An Evaluation of a Welding Fumes Exhaust System. Agricultural Experiment Station Research Report 284.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, C. O.

A study evaluated the feasibility of introducing unheated outside air into the airstream of a cross-flow welding exhaust system to reduce heating energy costs of a school welding laboratory. The physical facility used was the agricultural mechanics laboratory at the University of Arizona, which is similar to facilities in which instruction in…

The SPS Target Station for CHORUS and NOMAD Neutrino Experiments

CERN Document Server

Péraire, S; Zazula, J M

1996-01-01

A new SPS target station, T9, has been constructed for the CHORUS and NOMAD neutrino experiments at CERN. The heart of the station is the target box : 11 beryllium rods are aligned in a cast aluminium box ; they are cooled by a closed circuit helium gas with adjusted flow to each rod. The box is motorised horizontally and vertically at both ends, to remotely optimise the secondary particle production by aligning the target with the incident proton beam. Radiation protection around the station is guaranteed by more than 100 tons of shielding material (iron, copper, marble). This presentation describes briefly the various components of the target station ; it emphasises particularly the thermal and mechanical calculations which define a safe maximum beam intensity on the beryllium rods. Over the first two years of successful operation, the station has received more than 2€1019 protons at 450 GeV/c, with intensity peaks of 2.8€1013 protons per machine cycle.

Engineering and agronomy aspects of a long-term precision agriculture field experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Much research has been conducted on specific precision agriculture tools and implementation strategies, but little has been reported on long-term evaluation of integrated precision agriculture field experiments. In 2004 our research team developed and initiated a multi-faceted “precision agriculture...

International cooperation in the Space Station programme - Assessing the experience to date

Science.gov (United States)

Logsdon, John M.

1991-01-01

The origins and framework for cooperation in the Space Station program are outlined. Particular attention is paid to issues and commitments between the countries and to the political context of the Station partnership. A number of conclusions concerning international cooperation in space are drawn based on the Space Station experience. Among these conclusions is the assertion that an international partnership requires realistic assesments, mutual trust, and strong commitments in order to work.

An Early Historical Examination of the Educational Intent of Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) and Project-Based Learning in Agricultural Education

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kasee L.; Rayfield, John

2016-01-01

Project-based learning has been a component of agricultural education since its inception. In light of the current call for additional emphasis of the Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) component of agricultural education, there is a need to revisit the roots of project-based learning. This early historical research study was conducted to…

Entry-Level Technical Skills that Agricultural Industry Experts Expected Students to Learn through Their Supervised Agricultural Experiences: A Modified Delphi Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsey, Jon W.; Edwards, M. Craig

2011-01-01

The National Research Council's (NRC) Report (1988), Understanding Agriculture: New Directions for Education, called on secondary agricultural education to shift its scope and purpose, including students' supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs). The NRC asserted that this shift should create opportunities for students to acquire supervised…

Stuart Energy's experiences in developing 'Hydrogen Energy Station' infrastructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crilly, B.

2004-01-01

'Full text:' With over 50 years experience, Stuart Energy is the global leader in the development, manufacture and integration of multi-use hydrogen infrastructure products that use the Company's proprietary IMET hydrogen generation water electrolysis technology. Stuart Energy offers its customers the power of hydrogen through its integrated Hydrogen Energy Station (HES) that provides clean, secure and distributed hydrogen. The HES can be comprised of five modules: hydrogen generation, compression, storage, fuel dispensing and / or power generation. This paper discusses Stuart Energy's involvement with over 10 stations installed in recent years throughout North America, Asia and Europe while examining the economic and environmental benefits of these systems. (author)

Experience in safeguarding nuclear material at the Rheinsberg nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkler, R.

1976-01-01

The three years' experience that has been gained in application of the Safeguards Agreement shows that the carrying out of inspections at the nuclear power plant has virtually no effect on operating conditions. In future it will be possible to reduce this effect even further and still maintain the operational reliability of the station. Verification of the transfer of nuclear material and detection of possible violations have proved relatively simple. The labour requirement of each unit at the station for the performance of inspections is not more that thirty man-days. Constructive collaboration between power station staff and inspectors is of great importance in improving the safeguards procedures. (author)

Regulatory experience in nuclear power station decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, W.M.; Waters, R.E.; Taylor, F.E.; Burrows, P.I.

1995-01-01

In the UK, decommissioning on a licensed nuclear site is regulated and controlled by HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive. The same legislative framework used for operating nuclear power stations is also applied to decommissioning activities and provides a continuous but flexible safety regime until there is no danger from ionising radiations. The regulatory strategy is discussed, taking into account Government policy and international guidance for decommissioning and the implications of the recent white paper reviewing radioactive waste management policy. Although each site is treated on a case by case basis as regulatory experience is gained from decommissioning commercial nuclear power stations in the UK, generic issues have been identified and current regulatory thinking on them is indicated. Overall it is concluded that decommissioning is an evolving process where dismantling and waste disposal should be carried out as soon as reasonably practicable. Waste stored on site should, where it is practical and cost effective, be in a state of passive safety. (Author)

Water, energy and agricultural landuse trends at Shiroro hydropower station and environs

Science.gov (United States)

Adegun, Olubunmi; Ajayi, Olalekan; Badru, Gbolahan; Odunuga, Shakirudeen

2018-02-01

The study examines the interplay among water resources, hydropower generation and agricultural landuse at the Shiroro hydropower station and its environs, in north-central Nigeria. Non-parametric trend analysis, hydropower footprint estimation, reservoir performance analysis, change detection analysis, and inferential statistics were combined to study the water-energy and food security nexus. Results of Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator for the period 1960 to 2013 showed a declining rainfall trend at Jos, around River Kaduna headwaters at -2.6 mm yr-1, while rainfall at Kaduna and Minna upstream and downstream of the reservoir respectively showed no trend. Estimates of hydropower footprint varied between 130.4 and 704.1 m3 GJ-1 between 1995 and 2013. Power generation reliability and resilience of the reservoir was 31.6 and 38.5 % respectively with year 2011 being the most vulnerable and least satisfactory. In addition to poor reliability and resilience indices, other challenges militating against good performance of hydropower generation includes population growth and climate change issues as exemplified in the downward trend observed at the headwaters. Water inflow and power generation shows a weak positive relationship with correlation coefficient (r) of 0.48, indicating less than optimal power generation. Total area of land cultivated increased from 884.59 km2 in 1986 prior to the commissioning of the hydropower station to 1730.83 km2 in 2016 which signifies an increased contribution of the dam to ensuring food security. The reality of reducing upstream rainfall amount coupled with high water footprint of electricity from the reservoir, therefore requires that a long term roadmap to improve operational coordination and management have to be put in place.

Operating experience and performance at Narora Atomic Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mittal, Subhash; Gupta, J.P.

1998-01-01

Narora Atomic Power Station consists of two units of 220 MWe capacity each. These are Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors, fuelled by natural uranium, moderated and cooled by heavy water. The Station is owned by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd., which is responsible for design, construction, commissioning, and operation of all nuclear power stations in the country. NAPS was the first opportunity to apply operating experiences in design, keeping in view the evolving safety and seismicity requirements, ease of maintenance, inservice inspection needs, improved construction ability and standardization. Both the units of NAPS are having improved safety standards of current international levels. All the equipment are indigenous with improved quality and reliability. The first unit of the station went critical in March 1989 and synchronized to the grid in July 1989. The second units followed with its criticality in October 1991 and synchronization in January 1992. Considering the initial stabilizing period, the performance of both units of NAPS has progressively improved over the years. The annual capacity factor for NAPS - 1 was 90.01% and for NAPS - 2 was 89.01% for the financial year 1997-1998. This paper presents an analysis of the performance during the last three years and measures taken to improve it. The stated enhanced performance could be achieved by improvement in human performance by training/re-training, scrupulous monitoring and review of equipment/systems, institution of adequate procedure and ensuring their adherence. (authors)

Attitudes of Oregon Vocational Agriculture Teachers Toward the Supervised Occupational Experience Program Component of the Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Herren, Ray; Cole, Lee

1984-01-01

The main purpose of the study was to determine the attitudes of Oregon vocational agriculture teachers toward supervised occupational experience programs in light of the present economic climate. (JOW)

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment on the International Space Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alpat, Behcet E-mail: behcet.alpat@pg.infn.it

2001-04-01

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a detector designed to operate in space to search for antimatter components in cosmic ray, the annihilation products of darkmatter and to study the antiprotons, positrons and light nuclei. A 'baseline' version of the experiment has successfully completed the precursor flight on Space Shuttle Discovery (June 2-12, 1998). The complete AMS is programmed for installation on International Space Station in year 2003 for an operational period of 3 years. In this contribution we report on the experimental configuration of AMS that will be installed on International Space Station.

Experiences of operation for Ikata Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashimoto, Shigeyuki

1979-01-01

No. 1 plant in the Ikata Nuclear Power Station, Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc., is a two-loop PWR unit with electric output of 566 MW, and it began the commercial operation on September 30, 1977, as the first nuclear power station in Shikoku. It is the 13th LWR and 7th PWR in Japan. The period of construction was 52 months since it had been started in June, 1973. During the period, it became the object of the first administrative litigation to seek the cancellation of permission to install the reactor, and it was subjected to the influence of the violent economical variation due to the oil shock, but it was completed as scheduled. After the start of operation, it continued the satisfactory operation, and generated about 2.35 billion KWh for 4300 operation hours. It achieved the rate of utilization of 96.7%. Since March 28, 1978, the first periodical inspection was carried out, and abnormality was not found in the reactor, the steam generator and the fuel at all. The period of inspection was 79 days and shorter than expected. The commercial operation was started again on June 14. The outline of the Ikata Nuclear Power Station, its state of operation, and the periodical inspection are reported. Very good results were able to be reported on the operation for one year, thanks to the valuable experiences offered by other electric power companies. (Kako, I.)

Definition of common support equipment and space station interface requirements for IOC model technology experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Richard A.; Waiss, Richard D.

1988-01-01

A study was conducted to identify the common support equipment and Space Station interface requirements for the IOC (initial operating capabilities) model technology experiments. In particular, each principal investigator for the proposed model technology experiment was contacted and visited for technical understanding and support for the generation of the detailed technical backup data required for completion of this study. Based on the data generated, a strong case can be made for a dedicated technology experiment command and control work station consisting of a command keyboard, cathode ray tube, data processing and storage, and an alert/annunciator panel located in the pressurized laboratory.

In-space research, technology and engineering experiments and Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Tyson, Richard; Gartrell, Charles F.

1988-01-01

The NASA Space Station will serve as a technology research laboratory, a payload-servicing facility, and a large structure fabrication and assembly facility. Space structures research will encompass advanced structural concepts and their dynamics, advanced control concepts, sensors, and actuators. Experiments dealing with fluid management will gather data on such fundamentals as multiphase flow phenomena. As requirements for power systems and thermal management grow, experiments quantifying the performance of energy systems and thermal management concepts will be undertaken, together with expanded efforts in the fields of information systems, automation, and robotics.

SUMMARY AND EVALUATION OF STARTUP AND OPERATING EXPERIENCE AT INDIAN POINT STATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freyberg, R. H.; Prestele, J. A.

1963-09-15

A description of the Indian Point Power Station is given aiong with a summary and evaluation of startup and operating experience. Equipment failures and problems and various corrective measures are also outlined. (C.E.S.)

Improving food and agricultural production. Thailand. Fertilizer experiments - data analysis and interpretation of results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, L.A.

1991-01-01

The emphasis of the mission was the provision of training to the staff of the Department of Agriculture, Government of Thailand, in the analysis and interpretation of data from experiments concerning fertilizer applications in agriculture

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions of the agriculture sector in France. Collection of territorial experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pommier, Fabien; Martin, Sarah; Bajeat, Philippe; Larbodiere, Ludovic; Vergez, Antonin

2013-06-01

After having briefly indicated the different origins of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by the agriculture sector, presented the technical and political context, and outlined the need for new practices to struggle against climate change and to adapt to changes to come, this publication reports some experiments undertaken in different French regions: a farm network as an animation tool to support farmers, a local partnership to conciliate town and agriculture, the development of actions on energy and greenhouse gases in agriculture, the implementation of climate and agriculture plan, a network of agricultural actors for a sustainable support of change, an agriculture with and for its territory and inhabitants, a debate on agriculture and climate

Developments of space station; Uchu station no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hashimoto, H. [National Space Development Agency of Japan, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-03-05

This paper introduces the Japanese experiment module (JEM) in developing a space station. The JEM consists of systems of a pressurizing section, an exposure section, a pressurizing portion of a supply section, a manipulator and an exposure portion of the supply section. The pressurizing section circulates and controls air so that crews can perform experiments under pressurized environment. The exposure section is a part in which experiments are carried out under exposure environment. The supply section runs between a station and the ground, with required devices loaded on it. The manipulator performs attaching a payload for the exposure section and replaces experimental samples. The JEM undergoes a schedule of fabricating an engineering model, testing for a certification a prototype flight model, and putting the model on a flight. The pressurizing section, exposure section and manipulator are at the stage of system tests. Surveillance of the JEM and control of the experiments are carried out at the Tsukuba Space Center. The Center is composed of a space experiment building, a zero-gravity environment testing building, an astronaut training building, a space station operating building, and a space station testing building. 7 figs., 2 tabs.

The emergence of modern statistics in agricultural science: analysis of variance, experimental design and the reshaping of research at Rothamsted Experimental Station, 1919-1933.

Science.gov (United States)

Parolini, Giuditta

2015-01-01

During the twentieth century statistical methods have transformed research in the experimental and social sciences. Qualitative evidence has largely been replaced by quantitative results and the tools of statistical inference have helped foster a new ideal of objectivity in scientific knowledge. The paper will investigate this transformation by considering the genesis of analysis of variance and experimental design, statistical methods nowadays taught in every elementary course of statistics for the experimental and social sciences. These methods were developed by the mathematician and geneticist R. A. Fisher during the 1920s, while he was working at Rothamsted Experimental Station, where agricultural research was in turn reshaped by Fisher's methods. Analysis of variance and experimental design required new practices and instruments in field and laboratory research, and imposed a redistribution of expertise among statisticians, experimental scientists and the farm staff. On the other hand the use of statistical methods in agricultural science called for a systematization of information management and made computing an activity integral to the experimental research done at Rothamsted, permanently integrating the statisticians' tools and expertise into the station research programme. Fisher's statistical methods did not remain confined within agricultural research and by the end of the 1950s they had come to stay in psychology, sociology, education, chemistry, medicine, engineering, economics, quality control, just to mention a few of the disciplines which adopted them.

French experience in operating pressurized water reactor power stations. Ten years' operation of the Ardennes power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teste du Bailler, A.; Vedrinne, J.F.

1978-01-01

In the paper the experience gained over ten years' operation of the Ardennes (Chooz) nuclear power station is summarized from the point of view of monitoring and control equipment. The reactor was the first pressurized water reactor to be installed in France; it is operated jointly by France and Belgium. The equipment, which in many cases consists of prototypes, was developed for industrial use and with the experience that has now been gained it is possible to evaluate its qualities and defects, the constraints which it imposes and the action that has to be taken in the future. (author)

The Black Swans of Agricultural Education: A Glimpse into the Lived Experiences That Shape Urban Agricultural Educators' Meaning in Work

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Richie; Ramsey, Jon W.

2017-01-01

Urban agricultural educators face a number of unique challenges in performing their job duties. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand the essence of urban agricultural educators' meaning in their work by exploring their lived experiences. In this study, the essence emerged in the form of a metaphor: A Black Swan. The black swan…

Biotechnology opportunities on Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, Jess; Henderson, Keith; Phillips, Robert W.; Dickey, Bernistine; Grounds, Phyllis

1987-01-01

Biotechnology applications which could be implemented on the Space Station are examined. The advances possible in biotechnology due to the favorable microgravity environment are discussed. The objectives of the Space Station Life Sciences Program are: (1) the study of human diseases, (2) biopolymer processing, and (3) the development of cryoprocessing and cryopreservation methods. The use of the microgravity environment for crystal growth, cell culturing, and the separation of biological materials is considered. The proposed Space Station research could provide benefits to the fields of medicine, pharmaceuticals, genetics, agriculture, and industrial waste management.

NASA Glenn Research Center Solar Cell Experiment Onboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Matthew G.; Wolford, David S.; Prokop, Norman F.; Krasowski, Michael J.; Parker, David S.; Cassidy, Justin C.; Davies , William E.; Vorreiter, Janelle O.; Piszczor, Michael F.; Mcnatt, Jeremiah S.;

PROBLEMS OF CLASSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS: FOREIGN EXPERIENCE AND NATIONAL FUNDAMENTALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ludmila Stepura

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In the article an estimation of methodical approaches to implementation of the process of typology of agricultural enterprises on the basis of generalization of domestic and foreign experience has been carried out. It has been established that now in Ukraine, in relation to agricultural enterprises, there is no single methodological approach regarding the typology of agricultural enterprises. In practice, for the formation of the information array, a methodology is used to compile statistical reporting "Basic indicators of production and economic activity of agricultural enterprises". However, it is not used in determining the taxation regime of farms in the corporate sector of the agrarian economy. It has been established that in certain EU member states the EU applies a single approach to all households and farms by assigning them to agricultural producers without taking into account their legal form on the basis of sales volumes or assessing their ability to generate, level of marketability, or more typical of the former socialist countries, Apply their own thresholds for agricultural households and individually define the conditions for legal entities and farmers. We believe that in order to ensure the effectiveness of state support for agricultural production and strengthen its role in the development of rural areas, it is necessary to determine the indicators and thresholds for the acquisition of the status of agricultural producer. An important indicator in establishing the status of agricultural commodity producer is the level of income derived from the sale of agricultural products, including incidental and related, equal to the size of the minimum wage for each member of the household.

China Report, Agriculture, No. 276

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1983-01-01

Partial Contents: Rural Survey, Economics, Ecology, Agricultural, Historical, Freshwater Fish, Weather Station, Warning, Forestry Productions, Animal Husbandry, Wheat Procurement, Grains, Wheat, Potato, Harvest, Rice...

Experience from the construction and operation of Tarapur and Rajasthan Nuclear Power Stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, J.C.; Pardiwala, T.F.; Kothare, V.V.; Rao, M.H.P.; Nanjundeswaran, K.

1977-01-01

India's experience in construction and operation of nuclear power stations so far covers two BWR and four PHWR Units in three power stations. Two more PHWR units are at an early stage of construction. The twin unit Tarapur Station (2x210 MWe BWR) was built as a turnkey project which restricted participation of Indian engineers in design and construction considerably. The contrasting approach adopted for Rajasthan Station (2x220 MWe PHWR) involved Indian personnel and contractors fully in construction and commissioning, with Canadians providing supervisory assistance in Rajasthan I and essentially consultative help for Rajasthan II. Subsequent stations are wholly Indian efforts. Tarapur went into commercial operation in 1969, 60 months after breaking of ground. Construction was essentially uneventful, major problems faced being stress corrosion induced cracks in the reactor lining and complete change of steam generator tubes. In its seven years of operations, Tarapur has faced several problems mainly arising from rather early designs, indifferent fuel performance, constraints of twin-unit approach and operations in an inadequately developed grid system apart from those generally stemming from assimilation of an advanced technology in a developing country. The Station has undergone six refuellings during this period. Most of the problems have been overcome by design changes, system augmentations and experience and the Station operation since mid 1974 have generally been steady at around 90% of the rated capacity. Construction of Rajasthan I at a remote and isolated site proceeded relatively slowly. Local availability of skilled and semi-skilled manpower was poor, affecting construction. Inadequate roads impeded movements of overdimensioned components. Observing strict Quality Assurance standards required several major rectifications at site. Rajasthan I went on line in 1973 after overcoming major turbine bearing problems during commissioning. Since then, while

About soil cover heterogeneity of agricultural research stations' experimental fields

Science.gov (United States)

Rannik, Kaire; Kõlli, Raimo; Kukk, Liia

2013-04-01

Depending on local pedo-ecological conditions (topography, (geo) diversity of soil parent material, meteorological conditions) the patterns of soil cover and plant cover determined by soils are very diverse. Formed in the course of soil-plant mutual relationship, the natural ecosystems are always influenced to certain extent by the other local soil forming conditions or they are site specific. The agricultural land use or the formation of agro-ecosystems depends foremost on the suitability of soils for the cultivation of feed and food crops. As a rule, the most fertile or the best soils of the area, which do not present any or present as little as possible constraints for agricultural land use, are selected for this purpose. Compared with conventional field soils, the requirements for the experimental fields' soil cover quality are much higher. Experimental area soils and soil cover composition should correspond to local pedo-ecological conditions and, in addition to that, represent the soil types dominating in the region, whereas the fields should be as homogeneous as possible. The soil cover heterogeneity of seven arable land blocks of three research stations (Jõgeva, Kuusiku and Olustvere) was studied 1) by examining the large scale (1:10 000) digital soil map (available via the internet), and 2) by field researches using the transect method. The stages of soils litho-genetic and moisture heterogeneities were estimated by using the Estonian normal soils matrix, however, the heterogeneity of top- and subsoil texture by using the soil texture matrix. The quality and variability of experimental fields' soils humus status, was studied more thoroughly from the aspect of humus concentration (g kg-1), humus cover thickness (cm) and humus stocks (Mg ha-1). The soil cover of Jõgeva experimental area, which presents an accumulative drumlin landscape (formed during the last glacial period), consist from loamy Luvisols and associated to this Cambisols. In Kuusiku area

Agro-Science Journal of Tropical Agriculture, Food, Environment ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

OLUWOLE AKINNAGBE

2009-09-03

Sep 3, 2009 ... Agro-Science Journal of Tropical Agriculture, Food, Environment and Extension. Volume 8 ... 3 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, High Rainfall Station,. Onne, Rivers State ...... Biosciences proceedings. 6: 444-454.

Support systems for optics in the experiment stations at the Advanced Photon Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barraza, J.; Shu, D.; Kuzay, T.M.

1994-01-01

Support systems have been designed for optics in the experiment stations of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. These systems utilize modular precision positioning slides and stages arranged in 3-point kinematic mount fashion for optimum mechanical stability. Through the use of novel configurations, these systems can achieve large linear motions, six degree-of-freedom motion, and large load capacities without sacrificing valuable experimental station space. This paper will discuss the designs and specifications of the positioning systems developed

Design and Development of a CPCI-Based Electronics Package for Space Station Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Kolacz, John S.; Clapper, Randy S.; Wade, Raymond P.

2006-01-01

The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center is developing a Compact-PCI (CPCI) based electronics package for controlling space experiment hardware on the International Space Station. Goals of this effort include an easily modified, modular design that allows for changes in experiment requirements. Unique aspects of the experiment package include a flexible circuit used for internal interconnections and a separate enclosure (box in a box) for controlling 1 kW of power for experiment fuel heating requirements. This electronics package was developed as part of the FEANICS (Flow Enclosure Accommodating Novel Investigations in Combustion of Solids) mini-facility which is part of the Fluids and Combustion Facility s Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR). The CIR will be the platform for future microgravity combustion experiments and will reside on the Destiny Module of the International Space Station (ISS). The FEANICS mini-facility will be the primary means for conducting solid fuel combustion experiments in the CIR on ISS. The main focus of many of these solid combustion experiments will be to conduct applied scientific investigations in fire-safety to support NASA s future space missions. A description of the electronics package and the results of functional testing are the subjects of this report. The report concludes that the use of innovative packaging methods combined with readily available COTS hardware can provide a modular electronics package which is easily modified for changing experiment requirements.

The search for forest facts: a history of the Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, 1926–2000

Science.gov (United States)

Anthony. Godfrey

2013-01-01

In 1926, the California Forest Experiment Station, which later became the Pacific Southwest (PSW) Research Station, was established at the University of California, Berkeley. Today, the PSW Research Station represents the research and development branch of the USDA Forest Service in California and Hawaii and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands. The PSW Research Station...

Socioeconomic impacts: nuclear power station siting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-06-01

The rural industrial development literature is used to gain insights on the socioeconomic effects of nuclear power stations. Previous studies of large industrial facilities in small towns have important implications for attempts to understand and anticipate the impacts of nuclear stations. Even a cursory review of the nuclear development literature, however, reveals that industrialization research in rural sociology, economic geography and agricultural economics has been largely ignored

Effect of Leadership Experience on Agricultural Education Student Teacher Self-Efficacy in Classroom Management

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Kattlyn J.; Foster, Daniel D.; Birkenholz, Robert J.

2009-01-01

Beginning agriculture teachers often cite classroom management as the most important problem they face in their careers. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of leadership experience on self-perceived teacher efficacy among agricultural education student teachers. The three dimensions of teacher efficacy addressed in this study…

Measures to overcome consequences of agricultural land fragmentation: European experience and Ukrainian realities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andriy Popov

2016-03-01

Full Text Available One of the land reform implementation results in Ukraine is the distribution of the state-owned agricultural land to the rural population in the form of physical land parcels. As a consequence, however, the land was subdivided into many small units. This land fragmentation has led to fundamental changes in the formation of the new agricultural enterprises and brought some negative consequences in their functioning. The problem of the land fragmentation in Ukraine is quite new and uninvestigated. The aim of the article is to analyze the existing measures (instruments in European countries for reducing the effects of agricultural land fragmentation and to determine the possibility of «transplantability» of Western experience to Ukraine. The principal measures to decrease the agricultural land fragmentation in European countries are: voluntary parcel exchange, land banking and land consolidation. The article presents the characteristics and comparative analysis of these measures. One of the four types of land fragmentation is a main problem of Ukraine, namely the discrepancy between the landownership and the land use. The Western European countries have been used the three instruments for reducing only two types of land fragmentation: the land use fragmentation and the internal fragmentation. Consequently, the using of Western European measures to decrease agricultural land fragmentation is impossible without their adaptation to the Ukrainian realities. Therefore, the actual problem in Ukraine today is to find the own measures to overcome the problem of agricultural land fragmentation based on the Western European experience.

Overview of the Bushland Evapotranspiration and Agricultural Remote sensing EXperiment 2008 (BEAREX08): A field experiment evaluating methods for quantifying ET at multiple scales

Science.gov (United States)

Evett, Steven R.; Kustas, William P.; Gowda, Prasanna H.; Anderson, Martha C.; Prueger, John H.; Howell, Terry A.

2012-12-01

In 2008, scientists from seven federal and state institutions worked together to investigate temporal and spatial variations of evapotranspiration (ET) and surface energy balance in a semi-arid irrigated and dryland agricultural region of the Southern High Plains in the Texas Panhandle. This Bushland Evapotranspiration and Agricultural Remote sensing EXperiment 2008 (BEAREX08) involved determination of micrometeorological fluxes (surface energy balance) in four weighing lysimeter fields (each 4.7 ha) containing irrigated and dryland cotton and in nearby bare soil, wheat stubble and rangeland fields using nine eddy covariance stations, three large aperture scintillometers, and three Bowen ratio systems. In coordination with satellite overpasses, flux and remote sensing aircraft flew transects over the surrounding fields and region encompassing an area contributing fluxes from 10 to 30 km upwind of the USDA-ARS lysimeter site. Tethered balloon soundings were conducted over the irrigated fields to investigate the effect of advection on local boundary layer development. Local ET was measured using four large weighing lysimeters, while field scale estimates were made by soil water balance with a network of neutron probe profile water sites and from the stationary flux systems. Aircraft and satellite imagery were obtained at different spatial and temporal resolutions. Plot-scale experiments dealt with row orientation and crop height effects on spatial and temporal patterns of soil surface temperature, soil water content, soil heat flux, evaporation from soil in the interrow, plant transpiration and canopy and soil radiation fluxes. The BEAREX08 field experiment was unique in its assessment of ET fluxes over a broad range in spatial scales; comparing direct and indirect methods at local scales with remote sensing based methods and models using aircraft and satellite imagery at local to regional scales, and comparing mass balance-based ET ground truth with eddy covariance

Colombian experience in applying rules concerning agricultural biosecurity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Silva C.

2001-07-01

Full Text Available Genetic engineering has made possible the creation of Genetic Modified Organisms (GMOs, or transgenic crops. The growth around the world of transgenic crops areas for commercial purposes, such as soybean, maize, canola and cotton is being amazing: from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 52.6 million in 2001. Historically, not many technologies have reached, in such a short period of time, such a higher adoption. The use of these technologies, nevertheless their well-known benefits, has brought some worries related with biosafety. In Colombia the Colombian Institute for Agriculture and Cattle (ICA, its Spanish acronym in order to introduce GMOs to the country and prevent or minimize the potential risk for agriculture generated by this kind of organisms, has established two instruments: the Agreement 013/98, creating the National Technical Biosafety Committee (CTN, its Spanish acronym, intersectorial adviser organism; and the Resolution 3492/98, establishing procedures for introduction, production, reléase and marketing of GMOs for agricultural purposes. Under this regulations, ICA has approved five different requests involving eight events with GMOs: carnation for commercial multiplicación purposes; cotton and rice for evaluation genotype in field at a small scale; cassava, brachiaria, stylozantes, coffee and sugar cane for research in genetic improvement throughout genetic engineering techniques in confined handling. Based on the accomplished experience, the future will make improve the legal and institutional instruments, as well as technical and scientific capacity of the country in biosafety.

Development of ICT for Leaching Monitoring in Taiwan Agricultural LTER Stations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yankuang Chan

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In order to study the groundwater subsidy from different cropping systems, leaching monitoring in Taiwan started in 2008 and implemented agricultural long-term ecological research (LTER stations. Initially, leaching data was received by lysimeters, and then collected manually by laborers in the field twice per month. The cost of data collection and transmission is high, real-time monitoring is not possible, and maintenance of instruments is inefficient. In this study, the goal is to develop a data transmission path. ICT (Information and Communication Technology with different data transmission schemes was applied to improve the efficiency and immediacy of data transfer from the field to the databases in labs. Between 2010 and 2017, four versions of ICT have been developed and applied in LTER stations. WiFi, 2.5G (General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, 3G/4G network transmission, and Arduino cores are applied in different ICT versions. The first version of data transmission used data loggers, developed by the original factory, with a lower cost of renovation of instruments. However, complicated transmission paths, diverse instruments, poor weather resistance, and lack of wireless functionality are the limitations of the first version. Those limitations had been overcome by the second and third versions by using 2.5G (GPRS and 3G/4G network transmission, respectively. Nevertheless, these versions are limited to the processes of data compression and encryption transmission which were developed by the system vendors. In addition, data can only be collected through the webpage provided by the vendors, instead of being received directly from the database using SQL (Structured Query Language. This is inappropriate for advanced data treatment, organization, and analysis. Finally, the fourth version of data transmission has been developed using Arduino. This system allows redesigning of the data loggers and transmission instrument with more feasibility and

Adaptation to climate extremes: Experiences in the agricultural sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ball, M.; Dowlatabadi, H.

1994-01-01

Various social and economic systems are at risk from variability in weather conditions. A realization of this fact has prompted endogenous adaptations to cope with weather variability. Climate change may overwhelm existing adaptive strategies. These systems would experience this change from the secular trends in first-order and higher order statistics of climate parameters (e.g., mean biotemperature, intensity, and inter-arrival times of extreme events). Historically, different human activities have formally or informally incorporated adaptation to climate conditions. Activities such as agriculture are influenced strongly by weather, yet through a variety of mechanisms, impacts are ameliorated. Taking agriculture as an example of a central and substantive system, the authors' study presents response strategies of oranges production -- a crop currently affected greatly by weather conditions. Understanding the adaptation mechanisms used today can be used to examine the cost and effectiveness of adaptive actions to future climate change

Etan hydropower project spurs industrial, agricultural growth of region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-01-01

Located in Hongdu commune, Xincheng County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on the middle reaches of the Hongshui River, the Etan hydroelectric power station was begun in 1977 and began to generate power in April 1981. The Etan hydroelectric power station is a run-off type, low waterhead medium-sized power station. It has an installed capacity of 60,000 kW for an average yearly power output of 328 million kWh. The main structure of the power station includes a water diversion canal, a water intake gate, a main machinery building and a switching station. The main machinery building is located on the downstream side of the dam on an overhanging cliff. With a construction area of only 5000 m/sup 2/, work was very difficult due to the restricted work area and transportation problems. By strengthening construction management and promoting technical innovation some 670,000 yuan were saved for the state and construction time was accelerated. This assured the completion of the construction and installation of the main parts of the project according to timetables and design requirements. The successful construction of the Etan hydroelectric power station marks another step in amassing experience in the harnessing of the Hongshui River. The project will have a major impact on the growth of industry and agriculture in Guangxi and on the buildup of the minority regions.

Agricultural mechanization in Ethiopian: Experience, status and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Agricultural Mechanization deals with the use of any mechanical aid in agricultural production. ... The productivity of each level depends on the power source. ... During Imperial Ethiopia, there were big farms operating as share companies, ... based agricultural mechanization system, where precision and efficiency are the ...

Fluid Physical and Transport Phenomena Studies aboard the International Space Station: Planned Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Bhim S.

1999-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the microgravity fluid physics and transport phenomena experiments planned for the International Spare Station. NASA's Office of Life and Microgravity Science and Applications has established a world-class research program in fluid physics and transport phenomena. This program combines the vast expertise of the world research community with NASA's unique microgravity facilities with the objectives of gaining new insight into fluid phenomena by removing the confounding effect of gravity. Due to its criticality to many terrestrial and space-based processes and phenomena, fluid physics and transport phenomena play a central role in the NASA's Microgravity Program. Through widely publicized research announcement and well established peer-reviews, the program has been able to attract a number of world-class researchers and acquired a critical mass of investigations that is now adding rapidly to this field. Currently there arc a total of 106 ground-based and 20 candidate flight principal investigators conducting research in four major thrust areas in the program: complex flows, multiphase flow and phase change, interfacial phenomena, and dynamics and instabilities. The International Space Station (ISS) to be launched in 1998, provides the microgravity research community with a unprecedented opportunity to conduct long-duration microgravity experiments which can be controlled and operated from the Principal Investigators' own laboratory. Frequent planned shuttle flights to the Station will provide opportunities to conduct many more experiments than were previously possible. NASA Lewis Research Center is in the process of designing a Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) to be located in the Laboratory Module of the ISS that will not only accommodate multiple users but, allow a broad range of fluid physics and transport phenomena experiments to be conducted in a cost effective manner.

PROSPECTS AND FEATURES OF BIOGASOLINE STATIONS

OpenAIRE

Grigorash O. V.; Kvitko A. V.; Koshko A. R.

2015-01-01

The article deals with one of the promising areas belonging to energy-saving technologies; it is the introduction of biogasoline stations into agricultural production. The analysis of the application in the world has been shown. To determine the cost-effectiveness of biogasoline stations we have shown the data for the calculation of the potential of biomass: organic waste settlements; animal waste; waste of poultry; crop residues; waste processing industry. We have obtained graphic dependence...

Optimizing the use of operating experience at Ontario Hydro's Bruce Nuclear Generating Station 'A'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, E L [Operating Experience Reactor Safety, Bruce Nuclear Generating Station ' A' , Ontario Hydro, Tiverton, Ontario (Canada)

1991-04-01

One of the most significant lessons learned from the Three Mile Island event (March 1979), and again with the Chernobyl disaster - (April 1986) was the ongoing requirement to learn from our mistakes and near misses, and those of our fellow utilities around the world: so that as an industry we do not repeat the same mistakes. The very future of our industry will depend on how well each one of us accomplishes this important ask. This paper describes in detail the challenges encountered by one station when incorporating a comprehensive 'Operating Program'. It begins with the Corporate Office's directives to its stations for such a program; and follows up with the details of the actual station implementation of the program, and day to day operating experiences. The paper describes in detail the following Operating Experience programs: - Root Cause Determination process. The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, Human Performance Enhancement System (HPES) as an integral component of the Root Cause process. Finding solutions for our station for problems identified elsewhere is covered herein; - Significant Event Recommendation Tracking System: - Commitment Tracking System; - Operating Experience (Sharing Lessons Learned) System. The paper will show all the above processes tie closely together and complement each other. The paper discusses the staff required for such processes and their training requirements. It recommends process time lines, reporting mechanisms, and sign off requirements. It will describe the equipment utilized to carry out this work effectively, and with a minimum of staff. One unique feature of the Bruce 'A' system is an 'Effectiveness Follow-Up', usually three to six months after the event recommendations have been completed. By rechecking the finished actions and reviewing them with the personnel involved with the originating event we ensure that the real root causes have been identified and resolved. (author)

Optimizing the use of operating experience at Ontario Hydro's Bruce Nuclear Generating Station 'A'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, E.L.

1991-01-01

One of the most significant lessons learned from the Three Mile Island event (March 1979), and again with the Chernobyl disaster - (April 1986) was the ongoing requirement to learn from our mistakes and near misses, and those of our fellow utilities around the world: so that as an industry we do not repeat the same mistakes. The very future of our industry will depend on how well each one of us accomplishes this important ask. This paper describes in detail the challenges encountered by one station when incorporating a comprehensive 'Operating Program'. It begins with the Corporate Office's directives to its stations for such a program; and follows up with the details of the actual station implementation of the program, and day to day operating experiences. The paper describes in detail the following Operating Experience programs: - Root Cause Determination process. The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, Human Performance Enhancement System (HPES) as an integral component of the Root Cause process. Finding solutions for our station for problems identified elsewhere is covered herein; - Significant Event Recommendation Tracking System: - Commitment Tracking System; - Operating Experience (Sharing Lessons Learned) System. The paper will show all the above processes tie closely together and complement each other. The paper discusses the staff required for such processes and their training requirements. It recommends process time lines, reporting mechanisms, and sign off requirements. It will describe the equipment utilized to carry out this work effectively, and with a minimum of staff. One unique feature of the Bruce 'A' system is an 'Effectiveness Follow-Up', usually three to six months after the event recommendations have been completed. By rechecking the finished actions and reviewing them with the personnel involved with the originating event we ensure that the real root causes have been identified and resolved. (author)

Long-term agricultural experiments inform the development of climate-smart agricultural practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristina Wolf

2017-09-01

Full Text Available California's Mediterranean agro-ecosystems are a major source of U.S. fruits and vegetables, and vulnerable to future extremes of precipitation and temperature brought on by climate change, including increased drought and flooding, and more intense and longer heat waves. To develop resilience to these threats, strategies are necessary for climate-smart management of soil and water. Long-term, large-scale, replicated ecological experiments provide unique testbeds for studying such questions. At the UC Davis Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility (RRSAF, the 100-year Century Experiment, initiated in 1992, is investigating the effects of multiple farming practices in a farm-scale replicated study of 10 row crop cropping systems. It includes different fertility management systems: organic, conventional and hybrid (conventional plus winter cover crop systems; different crops: wheat, tomatoes, corn, alfalfa, cover crops and grasslands; and different irrigation systems: rainfed, flood irrigated and drip irrigated. We briefly describe and report on a selection of long-term experiments conducted at RRSAF investigating soil management and irrigation practices, which are an important focus for developing climate-smart strategies in Mediterranean systems. For example, long-term monitoring of soil carbon content revealed that most crop systems have experienced a small increase in soil carbon since 1993, and increases in organically managed plots were substantially higher. As RRSAF continues to build upon this rich dataset from one of a very few long-term row crop experiments in Mediterranean ecosystems, it provides a testbed for identifying climate-smart solutions for these agronomically important ecosystems.

Soil Fertility Assessment and Mapping of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinesh Khadka

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Soil fertility assessment is a key for sustainable planning of a particular area. Thus, the present study was conducted to assess the soil fertility status of the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal. The study area is situated at the latitude 27°4’40.9’’N and longitude 84°56’9.85”E at 75masl altitude. Altogether 76 soil samples were collected based on the variability of land at 0-20 cm depth. The texture, pH, OM, total N, available P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn content in the samples were determined following standard analytical methods. Arc-GIS 10.1 was used for soil fertility mapping. The soil structure was angular blocky, and varied between grayish brown (10YR 5/2 and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2 in color. The sand, silt and clay content were 24.41±0.59%, 54.57±0.44% and 21.03±0.32%, respectively and categorized as silt loam and loam in texture. The soil was moderately acidic in pH (5.67±0.09, low in organic matter (0.74±0.04% and available Sulphur (0.8± 0.1 ppm. The total nitrogen (0.06±0.001%, available boron (0.59±0.08ppm and available zinc (0.51±0.05ppm were low. Furthermore, available potassium (50.26±2.95ppm, available calcium (1674.6±46.3ppm and available magnesium (175.43± 8.93ppm were medium. Moreover, available copper (1.36±0.06 ppm and available manganese (16.52±1.12 ppm were high, while, available phosphorus (77.55±6.65 ppm and available iron (85.88±7.05 ppm were found high. It is expected that the present study would help to guide practices required for sustainable soil fertility management and developing future agricultural research strategy in the farm.

Estimating Pedestrian flows at train stations using the Station Transfer Model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van den Heuvel, J.P.A.; Dekkers, K.; De Vos, S.

2012-01-01

Train stations play a vital role in the door to door travel experience of train passengers. From the passengers’ value of time perspective, the station is the weakest link in total time value of the journey. Within the station the transfer function – moving between the various transport modes and

Trend of dissolved inorganic nitrogen at stations downstream from the Three-Gorges Dam of Yangtze River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, C.C.; Shen, Z.Y.; Xiong, M.; Ma, F.B.; Li, Y.Y.; Chen, L.; Liu, R.M.

2013-01-01

The TRAMO/SEATS program, combined with the Hodrick–Prescott (HP) filter, was used to detect trends and potential change points in time series of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) at three stations along the Yangtze River. The trend components were extracted, and two change points were successfully detected. The components revealed that DIN has been increasing at all the stations since the 1990s, although variations exist. Changes visible before 2002 illustrate the differences in agriculture development among regions upstream from the stations. The Three-Gorges Dam (TGD), which began to impound in 2003, led to years of different trends. The DIN concentration, which had been trending upward prior to that date, began a slightly downward trend because of NH 4 + depletion. Readings at the Yichang station revealed this trend most strongly; those at the Hankou station less so. The Datong station was far enough away from the TGD so that no obvious effects were seen. -- Highlights: •TRAMO/SEATS program coupled with HP filter was used to find water quality trends. •Smooth trends other than step trends were separated from trend-cycle components. •DIN concentration was proved to be a reflection of agricultural development. •The three stations experienced different agricultural development since 1990s. •The impoundment of the Three-Gorges Dam can impact as far as to the Hankou station. -- DIN concentrations were reflections of agricultural development in the YRB, but the impoundment of TGD since June, 2003 also had impacts on DIN concentrations far to the Hankou station

The potential of vegetable oil as an alternate source of liquid fuel for agriculture in the Pacific Northwest - IV: Final report, 1984-1986

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Auld, D.L.; Hall, M.C.; Hawley, K.N.; Korus, R.A.; Madsen, J.P.; Mahler, K.A.; Mora, P.G.; Peterson, C.L.; Roelofsen, M.; Stibal, W.T.; Whitcraft, J.C.

1986-01-01

This research was conducted to develop the technology necessary to produce, process, and utilize vegtable oil as a diesel fuel substitute for agricultural production in the Pacific Northwest. Additional studies were conducted to determine the economic threshold, to derive energy budgets for various crop production regions, and to insure that expeller extracted meals would make acceptable animal feeds. This research was conducted by an integrated team of scientists from the University of Idaho which initiated efforts in this field in December of 1979. Experiments were conducted by agronomists, agricultural engineers, animal nutritionists, chemical engineers, and agricultural economists. This report summarized data accumulated from October 1984 to March 1986 as part of USDA/ARS Research Agreement No. 58-7B30-2-402. Copies of this report can be obtained from the Director of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agriculture, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843.

A synchrotron-based X-ray exposure station for radiation biology experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, A.C.; Blakely, E.A.; Bjornstad, K.A.; Chang, P.Y.; Rosen, C.J.; Schwarz, R.I.

2007-01-01

Synchrotron X-ray sources enable radiation biology experiments that are difficult with conventional sources. A synchrotron source can easily deliver a monochromatic, tunable energy, highly collimated X-ray beam of well-calibrated intensity. An exposure station at beamline 10.3.1 of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) has been developed which delivers a variable energy (5-20 keV) X-ray fan beam with very sharp edges (10-90% in less than 3 μm). A series of experiments have been done with a four-well slide where a stripe (100 μm widex18 mm long) of cells in each well has been irradiated and the dose varied from well to well. With this facility we have begun a series of experiments to study cells adjacent to irradiated cells and how they respond to the damage of their neighbors. Initial results have demonstrated the advantages of using synchrotron radiation for these experiments

A synchrotron-based X-ray exposure station for radiation biology experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thompson, A.C. [Division of Life Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Bld. 50A-6120, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)], E-mail: acthompson@lbl.gov; Blakely, E.A.; Bjornstad, K.A. [Division of Life Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Bld. 50A-6120, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Chang, P.Y. [Division of Life Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Bld. 50A-6120, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States); Rosen, C.J.; Schwarz, R.I. [Division of Life Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Bld. 50A-6120, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2007-11-11

Synchrotron X-ray sources enable radiation biology experiments that are difficult with conventional sources. A synchrotron source can easily deliver a monochromatic, tunable energy, highly collimated X-ray beam of well-calibrated intensity. An exposure station at beamline 10.3.1 of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) has been developed which delivers a variable energy (5-20 keV) X-ray fan beam with very sharp edges (10-90% in less than 3 {mu}m). A series of experiments have been done with a four-well slide where a stripe (100 {mu}m widex18 mm long) of cells in each well has been irradiated and the dose varied from well to well. With this facility we have begun a series of experiments to study cells adjacent to irradiated cells and how they respond to the damage of their neighbors. Initial results have demonstrated the advantages of using synchrotron radiation for these experiments.

BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION EXPERIENCE AT INDIAN POINT STATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelson, H. F.

1963-09-15

The environs monitoring program at Indian Point Station is presented. Thirty sampling stations within a circle of approximately 10 miles of the station are used for the collection of samples of air, water, vegetation, and soil that are then analyzed for gross beta-gamma activity. Data are tabulated. (P.C.H.)

Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station (SAGE III/ISS)

Science.gov (United States)

Gasbarre, Joseph; Walker, Richard; Cisewski, Michael; Zawodny, Joseph; Cheek, Dianne; Thornton, Brooke

2015-01-01

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station (SAGE III/ISS) mission will extend the SAGE data record from the ideal vantage point of the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS orbital inclination is ideal for SAGE measurements providing coverage between 70 deg north and 70 deg south latitude. The SAGE data record includes an extensively validated data set including aerosol optical depth data dating to the Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) experiments in 1975 and 1978 and stratospheric ozone profile data dating to the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) in 1979. These and subsequent data records, notably from the SAGE II experiment launched on the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite in 1984 and the SAGE III experiment launched on the Russian Meteor-3M satellite in 2001, have supported a robust, long-term assessment of key atmospheric constituents. These scientific measurements provide the basis for the analysis of five of the nine critical constituents (aerosols, ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), water vapor (H2O), and air density using O2) identified in the U.S. National Plan for Stratospheric Monitoring. SAGE III on ISS was originally scheduled to fly on the ISS in the same timeframe as the Meteor-3M mission, but was postponed due to delays in ISS construction. The project was re-established in 2009.

Tethered elevator and platforms as space station facilities: Systems studies and demonstrative experiments

Science.gov (United States)

1986-01-01

Several key concepts of the science and applications tethered platforms were studied. Some conclusions reached are herein listed. Tether elevator and platform could improve the space station scientific and applicative capabilities. The space elevator presents unique characteristics as microgravity facility and as a tethered platform servicing vehicle. Pointing platforms could represent a new kind of observation facility for large class of payloads. The dynamical, control and technological complexity of these concepts advised demonstrative experiments. The on-going tethered satellite system offers the opportunity to perform such experiments. And feasibility studies are in progress.

Experience and Enlightenment of Dutch Agricultural Research and Technology

OpenAIRE

Liu Zhen, Zhen; Hu, D.

2011-01-01

This study analyzes the achievements of agricultural science and technology, the reform of agricultural research system and technology transfer system of agricultural in the Netherlands. With case studies, it tries to find the mode of Dutch agricultural research and technology transfer system, and aims to provide suggestions to optimize agricultural research and technology transfer system in China.

The effects of industrial and agricultural activity on the water quality of the Sitnica River (Kosovo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Albona Shala

2015-07-01

Full Text Available An important issue in Kosovo is water pollution. The use of polluted water has a direct impact on human health and cause long-term consequences. The longest and most polluted river in Kosovo is the Sitnica, a 90 km long river with its source located near the village of Sazli. The river flows into the Ibar River in Northern Kosovo. Agriculture is prevailing activity in the basin of Sitnica which is why agricultural as well as industrial waste are the biggest water pollutants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate water quality of the river and analyse the pollution level along the Sitnica River caused by agricultural activities and industrial discharges. In order to assess the impact of pollutants on this river, a measurements were carried out in four (five monitoring stations: the first station represents the reference station which has not undergone or has not been affected by polluting pressures, two stations in water areas affected by the irrigation of farming land and two monitoring stations in water areas affected by industrial wastewater discharge. Some of the parameters of water quality analysed are temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, pH, DO, COD, BOD, P total, nitrates, sulfates, and heavy metals iron, manganese, zinc, nickel. Compared to the reference station the results obtained from the Gracka and Pestova monitoring stations prove that the dominant form of pollution is that from agricultural lands irrigation, while the Plemetin and Mitrovica stations show that the Sitnica River is affected by wastewater discharge which contains significant concentrations of heavy metals, as well as metal ions selected in this paper. It can be concluded that the irrigation of agricultural lands and discharges from mining significantly affect water quality of the Sitnica River.

The effects of industrial and agricultural activity on the water quality of the Sitnica River (Kosovo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Albona Shala

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An important issue in Kosovo is water pollution. The use of polluted water has a direct impact on human health and cause long-term consequences. The longest and most polluted river in Kosovo is the Sitnica, a 90 km long river with its source located near the village of Sazli. The river flows into the Ibar River in Northern Kosovo. Agriculture is prevailing activity in the basin of Sitnica which is why agricultural as well as industrial waste are the biggest water pollutants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate water quality of the river and analyse the pollution level along the Sitnica River caused by agricultural activities and industrial discharges. In order to assess the impact of pollutants on this river, a measurements were carried out in four (five monitoring stations: the first station represents the reference station which has not undergone or has not been affected by polluting pressures, two stations in water areas affected by the irrigation of farming land and two monitoring stations in water areas affected by industrial wastewater discharge. Some of the parameters of water quality analysed are temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, pH, DO, COD, BOD, P total, nitrates, sulfates, and heavy metals iron, manganese, zinc, nickel. Compared to the reference station the results obtained from the Gracka and Pestova monitoring stations prove that the dominant form of pollution is that from agricultural lands irrigation, while the Plemetin and Mitrovica stations show that the Sitnica River is affected by wastewater discharge which contains significant concentrations of heavy metals, as well as metal ions selected in this paper. It can be concluded that the irrigation of agricultural lands and discharges from mining significantly affect water quality of the Sitnica River.

Measuring the Interest of German Students in Agriculture: the Role of Knowledge, Nature Experience, Disgust, and Gender

Science.gov (United States)

Bickel, Malte; Strack, Micha; Bögeholz, Susanne

2015-06-01

Modern knowledge-based societies, especially their younger members, have largely lost their bonds to farming. However, learning about agriculture and its interrelations with environmental issues may be facilitated by students' individual interests in agriculture. To date, an adequate instrument to investigate agricultural interests has been lacking. Research has infrequently considered students' interest in agricultural content areas as well as influencing factors on students' agricultural interests. In this study, a factorial design of agricultural interests was developed combining five agricultural content areas and four components of individual interest. The instrument was validated with German fifth and sixth graders ( N = 1,085) using a variance decomposition confirmatory factor analysis model. The results demonstrated a second-order factor of general agricultural interest, with animal husbandry, arable farming, vegetable and fruit cropping, primary food processing, and agricultural engineering as discrete content areas of agricultural interest. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that prior knowledge, garden experience, and disgust sensitivity are predictors of general agricultural interest. In addition, gender influenced interest in four of the five agricultural content areas. Implications are directed at researchers, teachers, and environmental educators concerning how to trigger and develop pupils' agricultural interests.

Experience on environmental qualification of safety-related components for Darlington Nuclear Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, A.S.; Kukreti, B.M.

1987-01-01

The proliferation of Nuclear Power Plant safety concerns has lead to increasing attention over the Environmental Qualification (EQ) of Nuclear Power Plant Safety-Related Components to provide the assurance that the safety related equipment will meet their intended functions during normal operation and postulated accident conditions. The environmental qualification of these components is also a Licensing requirement for Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. This paper provides an overview of EQ and the experience of a pilot project, in the qualification of the Main Moderator System safety-related functions for the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station currently under construction. It addresses the various phases of qualification from the identification of the EQ Safety-Related Components List, definition of location specific service conditions (normal, adbnormal and accident), safety-related functions, Environmental Qualification Assessments and finally, an EQ system summary report for the Main Moderator System. The results of the pilot project are discussed and the methodology reviewed. The paper concludes that the EQ Program developed for Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, as applied to the qualification of the Main Moderator System, contained all the elements necessary in the qualification of safety-related equipment. The approach taken in the qualification of the Moderator safety-related equipment proves to provide a sound framework for the qualification of other safety-related components in the station

Operating Experience at the Aagesta Nuclear Power Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandstroem, S [ed.

1966-09-15

Sweden's first nuclear power reactor Agesta, achieved criticality on July 17, 1963. Full power (65 MW{sub t}) was attained on March 20, 1964. Aagesta is a heavy water cooled and moderated pressure vessel reactor used for production of electricity as well as for district heating. The design, assembly and construction etc, of the reactor was described in detail in a staff report by AB Atomenergi, 'The Aagesta Nuclear Power Station' edited by B McHugh, which was published in September, 1964. In the book experiences from the commissioning and the first operation of the reactor were reported as well as findings from the extensive reactor physics studies made during this period. The report now presented is written by members of the operating team at Aagesta since its start. It reflects in general the experiences up to the end of 1965. The Aagesta Log, however, covers the period up to the normal summer stop 1966. The reactor has hitherto produced 506,000 MWh power of which 48,700 MWh have been electric power. In July 1965 the responsibility for the reactor operation was taken over by the Swedish State Power Board from AB Atomenergi, which company had started the reactor and operated it until the summer break 1965.

Operating Experience at the Aagesta Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandstroem, S.

1966-09-01

Sweden's first nuclear power reactor Agesta, achieved criticality on July 17, 1963. Full power (65 MW t ) was attained on March 20, 1964. Aagesta is a heavy water cooled and moderated pressure vessel reactor used for production of electricity as well as for district heating. The design, assembly and construction etc, of the reactor was described in detail in a staff report by AB Atomenergi, 'The Aagesta Nuclear Power Station' edited by B McHugh, which was published in September, 1964. In the book experiences from the commissioning and the first operation of the reactor were reported as well as findings from the extensive reactor physics studies made during this period. The report now presented is written by members of the operating team at Aagesta since its start. It reflects in general the experiences up to the end of 1965. The Aagesta Log, however, covers the period up to the normal summer stop 1966. The reactor has hitherto produced 506,000 MWh power of which 48,700 MWh have been electric power. In July 1965 the responsibility for the reactor operation was taken over by the Swedish State Power Board from AB Atomenergi, which company had started the reactor and operated it until the summer break 1965

Operating Experience at the Aagesta Nuclear Power Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandstroem, S. (ed.)

1966-09-15

Sweden's first nuclear power reactor Agesta, achieved criticality on July 17, 1963. Full power (65 MW{sub t}) was attained on March 20, 1964. Aagesta is a heavy water cooled and moderated pressure vessel reactor used for production of electricity as well as for district heating. The design, assembly and construction etc, of the reactor was described in detail in a staff report by AB Atomenergi, 'The Aagesta Nuclear Power Station' edited by B McHugh, which was published in September, 1964. In the book experiences from the commissioning and the first operation of the reactor were reported as well as findings from the extensive reactor physics studies made during this period. The report now presented is written by members of the operating team at Aagesta since its start. It reflects in general the experiences up to the end of 1965. The Aagesta Log, however, covers the period up to the normal summer stop 1966. The reactor has hitherto produced 506,000 MWh power of which 48,700 MWh have been electric power. In July 1965 the responsibility for the reactor operation was taken over by the Swedish State Power Board from AB Atomenergi, which company had started the reactor and operated it until the summer break 1965.

Urban Agriculture Guide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, A.J.; Jansma, J.E.; Dekking, A.J.G.; Klieverik, M.J.M.

2007-01-01

The Urban Agriculture Guide describes the experiences, learning moments, tips and tricks of those involved in the initiatives of urban agriculture and an indication is provided of what is required to develop urban agriculture further in the Netherlands

Experience and Enlightenment of Dutch Agricultural Research and Technology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu Zhen, Zhen; Hu, D.

2011-01-01

This study analyzes the achievements of agricultural science and technology, the reform of agricultural research system and technology transfer system of agricultural in the Netherlands. With case studies, it tries to find the mode of Dutch agricultural research and technology transfer system, and

Radioactive Contamination of Agricultural Products in Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muszynski, W.; Grabowski, D.; Rubel, B.; Kurowski, W.; Swietochowska, J.; Smagala, G.

2003-01-01

Radiological contamination of the environment is caused by nuclear activities on the globe: nuclear weapon tests and the Chernobyl accident. The transfer of radionuclides to the organism via ingestion is one of the sources of doses obtained by people. To assess the doses received by humans the intake of isotopes with daily diet was defined. The concentration of radionuclides in foodstuffs was determined. The network of Service for Measurement of Radioactive Contamination systematically controls all kinds of important agricultural products such as milk, meat, vegetables, fruit, cereals and forest products: mushrooms, blueberries etc. Measurement stations involved in food monitoring act within Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations, Veterinary Hygiene Units and Chemical-Agricultural Stations. All activities are co-ordinated by the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection. The level of activity of caesium isotopes has regularly been monitored in collected samples originating from different administrative districts of Poland. Since 1994 the 134 Cs concentration has been below the detection limit. The activity of 137 Cs has been measured to determine long-term effect of the accident on the contamination of milk, meat and other foodstuffs. (orig.)

Data report for the Southwest Residential Experiment Station, January 1982

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lieberman, M.; Hai, O. Y.; Hocking, G.; Whitaker, C.

1982-02-23

Physical performance data obtained from the photovoltaic energy systems under test at the Southwest Residential Experiment Station in Las Cruces, New Mexico are tabulated and graphed for the month of January, 1982. Data drawn from the Residential Data System (RDS) appears in several formats. A one-page summary is provided as well as a more detailed hour-by-hour tabulation for an average day of the month. Energy histograms are provided, based on RDS data and recording kilowatt hour meters. The histograms also present horizontal and plane-of-array insolation data as well as comments that explain data and/or energy production anomalies. (LEW)

Agricultural experts’ attitude towards precision agriculture: Evidence from Guilan Agricultural Organization, Northern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Sadegh Allahyari

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Identifying factors that influence the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding precision agriculture plays an important role in developing, promoting and establishing precision agriculture. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding the implementation of precision agriculture. A descriptive research design was employed as the research method. A research-made questionnaire was used to examine the agricultural experts’ attitude toward precision agriculture. Internal consistency was demonstrated with a coefficient alpha of 0.87, and the content and face validity of the instrument was confirmed by a panel of experts. The results show that technical, economic and accessibility factors accounted for 55% of the changes in attitudes towards precision agriculture. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences between participants in terms of gender, field of study, extension education, age, experience, organizational position and attitudes, while education levels had a significant effect on the respondent’s attitudes.

Nitrous oxide emissions from European agriculture - an analysis of variability and drivers of emissions from field experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rees, R M; Agustin, J; Alberti, G

2013-01-01

Nitrous oxide emissions from a network of agricultural experiments in Europe were used to explore the relative importance of site and management controls of emissions. At each site, a selection of management interventions were compared within replicated experimental designs in plot-based experime......Nitrous oxide emissions from a network of agricultural experiments in Europe were used to explore the relative importance of site and management controls of emissions. At each site, a selection of management interventions were compared within replicated experimental designs in plot...

Experience and development of on-line BWR surveillance system at Onagawa nuclear power station unit-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishi, A.; Chiba, K.; Kato, K.; Ebata, S.; Ando, Y.; Sakamoto, H.

1986-01-01

ONAGAWA nuclear power station Unit-1 (Tohoku Electric Power Co.) is a BWR-4 nuclear power station of 524 MW electric power which started commercial operation in June 1984. To attain high reliability and applicability for ONAGAWA-1, Tohoku Electric Power Co. and Toshiba started a Research and Development project on plant surveillance and diagnosis from April 1982. Main purposes of this project are to: (1) Develop an on-line surveillance system and acquire its operating experience at a commercial BWR, (2) Assist in plant operation and maintenance by data acquisition and analysis, (3) Develop a new technique for plant surveillance and diagnosis. An outline of the project, operating experience gained from the on-line surveillance system and an introduction to new diagnosis techniques are reported in this paper. (author)

Improving agricultural knowledge management: The AgTrials experience [version 1; referees: 2 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glenn Hyman

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Opportunities to use data and information to address challenges in international agricultural research and development are expanding rapidly. The use of agricultural trial and evaluation data has enormous potential to improve crops and management practices. However, for a number of reasons, this potential has yet to be realized. This paper reports on the experience of the AgTrials initiative, an effort to build an online database of agricultural trials applying principles of interoperability and open access. Methods: Our analysis evaluates what worked and what did not work in the development of the AgTrials information resource. We analyzed data on our users and their interaction with the platform. We also surveyed our users to gauge their perceptions of the utility of the online database. Results: The study revealed barriers to participation and impediments to interaction, opportunities for improving agricultural knowledge management and a large potential for the use of trial and evaluation data. Conclusions: Technical and logistical mechanisms for developing interoperable online databases are well advanced.  More effort will be needed to advance organizational and institutional work for these types of databases to realize their potential.

Improving agricultural knowledge management: The AgTrials experience [version 2; referees: 2 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glenn Hyman

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Opportunities to use data and information to address challenges in international agricultural research and development are expanding rapidly. The use of agricultural trial and evaluation data has enormous potential to improve crops and management practices. However, for a number of reasons, this potential has yet to be realized. This paper reports on the experience of the AgTrials initiative, an effort to build an online database of agricultural trials applying principles of interoperability and open access. Methods: Our analysis evaluates what worked and what did not work in the development of the AgTrials information resource. We analyzed data on our users and their interaction with the platform. We also surveyed our users to gauge their perceptions of the utility of the online database. Results: The study revealed barriers to participation and impediments to interaction, opportunities for improving agricultural knowledge management and a large potential for the use of trial and evaluation data. Conclusions: Technical and logistical mechanisms for developing interoperable online databases are well advanced.  More effort will be needed to advance organizational and institutional work for these types of databases to realize their potential.

Does Prior Experience in Secondary Agricultural Mechanics Affect Pre-Service Agricultural Education Teachers' Intentions to Enroll in Post-Secondary Agricultural Mechanics Coursework?

Science.gov (United States)

Wells, Trent; Perry, Dustin K.; Anderson, Ryan G.; Shultz, Matthew J.; Paulsen, Thomas H.

2013-01-01

Agricultural mechanics coursework has historically been considered an important and necessary construct of the secondary agricultural education curriculum (Burris, Robinson, & Terry, 2005). With expectations of offering secondary agricultural mechanics coursework apparent, it is vital that agricultural education teachers be prepared to address…

Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) 5 Developed to Test Advanced Solar Cell Technology Aboard the ISS

Science.gov (United States)

Wilt, David M.

2004-01-01

The testing of new technologies aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is facilitated through the use of a passive experiment container, or PEC, developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. The PEC is an aluminum suitcase approximately 2 ft square and 5 in. thick. Inside the PEC are mounted Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) plates that contain the test articles. The PEC is carried to the ISS aboard the space shuttle or a Russian resupply vehicle, where astronauts attach it to a handrail on the outer surface of the ISS and deploy the PEC, which is to say the suitcase is opened 180 deg. Typically, the PEC is left in this position for approximately 1 year, at which point astronauts close the PEC and it is returned to Earth. In the past, the PECs have contained passive experiments, principally designed to characterize the durability of materials subjected to the ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxygen present at the ISS orbit. The MISSE5 experiment is intended to characterize state-of-art (SOA) and beyond photovoltaic technologies.

Operating experience at Scottish Nuclear's power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackburn, P.

1991-01-01

A brief history is presented of the design and operation of the four Scottish nuclear power stations currently run by Scottish Nuclear, namely Hunterston 'A' and 'B' and the Torness reactors. A design flaw in the Magnox reactor at Hunterston 'A' led to it being operated at lower than optimal temperature and hence producing less power. For Hunterston 'B' reactor the Advanced Gas Cooled design prototype was used. Operating setbacks and successes are noted. The design chosen for Torness embraced all the good points of Hunterston 'B' but sought to eliminate its faults. After 26 years of successful operation Hunterston 'A' is now being decommissioned, while the other three stations continue to generate electricity successfully. (UK)

Notice of release for Eagle Germplasm western yarrow (selected germplasm, natural track)

Science.gov (United States)

Scott M. Lambert; Stephen B. Monsen; Nancy Shaw

2011-01-01

The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station; United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State Office; Utah State University, Agricultural Experiment Station; and University of Idaho, Agricultural Experiment Station, announce the release of a selected germplasm (natural track) of western...

Operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States in 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-12-01

This report is twenty-ninth in the IAEA series of annual reports on operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States. The report is a direct output from the Agency's Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), whose database contains all operating experience data published in Agency's operating experience annual reports published since 1971 and basic information on power reactors, including design data. According to the information available to the Agency at the end of 1997, there were 437 nuclear power reactors having a total capacity of 351795 MW(e). During 1997 three new reactors having total capacity of 3555 MW(e) were connected to the grid in France and the Republic of Korea. There were 36 nuclear power plants under construction in the world. Load, operation and availability factors are used as the basic performance factors. In addition to annual performance data and outage information, the report contains a historical summary of performance and outages during the lifetime of individual plants and five figures illustrating worldwide performance and statistical data

Vegetation Water Content Mapping in a Diverse Agricultural Landscape: National Airborne Field Experiment 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Cosh, Michael H.; Jing Tao; Jackson, Thomas J.; McKee, Lynn; O'Neill, Peggy

2011-01-01

Mapping land cover and vegetation characteristics on a regional scale is critical to soil moisture retrieval using microwave remote sensing. In aircraft-based experiments such as the National Airborne Field Experiment 2006 (NAFE 06), it is challenging to provide accurate high resolution vegetation information, especially on a daily basis. A technique proposed in previous studies was adapted here to the heterogenous conditions encountered in NAFE 06, which included a hydrologically complex landscape consisting of both irrigated and dryland agriculture. Using field vegetation sampling and ground-based reflectance measurements, the knowledge base for relating the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the vegetation water content was extended to a greater diversity of agricultural crops, which included dryland and irrigated wheat, alfalfa, and canola. Critical to the generation of vegetation water content maps, the land cover for this region was determined from satellite visible/infrared imagery and ground surveys with an accuracy of 95.5% and a kappa coefficient of 0.95. The vegetation water content was estimated with a root mean square error of 0.33 kg/sq m. The results of this investigation contribute to a more robust database of global vegetation water content observations and demonstrate that the approach can be applied with high accuracy. Keywords: Vegetation, field experimentation, thematic mapper, NDWI, agriculture.

Russian Observations of European Experience in Agricultural Development in 1840s (based on the printed output of the Imperial Agricultural Societies of Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yulia I. Kuznetsova

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In the first half of the nineteenth century, agriculture in Russia had reached the new level of development. The Imperial Agricultural Societies paid much attention to establishing relations with the foreign agricultural societies and kept up with their periodicals, issuing translations and abridgements of texts, which could be interesting to the Russian readers. This paper examines the articles on farming industry in Great Britain, France, German countries, Italy, and the USA, released in journals and transactions of Imperial Agricultural Societies of Russia in 1840s. The research draws on both reviews of European congresses or exhibitions, written by members of agricultural societies, and the articles written by foreign authors and published in translation. Such approach made it possible to specify the certain topics appealing to Russian farmers. Moreover, the study of the articles contributed by the Imperial Agricultural Societies helped to build a complete picture representing knowledge on history, theory and practice of foreign and Russian husbandry, shared by the Russian farmers in 1840s. It is also worth to mention that the effective work of agricultural journals in fact integrated Russian farming communities into the broad network of contacts, experience and knowledge exchange, which had been functioning in Europe in the first half of the XIXth century. Nevertheless, the research revealed that the articles in question almost lacked comparisons between Russian and European agriculture. The papers dealing with comparative analysis of the different European farming systems are characterized by noticeably restrained reaction of the editors and authors to the published information. They tended to show the advantages and disadvantages of the foreign farming without furnishing the Russian reader or the Russian authorities with any specific recommendations.

Leaf Beetles (Coleoptera ; Chrysomelidae) in the Campus and Agricultural Research Stations of Chiang Mai University, Thailand

OpenAIRE

Umemura, S; Tayutivutukul, J; Nakamura, H

2005-01-01

Qualitative surveys of leaf beetles were conducted at 5 survey sites (Chiang Mai University, Mae Hia Staion, Chang Kien Station, Nong Hoi Station, Suburb of Chiang Mai City) in Chiang Mai, Thailand using sweeping and beating methods from October 19th to October 30th, 2003. A total of 24 species of 8 subfamilies was collected from five survey sites ; 11 species, 3 species, 2 species, 11 species, 4 species from Chiang Mai University, Mae Hia Station, Chang Kien Station, Nong Hoi Station, Suburb...

Agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The report entitled Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation : A Canadian Perspective, presents a summary of research regarding the impacts of climate change on key sectors over the past five years as it relates to Canada. This chapter on agriculture describes how climate change will affect primary agriculture production in Canada with particular focus on potential adaptation options, and vulnerability of agriculture at the farm level. Agriculture is a vital part of the Canadian economy, although only 7 per cent of Canada's land mass is used for agricultural purposes due to the limitations of climate and soils. Most parts of Canada are expected to experience warmer conditions, longer frost-free seasons and increased evapotranspiration. The impacts of these changes on agriculture will vary depending on precipitation changes, soil conditions, and land use. Northern regions may benefit from longer farming seasons, but poor soil conditions will limit the northward expansion of agricultural crops. Some of the negative impacts associated with climate change on agriculture include increased droughts, changes in pest and pathogen outbreaks, and moisture stress. In general, it is expected that the positive and negative impacts of climate change would offset each other. 74 refs., 2 tabs., 1 fig

Boiler recirculation pumps for nuclear power stations - present state of development. Directions for planning, operational experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattias, H.B.

1976-01-01

Boiler recirculation pumps are important components of modern power stations. The development of large recirculation pumps up to a driving power of 1,500 kW was faced with some problems in meeting the plant requirements. In this paper, the present state of development is dealt with. The development problems in the fields of hydrodynamics, cavitation, corrosion and erosion are dealt with as well as the problems of the design of the casing with regard to thermodynamics and strength. Finally, operational experience with the boiler recirculation pump for 600 MW power stations will be reported on. (orig./AK) [de

A Decade of Life Sciences Experiment Unique Equipment Development for Spacelab and Space Station, 1990-1999

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, Paul D.; Connolly, J. P.; Navarro, B. J.

1999-01-01

Ames Research Center's Life Sciences Division has developed and flown an extensive array of spaceflight experiment unique equipment (EUE) during the last decade of the twentieth century. Over this ten year span, the EUE developed at ARC supported a vital gravitational biology flight research program executed on several different platforms, including the Space Shuttle, Spacelab, and Space Station Mir. This paper highlights some of the key EUE elements developed at ARC and flown during the period 1990-1999. Resulting lessons learned will be presented that can be applied to the development of similar equipment for the International Space Station.

TANPOPO: Microbe and micrometeoroid capture experiments on International Space Station.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamagishi, Akihiko; Kobayashi, Kensei; Yano, Hajime; Yokobori, Shinichi; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Kawai, Hideyuki; Yamashita, Masamichi

There is a long history of the microbe-collection experiments at high altitude. Microbes have been collected using balloons, aircraft and meteorological rockets from 1936 to 1976. Spore forming fungi and Bacilli, and Micrococci have been isolated in these experiments. It is not clear how high do microbes go up. If the microbes might have been present even at higher altitudes, the fact would endorse the possibility of interplanetary migration of life. TANPOPO, dandelion, is the name of a grass whose seeds with floss are spread by the wind. We propose the analyses of interplanetary migration of microbes, organic compounds and meteoroids on Japan Experimental Module (JEM) of the International Space Station (ISS). Ultra low-density aerogel will be used to capture micrometeoroid and debris. Particles captured by aerogel will be used for several analyses after the initial inspection of the gel and tracks. Careful analysis of the tracks in the aerogel will provide the size and velocity dependence of debris flux. The particles will be analyzed for mineralogical, organic and microbiological characteristics. Aerogels are ready for production in Japan. Aerogels and trays are space proven. All the analytical techniques are ready. The Tanpopo mission was accepted as a candidate experiments on Exposed Facility of ISS-JEM.

Agricultural production data for the Sizewell area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-11-01

The proposed site for the Sizewell B nuclear power station is located at the centre of the East Suffolk coastline. The county itself is predominantly agricultural, producing a very wide range of foodstuffs which in the case of one or two particular foodstuffs contribute a significant proportion of the total national production. A general view of the agricultural setting within which the development would be sited and a compendium of more detailed agricultural data relating to the immediate vicinity of the site, which has been drawn on in the Ministry's assessment of the radiological impact of routine atmospheric waste emission, are given. (U.K.)

Station Set Residual: Event Classification Using Historical Distribution of Observing Stations

Science.gov (United States)

Procopio, Mike; Lewis, Jennifer; Young, Chris

2010-05-01

Analysts working at the International Data Centre in support of treaty monitoring through the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization spend a significant amount of time reviewing hypothesized seismic events produced by an automatic processing system. When reviewing these events to determine their legitimacy, analysts take a variety of approaches that rely heavily on training and past experience. One method used by analysts to gauge the validity of an event involves examining the set of stations involved in the detection of an event. In particular, leveraging past experience, an analyst can say that an event located in a certain part of the world is expected to be detected by Stations A, B, and C. Implicit in this statement is that such an event would usually not be detected by Stations X, Y, or Z. For some well understood parts of the world, the absence of one or more "expected" stations—or the presence of one or more "unexpected" stations—is correlated with a hypothesized event's legitimacy and to its survival to the event bulletin. The primary objective of this research is to formalize and quantify the difference between the observed set of stations detecting some hypothesized event, versus the expected set of stations historically associated with detecting similar nearby events close in magnitude. This Station Set Residual can be quantified in many ways, some of which are correlated with the analysts' determination of whether or not the event is valid. We propose that this Station Set Residual score can be used to screen out certain classes of "false" events produced by automatic processing with a high degree of confidence, reducing the analyst burden. Moreover, we propose that the visualization of the historically expected distribution of detecting stations can be immediately useful as an analyst aid during their review process.

Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Capacity in Earth Observations for Agricultural Monitoring: The GEOGLAM Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Whitcraft, A. K.; Di Bella, C. M.; Becker Reshef, I.; Deshayes, M.; Justice, C. O.

2015-12-01

Since 2011, the Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) Initiative has been working to strengthen the international community's capacity to use Earth observation (EO) data to derive timely, accurate, and transparent information on agriculture, with the goals of reducing market volatility and promoting food security. GEOGLAM aims to develop capacity for EO-based agricultural monitoring at multiple scales, from national to regional to global. This is accomplished through training workshops, developing and transferring of best-practices, establishing networks of broad and sustainable institutional support, and designing or adapting tools and methodologies to fit localized contexts. Over the past four years, capacity development activities in the context of GEOGLAM have spanned all agriculture-containing continents, with much more work to be done, particularly in the domains of promoting access to large, computationally-costly datasets. This talk will detail GEOGLAM's experiences, challenges, and opportunities surrounding building international collaboration, ensuring institutional buy-in, and developing sustainable programs.

Falls From Agricultural Machinery: Risk Factors Related to Work Experience, Worked Hours, and Operators' Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Caffaro, Federica; Roccato, Michele; Micheletti Cremasco, Margherita; Cavallo, Eugenio

2018-02-01

Objective We investigated the risk factors for falls when egressing from agricultural tractors, analyzing the role played by worked hours, work experience, operators' behavior, and near misses. Background Many accidents occur within the agricultural sector each year. Among them, falls while dismounting the tractor represent a major source of injuries. Previous studies pointed out frequent hazardous movements and incorrect behaviors adopted by operators to exit the tractor cab. However, less is known about the determinants of such behaviors. In addition, near misses are known to be important predictors of accidents, but they have been under-investigated in the agricultural sector in general and as concerns falls in particular. Method A questionnaire assessing dismounting behaviors, previous accidents and near misses, and participants' relation with work was administered to a sample of Italian tractor operators ( n = 286). Results A mediated model showed that worked hours increase unsafe behaviors, whereas work experience decreases them. Unsafe behaviors in turn show a positive association with accidents, via the mediation of near misses. Conclusions We gave a novel contribution to the knowledge of the chain of events leading to fall accidents in the agricultural sector, which is one of the most hazardous industries. Applications Besides tractor design improvements, preventive training interventions may focus on the redesign of the actual working strategies and the adoption of engaging training methods in the use of machinery to optimize the learning of safety practices and safe behaviors.

Solid waste processing experience at Susquehanna Steam Electric Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, J.W.; Granus, M.W.

1984-01-01

This paper reviews the first year's operation at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES) with respect to the Westinghouse Hittman Nuclear Incorporated (Hittman) mobile solidification system and the dry activated waste generation, handling and processing. Experiences pertinent to the mobile solidification system are reviewed with emphasis on the integration of the system into the plant, problems associated with unexpected waste properties and the myriad of operating procedures that had to be prepared. The processing history for 1983 is reviewed in terms of the volume of waste, including solidified wastes, dewatered wastes an DAW. Factors that must be considered in evaluating processing alternatives, i.e., dewatering vs. solidification; steel liners vs. HICs, are discussed. Actions taken by Hittman and SSES to maximize the processing economics are also discussed. Finally, recommendations are provided to the utility considering implementing mobile solification services to ensure a smooth and timely integration of services into the plant

The acceptance and integration of nuclear techniques in agricultural research and development - the CENA experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cervellini, A.; Vose, P.B.

1980-01-01

The experience of the 'Center of Nuclear Energy for Agriculture' (CENA), Sao Paulo State, Brazil, as a training - and educational institution is presented, as well as an evaluation of the research activities carried out at this Institute. (M.A.) [pt

Theme: Urban Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellibee, Margaret; And Others

1990-01-01

On the theme of secondary agricultural education in urban areas, this issue includes articles on opportunities, future directions, and implications for the profession; creative supervised experiences for horticulture students; floral marketing, multicultural education; and cultural diversity in urban agricultural education. (JOW)

Ground-based simulation of telepresence for materials science experiments. [remote viewing and control of processes aboard Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, James C.; Rosenthal, Bruce N.; Bonner, Mary JO; Hahn, Richard C.; Herbach, Bruce

1989-01-01

A series of ground-based telepresence experiments have been performed to determine the minimum video frame rate and resolution required for the successive performance of materials science experiments in space. The approach used is to simulate transmission between earth and space station with transmission between laboratories on earth. The experiments include isothermal dendrite growth, physical vapor transport, and glass melting. Modifications of existing apparatus, software developed, and the establishment of an inhouse network are reviewed.

"EGM" (Electrostatics of Granular Matter): A Space Station Experiment to Examine Natural Particulate Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, J.; Sauke, T.; Buehler, M.; Farrell, W.; Green, R.; Birchenough, A.

1999-09-01

A granular-materials experiment is being developed for a 2002 launch for Space Station deployment. The experiment is funded by NASA HQ and managed through NASA Lewis Research Center. The experiment will examine electrostatic aggregation of coarse granular materials with the goals of (a) obtaining proof for an electrostatic dipole model of grain interactions, and (b) obtaining knowledge about the way aggregation affects the behavior of natural particulate masses: (1) in unconfined dispersions (clouds such as nebulae, aeolian dust palls, volcanic plumes), (2) in semi-confined, self-loaded masses as in fluidized flows (pyroclastic surges, avalanches) and compacted regolith, or (3) in semi-confined non-loaded masses as in dust layers adhering to solar cells or space suits on Mars. The experiment addresses both planetary/astrophysical issues as well as practical concerns for human exploration of Mars or other solar system bodies. Additional information is contained in the original.

Reforms in Rural Development and their Influence on Agricultural Extension of Uzbekistan: Experience and Challenges in Water Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pulatov Alim

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Nowadays science applies agricultural innovations in a wide range all over the world; however, number of water users in innovations is in smaller amounts. This might happen to a number of factors, for example lack of adequate knowledge exchange system, nominal extension services at places, lack of well-defined policies, barriers in ‘human’ minds change’, barriers at policy level. As for Uzbekistan, it could be said that practice of extension of innovations application and its diffusion in agricultural irrigation sector in Uzbekistan does not have much experience, however, before 1991 Uzbekistan was one of the Soviet Unions’ republics and as it is known, the Soviet Union had high practice in innovations in different sectors, as well as in agriculture. Although, since independence, Uzbekistan has continued to experience innovations in agricultural sector independently, their diffusion is at a challenging shape. This article captures the policy issue, how Uzbekistan started to develop water management issues in its economic reforms, it describes a case research on application of innovative technique on a farm level and accordingly, it tries to propose the aspects that need to be involved in future reforms to make the current situation be better managed.

Detailed description of the Ócsa Bird Ringing Station, Hungary

OpenAIRE

Csörgő Tibor; Harnos Andrea; Rózsa Lajos; Karcza Zsolt; Fehérvári Péter

2016-01-01

The present paper acts as an introduction to a series that will describe the exploratory analyses of migration phenology and morphometrics of the most common passerine species at the Ócsa Bird Ringing Station. This station is situated in the Ócsa Landscape Protection Area that belongs to the Duna–Ipoly National Park, Hungary. The area is somewhat cooler and more humid than the surrounding agricultural fields and tree plantations, covered by a mosaic of diverse hygrophilous vegetation patches....

The decommissioning of nuclear power stations. France and the American experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonnac, Alain de; Perves, Jean-Pierre

2013-01-01

After having noticed that many electronuclear reactors have already been stopped, and that some research reactors have just been dismantled in Grenoble by the CEA, and evoked the main involved actors (ASN, IRSN, ANDRA), some characteristics of the French situation are outlined: the strategy adopted by EDF for a fast dismantling process, the long legal delays for stopping, dismantling and downgrading of sites, the absence of waste radioactivity release thresholds, and the responsibility of operators for dismantling operations. The main steps of a station dismantling are indicated and discussed: end of exploitation; steps of deconstruction (evacuation of big components, elimination of building radioactivity, building destruction, site partial or total reconversion). The French authorization process is briefly commented. Then, the American experience and situation is commented in terms of number of concerned sites, of site situation, but also in terms of organisation and selected technologies. Critical steps are outlined as well as improvements obtained in terms of exposure, of waste volumes, of effluent filtration capacities, and of cutting methods. The next part proposes an overview of the situation or steps of decommissioning in France for different sites: the Chooz PWR, the fleet of first generation reactors, graphite gas reactors, the Brennilis power station and Super Phenix in Creys Malville. Costs and delays are briefly evoked for the USA as well as for France

Experience gained in the operation of the Beznau nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kueffer, K. von.

1976-01-01

The 24th December 1969, when the Beznau 1 nuclear power station was placed in commercial operation, marked the beginning of electricity production from nuclear energy in Switzerland. Beznau 2 followed on the 15th March 1972. Together with the Muehleberg nuclear power station, nuclear energy accounts for approximately 20 percent of the total electricity production in Switzerland. Until the end of 1975, Switzerland's three nuclear power stations had a mean energy utilisation factor of 71.3 percent which, as compared with a mean energy utilization factor of 60.5 percent for all the nuclear power stations in the West, suggests fairly good operational results. Problems that arose during operation are discussed in detail. By way of summary it is stated that the operation of the Beznau nuclear power station has so far proved a success. The production of electrical energy has always remained within the limits imposed by the law and by the safety aspects. (Auth.)

Assessment of soil fertility status of Agriculture Research Station, Belachapi, Dhanusha, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinesh Khadka

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Soil test-based fertility management is important for sustainable soil management. This study was carried out to determine the soil fertility status of the Agriculture Research Station, Belachapi, Dhanusha, Nepal. Using soil sampling auger 25 soil samples were collected randomly from a depth of 0-20 cm. Soil sampling points were identified using GPS device. Following standard methods adopted by Soil Science Division laboratory, Khumaltar, the collected soil samples were analyzed to find out their texture, pH, N, P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and organic matter status. The soil fertility status maps were made using Arc-GIS 10.1 software. The observed data revealed that soil was grayish brown in colour and sub-angular blocky in structure. The sand, silt and clay content were 36.03±3.66%, 50.32±2.52% and 25.42±2.25%, respectively and categorized as eight different classes of texture. The soil was acidic in pH (5.61±0.14. The available sulphur (0.73±0.09 ppm status was very low, whereas organic matter (1.34±0.07%, available boron (0.56±0.10 ppm, available zinc (0.54±0.22 ppm and available copper (0.30±0.01 ppm were low in status. The extractable potassium (95.52±13.37 ppm and extractable calcium (1264.8±92.80ppm exhibited medium in status. In addition, available phosphorus (33.25±6.97 ppm, available magnesium (223.20±23.65 ppm and available manganese (20.50±2.43 ppm were high in status. Furthermore, available iron (55.80±8.89 ppm status was very high. To improve the potentiality of crops (maize, rice, wheat etc. for studied area, future research strategy should be made based on its soil fertility status.

Soil Fertility Assessment and Mapping of Agricultural Research Station, Jaubari, Illam, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinesh Khadka

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Soil fertility evaluation is a prerequisite factor for sustainable planning of a particular region. Considering this, a study was conducted to determine the soil fertility status of the Agricultural Research Station, Jaubari, Illam, Nepal. In total, 78 soil samples were collected using soil sampling auger randomly from a depth of 0-20 cm. The texture, pH, OM, N, P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn status of the samples were analyzed in the laboratory of Soil Science Division, Khumaltar by following standard analytical methods. The soil fertility maps of the observed parameters were prepared through Arc-GIS 10.1 software. The observed data revealed that soil was brown (10YR 4/3, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4 and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 in colour, and the structure was granular. Similarly, the sand, silt and clay content were 53.84±1.06%, 34.34±0.83% and 11.82±0.47%, respectively and were indicated as sandy loam and loam in texture. The soil was very acidic (pH 3.85±0.04, and very low in available boron (0.26±0.06mg/kg and available sulphur (0.59±0.15mg/kg. The available calcium (188.7±31.30mg/kg, available magnesium (50.98±5.0mg/kg and available manganese (5.16±0.90mg/kg were low. Likewise, available potassium (110.91±7.30mg/kg, available zinc (1.19±0.31mg/kg and available copper (0.95±0.05mg/kg content were medium. Similarly, organic matter (7.88±0.32%, total nitrogen (0.27±0.01% and available phosphorus (36.53±5.66mg/kg were high, and available iron (39.5±2.17 mg/kg was very high.  International Journal of EnvironmentVolume-6, Issue-3, Jun-Aug 2017, page: 46-70

Control Path of Pesticide Residual Under the System of Agricultural Products Supervision:A Case Study of A Village in Zhejiang Province, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HUANG Wen-fang

2014-02-01

Full Text Available There is relation between the pesticide application and quality of agricultural products. The paper explored the causes and ways to deal with it from the view of agricultural development on the case study of pesticide management and use in a village, Zhejiang Province on the basis of investigation of local government, agriculture technology service station and farmers. The paper pointed out that lack of supervi-sion in the pesticide use and result was only external; the true reasons were high supervise cost and limited service of agriculture technology service station. So the paper drew the conclusions that multifunction agriculture development, superior agriculture produce service system and the change of village committee's role and responsibility were the best answers to the agricultural products safety problem.

Experience of good practices in the Cooperative No Agricultural of Construction Services, Scaffold & Chest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Montenegro Morales

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The implementation of No Agricultural Cooperatives constitutes an economic solution to the current context of Cuba. Its real impact on the lives of thousands of Cubans and Cubans validates the guarantee of this movement even in the experimental stage, establishing a balance between its economic and social development. In correspondence, the present investigation is elaborated with the objective of showing the experiences and good practices that the Non-Agricultural Cooperative of Construction Services, Scaffolds and Cofres has had in terms of social responsibility and local development. The following methods and techniques were used: documentary review, non-participant observation, interviews and survey, which allowed for an analysis demonstrating that the growth of economic indicators should also favor the transformation of society, including that of partners, members and their families; as well as in the awareness of a social economy based on cooperativism. The need to implement a social accounting system in non-agricultural cooperatives that allows measuring its impact on the conception of a social management model was demonstrated.

Ion exchange substrates for plant cultivation in extraterrestrial stations and space crafts

Science.gov (United States)

Soldatov, Vladimir

2012-07-01

Ion exchange substrates Biona were specially designed at the Belarus Academy of Sciences for plants cultivation in spacecrafts and extraterrestrial stations. The first versions of such substrates have been successfully used in several space experiments and in a long-term experiment in which three soviet test-spacemen spent a full year in hermetic cabin imitating a lunar station cabin (1067-1968). In this experiment the life support system included a section with about one ton of the ion exchange substrate, which was used to grow ten vegetations of different green cultures used in the food of the test persons. Due to failure of a number of Soviet space experiments, decay of the Soviet Union and the following economic crisis the research in this field carried out in Belarus were re-directed to the needs of usual agriculture, such as adaptation of cell cultures, growing seedlings, rootage of cuttings etc. At present ion exchange substrate Biona are produced in limited amounts at the experimental production plant of the Institute of Physical Organic Chemistry and used in a number of agricultural enterprises. New advanced substrates and technologies for their production have been developed during that time. In the presentation scientific principles of preparation and functioning of ion exchange substrates as well as results of their application for cultivation different plants are described. The ion exchange substrate is a mixture of cation and anion exchangers saturated in a certain proportions with all ions of macro and micro elements. These chemically bound ions are not released to water and become available for plants in exchange to their root metabolites. The substrates contain about 5% mass of nutrient elements far exceeding any other nutrient media for plants. They allow generating 3-5 kg of green biomass per kilogram of substrate without adding any fertilizers; they are sterile by the way of production and can be sterilized by usual methods; allow regeneration

Neutron dose study with bubble detectors aboard the International Space Station as part of the Matroshka-R experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machrafi, R.; Garrow, K.; Ing, H.; Smith, M. B.; Andrews, H. R.; Akatov, Yu; Arkhangelsky, V.; Chernykh, I.; Mitrikas, V.; Petrov, V.; Shurshakov, V.; Tomi, L.; Kartsev, I.; Lyagushin, V.

2009-01-01

As part of the Matroshka-R experiments, a spherical phantom and space bubble detectors (SBDs) were used on board the International Space Station to characterise the neutron radiation field. Seven experimental sessions with SBDs were carried out during expeditions ISS-13, ISS-14 and ISS-15. The detectors were positioned at various places throughout the Space Station, in order to determine dose variations with location and on/in the phantom in order to establish the relationship between the neutron dose measured externally to the body and the dose received internally. Experimental data on/in the phantom and at different locations are presented. (authors)

ANCESTORS OF VEGETABLE BREEDING IN ROMANIA: GLICHERIA AND EMIL TĂLPĂLARU, RESEARCHERS AT EXPERIMENTAL STATION ŞTEFĂNEŞTI- ARGEŞ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion Scurtu

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Glicheria and Emil Talpalaru are two of the first breeders in our country, which during 1963-1984 worked at Stefanesti - Arges Experiment Station and has achieved remarkable results in improving vegetables. Talpalaru Emil attended the Faculty of Agronomy in Iaşi, and Mrs. Glicheria Talpalaru graduated the Faculty of Agriculture in Bucharest (1952. In 1957 both became researchers at Vegetable Experiment Station Ţigăneşti, Ilfov. From 1963 until their retirement (1984 worked at the Research Station Ştefăneşti and obtained the most important achievements . There are authors and co-authors of a series of books, papers or brochures on studying the phenomenon heterosis, hybrid tomato and seed production, vegetable technology and other issues. They are created the first F1 tomato varieties and hybrids that were cultivated many years in our country: Arges 1 (F1, Arges 450 ( F1, Arges 400 ( F1 and Arges 428 variety . In the same time Mrs. Talpalaru and she is co-author of varieties and hybrids of tomatoes, but obtained, two varietes for lettuce and one for red cabbage.

Agricultural Crown Land in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyle, W.E.

1998-01-01

The petroleum industry's interest in provincial crown land in the agricultural area of Saskatchewan has grown over the last two decades. Agricultural land is regulated by the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture and Food, Lands Branch. Since 1974 surface lease contracts by oil and gas companies have increased from 1,400 to the present 3,700. Resource lands are regulated by Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management. There are 8.8 million acres of crown agricultural land in Saskatchewan, most of which is held without title. Crown land management is meant to provide a long term management approach to crown lands that balances economic, environmental and social benefits for present and future generations. The oil and gas industry is an important participant in crown land management. Revenues from petroleum and gas surface leasing, and seismic licensing totals more than five million dollars annually. In 1995/96, there were 54 companies establishing new oil and gas leases on crown land in Saskatchewan. This paper provides details of current policies which apply to petroleum and gas leasing and seismic exploration, and environmental guidelines for companies developing well sites, compressor and metering stations, access roads and easements. 3 tabs

TEPCO plans to construct Higashidori Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuruta, Atsushi

2008-01-01

In 2006, TEPCO submitted to the government plans for the construction of Higashidori Nuclear Power Station. The application was filed 41 years after the project approved by the Higashidori Village Assembly. This nuclear power station will be the first new nuclear power plant constructed by TEPCO since the construction of Units No.6 and 7 at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Station 18 years ago. Higashidori Nuclear Power Station is to be constructed at a completely new site, which will become the fourth TEPCO nuclear power station. Higashidori Nuclear Power Station Unit No.1 will be TEPCO's 18th nuclear reactor. Unit No.1 will be an advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR), a reactor-type with a proven track record. It will be TEPCO's third ABWR. Alongside incorporating the latest technology, in Higashidori Nuclear Power Station Unit No.1, the most important requirement is for TEPCO to reflect in the new unit information and experience acquired from the operation of other reactors (information and experience acquired through the experience of operating TEPCO's 17 units at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station and Kashiwazaki Kashiwa Nuclear Power Station in addition to information on non-conformities at nuclear power stations in Japan and around the world). Higashidori Nuclear Power Station is located in Higashidori-Village (Aomori Prefecture) and the selected site includes a rich natural environment. From an environmental perspective, we will implement the construction with due consideration for the land and sea environment, aiming to ensure that the plant can co-exist with its natural surroundings. The construction plans are currently being reviewed by the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. We are committed to making progress in the project for the start of construction and subsequent commercial operation. (author)

Agricultural Experiences as Correlates of Secondary School ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

info

medicine, agricultural engineering, fishery, animal/livestock production, forestry among others. ..... implies poultry management, fishery production and cashew farming were related to ..... Manual for career decision, Self-efficacy and CDSE.

Natuculture Systems: Addressing Students' STEM and Agriculture Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Alexander Augusto

The purpose of this study was to assess the inclusion of a Natuculture systems learning experience into selected high school STEM courses to determine high school students' interests in majoring in STEM and for pursuing careers in agricultural sciences. Natuculture is defined as "any human-made system that mimics nature in human-disturbed landscapes". The research occurred at an urban area high school located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Fifty-three students in grades 9-12 participated during an academic semester learning experience which included planting, maintenance, & harvesting for an oasissofa. Data was collected using a questionnaire and reflective journals to gather students' attitudes towards agriculture and science and knowledge towards agriculture. Results showed that while the experiences did not improve students' interest in pursuing careers in agricultural sciences, overall, they did increase their knowledge of concepts related to agriculture. It was concluded that students benefit from experiential learning experiences. Based on the study, it is recommended that future research follow up with students to learn of their educational and career choices in agriculture and future learning experiences include curricula that integrates agricultural topics with STEM courses.

Agricultural Multifunctionality Evolution and Research into Issues concerning Agriculture,Countryside and Farmers

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LIU Xin

2012-01-01

From the point of view of agricultural civilization, the history of human civilization is the history of the development of the agricultural civilization. Accompanied by social progress and development of the times, the function of agriculture also experiences the expansion and deepening. In terms of economy, there is a process from mechanized farming to industrialization, then to informatization, modernization and internationalization. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has also experienced and witnessed this process. In terms of "agriculture, countryside and farmers", the content is complex, diverse, profound, sharp, and changing, constantly testing and challenging our wisdom. When the Document No.1 in 2007 targeted modern agriculture, it indicated that new connotation was integrated into agricultural multifunctionality, standing at a new starting point. At present, the function of agriculture is still deepening; there are tremendous achievements and outstanding problems concurrently in issues concerning agriculture, countryside and farmers. We take the agricultural multifunctionality as breakthrough point for exploration and research.

Experience gained at the CEA by thermal effluent utilization for agriculture and fish-breeding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balligand.

1976-01-01

Results obtained at the CEA for waste heat utilization are examined. Water at T+10 0 C is used for open air soil heating (forest, agriculture), eel breeding and greenhouse, heating (with the help of heat pumps). Water at T+23 0 C or 30 0 C is used for greenhouses. Facilities are described experience gained and results of the different exploitations are given [fr

Hinkley Point 'C' power station public inquiry: statement of case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-08-01

This Statement of Case contains full particulars of the case which the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) proposes to put forward at the Hinkley Point ''C'' Inquiry. It relates to the planning application made by the CEGB for the construction of a 1200 MW Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) power station at Hinkley Point in the United Kingdom, adjacent to an existing nuclear power station. The inquiry will consider economic, safety, environmental and planning matters relevant to the application and the implications for agriculture and local amenities of re-aligning two power transmission lines. The Statement contains submissions on the following matters: Topic 1 The Requirement for the Station; Topic 2 Safety and Design, including Radioactive Discharges; Topic 3 The On-Site Management of Radioactive Waste and Decommissioning of the Station; Topic 4 Emergency Arrangements; Topic 5 Local and Environmental Issues. (author)

Smoke flow temperature beneath tunnel ceiling for train fire at subway station: Reduced-scale experiments and correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Na; Wang, Qiang; Liu, Zhaoxia; Li, Xiao; Yang, He

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Reduced-scale experiments on train fire at subway station. • Smoke flow temperature beneath tunnel ceiling measured and correlated. • Effect of platform-tunnel conjunction door type on smoke temperature is clarified. - Abstract: This paper is to investigate the smoke flow temperature beneath tunnel ceiling for a train on fire stopping besides a subway station. Experiments were carried out in a reduced-scale (1:10) subway station model to study the maximum smoke temperature and the longitudinal temperature distribution beneath the tunnel ceiling by considering platform-tunnel conjunction doors of two types: the full-seal platform screen door (PSD) and the full-height safety door. For the maximum temperature beneath the tunnel ceiling, it is found to be well correlated non-dimensionally with heat release rate by a 3.65 and a 2.92 power law function for the full-seal platform screen door and the full-height safety door, respectively. For the longitudinal temperature distribution along the tunnel ceiling, it can be well correlated by an exponential function for both types of platform-tunnel conjunction doors. Concerning the effect of the door type, the maximum temperature is lower and the longitudinal temperature decays faster for full-height safety door than that for full-seal PSD. This is due to that with the full-height safety door, the effective width of the tunnel ceiling is widened, which results in more heat losses from the smoke flow to the ceiling.

Further Analyses of the NASA Glenn Research Center Solar Cell and Photovoltaic Materials Experiment Onboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Matthew G.; Prokop, Norman F.; Krasowski, Michael J.; Piszczor, Michael F.; McNatt, Jeremiah S.

2016-01-01

Accurate air mass zero (AM0) measurement is essential for the evaluation of new photovoltaic (PV) technology for space solar cells. The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has flown an experiment designed to measure the electrical performance of several solar cells onboard NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Robotic Refueling Mission's (RRM) Task Board 4 (TB4) on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS). Four industry and government partners provided advanced PV devices for measurement and orbital environment testing. The experiment was positioned on the exterior of the station for approximately eight months, and was completely self-contained, providing its own power and internal data storage. Several new cell technologies including four-junction (4J) Inverted Metamorphic Multi-Junction (IMM) cells were evaluated and the results will be compared to ground-based measurement methods.

The Capillary Flow Experiments Aboard the International Space Station: Increments 9-15

Science.gov (United States)

Jenson, Ryan M.; Weislogel, Mark M.; Tavan, Noel T.; Chen, Yongkang; Semerjian, Ben; Bunnell, Charles T.; Collicott, Steven H.; Klatte, Jorg; dreyer, Michael E.

2009-01-01

This report provides a summary of the experimental, analytical, and numerical results of the Capillary Flow Experiment (CFE) performed aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The experiments were conducted in space beginning with Increment 9 through Increment 16, beginning August 2004 and ending December 2007. Both primary and extra science experiments were conducted during 19 operations performed by 7 astronauts including: M. Fincke, W. McArthur, J. Williams, S. Williams, M. Lopez-Alegria, C. Anderson, and P. Whitson. CFE consists of 6 approximately 1 to 2 kg handheld experiment units designed to investigate a selection of capillary phenomena of fundamental and applied importance, such as large length scale contact line dynamics (CFE-Contact Line), critical wetting in discontinuous structures (CFE-Vane Gap), and capillary flows and passive phase separations in complex containers (CFE-Interior Corner Flow). Highly quantitative video from the simply performed flight experiments provide data helpful in benchmarking numerical methods, confirming theoretical models, and guiding new model development. In an extensive executive summary, a brief history of the experiment is reviewed before introducing the science investigated. A selection of experimental results and comparisons with both analytic and numerical predictions is given. The subsequent chapters provide additional details of the experimental and analytical methods developed and employed. These include current presentations of the state of the data reduction which we anticipate will continue throughout the year and culminate in several more publications. An extensive appendix is used to provide support material such as an experiment history, dissemination items to date (CFE publication, etc.), detailed design drawings, and crew procedures. Despite the simple nature of the experiments and procedures, many of the experimental results may be practically employed to enhance the design of spacecraft engineering

Agricultural Education Curriculum Guide. Agricultural Production and Management I. Course No. 6811. Agricultural Production and Management II. Course No. 6812.

Science.gov (United States)

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

This document is designed for use by teachers of Agricultural Production and Management courses in North Carolina. It updates the competencies and content outlines from the previous guide. It lists core and optional competencies for two courses in seven areas as follows: leadership; supervised agricultural experience programs; animal science;…

URBAN AGRICULTURE DIVERSITY IN BRITAIN: BUILDING RESILIENCE THROUGH INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES

OpenAIRE

Gerrard , Ailbhe

2010-01-01

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5; International audience; Diversity of urban agriculture (UA) in Britain could reduce food security impacts if a crisis occured in industrial food production systems. Industrial agriculture (IA) both causes and suffers from a lack of resilience: environmental, financial and structural. In Britain, the allotment system, previously an important form of UA, now grossly insufficient to replace the output of industrial agriculture, particularly in London. With these poin...

The rise of Brazilian agriculture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Hans Grinsted; Vink, Nick; Sandrey, Ron

2014-01-01

of Brazilian agricultural policies, namely farmer support, the research and technology transfer system and land issues. The implications for South African agriculture can be summarized as the recognition that history, geography, the development path and agricultural policies all matter. The article......The purpose of this article is to explore some of the possible lessons for South African agriculture from the Brazilian experience. To this end, the article discusses the performance of Brazilian agriculture in terms of land and labour use, production, and exports. This is followed by aspects...... then identifies five important lessons for agricultural development in South Africa....

A Profile of Agricultural Education Teachers with Exemplary Rural Agricultural Entrepreneurship Education Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Heinert, Seth B.; Roberts, T. Grady

2017-01-01

Rural entrepreneurship education programs may be a great tool for enhancing rural livelihoods and reducing rural outmigration. Entrepreneurship has received attention in school based agricultural education, primarily through implementation of Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. Very little research has looked at the teaching of…

Radioisotopes in Burmese agricultural research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1961-07-15

The Burmese authorities decided to start a laboratory for the use of radioisotope techniques in agricultural r e search. The laboratory was set up at the Agricultural Research Institute at Gyogon, on the outskirts of Rangoon. Under its technical assistance program, IAEA assigned an expert in the agricultural applications of radioisotopes for this project. Discussions were held with regional representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization on the best lines of research to be adopted at the laboratory in its early stages. As the most important crop in Burma is rice, a series of experiments were planned for a study of the nutrition of rice, particularly its phosphorus uptake, with special reference to comparative responses on a range of typical paddy soils. The experiments began last year and are being continued.

Evaluation of soil fertility status of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Tarahara, Sunsari, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinesh Khadka

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Soil fertility evaluation of an area or region is most basic decision making tool for the sustainable soil nutrient management. In order to evaluate the soil fertility status of the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS, Tarahara, Susari, Nepal. Using soil sampling auger 81 soil samples (0-20 cm were collected based on the variability of land. The collected samples were analyzed for their texture, structure, colour, pH, OM, N, P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn status. The Arc-GIS 10.1 software was used for the preparation of soil fertility maps. The soil structure was granular to sub-angular blocky and varied between brown- dark grayish brown and dark gray in colour. The sand, silt and clay content were 30.32±1.4%, 48.92±0.89% and 20.76±0.92%, respectively and categorized as loam, clay loam, sandy loam, silt loam and silty clay loam in texture. The soil was moderately acidic in pH (5.98±0.08. The available sulphur (2.15±0.21 ppm, available boron (0.08±0.01 ppm and available zinc (0.35±0.03 ppm status were very low, whereas extractable magnesium (44.33±6.03 ppm showed low status. Similarly, organic matter (2.80±0.07%, total nitrogen (0.09±0.004 %, extractable calcium (1827.90±45.80 ppm and available copper (1.15±0.04 ppm were medium in content. The available phosphorus (39.77±5.27 ppm, extractable potassium (134.12±4.91 ppm, and available manganese (18.15±1.15 ppm exhibits high status, while available iron (244.7±19.70 ppm was very high. The fertilizer recommendation can be done based on determined soil fertility status to economize crop production. Furthermore, research farm should develop future research strategy accordance with the prepared soil data base.

Agricultural resources and development priorities of the municipality of Stara Pazova

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihailović Branko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the agricultural potentials of Stara Pazova, and consequently defines development priorities in this area. The aim at the research is to assess the real possibilities for improvement on agriculture Municipality. The analysis is focused on: knowledge transfer and innovation, agriculture technical equipment, warehouse and finishing capacities in agriculture, processing of agricultural products and the vision and development priorities over agriculture Municipality. The research results show that the improvement to the competitiveness of the agricultural sector of Stara Pazova requires the implementation of adequate policy measures and projects related to the improvement to human resources, higher level of processing of agricultural and food products, as well as better agricultural technical equipment agricultural producers. Activities in this area include primarily higher correlation science and practice across the reorganized agricultural station, extension services, home service , agricultural cooperatives and other associations of farmers; development and implementation of new knowledge and skills of farmers through advice, training, seminars, courses; support young farmers in the modernization of farms. All projects in this field must be based on adequate state support and coordinated efforts of the public and private sectors.

Southern Research Station Global Change Research Strategy 2011-2019

Science.gov (United States)

Kier Klepzig; Zoe Hoyle; Stevin Westcott; Emrys Treasure

2012-01-01

In keeping with the goals of the Research and Development agenda of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Southern Research Station (SRS) provides the information and technology needed to develop best management practices for the forest lands of the Southern United States, where science-guided actions are needed to sustain ecosystem health,...

Assessing the willingness of non-members to invest in new financial products in agricultural producer cooperatives: A choice experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eeva Alho

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The sourcing of outside investment capital from non-members has motivated the emergence of innovative cooperative structures, but the literature on these new organizational forms omits the perspective of an outside investor. This paper reports a study that applied a choice experiment method in a novel setting to increase understanding of the preferences of investors in agricultural firms. A large questionnaire dataset consisting of 845 financially literate subjects enabled testing of the form in which residual and control rights provide incentives for non-producer investors to invest in agricultural firms. The choice experiment data were analyzed using a latent class model. The results demonstrate that the subjects were interested in the currently hypothetical, new types of investment instruments in agricultural producer cooperatives. Three investor classes were distinguished based on the preferences: return-seeking, ownership-oriented and risk-averse investors. Who controls the firm appears to be irrelevant concerning willingness to invest, while the rural ties of the respondent are positively related to the preference for voting rights.

Agricultural Mechanization in Ethiopian: Experience, Status and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

friew

Maize and Sorghum are planted in April and the field operation continues till small .... story, no doubt that they have served in filing the gap in agricultural production, .... depressed yield as they will not be able to use the whole growing period.

Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) for the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Mudawar, Issam; O'Neill, Lucas; Hasan, Mohammad; Nahra, Henry; Hall, Nancy; Balasubramaniam, R.; Mackey, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

An effective means to reducing the size and weight of future space vehicles is to replace present mostly single-phase thermal management systems with two-phase counterparts. By capitalizing upon both latent and sensible heat of the coolant rather than sensible heat alone, two-phase thermal management systems can yield orders of magnitude enhancement in flow boiling and condensation heat transfer coefficients. Because the understanding of the influence of microgravity on two-phase flow and heat transfer is quite limited, there is an urgent need for a new experimental microgravity facility to enable investigators to perform long-duration flow boiling and condensation experiments in pursuit of reliable databases, correlations and models. This presentation will discuss recent progress in the development of the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) for the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration between Purdue University and NASA Glenn Research Center. Emphasis will be placed on the design of the flow boiling module and on new flow boiling data that were measured in parabolic flight, along with extensive flow visualization of interfacial features at heat fluxes up to critical heat flux (CHF). Also discussed a theoretical model that will be shown to predict CHF with high accuracy.

Cluster analysis of Southeastern U.S. climate stations

Science.gov (United States)

Stooksbury, D. E.; Michaels, P. J.

1991-09-01

A two-step cluster analysis of 449 Southeastern climate stations is used to objectively determine general climate clusters (groups of climate stations) for eight southeastern states. The purpose is objectively to define regions of climatic homogeneity that should perform more robustly in subsequent climatic impact models. This type of analysis has been successfully used in many related climate research problems including the determination of corn/climate districts in Iowa (Ortiz-Valdez, 1985) and the classification of synoptic climate types (Davis, 1988). These general climate clusters may be more appropriate for climate research than the standard climate divisions (CD) groupings of climate stations, which are modifications of the agro-economic United States Department of Agriculture crop reporting districts. Unlike the CD's, these objectively determined climate clusters are not restricted by state borders and thus have reduced multicollinearity which makes them more appropriate for the study of the impact of climate and climatic change.

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE III) on the International Space Station (ISS) Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Cisewski, Michael; Zawodny, Joseph; Gasbarre, Joseph; Eckman, Richard; Topiwala, Nandkishore; Rodriquez-Alvarez, Otilia; Cheek, Dianne; Hall, Steve

2014-01-01

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station (SAGE III/ISS) mission will provide the science community with high-vertical resolution and nearly global observations of ozone, aerosols, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide, and other trace gas species in the stratosphere and upper-troposphere. SAGE III/ISS measurements will extend the long-term Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) and SAGE data record begun in the 1970s. The multi-decadal SAGE ozone and aerosol data sets have undergone intense scrutiny and are considered the international standard for accuracy and stability. SAGE data have been used to monitor the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol. Key objectives of the mission are to assess the state of the recovery in the distribution of ozone, to re-establish the aerosol measurements needed by both climate and ozone models, and to gain further insight into key processes contributing to ozone and aerosol variability. The space station mid-inclination orbit allows for a large range in latitude sampling and nearly continuous communications with payloads. The SAGE III instrument is the fifth in a series of instruments developed for monitoring atmospheric constituents with high vertical resolution. The SAGE III instrument is a moderate resolution spectrometer covering wavelengths from 290 nm to 1550 nm. Science data is collected in solar occultation mode, lunar occultation mode, and limb scatter measurement mode. A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle will provide access to space. Mounted in the unpressurized section of the Dragon trunk, SAGE III will be robotically removed from the Dragon and installed on the space station. SAGE III/ISS will be mounted to the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier-4 (ELC-4) location on the starboard side of the station. To facilitate a nadir view from this location, a Nadir Viewing Platform (NVP) payload was developed which mounts between the carrier and the SAGE III Instrument Payload (IP).

Agriculture pest and disease risk maps considering MSG satellite data and land surface temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Marques da Silva, J. R.; Damásio, C. V.; Sousa, A. M. O.; Bugalho, L.; Pessanha, L.; Quaresma, P.

2015-06-01

Pest risk maps for agricultural use are usually constructed from data obtained from in-situ meteorological weather stations, which are relatively sparsely distributed and are often quite expensive to install and difficult to maintain. This leads to the creation of maps with relatively low spatial resolution, which are very much dependent on interpolation methodologies. Considering that agricultural applications typically require a more detailed scale analysis than has traditionally been available, remote sensing technology can offer better monitoring at increasing spatial and temporal resolutions, thereby, improving pest management results and reducing costs. This article uses ground temperature, or land surface temperature (LST), data distributed by EUMETSAT/LSASAF (with a spatial resolution of 3 × 3 km (nadir resolution) and a revisiting time of 15 min) to generate one of the most commonly used parameters in pest modeling and monitoring: "thermal integral over air temperature (accumulated degree-days)". The results show a clear association between the accumulated LST values over a threshold and the accumulated values computed from meteorological stations over the same threshold (specific to a particular tomato pest). The results are very promising and enable the production of risk maps for agricultural pests with a degree of spatial and temporal detail that is difficult to achieve using in-situ meteorological stations.

Materials on the International Space Station - Forward Technology Solar Cell Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Walters, R. J.; Garner, J. C.; Lam, S. N.; Vazquez, J. A.; Braun, W. R.; Ruth, R. E.; Lorentzen, J. R.; Bruninga, R.; Jenkins, P. P.; Flatico, J. M.

2005-01-01

This paper describes a space solar cell experiment currently being built by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in collaboration with NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), and the US Naval Academy (USNA). The experiment has been named the Forward Technology Solar Cell Experiment (FTSCE), and the purpose is to rapidly put current and future generation space solar cells on orbit and provide validation data for these technologies. The FTSCE is being fielded in response to recent on-orbit and ground test anomalies associated with space solar arrays that have raised concern over the survivability of new solar technologies in the space environment and the validity of present ground test protocols. The FTSCE is being built as part of the Fifth Materials on the International Space Station (MISSE) Experiment (MISSE-5), which is a NASA program to characterize the performance of new prospective spacecraft materials when subjected to the synergistic effects of the space environment. Telemetry, command, control, and communication (TNC) for the FTSCE will be achieved through the Amateur Satellite Service using the PCSat2 system, which is an Amateur Radio system designed and built by the USNA. In addition to providing an off-the-shelf solution for FTSCE TNC, PCSat2 will provide a communications node for the Amateur Radio satellite system. The FTSCE and PCSat2 will be housed within the passive experiment container (PEC), which is an approximately 2ft x2ft x 4in metal container built by NASA Langley Research Center (NASA LaRC) as part of the MISSE-5 program. NASA LaRC has also supplied a thin film materials experiment that will fly on the exterior of the thermal blanket covering the PCSat2. The PEC is planned to be transported to the ISS on a Shuttle flight. The PEC will be mounted on the exterior of the ISS by an astronaut during an extravehicular activity (EVA). After nominally one year, the PEC will be retrieved and returned to Earth. At the time of writing this paper, the

Identifying Best Practices for Engaging Faculty in International Agricultural Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexa J. Lamm

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Universities are being called upon to internationalize curriculum as the need for a globally competent workforce increases. Without globally-competent faculty, international integration within higher education cannot occur. Literature indicates that participation in short-term international agricultural education experiences is important to increasing agricultural faculty members’ cultural awareness. However, the best way to design and implement such experiences for faculty is uncharted. The purpose of the study was to identify best practices for facilitating a short-term international education experience for faculty in the agricultural and life sciences that encouraged learning, discussion, and reflection leading faculty to further integrate international perspectives in their agricultural courses in the U.S. Through a qualitative research design, reflective observations and statements from a planning team conducting short-term international agricultural education experience in Ecuador were used to provide a thick, rich description of the successes/challenges faced while designing and implementing the experience. The results provided a list of best practices future planning team members can use to emphasize learning before, during, and after a short-term international agricultural education experience for faculty.

Experience in industrial operation of the plant for immobilizing radioactive wastes in thermosetting resins at the Ardennes Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haller, P.; Romestain, P.; Bruant, J.P.

1983-01-01

The French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has developed, at the Grenoble Centre for Nuclear Studies, a procedure for immobilizing low- and intermediate-level wastes in thermosetting resins of the polyester or epoxy types. To demonstrate feasibility on an industrial scale, a pilot plant has been set up at the effluent treatment station of the Ardennes Franco-Belgium Nuclear Power Station (SENA), which is a 305 MW(e) PWR type. Assembly work began in January 1979. After a period devoted to final adjustments and operation with inactive products, conditioning of active products began in January 1981. In the paper, the methods of conditioning the three types of waste (evaporation concentrates, ion exchange resins and filter cartridges) are described, experience of the start-up and operation of the plant is reported and the principal results of coating characterization tests are given. The results of tests on active and inactive products show that the characteristics of the materials obtained on an industrial scale match those of laboratory products and confirm their high quality with regard to mechanical behaviour, fire resistance, homogeneity and low-leachability. Industrial experience and economic comparisons show that the process of immobilizing waste from nuclear power stations in thermosetting resins offers an extremely interesting alternative to classical methods of conditioning. (author)

9 CFR 89.2 - Two or more feedings at same station.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Two or more feedings at same station. 89.2 Section 89.2 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS (INCLUDING POULTRY) AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS STATEMENT...

Chemistry control experiences at Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), NPCIL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harikrishna, K.; Somasundaram, K.M.; Sanathkumar, V.V.; Nageswara Rao, G.

2006-01-01

The Chemistry control section at Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), NPCIL had keenly pursued many developmental works and projects which had not only improved the system performance and reliability but also largely benefited the Station by many ways. The highlights of some of the major developmental works that have contributed significantly are: 1. Studies on frequent and sharp rise in dew point values of AGMS: In the Annulus Gas Monitoring Systems (AGMS) of KGS units, it was observed that the system dew points were rising very sharply and abruptly. The systematic studies revealed the presence of Hydrogen impurity in CO 2 gas cylinders, hence emphasized the need to ensure the gaseous contents before injecting the media from the cylinders to the system. 2. a. Studies on frequent tube failures of TG auxiliary coolers: The detailed studies and investigation revealed that under deposit corrosion contributed by microbiological attack was the main cause for frequent failures of 90/10 Cupro Nickel cooler tubes which could be minimized either by resorting to periodical mechanical/chemical cleaning of cooler tubes or by regular chemical treatment with a suitable chemical formulation. b. Development of suitable chemical formulation for chemical cleaning of TG auxiliary coolers: A series of in-house experiments at site resulted in developing a suitable chemical formulation for effective cleaning of 90/10 Cupro Nickel cooler tubes. The formulation with 1 % w/w Citric acid with pH adjusted to 8.0 by Ammonia in first step followed by 1 % w/w EDTA with pH adjusted to 9.0 by Hydrazine in the second step could yield more than 90 % cleanliness. 3. Chemical cleaning of cooling circuits of AHUs: An in-house formulation was developed and used for chemical cleaning of cooling circuits (with copper tubes) of AHUs. Post chemical cleaning, the room temperatures decreased by 3-4 degC, hence resulted in better cooling. 4. Enhancement in service period of BBD IX columns: The service period of

Linking agriculture and environment: theoretical framework and experiences from developed and developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siwar, C.; Hossain, E.

2005-01-01

Despite significantly contributing to country's overall economic development through providing employment for the people and supplying raw materials for agro- and resource based industrial development, agriculture is putting serious burden on the environment in the process of production and consumption of agricultural produce. It is the largest consumer and polluter of water resources and contributor of atmospheric pollution, land degradation and forest reduction. Agriculture-environmental relationship is complex and the relationship depends on the spatial and biophysical factors and country's level of economic development. This paper tried to document the linkages between agricultural practices and policies with environment. The channels, through which agriculture impacts the environment, is discussed. It is seen that multilateral trade liberalization in agriculture interacts with the domestic agricultural policy reforms to determine the environmental impacts of agriculture. It is seen that agricultural policy reforms and agricultural trade liberalization can have separate environmental effects in the developed and developing countries. A wide range of theoretical and empirical literatures are reviewed, in this paper, to understand the concepts, linkages and environmental problems. Finally, this paper ends up with the conclusion that integrating environmental considerations into domestic agricultural policies and implementing agro-environmental programmes may ensure the decline of environmental problems of agriculture in both the developed and developing countries. (author)

Heat-related illness in Washington State agriculture and forestry sectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Spector, June T; Krenz, Jennifer; Rauser, Edmund; Bonauto, David K

2014-08-01

We sought to describe heat-related illness (HRI) in agriculture and forestry workers in Washington State. Demographic and clinical Washington State Fund workers' compensation agriculture and forestry HRI claims data (1995-2009) and Washington Agriculture Heat Rule citations (2009-2012) were accessed and described. Maximum daily temperature (Tmax) and Heat Index (HImax) were estimated by claim date and location using AgWeatherNet's weather station network. There were 84 Washington State Fund agriculture and forestry HRI claims and 60 Heat Rule citations during the study period. HRI claims and citations were most common in crop production and support subsectors. The mean Tmax (HImax) was 95°F (99°F) for outdoor HRI claims. Potential HRI risk factors and HRI-related injuries were documented for some claims. Agriculture and forestry HRI cases are characterized by potential work-related, environmental, and personal risk factors. Further work is needed to elucidate the relationship between heat exposure and occupational injuries. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Supervised Agricultural Experience Programmes (SAEP) and Work Linked Education (WLE): Panacea for Empowering Youths and Preventing Joblessness

Science.gov (United States)

Famiwole, Remigius O.

2015-01-01

Youths from Nigerian schools and tertiary institutions are usually unemployable after schooling because they are not empowered with the required saleable skills to earn them a job or with which to establish as entrepreneurs. This paper examines the relevance of Supervised Agricultural Experience Programme (SAEP) and Work Linked Education (WLE) as…

Experiments recently carried out on the photoemission station at Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurash Ibrahim; Wu Ziyu; Qian Haijie; Zhang Jing; Abbas, M.I.; Chen Zhigang; Su Run; Liu Fengqin

2003-01-01

With a sustained and steady operation of the photoemission station at Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, users from different research fields have carried out their investigation on the electronic structure of metal surface-interface, metal doped fullerene as well as colossal magneto-resistance materials utilizing different experimental modes provided by the photoemission station. In this paper authors would present some representative experimental results obtained on the station

Potential Agricultural Uses of Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum in the Northern Great Plains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DeSutter, T.M.; Cihacek, L.J. [North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND (United States). Department of Soil Science

2009-07-15

Flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) is a byproduct from the combustion of coal for electrical energy production. Currently, FGDG is being produced by 15 electrical generating stations in Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Much of this byproduct is used in the manufacturing of wallboard. The National Network for Use of FGDG in Agriculture was initiated to explore alternative uses of this byproduct. In the northern Great Plains (North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana), FGDG has the potential to be used as a Ca or S fertilizer, as an acid soil ameliorant, and for reclaiming or mitigating sodium-affected soils. Greater than 1.4 million Mg of FGDG could initially be used in these states for these purposes. Flue gas desulfurization gypsum can be an agriculturally important resource for helping to increase the usefulness of problem soils and to increase crop and rangeland production. Conducting beneficial use audits would increase the public awareness of this product and help identify to coal combustion electrical generating stations the agriculturally beneficial outlets for this byproduct.

Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE): Overview, Accomplishments and Future Needs

Science.gov (United States)

deGroh, Kim K.; Jaworske, Donald A.; Pippin, Gary; Jenkins, Philip P.; Walters, Robert J.; Thibeault, Sheila A.; Palusinski, Iwona; Lorentzen, Justin R.

2014-01-01

Materials and devices used on the exterior of spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) are subjected to environmental threats that can cause degradation in material properties, possibly threatening spacecraft mission success. These threats include: atomic oxygen (AO), ultraviolet and x-ray radiation, charged particle radiation, temperature extremes and thermal cycling, micrometeoroid and debris impacts, and contamination. Space environmental threats vary greatly based on spacecraft materials, thicknesses and stress levels, and the mission environment and duration. For more than a decade the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) has enabled the study of the long duration environmental durability of spacecraft materials in the LEO environment. The overall objective of MISSE is to test the stability and durability of materials and devices in the space environment in order to gain valuable knowledge on the performance of materials in space, as well as to enable lifetime predictions of new materials that may be used in future space flight. MISSE is a series of materials flight experiments, which are attached to the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS). Individual experiments were loaded onto suitcase-like trays, called Passive Experiment Containers (PECs). The PECs were transported to the ISS in the Space Shuttle cargo bay and attached to, and removed from, the ISS during extravehicular activities (EVAs). The PECs were retrieved after one or more years of space exposure and returned to Earth enabling post-flight experiment evaluation. MISSE is a multi-organization project with participants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Defense (DoD), industry and academia. MISSE has provided a platform for environmental durability studies for thousands of samples and numerous devices, and it has produced many tangible impacts. Ten PECs (and one smaller tray) have been flown, representing MISSE 1 through MISSE

Characterization of sewage sludge generated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and perspectives for agricultural recycling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Henrique Marques de Abreu

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Sanitary sewage collection and treatment is a serious environmental problem in Brazilian cities, as well as the destination of solid waste resulting from this process, i.e. the sewage sludge, a substance rich in organic matter and nutrients, which is normally discarded in landfills. The aim of this study was to characterize the sewage sludge generated in four treatment stations in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil and check if they meet the legal criteria of the National Environment Council (CONAMA, Resolution No. 375/2006. It also focused on analyzing the perspectives for its agricultural recycling based on the potential demand for main agricultural crops grown in Rio de Janeiro State. Samples from eight sewage sludge lots from four treatment stations located in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro were analyzed. These stations receive and treat only domestic sewage by activated sludge system. For chemical and biological characterization of these lots, representative samples were collected and analyzed according to parameters of CONAMA Resolution No. 375/2006. In order to analyze the perspectives of agricultural recycling of sewage sludge in Rio de Janeiro State, 10 crops with the largest cultivated area in the state were surveyed and analyzed which of them are apt to receive sewage sludge as fertilizer and/or soil amendment. To determine the potential demand for sewage sludge in agriculture, the area occupied by these crops were multiplied by each fertilizer recommendation considering the sewage sludge as fertilizer. The analyzed sludge presented a high content of nutrients and organic matter and was included in the parameters of heavy metals, pathogenic agents, and bacteriological indicators stipulated by CONAMA Resolution No. 375/2006. The agricultural panorama of Rio de Janeiro State is favorable for agricultural recycling of sewage sludge since there is a great potential demand for this residue and, among the 10 agricultural crops with the

Agricultural utilization of industrial thermal effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillermin, P.; Delmas, J.; Grauby, A.

1976-01-01

An assessment is made of the utilization of thermal effluent for agricultural purpose (viz. early vegetables, cereals, trees). Heated waters are being used in field experiments on soil heating, improvement of agricultural procedures and crop yields. Thermal pollution cannot be removed yet it is reduced to acceptable limits. New prospects are open to traditional agriculture, leading towards a more competitive industrial model [fr

The validity and reliability of the StationMaster: a device to improve the accuracy of station assessment in labour.

Science.gov (United States)

Awan, Noveen; Rhoades, Anthony; Weeks, Andrew D

2009-07-01

To compare the accuracy of digital assessment and the StationMaster (SM) in the assessment of fetal head station. The SM is a simple modification of the amniotomy hook which works by relocating the point of reference for station assessment from the ischial spines to the posterior fourchette. It is first adjusted to the woman's pelvic size, and then inserted into the vagina until it touches the fetal head. The station is then read off at the posterior fourchette in cm. An in vitro study of test validity and reliability was conducted at Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, UK. An apparatus was constructed in which a model fetal head could be accurately positioned within a mannequin's pelvis. Twenty midwives and 20 doctors (in current labour ward practice) gave their consent to take part. First, the head was placed in 5 random stations (-2 to +7 cm) and the participant asked to record their digital assessment for each. The participant was then taught to use the SM and the experiment repeated with 5 new stations. The complete experiment was repeated at least 2 weeks later using the same stations but in reverse order. The true values were compared with both the digital and SM assessments using mean differences with 95% limits of agreement. The repeatability of the two methods was assessed in the same way. Overall, the SM was more accurate than digital examination. The mean error (S.D.) ranged from 0.1 (1.2) to 2.6 (1.6) for the StationMaster and 0.3 (1.3) to 4.3 (1.1) for digital examination. Inaccuracies increased as the head descended through the pelvis. When assessed digitally, the true value fell outside one standard deviation for stations of more than +1cm. In contrast, with the SM the true value remained inside one standard deviation for all stations up to +5. In vitro the SM improves the accuracy of intrapartum station assessment.

Utilization of Live Localized Weather Information for Sustainable Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, J.; Usher, J.

2010-09-01

Authors: Jim Anderson VP, Global Network and Business Development WeatherBug® Professional Jeremy Usher Managing Director, Europe WeatherBug® Professional Localized, real-time weather information is vital for day-to-day agronomic management of all crops. The challenge for agriculture is twofold in that local and timely weather data is not often available for producers and farmers, and it is not integrated into decision-support tools they require. Many of the traditional sources of weather information are not sufficient for agricultural applications because of the long distances between weather stations, meaning the data is not always applicable for on-farm decision making processes. The second constraint with traditional weather information is the timeliness of the data. Most delivery systems are designed on a one-hour time step, whereas many decisions in agriculture are based on minute-by-minute weather conditions. This is especially true for decisions surrounding chemical and fertilizer application and frost events. This presentation will outline how the creation of an agricultural mesonet (weather network) can enable producers and farmers with live, local weather information from weather stations installed in farm/field locations. The live weather information collected from each weather station is integrated into a web-enabled decision support tool, supporting numerous on-farm agronomic activities such as pest management, or dealing with heavy rainfall and frost events. Agronomic models can be used to assess the potential of disease pressure, enhance the farmer's abilities to time pesticide applications, or assess conditions contributing to yield and quality fluctuations. Farmers and industry stakeholders may also view quality-assured historical weather variables at any location. This serves as a record-management tool for viewing previously uncharted agronomic weather events in graph or table form. This set of weather tools is unique and provides a

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ACCOUNTING AND DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRICULTURAL ACCOUNTING*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeki Doğan

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Agricultural sector, from past to present, had assumed very important duties on economic and social development of societies. It became a globally indispensable and strategic sector due to its various attributes such as: direct/indirect contributions to population nourishment, national income, employment, capital transfers, raw material supply for industry, exportation, biological diversity and ecological balance. Since the dawn of humankind, agricultural sector had gone through a variety of phases in terms of production activities and land proprietorship. Agricultural activities that emerged in the period of hunter-gatherer societies have been superseded by today’s specialized and planned agricultural enterprises utilizing information and technology. Agricultural accounting has also experienced a significant change in parallel with those improvements. This study aims to investigate historical development of agricultural accounting and difficulties encountered during its implementation. Research studies indicate that agricultural assets were initially recorded and inventory controls were performed by Sumerians. Until the Middle Ages, agricultural accounting did not experience any development, whereas it still encounters various difficulties eve

Performance Evaluation of the International Space Station Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) Test Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Mohammad; Balasubramaniam, R.; Nahra, Henry; Mackey, Jeff; Hall, Nancy; Frankenfield, Bruce; Harpster, George; May, Rochelle; Mudawar, Issam; Kharangate, Chirag R.;

Agricultural risk management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Mogens; Oksen, Arne; Larsen, Torben U.

2005-01-01

A new model for risk management in agriculture is described in the paper. The risk model is constructed as a context dependent process, which includes four main phases. The model is aimed at agricultural advisors, who wish to facilitate and disseminate risk management to farmers. It is developed...... and tested by an action research approach in an attempt to make risk management more applicable on family farms. Our obtained experiences indicate that farmers don’t apply probabilistic thinking and other concepts according to formal decision theory....

Hinkley Point 'C' power station public inquiry: outline statement of case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-05-01

This outline statement relates to the public inquiry to be held into the planning application by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) to construct a 1200 MW Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) power station at Hinkley Point (Hinkley Point ''C'') in the United Kingdom, adjacent to an existing nuclear power station. The inquiry will consider economic, safety, environmental and planning matters relevant to the application and the implications for agriculture and local amenities of the re-aligning of two 400 kV overhead transmission lines. The outline statement contains submissions on: policy contest and approach; the requirement for Hinkley Point ''C''; design and safety; local issues. (UK)

Fostering Multi-Functional Urban Agriculture: Experiences from the Champions in a Revitalized Farm Pond Community in Taoyuan, Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rung-Jiun Chou

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Urban agriculture (UA with its multi-functional roles has recently become a globally important topic, as it is considered as an approach to address the emerging challenges to societies seeking greater sustainability. In Taiwan, the Hakka community of Gaoyuan in Taoyuan City, where a traditional farm pond was recently transformed into a public, multi-functional UA resource, is widely regarded as the first successful bottom-up, community-led, farm-pond-based UA in Taiwan, yet its actual performance is rarely explored in any depth. Little work has been done to provide details on the socio-ecological benefits of UA in the community redevelopment process. Through in-depth interviews, fieldwork, and participant observation, this specific qualitative study aims to explore the community champions’ experiences in the transformation leading to a revitalized community. First, by linking nearby nature to people, a green network of diverse spaces, low-impact landscaping, and an agricultural-community-like pondscape, the specific landscape character that makes UA in Gaoyuan distinctive is formed. Second, through active engagement, participation, and the agency of local people, the UA implementation process features cooperative working, mutual learning, and experience-sharing. Third, UA plays a crucial role in building social cohesion that promotes people’s participation in community affairs, and strengthens the community’s social network, which involves agricultural life, crop production, the ecological environment, and community care. It is revealed that the farm-pond-based UA with its multi-functional roles acts as a catalyst for the Gaoyuan community’s progress toward sustainability. The desired end-state of the agricultural landscape, as a synthesis of natural features and human interventions, is a more sustainable, characteristic, well-maintained and united place to fulfill people’s needs and enhance people’s overall health and well-being.

Evolution of on-power refuelling system for 500 MWe PHWR based on experience from Rajasthan, Madras and Narora Atomic Power Stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warrier, S.R.; Inder Jit; Sanatkumar, A.

1991-01-01

The on-power fuel handling system design at Rajasthan and Madras Atomic Power Stations (RAPS and MAPS) is essentially based on the design of the fuel handling system at Douglas Point Station (CANADA) Although, a number of improvements have been carried out in the fuel handling system of RAPS and MAPS at the component and sub-assembly level, some problems of repetitive nature like frequent deterioration in the performance of B-ram ball screw, leak detector solenoid valves etc., still exist. Further, there are certain limitations and drawbacks in the fuelling systems of these stations. For example, FM carriage design would not meet current seismic qualification standards. Also there are chances of fuel transfer room getting contaminated during movement of a failed fuel bundle. In order to obviate these deficiencies, a new concept has been worked out for the fuel handling system of Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS) and accordingly, major changes have been made adopting a new layout. For example, FM head supporting arrangement has been changed to 'Suspension' type and a 'Linear-indexed' transfer magazine has been introduced in the fuel transfer system. Based on the experience gained from RAPS, MAPS and NAPS, design concept for 500 MWe fuel handling system has been evolved with further improvements especially in the layout. Also, a Calibration and Maintenance Facility for maintenance, testing calibration of FM head, sub-assemblies and components of fuel handling system has been introduced in the 500 MWe design. This paper discusses some of the experience gained from RAPS, MAPS and NAPS and also highlights the features of 500 MWe fuel handling system. (author)

How the Quantity of Agricultural Mechanics Training Received at the Secondary Level Impact Teacher Perceived Importance of Agricultural Mechanics Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Rasty, John; Anderson, Ryan G.; Paulsen, Thomas H.

2017-01-01

Preservice teacher candidates in agricultural education have expressed concerns with teaching agricultural mechanics content yet the number of required courses in agricultural mechanics has dwindled. To determine the root of current teachers' perceptions, it is important to look at the developmental experiences that have led to those perceptions.…

Simulation of a pressurized-water nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larminaux, Robert; Ourmann, Michel

1978-01-01

Faced with the large programme of fitting out PWR nuclear power stations, Electricite de France have undertaken a series of studies with a view to ensuring the best possible adaptation of the secondary part -particularly the feed water heating section- to the nuclear boiler. In order to undertake such studies it has been necessary to finalize simulation models of the entire power station. So as to verify the validity of the models, experiment-calculation comparisons were made during transient operating states recorded at the Ardennes power station as well as during starting up trials at the Tihange I power station [fr

Space Station Freedom pressurized element interior design process

Science.gov (United States)

Hopson, George D.; Aaron, John; Grant, Richard L.

1990-01-01

The process used to develop the on-orbit working and living environment of the Space Station Freedom has some very unique constraints and conditions to satisfy. The goal is to provide maximum efficiency and utilization of the available space, in on-orbit, zero G conditions that establishes a comfortable, productive, and safe working environment for the crew. The Space Station Freedom on-orbit living and working space can be divided into support for three major functions: (1) operations, maintenance, and management of the station; (2) conduct of experiments, both directly in the laboratories and remotely for experiments outside the pressurized environment; and (3) crew related functions for food preparation, housekeeping, storage, personal hygiene, health maintenance, zero G environment conditioning, and individual privacy, and rest. The process used to implement these functions, the major requirements driving the design, unique considerations and constraints that influence the design, and summaries of the analysis performed to establish the current configurations are described. Sketches and pictures showing the layout and internal arrangement of the Nodes, U.S. Laboratory and Habitation modules identify the current design relationships of the common and unique station housekeeping subsystems. The crew facilities, work stations, food preparation and eating areas (galley and wardroom), and exercise/health maintenance configurations, waste management and personal hygiene area configuration are shown. U.S. Laboratory experiment facilities and maintenance work areas planned to support the wide variety and mixtures of life science and materials processing payloads are described.

Sizewell B Power Station control dosimetry system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renn, G.

1995-01-01

Sizewell B Power Station is the first Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) built in the UK for commercial electricity production. An effective control dosimetry system is a crucial tool, in allowing the station to assess its radiological performance against targets. This paper gives an overview of the control dosimetry system at Sizewell B and describes early operating experience with the system. (UK)

Operating Experience with Nuclear Power Stations in Member States in 2012. 2013 Edition (CD-ROM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-07-01

This report is the forty-fourth in the IAEA’s series of annual reports on operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States. This report provides annual performance data and outage information for individual nuclear power plants from around the world. Summaries of historical performance and outages during the lifetimes of those plants are also included. Additionally, in order to provide a broad picture of nuclear power usage, this report contains six figures that illustrate global operational statistics through 2012. The report is a direct output from the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), whose databank contains all operating experience data published in the IAEA’s operating experience annual reports since 1970 and basic information on power reactors, including design data. It presents operating experience data for all worldwide nuclear power plants after starting commercial operation. The PRIS databank is available free of charge to IAEA Member States through its public website and on-line application PRIS-Statistics. The web-site www.iaea.org/pris contains publicly available information about reactor units and nuclear industry results. The PRIS-Statistics (http://pris.iaea.org) allows direct access to the database through the Internet. This application allows registered users report generation through pre-designed reports and filters

Experience in surveillance of the prestress of concrete reactor vessels in Wylfa nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawson, P.; Paton, A.A.; Walsh, S.R.

1989-01-01

This paper describes experience gained in the in-service surveillance of the prestressing system for the prestressed concrete reactor vessels (PCRVs) at Wylfa nuclear power station. The paper gives details of results for the prestressing system obtained from the statutory in-service inspection program of the PCRVs. The program includes a detailed examination of a selection of prestressing tendon anchorages, anchorage load checks using a lift-off technique on a one percent sample of tendons and corrosion inspection of samples of prestressing strand and determination of their mechanical properties. The results obtained from the above in-service inspections have shown that the prestressing system continues to function within its design limits

Exposure to a heat wave under food limitation makes an agricultural insecticide lethal: a mechanistic laboratory experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dinh, Khuong Van; Janssens, Lizanne; Stoks, Robby

2016-01-01

Extreme temperatures and exposure to agricultural pesticides are becoming more frequent and intense under global change. Their combination may be especially problematic when animals suffer food limitation. We exposed Coenagrion puella damselfly larvae to a simulated heat wave combined with food...... limitation and subsequently to a widespread agricultural pesticide (chlorpyrifos) in an indoor laboratory experiment designed to obtain mechanistic insights in the direct effects of these stressors in isolation and when combined. The heat wave reduced immune function (activity of phenoloxidase, PO...... variables. While the immediate effects of the heat wave were subtle, our results indicate the importance of delayed effects in shaping the total fitness impact of a heat wave when followed by pesticide exposure. Firstly, the combination of delayed negative effects of the heat wave and starvation...

Experience in the chemistry field from the operating cycle of Grohnde and Philippsburg II nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobi, G.; Ruehle, W.

1987-01-01

Experience from the primary section of the plants in relation to the activity pattern of corrosion products, indicates primarily that cobalt-free materials have been used throughout in Philippsburg II nuclear power station, which was no longer economically possible at Grohnde because of the advanced stages of manufacture and installation. Consequently, the activity concentration for Co-60 in Philippsburg was lower from the outset than at a comparable time at Grohnde. The second part of the paper discusses experience from the secondary section of the plants, based on the AVT (all volatile treatment) method of operation and its effect on the deposits in the steam generators. The chemical control is described and a comparison is made between the sampling points at Grohnde and Philippsburg II. (orig.) [de

Relation between climate and diesel fuel rate consumption for sugar cane agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fonte Hernandez, Aramis; Rivero Vega, Roger

2005-01-01

In the present work, some results are shown of a study carried out within the ENERCLIMA project. The principal objective was to establish the relationship between diesel fuel rate consumption by agricultural equipment in activities related to sugar cane production and simple climatic variables. Through a statistical analysis, we show the possibility of obtaining statistical models of an acceptable confidence level, as applied to some of these activities, which could be used in order to plan more rationally the level of fuel consumption of the agricultural companies with access to meteorological stations located nearby

Pilot plant experiments at Wairakei Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Kevin L.; Bacon, Lew G.

2009-01-01

In the mid-1990s, several pilot plants were constructed at Wairakei to either improve the operational and economic performance of the power station or to mitigate the environmental effects of discharges to the Waikato River. The results of the following investigations are discussed: (1) fluid flow dynamic effects on silica scaling; (2) production of silica sols of predetermined particle size to evaluate the potential for generating commercial grade silica products; (3) use of 'sulfur oxidising bacteria' for the abatement of dissolved hydrogen sulphide in cooling water; (4) removal of arsenic from separated geothermal water; (5) steam line condensate corrosion; and (6) measurement and modelling of steam scrubbing in Wairakei's long steamlines. (author)

The local impacts of nuclear stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gammon, K.M.

1981-01-01

The paper looks at the various non-radiological impacts of nuclear power stations on the environment which are grouped as ecological, amenity and socio-economic effects. The study and assessment of environment impacts are explained and comparisons made between those from nuclear and coal fired power stations. The prediction of future effects and judgement of their significance is difficult but is helped by the procedures evolved and by knowledge from the construction and operation of a large number of projects in physically different locations. Research is also needed into new issues and this must be recognised early. From experience of a number of nuclear stations it appears that the local impacts are acceptable provided care is taken. (author)

Contrastive Research on Domestic and Foreign Ecological Agriculture Policies

OpenAIRE

Chen, Jianwei; Qi, Yan-bin; Zhao, Yufeng

2010-01-01

In the first place, the definitions of ecological agriculture defined by scholars both at home and abroad are introduced. In the second place, the domestic and foreign ecological agriculture policies are expounded. Through contrastive research on the domestic and foreign ecological agriculture polices, the problems in the development of ecological agriculture in China are found. By mirroring the western experiences in developing ecological agriculture, the countermeasures and relevant suggest...

The Trencin water power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

This leaflet describes the Trencin water power station. The Trencin water power station was built seven years after the Dubnica nad Vahom water power station started its operation and was the last stage of the first and the oldest derived cascade of water power stations on the Vah River. After completing water power stations at Ladce (1936), Ilava (1946) and Dubnica nad Vahom (1949) and before constructing the Trencin water power station, the whole second derived cascade of water power stations including water power stations at Kostolna, Nove Mesto nad Vahom and Horna Streda was built as soon as possible mainly because the need to get compensation for discontinued electricity supplies as well as energetic coal from the Czech Republic. Hereby, experiences from the construction of previous grades were used, mainly as far as the dimensioning was concerned, as the fi rst installed power stations had, in comparison with the growing requirements on the electricity supplies, very low absorption capacity - only 150 m 3 .s -1 . Thus the Trencin power station (original name was the Skalka power station) was already dimensioned for the same absorption capacity as the cascade located downstream the river, that is 180 m 3 .s -1 . That was related also to growing demands on electricity supplies during the peaks in the daily electric system load diagram, and thus to the transfer from continuous operation of the water power station to semi-peak or even peak performance. According to the standards of power station classification, the Trencin water power station is a medium size, low pressure, channel power station with two units equipped by Kaplan turbines and synchronous hydro-alternators. The water power station installed capacity is 16.1 MW in total and its designed annual production of electrical energy for medium water year is 85,000 MWh, while the average annual production during the last 30 years is 86,252 MWh. Installed unit has a four-blade Kaplan turbine with the diameter

Maintenance experience on reactor recirculation pumps at Tarapur Atomic Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, A.K.

1995-01-01

Reactor recirculation pumps at Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) are vertical, single stage centrifugal pumps having mechanical shaft seals and are driven by vertical mounted 3.3 kV, 3 phase, 1500 h.p. electric motors. During these years of operation TAPS has gained enough experience and expertise on the maintenance of reactor recirculation pumps which are dealt in this article. Failure of mechanical shaft seals, damage on pump carbon bearings, motor winding insulation failures and motor shaft damage have been the main areas of concern on recirculation pump. A detailed procedure step by step with component sketches has helped in eliminating errors during shaft seal assembly and installation. Pressure breakdown devices in seal assembly were rebuilt. Additional coolant water injection for shaft seal cooling was provided. These measures have helped in extending the reactor recirculation pump seal life. Pump bearing problems were mainly due to failure of anti-rotation pins and dowel pins of bearing assembly. These pins were redesigned and strengthened. Motor stator winding insulation failures were detected. Stator winding replacement program has been taken up on regular basis to avoid winding insulation failure due to aging. 3 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs

Weather Risk Management in Agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martina Bobriková

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on valuation of a weather derivative with payoffs depending on temperature. We use historical data from the weather station in the Slovak town Košice to obtain unique prices of option contracts in an incomplete market. Numerical examples of prices of some contracts are presented, using the Burn analysis. We provide an example of how a weather contract can be designed to hedge the financial risk of a suboptimal temperature condition. The comparative comparison of the selected option hedging strategies has shown the best results for the producers in agricultural industries who hedges against an unfavourable weather conditions. The results of analysis proved that by buying put option or call option, the farmer establishes the highest payoff in the case of temperature decrease or increase. The Long Straddle Strategy is the most expensive but is available to the farmer who hedges against a high volatility in temperature movement. We conclude with the findings that weather derivatives could be useful tools to diminish the financial losses for agricultural industries highly dependent for temperature.

Quality control of Ling'ao nuclear power station civil construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Buliang; Ye Changyuan

2001-01-01

Based on the quality control model adopted during Ling'ao Nuclear Power Station construction, the author briefly introduces quality control process of some main civil construction activities (reinforced concrete, steel liner, steel works and prestressing force) of nuclear power station, and makes some descriptions on non-conformance control of civil works. These quality control processes described come from the concrete practice during civil construction of Ling'ao Nuclear Power Station, and are based on Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station construction experience

How to make agricultural extension demand-driven?: The case of India's agricultural extension policy

OpenAIRE

Birner, Regina; Anderson, Jock R.

2007-01-01

"Many countries have recognized the need to revive agricultural advisory or extension services (the terms are used interchangeably here) as a means of using agriculture as an engine of pro-poor growth; reaching marginalized, poor, and female farmers; and addressing new challenges, such as environmental degradation and climate change. In spite of ample experience with extension reform worldwide, identifying the reform options most likely to make extension more demand-driven remains a major cha...

Impacts of a Faculty Abroad Experience on Teaching Style and Technology Use in a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Sandlin, M'Randa R.; Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Lindner, James R.; Dooley, Kim E.

2013-01-01

Faculty abroad programs are becoming a popular method to provide faculty in colleges of agriculture with international experiences so they may internationalize their curricula. These programs also serve to provide experiential faculty development opportunities. Eight faculty members from Texas A&M University participated in a faculty abroad…

Optimizing Placement of Weather Stations: Exploring Objective Functions of Meaningful Combinations of Multiple Weather Variables

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, A.; Dietterich, T.; Selker, J. S.

2017-12-01

Many regions of the world lack ground-based weather data due to inadequate or unreliable weather station networks. For example, most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have unreliable, sparse networks of weather stations. The absence of these data can have consequences on weather forecasting, prediction of severe weather events, agricultural planning, and climate change monitoring. The Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological Observatory (TAHMO.org) project seeks to address these problems by deploying and operating a large network of weather stations throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. To design the TAHMO network, we must determine where to place weather stations within each country. We should consider how we can create accurate spatio-temporal maps of weather data and how to balance the desired accuracy of each weather variable of interest (precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, etc.). We can express this problem as a joint optimization of multiple weather variables, given a fixed number of weather stations. We use reanalysis data as the best representation of the "true" weather patterns that occur in the region of interest. For each possible combination of sites, we interpolate the reanalysis data between selected locations and calculate the mean average error between the reanalysis ("true") data and the interpolated data. In order to formulate our multi-variate optimization problem, we explore different methods of weighting each weather variable in our objective function. These methods include systematic variation of weights to determine which weather variables have the strongest influence on the network design, as well as combinations targeted for specific purposes. For example, we can use computed evapotranspiration as a metric that combines many weather variables in a way that is meaningful for agricultural and hydrological applications. We compare the errors of the weather station networks produced by each optimization problem formulation. We also compare these

Nutrient uptake by agricultural crops from biochar-amended soils: results from two field experiments in Austria

Science.gov (United States)

Karer, Jasmin; Zehetner, Franz; Kloss, Stefanie; Wimmer, Bernhard; Soja, Gerhard

2013-04-01

The use of biochar as soil amendment is considered as a promising agricultural soil management technique, combining carbon sequestration and soil fertility improvements. These expectations are largely founded on positive experiences with biochar applications to impoverished or degraded tropical soils. The validity of these results for soils in temperate climates needs confirmation from field experiments with typical soils representative for intensive agricultural production areas. Frequently biochar is mixed with other organic additives like compost. As these two materials interact with each other and each one may vary considerably in its basic characteristics, it is difficult to attribute the effects of the combined additive to one of its components and to a specific physico-chemical parameter. Therefore investigations of the amendment efficacy require the study of the pure components to characterize their specific behavior in soil. This is especially important for adsorption behavior of biochar for macro- and micronutrients because in soil there are multiple nutrient sinks that compete with plant roots for vital elements. Therefore this contribution presents results from a field amendment study with pure biochar that had the objective to characterize the macro- and microelement uptake of crops from different soils in two typical Austrian areas of agricultural production. At two locations in North and South-East Austria, two identical field experiments on different soils (Chernozem and Cambisol) were installed in 2011 with varying biochar additions (0, 30 and 90 t/ha) and two nitrogen levels. The biochar was a product from slow pyrolysis of wood (SC Romchar SRL). During the installation of the experiments, the biochar fraction of corn). An omission of biochar addition at the same nitrogen addition rate resulted in a yield decrease of 10 % for barley although the total N uptake was 11 % higher but P and K uptake decreased by 14 and 6 %. This indicates that the

Ethanolamine experience at Koeberg nuclear power station, South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galt, K.J.; Caris, N.B.

2002-01-01

Following testing of ethanolamine as an alternative to ammonia on Unit 2 in 1997, Unit 1 of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station was converted to ethanolamine in 1998. The Unit has now operated for just over one and a half cycle on ETA. The decision to change to ETA was made to achieve further reductions in feedwater iron transport. Koeberg has always operated ammonia/hydrazine AVT control and ran the feedwater pH at 9.6-9.7 before the changeover. The original pH levels were increased in response to concerns over flow-accelerated corrosion. A by product of reducing the FAC rates is a reduction in iron transport. Although nominally all-ferrous, there are a number of small copper-containing components and the Koeberg Engineering Department would not countenance a further increase in ammonia concentrations in case of copper transport to the SGs. This led to ethanolamine being selected as an alternative to ammonia. The Koeberg condensate polishing plant has been modified, largely to accommodate ETA operation, but is not currently operable in the modified configuration. It is therefore on standby while ETA is implemented. The SG blowdown demineralizers have begun to be operated past ammonia/ETA break, but optimisation is largely dependent on CPP availability in the modified configuration. This paper documents the Koeberg experience to date of operation under an ethanolamine-AVT regime. As one of the few plants outside of the USA to have changed to ethanolamine, it is hoped we can make a valuable contribution for other non-US plants considering such a move. (authors)

Two-way laser ranging and time transfer experiments between LOLA and an Earth-based satellite laser ranging station

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, D.; Sun, X.; Neumann, G. A.; Barker, M. K.; Mazarico, E. M.; Hoffman, E.; Zagwodzki, T. W.; Torrence, M. H.; Mcgarry, J.; Smith, D. E.; Zuber, M. T.

2017-12-01

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) has established time-of-flight measurements with mm precision to targets orbiting the Earth and the Moon using single-ended round-trip laser ranging to passive optical retro-reflectors. These high-precision measurements enable advances in fundamental physics, solar system dynamics. However, the received signal strength suffers from a 1/R4 decay, which makes it impractical for measuring distances beyond the Moon's orbit. On the other hand, for a two-way laser transponder pair, where laser pulses are both transmitted to and received from each end of the laser links, the signal strength at both terminals only decreases by 1/R2, thus allowing a greater range of distances to be covered. The asynchronous transponder concept has been previously demonstrated by a test in 2005 between the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) aboard the MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, Geochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft and NASA's Goddard Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory (GGAO) at a distance of ˜0.16 AU. In October 2013, regular two-way transponder-type range measurements were obtained over 15 days between the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) aboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft and NASA's ground station at White Sands, NM. The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) provides us a unique capability to test time-transfer beyond near Earth orbit. Here we present results from two-way transponder-type experiments between LOLA and GGAO conducted in March 2014 and 2017. As in the time-transfer by laser link (T2L2) experiments between a ground station and an earth-orbiting satellite, LOLA and GGAO ranged to each other simultaneously in these two-way tests at lunar distance. We measured the time-of-flight while cross-referencing the spacecraft clock to the ground station time. On May 4th, 2017, about 20 minutes of two-way measurements were collected. The

Agricultural Credit Discount Fund – Agribusiness support credit line - Macedonian experience

OpenAIRE

Kovachev, Goran

2012-01-01

The main objective of this study is to emphasize the importance of creating special governmental refinancing institutions targeted towards strategic economic sectors. Such institution in Macedonia is Agricultural Credit Discount Fund, a separate unit within the Macedonian Bank for Development Promotion that administers a credit line meant to support the agribusiness. As it is commonly known agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors of the country. The ACDF's 'modus operandi' i...

Toward Future Photovoltaic-Based Agriculture in Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Moustafa, Khaled

2016-04-01

To meet the challenges of climate change and water shortages, combining solar energy-based seawater desalination technologies with floating agriculture stations in one innovative hybrid system would be worthy of investigation for dry and sunny regions for seawater desalination and crop production within the same platform. Here, I discuss the feasibility of such a 'floating farm' or 'bluehouse' in the sea, by comparing it with the use of terrestrial greenhouses. I also debate the potential advantages and shortcomings of such a system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Was Einstein wrong? Space station research may find out

CERN Multimedia

2002-01-01

Experiments using ultra-precise clocks on the International Space Station will attempt to check if Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity is correct. Future experiments may also yield evidence of string theory (1 page).

[Risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers].

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, M J; Chen, Y; Li, Y; Hu, J; Zhang, X J

2017-08-20

Objective: To examine the risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers. Methods: A total of 103 drivers (who had suffered agricultural vehicle road traffic injury within the past year based on the road traffic injury registrar from the Traffic Management Bureau) who were involved in the annual agricultural vehicle inspection from December 2014 to January 2015 were randomly sampled from the Yixing Agricultural Vehicle Station as the case group for this study. Based on a 1∶2 assignment ratio and matched for sex, age, and education, a total of 206 drivers who had not suffered any agricultural vehicle road traffic injury within the past year were selected as the control group. The general information, vehicle information, driving information, driving behavior, and accident details of the agricultural vehicle drivers were analyzed. Results: The incidence rate of road traffic injury was 7.24% given the 103 agricultural vehicle drivers who had suffered agricultural vehicle road traffic injury in the past year. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that drinking, debt, pressure, history of car accident, history of drunk driving, smoking and phone use during driving, fatigue driving, and driving with illness were the risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers ( OR =2.332, 2.429, 19.778, 5.589, 8.517, 2.125, 3.203, 10.249 and 5.639, respectively) . Multivariate logistic regression analysis also demonstrated that pressure, history of car accident, history of drunk driving, fatigue driving, and driving with illness were the risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers ( OR =12.139, 11.184, 6.729, 5.939, and 6.544, respectively) . Conclusion: Pressure, history of car accident, history of drunk driving, fatigue driving, and driving with illness are the major risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers.

Gravitational biology on the space station

Science.gov (United States)

Keefe, J. R.; Krikorian, A. D.

1983-01-01

The current status of gravitational biology is summarized, future areas of required basic research in earth-based and spaceflight projects are presented, and potential applications of gravitational biology on a space station are demonstrated. Topics covered include vertebrate reproduction, prenatal/postnatal development, a review of plant space experiments, the facilities needed for growing plants, gravimorphogenesis, thigmomorphogenesis, centrifuges, maintaining a vivarium, tissue culture, and artificial human organ generation. It is proposed that space stations carrying out these types of long-term research be called the National Space Research Facility.

Isotopes in tropical agriculture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1962-04-15

Ways in which the use of radioisotopes and radiation can help to improve the agriculture of tropical Africa were discussed by a panel of experts. The panel included scientists from Africa, Europe, and the United States, most of whom had had actual experience dealing with agricultural problems in various parts of tropical Africa. The experts agreed that radioisotopes and radiation might now be employed to particular advantage in tropical Africa to improve crop nutrition and combat insect pests. Other applications discussed were in the fields of hydrology, plant breeding and food preservation

Isotopes in tropical agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1962-01-01

Ways in which the use of radioisotopes and radiation can help to improve the agriculture of tropical Africa were discussed by a panel of experts. The panel included scientists from Africa, Europe, and the United States, most of whom had had actual experience dealing with agricultural problems in various parts of tropical Africa. The experts agreed that radioisotopes and radiation might now be employed to particular advantage in tropical Africa to improve crop nutrition and combat insect pests. Other applications discussed were in the fields of hydrology, plant breeding and food preservation

WTO disciplines on agricultural support: Experience to date and assessment of Doha proposals

OpenAIRE

Orden, David; Blandford, David; Josling, Timothy Edward; Brink, Lars

2011-01-01

When the World Trade Organization (WTO) was created in 1995, its members committed themselves to a set of disciplines for domestic support, market access, and export competition for agriculture. The Agreement on Agriculture laid the way for the pursuit of progressive reductions in world agricultural market distortions. Its supporters hoped the new rules and commitments would encourage countries to move domestic farm policies in a less trade-distorting direction. This research brief examines t...

Modular space station, phase B extension. Program operations plan

Science.gov (United States)

1971-01-01

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

[Experience in organization of joint actions of expert divisions during the accident at P.S. Podporozniy Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station].

Science.gov (United States)

Kolkutin, V V; Ivanov, P L; Fetisov, V A; Afanas'ev, S A; Dorozhkin, O A; Vognerubov, R N; Kuznetsov, T L

2010-01-01

The authors illustrate positive experience in organization and coordination of joint actions of expert divisions of different sectors during the accident at P.S. Podporozniy Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station in August 2009. Special emphasis is laid on the participation of experts of quick-reaction teams formed by territorial forensic medical bureaus, mobile and supporting forces from the adjacent regions.

Influence of agricultural activities, forest fires and agro-industries on air quality in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Phairuang, Worradorn; Hata, Mitsuhiko; Furuuchi, Masami

2017-02-01

Annual and monthly-based emission inventories in northern, central and north-eastern provinces in Thailand, where agriculture and related agro-industries are very intensive, were estimated to evaluate the contribution of agricultural activity, including crop residue burning, forest fires and related agro-industries on air quality monitored in corresponding provinces. The monthly-based emission inventories of air pollutants, or, particulate matter (PM), NOx and SO 2 , for various agricultural crops were estimated based on information on the level of production of typical crops: rice, corn, sugarcane, cassava, soybeans and potatoes using emission factors and other parameters related to country-specific values taking into account crop type and the local residue burning period. The estimated monthly emission inventory was compared with air monitoring data obtained at monitoring stations operated by the Pollution Control Department, Thailand (PCD) for validating the estimated emission inventory. The agro-industry that has the greatest impact on the regions being evaluated, is the sugar processing industry, which uses sugarcane as a raw material and its residue as fuel for the boiler. The backward trajectory analysis of the air mass arriving at the PCD station was calculated to confirm this influence. For the provinces being evaluated which are located in the upper northern, lower northern and northeast in Thailand, agricultural activities and forest fires were shown to be closely correlated to the ambient PM concentration while their contribution to the production of gaseous pollutants is much less. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Trends in the capital costs of CANDU generating stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, A.M.

1982-09-01

This paper consolidates the actual cost experience gained by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Ontario Hydro, and other Canadian electric utlities in the planning, design and construction of CANDU-PHWR (CANada Deuterium Uranium-Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor) generating stations over the past 30 years. For each of the major CANDU-PHWR generating stations in operation and under construction in Canada, an analysis is made to trace the evolution of the capital cost estimates. Major technical, economic and other parameters that affect the cost trends of CANDU-PHWR generating stations are identified and their impacts assessed. An analysis of the real cost of CANDU generating stations is made by eliminating interest during construction and escalation, and the effects of planned deferment of in-service dates. An historical trend in the increase in the real cost of CANDU power plants is established. Based on the cost experience gained in the design and construction of CANDU-PHWR units in Canada, as well as on the assessment of parameters that influence the costs of such projects, the future costs of CANDU-PHWRs are presented

Data collecting and treatment control system in the «Alpha-Electron» space experiment on board the International Space Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galper, A M; Batischev, A G; Naumov, P P; Naumov, P Yu

2017-01-01

The fast multilayer scintillation detector of the new telescope-spectrometer for the ALFA-ELECTRON space experiment is in ground testing mode now. Modules of data control system for spectrometer are discussed. The structure of the main data format and functional blocks for data treatment are presented. The device will planned to install on the outer surface of the Russian Segment (RS) of the International Space Station (ISS) in 2018. (paper)

Passive Thermal Design Approach for the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed Experiment on the International Space Station (ISS)

Science.gov (United States)

Siamidis, John; Yuko, Jim

2014-01-01

The Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program Office at NASA Headquarters oversees all of NASAs space communications activities. SCaN manages and directs the ground-based facilities and services provided by the Deep Space Network (DSN), Near Earth Network (NEN), and the Space Network (SN). Through the SCaN Program Office, NASA GRC developed a Software Defined Radio (SDR) testbed experiment (SCaN testbed experiment) for use on the International Space Station (ISS). It is comprised of three different SDR radios, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) radio, Harris Corporation radio, and the General Dynamics Corporation radio. The SCaN testbed experiment provides an on-orbit, adaptable, SDR Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) - based facility to conduct a suite of experiments to advance the Software Defined Radio, Space Telecommunications Radio Systems (STRS) standards, reduce risk (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) advancement) for candidate Constellation future space flight hardware software, and demonstrate space communication links critical to future NASA exploration missions. The SCaN testbed project provides NASA, industry, other Government agencies, and academic partners the opportunity to develop and field communications, navigation, and networking technologies in the laboratory and space environment based on reconfigurable, software defined radio platforms and the STRS Architecture.The SCaN testbed is resident on the P3 Express Logistics Carrier (ELC) on the exterior truss of the International Space Station (ISS). The SCaN testbed payload launched on the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) and was installed on the ISS P3 ELC located on the inboard RAM P3 site. The daily operations and testing are managed out of NASA GRC in the Telescience Support Center (TSC).

Farming for Ecosystem Services: An Ecological Approach to Production Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Philip Robertson, G; Gross, Katherine L; Hamilton, Stephen K; Landis, Douglas A; Schmidt, Thomas M; Snapp, Sieglinde S; Swinton, Scott M

2014-05-01

A balanced assessment of ecosystem services provided by agriculture requires a systems-level socioecological understanding of related management practices at local to landscape scales. The results from 25 years of observation and experimentation at the Kellogg Biological Station long-term ecological research site reveal services that could be provided by intensive row-crop ecosystems. In addition to high yields, farms could be readily managed to contribute clean water, biocontrol and other biodiversity benefits, climate stabilization, and long-term soil fertility, thereby helping meet society's need for agriculture that is economically and environmentally sustainable. Midwest farmers-especially those with large farms-appear willing to adopt practices that deliver these services in exchange for payments scaled to management complexity and farmstead benefit. Surveyed citizens appear willing to pay farmers for the delivery of specific services, such as cleaner lakes. A new farming for services paradigm in US agriculture seems feasible and could be environmentally significant.

Farming for Ecosystem Services: An Ecological Approach to Production Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Philip Robertson, G.; Gross, Katherine L.; Hamilton, Stephen K.; Landis, Douglas A.; Schmidt, Thomas M.; Snapp, Sieglinde S.; Swinton, Scott M.

2014-01-01

A balanced assessment of ecosystem services provided by agriculture requires a systems-level socioecological understanding of related management practices at local to landscape scales. The results from 25 years of observation and experimentation at the Kellogg Biological Station long-term ecological research site reveal services that could be provided by intensive row-crop ecosystems. In addition to high yields, farms could be readily managed to contribute clean water, biocontrol and other biodiversity benefits, climate stabilization, and long-term soil fertility, thereby helping meet society's need for agriculture that is economically and environmentally sustainable. Midwest farmers—especially those with large farms—appear willing to adopt practices that deliver these services in exchange for payments scaled to management complexity and farmstead benefit. Surveyed citizens appear willing to pay farmers for the delivery of specific services, such as cleaner lakes. A new farming for services paradigm in US agriculture seems feasible and could be environmentally significant. PMID:26955069

Radiation dosimetry for microbial experiments in the International Space Station using different etched track and luminescent detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goossens, O.; Vanhavere, F.; Leys, N.; De Boever, P.; O'Sullivan, D.; Zhou, D.; Spurny, F.; Yukihara, E. G.; Gaza, R.; McKeever, S. W. S.

2006-01-01

The laboratory of Microbiology at SCK.CEN, in collaboration with different universities, participates in several ESA programmes with bacterial experiments that are carried out in the International Space Station (ISS). The main objective of these programmes is to study the effects of space flight conditions such as microgravity and cosmic radiation on the general behaviour of model bacteria. To measure the radiation doses received by the bacteria, different detectors accompanied the microbiological experiments. The results obtained during two space flight missions are discussed. This dosimetry experiment was a collaboration between different institutes so that the doses could be estimated by different techniques. For measurement of the high linear energy transfer (LET) doses (>10 keV μm -1 ), two types of etched track detectors were used. The low LET part of the spectrum was measured by three types of thermoluminescent detectors ( 7 LiF:Mg,Ti; 7 LiF:Mg,Cu,P; Al 2 O 3 :C) and by the optically stimulated luminescence technique using Al 2 O 3 :C detectors. (authors)

Space Station Freedom - Configuration management approach to supporting concurrent engineering and total quality management. [for NASA Space Station Freedom Program

Science.gov (United States)

Gavert, Raymond B.

1990-01-01

Some experiences of NASA configuration management in providing concurrent engineering support to the Space Station Freedom program for the achievement of life cycle benefits and total quality are discussed. Three change decision experiences involving tracing requirements and automated information systems of the electrical power system are described. The potential benefits of concurrent engineering and total quality management include improved operational effectiveness, reduced logistics and support requirements, prevention of schedule slippages, and life cycle cost savings. It is shown how configuration management can influence the benefits attained through disciplined approaches and innovations that compel consideration of all the technical elements of engineering and quality factors that apply to the program development, transition to operations and in operations. Configuration management experiences involving the Space Station program's tiered management structure, the work package contractors, international partners, and the participating NASA centers are discussed.

A method for optical ground station reduce alignment error in satellite-ground quantum experiments

Science.gov (United States)

He, Dong; Wang, Qiang; Zhou, Jian-Wei; Song, Zhi-Jun; Zhong, Dai-Jun; Jiang, Yu; Liu, Wan-Sheng; Huang, Yong-Mei

2018-03-01

A satellite dedicated for quantum science experiments, has been developed and successfully launched from Jiuquan, China, on August 16, 2016. Two new optical ground stations (OGSs) were built to cooperate with the satellite to complete satellite-ground quantum experiments. OGS corrected its pointing direction by satellite trajectory error to coarse tracking system and uplink beacon sight, therefore fine tracking CCD and uplink beacon optical axis alignment accuracy was to ensure that beacon could cover the quantum satellite in all time when it passed the OGSs. Unfortunately, when we tested specifications of the OGSs, due to the coarse tracking optical system was commercial telescopes, the change of position of the target in the coarse CCD was up to 600μrad along with the change of elevation angle. In this paper, a method of reduce alignment error between beacon beam and fine tracking CCD is proposed. Firstly, OGS fitted the curve of target positions in coarse CCD along with the change of elevation angle. Secondly, OGS fitted the curve of hexapod secondary mirror positions along with the change of elevation angle. Thirdly, when tracking satellite, the fine tracking error unloaded on the real-time zero point position of coarse CCD which computed by the firstly calibration data. Simultaneously the positions of the hexapod secondary mirror were adjusted by the secondly calibration data. Finally the experiment result is proposed. Results show that the alignment error is less than 50μrad.

AMO EXPRESS: A Command and Control Experiment for Crew Autonomy Onboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Stetson, Howard K.; Haddock, Angie T.; Frank, Jeremy; Cornelius, Randy; Wang, Lui; Garner, Larry

2015-01-01

NASA is investigating a range of future human spaceflight missions, including both Mars-distance and Near Earth Object (NEO) targets. Of significant importance for these missions is the balance between crew autonomy and vehicle automation. As distance from Earth results in increasing communication delays, future crews need both the capability and authority to independently make decisions. However, small crews cannot take on all functions performed by ground today, and so vehicles must be more automated to reduce the crew workload for such missions. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program funded Autonomous Mission Operations (AMO) project conducted an autonomous command and control experiment on-board the International Space Station that demonstrated single action intelligent procedures for crew command and control. The target problem was to enable crew initialization of a facility class rack with power and thermal interfaces, and involving core and payload command and telemetry processing, without support from ground controllers. This autonomous operations capability is enabling in scenarios such as initialization of a medical facility to respond to a crew medical emergency, and representative of other spacecraft autonomy challenges. The experiment was conducted using the Expedite the Processing of Experiments for Space Station (EXPRESS) rack 7, which was located in the Port 2 location within the U.S Laboratory onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Activation and deactivation of this facility is time consuming and operationally intensive, requiring coordination of three flight control positions, 47 nominal steps, 57 commands, 276 telemetry checks, and coordination of multiple ISS systems (both core and payload). Utilization of Draper Laboratory's Timeliner software, deployed on-board the ISS within the Command and Control (C&C) computers and the Payload computers, allowed development of the automated procedures specific to ISS without having to certify

Integration of agriculture in policies of mitigation of climate changes. Collection of international experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandaele, Diane; Martin, Sarah; Larbodiere, Ludovic; Portet, Fabienne; Marrel, Solenn

2012-03-01

After having indicated some key figures about France and the European Union (population, surface, levels and objectives of greenhouse gas emissions, share of the main sectors in greenhouse gas emissions), this document reports the study of innovative policies implemented by different countries (New-Zealand, Australia, United States and Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany and Brazil) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector. These policies correspond to an integration of agriculture into the carbon market, a participation of landowners to the carbon market, a use of agriculture as a compensatory activity, a reduction of emissions by the milk sector, an energy independence, a reduction of CO 2 and CH 4 emissions and a diversification of agriculture while supporting methanation, or a program for a low carbon agriculture

Implementing international experience in promoting agricultural products to foreign markets: the Russian export strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilia S. Revenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Almost all countries in the world actively regulate both import and export of agricultural products, however this process is very conflictгфд because of acute contradictions on the market. They are associated with the changing conditions of production, increase of attention of the world community to the food securitysituation, change of the used resources efficiency level, competition enhancement. Both internal and external components of agricultural producers support are important for Russia. That means the regulation should be aimed at meeting the needs of the domestic market and at increasing competitiveness of Russian products abroad. The development of the Russian export strategy for agricultural products is currently very important. This problem is closely related to the general subject of the agricultural productiondevelopment, but it has an explicit specific character. Inthiscontextexperienceofforeigncountriesisinteresting. Almost all tools of export regulation existing in the world practice are used in the foreign practice of export regulation of agricultural raw materials and food. Stimulation measures prevail in regards to the coverage of commodity items, number of episodes involving the use of agricultural export regulationmeasures, effectiveness of impact to the national agricultural sector. Holistic strategies of agricultural export development are not a widespread phenomenon abroad at the present stage of the world economy development. Their existence is typical for countries with a high level of food self-sufficiency. Special programs where export component is a harmonically built-in element are now more widely spread. Export development programs of the developed countries include a range of measures to maintain the target income level of producers and to maintain procurement and consumer prices. Export policy of the developing countries has a subordinated importance and is considered as one of the levels to develop national

International Space Station Data Collection for Disaster Response

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanov, William L.; Evans, Cynthia A.

2015-01-01

Remotely sensed data acquired by orbital sensor systems has emerged as a vital tool to identify the extent of damage resulting from a natural disaster, as well as providing near-real time mapping support to response efforts on the ground and humanitarian aid efforts. The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique terrestrial remote sensing platform for acquiring disaster response imagery. Unlike automated remote-sensing platforms it has a human crew; is equipped with both internal and externally-mounted remote sensing instruments; and has an inclined, low-Earth orbit that provides variable views and lighting (day and night) over 95 percent of the inhabited surface of the Earth. As such, it provides a useful complement to autonomous sensor systems in higher altitude polar orbits. NASA remote sensing assets on the station began collecting International Disaster Charter (IDC) response data in May 2012. The initial NASA ISS sensor systems responding to IDC activations included the ISS Agricultural Camera (ISSAC), mounted in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF); the Crew Earth Observations (CEO) Facility, where the crew collects imagery using off-the-shelf handheld digital cameras; and the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO), a visible to near-infrared system mounted externally on the Japan Experiment Module Exposed Facility. The ISSAC completed its primary mission in January 2013. It was replaced by the very high resolution ISS SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System (ISERV) Pathfinder, a visible-wavelength digital camera, telescope, and pointing system. Since the start of IDC response in 2012 there have been 108 IDC activations; NASA sensor systems have collected data for thirty-two of these events. Of the successful data collections, eight involved two or more ISS sensor systems responding to the same event. Data has also been collected by International Partners in response to natural disasters, most notably JAXA and

Soils of Agricultural Terraces with Retaining Walls in the Mountains of Dagestan

Science.gov (United States)

Borisov, A. V.; Korobov, D. S.; Idrisov, I. A.; Kalinin, P. I.

2018-01-01

Soil-archeological studies of agricultural terraces with retaining walls in the area of construction of the Gotsatlinskaya Hydroelectric Power Station in Khunzakh district of the Republic of Dagestan have been performed. The morphogenetic and chemical properties of the anthropogenic soils (Anthrosols) in different parts of the terrace complex are analyzed. It is argued that slope terracing in the mountains ensures the development of thicker soil profiles with pronounced genetic horizons. The soils of agricultural terraces store important information of the paleoenvironmental history and land use. A characteristic feature of the Anthrosols of agricultural terraces is a relatively even distribution of gravelly material of up to 5 cm in diameter in the plow layer. The soils of terraces are characterized by the high variability in their properties within the entire terrace complex and within the particular terraces.

Experience of the application of the distribution of utilities for the non agricultural cooperatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Luis Alfonso Alemán

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The cooperatives in Cuba assumes a series of particularities characteristic of the concrete conditions of our country, it is an autochthonous fruit of the measures carried out soon after the victory of the Revolution that in the current moments with the implementation of the Limits of the Economic and Social Politics of the Party and the Revolution transcends the sphere of the agricultural production and sandal other sectors of the national economy. Even when the nature of this process is of experimental character and in spite of the remarkable youth of the on experiences in practice, important results are obtained that sustain the viability and sostenibility of this implementation project. Nevertheless, they are revealed a group of inadequacies that you/they affect in a direct way the administration in these new cooperative ways whose solution will allow to base new decisions for the sake of its improvement, one of these he/she has to do with the current system of distribution of utilities that doesn't guarantee the efficient and effective development of the process of socioeconomic administration of these entities. For it the objective of this work consists on structuring a system of distribution of utilities in the non Agricultural Cooperatives that it allows the constitution of funds of own resources that you/they contribute to the efficient and effective development of its process socioeconomic administration.

Full scale reactor safety experiments performed in the Marviken Power Station Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thoren, H.G.; Ericson, L.

1977-01-01

Since 1972 experiments oriented towards increasing the understanding of reactor safety processes have been performed at the Marviken Power Station. This was originally built as a direct cycle BHWR but was never taken into nuclear operation. In addition to Sweden, the countries represented in these experiments are Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, Norway, the United States, the Netherlands, France and Japan. The first series of sixteen experiments included studies of the response of the PS-containment to simulated ruptures in the pipe systems that are connected to the pressure vessel. These tests were completed in 1973 and also included experimental studies of iodine transport, containment leakage, the behaviour of auxiliary components under accident conditions and pressure fluctuations in the wetwell water pool. One of the more essential findings of the tests was that the containment performance was in accordance with the pre-test calculations. A second series of eight blowdown tests was begun in February 1976. The main purpose of these tests is to provide additional information as to the characteristics of the pressure oscillations inside the containment and primarily in the wetwell water pool under different conditions. These oscillations were observed in the first series of blowdowns but only low frequencies could then be detected due to limitations in the measurement system. The measurement system was therefore substantially extended for this second series of experiments. A summary of the results from these two sets of blowdown tests are given in the paper. In 1976 preparations for a new test program were initiated. The objective of these tests is to improve the understanding of critical flow in the low quality and subcooled flow regions through short length, large diameter pipes. Extensive modifications of the test facility will be necessary in order to allow a discharge flow through openings which are up to 500 mm in diameter. Advanced plans

TNB Experience in Developing Solar Hybrid Station at RPS Kemar, Gerik, Perak Darul Ridzuan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aziz, K A; Shamsudin, K N

2013-01-01

This paper will discuss on TNB experience in developing Solar Hybrid Station at RPS Kemar, Gerik, Perak. TNB has been approached by KKLW to submit proposal to provide electricity in the rural area namely RPS Kemar. Looking at area and source available, Solar Hybrid System was the best method in order to provide electricity at this area. This area is far from national grid sources. Solar Hybrid System is the best method to produce electrical power using the renewable energy from Solar PV, Battery and Diesel Generator Set. Nowadays, price of petroleum is slightly high due to higher demand from industry. Solar energy is good alternative in this country to practice in order to reduce cost for produce of electrical energy. Generally, Solar will produce energy during daytime and when become cloudy and dark, automatically battery and diesel generator set will recover the system through the hybrid controller system.

The Miksova water power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Miksova water power station produced total of about 7,161,342 MWh of electricity in its 40 years of activity. According to its functionality, the Miksova pumped storage station (Miksova II) the upper reservoir of which was built from 1963 to 1966 on the Benovsky stream, was an interesting hydro-energy construction. The lower reservoir was formed by the enlarged discharge channel of the Miksova water power station. This power station was a pilot project, at which pumping reversible turbines and other mechanical-technical equipment for hydro power stations were tested, especially for the future construction of PVE Ruzin and Liptovska Mara. A turbine set with a diagonal reversible turbine and an installed capacity of 2.6 MW, which had an operational capacity of 11.2 m 3 .s -1 in a turbine mode of operation and using a head of 22 to 28 m, was installed in the machine room. It pumped 8.8 m 3 .s -1 of water with a power input of 3.1 MW in a pumping mode of operation. During the period of its operation from 1971 to 1984, pumping hydro power station Miksova II produced a total of 13,042 MWh of electricity in total, but by testing reversible turbines and the simulation of some special hydraulic phenomena, this power station lost its importance as low-efficiency source, stopped working and its technological equipment was demounted. Experiences from its construction and from its few years of operation were later used during the construction of our pumping hydro power stations. Prolonging its operating period should help with the installation of a bigger basin on the inflow, from which a greater amount of water could be used for the generation of electrical power in turbine mode of operation

Experience of remote under water handling operations at Tarapur Atomic Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, S.K.

1990-01-01

Each Refuelling outage of Tarapur Atomic Power Station Reactors involves a great deal of remote underwater handling operations using special remote handling tools, working deep down in the reactor vessel under about sixty feet of water and in the narrow confines of highly radioactive core. The remote underwater handling operations include incore and out of core sipping operations, fuel reloading or shuffling, uncoupling of control rod drives, replacement and shuffling of control blades, replacement of local power range monitors, spent fuel shipment in casks, retrieval of fallen or displaced fuel top guide spacers, orifices and their installation, underwater CCTV inspection of reactor internals, core verification, channelling and dechannelling of fuel bundles, inspection of fuel bundles and channels, unbolting and removal of old racks, installation of high density racks, removal and reinstallation of fuel support plugs and guide tubes, underwater cutting of irradiated hardware material and their disposal, fuel reconstitution, removal and reinstallation of system dryer separator etc.. The paper describes in brief the salient experience of remote underwater handling operations at TAPS especially the unusual problems faced and solved, by using special tools, employing specific techniques and by repeated efforts, patience, ingenuity and skills. (author). 10 figs

Agriculture: Agriculture and Air Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Information on air emissions from agricultural practices, types of agricultural burning, air programs that may apply to agriculture, reporting requirements, and links to state and other federal air-quality information.

Cacao genetic resources research at the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

The current USDA ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station’s (TARS) cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) collection in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, consists of 262 clonally propagated accessions. Each accession is represented by six individual trees grafted onto a common ‘Amelonado’ seedling rootstock and planted ...

Experiences of occupational dose reduction at the Fugen nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Kazuya; Nakao, Hiromi; Naoi, Yohsuke; Takei, Hiroaki

1992-01-01

Occupational radiation dose has been effectively suppressed by efforts against both internal and external exposure in the Fugen nuclear power station. The tritium internal dose is completely suppressed by developments of high sensitivity tritium monitors with hollow fiber radon filters, comfortable tritium protection suits, and established working procedure for equipment maintenance of the heavy water system. The internal occupational dose has been suppressed to a negligible level comparing to the external dose. The external occupational dose had increased with dose rates of the primary cooling system. Establishment of radiation work procedure for maintenance works and development of chemical decontamination has been effectively saving the external occupational dose. The chemical decontaminations carried out in 1989 and 1991 are the first applications to the whole primary cooling system of operating power stations in Japan. This paper describes these efforts and effects on occupational dose reduction in Fugen. (author)

Supporting research in Brazilian agriculture and the Amazon Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz-Ribadeneira, F.J.

1989-01-01

Isotope experiments in agriculture have been carried out in Brazil since 1954. Since 1982, the IAEA has supported the agricultural sciences in Brazil through the projects financed under the IAEA's technical assistance and co-operation programme. These projects include: Radioisotopes in Agriculture; Biological Nitrogen Fixation; Animal Science; Medfly Eradication; and Soil Formation and Degradation. 26 refs, 6 figs, 1 tab

Return on experience on control gates in nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valendru, N.

2009-01-01

In application of an EDF internal directive, control gates are used at the exit of the Controlled Areas of each nuclear power station site for the radiological control of materials or wastes on pedestrians and vehicles. The author first presents the radiological control chain for people and its principles. This chain comprises the different controls performed within the controlled area, either at the exit of a works area or at the exit of the reactor building, the different controls performed at the exit of the controlled area (depending on the site classification), the control of pedestrians at the site exit, and the 'whole body' anthropo-gamma-metric control. For each of these controls, the authors indicate the detection objectives, the different contamination threshold values, and the type of gate used. In a second part, the authors more precisely present the new C2 gates which include gamma and beta sensors, indicate how control thresholds are adjusted on different power station sites, and discuss the lessons learned after the first years of use of these new gates (difficulties and problems faced as far as detection and detection thresholds are concerned, changes in organization)

Journal of Agricultural Extension Vol.17 (2) December, 2013 ISSN ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ONIKOYI

Federal College of Education Technical, Bichi, Kano State ... promises the creation of over 3.5 million jobs to young people and women across the country .... adopted to give the youth a chance to air their views, share their experiences on agriculture .... Delta Central Agricultural Zone: Challenges to agricultural extension ...

Feasibility analysis of large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment for the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Alberts, Samantha J.

The investigation of microgravity fluid dynamics emerged out of necessity with the advent of space exploration. In particular, capillary research took a leap forward in the 1960s with regards to liquid settling and interfacial dynamics. Due to inherent temperature variations in large spacecraft liquid systems, such as fuel tanks, forces develop on gas-liquid interfaces which induce thermocapillary flows. To date, thermocapillary flows have been studied in small, idealized research geometries usually under terrestrial conditions. The 1 to 3m lengths in current and future large tanks and hardware are designed based on hardware rather than research, which leaves spaceflight systems designers without the technological tools to effectively create safe and efficient designs. This thesis focused on the design and feasibility of a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment, which utilizes temperature variations to drive a flow. The design of a helical channel geometry ranging from 1 to 2.5m in length permits a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment to fit in a seemingly small International Space Station (ISS) facility such as the Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR). An initial investigation determined the proposed experiment produced measurable data while adhering to the FIR facility limitations. The computational portion of this thesis focused on the investigation of functional geometries of fuel tanks and depots using Surface Evolver. This work outlines the design of a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment for the ISS FIR. The results from this work improve the understanding thermocapillary flows and thus improve technological tools for predicting heat and mass transfer in large length-scale thermocapillary flows. Without the tools to understand the thermocapillary flows in these systems, engineers are forced to design larger, heavier vehicles to assure safety and mission success.

The GEM detectors for the innermost region of the forward muon station of the LHCb experiment

CERN Document Server

Alfonsi, M

The LHCb experiment will take place at the LHC accelerator at CERN and will start in 2008. It is dedicated to precision measurements of CP violation and rare decays in the b quark sec- tor. The apparatus is a single arm spectrometer and it is designed with a robust and flexible trigger in order to extensively gain access to a wide spread of differ ent physical processes involving beauty particles. This will allow to over-constrain the Standard M odel predictions about CP violation, and to discover any possible inconsistency, whi ch would reveal the presence of “New Physics” beyond the Standard Model. This thesis reports the work performed on two aspects of the L HCb experiment: the main contribution is the development and the construction of a de tector based on Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) technology for the instrumentation of the high irradiated region around the beam pipe of the forward Muon Station; in the second part t he possibility of the search of the rare D 0 → + − decay at the LHCb exper...

Dietary shifts and implications for US agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, P

1995-06-01

Changes to healthier dietary patterns similar to those of traditional Mediterranean diets or those of the US government's dietary guidelines and food guide pyramid would require significant changes in American agricultural practices. The volume, mix, production, and marketing of agricultural commodities would need to be modified. Because differences between actual and recommended intakes for major food groups are quite large and affect a broad range of products, adjustments in supply and demand could overshadow past experience in dealing with such changes. New food and agriculture policies may well be needed to ease and accelerate agricultural adjustments, to improve nutritional characteristics of popular foods, and to promote desirable changes in consumers' food choices.

The DOSIS -Experiment onboard the Columbus Laboratory of the International Space Station -Overview and first mission results

Science.gov (United States)

Reitz, Guenther; Berger, Thomas; Kürner, Christine; Burmeister, Sünke; Hajek, Michael; Bilski, Pawel; Horwacik, Tomasz; Vanhavere, Filip; Spurny, Frantisek; Jadrnickova, Iva; Pálfalvi, József K.; O'Sullivan, Denis; Yasuda, Nakahiro; Uchihori, Yukio; Kitamura, Hisashi; Kodaira, Satoshi; Yukihara, Eduardo; Benton, Eric; Zapp, Neal; Gaza, Ramona; Zhou, Dazhuang; Semones, Edward; Roed, Yvonne; Boehme, Matthias; Haumann, Lutz

Besides the effects of the microgravity environment, and the psychological and psychosocial problems encountered in confined spaces, radiation is the main health detriment for long dura-tion human space missions. The radiation environment encountered in space differs in nature from that on earth, consisting mostly of high energetic ions from protons up to iron, resulting in radiation levels far exceeding the ones encountered on earth for occupational radiation workers. Accurate knowledge of the physical characteristics of the space radiation field in dependence on the solar activity, the orbital parameters and the different shielding configurations of the International Space Station ISS is therefore needed. The DOSIS (Dose Distribution inside the ISS) experiment, under the project and science lead of DLR, aims for the spatial and tempo-ral measurement of the radiation field parameters inside the European Columbus laboratory onboard the International Space Station. This goal is achieved by applying a combination of passive (Thermo-and Optical luminescence detectors and Nuclear track etch detectors) and active (silicon telescope) radiation detectors. The passive radiation detectors -so called pas-sive detector packages (PDP) are mounted at eleven positions within the Columbus laboratory -aiming for a spatial dose distribution measurement of the absorbed dose, the linear energy transfer spectra and the dose equivalent with an average exposure time of six months. Two active silicon telescopes -so called Dosimetry Telescopes (DOSTEL 1 and DOSTEL 2) together with a Data and Power Unit (DDPU) are mounted within the DOSIS Main Box at a fixed loca-tion beneath the European Physiology Module (EPM) rack. The DOSTEL 1 and DOSTEL 2 detectors are positioned at a 90 angle to each other for a precise measurement of the temporal and spatial variation of the radiation field, especially during crossing of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). The DOSIS hardware was launched with the

BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE - ECO-FRIENDLY AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veselka Vlahova

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Biodynamic agriculture is undoubtedly the oldest organized agricultural movement in the world. It is considered as an organic agricultural farming approach and determined as the oldest organized alternative agricultural movement in the world. In 1924 Rudolf Steiner – an Austrian natural scientist and philosopher, carried out a series of eight lectures in Koberwitz, currently Kobierzyce- Poland, where he formulated his visions on changes in agriculture and revealed his spiritual and scientific concepts about the connection between nature and agriculture by determining the important role of agriculture for the future of humanity and thus he became known as “the father of anthroposophy”. The great ecological effect of the application of the biodynamic agriculture is expressed in soil preservation and preservation of the living organisms in the soil, as well as maintenance of the natural balance in the vegetable and animal kingdom.

Space Station Workshop: Commercial Missions and User Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

1988-01-01

The topics of discussion addressed during a three day workshop on commercial application in space are presented. Approximately half of the program was directed towards an overview and orientation to the Space Station Project; the technical attributes of space; and present and future potential commercial opportunities. The remaining time was spent addressing technological issues presented by previously-formed industry working groups, who attempted to identify the technology needs, problems or issues faced and/or anticipated by the following industries: extraction (mining, agriculture, petroleum, fishing, etc.); fabrication (manufacturing, automotive, aircraft, chemical, pharmaceutical and electronics); and services (communications, transportation and retail robotics). After the industry groups presented their technology issues, the workshop divided into smaller discussion groups composed of: space experts from NASA; academia; industry experts in the appropriate disciplines; and other workshop participants. The needs identified by the industry working groups, space station technical requirements, proposed commercial ventures and other issues related to space commercialization were discussed. The material summarized and reported are the consensus from the discussion groups.

Building Capacity to Use Earth Observations in Decision Making for Climate, Health, Agriculture and Natural Disasters

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, A. W.; Ceccato, P.

2015-12-01

In order to fill the gaps existing in climate and public health, agriculture, natural disasters knowledge and practices, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) has developed a Curriculum for Best Practices in Climate Information. This Curriculum builds on the experience of 10 years courses on 'Climate Information' and captures lessons and experiences from different tailored trainings that have been implemented in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In this presentation, we will provide examples of training activities we have developed to bring remote sensing products to monitor climatic and environmental information into decision processes that benefited users such as the World Health Organization, Ministries of Health, Ministries of Agriculture, Universities, Research Centers such as CIFOR and FIOCRUZ. The framework developed by IRI to provide capacity building is based on the IDEAS framework: Innovation (research) Around climate impacts, evaluation of interventions, and the value of climate information in reducing risks and maximizing opportunities Demonstration E.g. in-country GFCS projects in Tanzania and Malawi - or El Nino work in Ethiopia Education Academic and professional training efforts Advocacy This might focus on communication of variability and change? We are WHO collaborating center so are engaged through RBM/Global Malaria Programme Service ENACTS and Data library key to this. Country data better quality than NASA as incorporates all relevant station data and NASA products. This presentation will demonstrate how the IDEAS framework has been implemented and lessons learned.

Evaluation of scenery in power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakatani, Yoshifumi; Yamamoto, Kimio

1982-01-01

In the location of power sources hereafter, the location in natural landscape away from urban district tends to increase, accordingly, it is necessary to investigate beforehand the influence to surrounding scenery. However, the method of predicting and evaluating the effect on scenery has not yet been established, therefore, in this study, the basic concept on the investigation, forecast and evaluation of the scenery in power stations was clarified, and the establishment of the work procedure to evaluate the scenery and the effectiveness of the method of forecast and evaluation were examined. Also, the problems when power station facilities exert influence on scenery and the countermeasures to them were considered. Psychological experiment was carried out on the method of evaluation, and the structure and the regulating factors of scenery evaluation were clarified. Recently, good living environment is desired by public, and to the problems of fine environment regarding power stations, more attention is paid. The scenery problems of power stations are the protection of nature and the preservation of good living environment. Since this is an undeveloped field, many problems to be examined still remain. (Kako, I.)

Scale dependent drivers of wild bee diversity in tropical heterogeneous agricultural landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Parthiba; Parui, Arpan Kumar; Chatterjee, Soumik; Dutta, Aditi; Chakraborty, Pushan; Roberts, Stuart; Smith, Barbara

2016-10-01

Factors associated with agricultural intensification, for example, loss of seminatural vegetation and pesticide use has been shown to adversely affect the bee community. These factors may impact the bee community differently at different landscape scales. The scale dependency is expected to be more pronounced in heterogeneous landscapes. However, the scale-dependent response of the bee community to drivers of its decline is relatively understudied, especially in the tropics where the agricultural landscape is often heterogeneous. This study looked at effects of agricultural intensification on bee diversity at patch and landscape scales in a tropical agricultural landscape. Wild bees were sampled using 12 permanent pan trap stations. Patch and landscape characteristics were measured within a 100 m (patch scale) and a 500 m (landscape scale) radius of pan trap stations. Information on pesticide input was obtained from farmer surveys. Data on vegetation cover, productivity, and percentage of agricultural and fallow land (FL) were collected using satellite imagery. Intensive areas in a bee-site network were less specialized in terms of resources to attract rare bee species while the less intensive areas, which supported more rare species, were more vulnerable to disturbance. A combination of patch quality and diversity as well as pesticide use regulates species diversity at the landscape scale (500 m), whereas pesticide quantity drove diversity at the patch scale (100 m). At the landscape scale, specialization of each site in terms of resources for bees increased with increasing patch diversity and FL while at the patch scale specialization declined with increased pesticide use. Bee functional groups responded differentially to landscape characteristics as well as pesticide use. Wood nesting bees were negatively affected by the number of pesticides used but other bee functional groups were not sensitive to pesticides. Synthesis and Applications : Different factors

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS IN DESIGN OF AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMING IN RADIO TEOCELO, VERACRUZ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antolin Silvestre Martiñón-Martínez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The mass media, are an important complement in the agricultural extension, however, radio is the most economical mass media, so their potential is huge especially in rural areas. The present study was carried out at a community radio station (Radio Teocelo, with coffee producers, in three municipalities in the area Center of Veracruz, it should be noted that the radio has an audience formed mainly by agricultural producers, also this medium has been used for agricultural extension by the UNCADER (training unit for Rural Development, through an agricultural program called "The Moon in Uncader", with mainly technical information, however, it is necessary to propose relevant socio-economic issues that may be part of an optional agricultural programming, and/or complement the technical programming that is transmitted by the agricultural program. The study found a positive attitude to the proposed socio-economic issues, since most was obtained 80% of positive responses, highlighting the transmission of information on: marketing, government programs, visits to successful producers and transmission of successful cases of successful producers, also adopted a positive attitude for the program is disseminated by mass media mainly Teocelo Radio and are willing to personally spread mainly with friends.

STUDY OF INFLUENCE OF WIND-POWER STATIONS ON BIRDS: ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gorlov P. I.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The world experience of bird collisions with wind-power stations was analyzed. The detailcharacteristics of principal threats to the birds during building and exploitation of wind-power stations was done. Comparative analysis of factors caused annual birds mortality was performed. Some proposals of negative influence minimization were suggested for wind-power stations utilization.

Agricultural experts’ attitude towards precision agriculture: Evidence from Guilan Agricultural Organization, Northern Iran

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Sadegh Allahyari; Masoumeh Mohammadzadeh; Stefanos A. Nastis

2016-01-01

Identifying factors that influence the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding precision agriculture plays an important role in developing, promoting and establishing precision agriculture. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding the implementation of precision agriculture. A descriptive research design was employed as the research method. A research-made questionnaire was used to examine the agricultural experts’ attitude to...

Agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goetz, B.; Riss, A.; Zethner, G.

2001-01-01

This chapter deals with fertilization techniques, bioenergy from agriculture, environmental aspects of a common agriculture policy in the European Union, bio-agriculture, fruit farming in Austria and with environmental indicators in agriculture. In particular renewable energy sources (bio-diesel, biogas) from agriculture are studied in comparison to fossil fuels and other energy sources. (a.n.)

SRS station guide. Station 2.3 manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, C.; Miller, M.; Laundy, D.

1996-06-01

The object of the manual is to effectively provide assistance to users so that they can perform successful experiments at station 2.3 during their visits. In order to compile a comprehensive document, the functions of the instrument hardware and software are described in detail. Where appropriate it also contains useful information and other documentation for help and/or reference. In addition, suggestions and instructions are available to overcome problems which inevitably face the users as the instrument is quite advanced in the performing of complex experimental tasks. This document can provide help as part of the overall user support facility and it is therefore intended that the manual is readily available in hardcopy as well as in electronic form. (author)

Physics Research on the International Space Station

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2012-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is orbiting Earth at an altitude of around 400 km. It has been manned since November 2000 and currently has a permanent crew of six. On-board ISS science is done in a wide field of sciences, from fundamental physics to biology and human physiology. Many of the experiments utilize the unique conditions of weightlessness, but also the views of space and the Earth are exploited. ESA’s (European Space Agency) ELIPS (European Programme Life and Physical sciences in Space) manages some 150 on-going and planned experiments for ISS, which is expected to be utilized at least to 2020. This presentation will give a short introduction to ISS, followed by an overview of the science field within ELIPS and some resent results. The emphasis, however, will be on ISS experiments which are close to the research performed at CERN. Silicon strip detectors like ALTEA are measuring the flux of ions inside the station. ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) will provide unprecedented global ti...

Towards Conservation Agriculture systems in Moldova

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boris Boincean

2016-10-01

Full Text Available As the world population and food production demands rise, keeping agricultural soils and landscapes healthy and productive are of paramount importance to sustaining local and global food security and the flow of ecosystem services to society. The global population, expected to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050, will put additional pressure on the available land area and resources for agricultural production. Sustainable production intensification for food security is a major challenge to both industrialized and developing countries. The paper focuses on the results from long-term multi-factorial experiments involving tillage practices, crop rotations and fertilization to study the interactions amongst the treatments in the context of sustainable production intensification. The paper discusses the results in relation to reported performance of crops and soil quality in Conservation Agriculture systems that are based on no or minimum soil disturbance (no-till seeding and weeding, maintenance of soil mulch cover with crop biomass and cover crops, and diversified cropping s involving annuals and perennials. Conservation Agriculture also emphasizes the necessity of an agro-ecosystems approach to the management of agricultural land for sustainable production intensification, as well as to the site-specificity of agricultural production. Arguments in favor of avoiding the use of soil tillage are discussed together with agro-ecological principles for sustainable intensification of agriculture. More interdisciplinary systems research is required to support the transformation of agriculture from the conventional tillage agriculture to a more sustainable agriculture based on the principles and practices of Conservation Agriculture, along with other complementary practices of integrated crop, nutrient, water, pest, energy and farm power management.

Engineering test station for TFTR blanket module experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jassby, D.L.; Leinoff, S.

1979-12-01

A conceptual design has been carried out for an Engineering Test Station (ETS) which will provide structural support and utilities/instrumentation services for blanket modules positioned adjacent to the vacuum vessel of the TFTR (Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor). The ETS is supported independently from the Test Cell floor. The ETS module support platform is constructed of fiberglass to eliminate electromagnetic interaction with the pulsed tokamak fields. The ETS can hold blanket modules with dimensions up to 78 cm in width, 85 cm in height, and 105 cm in depth, and with a weight up to 4000 kg. Interfaces for all utility and instrumentation requirements are made via a shield plug in the TFTR igloo shielding. The modules are readily installed or removed by means of TFTR remote handling equipment

Catawba nuclear station preoperational ALARA review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deal, W.P.

1985-01-01

This paper describes the particular emphasis placed on preoperational as los as reasonably achievable (ALARA) considerations at Duke Power's Catawba Nuclear Station. A strong station commitment to the ALARA philosophy, and review of existing capabilities, led to development of an aggressive two-part ALARA program. Capabilities consisted of sufficient numbers of available personnel, lengthy lead time during construction, a very detailed plastic model, and a sister plant of similar design. The program, as developed, consisted of a preoperational program, which looked at design and construction aspects of ALARA, and the operational program, dealing with the ALARA committee and operational problems. MAnagement's philosophy of holding everyone responsible for ALARA provided the motivation to organize the preoperational program to use that resource. The Health Physics group accepted responsibility for development, coordination, and reviewer training. The problem provided a base to build on as station personnel gained experience in their own crafts and radiation protection in general

Agriculture: About EPA's National Agriculture Center

Science.gov (United States)

EPA's National Agriculture Center (Ag Center), with the support of the United States Department of Agriculture, serves growers, livestock producers, other agribusinesses, and agricultural information/education providers.

Sizewell 'B' power station public inquiry: CEGB proof of evidence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mawer, W.T.

1982-11-01

The cooling water system which would be needed for the proposed Sizewell B power station is described. The possible effects upon public safety, local fishing interests and the existing seabed are examined. Studies of the heat dispersion from outfalls, the location of offshore structures and the control of marine growth in the system are reported. Finally the essential service water system, the reserve ultimate heat sink, the discharge of liquid radioactive waste into the sea and the possible use of waste heat for agricultural and fish farming purposes are discussed. (U.K.)

Nuclear power station siting experience in the United Kingdom: past and present and proposals for the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haire, T.P.; Usher, E.F.F.W.

1975-01-01

Foremost of the many factors in site selection considerations are population distribution, cooling-water availability and amenity. Others are safety of potable water sources, geological stability and the risk of external hazards. Where cooling-water supplies are a limiting factor, the choica of reactor system is of major importance. To determine as early as possible the effect a station might have on its environment, desk studies, visual surveys and wind-tunnel tests are carried out. The Central Electricity Generating Board places great importance on obtaining the fullest degree of acceptance by the public for its nuclear stations and ensures that full consultation is provided with the relevant authorities at all stages of power-station development. It also provides public exhibitions, public meetings and liaison with the local inhabitants. Recruitment of station staff where possible from the immediate area of the station and formation of sports and social clubs are two of the practical steps which help to integrate the station into the local community. Whilst the current energy crisis has reinforced the need for a substantial nuclear programme, possible ways of further reducing the impact of nuclear stations on the environment are being considered. The paper concludes that sufficient nuclear sites can be provided for future needs but that continuing effort will be required to ensure public acceptance. (author)

Antarctic station life: The first 15 years of mixed expeditions to the Antarctic

Science.gov (United States)

Sarris, Aspa

2017-02-01

This study examined the experiences of women who lived and worked on remote and isolated Antarctic stations for up to 15 months at a time. The study employed purposeful sampling and a longitudinal - processual approach to study women's experiences over the first 15 years of mixed gender Antarctic expeditions. The retrospective analysis was based on a semi-structured interview administered to 14 women upon their return to Australia. The results showed that women referred to the natural physical Antarctic environment as one of the best aspects of their experience and the reason they would recommend the Antarctic to their friends as a good place to work. In describing the worst aspect of their experience, women referred to aspects of Antarctic station life, including: (i) the male dominated nature of station culture; (ii) the impact of interpersonal conflict, including gender based conflict and friction between scientists and trades workers; and (iii) the lack of anonymity associated with living and working with the same group of individuals, mainly men, for up to 12 months or more. The results are discussed within the context of the evolution of Antarctic station culture and recommendations are made in terms of the demography of expeditions, expeditioner selection and recruitment and the ongoing monitoring of Antarctic station culture. The study presents a framework that can be applied to groups and teams living and working in analogous isolated, confined and extreme work environments, including outer space missions.

Education and Research Related to Organic Waste Management at Agricultural Engineering Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Soliva, Montserrat; Bernat, Carles; Gil, Emilio; Martinez, Xavier; Pujol, Miquel; Sabate, Josep; Valero, Jordi

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the experience of the Agriculture Engineering School of Barcelona (ESAB), where undergraduate students were involved in field research experiments on organic waste use in agricultural systems. Design/methodology/approach: The paper outlines how the formation of professionals oriented to work for…

Biogas Production from Energy Crops and Agriculture Residues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Guangtao

and wet explosion pretreated energy crops and agriculture residues with swine manure at various volatile solids (VS) ratio between crop and manure was carried out by batch tests and continuous experiments. The efficiency of the co-digestion experiment was evaluated based on (a) the methane potential......In this thesis, the feasibility of utilizing energy crops (willow and miscanthus) and agriculture residues (wheat straw and corn stalker) in an anaerobic digestion process for biogas production was evaluated. Potential energy crops and agriculture residues were screened according...... of perennial crops was tested as a storage method and pretreatment method for enhancement of the biodegradability of the crops. The efficiency of the silage process was evaluated based on (a) the amount of biomass loss during storage and (b) the effect of the silage on methane potential. Co-digestion of raw...

Space Station solar water heater

Science.gov (United States)

Horan, D. C.; Somers, Richard E.; Haynes, R. D.

1990-01-01

The feasibility of directly converting solar energy for crew water heating on the Space Station Freedom (SSF) and other human-tended missions such as a geosynchronous space station, lunar base, or Mars spacecraft was investigated. Computer codes were developed to model the systems, and a proof-of-concept thermal vacuum test was conducted to evaluate system performance in an environment simulating the SSF. The results indicate that a solar water heater is feasible. It could provide up to 100 percent of the design heating load without a significant configuration change to the SSF or other missions. The solar heater system requires only 15 percent of the electricity that an all-electric system on the SSF would require. This allows a reduction in the solar array or a surplus of electricity for onboard experiments.

Agricultural SWOT analysis and wisdom agriculture design of chengdu

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Chen, Xiangyu; Du, Shaoming; Yin, Guowei; Yu, Feng; Liu, Guicai; Gong, Jin; Han, Fujun

2017-08-01

According to the status of agricultural information, this paper analyzed the advantages, opportunities and challenges of developing wisdom agriculture in Chengdu. By analyzed the local characteristics of Chengdu agriculture, the construction program of Chengdu wisdom agriculture was designed, which was based on the existing agricultural informatization. The positioning and development theme of Chengdu agriculture is leisure agriculture, urban agriculture and quality agriculture.

Experiences with Farmer Participatory Cowpea Improvement and Seed Production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, B. B.

2000-10-01

Farmer participatory research is not only a significant concept today but it has become an essential approach to certain aspects of contemporary agricultural research. The CGIAR has already launched a system wide program on participatory research to assess the effectiveness of this approach in plant breeding, natural resources management and gender analysis. The need for participatory research arose when some of the superior technologies identified based on the tests at experiment stations failed to gain acceptance/popularity with resource poor farmers. In most cases, there was nothing wrong with the technologies but farmers did not have access to the recommended inputs and without inputs, the new technologies were poorer, equal to or marginally better than what farmers were using. The apparent lacuna was the lack of testing of new technologies in divers conditions including marginal environments without inputs to ensure superior performance under all conditions. Since all possible test conditions cannot be created at the experiment station, it is now generally agreed that farmer participation at strategic stages may be helpful in developing improved technologies intended for resource poor conditions and traditional cropping systems. The farmer participation ensures use of indigenous knowledge, farmer's perception about the acceptable plant types, seed types and use patterns. It also permits testing of selected materials in diverse conditions and farmer to farmer diffusion of improved technologies

Agricultural problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bickerton, George E.

1997-01-01

Although there were not reasons to deplore against major activity release from any of the 110 industrial reactors authorized to operate in US, the nuclear incident that occurred at the Three Mile Island Plant in 1979 urged the public conscience toward the necessity of readiness to cope with events of this type. The personnel of the Emergency Planning Office functioning in the frame of US Department of Agriculture has already participated in around 600 intervention drillings on a federal, local or state scale to plan, test or asses radiological emergency plans or to intervene locally. These exercises allowed acquiring a significant experience in elaborating emergency plans, planning the drillings, working out scenarios and evaluation of the potential impact of accidents from the agricultural point of view. We have also taken part in different international drillings among which the most recent are INEX 1 and RADEX 94. We have found on these occasions that the agricultural problems are essential preoccupations in most of the cases no matter if the context is international, national, local or of state level. The paper poses problems specifically related to milk, fruits and vegetables, soils, meat and meat products. Finally the paper discusses issues like drilling planning, alarm and notification, sampling strategy, access authorizations for farmers, removing of contamination wastes. A number of social, political and economical relating problems are also mentioned

NanoRocks: Design and performance of an experiment studying planet formation on the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Brisset, Julie; Colwell, Joshua; Dove, Adrienne; Maukonen, Doug

2017-07-01

In an effort to better understand the early stages of planet formation, we have developed a 1.5U payload that flew on the International Space Station (ISS) in the NanoRacks NanoLab facility between September 2014 and March 2016. This payload, named NanoRocks, ran a particle collision experiment under long-term microgravity conditions. The objectives of the experiment were (a) to observe collisions between mm-sized particles at relative velocities of acrylic, glass, and copper beads and 0.75 mm-sized JSC-1 lunar regolith simulant grains. The particles were placed in sample cells carved out of an aluminum tray. This tray was attached to one side of the payload casing with three springs. Every 60 s, the tray was agitated, and the resulting collisions between the particles in the sample cells were recorded by the experiment camera. During the 18 months the payload stayed on ISS, we obtained 158 videos, thus recording a great number of collisions. The average particle velocities in the sample cells after each shaking event were around 1 cm/s. After shaking stopped, the inter-particle collisions damped the particle kinetic energy in less than 20 s, reducing the average particle velocity to below 1 mm/s, and eventually slowing them to below our detection threshold. As the particle velocity decreased, we observed the transition from bouncing to sticking collisions. We recorded the formation of particle clusters at the end of each experiment run. This paper describes the design and performance of the NanoRocks ISS payload.

LDR structural experiment definition

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Richard A.; Gates, Richard M.

1988-01-01

A study was performed to develop the definition of a structural flight experiment for a large precision segmented reflector that would utilize the Space Station. The objective of the study was to use the Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) baseline configuration for focusing on experiment definition activity which would identify the Space Station accommodation requirements and interface constraints. Results of the study defined three Space Station based experiments to demonstrate the technologies needed for an LDR type structure. The basic experiment configurations are the same as the JPL baseline except that the primary mirror truss is 10 meters in diameter instead of 20. The primary objectives of the first experiment are to construct the primary mirror support truss and to determine its structural and thermal characteristics. Addition of the optical bench, thermal shield and primary mirror segments and alignment of the optical components occur on the second experiment. The structure will then be moved to the payload pointing system for pointing, optical control and scientific optical measurement for the third experiment.

Preliminary investigation of the interaction between radiologists and digital radiologic work stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fajardo, L.L.; McNeill, K.M.; Maloney, K.; Mockbee, B.

1987-01-01

Using a work station built in the authors' department, they conducted an investigation into the interaction between radiologist and a digital radiologic work station. A survey provided information regarding the experience of 18 radiologists with digital technology and their expectations of its benefits. They ranked the potential attributes of digital work stations, with spatial resolution first, followed by contrast resolution, ease of use, speed, ease of learning, and cost. Observation of the radiologists' interaction with the work station has provided recommendations for implementation of functions. The authors conclude that radiologic work station user interfaces must be intuitive and support the radiologist's task without increasing the time or effort required for the task

Raising the profile of worker safety: highlights of the 2013 North American Agricultural Safety Summit.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, William J; Heiberger, Scott; Lee, Barbara C

2014-01-01

The 2013 North American Agricultural Safety Summit, an unprecedented gathering of industry leaders and safety experts, was held September 25-27 in Minneapolis, MN. Hosted by the industry-led Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA), there were 250 attendees, 82 speakers, 76 abstracts with poster presentations, along with "best practices" videos, genius bars sessions, learning stations, exhibits, breakfast roundtable topics, and receptions. The event was a mix of knowledge, inspiration and networking to enable participants to influence the adoption of safety practices in their home/work settings. Given the agriculture industry's commitment to feed nine billion people, the projected world population by 2050, it is imperative that producers and agribusiness strive to do it safely, humanely and sustainably. Evaluation feedback was very positive, indicating ASHCA's original objectives for the Summit were achieved.

[Nutrition or industry. Experiences with nutritional considerations in the agricultural policy].

Science.gov (United States)

Botten, G

1991-06-30

The need to export health considerations to various sector policies is regarded as important in health promotion. Health is generally a highly appreciated benefit; thus many sectors seek to use health as an argument for their policy. This article describes the relation between nutrition and agricultural policy in Norway. In areas where nutrition and agriculture had mutual interests, health considerations were easily exported. However, when interests diverged the issue became more complicated. Much effort was focused upon achieving correct use of nutritional arguments. Before negotiating and weighing respective viewpoints it is essential to clarify each sector's standpoint and interest. Conflicts and negotiations are linked to strategies which seek explicitly to integrate health premisses into sectors outside the health services itself.

The International Space Station (ISS) Education Accomplishments and Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Alleyne, Camille W.; Blue, Regina; Mayo, Susan

2012-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) has the unique ability to capture the imaginations of both students and teachers worldwide and thus stands as an invaluable learning platform for the advancement of proficiency in research and development and education. The presence of humans on board ISS for the past ten years has provided a foundation for numerous educational activities aimed at capturing that interest and motivating study in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines which will lead to an increase in quality of teachers, advancements in research and development, an increase in the global reputation for intellectual achievement, and an expanded ability to pursue unchartered avenues towards a brighter future. Over 41 million students around the world have participated in ISS-related activities since the year 2000. Projects such as the Amateur Radio on International Space Station (ARISS) and Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM), among others, have allowed for global student, teacher, and public access to space through radio contacts with crewmembers and student image acquisition respectively. . With planned ISS operations at least until 2020, projects like the aforementioned and their accompanying educational materials will be available to enable increased STEM literacy around the world. Since the launch of the first ISS element, a wide range of student experiments and educational activities have been performed by each of the international partner agencies: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos). Additionally, a number of non-participating countries, some under commercial agreements, have also participated in Station-related activities. Many of these programs still continue while others are being developed and added to the station crewmembers tasks

Evaluation of Agricultural Crops Water Footprint with Application of Climate Change in Urmia Lake basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

majid montaseri

2017-02-01

its volume and has a critical condition. Therefore, planning, managing and optimizing utilization of water resources in the basin have a high research priority and this requires the concentration on the consumption of water resources. In this study five major products including, wheat, sugar beet, tomato, alfalfa and corn, were studied. For this purpose, seven synoptic meteorological station data including,Salmas, Urmia, Mahabad, Takab, Tabriz, Maragheh and Sarab were used to calibrate the downscaling atmospheric-ocean general circulation model LARS.WG5 and forecast meteorological data in the future periods time (2011-2030 and (2046-2065 with the A2 scenario.The reason to selectA2 scenario was the most critical situation for the mentioned scenario. Then the obtained data were used to estimate the water requirement and water footprint of mentioned plants separately blue and green water footprint in the future periods. Results and Discussion:The resultsof themeteorological data prediction showed thatall synoptic stations except for Tabriz station the average annual predicted rainfallvalues had the deviationfromhistoricalvalues.The mentioneddeviation in the south (Tekab, Mahabad and West (Urmia, Salmas ofUrmia lake basin will showincreaseanddecrease in theannual rainfallin the future, respectively.Moreover,the average annual of predicted temperature values for all studied stations showed that the temperature will increase about1°Cduring2011-2030 period and 2°C during 2046-2065 period. Potential evapotranspiration, as another important meteorological parameter has essentialrole in the estimation of crop water requirements which will be slightly affected by climate change phenomena and it will increase in the summer. The results of agricultural products water footprint show that the maximum amount of green water footprint in all studied stations was related to wheat and alfalfa, and this water footprint depend on the time and growth period. For corn, tomatoandsugar

The electronic Rothamsted Archive (e-RA), an online resource for data from the Rothamsted long-term experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Perryman, Sarah A M; Castells-Brooke, Nathalie I D; Glendining, Margaret J; Goulding, Keith W T; Hawkesford, Malcolm J; Macdonald, Andy J; Ostler, Richard J; Poulton, Paul R; Rawlings, Christopher J; Scott, Tony; Verrier, Paul J

2018-05-15

The electronic Rothamsted Archive, e-RA (www.era.rothamsted.ac.uk) provides a permanent managed database to both securely store and disseminate data from Rothamsted Research's long-term field experiments (since 1843) and meteorological stations (since 1853). Both historical and contemporary data are made available via this online database which provides the scientific community with access to a unique continuous record of agricultural experiments and weather measured since the mid-19 th century. Qualitative information, such as treatment and management practices, plans and soil information, accompanies the data and are made available on the e-RA website. e-RA was released externally to the wider scientific community in 2013 and this paper describes its development, content, curation and the access process for data users. Case studies illustrate the diverse applications of the data, including its original intended purposes and recent unforeseen applications. Usage monitoring demonstrates the data are of increasing interest. Future developments, including adopting FAIR data principles, are proposed as the resource is increasingly recognised as a unique archive of data relevant to sustainable agriculture, agroecology and the environment.

Local PM10 and PM2.5 emission inventories from agricultural tillage and harvest in northeastern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Weiwei; Tong, Daniel Q; Zhang, Shichun; Zhang, Xuelei; Zhao, Hongmei

2017-07-01

Mineral particles or particulate matters (PMs) emitted during agricultural activities are major recurring sources of atmospheric aerosol loading. However, precise PM inventory from agricultural tillage and harvest in agricultural regions is challenged by infrequent local emission factor (EF) measurements. To understand PM emissions from these practices in northeastern China, we measured EFs of PM 10 and PM 2.5 from three field operations (i.e., tilling, planting and harvesting) in major crop production (i.e., corn and soybean), using portable real-time PM analyzers and weather station data. County-level PM 10 and PM 2.5 emissions from agricultural tillage and harvest were estimated, based on local EFs, crop areas and crop calendars. The EFs averaged (107±27), (17±5) and 26mg/m 2 for field tilling, planting and harvesting under relatively dry conditions (i.e., soil moisture agricultural dust emissions to regional air quality in northeastern China. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Farmers' Willingness to Adopt Conservation Agriculture: New Evidence from Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Chalak, Ali; Irani, Alexandra; Chaaban, Jad; Bashour, Issam; Seyfert, Karin; Smoot, Kaitlyn; Abebe, Gumataw Kifle

2017-10-01

With increasing food insecurity and climate change, conservation agriculture has emerged as a sustainable alternative to intensive conventional agriculture as a source of food supply. Yet the adoption rate of conservation agriculture is still low. Our paper analyses the factors affecting farmers' willingness to adopt conservation agriculture in Lebanon. The findings show that household characteristics-years of farming and farm size affect conservation agriculture adoption. However, household characteristics alone were insufficient to explain conservation agriculture adoption. We found that farming experience, information sources, frequency of irrigation, and severity of weed infestation in the past, participation in specific trainings, and farmers' perception about the long-term impact of conservation agriculture, were key determinants of conservation agriculture adoption. Our paper encourages policymakers to invest in conservation agriculture to overcome food insecurity and environmental changes affecting food systems in the Middle East. The paper also informs agribusiness firms to view conservation agriculture as a viable alternative to strengthen their business relationship with farmers in arid and semi-arid regions.

Farmers' Willingness to Adopt Conservation Agriculture: New Evidence from Lebanon

Science.gov (United States)

Chalak, Ali; Irani, Alexandra; Chaaban, Jad; Bashour, Issam; Seyfert, Karin; Smoot, Kaitlyn; Abebe, Gumataw Kifle

2017-10-01

With increasing food insecurity and climate change, conservation agriculture has emerged as a sustainable alternative to intensive conventional agriculture as a source of food supply. Yet the adoption rate of conservation agriculture is still low. Our paper analyses the factors affecting farmers' willingness to adopt conservation agriculture in Lebanon. The findings show that household characteristics—years of farming and farm size affect conservation agriculture adoption. However, household characteristics alone were insufficient to explain conservation agriculture adoption. We found that farming experience, information sources, frequency of irrigation, and severity of weed infestation in the past, participation in specific trainings, and farmers' perception about the long-term impact of conservation agriculture, were key determinants of conservation agriculture adoption. Our paper encourages policymakers to invest in conservation agriculture to overcome food insecurity and environmental changes affecting food systems in the Middle East. The paper also informs agribusiness firms to view conservation agriculture as a viable alternative to strengthen their business relationship with farmers in arid and semi-arid regions.

Determining the Critical Skills Beginning Agriculture Teachers Need to Successfully Teach Welding

Science.gov (United States)

Pate, Michael L.; Warnick, Brian K.; Meyers, Tiffany

2012-01-01

Using the Delphi technique, agriculture teachers with significant experience teaching welding were asked to help determine the critical skills beginning agriculture teachers need to successfully teach welding. The study's objectives sought to (1) identify the knowledge and technical skill competencies that beginning agriculture teachers need to…

Ground receiving station (GRS) of UMS - receiving and processing the electromagnetic wave data from satellite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammad Syahmi Nordin; Fauziah Abdul Aziz

2007-01-01

The low resolution Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting satellites Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) is being received and recorded in real-time mode at ground receiving station in School of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah. The system is suitable for the developing and undeveloped countries in south and Southeast Asia and is said to be acceptable for engineering, agricultural, climatological and environmental applications. The system comprises a personal computer attached with a small APT receiver. The data transmission between the ground receiving station and NOAA satellites is using the electromagnetic wave. The relation for receiving and processing the electromagnetic wave in the transmission will be discussed. (Author)

A shared-world conceptual model for integrating space station life sciences telescience operations

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Vicki; Bosley, John

1988-01-01

Mental models of the Space Station and its ancillary facilities will be employed by users of the Space Station as they draw upon past experiences, perform tasks, and collectively plan for future activities. The operational environment of the Space Station will incorporate telescience, a new set of operational modes. To investigate properties of the operational environment, distributed users, and the mental models they employ to manipulate resources while conducting telescience, an integrating shared-world conceptual model of Space Station telescience is proposed. The model comprises distributed users and resources (active elements); agents who mediate interactions among these elements on the basis of intelligent processing of shared information; and telescience protocols which structure the interactions of agents as they engage in cooperative, responsive interactions on behalf of users and resources distributed in space and time. Examples from the life sciences are used to instantiate and refine the model's principles. Implications for transaction management and autonomy are discussed. Experiments employing the model are described which the authors intend to conduct using the Space Station Life Sciences Telescience Testbed currently under development at Ames Research Center.

Design of an MSAT-X mobile transceiver and related base and gateway stations

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Russell J. F.; Bhaskar, Udaya; Hemmati, Farhad; Mackenthun, Kenneth M.; Shenoy, Ajit

This paper summarizes the results of a design study of the mobile transceiver, base station, and gateway station for NASA's proposed Mobile Satellite Experiment (MSAT-X). Major ground segment system design issues such as frequency stability control, modulation method, linear predictive coding vocoder algorithm, and error control technique are addressed. The modular and flexible transceiver design is described in detail, including the core, RF/IF, modem, vocoder, forward error correction codec, amplitude-companded single sideband, and input/output modules, as well as the flexible interface. Designs for a three-carrier base station and a 10-carrier gateway station are also discussed, including the interface with the controllers and with the public-switched telephone networks at the gateway station. Functional specifications are given for the transceiver, the base station, and the gateway station.

Design of an MSAT-X mobile transceiver and related base and gateway stations

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Russell J. F.; Bhaskar, Udaya; Hemmati, Farhad; Mackenthun, Kenneth M.; Shenoy, Ajit

1987-01-01

This paper summarizes the results of a design study of the mobile transceiver, base station, and gateway station for NASA's proposed Mobile Satellite Experiment (MSAT-X). Major ground segment system design issues such as frequency stability control, modulation method, linear predictive coding vocoder algorithm, and error control technique are addressed. The modular and flexible transceiver design is described in detail, including the core, RF/IF, modem, vocoder, forward error correction codec, amplitude-companded single sideband, and input/output modules, as well as the flexible interface. Designs for a three-carrier base station and a 10-carrier gateway station are also discussed, including the interface with the controllers and with the public-switched telephone networks at the gateway station. Functional specifications are given for the transceiver, the base station, and the gateway station.

Starting a learning progression for agricultural literacy: A qualitative study of urban elementary student understandings of agricultural and science education benchmarks

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Alexander Jay

Science and agriculture professional organizations have argued for agricultural literacy as a goal for K-12 public education. Due to the complexity of our modern agri-food system, with social, economic, and environmental concerns embedded, an agriculturally literate society is needed for informed decision making, democratic participation, and system reform. While grade-span specific benchmarks for gauging agri-food system literacy have been developed, little attention has been paid to existing ideas individuals hold about the agri-food system, how these existing ideas relate to benchmarks, how experience shapes such ideas, or how ideas change overtime. Developing a body of knowledge on students' agri-food system understandings as they develop across K-12 grades can ground efforts seeking to promote a learning progression toward agricultural literacy. This study compares existing perceptions held by 18 upper elementary students from a large urban center in California to agri-food system literacy benchmarks and examines the perceptions against student background and experiences. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Constructivist theoretical perspectives framed the study. No student had ever grown their own food, raised a plant, or cared for an animal. Participation in school fieldtrips to farms or visits to a relative's garden were agricultural experiences most frequently mentioned. Students were able to identify common food items, but could not elaborate on their origins, especially those that were highly processed. Students' understanding of post-production activities (i.e. food processing, manufacturing, or food marketing) was not apparent. Students' understanding of farms reflected a 1900's subsistence farming operation commonly found in a literature written for the primary grades. Students were unaware that plants and animals were selected for production based on desired genetic traits. Obtaining

ARC EMCS Experiments (Seedling Growth-2) Experiment Status

Science.gov (United States)

Heathcote, David; Steele, Marianne

2015-01-01

Presentation of the status of the ARC ISS (International Space Station) Experiment, Seedling Growth-2 to the Payload Operations Investigator Working Group meeting at MSFC, Huntsville AL. The experiment employs the European Modular Cultivation System (ECMS).

Evaluating the radiation environment around a nuclear power station with unmonitored radionuclide release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondarev, A.A.; Dibobes, I.K.; Pyuskyulan, K.I.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the radiation monitoring system at (RMS) at the Armenian nuclear power station; the environmental monitoring program includes measuring the gamma radiation around the station, determining radionuclide contents in air and fallout, and also in surface water and ground water, in water plants and bottom sediments, in soil and plants and also in local agricultural products. The RMS monitors gas-aerosol releases and effluents from the station. The radius of the monitored zone is 25 km. The gamma radiation is measured by IKS dosemeters and SRP-68-01 portable instruments. The air is monitored by six stationary aspriation systems at distances of 1, 5, 6, 11, 14, 15 and 50 km and 28 planchette cells. The RMS records virtually all the mean monthly and mean annual fluctuations in the global background. In seven years of operation at the Armenian station, only Ca 137 and Sr 90 from global fallout together with Be 7 of cosmogenic origin have been observed in air apart from two cases. In 1981, air samples taken with the aspirators and combined over a quarter showed Ce 141, Ce 144, Ru 106, Ru 103, Nb 95 and Zr 95. The concentrations of these are presented

Performance assessment of Point Lepreau Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alikhan, S.

1991-01-01

The Point Lepreau Generating Station, a 680 MWe CANDU unit, is located about 40 km southwest of the city of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It was declared in-service on 1 February, 1983 and, since then, has demonstrated an average cross capacity factor of over 93% up to the end of 1990. This paper compared the performance of the station with other sister CANDU units and the Light Water Reactors world-wide using the following ten performance indicators, as applicable: - gross capacity factor; - fuel burn-up; - heavy water upkeep; - unplanned reactor trips while critical; - forced outage rate; - fuel handling performance; - derived emission of radioactive effluents to environment; - personnel radiation dose; - industrial safety; - low-level solid radioactive wastes. The paper examines various areas of station activities including management and organization, operations and maintenance, technical support, fuel handling and health physics in order to highlight some of the 'good practices' which are believed to have made a significant contribution towards achieving the demonstrated performance of Point Lepreau G.S. In addition, several areas of potential improvement are discussed in order to maintain and enhance, where practicable, the safety, reliability and economic performance of the station. In this context, a careful review of the operating experiences, both in-house and at other stations, and a judicious application of lessons learned plays a significant role. (author)

Performance assessment of Point Lepreau Generating Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alikhan, S [Point Lepreau Generating Station, Lepreau, NB (Canada)

1991-04-01

The Point Lepreau Generating Station, a 680 MWe CANDU unit, is located about 40 km southwest of the city of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It was declared in-service on 1 February, 1983 and, since then, has demonstrated an average cross capacity factor of over 93% up to the end of 1990. This paper compared the performance of the station with other sister CANDU units and the Light Water Reactors world-wide using the following ten performance indicators, as applicable: - gross capacity factor; - fuel burn-up; - heavy water upkeep; - unplanned reactor trips while critical; - forced outage rate; - fuel handling performance; - derived emission of radioactive effluents to environment; - personnel radiation dose; - industrial safety; - low-level solid radioactive wastes. The paper examines various areas of station activities including management and organization, operations and maintenance, technical support, fuel handling and health physics in order to highlight some of the 'good practices' which are believed to have made a significant contribution towards achieving the demonstrated performance of Point Lepreau G.S. In addition, several areas of potential improvement are discussed in order to maintain and enhance, where practicable, the safety, reliability and economic performance of the station. In this context, a careful review of the operating experiences, both in-house and at other stations, and a judicious application of lessons learned plays a significant role. (author)

PRODUCTION, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL BIOGAS PLANT IN KOSTKOWICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karol Węglarzy

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the economic and ecological effect of Kostkowice Agricultural biogas plant based on a four year study carried out on the prototype installation. Agricultural biogas plant is part of the nature of the research conducted for twenty years at the National Research Institute of Animal PIB Experimental Station. Prof. Mieczyslaw Czaja relates to various aspects of environmental protection. It describes the economic justification for the production of energy from waste biomass (manure, slurry, wastes from feeding table, by the characteristics of substrates and products. It was found that agricultural biogas plant in rural areas are an important link in energy security, mainly due to the very high availability. Ecological effect is presented as effect of the installation solutions for the reduction of pollution of water, soil and air. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the recycling of environmentally harmful by-products of animal production of electricity and thermal energy, which is a substitute for environmentally harmful fossil fuels. The advantage of substances digestate is odorless, which is important both in an effort to improve the work culture in agriculture and improving living conditions in rural communities and it is an indisputable argument for the use of biomass for energy purposes.

Climate Change and Agricultural Vulnerability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, G.; Shah, M.; Van Velthuizen, H.

2002-08-01

After the introduction Chapter 2 presents details of the ecological-economic analysis based on the FAO/IIASA agro-ecological zones (AEZ) approach for evaluation of biophysical limitations and agricultural production potentials, and IIASA's Basic Linked System (BLS) for analyzing the world's food economy and trade system. The BLS is a global general equilibrium model system for analyzing agricultural policies and food system prospects in an international setting. BLS views national agricultural systems as embedded in national economies, which interact with each other through trade at the international level. The combination of AEZ and BLS provides an integrated ecological-economic framework for the assessment of the impact of climate change. We consider climate scenarios based on experiments with four General Circulation Models (GCM), and we assess the four basic socioeconomic development pathways and emission scenarios as formulated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its Third Assessment Report. Chapter 3 presents the main AEZ results of the impact of climate change on agriculture. Results comprise environmental constraints to crop agriculture; climate variability and the variability of rain-fed cereal production; changes in potential agricultural land; changes in crop-production patterns; and the impact of climate change on cereal-production potential. Chapter 4 discusses the AEZ-BLS integrated ecological-economic analysis of climate change on the world food system. This includes quantification of scale and location of hunger, international agricultural trade, prices, production, land use, etc. It assesses trends in food production, trade, and consumption, and the impact on poverty and hunger of alternative development pathways and varying levels of climate change. Chapter 5 presents the main conclusions and policy implications of this study

Development and Certification of Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) Experiment # 15012-U, "Near RealTime Water Quality Monitoring Demonstration for ISS Biocides Using Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE)"

Science.gov (United States)

Gazda, Daniel B.; Nolan, Daniel J.; Rutz, Jeffrey A.; Shcultz, John R.; Siperko, Lorraine M.; Porter, Marc D,; Lipert, Robert J.; Limardo, Jose G.; McCoy, J. Torin

2009-01-01

Scientists and engineers from the Wyle Integrated Science and Engineering Group are working with researchers at the University of Utah and Iowa State University to develop and certify an experimental water quality monitoring kit based on Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE). The kit will be launched as a Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) experiment and evaluated on the International Space Station (ISS) to determine the acceptability of CSPE technology for routine inflight water quality monitoring. Iodine and silver, the biocides used in the US and Russian on-orbit water systems, will serve as test analytes for the technology evaluation. This manuscript provides an overview of the CSPE SDTO experiment and details the development and certification of the experimental water quality monitoring kit. Initial results from reagent and standard solution stability testing and environmental testing performed on the kit hardware are also reported.

MORTALITY AMONG FARMERS AND SPOUSES IN THE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

In the Agricultural Health Study we evaluated the mortality experience of 52,395 farmers and 32,347 of their spouses in Iowa and North Carolina obtain information on cancer and other chronic disease risks from agricultural exposures and other factors associated with rural lifes...

Fortaleza Station Report for 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Kaufmann, Pierre; Pereira de Lucena, A. Macilio; Sombra da Silva, Adeildo

2013-01-01

This is a brief report about the activities carried out at the Fortaleza geodetic VLBI station (ROEN: R´adio Observat´orio Espacial do Nordeste), located in Eus´ebio, CE, Brazil, during the period from January until December 2012. The observing activities were resumed in May after the major maintenance that comprised the azimuth bearing replacement. The total observational experiments consisted of 103 VLBI sessions and continuous GPS monitoring recordings.

Remote MINOS Shift Station at IF-UFG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tognini, Stefano Castro; Gomes, Ricardo Avelino

2011-01-01

Full text: MINOS is a very well known neutrino experiment mainly designed to study neutrino oscillations and measure the parameters that rule the phenomena. The experiment uses an intense neutrino beam provided by the NuMI (Neutrinos at the Main Injector) beamline at Fermilab and two similar magnetized detectors - the Near Detector located at Fermilab, 1 km downstream the target and 94 m underground; and the Far Detector located in the Soudan Mine in northern Minnesota, 734 km downstream the Near Detector and 713 m underground. The MINOS control room is consisted of four main systems used to monitor the beam, the detectors and the data acquisition process: the Beam Monitoring System - a set of tools used to monitor the status of the NuMI beam, such as its intensity, its alignment with the target and beamline and if the beam data acquisition is working properly; the Online Monitoring System (OM) - responsible for monitoring the electronics of both detectors, which determines the quality of the data; the Detector Control System (DCS) - which monitors the detectors information, such as the high voltage systems, state of the rack protection system, the magnet control, chiller monitor, coil current, humidity and environmental temperatures; and the Data Acquisition System (DAQ) - used to control the runs/subruns and monitor the recording process. The experiment is taking data with the Far Detector since 2003 and with the Near Detector since 2005. The Physics Institute of the Federal University of Goias (IF-UFG) is joining the MINOS Collaboration since June 2009 and this work describes the configuration of our Remote MINOS Shift Station. In order to accomplish the shift tasks with minimum expenditure of time and money efforts, MINOS decided to authorize remote shifts on January 2011. Apart of being able to realize remote shifts, the main goals of our shift station are to allow the training of new users, in particular graduate students; to allow our real-time monitoring of

Green Agriculture - features and agricultural policy measures for the transition to a sustainable agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelia Nistor

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Agriculture is one of the most important economic activities in each country or area, as it is in close correlation with all other the other economic activities, in a whole which must be structured so as to achieve a more efficient planning and organization of the territory. The practice of a traditional agriculture, based on industrialization, affects the natural environment through emissions of pollutants, waste and deforestation which together affects biodiversity. Green Agriculture suppose to empower managers to widespread the use of fertilizers, to improve the crop rotation, to realize a more efficient water consumption, to improve the storage methods and the supply chain of products. Agricultural policies are closely interrelated with environmental policies as agricultural activities have a considerable influence on the environment. The efficiency of agricultural policies is reflected in monetary transfers between agriculture and other economic sectors, in the costs due to the reallocation of the resources between different agricultural and non-agricultural activities and in the realized gains. Currently there is a constant concern of the governments for the transition to a green agriculture, and most countries recognize the importance of achieving sustainable economic development.

Development of Bait Stations for Fruit Fly Suppression in Support of SIT. Working Material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

A more economic and practical fruit fly suppression tool is needed to replace conventional aerial and ground bait sprays applications over human settlements, protected natural areas, and difficult to access areas where fruit fly hosts exist. This has been a major request from area-wide integrated pest management action programmes using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) as a component. In recent years, especially in Europe, most conventional insecticides used to control fruit pests have been banned (e.g. malathion, dichlorvos and other organophosphates), therefore areas producing fruits and vegetables for markets that request low insecticide residues or even fruit and vegetable organic farming is seeking for a more economic fruit fly control option to the spinosad-based bait sprays and to the use of mass trapping. To address these requests, bait stations can be one of the most suitable alternatives. The development of these devices needs to take into consideration cost-effectiveness, and long lasting attractants and killing agents, and should target female fruit flies. Recent developments of synthetic food attractants and long-lasting formulations open the possibility to improve the existent baits stations or develop new ones. With this objective the Insect Pest Control Subprogramme of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture organized a Consultants Meeting ('Development of Bait Stations for Fruit Fly Suppression in Support of SIT'), held in Mazatlan, Mexico, from 30 October to 1 November 2008, with the participation of 14 scientists from the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria, Argentina; Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Australia; North American Plant Protection Organization, Canada; African Insect Science for Food and Health, Kenya; Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain; Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentaries, Spain, Secretaria de Agricultura, Ganaderia, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y

Operating experience of Fugen Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohteru, Shigeru; Kaneko, Jun; Kawahara, Toshio; Matsumoto, Mitsuo

1987-01-01

The prototype ATR 'Fugen' developed as one of the national project has verified the performance and reliability of the advanced thermal reactor system through the operation for about eight years since 1979, and the elucidation of the characteristics in plutonium utilization and the development and verification of the tuilizing techniques have been advanced. Besides, the operational results and the achievement of the technical development are successively reflected to the design of a demonstration reactor. In this paper, the outline of Fugan and the operational results are reported. The ATR Fugen Power Station is that of the prototype reactor of heavy water moderated, boiling light water cooled, pressure tube type, having the electric output of 165 MW. It started the full scale operation on March 20, 1979, and as of January, 1987, the total generated electric power reached about 7 billion kWh, the time of power generation was about 43,000 h, and the average capacity factor was 60.6 %. Plutonium utilization techniques, the flow characteristics and the dynamic plant characteristics of a pressure tube type reactor, the operational characteristics of a heavy water system and the techniques of handling heavy water containing tritium, and the operational reliability and maintainability of the machinery and equipment installed have been studied. (Kako, I.)

Assessment of the changes in the yields of millet crop under different ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences ... Agriculture in Mali is vulnerable to climate change. ... Two year experiments were therefore conducted at The Agricultural Research Station of Sotuba located in Sudanian zone and ...

Service Station Attendant. Performance Objectives. Basic Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, John

Several intermediate performance objectives and corresponding criterion measures are listed for each of 24 terminal objectives for a basic secondary level service station attendant course. The materials were developed for a two-semester course (2 and 3 hours daily). The specialized classroom and shop experiences are designed to enable the student…

Innovative Design of Agricultural Cross-border E-commerce Management Platform Construction between Hainan and Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jun; Gao, Yanli

2018-02-01

The essay is based on the subject research between Hainan and Tai league, by analyzing the comparison of agricultural development between Hainan and other Chinese areas, finds that Hainan agricultural develops slowly. Meanwhile, by using the experience and technology of Taiwan agricultural development for reference, taking full advantage of modern internet technology, we try to find the complementary opportunity of agricultural technology, experience in agricultural development between Hainan and Taiwan. Therefore, by combining the existing resources of Hainan and Taiwan, following the thoughts of the “Internet+ Agriculture”, the essay tries to work out an innovative designation of agricultural cross-border e-commerce management platform, integrate the resource advantages of Hainan and Taiwan, specify the functions of newly designed management platform.

Assessment of genetic diversity in Indian rice germplasm (Oryza ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2013-12-11

Dec 11, 2013 ... 3Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Rice Breeding and Genetics Research Centre, Aduthurai 612 101, India ..... Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology; IRRI, Inter- ..... 83–91, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, ... Temnykh S., Park D. W., Ayres N., Cartinhour S., Hauck N.,.

‘Baby Blues’ highbush blueberry

Science.gov (United States)

‘Baby Blues’ is a new highbush blueberry from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) breeding program in Corvallis, OR, released in cooperation with Oregon State University’s Agricultural Experiment Station. ‘Baby Blues’ is a vigorous, high-yielding, very small-f...

The agricultural policy of Serbia and common agricultural policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanković Milica

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The agricultural sector has a relatively high importance in the economic structure of Serbia. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP, Common Agricultural Policy is one of the main policies of the European Union. It is very important to point out the fundamental principles and objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy. Harmonization of the national agricultural policy of Serbia with the Common Agricultural Policy and acceptance of its mechanisms is crucial for the development of the agricultural sector as a whole.

A simple decay-spectroscopy station at CRIS-ISOLDE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lynch, K.M., E-mail: kara.marie.lynch@cern.ch [KU Leuven, Instituut voor Kern, en Stralingsfysica, BE-3001 Leuven (Belgium); EP Department, CERN, CH-1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Cocolios, T.E. [KU Leuven, Instituut voor Kern, en Stralingsfysica, BE-3001 Leuven (Belgium); School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Althubiti, N. [School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Farooq-Smith, G.J. [KU Leuven, Instituut voor Kern, en Stralingsfysica, BE-3001 Leuven (Belgium); School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Gins, W. [KU Leuven, Instituut voor Kern, en Stralingsfysica, BE-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Smith, A.J. [School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)

2017-02-01

A new decay-spectroscopy station (DSS2.0) has been designed by the CRIS collaboration for use at the radioactive ion beam facility, ISOLDE. With the design optimised for both charged-particle and γ-ray detection, the DDS2.0 allows high-efficiency decay spectroscopy to be performed. The DSS2.0 complements the existing decay-spectroscopy system at the CRIS experiment, and together provide the ability to perform laser-assisted nuclear decay spectroscopy on both ground state and long-lived isomeric species. This paper describes the new decay-spectroscopy station and presents the characterisation studies that have recently been performed.

Natural radionuclides near a coal-fired power station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith-Briggs, J L

1984-06-15

An experiment was carried out to measure the specific activity of Pb-210 and Po-210 in livers from cattle that had grazed in a field near Didcot coal-fired power station. Livers from cattle in the Cotswold region were measured for comparison. The specific activities of Pb-210 and Po-210 in soil and grass samples from both areas were also measured at 3-monthly intervals over a year. No statistically significant increases were observed in the Pb-210 and Po-210 levels in liver, soil or grass samples which could be attributed to the operation of the power station.

Perspectives for Romania on adopting agricultural innovations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lavinia DOVLEAC

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This paper highlight the efforts Romania needs to do on the path of agricultural development through innovation. A smart, modern agriculture could contribute to a wide variety of economic, societal and environmental goals. Considering its potential in this sector, Romania should learn from the experience of other European countries how to manage its rich resources. Innovative technologies, products and practices can help make the most efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, and thereby improve farming process.

Hinkley Point 'C' power station public inquiry: proof of evidence on local site related issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gammon, K.M.

1988-09-01

A public inquiry has been set up to examine the planning application made by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) for the construction of a 1200 MW Pressurized Water Reactor power station at Hinkley Point (Hinkley Point ''C'') in the United Kingdom, adjacent to an existing nuclear power station. The CEGB evidence to the Inquiry on local site related issues begins by setting the proposed development within the context of local authority planning policies for the area. The implications of the development in terms of overall land needs, construction, access, buildings and works both temporary and permanent, are described. Environmental impacts, aesthetic and socio-economic factors are considered including possible effects on agriculture, nature conservation, water supply, transport and employment. (UK)

Improvement and optimization for in-service inspection of M310 nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chen; Sun Haitao; Gao Chen; Deng Dong

2015-01-01

In-service inspection (ISI) is an important method to ensure the safety of the mechanical equipment in nuclear power stations. According to the in-service inspection experience feedback from the domestic nuclear power stations, the reasonableness of some provisions in the RSE-M code are discussed and the applications of risk-informed in-service inspection (RI-ISI) are introduced, and the advices for the optimization of the ISI of the domestic M310 nuclear power stations are proposed. (authors)

Hydrogen Filling Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boehm, Robert F; Sabacky, Bruce; Anderson II, Everett B; Haberman, David; Al-Hassin, Mowafak; He, Xiaoming; Morriseau, Brian

2010-02-24

future. Project partners also conducted a workshop on hydrogen safety and permitting. This provided an opportunity for the various permitting agencies and end users to gather to share experiences and knowledge. As a result of this workshop, the permitting process for the hydrogen filling station on the Las Vegas Valley Water District’s land was done more efficiently and those who would be responsible for the operation were better educated on the safety and reliability of hydrogen production and storage. The lessons learned in permitting the filling station and conducting this workshop provided a basis for future hydrogen projects in the region. Continuing efforts to increase the working pressure of electrolysis and efficiency have been pursued. Research was also performed on improving the cost, efficiency and durability of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) hydrogen technology. Research elements focused upon PEM membranes, electrodes/catalysts, membrane-electrode assemblies, seals, bipolar plates, utilization of renewable power, reliability issues, scale, and advanced conversion topics. Additionally, direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion research to demonstrate stable and efficient photoelectrochemistry (PEC) hydrogen production systems based on a number of optional concepts was performed. Candidate PEC concepts included technical obstacles such as inefficient photocatalysis, inadequate photocurrent due to non-optimal material band gap energies, rapid electron-hole recombination, reduced hole mobility and diminished operational lifetimes of surface materials exposed to electrolytes. Project Objective 1: Design, build, operate hydrogen filling station Project Objective 2: Perform research and development for utilizing solar technologies on the hydrogen filling station and convert two utility vehicles for use by the station operators Project Objective 3: Increase capacity of hydrogen filling station; add additional vehicle; conduct safety workshop; develop a roadmap for

Non-Coop Station History

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Station history documentation for stations outside the US Cooperative Observer network. Primarily National Weather Service stations assigned WBAN station IDs. Other...

Supporting Innovation in Organic Agriculture: A European Perspective Using Experience from the SOLID Project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Padel, Susanne; Vaarst, Mette; Zaralis, K.

2015-01-01

quality forage is vitally important, but farmers showed a lack of confidence in the reliability of forage production both in quantity and quality. We conclude that the systems framework improves the understanding of innovation processes in organic agriculture. Farmer-led research is an effective way......Organic farming is recognized as one source for innovation helping agriculture to develop sustainably. However, the understanding of innovation in agriculture is characterized by technical optimism, relying mainly on new inputs and technologies originating from research. The paper uses...... the alternative framework of innovation systems describing innovation as the outcome of stakeholder interaction and examples from the SOLID (Sustainable Organic Low-Input Dairying) project to discuss the role of farmers, researchers and knowledge exchange for innovation. We used a farmer-led participatory...

Urban Transformation and Property Value Variation. The Role of HS Stations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmela Gargiulo

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The article aims reading and interpreting the positive externalities, especially in terms of urban redevelopment, connected to the building of node/station of the High Speed railway network. The measure of the variations of the real estate values, carried out through the analysis of numerous European and Italian experiences, is considered as a synthetic indicator of urban quality consequent to the strengthening or establishment of a new High Speed station. The identification of relationships between High Speed station, residential property values and typologies of cities (role and urban specialization and urban context in which the station are located is one of the conclusions of this work. In accord with the aim, this paper is organized in three principal parts. The first part identifies the relation between urban transformations, urban quality and property values and provides a scientific frame of the studies on the relationships between accessibility increase and property values. Indeed, the results of many studies and reports reveal that the reduction in generalized cost of transport and the increase of accessibility related to the implementation of new infrastructure such as a railway station, in some cases have impacted significantly on increasing demand for space in the surrounding areas and, accordingly, on property values. The second part proposes the reading of some experiences of building of High Speed stations in some European and Italian cities, with a focus on the case of Roma-Napoli High Speed line. The choice of cases was made using criteria that seem to give a guarantee of representativeness to the variety and multiplicity of experiences. In particular, the criteria used are: geographic location of railway line (selecting cases with different geographical locations; city-node size (choosing different types of cities for size and population, functional role of the city-node, timing for the completion of railway line (fully in

47 CFR 80.107 - Service of private coast stations and marine-utility stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Service of private coast stations and marine...) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Operating Requirements and Procedures Operating Procedures-Land Stations § 80.107 Service of private coast stations and marine-utility stations. A...

EXPERT SYSTEMS - DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE TOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NAN Anca-Petruţa

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Because of the fact that specialty agricultural assistance is not always available when the farmers need it, we identified expert systems as a strong instrument with an extended potential in agriculture. This started to grow in scale recently, including all socially-economic activity fields, having the role of collecting data regarding different aspects from human experts with the purpose of assisting the user in the necessary steps for solving problems, at the performance level of the expert, making his acquired knowledge and experience available. We opted for a general presentation of the expert systems as well as their necessity, because, the solution to develop the agricultural system can come from artificial intelligence by implementing the expert systems in the field of agricultural insurance, promoting existing insurance products, farmers finding options in depending on their necessities and possibilities. The objective of this article consists of collecting data about different aspects about specific areas of interest of agricultural insurance, preparing the database, a conceptual presentation of a pilot version which will become constantly richer depending on the answers received from agricultural producers, with the clearest exposure of knowledgebase possible. We can justify picking this theme with the fact that even while agricultural insurance plays a very important role in agricultural development, the registered result got from them are modest, reason why solutions need to be found in the scope of developing the agricultural sector. The importance of this consists in the proposal of an immediate viable solution to correspond with the current necessities of agricultural producers and in the proposal of an innovative solution, namely the implementation of expert system in agricultural insurance as a way of promoting insurance products. Our research, even though it treats the subject at an conceptual level, it wants to undertake an

SOIL AGROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES IMPROVEMENT IN LONG TERM FIELD EXPERIMENT WITH FERTILIZERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihaela Lungu

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Soil fertility is studied in long-term field experiments. Researches are carried out in several agricultural research stations, out of which the following have been chosen for the present paper: Albic Luvisol* at Albota; Haplic Phaeozem at Fundulea; Chromic Luvisol at Şimnic; Calcic Chernozem at Secuieni; and Haplic Chernozem at Podu Iloaiei. Long term fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus generally improved the soil agrochemical properties. The evolution of organic matter, nitrogen, mobile phosphorus and potassium, and mobile microelements contents were studied, using the standardized method used in the ICPA laboratories. The organic matter and total nitrogen contents didn’t change significantly under the nitrogen and phosphorus long-term fertilization influence. The mobile phosphorus contents have the tendency to grow very significantly with the growth of phosphorus fertilizers. At the same time, slight depletions of these contents are registered as the high nitrogen doses from fertilizers stimulate plant growth and, obviously, nutritive elements absorption. Mobile potassium contents changes very little, with insignificant differences. Significant depletions are registered only with high fertilizers doses, due to the stimulation of the nutritive elements absorption in plants. Microelements contents don’t change almost at all. They are within the normal content limits and no excess or deficiency was registered, in any of the studied stations. For the agricultural practice, economical studies are recommended, about how high fertilizing expenses are covered by the yield growth. Not the least, production quality study in different variants of mineral fertilization could prove interesting.

Assessing the potentials of agricultural residues for energy: What the CDM experience of India tells us about their availability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milhau, Antoine; Fallot, Abigail

2013-01-01

The potential of agricultural residues has been assessed worldwide and at different scales. Interpreting results so as to determine the possible role of this biomass feedstock in energy supplies, requires a clearer understanding of the conditions in which residues can effectively be mobilized for energy production. The experience of India with hundreds of projects where agricultural residues are transformed to heat and power partially sold to the grid, is analyzed and checked against the residue potentials that have been assessed in this country. We find that, in the absence of technological improvements in biomass conversion, the apparent success of Indian bioenergy projects is not sustainable in the long run due to rapid exhaustion effects on residue availability, coupled with the increasing costs that would be difficult to compensate by higher electricity tariffs. We also identify there is a serious agricultural issue which needs to be addressed in regard to degraded soils; this could lead to the reallocation of all primary residues, as well as part of secondary residues to soil and livestock needs. Such perspectives are considered within three contrasted scenario storylines. - Highlights: • India generates 572.10 6 t crop residues, 15–25% are potentially available. • Registered CDM projects for electricity generation use 17% of this energy source. • Some residues will be exhausted before the implementation of planned projects. • Residue scarcity translates to new markets with rising prices. • Increased tariffs will be necessary to compensate biomass cost increase

Life Sciences Research Facility automation requirements and concepts for the Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, Daryl N.

1986-01-01

An evaluation is made of the methods and preliminary results of a study on prospects for the automation of the NASA Space Station's Life Sciences Research Facility. In order to remain within current Space Station resource allocations, approximately 85 percent of planned life science experiment tasks must be automated; these tasks encompass specimen care and feeding, cage and instrument cleaning, data acquisition and control, sample analysis, waste management, instrument calibration, materials inventory and management, and janitorial work. Task automation will free crews for specimen manipulation, tissue sampling, data interpretation and communication with ground controllers, and experiment management.

Potentialities of the internal target station at the Nuclotron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malakhov, A.I.; Afanasiev, S.V.; Anisimov, Yu.S.; Artiomov, A.S.; Bazilev, S.N.; Khrenov, A.N.; Kliman, J.; Krasnov, V.A.; Matousek, V.; Morhac, M. E-mail: fyzimiro@savba.sk; Starikov, A.Yu.; Shabunov, A.V.; Slepnev, V.M.; Turzo, I

2000-02-01

The potentialities of the internal target station used in physics experiments at the Nuclotron, as well as its construction, hardware and software configurations are described. The remote control of the station is performed by means of a PC and is based on operative presentation of the magnetic field cycle, the beam parameters and the target position on screen. Consequently, the space-time trajectory of motion of a chosen target can be determined in an interactive way by an operator. During the accelerator operation the motion is carried out by means of a stepper motor.

47 CFR 73.6016 - Digital Class A TV station protection of TV broadcast stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Digital Class A TV station protection of TV... Class A TV station protection of TV broadcast stations. Digital Class A TV stations must protect authorized TV broadcast stations, applications for minor changes in authorized TV broadcast stations filed on...

Microgravity Science Glovebox Aboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

In the Destiny laboratory aboard the International Space Station (ISS), European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain is seen working at the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). He is working with the PROMISS experiment, which will investigate the growth processes of proteins during weightless conditions. The PROMISS is one of the Cervantes program of tests (consisting of 20 commercial experiments). The MSG is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).

(Case Study: Wastewater Pump Station of Khoramabad

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masoud Taheriyoun

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Evaluation of a Biofilter System for Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide Gas (Case Study: Wastewater Pump Station of Khorramabad Abstract The biofilter system is one of the methods commonly used for the removal of hydrogen sulfide as the main source of odors emitted from wastewater facilities. The system is based on using the contaminant material as bedding to feed microorganisms. To achieve the desirable removal efficiency, it is, therefore, essential to create the proper conditions for the bacteria to grow on the bedding. In this study, a pilot-scale biofilter made of compost and woodchip (with a compost/woodchip ratio of 5:1 was used as the bedding material at Khorrmabad wastewater pumping station to investigate the performance of the system under real conditions. The experiment was carried out over 75 days during which time the input and output H2S concentrations were measured on a regular basis. Moisture was adjusted between 40% and 60% throughout the experiment to provide optimal conditions for bacterial growth. The results showed that the concentration of H2S emitted from the pumping station during 24 hours varied greatly between 0 and 48 PPM. The maximum adsorption capacity of the biological bedding was recorded at 2.874 g/m3.hr and the mean efficiency of H2S removal including the startup time was 89%. The mean performance efficiency during the biological activity after the startup was recorded at 98%.

Using the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) on the International Space Station (ISS), The Advanced Colloids Experiment (ACE) and MacroMolecular Biophysics (MMB)

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, William; Foster, William M.; Motil, Brian J.; Sicker, Ronald; Abbott-Hearn, Amber; Chao, David; Chiaramonte, Fran; Atherton, Arthur; Beltram, Alexander; Bodzioney, Christopher M.;

Terrestrial mammal fauna and habitat in environmental assessment reports of thermal and nuclear power stations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yatake, Hatsuho; Nashimoto, Makoto; Chiba, Shinji [Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry, Abiko, Chiba (Japan). Abiko Research Lab

2000-04-01

We analyzed the geological distribution of mammals, relationships between ecological distribution of mammals and land use, and vegetation type in the 49 environmental assessment reports of thermal and nuclear power stations in the coastal area of Japan. Seven orders and 17 families of 66 terrestrial mammal species including subspecies were listed from the reports. This is about 40% of the total species of terrestrial mammals observed in Japan. Mammals were divided into 3 groups: distributed in the nationwide, in limited districts, and in limited area. The geological distributions of Insectivora, Rodentia, Chiroptera and naturalized mammals, of which have not been well known, were arranged in a topographic map at the scale of 1:50,000 in this survey. The characteristics of power station sites were classified into 4 categories as follows: Industrial site, Industrial-agricultural mixed site, Industrial-agricultural-forest mixed site, and forest site. The relationships between site categories and species compositions were analyzed. The listed species were fifteen species in the industrial site, however, there were thirty six species in the forest site. The mammal species were classified into six groups by vegetation types of habitat; forest-dwelling, grassland-dwelling, farmland and orchard-dwelling, wide-dwelling except residential area, wide-dwelling mammals including residential area, and residential area-dwelling mammals. (author)

Terrestrial mammal fauna and habitat in environmental assessment reports of thermal and nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yatake, Hatsuho; Nashimoto, Makoto; Chiba, Shinji

2000-01-01

We analyzed the geological distribution of mammals, relationships between ecological distribution of mammals and land use, and vegetation type in the 49 environmental assessment reports of thermal and nuclear power stations in the coastal area of Japan. Seven orders and 17 families of 66 terrestrial mammal species including subspecies were listed from the reports. This is about 40% of the total species of terrestrial mammals observed in Japan. Mammals were divided into 3 groups: distributed in the nationwide, in limited districts, and in limited area. The geological distributions of Insectivora, Rodentia, Chiroptera and naturalized mammals, of which have not been well known, were arranged in a topographic map at the scale of 1:50,000 in this survey. The characteristics of power station sites were classified into 4 categories as follows: Industrial site, Industrial-agricultural mixed site, Industrial-agricultural-forest mixed site, and forest site. The relationships between site categories and species compositions were analyzed. The listed species were fifteen species in the industrial site, however, there were thirty six species in the forest site. The mammal species were classified into six groups by vegetation types of habitat; forest-dwelling, grassland-dwelling, farmland and orchard-dwelling, wide-dwelling except residential area, wide-dwelling mammals including residential area, and residential area-dwelling mammals. (author)

Fire Stations

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Fire Stations in the United States Any location where fire fighters are stationed or based out of, or where equipment that such personnel use in carrying out their...

Study on the quantitative relationship between Agricultural water and fertilization process and non-point source pollution based on field experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, H.; Chen, K.; Wu, Z.; Guan, X.

2017-12-01

In recent years, with the prominent of water environment problem and the relative increase of point source pollution governance, especially the agricultural non-point source pollution problem caused by the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides has become increasingly aroused people's concern and attention. In order to reveal the quantitative relationship between agriculture water and fertilizer and non-point source pollution, on the basis of elm field experiment and combined with agricultural drainage irrigation model, the agricultural irrigation water and the relationship between fertilizer and fertilization scheme and non-point source pollution were analyzed and calculated by field emission intensity index. The results show that the variation of displacement varies greatly under different irrigation conditions. When the irrigation water increased from 22cm to 42cm, the irrigation water increased by 20 cm while the field displacement increased by 11.92 cm, about 66.22% of the added value of irrigation water. Then the irrigation water increased from 42 to 68, irrigation water increased 26 cm, and the field displacement increased by 22.48 cm, accounting for 86.46% of irrigation water. So there is an "inflection point" between the irrigation water amount and field displacement amount. The load intensity increases with the increase of irrigation water and shows a significant power correlation. Under the different irrigation condition, the increase amplitude of load intensity with the increase of irrigation water is different. When the irrigation water is smaller, the load intensity increase relatively less, and when the irrigation water increased to about 42 cm, the load intensity will increase considerably. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the fertilization and load intensity. The load intensity had obvious difference in different fertilization modes even with same fertilization level, in which the fertilizer field unit load intensity

Do cities deserve more railway stations? The choice of a departure railway station in a multiple-station region

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Givoni, M.; Rietveld, P.

2014-01-01

Promoting the use of rail is an important element in sustainable transport policy. One of the most important decisions to make in planning the railway network is on the number of stations to provide. Stations are the access points to rail services and while each additional station increases rail's

Prospects for Interdisciplinary Science Aboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Julie A.

2011-01-01

The assembly of the International Space Station was completed in early 2011, and is now embarking on its first year of the coming decade of use as a laboratory. Two key types of physical science research are enabled by ISS: studies of processes that are normally masked by gravity, and instruments that take advantage of its position as a powerful platform in orbit. The absence of buoyancy-driven convection enables experiments in diverse areas such as fluids near the critical point, Marangoni convection, combustion, and coarsening of metal alloys. The positioning of such a powerful platform in orbit with robotic transfer and instrument support also provides a unique alternative platform for astronomy and physics instruments. Some of the operating or planned instruments related to fundamental physics on the International Space Station include MAXI (Monitoring all-sky X-ray Instrument for ISS), the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, CALET (Calorimetric Electron Telescope), and ACES (Atomic Clock Experiment in Space). The presentation will conclude with an overview of pathways for funding different types of experiments from NASA funding to the ISS National Laboratory, and highlights of the streamlining of services to help scientists implement their experiments on ISS.

47 CFR 73.6018 - Digital Class A TV station protection of DTV stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Digital Class A TV station protection of DTV... TV station protection of DTV stations. Digital Class A TV stations must protect the DTV service that... application for digital operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of a digital...

Latest Results from the AMS Experiment on the International Space Station

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2018-01-01

In seven years on the Space Station, AMS has collected more than 115 billion charged cosmic rays with energies up to multi TeV.  The measured positron spectra agrees well with dark matter models. The energy dependence of elementary particles (electrons, positrons, protons and antiprotons)  as well as the rigidity dependence of primary cosmic rays and secondary cosmic rays are unique and distinct.  These results require a new understanding of the cosmos. 

Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment, SAGE III on ISS, An Earth Science Mission on the International Space Station, Schedule Risk Analysis, A Project Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Bonine, Lauren

2015-01-01

The presentation provides insight into the schedule risk analysis process used by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station Project. The presentation focuses on the schedule risk analysis process highlighting the methods for identification of risk inputs, the inclusion of generic risks identified outside the traditional continuous risk management process, and the development of tailored analysis products used to improve risk informed decision making.

The Influence of Soil Displacement in Bavarian Agricultural Landscapes on the Land-Atmosphere Exchange of Greenhouse Gases.

Science.gov (United States)

Smidt, J.; Schmid, H. P. E.

2016-12-01

The terrestrial biosphere represents the world's second-largest stock of carbon, after the oceans, estimated to be 2300 Gt carbon with 1500 Gt of organic carbon (Kirkels et al., 2014). In agricultural landscapes, erosion and deposition caused by tillage and subsequent heavy precipitation redistribute large amounts of soil and therefore carbon (Van Oost et al., 2007). Erosion rates in areas of agricultural production are 1-2 magnitudes larger than in areas covered with native vegetation (Montgomery, 2007). Landscapes in the German state of Bavaria have been used for agricultural production for thousands of years. Within the framework of the project "Bavarian Landscapes Under Climate Change," a multi-method approach is taken. At two distinct watersheds in Bavaria, we attempt to quantify the effect of soil displacement on the fluxes of CO2, N2O and CH4 using continuous eddy covariance (EC) data, small manual gas chamber measurements and a soil laboratory incubation experiment designed to simulate an erosion event. The pre-alpine site of Rottenbuch, part of the TERENO network, is located at 690 masl and characterized by molasses and carbonic/dolomitic fluvioglacial sediments. The Otterbach site, part of the Bavarian Forest, lies at 350 masl and is dominated by granite and gneiss rock. The sites have an annual precipitation of 1200 and 700 mm, respectively. In Rottenbuch, the downslope area is managed grassland and the upslope area is grazed part of the year. In Otterbach, the downslope field is organic grassland, and the upslope area is used for agricultural production. There is a standard EC station at each site, as well as automatic chambers (Rottenbuch) and manual chambers (Otterbach). The data collected will be used to calibrate, run and verify numerical models to ascertain the sensitivity of the fluxes to biological, biochemical and physical processes and ultimately bring light to the question of agricultural landscapes as sinks or sources of greenhouse gases.

A Demonstration Training Program for Potential School Dropouts. A Service Station Training School for Dropout-Prone Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Rull, Marvin H.; Moore, Richard O.

One phase of the curriculum demonstration program sponsored jointly by the Quincy Public Schools and Southern Illinois University is the Service Station Training School described within this report. The Service Station Training School was one of several sheltered work stations which were developed to provide preemployment experiences and training…

Operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States in 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-11-01

This report is the thirty-fourth in the Agency's series of annual reports on operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States. The report is a direct output from the Agency's Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), whose database contains all operating experience data published in the Agency's operating experience annual reports since 1971 and basic information on power reactors, including design data. It presents operating experience data for all worldwide nuclear power plants after starting commercial operation. The PRIS databank is available free of charge to IAEA Member States through its two services: PRIS-PC and MicroPRIS. The PRIS-PC allows direct access to the database via telephone lines or through the Internet. The MicroPRIS contains a subset of the PRIS database and is a personal computer version of PRIS data available on diskette in a form readily accessible by standard, commercially available personal computer packages. PRIS is also available in the Internet at http://www.iaea.org/programmes/a2. Load, operation and availability factors are used as the basic performance factors. Energy unavailability factors, separate for planned and unplanned unavailability, due either to causes in the plant or causes external to the plant, are used as a measure of energy lost through a unit not being available. However, some ambiguity remains in the operator reports of the unavailability data, resulting in inconsistencies in these factors. It is recognized that there is an inherent difficulty in reporting unavailability in energy with relation to a maximum capacity which may change several times during the year. In addition, there are different practices in reporting planned and unplanned unavailability among Member States. The unavailability factors in this report should therefore be used with caution. It should be noted that, for load, operation and unavailability factors, there might be differences between the data of this report and those

Assessing different agricultural managements with the use of soil quality indices in a Mediteranean calcareous soil

Science.gov (United States)

Morugán-Coronado, Alicia; García-Orenes, Fuensanta; Mataix-Solera, Jorge; Arcenegui, Vicky; Cerdà, Artemi

2013-04-01

Soil erosion is a major problem in the Mediterranean region due to the arid conditions and torrential rainfalls, which contribute to the degradation of agricultural land. New strategies must be developed to reduce soil losses and recover or maintain soil functionality in order to achieve a sustainable agriculture. An experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of different agricultural management on soil properties and soil quality. Ten different treatments (contact herbicide, systemic herbicide, ploughing, Oat mulch non-plough, Oats mulch plough, leguminous plant, straw rice mulch, chipped pruned branches, residual-herbicide and agro geo-textile, and three control plots including no tillage or control and long agricultural abandonment (shrub on marls and shrub on limestone) were established in 'El Teularet experimental station' located in the Sierra de Enguera (Valencia, Spain). The soil is a Typic Xerorthent developed over Cretaceous marls in an old agricultural terrace. The agricultural management can modify the soil equilibrium and affect its quality. In this work two soil quality indices (models) developed by Zornoza et al. (2007) are used to evaluate the effects of the different agricultural management along 4 years. The models were developed studying different soil properties in undisturbed forest soils in SE Spain, and the relationships between soil parameters were established using multiple linear regressions. Model 1, that explained 92% of the variance in soil organic carbon (SOC) showed that the SOC can be calculated by the linear combination of 6 physical, chemical and biochemical properties (acid phosphatase, water holding capacity (WHC), electrical conductivity (EC), available phosphorus (P), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and aggregate stability (AS). Model 2 explains 89% of the SOC variance, which can be calculated by means of 7 chemical and biochemical properties (urease, phosphatase, and ß-glucosidase activities, pH, EC, P and CEC). We use the

From city’s station to station city. An integrative spatial approach to the (redevelopment of station areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Luísa Martins da Conceição

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Since its origin, the railway station has had a complicated relationship with the city, demanding periodical updates, particularly regarding spatial issues. With the aim of improving the liveability of station areas, current redevelopment projects are reconceptualising them as balanced transport ‘nodes’ and ‘places’ in the city. However, the proposed spatial solutions do not fully support the sought after economic, social and environmental performances. These intentions continue to be predominantly bounded with the (abstract planological level, not finding appropriate translation at the (concrete spatial design level. Further, the interdisciplinary nature of the highly complex planning and design processes of station areas, which should contribute to enhance the performance of their spaces, reinforces constraints and relegates architecture to a marginal role in this quest. It is thus necessary to understand how architecture can contribute to the improvement of the spatial performance of contemporary stations areas, supporting their current reconceptualization. To gain this understanding, the research explored the factors which influence the spatial definition and performance of European High Speed Train station areas, using “design research” and “research by design”. Via a theoretical integrative framework, synthesized from knowledge developed by architecture and other sciences, case studies of ‘through’ stations were analysed and compared. Six cases, encapsulating the most recurrent relative positions of the railway (infrastructure and the station building towards the(ir direct built environment, were chosen out of a large sample. For each category (cases with railway tracks at (a ground level, (b elevated level and (c underground level, two cases, featuring an adapted station building and a newly built one, were studied. Their physical and functional characteristics were mapped at several scales and moments (in history, as

EUPOS - Satellite multifunctional system of reference stations in Central and Eastern Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Sledzinski, J.

2003-04-01

The European project EUPOS (European Position Determination System) of establishment of a system of multifunctional satellite reference stations in Central and Eastern Europe is described in the paper. Fifteen countries intend to participate in the project: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. One common project will be prepared for all countries, however it will include the existing or developed infrastructure in particular countries. The experiences of establishing and operating of the German network SAPOS as well as experiences gained by other countries will be used. The European network of stations will be compatible with the system SAPOS and future European system Galileo. The network of reference stations will provide signal for both positioning of the geodetic control points and for land, air and marine navigation. Several levels of positioning accuracy will be delivered.

Genetically Modified Crops: Towards Agricultural Growth, Agricultural Development, or Agricultural Sustainability?

OpenAIRE

Azadi, Hossein; Ghanian, Mansour; Ghuchani, Omid M.; Rafiaani, Parisa; Taning, Clauvis N. T.; Hajivand, Roghaye Y.; Dogot, Thomas

2015-01-01

The present debate on how to increase global food production in a sustainable way has focused on arguments over the pros and cons of genetically modified (GM) crops. Scientists in both public and private sectors clearly regard GM technology as a major new set of tools, whereas industry sees it as an opportunity for increased profits. However, it remains questionable whether GM crops can contribute to agricultural growth, agricultural development, and agricultural sustainability. This review p...

BR3/Vulcain Nuclear Power Station. Construction and Operational Experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Storrer, J. [Belgonucleaire, S.A., Brussels (Belgium)

1968-04-15

A full-scale reactor experiment was set out as the main objective of the Vulcain research and development programme agreed in May 1962 between the UKAEA and BelgoNucleaire, manager of ''Syndicat Vulcain''. Vulcain uses variable moderation as the long-term method to control reactivity: the reactor is cooled and moderated by a mixture of heavy and light water, the D{sub 2}O content being stepwise reduced to permit power operation with all control rods completely out of the core. To carry out the Vulcain power experiment it was decided to modify the BR3 nuclear power plant located at Mol, Belgium, which had operated from 1962 to 1964 as a conventional PWR with outputs of 40.9 MW(th) and 11.45 MW(e). The BR3/Vulcain plant was started in December 1966 and since then is running with a load factor around 90%. It is the first time that such a reactor type has been built and operated and the experience gained by its design, construction, commissioning and operation has proven to be most valuable. D{sub 2}O is being used at a pressure (2000 lb/in{sup 2} abs.) never before achieved in a heavy-water reactor and the leak rate from the HP primary systems to the atmosphere has been kept to a negligible value, around 1 to 2 grams/h. Commissioning of the primary plant had been carried out with light water first without fuel, and thereafter with fuel, at which time the water was poisoned with boric acid. The reactor vessel contains experimental devices such as 65 in-pile instrumentation detectors and four hydraulically operated Zircaloy control rods. They required the interposition of a collar between the vessel and its lid. Refuelling is performed under boronated light water, the interchange between the primary water and the H{sub 2}O being carried out by means of a draining and spraying system. The reactor had been operated for two years before its modifications for Vulcain: many lessons have therefore been learned about working on irradiated systems. The BR3/Vulcain core has a

The mission of the central commission of the Czechoslovak Academy of Agriculture for use of energy resources and nuclear methods in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horacek, P.

1979-01-01

The possibility is discussed of using waste heat of nuclear power plants for the intensification of agricultural production. In France, protected agricultural areas are heated with warm water circulating in a polyethylene perforated blanket. Experiments with subirrigation using warm water or with heating using water circulating in subsurface piping yield good results. Heating water for fish husbandry appears prospective and a research project in this field is suggested. (H.S.)

A low cost micro-station to monitor soil water potential for irrigation management

Science.gov (United States)

Vannutelli, Edoardo; Masseroni, Daniele; Facchi, Arianna; Gandolfi, Claudio; Renga, Filippo

2014-05-01

The RISPArMiA project (which stands for "reduction of water wastage through the continuous monitoring of agri-environmental parameters") won in 2013 the contest called "LINFAS - The New Ideas Make Sustainable Agriculture" and sponsored by two Italian Foundations (Fondazione Italiana Accenture and Fondazione Collegio Università Milanesi). The objective of the RISPArMiA project is to improve the irrigation efficiency at the farm scale, by providing the farmer with a valuable decision support system for the management of irrigation through the use of low-cost sensors and technologies that can easily be interfaced with Mobile devices. Through the installation of tensiometric sensors within the cropped field, the soil water potential can be continuously monitored. Using open hardware electronic platforms, a data-logger for storing the measured data will be built. Data will be then processed through a software that will allow the conversion of the monitored information into an irrigation advice. This will be notified to the farmer if the measured soil water potential exceed literature crop-specific tensiometric thresholds. Through an extrapolation conducted on the most recent monitored data, it will be also possible to obtain a simple soil water potential prevision in absence of rain events. All the information will be sent directly to a virtual server and successively on the farmer Mobile devices. Each micro-station is completely autonomous from the energy point of view, since it is powered by batteries recharged by a solar panel. The transmission modulus consists of a GSM apparatus with a SIM card. The use of free platforms (Arduino) and low cost sensors (Watermark 200SS tensiometers and soil thermocouples) will significantly reduce the costs of construction of the micro-station which are expected to be considerably lower than those required for similar instruments on the market today . Six prototype micro-stations are actually under construction. Their field testing

Zuivere en toegepaste wetenschap in de tropen : biologisch onderzoek aan particuliere proefstations in Nederlands-Indië 1870-1940

Science.gov (United States)

van der Schoor, W. J.

2012-04-01

Most experiment stations originated from the cooperation between entrepreneurs and the government. From the 1890s onwards, the government, together with the well organised colonial entrepreneurs, established research departments for several plantation crops at the Botanical Gardens at Buitenzorg (now Bogor), that eventually became independent experiment stations in the first decades of the twentieth century. By the 1920s, the ‘proefstationswezen’ (experiment station system) numbered some fifteen private experiment stations or sub-stations. After the war, the private experiment stations together with the government experiment stations at Buitenzorg were to provide the backbone of Indonesian agricultural science. Dutch biologists in particular, made a striking plea for pursuing the natural sciences in the tropical colonies. First, they pointed out the scientific importance of the tropics. Secondly, they stressed the role of the natural sciences, in particular biology, as a natural ally of colonial agriculture. Pure science was seen as a leading force for technical and social progress. The third motive was the cultural value of science for the Netherlands and its colonies. The cultivation of science in the colonies gave international prestige and strengthened self-confidence in the imperial struggle around 1900. Science had a civilising effect; scientific research, however, was to remain in the hands of western, colonial scientists. From the 1880s and 1890s onward, the experiment stations in the Indies were characterised by their strategic aims and scientific orientation. Up to 1910, the ‘academic’ views of biologists like Treub and Went concerning science and practice were predominant, and research was considered to be the central aim. From 1910 onwards, advice became more central and special extension services were established at the experiment stations. Due to diverging views of science, tasks and aims became a battlefield for discussions in the next

Simulation of Martian EVA at the Mars Society Arctic Research Station

Science.gov (United States)

Pletser, V.; Zubrin, R.; Quinn, K.

The Mars Society has established a Mars Arctic Research Station (M.A.R.S.) on Devon Island, North of Canada, in the middle of the Haughton crater formed by the impact of a large meteorite several million years ago. The site was selected for its similarities with the surface of the Mars planet. During the Summer 2001, the MARS Flashline Research Station supported an extended international simulation campaign of human Mars exploration operations. Six rotations of six person crews spent up to ten days each at the MARS Flashline Research Station. International crews, of mixed gender and professional qualifications, conducted various tasks as a Martian crew would do and performed scientific experiments in several fields (Geophysics, Biology, Psychology). One of the goals of this simulation campaign was to assess the operational and technical feasibility of sustaining a crew in an autonomous habitat, conducting a field scientific research program. Operations were conducted as they would be during a Martian mission, including Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) with specially designed unpressurized suits. The second rotation crew conducted seven simulated EVAs for a total of 17 hours, including motorized EVAs with All Terrain Vehicles, to perform field scientific experiments in Biology and Geophysics. Some EVAs were highly successful. For some others, several problems were encountered related to hardware technical failures and to bad weather conditions. The paper will present the experiment programme conducted at the Mars Flashline Research Station, the problems encountered and the lessons learned from an EVA operational point of view. Suggestions to improve foreseen Martian EVA operations will be discussed.

Agriculture and Water Quality. Issues in Agricultural Policy. Agriculture Information Bulletin Number 548.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowder, Bradley M.; And Others

Agriculture generates byproducts that may contribute to the contamination of the United States' water supply. Any effective regulations to ban or restrict agricultural chemical or land use practices in order to improve water quality will affect the farm economy. Some farmers will benefit; some will not. Most agricultural pollutants reach surface…

Report of the Advisory Committee on Agriculturally Derived Fuels to the Texas Energy and Natural Resources Advisory Council

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Reagan V.; Clayton, Bill; Armstrong, Bob; Walton, Bill; Baen, Jr., Spencer; Carmichael, Jack; Cowley, Raymond; Quick, Joe; King, Carl; Harp, Elbert; Nelson, Bill; Wagoner, Ed; McDonald, Dr., Richard; Swanson, Stan

1979-09-03

For the purpose of the Committee, biomass was defined as the volume of living material or residues of living material (organic material) available in Texas for conversion into energy. Statistical reports from the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and other sources indicate that in addition to surplus and distressed grains and certain other crops, there are roughly 27 million tons of agricultural residues currently being left in the fields or at the processing plants after harvest. The average annual residue from five crops - sorghum, corn, wheat, rice and cotton - is more than 20 million tons with a theoretical heat value of 270 trillion Btus. This represents 64 percent of the total energy input for Texas agriculture in 1973. Additionally, 4.1 million tons of dry manure is economically recoverable from Texas feedlots which could be converted into 14 trillion Btus of energy each year in the form of methane gas. Municipal solid waste, much of which is comprised of residues of living materials, currently amounts to about 13 million tons annually. The principal processes for converting the referenced resources into energy include: (1) direct combustion; (2) fermentation; (3) gasification/pyrolysis; (4) anaerobic digestion; and (5) petroculture - the production of certain non-traditional plants. Texas produces huge quantities of biomass, and has the potential of producing even more, which can be converted through various processes into significant quantities of usable energy to help meet the needs of the agricultural industry and the general public. Some of the technology required for the conversion processes is already sufficiently advanced to support immediate production and use while others will require additional research and development. The report discusses the current level of development of the relevant technologies.

Dynamics and control in nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butterfield, M.H.

1992-01-01

This volume presents a wide view of aspects of control of nuclear power stations by taking into consideration the plant as a whole and the protection systems employed therein. Authors with worldwide experience consider all aspects of dynamics and control in the context of both fast and thermal power stations. The topics discussed include the methods of development and applications within the analysis of plant behaviour, the validation of mathematical models, plant testing, and the design and implementation of controls. There are 27 papers all of which are indexed separately; steady states and model evolution (5 papers), control and protection systems (5 papers), transients (7 papers), testing and data (3 papers), model validation (6 papers) and commissioning and operation (1 paper). (author)

Steam turbines for PWR stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muscroft, J.

1989-01-01

The thermodynamic cycle requirements and mechanical design features applying to modern GEC 3000 rev/min steam turbines for pressurised water reactor power stations are reviewed. The most recent developments include machines of 630 MW and 985 MW output which are currently under construction. The importance of service experience with nuclear wet steam turbines associated with a variety of types of water cooled reactor and its relevance to the design of modern 3000 rev/min turbines for pressurised water reactor applications is emphasised. (author)

Convective and nonconvective rainfall partitioning over a mixed Sudanian Savanna Agriculture Catchment: Use of a distributed sensor network

Science.gov (United States)

Ceperley, N. C.; Mande, T.; Barrenetxea, G.; Repetti, A.; Yacouba, H.; Tyler, S. W.; Parlange, M. B.

2011-12-01

A hydro-meteorological field campaign (joint EPFL-2iE) in a mixed agricultural and forest region in the southern Burkina Faso Savanna aims to identify and understand convective rainfall processes and the link to soil moisture. A simple slab Mixed Layer and Lifting Condensation Level model is implemented to separate convective and nonconvective rainfall. Data for this research were acquired during the 2010 rainy season using an array of wireless weather stations (SensorScope) as well as surface energy balance stations that based upon eddy correlation heat flux measurements. The precipitation was found to be variable over the basin with some 200 mm of difference in total seasonal rainfall between agricultural fields and savanna forest. Convective rainfall represents more than 30% of the total rainfall. The convective rainfall events are short (less than hour), intense (greater than 3 mm/minute) and occur both in the early morning and in the afternoons. These events can have an important impact on soil erosion, which we discuss in more detail along with seasonal stream-aquifer interactions.

THE NEED TO IMPROVE PRACTICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM IN AGRICULTURE AND SPECIALIZED INDUSTRY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romeo Cătălin CREŢU

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In Romania, the establishment of the market economy has required the elaboration and implementation of agricultural, alimentary and nutritional policies, based on scientific criteria, to ensure that the structure of Romanian agriculture would come close to that of the European Union agriculture. Agricultural policy needs to be coherent, flexible and directed towards the economic, social and environmental protection performance. Worldwide practice shows that empiric experience of economic agents does not suffice, but requires plenty of scientific knowledge. The hereby study undertakes to carry out a radiography of the production potential of agricultural operations in Romania and to demonstrate the need for improving practical information systems in agriculture and specialized industry.

Current situation and control measures of groundwater pollution in gas station

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qiong; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Qianjin

2017-11-01

In recent years, pollution accidents caused by gas station leakage has occurred worldwide which can be persistent in groundwater. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the contaminated groundwater is threatening the ecological environment and human health. In this article, current status and sources of groundwater pollution by gas station are analyzed, and experience of how to prevent groundwater pollution from gas stations are summarized. It is demonstrated that installation of secondary containment measures for the oil storage of the oil tank system, such as installation of double-layer oil tanks or construction of impermeable ponds, is a preferable method to prevent gas stations from groundwater pollution. Regarding to the problems of groundwater pollution caused by gas station, it is proposed that it is urgent to investigate the leakage status of gas station. Relevant precise implementation regulations shall be issued and carried out, and supervision management of gas stations would need to be strengthened. Then single-layer steel oil tanks shall be replaced by double-layer tanks, and the impermeable ponds should be constructed according to the risk ranking. From the control methodology, the groundwater environment monitoring systems, supervision level, laws and regulations as well as pollution remediation should also be carried out and strengthened.

Agriculture in an industrial framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edgar Thomas

1966-12-01

Full Text Available The present shape of agriculture in every country is the result of a complex of past economic, social and political factors. These factors are continuously under pressure from new forces. Today, for better or for worse, the pursuit of economic growth has become the dominant force the world over. In order to achieve and sustain a more rapid rate of growth two things are necessary. The first is to improve productivity within each activity by the greater application of capital, by better technology, by better management and by better organisation. The second is to aim at the optimum allocation of resources between activities by moving resources from less to more productive uses. Pursuing these two paths towards faster growth is releasing two sets of forces which are exerting a radical impact on both the size and the pattern of agriculture. This paper deals with this impact on agriculture in contemporary Britain a highly industrial and a preponderantly urban nation committed to the experiment of running a hybrid economy based on the two pillars of private enterprise and public control.

Potentials and prospects of precision agriculture in pakistan - a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmood, H.S.; Ahmad, T.; Saeed, M.A.; Iqbal, M.

2013-01-01

Precision agriculture is to fine-tune the agricultural production system by emergence and convergence of several information-based technologies for enhancing profit and reducing environmental risks. These technologies have demonstrated to provide benefits to farmers as well as reduced environmental stresses in the developed world. Present paper provides an overview of precision agriculture and examines the potentials, prospects, implications, issues and relevance of precision agricultural applications in Pakistani agricultural system. There is a scope of many precision technologies to be implemented in the country. In this perspective, farmers and government authorities should look forward to adopt new and sustainable technologies to increase the efficiency of available resources and reduce the input costs. Before this, the effectiveness of precision technologies needs to be realised in Pakistan through field experiments and land management practices. (author)

Broadcasting Stations of the World; Part III. Frequency Modulation Broadcasting Stations.

Science.gov (United States)

Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Washington, DC.

This third part of "Broadcasting Stations of the World", which lists all reported radio broadcasting and television stations, with the exception of those in the United States which broadcast on domestic channels, covers frequency modulation broadcasting stations. It contains two sections: one indexed alphabetically by country and city, and the…

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Units 1, 2, and 3: Draft environmental statement (Docket Nos. STN 50-528, 529, and 530)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-04-01

The proposed action is the issuance of construction permits to the Arizona Public Service Corporation for the construction of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2 and 3. Preparation of the 3880-acre site will involve the clearing of up to 2500 acres of land, 1500 of which will be permanently devoted to station facilities. An additional 1200- to 1300-acre evaporation pond will ultimately be developed during the lifetime of the station. About 2200 site acres, previously devoted to agriculture, will be excluded from this land use (Sec. 4. 1). Soil disturbance during construction of the station, transmission lines, and water conveyance pipeline will tend to promote erosion and increase siltation in local ephemeral water courses. Stringent measures will be taken to minimize these effects (Sec. 4.5). Station, transmission line, and water pipeline construction will kill, remove displace, or otherwise disturb involved flora and fauna, and will eliminate varying amounts of wildlife breeding, nesting, and forage habitat. These will not be important impacts to the population stability and structure of the involved local ecosystems of the Sonoran desert; however, measures will be taken to minimize such effects (Sec. 4.3 and 4.5). Approximately 60 acres of agricultural land will be temporarily affected by construction in transmission corridors. The great majority can be returned to that use upon completion of construction, thus the impact is considered minor. Similarly, most grazing lands affected along these corridors, as well as along the water pipeline corridor, can eventually be returned to that use. New archaeological resources could be discovered along the path of final transmission corridor alignments. The applicant will take measures to locate and protect such resources if they exist. 75 refs., 24 figs., 65 tabs

Researches on Agricultural Cooperative Economic Organization Promoting Agricultural Insurance Development

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2011-01-01

The advantages of cooperative economic organization being the effective carrier of agricultural insurance development are analyzed. Firstly, cooperative economic organization promotes scale management and solves the problem of decentralized operation of small households. Secondly, cooperative economic organization can settle the problem of peasants’ low systematization. Thirdly, cooperative economic organization can largely reduce the costs of agricultural insurance operation. Fourthly, cooperative organization decreases moral risks as well as adverse selection to some extent. Lastly, cooperative organization, to a certain degree, reduces the risks of agricultural production and increases the insurability of agricultural risks. Meanwhile, limitations of agricultural cooperative economic organization being the carrier of agricultural insurance operation are pointed out. Firstly, cooperative economic organization has limited coverage and small size of organization, which is harmful to the diversification of agricultural risks. Secondly, cooperative economic organization lacks capital funds and its development is not standard, which is not perfect for the function exertion as a carrier. Lastly, members of professional cooperative organization have low cultural qualities, which restrict the implementation of agricultural insurance. The modes of farmers’ cooperative economic organization promoting agricultural insurance development are proposed, including mode of agricultural insurance cooperative ( mutual corporation), mode of "leading enterprises (companies) + professional cooperative organization (planting majors) + insurance" and mode of professional cooperatives serving as agricultural insurance agent. Last of all, the promoting role of agricultural insurance in agricultural cooperative economic organization is briefly illustrated.

7 CFR 550.4 - Eligibility.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... experiment stations, State cooperative extension services, all colleges and universities, other research or... any other party, either foreign or domestic, to further research, extension, or teaching programs in... Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF...

Process material management in the Space Station environment

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, J. L.; Humphries, W. R.

1988-01-01

The Space Station will provide a unique facility for conducting material-processing and life-science experiments under microgravity conditions. These conditions place special requirements on the U.S. Laboratory for storing and transporting chemicals and process fluids, reclaiming water from selected experiments, treating and storing experiment wastes, and providing vacuum utilities. To meet these needs and provide a safe laboratory environment, the Process Material Management System (PMMS) is being developed. Preliminary design requirements and concepts related to the PMMS are addressed, and the MSFC PMMS breadboard test facility and a preliminary plan for validating the overall system design are discussed.

Computer based training simulator for Hunterston Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowden, R.S.M.; Hacking, D.

1978-01-01

For reasons which are stated, the Hunterston-B nuclear power station automatic control system includes a manual over-ride facility. It is therefore essential for the station engineers to be trained to recognise and control all feasible modes of plant and logic malfunction. A training simulator has been built which consists of a replica of the shutdown monitoring panel in the Central Control Room and is controlled by a mini-computer. This paper highlights the computer aspects of the simulator and relevant derived experience, under the following headings: engineering background; shutdown sequence equipment; simulator equipment; features; software; testing; maintenance. (U.K.)

Probe station for testing of ALICE silicon drift detectors

CERN Document Server

Humanic, T J; Piemonte, C; Rashevsky, A; Sugarbaker, E R; Vacchi, A

2003-01-01

Large area, 7.25 cm multiplied by 8.76 cm silicon drift detectors have been developed and are in production for the ALICE experiment at LHC. An active area of the detector of more than 50 cm**2 imposes high demands on the quality of processing and raw material. Automated testing procedures have been developed to test detectors before mounting them on the ladders. Probe stations for ALICE SDD testing were designed and built at INFN, Trieste and Ohio State University (OSU). Testing procedures, detector selection criteria and some details of the OSU probe station design are discussed.

Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI): Concept, Hardware Development, and Initial Analysis of Experiments Conducted Aboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Grugel, Richard N.

2003-01-01

Porosity in the form of "bubbles and pipes" can occur during controlled directional solidification processing of metal alloys. This is a consequence that 1) precludes obtaining any meaningful scientific results and 2) is detrimental to desired material properties. Unfortunately, several Microgravity experiments have been compromised by porosity. The intent of the PFMl investigation is to conduct a systematic effort directed towards understanding porosity formation and mobility during controlled directional solidification (DS) in a microgravity environment. PFMl uses a pure transparent material, succinonitrile (SCN), as well as SCN "alloyed" with water, in conjunction with a translating temperature gradient stage so that direct observation and recording of pore generation and mobility can be made. PFMl is investigating the role of thermocapillary forces and temperature gradients in affecting bubble dynamics as well as other solidification processes in a microgravity environment. This presentation will cover the concept, hardware development, operations, and the initial results from experiments conducted aboard the International Space Station.

Assessment of potential impacts of climate change on agricultural development in the Lower Benue River Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Abah, Roland Clement; Petja, Brilliant Mareme

2016-12-01

Agriculture in the Lower Benue River Basin faces several challenges which threaten the future of agricultural development. This study was an assessment of potential impacts of climate change on agricultural development in the Lower Benue River Basin. Through analysis of physical and socioeconomic parameters, the study adapted an impact assessment model to rank potential impacts on agricultural development in the study area. Rainfall intensity seemed to be increasing with a gradual reduction in the number of rainy days. The average discharge at Makurdi hydrological station was 3468.24 cubic metres per second (m 3  s -1 ), and the highest peak flow discharge was 16,400 m 3  s -1 . The daily maximum temperature and annual temperature averages for the study area are gradually rising leading to increased heat stress. Physical and chemical analyses showed that the soils are moderately fertile but require effective application of inorganic and organic fertilisers. The main occupational activities in the study area are agricultural based. The identified potential impacts of climate change on agriculture were categorised under atmospheric carbon dioxides and oxides, rainfall intensity, frequency of floods and droughts, temperature intensity and variation, heat stress, surface water trends, and soil quality and fertility. The identified potential impacts related to population dynamics on agriculture were categorised under population growth, rural-urban migration, household income and infectious diseases and HIV and AIDS. Community-level mitigation strategies were proffered. Policy makers are advised to promote irrigation farming, support farmers with farm inputs and credit facilities and establish active agricultural extension services to support the sustainable development of agriculture.

Experience from use of GMOs in Argentinian agriculture, economy and environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Burachik, Moisés

2010-11-30

Argentina is the second largest grower of genetically modified (GM) crops. This high level of adoption of this new agricultural technology is the result of a complex combination of circumstances. We can identify four main causes that led to this: political support (from agriculture officials), ability to solve prevalent farmers' needs, economic and environmental factors and an early implementation of effective regulations. The political willingness to study this new technology and crops as well as the recruitment of sound professionals and scientists to perform the task was crucial. These professionals, with very diverse backgrounds, created the necessary regulatory framework to work with these new crops. Farmers played a decisive role, as adopting this new technology solved some of their agronomic problems, helped them perform more sustainable agronomic practices and provided economic benefits. Nonetheless, all these advancements had not been possible without a rational, science-based and flexible regulatory framework that would make sure that the GM crops were safe for food, feed and processing. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

analysis of the influence of agricultural and non-agricultural sectors ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

INIAMA

agricultural GDP led to a 0.243% and 0.743% change in the economy respectively. It means that the economy is inelastic with respect to agricultural and non-agricultural sector performance. The economy is more inelastic with respect to agricultural production than non-agricultural production. In countries where economies ...

Refueling Stop Activity Detection and Gas Station Extraction Using Crowdsourcing Vehicle Trajectory Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YANG Wei

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In view of the deficiencies of current surveying methods of gas station, an approach is proposed to extract gas station from vehicle traces. Firstly, the spatial-temporal characteristics of individual and collective refueling behavior of trajectory is analyzed from aspects of movement features and geometric patterns. Secondly, based on Stop/Move model, the velocity sequence linear clustering algorithm is proposed to extract refueling stop tracks. Finally, using the methods including Delaunay triangulation, Fourier shape recognition and semantic constraints to identify and extract gas station. An experiment using 7 days taxi GPS traces in Beijing verified the novel method. The experimental results of 482 gas stations are extracted and the correct rate achieves to 93.1%.

Guidelines for Learning Stations.

Science.gov (United States)

Fehrle, Carl C.; Schulz, Jolene

Guidelines for designing and planning learning stations for pupils at the elementary grade level include suggestions on how to develop a station that will be successful in meeting the learners' needs. Instructions for the use of tapes at a station and matching pupils with stations are given, as are guidelines on classroom arrangement and record…

Control Centre operations as the focus for building station teamwork - issues and resource impacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathews, G.; Lane, L.; Davey, E.

2006-01-01

Effective teamwork among station work groups is essential for plant production and safety in all phases of plant operation. To achieve effective teamwork, all contributing work groups must have ongoing access to and share a common perspective on station work priorities, and recognize how their individual contributions fit with and support the contributions of other groups in support of the larger station goals. Achieving and maintaining this alignment in perspective across all workgroups can be a challenge in large organizations. This paper discusses the experience at Darlington in building and maintaining station teamwork among the station workgroups in support of day-to-day plant operations. The issues encountered and the resource impacts of specific teamwork supporting practices adopted are outlined. (author)

Assessing Agricultural Drought in the Anthropocene: A Modified Palmer Drought Severity Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingzhi Yang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the current human-influenced era, drought is initiated by natural and human drivers, and human activities are as integral to drought as meteorological factors. In large irrigated agricultural regions with high levels of human intervention, where the natural farmland soil moisture has usually been changed significantly by high-frequency irrigation, the actual severity of agricultural drought is distorted in traditional drought indices. In this work, an agricultural drought index that considering irrigation processes based on the Palmer drought severity index (IrrPDSI was developed to interpret the real agricultural drought conditions in irrigated regions, with a case study in the Haihe River Basin in northeast China. The water balance model in the original PDSI was revised by an auto-irrigation threshold method combined with a local irrigation schedule. The auto-irrigation setting of the index was used by taking irrigation quotas during specific growth stages of specific crops (wheat–corn into consideration. A series of weekly comparative analyses are as follows: (1 The soil moisture analyses showed that soil moisture values calculated by the modified water balance model were close to the real values; (2 The statistical analyses indicated that most of the stations in the study area based on IrrPDSI had nearly normal distributed values; (3 The time series and spatial analyses showed that the results of the IrrPDSI-reported dry-wet evaluation were more consistent with documented real conditions. All the results revealed that IrrPDSI performed well when used to assess agricultural drought. This work has direct significance for agricultural drought management in large irrigated areas heavily disturbed by human activity.

Developmental state and perspectives of USSR power stations, espec. nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

According to the resolutions of the 25th and 26th party congresses of the CPSU, the Soviet electric and thermal energy economy envisages as the mainstreams in development: Energy projects based on nuclear fuel, i.e. nuclear power stations (NPS), nuclear heat- and -power stations (NHPS) and nuclear heat stations (NHS); fuel-energy complexes: Ekibastuz, Kansk-Achinsk, West-Siberian complex (Tyumen); power stations utilizing non-conventional regenerative energy sources, i.e. solar, geothermal, MHD power stations. Further down, an overview is given on the developmental perspectives of nuclear-heat and nuclear-power economy and on the development of energy management based on fossil fuels. (orig./UA) [de

47 CFR 95.139 - Adding a small base station or a small control station.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Adding a small base station or a small control... base station or a small control station. (a) Except for a GMRS system licensed to a non-individual, one or more small base stations or a small control station may be added to a GMRS system at any point...

Electrical system design and reliability at Ontario Hydro nuclear generating stations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Royce, C. J. [Ontario Hydro, 700 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X6 (Canada)

1986-02-15

This paper provides an overview of design practice and the predicted and actual reliability of electrical station service Systems at Ontario Nuclear Generating Stations. Operational experience and licensing changes have indicated the desirability of improving reliability in certain instances. For example, the requirement to start large emergency coolant injection pumps resulted in the turbine generator units in a multi-unit station being used as a back-up power supply. Results of reliability analyses are discussed. To mitigate the effects of common mode events Ontario Hydro adopted a 'two group' approach to the design of safety related Systems. This 'two group' approach is reviewed and a single fully environmentally qualified standby power supply is proposed for future use. (author)

Sounding rocket experiments during the IMS period at Syowa Station, Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirasawa, T.; Nagata, T.

1979-01-01

During IMS Period, 19 sounding rockets were launched into auroras at various stages of polar substorms from Syowa Station (Geomag. lat. = -69.6 0 , Geomag. log. = 77.1 0 ), Antarctica. Through the successful rocket flights, the significant physical quantities in auroras were obtained: 19 profiles of electron density and temperature, 11 energy spectra of precipitating electrons, 15 frequency spectra of VLF and HF plasma waves and 4 vertical profiles of electric and magnetic fields. These rocket data have been analyzed and compared with the coordinated ground-based observation data for studies of polar substorms. (author)

Economic Impacts and Program Involvement in Agricultural Mechanics Competition Projects in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Hanagriff, Roger D.; Rayfield, John; Briers, Gary; Murphy, Tim

2014-01-01

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is a well-documented, valuable, and integral part of agricultural education programs (Bryant, 2003; Cheek, Arrington, Carter, & Randall, 1994; Deyoe, 1953; Dyer & Osborne, 1996; Moore, 1988; Roberts & Harlin, 2007). Cole and Connell (1993) found that there was little research regarding the…

AECL's participation in the commissioning of Point Lepreau generating station unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chawla, S.; Singh, K.; Yerramilli, S.

1983-05-01

Support from Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) to Point Lepreau during the commissioning program has been in the form of: seconded staff for commissioning program management, preparation of commissioning procedures, and hands-on commissioning of several systems; analysis of test results; engineering service for problem solving and modifications; design engineering for changes and additions; procurement of urgently-needed parts and materials; technological advice; review of operational limits; interpretation of design manuals and assistance with and preparation of submissions to regulatory authorities; and development of equipment and procedures for inspection and repairs. This, together with AECL's experience in the commissioning of other 600 MWe stations, Douglas Point and Ontario Hydro stations, provides AECL with a wide range of expertise for providing operating station support services for CANDU stations

Lambda Station: Alternate network path forwarding for production SciDAC applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grigoriev, Maxim; Bobyshev, Andrey; Crawford, Matt; DeMar, Phil; Grigaliunas, Vyto; Moibenko, Alexander; Petravick, Don; Newman, Harvey; Steenberg, Conrad; Thomas, Michael

2007-01-01

The LHC era will start very soon, creating immense data volumes capable of demanding allocation of an entire network circuit for task-driven applications. Circuit-based alternate network paths are one solution to meeting the LHC high bandwidth network requirements. The Lambda Station project is aimed at addressing growing requirements for dynamic allocation of alternate network paths. Lambda Station facilitates the rerouting of designated traffic through site LAN infrastructure onto so-called 'high-impact' wide-area networks. The prototype Lambda Station developed with Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) approach in mind will be presented. Lambda Station has been successfully integrated into the production version of the Storage Resource Manager (SRM), and deployed at US CMS Tier1 center at Fermilab, as well as at US-CMS Tier-2 site at Caltech. This paper will discuss experiences using the prototype system with production SciDAC applications for data movement between Fermilab and Caltech. The architecture and design principles of the production version Lambda Station software, currently being implemented as Java based web services, will also be presented in this paper

Improving Station Performance by Building Isolation Walls in the Tunnel

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Yan; Horn, Nikolaus; Leohardt, Roman

2014-05-01

Conrad Observatory is situated far away from roads and industrial areas on the Trafelberg in Lower Austria. At the end of the seismic tunnel, the main seismic instrument of the Observatory with a station code CONA is located. This station is one of the most important seismic stations in the Austrian Seismic Network (network code OE). The seismic observatory consists of a 145m long gallery and an underground laboratory building with several working areas. About 25 meters away from the station CONA, six temporary seismic stations were implemented for research purposes. Two of them were installed with the same equipment as CONA, while the remaining four stations were set up with digitizers having lower noise and higher resolution (Q330HR) and sensors with the same type (STS-2). In order to prevent possible disturbances by air pressure and temperature fluctuation, three walls were built inside of the tunnel. The first wall is located ca 63 meters from the tunnel entrance, while a set of double walls with a distance of 1.5 meters is placed about 53 meters from the first isolation wall but between the station CONA and the six temporary stations. To assess impact of the isolation walls on noise reduction and detection performance, investigations are conducted in two steps. The first study is carried out by comparing the noise level and detection performance between the station CONA behind the double walls and the stations in front of the double walls for verifying the noise isolation by the double walls. To evaluate the effect of the single wall, station noise level and detection performance were studied by comparing the results before and after the installation of the wall. Results and discussions will be presented. Additional experiment is conducted by filling insulation material inside of the aluminium boxes of the sensors (above and around the sensors). This should help us to determine an optimal insulation of the sensors with respect to pressure and temperature

Effects of agricultural credit facility on the agricultural production and rural development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GE Ekwere

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Lack of capital has been identified as one of the constraints that faced by small scale farmers. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of agricultural credit on the agriculture production, and calculate the inputs and outputs among small scale farmers. Structured questionnaires were distributed to 136 farmers, who had been selected using the stratified random sampling technique, and the data obtained were summarized into percentages. Regression analysis was adopted to assess the impacts of socio-economic factors on loan size among farmers, while Cobb-Douglas Production Function Analysis (CDPFA was used to test the relationship between key independent variables such as loan amount, farm size, inputs and farm output as dependent variable. The analysis revealed a significantly high value of coefficient of determination (R2= 0.922 that reflected a high relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variables; gender, age, education, family size, farm size, farming experience. The Adjusted (R2 coefficient (R2 = 0.918 revealed that 91.8 % of variation in loam size explained by the changes in variables. The results showed a significance in F-test in size of loan. The hypothesis two, exhibited that the independent variables; loan size, farm size, and inputs explained the variation in the total value of farmers output. The study therefore showed that to achieve the positive agricultural credit impacts on agricultural production, The Government and the private sector should regularly and timely facilitate the credit to the small scale farmers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i2.10529 International Journal of the Environment Vol.3(2 2014: 192-204

Inspiring the Next Generation: The International Space Station Education Accomplishments

Science.gov (United States)

Alleyne, Camille W.; Hasbrook, Pete; Knowles, Carolyn; Chicoine, Ruth Ann; Miyagawa, Yayoi; Koyama, Masato; Savage, Nigel; Zell, Martin; Biryukova, Nataliya; Pinchuk, Vladimir;

Soil Erosion and Agricultural Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, D. R.

2009-04-01

capable of feeding a growing population safeguard both soil fertility and the soil itself? Although the experiences of past societies provide ample historical basis for concern about the long-term prospects for soil conservation, data compiled from recent studies indicate that no-till farming could reduce erosion to levels close to soil production rates. Consequently, agricultural production need not necessarily come at the expense of either soil fertility or the soil itself, even if recent proposals to rely on conventionally grown corn for biofuels exemplify how short-term social and economic trade-offs can de-prioritize soil conservation. Like the issues of climate change and loss of biodiversity, the ongoing global degradation and loss of soil presents a fundamental social challenge in which the slow pace of environmental change counter-intuitively makes solutions all the more difficult to adopt.

Implications Of Soil Resistivity Measurements Using The Electrical Resistivity Method A Case Study Of A Maize Farm Under Different Soil Preparation Modes At KNUST Agricultural Research Station Kumasi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakalia

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Continuous vertical electrical sounding CVES technique was used to investigate the soil moisture content of a maize farm at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST Agricultural Research Station ARS Kumasi Ghana. The soils of the maize farm were categorized into four different land preparation modes ploughed-harrowed ploughed hoed and no-till plot. Time-lapse measurements with CVES was carried out using the multi-electrode Wenner array to investigate soil moisture variation with the help of the ABEM Terrameter SAS 4000 resistivity meter. The results showed a heterogeneous distribution of soil moisture content both spatially and temporally. Most of the water available for plants uptake was within a depth of 0.20 0.40 m which coincided with the root zones of the maize crops. In addition the no-till plot was found to conserve more moisture during dry weather conditions than the rest of the plots. The research shows that CVES technique is applicable in monitoring shallow soil water content in the field and the results obtained could be used to optimize irrigation scheduling and to assess the potential for variable-rate irrigation.

Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

The EPA Agriculture Resource Directory offers comprehensive, easy-to-understand information about environmental stewardship on farms and ranches; commonsense, flexible approaches that are both environmentally protective and agriculturally sound.

Agricultural Overpopulation

OpenAIRE

Bičanić, Rudolf

2003-01-01

The author discusses three different approaches to agricultural overpopulation: from the consumption side, from the production side and from the aspect of immobility of agricultural population. In the first approach agrarian overpopulation is defined from the consumption point of viewas the number of people living from agriculture that can live from aggregate agricultural income at a certain standard of consumption. In this connection the problem of measuring total agricultu...

The impact of weather conditions on response of sorghum genotypes to anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineola) infection

Science.gov (United States)

Rainfall is a major climatic factor influencing anthracnose development and in this study, 68 sorghum accessions were evaluated for anthracnose resistance under dry and wet growing conditions at the Texas A&M Agricultural Experiment Station, near College Station, Texas. Accessions, planted in a ran...

Ecological agriculture in South-India : an agro-economic comparison and study of transition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jager, de A.; Werf, van der E.

1992-01-01

This report describes two research programmes carried out on ecological agriculture in South-India. Experiences of twelve farmers in transition towards ecological agriculture are described and analysed. The comparative performance of seven farmer pairs, consisting of one ecological and one

Does Agricultural Mechanics Laboratory Size Affect Agricultural Education Teachers' Job Satisfaction?

Science.gov (United States)

Byrd, Alex Preston; Anderson, Ryan G.; Paulsen, Thomas H.

2015-01-01

Secondary agricultural education teachers were surveyed to examine if a relationship existed between the physical attributes of agricultural mechanics laboratories and agricultural education teachers' enjoyment of teaching agricultural mechanics. Teachers also indicated their competence to teach courses other than agricultural mechanics within the…

The use of the environmental Caesium-137 for soil erosion study at Kalumpang Agriculture Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Othman, Zainudin

2004-01-01

Rapid industrial development and intensive agriculture land use induce soil erosion, increase surface runoff and subsequent deposition of eroded sediment. It is a serious threat to sustainable agricultural development and environmental conservation. Several methods have been developed to assess the degree of soil erosion. One of the method currently being applied is using environmental isotope caesium-137. Caesium-137 (1 37C s) is a product of nuclear weapons tests during the 1950s to 1970s. Fallout of 137 Cs from the atmosphere is distributed globally and become part of the world ecosystem. The fallout has been used as an indicator of soil erosion and sediment deposition status. Since it has been uniformly deposited on the soil, the sites with no net soil loss should have 137 Cs inventories that reflect the amount of 137 Cs fallout, less the loss due to radioactive decay, 137 Cs has a half-life 30 years. The level of 137 Cs at an undisturbed site provides a reference value for assessing the degree of erosion and deposition within the area. The sites having concentration less than the reference value can be considered eroded and the sites having more than the reference value can be regarded as depositional (Walling and Quine, 1992). In recent years, there has been an increase increasing attention of using this technique it offers as an alternative technique in providing more information and answers to some soil erosion and sediment deposition status. In order to establish the spatial variability of 137 Cs in the soil in the erosion plot, soil samples were collected using a motorized corer at 72 sampling points in a sloping erosion plot of an area 120 x 50 meter. In this study, a slope transects technique was employed because the site was characterised by a simple topography. Four combine soil cores are needed at each point for analysis. The results strongly indicated that 137 Cs concentration was uniformly distributed throughout the cultivation layer of the plot

Internal control in non - agricultural cooperatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yolanda García Castro

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The process of formation of non-agricultural cooperatives in Cuba, has been a step forward for the Cuban economy, provide primary care represents economic sustainability for the country. A necessary tool for achieving quality in the provision of services and products, it represents the audit process. In this sense the present work was aimed in the Council of the Provincial Administration, in order to strengthen the functioning of non-agricultural cooperatives. Theoretical and empirical methods, techniques, surveys and interviews with leaders and workers, aimed to assess the knowledge, applications for the creation of cooperatives, processing, approval, establishment and operation, based on guidelines established in internal control were applied; and descriptive statistics for processing information, which identified the important work that developed the organization, which was able to promote the operation of non-agricultural cooperatives, as well as the tools necessary for the production of income and consequently improve the quality of services. The diagnosis made it possible to identify the point in the process, so disruption to the operation. Undoubtedly, every experiment needs time to mature and gain experience, besides confirming Waste Disposal workers cooperatives and agencies to jump-start this process. Improvement measures were implemented in order to increase the economic efficiency of each process, in response to various guidelines of Economic and Social Policy of the Party and the Revolution, adopted at the Sixth Party Congress and Conference Objectives.

Transceiver for Space Station Freedom

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzmaurice, M.; Bruno, R.

1990-07-01

This paper describes the design of the Laser Communication Transceiver (LCT) system which was planned to be flight tested as an attached payload on Space Station Freedom. The objective in building and flight-testing the LCT is to perform a broad class of tests addressing the critical aspects of space-based optical communications systems, providing a base of experience for applying laser communications technology toward future communications needs. The LCT's functional and performance requirements and capabilities with respect to acquisition, spatial tracking and pointing, communications, and attitude determination are discussed.

The Heysham 2 and Torness nuclear power station projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cameron, P.J.

1989-01-01

At the beginning of the design of the Heysham 2 and Torness Nuclear Power Stations in the UK, it was agreed that the Hinkley Point B/Hunterston B Advanced Gas Cooled reactor design would be repeated. However, the Hinkley Point B/Hunterston B designs dated from 1964, and inevitably safety requirements had escalated in the intervening years. Furthermore, operating experience gained from Hinkley Point B/Hunterston B showed that it was desirable to make changes to particular features. Design changes were therefore included where it was considered essential to improve performance, to improve safety and to improve engineering. The resulting station designs are described. (author)

Instructor station of full scope simulator for Qinshan 300 MW Nuclear Power Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Fanghui

1996-01-01

The instructor station of Full Scope Simulator for Qinshan 300 MW Nuclear Power Unit is based on SGI graphic workstation. The operation system is real time UNIX, and the development of man-machine interface, mainly depends on standard X window system, special for X TOOLKITS and MOTIF. The instructor station has been designed to increase training effectiveness and provide the most flexible environment possible to enhance its usefulness. Based on experiences in the development of the instructor station, many new features have been added including I/O panel diagrams, simulation diagrams, graphic operation of malfunction, remote function and I/O overrides etc

The Spanish Nuclear Safety Council and nuclear power stations in operation in Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perello, M.

1984-01-01

On 20 April 1980 the Spanish Congress of Deputies passed an Act setting up the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) as the sole organization responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection. In this paper it is stated that that date marked the beginning of a new nuclear safety policy in Spain. As one of its objectives, this policy is aimed at the monitoring and testing of operating nuclear installations. A detailed description is given of the Operating Nuclear Installation Service (SINE), including its basic structure, its functions and the technical and manpower resources available to it. The maintenance of close relations with other organs of the CSN is considered of paramount importance in order for the tasks allotted to SINE to be fulfilled. International co-operation and outside contracting greatly assist importing countries which have limited manpower resources. A description is then given of the present state of the nuclear power stations in operation in Spain together with an account of the most important initiatives which have been taken so far. The year 1968 saw the beginning of commercial operation of the Jose Cabrera nuclear power station, which has the only single-loop PWR reactor in the world. At present, it is being subjected to the Systematic Evaluation Programme (SEP). The Santa Maria de Garona nuclear power station has been operating for over twelve years and is also being subjected to the SEP although design modifications derived from operating experience have already been introduced. The Vandellos I station was the last of the first generation and has also benefited from the operating experience of similar French plants. Unit 1 of the Almaraz power station opens the door to the second generation and the generic problem which has occurred with the steam generators is in process of being solved. Lastly, some general conclusions are presented about the organization of and experience acquired with operating nuclear power stations. (author)

Attitudes of students at College of Food and Agricultural Sciences toward agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Saleh Shenaifi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The primary purpose of the study was to determine the attitudes of students at the College of Agriculture toward agriculture programs and the field of agriculture in an effort to better identify, recruit, and retain students in the College of Agriculture. The population of the study was 110 students from the College of Agriculture freshmen enrolling in course 203 Ag. ext. Communication skills in 2009 and 60 students who transferred from the College of Agriculture to another College. Questionnaire was reviewed for content and face validity by a panel of experts from the department of Agricultural Extension at the College of Agriculture, King Saud University. A five-point Likert-type scale was used. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found to be 0.89, which indicated the internal consistency of the scale. Ninety-six of the students were from cities and do not have a farm background. Many of them indicated that they were not happy in the College of Agriculture. Only 31.18% of the respondents (53 indicated that more students should be encouraged to enroll in the College of Agriculture, whereas nearly 69 disagreed or were uncertain. The attitudes of students toward the field of Agriculture were positive. Seventy-one of respondents viewed Agriculture as a scientific area of study, nearly 66% of respondents viewed the field of Agriculture as a blend of scientific principles and agricultural practices. Significant differences at the level of 0.01 were detected, in means of students who had been enrolled in Agricultural program and those students who had not. Students who had enrolled in Agriculture program displayed different attitudes toward the field of Agriculture than did students who were in non-Agriculture program. Generally, students who were studying Agriculture programs possessed attitudes, which were supportive of Agriculture as a career field. Freshmen of the College of Agriculture viewed agriculture as being both scientific and technical. It

Newport Research Station

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Newport Research Station is the Center's only ocean-port research facility. This station is located at Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center,...

Space station pressurized laboratory safety guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Mcgonigal, Les

1990-01-01

Before technical safety guidelines and requirements are established, a common understanding of their origin and importance must be shared between Space Station Program Management, the User Community, and the Safety organizations involved. Safety guidelines and requirements are driven by the nature of the experiments, and the degree of crew interaction. Hazard identification; development of technical safety requirements; operating procedures and constraints; provision of training and education; conduct of reviews and evaluations; and emergency preplanning are briefly discussed.

Space Station Freedom automation and robotics: An assessment of the potential for increased productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, David J.; Zimmerman, Wayne F.; Swietek, Gregory E.; Reid, David H.; Hoffman, Ronald B.; Stammerjohn, Lambert W., Jr.; Stoney, William; Ghovanlou, Ali H.

1990-01-01

This report presents the results of a study performed in support of the Space Station Freedom Advanced Development Program, under the sponsorship of the Space Station Engineering (Code MT), Office of Space Flight. The study consisted of the collection, compilation, and analysis of lessons learned, crew time requirements, and other factors influencing the application of advanced automation and robotics, with emphasis on potential improvements in productivity. The lessons learned data collected were based primarily on Skylab, Spacelab, and other Space Shuttle experiences, consisting principally of interviews with current and former crew members and other NASA personnel with relevant experience. The objectives of this report are to present a summary of this data and its analysis, and to present conclusions regarding promising areas for the application of advanced automation and robotics technology to the Space Station Freedom and the potential benefits in terms of increased productivity. In this study, primary emphasis was placed on advanced automation technology because of its fairly extensive utilization within private industry including the aerospace sector. In contrast, other than the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), there has been relatively limited experience with advanced robotics technology applicable to the Space Station. This report should be used as a guide and is not intended to be used as a substitute for official Astronaut Office crew positions on specific issues.

Proposal of commercialization of Swietenia macrophylla King seeds genetic improved in the UCTB Experiment Station

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alain Puig Pérez

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This work was conducted at the Agroforestry Experimental Station of Guise in 2013, with the aim of establishing a proposal for the marketing of seed of Swietenia macrophylla with high added value. A brief characterization of the entity and description of the species under study was carried out. Internal and external environment was also characterized by identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, noting that the station should take advantage of opportunities and mitigate weaknesses and threats. The macro market segmentation and the action plan for marketing programs of the seeds were performed. With the marketing of seed of high added value of this valuable plantations will increase and latifolia seed growths will be greater.

Valve maintainability in CANDU-PHW nuclear generating stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pothier, N.E.; Crago, W.A.

1977-09-01

Design, application, layout and administrative factors which affect valve maintainability in CANDU-PHW power reactors are identified and discussed. Some of these are illustrated by examples based on prototype reactor operation experience. Valve maintainability improvements resulting from laboratory development and maintainability analysis, have been incorporated in commercial CANDU-PHW nuclear generating stations. These, also, are discussed and illustrated. (author)

Administrative, institutional and legislative issues on agricultural waste exploitation in Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaya, Durmus; Baban, Ahmet; Dikec, Stephanie; Canka Kilic, Fatma

2008-01-01

In this study, the influence of non-technical issues on the exploitation of agricultural waste in Turkey was investigated in accordance with the work program requirements for the project entitled ''Exploitation of Agricultural Waste in Turkey'' under the EU Life Third Countries Program. The study has been organized and presented according to the following four phases: (i) study of existing Turkish legislation and the administrative and institutional framework, (ii) review and analysis of the EU policy and legislation relevant to agricultural waste, including identification of potential market instruments, (iii) identification of barriers to the promotion of agricultural waste exploitation in Turkey, and (iv) Identification of gaps and formulation of recommendations. An ultimate objective of this study is to transfer the European experience and practices relative to the overall framework of managing agricultural waste. (author)

Weather Radar Stations

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — These data represent Next-Generation Radar (NEXRAD) and Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) weather radar stations within the US. The NEXRAD radar stations are...

Strata-1: An International Space Station Experiment into Fundamental Regolith Processes in Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, M.; Abell, P.; Brisset, J.; Britt, D.; Colwell, J.; Durda, D.; Dove, A.; Graham, L.; Hartzell, C.; John, K.;

History and Accomplishments of USDA-ARS Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA-Agricultural Research Service Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory (ADOL) in East Lansing, Michigan, formerly known as Regional Poultry Research Laboratory, was dedicated on August 8, 1939. Its establishment was the result of joint efforts by the Agricultural Experiment Stations of the Nor...

Visualisation of uncertainty for the trade-off triangle used in sustainable agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Paul; Takahashi, Taro; Lee, Michael

2017-04-01

Agriculture at the global-scale is at a critical juncture where competing requirements for maximal production and minimal pollution have led to the concept of sustainable intensification. All farming systems (arable, grasslands, etc.) are part of this debate, where each have particular associated environmental risks such as water and air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and soil degradation, as well as issues affecting production efficiency, product quality and consumer acceptability, reflected in the development of agricultural sustainability policies. These challenges necessitate multidisciplinary solutions that can only be properly researched, implemented and tested in real-world production systems which are suited to their geographical and climatic production practice. In this respect, various high-profile agricultural data collection experiments have been set up, such as the North Wyke Farm Platform (http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/farmplatform) to research agricultural productivity and ecosystem responses to different management practices. In this farm-scale grasslands experiment, data on hydrology, emissions, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, productivity and livestock welfare/health are collected, that in turn, are converted to trade-off metrics with respect to: (i) economic profits, (ii) societal benefits and (iii) environmental concerns, under the umbrella of sustainable intensification. Similar agriculture research platforms have similar objectives, where data collections are ultimately synthesised into trade-off metrics. Trade-offs metrics can then be usefully visualized via the usual sustainable triangle, with a new triangle for each key time period (e.g. baseline versus post-baseline). This enables a visual assessment of change in sustainability harmony or discord, according to the remit of the given research experiment. In this paper, we discuss different approaches to calculation of the sustainability trade-off metrics that are required from the farm

Innovation in Agriculture - a Way for Romanian Farmers to Adjust Production to Market Requirements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuela Dora Orboi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available One of the main problems of the world in the coming years is food security. The main problem of agriculture in the future is not only to produce more, but to do so in a sustainable way. European Innovation Partnership called "Productivity and sustainability of agriculture" aims to provide a working interface between agriculture, bio-economy, science and other disciplines at national, regional and EU level. European Innovation Partnership is a new concept that was introduced in Strategy Europe 2020 of the European Commission. In this document, the Commission underlines the role of research and innovation as key elements in adapting to future challenges of the European Union. This partnership will also serve as a catalyst to increase the effectiveness of actions related to innovation supported through rural development policy, EU research and innovation. It has been identified two main objectives for the European Innovation Partnership: promoting productivity and efficiency of agriculture and durable agriculture sustainability in all Member States. It aims to create a better cooperation between research and agricultural practice, namely farmers. Through National Program for Rural Development 2014 - 2020, can be financed such initiatives, through Measure 16, sub-16.1 - Support for the establishment and operation of operational groups of the EIP for agricultural productivity and sustainability and sub-16.2 - Support for pilot projects and development of new products, practices, processes and technologies. The purpose of these sub-measures is to support the establishment of operational groups between partners coming from research: research institutes, research stations or centers, higher education institutions that have research in agriculture or which can be applied in agriculture and agricultural producers (farmers, companies, cooperatives and producer groups. Development and innovation activities would enable farmers to capitalize on joint the

Validation of a station-prototype designed to integrate temporally soil N2O fluxes: IPNOA Station prototype.

Science.gov (United States)

Laville, Patricia; Volpi, Iride; Bosco, Simona; Virgili, Giorgio; Neri, Simone; Continanza, Davide; Bonari, Enrico

2016-04-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) flux measurements from agricultural soil surface still accounts for the scientific community as major challenge. The evaluations of integrated soil N2O fluxes are difficult because these emissions are lower than for the other greenhouse gases sources (CO2, CH4). They are also sporadic, because highly dependent on few environmental conditions acting as limiting factors. Within a LIFE project (IPNOA: LIFE11 ENV/IT/00032) a station prototype was developed to integrate annually N2O and CO2 emissions using automatically chamber technique. Main challenge was to develop a device enough durable to be able of measuring in continuous way CO2 and N2O fluxes with sufficient sensitivity to allow make reliable assessments of soil GHG measurements with minimal technical field interventions. The IPNOA station prototype was developed by West System SRL and was set up during 2 years (2014 -2015) in an experimental maize field in Tuscan. The prototype involved six automatic chambers; the complete measurement cycle was of 2 hours. Each chamber was closing during 20 min and biogas accumulations were monitoring in line with IR spectrometers. Auxiliary's measurements including soil temperatures and water contents as weather data were also monitoring. All data were managed remotely with the same acquisition software installed in the prototype control unit. The operation of the prototype during the two cropping years allowed testing its major features: its ability to evaluate the temporal variation of N2O soil fluxes during a long period with weather conditions and agricultural managements and to prove the interest to have continuous measurements of fluxes. The temporal distribution of N2O fluxes indicated that emissions can be very large and discontinuous over short periods less ten days and that during about 70% of the time N2O fluxes were around detection limit of the instrumentation, evaluated to 2 ng N ha-1 day-1. N2O emission factor assessments were 1.9% in 2014

A Spatial Data Model Desing For The Management Of Agricultural Data (Farmer, Agricultural Land And Agricultural Production)

Science.gov (United States)

Taşkanat, Talha; İbrahim İnan, Halil

2016-04-01

Since the beginning of the 2000s, it has been conducted many projects such as Agricultural Sector Integrated Management Information System, Agriculture Information System, Agricultural Production Registry System and Farmer Registry System by the Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock and the Turkish Statistical Institute in order to establish and manage better agricultural policy and produce better agricultural statistics in Turkey. Yet, it has not been carried out any study for the structuring of a system which can meet the requirements of different institutions and organizations that need similar agricultural data. It has been tried to meet required data only within the frame of the legal regulations from present systems. Whereas the developments in GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and standardization, and Turkey National GIS enterprise in this context necessitate to meet the demands of organizations that use the similar data commonly and to act in terms of a data model logic. In this study, 38 institutions or organization which produce and use agricultural data were detected, that and thanks to survey and interviews undertaken, their needs were tried to be determined. In this study which is financially supported by TUBITAK, it was worked out relationship between farmer, agricultural land and agricultural production data and all of the institutions and organizations in Turkey and in this context, it was worked upon the best detailed and effective possible data model. In the model design, UML which provides object-oriented design was used. In the data model, for the management of spatial data, sub-parcel data model was used. Thanks to this data model, declared and undeclared areas can be detected spatially, and thus declarations can be associated to sub-parcels. Within this framework, it will be able to developed agricultural policies as a result of acquiring more extensive, accurate, spatially manageable and easily updatable farmer and

An Improved Method of Pose Estimation for Lighthouse Base Station Extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yi; Weng, Dongdong; Li, Dong; Xun, Hang

2017-10-22

In 2015, HTC and Valve launched a virtual reality headset empowered with Lighthouse, the cutting-edge space positioning technology. Although Lighthouse is superior in terms of accuracy, latency and refresh rate, its algorithms do not support base station expansion, and is flawed concerning occlusion in moving targets, that is, it is unable to calculate their poses with a small set of sensors, resulting in the loss of optical tracking data. In view of these problems, this paper proposes an improved pose estimation algorithm for cases where occlusion is involved. Our algorithm calculates the pose of a given object with a unified dataset comprising of inputs from sensors recognized by all base stations, as long as three or more sensors detect a signal in total, no matter from which base station. To verify our algorithm, HTC official base stations and autonomous developed receivers are used for prototyping. The experiment result shows that our pose calculation algorithm can achieve precise positioning when a few sensors detect the signal.

Understanding the Reach of Agricultural Impacts from Climate Extremes in the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP)

Science.gov (United States)

Ruane, A. C.

2016-12-01

The Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) has been working since 2010 to build a modeling framework capable of representing the complexities of agriculture, its dependence on climate, and the many elements of society that depend on food systems. AgMIP's 30+ activities explore the interconnected nature of climate, crop, livestock, economics, food security, and nutrition, using common protocols to systematically evaluate the components of agricultural assessment and allow multi-model, multi-scale, and multi-method analysis of intertwining changes in socioeconomic development, environmental change, and technological adaptation. AgMIP is now launching Coordinated Global and Regional Assessments (CGRA) with a particular focus on unforeseen consequences of development strategies, interactions between global and local systems, and the resilience of agricultural systems to extreme climate events. Climate extremes shock the agricultural system through local, direct impacts (e.g., droughts, heat waves, floods, severe storms) and also through teleconnections propagated through international trade. As the climate changes, the nature of climate extremes affecting agriculture is also likely to change, leading to shifting intensity, duration, frequency, and geographic extents of extremes. AgMIP researchers are developing new scenario methodologies to represent near-term extreme droughts in a probabilistic manner, field experiments that impose heat wave conditions on crops, increased resolution to differentiate sub-national drought impacts, new behavioral functions that mimic the response of market actors faced with production shortfalls, analysis of impacts from simultaneous failures of multiple breadbasket regions, and more detailed mapping of food and socioeconomic indicators into food security and nutrition metrics that describe the human impact in diverse populations. Agricultural models illustrate the challenges facing agriculture, allowing

UMTS Network Stations

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, C.

2010-09-01

The weakness of small island electrical grids implies a handicap for the electrical generation with renewable energy sources. With the intention of maximizing the installation of photovoltaic generators in the Canary Islands, arises the need to develop a solar forecasting system that allows knowing in advance the amount of PV generated electricity that will be going into the grid, from the installed PV power plants installed in the island. The forecasting tools need to get feedback from real weather data in "real time" from remote weather stations. Nevertheless, the transference of this data to the calculation computer servers is very complicated with the old point to point telecommunication systems that, neither allow the transfer of data from several remote weather stations simultaneously nor high frequency of sampling of weather parameters due to slowness of the connection. This one project has developed a telecommunications infrastructure that allows sensorizadas remote stations, to send data of its sensors, once every minute and simultaneously, to the calculation server running the solar forecasting numerical models. For it, the Canary Islands Institute of Technology has added a sophisticated communications network to its 30 weather stations measuring irradiation at strategic sites, areas with high penetration of photovoltaic generation or that have potential to host in the future photovoltaic power plants connected to the grid. In each one of the stations, irradiance and temperature measurement instruments have been installed, over inclined silicon cell, global radiation on horizontal surface and room temperature. Mobile telephone devices have been installed and programmed in each one of the weather stations, which allow the transfer of their data taking advantage of the UMTS service offered by the local telephone operator. Every minute the computer server running the numerical weather forecasting models receives data inputs from 120 instruments distributed

Methods of selection and training of personnel for the Rajasthan atomic power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarma, M.S.R.; Wagadarikar, V.K.

1975-01-01

Personnel selected to work in a nuclear electric generating station rarely have the necessary knowledge and experience in all the related fields. A station can be operated and maintained and at the same time radiation doses absorbed by station personnel can be kept to a minimum only if the operating personnel are familiar with, and can be used for, all phases of station operation and the maintainers have more than one skill or trade. More technical knowledge and more diversified skills, in addition to those required in other industries, are needed because of the nature of the nuclear reactor and the associated radiation environment and high automation. A training programme has been developed at the Nuclear Training Centre (NTC) near the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Kota, India, to cater to the needs of the operation and maintenance personnel for nuclear power stations including the Madras Atomic Power Station. This programme has been in operation for the last five years. The paper describes the method of recruitment/selection of various categories of personnel and the method of training them to meet the job requirements. (author)

Definition of technology development missions for early Space Station satellite servicing. Volume 2: Technical

Science.gov (United States)

Cable, D. A.; Diewald, C. A.; Hills, T. C.; Parmentier, T. J.; Spencer, R. A.; Stone, G. E.

1984-01-01

Volume 2 contains the Technical Report of the approach and results of the Phase 2 study. The phase 2 servicing study was initiated in June 1983, and is being reported in this document. The scope of the contract was to: (1) define in detail five selected technology development missions (TDM); (2) conduct a design requirement analysis to refine definitions of satellite servicing requirements at the space station; and (3) develop a technology plan that would identify and schedule prerequisite precursor technology development, associated. STS flight experiments and space station experiments needed to provide onorbit validation of the evolving technology.

CVB: the Constrained Vapor Bubble Capillary Experiment on the International Space Station MARANGONI FLOW REGION

Science.gov (United States)

Wayner, Peter C., Jr.; Kundan, Akshay; Plawsky, Joel

2014-01-01

The Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) is a wickless, grooved heat pipe and we report on a full- scale fluids experiment flown on the International Space Station (ISS). The CVB system consists of a relatively simple setup a quartz cuvette with sharp corners partially filled with either pentane or an ideal mixture of pentane and isohexane as the working fluids. Along with temperature and pressure measurements, the two-dimensional thickness profile of the menisci formed at the corners of the quartz cuvette was determined using the Light Microscopy Module (LMM). Even with the large, millimeter dimensions of the CVB, interfacial forces dominate in these exceedingly small Bond Number systems. The experiments were carried out at various power inputs. Although conceptually simple, the transport processes were found to be very complex with many different regions. At the heated end of the CVB, due to a high temperature gradient, we observed Marangoni flow at some power inputs. This region from the heated end to the central drop region is defined as a Marangoni dominated region. We present a simple analysis based on interfacial phenomena using only measurements from the ISS experiments that lead to a predictive equation for the thickness of the film near the heated end of the CVB. The average pressure gradient for flow in the film is assumed due to the measured capillary pressure at the two ends of the liquid film and that the pressure stress gradient due to cohesion self adjusts to a constant value over a distance L. The boundary conditions are the no slip condition at the wall interface and an interfacial shear stress at the liquid- vapor interface due to the Marangoni stress, which is due to the high temperature gradient. Although the heated end is extremely complex, since it includes three- dimensional variations in radiation, conduction, evaporation, condensation, fluid flow and interfacial forces, we find that using the above simplifying assumptions, a simple successful

Naturalization of landscaped parkland at Ontario Hydro's Nanticoke generating station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenna, G.R.

1998-01-01

The implementation of a program for the naturalization of Nanticoke Park, a 30 hectare area located on the property of Ontario Hydro's Nanticoke Generating Station was discussed. The station, which is located in southern Ontario very near to noted wildlife areas, is the largest coal-fired generating station in North America. Naturalization of Nanticoke Park began with passive naturalization of interior areas. An active naturalization program involving four to five hectare size areas annually was begun in 1997, to be completed over a five -year period. This presentation described the site preparation, planting methods, post-planting tending methods, survival assessment of planted areas, and scientific research initiatives including mulch trials with zebra mussel shells to increase soil moisture. The lessons learned from the two year experiment in determining the optimum planting strategy and methods were described. 7 refs., 1 tab

Radiation Processed Materials in Products from Polymers for Agricultural Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-07-01

This publication results from a technical meeting on radiation processed materials in products from polymers for agricultural applications, which was held from 8 to 12 July 2013 at the IAEA in Vienna. The meeting provided a forum for the sharing of practical experiences and lessons learned, and reviewed the recent developments in the use of radiation technologies for the preparation of environmental friendly products based on polymers for agricultural applications

Radiation Processed Materials in Products from Polymers for Agricultural Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2014-07-15

This publication results from a technical meeting on radiation processed materials in products from polymers for agricultural applications, which was held from 8 to 12 July 2013 at the IAEA in Vienna. The meeting provided a forum for the sharing of practical experiences and lessons learned, and reviewed the recent developments in the use of radiation technologies for the preparation of environmental friendly products based on polymers for agricultural applications.

AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES IN JAPAN - A MODEL FOR COOPERATIVIZATION OF AGRICULTURE FROM ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Remus Gherman

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Japan's agriculture provides only a part from the population's needs, in caloric terms Japan must impute 60% of foods. Arable land are few, but are worked very performant, rice being the main crop together with cotton, citrus, sugarcane, wheat, potato, soybean, sugar beet, other vegetables. Widely is practiced sericulture and fisheries, Japan being one of the leading producers of silk from the world and having over 600 ports specialized for fishing. Japanese agriculture has remained behind the industry and services, this trend being manifested after the very high economic growth from 1960-1970. The main focus of the movements from the Japanese cooperative system is represented by the creation of large specialized farms through the replacing of the traditional ones. The most important task of agricultural cooperatives from Japan is meeting the consumption needs of its members. Integrated leadership of Japanese cooperatives of farmers act at all levels, primary, at prefecture level and at national level. Contractual relationships play a decisive role in the integration of Japanese farmers. In Japan there are about 840 agricultural cooperatives very well organized with a balanced planning and efficiently conducted, agricultural cooperative MIKABI being the most developed, mainly focused on the production of mandarins. In Japan there are three large distribution centers of agricultural products, 29 distribution markets controlled by the prefecture and 1,000 local markets. Organization of cooperatives is the pyramid system on three levels: local, prefecture and national (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives.

Streamflow Gaging Stations

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — This map layer shows selected streamflow gaging stations of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in 2013. Gaging stations, or gages, measure...

Ocean Station Vessel

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Ocean Station Vessels (OSV) or Weather Ships captured atmospheric conditions while being stationed continuously in a single location. While While most of the...

Initiating Training Stations As Clusters of Learning in Fashion Merchandising

Science.gov (United States)

Garber, Jayne

1974-01-01

A Chicago business school offers fashion merchandising as one of several business curriculums that combines on-the-job training and classroom instruction. Instruction is organized around the occupational cluster concept which requires training stations that provide a wide variety of learning experiences. (EA)

Technologies for climate change adaptation. Agriculture sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, X [ed.; UNEP Risoe Centre, Roskilde (Denmark); Clements, R; Quezada, A; Torres, J [Practical Action Latin America, Lima (Peru); Haggar, J [Univ. of Greenwich, London (United Kingdom)

2011-08-15

review of key publications, journal articles, and e-platforms, and by drawing on documented experiences sourced from a range of organisations working on projects and programmes concerned with climate change adaptation technologies in the agriculture sector. Its geographic scope focuses on developing countries where high levels of poverty, agricultural production, climate variability and biological diversity intersect. (Author)

Emerging Agricultural Biotechnologies for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Jennifer A; Gipmans, Martijn; Hurst, Susan; Layton, Raymond; Nehra, Narender; Pickett, John; Shah, Dilip M; Souza, Thiago Lívio P O; Tripathi, Leena

2016-01-20

As global populations continue to increase, agricultural productivity will be challenged to keep pace without overtaxing important environmental resources. A dynamic and integrated approach will be required to solve global food insecurity and position agriculture on a trajectory toward sustainability. Genetically modified (GM) crops enhanced through modern biotechnology represent an important set of tools that can promote sustainable agriculture and improve food security. Several emerging biotechnology approaches were discussed in a recent symposium organized at the 13th IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry meeting in San Francisco, CA, USA. This paper summarizes the innovative research and several of the new and emerging technologies within the field of agricultural biotechnology that were presented during the symposium. This discussion highlights how agricultural biotechnology fits within the context of sustainable agriculture and improved food security and can be used in support of further development and adoption of beneficial GM crops.

Physics Experiments at the Agesta Power Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Apelqvist, G [State Power Board, Stockholm (Sweden); Bliselius, P Aa; Blomberg, P E; Jonsson, E; Aakerhielm, F [AB Atomenergi, Nykoeping (Sweden)

1966-09-15

Part A. Dynamic measurements have been performed at the Aagesta reactor at power levels from 0.3 to 65 MW(th). The purposes of the experiments have been both to develop experimental methods and equipment for the dynamic studies and to measure the dynamic characteristics of the reactor in order to check the dynamic model. The experiments have been performed with four different perturbation functions: trapezoidal and step functions and two types of periodic multifrequency signals. Perturbations were introduced in the reactivity and in the load. The recordings were made of the responses of nuclear power, coolant inlet and outlet temperature and control rod position. The results are presented as step responses and transfer functions (Bode diagrams). Inmost cases the relative accuracy is {+-} 0.5 dB in amplitude and {+-} 5 deg in phase. The results from the experiments in general show rather good agreement with the results obtained from a dynamic model, which successively has been improved. Experience on reactor noise analysis based on measurements in the Agesta power reactor is discussed. It is shown that the noise measurements have given complementary dynamic information of the reactor. Part B. Static measurements of the physics parameters in the Agesta reactor are carried out to confirm theoretical methods for reactor calculations and to form a good basis for safe operation of the reactor. The reactivity worth of groups of control rods are determined with different methods and compared with calculations with the three-dimensional code HETERO. The excess reactivity as a function of burn up is obtained from the control rod positions. The temperature coefficient of the moderator is measured by lowering the moderator temperature at constant power and observing the change in control rod insertion. As burn up increases the experiments are repeated in order to follow the changes in the coefficient. The xenon poisoning effects are measured by changing the power level and

Physics Experiments at the Agesta Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apelqvist, G.; Bliselius, P. Aa.; Blomberg, P.E.; Jonsson, E.; Aakerhielm, F.

1966-09-01

Part A. Dynamic measurements have been performed at the Aagesta reactor at power levels from 0.3 to 65 MW(th). The purposes of the experiments have been both to develop experimental methods and equipment for the dynamic studies and to measure the dynamic characteristics of the reactor in order to check the dynamic model. The experiments have been performed with four different perturbation functions: trapezoidal and step functions and two types of periodic multifrequency signals. Perturbations were introduced in the reactivity and in the load. The recordings were made of the responses of nuclear power, coolant inlet and outlet temperature and control rod position. The results are presented as step responses and transfer functions (Bode diagrams). Inmost cases the relative accuracy is ± 0.5 dB in amplitude and ± 5 deg in phase. The results from the experiments in general show rather good agreement with the results obtained from a dynamic model, which successively has been improved. Experience on reactor noise analysis based on measurements in the Agesta power reactor is discussed. It is shown that the noise measurements have given complementary dynamic information of the reactor. Part B. Static measurements of the physics parameters in the Agesta reactor are carried out to confirm theoretical methods for reactor calculations and to form a good basis for safe operation of the reactor. The reactivity worth of groups of control rods are determined with different methods and compared with calculations with the three-dimensional code HETERO. The excess reactivity as a function of burn up is obtained from the control rod positions. The temperature coefficient of the moderator is measured by lowering the moderator temperature at constant power and observing the change in control rod insertion. As burn up increases the experiments are repeated in order to follow the changes in the coefficient. The xenon poisoning effects are measured by changing the power level and

Agricultural policy schemes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henning Otte

2016-01-01

Agricultural support is a very important element in agricultural policy in many countries. Agricultural support is basically an instrument to meet the overall objectives of the agricultural policy – objectives set by society. There are a great number of instruments and ways of intervention...... in agricultural policy and they have different functions and impacts. Market price support and deficiency payments are two very important instruments in agricultural policy; however, they belong to two different support regimes or support systems. Market price support operates in the so-called high price system...

Pakistan's experience in application of nuclear techniques in agriculture and environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mujtaba Naqvi, S.H.

1981-01-01

The history of the use of nuclear techniques describes the range of activities and the practical results obtained in Pakistan so far. Agricultural research in PAEC are mutation breeding of important crops, agronomy of selected mutants, entomology, plant pathology, plant nutrition studies on macro and micro nutrients and their interactions, plant physiology and food preservation. Other activities include national and international co-operation, teaching, training and symposia. (author)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR FROM MOLDOVA THROUGH AGRICULTURE LOANS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliona SARGO

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Financial institutions present on the market become more attentive when they have to give loans to the agriculture sector. The lack of necessary guarantees the low profit registered in agricultural district, economy instability and other things had and continue to have a negative impact on the evolution of agricultural sector, this being seen as one with a high level of risk. Commercial banks use less own funds for lending to agriculture and especially when the loans are guaranteed from various funds, programs or foreign donor agencies. Farmers find it difficult to bank loans because of collateral amount required is too high. However, commercial banks in Moldova provide agricultural loans, thus increasing the economic efficiency of agriculture.

The Relationship between Agriculture Knowledge Bases for Teaching and Sources of Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Amber H.; Kitchel, Tracy

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the agriculture knowledge bases for teaching of agriculture teachers and to see if a relationship existed between years of teaching experience, sources of knowledge, and development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), using quantitative methods. A model of PCK from mathematics was utilized as a…

Nitrous oxide emissions from European agriculture – an analysis of variability and drivers of emissions from field experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. M. Rees

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Nitrous oxide emissions from a network of agricultural experiments in Europe were used to explore the relative importance of site and management controls of emissions. At each site, a selection of management interventions were compared within replicated experimental designs in plot-based experiments. Arable experiments were conducted at Beano in Italy, El Encin in Spain, Foulum in Denmark, Logården in Sweden, Maulde in Belgium, Paulinenaue in Germany, and Tulloch in the UK. Grassland experiments were conducted at Crichton, Nafferton and Peaknaze in the UK, Gödöllö in Hungary, Rzecin in Poland, Zarnekow in Germany and Theix in France. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured at each site over a period of at least two years using static chambers. Emissions varied widely between sites and as a result of manipulation treatments. Average site emissions (throughout the study period varied between 0.04 and 21.21 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1, with the largest fluxes and variability associated with the grassland sites. Total nitrogen addition was found to be the single most important determinant of emissions, accounting for 15% of the variance (using linear regression in the data from the arable sites (p 2O emissions within sites that occurred as a result of manipulation treatments was greater than that resulting from site-to-site and year-to-year variation, highlighting the importance of management interventions in contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation.

Reference Climatological Stations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Reference Climatological Stations (RCS) network represents the first effort by NOAA to create and maintain a nationwide network of stations located only in areas...

Wastewater Use in Irrigated Agriculture: Confronting the Livelihood ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The use of urban wastewater in agriculture is a centuries-old practice that is ... and water quality in Mexico, India, Nepal, Jordan, and the United States over the ... over 18 years experience in the planning and management of environmental ...

Climate-smart agriculture: possible roles of agricultural universities in a strengthened Norwegian climate change engagement in Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Synnevaag, Gry; Lambrou, Jayne Patricia

2012-02-15

The recent rise in the number of food insecure people in the world, coupled with incidences of crop failure due to adverse weather, have made world leaders increasingly aware that future climate change may severely limit our ability to feed the growing population towards 2050. So far, in addition to industrial emission control, Norwegian efforts to restrict climate change have focused on mitigation through forest protection (REDD+) and clean energy (Energy+). A third area of attention is climate-smart agriculture. Producing food in a more 'climate smart' way is seen as having three advantages: 1) Providing food for an increasing population, 2) maintaining food production under a changing climate, and 3) reducing greenhouse gas emission from agriculture while absorbing carbon in vegetation and soil. This report explores how Norway can support Africa's efforts to make agriculture more climate-smart through support to African universities.Among the three benefits of climate-smart agriculture, African farmers will be most inclined to focus on the two first, the production increase and the adaptation. Mitigation may require external support. African leaders are in the forefront of developing policies and institutional arrangements for climate-smart agriculture. Among other initiatives, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme under the African Union is in the process of preparing member states for substantial investments in agriculture. Capacity building and the generation of new knowledge are essential for the achievement of climate-smart agriculture. Given the long history of Norwegian support to agricultural research and higher agricultural education in several African countries, Norway can, without doubt, make significant contributions to African food security, now and in the future.Norwegian support to climate-smart agriculture can be based on its experience with REDD+ and Energy+ initiatives. The possible roles include: 1) Human and institutional

Climate-smart agriculture: possible roles of agricultural universities in a strengthened Norwegian climate change engagement in Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Synnevaag, Gry; Lambrou, Jayne Patricia

2012-02-15

The recent rise in the number of food insecure people in the world, coupled with incidences of crop failure due to adverse weather, have made world leaders increasingly aware that future climate change may severely limit our ability to feed the growing population towards 2050. So far, in addition to industrial emission control, Norwegian efforts to restrict climate change have focused on mitigation through forest protection (REDD+) and clean energy (Energy+). A third area of attention is climate-smart agriculture. Producing food in a more 'climate smart' way is seen as having three advantages: 1) Providing food for an increasing population, 2) maintaining food production under a changing climate, and 3) reducing greenhouse gas emission from agriculture while absorbing carbon in vegetation and soil. This report explores how Norway can support Africa's efforts to make agriculture more climate-smart through support to African universities.Among the three benefits of climate-smart agriculture, African farmers will be most inclined to focus on the two first, the production increase and the adaptation. Mitigation may require external support. African leaders are in the forefront of developing policies and institutional arrangements for climate-smart agriculture. Among other initiatives, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme under the African Union is in the process of preparing member states for substantial investments in agriculture. Capacity building and the generation of new knowledge are essential for the achievement of climate-smart agriculture. Given the long history of Norwegian support to agricultural research and higher agricultural education in several African countries, Norway can, without doubt, make significant contributions to African food security, now and in the future.Norwegian support to climate-smart agriculture can be based on its experience with REDD+ and Energy+ initiatives. The possible roles include: 1) Human

First results of a radioecological research on the agricultural environment on the north-eastern region of Italy (Friuli-Venezia Giulia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belli, M.; Blasi, M.; Borgia, A.; Poggi, M.; Sansone, U.; Menegon, S.; Nazzi, P.

1988-01-01

The consequences of the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident have been used to increase present knowledges of radionuclides transfer and accumulation mechanisms in natural and anthropized ecosystems and have provided an opportunity for a critical review of radioactivity transfer models in the environment. The Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region was more affected than other regions of Italy by the radioactive fallout and has been adopted as a large and important natural laboratory in which the principal components of terrestrial, lake and marine ecosystems can be studied for an adequate number of years. Activities in the agricultural environment started in May 1986 and involved a preliminary stage to identify the parameters required to categorize the complex agricultural environment (physical and chemical characteristics of soils, agricultural practices). 35 sampling stations were selected in the main agricultural areas representative of the soils and agricultural practices. The samples collected were cultivated soils and associated crops as well as undisturbed soils and forage crops. Some results of the studies in the agricultural environment are presented. Cs-137 deposition on the ground is discussed first. The influence of agricultural practices on Cs-deposition in soils is then described and lastly soil-maize transfer factors are reported

Fire Stations - 2007

Data.gov (United States)

Kansas Data Access and Support Center — Fire Station Locations in Kansas Any location where fire fighters are stationed at or based out of, or where equipment that such personnel use in carrying out their...

Fire Stations - 2009

Data.gov (United States)

Kansas Data Access and Support Center — Fire Stations in Kansas Any location where fire fighters are stationed or based out of, or where equipment that such personnel use in carrying out their jobs is...

[STEM on Station Education

Science.gov (United States)

Lundebjerg, Kristen

2016-01-01

The STEM on Station team is part of Education which is part of the External Relations organization (ERO). ERO has traditional goals based around BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). The BHAG model is simplified to a saying: Everything we do stimulates actions by others to advance human space exploration. The STEM on Station education initiate is a project focused on bringing off the earth research and learning into classrooms. Educational resources such as lesson plans, activities to connect with the space station and STEM related contests are available and hosted by the STEM on Station team along with their partners such as Texas Instruments. These educational activities engage teachers and students in the current happenings aboard the international space station, inspiring the next generation of space explorers.

The new Mediterranean background monitoring station of Ersa, Cape Corsica: A long term Observatory component of the Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx)

Science.gov (United States)

Dulac, Francois

2013-04-01

The Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.fr/) is a French initiative supported by the MISTRALS program (Mediterranean Integrated Studies at Regional And Locals Scales, http://www.mistrals-home.org). It aims at a scientific assessment of the present and future state of the atmospheric environment in the Mediterranean Basin, and of its impacts on the regional climate, air quality, and marine biogeochemistry. The major stake is an understanding of the future of the Mediterranean region in a context of strong regional anthropogenic and climatic pressures. The target of ChArMEx is short-lived particulate and gaseous tropospheric trace species which are the cause of poor air quality events, have two-way interactions with climate, or impact the marine biogeochemistry. In order to fulfill these objectives, important efforts have been put in 2012 in order to implement the infrastructure and instrumentation for a fully equipped background monitoring station at Ersa, Cape Corsica, a key location at the crossroads of dusty southerly air masses and polluted outflows from the European continent. The observations at this station began in June 2012 (in the context of the EMEP / ACTRIS / PEGASOS / ChArMEx campaigns). A broad spectrum of aerosol properties is also measured at the station, from the chemical composition (off-line daily filter sampling in PM2.5/PM10, on-line Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor), ground optical properties (extinction/absorption/light scattering coeff. with 1-? CAPS PMex monitor, 7-? Aethalometer, 3-? Nephelometer), integrated and vertically resolved optical properties (4-? Cimel sunphotometer and LIDAR, respective), size distribution properties (N-AIS, SMPS, APS, and OPS instruments), mass (PM1/PM10 by TEOM/TEOM-FDMS), hygroscopicity (CCN), as well as total insoluble deposition. So far, real-time measurement of reactive gases (O3, CO, NO, NO2), and off-line VOC measurements (cylinders, cartridges) are also

Administrative, institutional and legislative issues on agricultural waste exploitation in Turkey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaya, Durmus; Baban, Ahmet; Dikec, Stephanie [TUBITAK MRC Chemistry and Enviorenment Institute, P.O. Box 21, 41470 Gebze-Kocaeli (Turkey); Canka Kilic, Fatma [Kocaeli University, KMYO, Department of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Kullar/Kocaeli (Turkey)

2008-02-15

In this study, the influence of non-technical issues on the exploitation of agricultural waste in Turkey was investigated in accordance with the work program requirements for the project entitled ''Exploitation of Agricultural Waste in Turkey'' under the EU Life Third Countries Program. The study has been organized and presented according to the following four phases: (i) study of existing Turkish legislation and the administrative and institutional framework, (ii) review and analysis of the EU policy and legislation relevant to agricultural waste, including identification of potential market instruments, (iii) identification of barriers to the promotion of agricultural waste exploitation in Turkey, and (iv) Identification of gaps and formulation of recommendations. An ultimate objective of this study is to transfer the European experience and practices relative to the overall framework of managing agricultural waste. (author)

Correction of the equilibrium temperature caused by slight evaporation of water in protein crystal growth cells during long-term space experiments at International Space Station.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujiwara, Takahisa; Suzuki, Yoshihisa; Yoshizaki, Izumi; Tsukamoto, Katsuo; Murayama, Kenta; Fukuyama, Seijiro; Hosokawa, Kouhei; Oshi, Kentaro; Ito, Daisuke; Yamazaki, Tomoya; Tachibana, Masaru; Miura, Hitoshi

2015-08-01

The normal growth rates of the {110} faces of tetragonal hen egg-white lysozyme crystals, R, were measured as a function of the supersaturation σ parameter using a reflection type interferometer under μG at the International Space Station (NanoStep Project). Since water slightly evaporated from in situ observation cells during a long-term space station experiment for several months, equilibrium temperature T(e) changed, and the actual σ, however, significantly increased mainly due to the increase in salt concentration C(s). To correct σ, the actual C(s) and protein concentration C(p), which correctly represent the measured T(e) value in space, were first calculated. Second, a new solubility curve with the corrected C(s) was plotted. Finally, the revised σ was obtained from the new solubility curve. This correction method successfully revealed that the 2.8% water was evaporated from the solution, leading to 2.8% increase in the C(s) and C(p) of the solution.

Summary of astronaut inputs on automation and robotics for Space Station Freedom

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, David J.

1990-01-01

Astronauts and payload specialists present specific recommendations in the form of an overview that relate to the use of automation and robotics on the Space Station Freedom. The inputs are based on on-orbit operations experience, time requirements for crews, and similar crew-specific knowledge that address the impacts of automation and robotics on productivity. Interview techniques and specific questionnaire results are listed, and the majority of the responses indicate that incorporating automation and robotics to some extent and with human backup can improve productivity. Specific support is found for the use of advanced automation and EVA robotics on the Space Station Freedom and for the use of advanced automation on ground-based stations. Ground-based control of in-flight robotics is required, and Space Station activities and crew tasks should be analyzed to assess the systems engineering approach for incorporating automation and robotics.

THE PERSPECTIVE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL IN VRANCEA COUNTY

OpenAIRE

RADULESCU CARMEN VALENTINA; ANGHELUTA PETRICA SORIN; IOAN ILDIKO

2015-01-01

Agriculture is an important field and also a priority of Romania's development. In this regard, providing food for population is a factor that ensures the specificity of agriculture. For this reason, we can consider that agriculture is a starting point for the socio-economic development of the country. Romania is recognized, at European and international level, for its experience in cultivating natural and traditional products. The agricultural area offers the possibility of suppl...

A GLOBAL REGISTRATION ALGORITHM OF THE SINGLE-CLOSED RING MULTI-STATIONS POINT CLOUD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Yang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Aimed at the global registration problem of the single-closed ring multi-stations point cloud, a formula in order to calculate the error of rotation matrix was constructed according to the definition of error. The global registration algorithm of multi-station point cloud was derived to minimize the error of rotation matrix. And fast-computing formulas of transformation matrix with whose implementation steps and simulation experiment scheme was given. Compared three different processing schemes of multi-station point cloud, the experimental results showed that the effectiveness of the new global registration method was verified, and it could effectively complete the global registration of point cloud.

The soil remediation fund for petrol stations in Belgium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naeyer, F. de; Van Dyck, E.; Janssens, J.P.; Duliere, A.; Fondaire, D.; Bodart, O.

2005-01-01

conditions, which depend on the situation at their petrol station. It is estimated that 4.000 petrol stations will submit an application. These conditions take into account European legislation concerning support measures and competition law. The legislator took learning experiences in the Netherlands and Denmark as a basis. These countries have launched similar funds in the past. BOFAS however goes further in its financial support

The soil remediation fund for petrol stations in Belgium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naeyer, F. de; Van Dyck, E. [OVAM, Mechelen (Belgium); Janssens, J.P.; Duliere, A. [BIM, Brussel (Belgium); Fondaire, D. [DGRNE, Liege (Belgium); Bodart, O. [Governement Wallon, Namur (Belgium)

2005-07-01

established conditions, which depend on the situation at their petrol station. It is estimated that 4.000 petrol stations will submit an application. These conditions take into account European legislation concerning support measures and competition law. The legislator took learning experiences in the Netherlands and Denmark as a basis. These countries have launched similar funds in the past. BOFAS however goes further in its financial support.

The Space Station Freedom - International cooperation and innovation in space safety

Science.gov (United States)

Rodney, George A.

1989-01-01

The Space Station Freedom (SSF) being developed by the United States, European Space Agency (ESA), Japan, and Canada poses novel safety challenges in design, operations, logistics, and program management. A brief overview discloses many features that make SSF a radical departure from earlier low earth orbit (LEO) space stations relative to safety management: size and power levels; multiphase manned assembly; 30-year planned lifetime, with embedded 'hooks and scars' forevolution; crew size and skill-mix variability; sustained logistical dependence; use of man, robotics and telepresence for on-orbit maintenance of station and free-flyer systems; closed-environment recycling; use of automation and expert systems; long-term operation of collocated life-sciences and materials-science experiments, requiring control and segregation of hazardous and chemically incompatible materials; and materials aging in space.

Biogas production from energy crops and agriculture residues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, G.

2010-12-15

In this thesis, the feasibility of utilizing energy crops (willow and miscanthus) and agriculture residues (wheat straw and corn stalker) in an anaerobic digestion process for biogas production was evaluated. Potential energy crops and agriculture residues were screened according to their suitability for biogas production. Moreover, pretreatment of these biomasses by using wet explosion method was studied and the effect of the wet explosion process was evaluated based on the increase of (a) sugar release and (b) methane potential when comparing the pretreated biomass and raw biomass. Ensiling of perennial crops was tested as a storage method and pretreatment method for enhancement of the biodegradability of the crops. The efficiency of the silage process was evaluated based on (a) the amount of biomass loss during storage and (b) the effect of the silage on methane potential. Co-digestion of raw and wet explosion pretreated energy crops and agriculture residues with swine manure at various volatile solids (VS) ratio between crop and manure was carried out by batch tests and continuous experiments. The efficiency of the co-digestion experiment was evaluated based on (a) the methane potential in term of ml CH4 produced per g of VS-added and (b) the amount of methane produced per m3 of reactor volume. (Author)

Station History Of The Seismic Station In Ahmadu Bello University ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dominants in the selected events are events from Meditterranian, East Kazakhstan, India/Burma/China, South and Central America and North Ascension island regions. The limited number of events reporting at the station was due to low operational gain at the station which permitted only events whose magnitudes are ...

STS-102 Astronaut Thomas Views International Space Station Through Shuttle Window

Science.gov (United States)

2001-01-01

STS-102 astronaut and mission specialist, Andrew S.W. Thomas, gazes through an aft window of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery as it approaches the docking bay of the International Space Station (ISS). Launched March 8, 2001, STS-102's primary cargo was the Leonardo, the Italian Space Agency-built Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM). The Leonardo MPLM is the first of three such pressurized modules that will serve as the ISS's moving vans, carrying laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments, and supplies to and from the Station aboard the Space Shuttle. The cylindrical module is approximately 21-feet long and 15- feet in diameter, weighing almost 4.5 tons. It can carry up to 10 tons of cargo in 16 standard Space Station equipment racks. Of the 16 racks the module can carry, 5 can be furnished with power, data, and fluid to support refrigerators or freezers. In order to function as an attached station module as well as a cargo transport, the logistics module also includes components that provide life support, fire detection and suppression, electrical distribution, and computer functions. NASA's 103rd overall mission and the 8th Space Station Assembly Flight, STS-102 mission also served as a crew rotation flight. It delivered the Expedition Two crew to the Station and returned the Expedition One crew back to Earth.

The Mode Reform of Cultivating Marketing Talents in Agricultural Vocational Colleges Based on the Perspective of Agricultural Enterprises——A Case Study of Wenzhou Vocational College of Science and Technology

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2011-01-01

We conduct survey on the characteristics of demand of agricultural enterprises for agricultural marketing talents from the following 6 aspects:the professional marketing talents needed urgently by the agricultural enterprises,the amount of demand of agricultural enterprises for the marketing talents,the jobs offered by the agricultural enterprises,the educational background of agricultural marketing talents favored by the agricultural enterprises,the requirements posed by the agricultural enterprises on the work experience of agricultural marketing talents,and the quality requirements posed by the agricultural enterprises on the agricultural marketing talents.We analyse the problems existing in the cultivation mode of marketing talents in agricultural vocational colleges as follows:the feature of major is not outstanding;the contradiction between supply and demand is prominent;it is disconnected with the practical needs of agricultural enterprises;the cultivation form of practical ability is simple.On the basis of this,taking Wenzhou Vocational College of Science and Technology as an example,we advance the new mode of cultivating inter-disciplinary talents integrating "marketing technique+technique marketing",and establish characteristic agricultural course combo system on the basis of vocational position orientation.In the meantime,we propose that we should conduct close college-enterprise cooperation with the local leading agricultural enterprises.This cultivation mode reform of talents is favorable for the agricultural enterprises,especially small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises to foster "marketable" agricultural marketing talents,elevate the comprehensive competitiveness of small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises,serve the local economy,and promote the development of modern agriculture,and China’s agriculture,farmer,and countryside.

Tether applications for space station

Science.gov (United States)

Nobles, W.

1986-01-01

A wide variety of space station applications for tethers were reviewed. Many will affect the operation of the station itself while others are in the category of research or scientific platforms. One of the most expensive aspects of operating the space station will be the continuing shuttle traffic to transport logistic supplies and payloads to the space station. If a means can be found to use tethers to improve the efficiency of that transportation operation, it will increase the operating efficiency of the system and reduce the overall cost of the space station. The concept studied consists of using a tether to lower the shuttle from the space station. This results in a transfer of angular momentum and energy from the orbiter to the space station. The consequences of this transfer is studied and how beneficial use can be made of it.

Large-Scale Agriculture and Outgrower Schemes in Ethiopia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wendimu, Mengistu Assefa

, the impact of large-scale agriculture and outgrower schemes on productivity, household welfare and wages in developing countries is highly contentious. Chapter 1 of this thesis provides an introduction to the study, while also reviewing the key debate in the contemporary land ‘grabbing’ and historical large...... sugarcane outgrower scheme on household income and asset stocks. Chapter 5 examines the wages and working conditions in ‘formal’ large-scale and ‘informal’ small-scale irrigated agriculture. The results in Chapter 2 show that moisture stress, the use of untested planting materials, and conflict over land...... commands a higher wage than ‘formal’ large-scale agriculture, while rather different wage determination mechanisms exist in the two sectors. Human capital characteristics (education and experience) partly explain the differences in wages within the formal sector, but play no significant role...

Cooling effect of agricultural irrigation over Xinjiang, Northwest China from 1959 to 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Songjun; Yang Zhiyong

2013-01-01

The influences of agricultural irrigation on trends in surface air temperature from 1959 to 2006 over Xinjiang, Northwest China are evaluated using data from 90 meteorological stations. The 90 stations are located in landscapes with markedly different cultivated land uses. The increasing trends in daily average temperature (T a ), maximum temperature (T max ), and minimum temperature (T min ) for May–September (the main growing season) are negatively correlated with cultivated land proportions within 4 km of the meteorological stations, as indicated by year 2000 land use data. The correlations between the trends in T max and cultivated land proportions are the most significant. The trends in T a , T max , and T min for May–September are expected to decrease by −0.018, −0.014, and −0.016 ° C per decade, respectively, along with a 10% increase in cultivated land proportion. As irrigated cultivated land occupies over 90% of total cultivated land, the dependence of temperature trends on cultivated area is attributed to irrigation. The cooling effects on stations with cultivated land proportion larger than 50% are compared to temperature trends in a reference group with cultivated land proportion smaller than 10%. The irrigation expansion from 1959 to 2006 over Xinjiang is found to be associated with cooling of May–September T a , T max , and T min by around −0.15 ° C to −0.10 ° C/decade in the station group with extensive irrigation. Short periods of rapid irrigation expansion co-occurred with the significant cooling of the May–September temperature. (letter)

The Vistula River and water management in agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janusz Szablowski

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This article attempts to show how much in agriculture depends on appropriate water resources. The Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship is exposed to a significant deficiency of water resources. In addition, it experiences severe droughts, repeating in the period 1951–2006 on average every two years. The Vistula River flowing across the Voivodeship creates great chances for improved management conditions. These opportunities have been discussed on the example of investments, developed concepts of surface water management, agricultural irrigation programme and the opportunity of using the water resources of a planned second reservoir on the Vistula River below Włocławek.

Technology development for laser-cooled clocks on the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Klipstein, W. M.

2003-01-01

The PARCS experiment will use a laser-cooled cesium atomic clock operating in the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station to provide both advanced tests of gravitational theory to demonstrate a new cold-atom clock technology for space.

Operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States in 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-10-01

This report is the thirty-seventh in the Agency's series of annual reports on operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States. For the first time it is issued purely in an electronic version. The report is a direct output from the Agency's Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), whose databank contains all operating experience data published in the Agency's operating experience annual reports since 1970 and basic information on power reactors, including design data. It presents operating experience data for all worldwide nuclear power plants after starting commercial operation. The PRIS databank is available free of charge to IAEA Member States through its two services: PRIS-PC, and PRIS CD-ROM. The PRIS-PC allows direct access to the database through the Internet. The PRIS-PC on CD-ROM only includes data for reactors in operation, under construction and shutdown. It keeps the same feature as in the current front-end-tool PRIS-PC interface. This front-end-tool interface allows to search and query through pre-designed statistics. The PRIS-PC on CD-ROM contains mapping interface including a view of the world map with zooming features to country, region and site map and links to PRIS database to retrieve related (nuclear power plant) information. PRIS data and related indicators are also available on the PRIS Website: www.iaea.org/programmes/a2. It contains publicly available information about reactor units and nuclear industry results. Load, operation and availability factors are used as the basic performance indicators. Energy unavailability factors, separate for planned and unplanned unavailability, due either to causes under plant management control or external causes out of plant management control, are used as a measure of energy lost through a unit not being available. However, some ambiguity remains in the operators' reports of the unavailability data, resulting in inconsistencies in these factors. It is recognized that there is an inherent

Operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States in 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-08-01

This report is the thirty-eighth in the Agency's series of annual reports on operating experience with nuclear power stations in Member States. For the second time it is issued purely in an electronic version. The report is a direct output from the Agency's Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), whose databank contains all operating experience data published in the Agency's operating experience annual reports since 1970 and basic information on power reactors, including design data. It presents operating experience data for all worldwide nuclear power plants after starting commercial operation. The PRIS databank is available free of charge to IAEA Member States through its services: web-based PRIS-Statistics (http://prisweb.iaea.org/statistics/), PRIS-PC, PRIS CD-ROM and PRIS Website. The PRIS-Statistics and PRIS-PC allow direct access to the database through the Internet. The PRIS-PC on CD-ROM only includes data for reactors in operation, under construction and shutdown. It keeps the same feature as in the current front-end-tool PRIS-PC interface. This front-endtool interface allows to search and query through pre-designed statistics. PRIS data and related indicators are also available on the PRIS Website: www.iaea.org/programmes/a2. It contains publicly available information about reactor units and nuclear industry results. Load, operation and availability factors are used as the basic performance indicators. Energy unavailability factors, separate for planned and unplanned unavailability, due either to causes under plant management control or external causes out of plant management control, are used as a measure of energy lost through a unit not being available. However, some ambiguity remains in the operators' reports of the unavailability data, resulting in inconsistencies in these factors. It is recognized that there is an inherent difficulty in reporting unavailability in energy due to external causes with relation to energy losses due to load following

Mobile environmental radiation monitoring station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assido, H.; Shemesh, Y.; Mazor, T.; Tal, N.; Barak, D.

1997-01-01

A mobile environmental radiation monitoring station has been developed and established for the Israeli Ministry of Environment. The radiation monitoring station is ready for immediate placing in any required location, or can be operated from a vehicle. The station collects data Tom the detector and transfers it via cellular communication network to a Computerized Control Center for data storage, processing, and display . The mobile station is fully controlled from the. Routinely, the mobile station responses to the data request accumulated since the last communication session. In case of fault or alarm condition in the mobile station, a local claim is activated and immediately initiates communication with the via cellular communication network. (authors)

Space Station life science research facility - The vivarium/laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Hilchey, J. D.; Arno, R. D.

1985-01-01

Research opportunities possible with the Space Station are discussed. The objective of the research program will be study gravity relationships for animal and plant species. The equipment necessary for space experiments including vivarium facilities are described. The cost of the development of research facilities such as the vivarium/laboratory and a bioresearch centrifuge is examined.

CDIP Station Data Collection - All Stations

Data.gov (United States)

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego — The Coastal Data Information Program's station data collection consists of all publicly-released coastal environment measurements taken over the program's history, a...

Design and performance of U7B beamline and X-ray diffraction and scattering station at NSRL and its preliminary experiments in protein crystallography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Guoqiang; Xu, Chaoyin; Fan Rong; Gao Chen; Lou Xiaohua; Teng Maikun; Huang Qingqiu; Niu Liwen

2005-01-01

This publication describes the design and performance of the U7B beamline and X-ray diffraction and diffuse scattering station at National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (NSRL). The beamline optics comprise a Pt-coated toroidal focusing mirror and a double-crystal Si(1 1 1) monochromator. A preliminary experiment of diffraction data collection and processing was carried out using a commercial imaging plate detector system (Mar345). The data collected from one single crystal of acutohaemolysin, a Lys49-type PLA2 from Agkistrodon acutus venom, are of high quality

Operation of the UK Magnox Stations in a competitive market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corrigan, A.

2000-01-01

In 1955 the UK Government announced the first major civil nuclear power plant construction programme based on the Magnox design of reactor. This was followed in 1956 with the commencement of operation of Calder Hall, the world's first nuclear power station. The initial programme was for the construction of 1 500-2 000 MW of plant but, with the success of the early stations, this was increased to 5 000 MW by 1960. In total 11 Magnox nuclear power stations were commissioned in the UK over the period 1956 to 1971, comprising a total of 26 reactors (see Table 1). At present 20 of the reactors remain in operation, with an average life of 37 years. Output from the stations has been steady for many years and they have been regarded as the workhorses of the electricity generation industry in the UK. In 1990 the electricity supply and distribution system was deregulated and a market system introduced which has led to a reduction in the sale price of electricity. In addition to this it has been necessary to invest in the plants to maintain safety levels and operational reliability. The plant's can only continue in operation provided they remain safe and economic. This paper will review recent experience with the life management of the Magnox stations. (author)

Statistical inquiry on the reliability of emergency diesel stations in German nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

This statistic inquiry is based on 692 occurrances in 40 diesel stations of 10 German nuclear power plants. Various parameters influencing the failure behaviour of diesel stations were investigated on only significant plant-specific influences and the impact of diesel station circuitry on failure behaviour were established. According to the results of this inquiry, running time, start-up number and increasing operational experience do not apparently influence the failure behaviour of diesel stations. The expected failure probability of diesel stations varies with the different nuclear power plants. Taking into account both start-up and operational failures, (with monthly inspections and running times of up to 2 h), this value is in the range of 1.6 x 10 -2 to 1.7 x 10 -3 per application. Considering failure data of all diesel stations, the failure probability (start-up and operational failures) is 8.1 x 10 -3 per application. On account of the two common-mode failures registered, a common-mode failure probability of 10 -3 was established. The inquiry also showed that non-availability of diesel stations is essentially determined by maintenance intervals. (orig.) [de

Current experience with central-station nuclear cogeneration plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

In considering the potential of the HTGR for nuclear cogeneration, a logical element for investigation is the recent history of nuclear cogeneration experience. Little is found in recent literature; however, the twin nuclear cogeneration plant at Midland is nearing completion and this milestone will no doubt be the basis for a number of reports on the unique cogeneration facility and operating experiences with it. Less well known in the US is the Bruce Nuclear Power Development in Ontario, Canada. Originally designed to cogenerate steam for heavy water production, the Bruce facility is the focus of a major initiative to create an energy park on the shores of Lake Huron. To obtain an improved understanding of the status and implications of current nuclear cogeneration experience, GCRA representatives visited the Ontario Hydro offices in Toronto and subsequently toured the Midland site near Midland, Michigan. The primary purpose of this report is to summarize the results of those visits and to develop a series of conclusions regarding the implications for HTGR cogeneration concepts

A customer-friendly Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Pivirotto, D. S.

1984-01-01

This paper discusses the relationship of customers to the Space Station Program currently being defined by NASA. Emphasis is on definition of the Program such that the Space Station will be conducive to use by customers, that is by people who utilize the services provided by the Space Station and its associated platforms and vehicles. Potential types of customers are identified. Scenarios are developed for ways in which different types of customers can utilize the Space Station. Both management and technical issues involved in making the Station 'customer friendly' are discussed.

Student Pave Way for First Microgravity Experiments on International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

Chemist Arna Holmes, left, from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, teaches NaLonda Moorer, center, and Maricar Bana, right, both from Terry Parker High School in Jacksonville, Fl, procedures for preparing protein crystal growth samples for flight aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, is a sponsor for this educational activity. The proteins are placed in plastic tubing that is heat-sealed at the ends, then flash-frozen and preserved in a liquid nitrogen Dewar. Aborad the ISS, the nitrogen will be allowed to evaporated so the samples thaw and then slowly crystallize. They will be analyzed after return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

Quality assurance at a German power station company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czychon, K.H.

1992-01-01

The Integrated Operational Management System of the Emsland nuclear power station is described, together with its aims and system architecture as well as the structure and modus operandi of the Integrated Operational Management System Manager. The completion of repair work and the processing of modification and maintenance reports are explained as examples. Experience gained in the introduction and use of the system is presented. figs., 6 refs

Notes on organization of nuclear power station construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsicanin, B.

1977-01-01

After a visite to some european nuclear power stations under construction and in operation, in this report a short general view on this subject is given. The progress in this in large, industrialised countries is considered as well as the relevant experience in developing countries. The new role of nuclear research institutes during construction and operation is pointed out and prospects of this cooperation evaluated. (author)

Trace elements assessment in agricultural and desert soils of Aswan area, south Egypt: Geochemical characteristics and environmental impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Darwish, Mohamed Abdallah Gad; Pöllmann, Hebert

2015-12-01

Determination of chemical elements, Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Sc, Sr, Ti, Y, and Zn have been performed in agricultural and desert soils and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) at Aswan area. Consequently, the pollution indices, univariate and multivariate statistical methods have been applied, in order to assess the geochemical characteristics of these elements and their impact on soil environmental quality and plant, and to reach for their potential input sources. The investigation revealed that the mean and range values of all element concentrations in agricultural soil are higher than those in desert soil. Furthermore, the agricultural soil displayed various degrees of enrichment and pollution of Cd, Zn, Mo, Co, P, Ti, Pb. The geochemical pattern of integrated pollution indices gave a clear image of extreme and strong pollution in the agricultural soil stations, their poor quality with high risk to human health and considered as a tocsin for an alert. In contrast, the desert soil is the good environmental quality and safe for plant, animal and human health. Alfalfa is tolerant plant and considered as a biomarker for P and Mo in polluted agricultural soil. Four geochemical associations of analyzing elements in agricultural soil and three ones in desert soil have been generated, and their enhancements were essentially caused by various anthropogenic activities and geogenic sources. The investigation also revealed that the broad extended desert soil is fruitful and promising as cultivable lands for agricultural processes in the futures.

Best Management Practices for sediment control in a Mediterranean agricultural watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelwahab, Ossama M. M.; Bingner, Ronald L.; Milillo, Fabio; Gentile, Francesco

2015-04-01

Soil erosion can lead to severe destruction of agricultural sustainability that affects not only productivity, but the entire ecosystem in the neighboring areas. Sediments transported together with the associated nutrients and chemicals can significantly impact downstream water bodies. Various conservation and management practices implemented individually or integrated together as a system can be used to reduce the negative impacts on agricultural watersheds from soil erosion. Hydrological models are useful tools for decision makers when selecting the most effective combination of management practices to reduce pollutant loads within a watershed system. The Annualized Agricultural Non-point Source (AnnAGNPS) pollutant loading management model can be used to analyze the effectiveness of diverse management and conservation practices that can control or reduce the impact of soil erosion processes and subsequent sediment loads in agricultural watersheds. A 506 km2 Mediterranean medium-size watershed (Carapelle) located in Apulia, Southern Italy was used as a case study to evaluate the model and best management practices (BMPs) for sediment load control. A monitoring station located at the Ordona bridge has been instrumented to continuously monitor stream flow and suspended sediment loads. The station has been equipped with an ultrasound stage meter and a stage recorder to monitor stream flow. An infrared optic probe was used to measure suspended sediment concentrations (Gentile et al., 2010 ). The model was calibrated and validated in the Carapelle watershed on an event basis (Bisantino et al., 2013), and the validated model was used to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs on sediment reduction. Various management practices were investigated including evaluating the impact on sediment load of: (1) converting all cropland areas into forest and grass covered conditions; (2) converting the highest eroding cropland areas to forest or grass covered conditions; and (3

Space station propulsion requirements study

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, C. L.; Brennan, S. M.

1985-01-01

Propulsion system requirements to support Low Earth Orbit (LEO) manned space station development and evolution over a wide range of potential capabilities and for a variety of STS servicing and space station operating strategies are described. The term space station and the overall space station configuration refers, for the purpose of this report, to a group of potential LEO spacecraft that support the overall space station mission. The group consisted of the central space station at 28.5 deg or 90 deg inclinations, unmanned free-flying spacecraft that are both tethered and untethered, a short-range servicing vehicle, and a longer range servicing vehicle capable of GEO payload transfer. The time phasing for preferred propulsion technology approaches is also investigated, as well as the high-leverage, state-of-the-art advancements needed, and the qualitative and quantitative benefits of these advancements on STS/space station operations. The time frame of propulsion technologies applicable to this study is the early 1990's to approximately the year 2000.

Hydrogen Station Cost Estimates: Comparing Hydrogen Station Cost Calculator Results with other Recent Estimates