2012 Market Report on Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications

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

Orrell, Alice C.

2013-08-01

An annual report on U.S. wind power in distributed applications – expanded to include small, mid-size, and utility-scale installations – including key statistics, economic data, installation, capacity, and generation statistics, and more.

Philippines: Small-scale renewable energy update

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

NONE

1997-12-01

This paper gives an overview of the application of small scale renewable energy sources in the Philippines. Sources looked at include solar, biomass, micro-hydroelectric, mini-hydroelectric, wind, mini-geothermal, and hybrid. A small power utilities group is being spun off the major utility, to provide a structure for developing rural electrification programs. In some instances, private companies have stepped forward, avoiding what is perceived as overwhelming beaurocracy, and installed systems with private financing. The paper provides information on survey work which has been done on resources, and the status of cooperative programs to develop renewable systems in the nation.

An experimental study of potential residential and commercial applications of small-scale hybrid power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acosta, Michael Anthony

The research presented in this thesis provides an understanding of small-scale hybrid power systems. Experiments were conducted to identify potential applications of renewable energy in residential and commercial applications in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Solar and wind energy converted into electric energy was stored in batteries and inverted to power common household and commercial appliances. Several small to medium size hybrid power systems were setup and utilized to conduct numerous tests to study renewable energy prospects and feasibility for various applications. The experimental results obtained indicate that carefully constructed solar power systems can provide people living in isolated communities with sufficient energy to consistently meet their basic power needs.

Assessment of steam-injected gas turbine systems and their potential application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stochl, R. J.

1982-01-01

Results were arrived at by utilizing and expanding on information presented in the literature. The results were analyzed and compared with those for simple gas turbine and combined cycles for both utility power generation and industrial cogeneration applications. The efficiency and specific power of simple gas turbine cycles can be increased as much as 30 and 50 percent, respectively, by the injection of steam into the combustor. Steam-injected gas turbines appear to be economically competitive with both simple gas turbine and combined cycles for small, clean-fuel-fired utility power generation and industrial cogeneration applications. For large powerplants with integrated coal gasifiers, the economic advantages appear to be marginal.

Nowcasting Earthquakes: A Comparison of Induced Earthquakes in Oklahoma and at the Geysers, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luginbuhl, Molly; Rundle, John B.; Hawkins, Angela; Turcotte, Donald L.

2018-01-01

Nowcasting is a new method of statistically classifying seismicity and seismic risk (Rundle et al. 2016). In this paper, the method is applied to the induced seismicity at the Geysers geothermal region in California and the induced seismicity due to fluid injection in Oklahoma. Nowcasting utilizes the catalogs of seismicity in these regions. Two earthquake magnitudes are selected, one large say M_{λ } ≥ 4, and one small say M_{σ } ≥ 2. The method utilizes the number of small earthquakes that occurs between pairs of large earthquakes. The cumulative probability distribution of these values is obtained. The earthquake potential score (EPS) is defined by the number of small earthquakes that has occurred since the last large earthquake, the point where this number falls on the cumulative probability distribution of interevent counts defines the EPS. A major advantage of nowcasting is that it utilizes "natural time", earthquake counts, between events rather than clock time. Thus, it is not necessary to decluster aftershocks and the results are applicable if the level of induced seismicity varies in time. The application of natural time to the accumulation of the seismic hazard depends on the applicability of Gutenberg-Richter (GR) scaling. The increasing number of small earthquakes that occur after a large earthquake can be scaled to give the risk of a large earthquake occurring. To illustrate our approach, we utilize the number of M_{σ } ≥ 2.75 earthquakes in Oklahoma to nowcast the number of M_{λ } ≥ 4.0 earthquakes in Oklahoma. The applicability of the scaling is illustrated during the rapid build-up of injection-induced seismicity between 2012 and 2016, and the subsequent reduction in seismicity associated with a reduction in fluid injections. The same method is applied to the geothermal-induced seismicity at the Geysers, California, for comparison.

Linear actuation using milligram quantities of CL-20 and TAGDNAT.

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

Snedigar, Shane; Salton, Jonathan Robert; Tappan, Alexander Smith

2009-07-01

There are numerous applications for small-scale actuation utilizing pyrotechnics and explosives. In certain applications, especially when multiple actuation strokes are needed, or actuator reuse is required, it is desirable to have all gaseous combustion products with no condensed residue in the actuator cylinder. Toward this goal, we have performed experiments on utilizing milligram quantities of high explosives to drive a millimeter-diameter actuator with a stroke of 30 mm. Calculations were performed to select proper material quantities to provide 0.5 J of actuation energy. This was performed utilizing the thermochemical code Cheetah to calculate the impetus for numerous propellants and tomore » select quantities based on estimated efficiencies of these propellants at small scales. Milligram quantities of propellants were loaded into a small-scale actuator and ignited with an ignition increment and hot wire ignition. Actuator combustion chamber pressure was monitored with a pressure transducer and actuator stroke was monitored using a laser displacement meter. Total actuation energy was determined by calculating the kinetic energy of reaction mass motion against gravity. Of the materials utilized, the best performance was obtained with a mixture of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) and bis-triaminoguanidinium(3,3{prime}dinitroazotriazolate) (TAGDNAT).« less

Phase 1 of the First Small Power System Experiment (engineering Experiment No. 1). Volume 2: System Concept Selection. [development and testing of a solar thermal power plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holl, R. J.

1979-01-01

The development of a modular solar thermal power system for application in the 1 to 10 MWe range is presented. The system is used in remote utility applications, small communities, rural areas, and for industrial uses. Systems design and systems optimization studies are conducted which consider plant size, annual capacity factors, and startup time as variables. Investigations are performed on the energy storage requirements and type of energy storage, concentrator design and field optimization, energy transport, and power conversion subsystems. The system utilizes a Rankine cycle, an axial flow steam turbine for power conversion, and heat transfer sodium for collector fluid.

Silk-based delivery systems of bioactive molecules

PubMed Central

Numata, Keiji; Kaplan, David L

2010-01-01

Silks are biodegradable, biocompatible, self-assemblying proteins that can also be tailored via genetic engineering to contain specific chemical features, offering utility for drug and gene delivery. Silkworm silk has been used in biomedical sutures for decades and has recently achieved Food and Drug Administration approval for expanded biomaterials device utility. With the diversity and control of size, structure and chemistry, modified or recombinant silk proteins can be designed and utilized in various biomedical application, such as for the delivery of bioactive molecules. This review focuses on the biosynthesis and applications of silk-based multi-block copolymer systems and related silk protein drug delivery systems. The utility of these systems for the delivery of small molecule drugs, proteins and genes are reviewed. PMID:20298729

Phase 1 of the First Small Power System Experiment (engineering Experiment No. 1). Volume 5: Supporting Analyses and Trade Studies. [development and testing of a solar thermal power plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holl, R. J.

1979-01-01

The development and design of a modular solar thermal power system for application in the 1 to 10 MWe range is described. The system is used in remote utility applications, small communities, rural areas, and for industrial uses. Thermal and stress analyses are performed on the collector subsystem, energy storage subsystem, energy transport subsystem, the power conversion subsystem, and the plant control subsystem.

Phase 1 of the First Small Power System Experiment (engineering Experiment No. 1). Volume 4: Commercial System Definition. [development and testing of a solar thermal power plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holl, R. J.

1979-01-01

The development and design of a modular solar thermal power system for application in the 1 to 10 MWe range is described. The system is used in remote utility applications, small communities, rural areas, and for industrial uses. The operational reliability, the minimum risk of failure, and the maintenance and repair characteristics are determined and the commercial system design is defined.

RS-34 Phoenix (Peacekeeper Post Boost Propulsion System) Utilization Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Esther, Elizabeth A.; Kos, Larry; Bruno, Cy

2012-01-01

The Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in conjunction with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne conducted a study to evaluate potential in-space applications for the Rocketdyne produced RS-34 propulsion system. The existing RS-34 propulsion system is a remaining asset from the decommissioned United States Air Force Peacekeeper ICBM program; specifically the pressure-fed storable bipropellant Stage IV Post Boost Propulsion System, renamed Phoenix. MSFC gained experience with the RS-34 propulsion system on the successful Ares I-X flight test program flown in October 2009. RS-34 propulsion system components were harvested from stages supplied by the USAF and used on the Ares I-X Roll control system (RoCS). The heritage hardware proved extremely robust and reliable and sparked interest for further utilization on other potential in-space applications. Subsequently, MSFC is working closely with the USAF to obtain all the remaining RS-34 stages for re-use opportunities. Prior to pursuit of securing the hardware, MSFC commissioned the Advanced Concepts Office to understand the capability and potential applications for the RS-34 Phoenix stage as it benefits NASA, DoD, and commercial industry. Originally designed, the RS-34 Phoenix provided in-space six-degrees-of freedom operational maneuvering to deploy multiple payloads at various orbital locations. The RS-34 Phoenix Utilization Study sought to understand how the unique capabilities of the RS-34 Phoenix and its application to six candidate missions: 1) small satellite delivery (SSD), 2) orbital debris removal (ODR), 3) ISS re-supply, 4) SLS kick stage, 5) manned GEO servicing precursor mission, and an Earth-Moon L-2 Waypoint mission. The small satellite delivery and orbital debris removal missions were found to closely mimic the heritage RS-34 mission. It is believed that this technology will enable a small, low-cost multiple satellite delivery to multiple orbital locations with a single boost. For both the small satellite delivery and the orbital debris mission candidates, the RS-34 Phoenix requires the least amount of modification to the existing hardware. The results of the RS-34 Phoenix Utilization Study show that the system is technically sufficient to successfully support all of the missions analyzed

RS-34 Phoenix (Peacekeeper Post Boost Propulsion System) Utilization Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Esther, Elizabeth A.; Kos, Larry; Burnside, Christopher G.; Bruno, Cy

2013-01-01

The Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in conjunction with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne conducted a study to evaluate potential in-space applications for the Rocketdyne produced RS-34 propulsion system. The existing RS-34 propulsion system is a remaining asset from the de-commissioned United States Air Force Peacekeeper ICBM program, specifically the pressure-fed storable bipropellant Stage IV Post Boost Propulsion System, renamed Phoenix. MSFC gained experience with the RS-34 propulsion system on the successful Ares I-X flight test program flown in October 2009. RS-34 propulsion system components were harvested from stages supplied by the USAF and used on the Ares I-X Roll control system (RoCS). The heritage hardware proved extremely robust and reliable and sparked interest for further utilization on other potential in-space applications. MSFC is working closely with the USAF to obtain RS-34 stages for re-use opportunities. Prior to pursuit of securing the hardware, MSFC commissioned the Advanced Concepts Office to understand the capability and potential applications for the RS-34 Phoenix stage as it benefits NASA, DoD, and commercial industry. As originally designed, the RS-34 Phoenix provided in-space six-degrees-of freedom operational maneuvering to deploy multiple payloads at various orbital locations. The RS-34 Phoenix Utilization Study sought to understand how the unique capabilities of the RS-34 Phoenix and its application to six candidate missions: 1) small satellite delivery (SSD), 2) orbital debris removal (ODR), 3) ISS re-supply, 4) SLS kick stage, 5) manned GEO servicing precursor mission, and an Earth-Moon L-2 Waypoint mission. The small satellite delivery and orbital debris removal missions were found to closely mimic the heritage RS-34 mission. It is believed that this technology will enable a small, low-cost multiple satellite delivery to multiple orbital locations with a single boost. For both the small satellite delivery and the orbital debris mission candidates, the RS-34 Phoenix requires the least amount of modification to the existing hardware. The results of the RS-34 Phoenix Utilization Study show that the system is technically sufficient to successfully support all of the missions analyzed.

Silk-based delivery systems of bioactive molecules.

PubMed

Numata, Keiji; Kaplan, David L

2010-12-30

Silks are biodegradable, biocompatible, self-assembling proteins that can also be tailored via genetic engineering to contain specific chemical features, offering utility for drug and gene delivery. Silkworm silk has been used in biomedical sutures for decades and has recently achieved Food and Drug Administration approval for expanded biomaterials device utility. With the diversity and control of size, structure and chemistry, modified or recombinant silk proteins can be designed and utilized in various biomedical application, such as for the delivery of bioactive molecules. This review focuses on the biosynthesis and applications of silk-based multi-block copolymer systems and related silk protein drug delivery systems. The utility of these systems for the delivery of small molecule drugs, proteins and genes is reviewed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A consortium approach to commercialized Westinghouse solid oxide fuel cell technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casanova, Allan

Westinghouse is developing its tubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) for a variety of applications in stationary power generation markets. By pressurizing a SOFC and integrating it with a gas turbine (GT), power systems with efficiencies as high as 70-75% can be obtained. The first such system will be tested in 1998. Because of their extraordinarily high efficiency (60-70%) even in small sizes the first SOFC products to be offered are expected to be integrated SOFC/GT power systems in the 1-7 MW range, for use in the emerging distributed generation (DG) market segment. Expansion into larger sizes will follow later. Because of their modularity, environmental friendliness and expected cost effectiveness, and because of a worldwide thrust towards utility deregulation, a ready market is forecasted for baseload distributed generation. Assuming Westinghouse can complete its technology development and reach its cost targets, the integrated SOFC/GT power system is seen as a product with tremendous potential in the emerging distributed generation market. While Westinghouse has been a leader in the development of power generation technology for over a century, it does not plan to manufacture small gas turbines. However, GTs small enough to integrate with SOFCs and address the 1-7 MW market are generally available from various manufacturers. Westinghouse will need access to a new set of customers as it brings baseload plants to the present small market mix of emergency and peaking power applications. Small cogeneration applications, already strong in some parts of the world, are also gaining ground everywhere. Small GT manufacturers already serve this market, and alliances and partnerships can enhance SOFC commercialization. Utilities also serve the DG market, especially those that have set up energy service companies and seek to grow beyond the legal and geographical confines of their current regulated business. Because fuel cells in general are a new product, because small baseload applications are a new segment, and because deregulation will continue to shake up the mature traditional power generation market, the commercial risks of launching a new product at this time are unique and considerable. Hence, a collaborative approach to commercialization is deemed desirable and appropriate, and collaboration with GT manufacturers and utilities will be addressed in this paper.

Hybrid Propulsion In-Situ Resource Utilization Test Facility Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karp, Ashley Chandler; Nakazono, Barry; Vaughan, David; Warner, William N.

2015-01-01

Hybrid rockets present a promising alternative to conventional chemical propulsion systems for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and in-space applications. While they have many benefits for these applications, there are still many small details that require research before they can be adopted into flight systems. A flexible test facility was developed at JPL to test operation of hybrid motors at small scale (5 cm outer diameter fuel grains) over a range of conditions. Specifically, this paper studies two of the major advantages: low temperature performance and throttling. Paraffin-based hybrid rockets are predicted to have good performance at low temperatures. This could significantly decrease the overall system mass by minimizing the thermal conditioning required for Mars or outer planet applications. Therefore, the coefficient of thermal expansion and glass transition of paraffin are discussed. Additionally, deep throttling has been considered for several applications. This was a natural starting point for hotfire testing using the hybrid propulsion ISRU test facility. Additionally, short length to diameter ratio (L/D) fuel grains are tested to determine if these systems can be packaged into geometrically constrained spaces.

Metal-doped organic foam and method of making same. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Rinde, J.A.

Organic foams having a low density and very small cell size and method for producing same in either a metal-loaded or unloaded (nonmetal loaded) form are described. Metal-doped foams are produced by soaking a polymer gel in an aqueous solution of desired metal salt, soaking the gel successively in a solvent series of decreasing polarity to remove water from the gel and replace it with a solvent of lower polarity with each successive solvent in the series being miscible with the solvents on each side and being saturated with the desired metal salt, and removing the last of the solvents from the gel to produce the desired metal-doped foam having desired density cell size, and metal loading. The unloaded or metal-doped foams can be utilized in a variety of applications requiring low density, small cell size foam. For example, rubidium-doped foam made in accordance with the invention has utility in special applications, such as in x-ray lasers.

Reliability and cost/worth evaluation of generating systems utilizing wind and solar energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagen

The utilization of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar energy for electric power supply has received considerable attention in recent years due to adverse environmental impacts and fuel cost escalation associated with conventional generation. At the present time, wind and/or solar energy sources are utilized to generate electric power in many applications. Wind and solar energy will become important sources for power generation in the future because of their environmental, social and economic benefits, together with public support and government incentives. The wind and sunlight are, however, unstable and variable energy sources, and behave far differently than conventional sources. Energy storage systems are, therefore, often required to smooth the fluctuating nature of the energy conversion system especially in small isolated applications. The research work presented in this thesis is focused on the development and application of reliability and economic benefits assessment associated with incorporating wind energy, solar energy and energy storage in power generating systems. A probabilistic approach using sequential Monte Carlo simulation was employed in this research and a number of analyses were conducted with regards to the adequacy and economic assessment of generation systems containing wind energy, solar energy and energy storage. The evaluation models and techniques incorporate risk index distributions and different operating strategies associated with diesel generation in small isolated systems. Deterministic and probabilistic techniques are combined in this thesis using a system well-being approach to provide useful adequacy indices for small isolated systems that include renewable energy and energy storage. The concepts presented and examples illustrated in this thesis will help power system planners and utility managers to assess the reliability and economic benefits of utilizing wind energy conversion systems, solar energy conversion systems and energy storage in electric power systems and provide useful input to the managerial decision process.

Siting Issues for Solar Thermal Power Plants with Small Community Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holbeck, J. J.; Ireland, S. J.

1978-01-01

Technologies for solar thermal plants are being developed to provide energy alternatives for the future. Implementation of these plants requires consideration of siting issues as well as power system technology. While many conventional siting considerations are applicable, there is also a set of unique siting issues for solar thermal plants. Early experimental plants will have special siting considerations. The siting issues associated with small, dispersed solar thermal power plants in the 1 to 10 MWe power range for utility/small community applications are considered. Some specific requirements refer to the first 1 MWe engineering experiment for the Small Power Systems Applications (SPSA) Project. The siting issues themselves are discussed in three categories: (1) system resource requirements, (2) environmental effects on the system, and (3) potential impact of the plant on the environment. Within these categories, specific issues are discussed in a qualitative manner. Examples of limiting factors for some issues are taken from studies of other solar systems.

Small ICBM area narrowing report. Volume 3: Hard silo in patterned array basing mode

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

Not Available

The purpose of this report is to identify those areas that could potentially support deployment of the Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) utilizing basing modes presently considered viable: the Hard Mobile Launcher in Random Movement, the Hard Mobile Launcher at Minuteman Facilities, or the Hard Silo in Patterned Array. Specifically, this report describes the process and the rationale supporting the application of Exclusionary and Evaluative Criteria and lists those locations that were eliminated through the application of these criteria. The remaining locations will be the subject of further investigations.

Fine grained event processing on HPCs with the ATLAS Yoda system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calafiura, Paolo; De, Kaushik; Guan, Wen; Maeno, Tadashi; Nilsson, Paul; Oleynik, Danila; Panitkin, Sergey; Tsulaia, Vakhtang; Van Gemmeren, Peter; Wenaus, Torre

2015-12-01

High performance computing facilities present unique challenges and opportunities for HEP event processing. The massive scale of many HPC systems means that fractionally small utilization can yield large returns in processing throughput. Parallel applications which can dynamically and efficiently fill any scheduling opportunities the resource presents benefit both the facility (maximal utilization) and the (compute-limited) science. The ATLAS Yoda system provides this capability to HEP-like event processing applications by implementing event-level processing in an MPI-based master-client model that integrates seamlessly with the more broadly scoped ATLAS Event Service. Fine grained, event level work assignments are intelligently dispatched to parallel workers to sustain full utilization on all cores, with outputs streamed off to destination object stores in near real time with similarly fine granularity, such that processing can proceed until termination with full utilization. The system offers the efficiency and scheduling flexibility of preemption without requiring the application actually support or employ check-pointing. We will present the new Yoda system, its motivations, architecture, implementation, and applications in ATLAS data processing at several US HPC centers.

sscMap: an extensible Java application for connecting small-molecule drugs using gene-expression signatures.

PubMed

Zhang, Shu-Dong; Gant, Timothy W

2009-07-31

Connectivity mapping is a process to recognize novel pharmacological and toxicological properties in small molecules by comparing their gene expression signatures with others in a database. A simple and robust method for connectivity mapping with increased specificity and sensitivity was recently developed, and its utility demonstrated using experimentally derived gene signatures. This paper introduces sscMap (statistically significant connections' map), a Java application designed to undertake connectivity mapping tasks using the recently published method. The software is bundled with a default collection of reference gene-expression profiles based on the publicly available dataset from the Broad Institute Connectivity Map 02, which includes data from over 7000 Affymetrix microarrays, for over 1000 small-molecule compounds, and 6100 treatment instances in 5 human cell lines. In addition, the application allows users to add their custom collections of reference profiles and is applicable to a wide range of other 'omics technologies. The utility of sscMap is two fold. First, it serves to make statistically significant connections between a user-supplied gene signature and the 6100 core reference profiles based on the Broad Institute expanded dataset. Second, it allows users to apply the same improved method to custom-built reference profiles which can be added to the database for future referencing. The software can be freely downloaded from http://purl.oclc.org/NET/sscMap.

Metal-doped organic foam

DOEpatents

Rinde, James A.

1982-01-01

Organic foams having a low density and very small cell size and method for producing same in either a metal-loaded or unloaded (nonmetal loaded) form are described. Metal-doped foams are produced by soaking a polymer gel in an aqueous solution of desired metal salt, soaking the gel successively in a solvent series of decreasing polarity to remove water from the gel and replace it with a solvent of lower polarity with each successive solvent in the series being miscible with the solvents on each side and being saturated with the desired metal salt, and removing the last of the solvents from the gel to produce the desired metal-doped foam having desired density cell size, and metal loading. The unloaded or metal-doped foams can be utilized in a variety of applications requiring low density, small cell size foam. For example, rubidium-doped foam made in accordance with the invention has utility in special applications, such as in x-ray lasers.

Recent Developments of Liposomes as Nanocarriers for Theranostic Applications

PubMed Central

Xing, Hang; Hwang, Kevin; Lu, Yi

2016-01-01

Liposomes are nanocarriers comprised of lipid bilayers encapsulating an aqueous core. The ability of liposomes to encapsulate a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic agents has led to significant interest in utilizing liposomes as nanocarriers for theranostic applications. In this review, we highlight recent progress in developing liposomes as nanocarriers for a) diagnostic applications to detect proteins, DNA, and small molecule targets using fluorescence, magnetic resonance, ultrasound, and nuclear imaging; b) therapeutic applications based on small molecule-based therapy, gene therapy and immunotherapy; and c) theranostic applications for simultaneous detection and treatment of heavy metal toxicity and cancers. In addition, we summarize recent studies towards understanding of interactions between liposomes and biological components. Finally, perspectives on future directions in advancing the field for clinical translations are also discussed. PMID:27375783

Photovoltaics as a terrestrial energy source. Volume 1: An introduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, J. L.

1980-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) systems were examined their potential for terrestrial application and future development. Photovoltaic technology, existing and potential photovoltaic applications, and the National Photovoltaics Program are reviewed. The competitive environment for this electrical source, affected by the presence or absence of utility supplied power is evaluated in term of systems prices. The roles of technological breakthroughs, directed research and technology development, learning curves, and commercial demonstrations in the National Program are discussed. The potential for photovoltaics to displace oil consumption is examined, as are the potential benefits of employing PV in either central-station or non-utility owned, small, distributed systems.

Geologic utility of small-scale airphotos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, M. M.

1969-01-01

The geologic value of small scale airphotos is emphasized by describing the application of high altitude oblique and 1:120,000 to 1:145,000 scale vertical airphotos to several geologic problems in California. These examples show that small-scale airphotos can be of use to geologists in the following ways: (1) high altitude, high oblique airphotos show vast areas in one view; and (2) vertical airphotos offer the most efficient method of discovering the major topographic features and structural and lithologic characteristics of terrain.

Advanced System Design Requirements for Large and Small Fixed-wing Aerial Application Systems for Agriculture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinely, J. T., Jr.; Boyles, R. Q., Jr.

1979-01-01

Several candidate aircraft configurations were defined over the range of 1000 to 10,000 pounds payload and evaluated over a broad spectrum of agricultural missions. From these studies, baseline design points were selected at 3200 pounds payload for the small aircraft and 7500 pounds for the large aircraft. The small baseline aircraft utilizes a single turboprop powerplant while the large aircraft utilizes two turboprop powerplants. These configurations were optimized for wing loading, aspect ratio, and power loading to provide the best mission economics in representative missions. Wing loading of 20 lb/sq ft was selected for the small aircraft and 25 lb/sq ft for the large aircraft. Aspect ratio of 8 was selected for both aircraft. It was found that a 10% reduction in engine power from the original configurations provided improved mission economics for both aircraft by reducing the cost of the turboprop. Refined configurations incorporate a 675 HP engine in the small aircraft and two 688 HP engines in the large aircraft.

Nowcasting Induced Seismicity at the Groningen Gas Field in the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luginbuhl, M.; Rundle, J. B.; Turcotte, D. L.

2017-12-01

The Groningen natural gas field in the Netherlands has recently been a topic of controversy for many residents in the surrounding area. The gas field provides energy for the majority of the country; however, for a minority of Dutch citizens who live nearby, the seismicity induced by the gas field is a cause for major concern. Since the early 2000's, the region has seen an increase in both number and magnitude of events, the largest of which was a magnitude 3.6 in 2012. Earthquakes of this size and smaller easily cause infrastructural damage to older houses and farms built with single brick walls. Nowcasting is a new method of statistically classifying seismicity and seismic risk. In this paper, the method is applied to the induced seismicity at the natural gas fields in Groningen, Netherlands. Nowcasting utilizes the catalogs of seismicity in these regions. Two earthquake magnitudes are selected, one large say , and one small say . The method utilizes the number of small earthquakes that occur between pairs of large earthquakes. The cumulative probability distribution of these values is obtained. The earthquake potential score (EPS) is defined by the number of small earthquakes that have occurred since the last large earthquake, the point where this number falls on the cumulative probability distribution of interevent counts defines the EPS. A major advantage of nowcasting is that it utilizes "natural time", earthquake counts, between events rather than clock time. Thus, it is not necessary to decluster aftershocks and the results are applicable if the level of induced seismicity varies in time, which it does in this case. The application of natural time to the accumulation of the seismic hazard depends on the applicability of Gutenberg-Richter (GR) scaling. The increasing number of small earthquakes that occur after a large earthquake can be scaled to give the risk of a large earthquake occurring. To illustrate our approach, we utilize the number of earthquakes in Groningen to nowcast the number of earthquakes in Groningen. The applicability of the scaling is illustrated during the rapid build up of seismicity between 2004 and 2016. It can now be used to forecast the expected reduction in seismicity associated with reduction in gas production.

Mobile Applications and 4G Wireless Networks: A Framework for Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Samuel C.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The use of mobile wireless data services continues to increase worldwide. New fourth-generation (4G) wireless networks can deliver data rates exceeding 2 Mbps. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework of 4G mobile applications that utilize such high data rates and run on small form-factor devices. Design/methodology/approach:…

Dark Fiber and Distributed Acoustic Sensing: Applications to Monitoring Seismicity and Near-Surface Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Lindsey, N.; Dou, S.; Freifeld, B. M.; Daley, T. M.; Tracy, C.; Monga, I.

2017-12-01

"Dark Fiber" refers to the large number of fiber-optic lines installed for telecommunication purposes but not currently utilized. With the advent of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), these unused fibers have the potential to become a seismic sensing network with unparalleled spatial extent and density with applications to monitoring both natural seismicity as well as near-surface soil properties. While the utility of DAS for seismic monitoring has now been conclusively shown on built-for-purpose networks, dark fiber deployments have been challenged by the heterogeneity of fiber installation procedures in telecommunication as well as access limitations. However, the potential of telecom networks to augment existing broadband monitoring stations provides a strong incentive to explore their utilization. We present preliminary results demonstrating the application of DAS to seismic monitoring on a 20 km run of "dark" telecommunications fiber between West Sacramento, CA and Woodland CA, part of the Dark Fiber Testbed maintained by the DOE's ESnet user facility. We show a small catalog of local and regional earthquakes detected by the array and evaluate fiber coupling by using variations in recorded frequency content. Considering the low density of broadband stations across much of the Sacramento Basin, such DAS recordings could provide a crucial data source to constrain small-magnitude local events. We also demonstrate the application of ambient noise interferometry using DAS-recorded waveforms to estimate soil properties under selected sections of the dark fiber transect; the success of this test suggests that the network could be utilized for environmental monitoring at the basin scale. The combination of these two examples demonstrates the exciting potential for combining DAS with ubiquitous dark fiber to greatly extend the reach of existing seismic monitoring networks.

Small ICBM area narrowing report. Volume 1. Hard mobile launcher in random movement basing mode

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

Not Available

The purpose of this report is to identify those areas that could potentially support deployment of the Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) utilizing basing modes presently considered viable: the Hard Mobile Launcher in Random Movement, the Hard Mobile Launcher at Minuteman Facilities, and the Hard Silo in Patterned Array. Specifically, this report describes the process and the rationale supporting the application of Exclusionary and Evaluative Criteria and lists those locations that were eliminated through the application of these criteria. The remaining locations will be the subject of further investigations.

Small ICBM area narrowing report. Volume 2. Hard mobile launcher at minuteman facilities basing mode

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

Not Available

The purpose of this report is to identify those areas that could potentially support deployment of the Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) utilizing basing modes presently considered viable: the Hard Mobile Launcher in Random Movement, the Hard Mobile Launcher at Minuteman Facilities, and the Hard Silo in Patterned Array. Specifically, this report describes the process and the rationale supporting the application of Exclusionary and Evaluative Criteria and lists those locations that were eliminated through the application of these criteria. The remaining locations will be the subject of further investigations.

Design and testing of high temperature micro-ORC test stand using Siloxane as working fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turunen-Saaresti, Teemu; Uusitalo, Antti; Honkatukia, Juha

2017-03-01

Organic Rankine Cycle is a mature technology for many applications e.g. biomass power plants, waste heat recovery and geothermal power for larger power capacity. Recently more attention is paid on an ORC utilizing high temperature heat with relatively low power. One of the attractive applications of such ORCs would be utilization of waste heat of exhaust gas of combustion engines in stationary and mobile applications. In this paper, a design procedure of the ORC process is described and discussed. The analysis of the major components of the process, namely the evaporator, recuperator, and turbogenerator is done. Also preliminary experimental results of an ORC process utilizing high temperature exhaust gas heat and using siloxane MDM as a working fluid are presented and discussed. The turbine type utilized in the turbogenerator is a radial inflow turbine and the turbogenerator consists of the turbine, the electric motor and the feed pump. Based on the results, it was identified that the studied system is capable to generate electricity from the waste heat of exhaust gases and it is shown that high molecular weight and high critical temperature fluids as the working fluids can be utilized in high-temperature small-scale ORC applications. 5.1 kW of electric power was generated by the turbogenerator.

Initial Feasibility Report on Decentralized Small Cogeneration for Navy Shore Bases.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

PURPA ), they generally had stand-alone generating capacity sufficient to meet all the electrical needs of the building A’’ ".w...electric utilties since the enactment of PURPA . An example of a recent small cogeneration application uses the 60-kW Thermo Electron cogeneration...utilities are naturally not enthusias- tic about cogeneration. However, PURPA was enacted to ensure that cogenerators receive just, reasonable, and

Is strategic asset management applicable to small and medium utilities?

PubMed

Alegre, Helena

2010-01-01

Urban water infrastructures provide essential services to modern societies and represent a major portion of the value of municipal physical assets. Managing these assets rationally is therefore fundamental for the sustainability of the services and to the economy of societies. "Asset Management" (AM) is a modern term for an old practice--assets have always been managed. In recent years, significant evolution occurred in terms of the AM formal approaches, of the monitoring and decision support tools and of the implementation success cases. However, most tools developed are too sophisticated and data seek for small utilities. The European R&D network COST Action C18 ( E-mail: www.costc18.org) identified key research problems related to the management of urban water infrastructures, currently not covered by on-going projects of the European Framework Program. The top 1 topic is "Efficient management of small community". This paper addresses challenges and opportunities for small and medium utilities with regard to infrastructure AM (IAM). To put this into context, the first sections discuss the need for IAM, highlight key recent developments, and present IAM drivers, as well as research and development gaps, priorities and products needed.

Electric thermal storage demonstration program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

In early 1989, MMWEC, a joint action agency comprised of 30 municipal light departments in Massachusetts and on affiliate in Rhode Island, responded to a DOE request to proposal for the Least Cost Utility Planning Program. The MMWEC submission was for the development of a program, focused on small rural electric utilities, to promote the use of electric thermal storage heating systems in residential applications. This report discusses the demonstration of ETS equipment at four member light departments.

A Computer Based Moire Technique To Measure Very Small Displacements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciammarella, Cesar A.; Amadshahi, Mansour A.; Subbaraman, B.

1987-02-01

The accuracy that can be achieved in the measurement of very small displacements in techniques such as moire, holography and speckle is limited by the noise inherent to the utilized optical devices. To reduce the noise to signal ratio, the moire method can be utilized. Two system of carrier fringes are introduced, an initial system before the load is applied and a final system when the load is applied. The moire pattern of these two systems contains the sought displacement information and the noise common to the two patterns is eliminated. The whole process is performed by a computer on digitized versions of the patterns. Examples of application are given.

A summary of the status of biomass conversion technologies and opportunities for their use in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waddle, D. B.; Perlack, R. D.; Wimberly, J.

Biomass plays a significant role in energy use in developing countries: however, these resources are often used very inefficiently. Recent technology developments have made possible improved conversion efficiencies for utility scale technologies. These developments may be of interest in the wake of recent policy changes occurring in several developing countries, with respect to independent power production. Efforts are also being directed at developing biomass conversion technologies that can interface and/or compete with internal combustion engines for small, isolated loads. The technological status is reviewed of biomass conversion technologies appropriate for commercial, industrial, and small utility applications in developing countries. Market opportunities, constraints, and technology developments are also discussed.

The Effect of Variable End of Charge Battery Management on Small-Cell Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neubauer, Jeremy; Simmons, Nick; Bennetti, Andrea; Pearson, Chris; Reid, Concha

2007-01-01

ABSL Space Products is the world leading supplier of Lithium-ion batteries for space applications and has pioneered the use of small capacity COTS cells within large arrays. This small-cell approach has provided many benefits to space application designers through increased flexibility and reliability over more traditional battery designs. The ABSL 18650HC cell has been used in most ABSL space battery applications to date and has a recommended End Of Charge Voltage (EOCV) of 4.2V per cell. For all space applications using the ABSL 18650HC so far, this EOCV has been used at all stages of battery life from ground checkout to in orbit operations. ABSL and NASA have identified that, by using a lower EOCV for the same equivalent Depth Of Discharge (DOD), battery capacity fade could be reduced. The intention of this paper is to compare battery performance for systems with fixed and variable EOCV. In particular, the effect of employing the blanket value of 4.2V per cell versus utilizing a lower EOCV at Beginning Of Life (BOL) before gradually increasing it (as the effects of capacity fade drive the End Of Discharge Voltage closer to the acceptable system level minimum) is analyzed. Data is compared from ABSL in-house and NASA GRC tests that have been run under fixed and variable EOCV conditions. Differences in capacity fade are discussed and projections are made as to potential life extension capability by utilizing a variable EOCV strategy.

Solar thermal power systems point-focusing thermal and electric applications projects. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marriott, A.

1980-01-01

The activities of the Point-Focusing Thermal and Electric Applications (PETEA) project for the fiscal year 1979 are summarized. The main thrust of the PFTEA Project, the small community solar thermal power experiment, was completed. Concept definition studies included a small central receiver approach, a point-focusing distributed receiver system with central power generation, and a point-focusing distributed receiver concept with distributed power generation. The first experiment in the Isolated Application Series was initiated. Planning for the third engineering experiment series, which addresses the industrial market sector, was also initiated. In addition to the experiment-related activities, several contracts to industry were let and studies were conducted to explore the market potential for point-focusing distributed receiver (PFDR) systems. System analysis studies were completed that looked at PFDR technology relative to other small power system technology candidates for the utility market sector.

Reliability and cost evaluation of small isolated power systems containing photovoltaic and wind energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karki, Rajesh

Renewable energy application in electric power systems is growing rapidly worldwide due to enhanced public concerns for adverse environmental impacts and escalation in energy costs associated with the use of conventional energy sources. Photovoltaics and wind energy sources are being increasingly recognized as cost effective generation sources. A comprehensive evaluation of reliability and cost is required to analyze the actual benefits of utilizing these energy sources. The reliability aspects of utilizing renewable energy sources have largely been ignored in the past due the relatively insignificant contribution of these sources in major power systems, and consequently due to the lack of appropriate techniques. Renewable energy sources have the potential to play a significant role in the electrical energy requirements of small isolated power systems which are primarily supplied by costly diesel fuel. A relatively high renewable energy penetration can significantly reduce the system fuel costs but can also have considerable impact on the system reliability. Small isolated systems routinely plan their generating facilities using deterministic adequacy methods that cannot incorporate the highly erratic behavior of renewable energy sources. The utilization of a single probabilistic risk index has not been generally accepted in small isolated system evaluation despite its utilization in most large power utilities. Deterministic and probabilistic techniques are combined in this thesis using a system well-being approach to provide useful adequacy indices for small isolated systems that include renewable energy. This thesis presents an evaluation model for small isolated systems containing renewable energy sources by integrating simulation models that generate appropriate atmospheric data, evaluate chronological renewable power outputs and combine total available energy and load to provide useful system indices. A software tool SIPSREL+ has been developed which generates risk, well-being and energy based indices to provide realistic cost/reliability measures of utilizing renewable energy. The concepts presented and the examples illustrated in this thesis will help system planners to decide on appropriate installation sites, the types and mix of different energy generating sources, the optimum operating policies, and the optimum generation expansion plans required to meet increasing load demands in small isolated power systems containing photovoltaic and wind energy sources.

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) FY 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-31

matching networks for application in the frequency band below 30 MHz. The antenna should be light - weight, rapidly erectable and capable of operation while...munitions concealed within this terrain. m. More Efficient Utilization of Fuel in Light Trucks and Off-Road Vehi- cles (11) Current research is focusing on...affixed. The material must be light - * weight, small, and inexpensive to buy and install. d. Hard Coatings for Optical Systems (7) Broadband sensors

Method of making metal-doped organic foam products

DOEpatents

Rinde, James A.

1981-01-01

Organic foams having a low density and very small cell size and method for roducing same in either a metal-loaded or unloaded (nonmetal loaded) form are described. Metal-doped foams are produced by soaking a polymer gel in an aqueous solution of desired metal salt, soaking the gel successively in a solvent series of decreasing polarity to remove water from the gel and replace it with a solvent of lower polarity with each successive solvent in the series being miscible with the solvents on each side and being saturated with the desired metal salt, and removing the last of the solvents from the gel to produce the desired metal-doped foam having desired density cell size, and metal loading. The unloaded or metal-doped foams can be utilized in a variety of applications requiring low density, small cell size foam. For example, rubidium-doped foam made in accordance with the invention has utility in special applications, such as in x-ray lasers.

A Framework for Safe Integration of Small UAS Into the NAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logan, Michael J.; Bland, Geoffrey; Murray, Jennifer

2011-01-01

This paper discusses a proposed framework for the safe integration of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). The paper examines the potential uses of sUAS to build an understanding of the location and frequency of potential future flight operations based on the future applications of the sUAS systems. The paper then examines the types of systems that would be required to meet the application-level demand to determine classes of platforms and operations. Finally, a framework is proposed for both airworthiness and operations that attempts to balance safety with utility for these important systems.

Customer relationship management implementation in the small and medium enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugroho, Agus; Suharmanto, Agus; Masugino

2018-03-01

To win the global competition and sustain the business, small and medium enterprise shall implement a reliable information technology application to support their customer data base, production and sales as well as marketing management. This paper addresses the implementation of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in small and medium enterprise, CV. Densuko Jaya. It is a small and medium enterprises in Semarang, Central Java, Republic of Indonesia deal with rubber processing industry supply chain. ADDIE model utilized in study to setup the CRM functionality at these enterprises. The aim of the authors is to present the benefits resulting from the application of CRM technologies at these enterprises to solve their chronicle issues in the field of integrated customer data base, production management process and sales automation in order to boost their business in the near future. Training and coaching have been delivered to the enterprises staffs and management to ensure that they can execute the system.

A novel ozone sensor for various environmental applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guesten, H.; Heinrich, G.; Schmidt, R. W. H.; Schurath, U.

1994-01-01

A small, lightweight, and fast-response ozone sensor for various environmental applications is described. At a flow rate of 100 l/min(-1) the ozone sensor has a response time of significantly better than 0.1 s with a detection limit lower than 100 pptv. The ozone sensor was successfully tested in various environmental applications, i.e. in measuring directly the vertical ozone flux onto agricultural land utilizing the eddy correlation or covariance technique and in monitoring horizontal and vertical ozone profiles in the troposphere and stratosphere.

Directional microwave applicator and methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Patrick W. (Inventor); Lin, Greg Y. (Inventor); Chu, Andrew W. (Inventor); Dobbins, Justin A. (Inventor); Arndt, G. Dickey (Inventor); Ngo, Phong H. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A miniature microwave antenna is disclosed which may be utilized for biomedical applications such as, for example, radiation induced hyperthermia through catheter systems. One feature of the antenna is that it possesses azimuthal directionality despite its small size. This directionality permits targeting of certain tissues while limiting thermal exposure of adjacent tissue. One embodiment has an outer diameter of about 0.095'' (2.4 mm) but the design permits for smaller diameters.

Assessment of two thermally treated drill mud wastes for landfill containment applications.

PubMed

Carignan, Marie-Pierre; Lake, Craig B; Menzies, Todd

2007-10-01

Offshore oil and gas drilling operations generate significant amounts of drill mud waste, some of which is transported onshore for subsequent thermal treatment (i.e. via thermal remediation). This treatment process results in a mineral waste by-product (referred to as thermally treated drill mud waste; TTDMW). Bentonites are originally present in many of the drill mud products and it is hypothesized that TTDMW can be utilized in landfill containment applications (i.e. cover or base liner). The objective of this paper is to examine the feasibility of this application by performing various physical and chemical tests on two TTDMW samples. It is shown that the two TTDMW samples contained relatively small amounts of clay-sized minerals although hydraulic conductivity values are found to be less than 10(-8) m/s. Organic carbon contents of the samples were approximately 2%. Mineralogy characterization of the samples confirmed varying amounts of smectite, however, peak friction angles for a TTDMW sample was greater than 36 degrees. Chemical characterization of the TTDMW samples show potential leaching of barium and small amounts of other heavy metals. Discussion is provided in the paper on suggestions to assist in overcoming regulatory issues associated with utilization of TTDMW in landfill containment applications.

A summary of the status of biomass conversion technologies and opportunities for their use in Latin America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waddle, D. B.; Perlack, R. D.

1990-03-01

Biomass plays a significant role in energy use in developing countries; however, these resources are often used very inefficiently. Recent technology developments have made possible improved conversion efficiencies for utility scale technologies. These developments may be of interest in the wake of recent policy changes occurring in Central America, with respect to independent power production. Efforts are also being directed at developing biomass conversion technologies that can interface and/or compete with internal combustion engines for small, isolated loads. This paper reviews the technological status of biomass conversion technologies appropriate for commercial, industrial, and small utility applications in developing countries, and in Latin America in particular. Market opportunities, constraints, and technology developments are also discussed.

Eleventh international symposium on radiopharmaceutical chemistry

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

NONE

This document contains abstracts of papers which were presented at the Eleventh International Symposium on Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry. Sessions included: radiopharmaceuticals for the dopaminergic system, strategies for the production and use of labelled reactive small molecules, radiopharmaceuticals for measuring metabolism, radiopharmaceuticals for the serotonin and sigma receptor systems, labelled probes for molecular biology applications, radiopharmaceuticals for receptor systems, radiopharmaceuticals utilizing coordination chemistry, radiolabelled antibodies, radiolabelling methods for small molecules, analytical techniques in radiopharmaceutical chemistry, and analytical techniques in radiopharmaceutical chemistry.

Parabolic dish systems at work - Applying the concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marriott, A. T.

1981-01-01

An overview is given of parabolic dish solar concentrator application experiments being conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy. The 'engineering experiments' comprise the testing of (1) a small-community powerplant system, in conjunction with a grid-connected utility; (2) stand-alone applications at remote sites such as military installations, radar stations and villages; and (3) dish modules that can deliver heat for direct use in industrial processes. Applicability projections are based on a dish and receiver that use a Brayton engine with an engine/generator efficiency of 25% and a production level of up to 25,000 units per year. Analyses indicate that parabolic-dish power systems can potentially replace small, oil-fired power plants in all regions of the U.S. between 1985 and 1991.

Collaborative Learning Utilizing Case-Based Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilvano, Nestor T.; Mathis, Karen M.; Schauer, Daniel P.

2014-01-01

Engaging students in discussion and creating high impact teaching and learning practices are a challenge in every classroom. Small group discussion and poster presentations were used to solve case-based problems to highlight issues for the learner and to allow each student to demonstrate understanding and application of theory to real life…

76 FR 39127 - Manufacturer of Controlled Substances; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-05

... Administration (DEA) to be registered as a bulk manufacturer of Remifentanil (9739) the basic class of controlled substance in schedule II. The company plans to utilize this facility to manufacture small quantities of the... primary manufacturing facility in West Deptford, New Jersey. The controlled substances manufactured in...

Thermal power systems small power systems applications project. Decision analysis for evaluating and ranking small solar thermal power system technologies. Volume 1: A brief introduction to multiattribute decision analysis. [explanation of multiattribute decision analysis methods used in evaluating alternatives for small powered systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinberg, A.; Miles, R. F., Jr.

1978-01-01

The principal concepts of the Keeney and Raiffa approach to multiattribute decision analysis are described. Topics discussed include the concepts of decision alternatives, outcomes, objectives, attributes and their states, attribute utility functions, and the necessary independence properties for the attribute states to be aggregated into a numerical representation of the preferences of the decision maker for the outcomes and decision alternatives.

Great Lakes Regional Phase 3 Commercialization Conference, Held in Detroit, Michigan on May 23 - 25, 1994

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-25

small highly efficient power systems to provide electricity for space applications. These converters are solar heated for near earth orbit applications...processing in NASA’s Wake Shield Facility. AMPS plans to complete product development in each of these specific technology areas utilizing SBIR...Corrosion: Crevice corrosion is a form of localized corrosion that occurs within crevices or shielded surfaces where stagnant solution is present

Force-controlled inorganic crystallization lithography.

PubMed

Cheng, Chao-Min; LeDuc, Philip R

2006-09-20

Lithography plays a key role in integrated circuits, optics, information technology, biomedical applications, catalysis, and separation technologies. However, inorganic lithography techniques remain of limited utility for applications outside of the typical foci of integrated circuit manufacturing. In this communication, we have developed a novel stamping method that applies pressure on the upper surface of the stamp to regulate the dewetting process of the inorganic buffer and the evaporation rate of the solvent in this buffer between the substrate and the surface of the stamp. We focused on generating inorganic microstructures with specific locations and also on enabling the ability to pattern gradients during the crystallization of the inorganic salts. This approach utilized a combination of lithography with bottom-up growth and assembly of inorganic crystals. This work has potential applications in a variety of fields, including studying inorganic material patterning and small-scale fabrication technology.

Biennial Wind Energy Conference and Workshop, 5th, Washington, DC, October 5-7, 1981, Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-05-01

The results of studies funded by the Federal government to advance the state of the art of wind energy conversion systems (WECS) construction, operation, applications, and financial viability are presented. The economics of WECS were considered in terms of applicable tax laws, computer simulations of net value of WECS to utilities, and the installation of Mod-2 2.5 MW and WTS-4 4MW wind turbines near Medicine Bow, WY to test the operation of two different large WECS on the same utility grid. Potential problems of increasing penetration of WECS-produced electricity on a utility grid were explored and remedies suggested. The structural dynamics of wind turbines were analyzed, along with means to predict potential noise pollution from large WECS, and to make blade fatigue life assessments. Finally, Darrieus rotor aerodynamics were investigated, as were dynamic stall in small WECS and lightning protection for wind turbines and components.

A robotics platform for automated batch fabrication of high density, microfluidics-based DNA microarrays, with applications to single cell, multiplex assays of secreted proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Habib; Sutherland, Alex; Shin, Young Shik; Hwang, Kiwook; Qin, Lidong; Krom, Russell-John; Heath, James R.

2011-09-01

Microfluidics flow-patterning has been utilized for the construction of chip-scale miniaturized DNA and protein barcode arrays. Such arrays have been used for specific clinical and fundamental investigations in which many proteins are assayed from single cells or other small sample sizes. However, flow-patterned arrays are hand-prepared, and so are impractical for broad applications. We describe an integrated robotics/microfluidics platform for the automated preparation of such arrays, and we apply it to the batch fabrication of up to eighteen chips of flow-patterned DNA barcodes. The resulting substrates are comparable in quality with hand-made arrays and exhibit excellent substrate-to-substrate consistency. We demonstrate the utility and reproducibility of robotics-patterned barcodes by utilizing two flow-patterned chips for highly parallel assays of a panel of secreted proteins from single macrophage cells.

A robotics platform for automated batch fabrication of high density, microfluidics-based DNA microarrays, with applications to single cell, multiplex assays of secreted proteins

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Habib; Sutherland, Alex; Shin, Young Shik; Hwang, Kiwook; Qin, Lidong; Krom, Russell-John; Heath, James R.

2011-01-01

Microfluidics flow-patterning has been utilized for the construction of chip-scale miniaturized DNA and protein barcode arrays. Such arrays have been used for specific clinical and fundamental investigations in which many proteins are assayed from single cells or other small sample sizes. However, flow-patterned arrays are hand-prepared, and so are impractical for broad applications. We describe an integrated robotics/microfluidics platform for the automated preparation of such arrays, and we apply it to the batch fabrication of up to eighteen chips of flow-patterned DNA barcodes. The resulting substrates are comparable in quality with hand-made arrays and exhibit excellent substrate-to-substrate consistency. We demonstrate the utility and reproducibility of robotics-patterned barcodes by utilizing two flow-patterned chips for highly parallel assays of a panel of secreted proteins from single macrophage cells. PMID:21974603

A robotics platform for automated batch fabrication of high density, microfluidics-based DNA microarrays, with applications to single cell, multiplex assays of secreted proteins.

PubMed

Ahmad, Habib; Sutherland, Alex; Shin, Young Shik; Hwang, Kiwook; Qin, Lidong; Krom, Russell-John; Heath, James R

2011-09-01

Microfluidics flow-patterning has been utilized for the construction of chip-scale miniaturized DNA and protein barcode arrays. Such arrays have been used for specific clinical and fundamental investigations in which many proteins are assayed from single cells or other small sample sizes. However, flow-patterned arrays are hand-prepared, and so are impractical for broad applications. We describe an integrated robotics/microfluidics platform for the automated preparation of such arrays, and we apply it to the batch fabrication of up to eighteen chips of flow-patterned DNA barcodes. The resulting substrates are comparable in quality with hand-made arrays and exhibit excellent substrate-to-substrate consistency. We demonstrate the utility and reproducibility of robotics-patterned barcodes by utilizing two flow-patterned chips for highly parallel assays of a panel of secreted proteins from single macrophage cells. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Dynamic P-Technique for Modeling Patterns of Data: Applications to Pediatric Psychology Research

PubMed Central

Aylward, Brandon S.; Rausch, Joseph R.

2011-01-01

Objective Dynamic p-technique (DPT) is a potentially useful statistical method for examining relationships among dynamic constructs in a single individual or small group of individuals over time. The purpose of this article is to offer a nontechnical introduction to DPT. Method An overview of DPT analysis, with an emphasis on potential applications to pediatric psychology research, is provided. To illustrate how DPT might be applied, an example using simulated data is presented for daily pain and negative mood ratings. Results The simulated example demonstrates the application of DPT to a relevant pediatric psychology research area. In addition, the potential application of DPT to the longitudinal study of adherence is presented. Conclusion Although it has not been utilized frequently within pediatric psychology, DPT could be particularly well-suited for research in this field because of its ability to powerfully model repeated observations from very small samples. PMID:21486938

Dynamic p-technique for modeling patterns of data: applications to pediatric psychology research.

PubMed

Nelson, Timothy D; Aylward, Brandon S; Rausch, Joseph R

2011-10-01

Dynamic p-technique (DPT) is a potentially useful statistical method for examining relationships among dynamic constructs in a single individual or small group of individuals over time. The purpose of this article is to offer a nontechnical introduction to DPT. An overview of DPT analysis, with an emphasis on potential applications to pediatric psychology research, is provided. To illustrate how DPT might be applied, an example using simulated data is presented for daily pain and negative mood ratings. The simulated example demonstrates the application of DPT to a relevant pediatric psychology research area. In addition, the potential application of DPT to the longitudinal study of adherence is presented. Although it has not been utilized frequently within pediatric psychology, DPT could be particularly well-suited for research in this field because of its ability to powerfully model repeated observations from very small samples.

Investigation of current university research concerning energy conversion and conservation in small single-family dwellings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossman, G. R.; Roberts, A. S., Jr.

1975-01-01

An investigation was made of university research concerning energy conversion and conservation techniques which may be applied in small single-family residences. Information was accumulated through published papers, progress reports, telephone conversations, and personal interviews. A synopsis of each pertinent investigation is given. Finally, a discussion of the synopses is presented and recommendations are made concerning the applicability of concepts for the design and construction of NASA-Langley Research Center's proposed Technology Utilization House in Hampton, Virginia.

Static Converter for High Energy Utilization, Modular, Small Nuclear Power Plants

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

El-Genk, Mohamed S.; Tournier, Jean-Michel P.

2002-07-01

This paper presents and analyzes the performance of high efficiency, high total energy utilization, static converters, which could be used in conjunction with small nuclear reactor plants in remote locations and in undersea applications, requiring little or no maintenance. The converters consist of a top cycle of Alkali Metal Thermal-to-Electric Conversion (AMTEC) units and PbTe thermoelectric (TE) bottom cycle. In addition to converting the reactor thermal power to electricity at 1150 K or less, at a thermodynamic efficiency in the low to mid thirties, the heat rejection from the TE bottom cycle could be used for space heating, industrial processing,more » or sea water desalination. The results indicated that for space heating applications, where the rejected thermal power from the TE bottom cycle is removed by natural convection of ambient air, a total utilization of the reactor thermal power of > 80% is possible. When operated at 1030 K, potassium AMTEC/TE converters are not only more efficient than the sodium AMTEC/TE converters but produce more electrical power. The present analysis showed that a single converter could be sized to produce up to 100 kWe and 70 kWe, for the Na-AMTEC/TE units when operating at 1150 K and the K-AMTEC/TE units when operating at 1030 K, respectively. Such modularity is an added advantage to the high-energy utilization of the present AMTEC/TE converters. (authors)« less

48 CFR 1519.201-72 - Small and disadvantaged business utilization specialists.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... prescribed from time to time in furtherance of overall small and small disadvantaged business utilization... business utilization specialists. 1519.201-72 Section 1519.201-72 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... disadvantaged business utilization specialists. (a) Small Business Specialists (SBS) shall be appointed in...

A summary of the status of biomass conversion technologies and opportunities for their use in developing countries

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

Waddle, D.B.; Perlack, R.D.; Wimberly, J.

1990-01-01

Biomass plays a significant role in energy use in developing countries: however, these resources are often used very inefficiently. Recent technology developments have made possible improved conversion efficiencies for utility scale technologies. These developments may be of interest in the wake of recent policy changes occurring in several developing countries, with respect to independent power production. Efforts are also being directed at developing biomass conversion technologies that can interface and/or compete with internal combustion engines for small, isolated loads. This paper reviews the technological status of biomass conversion technologies appropriate for commercial, industrial, and small utility applications in developing countries.more » Market opportunities, constraints, and technology developments are also discussed. 25 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.« less

Industry perspectives on Plug-& -Play Spacecraft Avionics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franck, R.; Graven, P.; Liptak, L.

This paper describes the methodologies and findings from an industry survey of awareness and utility of Spacecraft Plug-& -Play Avionics (SPA). The survey was conducted via interviews, in-person and teleconference, with spacecraft prime contractors and suppliers. It focuses primarily on AFRL's SPA technology development activities but also explores the broader applicability and utility of Plug-& -Play (PnP) architectures for spacecraft. Interviews include large and small suppliers as well as large and small spacecraft prime contractors. Through these “ product marketing” interviews, awareness and attitudes can be assessed, key technical and market barriers can be identified, and opportunities for improvement can be uncovered. Although this effort focuses on a high-level assessment, similar processes can be used to develop business cases and economic models which may be necessary to support investment decisions.

Sensing with Superconducting Point Contacts

PubMed Central

Nurbawono, Argo; Zhang, Chun

2012-01-01

Superconducting point contacts have been used for measuring magnetic polarizations, identifying magnetic impurities, electronic structures, and even the vibrational modes of small molecules. Due to intrinsically small energy scale in the subgap structures of the supercurrent determined by the size of the superconducting energy gap, superconductors provide ultrahigh sensitivities for high resolution spectroscopies. The so-called Andreev reflection process between normal metal and superconductor carries complex and rich information which can be utilized as powerful sensor when fully exploited. In this review, we would discuss recent experimental and theoretical developments in the supercurrent transport through superconducting point contacts and their relevance to sensing applications, and we would highlight their current issues and potentials. A true utilization of the method based on Andreev reflection analysis opens up possibilities for a new class of ultrasensitive sensors. PMID:22778630

Concepts for 20/30 GHz satcom systems for direct-to-user applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jorasch, R.; Davies, R.; Baker, M.

1980-01-01

A baseline technique is described for implementing a direct-to-user (DTU) satcom communications system at 20/30 GHz transmission frequency. The purpose of this application is to utilize the high capacity frequency spectrum at K(A) band for communications among thousands of small terminals located at or close to a customer's facility. The baseline DTU system utilizes a TDMA method of communications with QPSK modulation. Twenty-five coverage beams from a geosynchronous orbit spacecraft provide full coverage of CONUS. Low cost terminals are limited to less than 4.5 meters diameter. The impact of rain attenuation on communications availability is examined. Other techniques including satellite switched antenna beams are outlined and critical K(A)-band technology developments are identified.

2012 Market Report on U.S. Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications

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

Orrell, Alice C.; Flowers, L. T.; Gagne, M. N.

2013-08-06

At the end of 2012, U.S. wind turbines in distributed applications reached a 10-year cumulative installed capacity of more than 812 MW from more than 69,000 units across all 50 states. In 2012 alone, nearly 3,800 wind turbines totaling 175 MW of distributed wind capacity were documented in 40 states and in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with 138 MW using utility-scale turbines (i.e., greater than 1 MW in size), 19 MW using mid-size turbines (i.e., 101 kW to 1 MW in size), and 18.4 MW using small turbines (i.e., up to 100 kW in size). Distributed wind is defined inmore » terms of technology application based on a wind project’s location relative to end-use and power-distribution infrastructure, rather than on technology size or project size. Distributed wind systems are either connected on the customer side of the meter (to meet the onsite load) or directly to distribution or micro grids (to support grid operations or offset large loads nearby). Estimated capacity-weighted average costs for 2012 U.S. distributed wind installations was $2,540/kW for utility-scale wind turbines, $2,810/kW for mid-sized wind turbines, and $6,960/kW for newly manufactured (domestic and imported) small wind turbines. An emerging trend observed in 2012 was an increased use of refurbished turbines. The estimated capacity-weighted average cost of refurbished small wind turbines installed in 2012 was $4,080/kW. As a result of multiple projects using utility-scale turbines, Iowa deployed the most new overall distributed wind capacity, 37 MW, in 2012. Nevada deployed the most small wind capacity in 2012, with nearly 8 MW of small wind turbines installed in distributed applications. In the case of mid-size turbines, Ohio led all states in 2012 with 4.9 MW installed in distributed applications. State and federal policies and incentives continued to play a substantial role in the development of distributed wind projects. In 2012, U.S. Treasury Section 1603 payments and grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program were the main sources of federal funding for distributed wind projects. State and local funding varied across the country, from rebates to loans, tax credits, and other incentives. Reducing utility bills and hedging against potentially rising electricity rates remain drivers of distributed wind installations. In 2012, other drivers included taking advantage of the expiring U.S. Treasury Section 1603 program and a prosperous year for farmers. While 2012 saw a large addition of distributed wind capacity, considerable barriers and challenges remain, such as a weak domestic economy, inconsistent state incentives, and very competitive solar photovoltaic and natural gas prices. The industry remains committed to improving the distributed wind marketplace by advancing the third-party certification process and introducing alternative financing models, such as third-party power purchase agreements and lease-to-own agreements more typical in the solar photovoltaic market. Continued growth is expected in 2013.« less

Utility of the Mantel-Haenszel Procedure for Detecting Differential Item Functioning in Small Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidalgo, Angel M.; Ferreres, Doris; Muniz, Jose

2004-01-01

Sample-size restrictions limit the contingency table approaches based on asymptotic distributions, such as the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure, for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) in many practical applications. Within this framework, the present study investigated the power and Type I error performance of empirical and inferential…

AQUEOUS AND VAPOR PHASE MERCURY SORPTION BY INORGANIC OXIDE MATERIALS FUNCTIONALIZED WITH THIOLS AND POLY-THIOLS

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of the study is the development of sorbents where the sorption sites are highly accessible for the capture of mercury from aqueous and vapor streams. Only a small fraction of the equilibrium capacity is utilized for a sorbent in applications involving short residenc...

An Empirical Study of the Learning Taking Place in Two Different Classroom Communication Situations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Patricia Geraldine

Students who work in small discussion groups will not significantly surpass those who study under teacher direction in terms of mean learning achievement, cognitive operations such as comprehension and application, or acquired learning. This conclusion resulted from a study of learning in two classroom situations, one utilizing teacher-directed…

Optimal Sparse Upstream Sensor Placement for Hydrokinetic Turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavagnaro, Robert; Strom, Benjamin; Ross, Hannah; Hill, Craig; Polagye, Brian

2016-11-01

Accurate measurement of the flow field incident upon a hydrokinetic turbine is critical for performance evaluation during testing and setting boundary conditions in simulation. Additionally, turbine controllers may leverage real-time flow measurements. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is capable of rendering a flow field over a wide spatial domain in a controlled, laboratory environment. However, PIV's lack of suitability for natural marine environments, high cost, and intensive post-processing diminish its potential for control applications. Conversely, sensors such as acoustic Doppler velocimeters (ADVs), are designed for field deployment and real-time measurement, but over a small spatial domain. Sparsity-promoting regression analysis such as LASSO is utilized to improve the efficacy of point measurements for real-time applications by determining optimal spatial placement for a small number of ADVs using a training set of PIV velocity fields and turbine data. The study is conducted in a flume (0.8 m2 cross-sectional area, 1 m/s flow) with laboratory-scale axial and cross-flow turbines. Predicted turbine performance utilizing the optimal sparse sensor network and associated regression model is compared to actual performance with corresponding PIV measurements.

Cell-Based Selection Expands the Utility of DNA-Encoded Small-Molecule Library Technology to Cell Surface Drug Targets: Identification of Novel Antagonists of the NK3 Tachykinin Receptor.

PubMed

Wu, Zining; Graybill, Todd L; Zeng, Xin; Platchek, Michael; Zhang, Jean; Bodmer, Vera Q; Wisnoski, David D; Deng, Jianghe; Coppo, Frank T; Yao, Gang; Tamburino, Alex; Scavello, Genaro; Franklin, G Joseph; Mataruse, Sibongile; Bedard, Katie L; Ding, Yun; Chai, Jing; Summerfield, Jennifer; Centrella, Paolo A; Messer, Jeffrey A; Pope, Andrew J; Israel, David I

2015-12-14

DNA-encoded small-molecule library technology has recently emerged as a new paradigm for identifying ligands against drug targets. To date, this technology has been used with soluble protein targets that are produced and used in a purified state. Here, we describe a cell-based method for identifying small-molecule ligands from DNA-encoded libraries against integral membrane protein targets. We use this method to identify novel, potent, and specific inhibitors of NK3, a member of the tachykinin family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The method is simple and broadly applicable to other GPCRs and integral membrane proteins. We have extended the application of DNA-encoded library technology to membrane-associated targets and demonstrate the feasibility of selecting DNA-tagged, small-molecule ligands from complex combinatorial libraries against targets in a heterogeneous milieu, such as the surface of a cell.

Materials and structure synergistic with in-space materials utilization. [as means of reducing costs of space missions, colonization, and settlements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramohalli, Kumar; Shadman, Farhang; Sridhar, K. R.

1992-01-01

The significant advances made recently toward actual hardware realizations of various concepts for the application of in-space materials utilization (ISMU) are demonstrated. The overall plan for taking innovative concepts through technical feasibility, small-scale tests, scale-up, computer modeling, and larger-scale execution is outlined. Two specific fields of endeavor are surveyed: one has direct applications to construction on the moon, while the other has more basic implications, in addition to the practical aspects of lunar colonies. Several fundamental scientific advances made in the characterization of the physical and chemical processes that need to be elucidated for any intelligent application of the ISMU concepts in future space missions are described. A rigorous quantitative technique for the unambiguous evaluation of various components and component technology that form any space (or terrestrial mission) is also described.

Comm for Small Sats: The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Communications Subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuroda, Vanessa M.; Allard, Mark R.; Lewis, Brian; Lindsay, Michael

2014-01-01

September 6, 2013 through April 21, 2014 marked the mission lifecycle of the highly successful LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer) mission that orbited the moon to gather detailed information about the thin lunar atmosphere. This paper will address the development, risks, and lessons learned regarding the specification, selection, and deployment of LADEE's unique Radio Frequency based communications subsystem and supporting tools. This includes the Electronic Ground Support Equipment (EGSE), test regimes, and RF dynamic link analysis environment developed to meet mission requirements for small, flexible, low cost, high performance, fast turnaround, and reusable spacecraft communication capabilities with easy and reliable application to future similar low cost small satellite missions over widely varying needs for communications and communications system complexity. LADEE communication subsystem key components, architecture, and mission performance will be reviewed toward applicability for future mission planning, design, and utilization.

Access, utilization, and interest in mHealth applications among veterans receiving outpatient care for PTSD.

PubMed

Erbes, Christopher R; Stinson, Rebecca; Kuhn, Eric; Polusny, Melissa; Urban, Jessica; Hoffman, Julia; Ruzek, Josef I; Stepnowsky, Carl; Thorp, Steven R

2014-11-01

Mobile health (mHealth) refers to the use of mobile technology (e.g., smartphones) and software (i.e., applications) to facilitate or enhance health care. Several mHealth programs act as either stand-alone aids for Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or adjuncts to conventional psychotherapy approaches. Veterans enrolled in a Veterans Affairs outpatient treatment program for PTSD (N = 188) completed anonymous questionnaires that assessed Veterans' access to mHealth-capable devices and their utilization of and interest in mHealth programs for PTSD. The majority of respondents (n = 142, 76%) reported having access to a cell phone or tablet capable of running applications, but only a small group (n = 18) reported use of existing mHealth programs for PTSD. Age significantly predicted ownership of mHealth devices, but not utilization or interest in mHealth applications among device owners. Around 56% to 76% of respondents with access indicated that they were interested in trying mHealth programs for such issues as anger management, sleep hygiene, and management of anxiety symptoms. Findings from this sample suggest that Veterans have adequate access to, and interest in, using mHealth applications to warrant continued development and evaluation of mobile applications for the treatment of PTSD and other mental health conditions. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Ultra-small lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for tumor-penetrating drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehaini, Diana; Fang, Ronnie H.; Luk, Brian T.; Pang, Zhiqing; Hu, Che-Ming J.; Kroll, Ashley V.; Yu, Chun Lai; Gao, Weiwei; Zhang, Liangfang

2016-07-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles, consisting of a polymeric core coated by a layer of lipids, are a class of highly scalable, biodegradable nanocarriers that have shown great promise in drug delivery applications. Here, we demonstrate the facile synthesis of ultra-small, sub-25 nm lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles using an adapted nanoprecipitation approach and explore their utility for targeted delivery of a model chemotherapeutic. The fabrication process is first optimized to produce a monodisperse population of particles that are stable under physiological conditions. It is shown that these ultra-small hybrid nanoparticles can be functionalized with a targeting ligand on the surface and loaded with drug inside the polymeric matrix. Further, the in vivo fate of the nanoparticles after intravenous injection is characterized by examining the blood circulation and biodistribution. In a final proof-of-concept study, targeted ultra-small hybrid nanoparticles loaded with the cancer drug docetaxel are used to treat a mouse tumor model and demonstrate improved efficacy compared to a clinically available formulation of the drug. The ability to synthesize a significantly smaller version of the established lipid-polymer hybrid platform can ultimately enhance its applicability across a wider range of applications.

A Critical and Comparative Review of Fluorescent Tools for Live-Cell Imaging.

PubMed

Specht, Elizabeth A; Braselmann, Esther; Palmer, Amy E

2017-02-10

Fluorescent tools have revolutionized our ability to probe biological dynamics, particularly at the cellular level. Fluorescent sensors have been developed on several platforms, utilizing either small-molecule dyes or fluorescent proteins, to monitor proteins, RNA, DNA, small molecules, and even cellular properties, such as pH and membrane potential. We briefly summarize the impressive history of tool development for these various applications and then discuss the most recent noteworthy developments in more detail. Particular emphasis is placed on tools suitable for single-cell analysis and especially live-cell imaging applications. Finally, we discuss prominent areas of need in future fluorescent tool development-specifically, advancing our capability to analyze and integrate the plethora of high-content data generated by fluorescence imaging.

TH-EF-204-05: Application of Small-Field Treatment: The Promises and Pitfalls of SBRT

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

Ford, E.

2016-06-15

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

Thermal Storage Applications Workshop. Volume 1: Plenary Session Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The importance of the development of inexpensive and efficient thermal and thermochemical energy storage technology to the solar power program is discussed in a summary of workship discussions held to exchange information and plan for future systems. Topics covered include storage in central power applications such as the 10 MW-e demonstration pilot receiver to be constructed in Barstow, California; storage for small dispersed systems, and problems associated with the development of storage systems for solar power plants interfacing with utility systems.

The Application of Remote Sensing Techniques to Urban Data Acquisition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horton, F. E.

1971-01-01

The application of remote sensing techniques useful in acquiring data concerning housing quality is discussed. Conclusions reached from the investigation were: (1) Use of individuals with a higher degree of training in photointerpretation should significantly increase the percentage of successful classifications. (2) Small area classification of urban housing quality can definitely be accomplished via high resolution aerial photography. Such surveys, at the levels of accuracy demonstrated, can be of major utility in quick look surveys. (3) Survey costs should be significantly reduced.

Semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dot synthesis approaches towards large-scale industrial production for energy applications

DOE PAGES

Hu, Michael Z.; Zhu, Ting

2015-12-04

This study reviews the experimental synthesis and engineering developments that focused on various green approaches and large-scale process production routes for quantum dots. Fundamental process engineering principles were illustrated. In relation to the small-scale hot injection method, our discussions focus on the non-injection route that could be scaled up with engineering stir-tank reactors. In addition, applications that demand to utilize quantum dots as "commodity" chemicals are discussed, including solar cells and solid-state lightings.

Applications of satellite image processing to the analysis of Amazonian cultural ecology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Behrens, Clifford A.

1991-01-01

This paper examines the application of satellite image processing towards identifying and comparing resource exploitation among indigenous Amazonian peoples. The use of statistical and heuristic procedures for developing land cover/land use classifications from Thematic Mapper satellite imagery will be discussed along with actual results from studies of relatively small (100 - 200 people) settlements. Preliminary research indicates that analysis of satellite imagery holds great potential for measuring agricultural intensification, comparing rates of tropical deforestation, and detecting changes in resource utilization patterns over time.

Is organic photovoltaics promising for indoor applications?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Harrison K. H.; Li, Zhe; Durrant, James R.; Tsoi, Wing C.

2016-06-01

This work utilizes organic photovoltaics (OPV) for indoor applications, such as powering small electronic devices or wireless connected Internet of Things. Three representative polymer-based OPV systems, namely, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl), poly[N-9'-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4',7'-di-2-thienyl-2',1',3'-benzothiadiazole)], and poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl

Solubility of lead and copper in biochar-amended small arms range soils: influence of soil organic carbon and pH

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In situ application of heavy metal stabilizing agents has in some cases increased the mobility of target metal contaminants. Mechanistic understandings are necessary to better predict (1) the dynamic short- and long-term response to soil amendments, and (2) the utility of biochars in nonremoval and...

Economic comparison of two application methods for potential organic control of duckweed utilizing pelargonic acid as an aquatic herbicide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow moving, water surfaces throughout the world. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make the...

Geospatial application of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Model

Treesearch

D. C. Flanagan; J. R. Frankenberger; T. A. Cochrane; C. S. Renschler; W. J. Elliot

2011-01-01

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a process-based technology for prediction of soil erosion by water at hillslope profile, field, and small watershed scales. In particular, WEPP utilizes observed or generated daily climate inputs to drive the surface hydrology processes (infiltration, runoff, ET) component, which subsequently impacts the rest of the...

Comparison of two application methods for potential organic control of duckweed utilizing pelargonic acid as an aquatic herbicide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free-floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow moving water surfaces throughout the world. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl. But their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make them...

Economic comparison of two application methods for potential organic control of duckweed utilizing pelargonic acid as an aquatic herbicide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free-floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow-moving water surfaces throughout the world. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make them...

Metamaterial composition comprising frequency-selective-surface resonant element disposed on/in a dielectric flake, methods, and applications

DOEpatents

Shelton, David; Boreman, Glenn; D'Archangel, Jeffrey

2015-11-10

Infrared metamaterial arrays containing Au elements immersed in a medium of benzocyclobutene (BCB) were fabricated and selectively etched to produce small square flakes with edge dimensions of approximately 20 .mu.m. Two unit-cell designs were fabricated: one employed crossed-dipole elements while the other utilized square-loop elements.

Computers in the Undergraduate Curriculum: An Aspect of the Many Section Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churchill, Geoffrey

A brief case study of the resistance to technological change is presented using DOG, a small scale deterministic business game, as the example of technology. DOG, a decision mathematics game for the purpose of providing an environment for application of mathematical concepts, consists of assignments mostly utilizing matrix algebra but also some…

The Small, Stand-Alone Early College: Impact on High School Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glennie, Elizabeth; Unlu, Fatih; Furey, Jane

2016-01-01

North Carolina's Early College model is the subject of an IES-funded eleven-year longitudinal experimental study that utilized a lottery process to assign early college applicants to either treatment or control groups. This paper presents findings related to high school outcomes. The primary goal of the early college model is to increase the…

Development and Preliminary Feasibility Study of a Brief Behavioral Activation Mobile Application (Behavioral Apptivation) to Be Used in Conjunction With Ongoing Therapy.

PubMed

Dahne, Jennifer; Kustanowitz, Jacob; Lejuez, C W

2018-02-01

Depressive symptoms are the most frequently treated psychiatric condition in the United States. Brief behavioral activation treatment for depression (BATD) is a popular, evidence-based psychotherapy with strong research support for the treatment of depression. In this paper, we describe the development and initial pilot feasibility testing of a BATD mobile application (Behavioral Apptivation) to be used by patients and therapists in conjunction with BATD therapy. We present information regarding the app development process as well as results from a small open-label feasibility trial of the app utilized in conjunction with individual BATD. We include a case series from the open-label trial highlighting how Behavioral Apptivation can be utilized in clinical practice.

Piezoelectric sensors based on molecular imprinted polymers for detection of low molecular mass analytes.

PubMed

Uludağ, Yildiz; Piletsky, Sergey A; Turner, Anthony P F; Cooper, Matthew A

2007-11-01

Biomimetic recognition elements employed for the detection of analytes are commonly based on proteinaceous affibodies, immunoglobulins, single-chain and single-domain antibody fragments or aptamers. The alternative supra-molecular approach using a molecularly imprinted polymer now has proven utility in numerous applications ranging from liquid chromatography to bioassays. Despite inherent advantages compared with biochemical/biological recognition (which include robustness, storage endurance and lower costs) there are few contributions that describe quantitative analytical applications of molecularly imprinted polymers for relevant small molecular mass compounds in real-world samples. There is, however, significant literature describing the use of low-power, portable piezoelectric transducers to detect analytes in environmental monitoring and other application areas. Here we review the combination of molecularly imprinted polymers as recognition elements with piezoelectric biosensors for quantitative detection of small molecules. Analytes are classified by type and sample matrix presentation and various molecularly imprinted polymer synthetic fabrication strategies are also reviewed.

Conformal Electroplating of Azobenzene-Based Solar Thermal Fuels onto Large-Area and Fiber Geometries.

PubMed

Zhitomirsky, David; Grossman, Jeffrey C

2016-10-05

There is tremendous growth in fields where small functional molecules and colloidal nanomaterials are integrated into thin films for solid-state device applications. Many of these materials are synthesized in solution and there often exists a significant barrier to transition them into the solid state in an efficient manner. Here, we develop a methodology employing an electrodepositable copolymer consisting of small functional molecules for applications in solar energy harvesting and storage. We employ azobenzene solar thermal fuel polymers and functionalize them to enable deposition from low concentration solutions in methanol, resulting in uniform and large-area thin films. This approach enables conformal deposition on a variety of conducting substrates that can be either flat or structured depending on the application. Our approach further enables control over film growth via electrodepsition conditions and results in highly uniform films of hundreds of nanometers to microns in thickness. We demonstrate that this method enables superior retention of solar thermal fuel properties, with energy densities of ∼90 J/g, chargeability in the solid state, and exceptional materials utilization compared to other solid-state processing approaches. This novel approach is applicable to systems such as photon upconversion, photovoltaics, photosensing, light emission, and beyond, where small functional molecules enable solid-state applications.

Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-17

Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization References: (a) Title 15, United States Code (b) Title 10, United States Code (c) DoD 5025.1-M, "Department...position of Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (Director, SADBU) under the direction, authority, and control of the Under...Defense Agencies, and the DoD Field Activities. C. RESPONSIBILITIES The Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization shall serve as the

Lightweight DC-DC Converter with Partial Power Processing and MPPT for a Solar Powered Aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diab-Marzouk, Ahmad

A lightweight dc-dc partial power processing converter is demonstrated for solar aerospace applications. A system-level model is conceived to determine conformity to payload and target distance objectives, with the Solarship aircraft used as an application example. The concept of partial power processing is utilized to realize a high efficiency lightweight converter that performs Max Peak Power Tracking (MPPT) to transfer power from the aircraft solar array to the high-voltage battery bus. The isolated Cuk is determined to be a suitable converter topology for the application. A small-signal model is derived for control design. The operation of a 400V, 2.7 kW prototype is verified at high frequency (200 kHz), high efficiency (> 98%), small mass (0.604 kg), and uses no electrolytic capacitors. MPPT operation is verified on a 376 V commercial solar installation at The University of Toronto. The prototype serves as an enabling technology for solar aerospace applications.

Molecular engineering of two-photon fluorescent probes for bioimaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hong-Wen; Liu, Yongchao; Wang, Peng; Zhang, Xiao-Bing

2017-03-01

During the past two decades, two-photon microscopy (TPM), which utilizes two near-infrared photons as the excitation source, has emerged as a novel, attractive imaging tool for biological research. Compared with one-photon microscopy, TPM offers several advantages, such as lowering background fluorescence in living cells and tissues, reducing photodamage to biosamples, and a photobleaching phenomenon, offering better 3D spatial localization, and increasing penetration depth. Small-molecule-based two-photon fluorescent probes have been well developed for the detection and imaging of various analytes in biological systems. In this review, we will give a general introduction of molecular engineering of two-photon fluorescent probes based on different fluorescence response mechanisms for bioimaging applications during the past decade. Inspired by the desired advantages of small-molecule two-photon fluorescent probes in biological imaging applications, we expect that more attention will be devoted to the development of new two-photon fluorophores and applications of TPM in areas of bioanalysis and disease diagnosis.

Complex coacervate-based materials for biomedicine.

PubMed

Blocher, Whitney C; Perry, Sarah L

2017-07-01

There has been increasing interest in complex coacervates for deriving and transporting biomaterials. Complex coacervates are a dense, polyelectrolyte-rich liquid that results from the electrostatic complexation of oppositely charged macroions. Coacervates have long been used as a strategy for encapsulation, particularly in food and personal care products. More recent efforts have focused on the utility of this class of materials for the encapsulation of small molecules, proteins, RNA, DNA, and other biomaterials for applications ranging from sensing to biomedicine. Furthermore, coacervate-related materials have found utility in other areas of biomedicine, including cartilage mimics, tissue culture scaffolds, and adhesives for wet, biological environments. Here, we discuss the self-assembly of complex coacervate-based materials, current challenges in the intelligent design of these materials, and their utility applications in the broad field of biomedicine. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2017, 9:e1442. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1442 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Small-diameter timber alchemy: can utilization pay the way toward fire-resistant forests

Treesearch

Jeremy S. Fried; R. Jamie Barbour; Roger D. Fight; Glenn Christensen; Guy Pinjuv

2008-01-01

There is growing interest in using biomass removed from hazardous fuels reduction treatments in wood-fired electrical generation facilities. An application of FIA BioSum to southwest Oregon’s Klamath ecoregion assessed the financial feasibility of fuel treatment and biomass generation under a range of product prices and fire hazard-motivated silvicultural prescriptions...

Small space reactor power systems for unmanned solar system exploration missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, Harvey S.

1987-01-01

A preliminary feasibility study of the application of small nuclear reactor space power systems to the Mariner Mark II Cassini spacecraft/mission was conducted. The purpose of the study was to identify and assess the technology and performance issues associated with the reactor power system/spacecraft/mission integration. The Cassini mission was selected because study of the Saturn system was identified as a high priority outer planet exploration objective. Reactor power systems applied to this mission were evaluated for two different uses. First, a very small 1 kWe reactor power system was used as an RTG replacement for the nominal spacecraft mission science payload power requirements while still retaining the spacecraft's usual bipropellant chemical propulsion system. The second use of reactor power involved the additional replacement of the chemical propulsion system with a small reactor power system and an electric propulsion system. The study also provides an examination of potential applications for the additional power available for scientific data collection. The reactor power system characteristics utilized in the study were based on a parametric mass model that was developed specifically for these low power applications. The model was generated following a neutronic safety and operational feasibility assessment of six small reactor concepts solicited from U.S. industry. This assessment provided the validation of reactor safety for all mission phases and generatad the reactor mass and dimensional data needed for the system mass model.

Cubesats: Cost-effective science and technology platforms for emerging and developing nations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woellert, Kirk; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Ricco, Antonio J.; Hertzfeld, Henry

2011-02-01

The development, operation, and analysis of data from cubesats can promote science education and spur technology utilization in emerging and developing nations. This platform offers uniquely low construction and launch costs together with a comparative ubiquity of launch providers; factors that have led more than 80 universities and several emerging nations to develop programs in this field. Their small size and weight enables cubesats to “piggyback” on rocket launches and accompany orbiters travelling to Moon and Mars. It is envisaged that constellations of cubesats will be used for larger science missions. We present a brief history, technology overview, and summary of applications in science and industry for these small satellites. Cubesat technical success stories are offered along with a summary of pitfalls and challenges encountered in both developed and emerging nations. A discussion of economic and public policy issues aims to facilitate the decision-making process for those considering utilization of this unique technology.

Field Data Collection: an Essential Element in Remote Sensing Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pettinger, L. R.

1971-01-01

Field data collected in support of remote sensing projects are generally used for the following purposes: (1) calibration of remote sensing systems, (2) evaluation of experimental applications of remote sensing imagery on small test sites, and (3) designing and evaluating operational regional resource studies and inventories which are conducted using the remote sensing imagery obtained. Field data may be used to help develop a technique for a particular application, or to aid in the application of that technique to a resource evaluation or inventory problem for a large area. Scientists at the Forestry Remote Sensing Laboratory have utilized field data for both purposes. How meaningful field data has been collected in each case is discussed.

Ultra-low-power conversion and management techniques for thermoelectric energy harvesting applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleming, Jerry W.

2010-04-01

Thermoelectric energy harvesting has increasingly gained acceptance as a potential power source that can be used for numerous commercial and military applications. However, power electronic designers have struggled to incorporate energy harvesting methods into their designs due to the relatively small voltage levels available from many harvesting device technologies. In order to bridge this gap, an ultra-low input voltage power conversion method is needed to convert small amounts of scavenged energy into a usable form of electricity. Such a method would be an enabler for new and improved medical devices, sensor systems, and other portable electronic products. This paper addresses the technical challenges involved in ultra-low-voltage power conversion by providing a solution utilizing novel power conversion techniques and applied technologies. Our solution utilizes intelligent power management techniques to control unknown startup conditions. The load and supply management functionality is also controlled in a deterministic manner. The DC to DC converter input operating voltage is 20mV with a conversion efficiency of 90% or more. The output voltage is stored into a storage device such as an ultra-capacitor or lithium-ion battery for use during brown-out or unfavorable harvesting conditions. Applications requiring modular, low power, extended maintenance cycles, such as wireless instrumentation would significantly benefit from the novel power conversion and harvesting techniques outlined in this paper.

Preferences and concerns of potential users in the selection of solar thermal systems for industrial and small utility applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gresham, J. B.; Kriz, T. A.

1981-03-01

To achieve widespread application in the industrial and utility sectors, solar systems must be economically competitive. Economic viability is, in turn, determined by a number of supporting criteria, ranging from system reliability to dispatch characteristics to how the system supports the main product line. In addition, solar systems possess some inherent attributes that may render some of the traditional supporting criteria inappropriate or require their redefinition. Those criteria and their relation to the solar investments are discussed in three steps. First, the main concerns and preferences of the potential users, as identified in recent SERI studies, are identified. Second, the equitability of the resulting decision criteria for solar investments are examined. Finally, the implications of these criteria for solar energy's penetration into these markets are discussed.

Is organic photovoltaics promising for indoor applications?

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

Lee, Harrison K. H.; Li, Zhe; Tsoi, Wing C., E-mail: w.c.tsoi@swansea.ac.uk

2016-06-20

This work utilizes organic photovoltaics (OPV) for indoor applications, such as powering small electronic devices or wireless connected Internet of Things. Three representative polymer-based OPV systems, namely, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl), poly[N-9′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′, 1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)], and poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl] [3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl

Applications of SHAPES screening in drug discovery.

PubMed

Lepre, Christopher A; Peng, Jeffrey; Fejzo, Jasna; Abdul-Manan, Norzehan; Pocas, Jennifer; Jacobs, Marc; Xie, Xiaoling; Moore, Jonathan M

2002-12-01

The SHAPES strategy combines nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) screening of a library of small drug-like molecules with a variety of complementary methods, such as virtual screening, high throughput enzymatic assays, combinatorial chemistry, X-ray crystallography, and molecular modeling, in a directed search for new medicinal chemistry leads. In the past few years, the SHAPES strategy has found widespread utility in pharmaceutical research. To illustrate a variety of different implementations of the method, we will focus in this review on recent applications of the SHAPES strategy in several drug discovery programs at Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Economic Impacts of Infrastructure Damages on Industrial Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kajitani, Yoshio

This paper proposes a basic model for evaluating economic impacts on industrial sectors under the conditions that multiple infrastructures are simultaneously damaged during the earthquake disasters. Especially, focusing on the available economic data developed in the smallest spatial scale in Japan (small area statistics), economic loss estimation model based on the small area statistics and its applicability are investigated on. In the detail, a loss estimation framework, utilizing survey results on firms' activities under electricity, water and gas disruptions, and route choice models in Transportation Engineering, are applied to the case of 2004 Mid-Niigata Earthquake.

Nosehouse: heat-conserving ventilators based on nasal counterflow exchangers.

PubMed

Vogel, Steven

2009-12-01

Small birds and mammals commonly minimize respiratory heat loss with reciprocating counterflow exchangers in their nasal passageways. These animals extract heat from the air in an exhalation to warm those passageways and then use that heat to warm the subsequent inhalation. Although the near-constant volume of buildings precludes direct application of the device, a pair of such exchangers located remotely from each other circumvents that problem. A very simple and crudely constructed small-scale physical model of the device worked well enough as a heat conserver to suggest utility as a ventilator for buildings.

Lot quality assurance sampling techniques in health surveys in developing countries: advantages and current constraints.

PubMed

Lanata, C F; Black, R E

1991-01-01

Traditional survey methods, which are generally costly and time-consuming, usually provide information at the regional or national level only. The utilization of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) methodology, developed in industry for quality control, makes it possible to use small sample sizes when conducting surveys in small geographical or population-based areas (lots). This article describes the practical use of LQAS for conducting health surveys to monitor health programmes in developing countries. Following a brief description of the method, the article explains how to build a sample frame and conduct the sampling to apply LQAS under field conditions. A detailed description of the procedure for selecting a sampling unit to monitor the health programme and a sample size is given. The sampling schemes utilizing LQAS applicable to health surveys, such as simple- and double-sampling schemes, are discussed. The interpretation of the survey results and the planning of subsequent rounds of LQAS surveys are also discussed. When describing the applicability of LQAS in health surveys in developing countries, the article considers current limitations for its use by health planners in charge of health programmes, and suggests ways to overcome these limitations through future research. It is hoped that with increasing attention being given to industrial sampling plans in general, and LQAS in particular, their utilization to monitor health programmes will provide health planners in developing countries with powerful techniques to help them achieve their health programme targets.

Application of powder metallurgy techniques for the development of non-toxic ammunition. Final CRADA report

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

Lowden, R.; Kelly, R.

1997-05-30

The purpose of the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., and Delta Frangible Ammunition (DFA), was to identify and evaluate composite materials for the development of small arms ammunition. Currently available small arms ammunition utilizes lead as the major component of the projectile. The introduction of lead into the environment by these projectiles when they are expended is a rapidly increasing environmental problem. At certain levels, lead is a toxic metal to the environment and a continual health and safety concern for firearm users as well as those who must conduct lead recovery operationsmore » from the environment. DFA is a leading supplier of high-density mixtures, which will be used to replace lead-based ammunition in specific applications. Current non-lead ammunition has several limitations that prevent it from replacing lead-based ammunition in many applications (such as applications that require ballistics, weapon recoil, and weapon function identical to that of lead-based ammunition). The purpose of the CRADA was to perform the research and development to identify cost-effective materials to be used in small arms ammunition that eventually will be used in commercially viable, environmentally conscious, non-lead, frangible and/or non-frangible, ammunition.« less

Medical student appraisal: applications for bedside patient education.

PubMed

Markman, T M; Sampognaro, P J; Mitchell, S L; Weeks, S R; Khalifian, S; Dattilo, J R

2013-01-01

Medical students are often afforded the privilege of counselling patients. In the past resources were limited to pen and paper or anatomic models. The evolution of mobile applications allows for limitless access to resources that facilitate bedside patient education. To evaluate the utility of six applications in patient education and promote awareness of implementing mobile resources in clinical care. Six medical students rotating on various clerkships evaluated a total of six mobile applications. Strengths, limitations, and suggested uses in clinical care were identified. Applications included Meditoons™, VisiblePatient™, DrawMD™, CardioTeach™, Visual Anatomy™, and 360° Patient Education Suite™. Data was generated from narrative responses supplied by each student during their evaluation period. Bedside teaching was enhanced by professional illustrations and animations depicting anatomy and pathophysiology. Impromptu teaching was facilitated, as resources were conveniently available on a student's smartphone or tablet. The ability to annotate and modify images and subsequently email to patients was an extraordinary improvement in provider-patient communication. Universal limitations included small smartphone screens and the novelty of new technology. Mobile applications have the potential to greatly enhance patient education and simultaneously build rapport. Endless opportunities exist for their integration in clinical practice, particularly for new diagnoses, consent for procedures, and at time of discharge. Providers should be encouraged to try new applications and utilize them with patients.

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

None

This bibliography provides documentation for use by state public utility commissions and major nonregulated utilities in evaluating the applicability of a wide range of electric utility rate design and regulatory concepts in light of certain regulatory objectives. Part I, Utility Regulatory Objectives, contains 2084 citations on conservation of energy and capital; efficient use of facilities and resources; and equitable rates to electricity consumers. Part II, Rate Design Concepts, contains 1238 citations on time-of-day rates; seasonally-varying rates; cost-of-service rates; interruptible rates (including the accompanying use of load management techniques); declining block rates; and lifeline rates. Part III, Regulatory Concepts, contains 1282more » references on restrictions on master metering; procedures for review of automatic adjustment clauses; prohibitions of rate or regulatory discrimination against solar, wind, or other small energy systems; treatment of advertising expenses; and procedures to protect ratepayers from abrupt termination of service.« less

77 FR 2718 - Don Grant; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and/or...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-19

... 158-foot-long, 8- foot-high high-rock-laid dam with a small reservoir; (2) a 11-foot wide by 12.5-foot... reservations of the United States; (3) would utilize surplus water or water power from a government dam; or (4... modified the project's pre- 1935 design or operation. l. Locations of the Application: Copies of this...

Engineering DNA scaffolds for delivery of anticancer therapeutics.

PubMed

Sun, Wujin; Gu, Zhen

2015-07-01

Engineering DNA nanostructures with programmability in size, shape and surface chemistry holds tremendous promise in biomedical applications. As an emerging platform for drug delivery, DNA nanostructures have been extensively studied for delivering anticancer therapeutics, including small-molecule drug, nucleic acids and proteins. In this mini-review, current advances in utilizing DNA scaffolds as drug carriers for cancer treatment were summarized and future challenges were also discussed.

Dye-binding assays for evaluation of the effects of small molecule inhibitors on amyloid (aβ) self-assembly.

PubMed

Jameson, Laramie P; Smith, Nicholas W; Dzyuba, Sergei V

2012-11-21

Dye-binding assays, such as those utilizing Congo red and thioflavin T, are among the most widely used tools to probe the aggregation of amyloidogenic biomolecules and for the evaluation of small molecule inhibitors of amyloid aggregation and fibrillization. A number of recent reports have indicated that these dye-binding assays could be prone to false positive effects when assessing inhibitors' potential toward Aβ peptides, species involved in Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, this review focuses on the application of thioflavin T for determining the efficiency of small molecule inhibitors of Aβ aggregation and addresses potential reasons that might be associated with the false positive effects in an effort to increase reliability of dye-binding assays.

Dye-Binding Assays for Evaluation of the Effects of Small Molecule Inhibitors on Amyloid (Aβ) Self-Assembly

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Dye-binding assays, such as those utilizing Congo red and thioflavin T, are among the most widely used tools to probe the aggregation of amyloidogenic biomolecules and for the evaluation of small molecule inhibitors of amyloid aggregation and fibrillization. A number of recent reports have indicated that these dye-binding assays could be prone to false positive effects when assessing inhibitors’ potential toward Aβ peptides, species involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, this review focuses on the application of thioflavin T for determining the efficiency of small molecule inhibitors of Aβ aggregation and addresses potential reasons that might be associated with the false positive effects in an effort to increase reliability of dye-binding assays. PMID:23173064

Cargo Container Imaging with Gaseous Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forest, Tony

2006-10-01

The gas electron multiplier (GEM) , developed at CERN by Fabio Sauli, represents the latest innovation in micropattern gaseous detectors and has been utilized as a preamplification stage in applications ranging from fundamental physics experiments to medical imaging. Although cargo container inspection systems are currently in place using gamma-rays or X-rays, they are predominantly designed with a resolution to detect contraband. Current imaging systems also suffer from false alarms due to naturally radioactive cargo when radiation portal monitors are used for passive detection of nuclear materials. Detection of small shielded radioactive elements is even more problematic. Idaho State University has been developing a system to image cargo containers in order to detect small shielded radioactive cargo. The possible application of an imaging system with gas electron multiplication will be shown along with preliminary images using gaseous detectors instead of the scintillators currently in use.

Small Projects Rapid Integration and Test Environment (SPRITE): Application for Increasing Robustness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rakoczy, John; Heater, Daniel; Lee, Ashley

2013-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Small Projects Rapid Integration and Test Environment (SPRITE) is a Hardware-In-The-Loop (HWIL) facility that provides rapid development, integration, and testing capabilities for small projects (CubeSats, payloads, spacecraft, and launch vehicles). This facility environment focuses on efficient processes and modular design to support rapid prototyping, integration, testing and verification of small projects at an affordable cost, especially compared to larger type HWIL facilities. SPRITE (Figure 1) consists of a "core" capability or "plant" simulation platform utilizing a graphical programming environment capable of being rapidly re-configured for any potential test article's space environments, as well as a standard set of interfaces (i.e. Mil-Std 1553, Serial, Analog, Digital, etc.). SPRITE also allows this level of interface testing of components and subsystems very early in a program, thereby reducing program risk.

An organic dye with very large Stokes-shift and broad tunability of fluorescence: Potential two-photon probe for bioimaging and ultra-sensitive solid-state gas sensor

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

He, Tingchao; Tian, Xiaoqing; Lin, Xiaodong, E-mail: linxd@szu.edu.cn, E-mail: hdsun@ntu.edu.sg

Light-emitting nonlinear optical molecules, especially those with large Stokes shifts and broad tunability of their emission wavelength, have attracted considerable attention for various applications including biomedical imaging and fluorescent sensors. However, most fluorescent chromophores have only limited potential for such applications due to small Stokes shifts, narrow tunability of fluorescence emissions, and small optical nonlinearity in highly polar solvents. In this work, we demonstrate that a two-photon absorbing stilbene chromophore exhibits a large two-photon absorption action cross-section (ηδ = 320 GM) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and shows broad fluorescence tunability (125 nm) by manipulating the polarity of the surrounding medium. Importantly, a very large Stokesmore » shift of up to 227 nm is achieved in DMSO. Thanks to these features, this chromophore can be utilized as a two-photon probe for bioimaging applications and in an ultrasensitive solid-state gas detector.« less

Banana by-products: an under-utilized renewable food biomass with great potential.

PubMed

Padam, Birdie Scott; Tin, Hoe Seng; Chye, Fook Yee; Abdullah, Mohd Ismail

2014-12-01

Banana (Musaceae) is one of the world's most important fruit crops that is widely cultivated in tropical countries for its valuable applications in food industry. Its enormous by-products are an excellent source of highly valuable raw materials for other industries by recycling agricultural waste. This prevents an ultimate loss of huge amount of untapped biomass and environmental issues. This review discusses extensively the breakthrough in the utilization of banana by-products such as peels, leaves, pseudostem, stalk and inflorescence in various food and non-food applications serving as thickening agent, coloring and flavor, alternative source for macro and micronutrients, nutraceuticals, livestock feed, natural fibers, and sources of natural bioactive compounds and bio-fertilizers. Future prospects and challenges are the important key factors discussed in association to the sustainability and feasibility of utilizing these by-products. It is important that all available by-products be turned into highly commercial outputs in order to sustain this renewable resource and provide additional income to small scale farming industries without compromising its quality and safety in competing with other commercial products.

RPMIS: The Roswell Park Management Information System

PubMed Central

Priore, R.L.; Lane, W.W.; Edgerton, F.T.; Naeher, C.H.; Reese, P.A.

1978-01-01

This paper presents a generalized approach to data entry and editing utilizing formatted video computer terminals. The purpose of the system developed is to facilitate the creation of many small data bases, with a minimum of implementation time, while maintaining extensive editing capability and preserving ease of use by data entry personnel. RPMIS has demonstrated its utility in shortening the time between research activities and clinical application of results. The system allows entry and retrieval of overlapping subsets of the patient's record in an order and format most appropriate to the individual application. It is used for production of synoptic presentations of information from the labs, the ward and the clinic. RPMIS was designed for the clinical trials setting and has been well received and implemented for numerous such studies. Additional uses have included several registries, screening clinics, retrospective studies, and epidemiologic investigations. The system has found fortuitous use in maintaining curriculum vitae, publications lists and continuing medical education credits.

Geometric method for forming periodic orbits in the Lorenz system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholson, S. B.; Kim, Eun-jin

2016-04-01

Many systems in nature are out of equilibrium and irreversible. The non-detailed balance observable representation (NOR) provides a useful methodology for understanding the evolution of such non-equilibrium complex systems, by mapping out the correlation between two states to a metric space where a small distance represents a strong correlation [1]. In this paper, we present the first application of the NOR to a continuous system and demonstrate its utility in controlling chaos. Specifically, we consider the evolution of a continuous system governed by the Lorenz equation and calculate the NOR by following a sufficient number of trajectories. We then show how to control chaos by converting chaotic orbits to periodic orbits by utilizing the NOR. We further discuss the implications of our method for potential applications given the key advantage that this method makes no assumptions of the underlying equations of motion and is thus extremely general.

48 CFR 752.219-8 - Utilization of small business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns. 752.219-8 Section 752.219-8 Federal... AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Texts of Provisions and Clauses 752.219-8 Utilization of small business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns. The Foreign Assistance Act calls for USAID to give small...

48 CFR 752.219-8 - Utilization of small business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns. 752.219-8 Section 752.219-8 Federal... AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Texts of Provisions and Clauses 752.219-8 Utilization of small business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns. The Foreign Assistance Act calls for USAID to give small...

Biomedical device prototype based on small scale hydrodynamic cavitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghorbani, Morteza; Sozer, Canberk; Alcan, Gokhan; Unel, Mustafa; Ekici, Sinan; Uvet, Huseyin; Koşar, Ali

2018-03-01

This study presents a biomedical device prototype based on small scale hydrodynamic cavitation. The application of small scale hydrodynamic cavitation and its integration to a biomedical device prototype is offered as an important alternative to other techniques, such as ultrasound therapy, and thus constitutes a local, cheap, and energy-efficient solution, for urinary stone therapy and abnormal tissue ablation (e.g., benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH)). The destructive nature of bubbly, cavitating, flows was exploited, and the potential of the prototype was assessed and characterized. Bubbles generated in a small flow restrictive element (micro-orifice) based on hydrodynamic cavitation were utilized for this purpose. The small bubbly, cavitating, flow generator (micro-orifice) was fitted to a small flexible probe, which was actuated with a micromanipulator using fine control. This probe also houses an imaging device for visualization so that the emerging cavitating flow could be locally targeted to the desired spot. In this study, the feasibility of this alternative treatment method and its integration to a device prototype were successfully accomplished.

48 CFR 52.219-8 - Utilization of small business concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... business concerns. 52.219-8 Section 52.219-8 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION... Clauses 52.219-8 Utilization of small business concerns. As prescribed in 19.708(a), insert the following clause: Utilization of Small Business Concerns (MAY 2004) (a) It is the policy of the United States that...

41 CFR 105-53.130-4 - Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Disadvantaged Business Utilization. 105-53.130-4 Section 105-53.130-4 Public Contracts and Property Management... ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS Central Offices § 105-53.130-4 Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. (a) Creation and authority. Public Law 95-507, October 14, 1978, an amendment to the Small...

Application of small digester biogas for energy supply in rural areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuni, S.; Sutjahjo, S. H.; Purwanto, Y. A.; Fuah, A. M.; Kurniawan, R.

2018-03-01

Village’s self-fulfillment of energy supply is a new concept being developed in Indonesia. Villages are expected to meet their own energy needs without relying on fossil-fuel and other non-renewable energy materials. The concept of village’s self-fulfillment of energy here includes two types of provision: the provision of electrical energy and the provision of bio-fuel by utilizing environmentally friendly renewable energy. Biogas is an alternative energy sources produced by anaerobic activities of organic materials such as human and animal feces, or domestic waste in rural communities. In general, rural farmers have 2-4 cows. It is assumed that cows/cattle produces ± 15 kg feces/head/day. A digester with 4m3 capacity potentially produces bio-gas per day that reaches 1.34 m3 equivalent to 6.30 kWh/day. This volume of bio-gas can be used for lamp lighting of 60-100 watts for 8 hours. Other applications that can be utilized are biogas stove. A family of farmer can use 2 stoves to cook 3 food recipes for 8 people and a generator for 1 hour. There is also potential solid mud of 40 kg that produces 8 kg of compost/day and potential sludge fluid as much as 160 liters including bio-urine of 32 liters/day. This paper discusses about the potency of small biogas digester application for village’s self-fulfillment of energy supply.

Comprehensive and Critical Literature Review on Insitu Micro-Sensors for Application in Tribology

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-01

Electroosmotic flow provides a pumping method that is convenient for small capillaries. Electrophoretic separation is shown to be useful. On the left hand...analysis systems on glass chips (1 centimeter by 2 centimeters or larger) that utilize electroosmotic pumping to drive fluid flow and electrophoretic...elucidate the interaction mechanism. Additionally, using two types of sensors in a mixed array increases selectivity by providing different information

Proceedings: Second Annual Pacific Northwest Alternative and Renewable Energy Resources Conference.

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

None

1980-01-01

Papers presented at the conference are published in this volume. The purpose of the conference was to solicit regional cooperation in the promoting of near-term development of such alternative and renewable energy resources in the Pacific Northwest as: cogeneration; biomass; wind; small hydro; solar end-use applications; and geothermal direct heat utilization. Separate abstracts of selected papers were prepared for inclusion in the Energy Data Base.

Mapping river bathymetry with a small footprint green LiDAR: Applications and challenges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinzel, Paul J.; Legleiter, Carl; Nelson, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

that environmental conditions and postprocessing algorithms can influence the accuracy and utility of these surveys and must be given consideration. These factors can lead to mapping errors that can have a direct bearing on derivative analyses such as hydraulic modeling and habitat assessment. We discuss the water and substrate characteristics of the sites, compare the conventional and remotely sensed river-bed topographies, and investigate the laser waveforms reflected from submerged targets to provide an evaluation as to the suitability and accuracy of the EAARL system and associated processing algorithms for riverine mapping applications.

Blister pouches for effective reagent storage and release for low cost point-of-care diagnostic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Suzanne; Sewart, Rene; Land, Kevin; Roux, Pieter; Gärtner, Claudia; Becker, Holger

2016-03-01

Lab-on-a-chip devices are often applied to point-of-care diagnostic solutions as they are low-cost, compact, disposable, and require only small sample volumes. For such devices, various reagents are required for sample preparation and analysis and, for an integrated solution to be realized, on-chip reagent storage and automated introduction are required. This work describes the implementation and characterization of effective liquid reagent storage and release mechanisms utilizing blister pouches applied to various point-of-care diagnostic device applications. The manufacturing aspects as well as performance parameters are evaluated.

Compact Plasma Accelerator for Micropropulsion Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, John E.

2001-01-01

There is a need for a low power, light-weight (compact), high specific impulse electric propulsion device to satisfy mission requirements for microsatellite (1 to 20 kg) class missions. Satisfying these requirements entails addressing the general problem of generating a sufficiently dense plasma within a relatively small volume and then accelerating it. In the work presented here, the feasibility of utilizing a magnetic cusp to generate a dense plasma over small length scales of order 1 mm is investigated. This approach could potentially mitigate scaling issues associated with conventional ion thruster plasma containment schemes. Plume and discharge characteristics were documented using a Faraday probe and a retarding potential analyzer.

The Portable Dynamic Fundus Instrument: Uses in telemedicine and research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Norwood; Caputo, Michael; Billica, Roger; Taylor, Gerald; Gibson, C. Robert; Manuel, F. Keith; Mader, Thomas; Meehan, Richard

1994-01-01

For years ophthalmic photographs have been used to track the progression of many ocular diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma as well as the ocular manifestations of diabetes, hypertension, and hypoxia. In 1987 a project was initiated at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) to develop a means of monitoring retinal vascular caliber and intracranial pressure during space flight. To conduct telemedicine during space flight operations, retinal images would require real-time transmissions from space. Film-based images would not be useful during in-flight operations. Video technology is beneficial in flight because the images may be acquired, recorded, and transmitted to the ground for rapid computer digital image processing and analysis. The computer analysis techniques developed for this project detected vessel caliber changes as small as 3 percent. In the field of telemedicine, the Portable Dynamic Fundus Instrument demonstrates the concept and utility of a small, self-contained video funduscope. It was used to record retinal images during the Gulf War and to transmit retinal images from the Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-50. There are plans to utilize this device to provide a mobile ophthalmic screening service in rural Texas. In the fall of 1993 a medical team in Boulder, Colorado, will transmit real-time images of the retina during remote consultation and diagnosis. The research applications of this device include the capability of operating in remote locations or small, confined test areas. There has been interest shown utilizing retinal imaging during high-G centrifuge tests, high-altitude chamber tests, and aircraft flight tests. A new design plan has been developed to incorporate the video instrumentation into face-mounted goggle. This design would eliminate head restraint devices, thus allowing full maneuverability to the subjects. Further development of software programs will broaden the application of the Portable Dynamic Fundus Instrument in telemedicine and medical research.

Investigation of self-excited induction generators for wind turbine applications

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

Muljadi, E.; Butterfield, C.P.; Sallan, J.

2000-02-28

The use of squirrel-cage induction machines in wind generation is widely accepted as a generator of choice. The squirrel-cage induction machine is simple, reliable, cheap, lightweight, and requires very little maintenance. Generally, the induction generator is connected to the utility at constant frequency. With a constant frequency operation, the induction generator operates at practically constant speed (small range of slip). The wind turbine operates in optimum efficiency only within a small range of wind speed variation. The variable-speed operation allows an increase in energy captured and reduces both the torque peaks in the drive train and the power fluctuations sentmore » to the utility. In variable-speed operation, an induction generator needs an interface to convert the variable frequency output of the generator to the fixed frequency at the utility. This interface can be simplified by using a self-excited generator because a simple diode bridge is required to perform the ac/dc conversion. The subsequent dc/ac conversion can be performed using different techniques. The use of a thyristor bridge is readily available for large power conversion and has a lower cost and higher reliability. The firing angle of the inverter bridge can be controlled to track the optimum power curve of the wind turbine. With only diodes and thyristors used in power conversion, the system can be scaled up to a very high voltage and high power applications. This paper analyzes the operation of such a system applied to a 1/3-hp self-excited induction generator. It includes the simulations and tests performed for the different excitation configurations.« less

Utilizing Internet Technologies in Observatory Control Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cording, Dean

2002-12-01

The 'Internet boom' of the past few years has spurred the development of a number of technologies to provide services such as secure communications, reliable messaging, information publishing and application distribution for commercial applications. Over the same period, a new generation of computer languages have also developed to provide object oriented design and development, improved reliability, and cross platform compatibility. Whilst the business models of the 'dot.com' era proved to be largely unviable, the technologies that they were based upon have survived and have matured to the point were they can now be utilized to build secure, robust and complete observatory control control systems. This paper will describe how Electro Optic Systems has utilized these technologies in the development of its third generation Robotic Observatory Control System (ROCS). ROCS provides an extremely flexible configuration capability within a control system structure to provide truly autonomous robotic observatory operation including observation scheduling. ROCS was built using Internet technologies such as Java, Java Messaging Service (JMS), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), eXtendible Markup Language (XML), Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) and Java WebStart. ROCS was designed to be capable of controlling all aspects of an observatory and be able to be reconfigured to handle changing equipment configurations or user requirements without the need for an expert computer programmer. ROCS consists of many small components, each designed to perform a specific task, with the configuration of the system specified using a simple meta language. The use of small components facilitates testing and makes it possible to prove that the system is correct.

The New S-RAM Air Variable Compressor/Expander for Heat Pump and Waste Heat to Power Application

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

Dehoff, Ryan R; Jestings, Lee; Conde, Ricardo

S-RAM Dynamics (S-RAM) has designed an innovative heat pump system targeted for commercial and industrial applications. This new heat pump system is more efficient than anything currently on the market and utilizes air as the refrigerant instead of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, leading to lower operating costs, minimal environmental costs or concerns, and lower maintenance costs. The heat pumps will be manufactured in the United States. This project was aimed at determining the feasibility of utilizing additive manufacturing to make the heat exchanger device for the new heat pump system. ORNL and S-RAM Dynamics collaborated on determining the prototype performance andmore » subsequently printing of the prototype using additive manufacturing. Complex heat exchanger designs were fabricated using the Arcam electron beam melting (EBM) powder bed technology using Ti-6Al-4V material. An ultrasonic welding system was utilized in order to remove the powder from the small openings of the heat exchanger. The majority of powder in the small chambers was removed, however, the amount of powder remaining in the heat exchanger was a function of geometry. Therefore, only certain geometries of heat exchangers could be fabricated. SRAM Dynamics evaluated a preliminary heat exchanger design. Although the results of the additive manufacturing of the heat exchanger were not optimum, a less complex geometry was demonstrated. A sleeve valve was used as a demonstration piece, as engine designs from S-RAM Dynamics require the engine to have a very high density. Preliminary designs of this geometry were successfully fabricated using the EBM technology.« less

Pre-Capture Privacy for Small Vision Sensors.

PubMed

Pittaluga, Francesco; Koppal, Sanjeev Jagannatha

2017-11-01

The next wave of micro and nano devices will create a world with trillions of small networked cameras. This will lead to increased concerns about privacy and security. Most privacy preserving algorithms for computer vision are applied after image/video data has been captured. We propose to use privacy preserving optics that filter or block sensitive information directly from the incident light-field before sensor measurements are made, adding a new layer of privacy. In addition to balancing the privacy and utility of the captured data, we address trade-offs unique to miniature vision sensors, such as achieving high-quality field-of-view and resolution within the constraints of mass and volume. Our privacy preserving optics enable applications such as depth sensing, full-body motion tracking, people counting, blob detection and privacy preserving face recognition. While we demonstrate applications on macro-scale devices (smartphones, webcams, etc.) our theory has impact for smaller devices.

A High-Throughput Processor for Flight Control Research Using Small UAVs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klenke, Robert H.; Sleeman, W. C., IV; Motter, Mark A.

2006-01-01

There are numerous autopilot systems that are commercially available for small (<100 lbs) UAVs. However, they all share several key disadvantages for conducting aerodynamic research, chief amongst which is the fact that most utilize older, slower, 8- or 16-bit microcontroller technologies. This paper describes the development and testing of a flight control system (FCS) for small UAV s based on a modern, high throughput, embedded processor. In addition, this FCS platform contains user-configurable hardware resources in the form of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that can be used to implement custom, application-specific hardware. This hardware can be used to off-load routine tasks such as sensor data collection, from the FCS processor thereby further increasing the computational throughput of the system.

Electronic Structure of Small Lanthanide Containing Molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafader, Jared O.; Ray, Manisha; Topolski, Josey E.; Chick Jarrold, Caroline

2016-06-01

Lanthanide-based materials have unusual electronic properties because of the high number of electronic degrees of freedom arising from partial occupation of 4f orbitals, which make these materials optimal for their utilization in many applications including electronics and catalysis. Electronic spectroscopy of small lanthanide molecules helps us understand the role of these 4f electrons, which are generally considered core-like because of orbital contraction, but are energetically similar to valence electrons. The spectroscopy of small lanthanide-containing molecules is relatively unexplored and to broaden this understanding we have completed the characterization of small cerium, praseodymium, and europium molecules using photoelectron spectroscopy coupled with DFT calculations. The characterization of PrO, EuH, EuO/EuOH, and CexOy molecules have allowed for the determination of their electron affinity, the assignment of numerous anion to neutral state transitions, modeling of anion/neutral structures and electron orbital occupation.

Technology Overview and Assessment for Small-Scale EDL Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidrich, Casey R.; Smith, Brandon P.; Braun, Robert D.

2016-01-01

Motivated by missions to land large rovers and humans at Mars and other bodies, high-mass EDL technologies are a prevalent trend in the research community. In contrast, EDL systems for low-mass payloads have attracted less attention. Significant potential in science and discovery exists in small-scale EDL systems. Payloads acting secondary to a flagship mission are a currently under-utilzed resource. Before taking advantage of these opportunities, further developed of scaled EDL technologies is required. The key limitations identified in this study are compact decelerators and deformable impact systems. Current technologies may enable rough landing of small payloads, with moderate restrictions in packaging volume. Utilization of passive descent and landing stages will greatly increase the applicability of small systems, allowing for vehicles robust to entry environment uncertainties. These architectures will provide an efficient means of achieving science and support objectives while reducing cost and risk margins of a parent mission.

Thermophotovoltaic potential applications for civilian and industrial use in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hiromi; Yamaguchi, Masafumi

1999-03-01

Investigative research on potential market for TPV power sources in Japan has been focused on how TPV can contribute to energy conservation and environmental protection and harmony. The application needs for TPV were surveyed in comparison with conventional engine or turbine generators and developing power generation technologies such as fuel cells or chemical batteries, etc. The investigation on the performance of commercial generators shows that regarding system efficiency, TPV can compete with conventional generators in the output power class of tens of kW. According to the sales for small scale generators in Japan, most of the generators below 10 kW class are utilized mainly for construction, communication, leisure, and that 10-100 kW class generators are for cogeneration in small buildings. Waste heat recovery in dispersed furnaces is another potential application of compact TPV cells. Exhaust heat from small scale incinerators and industrial furnaces is undesirable to be recorded into electricity due to excessive heat loss of the smaller steam turbine generators. Solar powered TPV is also of our concern as a natural energy use. From the viewpoint of applicability for TPV, portable generators cogeneration systems, and solar power plants were selected for our system consideration. Intermediate report on the feasibility study concerning such TPV systems is given as well as the review of the current status of competing power generation technologies in Japan.

48 CFR 1519.201-72 - Small and disadvantaged business utilization specialists.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... small businesses with respect to the financial assistance available under existing laws and regulations... business utilization specialists. 1519.201-72 Section 1519.201-72 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS Policies 1519.201-72 Small and...

Recent advances in nonbiofouling PDMS surface modification strategies applicable to microfluidic technology

PubMed Central

Gokaltun, Aslihan; Yarmush, Martin L.; Asatekin, Ayse; Usta, O. Berk

2017-01-01

In the last decade microfabrication processes including rapid prototyping techniques have advanced rapidly and achieved a fairly mature stage. These advances have encouraged and enabled the use of microfluidic devices by a wider range of users with applications in biological separations and cell and organoid cultures. Accordingly, a significant current challenge in the field is controlling biomolecular interactions at interfaces and the development of novel biomaterials to satisfy the unique needs of the biomedical applications. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is one of the most widely used materials in the fabrication of microfluidic devices. The popularity of this material is the result of its low cost, simple fabrication allowing rapid prototyping, high optical transparency, and gas permeability. However, a major drawback of PDMS is its hydrophobicity and fast hydrophobic recovery after surface hydrophilization. This results in significant nonspecific adsorption of proteins as well as small hydrophobic molecules such as therapeutic drugs limiting the utility of PDMS in biomedical microfluidic circuitry. Accordingly, here, we focus on recent advances in surface molecular treatments to prevent fouling of PDMS surfaces towards improving its utility and expanding its use cases in biomedical applications. PMID:28695160

TANK OPERATIONS CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY UTILIZING THE AGENCY METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

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

LESKO KF; BERRIOCHOA MV

2010-02-26

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business constructioin subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the WRPS contract, construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipment and structures and installationmore » of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper descirbes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method (John E Schaufelberger, Len Holm, "Management of Construction Projects, A Constructor's Perspective", University of Washington, Prentice Hall 2002). This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2009 (FY2009), where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are subcontracted directly by WRPS to small or disadvantaged contractors that are mentored and supported by URS personnel. Each small contractor is mentored and supported utilizing the principles of the Construction Industry Institute (CII) Partnering process. Some of the key mentoring and partnering areas that are explored in this paper are, internal and external safety professional support, subcontractor safety teams and the interface with project and site safety teams, quality assurance program support to facilitate compliance with NQA-1, construction, team roles and responsibilities, work definition for successful fixed price contracts, scheduling and interface with project schedules and cost projection/accruals. The practical application of the CII Partnering principles, with the Construction Management expertise of URS, has led to a highly successful construction model that also meets small business contracting goals.« less

TANK OPERATIONS CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY UTILIZING THE AGENCY METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TO SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY COMPLETE NUCLEAR CONSTRUCTION WORK

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

LESO KF; HAMILTON HM; FARNER M

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business construction subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC contract, Construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipmentmore » and structures and installation of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper describes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method. This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are subcontracted directly by WRPS to small or disadvantaged contractors that are mentored and supported by DRS personnel. Each small contractor is mentored and supported utilizing the principles of the Construction Industry Institute (CII) Partnering process. Some of the key mentoring and partnering areas that are explored in this paper are, internal and external safety professional support, subcontractor safety teams and the interface with project and site safety teams, quality assurance program support to facilitate compliance with NQA-1, construction, team roles and responsibilities, work definition for successful fixed price contracts, scheduling and interface with project schedules and cost projection/accruals. The practical application of the CII Partnering principles, with the Construction Management expertise of URS, has led to a highly successful construction model that also meets small business contracting goals.« less

Engineering Stem Cells for Biomedical Applications

PubMed Central

Yin, Perry T.; Han, Edward

2018-01-01

Stem cells are characterized by a number of useful properties, including their ability to migrate, differentiate, and secrete a variety of therapeutic molecules such as immunomodulatory factors. As such, numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have utilized stem cell-based therapies and demonstrated their tremendous potential for the treatment of various human diseases and disorders. Recently, efforts have focused on engineering stem cells in order to further enhance their innate abilities as well as to confer them with new functionalities, which can then be used in various biomedical applications. These engineered stem cells can take on a number of forms. For instance, engineered stem cells encompass the genetic modification of stem cells as well as the use of stem cells for gene delivery, nanoparticle loading and delivery, and even small molecule drug delivery. The present Review gives an in-depth account of the current status of engineered stem cells, including potential cell sources, the most common methods used to engineer stem cells, and the utilization of engineered stem cells in various biomedical applications, with a particular focus on tissue regeneration, the treatment of immunodeficiency diseases, and cancer. PMID:25772134

Utilization of Field Enhancement in Plasmonic Waveguides for Subwavelength Light-Guiding, Polarization Handling, Heating, and Optical Sensing.

PubMed

Dai, Daoxin; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Wei

2015-10-09

Plasmonic nanostructures have attracted intensive attention for many applications in recent years because of the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface. First, this strong field enhancement makes it possible to break the diffraction limit and enable subwavelength optical waveguiding, which is desired for nanophotonic integrated circuits with ultra-high integration density. Second, the field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures occurs only for the polarization mode whose electric field is perpendicular to the metal/dielectric interface, and thus the strong birefringence is beneficial for realizing ultra-small polarization-sensitive/selective devices, including polarization beam splitters, and polarizers. Third, plasmonic nanostructures provide an excellent platform of merging electronics and photonics for some applications, e.g., thermal tuning, photo-thermal detection, etc. Finally, the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface helps a lot to realize optical sensors with high sensitivity when introducing plasmonic nanostrutures. In this paper, we give a review for recent progresses on the utilization of field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures for these applications, e.g., waveguiding, polarization handling, heating, as well as optical sensing.

Utilization of Field Enhancement in Plasmonic Waveguides for Subwavelength Light-Guiding, Polarization Handling, Heating, and Optical Sensing

PubMed Central

Dai, Daoxin; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

Plasmonic nanostructures have attracted intensive attention for many applications in recent years because of the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface. First, this strong field enhancement makes it possible to break the diffraction limit and enable subwavelength optical waveguiding, which is desired for nanophotonic integrated circuits with ultra-high integration density. Second, the field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures occurs only for the polarization mode whose electric field is perpendicular to the metal/dielectric interface, and thus the strong birefringence is beneficial for realizing ultra-small polarization-sensitive/selective devices, including polarization beam splitters, and polarizers. Third, plasmonic nanostructures provide an excellent platform of merging electronics and photonics for some applications, e.g., thermal tuning, photo-thermal detection, etc. Finally, the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface helps a lot to realize optical sensors with high sensitivity when introducing plasmonic nanostrutures. In this paper, we give a review for recent progresses on the utilization of field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures for these applications, e.g., waveguiding, polarization handling, heating, as well as optical sensing. PMID:28793600

NASA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) within NASA promotes the utilization of small, disadvantaged, and women-owned small businesses in compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and policies. We assist such firms in obtaining contracts and subcontracts with NASA and its prime contractors. The OSDBU also facilitates the participation of small businesses in NASA's technology transfer and commercialization activities. Our driving philosophy is to consider small businesses as our products. Our customers are the NASA Enterprises, Field Centers, Functional Staff Offices, major prime contractors, and other large institutions. We hone the skills of our products to make them marketable to our customers in the performance of NASA missions.

Assessing the Local Need for Family and Child Care Services: A Small Area Utilization Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Percy, Andrew; Carr-Hill, Roy; Dixon, Paul; Jamison, James Q.

2000-01-01

Describes study of administrative data from Northern Ireland on the costs of family and child care services, using small area utilization modeling, to derive a new set of needs indicators that could be used within the family and child care capitation funding formula. Argues that small area utilization modeling produces a fairer and more equitable…

Assessment of the potential of solar thermal small power systems in small utilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steitz, P.; Mayo, L. G.; Perkins, S. P., Jr.

1978-01-01

The potential economic benefit of small solar thermal electric power systems to small municipal and rural electric utilities is assessed. Five different solar thermal small power system configurations were considered in three different solar thermal technologies. The configurations included: (1) 1 MW, 2 MW, and 10 MW parabolic dish concentrators with a 15 kW heat engine mounted at the focal point of each dish, these systems utilized advanced battery energy storage; (2) a 10 MW system with variable slat concentrators and central steam Rankine energy conversion, this system utilized sensible thermal energy storage; and (3) a 50 MW central receiver system consisting of a field of heliostats concentrating energy on a tower-mounted receiver and a central steam Rankine conversion system, this system also utilized sensible thermal storage. The results are summarized in terms of break-even capital costs. The break-even capital cost was defined as the solar thermal plant capital cost which would have to be achieved in order for the solar thermal plants to penetrate 10 percent of the reference small utility generation mix by the year 2000. The calculated break-even capital costs are presented.

Utilization of Meteorological Satellite Imagery for World-Wide Environmental Monitoring the Lower Mississippi River Flood of 1979 - Case 1. [St. Louis, Missouri

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helfert, M. R.; Mccrary, D. G.; Gray, T. I. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

The 1979 Lower Mississippi River flood was selected as a test case of environmental disaster monitoring utilizing NOAA-n imagery. A small scale study of the St. Louis Missouri area comparing ERTS-1 (LANDSAT) and NOAA-2 imagery and flood studies using only LANDSAT imagery for mapping the Rad River of the North, and Nimbus-5 imagery for East Australia show the nonmeteorological applications of NOAA satellites. While the level of NOAA-n imagery detail is not that of a LANDSAT image, for operational environmental monitoring users the NOAA-n imagery may provide acceptable linear resolution and spectral isolation.

Bio optofluidics cell sorter: cell-BOCS concept and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Tue; Glückstad, Jesper

2012-03-01

The cell-BOCS is a novel microfluidics based cell-sorting instrument utilizing next generation optical trapping technology developed at the Technical University of Denmark. It is targeted emerging bio-medical research and diagnostics markets where it for certain applications offers a number of advantages over conventional fluorescence activated cell-sorting (FACSTM) technology. Advantages include gentle handling of cells, sterile sorting, easy operation, small footprint and lower cost allowing out-of-core-facility use. Application examples are found within sorting of fragile transfected cells, high value samples and primary cell lines, where traditional FACS technology has limited application due to it's droplet-based approach to cell-sorting. In the diagnostics field, in particular applying the cell-BOCS for isolating pure populations of circulating tumor cells is an area that has generated a lot of interest.

Nanoarchitectonics of molecular aggregates: science and technology.

PubMed

Ramanathan, Muruganathan; Hong, Kunlun; Ji, Qingmin; Yonamine, Yusuke; Hill, Jonathan P; Ariga, Katsuhiko

2014-01-01

The field of making, studying and using molecular aggregates, in which the individual molecules (monomers) are arranged in a regular fashion, has come a long way. Taking control over the aggregation of small molecules and polymers in bulk, on surfaces and at interfaces pose a considerable challenge for their utilization in modern high tech applications. In this review, we provide a detailed insight into recent trends in molecular aggregates from the perspectives of nanoarchitectonics.

Nanoarchitectonics of Molecular Aggregates: Science and Technology

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

Ramanathan, Nathan Muruganathan; Hong, Kunlun; Ji, Dr. Qingmin

2014-01-01

The field of making, studying and using molecular aggregates, in which the individual molecules (monomers) are arranged in a regular fashion, has come a long way. Taking control over the aggregation of small molecules and polymers in bulk, on surfaces and at interfaces pose a considerable challenge for their utilization in modern high tech applications. In this review we provide a detailed insight into recent trends in molecular aggregates from the perspectives of nanoarchitectonics.

Design of a bioactive small molecule that targets r(AUUCU) repeats in spinocerebellar ataxia 10.

PubMed

Yang, Wang-Yong; Gao, Rui; Southern, Mark; Sarkar, Partha S; Disney, Matthew D

2016-06-01

RNA is an important target for chemical probes of function and lead therapeutics; however, it is difficult to target with small molecules. One approach to tackle this problem is to identify compounds that target RNA structures and utilize them to multivalently target RNA. Here we show that small molecules can be identified to selectively bind RNA base pairs by probing a library of RNA-focused small molecules. A small molecule that selectively binds AU base pairs informed design of a dimeric compound (2AU-2) that targets the pathogenic RNA, expanded r(AUUCU) repeats, that causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10) in patient-derived cells. Indeed, 2AU-2 (50 nM) ameliorates various aspects of SCA10 pathology including improvement of mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced activation of caspase 3, and reduction of nuclear foci. These studies provide a first-in-class chemical probe to study SCA10 RNA toxicity and potentially define broadly applicable compounds targeting RNA AU base pairs in cells.

Analyzing the feasibility of utilizing small diameter hardwood timber for solid wood products and residues

Treesearch

Brian Perkins; Bob Smith; Philip Araman

2008-01-01

The eastern hardwood forest contains small diameter timber that is often of lower quality and lower value than larger sawtimber. This small diameter hardwood timber has traditionally been utilized for pulpwood, but it can also be used for lumber and residue production. In order to increase the utilization of this resource by sawmills, a number of analyses need to be...

Franchise fees reexamined

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

Osteryoung, J.S.

The author examines franchise fees imposed by local governments and allocated by electric utilities to see if the fees are more equitably applied by the spread or direct method. Examples are drawn from Florida to illustrate how, under the spread method, customers living outside the franchise area contribute 60 percent of the allocated fees but have no control over how they are calculated or spent by the utility. Some cities use excess franchise fees to lower municipal taxes or to provide extra municipal services not available to those in the nonfranchise area. Also at issue is the value of themore » small amount of land used for utility right-of-way, which is of no value to the nonfranchise area customer. The author concludes that franchise fees imposed for the purpose of raising municipal revenues should be directly applied to only those customers living within the franchise area. Direct application of fees, by drawing the customer's attention to the total cost of utilities, could help to restrain future costs. (DCK)« less

Design of conveyor utilization monitoring system: a case study of powder coating line in sheet metal fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, Hoedi; Sugiarto, Yohanes; Nur Rosyidi, Cucuk

2018-03-01

Conveyor is a very useful equipment to replace manpower in transporting the goods. It highly influences the productivity, production capacity utilization and eventually the production cost. This paper proposes a system to monitor the utilization of conveyor at a low cost through a case study at powder coating process line in a sheet metal fabrication. Preliminary observation was conducted to identify the problems. The monitoring system was then built and executed. The system consists of two sub systems. First is sub system for collecting and transmitting the required data and the second is sub system for displaying the data. The system utilizes sensors, wireless data transfer and windows-based application. The test results showed that the whole system works properly. By this system, the productivity and status of the conveyor can be monitored in real time. This research enriches the development of conveyor monitoring system especially for implementation in small and medium enterprises.

Smallsats, Cubesats and Scientific Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stofan, E. R.

2015-12-01

Smallsats (including Cubesats) have taken off in the aerospace research community - moving beyond simple tools for undergraduate and graduate students and into the mainstream of science research. Cubesats started the "smallsat" trend back in the late 1990's early 2000's, with the first Cubesats launching in 2003. NASA anticipates a number of future benefits from small satellite missions, including lower costs, more rapid development, higher risk tolerance, and lower barriers to entry for universities and small businesses. The Agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate is currently addressing technology gaps in small satellite platforms, while the Science Mission Directorate pursues miniaturization of science instruments. Launch opportunities are managed through the Cubesat Launch Initiative, and the Agency manages these projects as sub-orbital payloads with little program overhead. In this session we bring together scientists and technologists to discuss the current state of the smallsat field. We explore ideas for new investments, new instruments, or new applications that NASA should be investing in to expand the utility of smallsats. We discuss the status of a NASA-directed NRC study on the utility of small satellites. Looking to the future, what does NASA need to invest in now, to enable high impact ("decadal survey" level) science with smallsats? How do we push the envelope? We anticipate smallsats will contribute significantly to a more robust exploration and science program for NASA and the country.

How Readable are Spanish-Language Medicaid Applications?

PubMed Central

Hansen, Julie S.; DeVoe, Jennifer E.

2015-01-01

Nationally, Hispanics comprise nearly one-quarter of all non-elderly Medicaid recipients. We evaluated readability, layout characteristics, and document complexity of state-issued Spanish-language Medicaid enrollment applications. We located and analyzed Internet-based Spanish enrollment applications from 37 states and the District of Columbia. We calculated the readability of each Medicaid enrollment application “Signature” page using the Spanish Lexile Analyzer. We assessed application layout characteristics utilizing the User-Friendliness Tool, and we evaluated document complexity using the PMOSE/IKIRSCH scale. The average Lexile score estimated an 11th–12th grade reading level (M = 1184, SD = 192) for “Signature” pages of enrollment applications. Most applications used small font size and lacked adequate white space. Document complexity ranged from level 3 (moderate) to level 5 (very high); the majority of applications ranked at level 4 (high). Spanish-language Medicaid enrollment applications should be revised to adhere to low-literacy guidelines, which may improve the accessibility of Medicaid coverage for eligible Spanish-speaking families. PMID:21213122

Multiphysics Application Coupling Toolkit

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

Campbell, Michael T.

2013-12-02

This particular consortium implementation of the software integration infrastructure will, in large part, refactor portions of the Rocstar multiphysics infrastructure. Development of this infrastructure originated at the University of Illinois DOE ASCI Center for Simulation of Advanced Rockets (CSAR) to support the center's massively parallel multiphysics simulation application, Rocstar, and has continued at IllinoisRocstar, a small company formed near the end of the University-based program. IllinoisRocstar is now licensing these new developments as free, open source, in hopes to help improve their own and others' access to infrastructure which can be readily utilized in developing coupled or composite software systems;more » with particular attention to more rapid production and utilization of multiphysics applications in the HPC environment. There are two major pieces to the consortium implementation, the Application Component Toolkit (ACT), and the Multiphysics Application Coupling Toolkit (MPACT). The current development focus is the ACT, which is (will be) the substrate for MPACT. The ACT itself is built up from the components described in the technical approach. In particular, the ACT has the following major components: 1.The Component Object Manager (COM): The COM package provides encapsulation of user applications, and their data. COM also provides the inter-component function call mechanism. 2.The System Integration Manager (SIM): The SIM package provides constructs and mechanisms for orchestrating composite systems of multiply integrated pieces.« less

ATS-6 - Television Relay Using Small Terminals Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, J. E.

1975-01-01

The Television Relay Using Small Terminals (TRUST) Experiment was designed to advance and promote the technology of broadcasting satellites. A constant envelope television FM signal was transmitted at C band to the ATS-6 earth coverage horn and retransmitted at 860 MHz through the 9-m antenna to a low-cost direct-readout ground station. The experiment demonstrated that high-quality television and audio can be received by low-cost direct-receive ground stations. Predetection bandwidths significantly less than predicted by Carson's rule can be utilized with minimal degradation of either monochrome or color pictures. Two separate techniques of dual audio channel transmission have been demonstrated to be suitable for low-cost applications.

A novel small-angle neutron scattering detector geometry

PubMed Central

Kanaki, Kalliopi; Jackson, Andrew; Hall-Wilton, Richard; Piscitelli, Francesco; Kirstein, Oliver; Andersen, Ken H.

2013-01-01

A novel 2π detector geometry for small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) applications is presented and its theoretical performance evaluated. Such a novel geometry is ideally suited for a SANS instrument at the European Spallation Source (ESS). Motivated by the low availability and high price of 3He, the new concept utilizes gaseous detectors with 10B as the neutron converter. The shape of the detector is inspired by an optimization process based on the properties of the conversion material. Advantages over the detector geometry traditionally used on SANS instruments are discussed. The angular and time resolutions of the proposed detector concept are shown to satisfy the requirements of the particular SANS instrument. PMID:24046504

Low-Power Testing of Losses in Millimeter-Wave Transmission Lines for High-Power Applications

PubMed Central

Han, S. T.; Comfoltey, E. N.; Shapiro, M. A.; Sirigiri, J. R.; Tax, D. S.; Temkin, R. J.; Woskov, P. P.; Rasmussen, D. A.

2008-01-01

We report the measurement of small losses in transmission line (TL) components intended for high-power millimeter-wave applications. Measurements were made using two different low-power techniques: a coherent technique using a vector network analyzer (VNA) and an incoherent technique using a radiometer. The measured loss in a 140 GHz 12.7 mm diameter TL system, consisting of 1.7 m of circular corrugated waveguide and three miter bends, is dominated by the miter bend loss. The measured loss was 0.3±0.1 dB per miter bend using a VNA; and 0.22±0.1 dB per miter bend using a radiometer. Good agreement between the two measurement techniques implies that both are useful for measuring small losses. To verify the methodology, the VNA technique was employed to measure the extremely small transmission loss in a 170 GHz ITER prototype TL system consisting of three lengths of 1 m, 63.5 mm diameter, circular corrugated waveguide and two miter bends. The measured loss of 0.05±0.02 dB per miter bend may be compared with the theoretical loss of 0.027 dB per miter bend. These results suggest that low-power testing of TL losses, utilizing a small, simple TL system and a VNA, is a reliable method for evaluating performance of low-loss millimeter-wave TL components intended for use in high-power applications. PMID:19081774

14 CFR 1204.402 - Responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Business Policy § 1204.402 Responsibilities. (a) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). The Associate Administrator for Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, NASA Headquarters... Installation considers that the volume of procurement at the Installation does not warrant a full-time Small...

14 CFR 1204.402 - Responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Business Policy § 1204.402 Responsibilities. (a) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). The Associate Administrator for Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, NASA Headquarters... Installation considers that the volume of procurement at the Installation does not warrant a full-time Small...

A Comparison of the Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Specialists (SADBUS’) Role at Navy Regional Contracting Center (NRCC) philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Navy Regional Contracting Center (NRCC) San Diego, California Detachment Long Beach

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-31

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California ITan THESIS A comparison of the Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Specialists (SADBUS...8217A -Approved for public release: distribution is unlimited A Comparison of the small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization-Specialists (SADBUSI) Role...I D TIC ufst Spcati1 ABSTRACT This thesis analyzes the role of the Small and Disadvantaged Business Utii4zati6n Specialist (SADBUS) at the Navy

Modified Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy for Hepatoblastoma in a Small Infant: How Far Can We Push the Envelope?

PubMed

Hong, Johnny C; Kim, Joohyun; Browning, Meghen; Wagner, Amy; Lerret, Stacee; Segura, Annette D; Zimmerman, Michael A

2017-08-01

: For patients with hepatoblastoma, a timely and complete resection of the tumor is critical to the patient's tumor recurrence-free survival. Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS), a 2-stage hepatectomy procedure, has revolutionized the surgical management of large hepatic tumors with insufficient future liver remnant (FLR) at presentation. Although existing data support the utility of ALPPS in adults with primary and metastatic hepatobiliary malignancy, the literature in children is scarce. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing clinical applicability and safety of the modified ALPPS procedure in a small infant (54 days old) with hepatoblastoma who presented with insufficient FLR. Our report suggests the modified ALPPS could potentially expand the surgical treatment alternative for small infants with large hepatoblastoma.

Review of the fundamental theories behind small angle X-ray scattering, molecular dynamics simulations, and relevant integrated application.

PubMed

Boldon, Lauren; Laliberte, Fallon; Liu, Li

2015-01-01

In this paper, the fundamental concepts and equations necessary for performing small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and MD-SAXS analyses were reviewed. Furthermore, several key biological and non-biological applications for SAXS, MD, and MD-SAXS are presented in this review; however, this article does not cover all possible applications. SAXS is an experimental technique used for the analysis of a wide variety of biological and non-biological structures. SAXS utilizes spherical averaging to produce one- or two-dimensional intensity profiles, from which structural data may be extracted. MD simulation is a computer simulation technique that is used to model complex biological and non-biological systems at the atomic level. MD simulations apply classical Newtonian mechanics' equations of motion to perform force calculations and to predict the theoretical physical properties of the system. This review presents several applications that highlight the ability of both SAXS and MD to study protein folding and function in addition to non-biological applications, such as the study of mechanical, electrical, and structural properties of non-biological nanoparticles. Lastly, the potential benefits of combining SAXS and MD simulations for the study of both biological and non-biological systems are demonstrated through the presentation of several examples that combine the two techniques.

Recent advances of nanotechnology in medicine and engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nobile, Lucio; Nobile, Stefano

2016-05-01

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of some advances of nanotechnology in medicine and engineering, exploring typical applications of these emerging technologies. The mechanical properties of such small structures determine their utility and are therefore of considerable interest. Based on nanometer scale tests, a theoretical model to predict the bending strength of a nanobeam is proposed. A fracture approach which takes into account imperfections on the beam surface and crack growth is employed.

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Volume 4. Defense Agencies Abstracts of Phase 1 Awards 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

perturbations and nonstationary interference effects so as to reduce decoding 13 DARPA SBIR PHASE I AWARDS errors for spread spectrum communications...potential applications - Utilization of spread spectrum techniques by DoD and others is increasing because ot robusines, to interference and fading...Mirror Devices ( DMD ) illuminated by a low power laser diode or led will be considered as a source. Commercial optical software in conjunction with in

Application of Thin Film Photovoltaic CIGS Cells to Extend the Endurance of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

Sherif Michael Second Reader: James Calusdian THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704–0188...Unclassified 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT Unclassified 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU NSN 7540–01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2–89...States Military utilizes an extensive variety of UAVs, whether electric or fossil fuel propulsion. In this section, we review the distinctive sorts of

Recent advances of nanotechnology in medicine and engineering

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

Nobile, Lucio; Nobile, Stefano

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of some advances of nanotechnology in medicine and engineering, exploring typical applications of these emerging technologies. The mechanical properties of such small structures determine their utility and are therefore of considerable interest. Based on nanometer scale tests, a theoretical model to predict the bending strength of a nanobeam is proposed. A fracture approach which takes into account imperfections on the beam surface and crack growth is employed.

LABELLING OF NUCLEIC ACID WITH RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES AND THEIR APPLICATION (in Yugoslavian)

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

Becarevic, A.; Hudnik-Plevnik, T.; Glisin, V.

The DNA of the liver and spleen of rats was labeled with P/sup 32/. The specific activity obtained was high enough to be able to follow the fate of these acids after injection in irradiated and non-irradiated rats. The results show that, after injection in the rats, the labeled kids were degraded into small fragmnts, which were utilized as building blocks for the synthesis of the big molecules of the cells. (auth)

Quantitative phase microscopy via optimized inversion of the phase optical transfer function.

PubMed

Jenkins, Micah H; Gaylord, Thomas K

2015-10-01

Although the field of quantitative phase imaging (QPI) has wide-ranging biomedical applicability, many QPI methods are not well-suited for such applications due to their reliance on coherent illumination and specialized hardware. By contrast, methods utilizing partially coherent illumination have the potential to promote the widespread adoption of QPI due to their compatibility with microscopy, which is ubiquitous in the biomedical community. Described herein is a new defocus-based reconstruction method that utilizes a small number of efficiently sampled micrographs to optimally invert the partially coherent phase optical transfer function under assumptions of weak absorption and slowly varying phase. Simulation results are provided that compare the performance of this method with similar algorithms and demonstrate compatibility with large phase objects. The accuracy of the method is validated experimentally using a microlens array as a test phase object. Lastly, time-lapse images of live adherent cells are obtained with an off-the-shelf microscope, thus demonstrating the new method's potential for extending QPI capability widely in the biomedical community.

48 CFR 619.803-70 - Responsibilities of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (A/SDBU).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Responsibilities of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (A/SDBU). 619.803-70 Section 619.803-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS Contracting with the Small Business Administration...

Simple economic evaluation and applications experiments for photovoltaic systems for remote sites

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

Rios, M. Jr.

1980-01-01

A simple evaluation of the cost effectiveness of photovoltaic systems is presented. The evaluation is based on a calculation of breakeven costs of photovoltaics (PV) arrays with the levelized costs of two alternative energy sources (1) extension of the utility grid and (2) diesel generators. A selected number of PV applications experiments that are in progress in remote areas of the US are summarized. These applications experiments range from a 23 watt insect survey trap to a 100 kW PV system for a national park complex. It is concluded that PV systems for remote areas are now cost effective inmore » remote small applications with commercially available technology and will be cost competitive for intermediate scale systems (approx. 10 kW) in the 1980s if the DOE 1986 Commercial Readiness Goals are achieved.« less

Maintaining Small Business Support in Times of Increased Army National Guard Utilization An Impending Crisis

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-13

business clientele, additional costs to hire a manager or replacement workers, complete loss of family income, and in extreme situations, bankruptcy, are...USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT MAINTAINING SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT IN TIMES OF INCREASED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD UTILIZATION: AN IMPENDING CRISIS by...00-00-2005 to 00-00-2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Maintaining Small Business Support in Times of Increased Army National Guard Utilization An

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

William Morris; Dennis Fitzpatrick

This final report is issued for the "Supplemental power for the Town of Browning waste-water treatment facility" under the Field Verification Program for Small Wind Turbines Grant. The grant application was submitted on April 16, 1999 wherein the full description of this project is outlined. The project was initially designed to test the Bergy small wind turbines, 10 kW, applicability to residential and commercial applications. The objectives of the project were the following: 1. To verify the performance of the BWC Excel-S/E model wind turbine in an operational application in the fierce winds and severe weather conditions of the Classmore » V winds of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Northern Montana. 2. To open up the Blackfeet reservation and northern Montana, to government sponsored, regionally distributed wind generation programs. 3. To examine the natural partnership of wind/electric with water pumping and water purification applications whose requirements parallel the variably available nature of energy produced by wind. 4. To provide data and hands-on experience to citizens, scientists, political leaders, utility operators and Tribal planners with regard to the potential uses of small-capacity, distributed-array wind turbines on the Blackfeet Reservation and in other areas of northern Montana. This project has not been without a few, which were worked out and at the time of this report continue to be worked on with the installation of two new Trace Technologies invertors and a rebuilt one with new technology inside. For the most part when the system has worked it produced power that was used within the wastewater system as was the purpose of this project.« less

Highlighting Uncertainty and Recommendations for Improvement of Black Carbon Biomass Fuel-Based Emission Inventories in the Indo-Gangetic Plain Region.

PubMed

Soneja, Sutyajeet I; Tielsch, James M; Khatry, Subarna K; Curriero, Frank C; Breysse, Patrick N

2016-03-01

Black carbon (BC) is a major contributor to hydrological cycle change and glacial retreat within the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) and surrounding region. However, significant variability exists for estimates of BC regional concentration. Existing inventories within the IGP suffer from limited representation of rural sources, reliance on idealized point source estimates (e.g., utilization of emission factors or fuel-use estimates for cooking along with demographic information), and difficulty in distinguishing sources. Inventory development utilizes two approaches, termed top down and bottom up, which rely on various sources including transport models, emission factors, and remote sensing applications. Large discrepancies exist for BC source attribution throughout the IGP depending on the approach utilized. Cooking with biomass fuels, a major contributor to BC production has great source apportionment variability. Areas requiring attention tied to research of cookstove and biomass fuel use that have been recognized to improve emission inventory estimates include emission factors, particulate matter speciation, and better quantification of regional/economic sectors. However, limited attention has been given towards understanding ambient small-scale spatial variation of BC between cooking and non-cooking periods in low-resource environments. Understanding the indoor to outdoor relationship of BC emissions due to cooking at a local level is a top priority to improve emission inventories as many health and climate applications rely upon utilization of accurate emission inventories.

A novel way to upgrade the coarse part of a high calcium fly ash for reuse into cement systems.

PubMed

Antiohos, S K; Tsimas, S

2007-01-01

Reject fly ash (rFA) represents a significant portion of the fly ashes produced from coal-fired power plants. Due to the high carbon content and large particle mean diameter, rFA is not utilized in the construction sector (for example, as supplementary cementing material) and is currently dumped into landfills, thus representing an additional environmental burden. Recently, the feasibility of using rFA in a relatively small number of applications, like solidification/stabilization of other wastes, has been investigated by different researchers. However, as the overall amount of fly ash utilized in such applications is still limited, there is a need to investigate other possibilities for rFA utilization starting from a deeper understanding of its properties. In the work presented herein, mechanical and hydration properties of cementitious materials prepared by blending the coarse fraction of a lignite high-calcium fly ash with ordinary cement were monitored and compared with the respective ones of a good quality fly ash-cement mixture. The results of this work reveal that a relatively cheap, bilateral classification-grinding method is able to promote the pozzolanic behavior of the rFAs, so that the overall performances of rFA containing cements are drastically improved. The evaluation of these results supports the belief that appropriate utilization of non-standardized materials may lead to new environmental-friendly products of superior quality.

Small Business Awards Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-12

Department of Defense - ’ ’> INSTRUCTION SAD-A269 980 o493 04199’ J3anuary 12, 1987 NUMBIPR 13 !•.SD (A) SUBJECT: Small Business Awards Program...References: (a) DoD Directive 4205.1, "DoD Small Business and Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization Programs," June 21, 1984 (b) DoD Federal Acquisition...the Department of Defense who have made significant contribution to the Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Program. 2. Prescribes

Use of a Small Unmanned Aircraft System for Autonomous Fire Spotting at the Great Dismal Swamp

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logan, Michael J.; Glaab, Louis J.; Craig, Timothy

2016-01-01

This paper describes the results of a set of experiments and analyses conducted to evaluate the capability of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to spot nascent fires in the Great Dismal Swamp (GDS) National Wildlife Refuge. This work is the result of a partnership between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the US Fish and Wildlife service specifically to investigate sUAS usage for fire-spotting. The objectives of the current effort were to: 1) Determine suitability and utility of low-cost Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) to detect nascent fires at GDS; 2) Identify and assess the necessary National Airspace System (NAS) integration issues; and 3) Provide information to GDS and the community on system requirements and concepts-of-operation (CONOPS) for conducting fire detection/support mission in the National Airspace and (4) Identify potential applications of intelligent autonomy that would enable or benefit this high-value mission. In addition, data on the ability of various low-cost sensors to detect smoke plumes and fire hot spots was generated during the experiments as well as identifying a path towards a future practical mission utility by using sUAS in beyond visual-line-of-sight operation in the National Airspace System (NAS).

Sensor Fusion and Smart Sensor in Sports and Biomedical Applications.

PubMed

Mendes, José Jair Alves; Vieira, Mário Elias Marinho; Pires, Marcelo Bissi; Stevan, Sergio Luiz

2016-09-23

The following work presents an overview of smart sensors and sensor fusion targeted at biomedical applications and sports areas. In this work, the integration of these areas is demonstrated, promoting a reflection about techniques and applications to collect, quantify and qualify some physical variables associated with the human body. These techniques are presented in various biomedical and sports applications, which cover areas related to diagnostics, rehabilitation, physical monitoring, and the development of performance in athletes, among others. Although some applications are described in only one of two fields of study (biomedicine and sports), it is very likely that the same application fits in both, with small peculiarities or adaptations. To illustrate the contemporaneity of applications, an analysis of specialized papers published in the last six years has been made. In this context, the main characteristic of this review is to present the largest quantity of relevant examples of sensor fusion and smart sensors focusing on their utilization and proposals, without deeply addressing one specific system or technique, to the detriment of the others.

Small-diameter utilization issues and opportunities

Treesearch

John Rusty Dramm

1999-01-01

This presentation provides a thought-provoking look at options for utilizing small- diameter wood to help reduce the widespread risk of catastrophic wildfire throughout the West while providing economic recovery of timber-depressed communities and sustaining viable forest products industry. Potentially viable utilization and marketing options are explored and current...

38 CFR 74.22 - What are the procedures for cancellation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Center for Veterans Enterprise (00VE), U.S. Department... AFFAIRS (CONTINUED) VETERANS SMALL BUSINESS REGULATIONS Oversight Guidelines § 74.22 What are the... appeal with the Executive Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Center for...

Free energy of RNA-counterion interactions in a tight-binding model computed by a discrete space mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henke, Paul S.; Mak, Chi H.

2014-08-01

The thermodynamic stability of a folded RNA is intricately tied to the counterions and the free energy of this interaction must be accounted for in any realistic RNA simulations. Extending a tight-binding model published previously, in this paper we investigate the fundamental structure of charges arising from the interaction between small functional RNA molecules and divalent ions such as Mg2+ that are especially conducive to stabilizing folded conformations. The characteristic nature of these charges is utilized to construct a discretely connected energy landscape that is then traversed via a novel application of a deterministic graph search technique. This search method can be incorporated into larger simulations of small RNA molecules and provides a fast and accurate way to calculate the free energy arising from the interactions between an RNA and divalent counterions. The utility of this algorithm is demonstrated within a fully atomistic Monte Carlo simulation of the P4-P6 domain of the Tetrahymena group I intron, in which it is shown that the counterion-mediated free energy conclusively directs folding into a compact structure.

The function of small RNAs in plant biotic stress response.

PubMed

Huang, Juan; Yang, Meiling; Zhang, Xiaoming

2016-04-01

Small RNAs (sRNAs) play essential roles in plants upon biotic stress. Plants utilize RNA silencing machinery to facilitate pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity to defend against pathogen attack or to facilitate defense against insect herbivores. Pathogens, on the other hand, are also able to generate effectors and sRNAs to counter the host immune response. The arms race between plants and pathogens/insect herbivores has triggered the evolution of sRNAs, RNA silencing machinery and pathogen effectors. A great number of studies have been performed to investigate the roles of sRNAs in plant defense, bringing in the opportunity to utilize sRNAs in plant protection. Transgenic plants with pathogen-derived resistance ability or transgenerational defense have been generated, which show promising potential as solutions for pathogen/insect herbivore problems in the field. Here we summarize the recent progress on the function of sRNAs in response to biotic stress, mainly in plant-pathogen/insect herbivore interaction, and the application of sRNAs in disease and insect herbivore control. © 2016 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Free energy of RNA-counterion interactions in a tight-binding model computed by a discrete space mapping.

PubMed

Henke, Paul S; Mak, Chi H

2014-08-14

The thermodynamic stability of a folded RNA is intricately tied to the counterions and the free energy of this interaction must be accounted for in any realistic RNA simulations. Extending a tight-binding model published previously, in this paper we investigate the fundamental structure of charges arising from the interaction between small functional RNA molecules and divalent ions such as Mg(2+) that are especially conducive to stabilizing folded conformations. The characteristic nature of these charges is utilized to construct a discretely connected energy landscape that is then traversed via a novel application of a deterministic graph search technique. This search method can be incorporated into larger simulations of small RNA molecules and provides a fast and accurate way to calculate the free energy arising from the interactions between an RNA and divalent counterions. The utility of this algorithm is demonstrated within a fully atomistic Monte Carlo simulation of the P4-P6 domain of the Tetrahymena group I intron, in which it is shown that the counterion-mediated free energy conclusively directs folding into a compact structure.

Improving surface and defect center chemistry of fluorescent nanodiamonds for imaging purposes--a review.

PubMed

Nagl, Andreas; Hemelaar, Simon Robert; Schirhagl, Romana

2015-10-01

Diamonds are widely used for jewelry owing to their superior optical properties accounting for their fascinating beauty. Beyond the sparkle, diamond is highly investigated in materials science for its remarkable properties. Recently, fluorescent defects in diamond, particularly the negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV(-)) center, have gained much attention: The NV(-) center emits stable, nonbleaching fluorescence, and thus could be utilized in biolabeling, as a light source, or as a Förster resonance energy transfer donor. Even more remarkable are its spin properties: with the fluorescence intensity of the NV(-) center reacting to the presence of small magnetic fields, it can be utilized as a sensor for magnetic fields as small as the field of a single electron spin. However, a reproducible defect and surface and defect chemistry are crucial to all applications. In this article we review methods for using nanodiamonds for different imaging purposes. The article covers (1) dispersion of particles, (2) surface cleaning, (3) particle size selection and reduction, (4) defect properties, and (5) functionalization and attachment to nanostructures, e.g., scanning probe microscopy tips.

Nuclear Thermal Rocket Simulation in NPSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belair, Michael L.; Sarmiento, Charles J.; Lavelle, Thomas M.

2013-01-01

Four nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) models have been created in the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) framework. The models are divided into two categories. One set is based upon the ZrC-graphite composite fuel element and tie tube-style reactor developed during the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) project in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The other reactor set is based upon a W-UO2 ceramic-metallic (CERMET) fuel element. Within each category, a small and a large thrust engine are modeled. The small engine models utilize RL-10 turbomachinery performance maps and have a thrust of approximately 33.4 kN (7,500 lbf ). The large engine models utilize scaled RL-60 turbomachinery performance maps and have a thrust of approximately 111.2 kN (25,000 lbf ). Power deposition profiles for each reactor were obtained from a detailed Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP5) model of the reactor cores. Performance factors such as thermodynamic state points, thrust, specific impulse, reactor power level, and maximum fuel temperature are analyzed for each engine design.

Nuclear Thermal Rocket Simulation in NPSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belair, Michael L.; Sarmiento, Charles J.; Lavelle, Thomas L.

2013-01-01

Four nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) models have been created in the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) framework. The models are divided into two categories. One set is based upon the ZrC-graphite composite fuel element and tie tube-style reactor developed during the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) project in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The other reactor set is based upon a W-UO2 ceramic- metallic (CERMET) fuel element. Within each category, a small and a large thrust engine are modeled. The small engine models utilize RL-10 turbomachinery performance maps and have a thrust of approximately 33.4 kN (7,500 lbf ). The large engine models utilize scaled RL-60 turbomachinery performance maps and have a thrust of approximately 111.2 kN (25,000 lbf ). Power deposition profiles for each reactor were obtained from a detailed Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP5) model of the reactor cores. Performance factors such as thermodynamic state points, thrust, specific impulse, reactor power level, and maximum fuel temperature are analyzed for each engine design.

The worldwide market for photovoltaics in the rural sector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brainard, W. A.

1982-01-01

The worldwide market for stand-alone photovoltaic power systems in three specific segments of the rural sector were determined. The worldwide market for photovoltaic power systems for village power, cottage industry, and agricultural applications were addressed. The objectives of these studies were to: The market potential for small stand-alone photovoltaic power system in specific application areas was assessed. Technical, social and institutional barriers to PV utilization were identified. Funding sources available to potential users was also identified and marketing strategies appropriate for each sector were recommended to PV product manufacturers. The studies were prepared on the basis of data gathered from domestic sources and from field trips to representative countries. Both country-specific and sector-specific results are discussed, and broadly applicable barriers pertinent to international marketing of PV products are presented.

An overview of integrated flywheel technology for aerospace application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keckler, C. R.; Groom, N. J.

1985-01-01

Space missions ranging from small scientific satellites to large manned spacecraft have, for many years, utilized systems of spinning flywheels to maintain vehicle attitude. These systems have included momentum and reaction wheels as well as control moment gyros. Extension of that technology to satisfy the additional tasks associated with energy storage has also been pursued. The combining of control and energy storage features into one system has been examined by NASA for space applications and demonstrated in the laboratory. The impact of technology advances in such areas as composite material rotors, magnetic suspensions, motor/generators, and electronics have prompted a re-evaluation of the viability of the flywheel storage system concept for aerospace applications. This paper summarizes the results of this re-examination and identifies shortfalls in the various technology areas.

DOD Small and Disadvantaged Business Subcontracting Reporting System

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-06

referred to as "other Defense Agencies"). b. Applies to the Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SADBU) offices:; of the DloD Components. C...Forward one copy of implementing documents to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Office) within 120 days

Engineering Stem Cells for Biomedical Applications.

PubMed

Yin, Perry T; Han, Edward; Lee, Ki-Bum

2016-01-07

Stem cells are characterized by a number of useful properties, including their ability to migrate, differentiate, and secrete a variety of therapeutic molecules such as immunomodulatory factors. As such, numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have utilized stem cell-based therapies and demonstrated their tremendous potential for the treatment of various human diseases and disorders. Recently, efforts have focused on engineering stem cells in order to further enhance their innate abilities as well as to confer them with new functionalities, which can then be used in various biomedical applications. These engineered stem cells can take on a number of forms. For instance, engineered stem cells encompass the genetic modification of stem cells as well as the use of stem cells for gene delivery, nanoparticle loading and delivery, and even small molecule drug delivery. The present Review gives an in-depth account of the current status of engineered stem cells, including potential cell sources, the most common methods used to engineer stem cells, and the utilization of engineered stem cells in various biomedical applications, with a particular focus on tissue regeneration, the treatment of immunodeficiency diseases, and cancer. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Solar Electricity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

ARCO Solar manufactures PV Systems tailored to a broad variety of applications. PV arrays are routinely used at remote communications installations to operate large microwave repeaters, TV and radio repeaters rural telephone, and small telemetry systems that monitor environmental conditions. Also used to power agricultural water pumping systems, to provide electricity for isolated villages and medical clinics, for corrosion protection for pipelines and bridges, to power railroad signals, air/sea navigational aids, and for many types of military systems. ARCO is now moving into large scale generation for utilities.

Towards 5G: A Photonic Based Millimeter Wave Signal Generation for Applying in 5G Access Fronthaul.

PubMed

Alavi, S E; Soltanian, M R K; Amiri, I S; Khalily, M; Supa'at, A S M; Ahmad, H

2016-01-27

5G communications require a multi Gb/s data transmission in its small cells. For this purpose millimeter wave (mm-wave) RF signals are the best solutions to be utilized for high speed data transmission. Generation of these high frequency RF signals is challenging in electrical domain therefore photonic generation of these signals is more studied. In this work, a photonic based simple and robust method for generating millimeter waves applicable in 5G access fronthaul is presented. Besides generating of the mm-wave signal in the 60 GHz frequency band the radio over fiber (RoF) system for transmission of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with 5 GHz bandwidth is presented. For the purpose of wireless transmission for 5G application the required antenna is designed and developed. The total system performance in one small cell was studied and the error vector magnitude (EVM) of the system was evaluated.

Towards 5G: A Photonic Based Millimeter Wave Signal Generation for Applying in 5G Access Fronthaul

PubMed Central

Alavi, S. E.; Soltanian, M. R. K.; Amiri, I. S.; Khalily, M.; Supa’at, A. S. M.; Ahmad, H.

2016-01-01

5G communications require a multi Gb/s data transmission in its small cells. For this purpose millimeter wave (mm-wave) RF signals are the best solutions to be utilized for high speed data transmission. Generation of these high frequency RF signals is challenging in electrical domain therefore photonic generation of these signals is more studied. In this work, a photonic based simple and robust method for generating millimeter waves applicable in 5G access fronthaul is presented. Besides generating of the mm-wave signal in the 60 GHz frequency band the radio over fiber (RoF) system for transmission of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with 5 GHz bandwidth is presented. For the purpose of wireless transmission for 5G application the required antenna is designed and developed. The total system performance in one small cell was studied and the error vector magnitude (EVM) of the system was evaluated. PMID:26814621

Towards 5G: A Photonic Based Millimeter Wave Signal Generation for Applying in 5G Access Fronthaul

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alavi, S. E.; Soltanian, M. R. K.; Amiri, I. S.; Khalily, M.; Supa'At, A. S. M.; Ahmad, H.

2016-01-01

5G communications require a multi Gb/s data transmission in its small cells. For this purpose millimeter wave (mm-wave) RF signals are the best solutions to be utilized for high speed data transmission. Generation of these high frequency RF signals is challenging in electrical domain therefore photonic generation of these signals is more studied. In this work, a photonic based simple and robust method for generating millimeter waves applicable in 5G access fronthaul is presented. Besides generating of the mm-wave signal in the 60 GHz frequency band the radio over fiber (RoF) system for transmission of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with 5 GHz bandwidth is presented. For the purpose of wireless transmission for 5G application the required antenna is designed and developed. The total system performance in one small cell was studied and the error vector magnitude (EVM) of the system was evaluated.

Thin-film piezoelectric-on-silicon resonators for high-frequency reference oscillator applications.

PubMed

Abdolvand, Reza; Lavasani, Hossein M; Ho, Gavin K; Ayazi, Farrokh

2008-12-01

This paper studies the application of lateral bulk acoustic thin-film piezoelectric-on-substrate (TPoS) resonators in high-frequency reference oscillators. Low-motional-impedance TPoS resonators are designed and fabricated in 2 classes--high-order and coupled-array. Devices of each class are used to assemble reference oscillators and the performance characteristics of the oscillators are measured and discussed. Since the motional impedance of these devices is small, the transimpedance amplifier (TIA) in the oscillator loop can be reduced to a single transistor and 3 resistors, a format that is very power-efficient. The lowest reported power consumption is approximately 350 microW for an oscillator operating at approximately 106 MHz. A passive temperature compensation method is also utilized by including the buried oxide layer of the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate in the structural resonant body of the device, and a very small (-2.4 ppm/ degrees C) temperature coefficient of frequency is obtained for an 82-MHz oscillator.

48 CFR 42.1503 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... initiatives to assist, promote, and utilize small business (SB), small disadvantaged business (SDB), women... initiatives to assist, promote and utilize SB, SDB, WOSB, HUBZone, VOSB, and SDVOSB. Complied with FAR 52.219...

48 CFR 719.271-2 - The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). 719.271-2 Section 719.271-2 Federal Acquisition... Policies 719.271-2 The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). (a) SDB is... business enterprises) program. (b) SDB, headed by the Director SDB, who also serves as the Minority...

48 CFR 719.271-2 - The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). 719.271-2 Section 719.271-2 Federal Acquisition... Policies 719.271-2 The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). (a) SDB is... business enterprises) program. (b) SDB, headed by the Director SDB, who also serves as the Minority...

48 CFR 719.271-2 - The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). 719.271-2 Section 719.271-2 Federal Acquisition... Policies 719.271-2 The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). (a) SDB is... business enterprises) program. (b) SDB, headed by the Director SDB, who also serves as the Minority...

48 CFR 719.271-2 - The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). 719.271-2 Section 719.271-2 Federal Acquisition... Policies 719.271-2 The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). (a) SDB is... business enterprises) program. (b) SDB, headed by the Director SDB, who also serves as the Minority...

48 CFR 719.271-2 - The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). 719.271-2 Section 719.271-2 Federal Acquisition... Policies 719.271-2 The USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (SDB). (a) SDB is... business enterprises) program. (b) SDB, headed by the Director SDB, who also serves as the Minority...

Intracellular applications of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy: prospects for neuroscience.

PubMed

Kim, Sally A; Schwille, Petra

2003-10-01

Based on time-averaging fluctuation analysis of small fluorescent molecular ensembles in equilibrium, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy has recently been applied to investigate processes in the intracellular milieu. The exquisite sensitivity of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy provides access to a multitude of measurement parameters (rates of diffusion, local concentration, states of aggregation and molecular interactions) in real time with fast temporal and high spatial resolution. The introduction of dual-color cross-correlation, imaging, two-photon excitation, and coincidence analysis coupled with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy has expanded the utility of the technique to encompass a wide range of promising applications in living cells that may provide unprecedented insight into understanding the molecular mechanisms of intracellular neurobiological processes.

TH-EF-204-00: AAPM-AMPR (Russia)-SEFM (Spain) Joint Course On Challenges and Advantages of Small Field Radiation Treatment Techniques

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

NONE

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

TH-EF-204-02: Small Field Radiation Therapy: Physics and Recent Recommendations From IAEA and ICRU

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

Seuntjens, J.

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

TH-EF-204-03: Determination of Small Field Output Factors, Advantages and Limitations of Monte Carlo Simulation

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

Vaque, J. Puxeu

2016-06-15

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

Integration of Wind Energy Systems into Power Engineering Education Program at UW-Madison

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

Venkataramanan, Giri; Lesieutre, Bernard; Jahns, Thomas

This project has developed an integrated curriculum focused on the power engineering aspects of wind energy systems that builds upon a well-established graduate educational program at UW- Madison. Five new courses have been developed and delivered to students. Some of the courses have been offered on multiple occasions. The courses include: Control of electric drives for Wind Power applications, Utility Applications of Power Electronics (Wind Power), Practicum in Small Wind Turbines, Utility Integration of Wind Power, and Wind and Weather for Scientists and Engineers. Utility Applications of Power Electronics (Wind Power) has been provided for distance education as well asmore » on-campus education. Several industrial internships for students have been organized. Numerous campus seminars that provide discussion on emerging issues related to wind power development have been delivered in conjunction with other campus events. Annual student conferences have been initiated, that extend beyond wind power to include sustainable energy topics to draw a large group of stakeholders. Energy policy electives for engineering students have been identified for students to participate through a certificate program. Wind turbines build by students have been installed at a UW-Madison facility, as a test-bed. A Master of Engineering program in Sustainable Systems Engineering has been initiated that incorporates specializations that include in wind energy curricula. The project has enabled UW-Madison to establish leadership at graduate level higher education in the field of wind power integration with the electric grid.« less

Force sensitive carbon nanotube arrays for biologically inspired airflow sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maschmann, Matthew R.; Dickinson, Ben; Ehlert, Gregory J.; Baur, Jeffery W.

2012-09-01

The compressive electromechanical response of aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays is evaluated for use as an artificial hair sensor (AHS) transduction element. CNT arrays with heights of 12, 75, and 225 µm are examined. The quasi-static and dynamic sensitivity to force, response time, and signal drift are examined within the range of applied stresses predicted by a mechanical model applicable to the conceptual CNT array-based AHS (0-1 kPa). Each array is highly sensitive to compressive loading, with a maximum observed gauge factor of 114. The arrays demonstrate a repeatable response to dynamic cycling after a break-in period of approximately 50 cycles. Utilizing a four-wire measurement electrode configuration, the change in contact resistance between the array and the electrodes is observed to dominate the electromechanical response of the arrays. The response time of the CNT arrays is of the order of 10 ms. When the arrays are subjected to constant stress, mechanical creep is observed that results in a signal drift that generally diminishes the responsiveness of the arrays, particularly at stress approaching 1 kPa. The results of this study serve as a preliminary proof of concept for utilizing CNT arrays as a transduction mechanism for a proposed artificial hair sensor. Such a low profile and light-weight flow sensor is expected to have application in a number of applications including navigation and state awareness of small air vehicles, similar in function to natural hair cell receptors utilized by insects and bats.

Assessment of Peruvian biofuel resources and alternatives

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

Harper, J.P.; Smith, W.; Mariani, E.

1979-08-01

Comprehensive assessment of the biofuel potential of Peru is based on: determination of current biofuel utilization practices, evauation of Peruvian biomass productivity, identification of Peruvian agricultural and forestry resources, assessment of resource development and management concerns, identification of market considerations, description of biofuel technological options, and identification of regional biofuel technology applications. Discussion of current biofuel utilization centers on a qualitative description of the main conversion approaches currently being practiced in Peru. Biomass productivity evaluations consider the terrain and soil, and climatic conditions found in Peru. The potential energy from Peruvian agricultural and forestry resources is described quantitatively. Potental regionalmore » production of agricultural residues and forest resources that could supply energy are identified. Assessment of resource development and management concerns focuses on harvesting, reforestation, training, and environmental consequences of utilization of forest resources. Market factors assessed include: importation, internal market development, external market development, energy policy and pricing, and transportation. Nine biofuel technology options for Peru are identified: (1) small-to-medium-scale gasification, (2) a wood waste inventory, (3) stationary and mobile charcoal production systems, (4) wood distillation, (5) forest resource development and management, (6) electrical cogeneration, (7) anaerobic digestion technology, (8) development of ethanol production capabilities, and (9) agricultural strategies for fuel production. Applications of these biofuel options are identified for each of the three major regions - nine applications for the Costa Region, eight for the Sierra Region, and ten for the Selva Region.« less

Design and Development of Non-Contact Bio-Potential Electrodes for Pervasive Health Monitoring Applications.

PubMed

Portelli, Anthony J; Nasuto, Slawomir J

2017-01-01

For the advent of pervasive bio-potential monitoring, it will be necessary to utilize a combination of cheap, quick to apply, low-noise electrodes and compact electronics with wireless technologies. Once available, all electrical activity resulting from the processes of the human body could be actively and constantly monitored without the need for cumbersome application and maintenance. This could significantly improve the early diagnosis of a range of different conditions in high-risk individuals, opening the possibility for new treatments and interventions as conditions develop. This paper presents the design and implementation of compact, non-contact capacitive bio-potential electrodes utilising a low impedance current-to-voltage configuration and a bootstrapped voltage follower, demonstrating results applicable to research applications for capacitive electrocardiography and capacitive electromyography. The presented electrodes use few components, have a small surface area and are capable of acquiring a range of bio-potential signals.

Design and Development of Non-Contact Bio-Potential Electrodes for Pervasive Health Monitoring Applications

PubMed Central

Portelli, Anthony J.; Nasuto, Slawomir J.

2017-01-01

For the advent of pervasive bio-potential monitoring, it will be necessary to utilize a combination of cheap, quick to apply, low-noise electrodes and compact electronics with wireless technologies. Once available, all electrical activity resulting from the processes of the human body could be actively and constantly monitored without the need for cumbersome application and maintenance. This could significantly improve the early diagnosis of a range of different conditions in high-risk individuals, opening the possibility for new treatments and interventions as conditions develop. This paper presents the design and implementation of compact, non-contact capacitive bio-potential electrodes utilising a low impedance current-to-voltage configuration and a bootstrapped voltage follower, demonstrating results applicable to research applications for capacitive electrocardiography and capacitive electromyography. The presented electrodes use few components, have a small surface area and are capable of acquiring a range of bio-potential signals. PMID:28045439

``New'' energy states lead to phonon-less optoelectronic properties in nanostructured silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Vivek; Yu, Yixuan; Korgel, Brian; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-03-01

Silicon is arguably one of the most important technological material for electronic applications. However, indirect bandgap of silicon semiconductor has prevented optoelectronic applications due to phonon assistance required for photon light absorption/emission. Here we show, that previously unexplored surface states in nanostructured silicon can couple with quantum-confined energy levels, leading to phonon-less exciton-recombination and photoluminescence. We demonstrate size dependence (2.4 - 8.3 nm) of this coupling observed in small uniform silicon nanocrystallites, or quantum-dots, by direct measurements of their electronic density of states and low temperature measurements. To enhance the optical absorption of the these silicon quantum-dots, we utilize generation of resonant surface plasmon polariton waves, which leads to several fold increase in observed spectrally-resolved photocurrent near the quantum-confined bandedge states. Therefore, these enhanced light emission and absorption enhancement can have important implications for applications of nanostructured silicon for optoelectronic applications in photovoltaics and LEDs.

Symbiosis of sea anemones and hermit crabs: different resource utilization patterns in the Aegean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vafeiadou, Anna-Maria; Antoniadou, Chryssanthi; Chintiroglou, Chariton

2012-09-01

The small-scale distribution and resource utilization patterns of hermit crabs living in symbiosis with sea anemones were investigated in the Aegean Sea. Four hermit crab species, occupying shells of nine gastropod species, were found in symbiosis with the sea anemone Calliactis parasitica. Shell resource utilization patterns varied among hermit crabs, with Dardanus species utilizing a wide variety of shells. The size structure of hermit crab populations also affected shell resource utilization, with small-sized individuals inhabiting a larger variety of shells. Sea anemone utilization patterns varied both among hermit crab species and among residence shells, with larger crabs and shells hosting an increased abundance and biomass of C. parasitica. The examined biometric relationships suggested that small-sized crabs carry, proportionally to their weight, heavier shells and increased anemone biomass than larger ones. Exceptions to the above patterns are related either to local resource availability or to other environmental factors.

Solar thermal power plants in small utilities - An economic impact analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bluhm, S. A.; Ferber, R. R.; Mayo, L. G.

1979-01-01

A study was performed to assess the potential economic impact of small solar thermal electric power systems in statistically representative synthetic small utilities of the Southwestern United States. Power supply expansion plans were compared on the basis of present worth of future revenue requirements for 1980-2000 with and without solar thermal plants. Coal-fired and oil-fired municipal utility expansion plans with 5 percent solar penetration were 0.5 percent and 2.25 percent less expensive, respectively, than the corresponding conventional plan. At $969/kWe, which assumes the same low cost solar equipment but no improvement in site development costs, solar penetration of 5 percent in the oil-fired municipal reduced revenue requirements 0.88 percent. The paper concludes that some solar thermal plants are potentially economic in small community utilities of the Southwest.

SOLID-STATE DOSIMETERS BASED ON OPTICAL THEORY (in Hungarian)

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

Patko, J.

1962-01-01

A comparison is made of applications of various dosimeters based on solid materials, and their comparative merits are described. Characteristics of the following types of dosimeters effective at various radiation intensities are discussed: condensation chambers for measurements over the range 10/sup -4/-10/ sup 2/ rad, film dosimeters 10/sup -1/-10/sup 5/ rad, thermoluminescent types 10/ sup -3/ - 10/sup 4/ rad, photoluminescent dosimeters 10/sup 1/-- 10/sup 4/ rad, crystal types 10/sup 1/- 10/sup 4/ rad, glass dosimeters 10/sup 3/- 10/sup 7/ rad, synthetic material types 10/sup 5/- 10/sup 9/ rad, and luminescent degradation dosimeters 10/sup 5/-10/sup 8/ rad. Special attention ismore » given to the thermoluminescent dosimeter, which utilizes Mn-activated Ca phosphate. This dosimeter utilizes a glass ampulla instead of a glass vacuum tube and polarography is used to determine the luminescence curve. Simple evaluation equipment is being developed to be used with this dosimeter. Such thermoluminescent dosimeters are generally small in size. Its high sensitivity makes it applicable to low intensity radiation aad after calibration it can again be utilized. Manganese-activated Ca phosphate dosimeters do not show any fading of response in the first hour after use. Use of solid dosimeters, for high- energy measurements« less

An Examination of the Utilization of Electronic Government Services by Minority Small Businesses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Wendy G.

2010-01-01

There are a wide variety of e-government information and services that small business owners and managers can utilize. However, in spite of all of the service incentives and initiatives to promote e-government, research studies have shown that this information is not widely accessed. Studies that explore the utilization of e-government information…

Review of the fundamental theories behind small angle X-ray scattering, molecular dynamics simulations, and relevant integrated application

PubMed Central

Boldon, Lauren; Laliberte, Fallon; Liu, Li

2015-01-01

In this paper, the fundamental concepts and equations necessary for performing small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and MD-SAXS analyses were reviewed. Furthermore, several key biological and non-biological applications for SAXS, MD, and MD-SAXS are presented in this review; however, this article does not cover all possible applications. SAXS is an experimental technique used for the analysis of a wide variety of biological and non-biological structures. SAXS utilizes spherical averaging to produce one- or two-dimensional intensity profiles, from which structural data may be extracted. MD simulation is a computer simulation technique that is used to model complex biological and non-biological systems at the atomic level. MD simulations apply classical Newtonian mechanics’ equations of motion to perform force calculations and to predict the theoretical physical properties of the system. This review presents several applications that highlight the ability of both SAXS and MD to study protein folding and function in addition to non-biological applications, such as the study of mechanical, electrical, and structural properties of non-biological nanoparticles. Lastly, the potential benefits of combining SAXS and MD simulations for the study of both biological and non-biological systems are demonstrated through the presentation of several examples that combine the two techniques. PMID:25721341

TH-EF-204-04: Experience of IMRT and Other Conformal Techniques in Russia

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

Krylova, T.

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

TH-EF-204-06: Closing

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

Borras, C.

2016-06-15

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

TH-EF-204-01: Introduction

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

Cygler, J.

2016-06-15

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

Materials for low temperature SOFCs.

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

Krumpelt, M.; Ralph, J.; Cruse, T.

2002-08-02

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are one of the potentially most efficient and clean energy conversion technologies for electric utility applications. Laboratory cells have shown extraordinary durability, and actual utility-scale prototypes have worked very well. The main obstacle to commercialization has been the relatively high manufacturing cost. To reduce these costs, efforts have been underway for several years to adapt manufacturing technology from the semiconductor industry to the SOFCs; however, tape casting, screen printing and similar methods are more applicable to planar configurations than to the more proven tubular ones. In planar cells the bipolar plate and edge seals becomemore » more critical elements, and material selection may have repercussions for the other fuel cell components. Ferritic stainless steel bipolar plates may be a good choice for reducing the cost of the stacks, but ferritic steels oxidize rapidly at temperatures above 800 C. Inexorably, one is led to the conclusion that anodes, cathodes and electrolytes operating below 800 C need to be found. Another motivation for developing planar SOFCs operating at reduced temperature is the prospect of new non-utility applications. The U.S. Department of Energy has initiated the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) program for developing small modular stacks ranging in capacity from 5 to 10 kW{sup (1)}. This size range meets the power requirements of auxiliary power units for heavy and perhaps even light-duty vehicles, and also for remote stationary applications. In terms of electric capacity, the distributed electric utility market may well exceed the potential market for APUs, but the number of units produced could be higher for the latter, yielding cost benefits related to mass production. On the other hand, the fuel for use in transportation or remote stationary applications will consist of gasoline, diesel or propane, which contain higher sulfur levels than natural gas. Anodes with some resistance to sulfur poisoning would be desirable. Also, during the more frequent shutdowns and startups in these applications, the anodes may get exposed to air. Typical nickel-based SOFC anodes may not tolerate air exposure very well and may need to be modified. Argonne National Laboratory is engaged in developing new materials options for SECA applications, as discussed here.« less

[Clinical application evaluation of Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Diseases of Pediatrics in Traditional Chinese Medicine].

PubMed

Liu, Meng-Yu; Yang, Wei; Wang, Li-Ying; Zhao, Xue-Yao; Wang, Yue-Xi; Liu, Yu-Qi; Han, Xue-Jie; Lv, Ai-Ping

2017-09-01

Clinical application evaluation research of Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Diseases of Pediatrics in Traditional Chinese Medicine intends to evaluate the quality level and clinical application of the guideline. A questionnaire and prospective case survey methods were used to evaluate the applicability evaluation based on the clinician questionnaire and the application evaluation based on clinical case observation. The applicability evaluation, familiarity and utilization rate of doctors' guidelines were 85.06%, 62.76%; Sort by technical grade, intermediate grade doctors have a higher familiarity rate and utilization rate, while the junior grade doctor's is lower; Guide quality level of applicability evaluation, other items' rational percentage are better than 96% except the items of health preserving and prevention and other treatment is relatively low; Items' applicable percentage of applicability evaluation are more than 91% except the item of guide simplicity. Comprehensive applicability evaluation, The percentage of the guideline applicable to clinical practice accounted for 94.94%. The consistency rate of syndrome differentiation and clinical application is more than 96% in addition to prescription medication, other treatments and health preserving and prevention of the guidelines apply consistency of application evaluation. The percentage of good treatment effect accounted for 92.96% of application effect evaluation. The safety percentage is 99.89% and economy is 97.45%. The research shows that of Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Diseases of Pediatrics in Traditional Chinese Medicine quality level is good and is basically applicable to pediatric clinical practice which can be used as a standardized recommendation of pediatric common diseases' treatment specification. A small part of the guidelines are not applicable and need to be further consummated. Health preserving and prevention and other treatment of the guideline need to be revised. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Personalized use of ICT--from telemonitoring to ambient assisted living.

PubMed

Norgall, Thomas; Wichert, Reiner

2013-01-01

Individual availability of information and communications technology (ICT) has enabled "Personal Health" applications like the continuous ubiquitous telemonitoring of vital signs. The concept of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) goes beyond health and care applications utilizing home automation technology for supporting individuals with specific needs, particularly enabling elderly to live in their accustomed home as long as possible. These users usually suffer from more than one disease and need compensation of several impairments. Most current AAL projects and products however provide insulated solutions addressing only a small selection of these user needs. For comprehensive dynamic system adaptation to changing user needs an open platform supporting interoperable components is required. While the industry-driven Continua Health Alliance developed a corresponding Personal Health ecosystem, the ongoing European project universAAL aims at a universal platform for both AAL and Personal Health applications.

A microfluidic tubing method and its application for controlled synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles.

PubMed

Wang, Jidong; Chen, Wenwen; Sun, Jiashu; Liu, Chao; Yin, Qifang; Zhang, Lu; Xianyu, Yunlei; Shi, Xinghua; Hu, Guoqing; Jiang, Xingyu

2014-05-21

This report describes a straightforward but robust tubing method for connecting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices to external equipment. The interconnection is irreversible and can sustain a pressure of up to 4.5 MPa that is characterized experimentally and theoretically. To demonstrate applications of this high-pressure tubing technique, we fabricate a semicircular microfluidic channel to implement a high-throughput, size-controlled synthesis of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles ranging from 55 to 135 nm in diameter. This microfluidic device allows for a total flow rate of 410 mL h(-1), resulting in enhanced convective mixing which can be utilized to precipitate small size nanoparticles with a good dispersion. We expect that this tubing technique would be widely used in microfluidic chips for nanoparticle synthesis, cell manipulation, and potentially nanofluidic applications.

Voxel Advanced Digital-Manufacturing for Earth and Regolith in Space Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeitlin, Nancy; Mueller, Robert P.

2015-01-01

A voxel is a discrete three-dimensional (3D) element of material that is used to construct a larger 3D object. It is the 3D equivalent of a pixel. This project will conceptualize and study various approaches in order to develop a proof of concept 3D printing device that utilizes regolith as the material of the voxels. The goal is to develop a digital printer head capable of placing discrete self-aligning voxels in additive layers in order to fabricate small parts that can be given structural integrity through a post-printing sintering or other binding process. The quicker speeds possible with the voxel 3D printing approach along with the utilization of regolith material as the substrate will advance the use of this technology to applications for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), which is key to reducing logistics from Earth to Space, thus making long-duration human exploration missions to other celestial bodies more possible.

Viruslike Nanoparticles with Maghemite Cores Allow for Enhanced MRI Contrast Agents

DOE PAGES

Malyutin, Andrey G.; Easterday, Rosemary; Lozovyy, Yaroslav; ...

2014-12-15

Here, for the first time, we demonstrate formation of virus-like nanoparticles (VNPs) utilizing gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles as cores and capsidprotein of brome mosaic virus (BMV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) as shells. Further, utilizing cryo-electron microscopy and single particle methods, we are able to show that the BMV coat on VNPs assembles into a structure very close to that of a native virion. This is a consequence of an optimal iron oxide NP size (~11 nm) fitting the virus cavity and an ultrathin gold layer on the maghemite cores, which allows for utilization of SH-(CH 2) 11-(CH 2-CH 2-O)more » 4-OCH 2-COOH as capping molecules to provide sufficient stability, charge density, and small form factor. MRI studies show unique relaxivity ratios that diminish only slightly with gold coating. In conclusion, a virus protein coating of a magnetic core mimicking the wild-type virus makes these VNPs a versatile platform for biomedical applications.« less

The application of real-time model update by oblique ionospheric sounders to frequency sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uffelman, D. R.; Harnish, L. O.; Goodman, J. M.

1983-03-01

Frequency management systems for the high frequencies (HF) currently in use by the US Department of Defense (DoD) rely heavily on manual selection of frequencies which were allocated on a circuit by circuit basis. There is no capability to anticipate frequency changes (QSY's) in advance in a manner such that a frequency being released by one user is utilized effectively and immediately by a second user. A scheme by which a small computer model of the maximum usage frequency (MUF) of the HF channel (MINIMUF 3.5) is made to perform very accurately to anticipate channel characteristics in a short term prediction mode was examined. It is proposed that this model be utilized to provide automated frequency management which would allow one to anticipate frequency availability and thereby sharing of frequencies between several users. Utilizing data obtained from an oblique sounder net on the East Coast of the United States, the manner in which this might be accomplished is demonstrated.

A systematic approach to prioritize drug targets using machine learning, a molecular descriptor-based classification model, and high-throughput screening of plant derived molecules: a case study in oral cancer.

PubMed

Randhawa, Vinay; Kumar Singh, Anil; Acharya, Vishal

2015-12-01

Systems-biology inspired identification of drug targets and machine learning-based screening of small molecules which modulate their activity have the potential to revolutionize modern drug discovery by complementing conventional methods. To utilize the effectiveness of such pipelines, we first analyzed the dysregulated gene pairs between control and tumor samples and then implemented an ensemble-based feature selection approach to prioritize targets in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) for therapeutic exploration. Based on the structural information of known inhibitors of CXCR4-one of the best targets identified in this study-a feature selection was implemented for the identification of optimal structural features (molecular descriptor) based on which a classification model was generated. Furthermore, the CXCR4-centered descriptor-based classification model was finally utilized to screen a repository of plant derived small-molecules to obtain potential inhibitors. The application of our methodology may assist effective selection of the best targets which may have previously been overlooked, that in turn will lead to the development of new oral cancer medications. The small molecules identified in this study can be ideal candidates for trials as potential novel anti-oral cancer agents. Importantly, distinct steps of this whole study may provide reference for the analysis of other complex human diseases.

Size-Based Separation of Particles and Cells Utilizing Viscoelastic Effects in Straight Microchannels.

PubMed

Liu, Chao; Xue, Chundong; Chen, Xiaodong; Shan, Lei; Tian, Yu; Hu, Guoqing

2015-06-16

Viscoelasticity-induced particle migration has recently received increasing attention due to its ability to obtain high-quality focusing over a wide range of flow rates. However, its application is limited to low throughput regime since the particles can defocus as flow rate increases. Using an engineered carrier medium with constant and low viscosity and strong elasticity, the sample flow rates are improved to be 1 order of magnitude higher than those in existing studies. Utilizing differential focusing of particles of different sizes, here, we present sheathless particle/cell separation in simple straight microchannels that possess excellent parallelizability for further throughput enhancement. The present method can be implemented over a wide range of particle/cell sizes and flow rates. We successfully separate small particles from larger particles, MCF-7 cells from red blood cells (RBCs), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria from RBCs in different straight microchannels. The proposed method could broaden the applications of viscoelastic microfluidic devices to particle/cell separation due to the enhanced sample throughput and simple channel design.

Using ruby on rails to develop a web interface: a research-based exemplar with a computerized physical activity reporter.

PubMed

Blaz, Jacquelyn W; Pearce, Patricia F

2009-01-01

The world is becoming increasingly web-based. Health care institutions are utilizing the web for personal health records, surveillance, communication, and education; health care researchers are finding value in using the web for research subject recruitment, data collection, and follow-up. Programming languages, such as Java, require knowledge and experience usually found only in software engineers and consultants. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate Ruby on Rails as a feasible alternative for programming questionnaires for use on the web. Ruby on Rails was specifically designed for the development, deployment, and maintenance of database-backed web applications. It is flexible, customizable, and easy to learn. With a relatively little initial training, a novice programmer can create a robust web application in a small amount of time, without the need of a software consultant. The translation of the Children's Computerized Physical Activity Reporter (C-CPAR) from a local installation in Microsoft Access to a web-based format utilizing Ruby on Rails is given as an example.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: From Design and Synthesis to Real World Applications

PubMed Central

Kudr, Jiri; Heger, Zbynek; Cernak, Mirko; Adam, Vojtech; Zitka, Ondrej

2017-01-01

The increasing number of scientific publications focusing on magnetic materials indicates growing interest in the broader scientific community. Substantial progress was made in the synthesis of magnetic materials of desired size, morphology, chemical composition, and surface chemistry. Physical and chemical stability of magnetic materials is acquired by the coating. Moreover, surface layers of polymers, silica, biomolecules, etc. can be designed to obtain affinity to target molecules. The combination of the ability to respond to the external magnetic field and the rich possibilities of coatings makes magnetic materials universal tool for magnetic separations of small molecules, biomolecules and cells. In the biomedical field, magnetic particles and magnetic composites are utilized as the drug carriers, as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and in magnetic hyperthermia. However, the multifunctional magnetic particles enabling the diagnosis and therapy at the same time are emerging. The presented review article summarizes the findings regarding the design and synthesis of magnetic materials focused on biomedical applications. We highlight the utilization of magnetic materials in separation/preconcentration of various molecules and cells, and their use in diagnosis and therapy. PMID:28850089

Development of a High Reliability Compact Air Independent PEMFC Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vasquez, Arturo; Wynne, Bob

2013-01-01

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV's) have received increasing attention in recent years as military and commercial users look for means to maintain a mobile and persistent presence in the undersea world. Compact, neutrally buoyant power systems are needed for both small and large vehicles. Historically, batteries have been employed in these applications, but the energy density and therefore mission duration are limited with current battery technologies. Vehicles with stored energy requirements greater than approximately 10 kWh have an alternate means to get long duration power. High efficiency Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems utilizing pure hydrogen and oxygen reactants show the potential for an order of magnitude energy density improvement over batteries as long as the subsystems are compact. One key aspect to achieving a compact and energy dense system is the design of the fuel cell balance of plant (BOP). Recent fuel cell work, initially focused on NASA applications requiring high reliability, has developed systems that can meet target power and energy densities. Passive flow through systems using ejector driven reactant (EDR) circulation have been developed to provide high reactant flow and water management within the stack, with minimal parasitic losses compared to blowers. The ejectors and recirculation loops, along with valves and other BOP instrumentation, have been incorporated within the stack end plate. In addition, components for water management and reactant conditioning have been incorporated within the stack to further minimize the BOP. These BOP systems are thermally and functionally integrated into the stack hardware and fit into the small volumes required for AUV and future NASA applications to maximize the volume available for reactants. These integrated systems provide a compact solution for the fuel cell BOP and maximize the efficiency and reliability of the system. Designs have been developed for multiple applications ranging from less than 1 kWe to 70 kWe. These systems occupy a very small portion of the overall energy system, allowing most of the system volume to be used for reactants. The fuel cell systems have been optimized to use reactants efficiently with high stack efficiency and low parasitic losses. The resulting compact, highly efficient fuel cell system provides exceptional reactant utilization and energy density. Key design variables and supporting test data are presented. Future development activities are described.

Innovation in Deep Space Habitat Interior Design: Lessons Learned From Small Space Design in Terrestrial Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Matthew A.; Toups, Larry

2014-01-01

Increased public awareness of carbon footprints, crowding in urban areas, and rising housing costs have spawned a 'small house movement' in the housing industry. Members of this movement desire small, yet highly functional residences which are both affordable and sensitive to consumer comfort standards. In order to create comfortable, minimum-volume interiors, recent advances have been made in furniture design and approaches to interior layout that improve both space utilization and encourage multi-functional design for small homes, apartments, naval, and recreational vehicles. Design efforts in this evolving niche of terrestrial architecture can provide useful insights leading to innovation and efficiency in the design of space habitats for future human space exploration missions. This paper highlights many of the cross-cutting architectural solutions used in small space design which are applicable to the spacecraft interior design problem. Specific solutions discussed include reconfigurable, multi-purpose spaces; collapsible or transformable furniture; multi-purpose accommodations; efficient, space saving appliances; stowable and mobile workstations; and the miniaturization of electronics and computing hardware. For each of these design features, descriptions of how they save interior volume or mitigate other small space issues such as confinement stress or crowding are discussed. Finally, recommendations are provided to provide guidance for future designs and identify potential collaborations with the small spaces design community.

Applications of independent component analysis in SAR images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shiqi; Cai, Xinhua; Hui, Weihua; Xu, Ping

2009-07-01

The detection of faint, small and hidden targets in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image is still an issue for automatic target recognition (ATR) system. How to effectively separate these targets from the complex background is the aim of this paper. Independent component analysis (ICA) theory can enhance SAR image targets and improve signal clutter ratio (SCR), which benefits to detect and recognize faint targets. Therefore, this paper proposes a new SAR image target detection algorithm based on ICA. In experimental process, the fast ICA (FICA) algorithm is utilized. Finally, some real SAR image data is used to test the method. The experimental results verify that the algorithm is feasible, and it can improve the SCR of SAR image and increase the detection rate for the faint small targets.

Lumped element filters for electronic warfare systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, D.; Ragland, R.

1986-02-01

Increasing demands which future generations of electronic warfare (EW) systems are to satisfy include a reduction in the size of the equipment. The present paper is concerned with lumped element filters which can make a significant contribution to the downsizing of advanced EW systems. Lumped element filter design makes it possible to obtain very small package sizes by utilizing classical low frequency inductive and capacitive components which are small compared to the size of a wavelength. Cost-effective, temperature-stable devices can be obtained on the basis of new design techniques. Attention is given to aspects of design flexibility, an interdigital filter equivalent circuit diagram, conditions for which the use of lumped element filters can be recommended, construction techniques, a design example, and questions regarding the application of lumped element filters to EW processing systems.

Increasing rigor in NMR-based metabolomics through validated and open source tools

PubMed Central

Eghbalnia, Hamid R; Romero, Pedro R; Westler, William M; Baskaran, Kumaran; Ulrich, Eldon L; Markley, John L

2016-01-01

The metabolome, the collection of small molecules associated with an organism, is a growing subject of inquiry, with the data utilized for data-intensive systems biology, disease diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and the broader characterization of small molecules in mixtures. Owing to their close proximity to the functional endpoints that govern an organism’s phenotype, metabolites are highly informative about functional states. The field of metabolomics identifies and quantifies endogenous and exogenous metabolites in biological samples. Information acquired from nuclear magnetic spectroscopy (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and the published literature, as processed by statistical approaches, are driving increasingly wider applications of metabolomics. This review focuses on the role of databases and software tools in advancing the rigor, robustness, reproducibility, and validation of metabolomics studies. PMID:27643760

Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Urea Transporters

PubMed Central

Verkman, Alan S.; Esteva-Font, Cristina; Cil, Onur; Anderson, Marc O.; Li, Fei; Li, Min; Lei, Tianluo; Ren, Huiwen; Yang, Baoxue

2015-01-01

Urea transporter (UT) proteins, which include isoforms of UT-A in kidney tubule epithelia and UT-B in vasa recta endothelia and erythrocytes, facilitate urinary concentrating function. Inhibitors of urea transporter function have potential clinical applications as sodium-sparing diuretics, or ‘urearetics,’ in edema from different etiologies, such as congestive heart failure and cirrhosis, as well as in syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). High-throughput screening of drug-like small molecules has identified UT-A and UT-B inhibitors with nanomolar potency. Inhibitors have been identified with different UT-A versus UT-B selectivity profiles and putative binding sites on UT proteins. Studies in rodent models support the utility of UT inhibitors in reducing urinary concentration, though testing in clinically relevant animal models of edema has not yet been done. PMID:25298345

Increasing rigor in NMR-based metabolomics through validated and open source tools.

PubMed

Eghbalnia, Hamid R; Romero, Pedro R; Westler, William M; Baskaran, Kumaran; Ulrich, Eldon L; Markley, John L

2017-02-01

The metabolome, the collection of small molecules associated with an organism, is a growing subject of inquiry, with the data utilized for data-intensive systems biology, disease diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and the broader characterization of small molecules in mixtures. Owing to their close proximity to the functional endpoints that govern an organism's phenotype, metabolites are highly informative about functional states. The field of metabolomics identifies and quantifies endogenous and exogenous metabolites in biological samples. Information acquired from nuclear magnetic spectroscopy (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and the published literature, as processed by statistical approaches, are driving increasingly wider applications of metabolomics. This review focuses on the role of databases and software tools in advancing the rigor, robustness, reproducibility, and validation of metabolomics studies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A versatile localization system for microscopic multiparametric analysis of cells.

PubMed

Thaw, H H; Rundquist, I; Johansson, U; Svensson, I; Collins, V P

1983-03-01

A new, simple and relatively inexpensive electronic digital position readout (DPRO) system which can be applied to the rapid localization and recovery of microscopic material is described. It is based upon a commercially available digital position readout system which is routinely utilized by industry for small machine tools and measuring equipment. This has been mounted onto the stage of various microscopic instrumentation to provide X and Y coordinates relative to an arbitrary reference point. The integration of small computers interfaced to scanning interferometric, microdensitometric and fluorescence microscopes were used to demonstrate the reliability, versatility and ease of application of this system to problems of multiparametric measurements and analysis of cultured cells. The system may be expanded and applied to clinical material to obtain automatized, multiparametric measurements of cells in haematology and clinical cytology.

Sensor Fusion and Smart Sensor in Sports and Biomedical Applications

PubMed Central

Mendes, José Jair Alves; Vieira, Mário Elias Marinho; Pires, Marcelo Bissi; Stevan, Sergio Luiz

2016-01-01

The following work presents an overview of smart sensors and sensor fusion targeted at biomedical applications and sports areas. In this work, the integration of these areas is demonstrated, promoting a reflection about techniques and applications to collect, quantify and qualify some physical variables associated with the human body. These techniques are presented in various biomedical and sports applications, which cover areas related to diagnostics, rehabilitation, physical monitoring, and the development of performance in athletes, among others. Although some applications are described in only one of two fields of study (biomedicine and sports), it is very likely that the same application fits in both, with small peculiarities or adaptations. To illustrate the contemporaneity of applications, an analysis of specialized papers published in the last six years has been made. In this context, the main characteristic of this review is to present the largest quantity of relevant examples of sensor fusion and smart sensors focusing on their utilization and proposals, without deeply addressing one specific system or technique, to the detriment of the others. PMID:27669260

LCA-based optimization of wood utilization under special consideration of a cascading use of wood.

PubMed

Höglmeier, Karin; Steubing, Bernhard; Weber-Blaschke, Gabriele; Richter, Klaus

2015-04-01

Cascading, the use of the same unit of a resource in multiple successional applications, is considered as a viable means to improve the efficiency of resource utilization and to decrease environmental impacts. Wood, as a regrowing but nevertheless limited and increasingly in demand resource, can be used in cascades, thereby increasing the potential efficiency per unit of wood. This study aims to assess the influence of cascading wood utilization on optimizing the overall environmental impact of wood utilization. By combining a material flow model of existing wood applications - both for materials provision and energy production - with an algebraic optimization tool, the effects of the use of wood in cascades can be modelled and quantified based on life cycle impact assessment results for all production processes. To identify the most efficient wood allocation, the effects of a potential substitution of non-wood products were taken into account in a part of the model runs. The considered environmental indicators were global warming potential, particulate matter formation, land occupation and an aggregated single score indicator. We found that optimizing either the overall global warming potential or the value of the single score indicator of the system leads to a simultaneous relative decrease of all other considered environmental impacts. The relative differences between the impacts of the model run with and without the possibility of a cascading use of wood were 7% for global warming potential and the single score indicator, despite cascading only influencing a small part of the overall system, namely wood panel production. Cascading led to savings of up to 14% of the annual primary wood supply of the study area. We conclude that cascading can improve the overall performance of a wood utilization system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic utility of cyclin D1 in the diagnosis of small round blue cell tumors in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Magro, Gaetano; Salvatorelli, Lucia; Alaggio, Rita; D'Agata, Velia; Nicoletti, Ferdinando; Di Cataldo, Andrea; Parenti, Rosalba

2017-02-01

Small round blue cell tumors (SRBCTs) of children and adolescents are often diagnostically challenging lesions. With the increasing diagnostic approach based on small biopsies, there is the need of specific immunomarkers that can help in the differential diagnosis among the different tumor histotypes to assure the patient a correct diagnosis for proper treatment. Based on our recent studies showing cyclin D1 overexpression in both Ewing sarcoma/primitive peripheral neuroectodermal tumor (EWS/pPNET) and peripheral neuroblastic tumors (neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma), we immunohistochemically assessed cyclin D1 immunoreactivity in 128 cases of SRBCTs in children and adolescents to establish its potential utility in the differential diagnosis. All cases of EWS/pPNET and the undifferentiated/poorly differentiated neuroblastomatous component of all peripheral neuroblastic tumors exhibited strong and diffuse nuclear staining (>50% of neoplastic cells) for cyclin D1. In contrast, this marker was absent from rhabdomyosarcoma (regardless of subtype) and lymphoblastic lymphoma (either B- or T-cell precursors), whereas it was only focally detected (<5% of neoplastic cells) in some cases of Wilms tumor (blastemal component) and desmoplastic small round cell tumor. Our findings suggest that cyclin D1 can be exploitable as a diagnostic adjunct to conventional markers in confirming the diagnosis of EWS/pPNET or neuroblastoma/ganglioneuroblastoma. Its use in routine practice may also be helpful for those cases of SRBCT with undifferentiated morphology that are difficult to diagnose after application of the conventional markers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current–Voltage Characterization of Individual As-Grown Nanowires Using a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Utilizing semiconductor nanowires for (opto)electronics requires exact knowledge of their current–voltage properties. We report accurate on-top imaging and I–V characterization of individual as-grown nanowires, using a subnanometer resolution scanning tunneling microscope with no need for additional microscopy tools, thus allowing versatile application. We form Ohmic contacts to InP and InAs nanowires without any sample processing, followed by quantitative measurements of diameter dependent I–V properties with a very small spread in measured values compared to standard techniques. PMID:24059470

Current-voltage characterization of individual as-grown nanowires using a scanning tunneling microscope.

PubMed

Timm, Rainer; Persson, Olof; Engberg, David L J; Fian, Alexander; Webb, James L; Wallentin, Jesper; Jönsson, Andreas; Borgström, Magnus T; Samuelson, Lars; Mikkelsen, Anders

2013-11-13

Utilizing semiconductor nanowires for (opto)electronics requires exact knowledge of their current-voltage properties. We report accurate on-top imaging and I-V characterization of individual as-grown nanowires, using a subnanometer resolution scanning tunneling microscope with no need for additional microscopy tools, thus allowing versatile application. We form Ohmic contacts to InP and InAs nanowires without any sample processing, followed by quantitative measurements of diameter dependent I-V properties with a very small spread in measured values compared to standard techniques.

Microparticles: Facile and High-Throughput Synthesis of Functional Microparticles with Quick Response Codes (Small 24/2016).

PubMed

Ramirez, Lisa Marie S; He, Muhan; Mailloux, Shay; George, Justin; Wang, Jun

2016-06-01

Microparticles carrying quick response (QR) barcodes are fabricated by J. Wang and co-workers on page 3259, using a massive coding of dissociated elements (MiCODE) technology. Each microparticle can bear a special custom-designed QR code that enables encryption or tagging with unlimited multiplexity, and the QR code can be easily read by cellphone applications. The utility of MiCODE particles in multiplexed DNA detection and microtagging for anti-counterfeiting is explored. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantum dots as bio-labels for the localization of a small plant adhesion protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravindran, Sathyajith; Kim, Sunran; Martin, Rebecca; Lord, Elizabeth M.; Ozkan, Cengiz S.

2005-01-01

Recently, semiconducting nanoparticles have been successfully applied in live mammalian cell cultures, as alternative biological labels for multicolour imaging, by verifying known physiological processes. Here, we report the application of semiconducting nanoparticles to live plant cells in culture. Utilizing this technique, we have uncovered new knowledge regarding the localization of a plant pollen tube adhesion protein, stigma/stylar cysteine-rich adhesin (SCA). The potential of these nanoparticles is evident when the results were compared with conventional immunolocalization methods using fluorescently labelled antibodies.

Doppler imaging using spectrally-encoded endoscopy

PubMed Central

Yelin, Dvir; Bouma, B. E.; Rosowsky, J. J.; Tearney, G. J.

2009-01-01

The capability to image tissue motion such as blood flow through an endoscope could have many applications in medicine. Spectrally encoded endoscopy (SEE) is a recently introduced technique that utilizes a single optical fiber and miniature diffractive optics to obtain endoscopic images through small diameter probes. Using spectral-domain interferometry, SEE is furthermore capable of three-dimensional volume imaging at video rates. Here we show that by measuring relative spectral phases, this technology can additionally measure Doppler shifts. Doppler SEE is demonstrated in flowing Intralipid phantoms and vibrating middle ear ossicles. PMID:18795020

Utilization of the Multiple Access Communications Satellite (Macsat) in support of tactical communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steele, B.; McCormick, C.; Brandt, K.; Fornwalt, W.; Bonometti, R.

1992-03-01

After a brief on-orbit checkout, the two Macsats launched into 90-deg, near-circular, 400-n. mi. altitude polar orbits on May 9, 1990 began to furnish operational communications support to USMC aircraft involved in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. These operations of the Macsats furnished numerous lessons applicable to prospective design and deployment of small tactical-communications satellites. Macsats proved their ability to support quick-reaction requirements through reschedulings within 2-10 hrs. Their user communications terminal is portable, and easily relocated with changing requirements.

Small modular reactor modeling using modelica for nuclear-renewable hybrid energy systems applications

DOE PAGES

Mikkelson, Daniel; Chang, Chih -Wei; Cetiner, Sacit M.; ...

2015-10-01

Here, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) supports research and development (R&D) that could lead to more efficient utilization of clean energy generation sources, including renewable and nuclear options, to meet grid demand and industrial thermal energy needs [1]. One hybridization approach being investigated by the DOE Offices of Nuclear Energy (NE) and the DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is tighter coupling of nuclear and renewable energy sources to better manage overall energy use for the combined electricity, industrial manufacturing, and transportation sectors.

Application of ERTS-1 imagery to the study of caribou movements and winter dispersal in relation to prevailing snowcover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lent, P. C. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Step-wise discriminate analysis has demonstrated the feasibility of feature identification using linear discriminate functions of ERTS-1 MSS band densities and their ratios. The analysis indicated that features such as small streams can be detected even when they are in dark mountain shadow. The potential utility of this and similar analytic techniques appears considerable, and the limits it can be applied to analysis of ERTS-1 imagery are not yet fully known.

Satellite communication for public services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, R. S.; Redisch, W. N.

1977-01-01

Public service programs using NASA's ATS-6 and CTS satellites are discussed. Examples include the ATS-6 Health and Education Telecommunications experimental program and the use of CTS to enable students in one university to take courses presented at another distant university. Possible applications of satellite communication systems to several areas of public service are described, and economic and political obstacles hindering the implementation of these programs are considered. It is suggested that a federally sponsored program demonstrating the utility of satellites accomodating a large number of small terminals is needed to encourage commercial satellite operations.

Utilization of NASA Lewis mobile terminals for the Hermes satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelman, E. A.; Fiala, J. L.; Rizzolla, L.

1977-01-01

The high power of the Hermes satellite enables two-way television and voice communication with small ground terminals. The Portable Earth Terminal (PET) and the Transportable Earth Terminal (TET) were developed and built by NASA-Lewis to provide communications capability to short-term users. The NASA-Lewis mobile terminals are described in terms of vehicles and onboard equipment, as well as operation aspects, including use in the field. The section on demonstrations divides the uses into categories of medicine, education, technology and government. Applications of special interest within each category are briefly described.

Shuttle user analysis (study 2.2). Volume 3: Business risk and value of operations in space (BRAVO). Part 2: User's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The purpose of the BRAVO User's Manual is to describe the BRAVO methodology in terms of step-by-step procedures. The BRAVO methodology then becomes a tool which a team of analysts can utilize to perform cost effectiveness analyses on potential future space applications with a relatively general set of input information and a relatively small expenditure of resources. An overview of the BRAVO procedure is given by describing the complete procedure in a general form.

Miniaturized ultrasound imaging probes enabled by CMUT arrays with integrated frontend electronic circuits.

PubMed

Khuri-Yakub, B T; Oralkan, Omer; Nikoozadeh, Amin; Wygant, Ira O; Zhuang, Steve; Gencel, Mustafa; Choe, Jung Woo; Stephens, Douglas N; de la Rama, Alan; Chen, Peter; Lin, Feng; Dentinger, Aaron; Wildes, Douglas; Thomenius, Kai; Shivkumar, Kalyanam; Mahajan, Aman; Seo, Chi Hyung; O'Donnell, Matthew; Truong, Uyen; Sahn, David J

2010-01-01

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays are conveniently integrated with frontend integrated circuits either monolithically or in a hybrid multichip form. This integration helps with reducing the number of active data processing channels for 2D arrays. This approach also preserves the signal integrity for arrays with small elements. Therefore CMUT arrays integrated with electronic circuits are most suitable to implement miniaturized probes required for many intravascular, intracardiac, and endoscopic applications. This paper presents examples of miniaturized CMUT probes utilizing 1D, 2D, and ring arrays with integrated electronics.

Insertion, Validation, and Application of Barotropic and Baroclinic Tides in 1/12 and 1/25 Degree Global HYCOM

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

since 2006 with Florida State University (FSU) and the Stennis Space Center branch of the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) . NRL and FSU have a long...begun with Naval Research Laboratory contract N000173-06-2-C003, and reported on in Arbic et al. (2010). OBJECTIVES The partnership is utilizing...of Naval Research (ONR) grant (John Goff and Brian Arbic, N00014- 07-1-0792 and N00014-09-1-1003, “Effects of small-scale bathymetric roughness on the

An initial assessment of the cost and utilization of the Integrated Academic Information System (IAIMS) at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.

PubMed Central

Clayton, P. D.; Anderson, R. K.; Hill, C.; McCormack, M.

1991-01-01

The concept of "one stop information shopping" is becoming a reality at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center (CPMC). The goal of our effort is to provide access to university and hospital administrative systems as well as clinical and library applications from a single workstation, which also provides utility functions such as word processing and mail. Since June 1987, CPMC has invested the equivalent of $23 million dollars to install a digital communications network that encompasses 18 buildings at seven geographically separate sites and to develop clinical and library applications that are integrated with the existing hospital and university administrative and research computing facilities. During June 1991, 2425 different individuals used the clinical information system, 425 different individuals used the library applications, and 900 different individuals used the hospital administrative applications via network access. If we were to freeze the system in its current state, amortize the development and network installation costs, and add projected maintenance costs for the clinical and library applications, our integrated information system would cost $2.8 million on an annual basis. This cost is 0.3% of the medical center's annual budget. These expenditures could be justified by very small improvements in time savings for personnel and/or decreased length of hospital stay and/or more efficient use of resources. In addition to the direct benefits which we detail, a major benefit is the ease with which additional computer-based applications can be added incrementally at an extremely modest cost. PMID:1666966

Wearable computer for mobile augmented-reality-based controlling of an intelligent robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turunen, Tuukka; Roening, Juha; Ahola, Sami; Pyssysalo, Tino

2000-10-01

An intelligent robot can be utilized to perform tasks that are either hazardous or unpleasant for humans. Such tasks include working in disaster areas or conditions that are, for example, too hot. An intelligent robot can work on its own to some extent, but in some cases the aid of humans will be needed. This requires means for controlling the robot from somewhere else, i.e. teleoperation. Mobile augmented reality can be utilized as a user interface to the environment, as it enhances the user's perception of the situation compared to other interfacing methods and allows the user to perform other tasks while controlling the intelligent robot. Augmented reality is a method that combines virtual objects into the user's perception of the real world. As computer technology evolves, it is possible to build very small devices that have sufficient capabilities for augmented reality applications. We have evaluated the existing wearable computers and mobile augmented reality systems to build a prototype of a future mobile terminal- the CyPhone. A wearable computer with sufficient system resources for applications, wireless communication media with sufficient throughput and enough interfaces for peripherals has been built at the University of Oulu. It is self-sustained in energy, with enough operating time for the applications to be useful, and uses accurate positioning systems.

A practical large scale/high speed data distribution system using 8 mm libraries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Kevin

1993-01-01

Eight mm tape libraries are known primarily for their small size, large storage capacity, and low cost. However, many applications require an additional attribute which, heretofore, has been lacking -- high transfer rate. Transfer rate is particularly important in a large scale data distribution environment -- an environment in which 8 mm tape should play a very important role. Data distribution is a natural application for 8 mm for several reasons: most large laboratories have access to 8 mm tape drives, 8 mm tapes are upwardly compatible, 8 mm media are very inexpensive, 8 mm media are light weight (important for shipping purposes), and 8 mm media densely pack data (5 gigabytes now and 15 gigabytes on the horizon). If the transfer rate issue were resolved, 8 mm could offer a good solution to the data distribution problem. To that end Exabyte has analyzed four ways to increase its transfer rate: native drive transfer rate increases, data compression at the drive level, tape striping, and homogeneous drive utilization. Exabyte is actively pursuing native drive transfer rate increases and drive level data compression. However, for non-transmitted bulk data applications (which include data distribution) the other two methods (tape striping and homogeneous drive utilization) hold promise.

NRC Reviewer Aid for Evaluating the Human Factors Engineering Aspects of Small Modular Reactors

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

OHara J. M.; Higgins, J.C.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are a promising approach to meeting future energy needs. Although the electrical output of an individual SMR is relatively small compared to that of typical commercial nuclear plants, they can be grouped to produce as much energy as a utility demands. Furthermore, SMRs can be used for other purposes, such as producing hydrogen and generating process heat. The design characteristics of many SMRs differ from those of current conventional plants and may require a distinct concept of operations (ConOps). The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conducted research to examine the human factors engineering (HFE) and themore » operational aspects of SMRs. The research identified thirty potential human-performance issues that should be considered in the NRC's reviews of SMR designs and in future research activities. The purpose of this report is to support NRC HFE reviewers of SMR applications by identifying some of the questions that can be asked of applicants whose designs have characteristics identified in the issues. The questions for each issue were identified and organized based on the review elements and guidance contained in Chapter 18 of the Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800), and the Human Factors Engineering Program Review Model (NUREG-0711).« less

Market Assessment of Biomass Gasification and Combustion Technology for Small- and Medium-Scale Applications

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

Peterson, D.; Haase, S.

2009-07-01

This report provides a market assessment of gasification and direct combustion technologies that use wood and agricultural resources to generate heat, power, or combined heat and power (CHP) for small- to medium-scale applications. It contains a brief overview of wood and agricultural resources in the U.S.; a description and discussion of gasification and combustion conversion technologies that utilize solid biomass to generate heat, power, and CHP; an assessment of the commercial status of gasification and combustion technologies; a summary of gasification and combustion system economics; a discussion of the market potential for small- to medium-scale gasification and combustion systems; andmore » an inventory of direct combustion system suppliers and gasification technology companies. The report indicates that while direct combustion and close-coupled gasification boiler systems used to generate heat, power, or CHP are commercially available from a number of manufacturers, two-stage gasification systems are largely in development, with a number of technologies currently in demonstration. The report also cites the need for a searchable, comprehensive database of operating combustion and gasification systems that generate heat, power, or CHP built in the U.S., as well as a national assessment of the market potential for the systems.« less

Accelerator mass spectrometry in the biomedical sciences: applications in low-exposure biomedical and environmental dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felton, J. S.; Turteltaub, K. W.; Vogel, J. S.; Balhorn, R.; Gledhill, B. L.; Southon, J. R.; Caffee, M. W.; Finkel, R. C.; Nelson, D. E.; Proctor, I. D.; Davis, J. C.

1990-12-01

We are utilizing accelerator mass spectrometry as a sensitive detector for tracking the disposition of radioisotopically labeled molecules in the biomedical sciences. These applications have shown the effectiveness of AMS as a tool to quantify biologically important molecules at extremely low levels. For example, AMS is being used to determine the amount of carcinogen covalently bound to animal DNA (DNA adduct) at levels relevent to human exposure. Detection sensitivities are 1 carcinogen molecule bound in 1011 to 1012 DNA bases, depending on the specific activity of the radiolabeled carcinogen. Studies have been undertaken in our laboratory utilizing heterocyclic amine food-borne carcinogens and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a potent environmental carcinogen, to study the metabolism of carcinogens at low doses. In addition, AMS is being used to detect the presence of rare proteins (mutant forms of protamine) in human sperm. Approximately l per 106 sperm analyzed contain the rare form of the protamine. Protamine isolated from this small number of cells is being analyzed by AMS, following 14C labeling. Thus, AMS can be used to verify the identity of an extremely small amount of biological material. Furthermore, an additional improvement of 2 orders of magnitude in the sensitivity of biomédical tracer studies is suggested by preliminary work with bacterial hosts depleted in radiocarbon. Other problems in the life sciences where detection sensitivity or sample sizes are limitations should also benefit from AMS. Studies are underway to measure the molecular targeting of cancer chemotherapeutics in human tissue and to pursue applications for receptor biology. We are also applying other candidate isotopes, such as 3H (double labeling with 14C) and 41Ca (bone absorption) to problems in biology. The detection of 36Cl and 26Al have applications for determination of human neutron exposure and understanding neurological toxicity, respectively. The results described here with 14C-labeled molecules coupled with new isotope applications clearly show AMS technology to be an important new tool for the biomedical sciences community.

Bio-Nanobattery Development and Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Glen C.; Choi, Sang H.; Chu, Sang-Hyon; Kim, Jae-Woo; Watt, Gerald D.; Lillehei, Peter T.; Park, Yeonjoon; Elliott, James R.

2005-01-01

A bio-nanobattery is an electrical energy storage device that utilizes organic materials and processes on an atomic, or nanometer-scale. The bio-nanobattery under development at NASA s Langley Research Center provides new capabilities for electrical power generation, storage, and distribution as compared to conventional power storage systems. Most currently available electronic systems and devices rely on a single, centralized power source to supply electrical power to a specified location in the circuit. As electronic devices and associated components continue to shrink in size towards the nanometer-scale, a single centralized power source becomes impractical. Small systems, such as these, will require distributed power elements to reduce Joule heating, to minimize wiring quantities, and to allow autonomous operation of the various functions performed by the circuit. Our research involves the development and characterization of a bio-nanobattery using ferritins reconstituted with both an iron core (Fe-ferritin) and a cobalt core (Co-ferritin). Synthesis and characterization of the Co-ferritin and Fe-ferritin electrodes were performed, including reducing capability and the half-cell electrical potentials. Electrical output of nearly 0.5 V for the battery cell was measured. Ferritin utilizing other metallic cores were also considered to increase the overall electrical output. Two dimensional ferritin arrays were produced on various substrates to demonstrate the feasibility of a thin-film nano-scaled power storage system for distributed power storage applications. The bio-nanobattery will be ideal for nanometerscaled electronic applications, due to the small size, high energy density, and flexible thin-film structure. A five-cell demonstration article was produced for concept verification and bio-nanobattery characterization. Challenges to be addressed include the development of a multi-layered thin-film, increasing the energy density, dry-cell bionanobattery development, and selection of ferritin core materials to allow the broadest range of applications. The potential applications for the distributed power system include autonomously-operating intelligent chips, flexible thin-film electronic circuits, nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), ultra-high density data storage devices, nanoelectromagnetics, quantum electronic devices, biochips, nanorobots for medical applications and mechanical nano-fabrication, etc.

Electron-beam lithography with character projection exposure for throughput enhancement with line-edge quality optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeno, Rimon; Maruyama, Satoshi; Mita, Yoshio; Ikeda, Makoto; Asada, Kunihiro

2016-03-01

Among various electron-beam lithography (EBL) techniques, variable-shaped beam (VSB) and character projection (CP) methods have attracted many EBL users for their high-throughput feature, but they are considered to be more suited to small-featured VLSI fabrication with regularly-arranged layouts like standard-cell logics and memory arrays. On the other hand, non-VLSI applications like photonics, MEMS, MOEMS, and so on, have not been fully utilized the benefit of CP method due to their wide variety of layout patterns. In addition, the stepwise edge shapes by VSB method often causes intolerable edge roughness to degrade device characteristics from its intended performance with smooth edges. We proposed an overall EBL methodology applicable to wade-variety of EBL applications utilizing VSB and CP methods. Its key idea is in our layout data conversion algorithm that decomposes curved or oblique edges of arbitrary layout patterns into CP shots. We expect significant reduction in EB shot count with a CP-bordered exposure data compared to the corresponding VSB-alone conversion result. Several CP conversion parameters are used to optimize EB exposure throughput, edge quality, and resultant device characteristics. We demonstrated out methodology using the leading-edge VSB/CP EBL tool, ADVANTEST F7000S-VD02, with high resolution Hydrogen Silsesquioxane (HSQ) resist. Through our experiments of curved and oblique edge lithography under various data conversion conditions, we learned correspondence of the conversion parameters to the resultant edge roughness and other conditions. They will be utilized as the fundamental data for further enhancement of our EBL strategy for optimized EB exposure.

Micro-motors: A motile bacteria based system for liposome cargo transport.

PubMed

Dogra, Navneet; Izadi, Hadi; Vanderlick, T Kyle

2016-07-05

Biological micro-motors (microorganisms) have potential applications in energy utilization and nanotechnology. However, harnessing the power generated by such motors to execute desired work is extremely difficult. Here, we employ the power of motile bacteria to transport small, large, and giant unilamellar vesicles (SUVs, LUVs, and GUVs). Furthermore, we demonstrate bacteria-bilayer interactions by probing glycolipids inside the model membrane scaffold. Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) spectroscopic and microscopic methods were utilized for understanding these interactions. We found that motile bacteria could successfully propel SUVs and LUVs with a velocity of 28 μm s(-1) and 13 μm s(-1), respectively. GUVs, however, displayed Brownian motion and could not be propelled by attached bacteria. Bacterial velocity decreased with the larger loaded cargo, which agrees with our calculations of loaded bacteria swimming at low Reynolds number.

Chip Scale Ultra-Stable Clocks: Miniaturized Phonon Trap Timing Units for PNT of CubeSats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rais-Zadeh, Mina; Altunc, Serhat; Hunter, Roger C.; Petro, Andrew

2016-01-01

The Chip Scale Ultra-Stable Clocks (CSUSC) project aims to provide a superior alternative to current solutions for low size, weight, and power timing devices. Currently available quartz-based clocks have problems adjusting to the high temperature and extreme acceleration found in space applications, especially when scaled down to match small spacecraft size, weight, and power requirements. The CSUSC project aims to utilize dual-mode resonators on an ovenized platform to achieve the exceptional temperature stability required for these systems. The dual-mode architecture utilizes a temperature sensitive and temperature stable mode simultaneously driven on the same device volume to eliminate ovenization error while maintaining extremely high performance. Using this technology it is possible to achieve parts-per-billion (ppb) levels of temperature stability with multiple orders of magnitude smaller size, weight, and power.

ECG by mobile technologies.

PubMed

Guzik, Przemyslaw; Malik, Marek

Mobile electrocardiographs consist of three components: a mobile device (e.g. a smartphone), an electrocardiographic device or accessory, and a mobile application. Mobile platforms are small computers with sufficient computational power, good quality display, suitable data storage, and several possibilities of data transmission. Electrocardiographic electrodes and sensors for mobile use utilize unconventional materials, e.g. rubber, e-textile, and inkjet-printed nanoparticle electrodes. Mobile devices can be handheld, worn as vests or T-shirts, or attached to patient's skin as biopatches. Mobile electrocardiographic devices and accessories may additionally record other signals including respiratory rate, activity level, and geolocation. Large-scale clinical studies that utilize electrocardiography are easier to conduct using mobile technologies and the collected data are suitable for "big data" processing. This is expected to reveal phenomena so far inaccessible by standard electrocardiographic techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Embedded parallel processing based ground control systems for small satellite telemetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forman, Michael L.; Hazra, Tushar K.; Troendly, Gregory M.; Nickum, William G.

1994-01-01

The use of networked terminals which utilize embedded processing techniques results in totally integrated, flexible, high speed, reliable, and scalable systems suitable for telemetry and data processing applications such as mission operations centers (MOC). Synergies of these terminals, coupled with the capability of terminal to receive incoming data, allow the viewing of any defined display by any terminal from the start of data acquisition. There is no single point of failure (other than with network input) such as exists with configurations where all input data goes through a single front end processor and then to a serial string of workstations. Missions dedicated to NASA's ozone measurements program utilize the methodologies which are discussed, and result in a multimission configuration of low cost, scalable hardware and software which can be run by one flight operations team with low risk.

Role of capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Kopylov, Uri; Seidman, Ernest G

2014-02-07

Videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) has revolutionized our ability to visualize the small bowel mucosa. This modality is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of obscure small bowel Crohn's disease (CD), and can also be used for monitoring of disease activity in patients with established small-bowel CD, detection of complications such as obscure bleeding and neoplasms, evaluation of response to anti-inflammatory treatment and postoperative recurrence following small bowel resection. VCE could also be an important tool in the management of patients with unclassified inflammatory bowel disease, potentially resulting in reclassification of these patients as having CD. Reports on postoperative monitoring and evaluation of patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis who have developed pouchitis have recenty been published. Monitoring of colonic inflammatory activity in patients with ulcerative colitis using the recently developed colonic capsule has also been reported. Capsule endoscopy is associated with an excellent safety profile. Although retention risk is increased in patients with small bowel CD, this risk can be significanty decreased by a routine utilization of a dissolvable patency capsule preceding the ingestion of the diagnostic capsule. This paper contains an overview of the current and future clinical applications of capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease.

Martian cratering 11. Utilizing decameter scale crater populations to study Martian history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, W. K.; Daubar, I. J.

2017-03-01

New information has been obtained in recent years regarding formation rates and the production size-frequency distribution (PSFD) of decameter-scale primary Martian craters formed during recent orbiter missions. Here we compare the PSFD of the currently forming small primaries (P) with new data on the PSFD of the total small crater population that includes primaries and field secondaries (P + fS), which represents an average over longer time periods. The two data sets, if used in a combined manner, have extraordinary potential for clarifying not only the evolutionary history and resurfacing episodes of small Martian geological formations (as small as one or few km2) but also possible episodes of recent climatic change. In response to recent discussions of statistical methodologies, we point out that crater counts do not produce idealized statistics, and that inherent uncertainties limit improvements that can be made by more sophisticated statistical analyses. We propose three mutually supportive procedures for interpreting crater counts of small craters in this context. Applications of these procedures support suggestions that topographic features in upper meters of mid-latitude ice-rich areas date only from the last few periods of extreme Martian obliquity, and associated predicted climate excursions.

Application Characterization at Scale: Lessons learned from developing a distributed Open Community Runtime system for High Performance Computing

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

Landwehr, Joshua B.; Suetterlein, Joshua D.; Marquez, Andres

2016-05-16

Since 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy’s X-Stack program has been developing solutions including runtime systems, programming models, languages, compilers, and tools for the Exascale system software to address crucial performance and power requirements. Fine grain programming models and runtime systems show a great potential to efficiently utilize the underlying hardware. Thus, they are essential to many X-Stack efforts. An abundant amount of small tasks can better utilize the vast parallelism available on current and future machines. Moreover, finer tasks can recover faster and adapt better, due to a decrease in state and control. Nevertheless, current applications have been writtenmore » to exploit old paradigms (such as Communicating Sequential Processor and Bulk Synchronous Parallel processing). To fully utilize the advantages of these new systems, applications need to be adapted to these new paradigms. As part of the applications’ porting process, in-depth characterization studies, focused on both application characteristics and runtime features, need to take place to fully understand the application performance bottlenecks and how to resolve them. This paper presents a characterization study for a novel high performance runtime system, called the Open Community Runtime, using key HPC kernels as its vehicle. This study has the following contributions: one of the first high performance, fine grain, distributed memory runtime system implementing the OCR standard (version 0.99a); and a characterization study of key HPC kernels in terms of runtime primitives running on both intra and inter node environments. Running on a general purpose cluster, we have found up to 1635x relative speed-up for a parallel tiled Cholesky Kernels on 128 nodes with 16 cores each and a 1864x relative speed-up for a parallel tiled Smith-Waterman kernel on 128 nodes with 30 cores.« less

[Application of small remote sensing satellite constellations for environmental hazards in wetland landscape mapping: taking Liaohe Delta, Liaoning Province of Northeast China as a case].

PubMed

Yang, Yuan-Zheng; Chang, Yu; Hu, Yuan-Man; Liu, Miao; Li, Yue-Hui

2011-06-01

To timely and accurately acquire the spatial distribution pattern of wetlands is of significance for the dynamic monitoring, conservation, and sustainable utilization of wetlands. The small remote sensing satellite constellations A/B stars (HJ-1A/1B stars) for environmental hazards were launched by China for monitoring terrestrial resources, which could provide a new data source of remote sensing image acquisition for retrieving wetland types. Taking Liaohe Delta as a case, this paper compared the accuracy of wetland classification map and the area of each wetland type retrieved from CCD data (HJ CCD data) and TM5 data, and validated and explored the applicability and the applied potential of HJ CCD data in wetland resources dynamic monitoring. The results showed that HJ CCD data could completely replace Landsat TM5 data in feature extraction and remote sensing classification. In real-time monitoring, due to its 2 days of data acquisition cycle, HJ CCD data had the priority to Landsat TM5 data (16 days of data acquisition cycle).

A Practical, Robust and Fast Method for Location Localization in Range-Based Systems.

PubMed

Huang, Shiping; Wu, Zhifeng; Misra, Anil

2017-12-11

Location localization technology is used in a number of industrial and civil applications. Real time location localization accuracy is highly dependent on the quality of the distance measurements and efficiency of solving the localization equations. In this paper, we provide a novel approach to solve the nonlinear localization equations efficiently and simultaneously eliminate the bad measurement data in range-based systems. A geometric intersection model was developed to narrow the target search area, where Newton's Method and the Direct Search Method are used to search for the unknown position. Not only does the geometric intersection model offer a small bounded search domain for Newton's Method and the Direct Search Method, but also it can self-correct bad measurement data. The Direct Search Method is useful for the coarse localization or small target search domain, while the Newton's Method can be used for accurate localization. For accurate localization, by utilizing the proposed Modified Newton's Method (MNM), challenges of avoiding the local extrema, singularities, and initial value choice are addressed. The applicability and robustness of the developed method has been demonstrated by experiments with an indoor system.

Design criteria for a high energy Compton Camera and possible application to targeted cancer therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conka Nurdan, T.; Nurdan, K.; Brill, A. B.; Walenta, A. H.

2015-07-01

The proposed research focuses on the design criteria for a Compton Camera with high spatial resolution and sensitivity, operating at high gamma energies and its possible application for molecular imaging. This application is mainly on the detection and visualization of the pharmacokinetics of tumor targeting substances specific for particular cancer sites. Expected high resolution (< 0.5 mm) permits monitoring the pharmacokinetics of labeled gene constructs in vivo in small animals with a human tumor xenograft which is one of the first steps in evaluating the potential utility of a candidate gene. The additional benefit of high sensitivity detection will be improved cancer treatment strategies in patients based on the use of specific molecules binding to cancer sites for early detection of tumors and identifying metastasis, monitoring drug delivery and radionuclide therapy for optimum cell killing at the tumor site. This new technology can provide high resolution, high sensitivity imaging of a wide range of gamma energies and will significantly extend the range of radiotracers that can be investigated and used clinically. The small and compact construction of the proposed camera system allows flexible application which will be particularly useful for monitoring residual tumor around the resection site during surgery. It is also envisaged as able to test the performance of new drug/gene-based therapies in vitro and in vivo for tumor targeting efficacy using automatic large scale screening methods.

48 CFR 19.705-7 - Liquidated damages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.705-7 Liquidated damages. (a) Maximum practicable utilization of small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business and women-owned...

48 CFR 19.705-7 - Liquidated damages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.705-7 Liquidated damages. (a) Maximum practicable utilization of small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business and women-owned...

48 CFR 19.705-7 - Liquidated damages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.705-7 Liquidated damages. (a) Maximum practicable utilization of small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business and women-owned...

48 CFR 19.705-7 - Liquidated damages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.705-7 Liquidated damages. (a) Maximum practicable utilization of small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business and women-owned...

Energetics and Application of Heterotrophy in Acetogenic Bacteria.

PubMed

Schuchmann, Kai; Müller, Volker

2016-07-15

Acetogenic bacteria are a diverse group of strictly anaerobic bacteria that utilize the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway for CO2 fixation and energy conservation. These microorganisms play an important part in the global carbon cycle and are a key component of the anaerobic food web. Their most prominent metabolic feature is autotrophic growth with molecular hydrogen and carbon dioxide as the substrates. However, most members also show an outstanding metabolic flexibility for utilizing a vast variety of different substrates. In contrast to autotrophic growth, which is hardly competitive, metabolic flexibility is seen as a key ability of acetogens to compete in ecosystems and might explain the almost-ubiquitous distribution of acetogenic bacteria in anoxic environments. This review covers the latest findings with respect to the heterotrophic metabolism of acetogenic bacteria, including utilization of carbohydrates, lactate, and different alcohols, especially in the model acetogen Acetobacterium woodii Modularity of metabolism, a key concept of pathway design in synthetic biology, together with electron bifurcation, to overcome energetic barriers, appears to be the basis for the amazing substrate spectrum. At the same time, acetogens depend on only a relatively small number of enzymes to expand the substrate spectrum. We will discuss the energetic advantages of coupling CO2 reduction to fermentations that exploit otherwise-inaccessible substrates and the ecological advantages, as well as the biotechnological applications of the heterotrophic metabolism of acetogens. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Energetics and Application of Heterotrophy in Acetogenic Bacteria

PubMed Central

Schuchmann, Kai

2016-01-01

Acetogenic bacteria are a diverse group of strictly anaerobic bacteria that utilize the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway for CO2 fixation and energy conservation. These microorganisms play an important part in the global carbon cycle and are a key component of the anaerobic food web. Their most prominent metabolic feature is autotrophic growth with molecular hydrogen and carbon dioxide as the substrates. However, most members also show an outstanding metabolic flexibility for utilizing a vast variety of different substrates. In contrast to autotrophic growth, which is hardly competitive, metabolic flexibility is seen as a key ability of acetogens to compete in ecosystems and might explain the almost-ubiquitous distribution of acetogenic bacteria in anoxic environments. This review covers the latest findings with respect to the heterotrophic metabolism of acetogenic bacteria, including utilization of carbohydrates, lactate, and different alcohols, especially in the model acetogen Acetobacterium woodii. Modularity of metabolism, a key concept of pathway design in synthetic biology, together with electron bifurcation, to overcome energetic barriers, appears to be the basis for the amazing substrate spectrum. At the same time, acetogens depend on only a relatively small number of enzymes to expand the substrate spectrum. We will discuss the energetic advantages of coupling CO2 reduction to fermentations that exploit otherwise-inaccessible substrates and the ecological advantages, as well as the biotechnological applications of the heterotrophic metabolism of acetogens. PMID:27208103

The value of residential photovoltaic systems: A comprehensive assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borden, C. S.

1983-01-01

Utility-interactive photovoltaic (PV) arrays on residential rooftops appear to be a potentially attractive, large-scale application of PV technology. Results of a comprehensive assessment of the value (i.e., break-even cost) of utility-grid connected residential photovoltaic power systems under a variety of technological and economic assumptions are presented. A wide range of allowable PV system costs are calculated for small (4.34 kW (p) sub ac) residential PV systems in various locales across the United States. Primary factor in this variation are differences in local weather conditions, utility-specific electric generation capacity, fuel types, and customer-load profiles that effect purchase and sell-back rates, and non-uniform state tax considerations. Additional results from this analysis are: locations having the highest insolation values are not necessary the most economically attractive sites; residential PV systems connected in parallel to the utility demonstrate high percentages of energy sold back to the grid, and owner financial and tax assumptions cause large variations in break-even costs. Significant cost reduction and aggressive resolution of potential institutional impediments (e.g., liability, standards, metering, and technical integration) are required for a residential PV marker to become a major electric-grid-connected energy-generation source.

Section 210 of PURPA and solar-thermal-energy development: the current regulatory environment and suggestions for future action. Task III report

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

Not Available

Section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) (16 U.S.C. Section 824a-3) (Attachment 1) was enacted to overcome certain institutional barriers and to provide a favorable, non-discriminatory regulatory environment for the integration of electricity-producing solar thermal and other qualifying technologies into the electric utility network. PURPA Section 210 is designed to reduce these institutional barriers for qualifying cogeneration and small power production facilities (QF's) - terminology which includes solar thermal facilities producing electricity for sale, if other prerequisites are met - by exempting certain QF's from economically burdensome legal requirements applicable to electric utilities, and bymore » requiring utilities to offer to purchase electricity from, and sell electricity to, QF's at reasonable and non-discriminatory rates. The present and future PURPA Section 210 regulatory implications for solar thermal QF's are explored. The current PURPA Section 210 regulatory environment and its consequences for solar thermal energy development are outlined. Legislation pending before Congress to amend PURPA Section 210 is described. Possible amendments to PURPA Section 210 that might further stimulate construction and operation of economically sound solar thermal facilities are explored.« less

The value of residential photovoltaic systems: A comprehensive assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borden, C. S.

1983-09-01

Utility-interactive photovoltaic (PV) arrays on residential rooftops appear to be a potentially attractive, large-scale application of PV technology. Results of a comprehensive assessment of the value (i.e., break-even cost) of utility-grid connected residential photovoltaic power systems under a variety of technological and economic assumptions are presented. A wide range of allowable PV system costs are calculated for small (4.34 kW (p) sub ac) residential PV systems in various locales across the United States. Primary factor in this variation are differences in local weather conditions, utility-specific electric generation capacity, fuel types, and customer-load profiles that effect purchase and sell-back rates, and non-uniform state tax considerations. Additional results from this analysis are: locations having the highest insolation values are not necessary the most economically attractive sites; residential PV systems connected in parallel to the utility demonstrate high percentages of energy sold back to the grid, and owner financial and tax assumptions cause large variations in break-even costs. Significant cost reduction and aggressive resolution of potential institutional impediments (e.g., liability, standards, metering, and technical integration) are required for a residential PV marker to become a major electric-grid-connected energy-generation source.

Photocontrollable Fluorescent Proteins for Superresolution Imaging

PubMed Central

Shcherbakova, Daria M.; Sengupta, Prabuddha; Lippincott-Schwartz, Jennifer; Verkhusha, Vladislav V.

2014-01-01

Superresolution fluorescence microscopy permits the study of biological processes at scales small enough to visualize fine subcellular structures that are unresolvable by traditional diffraction-limited light microscopy. Many superresolution techniques, including those applicable to live cell imaging, utilize genetically encoded photocontrollable fluorescent proteins. The fluorescence of these proteins can be controlled by light of specific wavelengths. In this review, we discuss the biochemical and photophysical properties of photocontrollable fluorescent proteins that are relevant to their use in superresolution microscopy. We then describe the recently developed photoactivatable, photoswitchable, and reversibly photoswitchable fluorescent proteins, and we detail their particular usefulness in single-molecule localization–based and nonlinear ensemble–based superresolution techniques. Finally, we discuss recent applications of photocontrollable proteins in superresolution imaging, as well as how these applications help to clarify properties of intracellular structures and processes that are relevant to cell and developmental biology, neuroscience, cancer biology and biomedicine. PMID:24895855

Raman Imaging in Cell Membranes, Lipid-Rich Organelles, and Lipid Bilayers.

PubMed

Syed, Aleem; Smith, Emily A

2017-06-12

Raman-based optical imaging is a promising analytical tool for noninvasive, label-free chemical imaging of lipid bilayers and cellular membranes. Imaging using spontaneous Raman scattering suffers from a low intensity that hinders its use in some cellular applications. However, developments in coherent Raman imaging, surface-enhanced Raman imaging, and tip-enhanced Raman imaging have enabled video-rate imaging, excellent detection limits, and nanometer spatial resolution, respectively. After a brief introduction to these commonly used Raman imaging techniques for cell membrane studies, this review discusses selected applications of these modalities for chemical imaging of membrane proteins and lipids. Finally, recent developments in chemical tags for Raman imaging and their applications in the analysis of selected cell membrane components are summarized. Ongoing developments toward improving the temporal and spatial resolution of Raman imaging and small-molecule tags with strong Raman scattering cross sections continue to expand the utility of Raman imaging for diverse cell membrane studies.

WE-AB-207B-10: On Spinal Nerve Toxicity from Single-Session SAbR in Pigs and the Translation of Small Animal NTCP Models

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

Hrycushko, B; Medin, P

Purpose: The incidence of peripheral neuropathy has risen with increased utilization of SAbR. There is no consensus regarding the dose-tolerance of the peripheral nervous system. In 2015, we commenced an investigation to test the hypotheses that single-session irradiation to the pig spinal nerves exhibit a similar dose-tolerance as that of the spinal cord and that a dose-length effect exists. This work evaluates the direct application of small animal NTCP models to both large animal spinal cord and preliminary peripheral nerve data. Methods: To date, 16 of 25 Yucatan minipigs have received single-session SAbR to a 1.5cm length and 4 ofmore » 25 have received irradiation to a 0.5cm length of left-sided C6-C8 spinal nerves. Toxicity related gait change has been observed in 13 animals (9 from the long length group and 4 from the short). This preliminary data is overlaid on several dose-response models which have been fit to rodent spinal cord tolerance experiments. Model parameters define a toxicity profile between a completely serial or parallel behaving organ. Adequacy of model application, including how length effects are handled, to published minipig spinal cord dose-response data and to preliminary peripheral nerve response data was evaluated through residual analysis. Results: No rodent-derived dose-response models were directly applicable to all pig data for the different lengths irradiated. Several models fit the long-length irradiated spinal cord data well, with the more serial-like models fitting best. Preliminary data on the short-length irradiation suggests no length effect exists, disproving our hypothesis. Conclusion: Direct application of small-animal NTCP models to pig data suggests dose-length effect predictions from small animal data may not translate clinically. However, the small animal models used have not considered dose heterogeneity and it is expected that including the low-to-mid dose levels in the penumbral region will improve this match. This work was funded by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).« less

A multifrequency MUSIC algorithm for locating small inhomogeneities in inverse scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griesmaier, Roland; Schmiedecke, Christian

2017-03-01

We consider an inverse scattering problem for time-harmonic acoustic or electromagnetic waves with sparse multifrequency far field data-sets. The goal is to localize several small penetrable objects embedded inside an otherwise homogeneous background medium from observations of far fields of scattered waves corresponding to incident plane waves with one fixed incident direction but several different frequencies. We assume that the far field is measured at a few observation directions only. Taking advantage of the smallness of the scatterers with respect to wavelength we utilize an asymptotic representation formula for the far field to design and analyze a MUSIC-type reconstruction method for this setup. We establish lower bounds on the number of frequencies and receiver directions that are required to recover the number and the positions of an ensemble of scatterers from the given measurements. Furthermore we briefly sketch a possible application of the reconstruction method to the practically relevant case of multifrequency backscattering data. Numerical examples are presented to document the potentials and limitations of this approach.

Thinking Small: Progress on Microscale Neurostimulation Technology.

PubMed

Pancrazio, Joseph J; Deku, Felix; Ghazavi, Atefeh; Stiller, Allison M; Rihani, Rashed; Frewin, Christopher L; Varner, Victor D; Gardner, Timothy J; Cogan, Stuart F

2017-12-01

Neural stimulation is well-accepted as an effective therapy for a wide range of neurological disorders. While the scale of clinical devices is relatively large, translational, and pilot clinical applications are underway for microelectrode-based systems. Microelectrodes have the advantage of stimulating a relatively small tissue volume which may improve selectivity of therapeutic stimuli. Current microelectrode technology is associated with chronic tissue response which limits utility of these devices for neural recording and stimulation. One approach for addressing the tissue response problem may be to reduce physical dimensions of the device. "Thinking small" is a trend for the electronics industry, and for implantable neural interfaces, the result may be a device that can evade the foreign body response. This review paper surveys our current understanding pertaining to the relationship between implant size and tissue response and the state-of-the-art in ultrasmall microelectrodes. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), and Google Scholar. The literature review shows recent efforts to create microelectrodes that are extremely thin appear to reduce or even eliminate the chronic tissue response. With high charge capacity coatings, ultramicroelectrodes fabricated from emerging polymers, and amorphous silicon carbide appear promising for neurostimulation applications. We envision the emergence of robust and manufacturable ultramicroelectrodes that leverage advanced materials where the small cross-sectional geometry enables compliance within tissue. Nevertheless, future testing under in vivo conditions is particularly important for assessing the stability of thin film devices under chronic stimulation. © 2017 International Neuromodulation Society.

Pharmacogenomic Biomarkers: an FDA Perspective on Utilization in Biological Product Labeling.

PubMed

Schuck, Robert N; Grillo, Joseph A

2016-05-01

Precision medicine promises to improve both the efficacy and safety of therapeutic products by better informing why some patients respond well to a drug, and some experience adverse reactions, while others do not. Pharmacogenomics is a key component of precision medicine and can be utilized to select optimal doses for patients, more precisely identify individuals who will respond to a treatment and avoid serious drug-related toxicities. Since pharmacogenomic biomarker information can help inform drug dosing, efficacy, and safety, pharmacogenomic data are critically reviewed by FDA staff to ensure effective use of pharmacogenomic strategies in drug development and appropriate incorporation into product labels. Pharmacogenomic information may be provided in drug or biological product labeling to inform health care providers about the impact of genotype on response to a drug through description of relevant genomic markers, functional effects of genomic variants, dosing recommendations based on genotype, and other applicable genomic information. The format and content of labeling for biologic drugs will generally follow that of small molecule drugs; however, there are notable differences in pharmacogenomic information that might be considered useful for biologic drugs in comparison to small molecule drugs. Furthermore, the rapid entry of biologic drugs for treatment of rare genetic diseases and molecularly defined subsets of common diseases will likely lead to increased use of pharmacogenomic information in biologic drug labels in the near future. In this review, we outline the general principles of therapeutic product labeling and discuss the utilization of pharmacogenomic information in biologic drug labels.

Poster - Thur Eve - 11: A realistic respiratory trace generator and its application to respiratory management techniques.

PubMed

Quirk, S; Becker, N; Smith, W L

2012-07-01

Respiratory motion complicates radiotherapy treatment of thoracic and abdominal tumours. Simplified respiratory motions such as sinusoidal and single patient traces are often used to determine the impact of motion on respiratory management techniques in radiotherapy. Such simplifications only accurately model a small portion of patients, as most patients exhibit variability and irregularity beyond these models. We have preformed a comprehensive analysis of respiratory motion and developed a software tool that allows for explicit inclusion of variability. We utilize our realistic respiratory generator to customize respiratory traces to test the robustness of the estimate of internal gross target volumes (IGTV) by 4DCT and CBCT. We confirmed that good agreement is found between 4DCT and CBCT for regular breathing motion. When amplitude variability was introduced the accuracy of the estimate slightly, but the absolute differences were still < 3 mm for both modalities. Poor agreement was shown with the addition of baseline drifts. Both modalities were found to underestimate the IGTV by as much as 30% for 4DCT and 25% for CBCT. Both large and small drifts deteriorated the estimate accuracy. The respiratory trace generator was advantageous for examining the difference between 4DCT and CBCT IGTV estimation under variable motions. It provided useful implementation abilities to test specific attributes of respiratory motion and detected issues that were not seen with the regular motion studies. This is just one example of how the respiratory trace generator can be utilized to test applications of respiratory management techniques. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

A study of large scale gust generation in a small scale atmospheric wind tunnel with applications to Micro Aerial Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roadman, Jason Markos

Modern technology operating in the atmospheric boundary layer can always benefit from more accurate wind tunnel testing. While scaled atmospheric boundary layer tunnels have been well developed, tunnels replicating portions of the atmospheric boundary layer turbulence at full scale are a comparatively new concept. Testing at full-scale Reynolds numbers with full-scale turbulence in an "atmospheric wind tunnel" is sought. Many programs could utilize such a tool including Micro Aerial Vehicle(MAV) development, the wind energy industry, fuel efficient vehicle design, and the study of bird and insect flight, to name just a few. The small scale of MAVs provide the somewhat unique capability of full scale Reynolds number testing in a wind tunnel. However, that same small scale creates interactions under real world flight conditions, atmospheric gusts for example, that lead to a need for testing under more complex flows than the standard uniform flow found in most wind tunnels. It is for these reasons that MAVs are used as the initial testing application for the atmospheric gust tunnel. An analytical model for both discrete gusts and a continuous spectrum of gusts is examined. Then, methods for generating gusts in agreement with that model are investigated. Previously used methods are reviewed and a gust generation apparatus is designed. Expected turbulence and gust characteristics of this apparatus are compared with atmospheric data. The construction of an active "gust generator" for a new atmospheric tunnel is reviewed and the turbulence it generates is measured utilizing single and cross hot wires. Results from this grid are compared to atmospheric turbulence and it is shown that various gust strengths can be produced corresponding to weather ranging from calm to quite gusty. An initial test is performed in the atmospheric wind tunnel whereby the effects of various turbulence conditions on transition and separation on the upper surface of a MAV wing is investigated using the surface oil flow visualization technique.

Feasibility and usability of a home monitoring concept based on mobile phones and near field communication (NFC) technology.

PubMed

Morak, Jürgen; Kollmann, Alexander; Schreier, Günter

2007-01-01

Utilization of mobile information and communication technologies in home monitoring applications is becoming more and more common. The mobile phone, acting as a patient terminal for patients suffering from chronic diseases, provides an active link to the caregiver to transmit health status information and receive feedback. In such a concept the usability is still limited by the necessity of entering the values via the mobile phone's small keypad. The near field communication technology (NFC), a touch-based wireless interface that became available recently, may improve the usability level of such applications significantly. The focus of this paper is to describe the development of a prototype application based on this technology embedded in a home monitoring system. The feasibility and usability of this approach are evaluated and compared with concepts used in previous approaches. The high quantifier with respect to overall usability indicates that NFC may be the technology of choice for some tasks in home monitoring applications.

Triarylborane-Based Materials for OLED Applications.

PubMed

Turkoglu, Gulsen; Cinar, M Emin; Ozturk, Turan

2017-09-13

Multidisciplinary research on organic fluorescent molecules has been attracting great interest owing to their potential applications in biomedical and material sciences. In recent years, electron deficient systems have been increasingly incorporated into fluorescent materials. Triarylboranes with the empty p orbital of their boron centres are electron deficient and can be used as strong electron acceptors in conjugated organic fluorescent materials. Moreover, their applications in optoelectronic devices, energy harvesting materials and anion sensing, due to their natural Lewis acidity and remarkable solid-state fluorescence properties, have also been investigated. Furthermore, fluorescent triarylborane-based materials have been commonly utilized as emitters and electron transporters in organic light emitting diode (OLED) applications. In this review, triarylborane-based small molecules and polymers will be surveyed, covering their structure-property relationships, intramolecular charge transfer properties and solid-state fluorescence quantum yields as functional emissive materials in OLEDs. Also, the importance of the boron atom in triarylborane compounds is emphasized to address the key issues of both fluorescent emitters and their host materials for the construction of high-performance OLEDs.

Novel fabrication of fluorescent silk utilized in biotechnological and medical applications.

PubMed

Kim, Dong Wook; Lee, Ok Joo; Kim, Seong-Wan; Ki, Chang Seok; Chao, Janet Ren; Yoo, Hyojong; Yoon, Sung-Il; Lee, Jeong Eun; Park, Ye Ri; Kweon, HaeYong; Lee, Kwang Gill; Kaplan, David L; Park, Chan Hum

2015-11-01

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural polymer widely used and studied for diverse applications in the biomedical field. Recently, genetically modified silks, particularly fluorescent SF fibers, were reported to have been produced from transgenic silkworms. However, they are currently limited to textile manufacturing. To expand the use of transgenic silkworms for biomedical applications, a solution form of fluorescent SF needed to be developed. Here, we describe a novel method of preparing a fluorescent SF solution and demonstrate long-term fluorescent function up to one year after subcutaneous insertion. We also show that fluorescent SF labeled p53 antibodies clearly identify HeLa cells, indicating the applicability of fluorescent SF to cancer detection and bio-imaging. Furthermore, we demonstrate the intraoperative use of fluorescent SF in an animal model to detect a small esophageal perforation (0.5 mm). This study suggests how fluorescent SF biomaterials can be applied in biotechnology and clinical medicine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of dispersed small wind systems interconnected with a utility distribution system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtice, D.; Patton, J.; Bohn, J.; Sechan, N.

1980-03-01

Operating problems for various penetrations of small wind systems connected to the distribution system on a utility are defined. Protection equipment, safety hazards, feeder voltage regulation, line losses, and voltage flicker problems are studied, assuming different small wind systems connected to an existing distribution system. To identify hardware deficiencies, possible solutions provided by off-the-shelf hardware and equipment are assessed. Results of the study indicate that existing techniques are inadequate for detecting isolated operation of a small wind system. Potential safety hazards posed by small wind systems are adequately handled by present work procedures although these procedures require a disconnect device at synchronous generator and self commutated inverter small wind systems.

Controlling Variable Emittance (MEMS) Coatings for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrar, D.; Schneider, W.; Osiander, R.; Champion, J. L.; Darrin, A. G.; Douglas, Donya; Swanson, Ted D.

2003-01-01

Small spacecraft, including micro and nanosats, as they are envisioned for future missions, will require an alternative means to achieve thermal control due to their small power and mass budgets. One of the proposed alternatives is Variable Emittance (Vari-E) Coatings for spacecraft radiators. Space Technology-5 (ST-5) is a technology demonstration mission through NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) that will utilize Vari-E Coatings. This mission involves a constellation of three (3) satellites in a highly elliptical orbit with a perigee altitude of approximately 200 kilometers and an apogee of approximately 38,000 kilometers. Such an environment will expose the spacecraft to a wide swing in the thermal and radiation environment of the earth's atmosphere. There are three (3) different technologies associated with this mission. The three technologies are electrophoretic, electrochromic, and Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS). The ultimate goal is to make use of Van-E coatings, in order to achieve various levels of thermal control. The focus of this paper is to highlight the Vari-E Coating MEMS instrument, with an emphasis on the Electronic Control Unit responsible for operating the MEMS device. The Test & Evaluation approach, along with the results, is specific for application on ST-5, yet the information provides a guideline for future experiments and/or thermal applications on the exterior structure of a spacecraft.

Utility involvement in cogeneration and small power production since PURPA

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

Hallaron, S.A.

One of the objectives of PURPA was more efficient energy production through cogeneration and the use of renewable resources. Under PURPA regulations, cogeneration and small power-producing plants may file for qualifying status to receive benefits allowed by the National Energy Act. There has been a steady increase in the number of qualifying facilities (QFs) and some electric utilities have increased ownership of small power-producing facilities as well as electric purchases from QFs. QFs are not only exempt from federal and state utility regulations under PURPA, but they also may be eligible for an exemption from the provisions of the Fuelmore » Use Act of 1978 which prohibits or limits use of oil and natural gas in power plants and other major fuel-burning installations. To obtain QF status under PURPA, small power-producing facilities are limited to a capacity of 80 MW or less and must use some combination of biomass, waste, geothermal, or other renewable resource as the primary energy source. Cogenerators are not limited in size or fuel. The purchase of electricity from cogenerators and small power producers can be an attractive alternative for utilities in meeting future demands.« less

48 CFR 52.219-8 - Utilization of small business concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... United States Small Business Administration or the awarding agency of the United States as may be... List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns maintained by the Small Business Administration... small disadvantaged business in the Dynamic Small Business Search database maintained by the Small...

48 CFR 52.219-8 - Utilization of Small Business Concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... United States Small Business Administration or the awarding agency of the United States as may be... List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns maintained by the Small Business Administration... small disadvantaged business in the Dynamic Small Business Search database maintained by the Small...

Vibration analysis of rotor systems using reduced subsystem models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fan, Uei-Jiun; Noah, Sherif T.

1989-01-01

A general impedance method using reduced submodels has been developed for the linear dynamic analysis of rotor systems. Formulated in terms of either modal or physical coordinates of the subsystems, the method enables imbalance responses at specific locations of the rotor systems to be efficiently determined from a small number of 'master' degrees of freedom. To demonstrate the capability of this impedance approach, the Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure oxygen turbopump has been investigated to determine the bearing loads due to imbalance. Based on the same formulation, an eigenvalue analysis has been performed to study the system stability. A small 5-DOF model has been utilized to illustrate the application of the method to eigenvalue analysis. Because of its inherent characteristics of allowing formulation of reduced submodels, the impedance method can significantly increase the computational speed.

Supramolecular structure of methyl cellulose and lambda- and kappa-carrageenan in water: SAXS study using the string-of-beads model.

PubMed

Dogsa, Iztok; Cerar, Jure; Jamnik, Andrej; Tomšič, Matija

2017-09-15

A detailed data analysis utilizing the string-of-beads model was performed on experimental small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) curves in a targeted structural study of three, very important, industrial polysaccharides. The results demonstrate the quality of performance for this model on three polymers with quite different thermal structural behavior. Furthermore, they show the advantages of the model used by way of excellent fits in the ranges where the classic approach to the small-angle scattering data interpretation fails and an additional 3D visualization of the model's molecular conformations and anticipated polysaccharide supramolecular structure. The importance of this study is twofold: firstly, the methodology used and, secondly, the structural details of important biopolymers that are widely applicable in practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Evolution and Utility of the Small-Carrion Prosthesis, Its Impact, and Progression to the Modern-Day Malleable Penile Prosthesis.

PubMed

Martinez, Daniel R; Terlecki, Ryan; Brant, William O

2015-11-01

Erectile dysfunction has plagued humanity for millennia. For years, treatment had been in the hands of mental health professionals. It was not until the 1970s that urologists created a modality that was marketable, reproducible, and consistently successful at treating impotence, the Small-Carrion Penile Prosthesis. We present the evolution of the malleable/semi-rigid penile prosthesis, concentrating our efforts reviewing and critiquing the pivotal article published by Drs. Michael P. Small, Hernan M. Carrion, and Julian A. Gordon. We then discuss its continued advancement, current-day utilization, and the future of the malleable prosthesis. From the early 1900s, surgeons have been toying with the idea of creating a penile implant. These initial attempts utilized rib cartilage, and eventually synthetic materials, including acrylic, silicone, and polyethylene. In 1975, Drs. Carrion and Small presented their initial experience of 31 patients utilizing their silicone implant. In their manuscript titled, "The Small-Carrion Penile Prosthesis: New Implant for the Management of Impotence," they discuss their technique, perioperative management of complications, and results. The malleable penile prosthesis continued to evolve throughout the years to the current day Genesis and Spectra. Although the current market is dominated by the inflatable penile prosthesis, there are specific situations where the malleable is ideally utilized. The pivotal article by Drs. Carrion and Small helped pave the way for the "New Era" of penile prosthetics and still remains one of the most impactful contributions to the management of erectile dysfunction. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Fault Tolerance in ZigBee Wireless Sensor Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alena, Richard; Gilstrap, Ray; Baldwin, Jarren; Stone, Thom; Wilson, Pete

2011-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) based on the IEEE 802.15.4 Personal Area Network standard are finding increasing use in the home automation and emerging smart energy markets. The network and application layers, based on the ZigBee 2007 PRO Standard, provide a convenient framework for component-based software that supports customer solutions from multiple vendors. This technology is supported by System-on-a-Chip solutions, resulting in extremely small and low-power nodes. The Wireless Connections in Space Project addresses the aerospace flight domain for both flight-critical and non-critical avionics. WSNs provide the inherent fault tolerance required for aerospace applications utilizing such technology. The team from Ames Research Center has developed techniques for assessing the fault tolerance of ZigBee WSNs challenged by radio frequency (RF) interference or WSN node failure.

Tolerant compressed sensing with partially coherent sensing matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birnbaum, Tobias; Eldar, Yonina C.; Needell, Deanna

2017-08-01

Most of compressed sensing (CS) theory to date is focused on incoherent sensing, that is, columns from the sensing matrix are highly uncorrelated. However, sensing systems with naturally occurring correlations arise in many applications, such as signal detection, motion detection and radar. Moreover, in these applications it is often not necessary to know the support of the signal exactly, but instead small errors in the support and signal are tolerable. Despite the abundance of work utilizing incoherent sensing matrices, for this type of tolerant recovery we suggest that coherence is actually beneficial . We promote the use of coherent sampling when tolerant support recovery is acceptable, and demonstrate its advantages empirically. In addition, we provide a first step towards theoretical analysis by considering a specific reconstruction method for selected signal classes.

Single-shot detection of bacterial endospores via coherent Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Pestov, Dmitry; Wang, Xi; Ariunbold, Gombojav O; Murawski, Robert K; Sautenkov, Vladimir A; Dogariu, Arthur; Sokolov, Alexei V; Scully, Marlan O

2008-01-15

Recent advances in coherent Raman spectroscopy hold exciting promise for many potential applications. For example, a technique, mitigating the nonresonant four-wave-mixing noise while maximizing the Raman-resonant signal, has been developed and applied to the problem of real-time detection of bacterial endospores. After a brief review of the technique essentials, we show how extensions of our earlier experimental work [Pestov D, et al. (2007) Science 316:265-268] yield single-shot identification of a small sample of Bacillus subtilis endospores (approximately 10(4) spores). The results convey the utility of the technique and its potential for "on-the-fly" detection of biohazards, such as Bacillus anthracis. The application of optimized coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering scheme to problems requiring chemical specificity and short signal acquisition times is demonstrated.

A Field-Sweep/Field-Lock System for Superconducting Magnets-Application to High-Field EPR

PubMed Central

Maly, Thorsten; Bryant, Jeff; Ruben, David; Griffin, Robert G.

2007-01-01

We describe a field-lock/field-sweep system for the use in superconducting magnets. The system is based on a commercially available field mapping unit and a custom designed broad-band 1H-NMR probe. The NMR signal of a small water sample is used in a feedback loop to set and control the magnetic field to high accuracy. The current instrumental configuration allows field sweeps of ± 0.4 T and a resolution of up to 10-5 T (0.1 G) and the performance of the system is demonstrated in a high-field electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) application. The system should also be of utility in other experiments requiring precise and reproducible sweeps of the magnetic field such as DNP, ENDOR or PELDOR. PMID:17027306

A field-sweep/field-lock system for superconducting magnets--Application to high-field EPR.

PubMed

Maly, Thorsten; Bryant, Jeff; Ruben, David; Griffin, Robert G

2006-12-01

We describe a field-lock/field-sweep system for the use in superconducting magnets. The system is based on a commercially available field mapping unit and a custom designed broad-band 1H NMR probe. The NMR signal of a small water sample is used in a feedback loop to set and control the magnetic field to high accuracy. The current instrumental configuration allows field sweeps of +/-0.4 T and a resolution of up to 10(-5) T (0.1 G) and the performance of the system is demonstrated in a high-field electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) application. The system should also be of utility in other experiments requiring precise and reproducible sweeps of the magnetic field such as DNP, ENDOR or PELDOR.

Applications of remote sensing to hydrologic planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loats, H., Jr.; Fowler, T.; Castruccio, P.

1978-01-01

The transfer of LANDSAT remote sensing technology from the research sector to user operational applications requires demonstration of the utility and accuracy of LANDSAT data in solving real problems. This report describes such a demonstration project in the area of water resources, specifically the estimation of non-point source pollutant loads. Non-point source pollutants were estimated from land cover data from LANDSAT images. Classification accuracies for three small watersheds were above 95%. Land cover was converted to pollutant loads for a fourth watershed through the use of coefficients relating significant pollutants to land use and storm runoff volume. These data were input into a simulator model which simulated runoff from average rainfall. The result was the estimation of monthly expected pollutant loads for the 17 subbasins comprising the Magothy watershed.

Modified surface testing method for large convex aspheric surfaces based on diffraction optics.

PubMed

Zhang, Haidong; Wang, Xiaokun; Xue, Donglin; Zhang, Xuejun

2017-12-01

Large convex aspheric optical elements have been widely applied in advanced optical systems, which have presented a challenging metrology problem. Conventional testing methods cannot satisfy the demand gradually with the change of definition of "large." A modified method is proposed in this paper, which utilizes a relatively small computer-generated hologram and an illumination lens with certain feasibility to measure the large convex aspherics. Two example systems are designed to demonstrate the applicability, and also, the sensitivity of this configuration is analyzed, which proves the accuracy of the configuration can be better than 6 nm with careful alignment and calibration of the illumination lens in advance. Design examples and analysis show that this configuration is applicable to measure the large convex aspheric surfaces.

Nanostructured Gas Sensors for Health Care: An Overview

PubMed Central

Kaushik, Ajeet; Kumar, Rajesh; Jayant, Rahul Dev; Nair, Madhavan

2015-01-01

Nanostructured platforms have been utilized for fabrication of small, sensitive and reliable gas sensing devices owing to high functionality, enhanced charge transport and electro-catalytic property. As a result of globalization, rapid, sensitive and selective detection of gases in environment is essential for health care and security. Nonmaterial such as metal, metal oxides, organic polymers, and organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites exhibit interesting optical, electrical, magnetic and molecular properties, and hence are found potential gas sensing materials. Morphological, electrical, and optical properties of such nanostructures can be tailored via controlling the precursor concentration and synthesis conditions resulting to achieve desired sensing. This review presents applications of nano-enabling gas sensors to detect gases for environment monitoring. The recent update, challenges, and future vision for commercial applications of such sensor are also described here. PMID:26491544

Exploiting CRISPR/Cas: Interference Mechanisms and Applications

PubMed Central

Richter, Hagen; Randau, Lennart; Plagens, André

2013-01-01

The discovery of biological concepts can often provide a framework for the development of novel molecular tools, which can help us to further understand and manipulate life. One recent example is the elucidation of the prokaryotic adaptive immune system, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) that protects bacteria and archaea against viruses or conjugative plasmids. The immunity is based on small RNA molecules that are incorporated into versatile multi-domain proteins or protein complexes and specifically target viral nucleic acids via base complementarity. CRISPR/Cas interference machines are utilized to develop novel genome editing tools for different organisms. Here, we will review the latest progress in the elucidation and application of prokaryotic CRISPR/Cas systems and discuss possible future approaches to exploit the potential of these interference machineries. PMID:23857052

Creating a zero-order resonator using an optical surface transformation

PubMed Central

Sun, Fei; Ge, Xiaochen; He, Sailing

2016-01-01

A novel zero-order resonator has been designed by an optical surface transformation (OST) method. The resonator proposed here has many novel features. Firstly, the mode volume can be very small (e.g. in the subwavelength scale). Secondly, the resonator is open (no reflecting walls are utilized) and resonant effects can be found in a continuous spectrum (i.e. a continuum of eigenmodes). Thirdly, we only need one homogenous medium to realize the proposed resonator. The shape of the resonator can be a ring structure of arbitrary shape. In addition to the natural applications (e.g. optical storage) of an optical resonator, we also suggest some other applications of our novel optical open resonator (e.g. power combination, squeezing electromagnetic energy in the free space). PMID:26888359

Design of Flow Systems for Improved Networking and Reduced Noise in Biomolecular Signal Processing in Biocomputing and Biosensing Applications

PubMed Central

Verma, Arjun; Fratto, Brian E.; Privman, Vladimir; Katz, Evgeny

2016-01-01

We consider flow systems that have been utilized for small-scale biomolecular computing and digital signal processing in binary-operating biosensors. Signal measurement is optimized by designing a flow-reversal cuvette and analyzing the experimental data to theoretically extract the pulse shape, as well as reveal the level of noise it possesses. Noise reduction is then carried out numerically. We conclude that this can be accomplished physically via the addition of properly designed well-mixing flow-reversal cell(s) as an integral part of the flow system. This approach should enable improved networking capabilities and potentially not only digital but analog signal-processing in such systems. Possible applications in complex biocomputing networks and various sense-and-act systems are discussed. PMID:27399702

Ultrathin Polyaniline-based Buffer Layer for Highly Efficient Polymer Solar Cells with Wide Applicability

PubMed Central

Zhao, Wenchao; Ye, Long; Zhang, Shaoqing; Fan, Bin; Sun, Mingliang; Hou, Jianhui

2014-01-01

Interfacial buffer layers often attribute the improved device performance in organic optoelectronic device. Herein, a water-soluble hydrochloric acid doped polyanilines (HAPAN) were utilized as p-type electrode buffer layer in highly efficient polymer solar cells (PSC) based on PBDTTT-EFT and several representative polymers. The PBDTTT-EFT-based conventional PSC featuring ultrathin HAPAN (1.3 nm) delivered high PCE approximately 9%, which is one of the highest values among conventional PSC devices. Moreover, ultrathin HAPAN also exhibited wide applicability in a variety of efficient photovoltaic polymers including PBDTTT-C-T, PTB7, PBDTBDD, PBTTDPP-T, PDPP3T and P3HT. The excellent performances were originated from the high transparency, small film roughness and suitable work function. PMID:25300365

Exploiting CRISPR/Cas: interference mechanisms and applications.

PubMed

Richter, Hagen; Randau, Lennart; Plagens, André

2013-07-12

The discovery of biological concepts can often provide a framework for the development of novel molecular tools, which can help us to further understand and manipulate life. One recent example is the elucidation of the prokaryotic adaptive immune system, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) that protects bacteria and archaea against viruses or conjugative plasmids. The immunity is based on small RNA molecules that are incorporated into versatile multi-domain proteins or protein complexes and specifically target viral nucleic acids via base complementarity. CRISPR/Cas interference machines are utilized to develop novel genome editing tools for different organisms. Here, we will review the latest progress in the elucidation and application of prokaryotic CRISPR/Cas systems and discuss possible future approaches to exploit the potential of these interference machineries.

48 CFR 52.219-8 - Utilization of small business concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... United States Small Business Administration or the awarding agency of the United States as may be... List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns maintained by the Small Business Administration... small disadvantaged business in the CCR Dynamic Small Business Search database maintained by the Small...

48 CFR 52.219-8 - Utilization of small business concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... United States Small Business Administration or the awarding agency of the United States as may be... List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns maintained by the Small Business Administration... small disadvantaged business in the CCR Dynamic Small Business Search database maintained by the Small...

The MEMS Knudsen Compressor as a Vacuum Pump for Space Exploration Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vargo, S. E.; Muntz, E. P.; Tang, W. C.

2000-01-01

Several lander, probe and rover missions currently under study at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and especially in the Microdevices Laboratory (MDL) Center for Space Microelectronics Technology, focus on utilizing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based instruments for science data gathering. These small instruments and NASA's commitment to "faster, better, cheaper" type missions has brought about the need for novel approaches to satisfying mission requirements. Existing in-situ instrument systems clearly lack novel and integrated methods for satisfying their vacuum needs. One attractive candidate for a MEMS vacuum pump is the Knudsen Compressor, which operates based on thermal transpiration. Thermal transpiration describes gas flows induced by temperature differences maintained across orifices, porous membranes or capillary tubes under rarefied conditions. This device has two overwhelmingly attractive features as a MEMS vacuum pump - no moving parts and no fluids. An initial estimate of a Knudsen Compressor's pumping power requirements for a surface atmospheric sampling task on Mars is less than 80 mW, significantly below than alternative pumps. Due to the relatively low energy use for this task and the applicability of the Knudsen Compressor to other applications, the development of a Knudsen Compressor utilizing MEMS fabrication techniques has been initiated. This paper discusses the initial fabrication of a single-stage MEMS Knudsen Compressor vacuum pump, provides performance criteria such as pumping speed, size, energy use and ultimate pressure and details vacuum pump applications in several MDL related in-situ instruments.

UAV-borne lidar with MEMS mirror-based scanning capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasturi, Abhishek; Milanovic, Veljko; Atwood, Bryan H.; Yang, James

2016-05-01

Firstly, we demonstrated a wirelessly controlled MEMS scan module with imaging and laser tracking capability which can be mounted and flown on a small UAV quadcopter. The MEMS scan module was reduced down to a small volume of <90mm x 60mm x 40mm, weighing less than 40g and consuming less than 750mW of power using a ~5mW laser. This MEMS scan module was controlled by a smartphone via Bluetooth while flying on a drone, and could project vector content, text, and perform laser based tracking. Also, a "point-and-range" LiDAR module was developed for UAV applications based on low SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) gimbal-less MEMS mirror beam-steering technology and off-the-shelf OEM LRF modules. For demonstration purposes of an integrated laser range finder module, we used a simple off-the-shelf OEM laser range finder (LRF) with a 100m range, +/-1.5mm accuracy, and 4Hz ranging capability. The LRFs receiver optics were modified to accept 20° of angle, matching the transmitter's FoR. A relatively large (5.0mm) diameter MEMS mirror with +/-10° optical scanning angle was utilized in the demonstration to maintain the small beam divergence of the module. The complete LiDAR prototype can fit into a small volume of <70mm x 60mm x 60mm, and weigh <50g when powered by the UAV's battery. The MEMS mirror based LiDAR system allows for ondemand ranging of points or areas within the FoR without altering the UAV's position. Increasing the LRF ranging frequency and stabilizing the pointing of the laser beam by utilizing the onboard inertial sensors and the camera are additional goals of the next design.

On the remote sensing of cloud properties from satellite infrared sounder data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, H. Y. M.

1984-01-01

A method for remote sensing of cloud parameters by using infrared sounder data has been developed on the basis of the parameterized infrared transfer equation applicable to cloudy atmospheres. The method is utilized for the retrieval of the cloud height, amount, and emissivity in 11 micro m region. Numerical analyses and retrieval experiments have been carried out by utilizing the synthetic sounder data for the theoretical study. The sensitivity of the numerical procedures to the measurement and instrument errors are also examined. The retrieved results are physically discussed and numerically compared with the model atmospheres. Comparisons reveal that the recovered cloud parameters agree reasonably well with the pre-assumed values. However, for cases when relatively thin clouds and/or small cloud fractional cover within a field of view are present, the recovered cloud parameters show considerable fluctuations. Experiments on the proposed algorithm are carried out utilizing High Resolution Infrared Sounder (HIRS/2) data of NOAA 6 and TIROS-N. Results of experiments show reasonably good comparisons with the surface reports and GOES satellite images.

Nanopipettes: probes for local sample analysis.

PubMed

Saha-Shah, Anumita; Weber, Anna E; Karty, Jonathan A; Ray, Steven J; Hieftje, Gary M; Baker, Lane A

2015-06-01

Nanopipettes (pipettes with diameters <1 μm) were explored as pressure-driven fluid manipulation tools for sampling nanoliter volumes of fluids. The fundamental behavior of fluids confined in the narrow channels of the nanopipette shank was studied to optimize sampling volume and probe geometry. This method was utilized to collect nanoliter volumes (<10 nL) of sample from single Allium cepa cells and live Drosophila melanogaster first instar larvae. Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was utilized to characterize the collected sample. The use of nanopipettes for surface sampling of mouse brain tissue sections was also explored. Lipid analyses were performed on mouse brain tissues with spatial resolution of sampling as small as 50 μm. Nanopipettes were shown to be a versatile tool that will find further application in studies of sample heterogeneity and population analysis for a wide range of samples.

Distributed Wind Market Applications

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

Forsyth, T.; Baring-Gould, I.

2007-11-01

Distributed wind energy systems provide clean, renewable power for on-site use and help relieve pressure on the power grid while providing jobs and contributing to energy security for homes, farms, schools, factories, private and public facilities, distribution utilities, and remote locations. America pioneered small wind technology in the 1920s, and it is the only renewable energy industry segment that the United States still dominates in technology, manufacturing, and world market share. The series of analyses covered by this report were conducted to assess some of the most likely ways that advanced wind turbines could be utilized apart from large, centralmore » station power systems. Each chapter represents a final report on specific market segments written by leading experts in this field. As such, this document does not speak with one voice but rather a compendium of different perspectives, which are documented from a variety of people in the U.S. distributed wind field.« less

Defined-size DNA triple crossover construct for molecular electronics: modification, positioning and conductance properties.

PubMed

Linko, Veikko; Leppiniemi, Jenni; Paasonen, Seppo-Tapio; Hytönen, Vesa P; Toppari, J Jussi

2011-07-08

We present a novel, defined-size, small and rigid DNA template, a so-called B-A-B complex, based on DNA triple crossover motifs (TX tiles), which can be utilized in molecular scale patterning for nanoelectronics, plasmonics and sensing applications. The feasibility of the designed construct is demonstrated by functionalizing the TX tiles with one biotin-triethylene glycol (TEG) and efficiently decorating them with streptavidin, and furthermore by positioning and anchoring single thiol-modified B-A-B complexes to certain locations on a chip via dielectrophoretic trapping. Finally, we characterize the conductance properties of the non-functionalized construct, first by measuring DC conductivity and second by utilizing AC impedance spectroscopy in order to describe the conductivity mechanism of a single B-A-B complex using a detailed equivalent circuit model. This analysis also reveals further information about the conductivity of DNA structures in general.

Applications of nanodiamonds in drug delivery and catalysis.

PubMed

Moosa, Basem; Fhayli, Karim; Li, Song; Julfakyan, Khatchatur; Ezzeddine, Alaa; Khashab, Niveen M

2014-01-01

The interest of researchers in utilizing nanomaterials as carriers for a wide spectrum of molecules has exploded in the last two decades. Nanodiamonds are one class of carbon-based nanomaterials that have emerged as promising drug delivery vehicles and imaging probes. Their ease of functionalization also led to the generation of stimuli-responsive nanodiamonds that deliver drugs on demand in a controlled manner. The ample surface area of NDs allowed for a higher loading of not only small molecules but also macromolecules like genes and proteins. Recently, the unique surface of NDs has attracted more attention as catalyst support in a huge range of organic modification and C-C bond formation reactions. Herein, recent advances in the utilization of nanodiamonds as a drug delivery vehicle and catalytical support are highlighted and summarized to illustrate the potential and versatility of this cheap and commercially available nanomaterial.

The Economics of Big Area Addtiive Manufacturing

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

Post, Brian; Lloyd, Peter D; Lindahl, John

Case studies on the economics of Additive Manufacturing (AM) suggest that processing time is the dominant cost in manufacturing. Most additive processes have similar performance metrics: small part sizes, low production rates and expensive feedstocks. Big Area Additive Manufacturing is based on transitioning polymer extrusion technology from a wire to a pellet feedstock. Utilizing pellets significantly increases deposition speed and lowers material cost by utilizing low cost injection molding feedstock. The use of carbon fiber reinforced polymers eliminates the need for a heated chamber, significantly reducing machine power requirements and size constraints. We hypothesize that the increase in productivity coupledmore » with decrease in feedstock and energy costs will enable AM to become more competitive with conventional manufacturing processes for many applications. As a test case, we compare the cost of using traditional fused deposition modeling (FDM) with BAAM for additively manufacturing composite tooling.« less

Utilizing Weak Indicators to Detect Anomalous Behaviors in Networks

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

Egid, Adin

We consider the use of a novel weak in- dicator alongside more commonly used weak indicators to help detect anomalous behavior in a large computer network. The data of the network which we are studying in this research paper concerns remote log-in information (Virtual Private Network, or VPN sessions) from the internal network of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The novel indicator we are utilizing is some- thing which, while novel in its application to data science/cyber security research, is a concept borrowed from the business world. The Her ndahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is a computationally trivial index which provides amore » useful heuristic for regulatory agencies to ascertain the relative competitiveness of a particular industry. Using this index as a lagging indicator in the monthly format we have studied could help to detect anomalous behavior by a particular or small set of users on the network.« less

Supramolecular polymer formation by cyclic dinucleotides and intercalators affects dinucleotide enzymatic processing

PubMed Central

Nakayama, Shizuka; Zhou, Jie; Zheng, Yue; Szmacinski, Henryk; Sintim, Herman O

2016-01-01

Background: Cyclic dinucleotides form supramolecular aggregates with intercalators, and this property could be utilized in nanotechnology and medicine. Methods & results: Atomic force microscopy and electrophoretic mobility shift assays were used to show that cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP) forms G-wires in the presence of intercalators. The average fluorescence lifetime of thiazole orange, when bound to c-di-GMP was greater than when bound to DNA G-quadruplexes or dsDNA. The stability of c-di-GMP supramolecular polymers is dependent on both the nature of the cation present and the intercalator. C-di-GMP or cyclic diadenylic acid/intercalator complexes are more resistant to cleavage by YybT, a phosphodiesterase, than the uncomplexed nucleotides. Conclusion: Cleavage of bacterial cyclic dinucleotides could be slowed down via complexation with small molecules and that this could be utilized for diverse applications in nanotechnology and medicine. PMID:28031943

Development of high-performing semiconducting polymers for organic electrochemical transistors (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, Christian

2016-11-01

The organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), capable of amplifying small electrical signals in an aqueous environment, is an ideal device to utilize in organic bioelectronic applications involving for example neural interfacing and diagnostics. Currently, most OECTs are fabricated with commercially available conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-based suspensions such as PEDOT:PSS and are therefore operated in depletion mode giving rise to devices that are permanently on with non-optimal operational voltage. With the aim to develop and utilize efficient accumulation mode OECT devices, we discuss here our recent results regarding the design, synthesis and performance of novel intrinsic semiconducting polymers. Covering key aspects such as ion and charge transport in the bulk semiconductor and operational voltage and stability of the materials and devices, we have elucidated important structure-property relationships. We illustrate the improvements this approach has afforded in the development of high performance accumulation mode OECT materials.

Development of termination and utilization concepts for flat conductor cables. Volume 2: Utilization of small gage wire round conductor cables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The practical use of small-gage round wire for electrical wiring in manned air and space vehicle environments is discussed. The investigation consisted on a study of wire construction and candidate wire harness concepts, fabrication of small-gage wire harnesses, and verification of promising configurations by laboratory evaluation. The wire constructions selected for harness fabrication are described. Results of the laboratory evaluation are included.

Application of GPS tracking techniques to orbit determination for TDRS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haines, B. J.; Lichten, S. M.; Malla, R. P.; Wu, S. C.

1993-01-01

In this paper, we evaluate two fundamentally different approaches to TDRS orbit determination utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and GPS-related techniques. In the first, a GPS flight receiver is deployed on the TDRSS spacecraft. The TDRS ephemerides are determined using direct ranging to the GPS spacecraft, and no ground network is required. In the second approach, the TDRSS spacecraft broadcast a suitable beacon signal, permitting the simultaneous tracking of GPS and TDRSS satellites from a small ground network. Both strategies can be designed to meet future operational requirements for TDRS-2 orbit determination.

Feasibility study of wind-generated electricity for rural applications in southwestern Ohio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohring, G. W.

The parameters associated with domestic production of wind generated electricity for direct use by small farms and rural homes in the southwestern Ohio region are discussed. The project involves direct utility interfaced electricity generation from a horizontal axis, down-wind, fixed pitch, wind powered induction generator system. Goals of the project are to determine: the ability to produce useful amounts of domestic wind generated electricity in the southwestern Ohio region; economic justification for domestic wind generated electrical production; and the potential of domestic wind generated electricity for reducing dependence on non-renewable energy resources in the southwestern Ohio region.

A Bifunctional Dimethylsulfoxide Substitute Enhances the Aqueous Solubility of Small Organic Molecules

PubMed Central

Sprachman, Melissa M.

2012-01-01

Abstract An oxetane-substituted sulfoxide has demonstrated potential as a dimethylsulfoxide substitute for enhancing the dissolution of organic compounds with poor aqueous solubilities. This sulfoxide may find utility in applications of library storage and biological assays. For the model compounds studied, significant solubility enhancements were observed using the sulfoxide as a cosolvent in aqueous media. Brine shrimp, breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), and liver cell line (HepG2) toxicity data for the new additive are also presented, in addition to comparative IC50 values for a series of PKD1 inhibitors. PMID:22192308

A novel algorithm for fast and efficient multifocus wavefront shaping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayyaz, Zahra; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-02-01

Wavefront shaping using spatial light modulator (SLM) is a popular method for focusing light through a turbid media, such as biological tissues. Usually, in iterative optimization methods, due to the very large number of pixels in SLM, larger pixels are formed, bins, and the phase value of the bins are changed to obtain an optimum phase map, hence a focus. In this study an efficient optimization algorithm is proposed to obtain an arbitrary map of focus utilizing all the SLM pixels or small bin sizes. The application of such methodology in dermatology, hair removal in particular, is explored and discussed

The application of simulation modeling to the cost and performance ranking of solar thermal power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberg, L. S.; Revere, W. R.; Selcuk, M. K.

1981-01-01

Small solar thermal power systems (up to 10 MWe in size) were tested. The solar thermal power plant ranking study was performed to aid in experiment activity and support decisions for the selection of the most appropriate technological approach. The cost and performance were determined for insolation conditions by utilizing the Solar Energy Simulation computer code (SESII). This model optimizes the size of the collector field and energy storage subsystem for given engine generator and energy transport characteristics. The development of the simulation tool, its operation, and the results achieved from the analysis are discussed.

Energy scaling of passively Q-switched lasers In the Mj-range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, J.; Huss, R.; Kolleck, C.; Kracht, Dietmar

2017-11-01

Q-switched lasers systems with ns pulse duration and energies ranging from 1 to more than 100mJ are utilized for many spaceborne applications such as altimetry of planets and moons. Furthermore, Q-switched lasers can be used for distance measurements during docking and landing manoeuvres. To keep the diameter of the beam small over a large distance and to consequently achieve a good lateral resolution, a good beam propagation factor M² is required. Moreover, Q-switched lasers can be used directly on the planetary surface for exploration by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy or laser desorption mass spectrometry.

Potential techniques for non-destructive evaluation of cable materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillen, Kenneth T.; Clough, Roger L.; Mattson, Bengt; Stenberg, Bengt; Oestman, Erik

This paper describes the connection between mechanical degradation of common cable materials, in radiation and elevated temperature environments, and density increases caused by the oxidation which leads to this degradation. Two techniques based on density changes are suggested as potential non-destructive evaluation (NDE) procedures which may be applicable to monitoring the mechanical condition of cable materials in power plant environments. The first technique is direct measurement of density changes, via a density gradient column, using small shavings removed from the surface of cable jackets at selected locations. The second technique is computed X-ray tomography, utilizing a portable scanning device.

Miniaturized Ultrasound Imaging Probes Enabled by CMUT Arrays with Integrated Frontend Electronic Circuits

PubMed Central

Khuri-Yakub, B. (Pierre) T.; Oralkan, Ömer; Nikoozadeh, Amin; Wygant, Ira O.; Zhuang, Steve; Gencel, Mustafa; Choe, Jung Woo; Stephens, Douglas N.; de la Rama, Alan; Chen, Peter; Lin, Feng; Dentinger, Aaron; Wildes, Douglas; Thomenius, Kai; Shivkumar, Kalyanam; Mahajan, Aman; Seo, Chi Hyung; O’Donnell, Matthew; Truong, Uyen; Sahn, David J.

2010-01-01

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays are conveniently integrated with frontend integrated circuits either monolithically or in a hybrid multichip form. This integration helps with reducing the number of active data processing channels for 2D arrays. This approach also preserves the signal integrity for arrays with small elements. Therefore CMUT arrays integrated with electronic circuits are most suitable to implement miniaturized probes required for many intravascular, intracardiac, and endoscopic applications. This paper presents examples of miniaturized CMUT probes utilizing 1D, 2D, and ring arrays with integrated electronics. PMID:21097106

PC Utilities: Small Programs with a Big Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baule, Steven

2004-01-01

The three utility commercial programs available on the Internet are like software packages purchased through a vendor or the Internet, shareware programs are developed by individuals and distributed via the Internet for a small fee to obtain the complete version of the product, and freeware programs are distributed via the Internet free of cost.…

Preparation of isotopic molybdenum foils utilizing small quantities of material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipski, A. R.; Lee, L. L.; Liang, J. F.; Mahon, J. C.

1993-09-01

A simple method utilizing a small amount of isotopic material for production of molybdenum foils is discussed. An e-gun is used in the procedure. The Mo powder undergoes reduction-sintering and melting-solidifying steps leading to the creation of a metallic droplet suitable for further cold rolling or vacuum deposition.

Biomass utilization for bioenergy in the Western United States

Treesearch

D.L. Nicholls; R. Monserud; D. Dykstra

2008-01-01

Wildfires, hazardous fuel buildups, small-diameter timber, wildland-urban interface zones, biomass. These are some of the terms becoming familiar to communities throughout the Western United States after the record-breaking fire seasons of the past decade. Although small-diameter stems are generally expensive to remove and often have limited utilization options, the...

Performance Feedback Utility in a Small Organization: Effects on Organizational Outcomes and Managerial Decision Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florin-Thuma, Beth C.; Boudreau, John W.

1987-01-01

Investigated the frequent but previously untested assertion that utility analysis can improve communication and decision making about human resource management programs by examining a performance feedback intervention in a small fast-food store. Results suggest substantial payoffs from performance feedback, though the store's owner-managers had…

Electromagnetic diagnostic techniques for hypervelocity projectile detection, velocity measurement, and size characterization: Theoretical concept and first experimental test

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

Uhlig, W. Casey; Heine, Andreas, E-mail: andreas.heine@emi.fraunhofer.de

2015-11-14

A new measurement technique is suggested to augment the characterization and understanding of hypervelocity projectiles before impact. The electromagnetic technique utilizes magnetic diffusion principles to detect particles, measure velocity, and indicate relative particle dimensions. It is particularly suited for detection of small particles that may be difficult to track utilizing current characterization methods, such as high-speed video or flash radiography but can be readily used for large particle detection, where particle spacing or location is not practical for other measurement systems. In this work, particles down to 2 mm in diameter have been characterized while focusing on confining the detection signalmore » to enable multi-particle characterization with limited particle-to-particle spacing. The focus of the paper is on the theoretical concept and the analysis of its applicability based on analytical and numerical calculation. First proof-of-principle experimental tests serve to further validate the method. Some potential applications are the characterization of particles from a shaped-charge jet after its break-up and investigating debris in impact experiments to test theoretical models for the distribution of particles size, number, and velocity.« less

Eliminating Crystals in Non-Oxide Optical Fiber Preforms and Optical Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Dennis S.; LaPointe, Michael R.

2012-01-01

Non ]oxide fiber optics such as heavy metal fluoride and chalcogenide glasses are extensively used in infrared transmitting applications such as communication systems, chemical sensors, and laser fiber guides for cutting, welding and medical surgery. The addition of rare earths such as erbium, enable these materials to be used as fiber laser and amplifiers. Some of these glasses however are very susceptible to crystallization. Even small crystals can lead to light scatter and a high attenuation coefficient, limiting their usefulness. Previously two research teams found that microgravity suppressed crystallization in heavy metal fluoride glasses. Looking for a less expensive method to suppress crystallization, ground based research was performed utilizing an axial magnetic field. The experiments revealed identical results to those obtained via microgravity processing. This research then led to a patented process for eliminating crystals in optical fiber preforms and the resulting optical fibers. In this paper, the microgravity results will be reviewed as well as patents and papers relating to the use of magnetic fields in various material and glass processing applications. Finally our patent to eliminate crystals in non ]oxide glasses utilizing a magnetic field will be detailed.

Inference of human continental origin and admixture proportions using a highly discriminative ancestry informative 41-SNP panel

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Accurate determination of genetic ancestry is of high interest for many areas such as biomedical research, personal genomics and forensics. It remains an important topic in genetic association studies, as it has been shown that population stratification, if not appropriately considered, can lead to false-positive and -negative results. While large association studies typically extract ancestry information from available genome-wide SNP genotypes, many important clinical data sets on rare phenotypes and historical collections assembled before the GWAS area are in need of a feasible method (i.e., ease of genotyping, small number of markers) to infer the geographic origin and potential admixture of the study subjects. Here we report on the development, application and limitations of a small, multiplexable ancestry informative marker (AIM) panel of SNPs (or AISNP) developed specifically for this purpose. Results Based on worldwide populations from the HGDP, a 41-AIM AISNP panel for multiplex application with the ABI SNPlex and a subset with 31 AIMs for the Sequenome iPLEX system were selected and found to be highly informative for inferring ancestry among the seven continental regions Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Central/South Asia, East Asia, the Americas and Oceania. The panel was found to be least informative for Eurasian populations, and additional AIMs for a higher resolution are suggested. A large reference set including over 4,000 subjects collected from 120 global populations was assembled to facilitate accurate ancestry determination. We show practical applications of this AIM panel, discuss its limitations for admixed individuals and suggest ways to incorporate ancestry information into genetic association studies. Conclusion We demonstrated the utility of a small AISNP panel specifically developed to discern global ancestry. We believe that it will find wide application because of its feasibility and potential for a wide range of applications. PMID:23815888

26 CFR 1.42-10 - Utility allowances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... into account, among other things, local utility rates, property type, climate and degree-day variables... which the building containing the units is located. (c) Changes in applicable utility allowance—(1) In...)), the applicable utility allowance for units changes, the new utility allowance must be used to compute...

26 CFR 1.42-10 - Utility allowances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... into account, among other things, local utility rates, property type, climate and degree-day variables... which the building containing the units is located. (c) Changes in applicable utility allowance—(1) In...)), the applicable utility allowance for units changes, the new utility allowance must be used to compute...

26 CFR 1.42-10 - Utility allowances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... into account, among other things, local utility rates, property type, climate and degree-day variables... which the building containing the units is located. (c) Changes in applicable utility allowance—(1) In...)), the applicable utility allowance for units changes, the new utility allowance must be used to compute...

26 CFR 1.42-10 - Utility allowances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... into account, among other things, local utility rates, property type, climate and degree-day variables... which the building containing the units is located. (c) Changes in applicable utility allowance—(1) In...)), the applicable utility allowance for units changes, the new utility allowance must be used to compute...

26 CFR 1.42-10 - Utility allowances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... into account, among other things, local utility rates, property type, climate and degree-day variables... which the building containing the units is located. (c) Changes in applicable utility allowance—(1) In...)), the applicable utility allowance for units changes, the new utility allowance must be used to compute...

ADMS State of the Industry and Gap Analysis

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

Agalgaonkar, Yashodhan P.; Marinovici, Maria C.; Vadari, Subramanian V.

2016-03-31

An Advanced distribution management system (ADMS) is a platform for optimized distribution system operational management. This platform comprises of distribution management system (DMS) applications, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), outage management system (OMS), and distributed energy resource management system (DERMS). One of the primary objectives of this work is to study and analyze several ADMS component and auxiliary systems. All the important component and auxiliary systems, SCADA, GISs, DMSs, AMRs/AMIs, OMSs, and DERMS, are discussed in this report. Their current generation technologies are analyzed, and their integration (or evolution) with an ADMS technology is discussed. An ADMS technology statemore » of the art and gap analysis is also presented. There are two technical gaps observed. The integration challenge between the component operational systems is the single largest challenge for ADMS design and deployment. Another significant challenge noted is concerning essential ADMS applications, for instance, fault location, isolation, and service restoration (FLISR), volt-var optimization (VVO), etc. There are a relatively small number of ADMS application developers as ADMS software platform is not open source. There is another critical gap and while not being technical in nature (when compared the two above) is still important to consider. The data models currently residing in utility GIS systems are either incomplete or inaccurate or both. This data is essential for planning and operations because it is typically one of the primary sources from which power system model are created. To achieve the full potential of ADMS, the ability to execute acute Power Flow solution is an important pre-requisite. These critical gaps are hindering wider Utility adoption of an ADMS technology. The development of an open architecture platform can eliminate many of these barriers and also aid seamless integration of distribution Utility legacy systems with an ADMS.« less

7 CFR 2.88 - Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... deposits, and grants and loan activities affecting small and minority businesses including women-owned business, and the small business, small minority business, and small women-owned business subcontracting... disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses with the Small Business Administration and others in public and...

76 FR 13125 - Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-10

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels; Correction AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of Solicitation of Applications; correction. SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service...

76 FR 12017 - Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of solicitation of applications. SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces the...

Application of a novel combination of near-infrared spectroscopy and a humidity-controlled 96-well plate to the characterization of the polymorphism of imidafenacin.

PubMed

Uchida, Hiroshi; Yoshinaga, Tokuji; Mori, Hirotoshi; Otsuka, Makoto

2010-11-01

This study aimed to apply a currently available chemometric near-infrared spectroscopy technique to the characterization of the polymorphic properties of drug candidates. The technique requires only small quantities of samples and is therefore applicable to drugs in the early stages of development. The combination of near-infrared spectroscopy and a patented 96-well plate divided into 32 individual, humidity-controlled, three-well compartments was used in the characterization of a hygroscopic drug, imidafenacin, which has two polymorphs and one pseudo-polymorph. Characterization was also conducted with powder X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis. The results were compared with those from routinely used conventional analyses. Both the microanalysis and conventional analysis successfully characterised the substance (transformation and relative stability among the two polymorphs and a pseudo-polymorph) depending on the storage conditions. Near-infrared spectroscopic analyses utilizing a humidity-controlled 96-well plate required only small amounts of the sample for characterization under the various conditions of relative humidity. Near-infrared microanalysis can be applied to polymorphic studies of small quantities of a drug candidate. The results also suggest that the method will predict the behaviors of a hygroscopic candidate in solid pharmaceutical preparations at the early stages of drug development. © 2010 The Authors. JPP © 2010 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

Facile synthesis of polymeric fluorescent organic nanoparticles based on the self-polymerization of dopamine for biological imaging.

PubMed

Shi, Yingge; Jiang, Ruming; Liu, Meiying; Fu, Lihua; Zeng, Guangjian; Wan, Qing; Mao, Liucheng; Deng, Fengjie; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2017-08-01

Polymeric fluorescent organic nanoparticles (polymer-FONs) have raised considerable research attention for biomedical applications owing to their advantages as compared with fluorescent inorganic nanoparticles and small organic molecules. In this study, we presented an efficient, facile and environment-friendly strategy to produce polymer-FONs, which relied on the self-polymerization of dopamine and polyethyleneimine (PEI) in rather mild conditions. To obtain the final polymer-FONs, aldehyde group-containing copolymers (named as poly(UA-co-PEGMA)) were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization using polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and 1-undecen-10-al (UA) as monomers. The dopamine was conjugated onto poly(UA-co-PEGMA) through a multicomponent reaction between UA and dopamine to obtain poly(UA-co-PEGMA)-DA, which was further utilized for preparation of polymer-FONs through self-polymerization of dopamine and PEI. 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy were employed to characterize the structure, morphology, compositions and optical properties of these polymer-FONs. Cell viability and cell uptake behavior results suggested that these polymer-FONs possess good biocompatibility and can be potentially utilized for biomedical applications. More importantly, the method can be also applied to fabricate many other multifunctional polymer-FONs with great potential for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Vermont

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

Vanacore, J.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Vermont the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for New Hampshire

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

Wersan, D.; O'Connell, J.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1979 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in New Hampshire the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Massachusetts

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

Vanacore, J.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Massachusetts the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Oregon

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

Vanacore, J.; Forbes, K.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Oregon the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for New York

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

Not Available

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in New York the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Georgia

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

Not Available

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Georgia the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for the Tennessee Valley Authority

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

Wersan, D.; Dabuliewicz, J.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in the Tennessee Valley Region the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Virginia

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

Not Available

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Virginia the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Montana

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

Baker, C.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Montana the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for North Carolina

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

Whitelaw, J.; Getz, T.B.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in North Carolina the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Maine

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

O'Connell, J.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Maine the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Arkansas

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

Not Available

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Arkansas the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Colorado

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

Not Available

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Colorado the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Pennsylvania

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

Not Available

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Pennsylvania the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Connecticut

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

O'Connell, J.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Connecticut the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obatining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Developer handbook for Section 210 of PURPA for Rhode Island

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

Meyer, D.; Vanacore, J.

The essential element of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) for developers is a reordering by Congress of the relationship between electric utilities and small power producers. The goal of PURPA is to encourage development of alternative sources of electricity by helping small power production become economically viable. The strategy adopted by Congress for encouraging development has two main components. First, the utility must purchase the power produced by a project meeting certain definitional requirements; and second, the utility must pay a price for the power, determined in accordance with guidelines set out in the FERC regulations.more » This handbook is designed to explain to developers in Rhode Island the requirements of PURPA, including: who may qualify for treatment as a facility that may invoke the mandates of PURPA; the impact of PURPA on the state; the role of the state utility commission and the impact of state laws on the developer. Thus, the primary goal of the handbook is to provide potential small producers with a working understanding of their status and rights vis a vis the state utility commissions and electric utilities, and to aid the potential developer in obtaining the information needed to stimulate further research and development.« less

Implementing a low-cost web-based clinical trial management system for community studies: a case study.

PubMed

Geyer, John; Myers, Kathleen; Vander Stoep, Ann; McCarty, Carolyn; Palmer, Nancy; DeSalvo, Amy

2011-10-01

Clinical trials with multiple intervention locations and a single research coordinating center can be logistically difficult to implement. Increasingly, web-based systems are used to provide clinical trial support with many commercial, open source, and proprietary systems in use. New web-based tools are available which can be customized without programming expertise to deliver web-based clinical trial management and data collection functions. To demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing low-cost configurable applications to create a customized web-based data collection and study management system for a five intervention site randomized clinical trial establishing the efficacy of providing evidence-based treatment via teleconferencing to children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The sites are small communities that would not usually be included in traditional randomized trials. A major goal was to develop database that participants could access from computers in their home communities for direct data entry. Discussed is the selection process leading to the identification and utilization of a cost-effective and user-friendly set of tools capable of customization for data collection and study management tasks. An online assessment collection application, template-based web portal creation application, and web-accessible Access 2007 database were selected and customized to provide the following features: schedule appointments, administer and monitor online secure assessments, issue subject incentives, and securely transmit electronic documents between sites. Each tool was configured by users with limited programming expertise. As of June 2011, the system has successfully been used with 125 participants in 5 communities, who have completed 536 sets of assessment questionnaires, 8 community therapists, and 11 research staff at the research coordinating center. Total automation of processes is not possible with the current set of tools as each is loosely affiliated, creating some inefficiency. This system is best suited to investigations with a single data source e.g., psychosocial questionnaires. New web-based applications can be used by investigators with limited programming experience to implement user-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective tools for multi-site clinical trials with small distant communities. Such systems allow the inclusion in research of populations that are not usually involved in clinical trials.

48 CFR 42.1503 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... business (SDB), women-owned small business (WOSB), HUBZone small business, veteran-owned small business... negotiated. Had significant success with initiatives to assist, promote and utilize SB, SDB, WOSB, HUBZone...

Developing hydropower in Washington state. Volume 2: An electricity marketing manual

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, J. W.; McCoy, G. A.

1982-03-01

An electricity marketing manual for the potential small and micro-hydroelectric project developer within the state of Washington is presented. Public utility regulatory policies (PURPA) requires electric utilities to interconnect with and pay a rate based on their full avoided costs for the purchase of electrical output from qualifying small power production facilities. The determination of avoided costs, as business organizational considerations, utility interface concerns, interconnection requirements, metering options, and liability and wheeling are discussed. The utility responses are summarized, legislation which is of importance to hydropower developers and the powers and functions of the authorities responsible for enforcing the mandate of PURPA are described.

AUTOMATED UTILITY SERVICE AREA ASSESSMENT UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS

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

G. TOOLE; S. LINGER

2001-01-01

All electric utilities serve power to their customers through a variety of functional levels, notably substations. The majority of these components consist of distribution substations operating at lower voltages while a small fraction are transmission substations. There is an associated geographical area that encompasses customers who are served, defined as the service area. Analysis of substation service areas is greatly complicated by several factors: distribution networks are often highly interconnected which allows a multitude of possible switching operations; also, utilities dynamically alter the network topology in order to respond to emergency events. As a result, the service area for amore » substation can change radically. A utility will generally attempt to minimize the number of customers outaged by switching effected loads to alternate substations. In this manner, all or a portion of a disabled substation's load may be served by one or more adjacent substations. This paper describes a suite of analytical tools developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which address the problem of determining how a utility might respond to such emergency events. The estimated outage areas derived using the tools are overlaid onto other geographical and electrical layers in a geographic information system (GIS) software application. The effects of a power outage on a population, other infrastructures, or other physical features, can be inferred by the proximity of these features to the estimated outage area.« less

An infrared optical pacing system for high-throughput screening of cardiac electrophysiology in human cardiomyocytes (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPheeters, Matt T.; Wang, Yves T.; Laurita, Kenneth R.; Jenkins, Michael W.

2017-02-01

Cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS-HCM) have the potential to provide individualized therapies for patients and to test drug candidates for cardiac toxicity. In order for hiPS-CM to be useful for such applications, there is a need for high-throughput technology to rapidly assess cardiac electrophysiology parameters. Here, we designed and tested a fully contactless optical mapping (OM) and optical pacing (OP) system capable of imaging and point stimulation of hiPS-CM in small wells. OM allowed us to characterize cardiac electrophysiological parameters (conduction velocity, action potential duration, etc.) using voltage-sensitive dyes with high temporal and spatial resolution over the entire well. To improve OM signal-to-noise ratio, we tested a new voltage-sensitive dye (Fluovolt) for accuracy and phototoxicity. Stimulation is essential because most electrophysiological parameters are rate dependent; however, traditional methods utilizing electrical stimulation is difficult in small wells. To overcome this limitation, we utilized OP (λ = 1464 nm) to precisely control heart rate with spatial precision without the addition of exogenous agents. We optimized OP parameters (e.g., well size, pulse width, spot size) to achieve robust pacing and minimize the threshold radiant exposure. Finally, we tested system sensitivity using Flecainide, a drug with well described action on multiple electrophysiological properties.

Automated sample preparation using membrane microtiter extraction for bioanalytical mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Janiszewski, J; Schneider, P; Hoffmaster, K; Swyden, M; Wells, D; Fouda, H

1997-01-01

The development and application of membrane solid phase extraction (SPE) in 96-well microtiter plate format is described for the automated analysis of drugs in biological fluids. The small bed volume of the membrane allows elution of the analyte in a very small solvent volume, permitting direct HPLC injection and negating the need for the time consuming solvent evaporation step. A programmable liquid handling station (Quadra 96) was modified to automate all SPE steps. To avoid drying of the SPE bed and to enhance the analytical precision a novel protocol for performing the condition, load and wash steps in rapid succession was utilized. A block of 96 samples can now be extracted in 10 min., about 30 times faster than manual solvent extraction or single cartridge SPE methods. This processing speed complements the high-throughput speed of contemporary high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) analysis. The quantitative analysis of a test analyte (Ziprasidone) in plasma demonstrates the utility and throughput of membrane SPE in combination with HPLC/MS. The results obtained with the current automated procedure compare favorably with those obtained using solvent and traditional solid phase extraction methods. The method has been used for the analysis of numerous drug prototypes in biological fluids to support drug discovery efforts.

Rational synthesis of low-polydispersity block copolymer vesicles in concentrated solution via polymerization-induced self-assembly.

PubMed

Gonzato, Carlo; Semsarilar, Mona; Jones, Elizabeth R; Li, Feng; Krooshof, Gerard J P; Wyman, Paul; Mykhaylyk, Oleksandr O; Tuinier, Remco; Armes, Steven P

2014-08-06

Block copolymer self-assembly is normally conducted via post-polymerization processing at high dilution. In the case of block copolymer vesicles (or "polymersomes"), this approach normally leads to relatively broad size distributions, which is problematic for many potential applications. Herein we report the rational synthesis of low-polydispersity diblock copolymer vesicles in concentrated solution via polymerization-induced self-assembly using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of benzyl methacrylate. Our strategy utilizes a binary mixture of a relatively long and a relatively short poly(methacrylic acid) stabilizer block, which become preferentially expressed at the outer and inner poly(benzyl methacrylate) membrane surface, respectively. Dynamic light scattering was utilized to construct phase diagrams to identify suitable conditions for the synthesis of relatively small, low-polydispersity vesicles. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to verify that this binary mixture approach produced vesicles with significantly narrower size distributions compared to conventional vesicles prepared using a single (short) stabilizer block. Calculations performed using self-consistent mean field theory (SCMFT) account for the preferred self-assembled structures of the block copolymer binary mixtures and are in reasonable agreement with experiment. Finally, both SAXS and SCMFT indicate a significant degree of solvent plasticization for the membrane-forming poly(benzyl methacrylate) chains.

Increased imaging speed and force sensitivity for bio-applications with small cantilevers using a conventional AFM setup

PubMed Central

Leitner, Michael; Fantner, Georg E.; Fantner, Ernest J.; Ivanova, Katerina; Ivanov, Tzvetan; Rangelow, Ivo; Ebner, Andreas; Rangl, Martina; Tang, Jilin; Hinterdorfer, Peter

2012-01-01

In this study, we demonstrate the increased performance in speed and sensitivity achieved by the use of small AFM cantilevers on a standard AFM system. For this, small rectangular silicon oxynitride cantilevers were utilized to arrive at faster atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging times and more sensitive molecular recognition force spectroscopy (MRFS) experiments. The cantilevers we used had lengths between 13 and 46 μm, a width of about 11 μm, and a thickness between 150 and 600 nm. They were coated with chromium and gold on the backside for a better laser reflection. We characterized these small cantilevers through their frequency spectrum and with electron microscopy. Due to their small size and high resonance frequency we were able to increase the imaging speed by a factor of 10 without any loss in resolution for images from several μm scansize down to the nanometer scale. This was shown on bacterial surface layers (s-layer) with tapping mode under aqueous, near physiological conditions and on nuclear membranes in contact mode in ambient environment. In addition, we showed that single molecular forces can be measured with an up to 5 times higher force sensitivity in comparison to conventional cantilevers with similar spring constants. PMID:22721963

Material Processing Opportunites Utilizing a Free Electron Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, Alan

1996-11-01

Many properties of photocathode-driven Free Electron Lasers (FEL) are extremely attractive for material processing applications. These include: 1) broad-band tunability across the IR and UV spectra which permits wavelength optimization, depth deposition control and utilization of resonance phenomena; 2) picosecond pulse structure with continuous nanosecond spacing for optimum deposition efficiency and minimal collateral damage; 3) high peak and average radiated power for economic processing in quantity; and 4) high brightness for spatially defined energy deposition and intense energy density in small spots. We discuss five areas: polymer, metal and electronic material processing, micromachining and defense applications; where IR or UV material processing will find application if the economics is favorable. Specific examples in the IR and UV, such as surface texturing of polymers for improved look and feel, and anti-microbial food packaging films, which have been demonstrated using UV excimer lamps and lasers, will be given. Unfortunately, although the process utility is readily proven, the power levels and costs of lamps and lasers do not scale to production margins. However, from these examples, application specific cost targets ranging from 0.1=A2/kJ to 10=A2/kJ of delivered radiation at power levels from 10 kW to 500 kW, have been developed and are used to define strawman FEL processing systems. Since =46EL radiation energy extraction from the generating electron beam is typically a few percent, at these high average power levels, economic considerations dictate the use of a superconducting RF accelerator with energy recovery to minimize cavity and beam dump power loss. Such a 1 kW IR FEL, funded by the US Navy, is presently under construction at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. This dual-use device, scheduled to generate first light in late 1997, will test both the viability of high-power FELs for shipboard self-defense against cruise missiles, and for the first time, provide an industrial testbed capable of processing various materials in market evaluation quantities.

Terahertz plasmonic laser radiating in an ultra-narrow beam

DOE PAGES

Wu, Chongzhao; Khanal, Sudeep; Reno, John L.; ...

2016-07-07

Plasmonic lasers (spasers) generate coherent surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and could be realized at subwavelength dimensions in metallic cavities for applications in nanoscale optics. Plasmonic cavities are also utilized for terahertz quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs), which are the brightest available solid-state sources of terahertz radiation. A long standing challenge for spasers that are utilized as nanoscale sources of radiation, is their poor coupling to the far-field radiation. Unlike conventional lasers that could produce directional beams, spasers have highly divergent radiation patterns due to their subwavelength apertures. Here, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a new technique for implementing distributed feedback (DFB) thatmore » is distinct from any other previously utilized DFB schemes for semiconductor lasers. The so-termed antenna-feedback scheme leads to single-mode operation in plasmonic lasers, couples the resonant SPP mode to a highly directional far-field radiation pattern, and integrates hybrid SPPs in surrounding medium into the operation of the DFB lasers. Experimentally, the antenna-feedback method, which does not require the phase matching to a well-defined effective index, is implemented for terahertz QCLs, and single-mode terahertz QCLs with a beam divergence as small as 4°×4° are demonstrated, which is the narrowest beam reported for any terahertz QCL to date. Moreover, in contrast to a negligible radiative field in conventional photonic band-edge lasers, in which the periodicity follows the integer multiple of half-wavelengths inside the active medium, antenna-feedback breaks this integer limit for the first time and enhances the radiative field of the lasing mode. Terahertz lasers with narrow-beam emission will find applications for integrated as well as standoff terahertz spectroscopy and sensing. Furthermore, the antenna-feedback scheme is generally applicable to any plasmonic laser with a Fabry–Perot cavity irrespective of its operating wavelength and could bring plasmonic lasers closer to practical applications.« less

NanoLuc: A Small Luciferase is Brightening up the Field of Bioluminescence

PubMed Central

Cai, Weibo

2016-01-01

The biomedical field has greatly benefited from the discovery of bioluminescent proteins. Currently, scientists employ bioluminescent systems for numerous biomedical applications, ranging from highly sensitive cellular assays to bioluminescence-based molecular imaging. Traditionally, these systems are based on Firefly and Renilla luciferases; however, the applicability of these enzymes is limited by their size, stability, and luminescence efficiency. NanoLuc (NLuc), a novel bioluminescence platform, offers several advantages over established systems, including enhanced stability, smaller size, and >150-fold increase in luminescence. In addition, the substrate for NLuc displays enhanced stability and lower background activity, opening up new possibilities in the field of bioluminescence imaging. The NLuc system is incredibly versatile and may be utilized for a wide array of applications. The increased sensitivity, high stability, and small size of the NLuc system have the potential to drastically change the field of reporter assays in the future. However, as with all such technology, NLuc has limitations (including a non-ideal emission for in vivo applications and its unique substrate) which may cause it to find restricted use in certain areas of molecular biology. As this unique technology continues to broaden, NLuc may have a significant impact in both preclinical and clinical fields, with potential roles in disease detection, molecular imaging, and therapeutic monitoring. This review will present the NLuc technology to the scientific community in a non-biased manner, allowing the audience to adopt their own views of this novel system. PMID:27045664

Analysis of small biomolecules and xenobiotic metabolism using converted graphene-like monolayer plates and laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kang, Hyunook; Yun, Hoyeol; Lee, Sang Wook; Yeo, Woon-Seok

2017-06-01

We report a method of small molecule analysis using a converted graphene-like monolayer (CGM) plate and laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF MS) without organic matrices. The CGM plate was prepared from self-assembled monolayers of biphenyl-4-thiol on gold using electron beam irradiation followed by an annealing step. The above plate was utilized for the LDI-TOF MS analyses of various small molecules and their mixtures, e.g., amino acids, sugars, fatty acids, oligoethylene glycols, and flavonoids. The CGM plate afforded high signal-to-noise ratios, good limits of detection (1pmol to 10fmol), and reusability for up to 30 cycles. As a practical application, the enzymatic activity of the cytochrome P450 2A6 (CYP2A6) enzyme in human liver microsomes was assessed in the 7-hydroxylation of coumarin using the CGM plate without other purification steps. We believe that the prepared CGM plate can be practically used with the advantages of simplicity, sensitivity, and reusability for the matrix-free analysis of small biomolecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Satellite Application for Disaster Management Information Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okpanachi, George

Abstract Satellites are becoming increasingly vital to modern day disaster management activities. Earth observation (EO) satellites provide images at various wavelengths that assist rapid-mapping in all phases of the disaster management cycle: mitigation of potential risks in a given area, preparedness for eventual disasters, immediate response to a disaster event, and the recovery/reconstruction efforts follo wing it. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) assist all the phases by providing precise location and navigation data, helping manage land and infrastructures, and aiding rescue crews coordinate their search efforts. Effective disaster management is a complex problem, because it involves many parameters, which are usually not easy to measure and even identify: Analysis of current situation, planning, optimum resource management, coordination, controlling and monitoring current activities and making quick and correct decisions are only some of these parameters, whose complete list is very long. Disaster management information systems (DMIS) assist disaster management to analyse the situation better, make decisions and suggest further actions following the emergency plans. This requires not only fast and thorough processing and optimization abilities, but also real-time data provided to the DMIS. The need of DMIS for disaster’s real-time data can be satisfied by small satellites data utilization. Small satellites can provide up-to-data, plus a better media to transfer data. This paper suggests a rationale and a framework for utilization of small Satellite data by DMIS. DMIS should be used ‘’before’’, ‘’during’’ and ‘’after’’ the disasters. Data provided by the Small Satellites are almost crucial in any period of the disasters, because early warning can save lives, and satellite data may help to identify disasters before they occur. The paper also presents’ ‘when’’, ‘’where’’ and ‘’how’’ small satellite data should be used by DMIS.

Using NASA Data in the Classroom: Promoting STEM Learning in Formal Education using Real Space Science Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, B.; Hemenway, M. K.; Mendez, B.; Odenwald, S.

2013-04-01

Among NASA's major education goals is the training of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. The use of real data, from some of the most sophisticated observatories in the world, provides formal educators the opportunity to teach their students real-world applications of the STEM subjects. Combining real space science data with lessons aimed at meeting state and national education standards provides a memorable educational experience that students can build upon throughout their academic careers. Many of our colleagues have adopted the use of real data in their education and public outreach (EPO) programs. There are challenges in creating resources using real data for classroom use that include, but are not limited to, accessibility to computers/Internet and proper instruction. Understanding and sharing these difficulties and best practices with the larger EPO community is critical to the development of future resources. In this session, we highlight three examples of how NASA data is being utilized in the classroom: the Galaxies and Cosmos Explorer Tool (GCET) that utilizes real Hubble Space Telescope data; the computer image-analysis resources utilized by the NASA WISE infrared mission; and the space science derived math applications from SpaceMath@NASA featuring the Chandra and Kepler space telescopes. Challenges and successes are highlighted for these projects. We also facilitate small-group discussions that focus on additional benefits and challenges of using real data in the formal education environment. The report-outs from those discussions are given here.

Joint Peru/United States report on Peru/United States cooperative energy assessment. Volume 4 of 4 Volumes Annexes 8-11

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

Not Available

1979-08-01

A comprehensive assessment of the biofuel potential of Peru is presented. Topics discussed cover current biofuel utilization practices; evaluation of Peruvian biomass productivity; identification of Peruvian agricultural and forestry resources; assessment of resource development and management concerns; identification of market considerations; description of biofuel technological options; and regional identification of biofuel technology applications. The discussion of current biofuel utilization centers on a qualitative description of the main conversion approaches now being practiced in Peru. Biomass productivity is evaluated in the context of the terrain, soil, and climatic conditions found in Peru. A quantitative description of the energy potential that couldmore » be realized from agricultural and forestry resources of Peru follows. A regional picture is given for the production of agricultural residues and forest resources that could potentially supply energy. The assessment of resource development and management concerns focuses on harvesting, reforestation, training, and the environmental consequences of utilization of forest resources. Market factors assessed include: importation, internal market development, external market development, energy policy and pricing, and transportation. Ten biofuel technology options for Peru were identified: small- to medium-scale gasification, a wood waste inventory, stationary and mobile charcoal production systems, wood distillation, forest resource development and management, electrical cogeneration, anaerobic digestion technology, development of ethanol production capabilities, and agricultural strategies for fuel production.Based upon these biofuel options, nine applications were identified for the Costa Region, eight for the Sierra Region, and ten for the Selva Region.« less

Expanding the molecular-ruler process through vapor deposition of hexadecanethiol

PubMed Central

Patron, Alexandra M; Hooker, Timothy S; Santavicca, Daniel F

2017-01-01

The development of methods to produce nanoscale features with tailored chemical functionalities is fundamental for applications such as nanoelectronics and sensor fabrication. The molecular-ruler process shows great utility for this purpose as it combines top-down lithography for the creation of complex architectures over large areas in conjunction with molecular self-assembly, which enables precise control over the physical and chemical properties of small local features. The molecular-ruler process, which most commonly uses mercaptoalkanoic acids and metal ions to generate metal-ligated multilayers, can be employed to produce registered nanogaps between metal features. Expansion of this methodology to include molecules with other chemical functionalities could greatly expand the overall versatility, and thus the utility, of this process. Herein, we explore the use of alkanethiol molecules as the terminating layer of metal-ligated multilayers. During this study, it was discovered that the solution deposition of alkanethiol molecules resulted in low overall surface coverage with features that varied in height. Because features with varied heights are not conducive to the production of uniform nanogaps via the molecular-ruler process, the vapor-phase deposition of alkanethiol molecules was explored. Unlike the solution-phase deposition, alkanethiol islands produced by vapor-phase deposition exhibited markedly higher surface coverages of uniform heights. To illustrate the applicability of this method, metal-ligated multilayers, both with and without an alkanethiol capping layer, were utilized to create nanogaps between Au features using the molecular-ruler process. PMID:29181290

Thinking Small – Progress on Microscale Neurostimulation Technology

PubMed Central

Pancrazio, Joseph J.; Deku, Felix; Ghazavi, Atefeh; Stiller, Allison M.; Rihani, Rashed; Frewin, Christopher L.; Varner, Victor D.; Gardner, Timothy J.; Cogan, Stuart F.

2017-01-01

Objectives Neural stimulation is well-accepted as an effective therapy for a wide range of neurological disorders. While the scale of clinical devices is relatively large, translational and pilot clinical applications are underway for microelectrode-based systems. Microelectrodes have the advantage of stimulating a relatively small tissue volume which may improve selectivity of therapeutic stimuli. Current microelectrode technology is associated with chronic tissue response which limits utility of these devices for neural recording and stimulation. One approach for addressing the tissue response problem may be to reduce physical dimensions of the device. “Thinking small” is a trend for the electronics industry, and for implantable neural interfaces, the result may be a device that can evade the foreign body response. Materials and Methods This review paper surveys our current understanding pertaining to the relationship between implant size and tissue response and the state-of-the-art in ultra-small microelectrodes. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), and Google Scholar. Results The literature review shows recent efforts to create microelectrodes that are extremely thin appear to reduce or even eliminate the chronic tissue response. With high charge capacity coatings, ultra-microelectrodes fabricated from emerging polymers and amorphous silicon carbide appear promising for neurostimulation applications. Conclusion We envision the emergence of robust and manufacturable ultra-microelectrodes that leverage advanced materials where the small cross-sectional geometry enables compliance within tissue. Nevertheless, future testing under in vivo conditions is particularly important for assessing the stability of thin film devices under chronic stimulation. PMID:29076214

Protein-Templated Fragment Ligations-From Molecular Recognition to Drug Discovery.

PubMed

Jaegle, Mike; Wong, Ee Lin; Tauber, Carolin; Nawrotzky, Eric; Arkona, Christoph; Rademann, Jörg

2017-06-19

Protein-templated fragment ligation is a novel concept to support drug discovery and can help to improve the efficacy of protein ligands. Protein-templated fragment ligations are chemical reactions between small molecules ("fragments") utilizing a protein's surface as a reaction vessel to catalyze the formation of a protein ligand with increased binding affinity. The approach exploits the molecular recognition of reactive small-molecule fragments by proteins both for ligand assembly and for the identification of bioactive fragment combinations. In this way, chemical synthesis and bioassay are integrated in one single step. This Review discusses the biophysical basis of reversible and irreversible fragment ligations and gives an overview of the available methods to detect protein-templated ligation products. The chemical scope and recent applications as well as future potential of the concept in drug discovery are reviewed. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermo-responsive gels that absorb moisture and ooze water.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Kazuya; Sakikawa, Nobuki; Miyata, Takashi

2018-06-13

The water content of thermo-responsive hydrogels can be drastically altered by small changes in temperature because their polymer chains change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic above their low critical solution temperature (LCST). In general, such smart hydrogels have been utilized in aqueous solutions or in their wet state, and no attempt has been made to determine the phase-transition behavior of the gels in their dried states. Here we demonstrate an application of the thermo-responsive behavior of an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) gel comprising thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and hydrophilic sodium alginate networks in their dried states. The dried IPN gel absorbs considerable moisture from air at temperatures below its LCST and oozes the absorbed moisture as liquid water above its LCST. These phenomena provide energy exchange systems in which moisture from air can be condensed to liquid water using the controllable hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of thermo-responsive gels with a small temperature change.

Mammalian genomic regulatory regions predicted by utilizing human genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenetics data

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Quan H; Tellam, Ross L; Naval-Sanchez, Marina; Porto-Neto, Laercio R; Barendse, William; Reverter, Antonio; Hayes, Benjamin; Kijas, James; Dalrymple, Brian P

2018-01-01

Abstract Genome sequences for hundreds of mammalian species are available, but an understanding of their genomic regulatory regions, which control gene expression, is only beginning. A comprehensive prediction of potential active regulatory regions is necessary to functionally study the roles of the majority of genomic variants in evolution, domestication, and animal production. We developed a computational method to predict regulatory DNA sequences (promoters, enhancers, and transcription factor binding sites) in production animals (cows and pigs) and extended its broad applicability to other mammals. The method utilizes human regulatory features identified from thousands of tissues, cell lines, and experimental assays to find homologous regions that are conserved in sequences and genome organization and are enriched for regulatory elements in the genome sequences of other mammalian species. Importantly, we developed a filtering strategy, including a machine learning classification method, to utilize a very small number of species-specific experimental datasets available to select for the likely active regulatory regions. The method finds the optimal combination of sensitivity and accuracy to unbiasedly predict regulatory regions in mammalian species. Furthermore, we demonstrated the utility of the predicted regulatory datasets in cattle for prioritizing variants associated with multiple production and climate change adaptation traits and identifying potential genome editing targets. PMID:29618048

Mammalian genomic regulatory regions predicted by utilizing human genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenetics data.

PubMed

Nguyen, Quan H; Tellam, Ross L; Naval-Sanchez, Marina; Porto-Neto, Laercio R; Barendse, William; Reverter, Antonio; Hayes, Benjamin; Kijas, James; Dalrymple, Brian P

2018-03-01

Genome sequences for hundreds of mammalian species are available, but an understanding of their genomic regulatory regions, which control gene expression, is only beginning. A comprehensive prediction of potential active regulatory regions is necessary to functionally study the roles of the majority of genomic variants in evolution, domestication, and animal production. We developed a computational method to predict regulatory DNA sequences (promoters, enhancers, and transcription factor binding sites) in production animals (cows and pigs) and extended its broad applicability to other mammals. The method utilizes human regulatory features identified from thousands of tissues, cell lines, and experimental assays to find homologous regions that are conserved in sequences and genome organization and are enriched for regulatory elements in the genome sequences of other mammalian species. Importantly, we developed a filtering strategy, including a machine learning classification method, to utilize a very small number of species-specific experimental datasets available to select for the likely active regulatory regions. The method finds the optimal combination of sensitivity and accuracy to unbiasedly predict regulatory regions in mammalian species. Furthermore, we demonstrated the utility of the predicted regulatory datasets in cattle for prioritizing variants associated with multiple production and climate change adaptation traits and identifying potential genome editing targets.

The Difference Between Countermovement and Squat Jump Performances: A Review of Underlying Mechanisms With Practical Applications.

PubMed

Van Hooren, Bas; Zolotarjova, Julia

2017-07-01

Van Hooren, B and Zolotarjova, J. The difference between countermovement and squat jump performances: a review of underlying mechanisms with practical applications. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 2011-2020, 2017-Two movements that are widely used to monitor athletic performance are the countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ). Countermovement jump performance is almost always better than SJ performance, and the difference in performance is thought to reflect an effective utilization of the stretch-shortening cycle. However, the mechanisms responsible for the performance-enhancing effect of the stretch-shortening cycle are frequently undefined. Uncovering and understanding these mechanisms is essential to make an inference regarding the difference between the jumps. Therefore, we will review the potential mechanisms that explain the better performance in a CMJ as compared with a SJ. It is concluded that the difference in performance may primarily be related to the greater uptake of muscle slack and the buildup of stimulation during the countermovement in a CMJ. Elastic energy may also have a small contribution to an enhanced CMJ performance. Therefore, a larger difference between the jumps is not necessarily a better indicator of high-intensity sports performance. Although a larger difference may reflect the utilization of elastic energy in a small-amplitude CMJ as a result of a well-developed capability to co-activate muscles and quickly build up stimulation, a larger difference may also reflect a poor capability to reduce the degree of muscle slack and build up stimulation in the SJ. Because the capability to reduce the degree of muscle slack and quickly build up stimulation in the SJ may be especially important to high-intensity sports performance, training protocols might concentrate on attaining a smaller difference between the jumps.

Applications of harvesting system simulation to timber management and utilization analyses

Treesearch

John E. Baumgras; Chris B. LeDoux

1990-01-01

Applications of timber harvesting system simulation to the economic analysis of forest management and wood utilization practices are presented. These applications include estimating thinning revenue by stand age, estimating impacts of minimum merchantable tree diameter on harvesting revenue, and evaluating wood utilization alternatives relative to pulpwood quotas and...

77 FR 66607 - Northern Wasco County People's Utility District; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-06

... County People's Utility District; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and... County People's Utility District (Northern Wasco) filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant...; (2) two five-foot by five-foot sluice gates connecting the new intake channel structure to the...

Central station applications planning activities and supporting studies. [application of photovoltaic technology to power generation plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonard, S. L.; Siegel, B.

1980-01-01

The application of photovoltaic technology in central station (utility) power generation plants is considered. A program of data collection and analysis designed to provide additional information about the subset of the utility market that was identified as the initial target for photovoltaic penetration, the oil-dependent utilities (especially muncipals) of the U.S. Sunbelt, is described along with a series of interviews designed to ascertain utility industry opinions about the National Photovoltaic Program as it relates to central station applications.

Programmable Quantitative DNA Nanothermometers.

PubMed

Gareau, David; Desrosiers, Arnaud; Vallée-Bélisle, Alexis

2016-07-13

Developing molecules, switches, probes or nanomaterials that are able to respond to specific temperature changes should prove of utility for several applications in nanotechnology. Here, we describe bioinspired strategies to design DNA thermoswitches with programmable linear response ranges that can provide either a precise ultrasensitive response over a desired, small temperature interval (±0.05 °C) or an extended linear response over a wide temperature range (e.g., from 25 to 90 °C). Using structural modifications or inexpensive DNA stabilizers, we show that we can tune the transition midpoints of DNA thermometers from 30 to 85 °C. Using multimeric switch architectures, we are able to create ultrasensitive thermometers that display large quantitative fluorescence gains within small temperature variation (e.g., > 700% over 10 °C). Using a combination of thermoswitches of different stabilities or a mix of stabilizers of various strengths, we can create extended thermometers that respond linearly up to 50 °C in temperature range. Here, we demonstrate the reversibility, robustness, and efficiency of these programmable DNA thermometers by monitoring temperature change inside individual wells during polymerase chain reactions. We discuss the potential applications of these programmable DNA thermoswitches in various nanotechnology fields including cell imaging, nanofluidics, nanomedecine, nanoelectronics, nanomaterial, and synthetic biology.

Stable isotopes in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems: Interactions between fluids, minerals, and organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanks, W. C., III; Böhlke, J. K.; Seal, R. R., II

Studies of abundance variations of light stable isotopes in nature have had a tremendous impact on all aspects of geochemistry since the development, in 1947, of a gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometer capable of measuring small variations in stable isotope ratios [Nier, 1947] Stable isotope geochemistry is now a mature field, as witnessed by the proliferation of commercially available mass spectrometers installed at virtually every major academic, government, and private-sector research geochemistry laboratory. A recent search of a literature database revealed over 3,000 articles that utilized stable isotope geochemistry over the last 20 years. Nonetheless, many exciting new technical developments are leading to exciting new discoveries and applications. In particular, micro analytical techniques involving new generations of laser- and ion-microprobes are revolutionizing the types of analyses that can be done on spot sizes as small as a few tens of micrometers [Shanks and Criss, 1989]. New generations of conventional gas source and thermal ionization mass spectrometers, with high levels of automation and increased sensitivity and precision, are allowing analyses of large numbers of samples, like those needed for stable isotope stratigraphy in marine sediments, and are enabling the development and application of new isotopic systems.

Stable isotopes in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems: Interactions between fluids, minerals, and organisms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shanks, Wayne C.; Böhlke, John Karl; Seal, Robert R.; Humphries, S.D.; Zierenberg, Robert A.; Mullineaux, Lauren S.; Thomson, Richard E.

1995-01-01

Studies of abundance variations of light stable isotopes in nature have had a tremendous impact on all aspects of geochemistry since the development, in 1947, of a gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometer capable of measuring small variations in stable isotope ratios (Nice, 1947]. Stable isotope geochemistry is now a mature field, as witnessed by the proliferation of commercially available mass spectrometers installed at virtually every major academic, government, and private-sector research geochemistry laboratory. A recent search of a literature database revealed over 3,000 articles that utilized stable isotope geochemistry over the last 20 years. Nonetheless, many exciting new technical developments are leading to exciting new discoveries and applications. In particular, micro-analytical techniques involving new generations of laser- and ion-microprobes are revolutionizing the types of analyses that can be done on spot sizes as small as a few tens of micrometers [Shanks and Criss, 1989]. New generations of conventional gas source and thermal ionization mass spectrometers, with high levels of automation and increased sensitivity and precision, are allowing analyses of large numbers of samples, like those needed for stable isotope stratigraphy in marine sediments, and are enabling the development and application of new isotopic systems.

Surface Control of Cold Hibernated Elastic Memory Self-Deployable Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sokolowski, Witold M.; Ghaffarian, Reza

2006-01-01

A new class of simple, reliable, lightweight, low packaging volume and cost, self-deployable structures has been developed for use in space and commercial applications. This technology called 'cold hibernated elastic memory' (CHEM) utilizes shape memory polymers (SMP)in open cellular (foam) structure or sandwich structures made of shape memory polymer foam cores and polymeric composite skins. Some of many potential CHEM space applications require a high precision deployment and surface accuracy during operation. However, a CHEM structure could be slightly distorted by the thermo-mechanical processing as well as by thermal space environment Therefore, the sensor system is desirable to monitor and correct the potential surface imperfection. During these studies, the surface control of CHEM smart structures was demonstrated using a Macro-Fiber Composite (MFC) actuator developed by the NASA LaRC and US Army ARL. The test results indicate that the MFC actuator performed well before and after processing cycles. It reduced some residue compressive strain that in turn corrected very small shape distortion after each processing cycle. The integrated precision strain gages were detecting only a small flat shape imperfection indicating a good recoverability of original shape of the CHEM test structure.

Plug-and-play inference for disease dynamics: measles in large and small populations as a case study

PubMed Central

He, Daihai; Ionides, Edward L.; King, Aaron A.

2010-01-01

Statistical inference for mechanistic models of partially observed dynamic systems is an active area of research. Most existing inference methods place substantial restrictions upon the form of models that can be fitted and hence upon the nature of the scientific hypotheses that can be entertained and the data that can be used to evaluate them. In contrast, the so-called plug-and-play methods require only simulations from a model and are thus free of such restrictions. We show the utility of the plug-and-play approach in the context of an investigation of measles transmission dynamics. Our novel methodology enables us to ask and answer questions that previous analyses have been unable to address. Specifically, we demonstrate that plug-and-play methods permit the development of a modelling and inference framework applicable to data from both large and small populations. We thereby obtain novel insights into the nature of heterogeneity in mixing and comment on the importance of including extra-demographic stochasticity as a means of dealing with environmental stochasticity and model misspecification. Our approach is readily applicable to many other epidemiological and ecological systems. PMID:19535416

High-Temperature Strain Sensing for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piazza, Anthony; Richards, Lance W.; Hudson, Larry D.

2008-01-01

Thermal protection systems (TPS) and hot structures are utilizing advanced materials that operate at temperatures that exceed abilities to measure structural performance. Robust strain sensors that operate accurately and reliably beyond 1800 F are needed but do not exist. These shortcomings hinder the ability to validate analysis and modeling techniques and hinders the ability to optimize structural designs. This presentation examines high-temperature strain sensing for aerospace applications and, more specifically, seeks to provide strain data for validating finite element models and thermal-structural analyses. Efforts have been made to develop sensor attachment techniques for relevant structural materials at the small test specimen level and to perform laboratory tests to characterize sensor and generate corrections to apply to indicated strains. Areas highlighted in this presentation include sensors, sensor attachment techniques, laboratory evaluation/characterization of strain measurement, and sensor use in large-scale structures.

Calibration of International Space Station (ISS) Node 1 Vibro-Acoustic Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Weiguo; Raveendra, Ravi

2014-01-01

Reported here is the ability of utilizing the Energy Finite Element Method (E-FEM) to predict the vibro-acoustic sound fields within the International Space Station (ISS) Node 1 and to compare the results with actual measurements of leak sounds made by a one atmosphere to vacuum leak through a small hole in the pressure wall of the Node 1 STA module during its period of storage at Stennis Space Center (SSC). While the E-FEM method represents a reverberant sound field calculation, of importance to this application is the requirement to also handle the direct field effect of the sound generation. It was also important to be able to compute the sound fields in the ultrasonic frequency range. This report demonstrates the capability of this technology as applied to this type of application.

Portable Amplifier Design for a Novel EEG Monitor in Point-of-Care Applications.

PubMed

Luan, Bo; Sun, Mingui; Jia, Wenyan

2012-01-01

The Electroencephalography (EEG) is a common diagnostic tool for neurological diseases and dysfunctions, such as epilepsy and insomnia. However, the current EEG technology cannot be utilized quickly and conveniently at the point of care due to the complex skin preparation procedures required and the inconvenient EEG data acquisition systems. This work presents a portable amplifier design that integrates a set of skin screw electrodes and a wireless data link. The battery-operated amplifier contains an instrumentation amplifier, two noninverting amplifiers, two high-pass filters, and a low-pass filter. It is able to magnify the EEG signals over 10,000 times and has a high impedance, low noise, small size and low weight. Our electrode and amplifier are ideal for point-of-care applications, especially during transportation of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury or stroke.

Simulation gravity modeling to spacecraft-tracking data - Analysis and application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, R. J.; Sjogren, W. L.; Abbott, E. A.; Zisk, S. H.

1978-01-01

It is proposed that line-of-sight gravity measurements derived from spacecraft-tracking data can be used for quantitative subsurface density modeling by suitable orbit simulation procedures. Such an approach avoids complex dynamic reductions and is analogous to the modeling of conventional surface gravity data. This procedure utilizes the vector calculations of a given gravity model in a simplified trajectory integration program that simulates the line-of-sight gravity. Solutions from an orbit simulation inversion and a dynamic inversion on Doppler observables compare well (within 1% in mass and size), and the error sources in the simulation approximation are shown to be quite small. An application of this technique is made to lunar crater gravity anomalies by simulating the complete Bouguer correction to several large young lunar craters. It is shown that the craters all have negative Bouguer anomalies.

Computational Tools for Metabolic Engineering

PubMed Central

Copeland, Wilbert B.; Bartley, Bryan A.; Chandran, Deepak; Galdzicki, Michal; Kim, Kyung H.; Sleight, Sean C.; Maranas, Costas D.; Sauro, Herbert M.

2012-01-01

A great variety of software applications are now employed in the metabolic engineering field. These applications have been created to support a wide range of experimental and analysis techniques. Computational tools are utilized throughout the metabolic engineering workflow to extract and interpret relevant information from large data sets, to present complex models in a more manageable form, and to propose efficient network design strategies. In this review, we present a number of tools that can assist in modifying and understanding cellular metabolic networks. The review covers seven areas of relevance to metabolic engineers. These include metabolic reconstruction efforts, network visualization, nucleic acid and protein engineering, metabolic flux analysis, pathway prospecting, post-structural network analysis and culture optimization. The list of available tools is extensive and we can only highlight a small, representative portion of the tools from each area. PMID:22629572

Synthesis and evaluation of alendronate-modified gelatin biopolymer as a novel osteotropic nanocarrier for gene therapy.

PubMed

Mekhail, George M; Kamel, Amany O; Awad, Gehanne As; Mortada, Nahed D; Rodrigo, Rowena L; Spagnuolo, Paul A; Wettig, Shawn D

2016-09-01

To synthesize an osteotropic alendronate functionalized gelatin (ALN-gelatin) biopolymer for nanoparticle preparation and targeted delivery of DNA to osteoblasts for gene therapy applications. Alendronate coupling to gelatin was confirmed using Fourier transform IR, (31)PNMR, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry. ALN-gelatin biopolymers prepared at various alendronate/gelatin ratios were utilized to prepare nanoparticles and were optimized in combination with DNA and gemini surfactant for transfecting both HEK-293 and MG-63 cell lines. Gelatin functionalization was confirmed using the above methods. Uniform nanoparticles were obtained from a nanoprecipitation technique. ALN-gelatin/gemini/DNA complexes exhibited higher transfection efficiency in MG-63 osteosarcoma cell line compared with the positive control. ALN-gelatin is a promising biopolymer for bone targeting of either small molecules or gene therapy applications.

Minimalist Antibodies and Mimetics: An Update and Recent Applications.

PubMed

Bruce, Virginia J; Ta, Angeline N; McNaughton, Brian R

2016-10-17

The immune system utilizes antibodies to recognize foreign or disease-relevant receptors, initiating an immune response to destroy unwelcomed guests. Because researchers can evolve antibodies to bind virtually any target, it is perhaps unsurprising that these reagents, and their small-molecule conjugates, are used extensively in clinical and basic research environments. However, virtues of antibodies are countered by significant challenges. Foremost among these is the need for expression in mammalian cells (largely due to often necessary post-translational modifications). In response to these challenges, researchers have developed an array of minimalist antibodies and mimetics, which are smaller, more stable, simpler to express in Escherichia coli, and amendable to laboratory evolution and protein engineering. Here we describe these scaffolds and discuss recent applications of minimalist antibodies and mimetics. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Efficient preparation of graphene liquid cell utilizing direct transfer with large-area well-stitched graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Yuki; Kitaura, Ryo; Yuk, Jong Min; Zettl, Alex; Shinohara, Hisanori

2016-04-01

By utilizing graphene-sandwiched structures recently developed in this laboratory, we are able to visualize small droplets of liquids in nanometer scale. We have found that small water droplets as small as several tens of nanometers sandwiched by two single-layer graphene are frequently observed by TEM. Due to the electron beam irradiation during the TEM observation, these sandwiched droplets are frequently moving from one place to another and are subjected to create small bubbles inside. The synthesis of a large area single-domain graphene of high-quality is essential to prepare the graphene sandwiched cell which safely encapsulates the droplets in nanometer size.

Designing PURPA (Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act) power purchase auctions: Theory and practice. [Buys from cogenerators and small power generators

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

Not Available

The Public Utilities Regulatory Act (PURPA) requires there to be procedures for electric utilities to buy electric power from qualifying cogenerators and small power producers (QFs) at rates up to ''avoided cost''. This has led to price-posting procedures at prices calculated as the utility's marginal cost. Unexpectedly large sales at these prices and slow adjustment to falling energy cost are partially responsible for payments to QFs in excess of the utility's true avoided cost. Using competitive bidding instead of posted prices has been proposed as a way to avoid this outcome. This report reviews bidding theory and explores four issuesmore » that arise in designing auction systems for the purchase of power from QFs under PURPA.« less

48 CFR 970.2671-1 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... of Energy policy recognizes that full utilization of the talents and capabilities of a diverse work... and enhance partnerships with small, small disadvantaged, women-owned small businesses, and... disadvantaged, women-owned small business, and educational activity; and to develop innovative strategies to...

Renewable power sparks financial interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norman, C.

1981-06-01

A legal and economic assessment is given of section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Practices Act (PURPA) of 1978, which guarantees a market for small electrical power producers by requiring utilities to buy from them at premium rates and, in addition, exempts them from regulatory restrictions imposed on utilities. To qualify, small power producers are limited to a capacity of 80 MW at any one site, and they must use such renewable energy sources as wind, hydroelectric, biomass, solar, and waste products. There is no size limit for industrial cogeneration facilities, but those that burn oil or natural gas must meet efficiency standards to qualify. Section 210 has, however, been seriously challenged in the courts by utility companies viewing it as a Federal infringement of the right of States to regulate their utilities; a court ruling favorable to the utilities has already been given in Mississippi, and similar rulings are being sought in New York.

77 FR 9303 - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-16

... Utility Steam Generating Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility... Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial-Institutional, and Small Industrial... electric utility steam generating units (EGUs) and standards of performance for fossil-fuel-fired electric...

Fusion of current technologies with real-time 3D MEMS ladar for novel security and defense applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siepmann, James P.

2006-05-01

Through the utilization of scanning MEMS mirrors in ladar devices, a whole new range of potential military, Homeland Security, law enforcement, and civilian applications is now possible. Currently, ladar devices are typically large (>15,000 cc), heavy (>15 kg), and expensive (>$100,000) while current MEMS ladar designs are more than a magnitude less, opening up a myriad of potential new applications. One such application with current technology is a GPS integrated MEMS ladar unit, which could be used for real-time border monitoring or the creation of virtual 3D battlefields after being dropped or propelled into hostile territory. Another current technology that can be integrated into a MEMS ladar unit is digital video that can give high resolution and true color to a picture that is then enhanced with range information in a real-time display format that is easier for the user to understand and assimilate than typical gray-scale or false color images. The problem with using 2-axis MEMS mirrors in ladar devices is that in order to have a resonance frequency capable of practical real-time scanning, they must either be quite small and/or have a low maximum tilt angle. Typically, this value has been less than (< or = to 10 mg-mm2-kHz2)-degrees. We have been able to solve this problem by using angle amplification techniques that utilize a series of MEMS mirrors and/or a specialized set of optics to achieve a broad field of view. These techniques and some of their novel applications mentioned will be explained and discussed herein.

Introduction of novel 3D-printed superficial applicators for high-dose-rate skin brachytherapy.

PubMed

Jones, Emma-Louise; Tonino Baldion, Anna; Thomas, Christopher; Burrows, Tom; Byrne, Nick; Newton, Victoria; Aldridge, Sarah

Custom-made surface mold applicators often allow more flexibility when carrying out skin brachytherapy, particularly for small treatment areas with high surface obliquity. They can, however, be difficult to manufacture, particularly if there is a lack of experience in superficial high-dose-rate brachytherapy techniques or with limited resources. We present a novel method of manufacturing superficial brachytherapy applicators utilizing three-dimensional (3D)-printing techniques. We describe the treatment planning process and the process of applicator manufacture. The treatment planning process, with the introduction of a pre-plan, allows for an "ideal" catheter arrangement within an applicator to be determined, exploiting varying catheter orientations, heights, and curvatures if required. The pre-plan arrangement is then 3D printed to the exact specifications of the pre-plan applicator design. This results in improved target volume coverage and improved sparing of organs at risk. Using a pre-plan technique for ideal catheter placement followed by automated 3D-printed applicator manufacture has greatly improved the entire process of superficial high-dose-rate brachytherapy treatment. We are able to design and manufacture flexible, well-fitting, superior quality applicators resulting in a more efficient and improved patient pathway and patient experience. Copyright © 2016 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A solar thermal electric power plant for small communities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holl, R. J.

1979-01-01

A solar power plant has been designed with a rating of 1000-kW electric and a 0.4 annual capacity factor. It was configured as a prototype for plants in the 1000 to 10,000-kWe size range for application to small communities or industrial users either grid-connected or isolated from a utility grid. A small central receiver was selected for solar energy collection after being compared with alternative distributed collectors. Further trade studies resulted in the selection of Hitec (heat transfer salt composed of 53 percent KNO3, 40 percent NaNO2, 7 percent NaNO3) as both the receiver coolant and the sensible heat thermal stroage medium and the steam Rankine cycle for power conversion. The plant is configured with road-transportable units to accommodate remote sites and minimize site assembly requirements. Results of the analyses indicate that busbar energy costs are competitive with diesel-electric plants in certain situations, e.g., off-grid, remote regions with high insolation. Sensitivity of energy costs to plant power rating and system capacity factor are given.

48 CFR 919.705-6 - Postaward responsibilities of the contracting officer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS Subcontracting With Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, and Women-Owned Small Business Concerns 919.705-6 Postaward responsibilities of the... Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. [49 FR 11997, Mar. 28, 1984, as amended at 59 FR 9106, Feb...

Advancing Toxicology Research Using In Vivo High Throughput Toxicology with Small Fish Models

PubMed Central

Planchart, Antonio; Mattingly, Carolyn J.; Allen, David; Ceger, Patricia; Casey, Warren; Hinton, David; Kanungo, Jyotshna; Kullman, Seth W.; Tal, Tamara; Bondesson, Maria; Burgess, Shawn M.; Sullivan, Con; Kim, Carol; Behl, Mamta; Padilla, Stephanie; Reif, David M.; Tanguay, Robert L.; Hamm, Jon

2017-01-01

Summary Small freshwater fish models, especially zebrafish, offer advantages over traditional rodent models, including low maintenance and husbandry costs, high fecundity, genetic diversity, physiology similar to that of traditional biomedical models, and reduced animal welfare concerns. The Collaborative Workshop on Aquatic Models and 21st Century Toxicology was held at North Carolina State University on May 5-6, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Participants discussed the ways in which small fish are being used as models to screen toxicants and understand mechanisms of toxicity. Workshop participants agreed that the lack of standardized protocols is an impediment to broader acceptance of these models, whereas development of standardized protocols, validation, and subsequent regulatory acceptance would facilitate greater usage. Given the advantages and increasing application of small fish models, there was widespread interest in follow-up workshops to review and discuss developments in their use. In this article, we summarize the recommendations formulated by workshop participants to enhance the utility of small fish species in toxicology studies, as well as many of the advances in the field of toxicology that resulted from using small fish species, including advances in developmental toxicology, cardiovascular toxicology, neurotoxicology, and immunotoxicology. We also review many emerging issues that will benefit from using small fish species, especially zebrafish, and new technologies that will enable using these organisms to yield results unprecedented in their information content to better understand how toxicants affect development and health. PMID:27328013

Development of a PEMFC Power System with Integrated Balance of Plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wynne, B.; Diffenderfer, C.; Ferguson, S.; Keyser, J.; Miller, M.; Sievers, B.; Ryan, A.; Vasquez, A.

2012-01-01

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV s) have received increasing attention in recent years as military and commercial users look for means to maintain a mobile and persistent presence in the undersea world. Compact, neutrally buoyant power systems are needed for both small and large vehicles. Batteries are usually employed in these applications, but the energy density and therefore the mission duration are limited with current battery technology. At a certain energy or mission duration requirement, other means to get long duration power become feasible. For example, above 10 kW-hrs liquid oxygen and hydrogen have better specific energy than batteries and are preferable for energy storage as long as a compact system of about 100 W/liter is achievable to convert the chemical energy in these reactants into power. Other reactant forms are possible, such as high pressure gas, chemical hydrides or oxygen carriers, but it is essential that the power system be small and light weight. Recent fuel cell work, primarily focused on NASA applications, has developed power systems that can meet this target power density. Passive flow-through systems, using ejector driven reactant (EDR) flow, integrated into a compact balance of plant have been developed. These systems are thermally and functionally integrated in much the same way as are automotive, air breathing fuel cell systems. These systems fit into the small volumes required for AUV and future NASA applications. Designs have been developed for both a 21" diameter and a larger diameter (LD) AUV. These fuel cell systems occupy a very small portion of the overall energy system, allowing most of the system volume to be used for the reactants. The fuel cell systems have been optimized to use reactants efficiently with high stack efficiency and low parasitic losses. The resulting compact, highly efficient fuel cell system provides exceptional reactant utilization and energy density. Key design variables and supporting test data are presented. Future development activities are described.

Application of convolve-multiply-convolve SAW processor for satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lie, Y. S.; Ching, M.

1991-01-01

There is a need for a satellite communications receiver than can perform simultaneous multi-channel processing of single channel per carrier (SCPC) signals originating from various small (mobile or fixed) earth stations. The number of ground users can be as many as 1000. Conventional techniques of simultaneously processing these signals is by employing as many RF-bandpass filters as the number of channels. Consequently, such an approach would result in a bulky receiver, which becomes impractical for satellite applications. A unique approach utilizing a realtime surface acoustic wave (SAW) chirp transform processor is presented. The application of a Convolve-Multiply-Convolve (CMC) chirp transform processor is described. The CMC processor transforms each input channel into a unique timeslot, while preserving its modulation content (in this case QPSK). Subsequently, each channel is individually demodulated without the need of input channel filters. Circuit complexity is significantly reduced, because the output frequency of the CMC processor is common for all input channel frequencies. The results of theoretical analysis and experimental results are in good agreement.

Potential of nanocrystalline cellulose-fibrin nanocomposites for artificial vascular graft applications

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

Brown, Elvie; Hu, Dehong; Abu-Lail, Nehal

2013-02-19

Nanocrystalline cellulose, a new bio-nanomaterial is utilized as a reinforcing material for biocompatible fibrin matrix to form into a nanocomposite for small-diameter replacement vascular graft application (SDRVG). The periodate oxidation of NCC, which provided it with a reactive carbonyl group, allowed molecular interaction between NCC and fibrin. Such interaction resulted into an effective mechanical reinforcement indicated by the improvement of max. force, elongation at break and modulus when oxidized NCC (ONCC) was incorporated into fibrin. The nanocomposite’s mechanical properties can be manipulated to conform to the native blood vessel by varying the ONCC to fibrin ratio and/or by controlling themore » degree of oxidation of NCC. Using atomic force microscopy had provided fundamental information on the effects of molecular interactions to the nanolevel mechanical properties of NCC/fibrin nanocomposites. This fundamental information established the positive feasibility and commenced continuing investigation for the practical SDRVG application of NCC/fibrin nanocomposite.« less

48 CFR 19.708 - Contract clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.708 Contract clauses. (a) Insert the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts... clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, in solicitations and contracts that offer...

48 CFR 19.708 - Contract clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.708 Contract clauses. (a) Insert the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts... clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, in solicitations and contracts that offer...

48 CFR 19.708 - Contract clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.708 Contract clauses. (a) Insert the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts... clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, in solicitations and contracts that offer...

48 CFR 19.708 - Contract clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.708 Contract clauses. (a) Insert the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts... clause at 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, in solicitations and contracts that offer...

Hybrid Power Management (HPM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichenberg, Dennis J.

2007-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center s Avionics, Power and Communications Branch of the Engineering and Systems Division initiated the Hybrid Power Management (HPM) Program for the GRC Technology Transfer and Partnership Office. HPM is the innovative integration of diverse, state-of-the-art power devices in an optimal configuration for space and terrestrial applications. The appropriate application and control of the various power devices significantly improves overall system performance and efficiency. The advanced power devices include ultracapacitors and fuel cells. HPM has extremely wide potential. Applications include power generation, transportation systems, biotechnology systems, and space power systems. HPM has the potential to significantly alleviate global energy concerns, improve the environment, and stimulate the economy. One of the unique power devices being utilized by HPM for energy storage is the ultracapacitor. An ultracapacitor is an electrochemical energy storage device, which has extremely high volumetric capacitance energy due to high surface area electrodes, and very small electrode separation. Ultracapacitors are a reliable, long life, maintenance free, energy storage system. This flexible operating system can be applied to all power systems to significantly improve system efficiency, reliability, and performance. There are many existing and conceptual applications of HPM.

Bioprospecting and biotechnological applications of fungal laccase.

PubMed

Upadhyay, Pooja; Shrivastava, Rahul; Agrawal, Pavan Kumar

2016-06-01

Laccase belongs to a small group of enzymes called the blue multicopper oxidases, having the potential ability of oxidation. It belongs to enzymes, which have innate properties of reactive radical production, but its utilization in many fields has been ignored because of its unavailability in the commercial field. There are diverse sources of laccase producing organisms like bacteria, fungi and plants. In fungi, laccase is present in Ascomycetes, Deuteromycetes, Basidiomycetes and is particularly abundant in many white-rot fungi that degrade lignin. Laccases can degrade both phenolic and non-phenolic compounds. They also have the ability to detoxify a range of environmental pollutants. Due to their property to detoxify a range of pollutants, they have been used for several purposes in many industries including paper, pulp, textile and petrochemical industries. Some other application of laccase includes in food processing industry, medical and health care. Recently, laccase has found applications in other fields such as in the design of biosensors and nanotechnology. The present review provides an overview of biological functions of laccase, its mechanism of action, laccase mediator system, and various biotechnological applications of laccase obtained from endophytic fungi.

Versatile application of indirect Fourier transformation to structure factor analysis: from X-ray diffraction of molecular liquids to small angle scattering of protein solutions.

PubMed

Fukasawa, Toshiko; Sato, Takaaki

2011-02-28

We highlight versatile applicability of a structure-factor indirect Fourier transformation (IFT) technique, hereafter called SQ-IFT. The original IFT aims at the pair distance distribution function, p(r), of colloidal particles from small angle scattering of X-rays (SAXS) and neutrons (SANS), allowing the conversion of the experimental form factor, P(q), into a more intuitive real-space spatial autocorrelation function. Instead, SQ-IFT is an interaction potential model-free approach to the 'effective' or 'experimental' structure factor to yield the pair correlation functions (PCFs), g(r), of colloidal dispersions like globular protein solutions for small-angle scattering data as well as the radial distribution functions (RDFs) of molecular liquids in liquid diffraction (LD) experiments. We show that SQ-IFT yields accurate RDFs of liquid H(2)O and monohydric alcohol reflecting their local intermolecular structures, in which q-weighted structure function, qH(q), conventionally utilized in many LD studies out of necessity of performing direct Fourier transformation, is no longer required. We also show that SQ-IFT applied to theoretically calculated structure factors for uncharged and charged colloidal dispersions almost perfectly reproduces g(r) obtained as a solution of the Ornstein-Zernike (OZ) equation. We further demonstrate the relevance of SQ-IFT in its practical applications, using SANS effective structure factors of lysozyme solutions reported in recent literatures which revealed the equilibrium cluster formation due to coexisting long range electrostatic repulsion and short range attraction between the proteins. Finally, we present SAXS experiments on human serum albumin (HSA) at different ionic strength and protein concentration, in which we discuss the real space picture of spatial distributions of the proteins via the interaction potential model-free route.

Segmented Gamma Scanner for Small Containers of Uranium Processing Waste- 12295

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

Morris, K.E.; Smith, S.K.; Gailey, S.

2012-07-01

The Segmented Gamma Scanner (SGS) is commonly utilized in the assay of 55-gallon drums containing radioactive waste. Successfully deployed calibration methods include measurement of vertical line source standards in representative matrices and mathematical efficiency calibrations. The SGS technique can also be utilized to assay smaller containers, such as those used for criticality safety in uranium processing facilities. For such an application, a Can SGS System is aptly suited for the identification and quantification of radionuclides present in fuel processing wastes. Additionally, since the significant presence of uranium lumping can confound even a simple 'pass/fail' measurement regimen, the high-resolution gamma spectroscopymore » allows for the use of lump-detection techniques. In this application a lump correction is not required, but the application of a differential peak approach is used to simply identify the presence of U-235 lumps. The Can SGS is similar to current drum SGSs, but differs in the methodology for vertical segmentation. In the current drum SGS, the drum is placed on a rotator at a fixed vertical position while the detector, collimator, and transmission source are moved vertically to effect vertical segmentation. For the Can SGS, segmentation is more efficiently done by raising and lowering the rotator platform upon which the small container is positioned. This also reduces the complexity of the system mechanism. The application of the Can SGS introduces new challenges to traditional calibration and verification approaches. In this paper, we revisit SGS calibration methodology in the context of smaller waste containers, and as applied to fuel processing wastes. Specifically, we discuss solutions to the challenges introduced by requiring source standards to fit within the confines of the small containers and the unavailability of high-enriched uranium source standards. We also discuss the implementation of a previously used technique for identifying the presence of uranium lumping. The SGS technique is a well-accepted NDA technique applicable to containers of almost any size. It assumes a homogenous matrix and activity distribution throughout the entire container; an assumption that is at odds with the detection of lumps within the assay item typical of uranium-processing waste. This fact, in addition to the difficultly in constructing small reference standards of uranium-bearing materials, required the methodology used for performing an efficiency curve calibration to be altered. The solution discussed in this paper is demonstrated to provide good results for both the segment activity and full container activity when measuring heterogeneous source distributions. The application of this approach will need to be based on process knowledge of the assay items, as biases can be introduced if used with homogenous, or nearly homogenous, activity distributions. The bias will need to be quantified for each combination of container geometry and SGS scanning settings. One recommended approach for using the heterogeneous calibration discussed here is to assay each item using a homogenous calibration initially. Review of the segment activities compared to the full container activity will signal the presence of a non-uniform activity distribution as the segment activity will be grossly disproportionate to the full container activity. Upon seeing this result, the assay should either be reanalyzed or repeated using the heterogeneous calibration. (authors)« less

[Collaborative projects with academia for regulatory science studies on biomarkers].

PubMed

Saito, Yoshiro; Nakamura, Ryosuke; Maekawa, Keiko

2014-01-01

Biomarkers are useful tools to be utilized as indicators/predictors of disease severity and drug responsiveness/safety, and thus are expected to promote efficient drug development and to accelerate proper use of approved drugs. Many academic achievements have been reported, but only a small number of biomarkers are used in clinical trials and drug treatments. Regulatory sciences on biomarkers for their secure development and proper qualification are necessary to facilitate their practical application. We started to collaborate with Tohoku University and Nagoya City University for sample quality, biomarker identification, evaluation of their usage, and making guidances. In this short review, scheme and progress of these projects are introduced.

AiResearch QCGAT engine, airplane, and nacelle design features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heldenbrand, R. W.

1980-01-01

The quiet, clean, general aviation turbofan engine and nacelle system was designed and tested. The engine utilized the core of the AiResearch model TFE731-3 engine and incorporated several unique noise- and emissions-reduction features. Components that were successfully adapted to this core include the fan, gearbox, combustor, low-pressure turbine, and associated structure. A highly versatile workhorse nacelle incorporating interchangeable acoustic and hardwall duct liners, showed that large-engine attenuation technology could be applied to small propulsion engines. The application of the mixer compound nozzle demonstrated both performance and noise advantages on the engine. Major performance, emissions, and noise goals were demonstrated.

Smart Sensors Assess Structural Health

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

NASA frequently inspects launch vehicles, fuel tanks, and other components for structural damage. To perform quick evaluation and monitoring, the Agency pursues the development of structural health monitoring systems. In 2001, Acellent Technologies Inc., of Sunnyvale, California, received Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding from Marshall Space Flight Center to develop a hybrid Stanford Multi-Actuator Receiver Transduction (SMART) Layer for aerospace vehicles and structures. As a result, Acellent expanded the technology's capability and now sells it to aerospace and automotive companies; construction, energy, and utility companies; and the defense, space, transportation, and energy industries for structural condition monitoring, damage detection, crack growth monitoring, and other applications.

Characterization of small microsatellite loci isolated in endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) for use in non-invasive sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Fike, Jennifer A.

2011-01-01

Primers for 10 microsatellite loci were developed specifically to amplify low quantity and quality DNA in the endangered Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis). In a screen of 20 individuals from a population in Missouri, the 10 loci were found to have levels of variability ranging from seven to 18 alleles. No loci were found to be linked, although two loci revealed significant departures from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These microsatellite loci will be applicable for population genetic analyses and for use in mark-recapture studies that utilize DNA collected non-invasively from fecal pellets, which will ultimately aid in management efforts.

Heat engine development for solar thermal power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, H. Q.; Jaffe, L. D.

The parabolic dish solar collector systems for converting sunlight to electrical power through a heat engine will, require a small heat engine of high performance long lifetime to be competitive with conventional power systems. The most promising engine candidates are Stirling, high temperature Brayton, and combined cycle. Engines available in the current market today do not meet these requirements. The development of Stirling and high temperature Brayton for automotive applications was studied which utilizes much of the technology developed in this automotive program for solar power engines. The technical status of the engine candidates is reviewed and the components that may additional development to meet solar thermal system requirements are identified.

Open-source meteor detection software for low-cost single-board computers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vida, D.; Zubović, D.; Šegon, D.; Gural, P.; Cupec, R.

2016-01-01

This work aims to overcome the current price threshold of meteor stations which can sometimes deter meteor enthusiasts from owning one. In recent years small card-sized computers became widely available and are used for numerous applications. To utilize such computers for meteor work, software which can run on them is needed. In this paper we present a detailed description of newly-developed open-source software for fireball and meteor detection optimized for running on low-cost single board computers. Furthermore, an update on the development of automated open-source software which will handle video capture, fireball and meteor detection, astrometry and photometry is given.

Integrated phased array for wide-angle beam steering.

PubMed

Yaacobi, Ami; Sun, Jie; Moresco, Michele; Leake, Gerald; Coolbaugh, Douglas; Watts, Michael R

2014-08-01

We demonstrate an on-chip optical phased array fabricated in a CMOS compatible process with continuous, fast (100 kHz), wide-angle (51°) beam-steering suitable for applications such as low-cost LIDAR systems. The device demonstrates the largest (51°) beam-steering and beam-spacing to date while providing the ability to steer continuously over the entire range. Continuous steering is enabled by a cascaded phase shifting architecture utilizing, low power and small footprint, thermo-optic phase shifters. We demonstrate these results in the telecom C-band, but the same design can easily be adjusted for any wavelength between 1.2 and 3.5 μm.

Controllable picoliter pipetting using hydrophobic microfluidic valves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, M.; Huang, J.; Qian, X.; Mi, S.; Wang, X.

2017-06-01

A picoliter pipetting technique using the microfluidic method is presented. Utilizing the hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer films patterned in microchannels as pressure-controlled valves, a small volume of liquid can be separated by a designed channel trap and then ejected from the channel end at a higher pressure. The liquid trap section is composed of a T-shaped channel junction and a hydrophobic patch. The liquid volume can be precisely controlled by varying the distance of the hydrophobic patch from the T-junction. By this means, liquid less than 100 pl can be separated and pipetted. The developed device is potentially useful for sample dispensing in biological, medical, and chemical applications.

Atomic spectroscopy and holography: A combined laboratory experiment at the intermediate undergraduate level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bates, Harry E.

1984-05-01

Holography is a new and exciting field that has found many applications in physics and engineering. Atomic spectroscopy has been the experimental cornerstone of modern physics and chemistry. This paper reports on an intermediate undergraduate laboratory experiment that combines fundamental ideas and techniques of both fields. The student utilizes holographic techniques to make a small sinusoidal diffraction grating and then uses this grating to analyze the spectrum of hydrogen. The Rydberg constant can be determined from the wavelength, the angle between the laser beams used to make the grating, and the observed diffractions angles of lines of the Balmer series.

Pressure loss modulus correlation for Delta p across uniformly distributed-loss devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nunz, Gregory J.

1994-01-01

A dimensionless group, called a pressure loss modulus (N(sub PL)), is introduced that, in conjunction with an appropriately defined Reynolds number, is of considerable engineering utility in correlating steady-state Delta p vs flow calibration data and subsequently as a predictor, using the same or a different fluid, in uniformly distributed pressure loss devices. It is particularly useful under operation in the transition regime. Applications of this simple bivariate correlation to three diverse devices of particular interest for small liquid rocket engine fluid systems are discussed: large L/D capillary tube restrictors, packed granular catalyst beds, and stacked vortex-loss disk restrictors.

Micro-machined thermo-conductivity detector

DOEpatents

Yu, Conrad

2003-01-01

A micro-machined thermal conductivity detector for a portable gas chromatograph. The detector is highly sensitive and has fast response time to enable detection of the small size gas samples in a portable gas chromatograph which are in the order of nanoliters. The high sensitivity and fast response time are achieved through micro-machined devices composed of a nickel wire, for example, on a silicon nitride window formed in a silicon member and about a millimeter square in size. In addition to operating as a thermal conductivity detector, the silicon nitride window with a micro-machined wire therein of the device can be utilized for a fast response heater for PCR applications.

Accounting for location and timing in NO{sub x} emission trading programs. Final report

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

Nichols, A.L.

1997-12-01

This report describes approaches to designing emission trading programs for nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) to account for the locations of emission sources. When a trading region is relatively small, program managers can assume that the location of the sources engaging in trades has little or no effect. However, if policy makers extend the program to larger regions, this assumption may be questioned. Therefore, EPRI has undertaken a survey of methods for incorporating location considerations into trading programs. Application of the best method may help to preserve, and even enhance, the flexibility and savings afforded utilities by emission trading.

An expert system environment for the Generic VHSIC Spaceborne Computer (GVSC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cockerham, Ann; Labhart, Jay; Rowe, Michael; Skinner, James

The authors describe a Phase II Phillips Laboratory Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program being performed to implement a flexible and general-purpose inference environment for embedded space and avionics applications. This inference environment is being developed in Ada and takes special advantage of the target architecture, the GVSC. The GVSC implements the MIL-STD-1750A ISA and contains enhancements to allow access of up to 8 MBytes of memory. The inference environment makes use of the Merit Enhanced Traversal Engine (METE) algorithm, which employs the latest inference and knowledge representation strategies to optimize both run-time speed and memory utilization.

77 FR 8020 - Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-13

... Size 3245-AG25 Standards for Utilities Industries. 463 Small Business Size 3245-AG26 Standards... Remediation Services Industries. 465 Small Business Size 3245-AG28 Standards: Real Estate, Rental and Leasing Industries. 466 Small Business Size 3245-AG29 Standards: Educational Services Industries. 467 Small Business...

28 CFR 0.18a - Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... described in paragraph (a) of this section; (d) Provide resource information and technical training and... functions; (e) Assign a small business technical adviser to any Department offices to which the Small...

Shaping-lathe headrig will convert small hardwoods into pallet cants plus flakes for structural exterior flakeboard

Treesearch

Peter Koch

1975-01-01

Virtually all nations have an under-utilized resource of small-diameter, low-grade hardwoods of mixed species in a range of densities. The shaping-lathe headrig, now in the final stages of commercialization, is a key to utilizing these hardwoods for pallets, industrial lumber, and-with further development-railroad crossties. Lathe residues in the form of flakes can be...

Small Claims Court.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKitric, Eloise; Davis, Janet

The study examined individuals and companies who used small claims courts and the results of decisions reached in small claims cases. A review of studies including an empirical study of two Ohio small claims courts monitored for 12 months made it clear that small claims courts need to be examined to determine if utilization and accessibility to…

77 FR 70210 - Agency Information Collection (VA Subcontracting Report for Service Disabled Veteran-owned Small...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-23

... Subcontracting Report for Service Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business and Veteran-owned Small Business Concerns) Activities Under OMB Review AGENCY: Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Department of... U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business...

Server-side Log Data Analytics for I/O Workload Characterization and Coordination on Large Shared Storage Systems

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

Liu, Y.; Gunasekaran, Raghul; Ma, Xiaosong

2016-01-01

Inter-application I/O contention and performance interference have been recognized as severe problems. In this work, we demonstrate, through measurement from Titan (world s No. 3 supercomputer), that high I/O variance co-exists with the fact that individual storage units remain under-utilized for the majority of the time. This motivates us to propose AID, a system that performs automatic application I/O characterization and I/O-aware job scheduling. AID analyzes existing I/O traffic and batch job history logs, without any prior knowledge on applications or user/developer involvement. It identifies the small set of I/O-intensive candidates among all applications running on a supercomputer and subsequentlymore » mines their I/O patterns, using more detailed per-I/O-node traffic logs. Based on such auto- extracted information, AID provides online I/O-aware scheduling recommendations to steer I/O-intensive applications away from heavy ongoing I/O activities. We evaluate AID on Titan, using both real applications (with extracted I/O patterns validated by contacting users) and our own pseudo-applications. Our results confirm that AID is able to (1) identify I/O-intensive applications and their detailed I/O characteristics, and (2) significantly reduce these applications I/O performance degradation/variance by jointly evaluating out- standing applications I/O pattern and real-time system l/O load.« less

36 CFR 14.21 - Form.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... been utilized without authority prior to the time the application is made, the application must state the date such utilization commenced and by whom, and the date the applicant alleges he obtained...

Unusual continuous dual absorption peaks in Ca-doped BiFeO3 nanostructures for broadened microwave absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhong-Jun; Hou, Zhi-Ling; Song, Wei-Li; Liu, Xing-Da; Cao, Wen-Qiang; Shao, Xiao-Hong; Cao, Mao-Sheng

2016-05-01

Electromagnetic absorption materials have received increasing attention owing to their wide applications in aerospace, communication and the electronics industry, and multiferroic materials with both polarization and magnetic properties are considered promising ceramics for microwave absorption application. However, the insufficient absorption intensity coupled with the narrow effective absorption bandwidth has limited the development of high-performance multiferroic materials for practical microwave absorption. To address such issues, in the present work, we utilize interfacial engineering in BiFeO3 nanoparticles via Ca doping, with the purpose of tailoring the phase boundary. Upon Ca-substitution, the co-existence of both R3c and P4mm phases has been confirmed to massively enhance both dielectric and magnetic properties via manipulating the phase boundary and the destruction of the spiral spin structure. Unlike the commonly reported magnetic/dielectric hybrid microwave absorption composites, Bi0.95Ca0.05FeO3 has been found to deliver unusual continuous dual absorption peaks at a small thickness (1.56 mm), which has remarkably broadened the effective absorption bandwidth (8.7-12.1 GHz). The fundamental mechanisms based on the phase boundary engineering have been discussed, suggesting a novel platform for designing advanced multiferroic materials with wide applications.Electromagnetic absorption materials have received increasing attention owing to their wide applications in aerospace, communication and the electronics industry, and multiferroic materials with both polarization and magnetic properties are considered promising ceramics for microwave absorption application. However, the insufficient absorption intensity coupled with the narrow effective absorption bandwidth has limited the development of high-performance multiferroic materials for practical microwave absorption. To address such issues, in the present work, we utilize interfacial engineering in BiFeO3 nanoparticles via Ca doping, with the purpose of tailoring the phase boundary. Upon Ca-substitution, the co-existence of both R3c and P4mm phases has been confirmed to massively enhance both dielectric and magnetic properties via manipulating the phase boundary and the destruction of the spiral spin structure. Unlike the commonly reported magnetic/dielectric hybrid microwave absorption composites, Bi0.95Ca0.05FeO3 has been found to deliver unusual continuous dual absorption peaks at a small thickness (1.56 mm), which has remarkably broadened the effective absorption bandwidth (8.7-12.1 GHz). The fundamental mechanisms based on the phase boundary engineering have been discussed, suggesting a novel platform for designing advanced multiferroic materials with wide applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00223d

Unraveling Network-induced Memory Contention: Deeper Insights with Machine Learning

DOE PAGES

Groves, Taylor Liles; Grant, Ryan; Gonzales, Aaron; ...

2017-11-21

Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is expected to be an integral communication mechanism for future exascale systems enabling asynchronous data transfers, so that applications may fully utilize CPU resources while simultaneously sharing data amongst remote nodes. We examine Network-induced Memory Contention (NiMC) on Infiniband networks. We expose the interactions between RDMA, main-memory and cache, when applications and out-of-band services compete for memory resources. We then explore NiMCs resulting impact on application-level performance. For a range of hardware technologies and HPC workloads, we quantify NiMC and show that NiMCs impact grows with scale resulting in up to 3X performance degradation atmore » scales as small as 8K processes even in applications that previously have been shown to be performance resilient in the presence of noise. In addition, this work examines the problem of predicting NiMC's impact on applications by leveraging machine learning and easily accessible performance counters. This approach provides additional insights about the root cause of NiMC and facilitates dynamic selection of potential solutions. Finally, we evaluated three potential techniques to reduce NiMCs impact, namely hardware offloading, core reservation and network throttling.« less

Application of borehole geophysics to water-resources investigations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keys, W.S.; MacCary, L.M.

1971-01-01

This manual is intended to be a guide for hydrologists using borehole geophysics in ground-water studies. The emphasis is on the application and interpretation of geophysical well logs, and not on the operation of a logger. It describes in detail those logging techniques that have been utilized within the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, and those used in petroleum investigations that have potential application to hydrologic problems. Most of the logs described can be made by commercial logging service companies, and many can be made with small water-well loggers. The general principles of each technique and the rules of log interpretation are the same, regardless of differences in instrumentation. Geophysical well logs can be interpreted to determine the lithology, geometry, resistivity, formation factor, bulk density, porosity, permeability, moisture content, and specific yield of water-bearing rocks, and to define the source, movement, and chemical and physical characteristics of ground water. Numerous examples of logs are used to illustrate applications and interpretation in various ground-water environments. The interrelations between various types of logs are emphasized, and the following aspects are described for each of the important logging techniques: Principles and applications, instrumentation, calibration and standardization, radius of investigation, and extraneous effects.

Nanodiamonds and Their Applications in Cells.

PubMed

Chipaux, Mayeul; van der Laan, Kiran J; Hemelaar, Simon R; Hasani, Masoumeh; Zheng, Tingting; Schirhagl, Romana

2018-03-24

Diamonds owe their fame to a unique set of outstanding properties. They combine a high refractive index, hardness, great stability and inertness, and low electrical but high thermal conductivity. Diamond defects have recently attracted a lot of attention. Given this unique list of properties, it is not surprising that diamond nanoparticles are utilized for numerous applications. Due to their hardness, they are routinely used as abrasives. Their small and uniform size qualifies them as attractive carriers for drug delivery. The stable fluorescence of diamond defects allows their use as stable single photon sources or biolabels. The magnetic properties of the defects make them stable spin qubits in quantum information. This property also allows their use as a sensor for temperature, magnetic fields, electric fields, or strain. This Review focuses on applications in cells. Different diamond materials and the special requirements for the respective applications are discussed. Methods to chemically modify the surface of diamonds and the different hurdles one has to overcome when working with cells, such as entering the cells and biocompatibility, are described. Finally, the recent developments and applications in labeling, sensing, drug delivery, theranostics, antibiotics, and tissue engineering are critically discussed. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Unraveling Network-induced Memory Contention: Deeper Insights with Machine Learning

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

Groves, Taylor Liles; Grant, Ryan; Gonzales, Aaron

Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is expected to be an integral communication mechanism for future exascale systems enabling asynchronous data transfers, so that applications may fully utilize CPU resources while simultaneously sharing data amongst remote nodes. We examine Network-induced Memory Contention (NiMC) on Infiniband networks. We expose the interactions between RDMA, main-memory and cache, when applications and out-of-band services compete for memory resources. We then explore NiMCs resulting impact on application-level performance. For a range of hardware technologies and HPC workloads, we quantify NiMC and show that NiMCs impact grows with scale resulting in up to 3X performance degradation atmore » scales as small as 8K processes even in applications that previously have been shown to be performance resilient in the presence of noise. In addition, this work examines the problem of predicting NiMC's impact on applications by leveraging machine learning and easily accessible performance counters. This approach provides additional insights about the root cause of NiMC and facilitates dynamic selection of potential solutions. Finally, we evaluated three potential techniques to reduce NiMCs impact, namely hardware offloading, core reservation and network throttling.« less

Wind Technology Modeling Within the System Advisor Model (SAM) (Poster)

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

Blair, N.; Dobos, A.; Ferguson, T.

This poster provides detail for implementation and the underlying methodology for modeling wind power generation performance in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) System Advisor Model (SAM). SAM's wind power model allows users to assess projects involving one or more large or small wind turbines with any of the detailed options for residential, commercial, or utility financing. The model requires information about the wind resource, wind turbine specifications, wind farm layout (if applicable), and costs, and provides analysis to compare the absolute or relative impact of these inputs. SAM is a system performance and economic model designed to facilitate analysismore » and decision-making for project developers, financers, policymakers, and energy researchers. The user pairs a generation technology with a financing option (residential, commercial, or utility) to calculate the cost of energy over the multi-year project period. Specifically, SAM calculates the value of projects which buy and sell power at retail rates for residential and commercial systems, and also for larger-scale projects which operate through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with a utility. The financial model captures complex financing and rate structures, taxes, and incentives.« less

Decomposition method for fast computation of gigapixel-sized Fresnel holograms on a graphics processing unit cluster.

PubMed

Jackin, Boaz Jessie; Watanabe, Shinpei; Ootsu, Kanemitsu; Ohkawa, Takeshi; Yokota, Takashi; Hayasaki, Yoshio; Yatagai, Toyohiko; Baba, Takanobu

2018-04-20

A parallel computation method for large-size Fresnel computer-generated hologram (CGH) is reported. The method was introduced by us in an earlier report as a technique for calculating Fourier CGH from 2D object data. In this paper we extend the method to compute Fresnel CGH from 3D object data. The scale of the computation problem is also expanded to 2 gigapixels, making it closer to real application requirements. The significant feature of the reported method is its ability to avoid communication overhead and thereby fully utilize the computing power of parallel devices. The method exhibits three layers of parallelism that favor small to large scale parallel computing machines. Simulation and optical experiments were conducted to demonstrate the workability and to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed technique. A two-times improvement in computation speed has been achieved compared to the conventional method, on a 16-node cluster (one GPU per node) utilizing only one layer of parallelism. A 20-times improvement in computation speed has been estimated utilizing two layers of parallelism on a very large-scale parallel machine with 16 nodes, where each node has 16 GPUs.

Implementation of customized health information technology in diabetes self management programs.

PubMed

Alexander, Susan; Frith, Karen H; O'Keefe, Louise; Hennigan, Michael A

2011-01-01

The project was a nurse-led implementation of a software application, designed to combine clinical and demographic records for a diabetes education program, which would result in secure, long-term record storage. Clinical information systems may be prohibitively expensive for small practices and require extensive training for implementation. A review of the literature suggests that the use of simple, practice-based registries offer an economical method of monitoring the outcomes of diabetic patients. The database was designed using a common software application, Microsoft Access. The theory used to guide implementation and staff training was Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations theory (1995). Outcomes after a 3-month period included incorporation of 100% of new clinical and demographic patient records into the database and positive changes in staff attitudes regarding software applications used in diabetes self-management training. These objectives were met while keeping project costs under budgeted amounts. As a function of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) researcher role, there is a need for CNSs to identify innovative and economical methods of data collection. The success of this nurse-led project reinforces suggestions in the literature for less costly methods of data maintenance in small practice settings. Ongoing utilization and enhancement have resulted in the creation of a robust database that could aid in the research of multiple clinical issues. Clinical nurse specialists can use existing evidence to guide and improve both their own practice and outcomes for patients and organizations. Further research regarding specific factors that predict efficient transition of informatics applications, how these factors vary according to practice settings, and the role of the CNS in implementation of such applications is needed.

48 CFR 19.705-4 - Reviewing the subcontracting plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.705-4... involving small business concerns as subcontractors in similar acquisitions; and (3) The relative success of... comply with its obligations under the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, the...

48 CFR 19.705-4 - Reviewing the subcontracting plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.705-4... involving small business concerns as subcontractors in similar acquisitions; and (3) The relative success of... comply with its obligations under the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, the...

48 CFR 19.705-4 - Reviewing the subcontracting plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The Small Business Subcontracting Program 19.705-4... involving small business concerns as subcontractors in similar acquisitions; and (3) The relative success of... comply with its obligations under the clause at 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, the...

Micro-sensors for in-situ meteorological measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crisp, David; Kaiser, William J.; Vanzandt, Thomas R.; Tillman, James E.

1993-01-01

Improved in-situ meteorological measurements are needed for monitoring the weather and climate of the terrestrial and Martian atmospheres. We have initiated a program to assess the feasibility and utility of micro-sensors for precise in-situ meteorological measurements in these environments. Sensors are being developed for measuring pressure, temperature, wind velocity, humidity, and aerosol amounts. Silicon micro-machining and large scale integration technologies are being used to make sensors that are small, rugged, lightweight, and require very little power. Our long-term goal is to develop very accurate miniaturized sensors that can be incorporated into complete instrument packages or 'micro weather stations,' and deployed on a variety of platforms. If conventional commercially available silicon production techniques can be used to fabricate these sensor packages, it will eventually be possible to mass-produce them at low cost. For studies of the Earth's troposphere and stratosphere, they could be deployed on aircraft, dropsondes, radiosondes, or autonomous surface stations at remote sites. Improved sensor accuracy and reduced sensor cost are the primary challenges for these applications. For studies of the Martian atmosphere, these sensor packages could be incorporated into the small entry probes and surface landers that are being planned for the Mars Environmental SURvey (MESUR) Mission. That decade-long program will deploy a global network of small stations on the Martian surface for monitoring meteorological and geological processes. Low mass, low power, durability, large dynamic range and calibration stability are the principal challenges for this application. Our progress on each of these sensor types is presented.

Small Business Specialists.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-01

located throughout the United States. Each service and agency has an Office of the Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. They also...have small business specialists at each of their procurement and contract management offices to assist small businesses , small disadvantaged businesses ...and women-owned small businesses firms in marketing their products and services with the DoD. These specialists provide information and guidance on (1

Design, Analysis, and On-Sun Evaluation of Reflective Strips Under Controlled Buckling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, Donald A.; Sechkar, Edward A.; Colozza, Anthony J.

2014-01-01

Solar concentrators are envisioned for use in a variety of space-based applications, including applications involving in situ resource utilization. Identifying solar concentrators that minimize mass and cost are of great interest, especially since launch cost is driven in part by the mass of the payload. Concentrators must also be able to survive the wide temperature excursions on the lunar surface. Identifying smart structures which compensate for changes in concentrator geometry brought about by temperature extremes are of interest. Some applications may benefit from the ability to change the concentrators focal pattern at will. This paper addresses a method of designing a single reflective strip to produce a desired focal pattern through the use of controlled buckling. Small variations in the cross section over the length of the reflective strip influence the distribution of light in the focal region. A finite element method of analysis is utilized here which calculates the curve produced for a given strip cross section and axial load. Varying axial force and strip cross section over the length of the reflective strip provide a means of optimizing ray convergence in the focal region. Careful selection of a tapered cross section yields a reflective strip that approximates a parabola. An array of reflective strips under controlled buckling produces a light weight concentrator and adjustments in the compression of individual strips provide a means of compensating for temperature excursions or changing the focal pattern at will.

Design, Analysis, and On-Sun Evaluation of Reflective Strips Under Controlled Buckling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, D. A.; Sechkar, E. A.; Colozza, A. J.

2014-01-01

Solar concentrators are envisioned for use in a variety of space-based applications, including applications involving in situ resource utilization. Identifying solar concentrators that minimize mass and cost are of great interest, especially since launch cost is driven in part by the mass of the payload. Concentrators must also be able to survive the wide temperature excursions on the lunar surface. Identifying smart structures which compensate for changes in concentrator geometry brought about by temperature extremes are of interest. Some applications may benefit from the ability to change the concentrator's focal pattern at will. This paper addresses a method of designing a single reflective strip to produce a desired focal pattern through the use of controlled buckling. Small variations in the cross section over the length of the reflective strip influence the distribution of light in the focal region. A finite element method of analysis is utilized here which calculates the curve produced for a given strip cross section and axial load. Varying axial force and strip cross section over the length of the reflective strip provide a means of optimizing ray convergence in the focal region. Careful selection of a tapered cross section yields a reflective strip that approximates a parabola. An array of reflective strips under controlled buckling produces a light weight concentrator and adjustments in the compression of individual strips provide a means of compensating for temperature excursions or changing the focal pattern at will.

48 CFR 3419.201-70 - Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... facilitating the implementation of the Small Business Act, as described in FAR 19.201. The OSDBU develops rules, policy, procedures, and guidelines for the effective administration of ED's small business program. ...

Advanced Automation for Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry-New Opportunities for Real-Time Autonomous Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, Peter T.; Wong, C. M.; Salmonson, J. D.; Yost, R. A.; Griffin, T. P.; Yates, N. A.; Lawless, James G. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The utility of MS/MS for both target compound analysis and the structure elucidation of unknowns has been described in a number of references. A broader acceptance of this technique has not yet been realized as it requires large, complex, and costly instrumentation which has not been competitive with more conventional techniques. Recent advancements in ion trap mass spectrometry promise to change this situation. Although the ion trap's small size, sensitivity, and ability to perform multiple stages of mass spectrometry have made it eminently suitable for on-line, real-time monitoring applications, advance automation techniques are required to make these capabilities more accessible to non-experts. Towards this end we have developed custom software for the design and implementation of MS/MS experiments. This software allows the user to take full advantage of the ion trap's versatility with respect to ionization techniques, scan proxies, and ion accumulation/ejection methods. Additionally, expert system software has been developed for autonomous target compound analysis. This software has been linked to ion trap control software and a commercial data system to bring all of the steps in the analysis cycle under control of the expert system. These software development efforts and their utilization for a number of trace analysis applications will be described.

The application of optical coherence tomography angiography in retinal diseases.

PubMed

Sambhav, Kumar; Grover, Sandeep; Chalam, Kakarla V

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a new, noninvasive imaging technique that generates real-time volumetric data on chorioretinal vasculature and its flow pattern. With the advent of high-speed optical coherence tomography, established enface chorioretinal segmentation, and efficient algorithms, OCTA generates images that resemble an angiogram. The principle of OCTA involves determining the change in backscattering between consecutive B-scans and then attributing the differences to the flow of erythrocytes through retinal blood vessels. OCTA has shown promise in the evaluation of common ophthalmologic diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and retinal vascular occlusions. It quantifies vascular compromise reflecting the severity of diabetic retinopathy. OCTA detects the presence of choroidal neovascularization in exudative age-related macular degeneration and maps loss of choriocapillaris in nonexudative age-related macular degeneration. We describe principles of OCTA and findings in common and some uncommon retinal pathologies. Finally, we summarize its potential future applications. Its current limitations include a relatively small field of view, inability to show leakage, and a tendency for image artifacts. Further larger studies will define OCTAs utility in clinical settings and establish if the technology may offer its utility in decreasing morbidity through early detection and guide therapeutic interventions in retinal diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utilization of Porous Media for Condensing Heat Exchangers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuan, George C.

2006-01-01

The use of porous media as a mean of separating liquid condensate from the air stream in condensing heat exchangers has been explored in the past inside small plant growth chambers and in the Apollo Command Module. Both applications used a cooled porous media made of sintered stainless steel to cool and separate condensation from the air stream. However, the main issues with the utilization of porous media in the past have been the deterioration of the porous media over long duration, such as clogging and changes in surface wetting characteristics. In addition, for long duration usage, biofilm growth from microorganisms on the porous medial would also be an issue. In developing Porous Media Condensing Heat Exchangers (PMCHX) for future space applications, different porous materials and microbial growth control methods will need to be explored. This paper explores the work performed at JSC and GRC to evaluate different porous materials and microbial control methods to support the development of a Porous Media Condensing Heat Exchanger. It outlines the basic principles for designing a PMCHX and issues that were encountered and ways to resolve those issues. The PMCHX has potential of mass, volume, and power savings over current CHX and water separator technology and would be beneficial for long duration space missions.

Clinical Applications of Procalcitonin in Pediatrics: An Advanced Biomarker for Inflammation and Infection-Can It Also Be Used in Trauma?

PubMed

Koutroulis, Ioannis; Loscalzo, Steven M; Kratimenos, Panagiotis; Singh, Sabina; Weiner, Evan; Syriopoulou, Vassiliki; Theocharis, Stamatios; Chrousos, Georgios

2014-01-01

Background. Procalcitonin is a small molecular peptide that has gained increased support as an adjunct diagnostic marker of infection in the adult population; the concordant body of evidence for the use of procalcitonin in pediatric populations is far less complete. Objectives. Our objective is to review the current evidence supporting the utilization of procalcitonin in children in a variety of clinical scenarios including SIRS, sepsis, burns, and trauma and to identify existing knowledge gaps. Methods. A thorough review of the literature was performed utilizing PubMed. We focused on using meta-analysis from adult populations to review current practices in interpretation and methodology and find concordant pediatric studies to determine if the same applications are validated in pediatric populations. Results. Current evidence supports the usage of procalcitonin as both a sensitive and a specific marker for the differentiation of systemic inflammatory response syndrome from sepsis in pediatrics with increased diagnostic accuracy compared to commonly used biomarkers including complete blood counts and C-reactive protein. Conclusions. Although the body of evidence is limited, initial observations suggest that procalcitonin can be used in pediatric trauma and burn patients as both a prognostic and a diagnostic marker, aiding in the identification of infection in patients with extensive underlying inflammation.

Clinical Applications of Procalcitonin in Pediatrics: An Advanced Biomarker for Inflammation and Infection—Can It Also Be Used in Trauma?

PubMed Central

Loscalzo, Steven M.; Singh, Sabina; Weiner, Evan; Syriopoulou, Vassiliki; Theocharis, Stamatios; Chrousos, Georgios

2014-01-01

Background. Procalcitonin is a small molecular peptide that has gained increased support as an adjunct diagnostic marker of infection in the adult population; the concordant body of evidence for the use of procalcitonin in pediatric populations is far less complete. Objectives. Our objective is to review the current evidence supporting the utilization of procalcitonin in children in a variety of clinical scenarios including SIRS, sepsis, burns, and trauma and to identify existing knowledge gaps. Methods. A thorough review of the literature was performed utilizing PubMed. We focused on using meta-analysis from adult populations to review current practices in interpretation and methodology and find concordant pediatric studies to determine if the same applications are validated in pediatric populations. Results. Current evidence supports the usage of procalcitonin as both a sensitive and a specific marker for the differentiation of systemic inflammatory response syndrome from sepsis in pediatrics with increased diagnostic accuracy compared to commonly used biomarkers including complete blood counts and C-reactive protein. Conclusions. Although the body of evidence is limited, initial observations suggest that procalcitonin can be used in pediatric trauma and burn patients as both a prognostic and a diagnostic marker, aiding in the identification of infection in patients with extensive underlying inflammation. PMID:27355024

Energy simulation and optimization for a small commercial building through Modelica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivas, Bryan

Small commercial buildings make up the majority of buildings in the United States. Energy consumed by these buildings is expected to drastically increase in the next few decades, with a large percentage of the energy consumed attributed to cooling systems. This work presents the simulation and optimization of a thermostat schedule to minimize energy consumption in a small commercial building test bed during the cooling season. The simulation occurs through the use of the multi-engineering domain Dymola environment based on the Modelica open source programming language and is optimized with the Java based optimization program GenOpt. The simulation uses both physically based modeling utilizing heat transfer principles for the building and regression analysis for energy consumption. GenOpt is dynamically coupled to Dymola through various interface files. There are very few studies that have coupled GenOpt to a building simulation program and even fewer studies have used Dymola for building simulation as extensively as the work presented here. The work presented proves Dymola as a viable alternative to other building simulation programs such as EnergyPlus and MatLab. The model developed is used to simulate the energy consumption of a test bed, a commissioned real world small commercial building, while maintaining indoor thermal comfort. Potential applications include smart or intelligent building systems, predictive simulation of small commercial buildings, and building diagnostics.

Electric chiller handbook. Final report

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

NONE

1998-02-01

Electric chillers have dominated the market for large commercial cooling systems due to their history of reliable, economical operation. The phaseout of CFCs and deregulation of the utility industry are two factors that significantly impact the chiller market. The CFC phaseout is resulting in the upgrading or replacement of thousands of electric chillers nationwide. In a deregulated environment, utilities are finding increasing need to provide services that can win and retain new customers. Utility representatives need current information on applying and selecting cost-effective chiller systems. The objective of this report was to develop a comprehensive handbook that helps utility technicalmore » and marketing staff, their customers, and design professionals evaluate and select the best options for chilled-water systems in commercial buildings. Investigators used a variety of industry data sources to develop market-share information for electric and gas chiller systems and to determine applications according to building age, type, and region. Discussions with chiller manufacturers provided information on product availability, performance, and ownership cost. Using EPRI`s COMTECH software, investigators performed comprehensive cost analyses for placement of large and small chillers in three representative cities. Case studies of actual installations support these analyses. Electric Chiller Handbook provides a single source of current information on all major issues associated with chiller selection and application. Key issues include chiller availability and markets, rated performance, future viability of various refrigerant options, the cost-effectiveness of alternative chillers, and chilled-water system optimization. The Handbook also describes available hardware, outlines the features and costs of gas-fired competitive systems, and provides methods and comparisons of life-cycle costing of various chiller system options. Analyses of chiller features and economics show that electric chillers are preferable to gas chillers in the large majority of applications, consistent with current market trends. Furthermore, today`s chillers offer a wide range of efficiencies and refrigerant options to serve cooling system needs for the 20-year lifetime of the chiller. Finally, new higher-efficiency models of electric chillers offer very attractive paybacks.« less