet per summer. PMID:16591800

Ozone modeling in an ethanol, gasoline and diesel fuels environment: The metropolitan area of Sao Paulo, Brazil

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

Andrade, M.F.; Miguel, A.H.; Seinfeld, J.H.

1995-12-01

Over the past several years, in the Metropolitan Area of Sao Paulo (MASP), ambient ozone concentrations have reached over five times the concentration considered protective of public health by the World Health Organization, with routine occurrence of levels that exceed Brazil`s 1 hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (160 {mu}g/m{sup 3}). For the past 19 years, ethanol has been used both as fuel (E95) and as gasoline additive (E20G80) in light duty vehicles. This talk will discuss the results of the application of the CIT photochemical airshed model to the February 16-17, 1989 meteorological experiment carried out in the MASP.more » Simulated hourly ozone concentrations for the 1989 vehicular fleet included three cases: (1) the actual fleet (F.95, E20G80, and diesels), (2) a light duty fleet fueled with E95 only, and (3) entirely with gasoline.« less

Infrasound Predictions Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model: Atmospheric Green's Functions for the Source Physics Experiments 1-6.

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

Poppeliers, Christian; Aur, Katherine Anderson; Preston, Leiph

This report shows the results of constructing predictive atmospheric models for the Source Physics Experiments 1-6. Historic atmospheric data are combined with topography to construct an atmo- spheric model that corresponds to the predicted (or actual) time of a given SPE event. The models are ultimately used to construct atmospheric Green's functions to be used for subsequent analysis. We present three atmospheric models for each SPE event: an average model based on ten one- hour snap shots of the atmosphere and two extrema models corresponding to the warmest, coolest, windiest, etc. atmospheric snap shots. The atmospheric snap shots consist ofmore » wind, temperature, and pressure profiles of the atmosphere for a one-hour time window centered at the time of the predicted SPE event, as well as nine additional snap shots for each of the nine preceding years, centered at the time and day of the SPE event.« less

Passenger fluid volumes measured before and after a prolonged commercial jet flight.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, P. C.; Carpentier, W. R.; Driscoll, T. B.; Lapinta, C. K.; Rummel, J. A.; Sawin, C. F.

1972-01-01

Interstitial and intracellular fluid volumes were calculated from measured plasma volume, extracellular volume and total body water of six subjects before and after a 24-hour commercial overseas flight. No change occurred in these spaces or in peripheral hematocrit or total serum protein concentration. The subjective feeling of dehydration and the actual swelling of the lower extremities characteristically found among passengers at the end of a long trip of this type seems to represent a shift in body fluids to the dependent portions of the body rather than water retention or a decrease in the intravascular water volume.

Battery Storage Evaluation Tool, version 1.x

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

2015-10-02

The battery storage evaluation tool developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is used to run a one-year simulation to evaluate the benefits of battery storage for multiple grid applications, including energy arbitrage, balancing service, capacity value, distribution system equipment deferral, and outage mitigation. This tool is based on the optimal control strategies to capture multiple services from a single energy storage device. In this control strategy, at each hour, a lookahead optimization is first formulated and solved to determine the battery base operating point. The minute-by-minute simulation is then performed to simulate the actual battery operation.

Why quantify risk?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooke, R.; Frisch, B.; Saleem, A.

1991-08-01

The topic of risk to human life is addressed from different viewpoints. The question is raised whether risk assessment is good only as a tool for ranking risk sources or whether it actually yields sensible numbers for estimating the risk of events. Various measures for the quantification of risk (e.g., deaths per million, activity specific hourly mortality rate) are given and their applications are discussed. The implications of the different uses for risk numbers are explained. Known risks of several activities are used as a baseline for the discussion of the selection criteria for an achievable safety goal for manned space flight.

Test and theory for piezoelectric actuator-active vibration control of rotating machinery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palazzolo, A. B.; Lin, R. R.; Alexander, R. M.; Kascak, A. F.; Montague, J.

1989-01-01

The application of piezoelectric actuators for active vibration control (AVC) of rotating machinery is examined. Theory is derived and the resulting predictions are shown to agree closely with results of tests performed on an air turbine driven-overhung rotor. The test results show significant reduction in unbalance, transient and sub-synchronous responses. Results from a 30-hour endurance test support the AVD system reliability. Various aspects of the electro-mechanical stability of the control system are also discussed and illustrated. Finally, application of the AVC system to an actual jet engine is discussed.

[Associations among physical condition, life hour, and dietary intake male Japanese shift workers: physical condition and lifestyle survey of male Japanese shift workers].

PubMed

Fukumura, Tomoe; Yoshita, Katsushi; Tabata, Masaji

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the actual state of life hours (working time, sleep time, and time of meal intake) and dietary habits of male shift work employees, and to elucidate the impact of working arrangements and dietary habits on their physical condition and health problems. The subjects were 187 male employees (aged 18-64 years) working for an industrial company in Toyama prefecture. We used a self-administered questionnaire to assess dietary habit, lifestyle habits, and life hours at the time of a periodic health examination in April 2013. The subjects were grouped based on their working condition (i.e., day shift, late shift, and late-night shift) into two groups of day shift (n = 107) and shiftwork (n = 80). The proportion of time spent sleeping and feeding was determined in half hour increments, and the incidences of skipping meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and midnight snack intake were calculated for each working condition. We also examined the association between the frequency of eating and physical condition for each working condition. The state of life hours of the shiftwork group during the day was similar to that of the day shift group. However, the workers' state of life hours, incidences of skipping meals, and midnight snack intake varied considerably when working at the other shift times. In the shiftwork group, regardless of the working patterns, the BMI and % body fat of the group that ate more than three times a day were significantly lower than those of the group that ate less than twice a day. The results of the present study suggest that it is difficult to ensure the time and opportunity for meals for shift workers. We consider that it is necessary to prevent them skipping of meals, and to support a proper dietary intake during the night.

Change in working characteristics of the steam turbine metal with operating time of more than 330000 hours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladshteyn, V. I.; Troitskiy, A. I.

2017-01-01

Research of a metal of the stop valve case (SVC) of the K-300-23.5 LMZ turbine (steel grade 15Kh1M1FL), destroyed after operation for 331000 hours, is performed. It's chemical composition and properties are determined as follows: a short-term mechanical tensile stress at 20°C and at elevated temperature, critical temperature, fragility, critical crack opening at elevated temperature, and long-term strength. Furthermore, nature of the microstructure, packing density of carbide particles and their size, and chemical composition of carbide sediment are estimated. A manifestation of metal properties for the main case components by comparison with a forecast of the respective characteristics made for the operating time of 331000 hours is tested. Property-time relationships are built for the forecast using statistical treatment of the test results for the samples cut out from more than 300 parts. Representativeness of the research results is proved: the statistical treatment of their differences are within the range of ±5%. It has been found that, after 150000 hours of operation, only the tensile strength insignificantly depends on the operating time at 20°C, whereas indicators of strength at elevated temperature significantly reduce, depending on the operating time. A brittle-to-ductile transition temperature (BDTT) raises, a critical notch opening changes in a complicated way, a long-term strength reduces. It has been found empirically that the limit of a long-term strength of the SVC metal at 540°C and the operating time of 105 hours is almost 1.6 times less than the required value in the as-delivered state. It is possible to evaluate a service life of the operating valves with the operating time of more than 330000 hours with respect to the long-term strength of the metal taking into account the actual temperature and stress. Guidelines for the control of similar parts are provided.

Ganges Chasma Landslide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

(Released 01 April 2002) This image shows a spectacular landslide along a portion of the southern wall of Ganges Chasma within Valles Marineris. Landslides have very characteristic morphologies on Earth, which they also display on Mars. These morphologies include a distinctive escarpment at the uppermost part of the landslide--called a head scarp (seen at the bottom of this image), a down-dropped block of material below that escarpment that dropped almost vertically, and a deposit of debris that moved away from the escarpment at high speed. In this example, the wall rock displayed in the upper part of the cliff is layered, with spurs and chutes created by differing amounts of erosion. Below the steep scarp is a smoother, steep slope of material with small, narrow tongues of debris that have eroded off of the escarpment since the landslide occurred (a talus slope). The actual landslide deposit, visible in the upper half of this image, shows striations that form by differences in the side-by-side motion during high velocity emplacement. This immense landslide traveled some 70 km at speeds that probably exceeded 100 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour) before coming to rest, forming abrupt, terminal fronts (upper right corner of image). Even at these high speeds, this massive landslide was moving for nearly an hour before it came to rest.

The relationship between temperament, job stress and overcommitment: a cross-sectional study using the TEMPS-A and a scale of ERI.

PubMed

Tei-Tominaga, Maki; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Miyake, Yuko; Sakai, Yoshie

2009-10-01

This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between temperament, job stress, and overcommitment using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire version (TEMPS-A) and a scale of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model. In July 2004, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to all employees in a Japanese IT service company through the company postal system. Total response rate was 63% (N=874), with 730 completed questionnaires. Information collected included individual attributes, employment and organizational characteristics. The TEMPS-A and the Japanese version of the ERI questionnaire were self-administered. The completed data of 637 personal computer technical support staff (87%) were used in a hierarchical regression analysis. Our results showed that depressive and anxious temperaments attenuate the influence of working hours and influence effort and rewards independently. While actual working hours had more impact on perceived high effort, our findings regarding rewards suggest that understanding anxious and depressive temperaments has a significant role in stress self-management. Temperaments explained 36% of the variance of overcommitment, and the variance was more than that of mean working hours. Our research has provided meaningful insights into occupational health, which could assist employees in self-management of job stress and contribute to better adaptation at the workplace.

Space Transportation System Availability Relationships to Life Cycle Cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhodes, Russel E.; Donahue, Benjamin B.; Chen, Timothy T.

2009-01-01

Future space transportation architectures and designs must be affordable. Consequently, their Life Cycle Cost (LCC) must be controlled. For the LCC to be controlled, it is necessary to identify all the requirements and elements of the architecture at the beginning of the concept phase. Controlling LCC requires the establishment of the major operational cost drivers. Two of these major cost drivers are reliability and maintainability, in other words, the system's availability (responsiveness). Potential reasons that may drive the inherent availability requirement are the need to control the number of unique parts and the spare parts required to support the transportation system's operation. For more typical space transportation systems used to place satellites in space, the productivity of the system will drive the launch cost. This system productivity is the resultant output of the system availability. Availability is equal to the mean uptime divided by the sum of the mean uptime plus the mean downtime. Since many operational factors cannot be projected early in the definition phase, the focus will be on inherent availability which is equal to the mean time between a failure (MTBF) divided by the MTBF plus the mean time to repair (MTTR) the system. The MTBF is a function of reliability or the expected frequency of failures. When the system experiences failures the result is added operational flow time, parts consumption, and increased labor with an impact to responsiveness resulting in increased LCC. The other function of availability is the MTTR, or maintainability. In other words, how accessible is the failed hardware that requires replacement and what operational functions are required before and after change-out to make the system operable. This paper will describe how the MTTR can be equated to additional labor, additional operational flow time, and additional structural access capability, all of which drive up the LCC. A methodology will be presented that provides the decision makers with the understanding necessary to place constraints on the design definition. This methodology for the major drivers will determine the inherent availability, safety, reliability, maintainability, and the life cycle cost of the fielded system. This methodology will focus on the achievement of an affordable, responsive space transportation system. It is the intent of this paper to not only provide the visibility of the relationships of these major attribute drivers (variables) to each other and the resultant system inherent availability, but also to provide the capability to bound the variables, thus providing the insight required to control the system's engineering solution. An example of this visibility is the need to provide integration of similar discipline functions to allow control of the total parts count of the space transportation system. Also, selecting a reliability requirement will place a constraint on parts count to achieve a given inherent availability requirement, or require accepting a larger parts count with the resulting higher individual part reliability requirements. This paper will provide an understanding of the relationship of mean repair time (mean downtime) to maintainability (accessibility for repair), and both mean time between failure (reliability of hardware) and the system inherent availability.

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV) Stress Rupture Test: Part 2. Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Richard; Flynn, Howard; Forth, Scott; Greene, Nathanael; Kezirian, Michael; Varanauski, Don; Leifeste, Mark; Yoder, Tommy; Woodworth, Warren

2010-01-01

One of the major concerns for the aging Space Shuttle fleet is the stress rupture life of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). Stress rupture life of a COPY has been defined as the minimum time during which the composite maintains structural integrity considering the combined effects of stress levels and time. To assist in the evaluation of the aging COPVs in the Orbiter fleet an analytical reliability model was developed. The actual data used to construct this model was from testing of COPVs constructed of similar, but not exactly same materials and pressure cycles as used on Orbiter vessels. Since no actual Orbiter COPV stress rupture data exists the Space Shuttle Program decided to run a stress rupture test to compare to model predictions. Due to availability of spares, the testing was unfortunately limited to one 40" vessel. The stress rupture test was performed at maximum operating pressure at an elevated temperature to accelerate aging. The test was performed in two phases. The first phase, 130 F, a moderately accelerated test designed to achieve the midpoint of the model predicted point reliability. A more aggressive second phase, performed at 160 F, was designed to determine if the test article will exceed the 95% confidence interval ofthe model. In phase 3, the vessel pressure was increased to above maximum operating pressure while maintaining the phase 2 temperature. After reaching enough effectives hours to reach the 99.99% confidence level of the model phase 4 testing began when the temperature was increased to greater than 170 F. The vessel was maintained at phase 4 conditions until it failed after over 3 million effect hours. This paper will discuss the results of this test, it's implications and possible follow-on testing.

Underutilisation of public access defibrillation is related to retrieval distance and time-dependent availability.

PubMed

Deakin, Charles D; Anfield, Steve; Hodgetts, Gillian A

2018-05-14

Public access defibrillation doubles the chances of neurologically intact survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Although there are increasing numbers of defibrillators (automated external defibrillator (AEDs)) available in the community, they are used infrequently, despite often being available. We aimed to match OHCAs with known AED locations in order to understand AED availability, the effects of reduced AED availability at night and the operational radius at which they can be effectively retrieved. All emergency calls to South Central Ambulance Service from April 2014 to April 2016 were screened to identify cardiac arrests. Each was mapped to the nearest AED, according to the time of day. Mapping software was used to calculate the actual walking distance for a bystander between each OHCA and respective AED, when travelling at a brisk walking speed (4 mph). 4012 cardiac arrests were identified and mapped to one of 2076 AEDs. All AEDs were available during daytime hours, but only 713 at night (34.3%). 5.91% of cardiac arrests were within a retrieval (walking) radius of 100 m during the day, falling to 1.59% out-of-hours. Distances to rural AEDs were greater than in urban areas (P<0.0001). An AED could potentially have been retrieved prior to actual ambulance arrival in 25.3% cases. Existing AEDs are underused; 36.4% of OHCAs are located within 500 m of an AED. Although more AEDs will improve availability, greater use can be made of existing AEDs, particularly by ensuring they are all available on a 24/7 basis. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Implementation of a confidential helpline for men having sex with men in India.

PubMed

Agarwal, Ashok; Hamdallah, Myriam; Swain, Suvakanta N; Mukherjee, Sonali; Singh, Neetu; Mahapatra, Sudip; King, Elizabeth J; Pulerwitz, Julie; Thior, Ibou

2015-02-11

In India, men who have sex with men (MSM) often face physical violence and harassment from police and the general society. Many MSM may not openly disclose their sexual identity, especially if they are married to women and have families. Due to pervasive stigma and discrimination, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention programs are unable to reach many MSM effectively. The objective of this paper was to describe the design, operations, and monitoring of the Sahaay helpline, a mHealth intervention for the MSM population of India. We established the "Sahaay" mHealth intervention in 2013; a MSM-dedicated helpline whose main goal was to increase access to comprehensive, community-based HIV prevention services and improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of MSM towards HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) in three states of India (Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and Maharashtra). The helpline provided a 24x7 confidential and easy to use interactive voice response system (IVRS) to callers. IVRS function was monitored through an online dashboard of indicators. The system also provided real-time reporting on callers and services provided. The helpline received more than 100,000 calls from 39,800 callers during the first nine months of operation. The helpline maintained an operational uptime of 99.81% (6450/6462 hours); and answered more than 81.33% (83,050/102,115) of all calls. More than three-fourths of the calls came between 9:00 am-12:00 pm. The most successful promotional activity was "interpersonal communication" (reported by 70.05%, 27,880/39,800, of the callers). Nearly three-fourths of the callers self-identified as MSM, including 17.05% (6786/39,800) as rural MSM and 5.03% (2001/39,800) as a married MSM. Most callers (93.10%, 37,055/39,800) requested information, while some (27.01%, 10,750/39,800) requested counseling on HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), STIs, and other health and nonhealth issues. There were 38.97% (15,509/39,800) of the callers that were provided contacts of different HIV/AIDS referral services. Many MSM clients reported increased self-esteem in dealing with their sexual identity and disclosing the same with their family and spouse; and an increase in HIV/AIDS risk-reduction behaviors like consistent condom use and HIV testing. National HIV/AIDS prevention interventions for MSM in India should consider scaling-up this helpline service across the country. The helpline may serve as an important mechanism for accessing hard-to-reach MSM, and thus improving HIV prevention programing.

Implementation of a Confidential Helpline for Men Having Sex With Men in India

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background In India, men who have sex with men (MSM) often face physical violence and harassment from police and the general society. Many MSM may not openly disclose their sexual identity, especially if they are married to women and have families. Due to pervasive stigma and discrimination, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention programs are unable to reach many MSM effectively. Objective The objective of this paper was to describe the design, operations, and monitoring of the Sahaay helpline, a mHealth intervention for the MSM population of India. Methods We established the “Sahaay” mHealth intervention in 2013; a MSM-dedicated helpline whose main goal was to increase access to comprehensive, community-based HIV prevention services and improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of MSM towards HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) in three states of India (Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and Maharashtra). The helpline provided a 24x7 confidential and easy to use interactive voice response system (IVRS) to callers. IVRS function was monitored through an online dashboard of indicators. The system also provided real-time reporting on callers and services provided. Results The helpline received more than 100,000 calls from 39,800 callers during the first nine months of operation. The helpline maintained an operational uptime of 99.81% (6450/6462 hours); and answered more than 81.33% (83,050/102,115) of all calls. More than three-fourths of the calls came between 9:00 am-12:00 pm. The most successful promotional activity was “interpersonal communication” (reported by 70.05%, 27,880/39,800, of the callers). Nearly three-fourths of the callers self-identified as MSM, including 17.05% (6786/39,800) as rural MSM and 5.03% (2001/39,800) as a married MSM. Most callers (93.10%, 37,055/39,800) requested information, while some (27.01%, 10,750/39,800) requested counseling on HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), STIs, and other health and nonhealth issues. There were 38.97% (15,509/39,800) of the callers that were provided contacts of different HIV/AIDS referral services. Many MSM clients reported increased self-esteem in dealing with their sexual identity and disclosing the same with their family and spouse; and an increase in HIV/AIDS risk-reduction behaviors like consistent condom use and HIV testing. Conclusions National HIV/AIDS prevention interventions for MSM in India should consider scaling-up this helpline service across the country. The helpline may serve as an important mechanism for accessing hard-to-reach MSM, and thus improving HIV prevention programing. PMID:25673240

Operational warning of interplanetary shock arrivals using energetic particle data from ACE: Real-time Upstream Monitoring System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donegan, M.; Vandegriff, J.; Ho, G. C.; Julia, S. J.

2004-12-01

We report on an operational system which provides advance warning and predictions of arrival times at Earth of interplanetary (IP) shocks that originate at the Sun. The data stream used in our prediction algorithm is real-time and comes from the Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor (EPAM) instrument on NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft. Since locally accelerated energetic storm particle (ESP) events accompany most IP shocks, their arrival can be predicted using ESP event signatures. We have previously reported on the development and implementation of an algorithm which recognizes the upstream particle signature of approaching IP shocks and provides estimated countdown predictions. A web-based system (see (http://sd-www.jhuapl.edu/UPOS/RISP/index.html) combines this prediction capability with real-time ACE/EPAM data provided by the NOAA Space Environment Center. The most recent ACE data is continually processed and predictions of shock arrival time are updated every five minutes when an event is impending. An operational display is provided to indicate advisories and countdowns for the event. Running the algorithm on a test set of historical events, we obtain a median error of about 10 hours for predictions made 24-36 hours before actual shock arrival and about 6 hours when the shock is 6-12 hours away. This system can provide critical information to mission planners, satellite operations controllers, and scientists by providing significant lead-time for approaching events. Recently, we have made improvements to the triggering mechanism as well as re-training the neural network, and here we report prediction results from the latest system.

No time for teaching? Inpatient attending physicians' workload and teaching before and after the implementation of the 2003 duty hours regulations.

PubMed

Roshetsky, Lisa M; Coltri, Ainoa; Flores, Andrea; Vekhter, Ben; Humphrey, Holly J; Meltzer, David O; Arora, Vineet M

2013-09-01

Understanding the association between attending physicians' workload and teaching is critical to preserving residents' learning experience. The authors tested the association between attending physicians' self-reported workload and perceptions of time for teaching before and after the 2003 resident duty hours regulations. From 2001 to 2008, the authors surveyed all inpatient general medicine attending physicians at a teaching hospital. To measure workload, they used a conceptual framework to create a composite score from six domains (mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, effort, performance, frustration). They measured time for teaching using (1) open-ended responses to hours per week spent doing didactic teaching and (2) responses (agree, strongly agree) to the statement "I had enough time for teaching." They conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses, controlling for month, year, and clustering by attending physicians, to test the association between workload scores and time for teaching. Of 738 eligible attending physicians, 482 (65%) completed surveys. Respondents spent a median of three hours per week dedicated to teaching. Less than half (198; 43%) reporting enough time for teaching. The composite workload scores were normally distributed (median score of 15) and demonstrated a weak positive correlation with actual patient volume (r = 0.25). The odds of an attending physician reporting enough time for teaching declined by 21% for each point increase in composite workload score (odds ratio = 0.79 [95% confidence interval 0.69-0.91]; P = .001). The authors found that attending physicians' greater self-perceived workload was associated with decreased time for teaching.

Manpower studies for the United States. Part II. Demand for eye care. A public opinion poll based upon a Gallup poll survey.

PubMed

Reinecke, R D; Steinberg, T

1981-04-01

This is the second in the series of Ophthalmology Manpower Studies. Part I presented estimates of disease prevalence and incidence, the average amount of time required to care for such conditions, and based on that information, the total hours of ophthalmological services required to care for all the projected need in the population. Using different estimates of the average number of hours worked per year per ophthalmologist (based on a 35, 40 and 48 hours/week in patient care), estimates of the total number of ophthalmologists required were calculated. This method is basically similar to the method later adopted by the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee (GMENAC) to arrive at estimates of hours of ophthalmological services required for 1990. However, instead of using all the need present in the population, the GMENAC panel chose to use an "adjusted-needs based" model as a compromise between total need and actual utilization, the former being an overestimation and the latter being an underestimation since it is in part a function of the barriers to medical care. Since some of these barriers to medical care include informational factors, as well as availability and accessibility, this study was undertaken to assess the utilization of these services and the adequacy of present ophthalmological manpower in the opinion of the consumer. Also, since the consumer's choice or behavior depends on being informed about the differences between optometrists and ophthalmologists, such knowledge was assessed and the responses further evaluated after explanatory statements were made to the responders.

Sunscreen use and intentional exposure to ultraviolet A and B radiation: a double blind randomized trial using personal dosimeters

PubMed Central

Autier, P; Doré, J-F; Reis, A C; Grivegnée, A; Ollivaud, L; Truchetet, F; Chamoun, E; Rotmensz, N; Severi, G; Césarini, J-P

2000-01-01

A previous randomized trial found that sunscreen use could extend intentional sun exposure, thereby possibly increasing the risk of cutaneous melanoma. In a similarly designed trial, we examined the effect of the use of sunscreens having different sun protection factor (SPF) on actual exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation. In June 1998, 58 European participants 18–24 years old were randomized to receive a SPF 10 or 30 sunscreens and were asked to complete daily records of their sun exposure during their summer holidays of whom 44 utilized a personal UVA and UVB dosimeter in a standard way during their sunbathing sessions. The median daily sunbathing duration was 2.4 hours in the SPF 10 group and 3.0 hours in the SPF 30 group (P = 0.054). The increase in daily sunbathing duration was paralleled by an increase in daily UVB exposure, but not by changes in UVA or UVB accumulated over all sunbathing sessions, or in daily UVA exposure. Of all participants, those who used the SPF 30 sunscreen and had no sunburn spent the highest number of hours in sunbathing activities. Differences between the two SPF groups in total number of sunbathing hours, daily sunbathing duration, and daily UVB exposure were largest among participants without sunburn during holidays. Among those with sunburn, the differences between the two groups tended to reduce. In conclusion, sunscreens used during sunbathing tended to increase the duration of exposures to doses of ultraviolet radiation below the sunburn threshold. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign PMID:11027441

The prevalence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health education and training in emergency medicine residency programs: what do we know?

PubMed

Moll, Joel; Krieger, Paul; Moreno-Walton, Lisa; Lee, Benjamin; Slaven, Ellen; James, Thea; Hill, Dustin; Podolsky, Susan; Corbin, Theodore; Heron, Sheryl L

2014-05-01

The Institute of Medicine, The Joint Commission, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services all have recently highlighted the need for cultural competency and provider education on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health. Forty percent of LGBT patients cite lack of provider education as a barrier to care. Only a few hours of medical school curriculum are devoted to LGBT education, and little is known about LGBT graduate medical education. The objective of this study was to perform a needs assessment to determine to what degree LGBT health is taught in emergency medicine (EM) residency programs and to determine whether program demographics affect inclusion of LGBT health topics. An anonymous survey link was sent to EM residency program directors (PDs) via the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors listserv. The 12-item descriptive survey asked the number of actual and desired hours of instruction on LGBT health in the past year. Perceived barriers to LGBT health education and program demographics were also sought. There were 124 responses to the survey out of a potential response from 160 programs (response rate of 78%). Twenty-six percent of the respondents reported that they have ever presented a specific LGBT lecture, and 33% have incorporated topics affecting LGBT health in the didactic curriculum. EM programs presented anywhere from 0 to 8 hours on LGBT health, averaging 45 minutes of instruction in the past year (median = 0 minutes, interquartile range [IQR] = 0 to 60 minutes), and PDs support inclusion of anywhere from 0 to 10 hours of dedicated time to LGBT health, with an average of 2.2 hours (median = 2 hours, IQR = 1 to 3.5 hours) recommended. The majority of respondents have LGBT faculty (64.2%) and residents (56.2%) in their programs. The presence of LGBT faculty and previous LGBT education were associated with a greater number of desired hours on LGBT health. The majority of EM residency programs have not presented curricula specific to LGBT health, although PDs desire inclusion of these topics. Further curriculum development is needed to better serve LGBT patients. © 2014 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Increasing operating room efficiency through electronic medical record analysis.

PubMed

Attaallah, A F; Elzamzamy, O M; Phelps, A L; Ranganthan, P; Vallejo, M C

2016-05-01

We used electronic medical record (EMR) analysis to determine errors in operating room (OR) time utilisation. Over a two year period EMR data of 44,503 surgical procedures was analysed for OR duration, on-time, first case, and add-on time performance, within 19 surgical specialties. Maximal OR time utilisation at our institution could have saved over 302,620 min or 5,044 hours of OR efficiency over a two year period. Most specialties (78.95%) had inaccurately scheduled procedure times and therefore used the OR more than their scheduled allotment time. Significant differences occurred between the mean scheduled surgical durations (101.38 ± 87.11 min) and actual durations (108.18 ± 102.27 min; P < 0.001). Significant differences also occurred between the mean scheduled add-on durations (111.4 ± 75.5 min) and the actual add-on scheduled durations (118.6 ± 90.1 minutes; P < 0.001). EMR quality improvement analysis can be used to determine scheduling error and bias, in order to improve efficiency and increase OR time utilisation.

Impact of Student vs Faculty Facilitators on Motivational Interviewing Student Outcomes

PubMed Central

Widder-Prewett, Rebecca; Cameron, Ginger; Anderson, Douglas; Pinkerton, Mark; Chen, Aleda M. H.

2017-01-01

Objective. To determine the impact of student or faculty facilitation on student self-assessed attitudes, confidence, and competence in motivational interviewing (MI) skills; actual competence; and evaluation of facilitator performance. Methods. Second-year pharmacy (P2) students were randomly assigned to a student or faculty facilitator for a four-hour, small-group practice of MI skills. MI skills were assessed in a simulated patient encounter with the mMITI (modified Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity) tool. Students completed a pre-post, 6-point, Likert-type assessment addressing the research objectives. Differences were assessed using a Mann-Whitney U test. Results. Student (N=44) post-test attitudes, confidence, perceived or actual competence, and evaluations of facilitator performance were not different for faculty- and student-facilitated groups. Conclusion. Using pharmacy students as small-group facilitators did not affect student performance and were viewed as equally favorable. Using pharmacy students as facilitators can lessen faculty workload and provide an outlet for students to develop communication and facilitation skills that will be needed in future practice. PMID:28970608

Similarity in Chronotype and Preferred Time for Sex and Its Role in Relationship Quality and Sexual Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Jocz, Paulina; Stolarski, Maciej; Jankowski, Konrad S.

2018-01-01

Recently, the issue of diurnal preferences has been increasingly studied within the context of romantic relationships and sexual functioning. In the present paper we apply a dyadic design to investigate the role of romantic partners' diurnal preferences in determining a variety of relationship outcomes. A sample of 91 heterosexual couples completed a set of questionnaires measuring relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and morningness-eveningness, and answered questions regarding their actual and preferred time for sexual activity. Conducted analyses revealed that similarity in chronotype between partners and female morningness fostered relationship satisfaction in females, but not in males. Furthermore, morningness-eveningness was associated with preferred time for sex in males, but not in females, who in principle preferred evening hours. Although actual time for sex was up to the female preference, sexual satisfaction in both genders was associated with lower discrepancy in their preferred time for sex and greater frequency of intercourse. In sum, these results indicate that chronotype and time for sex are important factors affecting sexual and relationships satisfaction in heterosexual couples. PMID:29670559

Bivariate frequency analysis of rainfall intensity and duration for urban stormwater infrastructure design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, Changhyun; Qin, Xiaosheng; Gan, Thian Yew; Tung, Yeou-Koung; De Michele, Carlo

2017-10-01

This study presents a storm-event based bivariate frequency analysis approach to determine design rainfalls in which, the number, intensity and duration of actual rainstorm events were considered. To derive more realistic design storms, the occurrence probability of an individual rainstorm event was determined from the joint distribution of storm intensity and duration through a copula model. Hourly rainfall data were used at three climate stations respectively located in Singapore, South Korea and Canada. It was found that the proposed approach could give a more realistic description of rainfall characteristics of rainstorm events and design rainfalls. As results, the design rainfall quantities from actual rainstorm events at the three studied sites are consistently lower than those obtained from the conventional rainfall depth-duration-frequency (DDF) method, especially for short-duration storms (such as 1-h). It results from occurrence probabilities of each rainstorm event and a different angle for rainfall frequency analysis, and could offer an alternative way of describing extreme rainfall properties and potentially help improve the hydrologic design of stormwater management facilities in urban areas.

Documentation of STS-88 Node evaluation

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-08

S97-11949 (8 Sept 1997) --- Wearing training versions of the Shuttle Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit, astronauts Jerry L. Ross (left), and James Newman perform the first training session in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) of the Sonny Carter Training Facility. The training was actually a dress rehearsal of three Extravehicular Activity?s (EVA) the pair will conduct during the July 1998 flight (STS-88) -- the first International Space Station (ISS) assembly mission. During the six-hour training session, the crew practiced hooking up power and data cables between full-scale mockups of the Functional Cargo Block and the United States-built Node 1 (foreground).

Development and flight test evaluation of a pitch stability augmentation system for a relaxed stability L-1011

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rising, J. J.

1982-01-01

The L-1011 has been flight tested to demonstrate the relaxed static stability concept as a means of obtaining significant drag benefits to achieve a more energy efficient transport. Satisfactory handling qualities were maintained with the design of an active control horizontal tail for stability and control augmentation to allow operation of the L-1011 at centers of gravity close to the neutral point. Prior to flight test, a motion base visual flight simulator program was performed to optimize the augmentation system. The system was successfully demonstrated in a test program totaling forty-eight actual flight hours.

Study of fuel cell on-site, integrated energy systems in residential/commercial applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wakefield, R. A.; Karamchetty, S.; Rand, R. H.; Ku, W. S.; Tekumalla, V.

1980-01-01

Three building applications were selected for a detailed study: a low rise apartment building; a retail store, and a hospital. Building design data were then specified for each application, based on the design and construction of typical, actual buildings. Finally, a computerized building loads analysis program was used to estimate hourly end use load profiles for each building. Conventional and fuel cell based energy systems were designed and simulated for each building in each location. Based on the results of a computer simulation of each energy system, levelized annual costs and annual energy consumptions were calculated for all systems.

Web life: Foldit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2009-07-01

So what is the site about? Like the popular SETI@home program, which uses the downtime of home computers to sift radio-telescope data for evidence of alien life, Foldit draws on the idle hours of several thousand data-crunchers for help in solving scientific puzzles. But there is a twist. For a start, Foldit is all about biophysics. The project's goal is to understand how proteins - the chains of amino acids that drive processes inside living cells - fold themselves into a myriad of different shapes. But the most striking difference is that Foldit's protein-folding operators are actual human beings, and the datasets they are sifting are disguised as an amazingly addictive computer game.

Apollo experience report: Manned thermal-vacuum testing of spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclane, J. C., Jr.

1974-01-01

Manned thermal-vacuum tests of the Apollo spacecraft presented many first-time problems in the areas of test philosophy, operational concepts, and program implementation. The rationale used to resolve these problems is explained and examined critically in view of actual experience. The series of 12 tests involving 1517 hours of chamber operating time resulted in the disclosure of numerous equipment and procedural deficiencies of significance to the flight mission. Test experience and results in view of subsequent flight experience confirmed that thermal-vacuum testing of integrated manned spacecraft provides a feasible, cost-effective, and safe technique with which to obtain maximum confidence in spacecraft flight worthiness early in the program.

The development and manufacture of wood composite wind turbine rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuteck, M. D.

1982-01-01

The physical properties, operational experience, and construction methods of the wood/epoxy composite MOD 0A wind turbine blades are considered. Blades of this type have accumulated over 10,000 hours of successful operation at the Kahuku, Hawaii and Block Island, Rhode Island test sites. That body of experience is summarized and related to the structural concepts and design drivers which motivated the original design and choice of interior layout. Actual manufacturing experience and associated low first unit costs for these blades, as well as projections for high production rates, are presented. Application of these construction techniques to a wide range of other blade sizes is also considered.

Long working hours increase the risk of sharp and needlestick injury in nurses: the need for new policy implication.

PubMed

Ilhan, Mustafa N; Durukan, Elif; Aras, Evin; Türkçüoğlu, Sertaç; Aygün, Remzi

2006-12-01

This paper reports a study to determine the sharp and needlestick injury incidence in nurses working at a university hospital and the contributing factors. Although it is generally felt that working in the healthcare sector is clean and without risk, healthcare staff and especially physicians and nurses who generally work very long hours are actually exposed to various occupational risks. Sharps and needlestick injuries are important problems for healthcare workers as they increase the risk of spread of infection. A self-administered questionnaire was completed in October 2005 by 449 of the 516 nurses working at a Turkish hospital (response rate 87.0%). The percentage of nurses experiencing a sharp or needlestick injury during their professional life was 79.7%. The incidence of exposure to sharp or needlestick injury in the last year was 68.4%. The factors increasing the rate of sharp and needlestick injury were: age 24 years and less,

Parental risk factors for the development of pediatric acute and chronic postsurgical pain: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Pagé, M Gabrielle; Campbell, Fiona; Isaac, Lisa; Stinson, Jennifer; Katz, Joel

2013-01-01

The goal of this longitudinal study was to examine the associations among psychological factors and pain reports of children and their parents over the 12 month period after pediatric surgery. Included in the study were 83 children aged 8-18 years undergoing major surgery. In each case, the child and one of their parents completed measures of pain intensity and unpleasantness, psychological function, and functional disability at 48-72 hours, 2 weeks (child only), 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. The strength of the correlation coefficients between the psychological measures of the parent and their child increased significantly over time. There was a fair level of agreement between parent ratings of child acute and chronic pain (6 months after surgery) and the child's actual ratings. Parent and child pain anxiety scores 48-72 hours after surgery interacted significantly to predict pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and functional disability levels 2 weeks after discharge from hospital. Parent pain catastrophizing scores 48-72 hours after surgery predicted child pain intensity reports 12 months later. These results raise the possibility that as time from surgery increases, parents exert greater and greater influence over the pain response of their children, so that by 12 months postsurgery mark, parent pain catastrophizing (measured in the days after surgery) is the main risk factor for the development of postsurgical pain chronicity.

Ion thruster system (8-cm) cyclic endurance test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dulgeroff, C. R.; Beattie, J. R.; Poeschel, R. L.; Hyman, J., Jr.

1984-01-01

This report describes the qualification test of an Engineering-Model 5-mN-thrust 8-cm-diameter mercury ion thruster which is representative of the Ion Auxiliary Propulsion System (IAPS) thrusters. Two of these thrusters are scheduled for future flight test. The cyclic endurance test described herein was a ground-based test performed in a vacuum facility with a liquid-nitrogen-cooled cryo-surface and a frozen mercury target. The Power Electronics Unit, Beam Shield, Gimal, and Propellant Tank that were used with the thruster in the endurance test are also similar to those of the IAPS. The IAPS thruster that will undergo the longest beam-on-time during the actual space test will be subjected to 7,055 hours of beam-on-time and 2,557 cycles during the flight test. The endurance test was successfully concluded when the mercury in the IAPS Propellant Tank was consumed. At that time, 8,471 hours of beam-on-time and 599 cycles had been accumulated. Subsequent post-test-evaluation operations were performed (without breaking vacuum) which extended the test values to 652 cycles and 9,489 hours of beam-on-time. The Power Electronic Unit (PEU) and thruster were in the same vacuum chamber throughout the test. The PEU accumulated 10,268 hr of test time with high voltage applied to the operating thruster or dummy load.

Ion and water balance in Gryllus crickets during the first twelve hours of cold exposure.

PubMed

Des Marteaux, Lauren E; Sinclair, Brent J

2016-06-01

Insects lose ion and water balance during chilling, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are based on patterns of ion and water balance observed in the later stages of cold exposure (12 or more hours). Here we quantified the distribution of ions and water in the hemolymph, muscle, and gut in adult Gryllus field crickets during the first 12h of cold exposure to test mechanistic hypotheses about why homeostasis is lost in the cold, and how chill-tolerant insects might maintain homeostasis to lower temperatures. Unlike in later chill coma, hemolymph [Na(+)] and Na(+) content in the first few hours of chilling actually increased. Patterns of Na(+) balance suggest that Na(+) migrates from the tissues to the gut lumen via the hemolymph. Imbalance of [K(+)] progressed gradually over 12h and could not explain chill coma onset (a finding consistent with recent studies), nor did it predict survival or injury following 48h of chilling. Gryllus veletis avoided shifts in muscle and hemolymph ion content better than Gryllus pennsylvanicus (which is less chill-tolerant), however neither species defended water, [Na(+)], or [K(+)] balance during the first 12h of chilling. Gryllus veletis better maintained balance of Na(+) content and may therefore have greater tissue resistance to ion leak during cold exposure, which could partially explain faster chill coma recovery for that species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Accurately Can We Predict Eclipses for Algol? (Poster abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, D.

2016-06-01

(Abstract only) beta Persei, or Algol, is a very well known eclipsing binary system consisting of a late B-type dwarf that is regularly eclipsed by a GK subgiant every 2.867 days. Eclipses, which last about 8 hours, are regular enough that predictions for times of minima are published in various places, Sky & Telescope magazine and The Observer's Handbook, for example. But eclipse minimum lasts for less than a half hour, whereas subtle mistakes in the current ephemeris for the star can result in predictions that are off by a few hours or more. The Algol system is fairly complex, with the Algol A and Algol B eclipsing system also orbited by Algol C with an orbital period of nearly 2 years. Added to that are complex long-term O-C variations with a periodicity of almost two centuries that, although suggested by Hoffmeister to be spurious, fit the type of light travel time variations expected for a fourth star also belonging to the system. The AB sub-system also undergoes mass transfer events that add complexities to its O-C behavior. Is it actually possible to predict precise times of eclipse minima for Algol months in advance given such complications, or is it better to encourage ongoing observations of the star so that O-C variations can be tracked in real time?

PERCEPTION OF BODY WEIGHT AMONG SAUDI SCHOOL CHILDREN

PubMed Central

Abalkhail, Baha; Shawky, Sherine; Ghabrah, Tawfik

2002-01-01

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to explore the perception of body weight among students in schools in Jeddah City and identify the main determinants of self-perceived obesity, weight management goals and practices. Material and Methods: Data were collected from a sample of Saudi school children of 42 boys’ and 42 girls’ schools in Jeddah city during the month of April 2000. Personal interviews were conducted to collect data on socio-demographic factors, food choices, perception of body weight, weight management goals and weight management practices, as well as the actual measurement of weight and height. Students were asked about their perception of their body weight [responses included: very underweight (thin), slightly underweight, about right weight, slightly overweight and grossly overweight (obese)]. Proportion, prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for an attempt to lose weight and weight management practices. Results: The distribution of self-perception of body size was nearly similar to the measured body mass index (BMI) classification except for the overweight students, where 21.3% perceived themselves, as slightly overweight and 5.5% as very overweight although 13.4% were actually overweight and 13.5% were obese by BMI standards. Approximately half the students took at least 3 pieces of fruit or fruit juice servings, and a third ate at least 4 vegetable servings per day. A third of the students managed to lose weight. This coincides with the proportion of those actually overweight and obese. Around 28.0% of the students ate less food, fat or calories, 31.0% took exercise and 17.6% were engaged in vigorous exercise to lose weight or prevent weight gain. Staying for at least 24 hours without food which is a potentially harmful means of weight control was practiced by 10.0% of students. Females were less likely than males to be overweight and obese but more likely to perceive themselves as grossly overweight and more likely to try to lose weight. Factors associated with efforts to lose weight by eating less fat or fewer calories were older age, high social class, being actually obese and perceiving oneself as being obese. Staying for at least 24 hours without eating was mainly practiced by females, older age groups, and the actually obese. Exercise was done mainly by the older age groups, those with educated and highly educated mothers, obese and perceiving oneself as being obese. Vigorous exercise was mainly performed by males, younger age groups, taking < 3 pieces of fruit or fruit juice servings per day, eating < 4 vegetable servings per day, and those perceiving themselves as obese. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity are prevalent among our youth and not all obese have a correct image of their body size. Highly recommended are intervention programs of education on nutrition starting in childhood through school age to promote and ensure healthy food choices, improve student's awareness of ideal body size and clinical obesity, encourage physical exercise but discourage potentially harmful weight control measures. PMID:23008679

The early effects of code 405 work rules on attitudes of orthopaedic residents and attending surgeons.

PubMed

Zuckerman, Joseph D; Kubiak, Eric N; Immerman, Igor; Dicesare, Paul

2005-04-01

The impact of strict enforcement of Section 405 of the New York State Public Health Code to restrict resident work to eighty hours per week and the adoption of a similar policy by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education in 2002 for orthopaedic residency training have not been evaluated. Adoption of these rules has created accreditation as well as staffing problems and has generated controversy in the surgical training community. The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate the attitudes of orthopaedic residents and attending surgeons toward the Code 405 work-hour regulations and the effect of those regulations on the perceived quality of residency training, quality of life, and patient care and (2) to quantify the effect of the work-hour restrictions on the actual number of hours worked. We administered a thirty-four-question Likert-style questionnaire to forty-eight orthopaedic surgery residents (postgraduate years [PGY]-2 through 5) and a similar twenty-nine-question Likert-style questionnaire to thirty-nine orthopaedic attending surgeons. All questionnaires were collected anonymously and analyzed. Additionally, resident work hours before and after strict enforcement of the Code 405 regulations were obtained from resident time sheets. The average weekly work hours decreased from 89.25 to 74.25 hours for PGY-2 residents and from 86.5 to 73.25 hours for PGY-3 residents, and they increased from 61.5 to 68.5 hours for PGY-4 residents. Residents at all levels felt that they had increased time available for reading. There was general agreement between attending and resident surgeons that their operating experience had been negatively impacted. Senior residents thought that their education had been negatively affected, while junior residents thought that their operating experience in general had been negatively affected. Senior residents and attending surgeons felt that continuity of care had been negatively impacted. All agreed that quality of life for the residents had improved and that residents were more rested. On the basis of the survey data, the implementation of the new work-hour restrictions was found to result in a decrease in the number of hours worked per week for PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents and in an increase in work hours for PGY-4 residents. This could explain the definite difference between the attitudes expressed by the senior residents and those of the junior residents. Senior residents felt that their education was negatively impacted by the work rules, while junior residents expressed a more neutral view. However, senior residents did not believe that their operative experience was as negatively impacted as did junior residents. Although junior and senior residents and attending surgeons agreed that resident quality of life had improved, we were not able to determine whether this offset the perceived negative impact on education, continuity of care, and operative experience.

Predicting Ambulance Time of Arrival to the Emergency Department Using Global Positioning System and Google Maps

PubMed Central

Fleischman, Ross J.; Lundquist, Mark; Jui, Jonathan; Newgard, Craig D.; Warden, Craig

2014-01-01

Objective To derive and validate a model that accurately predicts ambulance arrival time that could be implemented as a Google Maps web application. Methods This was a retrospective study of all scene transports in Multnomah County, Oregon, from January 1 through December 31, 2008. Scene and destination hospital addresses were converted to coordinates. ArcGIS Network Analyst was used to estimate transport times based on street network speed limits. We then created a linear regression model to improve the accuracy of these street network estimates using weather, patient characteristics, use of lights and sirens, daylight, and rush-hour intervals. The model was derived from a 50% sample and validated on the remainder. Significance of the covariates was determined by p < 0.05 for a t-test of the model coefficients. Accuracy was quantified by the proportion of estimates that were within 5 minutes of the actual transport times recorded by computer-aided dispatch. We then built a Google Maps-based web application to demonstrate application in real-world EMS operations. Results There were 48,308 included transports. Street network estimates of transport time were accurate within 5 minutes of actual transport time less than 16% of the time. Actual transport times were longer during daylight and rush-hour intervals and shorter with use of lights and sirens. Age under 18 years, gender, wet weather, and trauma system entry were not significant predictors of transport time. Our model predicted arrival time within 5 minutes 73% of the time. For lights and sirens transports, accuracy was within 5 minutes 77% of the time. Accuracy was identical in the validation dataset. Lights and sirens saved an average of 3.1 minutes for transports under 8.8 minutes, and 5.3 minutes for longer transports. Conclusions An estimate of transport time based only on a street network significantly underestimated transport times. A simple model incorporating few variables can predict ambulance time of arrival to the emergency department with good accuracy. This model could be linked to global positioning system data and an automated Google Maps web application to optimize emergency department resource use. Use of lights and sirens had a significant effect on transport times. PMID:23865736

Success with voice recognition.

PubMed

Sferrella, Sheila M

2003-01-01

You need a compelling reason to implement voice recognition technology. At my institution, the compelling reason was a turnaround time for Radiology results of more than two days. Only 41 percent of our reports were transcribed and signed within 24 hours. In November 1998, a team from Lehigh Valley Hospital went to RSNA and reviewed every voice system on the market. The evaluation was done with the radiologist workflow in mind, and we came back from the meeting with the vendor selection completed. The next steps included developing a business plan, approval of funds, reference calls to more than 15 sites and contract negotiation, all of which took about six months. The department of Radiology at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN) is a multi-site center that performs over 360,000 procedures annually. The department handles all modalities of radiology: general diagnosis, neuroradiology, ultrasound, CT Scan, MRI, interventional radiology, arthography, myelography, bone densitometry, nuclear medicine, PET imaging, vascular lab and other advanced procedures. The department consists of 200 FTEs and a medical staff of more than 40 radiologists. The budget is in the $10.3 million range. There are three hospital sites and four outpatient imaging center sites where services are provided. At Lehigh Valley Hospital, radiologists are not dedicated to one subspecialty, so implementing a voice system by modality was not an option. Because transcription was so far behind, we needed to eliminate that part of the process. As a result, we decided to deploy the system all at once and with the radiologists as editors. The planning and testing phase took about four months, and the implementation took two weeks. We deployed over 40 workstations and trained close to 50 physicians. The radiologists brought in an extra radiologist from our group for the two weeks of training. That allowed us to train without taking a radiologist out of the department. We trained three to six radiologists a day. I projected a savings of 5.0 FTEs over two years. The actual savings were 8.0 FTEs within three weeks for the first phase and an additional 4.3 FTEs within two weeks of the second phase. The transcription staff was retained to perform other types of transcription and not displaced. The goal was to reduce Medical Records' outsourcing expenses by $670,000 over three years. The actual savings are in excess of $900,000. The proposed payback period was 17 months, and the actual was less than 12 months. For two years prior to implementing the voice system, the turnaround time at Lehigh Valley was 41 percent within 24 hours. One week after implementation, the turnaround time was 78 percent within 24 hours. Today it ranges between 85 percent and 92 percent. Overall, the radiologists at Lehigh Valley Hospital did an excellent job with the cultural change to voice recognition. It has made a major impact on our ability to get reports to physicians in a timely manner so they can make treatment decisions.

An Objective Verification of the North American Mesoscale Model for Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauman, William H., III

2010-01-01

The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) Launch Weather Officers use the 12-km resolution North American Mesoscale (NAM) model (MesoNAM) text and graphical product forecasts extensively to support launch weather operations. However, the actual performance of the model at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) has not been measured objectively. In order to have tangible evidence of model performance, the 45 WS tasked the Applied Meteorology Unit to conduct a detailed statistical analysis of model output compared to observed values. The model products are provided to the 45 WS by ACTA, Inc. and include hourly forecasts from 0 to 84 hours based on model initialization times of 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC. The objective analysis compared the MesoNAM forecast winds, temperature and dew point, as well as the changes in these parameters over time, to the observed values from the sensors in the KSC/CCAFS wind tower network. Objective statistics will give the forecasters knowledge of the model's strength and weaknesses, which will result in improved forecasts for operations.

Investigation of the application of HCMM thermal data to snow hydrology. [Salt-Verde watershed, Arizona and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, J. C. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Comparison of the thermal IR band temperatures over the rapidly melting snowcover in a number of locations in the Salt-Verde Arizona watershed by the U-2 high altitude multispectral scanner, with temperatures for these same locations measured by the corresponding HCMM pass, indicate that the U-2 temperatures are typically 5 C higher than the values analyzed from the HCMM infrared digital printout. Results tend to substantiate findings of other investigators that with the offset that has been applied to all HCMM data, the HCMM temperature values may, in fact, actually be 5 C too low. Analysis of differences between the HCMM day and night temperatures for selected snowcovered areas in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, derived from the daytime and nighttime printouts, show greater delta tau values for the sparsely vegetated higher elevations than for the lower elevation, more densely forested terrain. The differences for the 12 hour sequence are also greater in most instances than the 36 hour difference.

Drinking Water Quality Surveillance in a Vulnerable Urban Ward of Ahmedabad.

PubMed

Iyer, Veena; Choudhury, Nandini; Azhar, Gulrez Shah; Somvanshi, Bhushan

2014-05-01

The World Bank estimates that 21% of all communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water with diarrhoea alone causing more than 0.1 million deaths annually. The WHO drinking water surveillance parameters of quality, quantity, accessibility, affordability and continuity were assessed in one vulnerable ward of Ahmedabad-a fast growing city in Western India. Interviews with key informants of the ward office, health centre and water supply department, secondary analysis and mapping of field test reports and a questionnaire-based survey of different household types were conducted. We found that Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) supplies water to the ward intermittently for two hours during the day. Housing society clusters supplement their AMC water supply with untested bore-well water. The water quality surveillance system is designed for a twenty-four-hour piped distribution of treated surface water. However, in order to maintain surveillance over an intermittent supply that includes ground water, the sampling process should include periodic surveys of water actually consumed by the citizens. The laboratory capacity of the Central Water Testing Laboratory should expand to include more refined tests for microbial and chemical contamination.

[The most effective dosage in the administration of PGF2-alpha for interruption of pregnancy during the 2d trimester].

PubMed

Herczeg, J; Szontágh, F

1974-06-23

Artificial interruption of pregnancy contains too many risks from the 12th week of pregnancy. The authors have been working at finding the most suitable and effective dosage of prostaglandin for the interruption of pregnancy during the 2nd trimester. The new dosage experimented was 25 mg of prostaglandin F2alpha, followed by another 25 mg 6 hours later. The clinical efficiency of this dosage was tested. This procedures was used in 45 cases. The efficiency of the method was compared to the efficiency of the previously used dosage, which was 25 mg of prostaglandin F2alpha, followed by 25 mg 24 hours later. The new dosage was evaluated 91% efficient, while the previous dosage was found to be 75% efficient. The side effects were rated as acceptable by the patients. There was no case of infection. Two undeniable advantages were found with this new dosage: the duration of the actual procedure is considerably reduced, and the method appears to be much safer. The authors conclude that this new procedure offers numerous clinical advantages.

Cryogenic Moisture Uptake in Foam Insulation for Space Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesmire, James E.; ScholtensCoffman, Brekke E.; Sass, Jared P.; Williams, Martha K.; Smith, Trent M.; Meneghelli, Barrry J.

2008-01-01

Rigid polyurethane foams and rigid polyisocyanurate foams (spray-on foam insulation), like those flown on Shuttle, Delta IV, and will be flown on Ares-I and Ares-V, can gain an extraordinary amount of water when under cryogenic conditions for several hours. These foams, when exposed for eight hours to launch pad environments on one side and cryogenic temperature on the other, increase their weight from 35 to 80 percent depending on the duration of weathering or aging. This effect translates into several thousand pounds of additional weight for space vehicles at lift-off. A new cryogenic moisture uptake apparatus was designed to determine the amount of water/ice taken into the specimen under actual-use propellant loading conditions. This experimental study included the measurement of the amount of moisture uptake within different foam materials. Results of testing using both aged specimens and weathered specimens are presented. To better understand cryogenic foam insulation performance, cryogenic moisture testing is shown to be essential. The implications for future launch vehicle thermal protection system design and flight performance are discussed.

8760-Based Method for Representing Variable Generation Capacity Value in Capacity Expansion Models: Preprint

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

Frew, Bethany A; Cole, Wesley J; Sun, Yinong

Capacity expansion models (CEMs) are widely used to evaluate the least-cost portfolio of electricity generators, transmission, and storage needed to reliably serve demand over the evolution of many years or decades. Various CEM formulations are used to evaluate systems ranging in scale from states or utility service territories to national or multi-national systems. CEMs can be computationally complex, and to achieve acceptable solve times, key parameters are often estimated using simplified methods. In this paper, we focus on two of these key parameters associated with the integration of variable generation (VG) resources: capacity value and curtailment. We first discuss commonmore » modeling simplifications used in CEMs to estimate capacity value and curtailment, many of which are based on a representative subset of hours that can miss important tail events or which require assumptions about the load and resource distributions that may not match actual distributions. We then present an alternate approach that captures key elements of chronological operation over all hours of the year without the computationally intensive economic dispatch optimization typically employed within more detailed operational models. The updated methodology characterizes the (1) contribution of VG to system capacity during high load and net load hours, (2) the curtailment level of VG, and (3) the potential reductions in curtailments enabled through deployment of storage and more flexible operation of select thermal generators. We apply this alternate methodology to an existing CEM, the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS). Results demonstrate that this alternate approach provides more accurate estimates of capacity value and curtailments by explicitly capturing system interactions across all hours of the year. This approach could be applied more broadly to CEMs at many different scales where hourly resource and load data is available, greatly improving the representation of challenges associate with integration of variable generation resources.« less

Differences in public belief and reality in the care of operative patients in a teaching hospital.

PubMed

Berg, Douglas B; Engel, Amy M; Saba, Alexander; Hatton, E Kenneth

2011-01-01

The accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) restricts residents from working more than 80 hours per week averaged over a 4-week period. No such restriction exists, however, for attending surgeons. Little exploration has been done of the public's perception of the number of hours that surgeons work and how residents work with the staff surgeons at a teaching institution. A survey was designed to study the public's belief on surgeon work hours and habits. The survey also asked their opinion on resident involvement. All patients and accompanying persons arriving through the Surgicare Center for elective procedures older than age 18 were surveyed. The overall survey responses were calculated, and the results then were stratified by sex, age, race, and education. Of the 1516 surveys distributed, 370 were completed and returned (24.4%). Of those responding, 91% believed that a work hour limit should be in place for surgeons, and 77% believed the limit should be 12 consecutive hours or less. Eighty-four percent of the population believed that limit should be in place on the hours/week that a surgeon works, and 68% believe that it should be 60 hours or less. Although 82% would reschedule if they knew their surgeon had less than 4 hours of sleep the night before their procedure, 79% trust their surgeon's judgment to cancel if he/she were too tired. Only 28% of those surveyed were aware whether a resident was involved in their care, and 14% were against resident involvement. Respondents also were asked if the attending surgeon deemed a resident capable, then what percent of the procedure should the resident be able to perform? Ninety-one percent of those surveyed believed that the attending should be present for the entire case, and 78% believed that they should not be able to schedule more than 1 procedure at any given time. These findings illustrate a difference between the public's beliefs in regard to the hours a surgeon should be permitted to work and the reality of a surgeon's work life. Although the public may not be aware of the surgeon's schedule at a given time, they do trust the surgeon would cancel if too fatigued. The majority surveyed were not aware of resident involvement, but they trusted the attending surgeon's judgment with deciding how much of the actual procedure he/she could perform. With work-hour restrictions and resident involvement continuing to evolve, keeping the public informed should be a priority. Copyright © 2011 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The splenic injury outcomes trial: An American Association for the Surgery of Trauma multi-institutional study.

PubMed

Zarzaur, Ben L; Kozar, Rosemary; Myers, John G; Claridge, Jeffrey A; Scalea, Thomas M; Neideen, Todd A; Maung, Adrian A; Alarcon, Louis; Corcos, Alain; Kerwin, Andrew; Coimbra, Raul

2015-09-01

Delayed splenic hemorrhage after nonoperative management (NOM) of blunt splenic injury (BSI) is a feared complication, particularly in the outpatient setting. Significant resources, including angiography (ANGIO), are used in an effort to prevent delayed splenectomy (DS). No prospective, long-term data exist to determine the actual risk of splenectomy. The purposes of this trial were to ascertain the 180-day risk of splenectomy after 24 hours of NOM of BSI and to determine factors related to splenectomy. Eleven Level I trauma centers participated in this prospective observational study. Adult patients achieving 24 hours of NOM of their BSI were eligible. Patients were followed up for 180 days. Demographic, physiologic, radiographic, injury-related information, and spleen-related interventions were recorded. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to determine factors associated with DS. A total of 383 patients were enrolled. Twelve patients (3.1%) underwent in-hospital splenectomy between 24 hours and 9 days after injury. Of 366 discharged with a spleen, 1 (0.27%) required readmission for DS on postinjury Day 12. No Grade I injuries experienced DS. The splenectomy rate after 24 hours of NOM was 1.5 per 1,000 patient-days. Only extravasation from the spleen at time of admission (ADMIT-BLUSH) was associated with splenectomy (odds ratio, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-12.4). Of patients with ADMIT-BLUSH (n = 49), 17 (34.7%) did not have ANGIO with embolization (EMBO), and 2 of those (11.8%) underwent splenectomy; 32 (65.3%) underwent ANGIO with EMBO, and 2 of those (6.3%, p = 0.6020 compared with no ANGIO with EMBO) required splenectomy. Splenectomy after 24 hours of NOM is rare. After the initial 24 hours, no additional interventions are warranted for patients with Grade I injuries. For Grades II to V, close observation as an inpatient or outpatient is indicated for 10 days to 14 days. ADMIT-BLUSH is a strong predictor of DS and should lead to close observation or earlier surgical intervention. Prognostic/epidemiological study, level III; therapeutic study, level IV.

Implementation of self-rostering (the PRIO-project): effects on working hours, recovery, and health.

PubMed

Garde, Anne Helene; Albertsen, Karen; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Carneiro, Isabella Gomes; Skotte, Jørgen; Hansen, Sofie Mandrup; Lund, Henrik; Hvid, Helge; Hansen, Åse Marie

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to (i) investigate the consequences of self-rostering for working hours, recovery, and health, and (ii) elucidate the mechanisms through which recovery and health are affected. Twenty eight workplaces were allocated to either an intervention or reference group. Intervention A encompassed the possibility to specify preferences for starting time and length of shift down to 15 minutes intervals. Interventions B and C included the opportunity to choose between a number of predefined duties. Questionnaires (N=840) on recovery and health and objective workplace reports of working hours (N=718) were obtained at baseline and 12 months later. The interaction term between intervention and time was tested in mixed models and multinomial logistic regression models. The odds ratio (OR) of having short [OR 4.8, 95 % confidence interval (95% CI) 1.9-12.3] and long (OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.9-8.0) shifts increased in intervention A. Somatic symptoms (β= -0.10, 95% CI -0.19- -0.02) and mental distress (β= -0.13, 95% CI -0.23- -0.03) decreased, and sleep (β= 1.7, 95% CI 0.04-0.30) improved in intervention B, and need for recovery was reduced in interventions A (β= -0.17, 95% CI -0.29- -0.04) and B (β= -0.17, 95% CI -0.27- -0.07). There were no effects on recovery and health in intervention C, and overall, there were no detrimental effects on recovery or health. The benefits of the intervention were not related to changes in working hours and did not differ by gender, age, family type, degree of employment, or working hour arrangements. After implementation of self-rostering, employees changed shift length and timing but did not compromise most recommendations for acceptable shift work schedules. Positive consequences of self-rostering for recovery and health were observed, particularly in intervention B where worktime control increased but less extensively than intervention A. The effect could not be statistically explained by changes in actual working hours.

Professional burnout syndrome in doctors of surgical specialties in Ukraine: causes, consequences, labor optimization ways.

PubMed

Skurupii, Dmytro A; Kholod, Dmytro A; Sonnik, Evgen G

The professional burnout syndrome (PBS) affects quality of medical care provision for people, which is acquires the special actuality in terms of reforming the health care system. To study ways to improve the efficiency of doctors of surgical specialties based on analyzes of PBS and its consequences. A survey of psychological tests and 62 surgical doctors was carried out. It was found out that the PBS reaches a peak after 11 to 15 years of working experience. Anesthesiologists have high levels of PBS, emotional exhaustion, cynicism, low desire for career growth, frequent misunderstanding with the administration, they prefer 8-hour working day, and relieve stress by sleeping and consuming alcohol. Obstetrician-gynecologists show moderate level of PBS and emotional exhaustion, high degree of cynicism, strong desire for career growth, frequent misunderstandings with patients and their relatives, prefer 8-hour working day, relieve stress by smoking and socializing with family and friends. Traumatic surgeons have moderate level of PBS, emotional exhaustion, high degree of cynicism, strong desire for career growth, frequent misunderstandings with their colleagues of related specialties, prefer the 24-hour working day, and reli eve their stress with alcohol and sports. Surgeons have moderate level of PBS, emotional exhaustion, low degree of cynicism, moderate desire for career growth, frequent misunderstandings with their colleagues of related specialties, prefer the 8-hour working day, and relieve stress by smoking and sleeping. PBS is most expressed in doctors having working experience of 11 to 15 years and in anesthesiologists. They get professional deformations. These features should be considered in course of organization of working process of medical teams.

[Smartphone usage among adolescents].

PubMed

Körmendi, Attila

2015-01-01

Among our technological gadgets smartphones play the most important role, new generation devices offer other functions beyond calling (internet availability, computer games, music player, camera functions etc.) In everydays can be experienced that youth spend more and more time with their smartphones and despite the actuality of this issue there are no studies on the excessive smartphone usage in Hungary and we can find only a few international studies. Our goal is to examine smartphone usage in primary and secondary schools in Hajdu-Bihar county, Hungary and its relationship with personality traits. Our sample consist of 263 youth from primary and secondary schools. We measured the characteristics of smartphone using and attitudes with a Mobilephone Using Questionnare. Personality traits are measured with Impulsiveness, Venturesomeness, Empathy Scale. The Child Behavior Checklist gives information about peer relationships, mental state and emotions. Average phone using time is 4,48 hours per day regarding the whole sample. This mean for boys is 3,40 hour for girls 5,39 hour. Average phone using time is higher at 16 (6,35 hour per day). The most frequent used applications are calling and visiting community sites. There is no connection between phone using and grades. The smartphone using time per day shows a significant positive relationship with Impulsivity, Anxiety and Depression, Attention deficits and Somatic problems within 17-19 ages. One of the explanation of excessive smartphone using may be the frequent visiting of community sites. Mobile phones in this case raise the availability of addictive object (community site) therefore contribute to the development of community site addiction. The connection with impulsivity, somatic problems and attention deficits refer to the anxiety reducing role of smartphones within 17-19 ages.

A pilot project of European Working Time Directive compliant rosters in a university teaching hospital.

PubMed

Garvin, J T; McLaughlin, R; Kerin, M J

2008-04-01

In response to the requirements of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), a national implementation group was formed to liaise with local implementation groups at nine different pilot sites. As part of this process, a pilot EWTD compliant rota was run for six weeks amongst general surgical SHOs in University Hospital Galway. A rota was devised for nine general surgical SHOs, the aim being to achieve EWTD compliance. SHOs were asked to complete questionnaires to assess the effectiveness of the pilot. During the pilot SHOs were rostered for an average of 53.6 hours. Actual hours worked were 58.1 hours. Fifty-two point five per cent of working weeks were non-compliant with the provisions of the EWTD. Seventy per cent of the time SHOs felt that continuity of care was not achieved. Eighty-one per cent felt that patient care deteriorated during the pilot. SHOs spent an average of 2.5 days per week engaged in sessional commitments with their consultant. Fifty percent of SHOs missed elective operating sessions or outpatient clinics. SHOs attended an average of 1.3 emergency operations per week (range 0-8) and 5.5 elective procedures per week (range 0-12). All SHOs reported a deterioration in quantity or quality of training. However, 69% reported an improvement in their quality of life during the pilot. With this tightly defined shift system, hours worked were in breach of the provisions of the EWTD. Sixty-nine per cent of SHOs reported an improvement in quality of life, but all reported a deterioration in training and 81% felt that patient care suffered.

Relative Sensitivity of Photosynthesis and Respiration to Freeze-Thaw Stress in Herbaceous Species 1

PubMed Central

Steffen, Kenneth L.; Arora, Rajeev; Palta, Jiwan P.

1989-01-01

The relative effect of a freeze-thaw cycle on photosynthesis, respiration, and ion leakage of potato leaf tissue was examined in two potato species, Solanum acaule Bitt. and Solanum commersonii Dun. Photosynthesis was found to be much more sensitive to freezing stress than was respiration, and demonstrated more than a 60% inhibition before any impairment of respiratory function was observed. Photosynthesis showed a slight to moderate inhibition when only 5 to 10% of the total electrolytes had leaked from the tissue (reversible injury). This was in contrast to respiration which showed no impairment until temperatures at which about 50% ion leakage (irreversible injury) had occurred. The influence of freeze-thaw protocol was further examined in S. acaule and S. commersonii, in order to explore discrepancies in the literature as to the relative sensitivities of photosynthesis and respiration. As bath cooling rates increased from 1°C/hour to about 3 or 6°C/hour, there was a dramatic increase in the level of damage to all measured cellular functions. The initiation of ice formation in deeply supercooled tissue caused even greater damage. As the cooling rates used in stress treatments increased, the differential sensitivity between photosynthesis and respiration nearly disappeared. Examination of agriculturally relevant, climatological data from an 11 year period confirmed that air cooling rates in the freezing range do not exceed 2°C/hour. It was demonstrated, in the studies presented here, that simply increasing the actual cooling rate from 1.0 to 2.9°C/hour, in frozen tissue from paired leaflet halves, meant the difference between cell survival and cell death. Images Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:16666712

The Bell Commission: ethical implications for the training of physicians.

PubMed

Holzman, I R; Barnett, S H

2000-03-01

In 1989, the New York State Legislature enacted New York State Code 405 in response to the death of a patient in a New York City hospital. Code 405 was the culmination of a report (the Bell Commission Report) that implicated the training of residents as part of the problem leading to that tragic death. This paper explores the consequences of the regulatory changes in physician training. The sleep deprivation of house officers was considered a major issue requiring correction. There is little evidence to support the claim that sleep deprivation is a serious cause of medical misadventures. Nevertheless, the changes in house officers' working hours and responsibilities have profound implications. Changes in the time allotted to teaching, the ability to learn from patients admitted after a shift is over, and the increasing loss of continuity, all may have a negative impact on physician training. It is not clear that trainees are being realistically prepared for the actual practice of medicine - physicians often work extended hours. The most serious concern that has been raised is the loss of professionalism by physicians. Residents are now viewing themselves as hourly workers, and the State has intervened in an area of training formerly left to the profession to manage. We are now training doctors in New York State who will be comfortable working in an hourly wage setting, but not in the traditional practice of medicine as it has been in the United States during this century. We are concerned that this may sever the bond between doctor and patient - a bond that has been the bedrock of our conception of a physician.

Reducing muscle injuries and reinjuries in one italian professional male soccer team

PubMed Central

Melegati, Gianluca; Tornese, Davide; Gevi, Maurizio; Trabattoni, Alessandro; Pozzi, Grazia; Schonhuber, Herbert; Volpi, Piero

2013-01-01

Summary Background. The incidence rate of muscle injuries and re-injuries in professional elite soccer players actually is very high and may interfere with the fate of a championship. Purpose. To investigate the effect of a two-tiered injury prevention programme on first injury and re-injury incidence in top level male soccer players. Study design Case Series Study. Muscle injuries and re-injuries sustained by a group of 36 soccer player of an italian elite soccer team have been collected during 2010–2011 season. These data have been compared with those collected during the previous season in the same elite soccer team. Results. A total of 64 injuries occurred, 36 (56%) of which during practice and 28 (44%) during matches. Muscle injuries accounted for 31.3% of the total (n=20), 70% (n=14) of which occurred during practice and 30% (n=6) during matches. Hamstring were the muscles most often injured (n=11) In all, 3 re-injuries occurred (15% of muscle injuries). No early re-injuries occurred. The incidence was 2.5 injuries/1000 hours and the burden was 37 days absence/1000 hours. Conclusions. Through the implementation of a group and personalized injury prevention program, we were able to reduce the total number of muscle injuries and days absent because of injury, in a team of elite soccer players, as compared to the previous season. Specifically, muscle injuries accounted for 31% of all injuries, as compared to 59% of all injuries sustained by the team during the previous season. The number of injuries/1000 hours of exposure was reduced by half (from 5.6 to 2.5) and the days absent/1000 hours fell from 106 to 37. PMID:24596697

Response of Groundwater table to Eucalyptus Plantations in a Tropical Monsoon Climate, Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enku, Temesgen; Melesse, Assefa; Ayana, Essaya; Tilahun, Seifu; Abate, Mengiste; Steenhuis, Tammo

2017-04-01

Given the increasing demand for water resources and the need for better management of regional water resources, it is essential to quantify the groundwater use by phreatophytes in tropical monsoon climates. Phreatophytes, like eucalyptus plantations are reported to be a groundwater sink and it could significantly affect the regional groundwater resources. In our study, the consumptive groundwater use of a closed eucalyptus plantation was calculated based on the diurnal water table fluctuations observed in monitoring wells for two dry monsoon phases in the Fogera plain, northwest of Ethiopia. Automated recorders were installed to monitor the hourly groundwater table fluctuations. The groundwater table fluctuates from maximum at early in the morning to minimum in the evening daily and generally declined linearly during the dry phase averaging 3.1 cm/day during the two year period under the eucalyptus plantations. The hourly eucalypts transpiration rate over the daylight hours follows the daily solar irradiance curve for clear sky days. It is minimal during the night and reaches maximum of 1.65mm/hour at mid-day. The evapotranspiration from the groundwater by eucalyptus plantations during the dry phases was estimated at about 2300mm from October 1 to 31 May, in 2015 compared to about 900mm without eucalyptus trees. The average daily evapotranspiration was 9.6mm. This is almost twice of the reference evapotranspiration in the area and 2.5 times the actual rate under fallow agricultural fields. Thus, water resources planning and management in the region needs to consider the effect of eucalyptus plantations on the availability of groundwater resources in the highlands of Ethiopia. Key words: Eucalyptus, Evapotranspiration, Groundwater, Ethiopia, Lake Tana

[Effect of continuous renal replacement therapy on the plasma concentration of imipenem in severe infection patients with acute renal injury].

PubMed

Yu, Bin; Liu, Lixia; Xing, Dong; Zhao, Congcong; Hu, Zhenjie

2015-05-01

To investigate the extracorporeal clearance rate of imipenem in severe infection patients in the mode of continuous vena-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), in order to approach if the concentration of imipenem in plasma could achieve effective levels of anti-infection, and to explore the effect of time and anticoagulation measure on imipenem clearance during CRRT treatment. A prospective observational study was conducted. All adult severe infection patients complicating acute kidney injury (AKI) in the Department of Critical Care Medicine of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from March 2013 to September 2014, who were prescribed imipenem as part of their required medical care, and CRRT for treatment of AKI were enrolled. 0.5 g doses of imipenem was administered intravenously every 6 hours or 8 hours according to random number table, and infused over 0.5 hour. The unfractionated heparin was used for anticoagulation in the patients without contraindications, and no anticoagulation strategy was used in the patients with high risk of bleeding. At 24 hours after first time of administration, postfilter venous blood and ultrafiltrate samples were collected at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 hours after imipenem administration. The concentration of imipenem in above samples was determined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer/mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). A total of 25 patients were enrolled. Thirteen patients received imipenem intravenously every 6 hours, and 12 patients, every 8 hours. The anticoagulation was conducted with heparin in 13 cases, and 12 cases without anticoagulation. The intra-day precision, inter-day precision, matrix effect, and recovery rate in low, medium, and high concentration of plasma and ultrafiltrate, and the stability of samples under different conditions showed a good result, the error of accuracy was controlled in the range of ±15%. With the application of Prismaflex blood filtration system and AN69-M100 filter, under the mode with CVVH, the total clearance rate of imipenem was (8.874±2.828) L/h when the actual dose of replacement fluid was (31.63±1.48) mL×kg⁻¹×h⁻¹, the total CRRT clearance rate of imipenem in vitro was (2.211±0.539) L/h, which accounting for (30.1±15.7)% of the total drug clearance. In 6 hours interval dosage regimen, the percentages of the time > 4× minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at specific 4×MIC of 2, 4, 6, and 8 μg/mL of imipenem were more than 40% of the dosing interval. But in the 8 hours interval dosage regimen, when the level was above the 4×MIC of 4 μg/mL, maintaining time would drop below 40% of the dosing interval, with significant differences compared with that in 6 hours interval dosage regimen [4×MIC = 2 μg/mL: (60.84±20.25)% vs. (94.01±12.46)%, t = 4.977, P = 0.001; 4×MIC = 4 μg/mL: (39.85±15.88)% vs. (68.74±9.57)%, t = 5.562, P = 0.000; 4×MIC = 6 g/mL: (27.58±13.70)% vs. (53.97±8.36)%, t = 5.867, P = 0.000; 4×MIC = 8 μg/mL: ( 8.87±12.43)% vs. (43.48±7.83)%, t = 5.976, P = 0.000]. No significant change in sieving coefficient of imipenem was found within a short time (6 hours), which indicated that there was no effect of anticoagulation on clearance of imipenem by AN69-M100 filter, and no statistical significance was found with repeated measure analysis (F = 0.186, P > 0.05 ). The clearance rate of imipenem is increased significantly in vitro under the mode of CVVH with the actual dose of replacement fluid was (31.63±1.48) mL×kg⁻¹×h⁻¹ in severe infective patients with severe sepsis complicating AKI, affecting the level of plasma drug concentration, need to adjust the dosage regimen. When the time of the dosing interval was shortened, the concentration of imipenem in patients' plasma could be increased significantly. In a short period of time, the sieving coefficient of imipenem through AN69 filter is not affected by anticoagulation measures and time cleaning efficiency will not decline.

Poor Adherence to Lung-Protective Mechanical Ventilation in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

PubMed

Ward, Shan L; Quinn, Carson M; Valentine, Stacey L; Sapru, Anil; Curley, Martha A Q; Willson, Douglas F; Liu, Kathleen D; Matthay, Michael A; Flori, Heidi R

2016-10-01

To determine the frequency of low-tidal volume ventilation in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and assess if any demographic or clinical factors improve low-tidal volume ventilation adherence. Descriptive post hoc analysis of four multicenter pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome studies. Twenty-six academic PICU. Three hundred fifteen pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome patients. All patients who received conventional mechanical ventilation at hours 0 and 24 of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome who had data to calculate ideal body weight were included. Two cutoff points for low-tidal volume ventilation were assessed: less than or equal to 6.5 mL/kg of ideal body weight and less than or equal to 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight. Of 555 patients, we excluded 240 for other respiratory support modes or missing data. The remaining 315 patients had a median PaO2-to-FIO2 ratio of 140 (interquartile range, 90-201), and there were no differences in demographics between those who did and did not receive low-tidal volume ventilation. With tidal volume cutoff of less than or equal to 6.5 mL/kg of ideal body weight, the adherence rate was 32% at hour 0 and 33% at hour 24. A low-tidal volume ventilation cutoff of tidal volume less than or equal to 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight resulted in an adherence rate of 58% at hour 0 and 60% at hour 24. Low-tidal volume ventilation use was no different by severity of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome nor did adherence improve over time. At hour 0, overweight children were less likely to receive low-tidal volume ventilation less than or equal to 6.5 mL/kg ideal body weight (11% overweight vs 38% nonoverweight; p = 0.02); no difference was noted by hour 24. Furthermore, in the overweight group, using admission weight instead of ideal body weight resulted in misclassification of up to 14% of patients as receiving low-tidal volume ventilation when they actually were not. Low-tidal volume ventilation is underused in the first 24 hours of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Age, Pediatric Risk of Mortality-III, and pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome severity were not associated with improved low-tidal volume ventilation adherence nor did adherence improve over time. Overweight children were less likely to receive low-tidal volume ventilation strategies in the first day of illness.

Measuring silicon pore optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vacanti, Giuseppe; Barrière, Nicolas; Bavdaz, Marcos; Chatbi, Abdelhakim; Collon, Maximilien; Dekker, Daniëlle; Girou, David; Günther, Ramses; van der Hoeven, Roy; Krumrey, Michael; Landgraf, Boris; Müller, Peter; Schreiber, Swenja; Vervest, Mark; Wille, Eric

2017-09-01

While predictions based on the metrology (local slope errors and detailed geometrical details) play an essential role in controlling the development of the manufacturing processes, X-ray characterization remains the ultimate indication of the actual performance of Silicon Pore Optics (SPO). For this reason SPO stacks and mirror modules are routinely characterized at PTB's X-ray Pencil Beam Facility at BESSY II. Obtaining standard X-ray results quickly, right after the production of X-ray optics is essential to making sure that X-ray results can inform decisions taken in the lab. We describe the data analysis pipeline in operations at cosine, and how it allows us to go from stack production to full X-ray characterization in 24 hours.

In-situ response time testing of thermocouples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashemian, H. M.; Petersen, K. M.; Hashemian, M.; Beverly, D. D.; Miller, L. F.

The Loop Current Step Response (LCSR) method has been developed for in situ response time testing of thermocouples and resistance thermometers. A means for measuring the sensor response for actual operating conditions and installation details is provided. This technology is ready to be assembled into an instrument for use in aerospace, nuclear, chemical and other industries where transient temperature measurements are important. The method provides time constant results within better than about 20 percent of value obtained from plunge tests. These results are based on tests performed in water at low flow rates (1M/sec) and in air flow rates ranging from a few meters per second to over a hundred kilometers per hour.

An Energy Storage Assessment: Using Optimal Control Strategies to Capture Multiple Services

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

Wu, Di; Jin, Chunlian; Balducci, Patrick J.

2015-09-01

This paper presents a methodology for evaluating benefits of battery storage for multiple grid applications, including energy arbitrage, balancing service, capacity value, distribution system equipment deferral, and outage mitigation. In the proposed method, at each hour, a look-ahead optimization is first formulated and solved to determine battery base operating point. The minute by minute simulation is then performed to simulate the actual battery operation. This methodology is used to assess energy storage alternatives in Puget Sound Energy System. Different battery storage candidates are simulated for a period of one year to assess different value streams and overall benefits, as partmore » of a financial feasibility evaluation of battery storage projects.« less

Development of new materials for turbopump bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maurer, R. E.; Pallini, R. A.

1985-01-01

The life requirement for the angular contact ball bearings in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) high pressure oxygen turbopump (HPOTP) is 7.5 hours. In actual operation, significantly shorter service life was experienced. The objective is to identify bearing materials and/or materials processing techniques offering signficant potential for extending HPOTP bearing performance life. Interactive thermomechanical analysis of the HPOTP bearing-shaft system was performed with the SHABERTH computer program. Bearing fatigue life, ball-race contact stress, heat generation rate, bulk ring temperatures and circumferential stress in the inner rings were quantified as functions of radial load, thrust load and ball-race contact friction. Criteria established from the output of this analysis are being used for material candidate selection.

AMTEC cell testing, optimization of rhodium/tungsten electrodes, and tests of other components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Roger M.; Ryan, Margaret A.; Jeffries-Nakamura, Barbara; Underwood, Mark L.; O'Connor, Dennis; Kikkert, Stan

1991-01-01

Electrodes, current collectors, ceramic to metal braze seals, and metallic components exposed to the high 'hot side' temperatures and sodium liquid and vapor environment have been tested and evaluated in laboratory cells running for hundreds of hours at 1100-1200 K. Rhodium/tungsten electrodes have been selected as the optimum electrodes based on performance parameters and durability. Current collectors have been evaluated under simulated and actual operating conditions. The microscopic effects of metal migration between electrode and current collector alloys as well as their thermal and electrical properties determined the suitability of current collector and lead materials. Braze seals suitable for long term application to AMTEC devices are being developed.

Analysis on the Oversize Blast Furnace Desulfurization and a Sulfide Capacity Prediction Model Based on Congregated Electron Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhenyang, Wang; Jianliang, Zhang; Gang, An; Zhengjian, Liu; Zhengming, Cheng; Junjie, Huang; Jingwei, Zhang

2016-02-01

Through analyzed and regressed the actual productive desulfurization data from the oversize blast furnace (5500 m3) in north China, the relationship between the sulfur distribution parameters and the slag composition in actual production situation was investigated. As the slag and hot metal phases have their own balance sulfur content or sulfur partial pressure in gas phase, respectively, the non-equilibrium of sulfur among gas, slag, and metal phases leads to the transmission and distribution of sulfur. Combined with sulfur transmission reactions between gas, slag and metal phases, C/CO pairs equilibrium, and Wagner model, the measured sulfide capacity can be acquired using sulfur distribution ratio, sulfur activity coefficient, and oxygen activity in hot metal. Based on the theory of congregated electron phase, a new sulfide capacity prediction model (CEPM) has been developed, which has a good liner relationship with the measured sulfide capacity. Thus, using the burden structure for BF, the ironmaking slag composition can be obtained simply and can be used to reliably predict the ironmaking slag desulfurization ability a few hours later after charging under a certain temperature by CEPM.

Influence of porosity on artificial deterioration of marble and limestone by heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sassoni, Enrico; Franzoni, Elisa

2014-06-01

Testing of stone consolidants to be used on-site, as well as research on new consolidating products, requires suitable stone samples, with deteriorated but still uniform and controllable characteristics. Therefore, a new methodology to artificially deteriorate stone samples by heating, exploiting the anisotropic thermal deformation of calcite crystals, has recently been proposed. In this study, the heating effects on a variety of lithotypes was evaluated and the influence of porosity in determining the actual heating effectiveness was specifically investigated. One marble and four limestones, having comparable calcite amounts but very different porosity, were heated at 400 °C for 1 hour. A systematic comparison between porosity, pore size distribution, water absorption, sorptivity and ultrasonic pulse velocity of unheated and heated samples was performed. The results of the study show that the initial stone porosity plays a very important role, as the modifications in microstructural, physical and mechanical properties are way less pronounced for increasing porosity. Heating was thus confirmed as a very promising artificial deterioration method, whose effectiveness in producing alterations that suitably resemble those actually experienced in the field depends on the initial porosity of the stone to be treated.

ELECTRICITY GENERATION FROM LANDFILL GAS IN TURKEY.

PubMed

Salihoglu, Nezih Kamil

2018-05-08

Landfill gas (LFG)-to-energy plants in Turkey were investigated, and the LFG-to-energy plant of a metropolitan municipal landfill was monitored for 3 years. Installed capacities and actual gas engine working hours were determined. An equation was developed to estimate the power capacity for LFG-to-energy plants for a given amount of landfilled waste. Monitoring the actual gas generation rates enabled determination of LFG generation factors for Turkish municipal waste. A significant relationship (R = 0.524, p < 0.01, 2-tailed) was found between the amounts of landfilled waste and the ambient temperature, which can be attributed to food consumption and kitchen waste generation behaviors influenced by the ambient temperature. However, no significant correlation was found between the ambient temperature and the generated LFG. A temperature buffering capacity was inferred to exist within the landfill, which enables the anaerobic reactions to continue functioning even during cold seasons. The average LFG and energy generation rates were 45 m 3 LFG/ton waste landfilled and 0.08 MWh/ton waste landfilled, respectively. The mean specific LFG consumption for electricity generation was 529 ± 28 m 3 /MWh.

ADOLESCENT WORK INTENSITY, SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT.

PubMed

Staff, Jeremy; Schulenberg, John E; Bachman, Jerald G

2010-07-01

Teenagers working over 20 hours per week perform worse in school than youth who work less. There are two competing explanations for this association: (1) that paid work takes time and effort away from activities that promote achievement, such as completing homework, preparing for examinations, getting help from parents and teachers, and participating in extracurricular activities; and (2) that the relationship between paid work and school performance is spurious, reflecting preexisting differences between students in academic ability, motivation, and school commitment. Using longitudinal data from the ongoing national Monitoring the Future project, this research examines the impact of teenage employment on school performance and academic engagement during the 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. We address issues of spuriousness by using a two-level hierarchical model to estimate the relationships of within-individual changes in paid work to changes in school performance and other school-related measures. Unlike prior research, we also compare youth school performance and academic orientation when they are actually working in high-intensity jobs to when they are jobless and wish to work intensively. Results indicate that the mere wish for intensive work corresponds with academic difficulties in a manner similar to actual intensive work.

Relationships between expected, online and remembered enjoyment for food products.

PubMed

Robinson, Eric

2014-03-01

How enjoyable a food product is remembered to be is likely to shape future choice. The present study tested the influence that expectations and specific moments during consumption experiences have on remembered enjoyment for food products. Sixty-four participants consumed three snack foods (savoury, sweet and savoury-sweet) and rated expected and online enjoyment for each product. Twenty-four hours later participants rated remembered enjoyment and future expected enjoyment for each product. Remembered enjoyment differed to online enjoyment for two of the three products, resulting in the foods being remembered as less enjoyable than they actually were. Both expected enjoyment and specific moments during the consumption experience (e.g. the least enjoyable mouthful) influenced remembered enjoyment. However, the factors that shaped remembered enjoyment were not consistent across the different food products. Remembered enjoyment was also shown to be a better predictor of future expected enjoyment than online enjoyment. Remembered enjoyment is likely to influence choice behaviour and can be discrepant to actual enjoyment. Specific moments during a consumption experience can have disproportionately large influence on remembered enjoyment (whilst others are neglected), but the factors that determine which moments influence remembered enjoyment are unclear. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Properties of Air Traffic Conflicts for Free and Structured Routing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bilimoria, Karl D.; Lee, Hilda Q.

2001-01-01

This paper analyzes the properties of air traffic conflicts in a future free routing system against those in the current structured routing system. Simulation of en route air traffic operations (above 18,000 ft) over the contiguous United States for a 24-hour period, constructed with initial conditions from actual air traffic data, were conducted using the Future ATM Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET). Free routes were modeled as great circle (direct) routes from origin to destination, and structured routes were derived from actual flight plans along the current system of air routes. The conflict properties analyzed in this study include: (1) Total number of conflicts; (2) Distributions of key conflict parameters; and, (3) Categorization of conflicts into independent conflicts and two types of interacting conflicts. Preliminary results (for Denver Center traffic) indicate that conflict properties in a free routing system are different from those in the current structured routing system. In particular, a free routing system has significantly fewer conflicts, involving a correspondingly smaller number of aircraft, compared to the current structured routing system. Additionally, the conflict parameter distributions indicate that free routing conflicts are less intrusive than structured routing conflicts, and would therefore require small trajectory deviations for resolution.

ADOLESCENT WORK INTENSITY, SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT*

PubMed Central

Staff, Jeremy; Schulenberg, John E.; Bachman, Jerald G.

2010-01-01

Teenagers working over 20 hours per week perform worse in school than youth who work less. There are two competing explanations for this association: (1) that paid work takes time and effort away from activities that promote achievement, such as completing homework, preparing for examinations, getting help from parents and teachers, and participating in extracurricular activities; and (2) that the relationship between paid work and school performance is spurious, reflecting preexisting differences between students in academic ability, motivation, and school commitment. Using longitudinal data from the ongoing national Monitoring the Future project, this research examines the impact of teenage employment on school performance and academic engagement during the 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. We address issues of spuriousness by using a two-level hierarchical model to estimate the relationships of within-individual changes in paid work to changes in school performance and other school-related measures. Unlike prior research, we also compare youth school performance and academic orientation when they are actually working in high-intensity jobs to when they are jobless and wish to work intensively. Results indicate that the mere wish for intensive work corresponds with academic difficulties in a manner similar to actual intensive work. PMID:20802795

Altitude Wind Tunnel Operating at Night

NASA Image and Video Library

1945-04-21

The Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT) during one of its overnight runs at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. The AWT was run during night hours so that its massive power loads were handled when regional electric demands were lowest. At the time the AWT was among the most complex wind tunnels ever designed. In order to simulate conditions at high altitudes, NACA engineers designed innovative new systems that required tremendous amounts of electricity. The NACA had an agreement with the local electric company that it would run its larger facilities overnight when local demand was at its lowest. In return the utility discounted its rates for the NACA during those hours. The AWT could produce wind speeds up to 500 miles per hour through its 20-foot-diameter test section at the standard operating altitude of 30,000 feet. The airflow was created by a large fan that was driven by an 18,000-horsepower General Electric induction motor. The altitude simulation was accomplished by large exhauster and refrigeration systems. The cold temperatures were created by 14 Carrier compressors and the thin atmosphere by four 1750-horsepower exhausters. The first and second shifts usually set up and broke down the test articles, while the third shift ran the actual tests. Engineers would often have to work all day, then operate the tunnel overnight, and analyze the data the next day. The night crew usually briefed the dayshift on the tests during morning staff meetings.

The impact of university provided nurse electronic medical record training on health care organizations: an exploratory simulation approach.

PubMed

Abrahamson, Kathleen; Anderson, James G; Borycki, Elizabeth M; Kushniruk, Andre W; Malovec, Shannon; Espejo, Angela; Anderson, Marilyn

2015-01-01

Training providers appropriately, particularly early in their caregiving careers, is an important aspect of electronic medical record (EMR) implementation. Considerable time and resources are needed to bring the newly hired providers 'up to speed' with the actual use practices of the organization. Similarly, universities lose valuable clinical training hours when students are required to spend those hours learning organization-specific EMR systems in order to participate in care during clinical rotations. Although there are multiple real-world barriers to university/health care organization training partnerships, the investment these entities share in training care providers, specifically nurses, to use and understand EMR technology encourages a question: What would be the cumulative effect of integrating a mutually agreed upon EMR system training program in to nursing classroom training on downstream hospital costs in terms of hours of direct caregiving lost, and benefits in terms of number of overall EMR trained nurses hired? In order to inform the development of a large scale study, we employed a dynamic systems modeling approach to simulate the theoretical relationships between key model variables and determine the possible effect of integrating EMR training into nursing classrooms on hospital outcomes. The analysis indicated that integrating EMR training into the nursing classroom curriculum results in more available time for nurse bedside care. Also, the simulation suggests that efficiency of clinical training can be potentially improved by centralizing EMR training within the nursing curriculum.

Falls From Agricultural Machinery: Risk Factors Related to Work Experience, Worked Hours, and Operators' Behavior.

PubMed

Caffaro, Federica; Roccato, Michele; Micheletti Cremasco, Margherita; Cavallo, Eugenio

2018-02-01

Objective We investigated the risk factors for falls when egressing from agricultural tractors, analyzing the role played by worked hours, work experience, operators' behavior, and near misses. Background Many accidents occur within the agricultural sector each year. Among them, falls while dismounting the tractor represent a major source of injuries. Previous studies pointed out frequent hazardous movements and incorrect behaviors adopted by operators to exit the tractor cab. However, less is known about the determinants of such behaviors. In addition, near misses are known to be important predictors of accidents, but they have been under-investigated in the agricultural sector in general and as concerns falls in particular. Method A questionnaire assessing dismounting behaviors, previous accidents and near misses, and participants' relation with work was administered to a sample of Italian tractor operators ( n = 286). Results A mediated model showed that worked hours increase unsafe behaviors, whereas work experience decreases them. Unsafe behaviors in turn show a positive association with accidents, via the mediation of near misses. Conclusions We gave a novel contribution to the knowledge of the chain of events leading to fall accidents in the agricultural sector, which is one of the most hazardous industries. Applications Besides tractor design improvements, preventive training interventions may focus on the redesign of the actual working strategies and the adoption of engaging training methods in the use of machinery to optimize the learning of safety practices and safe behaviors.

Parental risk factors for the development of pediatric acute and chronic postsurgical pain: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Pagé, M Gabrielle; Campbell, Fiona; Isaac, Lisa; Stinson, Jennifer; Katz, Joel

2013-01-01

Background The goal of this longitudinal study was to examine the associations among psychological factors and pain reports of children and their parents over the 12 month period after pediatric surgery. Materials and methods Included in the study were 83 children aged 8–18 years undergoing major surgery. In each case, the child and one of their parents completed measures of pain intensity and unpleasantness, psychological function, and functional disability at 48–72 hours, 2 weeks (child only), 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. Results The strength of the correlation coefficients between the psychological measures of the parent and their child increased significantly over time. There was a fair level of agreement between parent ratings of child acute and chronic pain (6 months after surgery) and the child’s actual ratings. Parent and child pain anxiety scores 48–72 hours after surgery interacted significantly to predict pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and functional disability levels 2 weeks after discharge from hospital. Parent pain catastrophizing scores 48–72 hours after surgery predicted child pain intensity reports 12 months later. Conclusion These results raise the possibility that as time from surgery increases, parents exert greater and greater influence over the pain response of their children, so that by 12 months postsurgery mark, parent pain catastrophizing (measured in the days after surgery) is the main risk factor for the development of postsurgical pain chronicity. PMID:24109194

The Accuracy of Pedometers in Measuring Walking Steps on a Treadmill in College Students.

PubMed

Husted, Hannah M; Llewellyn, Tamra L

2017-01-01

Pedometers are a popular way for people to track if they have reached the recommended 10,000 daily steps. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of four brands of pedometers at measuring steps, and to determine if a relationship exists between pedometer cost and accuracy. The hypothesis was that the more expensive brands of pedometers (the Fitbit Charge™ and Omron HJ-303™) would yield more accurate step counts than less expensive brands (the SmartHealth - Walking FIT™ and Sportline™). While wearing all pedometers at once, one male and eleven female college students (mean ± SD; age = 20.8 ± 0.94 years) walked 400 meters on a treadmill for 5 minutes at 3.5 miles per hour. The pedometer step counts were recorded at the end. Video analysis of the participants' feet was later completed to count the number of steps actually taken (actual steps). When compared to the actual steps, the Sportline™ brand (-3.83 ± 22.05) was the only pedometer that was significantly similar. The other three brands significantly under-estimated steps (Fitbit™ 55.00 ± 42.58, SmartHealth™ 43.50 ± 49.71, and Omron™ 28.58 ± 33.86), with the Fitbit being the least accurate. These results suggest an inverse relationship between cost and accuracy for the four specific brands tested, and that waist pedometers are more accurate than wrist pedometers. The results concerning the Fitbit are striking considering its high cost and popularity among consumers today. Further research should be conducted to improve the accuracy of pedometers.

Thread mapping using system-level model for shared memory multicores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitra, Reshmi

Exploring thread-to-core mapping options for a parallel application on a multicore architecture is computationally very expensive. For the same algorithm, the mapping strategy (MS) with the best response time may change with data size and thread counts. The primary challenge is to design a fast, accurate and automatic framework for exploring these MSs for large data-intensive applications. This is to ensure that the users can explore the design space within reasonable machine hours, without thorough understanding on how the code interacts with the platform. Response time is related to the cycles per instructions retired (CPI), taking into account both active and sleep states of the pipeline. This work establishes a hybrid approach, based on Markov Chain Model (MCM) and Model Tree (MT) for system-level steady state CPI prediction. It is designed for shared memory multicore processors with coarse-grained multithreading. The thread status is represented by the MCM states. The program characteristics are modeled as the transition probabilities, representing the system moving between active and suspended thread states. The MT model extrapolates these probabilities for the actual application size (AS) from the smaller AS performance. This aspect of the framework, along with, the use of mathematical expressions for the actual AS performance information, results in a tremendous reduction in the CPI prediction time. The framework is validated using an electromagnetics application. The average performance prediction error for steady state CPI results with 12 different MSs is less than 1%. The total run time of model is of the order of minutes, whereas the actual application execution time is in terms of days.

[Study on accuracy of virtual surgical planning in free fibula mandibular reconstruction by using SurgiCase software].

PubMed

Yan, Guangqi; Wang, Xue; Tan, Xuexin; Wang, Xukai; Yang, Mingliang; Lu, Li

2013-08-01

To evaluate the directional significance of SurgiCase software in free fibula mandibular reconstruction. Between September 2010 and March 2012, 10 patients with mandibular defect underwent free fibula mandibular reconstruction. There were 7 males and 3 females, with an age range of 19-43 years (mean, 27 years). The extent of lesions was 7 cm x 5 cm to 16 cm x 8 cm. In each case, three-dimensional spiral CT scan of the maxilla, mandible, and fibula was obtained before surgery. The CT data were imported into the SurgiCase software and the virtual surgery planning was performed. After that, the mandibular rapid prototyping was made according to customized design. The reconstruction surgery was then carried out using these preoperative data. During actual surgery, the extent of mandibular defect was from 6 cm x 3 cm to 16 cm x 5 cm; the length of fibula which was used to reconstruct mandible was 6-17 cm; and the area of flap was from 6 cm x 5 cm to 16 cm x 6 cm. Preoperative data could not be applied because the intraoperative size of tumor was larger than preoperative design in 1 case of mandibular ameloblastoma, and the fibula was shaped according to the actual osteotomy location; operations were performed successfully according to preoperative design in the other 9 patients. The operation time was 5-7 hours (mean, 6 hours). Primary healing of incision was obtained, without early complications. Ten patients were followed up 1 year. At last follow-up, 8 patients were satisfactory with the appearance and 2 patients complained with unsatisfied wide facial pattern. The panoramic radiograghs showed good bone healing. The range of mouth opening was 2.5-3.5 cm. SurgiCase software can provide precise data for free fibula mandibular reconstruction during surgery. It can be applied widely in clinic.

Discordance between 'actual' and 'scheduled' check-in times at a heart failure clinic.

PubMed

Gorodeski, Eiran Z; Joyce, Emer; Gandesbery, Benjamin T; Blackstone, Eugene H; Taylor, David O; Tang, W H Wilson; Starling, Randall C; Hachamovitch, Rory

2017-01-01

A 2015 Institute Of Medicine statement "Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access: Getting to Now", has increased concerns regarding patient wait times. Although waiting times have been widely studied, little attention has been paid to the role of patient arrival times as a component of this phenomenon. To this end, we investigated patterns of patient arrival at scheduled ambulatory heart failure (HF) clinic appointments and studied its predictors. We hypothesized that patients are more likely to arrive later than scheduled, with progressively later arrivals later in the day. Using a business intelligence database we identified 6,194 unique patients that visited the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus HF clinic between January, 2015 and January, 2017. This clinic served both as a tertiary referral center and a community HF clinic. Transplant and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) visits were excluded. Punctuality was defined as the difference between 'actual' and 'scheduled' check-in times, whereby negative values (i.e., early punctuality) were patients who checked-in early. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that patients checked-in late only a minority of the time (38% of visits). Additionally, examining punctuality by appointment hour slot we found that patients scheduled after 8AM had progressively earlier check-in times as the day progressed (P < .001 for trend). In both a Random Forest-Regression framework and linear regression models the most important risk-adjusted predictors of early punctuality were: later in the day appointment hour slot, patient having previously been to the hospital, age in the early 70s, and white race. Patients attending a mixed population ambulatory HF clinic check-in earlier than scheduled times, with progressive discrepant intervals throughout the day. This finding may have significant implications for provider utilization and resource planning in order to maximize clinic efficiency. The impact of elective early arrival on patient's perceived wait times requires further study.

[Liberalisation of preoperative fasting guidelines: effects on patient comfort and clinical practicability during elective laparoscopic surgery of the lower abdomen].

PubMed

Meisner, M; Ernhofer, U; Schmidt, J

2008-09-01

In this study, the recently liberalised national guidelines for preoperative fasting were evaluated from the view point of the patients and according to their clinical usability. Patients undergoing elective laparoscopic gynaecological surgery were randomised into two groups. Patients in the long-time NPO-group (LTNPO-group) had nothing per mouth after midnight whereas patients in the short-time NPO-group (STNPO-group) did not receive any oral nutrition after midnight but were allowed an unlimited intake of Pfrimmer Nutricia preOP up to 2 hours before scheduled surgery. Patients were asked to assess the incidence of 12 symptoms of perioperative discomfort prior to and 4-6 hours after surgery using a standardised questionnaire. Gastric fluid volume, vital signs during the induction period of anaesthesia and the actual duration of fasting were registered and compared. 42 patients were included into the study (LTNPO-group: n = 23, STNPO-group: n = 19). The actual duration of fasting for solid nutritition was 11.3 h in the LTNPO-group and 10.9 h in the STNPO-group, respectively. The time of fasting for fluids was in the STNPO-group significantly shorter (4.5 h) compared to the LTNPO-group (11.3 h). The patients of the STNPO-group reported preoperatively a significant lower incidence of "feeling cold" and pre- and postoperatively of "thirst / having a dry mouth". No significant differences were reported between the groups with respect to heart rate, blood pressure, gastric volume, need of vasopressors and infusion requirements. The liberation of the national guidelines for preoperative fluid administration with unlimited intake of a carbohydrate drink offers the benefit of a significantly lower incidence of the preoperative item "feeling cold" and of the pre- and postoperative item "thirst / having a dry mouth". However, in daily clinical practice the length of fasting for fluids was conspicuously longer than that postulated by the new recommendations.

Noninvasive screening for intracranial hypertension in children with acute, severe traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

O'Brien, Nicole F; Maa, Tensing; Reuter-Rice, Karin

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between transcranial Doppler (TCD) derived pulsatility index (PI), end diastolic flow velocity (Vd), and intracranial pressure (ICP). The subjects in this study were 36 children admitted after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) (postresuscitation Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 8) undergoing invasive ICP monitoring. Subjects underwent a total of 148 TCD studies. TCD measurements of systolic flow velocity (Vs), Vd, and mean flow velocity (Vm) were performed on the middle cerebral artery (MCA) ipsilateral to the ICP monitor. The PI was calculated by the TCD software (Vs-Vd/Vm). ICP registrations were made in parallel with TCD measurements. Using a PI threshold of 1.3, postinjury Day 0-1 PI had 100% sensitivity and 82% specificity at predicting an ICP ≥ 20 mm Hg (n = 8). During this time frame, a moderately strong relationship was observed between the MCA PI and actual ICP (r = 0.611, p = 0.01). When using a threshold of < 25 cm/sec, postinjury Day 0-1 Vd had a 56% sensitivity to predict an ICP ≥ 20 mm Hg. Beyond the initial 24 hours from injury, the sensitivity of an MCA PI of 1.3 to detect an ICP ≥ 20 mm Hg was 47%, and a weak relationship between actual ICP values and MCA PI (r = 0.376, p = 0.01) and MCA Vd (r = -0.284, p = 0.01) was found. Postinjury Day 0-1 MCA PI > 1.3 has good sensitivity and specificity at predicting an ICP ≥ 20 mm Hg. In those children with TBI who initially do not meet clear criteria for invasive ICP monitoring but who are at risk for development of intracranial hypertension, TCD may be used as a noninvasive tool to screen for the development of elevated ICP in the first 24 hours following injury.

Urology residents training in laparoscopic surgery. Development of a virtual reality model.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Baños, J L; Ballestero-Diego, R; Truan-Cacho, D; Aguilera-Tubet, C; Villanueva-Peña, A; Manuel-Palazuelos, J C

2015-11-01

The training and learning of residents in laparoscopic surgery has legal, financial and technological limitations. Simulation is an essential tool in the training of residents as a supplement to their training in laparoscopic surgery. The training should be structured in an appropriate environment, with previously established and clear objectives, taught by professionals with clinical and teaching experience in simulation. The training should be conducted with realistic models using animals and ex-vivo tissue from animals. It is essential to incorporate mechanisms to assess the objectives during the residents' training progress. We present the training model for laparoscopic surgery for urology residents at the University Hospital Valdecilla. The training is conducted at the Virtual Hospital Valdecilla, which is associated with the Center for Medical Simulation in Boston and is accredited by the American College of Surgeons. The model is designed in 3 blocks, basic for R1, intermediate for R2-3 and advanced for R4-5, with 9 training modules. The training is conducted in 4-hour sessions for 4 afternoons, for 3 weeks per year of residence. Residents therefore perform 240 hours of simulated laparoscopic training by the end of the course. For each module, we use structured objective assessments to measure each resident's training progress. Since 2003, 9 urology residents have been trained, in addition to the 5 who are currently in training. The model has undergone changes according to the needs expressed in the student feedback. The acquisition of skills in a virtual reality model has enabled the safe transfer of those skills to actual practice. A laparoscopic surgery training program designed in structured blocks and with progressive complexity provides appropriate training for transferring the skills acquired using this model to an actual scenario while maintaining patient safety. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A computational proof of concept of a machine-intelligent artificial pancreas using Lyapunov stability and differential game theory.

PubMed

Greenwood, Nigel J C; Gunton, Jenny E

2014-07-01

This study demonstrated the novel application of a "machine-intelligent" mathematical structure, combining differential game theory and Lyapunov-based control theory, to the artificial pancreas to handle dynamic uncertainties. Realistic type 1 diabetes (T1D) models from the literature were combined into a composite system. Using a mixture of "black box" simulations and actual data from diabetic medical histories, realistic sets of diabetic time series were constructed for blood glucose (BG), interstitial fluid glucose, infused insulin, meal estimates, and sometimes plasma insulin assays. The problem of underdetermined parameters was side stepped by applying a variant of a genetic algorithm to partial information, whereby multiple candidate-personalized models were constructed and then rigorously tested using further data. These formed a "dynamic envelope" of trajectories in state space, where each trajectory was generated by a hypothesis on the hidden T1D system dynamics. This dynamic envelope was then culled to a reduced form to cover observed dynamic behavior. A machine-intelligent autonomous algorithm then implemented game theory to construct real-time insulin infusion strategies, based on the flow of these trajectories through state space and their interactions with hypoglycemic or near-hyperglycemic states. This technique was tested on 2 simulated participants over a total of fifty-five 24-hour days, with no hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic events, despite significant uncertainties from using actual diabetic meal histories with 10-minute warnings. In the main case studies, BG was steered within the desired target set for 99.8% of a 16-hour daily assessment period. Tests confirmed algorithm robustness for ±25% carbohydrate error. For over 99% of the overall 55-day simulation period, either formal controller stability was achieved to the desired target or else the trajectory was within the desired target. These results suggest that this is a stable, high-confidence way to generate closed-loop insulin infusion strategies. © 2014 Diabetes Technology Society.

Shift work at a modern offshore drilling rig.

PubMed

Rodrigues, V F; Fischer, F M; Brito, M J

2001-12-01

The oil and gas exploration and production offshore units are classified as hazardous installations. Work in these facilities is complex, confined and associated with a wide range of risks. The continuous operation is secured by various shift work patterns. The objective of this study was to evaluate how offshore drilling workers perceived shift work at high seas and its impacts on their life and working conditions. The main features of the studied offshore shift work schedules are: long time on board (14 to 28 days), extended shifts (12 hours or more per day), slow rotation (7 to 14 days in the same shift), long sequence of days on the night shift (7 to 14 days in a row) and the extra-long extended journey (18 hours) on shift change and landing days. Interviews revealed a wide range of stressors caused by the offshore shift work, as well as difficulties to conciliate work with family life. It was observed that changes of the family model, leading to role conflicts and social isolation, work in a hazardous environment, perceiving poor sleep when working at night shifts and the imbalance between the expected and actual rewards are the major stressors for the offshore drilling workers.

A German survey of the abdominal transplantation surgical work force.

PubMed

Thomas, Michael N; Nadalin, Silvio; Schemmer, Peter; Pascher, Andreas; Kaiser, Gernot M; Braun, Felix; Becker, Thomas; Nashan, Björn; Guba, Markus

2015-07-01

This manuscript reports the results of a nationwide survey of transplant surgeons in Germany, including the demographics, training, position, individual case loads, center volumes, program structure, professional practice, grade of specialization, workload, work hours, salary, and career expectations. We contacted all 32 German transplant centers that perform liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation. Surgeons engaged in transplantation were asked to reply to the survey. Eighty-five surgeons responded, with a mean age of 44 ± 8 years, 13% of whom were female. The median transplant frequency per active transplant surgeon was relatively low, with 16 liver transplants, 15 kidney transplants, and three pancreas transplants. The median reported center volumes were 45 liver transplants, 90 kidney transplants, and five pancreas transplants per year. Most of the surgeons reported a primary focus on hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, and only 10% of effective work time was actually dedicated to perform transplant surgeries. The majority of respondents estimated their weekly work hours to be between 55 and 66 h. When asked about their career satisfaction and expectations, most respondents characterized their salaries as inappropriately low and their career prospects as inadequate. This survey provides a first impression of the transplant surgery work force in Germany. © 2015 Steunstichting ESOT.

An Objective Verification of the North American Mesoscale Model for Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauman, William H., III

2010-01-01

The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) Launch Weather Officers (LWO's) use the 12-km resolution North American Mesoscale (NAM) model (MesoNAM) text and graphical product forecasts extensively to support launch weather operations. However, the actual performance of the model at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) has not been measured objectively. In order to have tangible evidence of model performance, the 45 WS tasked the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU; Bauman et ai, 2004) to conduct a detailed statistical analysis of model output compared to observed values. The model products are provided to the 45 WS by ACTA, Inc. and include hourly forecasts from 0 to 84 hours based on model initialization times of 00, 06, 12 and 18 UTC. The objective analysis compared the MesoNAM forecast winds, temperature (T) and dew pOint (T d), as well as the changes in these parameters over time, to the observed values from the sensors in the KSC/CCAFS wind tower network shown in Table 1. These objective statistics give the forecasters knowledge of the model's strengths and weaknesses, which will result in improved forecasts for operations.

Estimating Highway Volumes Using Vehicle Probe Data - Proof of Concept: Preprint

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

Hou, Yi; Young, Stanley E; Sadabadi, Kaveh

This paper examines the feasibility of using sampled commercial probe data in combination with validated continuous counter data to accurately estimate vehicle volume across the entire roadway network, for any hour during the year. Currently either real time or archived volume data for roadways at specific times are extremely sparse. Most volume data are average annual daily traffic (AADT) measures derived from the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS). Although methods to factor the AADT to hourly averages for typical day of week exist, actual volume data is limited to a sparse collection of locations in which volumes are continuously recorded.more » This paper explores the use of commercial probe data to generate accurate volume measures that span the highway network providing ubiquitous coverage in space, and specific point-in-time measures for a specific date and time. The paper examines the need for the data, fundamental accuracy limitations based on a basic statistical model that take into account the sampling nature of probe data, and early results from a proof of concept exercise revealing the potential of probe type data calibrated with public continuous count data to meet end user expectations in terms of accuracy of volume estimates.« less

Mathematic simulation of mining company’s power demand forecast (by example of “Neryungri” coal strip mine)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonenkov, D. V.; Solovev, D. B.

2017-10-01

The article covers the aspects of forecasting and consideration of the wholesale market environment in generating the power demand forecast. Major mining companies that operate in conditions of the present day power market have to provide a reliable energy demand request for a certain time period ahead, thus ensuring sufficient reduction of financial losses associated with deviations of the actual power demand from the expected figures. Normally, under the power supply agreement, the consumer is bound to provide a per-month and per-hour request annually. It means that the consumer has to generate one-month-ahead short-term and medium-term hourly forecasts. The authors discovered that empiric distributions of “Yakutugol”, Holding Joint Stock Company, power demand belong to the sustainable rank parameter H-distribution type used for generating forecasts based on extrapolation of such distribution parameters. For this reason they justify the need to apply the mathematic rank analysis in short-term forecasting of the contracted power demand of “Neryungri” coil strip mine being a component of the technocenosis-type system of the mining company “Yakutugol”, Holding JSC.

Six-day randomized safety trial of intravaginal lime juice.

PubMed

Mauck, Christine K; Ballagh, Susan A; Creinin, Mitchell D; Weiner, Debra H; Doncel, Gustavo F; Fichorova, Raina N; Schwartz, Jill L; Chandra, Neelima; Callahan, Marianne M

2008-11-01

Nigerian women reportedly apply lime juice intravaginally to protect themselves against HIV. In vitro data suggest that lime juice is virucidal, but only at cytotoxic concentrations. This is the first controlled, randomized safety trial of lime juice applied to the human vagina. Forty-seven women were randomized to apply water or lime juice (25%, 50%, or undiluted) intravaginally twice daily for two 6-day intervals, separated by a 3-week washout period. Product application also was randomized: during 1 interval, product was applied using a saturated tampon and in the other by douche. Vaginal pH, symptoms, signs of irritation observed via naked eye examination and colposcopy, microflora, and markers of inflammation in cervicovaginal lavages were evaluated after 1 hour and on days 3 and 7. The largest reduction in pH was about one-half a pH unit, seen 1 hour after douching with 100% lime juice. We observed a dose-dependent pattern of symptoms and clinical and laboratory findings that were consistent with a compromised vaginal barrier function. The brief reduction in pH after vaginal lime juice application is unlikely to be virucidal in the presence of semen. Lime juice is unlikely to protect against HIV and may actually be harmful.

Minimizing patient waiting time in emergency department of public hospital using simulation optimization approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Ireen Munira; Liong, Choong-Yeun; Bakar, Sakhinah Abu; Ahmad, Norazura; Najmuddin, Ahmad Farid

2017-04-01

Emergency department (ED) is the main unit of a hospital that provides emergency treatment. Operating 24 hours a day with limited number of resources invites more problems to the current chaotic situation in some hospitals in Malaysia. Delays in getting treatments that caused patients to wait for a long period of time are among the frequent complaints against government hospitals. Therefore, the ED management needs a model that can be used to examine and understand resource capacity which can assist the hospital managers to reduce patients waiting time. Simulation model was developed based on 24 hours data collection. The model developed using Arena simulation replicates the actual ED's operations of a public hospital in Selangor, Malaysia. The OptQuest optimization in Arena is used to find the possible combinations of a number of resources that can minimize patients waiting time while increasing the number of patients served. The simulation model was modified for improvement based on results from OptQuest. The improvement model significantly improves ED's efficiency with an average of 32% reduction in average patients waiting times and 25% increase in the total number of patients served.

Plasma Torch for Plasma Ignition and Combustion of Coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ustimenko, Alexandr; Messerle, Vladimir

2015-09-01

Plasma-fuel systems (PFS) have been developed to improve coal combustion efficiency. PFS is a pulverized coal burner equipped with arc plasma torch producing high temperature air stream of 4000 - 6000 K. Plasma activation of coal at the PFS increases the coal reactivity and provides more effective ignition and ecologically friendly incineration of low-rank coal. The main and crucial element of PFS is plasma torch. Simplicity and reliability of the industrial arc plasma torches using cylindrical copper cathode and air as plasma forming gas predestined their application at heat and power engineering for plasma aided coal combustion. Life time of these plasma torches electrodes is critical and usually limited to 200 hours. Considered in this report direct current arc plasma torch has the cathode life significantly exceeded 1000 hours. To ensure the electrodes long life the process of hydrocarbon gas dissociation in the electric arc discharge is used. In accordance to this method atoms and ions of carbon from near-electrode plasma deposit on the active surface of the electrodes and form electrode carbon condensate which operates as ``actual'' electrode. Complex physicochemical investigation showed that deposit consists of nanocarbon material.

Measurement of insulation integrity of IUE camera tube facsimiles by partial discharges method and diffusion of gases through various silicone rubbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bever, R. S.

1977-01-01

Several dummy tubes imitating the IUE Camera System design were encapsulated with Solithane 2, Conathane EN-11, Green and Black Hysols and SMRD 432. Various flaws were purposefully placed in some of these. Partial discharge testing in vacuum under direct voltage conditions was carried once a week for 12 weeks, 15 kv dc being applied during normal working hours for 40 hours duration per week. None of the units showed much damage during this time judging by the P.D. energy histograms. A more complete mathematical presentation is given on diffusion and permeation than previously. Measurements of diffusion constants for various silicone rubbers are carried out by the Time-Lag method and compared to other determinations in the literature. Calculations of the time required for diffusion through a thick wall are demonstrated in the long time approximation and for dimensions pertaining to void and wall sizes of a delamination problem in the LANDSAT-C vidicon tubes. An actual delaminated LANDSAT-C tube and some facsimiles are immersed in vacuum for long periods and tested for catastrophic breakdown due to diffusion of gas, by application of high voltage.

Projecting the Water and Electric Consumption of Polytechnic University of the Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urrutia, Jackie D.; Mercado, Joseph; Bautista, Lincoln A.; Baccay, Edcon B.

2017-03-01

This study investigates water and electric consumption in Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. Mesa using a time series analysis. The researchers analyzed the water and electric usage separately. Electric consumption was examined in terms of pesos and kilowatt-hour, while water consumption was analyzed in pesos and cubic meter. The data are gathered from the university limited only from January 2009 to July 2015 in a monthly based record. The aim is to forecast the water and electric usage of the university for the years 2016 and 2017. There are two main statistical treatments that the researchers conducted to be able to formulate mathematical models that can estimate the water and electric consumption of the said school. Using Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA), electric usage was forecasted in peso and kilowatt-hour, and water usage in peso and cubic meter. Moreover, the predicted values of the consumptions are compared to the actual values using Paired T-test to examine whether there is a significant difference. Forecasting accurately the water and electric consumption would be helpful to manage the budget allotted for the water and electric consumption of PUP - Sta. Mesa for the next two years.

Mathematical modeling of a Fermilab helium liquefier coldbox

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

Geynisman, M.G.; Walker, R.J.

1995-12-01

Fermilab Central Helium Liquefier (CHL) facility is operated 24 hours-a-day to supply 4.6{degrees}K for the Fermilab Tevatron superconducting proton-antiproton collider Ring and to recover warm return gases. The centerpieces of the CHL are two independent cold boxes rated at 4000 and 5400 liters/hour with LN{sub 2} precool. These coldboxes are Claude cycle and have identical heat exchangers trains, but different turbo-expanders. The Tevatron cryogenics demand for higher helium supply from CHL was the driving force to investigate an installation of an expansion engine in place of the Joule-Thompson valve. A mathematical model was developed to describe the thermo- and gas-dynamicmore » processes for the equipment included in the helium coldbox. The model is based on a finite element approach, opposite to a global variables approach, thus providing for higher accuracy and conversion stability. Though the coefficients used in thermo- and gas-dynamic equations are unique for a given coldbox, the general approach, the equations, the methods of computations, and most of the subroutines written in FORTRAN can be readily applied to different coldboxes. The simulation results are compared against actual operating data to demonstrate applicability of the model.« less

Suprathermal electron loss cone distributions in the solar wind: Ulysses observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, J. L.; Feldman, W. C.; Gosling, J. T.; Hammond, C. M.; Forsyth, R. J.

1995-01-01

Solar wind suprathermal electron distributions in the solar wind generally carry a field-aligned antisunward heat flux. Within coronal mass ejections and upstream of strong shocks driven by corotating interaction regions (CIRs), counterstreaming electron beams are observed. We present observations by the Ulysses solar wind plasma experiment of a new class of suprathermal electron signatures. At low solar latitudes and heliocentric distances beyond 3.5 AU Ulysses encountered several intervals, ranging in duration from 1 hour to 22 hours, in which the suprathermal distributions included an antisunward field-aligned beam and a return population with a flux dropout typically spanning +/- 60 deg from the sunward field-aligned direction. All events occurred within CIRs, downstream of the forward and reverse shocks or waves bounding the interaction regions. We evaluate the hypothesis that the sunward-moving electrons result from reflection of the antisunward beams at magnetic field compressions downstream from the observations, with wide loss cones caused by the relatively weak compression ratio. This hypothesis requires that field magnitude within the CIRs actually increase with increasing field-aligned distance from the Sun. Details of the electron distributions and ramifications for CIR and shock geometry will be presented.

Incidence and risk factors for surgical site infection in general surgeries 1

PubMed Central

de Carvalho, Rafael Lima Rodrigues; Campos, Camila Cláudia; Franco, Lúcia Maciel de Castro; Rocha, Adelaide De Mattia; Ercole, Flávia Falci

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to estimate the incidence of surgical site infection in general surgeries at a large Brazilian hospital while identifying risk factors and prevalent microorganisms. Method: non-concurrent cohort study with 16,882 information of patients undergoing general surgery from 2008 to 2011. Data were analyzed by descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results: the incidence of surgical site infection was 3.4%. The risk factors associated with surgical site infection were: length of preoperative hospital stay more than 24 hours; duration of surgery in hours; wound class clean-contaminated, contaminated and dirty/infected; and ASA index classified into ASA II, III and IV/V. Staphyloccocus aureus and Escherichia coli were identified. Conclusion: the incidence was lower than that found in the national studies on general surgeries. These risk factors corroborate those presented by the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System Risk Index, by the addition of the length of preoperative hospital stay. The identification of the actual incidence of surgical site infection in general surgeries and associated risk factors may support the actions of the health team in order to minimize the complications caused by surgical site infection. PMID:29211190

Effect of maleic anhydride treatment on the mechanical properties of sansevieria fiber/vinyl ester composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradipta, Rangga; Mardiyati, Steven, Purnomo, Ikhsan

2017-03-01

Sanseviera trifasciata commonly called mother-in-law tongue also known as snake plant is native to Indonesia, India and Africa. Sansevieria is a new fiber in composite research and has showed promising properties as reinforcement material in polymer matrix composites. Chemical treatment on reinforcing fiber is crucial to reduce hydrophilic tendency and thus improve compatibility with the matrix. In this study, effect of maleic anhydride as chemical treatment on the mechanical properties of Sansevieria fiber/vinyl ester composite was investigated. Sansevieria fibers were immersed by using NaOH 3% for two hours at 100°C and then treated by using maleic anhydrate for two hours at 120°C. Composites were prepared by solution casting with various volume fractions of fiber; 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%. Actual density, volume fraction of void and mechanical properties of composite were conducted according to ASTM standard testing methods D792, D3171 and D3039. It was found that mechanical properties of composites increased as volume fractions of fiber was increased. The highest tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of composites were 57.45 MPa and 3.47 GPa respectively, obtained from composites with volume fraction of fiber 10%.

Risk factors for clavicle fracture concurrent with brachial plexus injury.

PubMed

Karahanoglu, Ertugrul; Kasapoglu, Taner; Ozdemirci, Safak; Fadıloglu, Erdem; Akyol, Aysegul; Demirdag, Erhan; Yalvac, E Serdar; Kandemir, N Omer

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for clavicle fracture concurrent with brachial plexus injuries. A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary centre. The hospital records of 62,288 vaginal deliveries were evaluated retrospectively. There were 35 cases of brachial plexus injury. Of these patients, nine had brachial plexus injuries with clavicle fracture and 26 without clavicle fracture. The analysed risk factors for clavicle fracture concurrent with brachial plexus injury were gestational diabetes, labour induction and augmentation, prolonged second stage of labour, estimated foetal weight above 4000 g, birth weight above 4000 g, risky working hours, and the requirement of manoeuvres to free the impacted shoulder from behind the symphysis pubis. Labour augmentation with oxytocin increased the risk of clavicle fracture in cases of brachial plexus injury (OR 6.67; 95% CI 1.26-35.03). A birth weight higher than 4000 g also increased the risk of clavicle fracture. Risky working hours, gestational diabetes, estimated foetal weight higher than 4000 g, and requirement of shoulder dystocia manoeuvres did not increase the risk of clavicle fracture. Labour augmentation and actual birth weight higher than 4000 g were identified as risk factors for clavicle fracture in cases of brachial plexus injury.

Mistletoe Berry Outline Mapping with a Path Curve Function and Recording the Circadian Rhythm of Their Phenotypic Shape Change

PubMed Central

Derbidge, Renatus; Baumgartner, Stephan; Heusser, Peter

2016-01-01

This paper presents a discovery: the change of the outline shape of mistletoe (Viscum album ssp. album) berries in vivo and in situ during ripening. It was found that a plant organ that is usually considered to merely increase in size actually changes shape in a specific rhythmic fashion. We introduce a new approach to chronobiological research on a macro-phenotypic scale to trace changes over long periods of time (with a resolution from hours to months) by using a dynamic form-determining parameter called Lambda (λ). λ is known in projective geometry as a measure for pertinent features of the outline shapes of egg-like forms, so called path curves. Ascertained circadian changes of form were analyzed for their correlation with environmental factors such as light, temperature, and other weather influences. Certain weather conditions such as sky cover, i.e., sunshine minutes per hour, have an impact on the amplitude of the daily change in form. The present paper suggests a possible supplement to established methods in chronobiology, as in this case the dynamic of form-change becomes a measurable feature, displaying a convincing accordance between mathematical rule and plant shape. PMID:27933073

Maternity leave, women's employment, and marital incompatibility.

PubMed

Hyde, J S; Essex, M J; Clark, R; Klein, M H

2001-09-01

This research investigated the relationship between the length of women's maternity leave and marital incompatibility, in the context of other variables including the woman's employment, her dissatisfaction with the division of household labor, and her sense of role overload. Length of leave, work hours, and family salience were associated with several forms of dissatisfaction, which in turn predicted role overload. Role overload predicted increased marital incompatibility for experienced mothers but did not for first-time mothers, for whom discrepancies between preferred and actual child care were more important. Length of maternity leave showed significant interactions with other variables, supporting the hypothesis that a short leave is a risk factor that, when combined with another risk factor, contributes to personal and marital distress.

Industrial demand side management: A status report

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

Hopkins, M.F.; Conger, R.L.; Foley, T.J.

This report provides an overview of and rationale for industrial demand side management (DSM) programs. Benefits and barriers are described, and data from the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey are used to estimate potential energy savings in kilowatt hours. The report presents types and examples of programs and explores elements of successful programs. Two in-depth case studies (from Boise Cascade and Eli Lilly and Company) illustrate two types of effective DSM programs. Interviews with staff from state public utility commissions indicate the current thinking about the status and future of industrial DSM programs. A comprehensive bibliography is included, technical assistance programsmore » are listed and described, and a methodology for evaluating potential or actual savings from projects is delineated.« less

Assessment of Energy Storage Alternatives in the Puget Sound Energy System Volume 2: Energy Storage Evaluation Tool

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

Wu, Di; Jin, Chunlian; Balducci, Patrick J.

2013-12-01

This volume presents the battery storage evaluation tool developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), which is used to evaluate benefits of battery storage for multiple grid applications, including energy arbitrage, balancing service, capacity value, distribution system equipment deferral, and outage mitigation. This tool is based on the optimal control strategies to capture multiple services from a single energy storage device. In this control strategy, at each hour, a look-ahead optimization is first formulated and solved to determine battery base operating point. The minute by minute simulation is then performed to simulate the actual battery operation. This volume provide backgroundmore » and manual for this evaluation tool.« less

[The legal status of medical students during practical training in hospitals (author's transl)].

PubMed

Liebhardt, E; Spann, W; Marx, B

1977-10-21

The most important change in the qualification regulations in force at the present time is the provision for the practical training of medical students, which occurs not only in university hospitals but also in "teaching hospitals" outside the university. The realization of the practical year is problematic according to the actual conditions because of the difficulties and financial investment necessarily associated with it. Furthermore, the legal status of the students during the practical activities differes from that of earlier medical assistants, because according to the present law the legal provisions for employment and social insurance such as the determination of division of labour, working hours and remuneration and also for third party and accident insurance do not apply.

Geomagnetic field observations in the Kopaonik thrust region, Yugoslavia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bicskei, T.; Popeskov, M.

1991-09-01

In the absence of continuous registrations of the geomagnetic field variations in the surveyed region, the nearest permanent observatory records had to be used in the data reduction procedure. The proposed method estimates the differences between the hourly mean values at the particular measuring site, which are not actually known, and at the observatory on the basis of a series of instantaneous total field intensity values measured simultaneously at these two places. The application of this method to the geomagnetic field data from the wider area of the Kopaonik thrust region has revealed local field changes which show connection with pronounced seismic activity that has been going on in this region since it was affected by the M = 6.0 earthquake on May 18, 1980.

Prediction of Regulation Reserve Requirements in California ISO Control Area based on BAAL Standard

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

Etingov, Pavel V.; Makarov, Yuri V.; Samaan, Nader A.

This paper presents new methodologies developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to estimate regulation capacity requirements in the California ISO control area. Two approaches have been developed: (1) an approach based on statistical analysis of actual historical area control error (ACE) and regulation data, and (2) an approach based on balancing authority ACE limit control performance standard. The approaches predict regulation reserve requirements on a day-ahead basis including upward and downward requirements, for each operating hour of a day. California ISO data has been used to test the performance of the proposed algorithms. Results show that software tool allowsmore » saving up to 30% on the regulation procurements cost .« less

Advanced airbreathing engine lubricants study with a tetraester fluid and a synthetic paraffinic oil at 492 K (425 F)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaretsky, E. V.; Bamberger, E. N.

1972-01-01

Groups of 120-mm-bore angular-contact ball bearings made from AISI M-50 steel were fatigue tested with a tetraester and a synthetic paraffinic oil at a bearing temperature of 492 K (425 F) in an air environment. Bearing life exceeded AFBMA-predicted (catalog) life by factors in excess of 4 and 10 for the tetraester and synthetic paraffinic fluids, respectively. The final viscosities after 500 hours of operation were 14 and 6 times the initial values, respectively. During the same time period, when the test oil is replaced at a rate approximating the replenishment rate in actual commerical engine usage, no significant increase in lubricant viscosity with time was observed.

Group 4: Instructor training and qualifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sessa, R.

1981-01-01

Each professional instructor or check airman used in LOFT training course should complete an FAA approved training course in the appropriate aircraft type. Instructors used in such courses need not be type-rated. If an instructor or check airman who is presently not line-qualified is used as a LOFT instructor, he or she should remain current in line-operational procedures by observing operating procedures from the jump seat on three typical line segments pr 90 days on the appropriate aircraft type. ("Line qualification" means completion as a flight crew member of at least three typical line segments per 90 days on the appropriate aircraft type.) The training should include the requirement of four hours of LOFT training, in lieu of actual aircraft training or line operating experience.

Dynamic quality of service model for improving performance of multimedia real-time transmission in industrial networks.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, Ravichandran C; Karunakaran, Manivannan

2014-01-01

Nowadays, quality of service (QoS) is very popular in various research areas like distributed systems, multimedia real-time applications and networking. The requirements of these systems are to satisfy reliability, uptime, security constraints and throughput as well as application specific requirements. The real-time multimedia applications are commonly distributed over the network and meet various time constraints across networks without creating any intervention over control flows. In particular, video compressors make variable bit-rate streams that mismatch the constant-bit-rate channels typically provided by classical real-time protocols, severely reducing the efficiency of network utilization. Thus, it is necessary to enlarge the communication bandwidth to transfer the compressed multimedia streams using Flexible Time Triggered- Enhanced Switched Ethernet (FTT-ESE) protocol. FTT-ESE provides automation to calculate the compression level and change the bandwidth of the stream. This paper focuses on low-latency multimedia transmission over Ethernet with dynamic quality-of-service (QoS) management. This proposed framework deals with a dynamic QoS for multimedia transmission over Ethernet with FTT-ESE protocol. This paper also presents distinct QoS metrics based both on the image quality and network features. Some experiments with recorded and live video streams show the advantages of the proposed framework. To validate the solution we have designed and implemented a simulator based on the Matlab/Simulink, which is a tool to evaluate different network architecture using Simulink blocks.

The Status of the ACRF Millimeter Wave Cloud Radars (MMCRs), the Path Forward for Future MMCR Upgrades, the Concept of 3D Volume Imaging Radar and the UAV Radar

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

P Kollias; MA Miller; KB Widener

2005-12-30

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) operates millimeter wavelength cloud radars (MMCRs) in several climatological regimes. The MMCRs, are the primary observing tool for quantifying the properties of nearly all radiatively important clouds over the ACRF sites. The first MMCR was installed at the ACRF Southern Great Plains (SGP) site nine years ago and its original design can be traced to the early 90s. Since then, several MMCRs have been deployed at the ACRF sites, while no significant hardware upgrades have been performed. Recently, a two-stage upgrade (first C-40 Digitalmore » Signal Processors [DSP]-based, and later the PC-Integrated Radar AcQuisition System [PIRAQ-III] digital receiver) of the MMCR signal-processing units was completed. Our future MMCR related goals are: 1) to have a cloud radar system that continues to have high reliability and uptime and 2) to suggest potential improvements that will address increased sensitivity needs, superior sampling and low cost maintenance of the MMCRs. The Traveling Wave Tube (TWT) technology, the frequency (35-GHz), the radio frequency (RF) layout, antenna, the calibration and radar control procedure and the environmental enclosure of the MMCR remain assets for our ability to detect the profile of hydrometeors at all heights in the troposphere at the ACRF sites.« less

A possible simplification for the estimation of area under the curve (AUC₀₋₁₂) of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in renal transplant patients receiving tacrolimus.

PubMed

Fleming, Denise H; Mathew, Binu S; Prasanna, Samuel; Annapandian, Vellaichamy M; John, George T

2011-04-01

Enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) is widely used in renal transplantation. With a delayed absorption profile, it has not been possible to develop limited sampling strategies to estimate area under the curve (mycophenolic acid [MPA] AUC₀₋₁₂), which have limited time points and are completed in 2 hours. We developed and validated simplified strategies to estimate MPA AUC₀₋₁₂ in an Indian renal transplant population prescribed EC-MPS together with prednisolone and tacrolimus. Intensive pharmacokinetic sampling (17 samples each) was performed in 18 patients to measure MPA AUC₀₋₁₂. The profiles at 1 month were used to develop the simplified strategies and those at 5.5 months used for validation. We followed two approaches. In one, the AUC was calculated using the trapezoidal rule with fewer time points followed by an extrapolation. In the second approach, by stepwise multiple regression analysis, models with different time points were identified and linear regression analysis performed. Using the trapezoidal rule, two equations were developed with six time points and sampling to 6 or 8 hours (8hrAUC[₀₋₁₂exp]) after the EC-MPS dose. On validation, the 8hrAUC(₀₋₁₂exp) compared with total measured AUC₀₋₁₂ had a coefficient of correlation (r²) of 0.872 with a bias and precision (95% confidence interval) of 0.54% (-6.07-7.15) and 9.73% (5.37-14.09), respectively. Second, limited sampling strategies were developed with four, five, six, seven, and eight time points and completion within 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, and 8 hours after the EC-MPS dose. On validation, six, seven, and eight time point equations, all with sampling to 8 hours, had an acceptable r with the total measured MPA AUC₀₋₁₂ (0.817-0.927). In the six, seven, and eight time points, the bias (95% confidence interval) was 3.00% (-4.59 to 10.59), 0.29% (-5.4 to 5.97), and -0.72% (-5.34 to 3.89) and the precision (95% confidence interval) was 10.59% (5.06-16.13), 8.33% (4.55-12.1), and 6.92% (3.94-9.90), respectively. Of the eight simplified approaches, inclusion of seven or eight time points improved the accuracy of the predicted AUC compared with the actual and can be advocated based on the priority of the user.

A Method for Calculating the Heat Required for Windshield Thermal Ice Prevention Based on Extensive Flight Tests in Natural Icing Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Alun R; Holdaway, George H; Steinmetz, Charles P

1947-01-01

An equation is presented for calculating the heat flow required from the surface of an internally heated windshield in order to prevent the formation of ice accretions during flight in specified icing conditions. To ascertain the validity of the equation, comparison is made between calculated values of the heat required and measured values obtained for test windshields in actual flights in icing conditions. The test windshields were internally heated and provided data applicable to two common types of windshield configurations; namely the V-type and the type installed flush with the fuselage contours. These windshields were installed on a twin-engine cargo airplane and the icing flights were conducted over a large area of the United States during the winters of 1945-46 and 1946-47. In addition to the internally heated windshield investigation, some test data were obtained for a windshield ice-prevention system in which heated air was discharged into the windshield boundary layer. The general conclusions resulting from this investigation are as follows: 1) The amount of heat required for the prevention of ice accretions on both flush- and V-type windshields during flight in specified icing conditions can be calculated with a degree of accuracy suitable for design purposes. 2) A heat flow of 2000 to 2500 Btu per hour per square foot is required for complete and continuous protection of a V-type windshield in fight at speeds up to 300 miles per hour in a moderate cumulus icing condition. For the same degree of protection and the same speed range, a value of 1000 Btu per hour per square foot suffices in a moderate stratus icing condition. 3) A heat supply of 1000 Btu per hour per square foot is adequate for a flush windshield located well aft of the fuselage stagnation region, at speeds up to 300 miles per hour, for flight in both stratus and moderate cumulus icing conditions. 4) The external air discharge system of windshield thermal ice prevention is thermally inefficient and requires a heat supply approximately 20 times that required for an internal system having the same performance.

The effect of resident duty hour restriction on trauma center outcomes in teaching hospitals in the state of Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Helling, Thomas S; Kaswan, Sumesh; Boccardo, Justin; Bost, James E

2010-09-01

Resident duty hour restriction was instituted to improve patient safety, but actual impact on patient care is unclear. We sought to determine the effect of duty hour restriction on trauma outcomes in Level I trauma centers (TCs; surgery residency programs) versus Level II TCs (those with no surgery residency programs) within the state of Pennsylvania, using noninferiority as our hypothesis testing. Outcomes (mortality and length of stay [LOS]) were compared in Level II TCs without surgery residencies (n = 7) with Level I TCs (with surgery residencies; n = 14) PRE80 (2001-2003) and POST80 (2004-2007). The subcategories of critically injured patients, Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15, ISS >25, Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) ≤ 50, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) head/chest/abdomen score >3, age >65 years, mechanism, and shock, functioned as outcome predictors. There was a decrease in mortality overall PRE80 to POST80 for Level I and II TCs. There was a decrease in mortality in Level I TCs POST80 in ISS >15 (16.5% vs. 14.8%, p = 0.0001), AIS (head) score >3 (20.8% vs. 17.8%, p < 0.0001), age >65 years (12.2% vs. 10.7%, p = 0.0013), and blunt mechanism (5.2% vs. 4.6%, p = 0.0004). LOS was reduced in ISS >15, AIS (head) score >3, age >65 years, and penetrating mechanism in Level I TCs POST80. A similar but more profound decrease was also seen in Level II TCs PRE80 and POST80 (ISS >15, 25; AIS (head) score; shock; blunt mechanism; and TRISS ≤ 50). Testing for inhomogeneity identified less-severely injured patients at Level II TCs POST80 compared with Level I TCs in certain subcategories (ISS >15, 25; AIS (head) score; shock; blunt mechanism; and TRISS ≤ 50) regarding mortality and LOS (TRISS >50%). Decreases in mortality and LOS during the study periods were likely not related to resident work hour restriction but rather to overall improvement in outcomes seen at Level II (no residents) and Level I (residents) TCs. Resident work hour restrictions had no discernible effect on patient care (noninferiority).

The Economics of an Admissions Holding Unit.

PubMed

Schreyer, Kraftin E; Martin, Richard

2017-06-01

With increasing attention to the actual cost of delivering care, return-on-investment calculations take on new significance. Boarded patients in the emergency department (ED) are harmful to clinical care and have significant financial opportunity costs. We hypothesize that investment in an admissions holding unit for admitted ED patients not only captures opportunity cost but also significantly lowers direct cost of care. This was a three-phase study at a busy urban teaching center with significant walkout rate. We first determined the true cost of maintaining a staffed ED bed for one patient-hour and compared it to alternative settings. The opportunity cost for patients leaving without being seen was then conservatively estimated. Lastly, a convenience sample of admitted patients boarding in the ED was observed continuously from one hour after decision-to-admit until physical departure from the ED to capture a record of every interaction with a nurse or physician. Personnel costs per patient bed-hour were $58.20 for the ED, $24.80 for an inpatient floor, $19.20 for the inpatient observation unit, and $10.40 for an admissions holding area. An eight-bed holding unit operating at practical capacity would free 57.4 hours of bed space in the ED and allow treatment of 20 additional patients. This could yield increased revenues of $27,796 per day and capture opportunity cost of $6.09 million over 219 days, in return for extra staffing costs of $218,650. Analysis of resources used for boarded patients was determined by continuous observation of a convenience sample of ED-boarded patients, which found near-zero interactions with both nursing and physicians during the boarding interval. Resource expense per ED bed-hour is more than twice that in non-critical care inpatient units. Despite the high cost of available resources, boarded non-critical patients receive virtually no nursing or physician attention. An admissions holding unit is remarkably effective in avoiding the mismatch of the low-needs patients in high-cost care venues. Return on investment is enormous, but this assumes existing clinical space for this unit.

The corrected donor age for hepatitis C virus-infected liver transplant recipients.

PubMed

Dirchwolf, Melisa; Dodge, Jennifer L; Gralla, Jane; Bambha, Kiran M; Nydam, Trevor; Hung, Kenneth W; Rosen, Hugo R; Feng, Sandy; Terrault, Norah A; Biggins, Scott W

2015-08-01

Donor age has become the dominant donor factor used to predict graft failure (GF) after liver transplantation (LT) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) recipients. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a model of corrected donor age (CDA) for HCV LT recipients that transforms the risk of other donor factors into the scale of donor age. We analyzed all first LT recipients with HCV in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry from January 1998 to December 2007 (development cohort, n = 14,538) and January 2008 to December 2011 (validation cohort, n = 7502) using Cox regression, excluding early GF (<90 days from LT). Accuracy in predicting 1 year GF (death or repeat LT) was assessed with the net reclassification index (NRI). In the development cohort, after controlling for pre-LT recipient factors and geotemporal trends (UNOS region, LT year), the following donor factors were independent predictors of GF, all P < 0.05: donor age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.02/year), donation after cardiac death (DCD; HR, 1.31), diabetes (HR, 1.23), height < 160 cm (HR, 1.13), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≥ 120 U/L (HR, 1.10), female (HR, 0.94), cold ischemia time (CIT; HR, 1.02/hour), and non-African American (non-AA) donor-African American (AA) recipient (HR, 1.65). Transforming these risk factors into the donor age scale yielded the following: DCD = +16 years; diabetes = +12 years; height < 160 cm = +7 years; AST ≥ 120 U/L = +5 years; female = -4 years; and CIT = +1 year/hour > 8 hours and -1 year/hour < 8 hours. There was a large effect of donor-recipient race combinations: +29 years for non-AA donor and an AA recipient but only +5 years for an AA donor and an AA recipient, and -2 years for an AA donor and a non-AA recipient. In a validation cohort, CDA better classified risk of 1-year GF versus actual age (NRI, 4.9%; P = 0.009) and versus the donor risk index (9.0%, P < 0.001). The CDA, compared to actual donor age, provides an intuitive and superior estimation of graft quality for HCV-positive LT recipients because it incorporates additional factors that impact LT GF rates. © 2015 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Differences in resuscitation in morbidly obese burn patients may contribute to high mortality.

PubMed

Rae, Lisa; Pham, Tam N; Carrougher, Gretchen; Honari, Shari; Gibran, Nicole S; Arnoldo, Brett D; Gamelli, Richard L; Tompkins, Ronald G; Herndon, David N

2013-01-01

The rising number of obese patients poses new challenges for burn care. These may include adjustments in calculations of burn size, resuscitation, ventilator wean, nutritional goals as well as challenges in mobilization. The authors have focused this observational study on resuscitation in the obese patient population in the first 48 hours after burn injury. Previous trauma studies suggest a prolonged time to reach end points of resuscitation in the obese compared to nonobese injured patients. The authors hypothesize that obese patients have worse outcomes after thermal injury and that differences in the response to resuscitation contribute to this disparity. The authors retrospectively analyzed data prospectively collected in a multicenter trial to compare resuscitation and outcomes in patients stratified by National Institutes of Health/World Health Organization body mass index (BMI) classification (BMI: normal weight, 18.5-24.9; overweight, 25-29.9, obese, 30-39.9; morbidly obese, ≥40). Because of the distribution of body habitus in the obese, total burn size was recalculated for all patients by using the method proposed by Neaman and compared with Lund-Browder estimates. The authors analyzed patients by BMI class for fluids administered and end points of resuscitation at 24 and 48 hours. Multivariate analysis was used to compare morbidity and mortality across BMI groups. The authors identified 296 adult patients with a mean TBSA of 41%. Patient and injury characteristics were similar across BMI categories. No significant differences were observed in burn size calculations by using Neaman vs Lund-Browder formulas. Although resuscitation volumes exceeded the predicted formula in all BMI categories, higher BMI was associated with less fluid administered per actual body weight (P = .001). Base deficit on admission was highest in the morbidly obese group at 24 and 48 hours. Furthermore, the morbidly obese patients did not correct their metabolic acidosis to the extent of their lower BMI counterparts (P values .04 and .03). Complications and morbidities across BMI groups were similar, although examination of organ failure scores indicated more severe organ dysfunction in the morbidly obese group. Compared with being normal weight, being morbidly obese was an independent risk factor for death (odds ratio = 10.1; confidence interval, 1.94-52.5; P = .006). Morbidly obese patients with severe burns tend to receive closer to predicted fluid resuscitation volumes for their actual weight. However, this patient group has persistent metabolic acidosis during the resuscitation phase and is at risk of developing more severe multiple organ failure. These factors may contribute to higher mortality risk in the morbidly obese burn patient.

Differences in resuscitation in morbidly obese burn patients may contribute to high mortality

PubMed Central

Rae, Lisa; Pham, Tam N.; Carrougher, Gretchen; Honari, Shari; Gibran, Nicole S.; Arnoldo, Brett D.; Gamelli, Richard L.; Tompkins, Ronald G.; Herndon, David N.

2013-01-01

Objective The rising number of obese patients poses new challenges for burn care. These may include adjustments in calculations of burn size, resuscitation, ventilator wean, nutritional goals as well as challenges in mobilization. We have focused this observational study on resuscitation in the obese patient population in the first 48 hours after burn injury. Prior trauma studies suggest a prolonged time to reach end points of resuscitation in the obese compared to non-obese injured patients. We hypothesize that obese patients have worse outcomes after thermal injury and that differences in the response to resuscitation contribute to this disparity. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data prospectively collected in a multi-center trial to compare resuscitation and outcomes in patients stratified by NIH/WHO BMI classification (BMI: normal weight 18.5-24.9, overweight 25-29.9, Obese 30-39.9, morbidly obese ≥40). Due to distribution of body habitus in the obese, total burn size was recalculated for all patients using the method proposed by Neaman and compared to Lund-Browder estimates. We analyzed patients by BMI class for fluids administered and end points of resuscitation at 24 and 48 hours. Multivariate analysis was used to compare morbidity and mortality across BMI groups. Results We identified 296 adult patients with a mean TBSA of 41%. Patient and injury characteristics were similar across BMI categories. There were no significant differences in burn size calculations using Neaman vs. Lund-Browder formulas. Although resuscitation volumes exceeded the predicted formula in all BMI categories, higher BMI was associated with less fluid administered per actual body weight (p=0.001). Base deficit on admission was highest in the morbidly obese group at 24 and 48 hours. Furthermore, these patients did not correct their metabolic acidosis as well as lower BMI groups (p-values 0.04 and 0.03). Complications and morbidities across BMI groups were similar, although examination of organ failure scores indicated more severe organ dysfunction in the morbidly obese group. Compared to normal weight patients, being morbidly obese was an independent risk factor for death (OR = 10.1; CI 1.94-52.5, p= 0.006). Conclusions Morbidly obese patients with severe burns tend to receive closer to predicted fluid resuscitation volumes for their actual weight. However, this patient group has persistent metabolic acidosis during the resuscitation phase and is at-risk of developing more severe multiple organ failure. These factors may contribute to higher mortality risk in the morbidly obese burn patient. PMID:23966116